For example, this fantastic patterned wallpaper done in a powder room by Kate Coughlin Interiors.

Accented with inexpensive pops of orange and some great vintage sconces, it’s elegant and pulled together.

She accomplished the same thing in this dining room with a simple but chic blue geometric pattern. For less expensive fabric options, check out Sultan Pepper in Sapphire and Mazing Grace in Aqua at Loom Decor. Notice the rest of the room is a basic white – focus is on the wood and blue accents from the fabric, china and artwork.

And ladies, it doesn’t need to be Canton china. Antique and junk shops are great places to find inexpensive ceramics to compliment your fabrics.

By keeping wall color simple, you leave your options open and save money. It’s easy for you or an inexpensive local hire to slap on a coat of Benjamin Moore Decorators White. A halfway decent job will look fabulous.

Inspiration can come from anywhere – your favorite dress, a scarf or a life saving flotation device, as in this Loom room inspired by Americana:

White washed walls create a blank canvas for punchy fabrics like Foxy and the Hound in Red with a grounding print like April Showers in Cherry.

For some fall inspiration, check out this closet of rich, cozy plaids and neutrals in Ralph Lauren’s new Alpine Lodge collection.

Loom channels this warmth with patterns like Big Zig, Great Scott – Latte and La Crossed in Birch, all available now.

Loom makes it so simple to do. It’ll look like you spent a fortune for the experts but you can take all the credit!

From Inkslinger’s post, “Healthy Stuff examined 179 garden hoses, gloves, kneeling pads, and tools, and found that over 70% of those tested had chemical levels of ‘high concern.’ There were phthalates, flame retardants, and bisphenol-a (BPA) in hoses; heavy metals in garden tools; chlorine in gloves, and lead all over the place—some 30% of the products contained levels above 100 ppm, the federal threshold for children’s products, and over half contained PVC, a plastic that frequently leaches its own set of pollutants.”

Read the full post here. In short, try these tips:

- Don’t store your hose in the sun & let it run for a bit before using it to clear out the old water that has absorbed a lot of the chemicals contained in the hose.

- Try to buy a natural rubber hose and gloves made of natural materials (no plastic or rubber components).

- Use gloves made of stainless steel (less likely to contain lead) or unpainted wood.

And for the love of peat, write your congress person so these toxic products are at least labeled if not banned!

California’s Prop 65 requires products sold in the state that contain one of 800 harmful chemicals to contain the label “a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm.” This is not required for products sold out of state though. We have a long ways to go but the swiftest way to affect change is with your wallet. Don’t buy this junk and let the companies know why you’re not purchasing the toxic tools they sell.

Happy Gardening!

Tara also points out that the greening need not stop at dual-paneled windows – a green household can help you lose weight, feel better, live longer and hopefully avoid diseases like cancer and other plagues that are caused by exposure to toxins and unhealthy living. This doesn’t mean you need to give up your favorite foods. On the contrary, try making them with only fresh, unprocessed ingredients. Organic fruits and vegetables really do taste much better than ones that have been genetically modified and sprayed with pesticides. Nothing is better than a cocktail with fresh mint picked from your own plant on the windowsill or back porch. Having your own little kitchen herb garden also means you’ll never run out of fresh basil or cilantro for guacamole. That’s reason enough for me.

Happy Earth Day!