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The Yin and the Yang of the Home

March 10 by

Feng Sui is an ancient system of Chinese aesthetics that seeks to balance the energies of a space and provide harmony to those who inhabit it.

It asserts that by organizing the environments in which we spend most of our time, mainly the home and office, we can improve our lives and create much needed balance.

By using the five elements of water, wood, fire, earth, and metal in our home, and arranging furniture pieces according to the Bagau Map, your living environment can positively affect your career, family, creativity, relationships, reputation, skills, and health.

Here are some starter tips for Feng Shui design:

  • Proper energy flow is key to any environment. Therefore, arrange objects and furniture according to the Bagau Map and careful not to overload a room.
  • The five elements should always be in balance.
  • Choose colors according to what they symbolize and represent.
  • The shapes in your home symbolize different meanings, so choose accordingly.
  • Pay attention to the location of mirrors and doors in a room – it also affects energy flow.
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Women Carpet Weavers in Turkey

March 10 by

Turks were amongst the earliest carpet weavers and especially Turkish women, who played a leading role in their creation. Historically, a young woman had a better chance of marrying if she was a skilled weaved, because carpets could form part of the dowry. Even today, it tends to be women who are responsible for the weaving and men for the repair of these beautiful pieces.

In the last few decades, the demand for Turkish carpets has meant the rise of big companies, who still employ women. However, some work in the homes, and not in the workshops, and aren’t paid an hourly wage, rather a sum for the completed carpet. How much she can charge can depend on how intricate the design is, the quality of the materials and the number of knots per square centimeter.

In general these women weavers remain anonymous, although in recent years some women have begun weaving their names on the rug, earning well-earned credit for their work. So the next time you shop for a Turkish rug, look for the woman’s name woven into it, and think about how much work she put into it.

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Roll it out…

February 22 by

It’s the world’s famous red carpet, and it’s about to be rolled out for the 83rd time.  Yes, on February 27th, glitz and glamour come to Hollywood, when the Academy Awards (better known as the Oscars) are announced.  It’s the most talked about night of the year, in Los Angeles, for sure.  The celebs, the fashion, the pre-Oscar parties and the billion viewers who tune in on TV all make for big hype.

But the first Oscars, held in 1953, were much less of an affair.  Broadcast on black and white TV, only viewers in the US and Canada could watch.  Unlike today, where thousands of stars walk the red carpet, all the way to the Academy’s auditorium, the first Oscar ceremony was held at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel, with only 250 people in attendance.  It was dreamed up, originally, as a non-public affair, to promote the art of movie-making.  But by 1929, there was so much interest that the Oscar Presentation Night was introduced.

And unlike today, it wasn’t some star-studded event.  The attendees paid only $5 each for the night’s entertainment, and the ballrooms were decorated with Chinese lanterns.  There were no acceptance speeches, no TV cameras and almost no mention of it in the newspapers.   Actually, the entire award ceremony, carried out by Douglas Fairbanks, only lasted 15 minutes!

And was there a red carpet?  No-one’s even sure…

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Watch out for Water Damage

February 13 by

The East Coast has recently seen some of the worst blizzards in years, with snow falling so fast on New York’s streets that daily life, for a while, almost ground to a standstill.  But not being able to get around town isn’t the only problem our clients are facing – bitterly cold temperatures have meant that an increasing number of water pipes are freezing over.  As a result, they’re cracking, but the damage isn’t often noticeable until they begin to thaw.

When large amounts of water flood out of the pipe, they’re going to look for the “path of least resistance” which is often your own front door area!  And if that water freezes again, you’re looking at an ice problem, which means getting to your sidewalk won’t be just tricky but downright dangerous.

Leaks from pipes can also flood basements, cause roof damage and soak your carpets and, before you know it, you’ll have a mold or mildew problem on your hand, which isn’t just unpleasant but a health hazard.

Flat Rate Carpet has experienced technicians at the ready, armed with the most up-to-date drying equipment, designed to deal with all kinds of water damage.  Dealing with the problem yourself is tough, so take the load off your mind and give us a call.  We’ll be with you in no time, and are ready to deal with any kind of emergency!

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Carpet recycling – the environment friendly way!

February 13 by

There comes a time in every carpet’s life that it is just too worn and torn to be fixed.  But don’t throw it out!  You can recycle it!  Check out the  “Carpet America recovery effort” web site: http://www.carpetrecovery.org/

It’s a joint industry-government effort to increase the amount of recycling and reuse of post-consumer carpet and reduce the amount of waste carpet going to landfills. CARE will show you how and where to recycle. They also list companies that use recycled carpet fibers…and you will not believe the things they make from carpet fibers.

Please recycle your carpet.  You’ll be doing your bit for the environment and your children will thank you for it…

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