An Unusual House that Expands Your Life Span is for Sale in New York

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Posted: 15 Mar 2019 04:00 AM PDT

The Bioscleave House in East Hampton, New York, can expand more than your indoor living space, or your shoe closet. In a totally different twist, the colorful home promises to add years to your life span. All for $1.49 million.

The colorful home is the first U.S. project designed to improve life span. All images courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens.

Listing agency Brown Harris Stevens calls it the "life span-extending villa." But how, exactly, does this 3,400 square foot, 4-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath house do that? The avant-garde creators, Arakawa and Madeline Gins, partners in the Reversible Destiny Foundation, explain.

Uneven floors improve immune system function

A sunken living room with strategically placed bars to help dwellers steady themselves.

According to the duo, "Heightened body awareness and the challenging of senses can allow the body to constantly reconfigure itself and, with time, become a means to strengthen the immune system."

Vibrant color defines space and provides stimulation

The open main bath also features an ergonomic bathtub.

Floors stimulate the body’s organs through acupressure points

Minimal furnishings do not compete with the colorful walls.

According to the listing agency, "There are many ‘metaphysical’ small slopes, hills, nooks and crannies made of Japanese rammed earth country floor to stimulate the feet.”

Here are some other interior and exterior images of the unusual home.

Set on over an acre of woodland

The home consists of two connected houses finished in geometric block colors.

Trees surround the home while simple, minimalist landscaping allows the colors to stand out.

No interior doors

An open floor plan includes colorful walls to close off bedrooms and create smaller, intimate spaces.

Built around a central atrium, the main home leads to the sunken living room. Although walls add privacy to each space, there are no doors in the interior.

The concept may seem hard to grasp, but the modern use of 52 colors throughout the Bioscleave House does add a vibrant and cheerful effect to the home.

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These are the Top 5 Moving Mistakes to Avoid

Posted: 14 Mar 2019 10:00 AM PDT

Moving can be a long and difficult process. It’s no surprise that many people make missteps along the way. Luckily, we’re here to save you the pain and frustration that comes with making those mistakes. Keep reading to learn about some of the most common moving mistakes, as well as how to fix them. With these tips you should be able to get through your move without a hitch.

Don’t go into your move without a plan. Image: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Not scheduling it out

The Mistake: One of the biggest moving mistakes we see is people who think they can just go with the flow when it comes to packing and moving. This leads to packing at the last minute, throwing things in boxes with little sense of organization and an overall unpleasant moving experience.

The Solution: Make a schedule. Before you start packing a single box, write out a schedule of when you will pack and move the items in your home. Start a few weeks out from your final moving day in order to give yourself plenty of time. Then, break the task out into organized chunks. Tackle storage areas first, as they’re often the trickiest things to pack. Then go room-by-room to keep the process organized.

Get all your questions answered before you hire a moving company. Image: JR-stock/Shutterstock

Not asking questions before hiring movers

The Mistake: Did you know that most moving companies will only insure items that they pack themselves? Important information like that often goes unsaid during the moving process, leaving homeowners in the lurch when something goes awry. Unfortunately, in the craziness of moving, sometimes you make assumptions about a moving company’s process without anyone stopping to check the facts.

The Solution: Ask questions before you hire a moving company – and keep asking them until you’re sure you know the full story. Ask how their process works, if they’re insured, what’s covered under their insurance and what’s not, what excess fees you could incur and what their procedure is in the event of a lost or broken item. Then, once you have a contract in hand, read it over in full so that you know what you’re agreeing to before you sign on the dotted line.

Ask for in-home estimates. Image: Latkn/Shutterstock

Forgoing the in-home estimates

The Mistake: The majority of moving companies will offer you an estimate. However, they usually do these over the over the phone and vary widely. If you forget to mention a large or difficult-to-move item in your initial consultation, your estimate could end up well over the figure that was originally quoted to you. This is one of the more expensive moving mistakes.

The Solution: Ask for an in-home estimate. That way, someone from the moving company can see exactly how much stuff needs to be moved. They’ll also know if any particular items require special consideration. Armed with that information, they should be able to give you an accurate quote. To make sure you’re getting the best possible deal, aim to get estimates from at least three different companies in your area.

Make sure your boxes aren’t too heavy to lift. Image: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Packing boxes too heavily

The Mistake: We understand the impulse to load boxes until they’re chalk-full. After all, fewer boxes means fewer trips to and from the moving van. However, overloading boxes is one of the moving mistakes that isn’t good for you or your belongings. On one hand, it could be an injury risk. On the other, the weight of your items could cause the box to break.

The Solution: Conventional wisdom states that, for your safety and the safety of your items, moving boxes should never exceed 50 pounds. Keep that figure in mind as you pack up your home. Additionally, pack heavier items – especially things like books – in smaller boxes. That way, you’ll have a built-in stop gap.

Check and double-check your inventory sheet before signing off. Image: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Not checking your inventory sheet

The Mistake: At the end of a long moving day, it’s only natural to want to send the movers away as fast as possible so that you can get started on the unpacking process. This impulse often leads to people signing off on their final inventory sheet – a list of everything that the movers moved into your new home – without checking to see that all their items are accounted for.

The Solution: Check and double-check to make sure all of your belongings have arrived safely before signing off on your inventory sheet. If something is missing, make sure that it’s found before signing anything. Your signature releases the moving company of responsibility for lost or damaged items so make sure you have everything you need first.

Do you know of any other moving mistakes to avoid? Let us know in the comments.

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