Home Decor Ideas

In 2017, U.S. fire departments responded to 1,319,500 fires. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a U.S. fire department responded to a fire every 24 seconds. There were 499,000 structure fires, and 72 percent of those structure fires occurred in home structures. Also, of the 3,400 civilian fire deaths in 2017, 77 percent occurred in home structures.

Could fire-rated doors help reduce the loss of life and property in residential settings? Here’s what you need to know about them.

What is a fire-rated door?

A fire-rated door can provide beauty and safety. 20- 90-minute fire-rated MDF door, style 9244. Image courtesy of Simpson Door Company

A fire-rated door — or fire-resistant door — is specially constructed to slow or prevent the spread of fire and smoke, according to Ken Canziani, Senior Fire Investigator at EFI Global in Sacramento, CA.

“A fire-rated door is a very heavy door made of materials like metal or gypsum,” Canziani explains. “The term ‘fire-rated’ means that the door, when installed properly, is not supposed to combust during a certain time frame in the average fire.” While time ratings vary, he says standard ratings include 20- to 90-minute doors.

Fire-rated doors are more common in commercial buildings than in residential structures. “Fire-rated doors are often installed in public buildings, in office buildings and in places like dormitories,” Canziani says.

Typical residential applications include installation in entryways, garages and multi-family homes.

How can a fire-rated door help during a fire?

A fire-rated door could buy you some additional time. Image: Monalyn Gracia-Corbis-VCG – Getty

Fire-rated doors can help slow or prevent the spread of fire and smoke, but Canziani warns that they are not designed to be completely fireproof. “These doors are made of combustible materials and will eventually burn through in a fire. However, they will resist the penetration of heat and flames to slow the fire for a specified time period.”

And by containing the fire and smoke, they provide additional time for you to exit the structure.  Most people focus on the element of fire, and they don’t underestimate the significance of reducing smoke inhalation. However, the majority of people who die in residential fires do so as a result of smoke inhalation.

“Fire-rated doors may also help to protect property and personal assets while firefighters work to extinguish the fire,” Canziani adds.

Types of fire-rated doors

Fire-rated doors should never be propped open. 20-minute fire-rated wood door, style 8212. Image courtesy of Simpson Door Company.

While fire-rated doors are more common in commercial settings, there are many companies that sell residential fire-rated doors.

For example, according to Amira Johnson at Emerald Doors in the UK, the company makes fully finished and unfinished exterior fire doors, in addition to custom-made and bespoke fire doors. Most of the company’s doors have a fire rating of 30 minutes, although some have a fire rating of 60 minutes. Their exterior fire doors are made of plywood or composite core. The company’s interior doors can either have solid panels, clear fire glass or obscure fire glass. Emerald Doors can also make custom fire doors so homeowners can decide which architectural details (raised moldings, etc.) they want in their door.

There’s a fire-rated door to match almost any design style. Image courtesy of Simpson Door Company.

Closer to home, Simpson Door Company in McCleary, WA, also makes fire-rated doors. Most of the wood doors have a 20-minute fire rating. However, the MDF (medium density fiberboard) doors are available in 20-minute, 45-minute, 60-minute, and 90-minute fire ratings.

Homeowners can choose from a variety of wood species and styles, to ensure that the fire-rated doors match the rest of the home’s styles.

Do you need a fire-rated door?

Gaps around the door will render it ineffective. Image: Michael Blann/Getty Images

A fire rating does not necessarily indicate the amount of time a door will withstand a fire. For example, a fire door rated 60 minutes does not guarantee that the door will withstand fire for 60 minutes. The rating means that in a controlled test environment, a brand-new door held up for 60 minutes. However, in a real-world application, other factors like heat intensity could greatly reduce this estimate.

“Although a fire-rated door is designed to prevent a fire from passing from room to room, let’s be honest. Even with the right door, a severe fire can melt steel,” says Abe Kozlik of the International Fireproof Door Company in Brooklyn, NY.

Also, a fire door won’t do you any good if the door is propped open or the closing mechanism is faulty. In addition, the door has to be properly installed to ensure that there are no gaps around it.

Fire doors can provide peace of mind. However, properly using your existing doors may be all that you need to do in a fire. “In a residential setting, the simple act of closing the door to a room will slow or can prevent the heat and smoke from entering the room and injuring occupants or destroying additional property within,” says Canziani. “If the fire originates within the room, the closed door may aid in slowing the spread of the fire to other parts of the residence, depending on the time the fire burns before being extinguished.”

In fact, Canziani says he’s personally observed residential fires in which closed doors resulted in significantly less fire and smoke damage compared to doors that were left open.

The post What is a Fire-Rated Door and Do You Need One? appeared first on Freshome.com.

Keep your bedroom ready for R&R by putting these bad bedroom cleaning habits to bed. Image: Cornish Interiors

Your bedroom is your sanctuary. It’s where you go to rest and get rejuvenated. It’s where you dream, plan and — if you’re like us — do a lot of your Netflix binging. This is a restorative space. At least, that’s the idea. But after you’ve cleaned all the other parts of your house that guests will actually see, keeping your bedroom tidy can feel like a low priority. That’s a problem, though. Bad bedroom cleaning habits can impact your mood and your sleep.

If you want to get better rest, feel more rejuvenated at the start of your day and enjoy those movie marathons in bed guilt-free, keeping your room clean is key. And we’re here to help. We’ve already talked about how to up your cleaning game in the bathroom and kitchen, but let’s not leave our sanctuaries shabby. Ditch these five bad bedroom cleaning habits to enjoy a better bedtime.

A platform bed that is flush with the floor can ensure the space under it stays clean. Image: Hsu McCullough

Ignoring the monsters under your bed

Let’s get one of the worst bad bedroom cleaning habits out of the way. Cleaning under your bed is a huge hassle, but it’s a whole lot better than sleeping over a huge pile of dust bunnies (hello, allergies!). First, pull every item out from under your bed. If you’re using that space to store stuff you never use, it might be time to part with it. Running the broom or vacuum under the bed is a whole lot simpler when you don’t have to navigate a pile of junk.

If you want a hack to make this chore a breeze, start with a bed skirt. It’s also known as a dust ruffle for good reason. This protective barrier doesn’t just make your bed cuter, it also minimizes the dirt and debris that accumulates underneath. Or, if you want to check off this to-do permanently, get a platform bed with solid edges that connect your mattress directly to the floor. You get bonus points if it has built-in storage.

Making/not making your bed

Mom was right. Making your bed every morning is actually pretty important, it turns out. Not only does it instantly make your room look cleaner, it can actually support your overall productivity and mental health. And, for real, it takes all of two minutes, so why not try it for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference?

If your bed is covered in a mountain of decorative pillows and throws, consider streamlining the design. While these fun accents can add flair to your space, they might be best used in a guest bedroom. If they’re keeping you from wanting to make your bed every day, they’re actually hurting the overall design of your space.

Now, all this said, don’t pop out of bed and make it first thing. Leave your sheets pulled back while you brush your teeth and make your coffee. This gives your bedding a chance to breathe and ensures you’re not trapping sweat and dust mites inside your sheets. And, on that topic, don’t forget to wash your sheets on a regular basis.

Leave the chairs in your room for sitting. Image: Coats Homes

Using “the chair”

Ah, the chair. It’s pretty much iconic. If TV is any indicator, every teen girl’s bedroom has this glorified closet replacement in one corner. But don’t fall prey! A chair is not a wardrobe and worn clothes shouldn’t be left there. It’s not a closet. It’s not a viable clothes storage option. Don’t let the chair stand between you and your best, most organized self.

If you’re a user of the chair, take some steps to break the habit. First, clean out your closet. (If you’re having trouble letting go of stuff, the KonMari method could help.) It’s a whole lot easier to hang an item back up if you’re not having to use several shoves to squish it back into place. More space for clothes storage makes organization easier.

Then, do something else with the chair. Set it up with pillows and a cozy throw for a reading nook. Put a potted plant on it for a couple weeks while you break the habit. Do whatever you need to do to force yourself to either put things away or put them in the hamper after you wear them. Once you break the habit, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to keep your room tidy.

Cleaning while you wash sheets

If this article is motivating you to do a big bedroom clean, kudos! But don’t start by stripping your bed. If you’re going to be dusting, leave your bedding on. Otherwise, you knock all that dust and debris onto your bare mattress, then cover over it when you put clean sheets back on your bed. And while you’ll probably never notice the difference, it’s not doing your bedroom hygiene any favors.

Don’t forget to clean under the sheets. Leaving your mattress as-is is one of the most common bad bedroom cleaning habits. Image: Thorp Design

Ignoring your mattress and pillows

Speaking of bedroom hygiene, let’s talk about the stuff that’s a little harder to throw into the washing machine. Your pillows and mattress are sort of protected by your sheets, but not entirely. They need to be cleaned and sanitized everyone once in a while, too.

And, good news, you actually can throw pillows in the washing machine, so that’s a pretty simple task. Add a few tennis balls into the dryer for extra fluffiness, and you’ll be glad you tackled this to-do.

The mattress, while daunting, is actually pretty simple to clean, too. It’s as easy as vacuuming your mattress, spot treating any stains, sprinkling it with baking soda to deodorize it, then vacuuming again! Ideally, leave the baking soda for 24 hours so it can do its best work.

Do you have any bad bedroom cleaning habits you’re ready to put to bed? Is this guide helpful? Tell us how you keep your room ready for relaxation in the comments below.

The post Bad Bedroom Cleaning Habits to Put to Bed appeared first on Freshome.com.

The Mexican architectural firm SOA Soler Orozco Arquitectos designed the unconventional Casa Molina residence. This prefabricated house in Mexico offers a total living area of 1722 square feet (approximately 160 square meters). A contemporary prefabricated home, it includes a two-bedroom layout with two full bathrooms as well as a common terrace space.

According to the architects, they manufactured the structure in a workshop. This is also where they assembled the light covers, electrical, plumbing installations and floor finishes. The foundation was prepared to receive the structure on the site, were the modules were fit together. The final step of the process was to install the lighting fixtures, furniture and accessories to complete the residence.

The U-shaped prefabricated house in Mexico features an optimum indoor-outdoor connection.  It features alluring terraces and spaces for entertainment. By using wood and metal, the architects managed to create a home that is both functional and inviting. Casa Molina has two bedrooms, designed with peacefulness in mind. Large windows with views to the inner courtyard also increase the feeling of intimacy. Enjoy the virtual tour! Information provided by SOA Soler Orozco Arquitectos. Photography courtesy of César Béjar.

The post Prefabricated House in Mexico Inspired by Love for the Outdoors appeared first on Freshome.com.

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Season 3 of Queer Eye is out now and we’re taking you on a tour of the Fab Five’s fabulous Kansas City loft. You’ll see plenty of the modern-industrial space in the new season. The guys gather to do their makeovers and watch the final transformation at the end of the show in the Queer Eye loft. And the best part – you can shop the look at West Elm.

Rich, masculine neutrals and textured fabrics and finishes warm up the large, open loft space. All images courtesy of West Elm

Bobby Berk and West Elm worked together to pull the space together. Working with a large, open loft space has its challenges, but Bobby shares his secret: “Creating different vignettes throughout the room in a cohesive color palette allows me to define the different spaces without having them feel separate from each other,” he said.

Let’s check out the Queer Eye Loft:

The men gather on the cozy Andes sectional to watch the results of their makeover on TV.

Shop the look:

Step up a platform into the entertaining and styling area where the makeovers happen.

A vintage barber styling chair adds charm to the modern industrial loft design.

The loft features plenty of tropical plants that separate each area into an intimate space.

Shop the look:

The kitchen is a showstopper, with a large kitchen island for the Fab Five and guests to gather around.

A “living wall” along the large kitchen windows uses hanging potted plants on industrial poles.

Shop the look:

Check out more of the Queer Eye Loft Season 3 on Netflix!

The post Take a Tour of the Season 3 Queer Eye Loft and Shop the Look appeared first on Freshome.com.