Teepee Roundup - Home Decor Ideas for Kids

When designing rooms for kids its important to make them healthy, transitional, fun, and safe to live in.  Next week, we will blog great home design tips and ideas for kid's rooms.  We wanted to give a preview of our favorite essential for kids.  The teepee has taken its place in children's room decor replacing princess castles and tents everywhere.  These are a few of our favorite teepees that can be designed for indoor rooms or outdoor play areas.

Visit the remainder of our Teepee Roundup at Kid-friendly Interior Design.

New Solar Skylights by VELUX

*30% solar tax credit may apply to skylight and installation cost.


For more information or contact information visit Forrest Glover Design

Spencer Herr

Along with sustainable residential design, Forrest Glover Design is now offering original works by Spencer Herr.  info@forrestgloverdesign.com

Sonoma Home Designer

Solar Dryer

Using a clothesline can save energy and extend the life of your clothing.  The sun also naturally brightens white clothing eliminating the need to use bleach.

For more design tips and contact info click Home Energy Efficiency

Our Favorite House Plant

Fiddle leaf ficus, Ficus Lyrata, is by far the favorite house plant at Forrest Glover Design.  The big leaves look great in the bushy form but also make a spectacular tree when pruned up.

Home Decor Ideas

Occupancy Sensor Switches

I recently installed occupancy sensors in my pantry, workshop, bathroom closet, and upstairs bathroom.  I don't normally leave a room with the lights on, but it has been a pleasant change to have the lights turn on and off automatically.  Who knew such a quick and easy upgrade would be so exciting?  Occupancy sensor switches can be install where the current light switch is in about ten minutes.  Please be sure to work safely around electricity and call an electrician where required by law.

If you or your children have a habit of leaving the lights on, you can save a lot of energy by installing these simple switches.  Closets, bathrooms, laundry rooms, garages and children's rooms are great places to install occupancy sensors.  Sensor are available in many price points and options.  Most include adjustable settings for length of time the light is on.  Others include dimmers and on/off override switches.  There is a great selection of switches from $15 - $50.  Dimming an incandescent bulb by just 10 percent can save up to 20 percent on energy and greatly increase the life of the bulb.

Home Energy Savings

Metal Roofing

Though metal roofs have a great amount of embodied energy and cost more up front.  There are many advantages to them.

• Serviceable for 50+ years
• Recyclable and many are made from up to 95% recycled materials
• Superior energy efficiency in both heating and cooling seasons
• Perfect for rain catchment systems
• Fire resistant
• Provide maximum wind resistance
• Leak resistant
• Solar panels can be installed on them without drilling into the roof deck
• Beautiful and complementary with many architectural styles

Home design for fire protection