Our homes are a sanctuary we find refuge when the outside world becomes overwhelming to take. Colors are a critical backdrop, giving each room a unique feel everyone someone walks in. Painting your wall is rather easy. However, choosing the right paint color can frustrate homeowners. Save yourself the headache by referring to these ten colors that experts themselves considered the best ones there is.

BLUE

Blue has a cooling and calming effect mainly because it is reminiscent of the expansive ocean with blue sky above. This is particularly true for a room that is painted with lighter shades of blue and which receives a lot of natural light. On the other hand, dark blues can be used as wall accents as some would dismiss it as too dark or ominous.

GREEN

Green is the most versatile color; it can be painted in any room. Because it is often likened to nature, it has the ability to bring out the best in any given space. Lighter shades of green create a cozy and warm and yet playful environment. Deep greens can be used as accent colors, too, especially for the tiles. For the best effect, blue-green shades can be used.

YELLOW

Yellow is a welcoming color since it reminds people of sunshine and summer. However, certain shades of yellow create a sense of emptiness, so this should be used sparingly. To be safe, choose the lighter, happier shades of yellow. Stay away from chromatic yellows because it might be too intense.

ORANGE AND RED

Orange and red can be used separately or its combination (red-orange). They seem to exude the best effects when taken at the same time, creating a festive and vibrant atmosphere. These hues work well in places where people gather such as the kitchen.

GRAY

Gray is increasingly gaining popularity as the go-to wall color. Various shades of gray conform to the urban chic appeal. For a modern home, darker shades of gray will emphasize the contemporary pieces of furniture and furnishings. However, for a traditional home, light grays will be perfect especially those that border in bluish shades.

BROWN

Brown can also exude the warmth that we long for when the right shades are used. Dark browns, for instance, create a homey feel if used as an accent color. If these will be used as the overall room color, they should be paired with neutral colors to create a subtle warmth effect.

BEIGE

Beige is the second most popular color for the house exterior; the most popular being white. This color is very conservative and yet can make any other surrounding colors pop. Nonetheless, muted colors are not as flexible as you might think. If the home has several interesting architectural detailing, choose any other color but beige.

WHITE

White is also the safest color when painting the house exterior. No one can go wrong with a white. It is clean-looking and makes a room appear bigger that it is. Even white has its own shades too – from pearl white to powder white.

EARTH TONES

Earth tones are more of a color scheme which basically includes flat and muted earth-associated colors. Examples of these colors are shades of brown, shades of green like moss, tan, warm gray, terracotta, brick red, burnt sienna, and yellow ochre. These colors are warm, inviting and relaxing. These colors are good for houses with a lot of wood and stone accents.

NATURAL COLORS

Neutral colors such as cream, ivory, beige, taupe and specific shades of gray are the safest colors to paint your house. They mostly blend with any type of furnishings, perfect for any structure and architecture.

Before you decide the color of your house's interior and exterior, you need to plan ahead to make sure that the overall color scheme is well put-together. Above are some of your choices of colors towards a more vibrant living.

  

AUTHOR BIO

Raphael Zamora is a Filipino Blogger and Freelance Writer that blogs for Arca South. The newest central business and lifestyle district south of the metro, Taguig City.

It seems like just about every other week a new piece of technology is released, from just about all of the major cell phone companies.

Apple is at the top of the list and there is no question that the majority of people that use Apple products will run out to the store, even wait in line for lengthy periods of time, just to get their hands on the brand new iPhone 6.

However, a great deal of people are wondering to themselves whether getting the new phone is actually worth it.

In reality, the new devices that are being released do not have too many things that are brand new, in comparison to the past models that are already out there. While it is true that there are new designs and new pieces of technology that are integrated into each mobile device (that it is considered the hip thing to do to get the brand new iPhone), the overall price is starting to get a bit high for a cell phone.

In the past, most of the new iPhone's that came out would hover somewhere around five hundred dollars, which most people thought was a lot of money in the first place. However, the new iPhone 6's go well above that are are posted at six hundred and fifty dollars, which has made a great deal of people's eyebrows.

Nearly two thirds of a thousand dollars is a great deal of money to spend on a device that is going to become outdated in a year or so anyway and in reality, the capabilities are virtually the same. The new iPhone 6 will be slightly bigger than the older models, which seems to be a trend with Apple products, as they are also making the new iPads bigger as well.


Apple also claims that the features that are on the iPhone 6 far surpass that of the older models, although the majority of people simply use their cell phone to surf the internet, play games, use applications, make phone calls and text.

All of these things can be done on each and every one of the older models, so it has become a highly debated topic among a lot of people as to whether it is worth it to shell out the great deal of money that is required to get your hands on the new iPhone 6.

When it comes down to it, it really is a personal preference. If you are one of those people that loves having the newest of the new models of technology, then you are probably going to be satisfied with putting up the money for a new phone. These people likely already have an iPhone 5 and can probably trade their phones in or sell them to get a great deal off of the newer models anyway, so in this respect it can be very worth it for these people.

Additionally, if you prefer a bigger screen, you may want to go ahead and get the iPhone six, but in all reality, the majority of people are probably better off keeping their older model iPhone's.

The truth is that they are slightly more advanced, but the increase in technology is not enough to rush out to the store, wait in line and get a new device, all while causing a major blow to your pockets. If Apple had come out with a brand new model that had some amazing new type of technology that has not been seen before in passed iPhone's, it would probably be worth it, but in this case it is looking like the better idea to skip buying one.

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About Author: This article was written by Andy G, a tech geek and Linux fan from Austria. At the present moment he maintains firmware and driver download website called Helpjet.

When traveling, you will likely have three consistent companions: your family (if you’re bringing them), your plans (if you have any), and your smartphone (no ifs, ands or buts). You will likely use your smartphone more than anything to navigate, communicate, and do whatever you need to do to make your travelling as smooth as possible.

What makes a smartphone so great is that there are all sorts of different applications available to make your life so much easier. If you are having a hard time navigating a new city, GPS apps abound. If you can’t understand a language, translation apps are available. If there isn’t an app for one of your needs yet, give it time, and someone will create it.

Here are 5 apps for your smartphone that will help you make sure that your trips go perfectly:

TRIP SPLITTER

Trip Splitter takes care of who owes what when handling expenses on a trip or dinner. It works great even for large parties because you can put in as many participants as you want. You can also email participants a reminder after the trip is over if you don’t want to take care of everything right away. This is great for travelling in a large group that isn’t necessarily financially linked or for certain business situations. 

This is a travel app that has equal use at home, allowing you to split up a shared bar tab or simply let you figure out how much everyone owes for pizza. If you find yourself a social person, this app is definitely worth downloading.

EXPRESS VPN

If you are travelling, then a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can be the savior to your privacy and data. If you are travelling, you are likely using many public networks, which can be incredibly risky to use since hackers can intercept sent data (including private communications and financial information) over unprotected networks and then use it against you.

What a VPN will do is connect your computer through an encrypted “tunnel” of sorts to an offsite server that no one can infiltrate, and this server will handle your requests and send you whatever information you want just like normal. Using this server also has the benefit of masking your IP Address and location data, which means you can get around regional restrictions and even possibly allow you to take advantage of regional pricing for airline tickets.

There are several options to choose from, but ExpressVPN is a great choice in particular due to its compatabilty with smartphones on any operating system.

CITY MAPPER

If you are travelling to a major city, you should check out Citymapper. It is one of the most popular and highest-quality apps for figuring out transit (in almost any form) in major cities, particularly in the United States, which can be harder to navigate than many European cities. Some of the things that are especially useful are real-time updating of departure times, bike routes, and alerts if there is a disruption on a route so you can adjust accordingly.

If you put in a location within a city, this app will find a way for you to get there. In fact, it will probably find multiple ways for you to get there. When you’re in a new place, there will be nothing you are more thankful for.

GOOGLE TRANSLATE

If you are going to a different country that doesn’t speak English (which is most of them), you want this application on your phone. While not perfect, Google Translate is improving constantly. It has most every language you will need and is fast enough to beat out most other translation devices available and certainly faster than lugging around a two-way dictionary for each language you might need.

ENTRAIN

This one might be considered a little extreme for some, but jet lag is awful and can ruin a day or two of a perfectly good vacation. If you don’t want this to happen, then Entrain is the app you need both before and during your trip.

It provides you with a schedule and data for when you should seek light in order to help your body adjust to the new time zone as quickly as possible. You can use this data to adjust your circadian clock and keep up your energy after your flight. With lots of options at the press of a thumb, you won’t need to figure out anything else to get your sleep cycle in check.

Thank you for reading. Please note that any applications listed here can be found on both iTunes and Google Play. I hope that you have found something here that you are looking for so that you may travel with improved safety and convenience.

Lazada has recently teamed up with ABS-CBN’s Bantay Bata 163 most likely as part of their corporate social responsibility activities. The online retailer has recently visited the Bantay Bata site in Calauan, Laguna and has pledged to help these children by donating a certain amount of their sales from July to October made by using their special Bantay Bata voucher.

Check full details of this campaign by reading their press release below. 

MANILA PHILIPPINES - Lazada, the Philippines’ One-Stop Shopping and Selling destination, recently partnered with ABS CBN’s Bantay Bata 163 in reaching out to children displaced by recent calamities.

Last July 3, 2015, Lazada Philippines, together with Bantay Bata 163, brought smiles and laughters to over 100 kids when they visited the Bantay Bata Site located in NHA Calauan, Laguna. Lazada PH employees together with the company’s CEO, Inanc Balci, shared an afternoon with the kids through healthy lunch, games, and other fun-filled activities. Later that afternoon, the kids of Bantay Bata in NHA Site Calauan Laguna received school supplies and educational toys. The afternoon was filled with joy and hope as Lazada Philippines pledged its support to the cause of helping out Filipino children.

In line with this, Lazada is giving away P300 worth of vouchers with a minimum purchase of P3000, exclusively for the Toys, Kids, and Babies category.  These vouchers will be available every month for a week from July 27 until October 2015. Enjoy this discount using the voucher code BANTAYBATA and for every voucher used, P50 will be donated to Bantay Bata 163. Grab the opportunity to help out and head on to http://www.lazada.com.ph/bantay-bata-163/ and spread the joy of giving.

Want a taste of Europe without the hassle and cost of travelling to another continent? You might be pleasantly surprised to know that a very attractive alternative is accessible to you right here in Southeast Asia. The Philippines is a gorgeous underrated holiday destination, chock full of European influences and western charm – left behind by the Spanish Colonial Era (1521 – 1898). For those seeking a little more cultural enlightening past the beaches of Boracay, we recommend a historical tour of the Philippines’ best-kept Spanish heritage sites. After all, how can anyone complain about a history lesson when you’re on holiday?

Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

First up on anyone’s list of Spanish scenic sites should only be Vigan City. This capital city of the province Ilocos Sur is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and with good reason. It’s one of the last remaining Hispanic towns in the country with its structures still intact. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries, Vigan was the center of Spanish colonial power; today, the town is a living testament to the Spanish Colonial Era, exerting strong cultural influence to the modern Philippine nation.

Paved with cobblestone streets and unique Spanish colonial architecture, Vigan City exudes old-world colonial charm, inviting you to take a step back in time. The town plaza, Plaza Salcedo, is a good place to start if you’re up for a walking tour. But to truly experience Vigan at its finest, ride a calesa (horse-drawn buggy) down the picturesque Calle Crisologo – open streets lined with authentic Spanish Era ancestral houses, and Vigan City’s crowning glory.

San Agustin Church, Manila

Located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros, Manila, the San Agustin Church is one of four proud members under the Baroque Churches of the Philippines – a collection of the most treasured Spanish-era churches in the country, that served as the political backbone of Spanish colonial rule.

The original San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila, was the very first religious structure constructed by the Spaniards on the island of Luzon. Today, it is the third church to be erected, but the present edifice is still nothing short of magnificent, having been patterned after the medieval Augustinian temples of Mexico.

Known for its interior, the Church promises an enchanting experience, complete with traces of the original Mexican wall painting, and choir seats carved with ivory inlays of the 17^th Century. Intramuros may have lost its shine as the nerve center of the country during the 350-year Spanish rule, but the grandeur of Spain lingers in its ruins, and certainly in the San Agustin.

Taal, Batangas

The heritage town of Taal is famous for two things – its old ancestral houses, and being home to the largest church in the Philippines and Asia. Enter the Basilica of St. Martin de Tours, which stands at a massive 88.6 metres long and 48 metres wide.

Around town you can find historic and grand ancestral homes, some of which have been converted to museums open to the public. Head over to the Villa Tortuga for a slice of upper class life during the Spanish regime – the dinner package includes dress-up time where you can don period dresses and have it immortalized in a souvenir photo. A tourist trap? Maybe, but Taal was declared a National Historical Landmark for a reason.

Santa Maria Church, Ilocos Sur

Ilocos Sur isn’t just known for Vigan City. This Philippine province is also where the Santa Maria Church, or the Nuestra Señora dela Asunción, can be found. Curiously enough, the Santa Maria Church isn’t built following the traditional Spanish urban town plan of situating a church in the heart of the town plaza. Instead, it stands alone majestically on the crown of a freestanding hill enclosed completely by a high stone wall – a true fortress!

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and part of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines, the Santa Maria was built on top of a hill as a religious center by both the friars of the citadel and the soldiers of Spain. Made entirely of brick, it makes for quite a sight, especially with the sweeping stone stairways connecting it to the town, and to a cemetery. The outer walls are built with buttresses of typical Earthquake Baroque architecture, which is probably why it still stands today in its original form.

Malolos City, Bulacan

Hailed as the Premiere Heritage City of Bulacan, Malalos City shines with historic importance, having been the center for many vital events that took place during the transition from the 19^th to the 20^th century – such as the establishment of the Constitutional Convention.

Take a scenic stroll around the many ancestral houses from the Spanish and American Colonial Eras, or wander through the numerous Spanish colonial churches and chapels scattered around. Malolos is one of the few towns in Philippines with three Spanish-era churches: the Barasoain Church, Malolos Cathedral, and Sta. Isabel. In August 2001, the historic little town of Malolos was declared a National Heritage Landmark.

The Barasoain Church is a Roman Catholic Church built in 1630, and is home to many prestigious titles. It housed the first Philippine Republic, as well as the Constitutional Convention – carving for itself a name of incredible historical importance amongst Filipinos and tourists alike. Doesn’t hurt that it’s one of the most beautiful churches in the Philippines.

Miagao Church (Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church), Iloilo

Last on the list doesn’t make this any less of a ‘must-see’! Looking at the grand Baroque architectural style of the Miagao Church, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re suddenly in Europe. Don’t be fooled though, the church façade is a mixed influence of Medieval Spanish, Chinese, and Muslim elements, embellished with Filipino folk motifs, making it a stunning fusion of cultures.

Also known as the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church, the Miagao Church is the third member of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines – and with good reason. This mighty fortress has withstood typhoons, earthquakes, and even rebellious arson during the revolution against Spain in 1898, and the Philippine-American War.

The distinct yellow-orange sandstone is reminiscent of old western gothic cathedrals, and the Miagao Church is a shining example of a traditional Spanish Baroque fortress. And standing on the highest point of the town, it’s a guarantee that you’ll be glad you made the trip. 

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About the Author : Writer Amanda is only 156cm, but has a big heart for travel. When she’s not daydreaming about cruising open-top convertibles down Sunset Boulevard, you can find her furiously googling for budget flights on Kayak. And one day she will own all the shoes in the world. She also writes for ShopBack.ph.

Looking for a good place to go on a date this Valentine’s day? Akira and Sumo Sam are offering its patrons some freebies to make this special day even sweeter. From February 12 to 15, the two restaurants will be offering free desserts to its customers at select branches in and out of the metro.

SumoSam

From Feb. 12-15, get a free dessert for minimum purchase of P1500. Available at SumoSam branches in Marquee, Rockwell, Shangri-la, Trinoma, Gateway, Greenbelt 3, MOA, Megamall, North EDSA and Nuvali.

Akira: The Art of Sushi and Teppanyaki

From Feb 12-15, get a free Orange Flambé vanilla ice cream for minimum purchase of P1,500. Available at Akira branches in Shangri-La Plaza, Robinsons Magnolia and Alphaland.

There are already a number of Japanese restaurants that are scattered all over the metro but none of them have yet to establish a name for itself as the defacto brand when it comes to Japanese cuisine. One particular restaurant that’s trying to put its name on the map is Sumo Sam.

A couple of weeks ago, our editors got an invite to a movie screening in Makati and was lucky enough to get gift certificates to Sumo Sam. So my friend and I took the GCs and decided to check out what kind of food this resto had to offer.

THE MENU

Sumo Sam isn’t exactly what you’d call an authentic Japanese restaurant. Instead, it offers food that’s what you would call as Japanese fusion – a cuisine that combines elements of different culinary traditions, which in this case Japanese and Filipino flavors.

Their menu offers a comprehensive option of Japanese delicacies from sushi, sashimi, tempura, soups, ramen, noodles, donburi and bento among others. We tried fried gyozas, the all meat fried rice and chicken tempura with fried potatoes.

I’m not really a big fan of this particular type of food, but all in all, the experience was quite adequate. The chicken tempura was really delicious, well-cooked and comes with a mayo-based dip. Gyozas on the other hand, were crispy, though I would have preferred if the dipping sauce was a bit more out of the ordinary. Lastly, the all-meat fried rice was okay, although I think it doesn’t need the shredded nori on top.

THE SERVICE

The restaurant’s services were in fact very fast. The food we ordered was served in fewer than 10 or 15 minutes and the staff were very attentive whenever we call their attention. We also ordered a bottomless drink and we were surprised that the staff was constantly refilling it even without us asking.

THE VENUE

The Sumo Sam branch that we visited was the one at SM Megamall just beside the food court. Honestly, I think the restaurant should invest in making their place a bit better or actually consider moving to a different location. The ambiance was actually the worst part of the dining experience.

As it is located just beside the food court, a lot of people are passing us by all the time making the place a bit noisy for us to eat comfortably. The dining area is open and gives the restaurant quite a tacky feel, which doesn’t really reflect the price they’re charging for their food.

WRAP UP

To sum it all up, Sumo Sam offers a somewhat unique menu of Japanese fusion. In terms of taste, its food can do some sprucing up to accentuate its Japanese flavors. As for its branch at SM Megamall, we wish they could do some renovation and get the place a bit cozier and quieter or better yet, move to a better location with better seating.

If you’re a fan of M. Night Shyamalan’s works, then Universal Pictures’ VIY: The Spirit of Evil will definitely be your cup of tea. This dark fantasy film based on a Nikolai Gogol story of the same name will be opening this week in theatres in Manila starting October 22.

The movie was produced by Russian Film Group and Marins Group and stars Jason Flemyng from the film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The production was set in 17^th century Eastern Europe in a small town in Ukraine allegedly plagued by an evil spirit called Viy who has the ability to murder and takes the soul of his victim with just a gaze of his many eyes.

Jason Flemying plays the part of cartographer Jonathan Greene and the story of his arrival and stay at the small village, where he meets several characters that all played a part in the mystery surrounding the myths about Viy and the unexplained things happening in the village.

The film was shot in Prague and became a certified hit when it was released in Russia earlier this year taking in $17 million on its first week.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, the movie will be shown starting October 22 in 3D in select theatres in Metro Manila and in 2D movie houses nationwide. Those who will watch the movie will also get a chance to win an iPhone 6 via the film’s Facebook competition.

To be eligible for the prize, participants simply need to writer their name and signature on their movie ticket (the side where the movie title is visible) and then take a selfie with their ticket and post it on the movie’s official Facebook page. Users must like the page and click the “Watch and Win iPhone 6 promo logo” for the next steps and for them to enter their complete details.

There will be three winners of an iPhone 6 unit, which will be drawn on October 25, 28, and 31. Winners will be announced on different communication channels including the VIY Facebook page, the Futuretainment Facebook page, the Futuretainment Instagram page (@futureupdate) and of course the winners’ registered emails.

Do note that participants can only enter once during the entire promo.