Life & Living

Whether lightweight furniture panels, plant pots or decking boards - they can all be made (in part) from fast-growing poplars or from their ground bark and branches. Several experts have discovered this in recent years as part of the Dendromass4Europe (D4EU) research project. It was carried out under the leadership of Norbert Weber, Professor of...

He himself admits that this is an experiment, but schoener-wohnen.de author Jan Kahl dared to try it anyway. In a series of pictures, he shows what alternatives there are to the Christmas tree. For example, a wooden ladder can be decorated with Christmas decorations, fairy lights and fir greenery to create a Christmassy flair. Arrangements in shades of green and berry can also be...

The Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM) sees growth potential for its activities on the North American market. "The market offers interesting growth opportunities for our manufacturers not only in stationary sales, but also in the online channel," says Jan Kurth, Managing Director of the German Furniture Industry Association (VDM/VHK). The reason for these assumptions is...

Which Christmas colors are on trend this year? The portal schoener-wohnen.de has found out and comes to the conclusion that the color blue in subtle or deep shades is particularly popular. For example, you can choose a tablecloth, napkins or candles in blue-grey or blue-brown tones. If you prefer something a little more daring, you can opt for a...

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) draws attention to the harmful effects of the radioactive gas radon, which can occur in any building. In the study "Recording how the German population deals with radon as a basis for risk communication and strengthening protective behavior" with 3,000 respondents, the Bfs had previously found out that although radon is known, the knowledge...

The Initiative Pro Massivholz (IPM) has a funny way of pointing out the advantages of a closet made of solid wood: "The natural material wood is inherently antistatic and therefore does not attract dirt or dust, which means that choosing a solid wood closet plays into the hands of those who hate cleaning," explains Andreas Ruf, Managing Director of IPM. In addition, the...

The brigitte.de portal shows how interested parties can turn old books into decorative items. For example, a side table can be made from several books. This works by stacking the books, gluing them together and then staging them with spray paint. According to brigitte.de, disused books can also be used to make postcards. To do this, the pages are...

The association Wohnen im Eigentum criticizes the plans to introduce an online-only owners' meeting by the Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJ) and has compiled eleven arguments against such a procedure. Among the arguments put forward by WiE are that older and educationally disadvantaged citizens could be excluded, that the possibility of exercising voting rights would be unnecessarily...

The home24.de portal shows you how to create a cozy atmosphere on your balcony with lighting. When purchasing lighting, owners and tenants should make sure that it can withstand various weather conditions. Therefore, higher protection classes against dirt and moisture must be selected. According to the portal, lamps with protection class IP23 are suitable for use...

A guide entitled "Mietkosten im Griff. Nebenkosten, Mieterhöhung, Wohnungsmängel" has now been published by the consumer advice center and the German Tenants' Association. On 192 pages, the guide sheds light on how to save money on various topics such as finding accommodation, rent and cosmetic repairs. For example, the following questions are answered in the guide...