Home & Garden

The Anniston Star â—† May 3, 2009

SPRING HOME & GARDEN

COLOR STORY

Finding your authentic palette

Ponds | Style Trends

Decorating on a budget Energy-saving tips

Classic Home Furnishings “Distinctive Quality Home Furnishings”

Hours: Mon-Sat. 9:30-6:00

1905 Hwy 78 E. Oxford, AL • 256-835-9899 1 Year NO INTEREST • NO PAYMENTS • NO DOWNPAYMENTS WAC

Home improvement Q&A

Turn an old bed into an unusual settee.

Below, even utilitarian objects can be art.

Cloe Poisson/The Hartford Courant

Q: We just lifted our carpet and had our hardwood floors stained and polished. We noticed there are squeaky spots. What can we do without redoing the floors again, or is that the only way?

A: Most squeaks occur when the subfloor loosens from its supporting joists and rubs against a popped nail.

For stairs, the problem is similar: The tread loosens from the riser. In both cases, silence the squeak by eliminating the movement.

If you have easy access to the floor joists in the basement, first have someone walk on the floor above to determine where the squeaks are.

Then insert a wood shim there, tightly between the subfloor and the joist.

That should stop the movement.

In your case, you’re going to have to pull up the carpet to get to the floor underneath. Locate the squeaks in the same way, and then renail the subfloor to the joist. This time, use ringed nails, which have edges that lock into the flooring and are designed to prevent loosening, or spiral nails that turn like a screw and tighten when driven in. If you can work from the top down, drill pilot holes before you nail.

— By Alan J. Heavens, The Philadelphia Inquirer

CONTRIBUTORS

Finding a new identity for

Editor LAURA TUTOR

home castoffs

Design/Photo Styling TOSHA JUPITER

By Nancy Schoeffler The Hartford Courant

Pam Hartz Miller says her family made fun of her when she took an old seed cabinet from the family hardware store that her father ran in Deposit, N.Y. The store, Ed Hartz and Sons, has been in the family for five generations, and the seed cabinet was a wreck.

“The backs of the drawers were chewed up from mice, and it was painted a mustard gold,” she says.

Hartz Miller and her husband, Jim Miller, transformed the oak cabinet, with its slanted bank of windowed drawers, into a distinctive kitchen island Her family isn't teasing her anymore.

“Now they all want it!”

Hartz Miller, who once designed window displays at the hardware store, sees new identities hidden in castoff items, flea market buys and roadside finds — second careers for old furniture.

She created an unusual settee from an old bed with a spool-style headboard.

In the same vein, an old typesetters' drawer serves as a coffee table, and Hartz Miller transformed a CD rack made from dowels into a hand-stenciled display rack for the quilts she makes.

Hartz Miller has woven pillows from neckties, framed a mirror with a Victrola cover and turned discarded wooden shutters plus the arm rests of a broken rocking chair into a one-of-a-kind headboard. The base of an unusual table lamp she and her husband, Jim, made is encircled with antique thread bobbins.

Sometimes Jim has to “temper me,” Hartz Miller says. “He'll say, ‘This is something you found by the side of the road. Why are you putting so much time into it?’ ” She smiles. It's her nature. An old chamber pot works for a houseplant.

An antique shoe form makes a charming candleholder.

The creative way Hartz Miller uses things in her home echoes the work she does in her part-time business as an interior "redesigner” — bringing a fresh eye to clients’ homes and finding new uses and contexts for the things they have.

“I love this kind of decorating because I think it's less intimidating. I'm not going to judge their stuff. They have collections, and that's what makes their home personal," she says. "It's their style. I just find ways it can be arranged better, so that it functions better. And they didn't have to buy anything new.”

Cover Photography TRENT PENNY

2500 Hwy. 431 North Anniston, AL 36206 (across from Winn Dixie) Phone & Fax 256-237-5115

813 Snow Street Oxford, AL 36203 (across from Dillard’s) Phone & FAx 256-831-5357

4414 McClellan Blvd.

Anniston, AL 36201 (across from Anniston Star) Phone & Fax 256-237-3882

{8 design ideas not to

1

2

3

4

FOYERS NEED DRAMA

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS

WANDERING PAPER

THE WOW FACTOR

The entry should let your visitors see a little into your soul or at least reveal some of your personal style. Foyer walls should also make a statement with an interesting paint finish or wallpaper treatment.

The southern climate is perfect for outdoor rooms. Try adding white curtains to a porch or sunroom and accenting with pops of color. Try breaking your outdoor space into several different living zones for relaxing, eating and entertaining.

It’s a designer’s trick to wallpaper the insides of bookcases to add interest and cover imperfections, make it work especially well with an oversize pattern.

Take a cue from Hollywood Regency style with clean lines and a focus on bold artwork. Group collections en masse for maximum impact.

ON TRANSLATING IDEAS FROM SHOW HOMES AND MAGAZINES “You have to do things that are a little unexpected and untried. You have to push the envelope to convey a message or concept.

It’s about a concept, a kind of wow. It’s not about a literal translation to your home. You can see it and take away an idea.� — Joseph Pubillones, a Palm Beach, Fla., designer

!

$'$#* $(%$)

!*("&+

PIEDMONT OUTDOOR 613 NORTH MAIN PIEDMONT, AL 36272-1113 (256) 447-7211 www.piedmontoutdoor.net

$'$#* $(%$)+

9 %%$1 $-#2 .,$ 1$231("3(.-2 //+7 .3'$1 2/$"( + 1 3$2 -# 3$1,2 , 7 !$ 5 (+ !+$ 2. 2$$ 7.41 #$ +$1 %.1 #$3 (+2 -# .3'$1 8 - -"(-& ./3(.-2 4!)$"3 3. //1.5$# "1$#(3 .- .'- $$1$ 1$#(3 $5.+5(-& + - 2$15("$ .% (- -"( + % 2 ! .1 ".-24,$1 42$ .-+7 %3$1 /1.,.3(.- + /$1(.# 8 - -"$ "' 1&$2 6(++ !$&(- 3. ""14$ 3

/$1 ,.-3' ,(-(,4, 8 - -"$ "' 1&$ , 7 !$ 1$04(1$# /.- #$% 4+3 .% 7.41 "".4-3 3'$ (-3$1$23 1 3$ , 7 (-"1$ 2$ 3. : %%$1 $-#2

'(2 .%%$1 -.3 5 (+ !+$ (- +(%.1-( .1 %.1 /41"' 2$ .% 4-(32 3. !$ 42$# (- +(%.1-( 1("$2 -# ,.#$+ 5 (+ !(+(37 , 7 5 17 !7 #$ +$1 .,$ 1$231("3(.-2 //+7 .3'$1 2/$"( + 1 3$2 -# 3$1,2 , 7 !$ 5 (+ !+$ 2. 2$$ 7.41 #$ +$1 %.1 #$3 (+2 -# .3'$1 8 - -"(-& ./3(.-2 5 (+ !+$ 3 / 13("(/ 3(-& #$ +$12 .'- $$1$ 2 &1$$- -# 7$++.6 ".+.1 2"'$,$ 3'$ +$ /(-& #$$1 27,!.+ -# 1$ 31 #$, 1*2 .% $$1$ .,/ -7 DC3BUAI6226 -00285613

miss for your spaces}

5

6

custom details

HOME HAppy HOUR

Tape-bordered drapes add a finishing touch to a room. The embroidered tape on the edge of these linen drapes comes from Samuel and Sons, but you can achieve a similar look with grosgrain ribbon from a craft store.

Transform an under-used corner into a bar. Decorate with accessories you have around the house and add a few funky barstools to suit your taste. Stress be gone!

NEED DESIGN INSPIRATION?

7

8

BIG IMPACT

NEW heights

Large prints in wallpaper are a hot trend, especially those papers with shimmer or flocking. Apply shimmery large-scale wallpaper on an accent wall to break up dark paint.

Who says you can’t use a chandelier in the bedroom? Add drama and light to a bedroom with dark walls with a show-stopping chandelier.

— By Charlyne Varkonyi Schaub, Sun Sentinel

Balance, harmony and connection with nature. Those are a few of the fundamental principles of Asian design. ‘The New Asian Home’ by Kendra Langeteig (Gibbs Smith Publisher; $29.95; hardcover) is a compilation of 23 American homes designed with Asian architectural traditions in mind.

,UXURIOUS #ARPET s 4IMELESS (ARDWOOD s $ISTINCTIVE ,AMINATE s .ATURAL 4ILE 3TONE

NEED FLOORING? & 2 % % ) . ( / - % ! 0 0 / ) . 4 - % . 4 s Anniston.BuyAbbey.com Immediate Installation Available!

Shop at Home for your new floor.

Skimming the surface

For those seeking solace in the garden, nothing is as soothing as a pond

A water garden bursts with life, color and auditory stimulants at Blooming Miracles Nursery in Jacksonville.

Trent Penny/The Anniston Star

By Brett Buckner bbuckner@annistonstar.com

Lingering beneath the crunch of gravel kicked up by an exiting pick-up truck is a gentle babbling. It takes a careful ear, but the sounds are there, soothing even the most haggard visitor from an unseen distance.

Scattered across the sprawling lot of neatly lined rows of one, three and five gallon plants of all imaginable varieties at Bloomin’ Miracles Nursery in Jacksonville are about a half dozen ponds and bubbling fountains.

But it’s the ponds that frame the bucolic setting, tucked amid the emerging Japanese maples of crimson

and green. It’s a feature that most gardeners — novice and master alike — yearn for. And yet many avoid pursuing it, fearing that building a pond will lead to more stress than relaxation.

“It’s the myth and the mystery that keeps too many people from building a pond of their own,” says David Dubose, co-owner of Bloomin’ Miracles. “And that’s a shame. It’s really not that much trouble, as long as they plan things out, research and think about what they’re doing.”

Plus, many would-be pond owners have a nasty image in their mind of the friend or relative who built a pond that had gone bad. They remember the scum on the surface, ▶

10% OFF In Stock Items

n o h t a g g E Photo includes optional accessories

ANNISTON FIREPLACE & PATIO

3815 Leatherwood Plaza, Hwy. 431

X-Large 205 lbs.

24” grid

(256) 236-1114

Mon. - Fri. 8-5; Sat. 9-12 Kurtnelson@cablone.net • abbybass@cableone.net

the stagnant water that became a breeding ground for mosquitoes and how the whole thing smelled something awful. “So it’s no wonder people are afraid to try,â€? says Victoria Dubose, who also co-owns Bloomin’ Miracles. “But that’s not a good pond. That’s a mistake. When they’re done right, ponds are a blessing, not a curse. People need these ponds that are relaxing ‌ something with less maintenance, not more.â€?

The building of a sturdy pond begins with location, especially if the goal is for aquatic gardening or “aquascaping.� For example, water lilies and lotus, two popular water plants, require at least four to six hours of sunlight a day to bloom.

Once the location is settled, the pond itself must be created, keeping in mind that the project doesn’t have to be huge.

The average pond measures about 11-feet-by-16-feet, but it can be built to virtually any size. In some designs, water trickles down a long, meandering stream before emptying into the pond. Many smaller ponds, like the typical 6-foot-by-8-foot kidneyshaped ponds, don’t have streams.

Instead, water runs over a large flat rock and spills directly into the pond.

This style is easier to build and can fit into the smallest yards.

Basically, such a pond is just a hole

The Master Gardeners annual plant sale WHEN: May 16, 8 a.m.

WHERE: Anniston Museum of Natural History INFO: Sale will feature a variety of lotus and water lilies including: Berit strawn, Charlene strawn, liou, hollnaida, sulphurea, Albert greenberg, Nymphae Cperulea and mixed lotus lined with rubber, plus some tubing and a pump powered by a cord from the house. It’s that simple but elegant style that Reese Nelson first attempted in his Oxford backyard several years ago. “It’s nothing fancy,� Nelson says, “but it serves the purpose.�

Measuring roughly 10 feet, Nelson’s pond is stocked with goldfish, surrounded by rocks dug up in and around his backyard, chock-full of water lilies and complete with a pair of weather-worn benches where Reese and his wife can be caught late spring afternoons sitting peacefully. “There’s just something about the peace it brings,â€? he says. “Much as I enjoy my garden and gardening, it’s kinda like I measure everything against that one feature — before the pond and after the pond. “I’d build another ‌ but I’d hate to

have to decide where to sit.�

Once the location has been determined, the next step is digging. But as is true with garden plants, there’s more to a successful pond than simply digging a hole. “It’s all about research,� David says. “The most important thing is to know what you’re doing before doing anything.�

Both David and Victoria suggest that potential aqua-culturists spend a little more on the “bells and whistlesâ€? at the beginning of the project than later on in order to make up for costly mistakes. Both suggest investing in mechanical filtration systems and skimmers — to name a few options — ahead of time. All told, a quality pond can cost anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to ‌ “limitless,â€? David says. “It can cost as much as you want it to.â€? “It’s better to spend money on the front end,â€? Victoria adds, “otherwise you’ll end up spending more on maintenance and fungicide later on.â€?

One of the main decisions comes with choosing a liner. There are multiple options, but most experts suggest using a rubber liner as opposed to the pre-formed plastic ones. “That’s the weapon of choice,�

David says. “They’re forgiving, creative and durable — most come with at least a 20-year warranty.�

The rubber liners allow for more

freedom of design and tend to be sturdier, whereas the plastic liners can have stress fractures and are more difficult to disguise.

Reese Nelson learned this lesson the hard way. Less than two years after installing his first pond using the pre-formed plastic liner, he noticed a growing crack was causing his pond to leak. “So I had to start all over again,� he says. After putting in a rubber liner, it’s been “smooth sailing ever since.�

And with a rubber liner and those extra “bells and whistles,â€? maintenance is minimal. David estimates that a well-built pond requires 15-20 minutes of work in the spring and maybe five minutes a month. “People are surprised by that,â€? he says. “But it’s true. Ponds really aren’t any trouble to maintain ‌ least not the ones that are done right.â€?

Another option for water gardeners is the fish that are meant to add color and activity to the pond. While koi seem to be something of an expected treat, they aren’t very suitable to some plants and often don’t create the desired effect. “If you want koi, build a koi pond,�

Victoria says, “not a water garden.

Their food source is roots and tubers, which is what water lilies and lotus are. Why buy plants that are just going to be killed?�

Contact Brett Buckner at 235-3561.

.EED A LITTLE OR A ,OT Mulch, sand, straw, soil, Rock, Gravel, stones, Boulders, River Rock, Lava Rock, Flag stones, Bark, Unique Furniture, Decorative iron works and much more!

open Monday - saturday www.millersand.com 2 Locations to serve you!

Anniston 237-5352 Just Right at the end of gReenbRieR Road

sAks 231-2300 on 431

ooking our

Metal roofs, Siding, Additions, Decks

310-0325 591-8176

Since 1970 - Licensed & Bonded

Brown Plumbing & Heating Hwy. 431 N. • Call 820-0450

FABCO METAL Roofing, & Remodeling, Vinyl Siding & Shingles

831-5162

METAL ROOFING G&G VINYL SIDING John’s Remodeling & Additions, decks, metal roofing, windows Reasonable Rates 256-761-1147 • 256-493-3728

All Repairs-Additions, Baths, Decks, Etc. No job too small!!

Free Estimates Barry Buckner

256-820-3913

www.bucknerent.com

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS FREE ESTIMATES

HILL ELECTRIC

5

Spring is a great time to start all of those home improvement projects. While some projects might be easy enough for you to tackle yourself, others might be best left to the pros. For complete advice on the projects on your to-do list, consult the professionals at these businesses.

TH

Commercial & Residential Wiring

Stan Hill, owner

p

65

EL

ECTRI

C INC.

Residential / Commercial Repairs & Installation •Water Heaters • Replacement Parts •New Construction • Radio Dispatched Fleet• •Repair Elec. & Gas Water Heaters• •Sewer Service•Parts

pruce

ome?

A Better Home

H ILL

#1 McNeal’s

o

ANNIVERSARY

1944-2006

Day 256-237-2848 Night 256-236-4053 Mobil Phone 239-0066

714 South Leighton Ave.

Lee Dawson Seamless Gutters A-1 Service

256-453-3660 256-237-3349

RTV500

Spring into Action!

$0 down and 0 financing for 5 years

*

There’s never been a better time to buy a Kubota. Hurry, offer ends June 30, 2009.

JAMES WEAVER ROOFING 18 YEARS EXPERIENCE LEAK REPAIR FREE ESTIMATES

CALL 591-9905

BARRETT DRYWALL

Sheetrock & Repairs Hang/Finish FREE ESTIMATE Call 831-9498

Eligible Models

Down Payment

Maximum Term

A.P.R.

Monthly Payments per $1,000 Borrowed

New Kubota RTV500 Models

$0

60 Months

0.00%

$16.67

Talladega International Tractor 35450 Alabama Hwy. 21 North Talladega, AL 35160 (256) 362-6113

*$0 down, 0% A.P.R. financing for terms up to 60 months on purchases of new Kubota RTV500 models from available inventory at participating dealers through June 30, 2009. Example: A 60-month monthly installment repayment term at 0% A.P.R. requires 60 payments of $16.67 per $1,000 borrowed. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer charge for document preparation fee shall be in accordance with state laws. Not available for Rental, National Accounts or Governmental customers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., subject to credit approval. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires June 30, 2009. See us for details on these and other low-rate options or go to www.kubota.com for more information. ©Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2009

Home improvement Q&A

Q: I have been having a problem with the cabinet under my sink in the main bathroom. It has a terrible odor coming out of it every time I slide open the doors. (The was house built in 1959.) I tried cleaning it with different productsl, but nothing has worked. Do you have any idea what causes this smell and what I can do about it?

A: Perhaps a pipe leaked at one time into the space underneath the vanity, and there’s mold or some odor-causing problem there.

When we bought our present

house, I noticed a sewer-gas smell in the master bathroom, coming from both the shower and sink drains.

When we renovated the bathroom to add a tub, the plumber discovered the drain lines had been incorrectly installed.

Any number of things might be causing the odor in your bathroom.

Since you have tried some remedies and they haven’t worked, it’s time for a plumber. — By Alan J. Heavens, The Philadelphia Inquirer

24-Hour Emergency Service • Quick Response Time! • Fire & Water Damage Clean-up • Residential and Commerical • Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

ServiceMaster by Mimsco

256-236-2446

West Elm/MCT

7 easy design ideas

CHEAP TRICKS 1

The Big Picture (above)

For impact, use several small pieces of art hung on a larger background. Do it: Buy a large piece of plywood, use a staple gun to attach a stable fabric that won’t stretch out of shape and hang the board on the wall. Add your existing art, frame pictures from a coffee table book or magazine.

2

Seeing the Light

An interesting table lamp or pair of lamps can add pizzazz to a room that is beginning to look dated.

3

Heady Design

If your bedroom looks like some of those on the HGTV “before� scenes because you don’t have a headboard, here’s an answer: Use paint and stencils to create a “headboard� on the wall.

4

YARD HUNTER

Find floral or green accents in your yard. You can put something as simple as areca palm fronds in a clear vase.

5

START A GROUP

Look throughout your home for accents on the same theme. Group them together for more impact.

6

Reflections

A collection of mirrors in different shapes and sizes hung across from a sliding glass door reflects the outdoors.

7

IN WITH THE OLD

Shop your closet, attic crawl space and garage for items you haven’t used in a while. The old things will look new again. Your closet may be another surprising source for decor.

— By Charlyne Varkonkyi Schaub, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

2 West 3rd Street, Anniston

For full list of services, check out

www.ServiceMasterByMimsco.com

It’s screen tIme! • custom sIze screens • sun screens • screen repaIrs • rescreen Your Frames • screen Doors/slIDer screens • screens rooms • storm WInDoWs & Doors

)&!(- (%&# %%&' )& securItY storm Doors ! * &

'! $'

over 50 DesIgns )'(%# !. ' custom sIzes avaIlable * !" "

*

Stormco mfg. co.

5395 US Hwy 431 • Alexandria (256) 820-1412

tips

BUYING PAINT

One of the most expensive supplies in a renovation project is the paint. It’s hard to believe, since it’s just paint, but paint a room with cheap stuff and it shows. High-end paint can run you $100 a gallon. So here are a few tips on buying paint without taking out a second mortgage on your home: Tip #1: If you’re painting to sell a house, consider using a lower grade paint in a neutral color and a flat finish. A new owner will likely paint the room their own color anyway and you haven’t spent a ton of money to make your house look nice while it’s on the market. “You’re not going to get a lot of wear in the time from when you paint it to when you sell it,” said Bill Thornton, owner of Potomac Paint, a paint store with locations in suburban Virginia.

Tip #2: Think about the space that you’re painting. It will dictate what kind of grade of paint you buy.

Builders grade, which is the lowest,

may not withstand cleaning products that you use to clean the walls.

Higher grades will withstand ammonia-based cleaners, as well as magic markers and other stains.

Tip #3: Before you head to the paint store, look online for coupons and sales. Brands that are sold in boutique paint stores — like Benjamin Moore and Duron — often have discounts at certain times of the year, as well as online, printable coupons.

Tip #4: Think about how much you want to paint. Higher quality paint might often mean you’re rolling on fewer coats, which means less expense in the end.

Tip #5: Don’t buy the most expensive paint supplies, such as brushes and rollers, if you’re just doing one small project. And use less expensive plastic drop cloths rather than canvas ones. Old shower curtains work great as well.

— By Tania Anderson, The Washington Post

Furniture I want and credit I can actually get! www.badcock.com

ask store for details

$299.95 value 883112

Save $34170 on this offer

RED BRICK COLLECTION 7-Piece Living Room 83003

Home energy Q&A

By Ken Sheinkopf McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Q: I’ve seen you write a number of times that turning off lights when you leave a room that is empty will help save energy. I appreciate the thought, but come on, how much energy and money does this really save?

Aren’t we just talking about something here that doesn’t mean a whole lot in real terms?

A: You’re right that I have written about this a number of times over the years, and I’ve done this because I really do believe that it makes a difference.

Sure, turning out one light that you’re not using isn’t by itself going to change your financial picture. After all, if you turn off a 100-watt incandescent bulb that is on for six hours in a room not being used that you’d otherwise have left on, you’re saving around six cents during that time.

Now before you start to snicker at this, consider that adds up to around $1.80 per month, or more than $20 a year. Now think about how many light bulbs you have in your home. I’ve seen estimates that say the average home has 25 to 40 bulbs (think about some of the bathroom fixtures with six or more bulbs and the many multi-bulb lamps people use), and suddenly $20 a year for turning off one bulb becomes a few hundred dollars a year for turning off a bunch of them.

When I tell people about this, I often hear that they think that turning bulbs on and off too often makes the bulbs burn out faster. Actually, frequent turning on and off won’t shorten the life of an incandescent bulb’s filament so there’s no reason here to leave unneeded bulbs turned on.

Where this does make a difference is if you’re using an energy- efficient compact fluorescent bulb (CFL). Energy experts generally agree that if a CFL is not going to be used for five minutes or more, turn it off, but frequent turning on and off can reduce its lifetime. These bulbs use only about a fourth of the energy used by incandescents, so they still will save a significant amount of money even if they’re on for a couple of minutes when they’re not needed.

Finally, to make my point a little stronger, take a walk around your home this evening and count how many light bulbs are turned on in empty rooms.

If your home is typical, there are several empty rooms that are brightly lit, and if you ask whoever was in them last why they didn’t turn the lights out, you’d hear that “I was going to be back in just a couple of minutes.” Some people call this human nature, but I call it a waste of energy.

Chaise Rocker Recliner (AFF01TR 83001)

$1139.75 $1098

AFF01

90” Sofa, 68” Loveseat, 3-Piece Table Group (BRN89), 2 Table Lamps (VIN32TL)

Sofa $399.95

FOUR COLLECTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM.

883110

Save $34170

FREE matching chair

on this offer

$299.95 value

71CC with purchase of this 7-Pc Living room

89738 HUG71

SKYLAR COLLECTION

7-Piece Living Room $1239.75 $1198 Club Chair (HUG71CC 89736)

83” Sofa, 60” Loveseat, 3-Piece Table Group (BRN92CZ), 2 Table Lamps (VIN61TL)

2 Locations to serve you!

501 Davis Loop Oxford

(256) 831-3995

258 W. Ft. Williams Sylacauga

(256) 249-8412

Pale plate

White tableware dresses up or down, suits any occasion

By Paige Phelps

The Dallas Morning News

Natalie Caudill/Dallas Morning News

THE

DALLAS — The secret to successful hosting is something other than the special ingredient in your grandmother’s marinara sauce: It’s the white plate.

Classic, clean and simple, “white dinnerware offers a blank canvas for the artistry of food presentation,” says Turtle Creek, Texas-based events planner Joanne M. Kersten, of Le Glace Events.

Furthermore, white is versatile; it dresses up or down to suit the occasion.

Kersten says a white palette creates a nostalgic atmosphere, explaining that the mood “harks back to the age of English gentility.”

Dean Driver, a Dallas designer and events planner who has worked for tabletop companies such as Rosenthal, Lalique and

ART OF AIR MANAGEMENT BY

Haviland & Parlon, delves even deeper into the history of white plates and platters.

Driver says the clay mineral kaolin is the secret to porcelain’s pure-white color and durability.

Until the 17th century, when kaolin deposits were discovered in France and Germany, Europeans imported white porcelain, a pricey and desired commodity, from China.

(Porcelain was introduced to the continent by Marco Polo, Driver reminds us.)

For those of us living in the 21st century, white dishes, from porcelain to pottery, continue to inspire.

Tips: ■ Nontraditional shapes help make a presentation more memorable.

■ Hotel-style white dishes with wide rims are a timeless choice.

■ A set of wide, low bowls belongs in every cook’s cupboard.

MINKA AIRE

THE GYRO FAN’S ABILITY TO PRECISELY CONTROL THE DIRECTION AND INTENSITY OF THE COOLING BREEZE EFFICIENTLY CIRCULATES AIR IN ANY ENVIRONMENT.

On South Quintard in Anniston across from Haverty’s (256) 831-7680 www.lightingshowroominc.com

A HOUSE OF BUILT-INS Built-ins can help maximize every nook and cranny in a home: 1. SEATING A window seat in a guest bedroom not only provides seating, it creates extra storage for pillows and bedding.

2. PANTRY A set of built-in drawers helps keep napkin rings and table linens organized.

3. LAUNDRY Dividers and cubbies keep detergent and other laundry supplies in reach but out of sight. Built-in pocket doors close the laundry off from the hallway.

4. FILES Maximizing unused attic space, file cabinets can reach back 3, 4 and 5 feet.

5. PRINTERS Adjustable sliders pull printers forward.

Drawers keep paper and other supplies.

6. TOILETRIES Medicine and cosmetics can be concealed in a cabinet behind a long wall of mirrors in the master bathroom.

7. ACCESSORIES Making the most of space behind a bedroom door — a built-in unit can hold costume jewelry and belts. A slat wall allows hooks to be placed at different heights.

3

2

Shane Keyser/Kansas City Star

Built-ins solve storage problems

By Stacy Downs McClatchy Newspapers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Built-ins are not only beautiful and functional, they personalize a home.

Constructed to fit the odd nooks and crannies of a residence, they provide customized storage for the owners’ interests.

Built-ins are a good idea for any home, experts say.

For starters, they’re a strategic defense against clutter, says architect Sarah Susanka, author of the

best-selling The Not So Big House books. She believes in the mantra of William Morris, one of the founders of the Arts and Crafts movement: “Do not keep anything in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Therefore, utilitarian things can be kept behind closed built-in cabinetry.

“Built-ins eliminate the need for having lots of furniture in a house, which can make a room feel cramped,” says Paul Gross, owner of Wildwood Construction in Blue Springs, Mo. “Everyone is trying to simplify and streamline their lives, and homes and built-ins help do that.”

Home

Remodeling Closet Shelving

Window & Wall Coverings

Blinds & Shutters

Building Materials & Concrete

Shower Doors

Kitchen & Bath Resources

Flooring

Lamps & Lighting

Webb provides expert sales and installation for your remodeling projects. Call or come by today to schedule your personal consultation with one of our design consultants and let us help you with your professional remodeling.

1021 Snow Street in Oxford 256 . 831 . 9173 A DIVISION OF

WEBB CONCRETE

& BUILDING MATERIALS

204 Industrial Park Dr ive in Pell City 205 . 338 . 0999

webbhomeonline.com

a reflection of you...

Home gardeners can help save the bees

By Susan Reimer The Baltimore Sun

“Birds do it, bees do it. Even educated fleas do it.”

Cole Porter would still be looking for lyrics if he were writing this song today, because not enough bees are doing it.

Pollinating, that is.

In winter 2006, millions of honeybees began to disappear. Without them to pollinate our fruit and vegetable crops, our food supply suddenly was at risk.

This huge pollination of crops doesn’t happen on a bee’s whim. Hundreds of thousands of hives are moved by truck around the United States to farms that have paid for the visit by the millions of pollinators in those hives.

For information It was this link in the food chain that was endanabout preserving gered by the die-off of bees. the habitat of “We are still working to try to understand the pollinators, decline,” said Dr. Jeff Pettis, research leader at the visit the North U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research serviceAmerican bee lab in Beltsville, Md. Pollinator Scientists suspect that parasitic mites or pesticide Protection exposure might be behind the die-off, weakening the Campaign at bee colonies to the point that any virus will kill them nappc.org. off.

“We are barely meeting the needs of the almond pollination in California,” Pettis said. Apples and blueberries are in trouble, too, because beekeepers will move their hives somewhere else for a better payday.

“Even the backyard beekeeper has noticed it,” he said.

There are things the casual gardener can do to help increase the bee population, Pettis said. ▶ Plant “pollinator-friendly” native plants and consider planting lots of a few species so bees expend less energy for a big reward. ▶Don’t use pesticides. Even “organic” pesticides can kill bees and other pollinators. ▶ Don’t mulch every inch of your garden. Leave some dirt exposed for the ground bees and for the mud that the Blue Orchard Mason bees need to pack their breeding tubes. ▶ Don’t be too much of a garden neatnik. Bees nest in old plant material, such as dead stalks or dead trees. ▶ Purchase nest kits, which are collections of tubes that Mason bees use for laying eggs.

Unlike honeybees, Mason bees have hairy bodies, which make them perfect pollinating devices. It can take only 500 Mason bees to pollinate an acre of apples, while it might take 100,000 honeybees to do the same job.

And there is another nice thing about Mason bees. They aren’t territorial in the way honeybees are, and they rarely sting.

“They are fun,” Pettis said. “You can watch them fill the tubes with eggs and then pack them with mud. It is fun to do with the kids, too, because you are at very low risk for a sting.”

Position the nesting kits in a sheltered, sunny spot, facing east or south.

Make sure they are safe from birds, mice or rats, which will eat the larvae.

DON’T FORGET THE EXTERIOR The outside of a home is increasingly becoming a hot spot for partying, entertaining, cooking and eating.

Backyards: A Sunset Design Guide by Bridget Biscotti Bradley has creative options for outdoor dining areas, kitchen gardens, storage sheds and backyard cottages. From advice on selecting furniture and fabrics, the guide offers suggestions for installing fireplaces, landscaping pool areas and “petscaping” for your four-legged family members.

WE INSTALL

Update your home and organize your life are energy efficient, beautiful, Silverline Vinyl Replacement Windows styles to choose from. We’ll Many able. avail ss and modern with Low-E-Gla credit. Call Rick @831do the work for you. Eligible for $1500 Tax

0540 /or wood. Drawers, stackShelving - Ventilated vinyl coated wire and life. Let us help with the your ize ables and even garage shelving to organ installation Call Cary @310-70939 the time to update. Call us Shower doors - any kind, any style. now’s 39 today - we’ll install. Call Cary @310-79 se from. our staff will hang

choo Mirrors - Bathroom, hall, many styles to 39 0-79 @31 Cary Call t. and moun

from any of our many lines and Door Locks and Door Hardware - Choose We can key all your locks alike. we’ll install. interior/exterior/any finish.

Call Cary @310-7939 We do apartments, comercial and rentals. holders, soap dishes, Knobs Bath hardware - Towel bars, rings toothbrush a rest, let us do the Take . bath your - everything you need to update 39 0-79 installation for you. Call Cary @31 ng bills. We’ll blow or batt Insulation - Cut down your heaqting & cooli urements and installation. any project. We’ll come out and do the meas t. Call Chuck @310-7851 Free Estimates! Eligible for $1500 Tax credi when you visit our showDoors - Entry doors or storm doors. It’s easy Rick @831-0540 room; pick your door and we’ll install. Call

ge Doors, Don’t forget Columns, Shutters and Gara 0 we’ll install them all. Call Rick @ 831-054 Bring this ad in for a 10% Discount on

your next Garden Center Purchase.

831-0540

y y n n r r o o e e r r t t t t I I o o , , P r P r e e n n k k a c a c i i c c i i x x W WM e e M d d aann

Midtown Outlet

1730 Quintard Ave. Anniston • 256-236-2642

Room by Room Home Furnishings

Hwy. 231, 1 1/2 mile South of I-20, Pell City • 205-884-1224 • Hrs. Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

1119 Highway 78 East, Oxford • 256-831-7868 • Hrs. Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.