Different Cottage Style Furniture Ideas
Bringing home cottage style furniture is not only inexpensive but also adds that aesthetic value to the interiors. The unique thing about cottage style furniture is that it combines an eclectic mix of romance and coziness, which no other furniture can give you. And who says, you need live in a countryside home to create a cottage style decor?Cottage style furnishings can be placed in your apartment kitchen or condo bathroom for that contemporary artistic feel. You can tailor your home decor with your choice of furnishing depending on your taste and preferences. After all, these are the most versatile pieces of furniture that go equally well in the trendy shabby appeal or a vintage look.Cottage furnishing tipsIf you are confused as to which cottage style look to stick to, here are a few ideas you will find handy will decking up your home interiors:· The country cottage feelTo bring in that country look in your home, choose from a lighter color palette that includes shades of rose, green, blue and yellow. For the furniture collection, go for antiques, flea market finds and vintage furniture. You can also add in wrought iron and wicker furniture. For that pure country feel, choose your furniture fabrics from the naturals like cotton, chintz or chenille. Do your print selection from checks, solids, floral and strips. Add rugs, artwork and accessories like old trunks, wood window blinds, laced tablecloth and drapes.· The vintage lookThe vintage cottage style calls for a lot of antique decor and accessories with a vintage collection of fabrics. Spice up the whole look with architectural elements like buffet corbels, porcelain vase, iron photo frames and candle chandeliers. This furniture goes perfectly well against a light neutral background.· Cottage chic styleChic furnishings can include just about anything that can give that relaxed and comfortable feel. Pick out the chic cottage furnishings and accessories that you already have and combine the look with antiques and few items you had bought from the garage sales. For the furniture paint, choose peeling white and pale green. Complete the look with metal alarm clocks, a table lamp, few old books, a painted vase with flowers and a wrought iron statue painted in white.· Shabby cottageFor the shabby cottage look introduce a combination of white furniture with plush yet cozy fabrics.
Buying Art in San Francisco
Destination San FranciscoSan Francisco is known around the world for the Golden Gate Bridge, the Fisherman’s Wharf and Lombard Street famed for supposedly being the most crooked street in the world. However, did you know that San Francisco is also known as the art capital of the western hemisphere? Thousands of art lovers arrive in the city each year to visit its galleries, art exhibitions and museums. The M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, the Asian Art Museum, the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, and the world famous San Francisco Museum of Modern Art have all emerged as the centerpiece of attraction for passionate art lovers from all over the world. Many of them buy art objects and take them home. Buying art in San Francisco isn’t simply an exercise, it’s an experience of a lifetime for many.The International Art CircuitThe art-buying spree we are all experiencing currently is global. From Dublin to Dubai, scores of art lovers are hopping on to cheap discounted flights and globetrotting in their quest to buy art. What has fueled this fire a downturn in the economy not withstanding? The answer may not be obvious at first glance. The economic slowdown has now made it possible for many art lovers to become art collectors because art has become affordable.Cybertising Art in San Francisco through Online Art AuctionsThe Internet has helped tremendously with its ability to transfer JPEGs in a wink and allow potential art buyers to examine art objects remotely. San Francisco too has benefited from its proximity to the Silicon Valley in that much if not most San Francisco art has gone online in one form or another. Online art auctions are regularly held in San Francisco and you can purchase art from San Francisco artists and online art galleries from the comfort of your home or office.Art Galore for Bay Area ResidentsThe number of art fairs being held in San Francisco has mushroomed over the past few years. Public art fairs such as the Festival on the Hill, SF Open Studios and the Capsule Design Festival have become increasingly popular not only among art lovers who live in the Bay Area but also among those who love to travel for art’s sake. The city’s place on the international art circuit is beyond validation. The art collectors’ stampede has provided an unparalleled opportunity for young artists to join the ranks and bask in the limelight. The works of many young artists in San Francisco have been showcased in local galleries and have been snapped up by art enthusiasts. So if you are an art collector or planning to wet your toes and test the waters in the exciting world of art collection, it is time for you to get in touch with a reputable San Francisco art dealer, preferably one with an online art gallery so that you can make wise investment decisions that bring rich returns on your investment.
How Is Your Worksite Wellness Program Addressing The Biopsychosocial Nature Of Health? (Are You?)
Health is a complex concept. And you do want to understand how to best address it, correct?I have previously written that health and wellness are two clearly different concepts. As a result, I see the worksite wellness programs of today as not really being wellness programs at all, but really being employee health status management programs. If you accept this premise, this means that as a worksite wellness professional you should have a clear understanding about the nature of health. Do you think you do?Health, like wellness, can have many different definitions. Again, like wellness, there appears to be agreement around the idea that health is a complex concept which has several different determinants. The determinants of health can be classified into several broad categories: policymaking, social factors, health services, individual behavior and biology and genetics. Health is often referred to as being a complex biopsychosocial concept.Breaking the term biopsychosocial down into its component parts suggests the term consists of three major components: biological, psychological and social. So how do these component parts each contribute to an individual’s health?Biological – The biological and genetic or physical (physiological) determinants of health, as well as individual behaviors, are generally the focus of most worksite wellness programs today. Programming often takes the form of health risk identification and measurement (commonly called risk reduction) and disease or condition management strategies. These speak to the biology and genetics of health.Two common measurement tools used in worksite wellness programs today are health risk assessments and biometric screenings which are designed to measure and categorize health risks and basic biological body measures respectively. The basic biological measures serve as markers for an individual’s health status. Ideally, these measures should be within what has been determined to be a normal clinical range.Psychological – It is now generally accepted that our brain and our body in separable. There is an undeniable connection between the mind and the body. While the exact mechanism may not yet be clearly understood, there is agreement cognition, thoughts, attitude and feelings influence our health. Our thoughts and feelings do have a physical impact on our body. They influence our nervous system, our immune system, our hormone system and subsequently our health.Disease states are strongly influenced both in onset and duration by the way we think and behave. Our emotional responses result in hormone releases which in turn affect our health. It is clear that how a person feels, or their psychological states including a sense of energy, vigor, durability, hardiness, resilience, optimism, high life satisfaction and positive emotions all reflect the psychological connection to physical health, thereby representing the psychological component in biopsychosocial.Social – The person – environment fit is reflective of the social component in biopsychosocial. The social determinants of health typically refer to the social environment and the physical environment, which are not controllable by the individual, but affect the individual’s environment and health.Social determinants are complex, integrated, and overlapping social structures and economic systems linked to a lack of opportunity and to a lack of resources to protect, improve, and maintain health. Environmental factors, such as housing conditions, living conditions, social networks, and social support are also key drivers.Examples of social determinants include:• Availability of resources to meet daily needs, such as educational and job opportunities, living wages, or healthy food• Social norms and attitudes• Exposure to crime, violence, and social disorder• Socioeconomic conditions, such as poverty• Social support and social interactionsSocial support, social interactions and friendships have been determined by researchers to provide many benefits. They influence many major aspects of our life. They also provide many beneficial life enhancing roles. Social support is critical. In fact, a lack of friends can be deadly.We lean on social support, social interactions and friendships for:• Intellectual stimulation• Emotional support• Fun activities• Support for making behavior changesThe skills necessary for making good social support, interactions and friendship are also the skills necessary for success in life. Social support, social interactions and friendships are also great wellness tools for the worksite wellness professional to tap into.How is your worksite wellness program addressing each component of the biopsychosocial nature of health?