Spring Home and Garden 2011

AND GARDEN 2011

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APRIL 3, 2011

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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Spring has sprung!

5 easy DIY projects to upgrade your home Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, everything's turning green ... and it's time to upgrade both the interior and the exterior of your home for the new season! Brad Staggs, HGTVPro.com and DIY show producer and host, and a licensed contractor, offers five easy DIY projects perfect for any home.

Safe Arbor: Garden structures add depth and character to any yard. Add a charming wood arbor to a quiet corner and create a special space perfect for enjoying nature. Run a pretty rose vine up the back for a fragrant, peaceful hideout.

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especially when they find out this cool canine campout was in the August 2008 issue of Southern Living magazine.

Southern Chalet Birdhouse: One part gracious Southern architecture, two parts sass -and the perfect abode for the robins of spring. Let the children help out with the custom paint job!

"Cut Above" Raised Garden Bed: Nothing smells as sweet or tastes as good as home-grown flowers and veggies. Plant soon for an early summer harvest, then again to enjoy the bounty of fall.

Funky Storage Locker: Tired of tripping on baseball bats, slipping on skateboards and stumbling on soccer balls? Corral all the trappings of your life into a retro wooden locker designed to take anything the kids can dish out.

A coat of whimsical paint and some creative stencil work might even get the kids to clean up on their own!

"There is an increased focus on real outdoor living, helped, of course, by the economy," says Brad. "We seem to be turning the corner of commercialism and recentering on the home, on the things that matter, on authenticity."

As with any backyard DIY project, building product selection is important. For all of the above projects, Brad chooses pressure-treated Southern Pine. "It's a nobrainer to me: pressure-treated Southern Pine is real, it's genuine and it's a beautiful product. Add to that the natural, long-lasting, sturdy and safe elements, and you just can't go wrong. If you're conscious of your carbon footprint, then wood is your product; it's one of the only naturally renewable products out there, and it takes remarkably less energy to manufacture than alternative building products. It's the real thing for real families."

To download free plans for these easy DIY projects, please visit www.spanpine.com.

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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Restore Your Property Once Winter Weather Is Gone Restoring a yard after a long winter is a springtime rite of passage for many homeowners. Harsh winds and heavy snow can take their toll on even the most beautiful landscape.

Spring is a homeowner's first chance to survey the damage and begin restoring the yard to where it was before all those strong winds and snowstorms. To get started on your yard this spring, consider the following tips.

• Don't begin too early. The early bird might get the worm, but the early homeowner might get a damaged lawn. If temperatures for an upcoming free weekend are unseasonably warm, it's best to avoid doing spring yard cleanup until there have been several warm weekends to thaw the ground. Unless the ground has completely thawed, footsteps on the yard will damage the grass, compacting the soil and preventing the air and moisture that soil needs from doing its job

and penetrating the soil.

What's more, if the yard is raked before the ground has thawed, the rake might just be pulling the grass out by its roots.

• Survey the property. A close survey of the property will give homeowners an idea of just how big or small their restoration project will be. A thorough survey will reveal any problem areas and may also reveal some unexpected guests. Rabbits and squirrels often nest in yards during the winter. Rabbits will nest in the ground, while squirrels typically build nests made of leaves in the trees. Unless it's entirely necessary, avoid removing any nests, and be sure to carefully inspect the yard before the season's first mow.

year's mulch. If new mulch is simply thrown on top of old, plants could suffocate.

Dead leaves also tend to gather during the winter, often up against fences or a home's exterior walls. Rake up these dead leaves and add them to the season's compost.

• Get rid of thatch. Thatch can be soil's worst enemy, preventing its access to the sunlight, air and moisture it needs to make the lawn look beautiful and healthy. Thatch removal can be tiresome, but visit the local hardware store and pick up a dethatching rake to make the job a little

easier. Thatch removal isn't always necessary every spring. Many homeowners have found removing thatch every other year is effective enough.

• Aerate the yard to revive the soil. Soil often becomes compacted as spring becomes summer and summer becomes fall. This is especially true of yards that are heavily used, be it by kids playing outdoors or families who love to host warm weather gatherings in the yard. Aerating in the spring removes plugs of sod from the soil, loosening it up and making it easier for air

and water to reach the roots.

• Address those ugly bald spots. Bare spots in a yard can result from any number of things, be it a dog urinating in the yard or even disease.

Early spring, when temperatures are a little cooler and promote grass growth, is a great time to address the yard's bald spots. Do so by clearing away the spots and sprinkling the freshly exposed soil with some grass seed.

Then add some fertilizer and be sure the newly seeded areas get some water until the new, healthy grass begins to grow in.

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• Out with the old. When the cleanup process is ready to begin, it's time to remove remnants from last season.

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Sunday, April 3, 2011

House Styles 101 As the old adages go, "a man's home is his castle" and "there's no place like home."

What type of house a person chooses to call home can say a lot about his or her personality and priorities.

There are many different types of housing styles, each with unique features, benefits and detriments. When shopping for a new home or thinking about updating a current place, it can be wise to keep housing style in mind before signing on any dotted lines or making any renovations.

Colonial Colonial homes were developed during the colonial period of the United States and remain one of the most popu-

lar housing styles to date.

Colonials generally have a distinct square or rectangular shape and are often large and stately. Main rooms are on the first floor of the house, while bedrooms are on the second level. A center-hall colonial can have a staircase or hallway splitting the home into two distinct sides.

Ranch Ranch-style homes became popular in the 1960s, when many families were flocking to suburban areas. Long, spacious homes were first seen on the country's ranches. As they cropped up in different areas, they were still referred to as ranch-style homes or ranches. Ranch homes are

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Craftsman Craftsman homes came out of the Arts & Crafts movement that spurred architectural styles as well as furniture design. Craftsman homes are built from stone or stucco and are meant to blend in with the surrounding landscape.

Oftentimes one-story, the Craftsman may have one dormer over the roof and feature thick pillars on a front porchway.

Cape Cod Cape Cod homes were built from the 1930s through the 1950s. The style originated in colonial New England, but then spread to other areas of the country. The homes are usually compact and feature a center hall layout with rooms branching on either side of the hallway. Capes may be oneor two-story dwellings with small rooms and dormers that protrude out of a sharply pitched roof.

Mission The Mission style became popular in southern areas of the country between the years 1485 and 1558. It was inspired by Mexican mansions. Mission style homes are distinguished by exterior stucco walls and parapets, or a low wall that runs at the perimeter of the roof. Mission homes also may have an arcade, or a series of arches supported by large square columns to form a large, shaded entry porch.

There are many styles of homes from which prospective home buyers can choose.

Split-Level A split-level home is a multileveled dwelling with a small staircase that leads up from the main level and another that leads down from the main level. A sidesplit may be visi-

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Tudor Tudor-style homes are reminiscent of the Tudor architectural style popular in England between 1485 and 1558.

These homes are characterized by an asymmetrical floor plan, tall, thin windows, a large chimney, decorative half-timbering, and steeply pitched roofs.

ble when looking at the front of the home, where a backsplit may only show when looking at the side elevation of the home. A bi-level home only has two levels.

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Contemporary A contemporary or "modern" house has little ornamentation and may be asymmetrical in design. It uses glass extensively and other modern building materials.

Contemporary homes are often designated by sleek, unadorned lines.

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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Outside Inside home decorators say is the new

change. Several noted hammock and leisure-furniture manufacturers have introduced WeatherSmart, DuraCord and other newer synthetics into their lines.

"The traditional rope for a hammock is, of course, cotton," noted J.R. Pelletier, manager of TheHammockCompany.com, an international leader in hammock sales. "But when something as promising as a DuraCord is developed, well, we'd have been failing our customers if we hadn't explored carrying those brands that weave with it, y'know?

"We've never looked back since."

So if there's one upside to this down economy, it may just be better times spent in our own backyards.

Some outdoor rugmakers are now using new-generation synthetics to create style-rich, weather-tough rugs of cottony-softness.

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outdoor-leisure landscape is changing. Recent advances in textile synthetics have led to such industrial fibers as WeatherSmart and DuraCord that, when made into (surprisingly soft) yarns for rope or fabric, not only hold up to weather and rot, but also allow for heretofore unthinkable design possibilities.

"Some of the high-quality rugs manufactured now for outdoor use are really so attractive and feel so great that you may end up questioning whether you want to put them outside at all!" said Jay Branch, president of Sawgrass Mills Outdoor Rugs, which hand-hooks its design-intensive rugs out of DuraCord.

Outdoor rugmakers are hardly alone in embracing this

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"Stay-cation," that clever media catchphrase of 2008, has quickly morphed into this year's mantra for many Americans. Economic woes mean more and more people will be staying put for their annual vacations.

This comes at a time when home-decorating trends have tilted dramatically toward outdoor and outdoorfeeling spaces. Decks, porches, patios, sunrooms, poolsides, courtyards and even lawns are now receiving the kinds of attention from decorators and consumers as was once reserved for sitting rooms and eat-in kitchens.

Outdoors has become in.

So with spring on the horizon and thoughts turning to shedding coats and a shining sun, stay-put homeowners are blessed with innumerable, often very economical options this coming leisure season for sprucing up their outside spaces into sterling spots for relaxing stay-cations.

Decorating for the outdoors is hardly as simple, of course, as dragging a couch or a throw rug out into the yard, despite what we might gather from Jerry Springer. Outdoor decor needs to be designed with weather in mind. A true outdoor-leisure product ought to hold up to rain, snow and sleet, rugged wear and dirty feet, even wine and ketchup stains. It should dry quickly, and not rot, mold or mildew. It shouldn't fade from heavy sun.

Yet outdoor durability has too often meant a great sacrifice in attractiveness and style, not to mention comfort.

But who wants to sit in a rope swing that makes you itch, or walk barefoot over a rug that insults your feet?

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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Hardscaping tips How to restore the beauty of your pavers For some homeowners, looking at the state of their home's hardscaping can be a tough site to bear. The faded driveway, discolored path and putrid patio reveal the results of hardscaping

that has suffered far too much from the effects of traffic and outdoor elements.

The good news is thanks to the latest technology in stain removal and

sealants you can freshen up and restore the beauty of your pavers and preserve them for years.

"While pavers offer superior durability, they're often subjected to harsh conditions and are not impervious to stains from motor oil, barbeque grease, fertilizer, tire marks, paint spills, etc.," said Rick DeMarchi, Director of Marketing for Techniseal, the leading manufacturer of treatment products for the concrete paver industry.

"General wear and tear, dirt and the effects of the elements can also cause pavers to lose some of their original beauty."

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categories: • Film-forming versus non film-forming • Color enhancing (wet look) versus non color enhancing (dry look) • Solvent-based versus water-based • All are stain resistant The selection of a sealer will depend on certain criteria. For example, if the pavement to be sealed is around a pool, then a non film-forming sealer that has no impact on slip and skid resistance would be best. If distinct colors are important, then a color enhancing sealer will help best to make the colors stand out. Or you may prefer a natural or an invisible sealer to preserve the natural look of the paver colors.

You can expect these sealants to repel countless stains for the next five years and avoid prematurely aging your pavement.

Re-application will also be easier as there will be a significant amount of sealer remaining in the capillaries of the pavers. More information on sealant technology can be found at www.techniseal.com.

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That beauty can be revived, he added, with a thorough cleaning with appropriate products and preserved by applying a sealer.

Cleaning and sealing pavers is typically a threestep process. The first step is the removal of obvious stains and dirt with the appropriate spot cleaners.

Not all stains require the same cleaners. For example, Techniseal designed specific cleaners for ground-in dirt, rust, tar, oil, and grease stains.

Step two of the process is to even the appearance of the entire surface after spot cleaning. For this step DeMarchi recommends Techniseal's Hardscape cleaner, a more gentle phosphate-free formula created specifically for pavers. It's ideal for removing general grime and dirt.

It ensures even cleaning and brightens up the color prior to sealant application.

The third and final step is the application of the sealer protection. While sealant technology continues to evolve, sealants can be broken down into a few key

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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Backyard Luxury Without the Luxury Prices "Affordable" and "luxury" never used to be words you'd see cozied up together - luxury, after all, implies a lifestyle the average person can't afford!

But much has changed with our changing economy.

The once-contradictory notion of low-cost luxury is fast becoming the new operating philosophy of the savvy homeowner: How can I capture the most extravagance for the least money?

Well, for starters, consider a well-made hammock.

A quality hammock is one of the most economical face-lifts you can give your back yard, confirms Walter R. Perkins III, CEO of The Hammock Source, home to such trendsetting brands as The Original Pawleys Island Rope Hammock and Hatteras Hammocks.

"With a good hammock, you look and feel lavish without having to spend lavishly," Perkins explains.

Paired with an attractive powder-coated steel stand or a luxuriously curved cypresswood stand, a quality rope

or fabric hammock quickly becomes the sumptuous centerpiece of any deck, patio or poolside, or a lovely, functional addition to a large flower garden.

"People tend to be really surprised how just having a hammock there makes the whole area seem that much more luxurious and comfortable," says J.R. Pelletier, manager of TheHammockCompany.com, an international leader in hammock sales.

"For a couple hundred dollars' investment," Perkins notes, "not only have you just boosted the visual appeal of your property, but you've also just created a luxury destination right outside your own

back door. Plus, your neighbors are going to envy you every time they catch sight of you across the fence, stretched out and content!"

The hammock wasn't always so connected with luxury, however. Far from it.

Prior to the late 19th century, hammocks functioned primarily as sailors' beds, and were neither particularly comfortable nor all that safe. Fabric hammocks back then were cramped, hot and prone to tipping, while rope hammocks, equally unsturdy, were woven typically of rough hemp or manila, and riddled with bulky knots.

Then along came Pawleys Island, S.C., riverboat captain Joshua Ward,

whose quest for a better night's sleep led him in 1889 to reinvent the rope hammock and, in the process, set the standard for what's now the classic American hammock style.

Ward switched to heavy cotton rope and a knotless, lattice-like weave, placing wooden spreader bars at both ends to hold his hammock open -- and what was once a clingy, scratchy, knotty sleeping-cocoon became a soft, open, airborne leisure space.

Within no time, Ward's effortlessly comfortable new hammock style was intricate-

ly associated with the town of Pawleys Island, even then a famous seaside resort for the well-to-do. Possibly through this direct connection with wealth and leisure, a good hammock became through the years the universal symbol of relaxed good fortune.

"You might call it a boost in luxury by association," says Perkins of The HammockSource. "Of course, once you're in your own hammock, you're gonna feel like a million bucks regardless of the fact you didn't have to spend a fortune to buy it!"

Paired with an attractive stand, a quality hammock quickly becomes the sumptuous centerpiece of any deck, patio or poolside.

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Sunday, April 3, 2011

Tips for adding resale value to your home's exterior Change the siding? Add new shrubbery? Replace the cracked sidewalk? When it comes time to enhance the curb appeal of your home, there are a multitude of improvement projects you can consider --- but which ones will add the highest resale value to your home?

According to many experts, home owners should “think big” and invest in projects that make a significant impact on the exterior of your home. Adding window flower pots or garden flags are a nice touch, but they don’t add lasting value to a home. To enhance your enjoyment

Brick panels and urethane millwork enhance the entry door and windows leading into this Ohio home.

while living in your home, and to add resale value when you decide to sell your house, consider projects that impressively kick up the overall value of your home overall.

Some tips to accomplish this goal include: Tip #1 – Create a Bay or Bow Window on the front of your home. Take out a few side-by-side Double Hung windows and opt to replace them with a Bay or Bow window. These dramatic windows extend the living space on the interior of the home and create a new focal point for a house. Make certain to maximize your investment by insisting on low-maintenance ENERGY STAR® qualified windows, such as the vinyl Bay and Bow windows manufactured by Simonton Windows.

Tip #2 – Invest in a strong roof with a strong warranty.

The roof is one of the most vulnerable areas of the home’s structure, so when it’s time to replace it, start with lots of research. Look for a low-maintenance roof that can withstand fire, high winds, impact, hail and severe weather. One company, DaVinci Roofscapes, offers a 50-year limited warranty on their synthetic roofing tiles that come in slate and shake styles. These roofs laugh in the face of Mother Nature --and stand up to hurricanes, tornadoes, snowstorms and searing temperatures.

Tip #3 – Enhance the entryway with brick panels. Set off the area surrounding the entry door with environmentally-friendly panelized brick product. Available from Performance Brick, these panels are made of recycled gypsum and reinforced with high-density polymer materials. The overlapping and interlocking panels install quickly to the exterior of the home and come in “no repeat patterns” to assure a one-of-akind look. The decorative panels come in Cabernet Red, Darlington Rose, Manchester Brown and Pearl Grey color options along with a custom

color match system.

Tip #4 – Add decorative millwork around windows and doors. Trimless doors and windows equate to a boring home exterior. By investing in low maintenance urethane window crossheads that sit atop windows, and pilasters that travel vertically up the sides of doors, homeowners can embellish the exteriors of their homes.

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