eHow.com Video: Eco-Friendly Home Decorating

Anjie Cho June 18, 2014

Low VOC paints provide an eco-friendly way to change the look and feel of your space. Donate extra supplies and buy locally to prevent waste and support local eco-systems.

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Video Transcript:

Hi, my name is Anjie Cho, and this is a video about eco-friendly home decorating.

There are many simple ways to decorate your home in an eco-friendly way. Something that many of my clients want to change when it comes to home decorating is the color of the paint on the wall. This is a fairly easy and inexpensive way to change up the way your home looks and feels. But, no matter what color you choose, the type of paint you go with can make a difference.

The green option is to go for a low or Zero VOC paint. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. Toxins are released into the air by traditional VOC paints, and sadly VOC paints release toxins into the air for years after the paint is applied. There are so many different paint companies now that offer low or Zero VOC options.

The other plus is that they have minimal odor when wet. There are even Zero VOC food-based paints available made with milk casein. Benjamin Moore, which is one of the most commonly found paint companies, has a Zero VOC product called Natura. Other companies that offer high performance Zero VOC paints are Yolo Interior Paints, Ivy Coatings, they're local to me and made in Brooklyn, New York. They are also a true Zero VOC premium quality non-toxic paint. Finally, SafeCoat is also a premium quality Zero VOC paint. The Zero VOCs are really easy to find.

Next, look for low VOCs in your polyurethane. We use polyurethane to finish wood floors and other wood furnishings. Another alternative to finishing wood is to use tung oil or linseed oil. Those are also naturally occurring.

Other considerations when it comes to eco-friendly home decorating are to incorporate as many reclaimed materials as possible. These can be purchasing vintage furniture items or reusing and re-purposing something that you already have instead of buying something new. And the other end of this is to be sure to donate anything you don't need or use anymore rather, rather than throwing it out.

Finally, buy local. This can be as simple as purchasing from a local mom and pop store even if the item is manufactured elsewhere. You can even get more local and research furniture materials that are manufactured near your home. Local manufacturing is more eco-friendly because there's less transportation and gas emissions involved. And also buying local strengthens your community.

This is Anjie Cho and I'm a Green Interior Architect with Anjie Cho Architect and Founder of Holistic Spaces. And this has been eco-friendly home decorating.

by Anjie Cho

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eHow.com Video: How To Use Clocks In Feng Shui

Anjie Cho June 4, 2014

What does feng shui have to say about clocks? What do clocks symbolize in your home and where should you place them?

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Video Transcript

I'm Anjie Cho, and this is how to use clocks with Feng Shui.

An analog clock, like this one, symbolizes time and the passing of time. The message is that life is a cycle and there will be another midnight, another tomorrow, another chance to start again. In feng shui there are a few things to consider when locating clocks in your home.

First, what kind of clock. I mentioned before that an analog clock symbolizes cycles and offers more comfort. A digital clock like this one gives a feeling of time ticking away and disappearing. Therefore, for feng shui uses, stick to an analog clock. The digital clock may add more stress to your life.

Second, is the clock plugged in or is it battery operated? It's preferable to have a battery-operated clock because of EMFs. EMF stands for electro-magnetic forces, and these energetically deplete your environment causing headaches and other health issues. A clock that's plugged in will emit EMFs, whereas the batter-operated one will not.

Lastly, where to locate your analog, battery-operated clock. This sort of clock could be comforting in a child's room where they can get a sense of the stability in the cycles of life. It could be a great above their desk. Another location could be in the hallway of the home or living room, again reminding the inhabitants of the passage of time. Rooms to avoid would be the dining room where you may feel rushed to eat, or the bedroom where you should be focusing on rest.

Clocks can be placed thoughtfully in your home using feng shui principles to support and nourish your life.

by Anjie Cho

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eHow.com Video: Inspirational Wall Decor

Anjie Cho May 7, 2014

Inspirational Wall Decor is Beneficial, Positive and Easy to D-I-Y

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Video Transcript:

I'm Anjie Cho, and this is how to create inspirational wall decor.

In feng shui, I often suggest that my clients place some inspirational wall decor above their desk or located as one of the first things that you would see when coming into your home. To create your own inspirational wall decor you'll need a few things: a picture frame, your computer, a printer and some unique paper that you like.

First things first, select an inspirational quote of words. I've selected this quote from the writer Joseph Campbell, "Follow Your Bliss". There are websites out there that can help you create a word cloud like this. You can search online for word cloud and find a website that will help you generate one just like this. Select a quote you love or meaningful words to have on your inspirational wall art. Words have great impact on this.

So use your computer, print out your quote of words, put it on a nice paper that you like, open up the back of the frame, pop in the art, use tape if you need to and then you've created your own inspirational wall art.

It's so beneficial and positive to spend the time to make your own inspirational wall decor. Not only will it be personal to you it will motivate you to improve your life.

by Anjie Cho