Okara Home Decor

Did you know that low flow shower heads use between 1.6 – 2.6 gallons per minute while old shower heads use 2.6 – 5.2 gallons per minute? Probably a silly question to ask, but the most surprising part about these stats is that you can’t actually tell a difference in the water pressure.

Now I realize that most everybody takes showers now days due to convenience, but some people enjoy taking baths instead of showers on occasion or maybe even frequently. Truth is, few people think about how much more water usage is involved to fill up the tub.

I know that I’m not going to talk you into never filling your bathtub again but just so you are aware, the average person uses 78 gallons of water every time they take a bath? When you compare that to a 10 minute shower with a low flow head that uses only 16 gallons, now what do you think? Don’t forget, you are not just wasting water but the electricity or gas it took to heat that water too, not to mention the sewage or waste water bill that goes along with it.

So in essence if you have city water, you’re paying for bathing in 3 different ways. You pay for the water itself, the electricity or natural gas to heat the water used, and you’re paying for the sewage when the water goes down the drain.

I aim to simply make you aware of possible resource wastes and while you are putting some real effort into saving water and money, check your toilet’s gallon per flush or (GPF). You may have an older toilet that uses 7, 5, or 3.5 GPF while the new water saving standard is 1.6 GPF. You can even get a dual flush version that uses either 1.6 or 0.8 GPF depending on; well we’ll just say #1 or #2. A dual flush toilet will easily save you up to $100 per year on water and sewage or waste water bills.

Do you have a leaky faucet?

If you do, you should be aware that one drip per second can add up to 165 gallons per month. To better put this into perspective, 165 gallons is more than the average person uses in two weeks. With this in mind you will want to fix your leaky faucet as soon as possible since waiting can cost you more than a new shinny one.

Nothing has a bigger impact on the mood and ambiance of a room than color. When it’s time to repaint your master bedroom, color choice is paramount because your goal is to create a room that is restful and conducive to recharging the body and soul. Here are some tips on how to zone in on the right color for this all important paint makeover.

A Restful Canvas
When repainting a bedroom, or any room for that matter, first look at the space with fresh eyes. What is about the room that appeals to you and what would you like to change? Does the room seem like a dark cave, or does it seem cold and impersonal. Then consider the mood you wish to create, your style and what furnishings you intend to keep or replace. While many people automatically think a bedroom should be painted in a light color, a deep color is a good choice for a bedroom because it has a cozy cocooning effect. Even if a room is small, the fact that it looks cluttered may have more to do with too much furniture, or furniture that is too large, than it has to do with color. De-clutter first by getting rid of whatever you don’t need in the bedroom. Clutter will make the room look disorganized and chaotic, and feel anything but restful, no matter what color the walls are painted.

What’s more important in a bedroom than the depth of color is the tone of color. A soothing shade of travertine taupe, while deep, is restful. A shade of mauve, while lighter, can have an electrifying tonal effect that is too energizing or ‘loud’ for a bedroom. Neutral tones and pastels give you many options for bringing in punches of color and style with bedding, accessories, window treatments and furniture.

Before choosing paint color, decide on a look and color scheme to help you narrow your choices. Home interior magazines, books and websites can give you lots of design ideas; keep a file of torn or copies pages or website print sheets of your inspiration room. Once you have a good idea of your ‘dream’ bedroom, find an item that contains the colors and style you are after. A teacup, a pillow, a pillow sham – it doesn’t matter as long as it inspires you and keeps you on track. Take this inspiration piece with you when shopping and it will be easier to achieve your design goal.

Now that you’ve narrowed down your paint choices to two or three options, don’t rely on tiny paint cards from the store to give you an accurate idea of how the finished walls will look. Paint a 2×2 foot square of each color on different walls and live with them a few days in different light conditions to help you make the right choice. You’re going to paint over it anyway, so give yourself a chance to see how you will like living with each potential choice.

Rely on your inspiration and choose bedding, pillows, curtains and window treatments, lamps, area rugs, wall art, candles, a chair or bench and accessories to add the finishing touches to you restful bedroom retreat. Accessories are where you can really bring in contrast or harmony with color, and bring in the finishing touches that make a room personally yours.