Naruto Coloring Pages

Sometimes we need a little help with our homes.  Whether we have lived in our homes for 2 months of twenty years, we all need to change things up from time to time. Our lives our ever changing and this should also be reflected in our living spaces. Changes can be simple, the purchase of a few new accessories, or perhaps a painting. But maybe a big change is due, a new paint color, some new furniture, perhaps even a remodel. Following are some very simple secrets from some well known interior designers to help you transform your living space to best reflect your style and personality.

1. “The first rule about decorating is that you can break almost all the other rules.” — Billy Bladwin

2.”Never push furniture up against the walls. By pulling your seating arrangement in (even just a few inches) you instantly warm up a space and create flow. ” — Betsy Burnham

While each designer has his or own trick to transforming a room, they unanimously believe that a home should feel well lived in, represent the home-owners interests and passions and should never be too serious. Above this cozy library manages to do it all. This library is warm and inviting while giving us glimpses into the owner’s own life.

3. “Ceilings must always be considered. They are the most neglected space in a room.” — Albert Hadley

When decorating one’s home one tends to immediately think of the walls, followed by the furniture and then the floor, but rarely do people think of what’s overhead. This gold ceiling manages to do several things in this room. It reflects the natural light coming in from the oversized windows, it adds depth and warmth to the room, and it certainly adds a touch of whimsy.

 

4. “Pinches of color keep a room feeling youthful and engaging.” — Christina Murphy

Many people are afraid to paint their walls a bright color. Color can also be added through accessories. Lovely blankets, vases, paintings, pillows and rugs are a wonderful way to add a pop of color. Start in small increments. Perhaps add a colorful lamp, then you can add a vase, the blanket, and if you are ready try tackling larger areas. Color really does affect your mood and can make your living space a happy and energetic one.

5. “Use wallpaper in unexpected places: on the ceiling, in a paneled room, in closets, hallways and small foyers. A great pattern or texture in small spaces can be a prodigious twist.” — Lindsay Coral Harper

It’s always fun to walk in to someone’s home and find the unexpected. A formal dining room with a bright colored ceiling, a white hallway and an unexpectedly colorful stairwell. A simple white bedroom may offer up a playful surprise with a fun patterned papered wall in the closet.  In the room above one’s eye is immediately drawn upward to the playful yet elegant ceiling.

6. “I appreciate history but you have to bring your own experience into your rooms.” — Istvan Francer

What makes your home uniquely your own home are the things you have in it. Showcase your personal possessions to reveal your personality, adventures, and achievements. Mix your accessories with new and old. We all have a past, present and a future and these are all a part of our personal histories.

7. “I don’t think people have enough fun with decorating. It doesn’t always have to be so serious. Design isn’t like marriage, you don’t have to commit for life.” — Ross Cassidy

Don’t be afraid to try something new. You can always change it. Furniture can be rearranged and walls can be repainted. As with all things, in home decor, try something new, you might like it. Start small if you must then go bigger. The room above would be very bland without the fun and colorful furniture. The furniture gives the room its personality. It shows that the owner is fun loving and most likely doesn’t take him or herself too seriously. Conversely, if the walls and lamp shades were not white, the room would be much too busy and too distracting.

8. “Real comfort, visual and physical is vital in every room.” — Mark Hampton

Another area where all designers seem to agree is the importance of comfort in one’s home. It doesn’t matter what your own personal style is – Whether  you are elegant and sophisticated or casual and whimsical… Whether you are minimalist, eclectic, classic, bohemian – the most important thing is to make your home livable. A well designed home is one that is both comfortable and functional.

9. “The most important thing? Perfect lighting at all times.” — Oscar de la Renta

Natural light is best but when natural light sources are limited there should be plenty of light sources. Consider your environment. Are you in a large city, near a forest or by the ocean.  Some homes will have more natural light than others and the light in your home will shift and vary through the day. Sit in all the rooms of your home throughout the day and you will notice where lighting needs to be supplemented. The right kind of lighting in the right space will add a glow and a warmth to your surroundings.

10. “Accessories are where I like to make a statement. They’re the soul of a room.” — Austin Warner

Accessories are a great way to tie in all decor together. They can pull all the pieces together to give your space a finished look. Accessorizing is another way to add a personal touch to your space as they often tell a story of where you have been and where your interests lie. If you are too timid to go for large amounts bold color, patterns or decor in your home, you can still create a colorful atmosphere with the accessories you choose.
Are you inspired to make a few changes around the house? Where will you start? What will you do? I need to add some more color, myself and am looking for just the right rug to tie everything together.

http://freshome.com/2012/09/13/10-secrets-from-top-interior-designers/

Patterns and Colors Collide in Vivid New York Loft

When fascinating patterns and colors collide, inspiration is born. With extensive experience in the design field, well-known designer Karim Rashid strikes again. His bold works are once again showcased in this colorful apartment in New York City. Three spacious rooms located at the crossroads of Chelsea and the West Village’s meatpacking district were designed and furnished by the designer, composing an extravagant interior design focusing on matching patterns, textures and colors. Spreading over almost 2,000 square feet, the loft gathers expressive details under the 12′ ceilings. Modern furniture part of Karim’s portfolio adorned the white rooms, creating a unique display of comfortable spaces and demanding undivided attention. Glossy floors in the kitchen reflect natural light filtered through tall windows and patterned space separators alongside a pink rug define the vivacious living space. Already rented, the fascinating space seen on Afflante remains as an inspiration source for those who love vivid colors and bold patterns.

 

http://freshome.com/2012/09/11/not-done-colorful-loft-by-karim-rashid/

Charming Japanese Residence Blurring Indoor/Outdoor Boundaries: Kofunaki House

Staying true to the principles of Japanese architecture, yet adding that little extra that makes a home comfortable and welcoming, Japanese studio ALTS Design Office designed a charming family home in Shiga, Honshu Island. Kofunaki House has a total surface of 1,424 square feet and is structured on two levels. According to the designers, the concept behind the project is the connection between man and nature, a liaison that has been around since ancient times. Large windows connect the interiors with the surrounding landscape, while wood is present throughout the house, inspiring warmth. Pebbles and flower pots, ethereal curtains, cement flooring and plenty of natural light- all these elements diminish the indoor/outdoor borders. Even though the arrangements are minimalist, the design of this contemporary home turns simplicity into bliss. Every room seems especially “equipped” to offer a comfortable life, without the pretentious details most modern home owners put on display. To conclude, the Kofunaki House showcases an “honesty” that I personally love. How do you find it?

http://freshome.com/

DeLonghi ‘s Faceted Home Appliances For Stylish Breakfasts

First seen at IFA 2012, the edgy Breakfast Series Brillante from DeLonghi presents its faceted design as a fresh alternative to usual home appliances. Perfection lies in the details and this collection comes to show that glamor can be part of your daily routine. The three dimensional display transcends the collection into a new era – inspiring appliances meant not only to help you in the kitchen, but also create a stylish atmosphere to accompany your daily breakfast. The new set inspired by cut diamonds showcases a modern play of light that adds an interesting twist to kitchen counters. Black and white filter coffee machines, kettles and toasters compose a collection of glossy appliances perfect for a carefully designed kitchen. Brilliant surfaces compose an elegant texture, exposing the company’s continuous search for inspiring shapes that perfect the functional features of each appliance. DeLonghi’s Breakfast Series Brillante was imagined by Italian artist Varisco and captures the need for a flourishing attention to details. Can you imagine how this set would look in your home?

http://freshome.com/2012/09/10/not-done-delonghi-s-faceted-home-appliances-for-stylish-breakfasts/

Luxurious Residential Transformation Expanding Architectural Horizons

Located in Johannesburg, the Brian Road Residence underwent extensive transformations that took the 1970s house to a contemporary level. Nico van der Meulen Architectsimagined an atrium and moat surrounding the hall and dining room, while a water curtain falls past a cut-out in the atrium wall, shaping a breakfast garden to the east of the kitchen. The double-height living and dining space open to a spacious lanai extending the entertaining zone into the garden. Opulent social interiors adorned with Tom Dixon spherical copper lamps were divided into activity zones, creating an open floor plan combining family and entertaining possibilities. Luxury can be also recognized in the color choices: rich rust and copper hues meet bright natural light in a spectacular space arrangement. These modern South-African interiors were designed by M Square Lifestyle Necessities, who also transformed the private spaces into inviting indoor/outdoor splendors. Opening onto balconies and atriums, main bedrooms and bathrooms compete with the guest quarters, which lead out to the garden through frameless doors. A myriad of exceptional details compose this residential space, upgrading it to suit a luxurious 21st century lifestyle.

http://freshome.com/2012/09/06/luxurious-residential-transformation-expanding-architectural-horizons/

Cozy Modern Farmhouse Set In a Blooming Orchard

Set in the picturesque rural landscape of Langenargen, Germany, this modern farmhouseshelters family life surrounded by a blooming orchard. Designed by k_m architektur, the contemporary construction was built along with the surrounding farmstead. Generous overhangs shelter the expansive glazing of this elongated floor plan, covering the east, west and south facade. Interior living spaces are permanently exposed to natural sunlight coming from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Shaded by light curtains, the living room, dining and kitchen share the same space, interacting to create a social area exposed to outdoor panoramas. A photovoltaic system mounted on the flat roof helps reduce the energy costs, while the heating pipeline in the farm building takes on the rest of the energy demands. Slightly raised from the ground, the house appears to be floating, while the extensive use of wood defines both the interiors and the exterior, composing a warm and inviting display. There was no need for a second story, as the main spaces were cleverly compacted to shape the necessary living conditions adorned with modern details.

freshome[dot]com/2012/09/09/cozy-modern-farmhouse-set-in-a-blooming-orchard/

coloring pages angry birds

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2012 Chevrolet Sonic Review

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is the best subcompact car for you if you want evidence that America can produce a world-class small car.

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is the all-new and immeasurably better replacement for the Chevy Aveo. A rival for the likes of the Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent, Sonic is built in Michigan, comes as a four-door sedan and a four-door hatchback, and starts at $15,730 with automatic transmission. This solid, comfortable, and surprisingly stylish subcompact is available with base and turbocharged four-cylinder engines. It slots into Chevy’s lineup between the smaller 2013 Chevrolet Spark minicar and the larger Chevy Cruze compact sedan.

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic breathes some life into the small-car styling formula with an aggressive-looking front end featuring a double-tier grille and motorcycle-inspired quad headlamps. The Sonic sedan has a gracefully arched roof, the hatchback a squared-off tail and rear door handles hidden in the rear roof pillars. Both body styles share a well-made and smartly laid-out interior. It’s highlighted by a main-instrument binnacle incorporating digital and analog gauges – another motorcycle-inspired touch.

Size-wise, the 2012 Chevy Sonic straddles the middle of the subcompact-car spectrum; it has almost exactly the same exterior dimensions as the Ford Fiesta sedan and hatchback, for example. Sonics are also competitive for interior space, with above-average headroom front and back. Front seating is adult-friendly. But rear-seat knee space is prohibitive unless front occupants agree to slide their seats at least halfway forward. And narrow rear doorways frustrate exits.

Stem to stern, the Sonic sedan is 14 inches longer than the Sonic hatchback. The hatchback, however, has 19 cubic feet of cargo volume behind its rear seat and 30.7 with the rear seatback folded; the sedan has a 14-cubic-foot trunk. All those cargo volumes are slightly above the class average. Standard on both body styles are 60/40 split rear seatbacks that fold virtually flat and have the sturdy backing and heavy-duty latches associated with more expensive European cars.

Both the 2012 Sonic sedan and hatchback have a three-model lineup consisting of base LS, midline LT, and top-tier LTZ trim. Chevy subdivides each into “1” and “2” trim levels, such as 1LS, 2LT, and for the LTZ, 1LZ and 2LZ. Sonic LS models have less exterior chrome trim, but visual distinctions between the various versions are relatively minor.

Alloy wheels are standard on all, with LS and LT models getting 15-inch-diameter rims and LTZs getting 17s; 16s are optional on LTs. Fog lamps are standard on LTZs and optional on LTs. Inside, LS and LT models have cloth upholstery. LTZs have perforated imitation leather and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic turns to the larger Chevy Cruze for both its engines, a move that saves development costs and imbues the smaller car with a bit of brio welcome in this budget class. Otherwise, the 2012 Sonic is conventional for the category, with front wheel drive, a torsion-beam rear axle, front-disc and rear-drum brakes with antilock and antiskid control, and electric power steering.

Standard on all 2012 Sonics is a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 138 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. Optional on LT and LTZ models is a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder with 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque (think of torque as the propellant behind acceleration, horsepower as the energy behind momentum). Either engine puts Sonic among the most powerful cars in its competitive set. Neither creates a hot rod, but acceleration is more than adequate for the car’s role. 

2012 Toyota Prius Review

The 2012 Toyota Prius lineup adds the 2012 Prius Plug-in Hybrid model, which taps a wall socket to extend the car’s electric-only range to 11 miles from the standard Prius’s 1 mile. All 2012 Prius models also get some cosmetic tweaks and expanded connectivity features. The Prius and Prius Plug-in Hybrid share a four-door hatchback body, and both combine gas and electric power. But exploiting an initial battery charge from the power grid, the plug-in model can go much further on electricity alone before the gas engine kicks in, earning it a 95 mpg-equivalent rating over that distance. It is, however, priced several thousand dollars higher than the standard Prius. The standard Prius is already world’s best selling hybrid and the 2012 additions mark the first notable changes since this third-generation design bowed in model-year 2010. 

The 2012 Prius standard model returns in four levels of trim, labeled with little pretense, Prius Two, Three, Four, and Five. (There’s also a Prius One model intended exclusively for rental and commercial fleets.) Styling differences among the standard models are slight and run mostly to wheel types, with 17-inch wheels on the Prius Five and 15s on the others. The dealer-installed Plus Performance accessory package includes 17-inch wheels with wider tires, a handling-tuned suspension lowered more than an inch, and aerodynamic ground-effects body addenda. 

The 2012 Prius Plug-in Hybrid models comes in two trim levels, base and Advanced. They differ visually from the standard Prius in the ways mentioned above and also have slightly different 15-inch wheels. The Plug-in Hybrid is a nominal 123 pounds heavier than the standard Prius due to its onboard charging system and larger battery pack. 
All versions of the 2012 Toyota Prius employ a combination of gasoline and electric power. Toyota calls the system Hybrid Synergy Drive. It propels the car by drawing on gas or electric power individually or in combination, automatically mixing and matching to balance the demand for acceleration with the goal of conserving fuel. 

The gas engine in both the standard and Plug-in Prius is a1.8-liter four-cylinder. It teams with two small electric motors for a combined output of 134 horsepower. The transmission is a continuously variable automatic, and with either car, drivers who use the Prius for frequent short trips and local driving will realize the biggest reduction in gasoline usage. 

Here’s how they work: Battery charge permitting, both Prius types are capable of moving at around-town speeds on electric power alone. They can further save gas by automatically shutting off the engine while the car is stopped and restarting it when the driver depresses the accelerator pedal. The Hybrid Synergy Drive system uses the engine and regenerative braking to recharge the onboard battery pack. Their different battery type is the primary distinction between the standard Prius and the Plug-in Hybrid. 

In the standard 2012 Prius, the energy-storage system employs nickel-metal hydride batteries. There is no plug-in capability, and ultimate range is determined principally by how much gas is in the 11.9-gallon tank. The standard Prius can travel about 1 mile and reach 40 mph or so on electricity alone. It has a combined gas-electric range of 536 miles. 

By contrast, the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in expands Hybrid Synergy Drive technology via a lithium-ion battery that can store an initial charge that enables all-electric operation of 13 miles and up to 60 mph. For longer distances, the Prius Plug-in reverts to “standard” hybrid mode and operates like a regular Prius. It has a 10.6-gallon fuel tank and a combined gas-electric range of 540 miles. 

The 2012 Prius Plug-in Hybrid comes with a 24-foot cable that plugs into a port on the car’s right rear fender. Connected to a household-type 120-volt connector, it takes approximately three hours to fully charge the Prius Plug-in Hybrid battery. Toyota encourages owners to install a special 240-volt charging station that uses the same cable and port but can cut charging time in half. The fender port is illuminated for nighttime charging. A timer can be set for start and end times and allows charging during off-peak-rate hours. 

(Lithium-ion batteries, by the way, are the next advance in gas-electric automobile systems principally because they’re more compact relative to nickel-metal batteries and can better satisfy the large swings in charging and discharging demanded by plug-in and pure-electric vehicles. Lithium ion batteries are actually less expensive than nickel-metal batteries in terms of materials but more expensive in terms of production costs.) 

Our test drives of both the standard Prius and the Plug-in Hybrid model reveals performance that’s sufficient for any driving need, though acceleration from a stop can be lazy, steering feel is artificial, and handling is by no means sporty. 
The 2012 Toyota Prius gets a nice range of updated features, highlighted by expanded connectivity via the newly available Toyota Entune system. Entune is a collection of popular mobile applications and data services. It comes with three years complimentary access. 

Once a smartphone is connected using Bluetooth wireless technology or a USB cable, Entune operates through the vehicle’s controls or, for some services, through voice recognition. Entune offers mobile apps for Bing, iHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com, OpenTable, and Pandora Internet radio. Data services include a fuel price guide, sports scores, stocks, traffic and weather. Entune is standard on every 2012 Prius except the Two model. 

Among new features in the standard Prius line, the Three model now comes with remote entry and pushbutton start. The Prius Four gets standard auto on/off headlamps, a power driver’s seat, and replaces the 2011 version’s standard leather upholstery with Toyota’s lighter-weight SofTex upholstery. 

The 2012 Prius Two, Three, and Four models also have new standard audio/infotainment systems. The Prius Two gets a 6.1-inch audio-touchscreen system with a USB interface for iPod connectivity, plus Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and audio streaming. The display also provides the aforementioned vehicle information. 

The 2012 Prius Three adds as standard a GPS navigation system that uses the 6.1-inch screen and incorporates Entune. It also includes a rearview camera, SiriusXM satellite radio capability, HD Radio with iTunes tagging, and text-to-speech that reads aloud incoming text messages and answers with programmed and customizable text responses. The 2012 Prius Four model includes that system plus an upgraded eight-speaker audio array with energy-conserving JBL GreenEdge technology.