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If you’ve ever spent hours agonising over a light fitting, only to wonder if anyone other than you will notice it, listen up. Here’s just the study for you. Researchers have used eye-tracking technology to monitor where people look when they first see each new room in a house.

The study, conducted for insurance site confused.com, recorded not only what objects and fittings people looked at the most, but what held their attention for the longest. And the stars of the show aren’t always what you would expect.

The results were ranked room by room and trend by trend to give would-be decorators a few clues about whether to splash out on a boucle chair or a mid-century coffee table.

One important thing to bear in mind, of course, is that while trackers can tell us what people look at, they can’t tell us why. There is always a chance people are looking at something that catches their eye for all the wrong reasons. But people generally looked at the same objects in a similar order.

Kitchen

The kitchen is easily the biggest-ticket room in most homes and usually involves the most design decisions. So, who would have picked that flooring is the feature people spent the most time looking at? It’s a reminder to us all to sweep and mop.

Flooring was followed, perhaps more predictably, by cabinetry, which along with benchtops is easily the biggest design decision in this space.

At the other end of the scale the things people looked at the least were the cooktop, range hood and any artwork.

The kitchen top five were floor, cabinets, sink, countertop, and windows.

If you’re sprucing up your home for a sale, bear in mind other studies of buyer behaviour at open homes have found potential purchasers always open cabinet doors and drawers to check sturdiness and storage. They also turn on taps to assess water pressure in kitchens and bathrooms.

Living room

The most expensive items are way down the list, with wall art the most overlooked living room feature.

TVs were also near the bottom, although, to be fair, many people don’t want a television to be the focus of a living room. A recent trend towards black feature walls aims to camouflage screens and throw the focus back on furniture.

However, splashing out on a special coffee table or feature rug clearly pays off in impact.

The living room top five were coffee table, rug, soft furnishing (cushions/sofa), floor, and fireplace.

Bathroom

Perhaps it’s just vanity, but researchers found mirrors were the most eye-catching bathroom feature in this study, followed closely by under-sink drawers and cabinets.

It seems the big message here is don’t sweat the small stuff, with participants in the study looking the least at taps, lighting, towel rails and toilet roll holders. Taps clocked only 11 glances, holding the attention of observers for an average of 305 milliseconds, compared to drawers, which clocked 162 looks and held the gaze for around 1,888 milliseconds.

Interestingly, tiles – often the most-considered bathroom choice – only came in seventh, but perhaps they are a feature that work hardest as a backdrop rather than a focal point.

The bathroom top five were mirror, under-sink cabinets, sink, toilet, and bath.

Bedroom

Unsurprisingly it was soft furnishings such as throws and doonas that won the day here.

But a nice outlook and natural light may also be important with many participants also looking at the bedroom windows.

As opposed to kitchens, flooring in the bedroom was near the bottom of the list, with neutral carpeting probably a standard choice.

The bedroom top five were bed throw, doona/quilt, drawers, window, and decorative cushions.

Home office

While a desk may be your major consideration when setting up a work room, it can go relatively unnoticed.

The clear winner in this experiment was the office chair, which people looked at nearly three times more often and longer than the second-placed monitor screen.

The office top five were office chair, monitor, shelving, art, and rug.

Top trends

Researchers also decided to put distinctive décor to the eye-tracking test, packing rooms with a range of on-trend features, then measuring how quickly people homed in on these items. The clear winner is nostalgia, with 1940s and 50s-inspired boucle-textured furniture taking out the top spot followed by a host of 60s and 70s trends.

The distinctive decor top ten were boucle furniture, rattan furniture, dark kitchen cabinets, mid-century furniture, berber rugs, painted arches, herringbone flooring, macrame, black shower fixtures, and dried flowers.

^{Data from insurance comparison site confused.com}

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Feed your brain, feed the world

Freerice is an online educational trivia game that makes you smarter while you make a difference. For every answer you get right on the multiple-choice quiz, Freerice donates the cash equivalent of ten grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Private sponsors match the rice grain donations generated, triggering a payment to WFP. 100 per cent of all Freerice funds generated goes to the WFP. The money supports the organisation’s ongoing emergencies, with more than 100 million people receiving life-saving food and assistance across more than 80 countries each year. The quiz has five levels of difficulty in categories such as art, culture, history, geography, language, maths and science. As you play, a counter keeps a running tally of the number of grains you’ve donated. You can play alone or get competitive by creating a group.

www.freerice.com

Spinach & walnut pesto spaghetti

The spinach and walnut pesto used through this pasta is a far more subtle option than a traditional basil and pinenut pesto. And the lemon gives it a citrussy freshness that takes it to another level.

500g spaghetti
2 tsps salt
To serve, extra shredded or shaved parmesan, baby spinach leaves and walnuts

Pesto

200g baby english spinach leaves
50g finely shredded parmesan
80g walnuts
Zest of one lemon (about 1 tsp)
Juice of one lemon (about 3 tblsps)
1 tsp chopped/minced garlic
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ¼ tsps salt
85ml extra virgin olive oil

For the pesto, place all ingredients (except the olive oil) in a food processor and blitz until the ingredients come together in a finely chopped pesto consistency.

Using a spatula, scrape down the sides as required, then with the food processor motor on low, pour in the olive oil in a thin stream. Set pesto aside.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling water with the salt, according to packet instructions.

Before draining the pasta, scoop out 250ml of its cooking water and retain, then return the pasta to the empty pot.

Add the pesto to the pot, along with half of the retained cooking water. Toss well. If you feel it needs loosening up a little, add more of the saved cooking water until it is just right.

Serve immediately, garnished with the extra parmesan, spinach leaves and walnuts.

We had so many amazing entries to our Book Week costume comp, that we’ve awarded a winner and two runners-up.

Congratulations to Joy for being the major winner of $1,000 for her entry of her granddaughter’s costume. The costume creation was a multigeneration family effort with incredible results, with even the soft toy and brooch handmade.

“My granddaughter Violet loves the character “Hilda”. Violet first got to know the story on Netflix, but she then pursued it and has since devoured whatever she can read about Hilda’s adventures. In one of the photos, Violet’s sister Evelyn is holding one of the Hilda books. As for Violet’s costume, it was the result of the efforts of many family members: I (her grandmother) made her skirt and boots and her soft toy friend Twig – an arctic deer fox; her mother sourced her top, tights, beret, and blue wig; her great-grandmother knitted her scarf; and between them, her father and uncle 3D printed and painted her elf Alfur.”

With so many exceptional entries to our Book Week costume comp, we awarded two runners-up to share the love.

Congratulations to Courtneay for winning a $500 runners-up prize for her son’s cleverly constructed costume.

“My son’s last Book Week costume for primary school was a collection of some of his favourite books throughout the years. The costume was him being a bookworm through the apple and library of his books. This was quite a challenge to make and took us a long time to put together. I am not very good with arts and crafts, so we were both very proud of the final result.”

Congratulations to Claire for winning a $500 runners-up prize for her daughter’s brilliantly executed Book Week costume.

“My 6-year-old daughter has always loved the ibis bird and chases after them at the park yelling ‘bin chicken’ as she runs. I thought she would love the bin chicken book that I bought for her birthday, and she decided she wanted to dress as this for Book Week. I did my best with her costume, and she loved taking part in the parade as her beloved bin chicken.”

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Kitties of Disneyland – the kingdom’s keepers

Did you know that there is a population of 200-plus feral cats that live in the grounds of Disneyland, who are tasked with helping to control the theme park’s rodent population?

They’re neutered and supported with an infrastructure built specifically for them, including hidden feeding stations and veterinary care when required. First introduced in 1955, Disneyland doesn’t publicly talk about these invisible employees, preferring their rodent-eliminating staff members to perform their critical role during the nightshift when the park isn’t teeming with visitors.

Congratulations to Jennifer for winning $1,000 for sharing this amazing, history-filled story about a precious, old thing she has at home.

This little wooden box was carved in New Guinea by my grandfather when he served as an armourer during World War II (he also fought in World War I in the trenches in France when he was 17). The lid is Perspex from a downed plane and he painted the little scene on it. My grandfather was a carpenter and this box is beautifully made and lovingly polished.

My grandfather made two identical wooden boxes and brought them back with him on furlough in 1943, giving one to my mother (his only child) and one to her close friend, Pat. Pat lived behind Mum’s home and across a small lane. Pat was four years older than Mum. My grandfather built seats against the back fence during the polio epidemic in the late 1930s when children were not allowed to go to school and the two girls would play together – separated by two fences and a lane.

Mum gave her little box to my sister when I was 12. However, fortunately for me, Pat generously gifted me her little box, as seen pictured here, five years ago. Pat and my mother’s friendship lasted over 90 years until Pat’s recent death.

I look at this little box and it reminds me of my grandfather and his sacrifice – leaving his family, closing his business and going to war again at the age of 42. It reminds me of two little girls playing together – my mother and Pat and the love my grandfather had for them. It also reminds me of my sister because this little box is unique but also one of a pair and she has the matching one.

It is 79 years old and very precious.

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And while the big corporates are in the spotlight, individuals also need to consider their daily activities and find ways to minimise their own emissions.

Everything we do has an impact – from how we get to work, the type of car we drive, how we heat or cool our homes, the types of meals we put on the table, and of course our holiday destination choices.

And it all adds up. The average Australian household (2.6 people) emits 15-20 tonnes of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) annually, collectively adding up to about a fifth of the nation’s emissions.

The United Nations warns that if carbon emissions in wealthy countries like Australia aren’t cut to two tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per person per year by 2030, it will not be possible to achieve the Paris Agreement’s long-term goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

That means the average 2.6 person family should be aiming for 5.2 tonnes a year – about a quarter to a third of current volumes.

The message from Perth-based environmental charity Carbon Positive Australia is that we all need to reduce, reflect and restore to protect our planet. That means cutting our emissions and finding ways to offset the remainder.

Fortunately, there is plenty that can be done around the home and through our daily activities to slash emissions and play our part in achieving a greener future.

Getting started

To cut emissions, you first have to know the amount of GHGs you’re producing, and where these coming from.

A national online carbon calculator, launched by Carbon Positive Australia, can get you started in understanding your own footprint at https://carbonpositiveaustralia.org.au/calculate/.

It will take about 5-10 minutes to input key information about your consumption and lifestyle across six categories – travel, energy, water, transport, food and drinks, and waste.

You can choose to include any or all of these categories, and if you don’t have exact usage, Australian averages are available.

At the end of the calculation, you’ll receive an itemised footprint with tailored insights to help you cut your emissions. As you make changes to your habits you can continue using the calculator to track your progress.

Finding the balance

While there’s plenty that can be done to reduce your impact, it’s extremely difficult to reduce absolutely all emissions. To account for the unavoidable emissions you produce, you can consider carbon offsetting.

Offsetting involves a donation to projects that remove or reduce greenhouse gases from the atmosphere – balancing out those produced.

It would be difficult, for example, to give up travel, but it can be done guilt-free if offsetting the emissions. A long-haul flight can generate about five tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, but these can be offset for about $100, based on current prices.

Popular types of offset projects include reforestation and tree planting, renewable energy projects, waste and landfill management and carbon-reducing agricultural practices.

It is important to remember though, that offsets should only be used after steps to reduce as many emissions as possible have been taken.

Individuals can buy offsets through specialist companies and charities including Carbon Positive Australia and Greenfleet, which focus on tree planting and land restoration projects to sequester carbon and restore natural ecosystems.

Funds donated to these offset providers are directed into different regeneration or vegetation projects, so it’s worth checking the individual websites to look at the projects they have underway.

There are plenty of ways to offset, including by the tonne. It can cost about $18-$20 per tonne to offset emissions, meaning an average household of 2.6, which reduces its emissions to 5.2 tonnes a year, could offset for a little over $100, tax deductable.

There’s also the option of offsetting for more tailored activities, such as individual flights, vehicles or food and drink, or making a flat donation, which can be done through many providers.

The more people opt to reduce emissions and offset the remainder, the better chance we have of managing the impact of climate change.

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From rags to riches

In 2013, a man browsing in a Sydney op shop purchased an unusual cup for $4.

Its uniqueness caused him to research its origins. He sent a picture to Sotheby’s, who confirmed that it was indeed both rare and valuable. The buyer had unknowingly purchased a 17th century Chinese ‘libation cup’ carved from the horn of a rhinoceros. He went on to sell it at auction for more than $75,000.

But this story pales when compared to a lucky American who in 2007 purchased a small bowl for US$3 at a garage sale in New York state, which they went on to sell for US$2.225 million at a Sotheby’s auction. Little did the purchaser know that the bowl that they had kept on their mantelpiece, with no idea of its worth, was in fact a 1,000-year-old treasure. The Ding ware bowl was an example of Northern Song Dynasty pottery and described by Sotheby’s as remarkable and exceptionally beautiful. The only other known bowl of the same size, form and similar decoration has been in the collection of the British Museum in London for more than 60 years.

Oh my dog! We had a record number of entries to our latest Fashionista Fido Haven competition.

This overwhelming response is hardly surprising when you learn that there are 29 million pets in Australia – easily outnumbering the human population. With so many purrfect entries the job of choosing a winner was ruff – but it was also very fun to view hundreds of adorable photos of your furry and feathered friends. Thank you to everyone that took the time to enter and congratulations to Steve for winning with his snap and tail of Lily and Ziggy, resplendent in their outfits and display of sibling love. For what is cuter than one dressed up doggie? Two of course!

From Steve:

“Lily (left) is big sister to Ziggy (right). She adores her little brother. Lily doesn’t like the cold though, so in winter she loves wearing something warm and soaking up the sun. Ziggy on the other hand prefers the natural look and uses Lily as his personal heater. His favourite sleeping position is resting his head on top of Lily’s butt. She doesn’t seem to mind, even though he’s now grown a lot bigger than her and yet he still comes to his big sister for comfort and warmth.”

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