A QUESTION OF COMFORT AS FALL TAKES HOLD
Outdoor heating extends patio time, air purifiers help inside
As we head into fall, it's natural to feel pulled in two different directions: wanting to spend as much time as possible in our outdoor living areas, while making our homes as cosy and comfortable as possible, in anticipation of the cooler months ahead.
Heating is the best way to extend the amount of time you can spend in your backyard or on your patio or balcony, says Carla Moreira, trend and design manager at The Home Depot Canada.
“A sleek, floor-standing tower heater is perfect for an open deck or backyard, such as our Hampton Bay model. It heats up a radius of three feet and includes ultra-sleek matte black finishes to complement your decor,” she says.
In the past, outdoor heaters were only seen as options for larger spaces, says Moreira, but this is no longer the case. For those living in urban settings, with smaller outdoor areas, space-saving, compact heaters and tabletop models are a great option, and they also work indoors as a secondary heat sources, she says.
This year, rectangular fire pit tables have been incredibly popular, she says, because they not only add a heat source and elevate the design of an outdoor space, but also work well as dividers — separating dining and lounge areas.
A personal favourite for fall is the chimney fireplace, she says.
“It's such a statement piece and takes up very little space,” Moreira says.
Ikea recently released a home handbook to help Canadians live healthier, more sustainable lives at home, says Kristin Newbigging, Ikea public relations manager. The guide focuses specifically on the bedroom — furniture and furnishings.
“Sleep is how we recharge for a new day, and we want to share solutions that anyone can afford, understand and relate to,” she says.
An upholstered bed frame will do double duty this fall, says Newbigging:
“Not only is it a cosy, lush bed to climb into every night, but also the fabric itself absorbs sound, which is helpful if you have a noisy neighbour or partner who snores,” she says.
Our indoor air quality is always a hot topic in North America, as we head into fall and winter, with our reliance on heating and ventilation systems.
This fall, we also have the reality of smoke pollution from wildfires, and an extra focus on indoor sanitation and hygiene due to the health pandemic.
In response to some of these factors, Dyson has just released their Pure Humidify+cool, which purifies the air inside your home and provides “hygienic humidity,” says Charlie Park, global category director for environmental care at Dyson.
Park says coming from the U.K., and now based in Singapore, he didn't realize the impact very dry indoor air quality can have on your health.
What he and his colleagues at Dyson have learned, he says, is that if your home is too dry, your mouth and the mucous layer that coats your throat and lungs dries out, and you are more susceptible to “any nasties” in the air, like bacteria and viruses. You have to be careful when adding humidity to your home, says Park, because it's also true that bacteria thrive in wet environments. For their Pure Humidify+cool, purifying the water was a major focus, he says.
“All of the water passes through this thin tube which is exposed to a UV-C bulb, which kills 99.9 per cent of all bacteria and viruses in the water,” he says.
The machine also has a 60-minute deep-clean cycle that cleans all of the device's parts exposed to water to avoid bacteria or mould growing, says Park.
“It's very easy, and very clean,” he says.