News on on the Economic Front - it's great news for Architects > which has an indirect flow on to Interior Designers - Stylists/Decorators & Colour Consultants....
With the Australian econmoy taking an econmic down turn, people/ consumers are being more cautious with discreationary spending, in the hope that they don't lose their jobs and ultimately becoming very cost conscious and value driven. And with this in mind sometime the first areas of goods and services to suffer are the areas that many people believe to be on their 'wish list' menaning the non-essential, adding to aethetics can just mean adding to spending where it's not essential to do so. Not so we say, and so backed up it is with several new reports
Get out and renovate, urge architects...
Australians could help kick start the economy out of recession by getting out and renovating, architects say.
Robert Caulfield, managing director of Archicentre, the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects, said interest rates could hit an all-time low this week, tradesmen were looking for work in a highly competitive market and the Australian dollar was down.
"There has never been a better time to renovate and use Australian products," he said in a statement.
"We believe it is important for the federal government to consider the renovation factor - especially encouraging the use of Australian products which are first quality." Mr Caulfield said the renovation industry was worth $20 billion a year and could be a major key in kick starting the economy. He said the important factor about renovation projects was that they could be started far more quickly than new housing. Renovations presented an opportunity to invest in the family home, improving both its value and the quality of life, without spending up to $60,000 in taxes and charges on another home.
"Renovations range in size, providing jobs for smaller to larger builders and flow onto many areas, apart from building materials, such as furniture, electrical goods, carpets, fixtures and fittings and landscaping," he said.
Mr Caulfield said renovating could also improve a home's environmental quality through use of energy and water-saving devices. As part of its J For Jobs program, Archicentre has launched a series of 100 free seminars across Australia to encourage renovation, environmental design and informed property buying, he says.
Article source - SMH.com.au
With February to an end this weekend [for us in the Southern Hemisphere] although it is still warm through to Easter in April for swimming and frolicking on the sand, the days change as they grow shorter, and the warmth is slightly different so this weekend is a great time to get the most out of the swimming pool or beach-side, grab your towels, pull out the sun lounge and pop on your favourite wide brim hat!
