OTT - Fall Home Improvement - 091821

Fall

Home Improvement Emerging design trends Benefits of carpet Popular renovation projects Pre-winter perennial pruning pointers

A publication of est. 1851

The Times - Delivering Your Community • Saturday, September 18, 2021

| FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

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3 emerging design trends for today’s lifestyles (BPT) - Events from the past year have all of us reconsidering what we want and need out of our homes. From work and play to wellness, our homes have become the epicenter of, well, everything - leading to an emergence of design trends focused on adapting to a new normal. The design experts at Wilsonart, a world-leading provider of engineered surfaces, have identified three new lifestyle trends that are affecting lasting design changes.

1.

BACK TO NATURE It’s no secret that nature has the power to inspire, invigorate, restore and refresh. Research has shown that interacting with nature can offer mental health benefits, including decreasing stress and relieving anxiety. Likewise, incorporating elements of nature into the home has been proven to improve happiness and well-being.

Whether as a room’s canvas or a pop of color on an accent wall, paint is an easy and affordable way to bring nature’s beauty into the home with colors that evoke a sense of calm and serenity. “Dark blue hues reminiscent of water and the sky are

trending, along with lush greens that infuse spaces with the fresh essence of grass and foliage,” says designer Gwen Petter. “Earthy neutrals, such as tans and beiges, are also in high demand for their ability to ground us and surround us with soothing natural tones.”

expertly curated collection includes environmentally sustainable materials such as high-pressure laminates and performance veneers that deliver the authentic looks of exotic woods, stone-inspired solid surface options and non-porous engineered quartz.

2.

“RESI-MERBeyond color, CIAL” AND 40% of people RUSTIC report that they Fueled by the “Dark blue hues want a connection drastic decline in to nature, particureminiscent of water and domestic and inlarly in their kitchternational travel ens, according to a the sky are trending, along during the pansurvey by the Nademic, homeowner with lush greens that tional Kitchen and interest in repliBath Association cating the sophisinfuse spaces with the (NKBA). Hometicated style and owners are chooscomforts of an uping nature-inspired fresh essence of grass and scale hotel or luxmaterials for focal ury resort in their foliage,” says designer areas like counterhome has contintops, cabinets and ued to grow. From Gwen Petter. islands. Wilsonart® plush towels and perfectly plumped Home offers beaupillows to spa-wortiful, on-trend opthy bathrooms and tions for virtually every surface in the home with per- chef-quality kitchens, commercially formance features and price points inspired designs are increasingly crossto suit any lifestyle and budget. The ing over into the residential arena.

Carrara marble continues to be one of the most sought-after surfaces to achieve this clean, sophisticated, “resi-mercial” look, but not everyone desires the cost and maintenance that comes with the natural stone. The Wilsonart® Solid Surface Crafted Collection combines nature’s beauty with cutting-edge design innovation to deliver the look of authentic marble in an ultra-durable acrylic solid surface. This series of movement designs captures the beauty and drama of marble typically only seen in natural materials like quartz and stone with virtually limitless design applications for the kitchen, bath and beyond.

Scandi Noir is another “resi-mercial” design approach that is gaining traction, particularly in kitchens. This style features looser rules and is characterized by the use of dark cabinets combined with dark countertops or contrasting dark and light surfaces.

“Kitchen cabinets are still predominantly white, but more homeowners are adding a pop of color with contrasting island cabinets. In fact, searches for black and navy kitchens are up significantly,” notes Petter.

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SUSTAINABLE STYLE “Today’s homeowners are seeking surfaces that will live up to the rigors of everyday life,” explains Petter. “There also is growing interest in sustainable alternatives to natural products, which can contribute to deforestation and degraded air quality from sourcing and mining operations. Human-made composite materials offer appealing options that often outperform natural materials, delivering greater durability, less ongoing maintenance and fewer harmful environmental impacts.”

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Alternative materials like laminate, solid surface and quartz mimic the best of Mother Nature without impacting the environment, offering appealing options for eco-conscious consumers. Many of these engineered surfaces are UL GREENGUARD Gold Certified to meet low chemical emissions limits for better air quality.

Additionally, many laminate products are made with a combination of fibers from FSC-certified, fast-growing, sustainably managed woods and post-consumer recycled content (PCRC). For more information and inspiration, visit Wilsonart.com.

Carpet helps you create a healthy,stylish, comfortable home

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(BPT) - Being at home more often has inspired many people to make changes in their favorite spaces that focus on health and comfort. You might be surprised to learn that carpeting a room supports both these goals, plus offers near endless style possibilities.

Carpet is a popular flooring option, accounting for 48% of the total U.S. flooring market, according to

the Carpet and Rug Institute. Adding carpet or refreshing the carpet you already have in your home has many benefits, from helping you breathe easier to keeping loved ones safe.

Here are the top reasons people are opting for carpet: HEALTH AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY Carpet can help support a healthy home, even for people with asthma and allergies. The updated asthma

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management guidelines from the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute do not include recommendations to remove carpet as a way to treat asthma and allergies.

“Scientific research shows that carpet does not negatively impact allergies or asthma. In fact, carpet can improve your home’s air quality by trapping allergens, keeping them

out of the breathing zone and making them easy to vacuum,” said Dr. Michael Halwig, allergy specialist on the clinical faculty of Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. “All too often patients have been advised to remove carpeting in the home to deal with environmental allergies. This is often expensive and impractical for many families. Current knowledge shows that the use of vacuum cleaners with HEPA fil-

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ters and other environmental control measures are much more effective in reducing allergens in the home.”

Carpet is also a safe choice, particularly in multigenerational homes. In addition to added comfort in cushioning footsteps, carpet can help reduce slips and falls that may occur more easily on hard surface flooring. Carpet is safe for the whole family, but especially for toddlers and older individuals who are more prone to falls.

FASHION AND FUNCTIONALITY Carpet can serve as a neutral foundation, in popular tones of gray, cream or beige, or it can be a focal point featuring vibrant colors and bold patterns. With thousands of carpet styles, colors, textures and designs, you can select an option that suits your personal taste and complements your home’s aesthetic.

Beyond beauty, carpet provides a great place to sit and is comfortable underfoot. Because carpet provides thermal insulation, it helps maintain a room’s optimum temperature; for example, in cooler months it retains warm air for longer. It feels good and looks good, helping create an inviting feeling in any room.

“With two toddlers, a dog and two cats, carpet was a must-have throughout our home. Carpet provides comfort, warmth, and style - and we also love that it improves indoor air quality,” said Chelsee Hood, mother and blogger. “Many families are choosing to install carpet for these reasons and more, making it a great feature in the modern home.”

| The Times - Delivering Your Community • Saturday, September 18, 2021

SAFETY AND NOISE REDUCTION With people spending more time at home, indoor noise pollution is becoming a big problem. Carpet and carpet pads help absorb excessive sounds to soften noises within a room while serving as a sound barrier between floors. This is especially important in rooms with large TVs, sound systems or speaker phones, as well as in hallways and on stairs to soften foot traffic. Whether you’re working, studying or relaxing, carpet reduces noise so you can focus.

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Many people are installing additional carpet in their homes to help improve air quality. Fortunately, the vast majority of carpet sold in the U.S. is certified through CRI’s Green Label Plus program, a third-party certification that demonstrates products are among the lowest emission emitting carpet, adhesive and cushion products on the market.

If a fall does happen, carpet can help minimize injury.

To learn more about the research and benefits of carpet, visit www. beautyofcarpet.com.

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Popular renovation projects during the pandemic Spending so much time at home during the pandemic led many homeowners to spruce up their homes. According to HomeAdvisor’s 2021 State of Home Spending report, spending on home improvements increased by an average of $745 per household in 2020.

In the face of travel restrictions and social distancing guidelines, many homeowners pivoted in 2020 and spent money they initially intended to use for vacations on home improvements. Though many such projects required the services of a professional contractor, others, including the most popular project among the 5,000 homeowners who participated in the HomeAdvisor report, were doit-yourself endeavors. That not only gave homeowners’ homes a new look, but also gave them something to do during quarantine. The following are the five most popular home improvement projects of 2020 according to the HomeAdvisor report.

1. Interior painting: Just under 35 percent of participants reported taking on an interior painting project in 2020. Interior painting projects can be perfect for DIYers, but homeown-

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ers also can trust this task to skilled professionals.

2. Bathroom renovations: Real estate professionals routinely report how much prospective buyers love updated bathrooms, so it’s no surprise that roughly 31 percent of homeowners who took part in the HomeAdvisor report indicated they renovated their bathrooms in 2020.

3. Flooring: Floors took on a lot of extra traffic during the pandemic, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that flooring projects were popular in 2020.

More than one-fourth of participants told HomeAdvisor their homes were updated with a new floor during the pandemic.

4. Landscaping: With nowhere else to go to escape the daily grind in 2020, many homeowners took to their yards. Twenty-four percent of those homeowners reported making their backyard retreats more appealing by repairing or upgrading the landscaping outside their homes.

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5. Kitchen: Another project that makes sense given the circumstances, kitchen renovations were the fifth most popular home improvement project in 2020. Restaurant closures and social distancing guidelines led many people to dine in more often than they otherwise would, and just under 23 percent of

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WHY SHOULD SOME PERENNIALS BE PRUNED? The College of Agricultural Sciences at Pennsylvania State University notes that perennials that have become diseased or infested with

insects are pruned to prevent those problems from resurfacing in the spring. In addition, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, many herbaceous perennials have old foliage and dying stems after several hard frosts.

If dead foliage or dying stems aren’t pruned, disease, slugs and other pests can overwinter in the plants. Cutting these plants down to the ground after several hard frosts allows the base of the plant to remain dormant over the winter but makes the plant less hospitable to disease and insects.

WHICH PERENNIALS SHOULD I PRUNE? The first step to pruning perennials is to recognize which need to be pruned and which can be left intact for the winter. The Old Farmer’s Almanac notes that bee balm and phlox are prone to powdery mildew and should be cut back once they’re gone. Hostas harbor slug eggs, so they, too, should be pruned after a hard frost. Hosta leaves that have fallen on the ground should be removed as well. There’s no need to cut back certain perennials if they’re healthy. For example, hardy geraniums do not require pruning in the fall, and Penn State Extension notes that hardy perennials like garden mums are more likely to survive a

cold winter if they’re left intact. That’s because the tops of such plants will collect leaves and snow for insulation and moisture over the course of winter. Gardeners who are unsure about fall pruning can speak with their local gardening center for additional advice regarding which plants to cut back before winter.

WHEN TO PRUNE PERENNIALS Gardeners need not rush to prune perennials in the fall. Diseased or infested plants can be pruned at the first sight of disease or infestation, but gardeners can wait until several hard frosts have occurred before they

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prune healthy perennials. In gardening parlance, a hard frost refers to when temperatures drop below 28 F. Several hard frosts kill the uppermost growth of most perennials, making this an ideal time to prune them.

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Foliage and football might be two things people instantly associate with fall, but there’s more to this beloved season than brightly colored leaves and action on the gridiron.

Gardeners know that spring is an ideal time to plan and plant their favorite flowers and most flavorful fruits and vegetables. However, seasoned gardeners know that gardening is a year-round commitment. Pruning is one of the keys to keeping perennials coming back for years to come, and fall is an ideal time to take on this important task.

Pruning perennials in the fall is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, some perennials can be cut down after the first killing frost, while others can be left to benefit wildlife, including birds and insects. Understanding pruning and when to do it this fall can help gardeners lay a strong foundation for their gardens that will benefit them next spring.

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Pre-winter perennial pruning pointers

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