NWH_Fall Home Improvement_092519

fall HOME IMPROVEMENT

Exterior renovations that improve curb appeal Prepare your deck for winter How mulched leaves help your lawn September 2019 A Special Supplement to

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Add a pop of color to your garden this winter Winter weather comes on the heels of a vibrant, colorful autumn season. Shortly after fall foliage falls to the ground, nature tends to greet us with a considerably less colorful palette. What’s more, much of the wildlife and plants that make spring, summer and fall so aweinspiring tend to hibernate in winter, making it more difficult to find bright spots on drab days.

If you think that winter means the end of beautiful garden colors, think again.

There are plenty of cool-season flowers and other plants that can add a pop of color to brighten your day. These flowers provide color right when most people need it most.

In areas where winter is not marked by a deep freeze, homeowners can plant pansies, snapdragons, English daisies, calendula, and other blooms from early fall through late winter. These plants will survive the cold, keeping containers, borders and gardens full of color.

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Camellias are a type of flower that bloom in fall and winter in hues of red, pink, coral, white, and more. The plants are evergreen and will grow from shrubs or small trees when fully established.

Homeowners who live in climates marked by cold winters can opt for plants that offer color but without flowers. According to HGTV, these include cabbages and kales, which can survive most cold winters and lend an interesting texture to a winter landscape bed.

Of course, no list of winter’s colorful plants would be complete without holly, which offers an eye-catching display of evergreen leaves and bright red berries, though sometimes the berries are golden. Either way, they can be a sight for sore eyes on gray winter days.

For more ideas, visit a local garden center to learn about plants that can add vibrant color to a landscape, even as autumn transitions to winter.

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Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Wednesday, September 25, 2019

| FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

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Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Wednesday, September 25, 2019

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Exterior renovations that improve curb appeal Neglecting a home’s exterior can be a disservice to homeowners, particularly those looking to increase the value of their homes. Curb appeal is important, as a home’s appearance can greatly affect prospective buyers’ perceptions.

Knowing which projects can offer the most bang for their remodeling buck can help homeowners make the right choices when improving the exterior of their homes. The following are some areas where homeowners can direct their focus if their end goal is a great-looking home with added value, as determined by the 2019 “Cost vs. Value Report” from Remodeling magazine. This report compares the average cost of 22 remodeling projects with the value those projects retain at resale across 136 markets.

• Garage door replacement: Homeowners can recoup 97.5 percent of their investment on a new garage door. This remodel tops the list for good looks and value. The average cost of $3,611 is for replacing an existing twocar garage.

• Manufactured stone veneer: Replacing a portion of vinyl siding with stone veneer can greatly improve curb appeal, adding style that can set a home apart. Homeowners can expect to recoup a 94.9 percent return on

their investment.

• Wood deck addition: A

wooden deck on the rear or side of a home enhances homeowners’ ability to enjoy the outdoors year-round. A wood deck addition recoups 75.6 of the cost of homeowners’ initial investment.

• Siding replacement: Not only does old or weathered siding look unsightly, it can impact the energy efficiency of a home. Even though a siding replacement project is costly — at roughly $16,000 — it offers a 75 percent return and peace of mind that the home is being wellprotected from the elements.

• New entry door: Replacing an existing door with a 20-gauge steel door complete with clear dual-pane half-glass panel, jambs and an aluminum threshold with composite stop gets homeowners 75 percent of their initial investment back at resale. Improving the door isn’t all about good looks, either. A door that isn’t well-insulated or secure can be problematic.

In addition to these improvements, homeowners would be wise to focus on some upgraded landscaping, an upgraded roof, new windows, and improved exterior lighting as surefire ways to add curb appeal and potential value to their homes.

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Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Wednesday, September 25, 2019

| FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

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Secrets to making your home look like you hired a design pro Photo spreads in home design magazines can be aweinspiring. Quite often homeowners wish they could lift the looks right off the pages of magazines and transform their own homes into picture-perfect retreats.

It takes an eye for design to pull a room together — even with inspiration — and make it both functional and attractive. While hiring an interior designer is one way to go, homeowners can use some of the tricks and techniques the designers employ to do a remarkably good job of improving the interiors of their homes without such help.

Embrace texture The colors used in a home can add impact, but designers often utilize various textures to create aesthetic appeal. A single color scheme can be enhanced by various fabrics.

Consider a leather sofa made more cozy with chenille pillows next to a rustic side table. Figure out ways to incorporate a few different textures to add depth to the room.

Be careful with color Many high-end homes showcase neutral shades that are enhanced by pops of color. If you like a rich, royal purple, leave room for other colors as well. Add touches of purple in vases, throw pillows and other accessories.

Also, many designers work in shades of three for room colors. There may be one main color for walls, another color for larger accents, such as couches and chairs, and then a third color that pops in accessories such as flowers, pillows and collectibles. These can be any colors, but the most muted tends to be the more abundant shade.

Add a bit of bling Glittery items and metallics can add a touch of luxury feel to any space. A shiny table lamp, mirrors, a sparkling chandelier, and the like are easy ways to produce a high-end feel.

Reflective surfaces also will cast light around the room, giving the illusion of a larger space.

Choose a big statement piece Many homeowners make the mistake of filling a room with several small pieces of furniture that only contribute to clutter.

Instead, look for a statement piece, which can be a cabinet, armoire or chaise. Mix and match large and small elements for a sense of balance.

Accessorize Finish the room with accessories and flowers. When placing and hanging knickknacks and wall art, odd-numbered groupings often look the most cohesive and interesting.

Experiment with different scales and heights for even more dimension.

When inspiration hits, take some cues from interior design pros to make spaces look like they belong on the pages of your favorite magazines.

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• Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Homeowners often take steps to winterize the interior of their homes in the weeks before winter’s arrival, but such efforts should extend to the outside of a home as well.

Decks make for great gathering places when the weather permits. Decks are where many people spend their free time and eat their meals come spring and summer, when the temperatures climb and the sun sets well into the evening. But as summer turns to fall, homeowners must take measures to protect their decks from potentially harsh winter weather.

• Inspect the deck for problems. Decks tend to be used more often in summer than any other time of year.

That makes fall and early winter an ideal time to inspect for wear and tear. Damaged boards and loose handrails should be fixed before winter arrives. Fixing such issues in winter and even into spring may be difficult thanks to harsh conditions, so make good use of the relatively calm autumn weather to fix any issues on the deck.

• Clear the deck of potted plants. Even homeowners who intend to use their decks in winter should remove potted plants from the deck in the fall. The home improvement experts at HGTV note that moisture can get trapped between deck boards and plastic, wood or ceramic containers in cold weather, and that can contribute to mildew, discoloration or decay.

• Store unnecessary furniture. Homeowners who like to sit on their decks in winter will no doubt want to leave some furniture out over the winter. But those with lots of furniture for entertaining guests can likely move the majority of that furniture into a garage or shed for the winter.

• Remove snow, but do so carefully. Prolonged contact with snow and ice can damage a deck. As a result, homeowners should clear snow from their decks when accumulation is significant. HGTV recommends using a snow blower on the deck to avoid scarring. If a shovel must be used, push snow with the planks to reduce the risk of damaging the deck.

Homeowners who take steps to protect their decks throughout the winter months can ensure these popular areas are ready once entertaining season returns in the spring.

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

PREPARE YOUR DECK FOR WINTER

Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Wednesday, September 25, 2019

| FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT

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Why homeowners should add more exterior light to their properties Homeowners are increasingly realizing the benefits of improving the exteriors of their home, which can be just as valuable as improving the interior spaces. As individuals design picturesque garden beds and cultivate lavish lawns or revamp exteriors with architectural features, they probably want to spotlight these improvements. This is where exterior lighting can be put to great use.

• SAFETY: Trips and falls can occur at night when trying to traverse walkways and landscapes in the dark, as it can be difficult to see rocks, stairs and uneven pavement. Outdoor lighting can illuminate pathways, entryways and other areas for safer access for homeowners and their guests.

• EXTEND OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING: Ample lighting can increase the amount of time one can use outdoor spaces and make them the perfect gathering spot. As autumn arrives, days become shorter. However, patios, porches and more can get extended use with lighting.

• SAFEGUARD SECURITY: A well-lit home may be less likely to be targeted by burglars than one swathed in darkness and shadows. Lights can remain on all evening or be motion-triggered. Setting lights on timers also ensures that the home is illuminated whether residents are home or not.

• CREATE DRAMA: Landscape lighting designers can establish focal points

around the landscape and highlight the best features of a property. Uplighting in trees, silhouetting techniques to showcase plants and spotlights to show off architectural features are all options for homeowners to consider.

• ADD VALUE: The experts at Parker Homescape, a landscape design service, say that exterior lighting can add roughly 30 percent to the value of a home.

They also indicate that 50 percent of all home buyers say that outdoor lighting is important when buying a home. If current residents are thinking about selling, now may be the time to invest in exterior lighting.

Improving a home’s exterior may be as simple as adding more lighting to improve functionality and beauty.

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Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com • Wednesday, September 25, 2019

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Various chores are synonymous with certain times of year. For example, cleaning a pool is a summertime task. In addition, rare is the instance that Mother Nature forces anyone to break out the snow shovels outside of winter. Raking leaves has long been a task for fall afternoons, but homeowners may be surprised to learn that they might be better off putting their rakes in permanent mothballs.

In the 1990s, turfgrass specialists at Michigan State University began exploring the potential benefits of leaving mulched leaves on a lawn instead of raking them. While the researchers noticed an obvious leaf residue on the lawn after mulching, they noted that it only sticks around for a few days. Eventually, the tiny pieces sifted down into the lawn, ultimately serving to control future weed growth while also providing the lawn with essential nutrients. Over time, researchers noted that homeowners who mulched rather than raked their leaves needed less fertilizer to give their lawns a green look in spring, saving homeowners the effort and cost associated with fertilizing.

Researchers also noted that decomposing pieces of leaves cover up bare spots between turf plants, which have traditionally proven to be excellent spots for weed seeds to germinate. In fact, MSU notes that homeowners can expect a nearly 100 percent decrease in dandelions and crabgrass after mulching leaves for just three years.

Depending on the type of mower being used, up to six inches of leaves can be mulched at a time.

Fall may be synonymous with raking leaves. However, homeowners who want to give their lawns a healthy boost should consider putting their rakes away and mulching their leaves this fall.

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT | Northwest Herald / NWHerald.com

How mulched leaves help your lawn

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