News & blog
Catch up with Dan's progress in his blog or read the latest news from Love Decorating.
Love Caravans? We do!
Posted by Dan Holgate on June 5th, 2008
Dan of Love Decorating has spent much of the last two years rennovating a 1991 Roma Supreme showman’s caravan.
“It was a shell when I began, needing quite a bit of rotten timber structure replaced first. Now finished, the caravan has a solid oak floor, a wooden kitchen, a “Windy Smithy’ woodburning stove, a stained glass window, irridescent tiling, and a tongue and grooved ceiling and lined walls finished in ECOS paints. I loved doing it and am going to start taking more commissions for customised caravans for living in or holidaying!”
Check out the upcoming section on the main website for Love Decorating Loved Up Caravans, including photos of the one Dan has just finished.
Love decorating aligned to Amma’s work!
Posted by Dan Holgate on June 5th, 2008
In line with the Love Decorating business plan, we are now pledging $100US every month to Amma’s charities, helping with home building for destitute families in India.
Amma is an enlightened Indian woman who has been spreading her message of love and compassion around the world since she was a child. Dan has met her himself and was blown away by her calm, strong and loving presence. So it feels great to align Love Decorating with Amma’s work, and fulfill an aspect of our model of a conscious business - creating value with values, and redistributing some wealth into the bargain…
Getting e-motional
Posted by Dan Holgate on May 26th, 2007
A big “thank you” to Nick and Faye at e-motive media for their efforts in designing and building our fantastic new website. Love Decorating really love it! What do you think? Please add your comments below…
Conscious business - what does it mean to you?
Posted by Dan Holgate on May 17th, 2007
I’ve outlined elsewhere on this site what conscious business means to us at Love Decorating, and also provided a link to John Renesch’s ideas – but what does it mean to you?
How have you made your business more ‘conscious’ or ethical? How can conscious businesses distinguish themselves from the ‘greenwashing’ of the corporate players? Can conscious commerce within a capitalist system change the structure from the inside?
We at Love Decorating are not claiming to be a perfectly enlightened conscious business, so I really welcome your comments, ideas and suggestions.
Dan’s decorating tips
Posted by Dan Holgate on May 16th, 2007
I thought I’d share some hints and tips that I’ve picked up over the last few years. If you have any gems that I’ve missed, please let us know!
1. Before opening tins of paint, wipe the lid with a damp cloth. Otherwise any dust and bits often end up in the paint.
2. Always always always stir thoroughly all paints and varnishes. They often separate in consistency and colour.
3. Pour emulsion through an old sieve to take the bits out of previously used paint. The sieve can be washed out again and again if used with water based paint.
4. ‘Bag’ your roller and tray in a plastic sack at the end of the day to keep rollers and brushes soft for tomorrow. Turn the bag inside out to use again. (if used the same way round again, the dried paint falls off the bag into your clean paint making it bitty). Or wrap brushes and roller sleeves in clingfilm.
5. Before painting doors or architraves (the moulded door frame), wipe the tops of them with a damp cloth. There’s always dust and fluff up there that you often miss in the preparation stages, which your brush picks up and spreads when painting.
6. If you have to use old-school smelly solvent-based paints, leave a cut onion in the room after painting. It absorbs much of the smell (and doesn’t give your home onion-breath!).
Earthborn non-toxic paints
Posted by Dan Holgate on May 16th, 2007
We are currently working on a project near Tower Bridge in London where we are using Earthborn non-toxic paints. Not organic, but containing no nasties, their emulsions offer a durable finish, suitable for wiping. Similarly their citrus-oil based gloss paint provides high levels of finish and durability, closer to conventional systems than the organic ECOS equivalent, in our opinion.