The most decorative pet choice gets even more fashionable with a new aquarium model from AquaVista Inc. Available in a variety of colors, the AquaVista 100 is a space-saving tabletop tank that resembles a flat-screen monitor.

The aquarium is geared toward the casual fish owner, with a 2.4-gallon tank capable of providing a home for up to four small freshwater tropical fish. It comes equipped with a removable 3-D background accented by LED overhead lighting, and its designer “picture frame” is removable to fit a change in color schemes.

At 17 inches wide and 4 inches thick, the aquarium is suitable for most desktops or office tables.

The AquaVista 100 includes gravel, filter and air pump. It is available for $149.99 at Hammacher Schlemmer or Discovery Channel stores, or order online at aqua vistainc.com.

Save energy and money

The average U.S. household releases 22,000 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. But if that doesn’t inspire you to cut back on power, here is a more pressing statistic from the U.S. Department of Energy: That same household spends roughly $1,900 a year generating it. Here are power-saving tips from the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy.

Look for EPA-approved Energy Star labels on home or office electronics such as PCs or printers. Enable their “sleep” feature to ensure they power down when not in use.

Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees. This is hot enough for most needs and saves on the energy needed to maintain the tank’s temperature. You can also keep the surrounding area cool by insulating the tank if it feels warm.

Invest in compact fluorescent bulbs. They can be costly, but use two-thirds less energy, burn cooler and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

Plug those tiny leaks around windows and doors with indoor/outdoor clear caulk. You can find the leaks by holding a tissue or a wet fingertip up to the edges on a windy day.

Home expo

Stroll through more than 12,000 square feet of household ideas next weekend at the Home and Outdoor Living Show, sponsored by Synergy Travel Services. Local and regional exhibitors will come together for an expo that welcomes more than 100 manufacturers and vendors of home products.

Buy or sample a variety of goods from the latest gadgets to construction materials, or just get a sneak peek at goods not yet on the market. Classes will be scheduled throughout the weekend to teach you how to plan a summer project or make last-minute preparations for hurricane season.

Attendees can enter a drawing to win a travel certificate. Exhibitors also will offer an array of free items. Admission is $5 and parking is free at the show Saturday and June 3 at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, 4603 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. For details, call 1-877-778-3976 or visit synergyexpos .com.

Book report

Many design books define a particular trend, but rarely does the approach yield such helpful results as in Urban Country Style (Gibbs Smith, $29.95, hardcover). Nashville designer Nancy Gent brings together a surprising display of ideas with the help of photographer Elizabeth Betts Hickman.

Gent and Hickman’s concept of “urban country” style is as broad as the name suggests. Each chapter is dedicated to a different design rule in their “F.U.S.I.O.N.” acronym: Functional, Unexpected, Simple, Integrated, Old and New.

The “old” and “new” parts of their philosophy occasionally clash, but the book is at its best when it merges the “functional” and “unexpected.” Hickman’s photos provide stellar examples, such as chalkboard-panel doors for a child’s closet, or the use of open shelving in the walls of a reading nook.

Chiefly an interior-design book, Urban Country Style also spotlights patterns in architecture with a handful of contemporary homes. Whether you put its ideas into practice inside or outside the home, you will find plenty of inspiration.

Compiled by Tod Caviness. He can be reached at 407-420-5677 or tcaviness@orlandosentinel.com.

source : www.orlandosentinel.com