All posts by Mike McDermott

Preschool classrooms should project a safe, cheerful, and educational environment — for kids, teachers, and parents alike. You already know the importance of kid-friendly decor in your preschool spaces, and you might be seeking alternatives to the drab and clinical fluorescent lights that illuminate your classrooms. There’s a reason fluorescent lights are popular in schools  — they’re economical, energy-efficient, and provide sufficient light for little ones to learn by. However, the harshness, glare, and flickering associated with fluorescents can detract from a carefully-designed preschool classroom. Luckily, you don’t have to replace the lighting in your classroom to improve the atmosphere. In fact, … Continue reading What Benefits Can Printed Diffuser Panels Have For Your Preschool?

If you ask a group of people to list their fears, more than likely, most of them will put going to the dentist somewhere on that list. It’s a necessary part of life, but it’s one most people dread. And it rarely has anything to do with the amount of time spent in the office or even the steps of recovery after a dental surgery or complicated procedure. People are just naturally uncomfortable in a dental office. Many dental professionals have been making changes and trying to improve their office settings to make patients feel more at ease and welcome … Continue reading Using Decorative Diffusers to Make Your Patients Feel Comfortable

Kid’s spaces should inspire their creativity and appeal to their senses. Bright colors spark their imaginations, and different shapes feed their curiosity. In short, kid’s spaces is their first learning space; they learn a lot here, they imagine a lot, and experiment a lot. However, decorating kid-focused spaces shouldn’t take an arm and a leg. Most people wrestle with the idea that kid-focused spaces might interfere with their interior décor. Rarely does this happen, because kids are highly receptive to colors, you can find colors that blend well with your interior décor but still appeal to your kids. 1. Distinct … Continue reading 6 Ideas to Decorate Kid-Focused Spaces

It’s no secret that our environments affect our well-being. Studies show that there are significant long-term health benefits to being in or around nature. In healthcare settings, many facilities are bringing nature into their rooms because research has shown that “natural scenes are restorative, and are most liked when they have a depth perspective and an element of mystery.” Educators are even embracing the positive impacts of students spending time outside. The positive effects of nature are being incorporated into learning with the utilization of outdoor classrooms which are touted as providing physical, cognitive, and psychological benefits for students. Obviously … Continue reading 6 Ways Scenic Views of Nature Help Heal the Mind and Body

Although routine dental visits are a key aspect of oral overall health, around half of Americans experience some dental anxiety around their visits. For 5-10% of us, that fear translates into avoiding the dentist altogether. Though modern dental procedures are safe, effective, and generally painless, patients might experience a range of feelings that lead to dental anxiety — embarrassment about their oral health, lack of understanding about dental procedures, and a general sense of unease in the dental office setting. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to combat dental anxiety for your patients. By embracing an approach that seeks to … Continue reading 5 Steps You Can Take to Reduce Dental Anxiety

Natural sunlight contains all the colors of the visible light spectrum with each color radiating at equal intensities. It’s natural light which adds benefits to our health and well-being. Exposure to natural light influences our moods and emotions, helps regulate our natural sleep cycles, and is an essential component in our bodies ability to synthesize vitamin D. It was not that long ago our ancestors planned their activities around the rising and setting of the sun. Today, our schedules are far less reliant on natural light. We spend a significant portion of any day surrounded by artificial light, with little … Continue reading Understanding the Benefits of Printed Fluorescent Light Diffusers

Do you remember the last time you walked into a building that was simply too bright? If you are like most Americans, you have walked into an “overlamped” office or store. You may have found yourself squinting as the light reflects off white surfaces and perhaps even left with a mild headache. Unfortunately, many of today’s offices suffer from overlamped fluorescent light bays. The good news is that you can avoid this trend at your office by delamping your indoor office space. Below is a look at the delamping process and the benefits it can bring to your office environment. … Continue reading What is Delamping and How Can it Help Your Office?

Spending time outside is good for your health. Everyone knows that you get vitamin D from the sun. You don’t get that from artificial light inside of a building. Unfortunately, we all have to work, and children have to go to school for a significant part of the day. To make matters worse, the lighting isn’t usually the best. It is often very unnatural, lacking natural light. As winter approaches, getting outside becomes even harder. You may be lucky if you get home before the sun goes down. As the days get shorter, you might not have a chance to … Continue reading The Effects of Lacking Natural Light

Top Reasons Why Living in Your Parents Basement is a Bad Idea What do hackers, millennials, teenagers and unemployed middle-aged oddballs have in common? These are all examples of people who might be found living in their parents basement. We’re not saying it’s all bad, but there are zillions of reasons why living in a basement is not a great idea. Social stigma Face it. There’s just no cool way to tell someone with whom you are flirting that you’d like to take them home to your mom’s basement. No matter how you try to dress it up, the fact … Continue reading Top Reasons Why Living in Your Parents Basement is a Bad Idea