Life & Living

A study commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency has shown that temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius could increase the time spent in living rooms by more than half and in offices by around a quarter. This would have a negative impact on comfort and health. It is therefore increasingly important to protect buildings from overheating. As the number of hot days and tropical nights...

The German parquet industry is facing new challenges, also with regard to international trade. According to the Association of the German Parquet Industry (vdp), the turnover of member companies in Germany rose by 6 percent to 274.4 million euros in 2022, partly due to price increases in the supply chain. However, parquet sales fell by 11.7 percent to 7.7 million...

According to the brigitte.de portal, the childhood dream of having your own starry sky in your room can be extended to an unexpected area - the living room. Modern projectors enable a magical play of light that satisfies the longing for the sky within our own four walls. Projectors are now so advanced that they can project the sky at the touch of a button....

Students on the "Integral Building" Master's degree course at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences are designing an inclusive neighborhood at Wittekindshof in Bad Oeynhausen-Volmerdingsen. The neighborhood is intended to promote the coexistence of people with and without disabilities. The transformation of the site reflects the change in social work, with people with disabilities increasingly living in their own homes.

Trellis fruit offers yield and privacy in one and, according to the "schoener-wohnen.de" portal, also acts as an elegant alternative to traditional walls or hedges. Cultivating trees on scaffolding makes it possible to grow apples, pears, cherries and other types of fruit even in smaller gardens. Shaping fruit trees on wooden or steel scaffolding is a centuries-old technique that...

Sofa beds are practical and versatile pieces of furniture that fit well in both small and larger homes. They offer comfort for guests and are available in numerous styles, materials and price ranges. Nowadays, they are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. The livingathome.de portal provides information on what to look out for when buying...

High electricity and heating bills are prompting property owners to invest in their buildings. But how can homeowners minimize energy use to avoid high energy bills? According to the German Window + Façade Association (VFF), the building envelope plays a particularly important role alongside the heating system in order to achieve solar gains. An efficient building envelope helps to...

Whether pendant lights, floor lamps or table lamps - according to the portal "schoner-wohnen.de", various garden lights can be used on the balcony, on the patio and in the garden. There are apparently no limits to the shape of the lighting either. Lamps come in the shape of a parasol, the letter 0 or as a lantern and ensure that your garden is...

Fewer flowers and plants were sold last year than in previous years. According to estimates by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH (AMI), consumers in Germany spent an average of around 22 euros on bedding and balcony plants in 2022, almost 1 percent less than before the pandemic. The AMI attributes the reluctance to buy plants to rising energy costs and an increasing...

Babies become mobile in their first year of life and begin to explore their surroundings. It is therefore important to make the nursery and home childproof in good time. According to the German Furniture Quality Association (DGM), parents can look out for the RAL "Golden M" quality mark when buying furniture. This ensures that the furniture is child-safe and tested for harmful substances. To avoid the risk of injury...