2515 N Bloomington St. Streator, IL 61364 815- 673-2822 www.rplumber.com
CABINETS
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St. Peru, IL 61354
815-223-1742
www.mazelumber.com
CHAINSAWS
Smith’s Sales and Service
1604 Peoria St. Peru, IL 61354 815-223-0132
CONTRACTORS/ CONSTRUCTION
JJ&L Carpentry
4177 E. 50th Rd. Mendota, IL 61342 (815) 539-6598
Judd Construction Hennepin, IL 61327
815-925-7333
DOORS & WINDOWS
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St. Peru, IL 61354
815-223-1742
www.mazelumber.com
ELECTRICAL
Carriage House
Electric
105 12th St. Mendota, IL 61342 (815) 538-5598
www.carriagehouseelectricmendota.com
FIREPLACES
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St. Peru, IL 61354
815-223-1742 www.mazelumber.com
FLOORING
Carpet Weavers
4250 Mahoney Dr. Peru, IL 61354 (815) 410-4999
Johnsons Carpet Shoppe
1033 N. Main St. Princeton, IL 61356 815-875-3444
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St. Peru, IL 61354 815-223-1742
www.mazelumber.com
FURNITURE
Meyers Furniture & Bedding
1901 N. State Highway 251 Mendota, IL 61342 (815) 539-6263
www.meyersfurnitureandbedding.com
Illinois Valley Resource Guide
Keep this guide handy for all of your home improvement needs. We have everything you need to make your home the best it can be.
Check listings in the categories below.
Building Material
Cabinets
Chainsaws
Concrete
Contractors/ Construction
Doors & Windows
Drain Cleaning
Electrical
Fencing
Fireplaces
Flooring
Furniture
Grocery Store
Handyman
Heating & Cooling
Home Improvement/ Remodeling
Kitchen & Bath
Landscaping Material & Supplies
Lawn Mower Sales & Repair
Loans
Lumber Yard
Overhead Doors
Plumbing
Rental Equipment
Roofing
Stone Products
Tree Service
Furniture
Flooring
Living
HANDYMAN
Hunter Handyman Services
LaSalle, IL 61301
chris7884@gmail.com (815) 780-7884
HEATING & COOLING
Energy Specialists Co.
224 N. Main St
Toluca, IL 61369
815-452-2332
https://energy-specialists.com/
Kettman Heating & Plumbing, Inc.
107 E. Harrison St. Granville, IL 61326
815-339-6124
kettmanheating.com
HOME
IMPROVEMENT/ REMODELING
Mark Lucas
Remodeling
Peru, IL 61354
815-223-4805
R.P. Lumber
2758 Columbus St. Ottawa, IL 61350
815- 431-0711
600 8th St. Mendota, IL 61342
815- 539-1088
1315 N Main St. Princeton, IL 61356
815- 875-1141
220 5th St.
Lacon, IL 61540
309- 246-2485
2515 N Bloomington St. Streator, IL 61364 815- 673-2822
www.rplumber.com
KITCHEN & BATH
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St. Peru, IL 61354
815-223-1742
www.mazelumber.com
LANDSCAPING
MATERIAL & SUPPLIES
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St.
Peru, IL 61354
815-223-1742
www.mazelumber.com
LAWN MOWER SALES & REPAIR
Smith’s Sales and Service
1604 Peoria St. Peru, IL 61354
815-223-0132
LOANS
First State Bank
Mendota (815) 538-2265
McNabb (815) 882-2146
Peru (815) 224-4484
Ottawa (815) 433-3727
Princeton (815) 872-0002
LaMoille (815) 638-2398
www.firststatebank.biz
Hometown National Bank
LaSalle, Joliet (815) 220-2288 myhtnb.com
LUMBERYARD
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St. Peru, IL 61354 815-223-1742 www.mazelumber.com
OVERHEAD DOORS
J & D Doors
815-433-3646 jdgaragedoors.com
Overhead Door
Company of the Illinois Valley 617 Shooting Park Rd. Peru, IL 61354 (815) 223-8471
www.overheaddoorillinoisvalley. com
PLUMBING
Kettman Heating & Plumbing, Inc.
107 E Harrison St. Granville, IL 61326
815-339-6124
kettmanheating.com
Lenhausen Plumbing & Heating
422 South Locust St. Wenona, IL 61377 815-992-1818
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St. Peru, IL 61354 815-223-1742 www.mazelumber.com
POST FRAME BUILDINGS
N.L. Morton Buildings
203 N. 4099th Rd Mendota, IL 61342 (815)224-2800 www.nlmortonbuildings.com
RENTAL
EQUIPMENT
Rental Pros 2 1150 38th St. Peru, IL 61354 (815) 224-2800
United Rentals
2901 Peoria St. Peru, IL 61354 (815) 223-7962 www.unitedrentals.com
ROOFING
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St. Peru, IL 61354
815-223-1742
www.mazelumber.com
R.P. Lumber
2758 Columbus St. Ottawa, IL 61350
815- 431-0711
600 8th St. Mendota, IL 61342 815- 539-1088
1315 N Main St. Princeton, IL 61356 815- 875-1141
220 5th St. Lacon, IL 61540
309- 246-2485
2515 N Bloomington St. Streator, IL 61364
815- 673-2822
www.rplumber.com
STONE PRODUCTS
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St. Peru, IL 61354
815-223-1742
www.mazelumber.com
WINDOWS
Maze Lumber
1100 Water St. Peru, IL 61354
815-223-1742
www.mazelumber.com
Improve your home’s value with hardwood flooring
(BPT) - Whether you’re thinking about selling your home or just making some updates, it’s always smart to consider renovations that will enhance the enjoyment of your home and increase your property’s long-term value. One key improvement many homeowners consider is updating their home’s flooring to solid or engineered hardwood, an investment that can maximize a home’s style and value.
Hardwood flooring instantly transforms a space, and you can choose from many types and hues of wood to suit the design style that’s just right for you. You can also stay on-trend by using hardwood flooring throughout your home to achieve a seamless, cohesive look.
“Hardwood flooring is always a standout feature that brings timeless, stylish appeal to any home,” says Jennifer Meska, Head of Merchandising at LL Flooring. “Solid or engineered hardwood flooring provides a natural look that can vary across colors, finishes and styles, instantly adding updated style and sophistication to any home.”
The National Realtor Association’s 2022 Remodeling Impact Report found that homeowners who install new hardwood flooring get an average return on investment (ROI) of up to 118%. On top of that, the National Wood Flooring Association has found that 99% of real estate agents believe homes with quality hardwood floors are easier to sell, and 90% believe they
sell for a higher price. All of this means that hardwood floors can essentially pay for themselves in resale value.
THE TIMELESS APPEAL OF HARDWOOD FLOORING
Hardwood floors have been around for a long time, and for good reason. They can create the perfect complement to a wide range of home design styles, offering natural tone, beauty and sophistication that’s hard to duplicate with any other material.
On top of that, hardwood floors are known for their timeless quality - hardwood has been a trusted flooring material for hundreds of years, and it’s near-assured that they will stay in style for generations to come.
Another advantage of hardwood flooring is that you can choose from a wide variety of styles and species of wood to achieve different looks, and you can consider either solid or engineered hardwood for even more options depending on the needs of your home.
Here are just a couple of examples of selections available to today’s homeowners from LL Flooring’s Bellawood premium line of solid and engineered hardwood, which offers a 100year residential warranty.
CLASSIC, ENDURING STYLE
Hickory is the hardest of all North American woods, making it perfect for those who want beauty and long-lasting quality, especially for high-traffic areas. The 5-inch-wide planks in LL
Flooring’s Natural Hickory
Solid Hardwood Flooring are factory finished with premium aluminum oxide for a fortified finish, offering excellent resistance to stains, scuffs and scratches.
This natural option in hickory flooring stands out for its high-contrast color variations and unique grain patterns, with colors running from light tans to deep browns and reddish tones laced throughout. Hickory floors are equally attractive in a more classic or traditional style home, for a sophisticated and modern city loft or a rustic country cabin.
MODERN ENGINEERED ELEGANCE
LL Flooring’s Claire Gardens
Oak Engineered Hardwood Flooring gives you the option for on-trend, wider planks (8.5 inches wide). The buttery cream coloring of this classic white oak flooring gives these blonde
planks an inviting lightness and beauty that complements a variety of today’s preferred styles, ranging from modern farmhouse, minimalist and Scandinavian to biophilic, eclectic and bohemian designs.
Engineered hardwood is an enhanced wood product that offers improved performance, and lighter tones can help to reflect the light in any room of your home for a more open, bright and airy ambience.
Whichever hardwood flooring option you choose, you can relax and enjoy its beauty now and for years to come - or prepare your home to sell - knowing that you’ve made a sound investment in the future of your home.
Explore all of the possibilities for hardwood flooring in your home at LLFlooring.com.
How to create an outdoor living retreat
Al fresco entertaining has taken off in recent years. It’s much more common today to find homeowners who want to extend living spaces to the outdoors in meaningful ways that go beyond a few lawn chairs and a standalone grill. Dream backyard living rooms mirror similar spaces indoors and contain features like cozy corners, lush furniture and televisions or movie projectors. Plus, they often abut additional outdoor luxuries like fully functional kitchens.
Homeowners have various options when designing outdoor living spaces. Above all else, spaces should be created with the goal of encouraging people to get together. Here are some ideas.
POOLSIDE RETREAT
Homeowners with pools and other water features likely want this area to be the star of the entertaining space. Furniture will be more of the lounging variety, with comfortable chaises and spots to catch the sun. If a swim-up bar isn’t possible, a rolling bar cart can be stocked with essentials for cocktails or mocktails for the kids. Furniture near the pool will be exposed to a lot of sun, so look for durable, sun-resistant fabrics.
FIRESIDE NOOK
Gathering around an outdoor fireplace or fire pit is a treat when the weather cools down. Mirror the look of the same setup indoors by
arranging outdoor sofas so they flank the fireplace. Add some ottomans or side tables for stowing mulled cider or hot chocolate. A mantel above the fireplace can hold pots of greenery or candles that add to the ambiance.
CONSIDER A CUSTOM BANQUETTE
Unused corners on a patio or rooftop retreat can utilize a custom-made banquette that provides the functionality of a sofa sectional outdoors. Have a contractor design it to the exact specifications of the area, and add a rug to ground the space.
VARY THE FLOORING
Depending on the entertaining space, a balance of
soft grass, pavers or other hardscape will be necessary. Certain areas will need to be hard enough for chairs and other furniture, particularly for those who are including an outdoor dining table in the design.
CREATE SOME PRIVACY
Some homeowners are lucky enough to have natural barriers that offer privacy in their entertaining spaces. When there isn’t enough, tall shrubs, inexpensive bamboo fencing or trellis can provide a blind that makes an outdoor living area more cozy and private. Consider placing tall, potted plants on rolling casters to improve privacy as the need arises.
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What is a quiet room?
(And why you should create one at home)
distracting sounds in and around a home. Lawn care workers with their mowers and blowers also may contribute to ambient noise. A dedicated quiet room can be beneficial for anyone, and most especially for people who experience sensory issues.
WHAT IS A QUIET ROOM?
A quiet room is a space where a person can enjoy peace and quiet in a distraction-free environment. According to designer Rachel Cannon, “a quiet room is a sanctuary from the stimulation and overwhelm that we encounter every day.” A quiet room may go by various names, including a mindfulness room or cozy cove, but the common goal is to remove as many sensory distractions as possible so that an individual can disconnect from the outside world and reap some calming benefits. According to School Specialty, LLC, an education resource provider, schools are now providing quiet rooms for over-stimulated students, and homeowners can take similar cues to create these relaxing retreats at
HOW TO CREATE A QUIET ROOM
The first step in establishing a quiet room is to identify a
location that is far away from the main action of the household. A bedroom, basement, nook in the garage, or even an attic can be a good spot for a quiet room.
Soundproofing the space can make it even more inviting. Sounds will bounce off of walls and floors, but acoustic panels can help muffle noises. If acoustic panels are not in the design plan, thicker draperies, wallpaper, carpeting, and wall art can help counteract echoes and noise infiltration. Soft furniture also can absorb sound.
Small rooms work better as quiet spaces, as such areas can feel more cozy. Less is needed to decorate the space if it is on the smaller side. Bring in warm, soft lighting and soft decor. A sound machine playing favorite ocean or natural sounds also can mask outside noises even more.
Establish rules that govern how the quiet space is to be used. When someone is inside the area, they should not be disturbed. If possible, use the quiet room during naturally quiet times of the day. Keep the room stocked with books, journals, crafting items, or whatever it is you need to unwind and relax.
Quiet rooms can be special retreats homeowners use to escape the hustle and bustle of a household. HI254739
