Image: Getty Images, Jean-Yves Bruel
About This Quiz
From picking out the best materials and colors to staying on a budget, home design can be a full-time job. Being a well-rounded expert requires knowledge in energy efficiency, feng shui and even chemistry. Do you have what it takes to design a home?
The baby boomer generation is embracing universal design of homes, meaning:
a design that is a combination of many cultures' architectural styles
a design that looks the same throughout a neighborhood
a design meant for everyone, regardless of ability or age
Baby boomers are embracing universal design -- a design that's meant for people of all ages and abilities -- because they want to plan for the possibility of being in a wheelchair without spending years living in a home that looks like it was designed for a wheelchair.
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Which kind of prefab home consists of units constructed in factories?
manufactured homes
modular homes
Modular homes consist of units or modules that are constructed in factories and joined together on site. They often use costlier materials and are bigger than manufactured homes (mobile homes).
Sears homes
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Which of the following would be a bad place to keep a home library?
the basement
the attic
both of the above
Attics and basements heavy with humidity will cause mold and attract insects. In addition, basements are prone to flooding.
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If you want to design a room to feel calming, what color would be best?
blue
Blue has been seen to actually trigger the body to produce calming chemicals.
orange
green
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Which of the following is the greenest furniture choice?
hand-crafted furniture
mass-produced furniture
antiques
Antiques are probably the greenest furniture choice. This recycled furniture doesn't require any additional environmental impact. Also, when you buy an antique that's more than 50 years old, it lacks the toxic chemicals and substances that some furniture can emit.
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Which of the following is not an advantage of laminate kitchen countertops?
it's economical
it resists stains
it resists nicks
Laminates are cheaper than alternatives and have good stain, abrasion and moisture resistance, but scratches and nicks do show and can't be repaired. (An dark pattern minimizes visible marks, and color-through laminates show less evidence of wear.)
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Which of the following versions of feng shui have to do with proper placement in relation to topography and water formations?
Form School
The Form School, which originated in southern China, is based on the environment and proper placement in relation to topography and water formations. Sometimes referred to as "classic feng shui" because it is the oldest, the Form School is founded upon the ancient need to find a safe place to live.
Compass School
Black Hat
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Which of the following is not an advantage to building a straw bale house?
straw is a renewable resource
construction is cheaper
Although straw is cheaper than building materials like brick or lumber, constructing a straw bale home will usually cost the same as a conventional home because the wall budget is only about 10 percent to 15 percent of the total building budget.
it has better energy efficiency
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What do you call pre-fabricated, triangulated wooden structures used to support the roof of a house?
trusses
Trusses are pre-fabricated, triangulated wooden structures used to support the roof. They are popular because they're strong, customizable and inexpensive.
stability bracings
bearers
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What's the name of the map used in feng shui?
yin and yang map
lo shu map
bagua map
Practitioners who use the bagua map will overlay this diagram on a room or house to determine what should be placed in each area
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You Got:
/10
Getty Images, Jean-Yves Bruel
