Oshkosh Spring Home Improvement

Spring Home May 1, 2011

Improvement

Featuring Big Ideas for A Small Yard | Whats Cooking in Kitchen Remodeling

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Spring Home Improvement If it Glows Indoors, You Can Find it Outdoors Too �����������������������4 10 Easy Ways to Brighten Home for Spring ����5 Small Yard, Big Ideas �����������������������������������6 What’s Cooking in Kitchen Remodeling �������8 Publish Date: May 1, 2011 SPRING HOME IMPROVEMENT is published by The Oshkosh Northwestern. Contents of the section are for The Oshkosh Northwestern. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior consent of The Oshkosh Northwestern. For information, contact Lisa O’Halloran at 920-426-6701 or email lohallor@thenorthwestern.com.

Executive Editor and General Manager / Stewart Rieckman | Advertising Director / Lisa O’Halloran | Section Editor / Erin Wasinger | Graphic Artist / Sarah Dreikosen Local Writer / Amelia Compton Wolff | Regional Ad Production Manager / Tina Tweedale | Circulation Manager / Dave Sielski

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If it Glows Indoors, You Can Find it Outdoors Too

By MELISSA KOSSLER DUTTON For The Associated Press A trend toward creating “outdoor rooms” has dramatically increased lighting options for homeowners who want to extend their time outside.

Most indoor lighting fixtures — chandeliers, pendant lights, table lamps — now have a counterpart designed for patios or decks.

“We have seen outdoor lights absolutely replicating indoor designs,” said Anne Robert of theoutdoorstylist.com, a website that focuses on home trends.

“Outdoor lighting is a mood setter. It can make or break a design just like it can indoors.”

The abundance of products lets you make outdoor spaces more functional, said Rich Young of Outdoor Living Brands in Richmond, Va. “It allows families to extend the square footage of their home,” he said. “With the right light, you can extend the evening for dining or reading or other activities outdoors.”

When choosing fixtures for outdoor entertaining

areas, consider how much light is necessary, said Alene Workman, a spokeswoman for the American Society of Interior Designers. A table needs to have sufficient light so diners can eat, whereas a conversation area may need only soft mood lighting.

Be creative with table lighting, recommends Krissa Rossbund, a senior style editor at Traditional Home Magazine.

“Gone are the days when people hang a chandelier over a table and call it lit,” she said.

She suggests hanging two small chandeliers instead of one large one, or buying a chandelier at a flea market and painting it a bright color.

Outdoor chandeliers come in a variety of styles, from mission to modern. Manufacturers also offer many candle chandeliers for outdoor areas that don’t have electricity.

For seating areas, choose a weighted outdoor floor lamp, said Workman, who owns an interior design firm in Hollywood, Fla. “There are wonderful new outdoor lights that are almost art pieces themselves,” she said. continued on page 10

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10 Easy Ways to

Brighten Home for Spring

By SUE DOERFLER | The Arizona Republic Many homeowners equate the arrival of spring with cleaning.

But spring is also the perfect time to give your interior decor a facelift.

Interior designers suggest welcoming spring into your home by incorporating simple decorating ideas that mirror nature’s seasonal transformation. These 10 ideas will help you get started:

6. Learn the Power of Pillows

1. Clear Out

8. Take a Journey in Your Own Home

“Start by taking a surface and cleaning everything off,” said Scottsdale, Ariz., interior designer Judy Fox. For example, remove books, accessories and other items cluttering the top of your coffee table.

When you redecorate it, put back fewer items.

This will give the room a more open, spacious feeling, she said.

Another idea: Roll up those big, heavy rugs. They provided a cozy, comforting feel during cooler weather, but their removal will make your rooms appear larger and more open during spring and summer.

2. Awaken Your Decor If your furnishings have become tired-looking, change them out, revamp them, toss them or donate them to a charity.

3. Bring the Outdoors In Longer days are knocking, so let them in. Put fresh flowers in a decorative vase on your dining table.

Flowers such as tulips and lilacs say spring. Or opt for the exotic, such as orchids.

4. Let the Indoors Out Your home’s brighter, lighter spring look can extend to your patio and landscaping decor.

5. Go Lighter and Brighter Reds, tangerines and greens are key accent colors this season, Phoenix interior designer Sherry Hauser says.

Store your master bedroom’s dark decor items, such as the brown, black and gold duvet and matching pillows, and replace them with brightly colored accents and furnishings.

Pillows are an easy way to change your decor’s look and feel, no matter the season. Spring looks include bold flower patterns.

7. Make Marine the Core A clear bowl filled with sand and layered with shells you’ve collected at the seashore can turn into a focal point. Don’t despair if you haven’t been to the beach lately. You can buy them.

Styles and patterns from abroad can be incorporated as accents.

9. Appeal to Senses Candles, crisp fabrics and decorative bowls filled with grapes and berries provide sensual appeal.

10. Make Mealtime More Festive

Colorful appetizer or dessert plates can supplement your dinnerware.

Room image courtesy of York Wallcoverings, a wallpaper company in York, Pennsylvania, shows wallpaper by York Wallcoverings. Bright red-pink and bursting with energy, honeysuckle is dominating home decor trends in 2011 as a playful and vibrant alternative to the serene turquoise of 2010. (AP Photo/ Helping build York Wallcoverings)

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Oshkosh northwestern | May 1, 2011 | 5

Big Ideas Small Yard,

The size of the city yard John and Eleana Failla own on West 10th Avenue in Oshkosh didn’t prohibit them from creating a colorful, full garden.

Maximizing A Small Yard Space

By Amelia Compton Wolff | For The Northwestern A modest city lot did nothing to deter John and Eleana Failla from creating a backyard haven fit for a sprawling country estate. The couple purchased their home on West 10th Avenue in Oshkosh eight years ago and immediately set to work.

“It was a lot of playing around with different things and seeing what worked and what didn’t,” said Eleana, whose yard won the Oshkosh Garden Club’s Lawn and Garden Award last July. “You just listen to your imagination.”

A small yard may be reality, but a dream yard doesn’t have to be out of reach.

Define the Purpose Any landscape professional will suggest starting by defining what the primary uses will be for the outdoor space.

“I ask clients things like how many people they normally have over, if they plan on cooking outside and what their horticultural background is,” said Craig Pantel, landscape designer at Touch the Earth Landscaping Co. in Oshkosh.

Answering these questions ahead of time will assist in decision-making down

6 | Spring home improvement

the road, saving a lot of time, money and headaches. It will also help pinpoint priorities and create a better sense of project focus.

Create Focal Points After the Faillas laid out the yard’s hardscape, which included a patio and several stone pathways, they determined which focal points they wanted to incorporate.

“In the far back corner of the yard we put some pompom and spiral bushes that are unexpected,” Eleana said.

Opposite the bushes, Eleana incorporated a water feature as another focal point.

Drawing the eye to the far reaches of a space can give the illusion of greater depth and distance.

Balancing the focal points equally throughout the yard helps create calming symmetry and an aesthetically pleasing look.

Use Double-Duty Plantings Small yards don’t have an inch to waste, so work with plants that will look good no matter the time of year.

“Think about plants with attractive foliage as well as flowers,” said Lee Ann Lilly, eight-year Oshkosh Garden Club veteran. “Make plants pull their weight the whole year round.”

Lilly suggests smoke bush, Russian sage and old-fashioned peonies as plants that bloom big, but also look nice after they peak.

Don’t be afraid of borrowing views from a neighbor’s yard or nearby park. A large tree spanning two lots can be enjoyed by all.

“It might not be in your property, but you can include it in your garden too,” Lilly said.

Amelia Compton Wolff is a freelance writer for the Oshkosh Northwestern.

Oshkosh northwestern | May 1, 2011 | 7

What’s Cooking in Kitchen Remodeling

Easy Updates for Weekend Warriors

Update Cabinets

By Amelia Compton Wolff | For The Northwestern

Giving existing cabinetry a facelift can be as easy as applying a new stain or paint color and swapping out hardware.

Popular deep-hued kitchen colors add warmth and richness.

The kitchen often serves as a home’s axis of activity where meals are shared, conversations are sparked and homework is completed. It makes sense that when it is time for some simple home updates, the kitchen is frequently looked to first.

According to Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value 2010-11 report, midrange kitchen updates were in the top five home projects that offered the greatest return on investment.

The best part is the projects that provided the biggest impact tended to also be the most cost-effective, so tearing down walls is as unnecessary as breaking the bank.

Swap Countertops John Lieske, certified kitchen designer at Kitchen Specialists, recommends replacing countertops for an instant update.

“Countertops can really make a major difference,” Lieske said. “Plus it’s a one-day, in-and-out project.”

Granite and other natural stone countertops are always a sophisticated choice, but manufacturers also offer laminate varieties as a less expensive option. Install a new sink simultaneously for added impact.

“Undermount sinks without a ridge are really popular,” said Dan Geffers, owner of Geffers Remodeling in Oshkosh. “It creates a seamless transition from countertop to sink.”

“Darker cabinets, like espresso woods, have been in lately” Geffers said. “Darker hardware, like an antique bronze, is also popular.”

In addition, cabinets can be brought into the 21st century by adding organizational elements to streamline kitchen duties.

“People are updating their cabinetry with new accessories that make life easier, such as roll-out shelves and garbage cans,” said Lieske, who recommends adding these updates at the same time as countertops for the most time and cost savings.

Add an Island To really add that “wow” factor, consider installing an island that can be modified to fit almost any size kitchen. Lieske suggests the island color contrast the rest of the kitchen. If cabinets are painted, go for an island in rich wood. If cabinets are stained, select bisque or off-white shades.

“It will look more like an antique piece of furniture,” Lieske said. “Islands also work as bonus storage and food prep areas. It can be a pretty simple project.”

Amelia Compton Wolff is a freelance writer for the Oshkosh Northwestern.

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continued from page 4

Colored lights, illuminated furniture and subtle fixtures designed to blend with nature will be popular this year, according to design professionals.

can function as a table.

Workman expects to see the use of color increase, and “I don’t mean Christmas lights,” she said. Landscapers are starting to incorporate subtle red, blue and pink lights into their work, she said.

Homeowners wanting to light a more natural setting may go for a softer, more layered look, said Beth Webb, an interior designer in Atlanta. She favors the custom copper-and-wood pieces made by The Outdoor Lights in Cumming, Ga.

Color is particularly appropriate if you are planning a party, Rossbund added. It’s “a fun way to change things up,” she said.

Some homeowners are adding a bright pop of color with light-up patio furniture, Robert said. The batterypowered chairs and tables are available in a variety of colors.

International designers like Modoluce and Neoz have created lines of plastic tables and chairs that are lit from within.

Avanzini has a line of wood furniture made with glowing light strips. It helps create a lounge look that Robert thinks will be popular this summer.

“With the rise of staycations, we will see a lot of designs adopting a real bar-type lounge attitude, with perhaps more extravagant and festive pieces,” she said.

Moonlight USA sells decorative outdoor illuminated globes, which can glow white like the moon or cast light in a rainbow of colors. The company also makes a tabletop for the globes. The clear acrylic disc has a cutout center that allows it to rest on top of the globe so it

“The color is very robust,” said owner Anke Kondek.

“It’s a wow effect.”

Company president Chris Wakefield has created lights that cast a warm glow around fire pits, dining areas or outdoor living rooms. Some of his more popular items include punctured copper cylinders that create a firefly effect, stamped copper lanterns and illuminated, artificial birdhouses. The lanterns can hang from a shepherd’s hook or a tree branch.

Before buying lights for reading, lounging or dining, the professionals recommend making sure that pathways and steps are properly lit for safety.

“You want light to help you navigate spaces near or around steps,” said Jeff Dross, director of education and industry trends for Kichler Lighting.

He and the other experts warned against making outdoor spaces too bright. They suggest using subtle light that is aimed towards the ground wherever possible.

Online: www.kichlerlighting.com www.theoutdoorstylist.com www.outdoorlivingbrands.com www.theoutdoorlights.com

“For most tasks you only need low light,” Dross said.

“Avoid that glare. Glare forces you to think you need more light than you do.”

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