Take a tour through K2 Studio, an Asheville Home Furnishing & Art Gallery, located in the Kress Gallery in Downtown Asheville. Check out www.RelyLocalAsheville.com for more info and deals.

I am buying my very first home, and I want it to feel exactly like that. HOME. Who wants a plain house with nothing in it? Besides the outrageous cost of getting the house, and having to fix up a few things, plus furnishing the place, I need some decor to make it feel more homey. I dont have much money left after buying all the other things. Does anyone have suggestions for cheap, nice home decor?

All suggestions are much appreciated! Thanks!

In spring 2009, YFCAD Software published its new 3D sales tool iScan. With a computer and a scanner, your sales person can display your whole catalogue in 3D, connecting your products with cutting‐edge virtual reality. iScan supports unlimited materials and enables customers visualize them in photo‐class renderings. It brings a brand new proactive shopping experience to your customers, and speeds up their purchasing decisions. iScan is applicable to every aspect of the home furnishing industry. Take kitchen for example, customer can choose cabinet finishes, door styles, hardware and countertops from your catalogue, and scan their choices in massive combinations. With a simple and lovely beep sound from your bar code scanner, your clients selections are generated right away and shown in a Ultra Realistic 3D Environment.Traditional showrooms are limited to one set of product samples, while iScan enables you to visualize each and every one of your stores options and entertains your customer by allowing them to try out their own selections. iScan is also used to demonstrate leather and cloth materials. Retailers of sofa and curtains can also resort to iScan to improve sales. After feeling the materials and seeing the whole image, customers naturally become more confident in making their purchasing decisions.An even wider need for iScan comes from the building material industry. No matter if you are selling flooring, wall paper, ceramic tiles or paint, iScan provides you with …

Window shades have become a rather popular type of window treatment in recent years and there are many variations to choose from. Bamboo shades and honeycomb shades are both great ways to cover your windows, but one may work better for you than the other depending on a few factors.

Bamboo shades are moderately priced and highly attractive. They are also made from a natural material, so they are eco-friendly and completely safe to have in your home as far as air quality is concerned. Bamboo shades will also match your decor perfectly if your home has wooden floors or rattan carpets. But, like every window treatment, bamboo shades do have a few disadvantages. Bear in mind that when you rollup a bamboo shade to open it, the liner will show. Also, all types of bamboo shades are controlled by a cord-pulling system which can present a danger for small pets and children.

Honeycomb (or cellular) shades have become very well-liked recently as they are well-known for increasing home energy efficiency. This is because honeycomb shades are designed to stop heat loss and gain through windows. This is not only good for the environment; it’s good for your wallet as well. But, the shades need to be installed a certain way to get the full benefits. If they are installed as close to the window as possible with both sides of the shade held close to the wall, it creates a sealed airspace that makes it very difficult for the hot or cold air to escape through the window.

There, however, are a couple of disadvantages to honeycomb shades, the first being that the accordion style of the shade may not fit with the rest of your home décor. The accordion style design is a major component in how the shade provides energy efficiency, so there is really no way around this. The other disadvantage is that honeycomb shades do not provide the same amount of light control as some other window treatments do.

Both of these types of window treatments have the advantage of being “green” as bamboo shades are made of natural materials and honeycomb shades promote energy efficiency. The major catalyst in deciding between the two is really going to be your home’s unique décor. One simply may just look better than the other. But, with this information, you’ll hopefully be able to make a better informed decision when you choose your window treatments.