Spr i n 2 0 HOME&GARDEN 18 g
s e iv G g n i n a e l C g n i Spr HG2 e f i L w e N s e H om
Find Artwork, Fine Crafts At Local’s Pop-up Market A Special Section To
HG6
Find Your Flower At These Florists On Main Street HG4
Low Supply, High Demand Keep Home Prices Strong
e! d i ns I p HG7 Fli
HOME&GARDEN Spring
HG2 • APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2018
HOME & GARDEN
Give Your Home Life: Spring Cleaning By Sophia Ricco info@longislandergroup.com
Photo/Flickr/James Wilkson
Springtime is seen as a time of renewal, when all that was once gone, seemingly lost forever, has come back just as bright and beautiful. This time of renewal is not just for the Earth; it’s also the perfect time to find Zen in both one’s living space and mind. So, throw open the windows, breathe in some fresh air and tackle those spring cleaning goals. “When you clear your space and you’re not seeing clutter, it clears your mind,” said Magan Waltuch, chief executive organizer of Wantaghbased Tucked Away Organizing, which specializes in residential organizing. Waltuch added, “When you have a clear mind you’re able to accomplish so much more.” The process may seem overwhelming at first, but breaking down the workload into smaller tasks can make things more manageable. “It’s deciding what your goal or dream for the room, space or piece of furniture is,” Waltuch said, adding that once a goal is determined it should become the main focus. “Everything not associated with that goal or dream has to be taken out.”
Waltuch recommends starting off with something as simple as a bookcase. By deciding just to have books in the bookcase, one would remove everything that is not a book. There will likely be many items that don’t fit the goal, so the next step is finding a place for them. “You categorize it,” Waltuch said. “This stuff can go in the garage, this stuff can go in the kitchen, this stuff can be donated – you’re sorting and categorizing where the new home for the items that are not a part of that dream goes.” By sorting it will become clear that each item has a place it belongs. “The biggest benefit is knowing where everything is, which is a huge help because it saves time. It saves money because you have inventory so you know what you have and what you don’t,” Waltuch said. If this seems like too much at once, there are little ways one can make spring cleaning a part of a typical routine. It’s as simple as taking the extra minute to put away things where they belong and avoiding procrastination, Waltuch said. “It’s making the commitment to yourself to say,” she said. “I’m going to make this a priority and not let clutter be an issue.”
Declutter as part of your spring cleaning. A good way to start, experts say, is to remove everything that’s not a book from bookcases.
Time To Prep The Yard For Springtime Activities By John Grimaldi Info@longislandergroup.com
With spring weather finally settling in, it’s time to get the yard ready for the season.
While spring technically started March 20, it seems someone forgot to remind Mother Nature. Now, however, with spring weather finally settling in, it’s time to get up and get the yard ready. It’s best to start early when it comes to lawn care, so start removing any debris that may have accumulated over the long winter, including any fallen tree limbs, leaves or branches. This will help the grass to breath and grow in healthily as the weather warms up. Once the weather breaks at around 60 de-
grees, start applying fertilizer and crabgrass control, as well as any other pre-emergent to the lawn. Waiting too long to apply could cause crabgrass to grow in, and the problem of removing it. It’s always a good idea to mow as often as possible, especially in the early goings of the season. Waiting too long between mows could keep the roots of the grass from developing properly. Mow often to ensure thicker and healthier grass. Also, cut back any overgrown bushes, edge out beds and replace mulch – and don’t skimp out on the quality of the mulch; better mulch will look better and last longer.
HOME&GARDEN Spring
HOME & GARDEN
APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2018 - HG3
Signature Cares To Walk, Donate By Haley Pereyo
info@longislandergroup.com
Signature Cares, a division of Signature Premier Properties, has announced the 2018 Weekly Walk For A Cause lineup, a series of walks that will result in donations to local and national charities. Each week, members of the Signature team will walk with family, friends and community members for a cause they believe in. Signature has promised to donate up to $3,000 per walk to local and national charities. The idea for these walks first started when “Signature Premier Properties owners Peter Morris and Kirby-Viard were masterminding ways to give back to as many charities as they could, bring the community together and have some fun,” Christa Nussbaum, marketing director at Signature Premier Properties, said. Signature Cares’ overall goal is to bring the community together to raise awareness and donations for causes close to their hearts, she added. The first Weekly Walk For a Cause was on April 14 in Floral Park. Walks will be happening all over Long Island throughout the next few months, including in Northport on June 9. The Northport walk, which will begin at Northport High School at 9
Get Social With Us! Subscribe Now To Our Facebook, Instagram & Twitter Accounts!
facebook.com/ longislandernews
@longislandernews @longislandernews Log on to LongIslanderNews.com for the latest breaking news stories
a.m., will raise money, and awareness for Long Island Adolescents and Family Services. For updates and more information, visit Signaturestrides.com.
Signature Premier Properties first weekly Walk For a Cause raised funds for Spectrum Designs Foundation a non-profit that provides services to individuals with autism.
HOME&GARDEN Spring
HG4 • APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2018
HOME & GARDEN
Fresh Flowers Bring Springtime Indoors By Haley Pereyo
info@longislandergroup.com
Huntington’s Main Street features a fleet of florists that can prepare the perfect bouquet to brighten up any home or office this spring. With the season finally sprung, flowers are starting to bloom, especially at these shops:
Main Street Nursery (475 Main St., Huntington) offers floristry, lawn care, wedding and event arrangements, and more. Owners and brothers Bob and Rich McKeen started their career in landscaping jobs over 30 years ago, mowing lawns around Huntington. Now, they own Main Street and provide, “Artistry with Nature”, for those looking for everything from a simple bouquet to a personal landscape design — and they can also bring that design to life. Flowers are also available for
order online and can be delivered straight to the door. Go to mainstreetnursery.com/shop for more information.
Floras Avenue (233 Main St., Huntington), a full-service European boutique, provides customers with unique options for floral arrangements and more. The shop offers everything from an everyday bouquet to extravagant wedding and event flowers to funeral services. Floras Avenue also offers workshops on the art of floral arranging. Owner Akvile Zilinskis, a Luitanian-born floral designer, uses her European influences to bring locals of Huntington a piece of the world overseas. Visit florasavenue.com for more information. Martelli’s Florist & Gift Shop (95 East Main St., Huntington) is a family-owned-and-operated florist
European influenced Floras Avenue is a rich celebration of color and texture with tulips, hydrangea and freesia in the mix.
that ships both locally and nationally. Martelli’s shares on its website, Martellisflorist.net, “We are committed to offering only the finest floral arrangements and gifts, backed
by service that is friendly and prompt.” Specialities include dried floral arrangements, gourmet and fruit baskets and tropical flowers.
Above, Main Street Nursery’s arrangement is a fragrant reminder of Spring with peonies, roses and eucalypus leaves. Left, Martell’s Florist keeps it simple with a softly colored arrangement of pink roses and white hydrangea, a hint of what’s to come in the garden this summer.
HOME&GARDEN Spring
HOME & GARDEN
APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2018 - HG5
Long Islander News Archive Photo
Gateway Garden Gears For Spring
By Sophia Ricco
info@longislandergroup.com
From 36 garden beds in 2010 and some volunteers, the Gateway Garden has grown to a little over an acre with a garden that holds 120 beds and has formed a large community of gardeners. With the warm summer months upon them, the gardeners are working to grow and harvest this year’s all organic vegetable garden. They utilize various methods to naturally fertilize and control pests in their garden. The garden advocates for doing away with growing produce using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. “Food becomes contaminated with the pesticides,” Frances Whittelsey, co-founder and a trustee of Gateway Garden, said. “These chemicals are harmful to human beings, to the environment, to pets.” Fish emulsion and compost are just
a few of the natural products the gardeners are recommended to use. Although, most of the gardeners may not be planting for the first time, many have never grown using all natural gardening methods. But they are able to learn through their fellow gardeners. “We share everything,” Whittelsey said. “We share tips on what’s working, what’s not working.” To educate their gardeners and the community, Gateway Garden brings in educational workshops on growing naturally. Last Friday there was an “Insect Safari” that discussed how to “best manage pests without using chemicals,” Whittelsey said. “It may be a little more work, but it’s well worth the result.” When chemicals are used in gardening it depletes the soil and takes away the soil integrity, making it more difficult to plant in the long run. Gateway Garden hopes that they are able to set an example for the community
Gateway Park Community Garden, pictured in fall 2016, is the seasonal home of more than 100 beds cultivated with various herbs and vegetables.
that natural gardening is possible. “It’s important for the community to see that they can grow vegetables for themselves and locally right here in Huntington,” Whittelsey said. Anyone can join the Gateway Garden to gain more experience with organic gardening. The garden is accepting applications for this season on their website, Gatewaygarden.org. Each gardener is required to contribute their time in some way to the help the garden. “We expect them to become part of the community and help by offering assistance regularly during the year and using whatever talents they have,” Whittelsey said. Whittelsey believes the strong sense
of community within the garden is formed when the gardeners all work together for the common good of the garden. The garden benefits not only the gardeners, but many local food banks who received donations from the garden every Tuesday. “The majority [of gardeners] are certainly willing and do donate at some point during the year,” Whittelsey said. Gateway Garden is a nonprofit that fundraises, accepts donations, and receives grants for materials. They rely heavily on their volunteers to manage and maintain the garden. Whittelsey said, “Our whole goal is to bring fresh food into the community and into the hands of people who need it.”
HOME&GARDEN Spring
HG6 • APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2018
HOME & GARDEN
Find Art, Fine Crafts At Pagio Marketplace Photos/Paola Giordano
Huntington jewelry designer Paola Giordano and her mobile art gallery will be one of the 10 Long Island artists that set up shop at the outdoor Pagio Marketplace on the grounds of the Conklin Barn on the corner of High St. and New York Ave. in Huntington village.
By Connor Beach cbeach@longislandergroup.com
In an age when online shopping giants like Amazon are beginning to dominate the retail markets, a local small business owner is creating an event where shoppers can rediscover the benefits of intimate, personal interaction. Artist Paolo Giordano, of Huntington, announced plans to host The Pagio Marketplace, a bi-monthly outdoor pop-up market in Huntington village where local artists can display and sell their works. Giordano, founder of Pagio Jewelry Designs, designs, fabricates and hand makes unique jewelry pieces from semi-precious stones and various metals such as sterling silver, copper,
brass, and pewter. In 2014, Giordano purchased an old FedEx truck and converted it into Long Island’s first mobile art gallery to sell her work, but said it has been hard to find places to set up shop. Giordano said the marketplace will provide the perfect opportunity to incorporate the mobile art gallery. “This is an opportunity to have the mobile art gallery out there in addition to all the other artists,” she said. The marketplace will take place on 12 Thursday nights, 6-9 p.m. at the Conklin Barn on the corner of High Street and New York Avenue in Huntington village. Giordano said she is renting the space from the Huntington Historical Society. The event will feature 10 of Long
Island’s best artists in a variety of mediums and styles, including Coram-based Modern Primal Soap Co., Sayville-based Hartman Studio 44 and Melville-based Le Fusion, in order to offer customers a diverse range of art. “There will be everything from sculptures to watercolorists,” Giordano said. “I wanted to organize and curate a modest sized event where artists could display and sell their handmade and high quality work.” Giordano said each artist will get their own 10-by-10-foot tent “similar to a farmers market, except it is going to be artists only.” The Pagio Marketplace differs from larger weekend shows that many artists attend, Giordano said, because the focus is on original pieces by local
artists and not resale vendors. “We’ve lost touch with fine craftsmanship and quality, and that’s what I’m trying to bring back with the artists,” Giordano said. “You are able to go someplace, not spend a gazillion dollars and also enjoy speaking with a person as opposed to just ordering something online.” Giordano said she decided on Thursday nights for the marketplace because many of the artists already travel to larger shows on the weekends, and she is hopeful that the outdoor activity at the Conklin Barn will catch the attention of the crowds heading to area restaurants or shows at The Paramount. The Pagio Marketplace is scheduled to launch on May 10 and will run through Oct. 25.
HOME&GARDEN Spring
HOME & GARDEN
APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2018 - HG7
Low Supply, High Demand Keep Home Prices Strong By Peter Sloggatt
psloggatt@longislandergroup.com
The latest housing market statistics bring good news and bad news, depending on what side of the market you’re on. For sellers, a continuing trend of demand outpacing supply is pushing home prices up at a rate greater than national averages. The median sales price for a home on Long Island was up 8.6 percent to $429,000 and the average sales price increased 6.0 percent to $521,243 over the past year, according to the most recent market report released by Long Island Board of Realtors. While steady price climbs are a plus for sellers, the opposite is true for buyers who find the market can be competitive, often with multiple bidders pushing prices above the listed price. “You’ll see bidding wars if the house has all the bells and whistles; it’s updated and in the right neighborhood,” said Maria Lanzisero, an associate broker with Signature Properties. But don’t count on hordes of buyers showing up and waving cash. “Pricing is still important. The home has to be priced right, otherwise people don’t come,” Lanzisero said. “And location is critical. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m finding ‘near village’ locations are seeing very high demand,” Recent increases in mortgage interest rates have failed to slow the pace, but could have an impact on housing affordability, according to the LIBOR report. As rates inch higher, buyers may find themselves having to choose
Low inventory and still relatively low mortgage interest rates are keeping home prices strong on Long Island, according to a Long Island Board of Realtors report.
between higher payments or lowerpriced homes. Mortgage interest rates have moved to their highest level since January 2014. The average rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages was 4.5 percent in February 2018, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. While 4.5- or 4.6-percent rate might not seem high to those with long memories, “it is newly high for many potential first-time home buyers,” the LIBOR report said, adding, “Upward rate pressure is likely to continue as long as the economy fares well. Good news all around is that “markets are poised for increased supply… so there is hope that more sellers will take advantage of what appears to be a ready
Mortgage Rates On The Move
After years of historic lows, mortgage rates are on the move. The 30year fixed-rate mortgage rose to its highest level since January 2014 this week, also seeing its largest weekly increase since February of this year, Freddie Mac reports. Average mortgage rates were higher across the board too, posting weekly increases to not only the 30year fixed-rate mortgage but also to 15-year and 5-year hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages. Freddie Mac reports the following national averages in mortgage rates for the week ending April 19: • 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 4.47 percent, with an av-
erage 0.5 point, rising from last week’s 4.42 percent average. Last year at this time, 30-year rates averaged 3.97 percent.
• 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.94 percent, with an average 0.4 point, rising from last week’s 3.87 percent average. A year ago, 15-year rates averaged 3.23 percent. • 5-year hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 3.67 percent, with an average 0.3 point, increasing from last week’s 3.61 percent average. A year ago, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.10 percent.
Source: National Association of Realtors.
and willing buyer base,” the report said. According to LIBOR, in February, new listings Islandwide were up 1.9 percent to 4,559. Pending Sales increased 2.5 percent to 2,819, and inventory grew 2.1
percent to 21,032 units. The bottom line: it’s a great time to sell, and with mortgage interest rates still comparatively low, it’s a great time to buy as well.
Feather your nest with us! Visit Long Island’s NEW home marketplace in beautiful Northport, offering creatively inspired goods from independent vendors and artisans.
Also
DIY Workshops Special Events High End Consignments Design Services Available 135 Main Street Northport Village 631-651-9173 nestonmainmarket.com Follow us on Facebook & Instagram @nestonmainmarketplace
Nest on Main. Steps from the harbor, far from the ordinary. ©
HG8 • APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2018
HOME & GARDEN
Create your dream kitchen with us
We invite you to visit our gorgeous downtown Huntington showroom to browse the latest inset and overlay cabinet door styles. Enjoy local, hometown service that includes complimentary layout, design and 3-D renderings. Call us today to start creating your new dream kitchen.
$500
Appliance World gift certificate for pre-praid kitchen cabinet orders of $10,000 or more. Present this coupon upon ordering Offer expires 6/30/2018
631.683.5503 251 Main Street, Huntington NY, 11743