FitSugar

PVC Shower Curtains = Bad For Your Health

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 02:00:00 PDT

Air pollution affects our health, but most of us think about the air outside being polluted - not the air in our homes. There are many silent culprits polluting our air from odorless radon to stinky off-gassing PVCs (polyvinyl chloride). It seems that PVCs are in just about everything from household items like vinyl flooring, vinyl shower curtains, and children’s toys to beauty products like perfumes, nail polish, and lotions. Plus PVC is very difficult to recycle and never breaks down.

Since many "plastic" shower curtains are made from PVC which off-gasses plasticizers that are potential hormone disruptors. Plus, they are easier to throw away than to clean once they become covered with mildew. These plastic/PVC shower curtains never breakdown and they are difficult to recycle. On so many levels, plastic shower curtains are just plain bad news.

A simple way to improve the quality of air in your house is to replace vinyl shower curtains with cloth ones made of organic cotton or hemp. Of course you should use a nylon liner in stead of a plastic one. You can easily wash both a cloth shower curtain and the nylon liner, so they will be around in your bathroom for a long time, rather than clogging up landfills. Plus hemp is naturally mildew resistant and sturdy, there's a reason sailors made ropes out of the fiber. Some hemp curtains are so thick, they don't even require a liner!

The only downside that I can see is that hemp curtains only come in "natural" and "white" - not so fashionable. Since the green revolution has begun, I think we will start seeing fun colors in these shower curtains.

And you, what kind of shower curtain do you have? Let me know in the comments section below.

Do You Have a Glass or Curtained Shower?

Julia Walsh — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 08:00:00 PDT

I live in a rental with a curtained shower and absolutely love my shower curtain, but I do covet the open feeling a glass-enclosed shower offers. They're also pretty easy to clean - just a spritz and you're done, and there's no moldy curtain liners to wash. Glass showers have an undeniably modern look, though, so they don't suit all styles. Which do you have?

DIY: A Vintage-Style Nautical Shower Curtain

Casa Community — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:25:00 PDT

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member AlfieCatedral from the Su Casa group:

Hello everyone! I recently moved to a new apartment with a very tiny bathroom, and I decided to use nautical décor ideas to decorate it. Sometimes bold graphics and items can help you to make small rooms bigger, and to me, there’s nothing more awesome at fueling creativity than working on a DIY project. I think that helps you come out of your comfort zone and create something especially unique. And it feels awesome when you get a compliment on a new project and getting to reply, "Thank you! I made it myself." I've painted a vintage nautical-inspired shower curtain. I bought an organic cotton white shower curtain, and I used black fabric paint for the graphic. Here are some shots of it.

Click through to see Alfie's process of painting his beautiful shower curtain, and see how it turned out!

Achoo! How to Relieve Allergies in Your Bedroom

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:35:57 PDT

If you suffer from allergies to dander, dust mites, or mold, it's time to take a closer look at the place where you spend one-third of your day - your bedroom. Here are some things you can do to reduce your allergy symptoms.

Evict the Offenders
Looked under your bed lately? To prevent a colony of dust mites from becoming squatters in the apartment below where you sleep, vacuum under your bed at least once a week. And don't be lazy about it - move the bed and other furniture to suck up the disgusting fluffs hiding in all the nooks and crannies. If your bedroom isn't carpeted, be even more ~~anal~~ thorough and mop the floor. Aside from washing your sheets weekly, take time to wipe down the tops of your dressers, nightstands, the blinds, and windowsills. Not to make you crazy for cleaning, but the curtains and your comforter can get dusty too, so don't forget to wash them once a month. If your bathroom is connected to your bedroom, check the bathtub or shower for mold and mildew.

Keep reading to find out other ways you can relieve allergy symptoms in your bedroom.

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:00:00 PDT

Got questions about curtains? Read this guide to window treatments. - Real Simple
Make some royal wedding-inspired felt banners, name cards, and ring pillows. - Craftzine
Turn down the heat and amp up the fun with these summery fireplace ideas. - DIY Life
A chair made of clothes? Believe it when you see it. - ShelterPop
Pick up a collapsible and dishwasher-safe feeder for your pets. - Shelterrific
Get a ruffly, Anthropologie-style shower curtain for less! - Copy Cat Chic
Get the look of an oh-so-chic eclectic country kitchen. - The Nest

Casa Capsule: The Week That Was

CasaSugar — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 10:00:52 PDT

Get the decorating details behind David Stark's gala for the Tony Award-winning play War Horse.
Beautiful books displayed on beautiful chairs - enjoy!
Check out some relationship-saving ideas from The Change-Up's set design.
This hand-painted DIY shower curtain is amazing!
Try these six vase options that won't cost a cent.
Take a virtual tour of a gorgeous, surf-inspired weekend getaway.

10 Things to Do With 10 Bucks: Spring Clean With These Fresh Tips

LearnVest — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:15:23 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

You pulled out your spring purses and found a ten dollar bill inside one of them. Or you’ve budgeted carefully and have some extra cash. However it happens, we always love finding an extra $10 to spare at the end of the month. Hence our new series “10 Things To Do With $10″ - our picks of 10 major steals and fun, interesting ways to spend a Hamilton (yes, he’s our man).

After a brutal winter (and snow as recently as this week in NYC), we’ve made the executive decision that spring is here, whether the weather cooperates or not. So, here are our ten ways to ring in flowers, sunshine, and warmth - and get a head start on Spring.

Check out 10 things to do with $10 after the break!

Sugar Shout Out: Affordable Back-to-School Laptops!

PopSugar — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:55:00 PDT

Up, Up, and Away With Sumptuous Squares of Color

Elka Karl — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 04:00:51 PDT

The grand scale of the colors and patchwork patterns on hot air balloons is certainly a great inspiration for fresh home decor. Forget neutrals - these mixes of colors will add vibrancy to your Spring home. Add the look on a small scale with Kontextür Neon+Squared Curtain Rings ($60). A chic and economic way to update your home, these rings offer an easy way to change the look of window or shower curtains in your home. Or, add wall art with the Block Abstract Art Print ($23) from San Francisco, CA-based artist Melanie Mikecz. Shop the rest of the pillows, artwork, lamps, and more by clicking on each image!

Before and After: Moroccan Bathroom Wall Stencil

Casa Community — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 06:00:00 PDT

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member drienz08 from the Su Casa group:

When I saw this tutorial that Emily did over at Jones Design Company, I just had to do it! It was elegant, looked simple enough, and was perfect timing, since I was contemplating redoing the guest bathroom. To say it was a tedious project is an understatement. It took time and patience, but overall it was completely worth it! And best of all, it didn't cost me a dime!

Here are pictures of my guest bathroom before it was painted and stenciled. It was an ugly green and somehow I was convinced that I had to do a color in there. Note to self: trust my instincts; I should have known better. It made the bathroom seem dark and small.

When deciding on the actual wall color I picked the one in the middle. Not too dark and not too light. Emily provided the stencil in her tutorial so I printed it out and traced it on cardboard as she instructed. I did one full stencil and then cut the second one in half (makes it much easier for doing the top of the wall).

You will have to check out her blog for the step-by-step tutorial. Trust me; you will fall in love with her! It was all very simple but like I said, very time consuming. It probably didn't help that I got really sick in between the process, which set me back two weeks.

Here are the finished results . . .