Contemporary Style – What It Is And Tips for Your Home

Contemporary style and design are everywhere and can be a foundation for many new homes built today.But what exactly does that mean and how can it be incorporated into existing homes?”Contemporary style is really about reduction – reducing things to their essence and having really clean lines and uncluttered spaces,” says Alan Pickett, Pella Corporation’s resident architect.

Current contemporary design offers a softer take on modern – it has the same simple, clean lines, but with decoration that is naturally minimalistic. Light, color, and fabrics all play a part in gaining a contemporary look for your home.Today’s contemporary-style dwellings will have asymmetrical shapes, windows with minimal trim in a contrasting or dark color, and a lot of glass and other textures.

The following tips from Iowa-based Pella Windows can help you find just the right design to accent your home:* Add neutrals with color – One clear sign of contemporary design is neutral tones, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring.

Shades of gray and blue are particularly prevalent in contemporary style, and white and taupe color palettes allow for simple, bold colors to take center stage as in favorite wall photos or a definitive area rug.*Let the light in – Light and shadow in a space are key to contemporary style and are much less about decoration.

Not only do the light fixtures need to have straight lines and sleek metallic finishes, but even the windows in your home can outline its contemporary design.

Windows with a vast expanse of glass and thin frames, such as Pella’s Architect Series Contemporary line of wood windows, can engulf a room in light and be the foundation for achieving contemporary style.* Use textiles – In reducing things to the essence, silk, wool, linen and cotton – all natural fabrics – are typically used to highlight the clean lines of contemporary design.

This also means having furniture with less ornamentation and using natural materials such as wood with less grain. The natural textiles also offer the option of adding bold color into a minimalist space.*

Mix it up – Most homes today are going to have some existing traditional elements – such as crown molding – but don’t let that stand in your way. Paint the existing design features in the previously mentioned neutral colors – shades of gray and blue, white and taupe. Then add an accent color and some contemporary furniture that will pull the traditional and contemporary vision together.

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The Importance of Protecting Patents

Most Metropolitan countries’ economic engines are fueled by innovation. The ideas and inventions that emerge from researchers’ labs or the garages of budding entrepreneurs have spawned powerhouse companies, even new industries.

But turning ideas into products usually requires a crucial step: getting a patent. Patents provide years of protection, ensuring that innovators’ investments won’t be undercut by copycats. As Abraham Lincoln once famously said, patents add “the fuel of interest to the fire of genius.”

So it’s not surprising that intellectual property can be immensely valuable. Universities bring in millions of dollars every year from licensing patents. Billions of dollars in damages have also been awarded when patent holders sue companies for infringement.

In fact, patents can be so valuable that some people and companies do nothing but snap up obscure patents, often of dubious quality, to use as weapons to extract licensing fees or damages from major corporations. The tech industry derisively calls these entities “patent trolls” and has set up an “anti-troll” organization, Unified Patents, to challenge the validity of patents.

So is it possible to tell the legitimate innovators from the trolls? There are two ways. First, did the company actually make the invention — and file for patent — itself? Second, have the company’s patents survived the inevitable challenge from Unified Patents?

There’s one interesting company for which both answers are a resounding Yes.

Long before the iPhone was introduced, the engineers at Voip-Pal (OTCQB: VPLM) had a vision that telephone calls, text messages and other information would travel over the Internet. So they invented and patented all the technology needed to route calls back and forth from the Internet to other networks.

That technology is now used by major telecom and social media companies, but none have licensed the patents. That’s why Voip-Pal has sued a number of giant telecom companies for billions of dollars in damages. And, crucially, the effort by Unified Patents to invalidate Voip-Pal’s patents failed.

Voip-Pal hopes to either win or settle the cases, demonstrating once again the enormous value of high-quality patents.

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5 Ways to Cut Down on Stress During a Home Remodel

Maybe you’ve grown just sick enough of that 1970s avocado-green kitchen to update it to something more sleek and modern. Or perhaps it’s as simple as remodeling a bathroom. Whatever the room, home renovations can test even the most patient personality through the sheer chaos and mess that are inevitable.

To get through your renovation, organizing the clutter is key. The following tips should help you stay on top of the disorder.

• Have files for everything. Paperwork should be kept in one place because it will pile up. Inexpensive file folders that are portable can help you stay structured. Create a file for all receipts, and as you post them to a budget, move them to another file labeled “posted.” Permits and papers from the city or homeowner’s association should be kept together in another folder in order to easily put your fingers on them. Just for fun, make a folder of design ideas and pictures from magazines to keep you inspired.

• Cover it up. One word: plastic. No, not credit cards. Use it to cover all heavy furniture that must stay in the room. This will prevent dust and debris from getting into the nooks and crannies and keep the finish on the furniture looking shiny.

• Keep a list. Supplies are going to run low, and no matter how good your memory, things are going to fall through the cracks if you don’t write them down. Hanging a clipboard on a nail in the area where you are working will help you to stay on point about people you need to call, or things you need to do or buy for the next day.

• Have a place for everything. If you’re doing the remodel yourself, there is going to be a certain amount of upheaval. One thing that will help reduce your stress level is keeping your tools in one place. Create a space such as a table, where all small tools are kept The larger tools can sit on the floor underneath. Also, every time you are finished with a tool, put it back in the appropriate spot.

• Contain your stress. If cigarettes or smokeless tobacco helps your stress level, try your best to keep things clean by going outside to smoke or by carrying a portable spittoon. After all, you don’t want a fresh burn mark or stain from a spill to end up on your brand-new floors. FLASR has created a unique, one-of-a-kind pocket-sized spittoon that allows users to open and shut it with just one hand, making it an ideal solution for taking your snuff, dip or chew into any room that’s being renovated. In addition, the Atlanta-based company’s spittoon, has an advanced closing mechanism, ensuring that it stays securely closed when not in use, eliminating the risk of spill and leaks often seen with cups and bottles.

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