Paints you can make at home

Painting is always a fun activity for toddlers. Early on, they learn about texture by using their hands, and later on they can master fine motor control when you introduce a brush. If you find you don't always have paint on hand, here are a few recipes, many made with items you probably already have on hand.

Finger Paint (uncooked)

What you need:
1/2 cup liquid starch
1/2 cup soap powder
5/8 cup water

What to do:
Beat together until the consistency of whipped potatoes

Finger Paint (cooked)

What you need:
2 cups flour
4 cups cold water
food coloring or dry tempera

What to do:
Mix flour and water and cook over low heat until thick
Cool
Add a pinch of salt
Add dry tempera or food coloring, if desired
Store in covered jar in refrigerator

Soap Paint

What you need:
Warm water
3 cups detergent flakes
food coloring

What to do:
Add water, a little at a time, to detergent flakes
Mix to consistency of heavy cream
Color with small amount of food coloring

Puffy Paint

What you need:
Flour
Salt
Water
Food coloring

What to do:
Mix equal amounts of flour, salt and water.
Add food coloring for color.
Pour mixture into squeeze bottles and paint.
Mixture will harden in a puffy shape.

Salt Paint

What you need:
1/8 C. liquid starch
1/8 C. water
Food coloring

What to do:
Mix together and apply to paper with a brush.
Keep stirring mixture. Paint will crystallize as it dries.

Pudding Paint

What you need:
Instant Vanilla Pudding
Food Coloring

What to do:
Mix pudding according to directions.
Add food coloring for desired color.

China's Wall becoming less and less Great

Sand storms in northwest China are reducing sections of Great Wall to mounds of dirt and may cause them to disappear in about 20 years, state media said on Wednesday ( via Yahoo)

The Great Wall, which was chosen last month as top of the new seven wonders of the world, snakes its way across more than 6,400 km (3,980 miles) and receives an estimated 10 million visitors a year.

More than 60 km of the wall in Minqin county in Gansu province, built in the Han Dynasty which lasted from 206 BC to 220 AD, had been "rapidly disappearing", Xinhua said, citing the head of the local museum, Zhou Shengrui.

"This section of Great Wall was made of mud rather than brick and stone, so is more prone to erosion," it quoted Zhou as saying, adding the wall had become brittle and the mud sanded down and blown away over time.

"Similar erosion happened to the Great Wall in other places, but the situation is much worse here," he was quoted as saying.

Extensive farming since the 1950s had sapped underground water in Minqin and destroyed the local ecology, which made the county a major source of sand storms in northwest China, the agency said.

What is an interior designer?

Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants, and are aesthetically attractive. Designs are created in response to and coordinated with the building shell, and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project.

Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements, and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability. The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and resources of the client are satisfied to produce an interior space that fulfills the project goals.

Interior design includes a scope of services performed by a professional design practitioner, qualified by means of education, experience, and examination, to protect and enhance the life, health, safety and welfare of the public.

These services may include any or all of the following tasks:
• Research and analysis of the client’s goals and requirements; and development of documents, drawings and diagrams that outline those needs;
• Formulation of preliminary space plans and two and three dimensional design concept studies and sketches that integrate the client’s program needs and are based on knowledge of the principles of interior design and theories of human behavior;
• Confirmation that preliminary space plans and design concepts are safe, functional, aesthetically appropriate, and meet all public health, safety and welfare requirements, including code, accessibility, environmental, and sustainability guidelines;
• Selection of colors, materials and finishes to appropriately convey the design concept, and to meet sociopsychological, functional, maintenance, life-cycle performance, environmental, and safety requirements;
• Selection and specification of furniture, fixtures, equipment and millwork, including layout drawings and detailed product description; and provision of contract documentation to facilitate pricing, procurement and installation of furniture;
• Provision of project management services, including preparation of project budgets and schedules;
• Preparation of construction documents, consisting of plans, elevations, details and specifications, to illustrate non-structural and/or non-seismic partition layouts; power and communications locations; reflected ceiling plans and lighting designs; materials and finishes; and furniture layouts;
• Preparation of construction documents to adhere to regional building and fire codes, municipal codes, and any other jurisdictional statutes, regulations and guidelines applicable to the interior space;
• Coordination and collaboration with other allied design professionals who may be retained to provide consulting services, including but not limited to architects; structural, mechanical and electrical engineers, and various specialty consultants;
• Confirmation that construction documents for non-structural and/or non-seismic construction are signed and sealed by the responsible interior designer, as applicable to jurisdictional requirements for filing with code enforcement officials;
• Administration of contract documents, bids and negotiations as the client’s agent;
• Observation and reporting on the implementation of projects while in progress and upon completion, as a representative of and on behalf of the client; and conducting post-occupancy evaluation reports.

How to tackle peeling

Loss of paint due to poor adhesion. Where there is a primer and top coat, or multiple coats of paint, peeling may involve some or all coats.

POSSIBLE CAUSES:

• Seepage of moisture through uncaulked joints, worn caulk or leaks in roof or walls.
• Excess moisture escaping through the exterior walls (more likely if paint is oil-based).
• Inadequate surface preparation.
• Use of lower quality paint.
• Applying an oil-based paint over a wet surface.
• Earlier blistering of paint.

SOLUTION:

• Try to identify and eliminate souce of moisture. Prepare surface by removing all loose paint with scraper or stiff wire brush, sand rough edges, and apply appropriate primer. Repaint with a top quality acrylic latex exterior paint for best adhesion and water resistance.

At Snowcem Paints, quality counts

For the last 50 years, we have delivered the highest value to our customers with twin benefits of “protection with beauty” at a reasonable cost.

We have the maximum reach and experience in exterior paints segment under the toughest conditions of temperature & humidity. Three strategically located plants for faster delivery & cost optimization. The paint quality is strictly monitored and controlled at our in-house laboratories.

1. R&D: Our R&D continuously upgrades and innovates to bring the best solutions for our customers. The dedicated team of Paint Technologists is responsible for continuously improving existing product performance and introducing new concepts.
2. At your service: A strong force of 150 tech-experts specialized in customizing painting solutions to meet the stringent demands of the infrastructure & realty industry. Regularly organize technical painter meets & workshops. Also first to provide insurance for painters, as part of its ethical responsibility. A unique info-journal called Snowcem News, highlighting the advances in the field of painting & show casing prestigious projects across India.
3. Infrastructure:

• Multi location manufacturing
• Factory packed products for best quality
• 3 strategically located Plants for faster response time
• Well equipped R&D center
• Constant search for new technologies

4. Nurturing Environment:

Snowcem believes in nurturing the Environment through:

• Power generation from Windmill farms
• Complete treatment of factory effluents
• Promote use of non polluting water based paints
• Health & Safety of plant, employees and environment

5. International Recognition

• UNESCO approved and recognized Snowcem Paints for heritage buildings
• Used extensively in Europe for over more than 50 years

How to paint windows

Of all the woodwork in the home, windows suffer the most stress. Constant exposure to temperature changes and condensation means that windows often need to be painted more frequently than doors, moldings and trim.

Unfortunately, the process involved in painting windows can be confusing. To simplify things, we offer some window painting guidelines that can save you time, money and aggravation.

Start by gathering the right tools for window painting:

• a 1 1/2" or 2" quality brush (use synthetic bristles if you are painting with
  
• one of the popular latex interior paints);
  
• a cutting-in brush for precision work;
  
• a paint shield or masking tape;
  
• a screwdriver;
  
• enough top quality paint to complete the job.
  

Remove locks, curtain hooks and other hardware from the windows. This will speed your work and produce a better-looking paint job.

Double-hung windows

For double-hung windows, follow this six-step procedure:

1. Raise the bottom sash and lower the top sash most of the way, so that there is a 6" overlap. Paint the bottom horizontal section of the top sash, then the accessible vertical members. Use care to keep paint from getting in between sash and frame which can "glue" the window in place.

2. Nearly close the upper and lower sashes, then finish painting the rest of the top sash.

3. Paint the entire bottom sash.

4. After allowing the sashes to dry, paint the window frame.

5. Close the windows and paint the exposed parts of the runners. If your windows have sash cords, avoid getting paint on them.

6. Paint the window sill and apron.

Casement windows

If your home has any casement windows (windows that open out or in, rather than up or down), use a different technique:

1. Open the windows and paint the top, side and bottom edges.

2. Paint the crossbars and frame casings.

3. Complete the job by painting the sill and apron.

Regardless of the type of windows you are painting, if you have a steady hand, you can keep paint on the frame and off the glass by using the cutting-in brush. But be sure to overlap the paint onto the glass slightly to help seal off moisture and drafts.

There are two other techniques for keeping paint off of the window panes: holding up a paint shield as you work or applying masking tape to the glass.

When using tape, press it firmly to the glass to keep excess paint from creeping beneath it. (If stray specks of paint get onto the glass, simply remove them with a razor blade.) Remove the tape before the paint dries to a hard film.

Three rules for interior painting

Sequence for painting a room is from top to bottom: Ceiling first, then walls, then windows, doors and finally baseboards.

Great interior painting is as easy as one-two-three

There are many reasons why interior painting is the nation's most popular home improvement project.

Painting can quickly and dramatically transform the appearance of a room, an apartment or an entire home; it's personally rewarding; it's inexpensive; and it's fun .

Moreover, interior painting is easy. Even novices can often get professional painting results by following just three simple rules

Rule number one: Prepare the surface properly

• Good paint performance depends on good paint adhesion, and paint adheres best to surfaces that are clean and sound. Before picking up a brush or roller, it's important to make sure the surface is "inviting" to the paint.
  
  
• Accumulated dirt, dust and grime should be removed from walls, ceilings and trim with a detergent-water solution. After washing, the surfaces should be thoroughly rinsed with water and allowed to dry completely.
  
• Next, a putty knife should be used to fill cracks, holes and other surface imperfections with either spackling compound or a quality acrylic caulk. If spackling is used, after it is dry it should be sanded smooth and flush with the surface; caulk should be smoothed and feathered as it is applied.
  
• Finally, if walls or ceilings have water stains or other serious discol-oration, then before painting, it may be necessary to coat them with a latex or oil-based stain-blocking primer to prevent the stains from bleeding through the new paint.

Rule number two: Use only top quality paint

• Compared with ordinary interior paints, top quality finishes are much easier to work with and offer superior long-term performance.
  
  
• In terms of application benefits, top quality paints won't spatter or tend to show brush marks. And since they hide better than ordinary paints, a single coat is often sufficient to give a great looking paint job and save on time, labor and cost.
  
  
• Top quality interior paints also are tougher and more durable than ordinary interior paints, according to experts at the Paint Quality Institute. They resist fading, yellowing and staining. And even if they do get spotted or stained, discoloration can often be washed off without damaging the finish.

Rule number three: Invest in quality tools

• To get the most from top quality interior paint, it should be applied with high quality brushes and rollers. Not only will they apply the paint more evenly, but they will also make the job more effortless
  
  
• The best brushes tend to be well balanced, hold a lot of paint and apply the paint evenly. Look for brushes with tightly packed bristles and test them for springiness. And be sure they don't fan too much.
  
  
• When applying the more popular latex or water-based interior paints, it's important to use brushes and rollers with synthetic bristles and covers. They'll maintain the proper stiffness and keep their shape regardless of the amount of water they're exposed to.
  Most oil-based or alkyd paints can be applied with brushes and rollers made either of synthetic or natural materials.
  Remember. interior painting can be as simple as one-two-three. But there are no shortcuts. Good surface preparation, top quality paint and high quality tools are all essential to get the best

What you can do to protect your family from lead

• If you suspect that your house has lead hazards, you can take some immediate steps to reduce your family's risk:
  • If you rent, notify your landlord of peeling or chipping paint.
  • Clean up paint chips immediately.
  • Clean floors, window frames, window sills, and other surfaces weekly. Use a mop, sponge, or paper towel with warm water and a general all-purpose cleaner or a cleaner made specifically for lead. REMEMBER: NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH PRODUCTS TOGETHER SINCE THEY CAN FORM A DANGEROUS GAS.
  • Thoroughly rinse sponges and mop heads after cleaning dirty or dusty areas.
  • Wash children's hands often, especially before they eat and before nap time and bed time.
  • Keep play areas clean. Wash bottles, pacifiers, toys, and stuffed animals regularly.
  • Keep children from chewing window sills or other painted surfaces.
  • Clean or remove shoes before entering your home to avoid tracking in lead from soil.
  • Make sure children eat nutritious, low-fat meals high in iron and calcium, such as spinach and dairy products. Children with good diets absorb less lead.
    
• In addition to day-to-day cleaning and good nutrition:
  • You can temporarily reduce lead hazards by taking actions such as repairing damaged painted surfaces and planting grass to cover soil with high lead levels. These actions (called "interim controls") are not permanent solutions and will need ongoing attention.
  • To permanently remove lead hazards, you must hire a certified lead "abatement" contractor. Abatement (or permanent hazard elimination) methods include removing, sealing, or enclosing lead-based paint with special materials. Just painting over the hazard with regular paint is not enough.
  • Always hire a person with special training for correcting lead problems--someone who knows how to do this work safely and has the proper equipment to clean up thoroughly. Certified contractors will employ qualified workers and follow strict safety rules.

Just so that you know Snowcem Paints is totally free from lead.

How to paint the exterior of a house

Time Carter of askthebuilder.com demonstrates the proper way to paint the exterior of a house. (more)

22 top painting blunders

The biggest threat to a good paint job? The clock.

From choosing a great color that somehow turns hideously wrong to completing a paint job that looks gorgeous, then starts peeling, most painting mistakes trace back to a lack of prep work.

If you want to make sure your next paint job looks like something out of a home decorating show, here are the biggest mistakes pros see -- and how you can prevent them:

1. Jumping the gun. Deciding you've got to buy the paint and paint this weekend. "Do not go shopping for paint intending to bring home paint that day," says Christopher Lowell, the Emmy award-winning lifestyle expert and author of "Seven Layers of Design." Instead, he says "grab swatches -- as many as you like." Put them in a high traffic area of your house, and see which ones you gravitate toward, he says.

2. Dreaming up colors. Pulling your color selections out of thin air. "The best way to choose a color for your space is to start with an inspiration that is visual," says Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, author of "Apartment Therapy" and a frequent makeover expert on HGTV's "Small Space, Big Style." It can be a rug or a photo from a magazine. In either case, you aren't left trying to describe your idea of a color. You can simply point to it. Best of all, since your example has already been created by professionals well-versed in color, it's an almost fool-proof way to come up with other complementary colors to use in your room design.

3. Pursuing trends. Never mind what the "hot" colors are this year. You're living with your choices. Choose hues that make you happy. One good clue for you is to consider what solid colors you wear most often -- besides black and white. "If it feels good on you, chances are it will feel good around you in the home," says Lowell.

4. Mistaking swatch for wall. Getting the "right" version of a color can be tricky. Colors will look darker on the wall, but the glossier the paint, the lighter it will look. First, use swatches to narrow your choices. Once you have a handful, get small containers of the paint, and test the finalists on big pieces of poster board, says Sharon Hanby-Robie, designer and author of "Decorating without Fear." Prop the boards up in the room you'll be painting. Look them over the next few days in all kinds of light conditions, from daylight to nighttime illumination. "That's the fun thing about color -- it changes with the light," she says. Shades can also take on aspects of the other colors near them, like carpet color, which is why you want to test it out in the room before you paint. After a couple of days, you should have a favorite. And if you don't, at least you don't have to live with a bad choice until you repaint.

5. Ignoring warm and cool. Not acknowledging that color can change the perception of a room. Warm colors "are expansive," says Gillingham-Ryan. Use them for social areas, like a great room or dining room. Cool colors are calming. They can be great for a home office or bedroom.

6. Forgetting every wall is different. Want to give a room punch by painting one accent wall? Select an unbroken wall (no doors or windows). Often it's the wall you see first coming into the room, says Gillingham-Ryan.

7. Forgetting the ceiling. "It's the fifth wall," says Hanby-Robie. But even experts disagree on how it should be painted. If you expect to paint your ceiling a color, consider going a few shades lighter because ceilings tend to look darker. Some designers prefer a white ceiling. A decorator's white (not a stark white) will give you a sharp definitive line from painted walls and "highlight whatever architecture you have," says Gillingham-Ryan. Others want the ceiling in the same color family as the walls. "If you paint the walls a rich color and leave the ceiling white, it will do the opposite of what you want" by calling attention to it, says Lowell. Instead, he prefers a variation on the wall color. If your ceilings are above nine feet, go one shade darker than the wall color, he says. That will bring the ceiling "down" and make the room appear more cozy. If the ceilings are nine feet or less, use a color a shade or two lighter than the walls.

8. Not using color to connect rooms. Especially those that flow together. One shortcut to getting a pro look: Take a swatch that you like with seven versions of the same color. Eliminate the darkest color (you can use that to accessorize the room later), says Lowell. Now go two shades lighter. "That's a great wall color," he says. Try two shades lighter than that for the ceiling. And use the lightest shade on the card for your trim. Want to coordinate two adjoining rooms? Use the same trim color, but switch the wall and ceiling colors, he says.

9. Not identifying existing paint. Many older homes have oil-based paint on the walls. But homeowners most frequently turn to latex varieties when they want to paint. The problem: You can't put latex over oil unless you've coated it with a special primer first, says Hanby-Robie. Otherwise, you're gorgeous new paint job will peel off within the week.

Read more.

Color trends 2008

Runways and driveways have long been the inspirational source for home furnishings and decorating color choices. However, consumers’ increasing color confidence and personal style makes any color fashionable for 2008.From glass-like blues, botanical greens, dramatic black and white and whisper soft pink, color directions will drive towards individual self-expression, glamorous living experiences or an increasing awareness of important environmental causes.

“Go Green”

Green may just become the newest “neutral” color. Used as a subtle backdrop to reflect an enhanced eco-consciousness, green will be representative of the growing environmental movement. Mid-tone hues of fern, palm, pine and sage will be used on their own or coupled with clear blue or aqua to create a living space that conjures up a sense of outdoor-friendly living. Sandy tans and warm browns can be intermingled to complete that earthy and eco-friendly feel.
While suitable for all areas of the home, these combinations are an especially good
choice for bathrooms, kitchens and family living spaces.

“Sophisticated Elegance”

Gaining popularity in 2008, black and white paint hues will enhance opulent living spaces that are filled with accessories, crystal lighting, mirrors and rich fabrics. Metallics and high sheen finishes along with rich textures benefit from the sophistication of this striking palette. For an unexpected color punch, add cause related hues such as dramatic red or maintain the room’s classic undertones with subtle pink or taupe. Dramatic and sophisticated, black and white becomes the backdrop for today’s glamorous spaces. Master bedroom suites and living rooms are only two of the spaces that can benefit from sophisticated elegance.

“Crewel Colors”

Many consumers continue to strive for simplicity in their technology overloaded, hectic lifestyles and seek a return to a gentler way of life. The crewel color palette reflects consumers returning interest in crafts, home cooking and family focused activities. Like a rich and color filled needlepoint pattern, these hues add a soulful and personalized feel to any space. Handcrafted items create a sense of stability and security and these warm, creamy rich colors will do the same in your space. Rich cranberry reds, warm browns, along with pumpkin orange help to create a nurturing and caring environment. Mix in deep-toned blue and the tapestry is complete.

Crewel colors remain an excellent choice for kitchen or dining areas and can be warming, like a knitted afghan, in family spaces. No matter which hue or palatte attracts attention, consumers continue to have an increased appreciation for paint quality and value. And, why not? It is a personal choice for a personal space—home.

Why color in the paint can is not the same as it dries out on the walls

The explanation begins with the fact that the components of paint reflect light differently when they are wet (in-can) compared to when they are dried (on the wall). These subtle differences are quite common and not a reflection on the quality of a paint product.

A handy tip to make sure you are happy with the end color on your wall is to use a sampler pot, apply the paint and check how it looks after drying. Many of the high quality paint brands offer tester pots from the different ranges available.

Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier loved Manhattan. He loved its newness, he loved its Cartesian regularity, above all he loved its tall buildings. He had only one reservation, which he revealed on landing in New York City in 1935. The next day, a headline in the Herald Tribune informed its readers that the celebrated architect finds American skyscrapers much too small. Le Corbusier always thought big. He once proposed replacing a large part of the center of Paris with 18 sixty-story towers; that made headlines too.

He was born Charles-Edouard Jeanneret in Switzerland in 1887. When he was 29, he went to Paris, where he soon after adopted his maternal grandfather's name, Le Corbusier, as his pseudonym. Jeanneret had been a small-town architect; Le Corbusier was a visionary. He believed that architecture had lost its way. Art Nouveau, all curves and sinuous decorations, had burned itself out in a brilliant burst of exuberance; the seductive Art Deco style promised to do the same. The Arts and Crafts movement had adherents all over Europe, but as the name implies, it was hardly representative of an industrial age. Le Corbusier maintained that this new age deserved a brand-new architecture. "We must start again from zero," he proclaimed.

The new architecture came to be known as the International Style. Of its many partisans — among them Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius in Germany, Theo van Doesburg in Holland — none was better known than Le Corbusier. He was a tireless proselytizer, addressing the public in manifestos, pamphlets, exhibitions and his own magazine. He wrote books — dozens of them — on interior decoration, painting and architecture. They resembled instruction manuals. An example is his recipe for the International Style: raise the building on stilts, mix in a free-flowing floor plan, make the walls independent of the structure, add horizontal strip windows and top it off with a roof garden.

But this makes him sound like a technician, and he was anything but. Although he dressed like a bureaucrat, in dark suits, bow ties and round horn-rimmed glasses, he was really an artist (he was an accomplished painter and sculptor). What is most memorable about the austere, white-walled villas that he built after World War I in and around Paris is their cool beauty and their airy sense of space. "A house is a machine for living in," he wrote. The machines he admired most were ocean liners, and his architecture spoke of sun and wind and the sea.

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India is Asia's top spot for billionaries

India's emerging economic clout has made it Asia's top spot for billionaires with its 40 richest businesspeople worth a collective $170 billion, up from $106 billion last year, according to leading American business magazine Forbes.

"India's top ten, worth $112 billion, account for two-thirds of that wealth," it said in a special Monday noting, "India's rising fortunes are underscored by the increasing prosperity of its wealthiest citizens."

"India was one of the world's poorest economies when it won its independence from Britain in 1947. Incredibly, 60 years later, the country's emerging economic clout has made it Asia's top spot for billionaires," Forbes said.

This year, for the first time in two decades of wealth tracking, Forbes counted more Indian than Japanese billionaires in its annual ranking of the world's wealthiest people.

Three Indians even made it to the list of the top 20 of the world's richest. Only the US had more billionaires in the top global ranks.

India's hot stock market, up 39 per cent this year, and its robust real estate market helped swell most fortunes. The minimum net worth needed to make the cut rose to $790 million, up from $590 million.

Lakshmi Mittal, who lives in London and forged a landmark deal in June to acquire Luxembourg rival Arcelor, remains No. 1 and is worth $25 billion. Mukesh and Anil Ambani unseated Azim Premji, who had been India's richest resident for years.

The two brothers, who split their business empire last year after a much-publicised feud, have found life alone much richer. Mukesh's fortune rose by $11.5 billion while Anil's increased by $9.3 billion.

Forbes said India was a relatively sleepy place for the world's wealthiest until three years ago with just nine billionaires in 2004, none ranked higher than 58. That's when wealth began taking off, with the fast-rising stock market and booming real estate sector bringing prosperity as never before.

Happy 60th, India!

Happy 60th Independence Day!

15th August, 2007.

Top 10 trends in home design

Tomorrow's homes are on the drawing board and they are nothing like the places you may recall from your childhood. New materials and new technologies are reshaping the way we build. Floor plans are also changing to accommodate the changing patterns of our lives. And yet, many architects and designers are also drawing upon ancient materials and building techniques. So, what will the homes of the future look like? Watch for these important trends.

1. Earth-Friendly Design

Perhaps the most exciting and most important trend in home design is the increased sensitivity to the environment. Architects and engineers taking a new look at ancient building techniques that used simple, bio-degradable materials. Far from primitive, today's "earth houses" are proving comfortable, economical, and rustically beautiful.

2. "Prefab" Construction

Factory-made prefabricated homes have come a long way from flimsy trailer park dwellings. Trend-setting architects and builders are using modular building materials to create bold new designs with lots of glass and steel. Prefabricated, manufactured housing comes in all shapes and styles, from steamlined Bauhaus to undulating organic forms.

3. Adaptive Reuse

New buildings aren't always entirely new. A desire to protect the environment and to preserve historic architecture is inspiring architects to repurpose, or re-use, older structures. Trend-setting homes of the future may be constructed from the shell of an outdated factory, an empy warehouse, or an abandoned church.

4. Healthy Design

Some buildings can literally make you sick. Home designers are becoming increasingly aware of the ways our health is affected by synthetic materials and the chemical additives used in paints and composition wood products. The most innovative homes aren't necessarily the most unusual; they are the homes constructed without relying on plastics, laminates, and fume-producing glues.

5. Storm-Resistance

Every shelter should be built to withstand the elements, and engineers are making steady progress in developing storm-ready home designs. In areas were hurricanes are prevalent, more and more builders are relying on insulated wall panels constructed of sturdy concrete.

6. Flexible Floor Plans

Changing lifestyles calls for changing living spaces. Tomorrow's homes have sliding doors, pocket doors, and other types of movable partitions allow flexibility in living arrangements. Dedicated living and dining rooms are being replaced by large multi-purpose family areas. In addition, many houses include private "bonus" rooms that can be used for office space or be adapted to a variety of specialized needs.

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How to remove paint safely and quickly

Paint stripper works wonders for removing paint. AsktheBuilder.com host Tim Carter shares some paint removal pointers to help you get rid of your paint quickly and safely.

How to save electricity on lighting

• Consider using high-intensity discharge (also called HID) or low-pressure sodium lights.
• Exterior lighting is one of the best places to use CFLs because of their long life. If you live in a cold climate, be sure to buy a lamp with a cold weather ballast since standard CFLs may not work well below 40°F.
• Turn off decorative outdoor natural gas lamps; just eight such lamps burning year-round use as much natural gas as it takes to heat an average-size home during an entire winter.
• Use outdoor lights with a photocell unit or a motion sensor so they will turn on only at night or when someone is present. A combined photocell and motion sensor will increase your energy savings even more.
• Consider using 4-watt minifluorescent or electro-luminescent night lights. Both lights are much more efficient than their incandescent counterparts. The luminescent lights are cool to the touch.
• If you have torchiere fixtures with halogen lamps, consider replacing them with compact fluorescent torchieres. Compact fluorescent torchieres use 60% to 80% less energy, can produce more light (lumens), and do not get as hot as the halogen torchieres. Halogen torchieres are a fire risk because of the high temperature of the halogen bulb.
• Take advantage of daylight by using light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows to allow daylight to penetrate the room while preserving privacy. Also, decorate with lighter colors that reflect daylight.
• Recessed downlights (also called recessed cans) are now available that are rated for contact with insulation (IC rated), are designed specifically for pin-based CFLs, and can be used in retrofits or new construction.
• Use CFLs in all the portable table and floor lamps in your home. Consider carefully the size and fit of these systems when you select them. Some home fixtures may not accommodate some of the larger CFLs.
• Consider using 4-watt minifluorescent or electro-luminescent night lights. Both lights are much more efficient than their incandescent counterparts. The luminescent lights are cool to the touch.
• Use 4-foot fluorescent fixtures with reflective backing and electronic ballasts for your workroom, garage, and laundry areas.
• Consider three-way lamps; they make it easier to keep lighting levels low when brighter light is not necessary.
• Use task lighting; instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it. For example, use fluorescent under-cabinet lighting for kitchen sinks and countertops under cabinets.
• Turn off the lights in any room you're not using, or consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.
• Install task lighting – such as under-counter kitchen lights or bathroom mirror lights – to reduce the need for ambient lighting of large spaces.
• Use dimmers, motion sensors, or occupancy sensors to automatically turn on or off lighting as needed and prevent energy waste.
• Install fluorescent light fixtures for all ceiling- and wall-mounted fixtures that will be on for more than 2 hours each day.
• Use ENERGY STAR labeled lighting fixtures.
• Consider light wall colors to minimize the need for artificial lighting.
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in place of comparable incandescent bulbs to save about 50 percent on your lighting costs. CFLs use only one-fourth the energy and last up to 10 times longer.
• Turn your lights off when you leave a room. Standard, incandescent light bulbs should be turned off whenever they are not needed. Fluorescent lights should be turned off whenever you'll be away for 15 minutes or more.
• During winter, open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows
• Installing a skylight can provide your home with daylighting and warmth. When properly selected and installed, an energy-efficient skylight can help minimize your heating, cooling, and lighting costs.

Dirt pick up on exteriors

Accumulation of dirt, dust particles and/or other debris on the paint film; may resemble fungus or algae.

POSSIBLE CAUSES:

• Use of a low quality paint, especially lower grades of satin types.

• Air pollution, car exhaust fumes and flying dust collecting on houses.

SOLUTION:

• Wash off all surface dirt before priming and painting, using a scrub brush and detergent solution, followed by a thorough rinse. Heavier dirt accumulations may require the use of a power washer. While dirt pickup can't be eliminated entirely, top quality exterior water-based paints typically offer superior dirt pickup resistance and washability. Also, higher gloss paints are more resistant to dirt pickup than matt paints, which are more porous and can more easily entrap dirt.

• Regular wash down will give longevity to the paint film.

Don't wait for other people

How to avoid fast drying of exterior paint

Film formation and durability can also be affected if latex paint dries too quickly. That’s because fusion or coalescence of the latex binder takes some time to occur properly. Very quick drying can reduce the mobility of the particles before the film is adequately formed. Conditions that make latex paints dry too quickly can thus compromise film formation, even though the paint may look fine.

Conditions that contribute to overly fast drying of exterior latex paint include:

•	Painting when the temperature is too high. Avoid painting in temperatures over 95°F.
•	Painting in direct sunshine. Even on a moderate day, it is best to avoid painting in direct sunshine because surface temperatures can be 10 to 20 degrees higher than the air temperature. And the paint itself can be heated by direct sunshine, especially if it is a dark color. To avoid this, work your way around the house or building so that you are always painting in the shade, especially in the warmer afternoon hours. As a bonus, you’ll be more comfortable working this way. Where this can’t be done, try to paint these areas in the early hours of the day.
•	Painting in dry and/or windy weather. Even light wind can cause latex paint to dry very quickly, contributing to inadequate film formation. This effect is compounded when the relative humidity is low, below 20%.
•	Painting a very porous surface that absorbs the water from the coating. If painting porous masonry, apply a sealer first. Or, if using a 100% acrylic paint, dampen the masonry just prior to painting. This will retard the drying process.

If possible, avoid painting when more than one of these conditions that could excessively speed drying is present.

Church that eats smog

When the American architect Richard Meier was asked to design a church in Rome to commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of Christianity, he offered an imposing white concrete structure dominated by three soaring “sails.”The project’s main technical sponsor got to work on a coating that would enhance Mr. Meier’s trademark white sculptural forms. It came up with a material that essentially cleans itself, minimizing the need for maintenance.

What the sponsor, the Italcementi Group, did not know was that the new material — which contains titanium dioxide, a white pigment — has another peculiarity. It “eats” surrounding smog.

Extensive testing has since determined that construction products containing titanium dioxide help to destroy pollutants found in car exhaust and heating emissions, scientists say.

Several companies are now developing smog-eating products that can be used not only for the facades of buildings but also in paint, plaster and paving materials for roads. The new substances are now being tried in buildings, squares and highways in Europe and Japan.

A few common exterior paint problems

The coat of paint on the exterior of your home is very important. A fresh coat of paint will raise the curb appeal and the value of your home, as well as protect your house from damaging elements. The three main causes of wood failure on the exterior of your home are water, sunlight, and mold damage.

Yearly Inspection

The most important thing you can do to protect the outside of your home is to conduct a yearly inspection of the perimeter of your building. As with illnesses involved with your body, early detection is the key to prevent major dilemmas in the future.

So what exactly should you be looking for during your inspection of the exterior of your home? You want to look for any imperfections, blemishes, or other flaws that may show on the top layer of paint. Check all the painted surfaces on the outside of your house such as cracking, chipping or blistering.

Common areas where these problems occur first are places where there are high levels of direct sunlight, water collection, or other highly exposed areas of your home. Some of these areas include corners, window sills, door sills, edges, rooflines, etc.

Common Symptoms of Aging or Failing Paint

Fading Paint

Probably the most common problem occurring with aging paint is fading. Constant direct sunlight changes the chemical composition of the paint, leading to a lack of sufficient protection of your home. Highly faded paint can lead to other problems such as cracking or warping of wood. Applying a fresh coat of paint is the only way to fix this problem. Fading or poor color retention can also be a result of chalking of the coating.

Blistering Paint

Blistering paint is one of the many symptoms caused by water penetration or extremely high humidity levels. Blistering paint appears as just that: small to medium bubbles or blisters under the paint film, usually occurring on wood materials.

Blistering paint may also be caused by the paint being applied to a hot surface. If a coat of paint is applied to a surface when it is too warm, such as heated by direct sunlight, the vapors from the paint may become trapped under the paint film as the paint dries too quickly for it to escape. Similarly, if paint is applied to damp or wet wood, the moisture may become trapped in the same manner. Dew, rain, high humidity, and low quality paint or insufficient preparatory work will also contribute to paint blistering.

About the Author: Budda Oliver is a marketing agent for N. Chasen and Son. The professional painting contractor specializes in exterior painting in and around the Richmond Virginia area. For more information on exterior painting in Richmond Virginia please visit their website.

Snowcem Faculty Medal

Snowcem Paints has instituted an award “Snowcem Faculty Medal” in association with faculty of Sir J. J. College of Architecture, to be given to the best design from a competition organised by the college. The theme for this year was public toilets for Mumbai city. From more than 200 design sites all over Mumbai city and suburbs, 48 entries were short listed.

Mr. R. A. Rajeev, Additional Municipal Commissioner attended the award function as chief guest. Dr. Abhay Wagh, Joint Director, Directorate of Technical Education, Mr. Sandeep Narang, CEO, Snowcem Paints and Prof. Rajan Lakhule, Principal, J. J. College of Architecture, attended the function.

The success of competition and the chief guest’s response has made the students as well as the professors eager to witness the realisation of these plans.

After intense deliberations, the jury awarded the Snowcem Faculty Medal 2006 to the design of a public toilet at Marine Drive by Harshad Shiltole, the first prize of Rs. 10,000/-. The second prize of Rs. 5,000/- was awarded to Dhiraj Takkekar for his design of a Mobile Toilet, the award of Rs.5,000/- for best design was bagged by Manish Davane and a commendation was given to Rupangi Khosla.

Durga Pujo

Snowcem Paints' Durga Pujo

India's real estate boom is here to stay

Indian real-estate market has never found it so good. Amidst the euphoria in major metros and second and third tier cities where possibly every domestic investor is investing like there is no tomorrow a plethora of foreign investors are also all set to enter the Indian real estate investment space. A conservative estimate by one leading research firm states that over the next eighteen to thirty months venture capital worth $7 billion to $8 billion is expected to flow into the country.

Truly Indian real estate is having a dream run for last five years. Some skeptic minds however, already have started asking the sustainability of the momentum. Global research and consulting firm A. T. Kearney has evolved a global industry curve for the property in India. A. T. Kearney has been analyzing real estate speculation and investment trend across fifty countries globally. The finding was blended with the particular country’s GDP and it was realized that in between the two (real estate investment and GDP of respective country) there exists a strong correlation. ‘Global industry curve,’ thus devised by the consulting firm fits best between the two.

Real Estate in India has always been considered as fragmented and unorganized business sector. Ten years ago, in 1995-1996, investment for the sector in the country was a meager 2% of the total GDP. For China the figure was a healthy 4.8%. However, investment since then in India kept rising steadily and touched 2.4% in 2004. Manufacturing favorite China was still way ahead with a robust 6.5% rate. A. T. Kearney by dint of its ‘global industry curve’ has predicted that by 2010 the rate may go up to 4.2%. This only reinforces the fact provided by UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) that real estate boom in Asia Pacific region is probably here to stay. India who has been witnessing a steady rise in the global economy for last 15 years thanks to its strong and consistent economic fundamentals delivered some robust result as far as GDP growth is concerned. For last five years, continuously, the country has been achieving GDP growth of 6.5%.

Since liberalization India has attracted huge volumes of FDI inflows. In the last five years alone the FDI inflow stood up to $19 billion. These FDI inflows along with service sector boom have also straight driven the demand for office and business markets and districts. Next coming up are SEZs which will represent the next generation of growth. India with ever growing purchase powered middle-class with high disposable income and easy to available of housing finance holds a great fortune in real estate investment because the residential segment investment in the country represents more than 60-70% of the overall investment in the sector. It constitutes residential, office and commercial premises.

Article Source: http://www.answer-site.com

Krish is an eminent analyst of real estate and investment domain. He has many titles under his credit. He is a marketing and management consultant who trains middle, senior executives and real estate agents in India from real estate firms. He has published many articles internationally on the area.