Everything Home - Spring Home Improvement Edition - April 2025

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you love wildflowers, crafting, embroidery, plants and a fairy tale-like esthetic, the cottage core look may be right for you. trendy style evokes the at mosphere, lifestyle and roman ticism of English country hou Fortunately, you don’t have live in a literal cottage to get look. Here’s how to bring design style into your home.

EVERYTHING HOME

6 tips for setting up a small kitchen

REAL ESTATE & HOME SERVICES GUIDE

APRIL 2025

THE WALLS

create a dreamy and poetic atmosphere, paint the walls in pastel tones.Alternatively, apply flowery wallpaper.Just make the print isn’t too busy, as can overwhelm the space.

THE FLOOR

Whether it’s wood or ceramic, light flooring is a good fit for the cottagecore look. you add a rug, consider choosing a white or beige macramé model.

THE FURNITURE

Wood, wicker, rattan and other natural materials conibute to a country esthetic. Look for chairs,tables, beds and other furniture made of these materials.Vintage and antique pieces are also on theme.

THE ACCENTS

Floral prints and botanical fabrics will set the right tone. Plants are a must, but consider incorporating dried or fresh flowers into the space as well. Handmade items, vintage dishware and folk art pieces are also a good fit.

To create the cottagecore look in your home, visit shops and antique dealers in your area.

3 tips for savvier furniture shopping

When furnishing a room, a little planning goes a long way. Most importantly, it helps you avoid making impulse purchases and selecting furniture that’s the wrong size.Here are some tips to help you make the right home decor choices.

1. IDENTIFY YOUR PRIORITIES

Before you start furniture shopping, list everything you need in order of importance.This will help you determine how much of your budget to put toward each item. For instance, if you have trouble sleeping, you may decide to splurge on your mattress rather than on a dresser or vanity. Or, if you work from home, you may want to spend a little extra on an ergonomic office chair.

2. LOOK FOR DEALS

Once you’ve planned your purchases, it’s time

to bargain hunt. Be on the lookout for sales and promotions, but keep in mind that sometimes you need to be patient to take advantage of the best discounts. If the item you’ve set your sights on is unlikely to drop in price, see if your local retailers can suggest solutions. For example, you may be able to get a deal on display models or pieces that have slight imperfections.

3. THINK LONG-TERM

Make smart investments by choosing styles that have a timeless look and don’t merely reflect the current fad. If you want to indulge in a few trendy pieces, opt for inexpensive items that you can sell or donate in a few years.

Finally, consider making an effort to buy locally. You don’t have to go far to find talented furniture makers and well-curated furniture stores.

appliances. A combination oven, which acts as both an oven and a microwave, allows you to have a single appliance that can bake, grill and reheat food.A microwave with a built-in hood is also a great option.

5. Install cabinets close to the ceiling . Build them high to maximize

space, and use the top shelves for items you rely on less frequently. Just be sure to keep a folding step ladder nearby so you can easily reach

your home, your wealth

Other rates and terms available!

be waived are the Property Search, Flood Search and Recording Fees. If the loan is paid off within a 36 month period, fees may be reassessed and included in final payoff. The Satisfaction Fee will not be waived and will be collected at the end of the term of the loan. Any additional fees, including appraisal fees, will be the responsibility of the member. Homeowner’s insurance is required; flood insurance is required, where applicable. Automatic payment preferred from a Service 1st deposit account. Other conditions/restrictions may apply. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Membership eligibility required. Normal underwriting guidelines apply. Offer valid through 6/30/2025. ** Segments have a fixed rate (the rate will not increase at any time while the plan is open), term and payment. Combined total of segments cannot exceed maximum amount of master line of credit. As balance of segment is reduced, it will proportionately increase available amount of master line of credit. The rate on the master line of credit portion is variable, Prime Rate + 0% for up to 80% LTV (loan to value), Prime Rate + 1% between 80.01% and 90% LTV and is subject to change monthly. This rate varies with the market based on the Prime Rate published in the Wall Street Journal. The APR may increase after consummation; minimum floor APR is 3.50%, maximum ceiling APR is 18%. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Membership eligibility required. Maximum of two (2) termed out segments within master line of credit at any one time. Equal Housing Lender. Federally Insured by NCUA.

Givemespace!

Creatingaharmoniouseffectwiththelayoutofasmallroomorcrampedapartment isn’talwayseasy.Hereareafewideas thatcouldhelpyoucreatetheillusionof morespace.

THELIGHTANDAIRYLOOK

Firstofall,forasmallroomtobevisually pleasant,itisimportanttoavoidovercrowding.Avoidlargepiecesoffurniture ortoomuchfurniture.Youshouldalso avoidthetemptationofdisplayingallyour belovedtreasuresandcollectibles,which canleavetheroomlookinglikeamess.Declutterandyou`llkeepthingsdust-freeand headache-free.

EFFICIENTSTORAGE

Setupanefficientstorage systemsoyoucanputaway allthoselittleobjectsthat onlygatherdustandfillup thespace.Forexample,placingsomeprettylittlebasketsonyourbookshelves canserveasaplacetostore thingsyouuseoften.Optfor bedsidetablesandendtableswithdrawersforstoring booksanddocuments.

CHOOSETHERIGHTFURNITURE

Multipurposefurniturecan alsohelpyoufreeupsome

space.Tryasofawithdrawersintheliving room,adropleaftableinthekitchen,astoragebenchintheentrancehall,orabedwith storagecompartmentsinthebedroom.

USELIGHTCOLORS

Alwayschooselightcolorsifyouwantto givetheillusionofmorespace.Thisalsoallowsmorenaturallighttoentertheroom. Ceilingsshouldbepaintedinacolorthat reflectslight.

MIRROR,MIRRORONTHEWALL

Hangingalargemirroronthewall,orsimply leaningitagainstthewall,instantlymakesa roomlookbigger.It’salmostlikemagic!

Awell-designedkitchenisland

Addinganislandtoyourkitchenisanexcitingproject.However,ithastobewelldesignedinordertomeetallyourrequirements,whetheryoupurchaseditready-made inabigboxstore,assembleditaccordingto aplan,orhaditcustom-made.

POSITIONING

Unlessyou’reluckyenoughtohaveavery largekitchen,anislandisreallyonlyappropriateforanopenarea.Forthekitchentobe functional,youshouldplanfor107cmof clearancebetweentheislandandthecabinetsinordertobeabletocirculatefreely andbeabletoeasilyopenthefridgeand stovedoors.Ifspaceislimited,anotheroptionistoplantheislandasanextension ofthecabinets.Designerswouldcallthis apeninsula.

DIMENSIONS

Akitchenislandhastobesufficientlylarge tofulfillitsmainpurpose,whichistoextend theavailableworksurfaceforfoodpreparation.Theminimumdimensionsrecommendedbykitchendesignersare60x90cm. Theidealheightshouldbethesameasthat ofastandardworksurface,i.e.90cm.If you’replanningonusingtheislandasan eatingarea,theheightofanystoolsshould beatleast30cmlowerthantheworktop.

COMPONENTS

Lastly,itisimportanttodetermineifyou wanttheislandtoincludecomponentsthat requiretheservicesofaplumberoranelectriciantoinstall,suchassink,dishwasher, cooktopandexhaustfan,winecellar,or built-inmicrowaveoven.Nowisalsothetime tothinkaboutmaximizingthepotentialof thisnewworkzonewith theadditionofstorage modules,includingdrawers,cabinets,andslidingshelves.

Planforaclearance of107cmbetween theislandandthe kitchencabinets.

WINDOWS

Energyefficient,soundproof, orself-cleaning!

Windowsplayakeyroleinanyhome.As wellasbeingasourceoflightandheat,providingprotectionagainstbadweather,and limitingunwantednoise,windowscangive cachetandpersonalitytoanyresidence.But theyhavetobechosenwithcare.

Therearemanydifferenttypesofwindowsonthemarket.Casementwindows areamongthemostpopular.Equippedwith handles,thesewindowscanbeopenedand closedwithlittleeffort.Slidingwindows offertheadvantageofbeing verysimpletouseaswellas beinginexpensive.Somepeopleprefersashwindowsthat giveamoreclassiclook.Itis alsopossibletooptforcustomizedwidowsformorespecificneedsoruniquedesigns.

Buttheoptionsdon’tstopthere. Newtechnologiesnowoffer possibilitiesfarbeyondabit ofglasssurroundedbyaframe. Thesedaysyoucanfindglass speciallydesignedtoallowsun raystoremovedirtandtracesof rain.Thesewindowsstayclean atalltimes,withverylittleeffort involved.Therearealsodif-

ferentenergyperformanceratings.Dependingonthezoneandtheclimatewhereyou live,youcanoptforwindowsthathavea higherthermalcapacity,whichcanlimittemperaturefluctuationsindoors.Lastly,forspecialprojects,itmaybenecessarytochoose resistantorsoundproofglass.

Thesedays,thereisawindowtomeetanycriteria.Specialistsinthisfieldcangiveyou moreideas,advice,andestimatesforthetype ofwindowyourequire.

Windowsaresomuchmorethanjustawaytoseeoutside; theyplayanimportantroleinthecomfortofourhomes.

Renovatingtosell

Mosthomeownersknowthatthesecretto sellingahomequicklyandatagoodprice istoensurethatpotentialbuyersfallinlove withthepropertyatfirstsight.However, beforeundertakinganyrenovationswiththe aimofsellingyourhome,takethetimeto thinkabouthowmuchyouwanttospend, carefullydecidewhichaspectsofyour homeneedimprovement,anddrawupalist ofpriorities.

Accordingtotheexperts,afirstpositive impressioniscreatedwithinoneminute,or evenless.Consequentlydoorsandwindows shouldbeingoodrepair.Theoutsideentranceshouldbepleasingtothe eye,themailboxandanylight fixturesproperlyinstalled,and theyardwellmaintained.

Theinsideofthehomeshould lookcleananduncluttered.To improveyourchancesofpleasingthemajorityofprospective buyers,wallsshouldbepainted inneutralcolours,suchasbeige, palegrey,orivory.Lotsofwelcominglightisalsoamust,so don’thesitatetoreplaceshabby lookinglightfixtures.Thissort ofinexpensiveimprovementcan makearealdifferenceinapotentialbuyer’sperception.

Floorcoveringsalsohaveanimpact.Obviously,changingthe

flooringisamorecostlyandtimeconsumingimprovementbutitcanmakeallthe difference.Carpetsaretobeavoidedunlesstheyarereasonablynewandinvery goodcondition.Wood,goodqualityfloating floors,ortilingarepreferableandareavailableatreasonableprices.

Lastly,ifit’snotpossibletocompletelyremodelthekitchenorthebathroom,you couldsimplymakeafewsmallimprovements:changethecabinethandlesorknobs andgivethemafreshcoatofpaint;replace brokentiles;de-clutter;andaddafewupto-datedecorativeelements.

Afewinexpensivejobscanoftenbeenough tomakearealdifferencetopotentialbuyers.

Open-planhomes areperfectforhiving.

Anewerainhouseholdappliances

Householdappliancesareconstantly evolvingtobegreener,sleeker,andmore adaptedtoanykindbudget.Newfeatures andvarieddesignsmakeshoppingfor oneofthesemachinesarealexperience.

Thesedays,morethan90percentofdishwashersareelectronic,withmanyprogramstopreciselycontrolwashingintensity.Giantstrideshavealsobeenmadein reducingwaterandelectricityconsumption.Just15yearsagoadishwashercycle usedanaverageof30litresofwater, whiletoday13litresissufficient.Many dishwashersarenowlessnoisyandhave largerholdingcapacitiesthantheyused to.Somemodelscanwashupto15place settings,whichis25percentmorethana regular-sizedmachine.

Thenewgenerationofwashingmachines isundeniablymoreeconomical,practical, andecologicalthananyother.Theyguaranteegreatperformanceinbothtimeand energyconsumption.Highperformance electronicsarefeaturedonbothfrontortop-loadingwashers,withsensorsto adjusttherequiredamountsofwaterand electricityduringthewash,rinse,andspin cycles.Today’swashingmachinecanjust aboutdoitall:automaticloadweighing, systemstoreducewaterconsumption, sudsdetectionduringspincycles,and systemstocontroloverflowsandleaks. Someevenofferclosed-doorventilation sothataforgottenloadofdampwashed clotheswon’tstarttosmellmusty!

Finally,forallthosehouseholdsthat wouldlovetohavea clothesdryerbutjust don’thaveenoughroom, theverticalwasher-dryer combohasalsomade technologicalleapsand boundsandnowoffers twicetheperformancein halfthespace.

Thedesignandefficiency oftoday’shousehold appliancesseems straightoutofthefuture. (PhotoWhirlpool)

Pleasenote:Thephotosaccompanyingthearticlesareavailableinlargerformat.

Tipsforperfectlighting

Lightingmakesallthedifferenceinthe atmosphereofahome.Eachroomrequires differentlighting,dependingonitsuse. Outsideoftask-specificlights,suchasthose usedforreadingornearaworksurface,the goalisgenerallytoenhanceyourspaceand makeitfeelwarmandinvitingtotheeyes.

Adiningroomorkitchentableshouldbe litbyaceilinglightorchandelier;recessed lightingorspotlightsshouldonlybeused tohighlightaworkofart,apieceoffurniture,oradecorativeobject.Remember thatrecessedlightingshouldbepointed towardsawallinordertocreateindirect lightandnotbedazzlingtotheeyes.Floor lampsordirectionaltrackedlightswill helptoproducediffused,moreintimate lightinginaroom.Whendecidingonany typeofceilinglight,makesurethereis someheadroom,withnoexposedbulbsto createglare.

Inadiningroom,thebottomofachandeliershouldbeatleast30inchesfromthe table,andoveranislandthereshouldbeat least34inchesofheadroom.Afewsimple calculationscanserveasaguidetotheright sizeofchandelier.Firstofall,measurethe widthofthetableandsubtract12inches. Theresultwilldeterminetheidealmaximumwidthofthechandelier,whilethe

minimumwidthshouldbehalfthewidth ofthetable.

Lastly,keepinmindthesizeoftheroomas wellastheheightoftheceilingwhendecidingonthenecessarybrightness(wattage)of yourlighting.Thehighertheceiling,the morewattageyouwillneed,unlessyou havetrackeddirectionallightbulbs.Ifthis ruleisn’tfollowed,thelightwillprobably beoverwhelmedbythespace.

Perfectlightingisthekey tomaximizingyourdécor. TOOLBOX,January-February2012,Page59

Aftercocooningcomeshiving

Overtheyears,homedecoratinghas evolvedtoreflecttrendsinoureverchangingsociety.Cocooning,soprevalentinNorthAmericaattheturnofthis century,underwentadramatictransformationafter9/11.Today,westillloveto spendtimeathome,butnowwedoitina groupandcallithiving.Hivingmeans makingconnectionswithothers,keeping intouchwithfamily,friends,andwork colleagues,allfromthecomfortofour ownhomes.

Thehivingtrendhashadaninfluenceon howwedecorateourhomes:coziness mustnowgobeyondthebedroomand basementden.Wewantourspacestohave anunclutteredbutfriendlyandwelcoming feel.Nolongercontenttoentertainour-

selvesinisolation,nowwepreferboard gamesandsocialoccasions.

Openplanhomesandmultifunctional roomsareperfectforthisstyleofliving. Thebig,heavycoffeetablehasgivenway tolittlesidetablesthatcanbeeasilymoved aroundastheoccasiondemands.Oversized ottomansmakeperfectfootrests,butthey alsomakegreatextraseatingforsurprisevisitors.

Differentvariationsofneutralpainttones aremakingacomebackonwalls.Whiteis omnipresent,aswellas“non-colours”,such asshadesofgrey,sand,cement,graphite, andivory.Tocomplementthatsimplicity, colourfulaccentsstraightfromnature abound,includingraspberry,applegreen, andsunnyyellow.

Itisheartwarmingto seethetwenty-first centuryhomebecomeapeacefulhaven forextendedfamily, justlikeinourgrandparents’time!

Theperfectkitchenisland

Akitchenislandisamust-haveintoday’s idealhome.Anycookwhohasonecouldn’tlivewithoutit!Anislandisthesolutiontoashortageofworkingspace,andit isagreatwaytoaddstoragecupboards tosmallkitchens.Eventhesmallestof homescanaccommodateanisland,with themanysizesandstylesonoffer:butcherblocks,mobileunits,breakfastbars, andmultipurposeislandswithsinksor cookingrangesbuiltin.

Thefirststepinchoosingtherightone foryourkitchenistocarefullycalculate theavailablespace.Youwon’twantto blocktheflowofkitchentrafficorhinderaccesstoappliances.Expertssuggest aclearanceofatleast36inchesaround theislandand24inchesofworksurface. Theheightoftheislandshouldbecomparabletothatofthecountertops,unless abreakfastcounteristobeincludedin theplan.Inthatcase,theheightofthis sectionshouldbeadjustedtothatofthe chairsorstools.

Tomaximizestoragespace,theisland shouldbeplannedaccordingtowhatit willbeusedfor.Forexample,large drawersforstoringknivesandchopping boardsareidealiftheislandistobeused forfoodpreparation.Iftheislandistobe

Akitchenislandisadefinitemust inanyfunctionalkitchen.

Anewerainhouseholdappliances

Householdappliancesareconstantly evolvingtobegreener,sleeker,andmore adaptedtoanykindbudget.Newfeatures andvarieddesignsmakeshoppingfor oneofthesemachinesarealexperience.

Thesedays,morethan90percentofdishwashersareelectronic,withmanyprogramstopreciselycontrolwashingintensity.Giantstrideshavealsobeenmadein reducingwaterandelectricityconsumption.Just15yearsagoadishwashercycle usedanaverageof30litresofwater, whiletoday13litresissufficient.Many dishwashersarenowlessnoisyandhave largerholdingcapacitiesthantheyused to.Somemodelscanwashupto15place settings,whichis25percentmorethana regular-sizedmachine.

Thenewgenerationofwashingmachines isundeniablymoreeconomical,practical, andecologicalthananyother.Theyguaranteegreatperformanceinbothtimeand energyconsumption.Highperformance electronicsarefeaturedonbothfrontortop-loadingwashers,withsensorsto adjusttherequiredamountsofwaterand electricityduringthewash,rinse,andspin cycles.Today’swashingmachinecanjust aboutdoitall:automaticloadweighing, systemstoreducewaterconsumption, sudsdetectionduringspincycles,and systemstocontroloverflowsandleaks. Someevenofferclosed-doorventilation sothataforgottenloadofdampwashed clotheswon’tstarttosmellmusty!

placedbetweenthekitchenandthediningarea,thenstoragespaceshouldbe plannedonbothsidestofacilitateaccess todishesandutensils,forexample.

Amongthenewtrendsinkitchenislands are“peninsulas”,whichareoversized islandswithoneendattachedtoawall, allowingcirculationonthreesides.They offerlotsofstoragespaceandcan accommodateadishwasherorawine fridge.Manypeoplewillevenaddan extrasink,whichisusefulwhenpreparingfoods—especiallyifthechefhasa fewassistants.

Tipsforperfectlighting

Lightingmakesallthedifferenceinthe atmosphereofahome.Eachroomrequires differentlighting,dependingonitsuse. Outsideoftask-specificlights,suchasthose usedforreadingornearaworksurface,the goalisgenerallytoenhanceyourspaceand makeitfeelwarmandinvitingtotheeyes.

Finally,forallthosehouseholdsthat wouldlovetohavea clothesdryerbutjust don’thaveenoughroom, theverticalwasher-dryer combohasalsomade technologicalleapsand boundsandnowoffers twicetheperformancein halfthespace.

Thedesignandefficiency oftoday’shousehold appliancesseems straightoutofthefuture. (PhotoWhirlpool)

Adiningroomorkitchentableshouldbe litbyaceilinglightorchandelier;recessed lightingorspotlightsshouldonlybeused tohighlightaworkofart,apieceoffurniture,oradecorativeobject.Remember thatrecessedlightingshouldbepointed towardsawallinordertocreateindirect lightandnotbedazzlingtotheeyes.Floor lampsordirectionaltrackedlightswill helptoproducediffused,moreintimate lightinginaroom.Whendecidingonany typeofceilinglight,makesurethereis someheadroom,withnoexposedbulbsto createglare.

Inadiningroom,thebottomofachandeliershouldbeatleast30inchesfromthe table,andoveranislandthereshouldbeat least34inchesofheadroom.Afewsimple calculationscanserveasaguidetotheright sizeofchandelier.Firstofall,measurethe widthofthetableandsubtract12inches. Theresultwilldeterminetheidealmaximumwidthofthechandelier,whilethe

minimumwidthshouldbehalfthewidth ofthetable.

Lastly,keepinmindthesizeoftheroomas wellastheheightoftheceilingwhendecidingonthenecessarybrightness(wattage)of yourlighting.Thehighertheceiling,the morewattageyouwillneed,unlessyou havetrackeddirectionallightbulbs.Ifthis ruleisn’tfollowed,thelightwillprobably beoverwhelmedbythespace.

anynecessarytouchupstothepaint.

Yourbuildingproducts retailerissuretobeable toansweranyquestions youmayhaveabout mouldingsandhowto installthem.

Wallpaperhere, there,andeverywhere!

Ifyou’reoneofthosepeoplewhothinksthatwallpaperisathingofthepast,maybe youshouldthinkagain.Withabitofimaginationandgoodtaste,itcanconferasurprisinglywhimsicaltouchtoyourhome.Whetherit’storevampanoldpieceof furniture,dressupafoldingprivacyscreen,orenhanceadecorativeobject,wallpapercanbeused inanumberofunexpectedways.

Usewallpaperto:

•createatrompe-l’oeilheadboardforabed

•dressupanoldsideboard

•decoratethemantelpiece

•personalizealampshade

•brightenupstairrisers

•coverachestofdrawers,sidetable,orbookshelves

•enhanceabathroomcupboard

•embellishtheinsideofwardrobesordrawers

•decorateadollhouse

Useyourcreativity toturnwallpaper intoyourfavourite decoratingmaterial.

•giveatouchofglamour todocumentstoragecontainers

•createadecorativewallpaperborderorasliding paneleffect

Ofcourse,youcouldalso usewallpaperforitsoriginalpurpose,whichis toaddcolourandvisualinteresttothewallsof aroom.Youcanpaperanentireroom,onewall, orevenaceilingthatyou’dliketoaccentuate.

Foryourdecorationprojecttobeasuccess,besuretochoosegoodqualitywallpaper.These daysitisavailableinanimpressiverangeofpatterns,colours,andtexturesandiseasyto useaswell.Nowallyouhavetodoissitbackandenjoyyourworksofart!

rowtothenext.Checkfrequentlytoensure thattherowofbricksislevel. Useamitersawfittedwithaceramicblade forcuttingthebricksattheendoftherows. Recuperatetheremnantstostartanewrow. Brickcorners,usedtocoverthecornersof threedimensionalobjects,suchasthoseon amantelpiece,arealsoavailableonthemarket.Nowallthat’slefttodoistofillthe jointswithmortaraccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.

Decorativebricksandstonesgiveawarm andauthenticlooktoahome.

Fakebeams,authenticcharacter

Ifyouhavethem,youmightnotknowwhat todowiththem,andifyoudon’thavethem, youmightwishyoudid.If they’redoneright,there’s nothingquitelikeexposed beamstoenhancethecachet ofaroom.Wouldyoulove toincorporatethisarchitecturalfeatureinyourhome butdon’thavethegrandiose budgettomatch?Here’sthesolution.

cancreateafalsebeamatafractionofthe pricebyusingMDF(fiberboard)panels.

BEAUTIFULANDPRACTICAL

Becausetheyarehollow, falsebeamsaregreatforhidingsuchthingsaspipes,cables,andelectricalwiring.

Thefirststepinmaking afalsebeamistocut threestripsofMDFof thesamewidth;typically,theyrangefrom 15to20cm.Next,glue andnailthemon5x7-cm wooduprights.Thegoalistobuildathreesidedbox,thefourthsidebeingtheceiling.

Firstofall,youcanfindfakewoodbeams onthemarket.Madeofpolyurethaneor polystyrene,theyaremuchmoreaffordable thanasolidwoodbeam.Evenbetter,you

Nowallyouhavetodoispaintorstainthe beamsaccordingtothelookyouwantto givetheroom:pale,dark,ornatural.Itispossibletogiveyourbeamsthelook ofnaturalwoodbycreatingagrain withawood-grainingtoolorrocker.MDFwithawoodgrainfinishisalsoavailableinstores.

Theadditionoffalsebeamsshould bedonesparinglyinordernotto givetheroomaheavylook.Of course,theceilingshouldalsobe highenoughtolenditselftothis imposingarchitecturalstyle.

Solidwoodbeams ormadewithMDF? Nobodywillknow exceptyou!

TheAmericanEnglishversionofthetextonthispageisavailableinthepagefolder.

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Lightsthatcreateastunningeffect

Thefirstfactortoconsiderwhenchoosingalightfixtureiswhatyouwantitto do.Adirectionallampissuitablefor specifictaskssuchasreadingorcooking,whilealightfixturewithadimmer ispreferableforcreatingatmosphere. Outdoorlightingrequiresfixturesdesignedtowithstandbadweather.Designsvarygreatly,astheymaybeused forsecuritypurposesortoshowoffa landscapingfeature.

Insidethehome,ensurethatthestyleof yourlightissuitablefortheareawhere itwillbeinstalled.Amodernlampor recessedlightwillharmonizewitha contemporarydécororaZenatmosphere,whereasanantiqueorVictorian

stylelampisessentialforarusticor traditionalstyle.

Bearinmindthatifyouplaceyour tablelamportorchiereinacorner,its lightwillbereflectedontwowalls, amplifyingluminosity.Lightfixtures installedonpastelcolouredwallsand ceilingswillbemoreefficient,aspale surfacesreflectabout80percentofthe light.Becausedarksurfacesonlyreflectabout10percent,thinkabout installingmorelampsorfixturesina roomwithdarkwallsinordertocreate sufficientlight.

Youcanalsochooseyourlightsaccordingtotheeffectyouwanttocreate.The rangeofdifferentmodelsavailableonthe marketissovastthat you’reboundtofindthe lookyou’vesetyour hearton.Therearealso lightfixturesthatgive differenttypesoflight, suchasaflatteringlight forthebathroom,ashadowlesslightforthe kitchen,agentleglow inthediningroom,as wellasmoodandindirectlightingforthelivingroomandbedroom.

Tablelampsprovide indirectlighting.

Frenchdoorsorslidingpatiodoors?

Unlikeslidingpatiodoors,Frenchpatio doorsarehingedandopeninwards.This meanstheyaren’tespeciallydesignedtobe leftopen,likeslidingdoors,toletinthe freshaironwarmdays.

Eventhoughslidingdoorscanbeusedto accessthebackyard,Frenchdoorsaremore specificallydesignedtofulfilltheroleofa maindoor.Inotherwords,they’reagreat choiceforenergyefficiencyiftheyserveas entrydoors,wherethereisaregularflowof trafficinandoutofthehome.

Theironedrawbackisthattheyrequirea lotofinteriorspace,whereasslidingdoors don’t.Infact,Frenchdoorsmustbeable toopencompletelywithoutencumbering theroom,withnothinginthewaytohindertheiropening.Nevertheless,French doorsaresuitableforallstylesofhome andletinanabundanceofnaturallight. Theyareextremelyestheticandcomeina vastchoiceofpanels,sizes,andglasspane formations.Somecomewithstunning stained-glass,beautifulmoldings,andeleganthandles,andframesinwood,steel, andPVCallhavetheirspecialcharacteristics.

Thekeyelementtolookforis impeccableconstruction,durability,andoptimumresistance tobadweather.Anefficient lockingsystemisalsoessential. ThecostofgoodqualityFrench doorsiscertainlyhigherthan slidingdoors,althoughthelatter arenowavailableinstylesthat resembleFrenchdoors.

Frenchdoorsaresuitablefor allstylesofhomeandletin anabundanceofnaturallight.

Theworkofrenovatingabathroomstarts withtheplumbingandelectricity.Those stepsshouldbeentrustedtoqualifiedprofessionalswhoareawareofcurrentbuilding regulationsandcanconformtostandards.

Tellyourplumberwhereyouwantthe bathroomfixtures,takingintoaccountthe layoutofthefloorjoistsandtheposition ofthedrain.Explaintoyourelectrician whereyouneedelectricaloutletsandventilation.Ifyouwantaheatedfloorora whirlpoolbath,heorshewillensurethat therearefreecircuitsavailableonyour breakerpanel.Iftherearenone,thepanel willhavetobeupgraded.

Paintingthewallsandceilingandreplacingthefloorcoveringaremucheasier whenthebathroomhas beenstrippedofitsold fixtures.Startwiththe paintworkandthenproceedtothefloorcovering;besuretochoose coveringsthatareeasy tomaintainandwater andhumidityresistant.

Thenextstepconsistsofinstallingthe newfixturesandthetaps.Ifyouhave optedforacustomceramicshowerthat hastobebuilton-site,startwiththatjob, whichshouldn’tpresentanydifficultyfor anexperiencedhandyman.Next,install thebath,toilet,andpedestalsink.Proceed withthesinkfirstifitisthetypethatisto beinstalledonavanityorcountertop.If youhaveabuilt-insink,fixittothe counterandthentothecabinetunit.

Thenextstepistheinstallationofthe cupboards,drawers,andcountertop,ifthe latterisn’tpartofavanity.Choosematerialsthatareeasytomaintainandwater resistant.Thefinalstepistoinstalllight fixtures,mirrors,towelracks,grabbars, andotheraccessories.

Fourdecisionstomake whenbuildingagardenshed

1.LOCATION

Ifyou’vedecidedtobuildagarden shedonyourproperty,yourfirstdecisionwillbeitslocation.Firstofall, findoutaboutmunicipalregulations concerningtheplacementofshedson privateproperty.Theseusuallyspecify theminimumdistancefromtheresidence,propertyboundaries,andpublic services,aswellasthemaximumsurfaceareaandheightandauthorized finishingmaterials.Thenmeasurethe availablespaceatyourchosenlocation,takingintoaccountwhatyou’ll usetheshedfor.Ifyou’regoingto storethesnowblowerthere,forexample,ensurethatyoucanaccessyour shedatalltimes.

2.USE

Generallyintendedforthestoringof tools,lawnmowers,bicycles,patio furniture,andpoolandgardenequipment,theshedcouldalsobeusedasa workshopforatinkererorgardener. Howyoudecidetouseyourshedwill influencethesurfacearea,height,and comfortfactor.

3.DESIGN

Shedsareavailableinawiderangeof stylesandmaterials.Mostmanufacturersofferachoiceofmodels,including

basic,traditional,luxury,andmade-tomeasure.Whetheryouoptforawood ormetalshed,takeintoaccountthe qualityoftheconstruction,itssolidity, durability,storagefacilities,upkeep requirements,aswellasthequalityand practicalityofitsdesign.

4.ASSEMBLY

Ensurethatthefoundationsaresolid enoughtosupportthesizeandweightof theconstruction.Ifyouarehandy,you couldbuildtheshedyourselfbyselectingaready-to-assemblekitoryoucould haveitassembledbyaspecialist.

Theworkofrenovating abathroomstartswiththe plumbingandelectricity.

THE ORIGINAL HOME is abeautiful exampleofPA construction from fireplaces, plusaindoorcooking hearth with kettle,hidden staircases, beautiful wide pine plank floors,cedar lined closets, flagstonepatio &somuchmore. The3basementsectionsare concrete with stonefoundation. As youcan see, this was&isahomethatwas loved& continuedtogrow. Call Martha. Lewisburg$595,000(20-97715U)

EASY INVESTMENT to addtoyourrental portfolio.Tenant occupied singlefamily home that couldbesplitintoaduplexbyupdatingthe upstairs kitchen. Largefenced yard Call Nicole Williamsport $137,000(20-98843L)

CUTECAPEHOME with 3beds&2bahtsin Milton School District.Greatopportunity to owninstead of rent!Public water&sewer.Gashotair heat willkeep you cozyin theWinter. Greatlayoutwith2roomy bedsand full bath upstairs &alowerlevelbed with a 3/4 bathroom.Large1car attachedgarage. Backyard is greatfor entertaining! Call Nicole NewColumbia $199,000(20-99280U)

NOWISYOUROPPORTUNITY to custom buildyourdream home in themostdesirable area West Lawn,withviews of theBucknellGolfCourse. Thelot is slightly largerthanahalfacre, andhas accesstopublic waterand sewer. Call Martha. Lewisburg$190,000(20-99709U)

STEP RIGHTINTOTHIS well establishedfamily ownedsub shop!Wellknown in thecommunity fortheir greatfood.Seating is available. All equipmentisincluded.Or need office space? This property couldalso fitthe need for offices. Don’tmiss this opportunity! Call Barb. Watsontown $233,000(20-99116N)

BEAUTIFUL FARMHOUSE with adelightfulmix of old& newfeatures3 beds, 2fullbaths&3 cargarage. Thekitchen boasts quartzcounters &acenterisland. Spacious diningroom. Upstairs,you will findgenerousbeds, afull bath,&alaundry room with storage &workspace.Outside,enjoy acoveredporch &fencedyard. Close totown &major highwaysinWarrior Run Schools. Call Doug Watsontown $327,500(20-99389N)

CHARMINGLINNTOWNCAPE! Thesellerdid all the majorupgradesincludinganew metalroof,natural gashookup&new gasfurnace,new central A/C, upgraded electric, newgutters &onand on.Openliving&dining roomswithcozy fireplace, replacementwindows,granite countertopsinkitchen,1st floorbed,screenedporch &yard withpatiofor outdoorrelaxation Call Ruth. Lewisburg$259,000(20-99186U)

BEAUTIFULFEDERAL-STYLE HOME in CollegePark. Professionallypainted in &out,featuring newwiring. ThekitchenboastsCoriancountersovercherrycabinets,complete with abar.Familyroom&study with built-in bookcases. The 2nd-floorprimary suite overlooksthe yard &garden. Thereare 3 additional bedsand ahalfbath. Outsideisanewlystained deck with apatio. Call Peg.

Lewisburg$459,000(20-99695U)

PRIME COMMERCIALLOCATION! Successful business is relocating!Highlyvisiblelocationdirectly on Rt 15 with 137 ft.offrontagemakes this aperfect newhomefor RetailorService Business.Easyingress &egress flow points. Move in &put your OPEN sign up or raze thebuilding&start fresh. Primespotfor bank;dry cleaning;franchiseretail; auto detailing; residential home service. Call Mark Lewisburg$450,000(20-95940U)

TWOSTORY NEW CONSTRUCTION in Smoketown Fields. LargeFamilyRoom& Large Kitchen. 4bedrooms&study on 2nd floor. Youdon’t want to miss this! Call Peg! Lewisburg$765,000(20-98109U)

BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME on this 11.43 acre lotinMiltonSchool District.Althoughlocated out in the‘country,’it’sonlyminutes away from Lewisburg. Theproperty is coveredbyamix of establishedforest& succession forest Theproperty is zonedRural Residential;so you couldsubdivide theparcelinto multiple buildinglots. It is enrolledinthe Clean &Green program. Call Brett. NewColumbia$249,500(20-98480U)

OPPORTUNITYFOR 10 ACRES! Thischarming property,locatedclose to everything,includes asmall mostlybrickhousewithtwo first-floorbedrooms, abright kitchenwithtile floors,updated windows, astudyarea,&a full basement. Greatplace to start& buildthehome ofyour dreams Call Doug or Martha Lewisburg$495,000(20-98655U)

THE PERFECTTIME OF THEYEAR to invest in alot,review &adjustyour houseplans &bereadyto beginconstructionbymid winter.Convenientlylocated to LewisburgHighSchool,shopping, restaurants& Evangelical Hospital complex. Call Martha Lewisburg$107,500(20-95628U)

LOVELYHOMEBUILTIN2017 andmovein condition. Hardwood floors,granitecounters,crown molding, andstainlesssteel appliances. Theperfect fenced-in yard with acovered patio. 1car attached garage and1additionalpavedoff street space. Full unfinished basement. Notinthe flood zone Call Martha! Lewisburg$395,000(20-99383U)

SPACIOUS& WELL DESIGNED, thishome features 5beds&4baths.Meticulously maintained & offersover4,000sq. ft.of finished space, packed with upgrades. Large family room with fireplace. Thekitchen includes an island, breakfastnook, &diningroom.1st

&bath. Upstairs,you’ll find aroomy ensuite, 3

&alaundry room.Finishedbasementoffersa3/4 bath plus alaundry room Call Doug. Lewisburg$614,900(20-98798U)

2LOTSLEFT INPOPULAR SMOKETOWN FIELDS DEVELOPMENT! BUILDYOURDREAM HOUSE WITH ANEXPERIENCED BUILDER! Call Peg. Lewisburg$66,000 -$73,000

Insulation is essential for keeping your home warm in the winter, cool in the summer and dry all year long. Here are seven signs it’s time to replace yours.

1. SOUNDS TRAVEL

The insulation in your walls, floors and ceilings should muffle all but the loudest noises in your home. If you can hear ambient sounds like the clicking of a keyboard or the dripping of a tap from another room, the insulation isn’t doing its job.

2. HIGH ENERGY BILLS

Inadequate insulation forces you to turn up the heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. A higher-than-usual energy bill is often the first sign that you need to replace your insulation.

3. UNEVEN TEMPERATURES

The temperature in your home should be consistent from room to room. If you have areas that are cooler or warmer than others, it’s an indication that there’s a problem with the insulation.

4. COLD SURFACES

Walls, floors and ceilings shouldn’t be cold to the touch. If yours are, it’s a sign that there isn’t enough insulation.

5. CONDENSATION AND MOULD

If you have mould on your ceiling, condensation on your windows or damp walls and floors, it’s a sign that there’s too much humidity in your home. This may be due to poor insulation.

6. PEST INFESTATIONS

Animals and insects can get into your home through gaps in your insulation. Additionally, they’re often attracted by mould and damage caused by water infiltration.

7. FREEZING AND ICE

It isn’t normal for pipes to freeze or for icicles to hang from the edge of your roof. Both are signs that your insulation isn’t doing its job.

While it may seem like a big undertaking, replacing your insulation is a surefire way to make your home more comfortable and lower your energy bills.

Afewtipsonhow toinstallmouldings

Mouldingsareworththeirweightingold whenitcomestoenhancingyourhome’s décor.However,installingthemcancausea fewheadachesforthosewhotakeupthe challengewithoutbeingproperlyprepared. Forthisprojecttobe asuccess,threeelementsarevital:afew basictools,ameticulousnature,andagood doseofpatience.

Leavewoodmouldingsinthe roomforseveraldaysbefore installingthemsotheycanacclimatetotheambienttemperatureandhumiditylevels.

Thefirststepconsists ofmeasuringtheroomtodeterminethenumberofmouldingsrequired.Whenshopping forthem,choosemouldingslongerthanyour wall,asitispreferabletocutamoulding toolongratherthanhavinglotsofjoints. Thefewerjointsthereare,themorebeautifultheendresult.

Beforecuttinganymoulding,makesure thatthebladeofyourmitresawhasat least40teeth;thatistheminimumfor obtainingacleancut.Andalwaysmeasure twicebeforecutting,whetherit’sastraight orangledcut.Ifcuttoo long,amouldingcanbe recut,butifit’stooshort, you’reoutofluck.

Ideally,mouldingsshould bepaintedorstainedbeforebeinginstalled.Use 38-mmfinishingnails;anylongerthanthat andtheymaycomeintocontactwithelectricalwires.Expertsrecommenddrilling nailholesinthemouldingsbeforeinstallationsotheywon’tcrackwhennailedto thewall.Oncetheinstallationiscompleted,useanailpunchtopushthenails deeperintothemoulding,thenapply woodfillerandmake anynecessarytouchupstothepaint.

Yourbuildingproducts retailerissuretobeable toansweranyquestions youmayhaveabout mouldingsandhowto installthem.

Wallpaperhere, there,andeverywhere!

Ifyou’reoneofthosepeoplewhothinksthatwallpaperisathingofthepast,maybe youshouldthinkagain.Withabitofimaginationandgoodtaste,itcanconferasurprisinglywhimsicaltouchtoyourhome.Whetherit’storevampanoldpieceof furniture,dressupafoldingprivacyscreen,orenhanceadecorativeobject,wallpapercanbeused inanumberofunexpectedways.

Usewallpaperto:

•createatrompe-l’oeilheadboardforabed

•dressupanoldsideboard

•decoratethemantelpiece

•personalizealampshade

•brightenupstairrisers

•coverachestofdrawers,sidetable,orbookshelves

•enhanceabathroomcupboard

•embellishtheinsideofwardrobesordrawers

•decorateadollhouse

Useyourcreativity toturnwallpaper intoyourfavourite decoratingmaterial.

•giveatouchofglamour todocumentstoragecontainers

•createadecorativewallpaperborderorasliding paneleffect

Ofcourse,youcouldalso usewallpaperforitsoriginalpurpose,whichis toaddcolourandvisualinteresttothewallsof aroom.Youcanpaperanentireroom,onewall, orevenaceilingthatyou’dliketoaccentuate.

Foryourdecorationprojecttobeasuccess,besuretochoosegoodqualitywallpaper.These daysitisavailableinanimpressiverangeofpatterns,colours,andtexturesandiseasyto useaswell.Nowallyouhavetodoissitbackandenjoyyourworksofart!

Decorativebricks(orfauxbricks)aremore affordablethanregularbricksandaregaininginpopularityasadecorativeelementfor homes.Andbestofall,youdon’thavetobe aqualifiedstonemasoninordertolaythem.

PREPARATION

Decorativebricksareusuallylaidonplywoodorplasterboard.Cleantheunderlying surfacethoroughlyandapplyaprimerif necessary.Insomecases,theadditionof alayerofwiremeshmaybenecessary.It goeswithoutsayingthatthewallsurfaceor floorshouldbelevelbeforeyoubeginwork.

INSTALLATION

Spreadthegluewithanotchedtrowelover onesmallareaatatime,startingatthebottomofthewall.Placethebricks,leavingan equalspacebetweeneachofthemandensuringthatthejointsareoffsetfromone rowtothenext.Checkfrequentlytoensure thattherowofbricksislevel.

Useamitersawfittedwithaceramicblade forcuttingthebricksattheendoftherows. Recuperatetheremnantstostartanewrow. Brickcorners,usedtocoverthecornersof threedimensionalobjects,suchasthoseon amantelpiece,arealsoavailableonthemarket.Nowallthat’slefttodoistofillthe jointswithmortaraccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.

Youdon’tneedtobeastone masonfordecorativebricks Fakebeams,authenticcharacter

Ifyouhavethem,youmightnotknowwhat todowiththem,andifyoudon’thavethem, youmightwishyoudid.If they’redoneright,there’s nothingquitelikeexposed beamstoenhancethecachet ofaroom.Wouldyoulove toincorporatethisarchitecturalfeatureinyourhome butdon’thavethegrandiose budgettomatch?Here’sthesolution.

Apartfromthetraditionalredbrick,many modelsandcolorsofdecorativestonesare availableinstores.Tofindthebestproduct foryourproject,aswellastheappropriate installationtechnique,besuretoaskaprofessionalforadvice.

Decorativebricksandstonesgiveawarm andauthenticlooktoahome.

cancreateafalsebeamatafractionofthe pricebyusingMDF(fiberboard)panels.

BEAUTIFULANDPRACTICAL

Becausetheyarehollow, falsebeamsaregreatforhidingsuchthingsaspipes,cables,andelectricalwiring.

Firstofall,youcanfindfakewoodbeams onthemarket.Madeofpolyurethaneor polystyrene,theyaremuchmoreaffordable thanasolidwoodbeam.Evenbetter,you

Thefirststepinmaking afalsebeamistocut threestripsofMDFof thesamewidth;typically,theyrangefrom 15to20cm.Next,glue andnailthemon5x7-cm wooduprights.Thegoalistobuildathreesidedbox,thefourthsidebeingtheceiling. Nowallyouhavetodoispaintorstainthe beamsaccordingtothelookyouwantto givetheroom:pale,dark,ornatural.Itispossibletogiveyourbeamsthelook ofnaturalwoodbycreatingagrain withawood-grainingtoolorrocker.MDFwithawoodgrainfinishisalsoavailableinstores.

Theadditionoffalsebeamsshould bedonesparinglyinordernotto givetheroomaheavylook.Of course,theceilingshouldalsobe highenoughtolenditselftothis imposingarchitecturalstyle.

Solidwoodbeams ormadewithMDF? Nobodywillknow exceptyou!

Treatyourselftotheyardofyourdreams

Areyouthinkingaboutundertakingamajorlandscapingprojectinordertotransform youryard?Herearesomegreatideastoinspireyou.

AWATERGARDEN

Natureloverswilllove theideaofcreatingtheir veryownecosystemby constructingabeautiful watergardenbehindthe house.Alargepool,variouswaterplants,and somefishwillturnyour backyardintoarealparadise.Thinkbigandadd somewaterfountainjets andalightingsystemto showcasethisoasisof tranquility.

ANOUTDOORKITCHEN

Stillhaven’tfoundjusttherightplaceforyourbarbecue?Buildinganoutdoorkitchen wouldcertainlysolvetheproblem.Itwilltakesomebeautifulweatherprooffurniture, anoutdoorfridgeoracoupleofrefrigerateddrawersbuiltintoanisland(whichcould alsobeusedtostoredishware),oneortwoextraburners,somegreenplantsfordecoration,andanicemakerforthebararea.Youcouldevenpurchaseanoutdoorheatingsystemsoyoucanenjoyyoursummerkitchenforaslongaspossible.

AROOFDECK

Youdon’thaveenoughspacetocreatethedeckyou’dlike?Well,you’lljusthavetobuild itontheroof—ifthat’sfeasible,ofcourse.Pictureyourselfsittingcomfortably,enjoying thescenery,thenaturallight,andcoolingbreezes.So,howwillyoumakethemostofyour deck:cozysummereveningswithfriendsorjusthoursofoutdoorrelaxation?

Areyoufeelinginspired?

Livenupyourdecor

Tiredofallthosewhitewalls?Isyourdecortooaustere?Justlongingforachange? Herearesomeideastohelpyoupepup yourhome.

TRANSFORMWALLSANDACCESSORIZE

Finally,afunctionallaundryroom!

Eventhoughdoingthelaundryisneverafun task,itcanbedownrightdepressingwhenthe laundryroomisn’tevendesignedforthepurpose.Herearesometipstohelpyouorganize afunctionallaundryroom.

•Ifpossible,yourlaundryroomshouldbe nearthecentreofthehome,thusmakingit muchmoreaccessibleforeverybodychippinginwiththechore.

•Adapttheroomtolaundry-relatedtasks.Set upaworksurfacetofoldlaundry;itcould beasimplecountertopplacedoveryour front-loadingappliances.Installalineor rackfordryingclothesthatdon’tgointhe dryer,andclearanareanearanelectrical outletforsettinguptheironingboard.

•Organizeasmuchstoragespaceaspossible, includingshelves,cabinets,baskets,and hooks.Usethespaceabovetheappliances andundercounters.

•Thinkergonomics:elevateyourappliances tosaveyourback;placethemnexttoeach othertofacilitatethetransferoflaundry fromthewashertothedryer;usewheeled laundryhampers;andinstallrecessedlights toensureyouhaveenoughlighting.

•Maximizesmallspaceswithpocketdoors, stackedappliances,aretractableclothesline orfoldingdryingrack,andafold-uptable.

Foralaundryroomthat’sasbeautifulasit isfunctional,alternateopenandclosedstoragespaces,andchoosevibrantorsoothingcolours.Optforcolourfulappliances andpersonalizetheroomwithaccessories thatmakeitaswelcomingastherestof yourhome.

Optforstackableappliances ifspaceislimited.

Discoverthehottestdecoratingstyles

Paintonewalloftheroominabrightcolour togivesomepunch,andaddaccentsofthe sameshadewithafewaccessories:anottoman,trinkets,flowers,andrugs.Don’t overdoit;subtletyisyourbeststrategy.

Youdon’twanttopaint?Awalldecalwill givenewlifetoaroom.Aroomwithwhite

wallscanbeenhancedwithaccessoriesthat addacolourfulorneontouch,orahallway canbetransformedintoanartgallerywitha seriesofframesalongonewall.

Areyousearchingforjusttherighthome stylethatsuitsbothyourpersonalityand yourfurniture?Herearetwostylesthatdeservesomerecognition.

SCANDINAVIANSTYLE

MAKEUSEOFCEILINGSANDFLOORS

Two-bedroomranch Enhance your Four-bedroom homeinSouthern Columbiaschool district.Home featureslargedining room.CallLisaFritz formoredetailed informationat570204-6510 MLS#20-98316

Acolouredceiling, trompe-l’oeil wallpaper,patternedtiles,floorpaint,carpettiles,decorativebaseboardsandcrownmoldings:aworldofopportunityawaitsyou. Thetimehascometothinkdecorfrom floortoceiling.Youcouldfindaunique lightfixturetosetthetoneinthekitchen, brightenthelaundryroomwithacolourful ceiling,ortransformyour bedroombylayingapatternedrugoveraplaincarpet;besuretolettherug’s edgesextendoutfromunderbothsidesofthebed.

Youcanchangethemood ofanyroombybreathing newlifeintoyourfurnitureoryourappliances,as paintisnowavailablefor justaboutanytypeofsurface.So,howwillyoulivenupyourhome?

Youlovewood,simplicity,andelegance?You shouldtrytheScandinavianstyle;itcombines thesethreecharacteristicstoperfection,inadditiontocreatinganimpressionofopenness andlightineveryroom.Utilitarianlightcolouredwoods,suchaspineorbirch,are widelyusedforbothfloorsandfurniture. Light-colouredpaints,particularlywhiteand blue,arepopularforthesamereason.Mirrors, glassaccessories,porcelain,andsilverare addedtocomplementthedecor.

THEECLECTICSTYLE

trend?Theeclecticstyleallowsyouto mixdifferentdecoratingstylesandartisticinfluencesfromaroundtheglobe.If donetastefully,youcancombinematerials,textures,colours,anderas.You’ll needtoavoidaclutteredlook.Thetrickis toknowhowtoplaywiththecontradictionswhilecreatingcoherence.Forexample,youcanchoosedifferentprintsforeach cushion,aslongastheyhavethesame basecolour.Theeclecticstyleisgoodfor daringpeoplewhowanttoexpresstheir personality.

PrimeDevelopment Opportunity121 +/-acreswithR-1 zoning .Thistract haspublicwaterand natural Se andislocatedonthe we of CallScottformore detailsat570-4126121 MLS#20-96954

Youdon’twanttolimityourselftoone

Automotivesales, garages,andoffice orrepurposeto

Ofcourse,thereareplentyofotherdecoratingstylesworthexploring.Anexoticlook evokesfarawayplaces,andatastefullydone rusticstyleisneveroutofdate.Retroisfanciful,andthecontemporarylookisuncluttered.So,what’syourstyle?

Locatedinthe VillageofMazeppa, theproperty features 3bed,2 bath,newcustom

Alowmaintenancekitchen

Betweenyourjob,thekidsandyoursocial life,whohasthetimeorenergytospend hourscleaningthehouse,especiallythekitchen?Hereareafewrecommendationsif youragendaischock-a-blockandyourbudgetdoesn’tgiveyouthelatitudetopayfora cleaningservice.

STORAGE

Keepingyourcountertopsandislandas

Decorativestorageideasforyourhome

unclutteredaspossiblewillspeedupthe choreofcleaningyourkitchen.Getinto thehabitofputtingawayeverythingthat isn’tessentialandyou’llsavelotsofyour precioustime.Aclean,minimalistlookis verytrendythisyear,whichgivesyoujust onemorereasontoembraceit.

APPLIANCES

Whenyoudon’thavetimetocleanyour appliances,optforanovenanddishwasherwithself-cleaningoptions. Hint:cleanupstainsanddirtonyour appliancesassoonastheyappear.That wayafewminutesofcleaningperday willgiveyouspotlessappliancesall yearround.

Areaccessories,toysandallkindsofother stuffclutteringupyourhome?Greatnews: therearelotsofcleverwaystohideeverything,allwhileenhancingyourdecor.

KITCHEN

withwickerbasketsorstylishracksthatmake itpossibletoquicklyhidealltheoddsand endsthatareclutteringupyourlivingroom.

BATHROOM

RENOVATIONS

Useprofessionaldecoratorsandrenovatorsifyou’rethinkingaboutrenovatingyourkitchen.Theywillbeableto recommendthebestmaterialsforyour floor,walls,cabinetsandcountertops. Inshort,theseexpertswillhelpyou turnyourkitchenintoafunctionalroom that’sarealbreezetokeepclean.

Keepingthingsclean asyougoalongmakes thejobeasier.

Areyoulikealotofotherpeopleinbelievingthathomerenovationsareahuge sourceofphysicalandmentalstress?Read thesethreetipstohelpyouturnyourrenovationprojectintoastress-freeandsuccessfulexperience.

1.PLAN

Thesecretofasuccessfulrenovationprojectliesprimarilyinitsplanning.Listthe elementsyouwanttotransforminyour homeandsetyourselfarealisticbudget.

Besuretouseprofessionalsformajorprojects,suchasrenovatingakitchen.Their expertisewillliftahugeloadfromyour shoulders.

2.DELEGATE

You’dliketodoalltherenovationsyourself?Becarefulnottoover-extendyourself.Forgetaboutyourprideandacknowledgethatsomeassistancewouldbewelcome.Afterall,workinginpairsorin groupsismuchfasterandalotmorefun. Thatsaid,ifyou’renot usedtoworkingwithyour hands,maybeyoushould entrustyourprojecttoa renovationexpertsoyou cansleepsoundlyatnight.

3.RELAX

Doyoutendtoworklong hourswithoutabreakwhen renovating?Ifthatisthe case,youcouldendup exhausted,headachyand very,verysore.Takeabreak everyonceinawhile.Lie downandcloseyoureyes forafewminutes;dosome stretching,orcallafriend. Makesureyoueathealthysnacksanddrinklots ofliquidsonaregular basis.

Happyrenovating!

Havealargeperforatedpegboard(likethose usedingaragesorworkshops)cuttosize. Paintitthecolouryouwant,attachitsecurely tothewallandusehookstohangallyour largepotsandutensilsonit.Apartfromgiving yourkitchenamodernlook,thisarrangement willfreeupalotofspaceinyourcabinets.

PLAYROOM

Children’stoyscanbe storedinsturdymulticolouredcontainers.Keep themonlowshelvesor underabench.Acoloured netorhammockattached totheceilingisalsoa smartwaytofreeupfloor space.Justthinkofall thosestuffedanimalsyou canputupthere!

LIVINGROOM

Remotecontrols,videogamepadsandmagazinescan bestoredinanottoman designedjustforthispurpose.Somemodelscome

Thisroomisoftenshortonspace,soindividualshelvesandshelvingunitsareideal foroptimizingstorage.Layoutyourbest towels—rolledorfoldedlikeatahotel —andarrangethemwithyourfinesthandmadesoapsandscentedbathsalts.Lastly, foraclutter-freecounter,gatherallyour variousbottlesandcompactstogetheron aprettytray.

Twofoolprooftipstorejuvenate thelookofyourappliances

Yourapplianceslookold-fashionedbutyou can’taffordtoreplacethem?Noproblem:you caneasilyrevampthemyourselfwithouthavingtospendafortune.

1.DECALS

Self-adhesive(orpeel-and-stick)decalsadd instantstyletothemostordinaryofappliances.You’resuretofindsomethingyou likeamongthehugerangeofstylesand modelsavailableinstores.Shoparound andyou’llsee.

Beforeapplyingadecorativesticker, cleanthesurfaceandmakesureit’s completelydry.Thencutoutthepattern,ifnecessary,andsecureitwith painter’stapetodetermineprecisely whereyouwantit.Takeafewsteps backtoseetheresultfromabetter angleandmovethedecalarounduntil it’sinexactlytherightposition.Then peelofftheprotectivefilmandattach thedecalbysmoothingitcarefullywith aplasticsqueegee.

2.PAINTING

Changingthecolourofanapplianceis simplerthanyoumightthink.Clean theappliancethoroughlywithawaterand bleachmixtureandthensanditwitha fine-grainsandpaper.Cleantheappliance again,makingsureyou’veremovedall thedust.Coverwithmaskingtapeallthe partsthatyou’renotgoingtopaint.

Acoatofnewpaintor somedecalswilltransformyour appliancesintoworksofart.

Setupyourworkareaoutsideforthenext stepoftheproject,oratleastinawellventilatedarea,andthenapplyaerosol paintaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructions.Askahardwarestoreprofessionalaboutwhichtypeofpaintisbestfor yourappliance.

foreachbottleisvisibleandwhereyour winewillbeeasilyaccessible.Piling thebottlesoneontopoftheother meansmovingthemeverytimeyou cometochooseawine,andyouwill alsoriskdisturbingthecontents.

Plantousebuildingmaterialsresistant tohumidity,suchaswaterproofgypsum,whichisspeciallydesignedto resistmold.Tosafeguardthedelicate flavourofyourwine,therawmaterials youchoosefortheracksandwallcoveringsshouldbefreeofodours,which canfilterthroughthecorksandinto yourprizevintages.Thefloorcanbe coveredinceramic,marble,orstone,all materialsthathaveproventheirworth

Ifundertakingawinecellarremodelis abitbeyondyourskill andbudget,orifyou liketokeepthingssimple,anotheroptionisto buyanelectricwine cellarthatwillbeable topamperyourwine, Havingawinecellar isthedreamofevery self-respectingoenologist.

Needmorespace?Finishthebasement!

Alotofextralivingspacecanbeaddedtoa homejustbyfinishingthebasement.As wellasincreasingthevalueofyourhouse, afinishedbasementcanalsoimproveyour qualityoflifeifyoudesignitaccordingto yourtastesandyourrequirements.

Inyourremodelledspaceyoucouldsetup anofficeorawinecellar,addabedroomor acornerforrelaxing,createaplayareafor thechildrenoranactivitycentrefor teenagers,orbuildafamilyroomora homecinema.Whatevertypeofproject youdecideon,includeanextrabathroom intheplanandapracticallaundryroom withaclothingchutefromtheupperfloors tothebasement.Don’tforgettoworkin

plentyofstoragespaceaswellassufficient electricaloutlets,telephonejacks,and cableconnections.

Onceyoudecideonexactlywhatyou want,yournextstepistodrawupaplan. Thiswillhelpyouensurethatthereis roomenoughforpeopletocirculate. Decideifyoupreferenclosedroomsor openareas.Ifactivitiesthatrequirequiet andconcentrationareplanned,suchasa homeoffice,alibrary,orabedroom,you willprobablyoptforenclosedrooms.On theotherhand,anopenareaisperfectif youplantospendtimeinacommunal, multifunctionalspace,suchasinarec room,homecinema,orexercisearea.

Drawupalistofthenecessarymaterials anddeterminewhatworkyoucandoyourselfandwhatyouneedtoentrusttoacontractor.Needlesstosay,theplumbingand electricityshouldbecarriedoutbyqualified professionals.Establishaschedulethat takesintoaccountyourprioritiesandyour budget,andyou’reonyourway!

Accessoriesmakethedécor

Inthedesignworld,mixingavarietyof textures,metallicfinishes,andbright colourswillcreateaninterestingvisual effect.However,itisimportantthatall theseelementsmustbeharmonizedand therighttonemaintainedthroughout theroom.

Inthelivingroomandthebedroom,for example,choosesimplefurniture,aneutral upholsteryfabric,andunderstatedbedding whichcanbedressedupwithmorefashionableandextravagantaccessories.A scatteringofcushionsisgreatforthistask. Chooseelegantyetcomfortablecushions inavarietyofcomplementaryfabrics, tones,andpatterns.Theycanbewoven, embroidered,quilted,fluffy,pearly, sequined,orleatherlook.

Aquietcornerforrelaxingisalwaysappreciatedinabasement.

Page60,January-February2013, TOOLBOX

Transformingtwoapartments intoonehome

Mergingtwoapartmentunits,oneabovethe other,inordertocreateasinglefamilyhome isquiteajobtoundertake.Thefirstthingto thinkaboutiswheretoopenuptheceilingto linkthetwofloorswithastaircase.Onceits locationhasbeendetermineditssizemustbe calculateddepending,inpart,onthetypeof upperflooryouwant:theopeningcouldbe limitedtojustenoughspaceforthestaircase, oritcouldcreatealargeairyandopenspace inthemiddleofthenewhome.

Ifyouoptforasecondfloorthatisnotvisiblefromdownstairs,itwillbeeasiertobe moredaringwiththecolourschemeand createtwoareaswithverydifferentatmospheresorstyles.Forexample,acontemporarystyledownstairsandamorevintage styleupstairs.Somespacewillbelostifthe secondfloorisundertheroofline,but dormerceilingsaregreatforcreatinga countrylook.

Ifyouhaveoptedforanopenspace betweenthetwofloors,besuretoplana harmonioustransitionwhenchoosingyour colours.Someelementsofthegroundfloor canflowupintothenewmezzanine.Ample ceilingheightwillgiveanimpressionof

Atwostoryhousehasmany layoutpossibilities.

luminosityandmagnitude.Windowsinstalledonthesecondfloorwillallowsunshine tobrightenuptheentirehouse.

Thedistributionoftheroomswilldepend onyourneeds,yourdailyactivities,aswell astheconfigurationandtheconstraintsof theavailablespace.You’llhaveplentyof choices:yourbedroomonthegroundfloor nearthelivingroomanddiningroomand thechildren’sbedroomsupstairs;thechildren’sroomsdownstairs,awayfromthelivingroomandyourmasterbedroomanden suitebathroomupstairs;orthelivingroom, kitchen,anddiningroomdownstairsandall thebedroomsupstairs.

Thebalustradesetsthetone

Artworkhasitsplaceeverywhereinthe home.Youcouldoptforasinglelarge pieceorseveralpicturespositionedina symmetricalorasymmetricalarrangement,dependingonthelookyouwantto create.Sculpturestakeprideofplaceon apedestal,shelf,orlowtable.Artnot onlyaddscolourandstyle,itcanbecome thefocalpointorlendinspirationtothe restofthedécor.Inacontemporary homemodernartisappropriate,whilein amoretraditionalstyleofhome,acopy ofsomethingbyanoldmasterwithan antiqueframewouldbesuitable.

Dressupthebathroomwithachrome shelvingunitandanacrylicormetal benchwithafabricseat.Otherfun touchesincludeaclockfixedtothewall oftheshowerandanessentialoildiffuserthatisbothdecorativeandrelaxing asitspreadsnaturalfragrancethroughouttheroom.Inthebedroom,install smallpiecesoffurniturethatareboth practicalandesthetic,suchasahandpainteddressingtableorajewellerybox whoseshapeandmaterialorganicallyfit withtherestofthedécor.

Goforanoversizedmodernpainting enhancedbygenerouslighting.
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Two common kitchen problems and how to solve them

In many homes, the kitchen gets the most traffic. Consequently, an issue in this room is likely to be acutely felt. Here are two common kitchen problems and some tips on how you can solve them.

1. NOT ENOUGH STORAGE

The ideal way to approach this issue is to entirely remodel your kitchen and thereby create the space and storage you need. However, if this isn’t currently feasible, you should consider implementing one or more workarounds.

For example, you can add hooks under the cabinets to store mugs and thereby free some precious cabinet space. Or, you might want to invest in a professional storage system with racks and drawer dividers to make the most out of the space you’ve got.

2. NOT ENOUGH COUNTER SPACE

Not having enough counter space makes

HilltopsServicesLLCprovidesmanydifferentservicesthat aretailored toyouandthepropertyproject.From excavating,landscapematerials,land clearing,andmore, we gotyoucovered.

Excavation

Whether youneed helpwith your driveway, basement,sand mounds,orwater andsewerlines(and that’snotall),wecan handle your excavatingneeds!

Materials We have theright material foryour project,fromsingleor doubleground mulch to fieldstone,concrete sand,masonsand and topsoil,as well as riverstone,decorative stone, and so much more!

Delivery We candeliverone scoopor afulltruck load.Our team will makeevery effort to helpwith your project and to workwith yourbusyschedule. We canarrange for afterhoursdeliver yif needed to keep your projecton target

If you plan to renovate be wondering if tect. While in some contractor is the times, further expertise you should hire

YOU’RE

Do you want to but aren’t sure

ces

it hard to prepare meals and keep the room tidy. One solution to this problem, if you have the space for it, is to install an island. Alternatively, you can buy a small cart that will give you more surface area to work with.

Freeing up the counter space you have is also essential. Be sure to stow your toaster, coffee maker and other appliances in your cabinets when they’re not in use.

Once your kitchen problems are solved, you’ll be surprised just how much better the whole house will run.

step of the renovation will take and the expected end date.

8. Keep things moving. During the renovation, touch base with your project manager regularly to make sure things are on track.

9. Inspect the finished work. Before making the final payment, make sure that all the work is completed to your satisfaction.

2. Decide on a budget. You may decide to focus on some projects rather than others or to change some ideas based on your budget.

3. Hire professionals. For major overhauls, it’s a good idea to work with a designer,

Afterward, remember to alert your insurance company of all changes that have been made to your home, as you may require more coverage or even get a discount, depending on the work completed.

6. Shop for materials. It’s best to have all of

Settingupawarm,cozylivingroom

tle,subtlelighting.Doneright,it’llmake youwanttocurluponthecouchwitha delicioushotdrinkandagoodbook.

Warmupyourlivingroombyfocusingon coloursthatevokethenaturalworld;think woodtonesandautumnleaves.Gold,red, eggplant,andochrecolouredaccessoriesenhanceneutralwallsnicely.Adecorative brickwallorimitationstonewallcanmake aroomlookandfeellikeacozynest.

Dresstheroomupwiththick fabricsandrichtextures.Fur, wool,knits,cashmere,ormohairareperfectforthecushions,throws,andfootreststhat willmakeyourlivingroom comfortable.Anotheroption istoaddasoftrugandheavy drapes—madeofvelvet,perhaps—thatyoucansimply hangoveryourwarm-weather

Usefragrancestocreatewarmth andcoziness.Cinnamon,spices,vanilla,andberryscents areclassichomeysmells.Any ofthesesweetorwoodyfragranceswilladdafinishing touchtoyourdecorandkeep youcomfywhileyouwaitfor summertoarrive.

Smartideasforasmallchild’sbedroom

adresserofdrawersthatconvertsintoa desk.Aloftbedisagreatidea,asotherfurniturecanbeplacedunderneathit.Ifyou haveaflexiblebudget,custom-builtfurniturecouldbethesolutionforyourchild’s

Thebestwaytohaveenoughspaceisto keeptheroomtidy,butthatrequireshaving adequatestoragespace.Optforfloor-toceilingshelvingunits,highdressers,stackablestorageboxes,andabedanddeskthat havebuilt-indrawers;anddon’tforgeta toybox.Makesureyour childcanreachthestoragefurnitureifyouwant himorhertoputthings awayproperly,andstore rarelyusedobjectsonhighershelves.

THERIGHTDECOR

Chooselightcolours,as theytendtomakearoom lookbigger.Anddon’t skimponlighting.However,makesurethatthe lightingissoftsothatit won’treflectoffthewalls. Chooseawindowdressing thatletsinplentyofnatural lightduringtheday.

So,whatwillyourchild’s littlecornerofparadise

Aperfectroomforyourbaby

Areyoureadytocreateabeautifulroomto welcomeyourlittlebundleofjoy?Herearea fewtipsformakingyourbaby’sroomatranquilhaven.

•Location.Ideally,yourbaby’sroomshould beclosetoyourbedroomsoyoucanrespondquicklyifheorshewakesupduring thenight.Ifpossible,choosearoom that’ssuffusedwithnaturallightduring thedaysoyourbabycansoakupsome vitaminD.

•Thebed.Placethebedfacingthedoor soyourbabycanseewho’scominginto theroom.Toensuredaytimeandnighttimecomfort,avoidplacingthebeddirectlybesideabaseboardheaterorotherheatsource.

•Lighting.Maximizenaturallightandusesoft lightingtoavoiddazzlingyourbaby.Choose yellowlightbulbsrather thanwhitebulbs.You canalsoinstalladimmer tocontrollightintensity.

Fromthelighting totheaccessories, yourbaby’sroomshould beapeacefulplace.

•Decorating.Topromotebettersleep,choose softtonesforthewalls.Ifyoulikeabright colour,introducesmalltouchesofitwitha fewaccessories.

•Safety.Avoidcarpeting,whichcanencouragedustmites.Optforflooringthat’seasy towash,anduseawashable,non-toxic paintonthewalls.Choosefurniturewith roundedcornersandensurenothingwilltip overwhenyourlittleoneturnsintoatoddler.Putelectricoutletcoversonallunused electricalsocketsandneverleaveelectric cordslyingaround.

Onelasttip:ifyouwantyourbabytosleep, don’tfillthecribwithlotsoftoys.All ittakesisacozyblankettoprepareBaby fordreamland.

Howtousemosaicsforaspecialtouch

Withjustabitofpatienceandattentionto detail,youcancreateamosaicinafewsimplesteps.Whetheryoubuyitready-madeor doyourowncraftwork,yourmosaiccanbe usedasapieceofart,asadecorativeinsert forapieceoffurniture,orasabacksplashfor thekitchenwalls.

THEPREP

Forawallorfloorinsert,youcanchooseprefabricatedmesh-mountedmosaicsheets.For custommosaics,drawyourpatternonthe foundationmaterial,andthenchooseyour materialsandcolours.

THEJOB

Thefirststepistocutthe mosaicpiecestosize.Cut mesh-mountedmosaicstrips accordingtothedimensions ofthesurfacetobecovered,makingopeningsforany electricaloutlets.Ifyou’re usingtesserae(smallpiecesofceramic,glass,shells, etc.),useaglassortilecuttingtooltocutthemtothe desiredsize.Thenextstepis toattachthepiecestoyour foundation.Sincethemortardriesquickly,it’sbestto workinsmallsections.It’s alsoimportanttoleavea spaceofabouttwomillimetresbetweeneachtesserafor thejoints.Thisspaceis

built-inonmesh-mountedmosaicstrips.Allowtodryforseveralhours.

THEFINISH

Now,youneedtopreparethejoints.Choose acolourofgroutthatgoeswiththematerials usedinthemosaicandthelocationofyour insert.Preparethegroutaccordingtothemanufacturer’sinstructionsandthenspreadit, usingaflexiblespatula,intoallthegaps. Removeanyexcessfromthemosaic’ssurfacewithadampspongeandleavethemortartoset.Themosaicshouldbethoroughly cleanedoncethejointshavepartiallyhardened.Afterapproximately24hours,agrout sealantshouldbeaddedtojoints.

Anewshower? Planwellsoyoudon’t getyourfeetwet!

Theinstallationofanewshowerisagreat dealeasierifyouarewellpreparedbefore staringonthejob.Ifyou’redoingthework yourself,makesureyourtoolkitisfitted outproperly:puttinginnewfixtures requiressometoolsyoumightnothave, andremovingceramictilesandputtingin newonesisnotaneasyjob.You’llalso havetotakecaretowaterproofeverything inordertoavoidtheproblemofleaks.

Ifyoudecidetoentrustthisworktoacontractor,familiarizeyourselfwiththebasics ofbathroomrenovationbeforemeeting withhimorher.Thatwayyouwillknow whattheyaretalkingaboutandiftheir budgetestimatemakessense.Findout theirhourlyrate,availabilitytofinishthe jobonaschedule,thematerialstheywill require,theirpreviousexperience,andany

otherquestionsthatcanhelpyouchoosea reliablecontractor.

Preparethebathroombeforetheworkstarts. Toavoiddamagetocountertops,toilet,and cabinetsprotectthemwithold,thicktowels orcushionsorprotectivecoverings.Tocut contractorcosts,removetheshower’s existingtilingyourselfandscrapeawayall thegroutingsothatthesurfaceissmooth. Oldpipesandshowerfixturescanberecycledratherthanputinthegarbage.

Checkthedrainageandtheinfrastructure beforewaterproofingthewallsandfloorto preventleakage.Coverexposedpartition wallswithwaterproofpanels.

Choosetilingthatblendswiththecolour andstyleoftheexistingdécor.Manydifferentelementsshouldbeconsidered whenselectinganewshowerhead: itsadjustability(pivoting,tilting, removability);waterflow;typeof jets(pulsatingortherapeuticmassage);andpressureadjustment.Take yourtimeandchooseashowerdoor thatfitswithyourbudgetanddécor (plastic,transparent,frostedglass, mirror)andthewayitopens(sliding, folding,pivoting).

Foraroomierfeel,chooseashower withatransparentglassdoor.

Agoodrecipeforanorganizedkitchen

Perhapsit’stimetorethinktheorganization ofyourkitchenstorageareasifyouhaveto wastepreciouscookingtimerootingaround indrawersandcupboardsfortheobjectyou need.Whendishes,utensils,potsandpans, smallappliances,recipebooks,andcleaningproductsallseemtobeinthewrong place,itispracticallyimpossibletowork efficiently.Italsolikelymeansyourkitchen lookscluttered.

Togetbetterorganized,startbycreating compartmentsinsideyourcupboards.The heightofadjustableshelvescanusuallybe changedinordertoreorganizethecontents andmaximizespace.Alternately,create subdivisionsbyusingplasticorsteelbas-

kets,containers,andsmallshelvingunits. InstalllazySusansinthecornercabinets, andthinkaboutaddingpull-outslidingsystemssoyoucanreacharticlesattheback. Hookscanbeusedtohangutensilsand choppingboardsinsidelowercupboards. Youcouldalsooptforseparatorswhich allowservingplates,choppingboards,and lidstobestoredvertically.

Installstoragemodulesontheinsideofcupboarddoorsforcleaningproductsand brushes,slidingmodulesforthegarbage andrecyclingbins,aswellasracksforhand anddishtowels.Adddifferentsizesand shapesofcompartmentstodrawersand stacktwoutensiltraysontopofeachother.

Organizetheworktoptotidily storeeverythingyouwanttokeep closetohand,suchasthebread box,knifeblock,vasesordecorativebowls,andappliances. Supportsforfoilandplasticwrap rolls,cupsandglasses,hooksfor ovenmitts,andmeasuringcups couldbeinstalledontheundersidesofwallmountedcupboards.

Akitchenislandgivesextra storagepossibilities.

Arainbowofpossibilities

Colouriscertainlythecentralelementin interiordecorating,butithastobeused properlytocreatethedesiredeffect.Asa generalrule,foropenareasexpertsrecommendtheuseofthesamedominant colour,oranotheroptionwouldbetouse amixofcoloursofthesametone,which blendtogetherharmoniously.Ifroomsare enclosed,thecoloursinallthecommunal livingareas,suchasthekitchen,dining room,livingroom,familyroom,andhallways,shouldcomplementeachother,creatingaflowfromoneroomtothenext. Afterthisyoucouldgiveeachofthe roomsadifferentaccentcolour.Ifyou prefertousecontrastingcolours,some kindoftransitionshouldbecreatedby insertingadecorativeelementinthesame colouraseachoftheotherrooms.

Coloursusedinthebedrooms,bathroom,andhome officeshouldcreateadifferentatmospherefromthe restofthehome.Think aboutusingtonesthatharmonizewiththemore expensive,long-lastingelements,suchasacarpetor

Thecoloursofthebedcover setthetoneforthedécor.

sofa.Similarly,youcouldtrytocoordinate withanobjectofinterestthatyoulike, suchasapictureorwindowdressing— thesearelikelytobeinyourfavourite colours,anyway.Ifyourfurnitureiscolourful,useneutraltonesonthewalls.

Inchoosingacolourscheme,remember thatdarkcoloursabsorblight,makerooms appearsmaller,andcreateamoreintimate atmosphere.Ontheotherhand,pale coloursreflectlight,increasebrightness, andamplifythespace.Warmcolours(yellow,orange,red,limegreen)givean impressionofwarmthtoroomswithout sun,andcoldcolours(blue,violet,mint green)aresuitableforsunnyrooms. Evaluatecoloursinbothdaylightandin theartificiallightingusedafterdark.

Installingadooryourselfisarelatively simpleoperation.Withthetoolsandmaterialslistedhereyou’llbefullyequippedto getthejobdone:adoor,ofcourse,plus cedarshims,asetsquare,finishingnails, screws,hammer,level,screwdriver,drill, andretractablebladeknife.

Thefirststepistoinstallthedoorframe. Usethesetsquareandleveltoensure thatitisperfectlystraight.Slideacedar shimunderthedoortosupportitand helpyoualignitwiththehingemortises. Alignthehingeswiththemortises alreadycutintothedoorframeand screwthemin.Afterthis,theframeand thecedarshimscanbefixedtothestuds with6.35cm-spiralfinishingnails.

Nowthedoorshouldbescrewedinto placeontheframe.Checktoensurethat itiswelladjustedandcloseswithoutdifficulty.Insertcedarshimsontheside wherethedoorhandleis.Cutoffany excesswitharetractablebladeknife. Installmoldingsaroundthedooronboth sides.Nailthemtotheframeandwall studs.Fixthestrikeplateandthehandle aswellasthedoorstopper.

Allyouneedarecedarshims, asetsquare,finishingnails, screws,hammer,level,screwdriver, drill,andretractablebladeknife.

Manydifferenttypesofdoorsareavailableonthemarket:

•Interiorhingeorswingdoor:opensto oneside,providingunimpededpassage.

•Slidingdoor:fullyopenswithatranslationalmotion(idealforsmallareas).

•Pocketdoor:disappearscompletelyinto thewall,providingextraspaceandlight.

•Frenchdoor:usuallyofglassfromtop tobottom,allowinglotsoflightinto theroom.

•Foldingdoor:madeupofseveral,narrowleafsthatfoldinonthemselves, thussavingspace.

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