http://www.bucketbathing.com Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:02:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.bucketbathing.com/healthcare-interior-design-trends.html http://www.bucketbathing.com/healthcare-interior-design-trends.html#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:16:31 +0000 ewwink http://www.alipah.co.cc/healthcare-interior-design-trends.html

By Mary Bamborough, IIDA

 

By now everyone knows that the baby boomer generation is graying – the first wave of baby boomers has turned 60.  Their expectations of healthcare will be vastly different than those of their parents.  Yet one thing is for certain – healthcare will continue to be a growing market for years to come.

 

Over the last few years, we’ve seen the emergence of what we call “retail” medicine.  Have you noticed surgery centers, ambulatory care centers, and specialty clinics popping up in your neighborhood?  As much as 75% of surgery is now performed on an outpatient basis.  The convenience factor of having medical services available close to home is becoming more and more important, as well as expected.

 

As a result, hospitals are often left with the sickest patients.  Staff members are overworked, and they need to manage interruptions and multitask while still giving the patient the best possible care.  Stress becomes a fact of daily life.  Many hospitals struggle to attract and retain staff. 

 

These factors create an opportunity for healthcare design specialists to make an impact.  Knowledgeable architects, interior designers, and engineers can help a facility use design as a key component in the excellent care continuum.  By incorporating flexibility into a design, the hospital can be sure new technological advances will fit in their facility.

 

It’s an exciting time to be a healthcare design professional.  Many new trends are emerging and as an interior designer specializing in healing environments, I find it very rewarding to see so many tremendous advances in this area.

 

One trend that’s making strong inroads into healthcare facilities is evidence-based design.  This is a process that researches and measures how deliberate design factors affect medical, safety, financial, and staff performance levels – or “outcomes.”  Good design can affect outcomes related to privacy, noise, access to nature, lighting and ventilation, wayfinding, and staff stress.  For example, patients will typically heal faster when they have a beautiful view and a quiet place to rest.  They may even require reduced pain medication.  Patient falls can be reduced by improved lighting and room layout.  Staff is less stressed if they are working in an efficient, functional, and appealing space. 

 

Evidence-based design is largely supported by The Center for Health Design – a non-profit group based in Concord, California – which initiated the Pebble Project in 2000.  According to its website, “The purpose of the Pebble Project is to create a ripple effect in the healthcare community by providing researched and documented examples of healthcare facilities whose design has made a difference in the quality of care and financial performance of the institution.”

 

To date, 44 healthcare institutions have partnered with The Center for Health Design in this research effort.  Examples of the findings cited on The Center’s website include: patient falls are down 75% due to the unit’s decentralized design; overall patient satisfaction has increased to 96.7%; nursing turnover rates have decreased to 4.7%; unit design has helped reduce the caregiver workload index, resulting in improvements in nursing efficiency.  More in-depth information is available at www.healthdesign.org.

 

Another trend is the private universal patient room.  Designing a patient room using a standardized approach that makes each room identical has several advantages.  Patients can stay in one location for their entire hospital stay.  These rooms adapt to a patient’s changing care requirements.  When each room is set up the same, it reduces errors, because equipment is in the same location in each room.  Patient transfers are also lowered, since different levels of care can be addressed and situations as common as not getting along with a roommate are no longer an issue.  These can all add up to financial savings for a hospital.

 

Sustainability is also becoming an important consideration when designing a healthcare facility.  Resource consumption can jeopardize the future of our earth and its population.  When selecting and specifying materials, designers may consider using materials with a higher amount of recycled content; reducing the quantity of indoor air contaminants, often referred to as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds); using rapidly renewable materials; and using materials produced within the facility’s region.  We all need to be good stewards of this earth and work together to eliminate negative environmental effects from our buildings.

 

As competition continues to heat up in the healthcare arena, hospitals need to consider the design of their facilities as one way of moving or keeping themselves ahead of their competition.  Supporting a quality image by enhancing convenience and efficiencies with advanced, forward-thinking design affects not only the bottom line, but also patient satisfaction, in a positive way.

 

 

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When experts cost a fortune just for an advice, designing your kitchen becomes your job. Kitchen interior design comes into the picture after your architect has done his job of erecting a building for you.

The kitchen interior design is very dependant on the right decor to make this design work. Unfortunately, many people mess up this very important component when remodeling their kitchen, and end up with the wrong look or feel. Here are some guidelines to help you avoid this scenario and achieve your dream kitchen.

The kitchen decor is probably the most important aspect of your kitchen interior design, because it is the measuring stick you use to decide if all your other appliances match accordingly. The décor all about choosing the theme that you want. For different people this will be different. The most important component is that it matches your personality and tastes.

• If you have a big kitchen then chances are you have probably wished for a smaller one from time to time and chances are that with a smaller kitchen you have asked for a bigger one. When you are changing the interior design of the kitchen you may be able to make your kitchen look bigger or smaller all based on the type of paint you use.

• If your kitchen is small (or any room for that matter) use light colors: off white, beige etc. but you can accent the room with bright colors if you like to brighten up your kitchen. Dark colors will make a room look smaller than it’s actual size.

• The kitchen sink, cooking stove and the refrigerator should form a work triangle where the total distance of the three stations is no more than 26 feet. The three stations should be close enough for convenience when preparing food.

• Other small things which you can do to improve the overall appearance of your kitchen includes getting kitchen accessories such as a shiny new kettle, maybe a soap dish, and don’t forget the all-important tea cloths.

• These all come in kitchen sets of course – other than the kettle – so you’re fine on cash as well, since getting things in sets does tend to be less expensive than buying things individually. Another good idea for kitchen sets is an assortment of salt and pepper shakers. The soap dish idea with a hand pump dispenser also works well if you’re leaning in the way of updating the oddments in your kitchen.

• You also have the choice of getting things like coasters and place mats, trivets, dishes, bowls and the all important cutlery. These all work well in the whole scheme of things and need not be expensive either. As long as you go about it in an orderly fashion you won’t even need to cut down on quality or quantity.

• You can also place a mirror in the kitchen. A good place is opposite the window, it will not only make the room larger but it will reflect the light and brighten the room.

• Put small indoor plants on small pots in your kitchen. Plants gives a fresh feeling to the interior design of the kitchen.

• Always make sure that there is adequate lighting on kitchen. Inadequate lighting makes the kitchen feel cramped and gloomy. Aside from the general lighting fixture at the center of the room. Put task lights under the kitchen hanging cabinets.

Follow these simple tips to finding the right kitchen interior design decor for your kitchen, and you will achieve your dream kitchen affordably and even quickly. Many people make the mistake of limiting their options in this process, such as only shopping at the local improvement store without taking in the other outlets available.

]]> http://www.bucketbathing.com/kitchen-interior-and-decoration.html/feed 0 http://www.bucketbathing.com/what-is-fiber-cement-siding.html http://www.bucketbathing.com/what-is-fiber-cement-siding.html#comments Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:37:47 +0000 ewwink http://www.alipah.co.cc/what-is-fiber-cement-siding.html

What looks just like wood, feels just like wood, but isn’t wood? In the world of siding, the answer is fiber cement. Fiber cement siding is composed of cement, sand, and cellulose fiber, all of which are pressurized with steam to create a solid material. Since fiber cement tends to be a less common choice among consumers, Ruben Jeruco of New Jersey-based Jeruco Exteriors likes to review the pluses and minuses inherent in fiber cement siding so that his customers can decide if it’s the right option for them.

There are several advantages to fiber cement siding. As a material, fiber cement looks great, and since it’s available in a variety of colors and patterns (such as horizontal versus vertical), it offers the homeowner the opportunity to create a unique look for his house’s exterior. Fiber cement is also very solid. The components involved in fiber cement allow it to better withstand extreme weather conditions and bouts of intense humidity, which is something that other types of siding cannot claim. Fiber cement siding is also resistant to mold. And unlike wood, it doesn’t rot, warp, or attract insects. The result is a clean product that offers the same attractive look of wood without all the hassle.

On the siding maintenance scale, fiber cement falls somewhere in the middle, requiring some, but not a lot, of maintenance throughout the years. Since the material is good at holding paint, paint chips, wear and tear, and fading do not come into the picture until many years down the road. In fact, Jeruco Exteriors offers its customers a 15-year finish warranty on fiber cement siding to highlight this very benefit. Finally, fiber cement is considered a more environmentally-friendly product than some of its siding material counterparts, making it an appealing option for those looking to go green.

However, before you sign up for fiber cement siding, you should know that it does come with a few disadvantages. First, fiber cement siding is more expensive than vinyl and wood, so be prepared for the added cost. Fiber cement siding also does not have any insulating properties, so there won’t be much in the way of energy savings throughout the years. Finally, although fiber cement siding does not require as much maintenance as some other types of siding, it does need to be repainted at some point down the line. According to Jeruco, sometimes even this slight degree of maintenance can be off-putting to some. If a customer seems truly resistant to maintenance, then Jeruco might recommend vinyl siding over fiber cement.

At the end of the day, each type of available siding material comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and fiber cement siding is no exception. If you’re considering having fiber cement siding installed, then get all of the facts from your contractor before making a decision. Remember, siding is a long-term investment, so take the time to choose the material that best suits your needs and get ready to enjoy your home from an all-new perspective.

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