Redwood is used mainly for paneling, cladding, decking and fencing. Redwood is used regardless of if the house is new or old (repairs, renovation etc) which means that the demand remains constant. "prices for recent sales of redwood logs have held longer at previous levels than prices for other logs." (quote from http://www.nzredwood.co.nz/redwood-uses-and-markets/) It's beautiful deep red colour makes this wood more of a display/decorative wood than other kinds. (Known as an 'appearance wood'.)
Redwood has low shrinkage/expansion rates, warping or checking rates which makes it perfect for decking and outdoor joinery. Redwood also has a natural durability to insect attacks and decay which means treatments and replacement is not needed in some cases, although a finish is recommended. Redwood is very porous and holds very little resin so it can absorb a wide range of finishes and retain them better than most other woods, which make this wood very easy to care for.
There is unsatisfied demand amongst Europe, the Eastern states and Asia for redwood as there are very few redwoods planted outside of their natural range. New Zealand however has one of the few planting grounds outside of the range, which makes our supply very valuable.
Fur is a very versatile material but is often only used for
statement pieces such as rugs or throws. There are many kinds of fur ranging
from Faux fur, made of synthetic materials, to fox or beaver fur, often having multiple skins being sewn together to make rugs.
The photographed rug is made of fox fur and is among the most popular furs.
Faux fur has become popular in the last few years and is very cheap in comparison but often it is not as insulating as real fur and looks quite obviously fake.
Fur is perfect for blankets or rugs as it is a great thermal
insulator so can hold heat for a long time but is also labour intensive so can
be walked on, rubbed, washed or moved many times before it is damaged.
Fur can be dyed or bought in virtually any colour so will
suit almost any environment. Being one of the softest materials used to
decorate interior spaces, fur is seen to be very luxurious and expensive.
Natural fox fur rugs (such as the one pictured below) sell for around $5,000 whereas
sheepskin rugs sell at around $200 and synthetic (or faux fur) rugs sell at $100-$200.
Carpet is commonly used in houses, hotels and inside most of the buildings. It is cheaper to install the carpet yourselves. If you want to install the carpet, first you have to consider the weather on the day you want to install it. This is very important because the carpet will ruin if you leave it uncovered on a rainy or snowy day. You have to install the carpet only after painting the wall. The paint should be totally dry. This is because there's a possibility that the paint will drop on it. You have to remove the old carpet and clean the floor so that it is easier for you to install it. Then you put the carpet padding underneath it so that the carpet will be even and looks nice.
There are a few advantages of using carpets compared to other textiles. First, it is comfortable and warm. Carpet adds insulation in the buildings. The heat from the carpet would save the energy cost. This is one of the main reasons why most people choose carpet over other textiles. Carpet installation is easier and less time consuming. It is very useful for soundproofing. It also got lots of varieties of colors and patterns that you can choose! This is very good for decorating and enhance the look with its styles and designs of carpeting.
There's also some disadvantages of carpet. It can trap dirt, dust, bugs and bacteria. It s not suitable for people with allergy or asthma. It also difficult to remove stain or smell from the carpet.
In this task I had to create colour schemes that included wooden floor boards.
Personally I find wooden floors can be very over-powering and I dislike the golden glow that shines off particular woods.
For my first colour scheme I took the golden floor boards and tried to create a design that captured your attention so that you weren't drawn to the intense glow of the wood. I used a split complementary colour scheme, the red-orange of the chair grabs your attention and the highlight of teal creates a really fresh look with the wooden floor panels.
In this scheme I have chosen a wooden floor paneling with a dark finish. This gives the room more depth and I personally think this gives the wood a richer, more natural look.
I have added the orange couch to give the room some colour to brighten it up. For this design I have gone with a Triad colour scheme, the orange couch, purple wall paper and the tints of green in the wooden panels create an overall sophisticated and elegant aesthetic.
I took on the challenge of incorporating my two least favourite colours; yellow and grey - which is also my least favourite colour combination, into a scheme I could handle.
I used this photo for inspiration; the two-tone yellow was aesthetically pleasing, it also incorporated a neutral tone, and a piece of dark furniture, something I found pleasing. It took away the harshness of a space which could look very clinical with the white planes. I took this as a method to tone down the vibrant yellow, as well as livening a space
I first tried a split complementary scheme; purple complementing the blue, complementing the yellow. I also incorporated a dark grey wallpaper, which is not a solid grey to ground the vibrant colours. This makes the yellow a feature, making the space pop.
My final scheme is a dark purple couch and wall planes, light blue chair and a light yellow rug. I found this reversed the colours of my inspirational picture, using dark colours to frame a colour. The yellow in this space enhances the space, leaving it feel less harsh and dark.
Stainless steel is a material used in many different environments, from surgical theaters to domestic and commercial kitchens. The popularity of the material is due to it's durability, sterility and aesthetics.
It is formed from the combination of steel and chromium, creating an alloy which instead of rusting, reacts with oxygen to form a transparent layer of chromium oxide, protecting the metal from chemicals and further corrosion. In this way, the material is self healing, and requires no other sealant. When the surface is scratched, the oxidizing process will naturally occur in the presence of oxygen, resealing the metal surface. A video of the production process can be viewed here.
The impenetrable nature of the metal makes it ideal in strictly hygienic environments, such as hospital, and in the preparation of food, as it has a uniform, non-porous surface which will not harbor bacteria and can be easily sterilized.
When processed as thin sheets, stainless steel is easy to cut, weld and is malleable to form curves and bends. This allows companies such as Mercer from Christchurch NZ, to create custom benches and equipment for factory, medical and domestic use. Benches especially, can be measured, cut and quickly bent relatively quickly, demonstrated well in a video from American company Tigpro.
Stainless steel bench tops are typically installed on either cabinetry units with a wooden frame, or welded onto it's own free standing stainless steel frame. New Zealand has many competitive companies, such as CNS which have a variety of textures, patterns as colours available. Colour can be added to stainless steel in it's molten form, therefore within the material and will not wear off or fade. The most popular finish for Kitchen benches and appliances is a brushed silver and highly reflective.
Coloured stainless steel as a facade on the Westfield Doncaster, Melborne Australia
Though a very tough material, stainless steel should be maintain and cleaned correctly to retain its quality. The use of corrosive or scrubbing chemicals can damage the surface texture and could corrode the metal before it can reseal. The use of steel wool is particularly to be avoided, as particles can lodge in the metal and cause iron oxide(rust) staining to occur.
Other equipment used on the surface can also cause scratching. With brushed stainless steel, light scratches can be removed by sanding in the direction of the grain and there are informative tutorials available.
For the maintenance of stainless steel surfaces, CNS has these recommendations on their website:
"Dirt and grease accumulate over time from many
sources. This can be easily removed by routinely cleaning with warm,
soapy water, followed by rinsing with warm, clean water, and finish by
wiping dry with a clean, absorbent cloth. One your stainless benches,
never use abrasive cleaners, as nearly all of these will scratch the
bright polished stainless steel surface.
........ For textured
surfaces, a nylon bristled brush will remove any dirt and grime which
may accumulate in the valleys of the textured finish. If marks such as
fingerprints are a problem, a light surface coating of baby oil, clear
silicone wax polish or furniture polish such as Neopol will help
prevent reoccurrence of this on your stainless benches."
Though stainless steel is itself resistant to high temperatures, putting hot objects such as pots onto a stainless steel surface can ruin the integrity of the adhesive below, depending on the mounting system. Most commercial benches will be purpose built to withstand hot cooking utensils, but this should be checked with the manufacturer and the warranty. Another consideration to be aware of is the variety of different grades and alloys of stainless steel that exist, some being more durable and more suited to particular environments and uses.
On top of its long durability, one of the greatest advantages of stainless steel is that the material is 100% recyclable. Requiring no finishes or additions, the metal alloy can be melted and reused infinitely, minimizing landfill waste.
Stainless steel can be expensive, with most standard bench sizes costing $1000+ however they typically have a very long life and can be sold for reuse or recycling.
Redwood is used mainly for paneling, cladding, decking and fencing. Redwood is used regardless of if the house is new or old (repairs, renovation etc) which means that the demand remains constant. "prices for recent sales of redwood logs have held longer at previous levels than prices for other logs." (quote from http://www.nzredwood.co.nz/redwood-uses-and-markets/) It's beautiful deep red colour makes this wood more of a display/decorative wood than other kinds. (Known as an 'appearance wood'.)
