All posts tagged "Homebase"

  • Are you RETRO go?

    Are you RETRO go? Take these vintage cardboard suitcases with you. It’s a winning option from price point and function, to style and sturdiness. Sturdiness you ask? Don’t underestimate these hard-wearing suitcases because they have been produced...

    • Posted April 9, 2015
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  • How to make your own modern decor and hang it without damaging the wall

    When you rent an apartment in Tokyo, one of the rules is not to damage the walls. That includes leaving no trace of nail marks when you vacate the apartment or you won’t see your deposit ever...

    • Posted March 11, 2015
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  • Thirifty Shades of Spray

    • Posted March 11, 2015
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  • Pets bring joy

    Pets are an important part of many people’s lives and can bring joy and warmth to one’s home and life. Because they become a major part of home activities and one’s lifestyle, there are important considerations to...

    • Posted December 15, 2014
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  • A new lifestyle store

    La Kagu, a lifestyle store resembling a warehouse has just opened in Kagurazaka offering well-curated home stuff from furnitures and beddings to home decor and anything in between. www.lakagu.com

    • Posted November 10, 2014
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  • Grow your own food. Use your veranda.

    Are you ready to take on a new hobby that pays off? You haven’t got a garden? Well then you must have a veranda in your apartment. It is possible to grow your own vegetables even in...

    • Posted September 10, 2014
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  • How to iron a shirt like a Japanese pro

    Impeccably ironed shirt is a mark of professionalism.  But according to Japanese magazine, My Navi Woman, ironing is one of the hated housework by housewives next to cleaning rooms. Japanese salary men pay 200 – 400 yen...

    • Posted September 1, 2014
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  • Jiyugaoka

    The first impression you may get upon leaving the main exit of Jiyugaoka station is that it seems a bit cramped, as just outside the round about is tightly hugged by stores as visitors and residents mill...

    • Posted July 12, 2014
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  • Feng Shui Myths

    Feng Shui is, in popular culture, sometimes portrayed as a superficial and superstitious practice of placing mirrors and various trinkets to bring about good luck. But there is far more depth to the practice than the few...

    • Posted May 7, 2014
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  • Which housework do Japanese housewives hate the most?

    Spring cleaning has been a traditional practice in countries with cold climates especially in North America. As people stay indoors in the winter, there’s more foot traffic at home and thus, more dirt and dust accumulate. In...

    • Posted March 7, 2014
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  • House Hunting

    here are many factors that impact our home feeling harmonious, and Feng Shui aims to maximize what we have. If you are looking for a new space to live, there are many things to consider so see...

    • Posted March 3, 2014
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  • The Bedroom Cure

    Feng Shui is a way to work with our connection to our environment. When practiced sensibly, it can help us be more conscious about our surroundings and choices. Since we will likely spend more time in the bedroom than in...

    • Posted February 12, 2014
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  • Feng Shui for the holidays

    Holidays are times when we gather together to share and luxuriate in gratitude, giving, and wellness. The end of the calendar year is a time in several cultures for family gatherings and gift-giving. Here are some practical...

    • Posted December 15, 2013
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  • Powering up the work station

    With all the focus put on creative designs for homes, work spaces are often overlooked. The functional needs of an office often leads to neglecting the many potential options for streamlining it both aesthetically and functionally. I...

    • Posted November 7, 2013
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  • Mirror, mirror on the wall

      Mirrors are powerful objects and are often misused in design and Feng Shui. While it is true that they can expand a space and circulate energy, they are not the only things that can do so,...

    • Posted September 11, 2013
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  • Getting Out of Line

    While there are obvious advantages to living in manmade structures (protection from the rain, snow, and extreme temperatures comes to mind), the buildings that house us have many features not found in the natural world. Because our...

    • Posted July 5, 2013
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  • Feng Shui: A breath of fresh air

    The words ‘Feng Shui’ refer to ‘Wind’ and ‘Water’, two forms of energy without which we cannot survive. The practice aims to cultivate the lifeforce energy of Qi that brings both their life-enhancing properties. ‘Wind’ refers to...

    • Posted June 18, 2013
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  • Healing the blues

    The world is a colourful place – flowers are a prime example of the glorious array of hues that are possible – yet the average home has a limited number of tones. Each colour can relate to...

    • Posted May 8, 2013
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  • Flower power

    The world is a colourful, vibrant place – in nature, anyway. Home interiors run the risk of a restricted palette of colours and tones, and the energy as a result can stagnate. One of the best ways...

    • Posted March 3, 2013
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  • The kitchen therapy

    The last thing you want to see when you come home from a long day of work is a messy kitchen. A kitchen is a high traffic area and if  that’s the first thing that  greets you...

    • Posted March 3, 2013
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  • Rekindling the flame

    Valentine’s Day has become a time to focus on love and romance for those who are either single or partnered. Ideally, we shouldn’t require a particular day to remind us of honouring harmonious romantic relation- ships; it...

    • Posted February 4, 2013
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  • Taking steps

    The New Year is a time when we generally look at taking steps in our lives. Staircases themselves certainly relate to this phenomenon of moving to different levels on our lifepath. As major passageways for energy ow,...

    • Posted January 2, 2013
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  • Christmas shopping with consciousness

    As the holiday season approaches, our thoughts turn to time spent with friends and family – and shopping. Unfortunately, a time when celebration and sharing should be the focus can often be compromised by trying to do...

    • Posted December 3, 2012
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  • Giving your teens a room to grow

    Aging isn’t easy – the term ‘growing pains’ describes an actual physical and emotional reality. Moving into different phases of our lives requires shifts in perception and habit. Teenage years are particularly challenging, as the identity and...

    • Posted October 31, 2012
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  • Living large

    One of the challenges of modern living can be the small size of apartments. I first encountered this when I moved to Tokyo, where square footage is most definitely at a premium. In Vancouver, where I currently...

    • Posted September 28, 2012
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  • Going with the creative flow

    Back-to-school time might bring up memories of strict or boring instruction and being told to colour within the lines. Unfortunately, this kind of education works against the natural order, as there are very few straight lines in...

    • Posted August 30, 2012
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  • Behind closet doors

    Living as we do in a materialistic society, we accumulate things. Fortunately for aesthetic purposes, we do not need to have everything we own be visible 24/7. The genius who invented closets deserves a lot of gratitude....

    • Posted July 31, 2012
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  • Click into place

    Everyone seems to be walking around with an iPhone, Blackberry, or other smartphone these days, and while Angry Birds, Facebook, and other diversions are a big draw to these devices (looking cool is another), there is also...

    • Posted July 1, 2012
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  • Are your possessions possessing you?

    My recent trip to Japan highlighted an aspect of living in man-made environments that is becoming more of an issue here and internationally: clutter. As humans who live more sedentary than nomadic lifestyles, we have gotten into...

    • Posted May 31, 2012
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