Home & Garden - Spring 2016

8552 Via Gwynn Way • Listing Agent: Sara Raudelunas

www.valcomnews.com • Spring 2016

Photo by: SacRep.com

A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers

Smart Tips to Go Green (StatePoint) Going “green” has increasingly moved from a trend to a global initiative. But the best place for individuals to start minimizing their impact on the environment is in spaces where they spend the most time.

Here are some ways people are reducing their carbon footprints at home and work.

Flooring For homeowners, there are many different types of green or eco-friendly flooring options today. For example engineered wood floors have a wood veneer, which uses far less material than solid hardwood floors. They’re also more dimensionally stable.

Today’s modern laminate floor options are made from recycled wood fiber. There are many more eco-friendly options -- ranging from bamboo and cork to natural linoleum, sisal fiber area rugs, seagrass and coir mats (made from coconut husks) -- along with stones and tiles, carpeting and natural wood.

These modern trends are offered by brands like Floor Coverings International, a mobile flooring franchise, which also offers greener options in

A-

traditional hardwoods. Their “Epic” option uses 50 percent less newly harvested wood than conventional flooring and is sourced from domestic forests. Epic (shorthand for Environmentally preferred, Peak performance, Installation advantages, Complete product offering) is certified at Cradle-to-Cradle Silver, eligible for LEED credits and meets GREENGUARD indoor air quality requirements. More information can be found at www.FloorCoveringsInternational.com and www.FlooringFranchise.com.

Lighting The lighting industry is going green.

GE recently announced that it will stop selling traditional lightbulbs by the end of 2016.

Residential LEDs -- especially ENERGY STAR rated products -- use at least 75 percent less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting. Widespread use of LED lighting has the greatest potential impact on energy savings in the United States. By 2027, widespread use of LEDs could save us more than $30 billion at today’s electricity prices.

Luckily, pioneering companies like LED Source are actively retrofitting

major chains and other businesses with LED lighting. As North America’s first franchisor of LED lighting, they are helping businesses go green and save money in the commercial, entertainment, and residential markets. More information can be found at www.ledsource.com.

Shop Green A new green retail revolution is giving homeowners more earth-friendly choices. At the forefront of this movement are brands like SuperGreen Solutions, a franchised chain that offers a one-stop-shop for a range of energy efficient solutions for commercial and residential customers, as well as expert advice and guidance through in-home consultations on the best products for each customer.

They also offer rebate advice, tax credit guidance, sales, installation and after-sales service. More information can be found at SuperGreenSolutionsFranchise.com.

There are many ways to get on board this important trend and go green. Start by making smart swaps and upgrades to improve efficiency and lower bills.

Numerous eco-friendly modern flooring options are available to homeowners today.

Home & Garden • Spring 2016 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • www.valcomnews.com

www.valcomnews.com • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • Spring 2016 • Home & Garden

A-

Add Your Personal Style to Your Home (StatePoint) You may feel locked into the style you inherited when you purchased your house. But you have more power than you think to transform your reality home into your dream home.

To make a big style impact, consider these upgrades and projects: Stunning Curb Appeal Don’t settle for a drab or standard home exterior, particularly when it comes to your roof. A beautiful, colorful update will enhance your home’s exterior design and boost curb appeal.

For long-term durability, consider a polymer slate or shake roofing product, like those from DaVinci Roofscapes, which are offered in 50 standard colors and a variety of striking color blends.

However, picking the right exterior color scheme and style can be daunting without guidance, say experts.

“Many homeowners are afraid to shake things up with color because they don’t want to make a mistake,” says Kate Smith, a color trend forecaster with Sensational Color.

Luckily, free resources can provide guidance and tips on understanding your home’s exterior features and how to play off them with color accents. For example, Smith has written a free 36-page guide,“FRESH Color Schemes for Your Home Exterior.” The guide explores color options for seven different home styles and eases the process of choosing color palettes to complement your home exterior. To download the free guide, visit davinciroofscapes.com.

An Interior Oasis An ancient tub, a leaky toilet -- these are bathroom features to bid farewell to forever. Your bathroom

A-

should be more than just a functional space; it should be an oasis from busy, stressful days.

Whether you are looking for customary bathroom elements or a spa-like whirlpool system, seek out a collection, rather than a la carte replacements, to achieve a coordinated look. For example, the Affordable Style Designer Series suites from Mansfield Plumbing, come in a variety of unified traditional and modern designs.

If you want a bit more from your bathroom, consider new products, such as the MicroDerm Therapeutic Bath, which silently infuses millions of oxygen-rich microbubbles into bathwater to relax, clean and exfoliate skin.

A Touch of Elegance Give your interior spaces privacy and elegance by rethinking windows. In key rooms, consider replacing standard windows with privacy windows.

Decorative glass windows add character to a space because they become the view. They serve as their own artwork for the room with the added benefit of providing privacy in the home.

Those from Hy-Lite include square, geometric and oval shaped windows in both fixed and operable styles and in various sizes, so they can be used as a focal point in a room or to create a striking accent wall of windows. Create an eye-catching space in the kitchen with acrylic block windows, or complement your home’s architectural style with one of the fashionable silkscreened windows featured in their Home Designer Collection.

If you’re unsatisfied with your house, consider making key upgrades and replacements that will add elegance, beauty and a touch of your own personality.

Elegant privacy windows and upgraded fixtures can enhance a bathroom.

Home & Garden • Spring 2016 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • www.valcomnews.com

Sumikophoto - Fotolia.com

Spring Tips to Attract Beautiful Birds to Your Yard (StatePoint) When hosting neighbors and friends for spring gatherings, your thoughts may dwell on accommodating guests. But how often do you consider your animal visitors?

“During spring, flocks of birds migrate and are looking for places to refuel and rest,” says Spencer Schock, Founder of WindowAlert, makers of bird-friendly products for homes. “A few small tweaks to your yard, is like placing out a welcome mat.”

Unfortunately, migration is not without peril or hardship, but Schock says turning your home into a refuge for birds can be fun and add beauty to your yard. He offers these tips to keep feathered travelers safe during their migratory journey.

• Protect flight: Millions of birds die annually by striking glass, making windows a hazard to birds in flight. Try applying special decals that reflect ultraviolet sunlight to your home’s windows, particularly those windows that are highly reflective of open sky.

The decals won’t affect your view because they’re virtually invisible to humans, but will help keep birds safe. For example, those from WindowAlert have patterns that give the appearance of slightly frosted translucent glass, but glow like a stoplight for birds. The brand also makes a high-tech liquid called WindowAlert UV Liquid, which can be applied between decals.

Such ultraviolet decals have been scientifically proven to keep birds safer. A 2015 American Bird Conservancy Study found that the more WindowAlert decals that were applied to a piece of glass covering the departure point of a flight tunnel, the more birds avoided it (a net protected all the birds in the study from actually getting hurt, no matter where they chose to fly).

• Bed and Breakfast: Birdfeeders come in all shapes, sizes and styles, and simply adding one to your yard can help beautify it and give birds the energy needed to continue their flight.

Remember though, bird strikes are often a problem near bird feeders, as feeding birds are easily frightened and are apt to take wild, evasive flight; position feeders closer than three feet or farther than 30 feet from windows. If your feeder is close to the window, birds fly away from the house. Believe it or not, the safest type of feeder is the kind that attach to the window itself.

You can also make your home’s outdoor spaces more bird-friendly filling your garden with the right plants and flowers for pollinating bird species.

• Watch and record: Grab a pair of binoculars and a field guide book and take note of the types of birds you see and when. This will help you become better prepared for next season. In addition, consider becoming a “citizen scientist” by submitting your observations to The Audubon Society and Cornell University’s database at ebird.org.

For more tips on making your home and garden a bird haven, visit WindowAlert.com.

“By making a few simple modifications to your yard and home, you can assist birds on their long journey,” says Schock. www.valcomnews.com • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • Spring 2016 • Home & Garden

A-

LIVING: 5 Ideas for Easier Household Shopping (StatePoint) Navigating store aisles is more complicated than merely dodging other shoppers. With 50,000 new products introduced to consumers each year, it also means deciding which are best for you and your family. Without guidance, this can be overwhelming.

With this in mind, “Product of the Year,” the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation, has announced this year’s winners, which are backed by the votes of over 40,000 consumers.

The purpose of Product of the Year is to guide consumers to the best products as voted on by their peers. This year’s winners can serve as a well-vetted guide to traversing store aisles to find innovative products:

1. Pantry Upgrades

Consumers this year voted for food products that offer healthier pantry upgrades. For those seeking healthier options, the Weight Watchers Smart Ones Smoothies, which won for the “Better for You” category, blends yogurt and fruit.

The winner of the “Condiments” category, FRENCH’s Tomato Ketchup, is free of gluten, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial flavors and colors.

For sweet tooth snackers, innovation in “Chocolate” was awarded to M&M’s Crispy Chocolate Candies, and SweeTARTS Soft & Chewy Ropes topped the list for “Sugar Confections.”

2. Household Innovations

Today, everything happens in one click and now that applies to cleaning your toilet. The new Lysol Click Gel applicator has been recognized for its innovation in the “Shower and Bath” category, as it allows you to press it against the inside of the

A-

bowl and with every flush it cleans the toilet for you for up to a week.

Laundry can get done faster when using a more advanced and powerful detergent such as the “Liquid Laundry” category winner, Tide HE Turbo Clean Liquid Detergent. This new formula offers six times the cleaning power in quick cycle versus the next-leading detergent in normal cycle.

3. Personal Care

New innovations are improving personal care, and surveys show that consumers are seeking multitasking products, such as Soft Lips Cube, which won Product of the Year’s “Lip Care” category. Its formulation of shea butter with vitamins A, C, and E and SPF 15, features a sleek product design melding function and style in a glass-like cube.

Schwarzkopf essence Ultime Omega Repair 11-IN-1 Leave In is this year’s “Hair Care” winner, which intensively repairs damaged hair. In the “Feminine Care” category, Playtex Sport Collection is a must-have for athletic women, as the product twists and turns with their bodies to offer more protection.

4. Pet Favorites

If your pet’s health is important to you, you’re hardly alone.

More pet owners are looking for higher grade, healthful food for furry friends. For optimal pet health, consider the winner of the “Pet Treats” category Milk-Bone Good Morning Daily Vitamin Treats, a treat that doubles as a daily vitamin, promoting well-being and longevity.

For another nutrient-filled flavor boost in doggy diets, consider Beyond Purées, the “Pet Food” winner, an innovative squeezable addition to dry food that supports health and is made of all natural ingredients.

Elegant privacy windows and upgraded fixtures can enhance a bathroom.

5. Medicine Cabinet Essentials Cut clutter by restocking your medicine cabinet with new items that can do more for you. Go beyond a regular sleep aid with “Vitamins & Supplements” winner Emergen-Zzzz, as it promotes sleep with melatonin, while fortifying sleepers with vitamin C and key antioxidants. Likewise, get more allergen protection bang for your buck with FLONASE Allergy Relief, which won the Product of the Year “OTC” category for helping to block six allergic substances as opposed to one. “Eye Care” winner, CLEAR CARE PLUS, gives contact lenses a deeper clean without irritating preservatives and harsh chemicals.

Make shopping simpler. Take a cue from other consumers to help find innovative items on store shelves that can improve your household routines.

Home & Garden • Spring 2016 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • www.valcomnews.com

New Color Trends in Home Exteriors (StatePoint) One of the simplest ways to make a big impact on your home’s exterior is with your front door. But if you are tired of the old standards colors, you’re not alone -- experts predict bolder trends this year.

“Exuberant hues will be popular this year as a way for homeowners to show the world their energy,” says Kate Smith, a color trend forecaster and president of Sensational Color. “For those going for a classic feel, colors that are vibrant, yet at the same time, offer comfort, warmth and reliability will reign.”

For homeowners looking to express their “colorful selves,” consider selecting a paintable fiberglass door with a smooth finish. For example, those from Therma-Tru Classic-Craft Canvas Collection and Pulse, feature clean lines, crisp angles and attractive glass configuration options, and are ideal for adding personal expression to a home.

According to Smith, the top five door colors for the “exuberant homeowner” in 2014 include: • Capri: A tropical blue that wakes up natural woods and neutral surroundings, this hue adds a splash of energy.

• Raucous Orange: This color demands attention with its energetic tone and makes the perfect punctuation point for homes with a modern look.

• Dynamo: This flirty violet hue instantly updates traditional color schemes for a trendier home front.

• Relic Bronze: A deep, almost brown mustard color, “Relic Bronze” reflects aged beauty.

• Quixotic Plum: This sophisticated deep purple is where trendy meets timeless.

The top five door colors for those following the more classic trend of comfort, as identified by Smith include: • Georgian Bay: Brighter than dark navy, this stepabove reserved blue is a trusted color when it comes to the welcoming message it sends to family and friends.

• Show Stopper: Like classic red at dusk, “Show Stopper” adds a touch of mystery to this bright hue. A slight spin on traditional red, this color warmly welcomes people to a home.

• Polished Mahogany: The deep, rich shade of brown has a staying power that traverses trends and captures a solid feeling for homeowners.

• Classic French Grey: Stepping out of the shadows to stand on its own, this cool, neutral grey will continue to rule the palette in 2014.

• Gulfstream: This bright, modern blue has an ofthe-moment appeal. At the same time, it still feels rooted in something familiar and nostalgic for homeowners.

Whether you follow new trends or stick to tradition, don’t forget to take your entire home’s exterior into consideration. From roof to door, a “top down” approach can help you pick color combinations that are eye-pleasing and flow naturally to create curb appeal.

For tips on picking the perfect colors for your home’s exterior, including the front door, download a free copy of Smith’s e-book at www.thermatru.com.

This year, don’t conform or be bored. With a paintable door, you can make fresh updates as often as you like.

6/30/16 VCN

www.valcomnews.com • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • Spring 2016 • Home & Garden

A-