Revitalize your home Grow beautiful roses Re-do the bathroom
Spring Home and Garden A few weeks ago I was out enjoying the beginnings of springtime with my two pugs. We spent the evening at a local dog park and it was a great reward for all of us. Even the pugs and other pups at the park could feel the joy this beautiful season carries in the air. Color is coming back to our landscapes and the cool breezes smell so sweet and feel so soft. I think spring is also the most exciting season. It’s a time for new beginnings whether that be for our lives, our home or our yard. This year’s Spring Home & Garden is sure to offer some wonderful inspiration for your remodeling and planting projects. Each page blooms with wonderful information on local businesses and organizations that are here to help you along the process. Melissa Hayden Specialty Publications Editor mhayden@communitypress.com | 591-6166
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Featured businesses
.....................4 Interiors by Decorating Den . . . . . . . . . 4 Silky Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Turn your backyard into a sanctuary Rogers Pavement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Learn several ways to make your backyard your serene escape. Deck Clean USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 United Cleaning Company . . . . . . . . . . 6 How to add roses to your spring garden JonLe Heating & Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Tips for adding this beautiful flower to enhance your garden. Advantage Roof Systems . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Archadeck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Mini-makeover tips for your bath Read about ways to revamp your bath. WOW Windowboxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Revitalize your home for spring
Roof Time
Learn what you can do to make your home like new.
Contact Spring Home & Garden is an annual advertising-sponsored magazine published by the Specialty Publications Department of The Community Press/ The Community Recorder. Questions and comments can be sent to Editor Melissa Hayden c/o The Community Press/394 Wards Corner/Loveland, OH 45140 or e-mail mhayden@communitypress.com. For advertising information call 248-8600.
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Revitalize your home for spring Winter can be dark and cold, but spring is a time for warmth and light. Few things will brighten your mood as much as transforming your home to greet the season. Even inexpensive touches can have a big impact. Some simple spring redecorating will lift your spirits as much as spotting the first returning robin. Your secret weapon is color. The vibrant colors of spring will brighten otherwise ordinary home decor. Let nature lead you to your color palette: Delicate pink cherry blossoms, lavender blue hyacinths, sunny yellow forsythia and the pale green of new leaves. Do you smile when you see a basket of tulips? Why not take your cue from nature and be surrounded by those beautiful colors? For inspiration, take an early spring walk in the park. Breathe the softer air and study the scenery. When a color makes you happy, that’s the one to choose for your home.
You can easily and inexpensively change a room by buying a couple of gallons of paint and doing the job yourself. For years, white or ecru were the standard wall colors, but no longer. Be daring and choose a color that makes you feel good, and a little “out there.” If you don’t like it, you can always paint over it. Take down heavy drapes. They may have made you feel cozy in the cold months, but for now, get them cleaned and put them away for next year. For spring, the word to keep in mind is light, as in airy fabrics and sheer curtains that let natural light into your home. Slipcovers are an age-old way of changing the look of a room from winter to summer. You might be able to find them readymade and inexpensive. At least, buy new pastel throw pillows which will quickly upgrade a room and give it a new look. Don’t forget to arrange fresh flowers in bright vases from the craft store or in your own pretty crystal. Spring flowers growing in your garden are free and, for
The vibrant colors of spring will brighten your home.
city dwellers, choose the least expensive bouquets at the corner market. These flowers don’t know they’re not prize orchids, and will give their all to lift your spirits.
Bring on the spring. You will be ready with a home that has been refreshed, revived and renewed.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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High winds can lead to damage High winds could mean more roof damage for Tristate homeowners. Hurricane Ike blew through Ohio and Kentucky last September, and many homeowners have still not had their roofs repaired due to roofers’ backlogs, winter’s extreme cold and icy snow, and slow settlements by insurance companies. Today, members of Roof Time are stocking their trucks with everything needed to provide emergency repair service, once again. According to Dale Shoemaker of Roof Time, many Tristate homeowners who thought they had escaped Ike may find their roof in their yard. “Shingles provide protection via roofing nails and tar sealing strips,” he explains. “Really strong
winds cause the shingles to un-seal one from another, and the nails alone simply cannot keep them installed in high winds.” While Hurricane Ike caused many roofs to blow off right away, it also created what roofers call “future damage” – shingles that have become unstuck and vulnerable. The roof may appear OK from the ground, but strong new winds will cause the tabs to crack off and fly away, creating more roof work and insurance claims throughout the Tristate. Another potential problem, according to Roof Time, is that roofs installed after Ike have not had a chance for the tar sealing strips to fully seal yet, meaning that even if you have a new roof, you could still see
Roof Time has their trucks stocked with everything needed to provide emergency repair service. some shingles raising up or blowing off. And because so many roof crews moved into the area from out of state, and now have left again, some homeowners might find that they cannot get service from their installer. For more information on roof damage from hail, high winds and ice, visit www.time2roof.com for interactive displays and tips. For a free written inspection call 859-341TIME or 513-528-TIME.
Is your home a beautiful reflection of who you are? Erika Lee’s clients often ask her: “Where should I start? Decorating is so overwhelming to me!” It’s natural to be uncertain when you’re undertaking any type of redesign or design project. So here are a few tips that Lee hopes will help you enjoy what should be a fun and exciting project. 1. Select a favorite piece, and build your room around it! Perhaps it’s a special painting, an
heirloom quilt, a gorgeous area rug, even a floral arrangement. When you begin working around this special piece, you will be amazed at how colors and design ideas flow. 2. If you’re starting from scratch, then select a textured or printed fabric, and use that as your decorating guideline. Mix smooth fabrics with textured fabrics. 3. Once you’ve settled on your dominant design,
it’s easy to select smaller accent pieces to complement your overall plan. 4. If you love it, then it works! 5. Why not give a professional decorator a call? They can help you take the guess work out of all your decorating decisions! Contact Erika Lee with Interiors by Decorating Den at 304-9105 to schedule a complimentary consultation for all your home decorating needs.
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The Silky Way is on the move The Silky Way has become a favorite stop for shoppers from all over the Tristate who want something exceptional in home décor. Born as a silk flower shop in 1988, The Silky Way still offers extraordinary silks but now offers interior design expertise including furnishings, window treatments, lighting, wall décor and exceptional accessories, too. You can even call a Silky Way designer to stage your home. In its early days, the business offered “from one stem to an entire forest” and today customers can choose from one stem to a fully furnished home which might include the company’s new private label upholstery line. In fact, clients from as
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More than a driveway
The Silky Way offers extraordinary silks and interior design expertise including furnishings, window treatments, lighting, wall décor and exceptional accessories.
far as Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Palm Beach, Fla., have selected The Silky Way to furnish their homes. Also, Silky Way florals can be seen in Marriott hotels nationwide. Commercial offices all over Cincinnati display custom built floral designs, plants and trees which provide a low maintenance alternative to plant rental services. While businesses are closing daily around Cincinnati, The Silky Way prepares to relocate to its new home at Harper’s Station next to Bova and A Shade Better. The spacious new store is under con-
struction and will open near the end of April. In the meantime a fabulous clearance sale is under way at the Montgomery Square store. “Customers earn Silky Dollars to spend at the new location while enjoying amazing discounts on merchandise we don’t want to move,” said Sally Waxman, owner. Bring a friend and earn $10 Silky dollars! At a time when value really counts, you can count on The Silky Way to offer exceptional merchandise at amazing prices. See www.thesilkyway.com for information.
Rogers Pavement Maintenance, located in Blue Ash, reminds you to contact them in early spring to assess the winter damage to your driveway. Owned and operated by Doug Rogers, RPM has been maintaining and upgrading residential properties throughout the Greater Cincinnati since 1983. “We experienced a rough winter in Cincinnati,” Rogers said. “A lot of rain and the continual freeze and thaw can damage your pavement surfaces.” Getting a jump start on an evaluation of your driveway, will allow RPM ample time to provide you with a professional opinion, a competitive estimate and complete your job in early spring, so you can enjoy your driveway for the rest of the year! Early maintenance of course, is not limited to driveways; this also includes patios and other exterior hardscape areas.
With more than 25 years of experience, you can rely on the professionals at RPM to deliver quality products and service at a fair price on every job. RPM takes pride in their workmanship and believes in the “hands-on” approach to provide superior quality with every job. “Whether your job requires maintenance or complete replacement, there are numerous options available to a homeowner, from the very simple to the very extravagant, and we can do it all,” Rogers said. If you’re not sure what to look for in a quote or need a better understanding of paving and sealcoating terminology go to: pavementmadeeasy.com Call Rogers Pavement Maintenance Inc. today at 791-9001 for a thorough evaluation of your driveway needs, or visit their Web site at www.rogers pavement.com.
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Beautify your deck with Deck Clean USA A wooden deck is a beautiful addition to any home. If maintained properly, few home improvement projects add more value to your home than an outside deck. Regular cleaning and sealing of your deck will keep it looking beautiful for decades. Deck maintenance should be performed at least every two years to prevent outdoor elements from damaging the wood. According to Craig Profitt, owner of Deck Clean USA, the application of a detergent and a brightening agent, coupled with proper cleaning, followed up with a high quality oil-based sealer, offers the best protection
from environmental damage. One year of leaving your deck unprotected can take up to four years of life off of it. Craig reminds us, “It is much less expensive to maintain your deck than it is to replace it.” While some homeowners try to tackle the job of cleaning and sealing a deck themselves, they are quick to realize how labor intensive and time consuming it can be. Not to mention the damage they can do by not using a pressure washer properly. Deck maintenance is a project better left to professionals like Deck Clean USA. “We get calls every
year from people wanting us to fix their failed attempts at cleaning and sealing their decks,” said Katie Profitt, co-owner of Deck Clean USA. “I tell them to enjoy their day golfing or laying by the pool, we’ll do the dirty work and get their deck looking beautiful again.” Deck Clean USA has been family owned and operated for 20 years and takes pride in the quality of work and customer service they provide. Their use of superior quality products and professionally trained employees are just a couple of reasons their business has continued to grow and prosper for the past 20 years. Craig and Katie pledge to deliver top quality work at a fair price by trusted professionals. Deck Clean USA is a fully insured company and Craig and Katie invite you to call them today for a free estimate, 741-0775.
United Cleaning Company is Cincinnati’s oldest and most trusted professional window cleaning service.
United Cleaning Company Inc. celebrates 90 years United Cleaning Company is Cincinnati’s oldest and most trusted professional window cleaning service, serving the Tristate area for 90 years. Started in 1919 by Leroy E. Reinshagen, his great grandsons, Matt and Douglas Reinshagen, continue to own and operate the family business, carrying on the same superior window and gutter cleaning service started four generations ago.
Their continued superior workmanship has kept the loyalty and trust of their great-grandfather’s first customers such as Procter & Gamble, Seagram’s and PNC Bank. Located in the center of the Greater Cincinnati area, they are able to service any commercial property or residential home in the Tristate, from Batesville, Ind., to Dayton, Ohio, and throughout
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Service at the highest level at JonLe Excellent service for your maximum comfort – that’s the JonLe Heating and Cooling promise. The family-owned and -operated company has been serving the Greater Cincinnati area since 1960. That’s why they offer the most up-to-date heating and cooling products available. They’re also ready to inform you about ways to save money and become more energy efficient. These days everyone is looking for ways to save money and become more energy efficient, and JonLe is ready to help. With the new economic stimulus package, approved this February, homeowners who add certified energy-efficient furnaces and air conditioners can get a tax credit to cover 30 percent of the costs, up to a total of $1,500. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of this opportunity only available now through 2010.
Visit JonLe Heating & Cooling at www.jonle.com.
In 2010 heating and cooling companies will no longer be able to install equipment that has R22 refrigerant, therefore prices on parts for such equipment will increase. It will be more cost effective to purchase new equipment with puron refrigerant instead of paying for repairs. There’s no better place to get that equipment than JonLe.
First and foremost their motto has always been “Service... at the highest level.” They provide the best possible product and service to best meet your comfort needs. Good quality service. Office hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. You’re guaranteed to reach a qualified employee at these
hours. After hours please leave a message and a staff member will return your call within the hour. JonLe also wants to remind you that regular maintenance is necessary to achieve maximum efficiency and long life of heating and air equipment. See the coupon below for 30 percent off a service call. For more information visit www.jonle.com or call 662-2282.
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Tips for selecting a roofing company
A Loveland Advantage Roof Systems job.
The ‘Advantage’ you need Although Hurricane Ike’s windstorm was last September, some homeowners are just now seeing the affects. The 74 mph winds of Ike broke the sealant adhesive strips on a lot of roofs. This sealant strip holds one shingle to another creating wind resistance. When broken, shingles become very susceptible to wind lift. Winds this spring have caused shingle blow offs
related to Ike’s damage. This shingle damage can also cause leaks throughout the remaining lifetime of you our roof. Advantage Roof Systems can help. The company has been serving the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas for almost 10 years. Advantage Roof Systems has served more than 1,000 homeowners in the area and maintains a per-
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The large amount of storm damage has attracted roofing companies from across the country into the No. 1 Beware of signing area. These companies papers before getting a come in and take large detailed quote. amounts of work from local Avoid contractors who try companies, robbing the local to convince you to sign a economy. paper so they can go directly If a roof issue comes up to your insurance company two or three years after without giving you a written installation, the likelihood of quote. these companies honoring They are trying to lock their workmanship by travelyou in to only using their ing back to the area is slim. company. Also, getting two or three quotes from quality No. 4 Consider upgrading local companies helps you your shingle. compare work scope. A roof can be as much as 50 percent of your home’s No. 2 Use the BBB as a appearance. You can make starting point for screening dramatic changes to your contractors. home by carefully selecting A successful project starts the right color and shingle. A with a quality driven contrac- dimensional shingle adds tor. Look for companies that great curb appeal and a have been in business for at higher wind resistance than least 5 years. Many roofing the traditional style shingle. companies were thrown together days after the wind No. 5 Watch out for off storm, do your homework. brand shingles. Ask local building suppliNo. 3 Beware of stormers and lumber yards for the chaser companies. Use local names of three or four top established contractor. shingle manufacturers.
No. 6 Removing the existing shingles vs. going over the existing shingles. If you meet certain criteria, you may be a candidate for a nail over installation. Building codes allow for up to two layers of roofing on your home. This reduces cost by eliminating the labor intensive job of roving the first layer of shingles. No. 7 Workmanship warranties, credentials and references. Good contractors are usually eager to give out references in your area. Also, ask to see a written certificate of their workmanship warrant, insurance and worker’s comp. No. 8 Recent shingle loss is probably damage from Hurricane Ike. When reporting the damage to your insurance company, let them know the damage originally occurred from Hurricane Ike. This could affect your claim status.
Spring Home and Garden
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Live outdoors this spring Have you ever wanted a company to take all of your desires and concerns and create a personalized outdoor living space for you? Create a comfortable Custom Outdoor Living Space for your family this spring with Archadeck. Archadeck is here to help
you construct your world outdoors. From decks, porches and rooms to gazebos, pergolas, fences and much more, Archadeck can craft the perfect outdoor living area for your home. Innovatively designed outdoor spaces will be
molded to your desires. You can have peace and serenity, a backyard delight, or an entertainment site. Just imagine what your outdoors can become! Call them today for a free design consultation at 513-759-2555.
Spring is in bloom, so are WOW Windowboxes Just when you’re sick of the gray winter along comes WOW too put amazing color back into your life. WOW Windowboxes is a full-service company that sells, fills, hangs and irrigates window boxes, containers and hanging baskets. You do nothing but enjoy the beauty!
WOW Windowboxes is starting spring planting at the beginning of March, so please get your order in the very beginning to enjoy the bright cheerfulness of spring! In addition to the fabulous spring plantings, WOW plants all four seasons so your boxes are never empty and are
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Northern Kentucky. United Cleaning Company’s fleet of service trucks and 8,500 square foot office/shop area allows them to maintain up-to-the-minute service and provides customers with the latest technology and the besttrained and certified technicians in the field today. United Cleaning Company is committed to quality, professionalism and safety while providing excellent window and gutter cleaning service at competitive prices. For more information or for a free estimate call 721-5987 or visit www. unitedcleaningcincy.com.
fect record with the BBB. They are also a recent Angie’s List Super Service Award Winner. Allow them to offer you peace of mind with a free inspection and honest roof evaluation. If damage is found, they will document it with digital photos and create an estimate. You will get a detailed estimate stating the scope of work. They will then contact your insurance company about the findings and e-mail the photos and estimate. Protect your biggest investment, call Advantage Roof Systems today at GO-ROOF-1.
always the envy of the neighborhood. To make your house the WOW of the neighborhood contact either Bret Schneider at 519-5131 or Bret@wowwindowboxes.com, or Sue Schneider at 277-9550 or sue@wow windowboxes.com. Or visit www.wow windowboxes.com.
Share your story in CreativeLiving. Call 923-3133 today.
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Turn your backyard into a sanctuary Your backyard is your sanctuary. But you want to make it even better – perhaps with a patio where your family can congregate, enjoy outdoor barbecues and entertain guests. Here are some design tips to help turn your backyard into the oasis of your dreams:
work with the other materials you’re using on your porch. Concrete countertops can be mixed with stains, pigments, aggregates and epoxy coatings to give them the look, texture and feel of more expensive quarried stones like marble, granite and limestone.
Install a patio
Soothe the senses
You yearn for a lovely patio area for picnic lunches or to relax and read a book as you enjoy the sun. The cost of using natural stone, however, is a negative, and so is the lack of creative colors and design allowed by precast pavers. Another option is to use stamped concrete for your patio Concrete patios, like this one by New England Hardscapes Inc., can turn your backyard into a base, which has unlimited patbeautiful sanctuary. terns and colors and can be used scape, or if you want furniture benches and a decorative wood in all climates. you can rearrange and store durrack, or a simpler ring for cozy ing inclement weather. family cookouts. Gather around the fire Bring your family together Relaxation Keep hunger pains at bay with a fire pit. Whether you’re Don’t forget the tables, chairs Perhaps you’re looking for building a fire for cooking dinmore than just relaxation; you ner, roasting marshmallows or to and decorative planters to keep warm on a chilly evening, it encourage people to relax in your want to fill your tummy as well. Outdoor barbecues are becomwill become a gathering place for backyard and enjoy your sanctuary. ing increasingly popular, comyour family and – if invited – You will need to decide if you plete with drink coolers and friends and neighbors. want permanent, built-in tables sinks. For an outdoor countertop, Depending on your creativity look for a material that can withand building skills, you can make and chairs or benches on your stand weather, yet still have a your fire pit an elaborate congre- patio or along strolling paths through your backyard landwarm, natural look that will gational area with permanent
Water features are popping up in backyards across the country. Families enjoy them by relaxing near the sound of trickling water and watching birds and other wildlife looking for a drink. Some homeowners install small fountains surrounded by landscaping to provide the water ambiance, while others take the route of building a full water garden. Self-contained water features are easy to install in less than a day, while kit ponds might take a weekend to set up. But the larger water features give you more opportunities to be creative – for example installing a bridge, water wheel, water falls or tiny streams. Once you have your backyard sanctuary complete, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to enjoy your investment while relaxing.
Don’t miss out on Spring Home & Garden 2010. Call 923-3133 today.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Spring Home and Garden
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How to add R SES to your spring garden
Plant Knock Out roses against your porch to add eye-popping color to your home.
Stroll your neighborhood and chances are you’ll spot landscape shrub roses decorating someone’s garden or backyard. Take a drive into town, and you’ll see them planted at your favorite shopping center. If you haven’t noticed, landscape shrub roses have taken the country by storm. In home gardens, in containers and along highways, these low-maintenance roses bloom continuously from spring until frost with little to no effort. “Anybody can grow these hardworking roses, no matter where they live. If you can grow grass, you can grow landscape shrub roses,” said James A. Baggett, editor of Country Gardens Magazine. He likes Knock Out roses for their drought tolerance and disease resistance, especially against black spot. When designing with shrub roses, think of them as you would any flowering shrub, only this one will bloom continuously all season and do all the work for you! Here are some tips on using landscape shrub roses in the garden and throughout the landscape.
Pot up a container Renowned garden designer Jon Carloftis prefers to plant shrub roses in containers. “I like to give them perfect planting conditions such as good drainage, rich soil and the addition of regular fertilizer that won’t be an overdose to neighboring plants,” he said. “The results are outstanding when roses are planted in formal urns or combinations of rustic pots.” From small apartments to grand homes, containers filled with shrub roses bring an understated sophistication to any sized deck, porch and patio. Pot them up in large and small containers, around a gazebo, poolside, or your entranceway for the perfect plant for all seasons.
Close to home Nothing says simple elegance like the original Knock Out rose. Try planting them “en masse” against your front porch or home. The large clusters of cherry-red blooms say “welcome” with a generous bloom cycle of every five to six weeks. Against your house, porch or deck, the rich, eye-popping red color is a sure winner.
almost look hand-painted with rich yellow at the base. The plant adds height and color for maximum curbside appeal.
Now you see it, now you don’t Do you have an unsightly utility unit, shed, trash can, or pool pump you want to hide? How about a slope or a hazardous spot to fill? Group hardy and attractive roses for a showy “cover-up.” Try planting Pink Double Knock Out with double flowers in a cheerful bubble gum hue. Unfazed by heat, this hardy shrub rose will cover up those unsightly spots with a pink profusion of color.
Borders and more Want to create a natural privacy fence in your backyard? Shrub roses will keep wandering children, pedestrians or stray dogs out of the landscape with a colorful “living wall” hedge.
Create an English garden
You don’t need to dream anymore about having a showcase formal garden. Stake and trim your favorite shrub roses to grow as small rose trees for the look and feel of an English garden. Mix in old-fashioned favorites such Problem solvers in your landscape as spiraea and hydrangea to create an Second look curbside appeal Whether you live in a city or the enviable cottage garden. Looking for plants with great curb’burbs, have a small garden plot or large It’s no wonder that these roses are side appeal that add year-round beauty? acreage, the gardening and decorating the No. 1 choice for folks looking for a Cluster shrub roses around a mailbox possibilities with shrub roses are endor blend with perennials to create visual carefree landscape shrub rose that looks less. great and performs beautifully. Plant them individually among other curb appeal. Plant the award-winning For more information visit the Web Rainbow Knock Out with perennials. shrubs, annuals and perennials, in site TheKnockOutRose.com. This lovely coral pink rose complemixed beds and borders. ments any color scheme and the blooms Courtesy of ARAcontent
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It’s possible to make a big difference in your bathroom with as little as a few hundred or as much as a few thousand dollars.
Mini-makeover tips for your bath
Have your business stand out in Creative Living call 248-8600 today.
An outdated kitchen may be inconvenient and unappealing, but a behind-the-times bath can be downright demoralizing. Shabby bathrooms are not only no fun to live with, they’re a big turn-off to potential buyers. But in today’s economy – and buyers’ real estate market – it doesn’t pay to go overboard and overspend on a bathroom remodel. A major remodel not only strains your wallet, it can result in overly personalizing the bath into something that won’t appeal to a broad range of potential buyers. Any remodeling project that doesn’t require you to dip into your savings or go in debt to accomplish it can qualify as a “mini-makeover.” It’s possible to make a big difference in your bathroom with as little as a few hundred or as much as a few thousand dollars. You can save even more time and money by shopping online and by doing the work yourself. First, start with the walls. Obviously, tearing down walls and relocating plumbing can’t be categorized as a “mini-
makeover.” But you can do a lot with your walls for very little money, from simply repainting to adding texture and art work. Don’t forget towel bars, towel rings and shelving; these necessities can do double duty as decorative elements as well. Next, consider the focal points in the room – namely, the fixtures and mirror. If you’re working with a budget of a few hundred dollars, you probably won’t be able to replace the old commode with a low-flush, designer model or retile the shower stall. But you can upgrade the faucets on your sink, tub and shower, replace or beautify the mirror, and switch out a utilitarian showerhead for something more luxurious, like a rainfall or massaging showerhead. For just a little more investment, you can replace an old cabinetstyle sink and vanity with a stylish pedestal model. If you’re committed to cabinets in the bath, be sure to replace outdated door handles and drawer pulls with a more contemporary style.
Many designers now offer handles and pulls in finishes like brushed nickel or bronze that coordinate with your bath accessories. Lighting can also revive a bath. An overhead light and/or light directly above the mirror are necessities, but you needn’t sacrifice beauty for functionality. Replace dated dressing room style bulb-bars with sconces or a fixture that features decorative shades. Swap out old incandescent lights with energyefficient alternatives and you’re not only beautifying the room, but reducing energy costs as well. As a crowning touch, tie the room together with accessories. A new shower curtain and matching window treatment can give the bath a fresh look. Decorative hand towels placed on a towel ring beside the vanity are both practical and pretty. And don’t forget to throw in a touch of indulgence, whether it’s some high-end scented candles or a luxurious towel warmer. Courtesy of ARAcontent