Smart Homes October 2021

OCTOBER 2021

10th anniversary edition – Eco the way to go!

Credits GROUP CEO Noel Wood HEAD OF ADVERTISING - NATION GROUP Paulette Jones CIRCULATION MANAGER Adrian Bowen – Tel.: (246) 430-5500 email: adrianbowen@nationnews.com MAGAZINE COORDINATOR Andrea King - Tel.: (246) 430-5498 email: andreaking@nationnews.com WRITERS: Natalia Nunes, T’afari Steede, Rhonda Thompson, Nakiah Thomas-Edwards, Israel Mapp, Anna-lysa Nicholls, Nick Nunes, Katrina Welch PHOTOGRAPHY: Nathaniel Gunby, Reco Moore, COVER Woodland Mill Woodlands Plantation, St. George DESIGN/LAYOUT: Brian O’Neale ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES: Debbie Brathwaite – Tel.: (246) 430-5518 Email: debbiebrathwaite@nationnews.com Donna Francis – Tel.: 246 467-2868 Email: donnafrancis@nationnews.com INDEX PAGE ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Alison Licorish – Tel.: (246) 430-5552 Email: alisonlicorish@nationnews.com Kelly Henry – Tel.: (246) 430-5554 Email: KellyHenry@nationnews.com ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Wendey Delaney – Tel.: (246) 430-5517 email: wendeydelaney@nationnews.com PRINTERS: Printweb Caribbean Ltd. (246) 434-6719

Happy 10th anniversary Smart Homes!

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t’s 10 years for this Barbadian publication which highlights design and décor, care and sustainability of Bajan homes.

This whopping anniversary publication is fantastic from cover to cover, and we invite you to enjoy the scrumptious literary feast within its pages. To commemorate the magazine’s 10th year, we’ve put together several lists of 10 tips and hacks that will definitely improve your home life. And there’s more!

People over a certain age grew up with plastic Christmas trees, or homemade trees cleverly constructed with wire, rope, wood and screws. Those types of trees were carefully put away until the next year. In recent years, live Christmas trees have become popular in Barbados, and one article in this edition of Smart Homes suggests ways to recycle those types of trees.

Actually, mums and dads, in lieu of an imported living tree this year, you can create delightful memories with your children by getting them to help create and make the family tree. When you go to decorate that tree, it will have so much more significance, thana store-bought plastic one. That feeling of pride in making something beautiful together as a family is priceless – not only have you decorated the tree together, you also made the tree! If you do take that advice, we’d love to see your fabulously made original tree, so send us some photos!

It was very enchanting to discover someone who hand carves utensils from found wood, and we’ve featured him in this edition. Definitely worth trying are the suggestions in the article by Rhonda Thompson called ‘Countdown to Christmas Cleaning’, and included in all the helpful articles and features is one on how to improve your property’s worth.

Nick Nunes thrills with his literary prose about floor coverings and outdoor dining – you’ll never think about those two topics in quite the same way after reading him.

Equally awesome is Israel Mapp’s ode to mill walls. His use of the term ‘Ggenus loci’, the description of the mills in our landscape and history, the way he pulled it altogether to tell a story of history, design and eco-living … wonderful!

The outdoors is also feature in this 10th anniversary edition. new writer T’afari Steede shows us how to keep a kitchen garden in a small space and reminds us why we use certain decorative plants around the home.

Please, take your time and read it all. Gulp all the stories down if you must, but then take time to savour both the content and the style of writing.

Happy 10th anniversary Smart Homes!

Smart Homes is produced by The Nation Publishing Co. Limited; a subsidiary of The Nation Corporation, which is a member of the One Caribbean Media Limited (OCM) group of companies.

For general info email: smarthomes@nationnewscom. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this magazine is accurate, however, The Nation Publishing Co. Limited cannot be held responsible for any consequences that may arise from any errors or omissions. This publication cannot be copied in whole or in part without the explicit permission of the Publisher. ©2020 NATION PUBLISHING CO. LIMITED

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Contents

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10 Xmas cleaning tips Getting ready for guests 10 Home Hacks 10 Eco hacks Improving your property’s worth Home – a new place of productivity

Statement utensils

10 interior design tips Outdoor dining

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40 42 4446 52 50 58

Decorative plants and their uses Kitchen gardens in small spaces Extravagant décor at Xmas Recycling your Xmas tree Emergency checklist

Non-traditional uses for traditional things 4

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A windmill as a living space

Personalising your rental

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COUNT DOWN TO

CH E RI ST MA S

veryone wants that sparkling clean, fresh feeling of Christmas in their home, but just as with shopping, Christmas cleaning often gets shoved into last-minute duties. When the joyous day arrives, many people are just too exhausted and stressed to make merry with family and friends.

Being the busiest season of the year, midnight Christmas Eve would find many people still dashing through the chores: cleaning house and dressing-up rooms, this all jumbled up with decorating, wrapping gifts, baking the ham, great cake and all the other Caribbean Christmas goodies. This household hustle and bustle has evolved into a Christmas tradition for some people, but it is quite overwhelming.

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Try Something Different This Year

Why not get most of the cleaning out of the way early, so you can find holiday cheer in things like shopping and cooking and, of course, celebrating Jesus’ birth with all the energy it deserves.

Calling In The Experts

C leaning TIPS

by Rhonda Thompson

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Planning to avoid the stress completely? If you are too busy or have no desire to tackle your own cleaning, simply hire experts. Take note, though, professional cleaners expect bookings to be in by the end of November – early December at the latest – as this effortless option is becoming quite popular. Companies or smaller enterprises will conduct a site visit and give you a costing based precisely on what you want to be achieved. A thorough cleaning will include floors, carpets, upholstery and windows, paying close attention to the toughest rooms – the kitchen and bathroom.

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DIY

If you are going to take on the job yourself, it is best to get an early jump on chores. There will be plenty of dust and grime in every nook and cranny of your home, especially if you haven’t been deep-cleaning throughout the year. Pay extra special attention to detail if you will be playing host and want to impress your guests.

Four Weeks Before Christmas

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This is the perfect time to get the heavy-duty chores out of the way. Power washing; painting or touch-up jobs can be done now.

It is highly unlikely they will be tarnished before Christmas.

Strip the yard of useless junk and dump. You do not want an eyesore piled high in front of your house waiting for garbage collection any closer to Christmas. If you find the wait for collection too long, you can have it taken away privately.

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Two Weeks Before Christmas

Prepare for the big shopping event by cleaning out the refrigerator and cupboards. Throw out all the forgotten leftovers and sanitize.

Degrease cupboard doors and wipe down the shelves. Scour the oven, stovetop, countertop and backsplash and continuously keep them clean as a whistle.

Scrub and sanitize your bathroom floor, shower stall, toilet and sink, removing any stains and build-up. You’ll also need to continuously clean this high-traffic area, but it won’t be as tough going forward.

Christmas In The Air

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It now looks like Christmas, so make it smell like Christmas. If this year won’t find you rocking around a real Christmas tree that will fill the air with fresh pine fragrance, there are countless potpourri recipes online as well as scented candles and deodorizers in stores that will easily do the trick.

10 The Night Before Christmas

With all the hard work out of the way and everything merry and bright, it’s time to relax. So turn on your Christmas tree lights, sit back and put your feet up, sip some wine, ponche-de-creme or whatever’s your fancy and celebrate a job well done. Certainly, you’ll have a good night’s rest and wake to the most wonderful day of the year. Merry Christmas!

Make A List, Check It Twice

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Before you roll up your sleeves, do a walk-through of your home and take note, room by room, of everything that needs to be done. Don’t overlook the outdoors.

If your list looks a tad too long, there is no need to be daunted by what lies ahead. Being organised means you will be quick and more efficient. Write the names of your “little helpers” next to each task you have assigned to them. Also, make a list of cleaning agents and tools you need for the job beyond a broom and a mop, and stock them early.

There are many natural cleaning options available. Vinegar and baking soda, with your favourite essential oil thrown in the mix, still head the list of safe all-purpose cleaners.

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Three Weeks Before Christmas

Cleaning windows, not just the glass panes, is a long and tedious process, so you need to have them ready long before you decide you’re going to change the curtains. To do otherwise will throw your plan off course.

Declutter your entire house by putting things back in their proper place and tossing unwanted items you have accumulated since the last Christmas purge. This will make cleaning a breeze.

One Week Before Christmas

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With Christmas in sight, you will want to mop all the floors, and vacuum carpets. After you have laundered and changed your cushion covers or given the upholstery a deep steam-cleaning, you can hang your new curtains.

Back outside, trimming the hedge and mowing the lawn a few days before Christmas is cutting it close enough.

This is the time for clean shower curtains and coordinated bath mats. Dress up your bedrooms with clean sheets and comforters.

Don’t forget to organise your vanity after giving it a good dusting off and the mirror a shine.

After hanging your decorations and creating your “awardwinning” dining table centrepiece, you can step back and admire your achievement. You’ve met your deadline.

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Holidays THE

ARE COMING!

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o are family and friends who want to staywith you.

If you have a well-appointed guest room that’s very easy, but many people carve out room to accommodate people who come to stay a while. If that is true in your case, make sure you have these ten steps covered to make their stay even more comfortable and thus more enjoyable.

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Fresh towels, new face towels and bath cloths

Put fresh towels on the bed so that they are easily seen and your guest does not have to ask for them. While a bath towel does not necessarily have to be brand new, the face towel and wash cloths should be. If your guest is staying for more than a few days, put two or three towels.

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Make space for your guest’s belongings

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Best suitcase space

Usually a suitcase is put under the bed or leaned against the wall. If your guest is elderly or has a disability, bending down or dragging out may prove difficult. Set up a fold out rack, or a small folding table or wide bench (an ottoman) to help make accessing clothes easier.

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Even if your guest is staying in a spare room, ensure that there is some storage space in the room. Make room in the wardrobe, provide an empty drawer or erect a mobile clothing rack.

www.mintconditionind.com mintconditionind@caribsurf.com

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Make room for privacy

Private

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Accessible outlets

In this age when people have not just a cell phone, but also a tablet and a laptop, it may be necessary to have more than one electrical outlet. Fortunately, extension cords and surge protectors come with multiple outlets.

Putting one in the room for your guest will indicate your thoughtfulness

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Special toiletries

With such a variety of toiletries – including eco-friendly ones – available in travel size packages, it’s even easier to provide separate toiletries for your guest. It would be great to learn their favourite scents beforehand so you can get the personal toiletries in those scents. It’s also a good idea to find out if your guest has any allergies to those kinds of products.

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Stock the fridge and food cupboards

Make your guests feel at home by letting them know food is there and they have access to it. If you need to keep a lock on your fridge, give them a key.

Put a bin near the bed

It’s a small thing, but extremely useful to have a bin handy in your guest room, especially if the room does not have an en suite toilet and shower.

Sure, your guest is staying in your house, but that doesn’t mean you have to be always with them – in or out of the house. When you are both at home, try not to spend time in their room, and don’t expect them to go everywhere with you. And make sure there is a working lock on the door to their room!

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Free entry

There’s nothing more embarrassing that coming home to find your guest waiting for you outside because they can’t enter the house. Have a copy of the essential keys ready to give them when they settle in.

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Free access

Share the wifi password as soon as your guest comes in and puts down their bags!

Velcro for your kitchen towels

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by Nakiah Thomas-Edwards

e spend a lot of time trying to keep our home neat and clean and tidy and spend too much time trying to find a lost item that has disappeared into the abyss of a drawer, the washing machine, a cupboard or under the bed.

Here are 10 time-saving things you can do to help maintain the orderliness of your home and your life.

1. Strapped for storage space?

Try making holders of varying sizes and lengths with PVC pipes or small pieces of wood. A rack with different size slits or holes can be affixed over or on the inside of your cupboard doors to become anything from a knife and cutlery rack to a holster for combs, brushes, shavers or curling irons. They are handy anywhere in the house and can be painted or decorated to suit the environment.

2. Create (more) overhead storage

Look up at all the rooms in your house, especially if it’s small. How much head space do you have up to your ceiling? How much of that can be used to store things?

Installing a simple shelf using brackets and a slab of wood is one easy way, or use a frame made of tubular PVC pipe and fittings. The smooth exterior is great for easily pulling things down. If you have joist space, create storage space by using wire for shelving.

3. The laundry and cupboard abyss

We’ve all experienced it – the one sock coming out of the washing machine, the lost tie or sexy tiny underwear – some of your washing disappearing into the abyss that is the side of your washing machine. We see how bits of food and cooking utensils slip between the wall or cupboard and the stove. Use clear plastic tubing or foam strips (like foam pipe insulation) into the space between your washing machine and stove, and the wall. That way nothing can’t slip into the abyss.

4. Pool noodle magic

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Want to stop your cutlery holder from shifting around in your cupboard or kitchen drawer. Cut a pool noodle into the length required and – no more irritating shifting.

A pool noodle is also great to stop doors from slamming and can be affixed to a wall to prevent dents from car doors, hold bracelets and hair bands, a wrist rest, ladder padding…and much more.

October 2021

5. Lemon a great cleaner

Lemon has one other great use besides making a delicious refreshing drink and cutting the rawness from meat. Its juice can also be used directly as a cleaner. You know that white build up you see at your glass kettle spout, or around the tap? It will clear away in a few hours if you attach half a lemon to where the buildup is. Best to secure it to the tap with plastic wrap or bag, so the lemon stays in place and works its cleaning magic. Lemon is said to be great for cleaning microwaves as well. Here’s how: boil a mug of water with a slice of lemon in it inside the microwave; then leave it there for 10 to 15 minutes for the steam to loosen the grease and grime, and wipe away easily.

6. Your dryer as a vacuum cleaner

We love our throws, pillows and small cushions for our lounge chair, curtains and draperies to beautify and decorate our home… and they don’t always come in machine washable textiles.

And we know they can be a nightmare to clean. If you have a dryer, one way to get rid of dust and pet hair is to put them in the dryer on the air-fluff setting with no heat for approximately 20 minutes. Put in also a damp towel which will make the pet hair stick. The tumbling motion of the dryer and its internal air system will take care of the dust.

7. Make a bleach pen (or buy one)

This device that has a small aperture in a point at the top makes for very targeted cleaning. It is ideal for tiles and hard to reach

corners, and more easily applicable than a spray bottle set to a jet. The small hole at the top allows you to apply just where you need the bleach, so that it doesn’t get all over what you are cleaning. Give it 10 to 15 minutes and then wash off. In heavily soiled areas, use an old toothbrush to work the bleach into it.

8. Plastic bag dispenser

We see many handicraft ideas about plastic bag dispensers using fabric. You can also make one with a pep bottle or a length of PVCpipe. For the pep bottle cut off enough of the funnel end to let the bags be pulled through easily and cut the bottom completely off. For both the bottle and the PVC pipe, affix to the wall or door with either screws or a hook and loop.

9. Junk drawer organisation

This one is such a no-brainer that those of you who have not done it before will wonder why. Use a heavy-duty ziploc bag to sort and store the items in your junk drawer. The transparent plastic will allow you to see the contents of the bags, and you can use different size bags for different things.

(I know, right!)

10. Velcro for your kitchen towels

The invention of Velcro opened a whole new range of possibilities for so many things. In the kitchen you can keep your towels in place on the handle of your oven or fridge door by attaching Velcro strips in strategic spots to hold them in place.

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10 H

ECO TIPS

ow well are you doing in being eco-friendly in your daily living?

Of course, we know ‘eco-friendly’ means living in a way that does not harm our environment, especially with all the nonbiodegradable products that are manufactured to supposedly make our life easier. Of what use is an ‘easy life,’ if we cannot breathe properly and if we continue to poison the planet?

Here are some ways you can contribute to keeping our world a safe and clean place. They all are things we can do consistently to make them routine; some you know and others may be new, but all are doable. Commit to starting today and make it a regular habit so that it becomes your norm.

1. Use less potable water We’ve all heard this one over and over: take a shorter shower, which experts say saves anywhere between 550 and 2 000 gallons of water annually; don’t leave the water running when you’re brushing your teeth, washing your hair, or soaping up. (How many of us still do that?)

3. Reuse Items

2. Use Rechargeable Batteries

This one will save time, money, and the environment. You save time by not having to run out to buy batteries every time you need them. You save money by not having to buy batteries over and over again because they can be recharged, and some can be used up to 1 500 times before the charge runs out. Rechargeable batteries also reduce the amount of dangerous waste.

Always choose things that can be reused several times. We now have a national policy on single-use plastics, and many people can be seen using totes for shopping or even reusing plastic bags. You can also use glass jars or containers to store food in the cupboard or fridge; the plastic cereal bag can be used to line a bin or to wrap food to take out. You can also use your old cotton clothes as dish or floor cloths; and you can reuse your cooking water (e.g., pasta water for cooking rice or watering your plants). Instead of buying new pots for your plants, make use of whatever you have at home: an extra mug, takeout containers, plastic bottles, or tin cans. Have fun with your children making toys out of recycled materials or stuff you have lying around at home (it’ll help foster their creativity and resourcefulness). There’s another article in this Smart Homes edition which details other clever ways to reuse home items.

4. New plant-saving device

Since we get a lot of rain, especially at this time of year, water settles at the bottom of plant pots which can lead to root rot. Here’s a solution to that problem: instead of discarding your old kitchen sponges, cut them up and put them in the bottom of the pots (divide them into small pieces, if necessary). The sponges will soak up the water and help to prevent it from gushing out of the pot. They will also retain water which will help keep the soil moist.

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5. Recycle, reuse and plant

Recently we’ve seen the Sanitation Service Department publicize the use of different garbage bins for different purposes. Even before that, eco-conscious Barbadians were practising waste separation, and some places had already installed colour coded bins alerting people about what to put in each bin.

If you haven’t already, start today in your own home by getting different bins for glass, paper, organic matter and plastics. The organic matter bin will automatically become your compost which you can use in your kitchen garden or give to your friends and neighbours who are into composting. If you think you don’t have space for a kitchen garden, there’s also an article on how to make a kitchen garden in a small space in this magazine.

6. Get a Water Filter

Installing a water filter on the kitchen faucet will instantly make your house eco-friendly; especially if you also keep a refillable (non-plastic drinking bottle). Filters can be acquired that can either attach directly to the tap, or be placed under the sink, or you could get a jug that carries filters. A water filter saves time and money, and helps reduce the amount of single-use plastic that ends up in landfills. You pay for the tap water already anyway, right?

7. Use Homemade Natural Cleaning Products

Bet if you look in your cupboard you will find vinegar and baking soda and if you don’t, the next time you go shopping, invest in a large bottle

Call to order

of white vinegar. This magic liquid combined with lime or lemon juice and baking soda is all the cleaning product you need (with maybe a little elbow grease too for stubborn stains). Out with those chemical combinations that burn your nose, hands or skin, make your eyes water or stop your breath and make your chest tight. And if that’s what they do to you, imagine what they will do to the environment!

Add your favourite essential oil scent to the natural cleaning trifecta, and voila!

8. Use energy-efficient light bulbs

Lighting consumes between 8% – 15% of the average household electricity budget. With these types of bulbs, you get the same light for less money. They burn longer so you save money both by using less energy and getting more use from each bulb.

9. Solar panels

Well, we do live in a region where we have constant sunlight, so that’s a no brainer! It is expensive in the short term though (getting that one major disadvantage, out of the way), but the long term benefits include increasing your property value and becoming energy independent. Solar is renewable energy and you will save money all around. It’s an investment that keeps giving.

10. Harvest rain

Don’t waste or use good tap water to wet your garden plants and wash your car. Collect and store rainwater. It’s plentiful and free!

436-9836 I Fax: 436-5628 I Email: tropichem@caribsurf.com

Inspiration & INNOVATION

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IMPROVING YOUR PROPERTY’S

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by Nick Nunes

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e all wish there was some magically real mumbo-jumbo that could light a fire under the invested capital in a home to propel it to be profitable.

Unfortunately, the only way to increase the value of a property is to make it more attractive to prospective

purchasers.

This is a careful and curious road, as adding on to your property can alienate potential interest due to excessively niche additions. Stark starter homes, without fences or adequate proliferation of electrical outlets or lighting, can be increased in value with common-sense and universally appealing additions for adaptability.

A friendly, anonymous, finance-adept person started to address this issue by stating, “So, as a homeowner, you’re aware of your own equity in your home, right? That’s the part of house you bought with your own money.”

The initial down payment to garner the loan to purchase the house is the ‘equity’. “And as you pay down your mortgage to the bank, gradually your equity in the house grows,” he explained.

“Say, you bought a house for 200k. The bank lends you 160k and you use 40k of your own money. So, your equity in the house is 40k.

The other 160k is debt. And you pay down your mortgage through your monthly instalments. But, as you pay your mortgage over time, that debt number goes down and that equity number goes up,” he elucidated.

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While paying off the mortgage, you’re paying the principle (the cost of the loan) and the interest of the loan, simultaneously.

“So, at some point say you paid down 60k of the debt. Now it’s 100k equity and 100k of debt. And you decide to do some renovations. Like new cabinets or something. You can borrow against the equity in your home to pay for those improvements,” he addressed, on increasing the value of the initial investment.

Unfortunately, to increase the value of your home via taking a loan to improve the value of the property requires incurring a new debt. “But you also increase the value of your house,” he says. “Now your house, that you bought for 200k, might be worth say 215k,” he conceptualised.

He explained, “So you now have 120k in debt (the original 100k plus the 20k you borrowed to do, say, the kitchen) but you only lost 5k in equity because the work you did increased the overall value of the house.”

Adding value to your property’s value will change with fluctuations in the housing market. Fencing, additions to useable square-footage, and creating adaptable outdoor spaces can, markedly, increase the value of your home. The additions, however, must be guided by the value of the location of the property.

Upgrading your property far beyond the competitive rates of similarly situated and appointed options can price you out of desirability.

Our anonymous guru informs that, “if someone was rocking up to buy a house and they saw two homes with the same exact size and

layout but one had dutiful and useful improvements while one didn’t have any…they’re going to think the house with all the improvements is better and would be willing to pay more for it.”

It’s important to remember that the more specialist and niche the additions made to a property means the less value you add.

How do you even begin to add value to your home? Contact property managers, designers, decorators—and see who will do a consult for free. Remember, you’re initially just looking for advice.

Whoever will take the trip to look at what you’ve got and give you a feel of what you might need to do to increase the appeal of your home is the best person to begin with. This can at least start the ideas of what to do to next to develop the property.

Actually, improving your property worth will take an investment.

A personal loan can be an easy way to make additions, especially if you’re taking the improvements bit by bit. Home equity loans can finance much more via the investment you’ve already accrued, being used as the basis for borrowing.

It’s always a bit scary to take a loan when you’ve already got a loan in progress. Knowing what you want or need to do to improve your property’s appeal and knowing how to handle the immediate financial future of the improvements are paramount.

Maintaining properties for the appeal of the ever-changing climate of aesthetics can be a difficult decision. Improving your own home for much later potential is as simple as keeping it clean, uncluttered, freshly painted, well-appointed, and easily adaptable to modern aesthetics.

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YOUR HOME A NEW PLACE OF PRODUCTIVITY & WELLNESS

by Israel Mapp

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efore the global pandemic, research by NorthAmerican co-working giant, WeWork indicated an even divide among workers in the corporate space about their preference in the category of workspace. One-third of employees wanted to work at the office, another third wanted to work from home and the final third wanted to work in a third space -other spaces like cafes and or co-working spaces. This research only applies to spaces of the typical modern workstation which includes a desk, chair, a technological device such as a computer, network connection and not specialised space or equipment like a wood workshop or ceramics studio, which are all equal places of work.

With the collapse of the tourism industry in Barbados in 2020 and its effects that continue to cascade in the visitor economy, as well as contributing and beneficiary sectors, many individuals who have been laid off are creating their own employment. Many entrepreneurs and start-ups birthed their great and not so great ideas in a home office.

This article intends to be a valuable resource for that second-third of employees who want to work from home, and entrepreneurs who also do.

From its humble beginnings on the dining table, a repurposed garage to its more austere cousin “The Study” cloistered by walls of books, the home office is becoming a staple in our allocation of specific functional space in our dwellings.

PANDEMIC + Home-Life-Work Balance

With the introduction and growing adoption of flexi-time within the corporate environment and more recently the government sector which allows people to work outside the main office, in one case and to contribute outside typical office hours in another, home workspaces have become more and more relevant in the designs of homes.

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Amidst the global pandemic, work continues; and for the first time since the advent of industrialisation and the information age, we have had to share space with our family and friends for extended periods as a result of lockdowns. We have created make-shift workstations in a place we all looked forward to retreating to after public and work engagements. Now our homes are simultaneously hosting school and office meetings, something they were not designed for, and it has meant much adjustment to accommodate what was existing. The separation of home and work, not only in time but also in terms of spatial needs, is integral in maintaining the home-life-work balance and maintenance of mental health.

New + Old

Whether it is a new design or the development of an existing dwelling the principles for setting the optimum works space are the same. I will be sharing with you my thoughts towards design using one of my design projects, Casa Pavilion, Mount Pleasant, St. Philip, Barbados

Location-Location-Location

While designing the home office for the client they indicated that they needed a place that ran counter to their current home office at the time.That consisted of a desk and chair that occupied 24 square feet of the 1 000 square foot living room, which was also the main entrance of the house. There was no privacy, the environment of the home impacted their productivity, and they were unable to effectively create a good work-home life balance. To this end, we knew we had to solve those challenges. The house was designed as a pavilion where the public spaces were on the ground floor and private spaces were on the first floor. This ensured the house was great for entertaining and that homeowners could enjoy and fully engage the country landscape

at 360 degrees. The more private spaces were on the first floor, and not only did they have a commanding view of the south-south-eastern coast of the island, but those spaces allowed the family to retreat to their own spaces, adequately buffered from each other by service and storage spaces. This was the best environment to locate the home office. It was situated 12 feet from the master suite entrance along a walkway that overlooked the living area on the west, and the entry foyer to the east. It was equally separated by the companion twin bedrooms to its north. This location ensured privacy and quiet as the user demanded.

The siting of a home office in one’s dwelling must allow for the most privacy possible given the circumstances. This will allow for the best environment for work focus as well as control of the environment from interruptions, especially during Zoom meetings and presentations.

The View

At Casa Pavilion, the home office was designed to have a strong visual connection to the west looking into the Mount Pleasant Plantation yard with its old mill wall and mature trees and east looking onto Ragged Point Lighthouse and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. The views give a great sense of space for this modestly sized room. This was as a result of opening the panels of glass provided by the windows and partitions.

You should consider capturing deep and wide views from your workstation when setting it up in an existing space. Moderating your vision between near and far through the workday helps to maintain the health of the eye. It is important to have views through to the outside as it allows for an excuse to discover the contents of our minds.

Staring out of windows provides the opportunity and environment to search for insights into ourselves. The location of your workspace close to a window provides benefits towards work productivity.

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Let There Be Light

We are aware of the benefits of sunlight for holistic health and many of us spend much of the day’s hours on the inside countering this by going outside for a couple of minutes. Day lighting in the work area can boost energy levels throughout the day, improve your overall level of happiness, and it can help reduce job-related stress.

At Casa Pavilion there were three possible sitting positions but we recommended the western view. This position also allowed the user access to a distant perspective while working at their desk and computer. It also ensured that there is no glare in the afternoon without the use of drapes.

When locating your work surface, ensure the space is well lit day and night with reduced glare from direct light sources be the sun or artificial light. In the night, use a combination of ambient light sources on dimmer, and task lighting which is focused on the work area. Proper lighting reduces eye strain and resulting fatigue.

Ambient and indirect low lighting are both cozier and much better for your eyes. Warm “yellow” light tends to be better than “white” light. Whether this light is artificial or natural makes little difference; even sunlight can be too harsh in certain situations. Adding a curtain to diffuse the light may be a good idea if you’re sitting by a window.

Adjusting your desk so that it is adjacent to a window, as opposed to being in front of one, will also help to reduce light intensity and screen glare.

Do you find that you often feel tired or sluggish at work? Well, if you work in a darkened workspace with little to no access to a window with natural light, this could be impacting your energy levels, your mental clarity and your productivity. If you’re self-employed and have claimed a room in your home without a window as your designated workspace, or if you own a business and are underutilizing the natural

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light and layout of your office space, here are some important reasons why you should switch up your office concept to take advantage of the benefits that a window can produce to workplace productivity.

Wind Please

Given that the home office was placed on the western elevation of Casa Pavillion, it meant that it would have long exposure in the afternoon. To this end, we designed a deep overhang and brise soleil1 to reduce the sun exposure on the window and interior space.

This was reinforced with horizontal blinds and tint on the glass.

The combination of these helped to passively modulate the interior temperature of the home office.

In addition to the operable glass panel windows, there are operable louvre windows below the sill line. This feature facilitates passive ventilation by introducing cooler air into the space which pushed the warmer air out the higher windows. Ultimately, a mechanical unit was introduced to not only reduce the temperature further but to ensure the performance of the computer systems and reduce their exposure to the salt air of the area.

You should take advantage of daytime breezes by setting up cross ventilation using opposing windows in the room you have decided to work in, or set up mechanical ventilation. The movement of cool air over one’s skin ensures comfort during the day as it helps to keep your internal temperature cool, which helps with concentration.

Always remember, if you are setting up a home office in an existing dwelling, pay attention to how other home users use the house, along with external impacts such as noises from the street or neighbours.

The placement of your home office must take advantage of an environment that best facilitates how you work.

Visit our web page www.rotoplastics.com.bb

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Decor Home Decor Trends:

LIVING In STONE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF SUGAR MILLS

T

by Israel Mapp

heir images are emblazoned on our twenty-five cent coins and two dollar bills and yet they have not stolen hearts like the humble Barbadian chattel house or influenced our building aesthetic as the plantation great houses have. There is a quiet and latent reverence to old mill walls.

Mills are monuments to a bygone era, our heirlooms; they are our nation’s equivalent of a grandfather clock. We hold them in our landscape as things of significance. Their retention, if only as shells of their former selves, shows that they are held in thought and consideration. We cannot talk about Barbados without talking about the story of sugar and we cannot talk about sugar without talking about the Barbadian windmill. Before the steam engine ground cane into juice we had windmills doing the same, with hundreds dotted all over the landscape catching the breeze. Now with their sails, gears and wheels removed, many of these mill walls, made of coral stone and bound by lime and egg whites mortar are left standing in memoriam of a period. Even with their patina and inactivity they hold intrinsic values that are relevant to contemporary life.

As humanity engages the climate crisis with alternative approaches to sourcing energy, wind being one of them. It is apropos for us to revisit these structures that brought that initial technology to the island centuries ago and highlight them as a focus for adaptive and regenerative reuse.

We visited Woodlands Plantation in St. George, where the Mckinnley Family who decided to make Barbados their home over 10 years ago restored the great house, its auxiliary buildings and the old mill wall. Most mill walls remain frozen in time with the exception of Morgan Lewis, Mullins Great House, Mangrove Plantation, Warleigh, Bush Hall, Newcastle, and Upton Mill they remain frozen in time. They have for the most part evolved into follies in the landscape. However, it is common for these structures to call attention to themselves through their details, form and placement. The Mckinnley’s approach towards the rehabitation of the Woodland Mill was to create an extension of their home by creating unique spaces for living and play.

Structure

The strength of mills is contained by their unique structure. Characterised by the sheer mass of the material used, the interlocking blockwork and tapered cross-section of the wall; where lighter and small material is stacked on larger and heavier material. This technique lowers the centre of gravity of the building and therefore improves the stability of the entire structure. At the time of construction this was necessary to support the kinetic mechanisms

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HomeDecor Trends: contained inside. The industrial qualities of these mill walls allow for excellent adaptive reuse for residential and recreational development.

At Woodlands the existing mill wall provides a stable platform to support multiple floor levels connected by different stair types without any new structural interventions.

Shape of Resilience

In addition to their heavy mass, mill walls are truncated cones or tapered cylinders. However you look at them, these structures are circular in plan. Objects like these allow wind to flow around them, instead of putting pressure on one side as would a typical rectilinear building. This provides resilience during windstorms and is the reason why many mill walls still stand today even after their age, many hurricanes and centuries of neglect.

Skin

Unlike the commonly used concrete and Portland Cement, coral stone walls keep their interior spaces cool throughout the day. This is primarily due to the material’s thermal mass which does not absorb nor conduct heat well. These qualities are enhanced by the thickness of the coral stone blocks which can average a width of 48 inches at the base and tapered to approximately 24 inches at the crown in some cases. This moderated internal environment reduces the need for artificial cooling and in that way may save energy.

The value of these relics of the past cannot be overstated. Beyond being tangible artifacts that directly reference our history in nation-building through agriculture and technology, these mill walls and their adaptive reuse must not be dismissed as irrelevant now. By their very nature, they still support a lifestyle that can be energy conscious and responsible towards consumption and production.

Form Follows Function

On average Mill walls reached 40 - 50 feet in height, this supported a clear and tall space within the structure to house machinery. With some mills being three to four storeys tall, they have the ability to support three to four levels of habitation in a contemporary space.

This is an advantage during redevelopment as the current Barbados Town Planning regulations limit new single dwelling homes or structures on a flat site to two stories of 28 feet in height. The stacked rooms possible in mills allow for interesting room relationships where you are able to consolidate many spaces and link services on a smaller footprint. The stacked arrangement also allows for changing perspectives of the same views, giving each room a unique personality and ambience.

The Mill at Woodlands takes advantage of this, with the creation of three levels for living. The ground floor is set out as a grotto that integrates seamlessly with the pool. It is appointed with plants, a water feature that flows into the pool, ledges for communal seating and has a high ceiling. One is able to access the second level via a cantilevered stair that runs along the east facing wall while keeping visual connection with the grotto below and providing views to the approaching mezzanine. The second level is more secluded with no

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windows, at eye level it provides a stronger internal perspective and focus for the room. This space is connected to the third level via a spiral staircase.

Quality of Space

Mills walls often provide a space of refuge for quiet reflection. Their illuminating volumes and connection to the sky compel calmness.

The combination of elements unifies these bastions of tranquillity and The Mill at Woodlands possesses these characteristics which are felt within each of its levels.

Fenestration

The template of the Barbadian mill typically has two large archways with a third smaller one all made with precise radially cut blocks; these archways allowed for installation and maintenance of large machinery to and from the mill while allowing ease of entry of canes and exit of trash. These Georgian or Roman arches are several feet tall. When windows are designed to be set in these openings, they allow for a large quantity of air, light and expansive views. The Woodland Mill’s archways help the internal space to have a strong visual connection to the gardens and pool deck, creating an indoor-indoor feel similar to the qualities of a verandah; and even though the arched openings are west facing, the space remains cool against the hot afternoon sun.

Genius Loci

Mills often were sited on estates to take the best point to engage the easterly trade winds. It often meant they were placed on the most elevated area or in a clearing away from trees. As they are now, their summits provide access to amazing views; at these points they capture the genius loci. The sense of place – the point in space where the most meaning and beauty can be experienced.

Being at the crown of a mill wall is similar to a treetop experience; it is unique and not often experienced. The Woodland mill has an observatory level with 360 degree views of the farmlands, not only of Woodland but also encompassing the neighbouring estates at Kendal, Greens, Drax Hall, Todds and Cherry Grove.

As we reflect on the beauty and genius of the mill walls of Barbados perhaps we should also consider what else in our history bears reusing, or repurposing as opposed to discarding. Traditional Barbadian builders and craftsmen have been ahead of the curve for a long time. They were in tune with the environment and as a result made objects and buildings that were fit for purpose and that have stood the test of time. As we enter into our 55th year of independence and almost 400 years of western civilisation on this island, it is a good time to become more aware and take stock of what objects and ideas we may have ignored and left to disintegrate.

Israel Mapp operates a design practice in architecture and product design. He is a founding director of the social and creative enterprise Union Collaborative Inc. which leverages the power of the arts for community development and urban renewal.

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WOOD-CRA AND SUSTA

Stateme

by Nick Nunes

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e adorn our homes, our lives, with things that are unique to us. Over the years, we accumulate things that grow to have meanings, stories, and special places within our lives. Statement furniture and other decorative and functional pieces around the home can be as simple as a kitchen spoon.

For Joseph Richards, a Barbadian woodcrafter, the personal utility of the spoon is a statement in and of itself.

People tend not to put much thought into the utilities that are ever used throughout each day. Things serve a purpose and even the hardest trialled workhorse of the kitchen can be a thing of beauty.

“It all started from a love of the outdoors,” said Richards.

“I did an associate degree in architecture and that got me into the idea of sustainability. I spent a lot of time doing stuff around sustainable building and living ideas.”

“I have always loved making things. If I needed something, I would figure out how to make it and do it myself. If I needed a small table, I would always just make it, that’s how I got into the woodcraft and carving,” he shared.

As happens with many that come to indulge and delve deeper into their hobbies, Joseph Richards had a friend that encourage his dalliance into devising works of wood.

“I had an interest in learning to do carving and they gave me a book on carving projects. One of the projects was a spoon. I immediately thought, ‘Oh, that would be useful’.

I watched a lot of ‘How to’ videos and found there was a whole world out there about spoon carving,” he said.

“At the time, there was a huge tree that had fallen in our yard. I wasn’t sure what I was doing but I took what I learned from videos and what I read and took to this huge, fallen Norfolk Pine,” he recalled.

“It took me a lot longer than it does now. I made a few pieces from that first fallen tree once I got the tools I

RAFTED TAINABLE

ments

needed—it started as a hobby,” said Richards. Those were the humble beginnings that bloomed a passion.

Returning to the island from a brief visit abroad, Richards was told to take his wares to a farmer’s market. “The first time I went to the farmer’s market was in the Christmas season and I got a great response. This Christmas will be two years that I’ve been going to the farmer’s market with my spoons,” he added.

The response to his spoons was overwhelming. “My process, firstly, involves sourcing the wood. I source only local wood as sustainably as possible. I only get trees through people reaching out and telling me when trees are being trimmed or cut down or have fallen. That’s how I get all my wood,” he assured.

In the two years of nurturing this new passion, Richards said, “I try to get as many different types as possible to try and learn what we have available in Barbados and the properties of each wood. Some are a lot more work to use and may not be economical. Some woods are easy and nice to work with, it’s a learning process.”

Through his learning, Richards is attempting to build a personal catalogue of the woods available in Barbados and how well they work for his purposes.

“Somebody reached out to me after both hurricane Elsa and the freak lightning storm that we had before and said they had lost many trees in Welchman Hall Gully. They lost several nutmeg trees. I was told that the nutmeg growth has been in Welchman Hall Gully for 300 years,” he said.

“It’s not a type of wood you typically find. So, I went to see, and it was hard work toiling in the gully to carry out tons of pieces of this downed wood. It turned out to be a really nice wood in terms of its straight grain, but it is on the softer side,” he continued.

In regards to, working with wood in Barbados, the problem of waste concerns Richards greatly. “When you speak to the guys doing the tree trimming and clearing, they’re hauling away truckloads of stuff that has value and use. When you ask them where it’s going… they are carrying it to the dump. There’s an area at the dump that is just for wood,” he asserted.

According to Richards, “We don’t have a timber industry anymore but there is lots of useable wood in Barbados—not just mahogany.

Many woods have uses for crafts and arts and have value that isn’t mahogany. Some people use these woods, but most people tend to focus on mahogany.”

For his practices, Richards has worked with Seaside Mahoe, Blue Mahoe, Mahogany, Guava, Seagrape, Flamboyant, Mango, Avocado,

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Shak Shak or Woman’s Tongue or sometimes called Bajan Ebony.

These are some of the trees he enjoys workingwith.

“It’s important to get straight pieces of the trees to work with,” he informed. For Richards, finding the balance in the moisture content of the woods he works with is part of the learning process. Diving into the carving of a very soft and wet wood can yield disastrous results just as overly brittle woods can splinter and break more readily.

“I focus on kitchen utensils. Hopefully, I can expand into more stuff.

To me, I think a utensil like a spoon is something you use every day and don’t think of the functionality of the spoon or what goes into making it … at least, not until you have to make one,” he shared.

Before the invention of forks, everyone used spoons. Still, the spoon is one of the most useful tools in the culinary arsenal. Measuring your seasoning, mixing your ingredients, serving, and consuming the resulting meal all need of a variety of spoons.

A lot of the wooden spoons that people buy today from manufacturers like IKEA don’t have much thought put into their creation. For Richards, mass-produced spoons don’t emphasise function, feel, and aesthetic as well as include some personal and lasting quality.

“I think food is a sacred thing. It’s something we bond over. I think the same love that you put into cooking or purchasing a nice pot or pan can be put into the utensils we use. It can be a piece of art and a statement piece. If you look after these things, (they) that can be handed down to generations. And it can be something that came from your backyard or childhood home,” Richards imparted.

Statement utensils have stories of their own. Richards shared a vignette, “A friend showed me a spoon that they travel the world with because it reminded them of home. That spoon has been all over the world with its owner, but they said it doesn’t work the best. They asked me to make them something new to carry around. Wood holds a lot of value and sentiment compared to a piece of plastic or machined metal. It’s organic and living and you have to care for it.”

He also shared, “There are different techniques to creating unique looks for wooden utensils. I oil my crafts with walnut oil because it is the best food-safe oil I have found locally. Because I want what I do to be as local as possible, I found a guy that does beeswax and sells coconut oil. I want to try to make something for my woodcrafts out of beeswax and coconut oil, sourced locally.”

“I have also ebonised some of my works. It’s a finish that a lot of people use for furniture. Depending on the type of wood and the tannings in it, when it comes into contact with iron acetate it ebonises and turns black. This isn’t a stain. This process is a chemical reaction in the wood. It can vary from being almost blueish to deep browns and blacks,” he said. .

Cooking spoons, serving spoons, spatulas, ladles, scoops for coffee, and measuring spoons are all some of the projects that have been much sought after being crafted by Richards.

The majority of modern homes have many of their features hidden.

The starkness of minimalism speaks to hiding away all your cutlery and utensils and pots and pans—all the things that give a homey

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character to a well-lived in hearth of the home, the kitchen.

With statement utensils like uniquely carved and even engraved spoons of all kinds, the piece becomes an item to display and enchant with story and warmth.

For Richards, “Wooden utensils don’t stay the same over time. They build character with their patina. I have a specific spoon that I use for coffee, and it was originally a pale wood but now it has a deeper character to it. Your curry spoons will always get stained over time with a bit of yellow—these things tell a story.”

Richards feels, “Hand carved utensils also have all the facets marks from their making. As the spoon ages, the marks almost get highlighted and they seem to grow along with you. There’s nothing wrong with sanding but with utensils that will be going in liquids, carved surfaces stand up longer to repetitive use.”

“Sanding tears the surface of the wood. If you look at something sanded under a microscope, you will see a lot of the fibres. When sanded wood gets wet, those fibres can raise. Wooden spoons that are mass-produced sometimes get fuzzy after time because they’ve been sanded and the fibres begin to raise,” he informed.

“When you use sharp-edged tools like knives and planes, you’re cutting the fibres to get the smoothest finish possible. Spoon carving is in a field that is referred to as green woodworking. It involves using hand tools and working the wood before it’s completely seasoned, while it’s still green. It can vary from wood to wood depending on how much moisture the wood holds. Sometimes, the piece is carved to a certain point and then left to dry for a few days before returning to the piece to finish it,” he said.

“I’d like to eventually start doing bowls and cups but that takes a bit more time to learn and figure out the drying process and how the piece you imagine is placed in the log you’re working with. We have a lot of valuable materials in Barbados and we need to put more focus on local materials and crafts,” said Richards.

The particular pieces that fill your home become a part of your own story while having a story of their own. Statement utensils will always remain unique, especially as they wear and thrive within your care. Particularly, serving spoons or heavily used stirring spoons can tell stories of the experiences they have been a part of and how the warmth of the home has grown.

l a t n e R PERSONALIZING YOUR RENTAL SPACE

1. Switch fittings to reflect your own personal aesthetic.

It’s likely that as a rented space, it was constructed with the least expensive and generic fittings, like doorknobs, kitchen cupboard handles. Replacing those with ones that reflect your style will help your new space feel like your own.

S

o, you’ve made the decision to rent somewhere to live.

Whether you’re a young person who just started to work or a mature person who is taking that plunge, you’ll be thinking about your next move. Once you’ve covered that first and last month’s rent, then you’ll start thinking about furnishing your new place, and making it feel like your own.

Here are ten ways to personalize your rented home, that also considers your budget and your agreement with your landlord, especially if you don’t have time for do-it-yourself projects.

2. Washi tape is the latest craze for

creatives, and you can use the wide variety that is available to make your own wall art or get one of your artist friends to do it for you. You can also use it on other surfaces like the fridge or cupboards. There’re lots of ideas on Pinterest for using washi tape to decorate. The best thing about this type of tape is that it does not damage the walls when you need to peel it off.

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3. Lengths of fabric are not good only for

curtains or bed linen. You can use fabric on your walls – especially if your landlord forbids you to paint. Plain fabric can be decorated or painted in a wide variety of ways; or printed fabrics can be mixed to create your desired look.

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e c a p

4. If you can’t change the light fittings in your rented home, try using pendant lights, or other types of bulbs hung from the ceiling by small unobtrusive hooks.

5. Keeping plants in a variety of heights

and colours will also add personality to any room. If you choose the right ones, you will have natural air purifiers as well! Your choice of plant pots will also add your own special touch.

6. Acquiring a bold home

All those decorating ideas you dreamed up for when you own your own home, do it now!

accessory, especially if your rented space comes furnished, will definitely add your personal touch to your living space.

Such an accessory could be a footrest, a chair, a room divider, something for the wall – the possibilities are endless.

7.Of course, if you’re allowed to paint, then an accent wall is a must!

8. The floor! Nowadays that is an easy fix with the range

of floor coverings available. There are throw rugs, carpets, carpet tile, vinyl tiles, linoleum, and if you want a wooden look laminate tongue and groove flooring boards are available in a range of tones. and it’s easy to take up as well.

9.

All those decorating ideas you dreamed up for when you own your own home – do it now! Why wait? You’ll be living in your rented space for a year at least, or maybe more, so bring them into reality.

10.Last but not least, have a talk with your landlord and

explore the possibilities of what you can actually do. You may be surprised at theresponse, especially if you have to leave your great looking changes that improves the value of the property.

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IN INTERIOR DESIGN

by Anna-lysa Nicholls

Something old, something new! Add something that’s slightly aged to the space, such as a vintage clock. It stops the room from feeling too uniform.

4. Don’t choose matching sets

Variety is key! Get creative – choose vases in different heights, shapes and materials.

Design

THINGS 10 TO CONSIDER

3. Mix old and new

5. Furniture placement

Use the whole room! This creates a better sense of flow and allows for a more fluid layout - especially in open-plan homes.

6. Lighting

Create a mood with lighting! Always layer your lighting throughout your rooms. Think of lighting like using a piece of fine jewelry to enhance the style of a little black dress.

Before

D

esigning your home can be a hard task but there are a few principals of design that can be used as a guide to ensure you reap success, and make your house look like it was done by a pro. If you’re furnishing a newly built space or refreshing an existing room, these principals should help you get started.

1. Create a mood board

Plan! Each space needs its own time and effort dedicated to it for it to work well with the overall scheme.

2. Declutter

Less is always more! A minimalist approach is key to making you space appear high end.

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After

7. Don’t ignore architectural details

Respect the architecture of a space! Make sure your decorating style is cohesive with the architecture of your home. Don’t force a slick, modern look in a cottage style home.

8. Invest in the correct size rug

Size is everything! Purchase an area rug large enough for at least the front legs of each piece of furniture in a grouping.

9. Window treatments

Choose the correct drapery! Hang your drapery high and wide to give the illusion of bigger windows.

10. Statement

Focal point! Every room needs at a statement piece whether it’s a work of art or a feature wall.

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EATING THE OPEN AIR

In

by Nick Nunes

T

Open A

radition is always being chipped away. Before recorded history, humans came together for meals. For centuries, the gastronomic excursions of society have been shielded in the shared knowledge that cover means safety and food security. But eating in the open air has always had its appeal. Homes, today, are becoming more

ergonomic.

Open plan kitchen to dining to living room layouts are the norm of the new and preferred flow of living spaces. But there are no rules to where you can appoint the areas within your home. Expand the space of your living and lounging area and let the dining be a dream of outdoors.

The world outside is atmospheric without aid, cool, accommodating, and more customisable than most interiors. When most people imagine dining outdoors the first idea to arise is of a barbeque. Sure, grilling outside is great. Canapes in the garden sound creatively quaint. But a full dinner, closer to the stars and the soft breeze, can transform a dinner party into an experience.

All kinds of outside worlds can be transformed into dining dreamscapes that shatter the preconceived conceptions of what sit-down-dinners could be. Wood decking, paver-stoned patios, and even grass-weaved courtyard outdoor spaces can add magic to the meeting of a feast.

Two main quandaries face the conception and realisation of an outdoor dining experience. The above and the below are the first beckoning calls to address when creating an escape from the drear of dining norms.

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Grass isn’t an enemy of outdoor dining spaces. Nor are the constraints of traditional dining levels. The feel of foreign foliage between the toes and around the feet can be an invocation to something primal and chain breaking. The deconstructing of accustomed dining heights to standing or something more relaxed below the normal sitting level can entrance curious ideals of the unreal and give a fictional fancy to an otherwise ordinary affair.

Cool paver stones, interwoven with grass, grout, or cute little pebbles can improve the aesthetic of your dining experience with near natural looks that flow flawlessly with the surrounding foliage.

If you’re strapped for space in the interior of your home, there is no need to fret over viable dining dimensions; especially if you have a bit of space outside. For Barbados, the humidity and saltiness of the air can make for a nightmare when considering certain metal furniture for the open air.

Even inland, the air can corrode cheap metal and make for a brittle and bitter awakening. Similarly, wicker outdoor wares wane very readily and even treated pine will, eventually, wear down.

Hardwoods, naturally resistant to nature, can be the best option for beauty, endurance, and function. Expensive synthetics, like high grade composites and polymers are also a good option.

Regardless of the route you choose for crafting the base of your outdoor dining experience, the atmosphere around the accoutrement of furnishings can disassociate guests from the doldrums of a predictable dinner party.

Having a hospitable and homely gallery for gastronomy immediately relaxes those attending. The taste of nature adds to the tantalising anticipation of treats to eat as a natural and un-partitioned

Air

part of the evening’s enjoyment..

One of the most popular options for your above spaces outdoors are pergolas. The spaced wood slats make for an open feel that can be draped in vines, either living or faux, or dressed in fairy lights for some a little touch of an almost magical quality. Vinyl, acrylic, aluminium, solid wood, and even an extension of the main house’s roof style are all options to either create continuity or craft a unique escape while still at home.

Whatever roof option best suits your outdoor dining pursuits should also be guided by the level of protection or exposure to the elements you’re willing to accept. An aluminium roof can be quite loud when it rains while the sound of rain on strong wood can be a lullaby when relaxing after your outdoor dinner.

Eating without the stress of the conformity of a formal, indoor dining arena allows for something ethereal to envelop the ambiance of eating together without intruding on the anxiety and impetus of returning to indoor confines and cleaning.

Traditionally, the back yard is the cool and relaxed space of the home. Hammocks, hanging vines from canopies, and a more lounge-like feel all await you outside. Inside is where we’ve all been, collectively taught, to be proper and maintain some modicum of decorum. Outside, under pergolas, canopies, and other roofs without walls, the world is more relaxed and inviting.

The more relaxedthe dinner options on offer, the more the possibility of the occasion to impart and imbue a seamless experience of subtle euphoria.

TEL: 431-7630 or 426-7636

email: info@winstonenterprisesinc.com or enquiries@winstonenterprisesinc.com “Tickle Hill”, Rendezvous Hill, Christ Church.

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NATURE And YOUR HOME

by T’afari Steede

B

arbadians have for generations, maintained decorative plants around their homes; Red Ginger lining your grey fence, cacti sitting inside your verandah or deep-green flower hedges. Decorative plants are grown primarily for their beauty; however, they possess practical, environmental and mental functions as well.

Barbados is home to tropical gardens and lush gullies; coconut palms line our hotels and beaches while the Pride of Barbados can be found naturally in our neighbourhoods. Caribbean plants and flowers tend to grow three times faster than in milder climate countries - why not take advantage of our climate and begin your decorative garden?

Decorative plants such as Birds of Paradise and Hibiscus improve the aesthetic quality of our homes, attracting amazed onlookers. The vibrant reds and yellows of Hibiscus flowers and Birds

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of Paradise can add life to plain white walls, while coconut palms lining the walkway enhance the size of our homes, drawing gazes upward.

These ornamental plants can be placed both inside and outside your home, and their colours work well on the outside, while plants such as cacti or those with mono-tones reflect well against white walls on the inside. Floral colours which complement the inside of your home can brighten and expand your room.

You can also improve your indoor air quality with decorative plants.

Plants create oxygen during photosynthesis, providing us with clean air to breathe. Therefore, having decorative plants indoors functions as a natural air purifier for your home. Plants such as roses have the added benefit of a pleasant scent while plants such as citronella have a fragrance which wards off mosquitoes.

Decorative plants also attract birds, bees and other wildlife. By beautifying your home with flowers, you participate in nature’s ecosystem while inviting nature into your backyard. Hummingbirds are attracted to the nectar found in red flowers, while bees love both the pollen and nectar. Flowers such as Mandevilla vine are quite easy to begin with and their delicate violet-pink buds add a splash of colour.

Decorative plants such as hedges can be used to create a natural fence or border around your home. These plants provide a natural layer of privacy, particularly thorny hedges; as well as Roses and Cacti can be planted to ward off intruders at night. Cacti in particular are effective due to their prickly leaves. They are also easy to maintain.

Having decorative plants around your home also improves your mental health. Studies show that having plants around helps people to concentrate better in the home or workplace. Plants create a relaxing atmosphere by doing their job of filtering clean air. We connect with nature by growing these plants indoors or outside our homes without having to travel to the countryside. Work done around plants is also of a higher quality compared to work done in places with no

nature around. Flowers help to relax the mind because we find their visual appearance pleasant, and we can perform our tasks better in a pleasant environment. Flowers are also said to increase our levels of joy by helping us to feel more optimistic.

Plants provide a variety of functions beyond nutrition. Decorative plants are used primarily for their aesthetic quality rather than their produce; however, they also provide practical, environmental and health benefits as well. Decorative plants promote a healthy state of mind, can function as natural fences/hedges and attract bees and other wildlife to our homes while purifying the air we breathe. Nature has so many benefits - don’t hesitate to invite her into your home.

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A KITCHEN IN A SMALL SPACE

Kitchen

Garden

S

by T’afari Steede

omething is missing; you’ve secured the mortgage to your dream house, residential, with a serene neighbourhood view from your verandah; however, you don’t feel quite at home. Can you reflect on days at your grandmother’s house, herbs and spices simmering in the pot, all grown from her tiny backyard kitchen garden? Granny didn’t have much space, but she had an abundance of variety in her small yard.

There is a sense of peace that comes with eating home-grown food. The organic flavour and decorative touch of nature can transform your living space into a home.

Kitchen gardening doesn’t require much space, takes little time and strengthens your mental health.

A traditional kitchen garden is a miniature farming plot; you can grow herbs, vegetables or flowers on just a small piece of land outside your verandah or in your backyard. It is a cost-effective use of land which is less stressful than your traditional farming plot. According to a 2013 study, gardening has proven to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. A range of emotional, physical and vocational benefits was also found among participants. Kitchen gardening not only transforms our physical environment but our mental and emotional spaces.

Kerlana Katasha Stewart of Home and Garden Caribbean claims that growing some of the food you consume allows you to reap up to twenty-five times more in the produce than what you pay for it in a store. As cost-of-living rises, this method of farming saves you money you would otherwise spend in the supermarket; it also doesn’t hurt having fresh food at your fingertips.

Fruits such as strawberries and blueberries are not conducive to our hot/dry seasons. Instead, you should try peppers, peas, herbs such as thyme and rosemary, mint, onions and chives. However, we can grow plants any time of year provided they are well watered.

You can obtain basic materials to begin from any local plant shop.

Interact with other kitchen gardeners for advice, particularly those with little planting space.

With limited growing space, you can consider potted plants. Just make sure you have easy access to sunlight. Lining potted plants on your balcony, within your verandah or even a window space creates a fresh atmosphere. You can also be creative and decorate your pots with mosaic or paint. White plant pots also work well with the green tones of the leaves for a minimalist effect.

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You can also stack your plants if you have little to no gardening space. You can do this using boxes, crates or tyres. Stack your potted plants vertically, to allow you to grow even more plants and vegetables.

Old plastic bottles can be reused as plant pots by cutting them in half.

These you can line on the window ledge of your kitchen or inside your verandah. They are usually small enough to fit most spaces with ease; simply ensure they have access to direct sunlight! Old socks, bathtubs, bags and barrels can also be reused as plant pots; these items are easily portable which means you can transfer your garden to other parts of your home if necessary.

Soil or plant material can be found in your own backyard. You can also purchase compost or create your own to increase the strength of your soil. Compost is used to fertilize your dirt and can be made through decaying plants, food waste and other organic materials. This provides rich nutrients as well as other organisms (worms) which help your plants to grow. Compost also conditions the soil and creates a more humid home for your seedlings. Try to reduce the use of pesticides which allow harmful ingredients in our food. Instead, you can grow mint or peppermint oil which repels most insects such as caterpillars.

n e ra d

Begin by clearing away weeds. You can then dig over the soil and cover the plot with transparent plastic for a few weeks. This adds heat to the soil and allows any hidden weeds to be seen which you should then remove After this initial phase as well as fertilizing the soil with your compost, you are ready to plant.

Kitchen gardening may take less time than a traditional farming plot. Ensure you have just a few minutes each day to water and tend to your plants. You can even make it a routine. A schedule works best for those with tight work constraints; perhaps early mornings or late evenings. However, some plants require a little more maintenance than most. You can try lettuce and limes as alternative lowmaintenance vegetables and fruits.

A kitchen garden transforms your house into a home. It can also be kept even by those with busy schedules and limited growing spaces, using any nonporous container. As the cost of living increases it is essential to save money, and growing your food in your tiny kitchen garden has the potential to save on your food bill, and requires little resources. It is therefore a cost-effective way to eat healthier, improve your mental wellbeing and beautify your living space.

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EXTRAVAGANT

Christmas DECOR

A

n Eastern European folk-tale tells the story of a penniless widow who discovered a small pine tree growing from the floor of her hut.

Her children cared for it, hoping it would be fully grown by winter. The tree did grow in time, but the family could not afford any decorations for it. On Christmas morning, they awoke to the tree covered in cobwebs.

Opening the windows to allow sunlight in they found that the sunlight began to turn the silver cobwebs into gold; the family became full of joy and were never poor again.

Today, Ukrainians decorate their trees with spiders as a symbol of good luck.

Christmas traditions vary across the world; like the Ukrainians, David Davis of Renaissance Designs believes that remembering tradition is key to decorating your home for the holidays.

Revealing his plans for what will be the Davis family typical extravagant Xmas décor, he said, “Well the theme this year, again, is the traditional Christmas. We wanted to do it bigger and better this year because of everything that is happening with Covid. So, this year will be a little more elaborate than previous years.

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Extravagant Christmas Decor “As a rule of thumb when decorating, you want to make sure you have a focal point,” said the event decorator, who could not resist giving some advice.

“For us that would be a tall, imposing centre-piece on the table; then, the Christmas tree, that is part of the tradition. We will then have a fireplace, which does not fit into our natural setting because we don’t have snow in Barbados, but that adds to the whole extravagant, elaborate concept that we are portraying this year. I wanted to take my her away from the sunshine and just warm her heart with a fireplace,” he said with a chuckle.

By ‘her’ David is referring to his wife Christine who, like her male namesake, comes alive during the Christmas season.

“My wife is a Christmas baby ... she loves Christmas. I believe that Christmas connects her back to that young, effervescent, bubbly child,” David enthused.

Christine conceptualizes most of their extravagant Christmas designs. They stick to the traditional colour scheme of red, gold and green which connects them both to the nostalgia of a childhood Christmas.

“As it relates to themes and colour schemes, we tend to stick with the traditional colour scheme which is gold, red and green. I guess that connects her best with that feeling from when she was young,” David said.

He revealed how he began going ‘extra’ in decorating his home during Christmas.

“Approximately 26 years ago I was working at Cave Shepherd as a show window designer and interior decorator, and I had the opportunity to do a lighting display for the Barbados Cancer Society.

They used to have this lighting parade that would pass through town; so, I would always have the opportunity to decorate one of the floats.

So, I took that energy and tried to replicate it at home. At first, our Christmas decor was mainly lighting on the outside of the house, so we would have these elaborate lighting displays on the outside of the house,” he said, bringing back memories of those extravagant displays that used to be seen at Bonnets, and is still put on at Grazettes and a house just off the highway approaching Welches from Warrens.

David and Christine soon began to illuminate the interior. The central focus was the dining table which captured the heart of the experience with an elaborate centre-piece. “ The part of the house that we would normally do something extravagant with is the dining room by way of an elaborate focal point on the dining table,” David explained.

Although David’s business, Renaissance Designs is well-known by many Barbadians, this is the first time it has been featured in the media. The event-decorating business thrives on creativity to produce that ‘wow’ factor, forcing their customers to fall in love with a new, magical space.

“Now this is the first time that our home and any of our Christmas decorations have been featured in any part of the media or anything, however we have won the hearts of the people who visit the house around Christmas,” he said with a justified measure of pride.

“Coming up with the Christmas themes is driven by my wife.

She is the real Christmas person, and she just loves the tradition of Christmas. Over the years I don’t think she would have veered too far from the traditional red, gold and green. Choosing her theme is pretty simple; she just has to go back in her head and conjure up those images she remembers from a child. That is what comes out: a traditional Christmas.”

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49

RECYCLING YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE

H

by Natalia Nunes

ello Readers! It’s lovely to be back sharing from A to Z with you! Incredibly, it’s nearly the end of the year, which means that Christmas 2021 is just around the corner. Covid-19 or not, we will celebrate Christ’s birth using all the protocols we have been advised to observe in order to stay safe and protect our fellowmen.

As safety, protection, sustainability and other positive behaviours are being encouraged in a big way, recycling Christmas trees is another way for us to take care of our planet. I did a bit of research into this and found that there are many options open to us herein the Caribbean. Lockdown has caused the mother of invention to awaken all sorts of creative ways to keep us from going stir-crazy. Who didn’t garden before has now found a new love. So, let’s start there. Real trees have so many uses after serving as the major decoration at Christmastime.

It is suggested that the most common use for the naked tree is to make mulch. I don’t own a woodchipper nor am I going to get a real tree but, I’m sure places rent those machines or one can go to a hardware store and ask if they provide that service. Mulch will keep the ground moist, prevent soil erosion, best of all it is said to protect plants from pests which

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to me translates to not having to use chemical repellants.

Grass cuttings and fallen leaves added to the recipe of wood chips should make a good “dinner” for plants.

Five years ago, while visiting Canada, I bought some very attractive wooden platters, barks still attached. Those would have been from trees much larger than any home Christmas tree. Along with the platters I bought a set of matching coasters. They’re my favourite to use when we have friends over for a meal. Coasters are approximately 3 ½ inches wide so if you get a tall Christmas tree, maybe you could get a few coasters out of the widest part of the base. Of course, you would have to allow the wood to dry out and then preserve it with a good grade oil.

I made a shelf structure four years ago in the shape of a tree. During the year it serves as a display for photographs and accents that make me happy. At Christmas, I transform it into our Christmas shelf. I trim it with green garlands and figurines depicting the Holy Family, Shepherd Boy, Three Wise Men – the entire entourage of animals – all sit on the shelves which are lit with strings of white and red lights. The only role a real Christmas tree now plays in our home is a few hidden branches to lend us that wonderful pine scent. Those pine needles can be used after their Christmas duty to make potpourri. Here’s the recipe: A glass bowl or a pretty ceramic container filled with pine needles, some dried stems from the branches, dried lemon rinds, a few cloves, two or three cinnamon sticks and some nutmeg. That scent will permeate through your home for a while.

Here’s another idea. Pot the old tree and place it in the garden, or you could even dig a hole and plant it securely in the ground. Birds are always looking for real estate. I saw the most delightful birdhouses in a well-patronized store here in Barbados. Those houses would make the perfect avian condo hanging on the branches of the old Christmas tree! Second to that idea – plant the old tree in the ground and use it as a frame for a creeping, flowering vine.

I know that some folks get really attached to their Christmas trees. They must do as I’ve seen some still up on Valentine’s Day!! C’mon peeps…get them down by January 6th.

Jamaicans have a reputation of “tekking serious ting mek joke”(taking something serious and making a joke of it). I’m looking forward to the day when we can toss out our masks, the Coronavirus being stamped out. Christmas 2021 won’t, I don’t think, be the time for that. Maybe by Christmas 2022, we will be rid of the plague through 100% vaccination (or as near as possible) globally. Then we can decorate an old tree with everyone’s wardrobe of masks and give it a good burial, six feet under! Seriously speaking though, the best plan to put the old tree to good use is to turn it into mulch. That’s taking care of our planet.

Be safe, dear readers and spread some kindness.

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EMERGENCY CHECKLIST

by Rhonda Thompson

L

ife is unpredictable. You never know what dilemma lies around the corner. A home emergency can happen suddenly and at any time. It can happen to anyone. It can happen to you.

In the event that an emergency occurs, what will be your first thoughts or actions? Whether you are prepared or not, your first thoughts are likely to be ones of self-preservation.

It is your level of preparation that will determine your next course of action; it will determine the outcome. Being prepared means you won’t escalate the situation by panicking. You can calmly access the situation, act accordingly to achieve the preservation of your family, and by extension, the preservation of your home.

Here in the Caribbean, emergencies range from fire, flood, burglary and medical to volcanoes, earthquakes and severe Atlantic storms.

They can be natural or man-made. While the time factor may be unpredictable, the possibilities are real. It is in your best interest to educate yourself about as many conceivable possibilities as you can and make provision for the safety of your family and home in each scenario.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

As you have learnt from the current deadly coronavirus pandemic, inconceivable medical events can happen fast. Life as you know it ceases. Home isolation or lockdown means that your home must

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be prepared for you to stay indoors for an extended period. Other medical emergencies may require fast action to save the life of a family member.

With the recent La Soufrière volcanic ash fall in Barbados, homes had to be fortified to keep the life-threatening ash outside, while in St Vincent, evacuation plans had to be executed.

When disaster strikes your quality of life going forward depends on your preparation. A simple indoor burst pipe can flood an entire home; an unattended stove or candle can quickly get out of control; a gas leak can become catastrophic in no time; or in some areas, there is the threat of accidental release of chemicals from nearby industrial plants.

SEE IT COMING

For six months every year, wind flow from off the African coast brings tropical cyclones across the Atlantic Ocean threatening loss of life and property. While Caribbean earthquakes are not as commonplace or with widespread severity as other regions, they will come at some point in time. It is in a family’s interest that each member knows what to do.

Power or water outages are familiar events, but how long will they last is the question?

YOUR SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON IT

Here is a checklist that will help you navigate through a home emergency, prevent further disaster, or avert an emergency.

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53

3. FIRST AID KIT

1. HAVE A PLAN

Create and review emergency procedures and rally points with safe routes for your family. Use drills to ensure they are wellingrained. Remember that everyone must be accounted for. Post in plain sight or memorise emergency numbers.

2. WATER AND FOOD For drinking and sanitation, set aside one gallon of clean water per person, per day for several days in case you lose access to the public supply. You will need at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food, taking into consideration special dietary requirements.

Include your pets as well.

A good first aid kit with simple instructions ensures you can perform basic medical procedures before the professionals arrive.

Be sure to include handsanitiser, an antibiotic ointment, anti-inflammatory and pain medication and an anti-diarrheal.

4. MEDICATIONS

If you have health challenges, you must ensure you have enough medication to weather an emergency. Keep a list in your emergency kit. If a disaster occurs make sure medication is protected from heat, light and moisture.

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5. EMERGENCY FUND

Build an emergency fund for surprises. It reduces the pressure of a stressful situation. An emergency fund and a savings fund are not the same. Savings are for a planned expense, while an emergency fund gives financial security by providing a safety net. Do not touch this fund unless you have a true emergency.

6. SURVIVAL KIT

A disaster supplies kit consists of basic items your household may need.

Generally, it contains a radio, flashlights, batteries, mess kit and activities for children.

Supplies for each family member include a whistle to signal for help, a sleeping bag, cot or warm blanket, dust masks, a complete change of clothes to cover the entire body, sturdy shoes and personal hygiene items.

7. THE DISABLED

If you are disabled and live alone, create a support network of people who can help you in a disaster. Keep a contact list in a watertight container in your emergency kit or on your electronic device.

8. INSURANCE COVERAGE

Check your homeowner’s insurance and get additional coverage for situations that may not be covered. Make sure your health insurance is adequate and your life insurance payments are up-to-date.

9. SECURE IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

Gather valuables and pertinent documents in portable waterproof containers and decide where you can safely store them. Losing personal and financial documents, bank cards, medical records, mortgage and insurance information, or family photos can be a distressing consequence of a disaster. Take scans of these items and store them on a flash drive or in the Cloud or make photocopies and keep them off-site.

10. PREVENTION

Keeping your house safe can preempt an emergency. Have a periodical electrical audit performed by a licensed electrician who will fully inspect your panel and outlets to identify potential risks.

Install and maintain smoke alarms on each level of your home and have a functioning fire extinguisher handy.

Avoid becoming a victim of intruders by checking your exterior door locks and windows at bedtime or before leaving the house.

Always make sure that your outdoor lighting, security cameras and burglar alarm function. If you don’t have these systems, consider investing in them. When leaving an empty house, you can pretend to say goodbye to someone inside.

If you live in a flood-prone area, have sandbags handy to minimise damage to your home and its contents.

If you observe these 10 tips, some of which you may already do, you will feel much more prepared in the event of an emergency.

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NONTRADITIONAL USES FOR

TTHINGS raditionalIN

THE HOME

by Natalia Nunes

L

ess is best’ has become my way of thinking as I rack up years on this earth. If you don’t use it, then lose it. I’m a neat freak.

No apologies. Just as we had been doing so well with learning how to cut back on plastics, Covid-19 came and smacked us in the face. My ‘less is best’ lifestyle makes dealing with the weirdness of very necessary sanitizing of everything less difficult to manage because …well, I have less stuff.

Plastics are a problem yet, what a convenience! Bottled water is a norm to which we have grown happily accustomed. Having gone through some of the craziest things these past two years – 2020 and 2021: ‘black snow’ - ash from La Soufriere in St. Vincent, several earthquakes, Hurricane Elsa, not to mention the pandemic, bottled water and plastic bags were a necessary evil.

We can now ease off a bit from the plastic bags. Bottled water, not so much it seems. So, here’s a smart thing or two to get the most use out of these plastic bottles. They can help us to save water by filling a bottle, be it a drinking water bottle or soda bottle, with water and turning it upside down into the earth to slowly water potted plants. It gives the plant enough water to keep it alive and well without us having to do that job every day. Another good hack is to pierce a two-liter bottle with an ice pick or knife, maybe four holes at intervals along the length of the bottle and probably three lines of these holes. Using duct tape, secure your garden hose to the mouth of the bottle. Viola! A homemade sprinkler for the garden!

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Although we shouldn’t have many plastic bags, they still float around. Bad pun! No matter how I try to clean a paint tray after painting, I can’t get it clean enough. I discovered that if I line the tray with a plastic bag, there’s less to clean up and the bag would l have served dual purposes. Here’s another use for those plastic bags. The build-up of calcium on faucets and shower heads sends streams of water where I don’t want it to go. At bedtime, I put a bit of vinegar into a sound plastic bag and secure it to the faucet and shower head.

Come morning, the stream of water is just perfect!

Birds seem to think that they have the right to live indoors with me.

No. I’ve issued no such invitations. I absolutely enjoy watching them in trees OUTDOORS. On our balcony there are two pillars. Birds think it’s their maternity ward. They don’t move in with any dust bins, so I am left with the annoyance of cleaning up their mess, daily. Having exhausted many ideas to let them understand that there’s no room in this inn, I, through desperation, balled up a wad of clear packaging plastic which I have on a roll and stuffed it on top of the pillars. I’ve had that plastic roll for a few years as I use it to secure bouquets of flowers and to wrap Christmas gifts. How I didn’t think of it before the birds almost drove me to the brink, I don’t know but, I’m thrilled that they hate it!!!

I said I’m a neat freak. I like to keep my husband’s socks with their rightful mate, so I number them with a marker on the heels. When they’ve done their duty and need a different purpose, I either use them as cleaning rags or I place a bar of fragrant soap in them and place them in the bottom of our laundry basket so that even week-old laundry doesn’t offend the nose. You can place them in drawers and cupboards if you like. The fragrance comes through those soft, old socks like a charm.

Hoping you enjoyed these little hacks as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you, till next time, be safe!

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