Artistic Spectacle: Egyptian Temples

One of the most beautiful and impressive aspects of architecture of an Egyptian temple are the spectacular columns, resembling groves of stone trees. These columns, especially at Karnak and Luxor, dwarf human beings and bear inscriptions, carved relieves, and a weighty majesty unequaled anywhere else in the world.  Columns held special significance for the Egyptians, representing as they did the expanses of nature. Columns alluded to the times when vast forests dotted the land, forests that disappeared as the climate changed and civilization took its toll upon the Egyptian environment. They also represented the Nile reed marshes....

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Home décor: Embellishing the Interiors of Your Home

The art of decorating your home interiors is an expensive and a complicated, so to say. However, with a little thought and imagination you don't have to live with bare walls because you can't afford great works of art or even reproduction prints. You can create a number of stunning wall displays by simply using wall picture frames and your own photos to make your walls come alive. There are numerous ways that you can use your own photos as part of your home décor. Even the worst photographer amongst us has a few exquisite pictures we have managed to take of that colorful sunset, that cloudy sky, the gaily colored field of flowers or the squirrel...

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Color the Right Ambiance: Coloring Innovations for Your Home

Walls can indeed do a lot more than just hold up the ceiling. They are the largest expanses of decorative surfaces you have to work with, and they set the stage for the rest of furnishings. What you do with your walls can make up for construction shortcomings, so don’t treat them lightly. Do treat them warmly, coolly, quietly, lively, cleverly. whatever the mood you want to achieve and whatever the room problems you need to overcome, you’ll find a universe of possibilities in a can of paint. Color and pattern are two of the most powerful forces in the visual world. Harness them and you can move walls, raise or lower ceilings, stretch...

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It's all topsy-turvy!

Finally, India can boast of an upside down building of its own! The Caracella Club, named after the first building created as a club by the Romans, has been inspired by the WonderWorks’ ‘inverted amusement parks’ in the USA. Perched to look like it’s about to tip over, it’s been built by the Meriton Group as a part of the Indirapuram development in the NCR region, as a centrepiece for the development. Though, it’s the first of its kind in India, the building is now on the short list of upside down buildings existing the world over.  Japan’s Nagano Prefecture, aside from hosting the 1998 Winter Olympics, also has the pretty...

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GiraDora and how!

I know from personal experience that washing clothes without a machine is one of the most dreary, time consuming, exhausting and, often likely to be, thankless job ever! So when I read the news of this super cool eco-friendly washer and spin-dyer I just had to talk about it! Created by Alex Cabunoc and Ji A this rather brilliant invention called the GiraDora is powered by a foot pedal! Priced at $40, the GiraDora looks like an old fashioned ice bucket or water camper or perhaps ice cream maker! All you have to do is fill it with soap and water put the lid on top and then sit on it. Yes, sit on it! And start pedalling! It’s portable...

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Green on wheels!

Now this is what we call Smart Greens! Artist Matteo Cibic has come up with a rather clever way to put the green back in the dense concrete jungle that is modern day Milan. In response to Inhabitat Editor, Jill Fehrenbacher’s question posed on Smart Urban Stage – ‘In crowded cities, how do we create better and more public green space to improve quality of life?’ - the artist came up with what is a rather ingenious idea of a ‘tree trolley wifi bench’. What it is, is a mobile bench and garden combined. So the bench is equipped with wheels and has its own little garden behind it. And not just that, the tree trolley also doubles as a mobile work station for those to enjoy the idea of working outdoors, considering it is wifi enabled and also has charging dockets. And as if that isn't...

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Taipei 101 - Architectural Landmark of Taiwan

Taipei 101 is a renowned skyscraper in Taiwan and a famous landmark in Taipei. This skyscraper is considered as an architectural wonder by the people of Taiwan for the architectural skills it has been made using. After its dedication in 2004, this eye-catching tower was for a brief moment the world’s tallest building. It measures 1,474 feet not including its spire, and Taiwanese insist it still ranks as the globe’s loftiest, as Dubai’s Burj Al Arab tower owes its dominant height to its sail-like crown. Composed of 101 stories above ground and five below, Taipei 101 embodies the King Kong-luring Art Deco glamor of a New York skyscraper....

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On The Go..... Hire A Portable Toilet & Rest Room

Most of the people these days have been into the usage of portable restrooms for outdoor events and celebrations of all kinds. If you are planning for any outdoor event, hiring a portable restroom based on the number of people attending the event would really help them in meeting their sanitary needs in clean and hygienic environment. You can hire portable toilets for any kind of event like celebrations, birthday parties, outdoor events, outdoor weddings, and all other occasions. If you plan to rent a restroom then you must consider few factors that depend on hiring restrooms. The first thing to consider while renting a restroom is the size of the outdoor event. If it is for a large outdoor event, then you are likely to need more portable toilets. This ensures that there are sufficient cleaning...

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Drip Traps! - Waterproofing Basements

Basement of your home is prone to the forces of nature, particularly water as they are situated below the normal floor area of the house. It is very common in most houses in rainy season, water seeping through the cracks that occur in the walls. Basement walls tend to produce cracks and leaks overtime and if not treated immediately, it can cause major damage and money for repair at the same time. With time to time inspection, these predicaments can be achieved by waterproofing basement walls. There are certain measures to follow in order to prevent cracks and leaks. You can start by inspecting the walls of your basement to see if there are evident cracks or holes. If you see some or those attempting to go beyond those of normal cracks, safeguard it by using waterproof products available...

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Aragon Convention Center Building

The Aragon Convention Center Building, Spain portrays a fractional and varied profile ascending and descending in dialog with the different spaces housed in its interior and manifesting expressively the presence of natural light and the meeting point of the building with the ground. Like a white shining cover, a great roof gently envelopes the different structures sheltering a large interior space which demonstrates the public and institutional character of its purpose. Three main blocks to house an auditorium, a multi-purpose pavilion and modular halls will be connected to each other via a large common vestibule which links the different...

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Bringing Home the Beach - Theming Your Living Spaces With Sea Shore Ambiance

Hectic routine and hyperactive lifestyles have made the urbane generation forget how to relax. Most of us who come home from work and have a million things to do upon our return there is considerable evidence that you have forgotten how it feels to be able to relax. But as another summer is slipping away, you should grab the opportunity to let yourself loose in a scenery that can be feast for your eyes and sole. If you have not yet visited the beach this year but wish you had but no time is available for you to travel to the closest beach, then bring the beach home and enjoy the feeling of having a personal recreational spot at your own premises....

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Frugal Landscaping - Landscaping on Low Budget

All landscaping requires some special care to remain attractive and well maintained. Even though your budget is small and your time is limited, you can take some time to create a plan. The planting zone, the amount of shade, sun, moisture and other conditions influence plants and their well being. You can then incorporate some low-maintenance landscaping ideas for your small budget. Watering and mowing a lawn is a time-consuming chore that you must repeat on a regular basis. Your lawn also requires occasional fertilizers, pesticides and weed-killers. You may want to have a very small grassy area for small children or pets. Otherwise, remove the grass entirely and try some other ideas for creating a relaxing outdoor space. Low ground cover can replace grass on large areas of the yard. Some...

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City Within a City - Capital Gate

Guinness Record holder, Capital Gate building of Abu Dhabi in UAE features exemplary architecture with more than seven hundred diamond shaped glazing panels - all different due to the unique architectural design and posture of the structure which sits on a 30 meters underground base to counteract the gravitational, wind and seismic pressures caused by the lean of the building. The building is a historic and iconic tower that has lined the skies of the United Arab Emirates. This 160 meter, 35 floor tower is an iconic 'gateway' into the city, reflecting Abu Dhabi's ambition, identity and values through its unique past and futuristic design....

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Beautify Your Abode - Home Furnishings

Home furnishing or soft furnishing is the latest trend in the business of fashion today. The desire to redecorate everything around us has lead people to become fashion centric with reference to the interiors of their work place or their home or perhaps it is the compensation for our hectic life that we generally seek relaxation through the colors and designs in our furnishings. Generally, we try to please our visual and tactile senses by the soft and beautiful fabrics around us. In the last three to four years, people have begun changing their home furniture like they change their wardrobe according to the changing fashions. Lifestyle furnishing...

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Be a Perfect 'Wood Picker'! - Selecting the Right Wood for Your Doors

Wood is something permanent, when it comes to wood in the form of doors. This is what people think, but seldom do they know that it is an age old myth that wood is indestructible nor do they know that it is a myth as well, the belief that wooden doors and furniture don't need any additional attention and maintenance. The first step to be taken when obtaining a door or wood for a door is to examine to make sure it is of good quality. Also need to be made sure that the wood has been seasoned to withhold weather constraints and is properly protected. Proper care is very much necessary in order to ensure long life to the wood after the installation. Generally,...

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Georgian Architecture

The Georgian architectural style became popular during the late eighteenth through the mid nineteenth century and it replaced the Baroque architecture that had been popular up to that point. It is a general term for many common themes that were occurring around the world at that time and was named after the English monarchs George I-IV.   One of the most prominent features of Georgian architecture is its focus on proportion and balance. Math was used to determine correct size and placement of windows and other adornments on the building. Symmetry was very important when designing a Georgian style building and a Georgian addition to...

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Aesthetic accessories for your Home – Candle Stands

Candle as we all know is a piece of wax, in shapes like cylindrical, circular, square et cetera, with an embedded wick, used for lighting and sometimes heating purposes. These wax lights are commonly fixed on a stand for providing them proper balance and to enhance their look. The same stand is known as a candle holder. When people at large started using the candles, especially for decorative purposes; It compelled the manufacturers to create the candle holders. As is said that, necessity is the mother of invention, so is the case with candle stands. They were invented when their need arise. The candle stands have really come a long way....

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Hassle Free Painting - For A Fine Painting Job...

Preparing walls for painting is the most difficult part of the painting process. But if you don't put the time to scrape, patch, sand and prime the walls, your finished project will show it. Dust and vacuum all surfaces and for good measure, wash the walls down with soap and water. This is especially important in kitchens and bathrooms. If you see evidence of mold which appears as gray-green speckles, use a solution of up to a quart of bleach to 3 quarts ammonia-free detergent. Never mix bleach with ammonia. Dab the solution on the area and allow to sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Cover floors and furniture with...

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