At
HOME
Cheer up
Add splashes of happy colors to brighten your home
Warm home
Five smart ways to keep your house warm A special publication of the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer
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Saturday, February 25, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer
Table of Contents LETTER from the
EDITOR What a strange winter we’ve had. With no snow, no harsh winds and very little cold, it’s been pretty mild around here. It feels more like spring than winter. While I’ve been enjoying the warmth, I know it won’t last forever. That’s why this edition of At Home includes some simple ways to keep your home and welcoming. In this edition of At Home you will find tips on how to address spring ant problems, ways to cheer up your home and why sealing your driveway can be beneficial. I am still looking for homeowners who have tackled a big DIY or home renovation project or anyone who has an interesting story about their home. If you would like your story told, please contact me at mrichardson@messengerinquirer.com or 270-691-7233. — Meghann Richardson Special Publications Editor
ANT CONTROL
YEAR-ROUND LANDSCAPING
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page 8
on the cover
Brighten up your home to cure the winter blues |
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Sealing a driveway can extend its life Installing an asphalt or a concrete driveway can be an expensive undertaking. To preser ve the fresh, new look of the driveway, have the driveway sealed and then routinely seal it to keep it looking pristine. A good sealant can keep a driveway looking new longer and also can rejuvenate the appearance of an older driveway. Sealant can be compared to car wax. It provides an outer coating that will repel stains, stop UV rays from fading the driveway and help to protect against cracks and driveway degradation. Over time, asphalt driveways will begin to fade in color and the stone and rocks used in the asphalt mix will appear more prominent. By sealing the driveway, a homeowner can Having the maintain its original driveway dark color. sealed Another reason to prolongs its seal a driveway is to durability and reduce the chance freeze-thaw appearance. It of damage. This also can make type of damage the driveway results when less prone to water penetrates surface of staining and the the driveway and cracking, then expands as it freezes. The making this expansion can project a cause cracks and sound fissures, as well as investment. compromise the soil underneath the driveway, making it sink or become unstable. Sealed driveways help to keep water beading on the surface of the driveway, rather than being absorbed into the driveway material. When water no longer beads on the driveway, this is often an indicator that the driveway needs to be resealed. There are some guidelines to follow when sealing driveways. When starting, sealant should not be applied immediately after the driveway is poured. Concrete needs to cure for a period of up to one month before sealant should be applied. Fresh asphalt contains oils that eventually evaporate. The oils are what makes fresh asphalt
pliable and soft. Once these oils evaporate, the asphalt gets harder and more durable. Sealers can prevent evaporation and may make the asphalt permanently soft. After the initial base application of sealant, the driveway should only be sealed ever y two to three years, depending on its condition. Sealants are just coatings, and adding too
many layers can cause the sealant coatings to crack and peel away. Sealing a driveway is a labor-intensive process that’s best left to professionals. These professionals have the knowledge of technique and the right tools to get an even, thin coating of sealant. Remember, a driveway should not be walked or driven on for a minimum of 24 hours
after sealant is applied. Weather conditions also can influence the amount of time it takes for the driveway to cure. Having the driveway sealed prolongs its durability and appearance. It also can make the driveway less prone to staining and cracking, making this project a sound investment.
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Addressing spring
ant problems The return of warm weather in the spring often marks the return of animals and insects as well. The spring season is a popular time for insects to mate and build nests. This also may be a time when homeowners see ant “swarms” in or around their homes. Ants and termites are social creatures, and when their colonies become too large, flying ants will spread out in search of new
territories and to establish new queens. This mobility may also be coupled with an increasing number of ants marching on the ground and scaling walls. Although many species of ants are harmless, homeowners do not want to see ants inside their homes — especially in large numbers. The strategies below can help homeowners address ant infestations this spring.
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PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM ANTS
• Identify the type of ant around your property. Consult with online guides or books to identify the species of ant on your property. Knowing which species of ant is in or around your home can help you address the problem more effectively. • Create a food trap. Ants are attracted to various food sources, such as fats, sweets and proteins. Mixing a very small amount of a food with boric acid can help control ant populations. Ants will bring tainted food back to their colonies and perish. • Keep a clean house. Use vinegar, soap and water to clean areas where ants are seen. Many leave a scent trail of pheromones to tell others where to go for a food source. • Treat carpenter ants at the source. Carpenter ants will not bring back food to the nest. Instead, sprinkle diatomaceous earth, or DE, around outdoor nests to eradicate colonies. • Work with an exterminator. If home remedies do not work, consult with a trained exterminator.
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5 smarter ways to keep your home warm BY FAMILY FEATURES
Rely on supplemental heat. When it’s impractical to completely eliminate When cool winds are blowing and the drafts, or other measures aren’t fully temperatures outside take a dive, even a correcting the problem, you might well-insulated house may feel the chill. consider a home upgrade to your Simply kicking up the thermostat can cooling and heating system. One of the be expensive and depending on your most efficient products on the market is home’s circulation, you may still have a floor-mounted indoor heating system areas that need an extra blast of warmth. from Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Cozy up with these tips for heating up Heating. The M-Series KJ model has your living space. built-in heating technology, which is Check for gaps and cracks. Poorly designed to ensure the whole room sealed windows and doors are among warms up evenly and quickly. The the biggest sources of heat loss in a cooler months are notorious for a spike home. Not only do those imperfections in energy bills because of heating needs, let heat escape, they also let in the cold. but the KJ model is more efficient If you can see daylight, there’s definitely than its competitors, can help you stay a problem, but even less visible gaps and comfortable and save money too. The cracks can be problematic. Clear plastic flexible system also allows homeowners sheeting is one temporary DIY solution to adjust up to five fan speeds and set a for windows. It’s also easy to replace the weekly timer. weather stripping around doors. Layer up. Especially when cooler
weather first appears or makes a comeback, many homeowners forget to dress for the weather, even indoors. Trading in your T-shirt and shorts for long sleeves and pants can help push your comfort several degrees warmer, and even a couple of degrees can result in big savings on your heating bill. If extra clothes aren’t enough, invest in a few plush throw blankets and a cozy robe and slippers for more comfortable lounging. Enjoy a crackling fire. If your home has a fireplace, use it. These features are often treated as ornamental, but they serve a true function. When paired with blowers, the heat from a fireplace can warm a significant portion of the house, well beyond the room where the fireplace is located. Before your first fire, take proper safety precautions, including checking that the flue is
clean and open. Also be sure you have protective features such as glass or mesh covering to prevent popping embers, and be sure to create a barrier that keeps small children safely out of reach. Decorate your way to warmth. Subtle changes to your decor can make a big impact on a room’s climate and comfort level. Two areas that can make a big impact: the floor and windows. An area rug is an addition that not only takes the physical chill out of a wood or tile floor, but adds visual warmth, as well. Although windows can be a major source of energy loss and drafts, they can also let in a natural heat source: sunlight. Use heavy draperies at night to block the chill and provide privacy, but during daylight hours, throw those curtains open and let the warm light shine.
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Alyssa Rosenheck/Alyssa Rosenheck Photography via AP
A room designed by Florida-based interior designer Laura Burleson features gold-tone metal hardware, accessories and lighting to bring a warm glow to this home office, then added a cozy throw blanket and flowers to make this practical space feel brighter and more cheerful at any time of year.
r e n g desi Simple ways to cheer up your home in winter Messenger-Inquirer
a k s A
BY MELISSA RAYWORTH
Uplifting words are printed in a subtle shade of gold and elegantly framed in pale gold metal.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
During these chilly and gray days of mid-winter, many of us look to our homes as sanctuaries. The standard advice for cheering up your living space is to add a few splashes of bright, happy color, says designer Maxwell Ryan. But while that may seem like an easy solution, he says, it’s actually not very effective. To create a home that really helps battle the mid-winter blues, you need more than just a pop of color. The Associated Press asked Ryan, founder of the home decor website apartmenttherapy.com, and two other interior designers — Florida-based Laura Burleson and New York-based Jenny Kirschner — for advice on small decor changes that can lift spirits and brighten up a home.
BRING NATURE IN
In February, many people are craving time outdoors and missing the natural energy of growing plants and flowers, Ryan says. “We’ve watched our plants die outside or the leaves fall from the trees,” and we’re due for an infusion of healthy, growing life, he says. So add a few new plants to your home — perhaps succulents arranged in a kitchen window, or flowering branches in a large vase. Or plant flowering bulbs indoors in a large, deep bowl (try paperwhites or amaryllis) and enjoy tending them as they begin to bloom. “Even if you just go to the corner store and bring in cut flowers,” Ryan says, you’ll be adding a bit of nature’s energy to your home.
SHIMMER AND GLOW
Add “a little glimmer of light” to your living space, Burleson says, by adding shiny elements like metals, cut glass and lucite. These help natural light bounce around a room even when days are short. The goal is to make the most of what light there is. In a home in Colorado, she recently swapped out old kitchen hardware for shimmering clear agate knobs, and included metallic elements in a mix of finishes.
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Alyssa Rosenheck/ Alyssa Rosenheck Photography via AP
on winter nights, “it probably wouldn’t happen.” Another way to make a room’s lighting more welcoming: Light your fireplace if you have one, Kirschner says, or create a similar feeling by clustering glass hurricane vases with pillar candles inside. Arrange several together on a coffee table, she says, “and light those when you come home from work.”
FAUX FUR AND FRAGRANCE
Burleson also suggests adding metals in warm colors that “hint of spring,” such as a copper, brass and rose gold. All three designers suggest improving the happy glow of your home by swapping out any lightbulbs that offer cold or harsh light. Kirschner says hardware store employees can help you find the most appealing “daylight bulbs” to bring a sense of sunshine in during gray winter days. Or consider swapping out old lampshades or adding a new lamp. “Spread your light around down at the level you live at,” Ryan says, so that it’s “closer to you, closer to your face. You’ll look better and feel better.” Designers recommend having at least three points of light in any room. Once you have plenty of light sources, make sure you use them by adding dimmers to control the light, and upgrading so that several lights can be turned on from a single knob or switch. Ryan has begun using Hue bulbs, which can be controlled by smartphone and adjusted for brightness and color. “My living room has five lights in it,” he says, and they’re now easily controlled via his smartphone. He notes that if he had to switch each one on individually when he arrived home
It’s easy to create an uplifting sensory experience in your home by adding faux sheepskins, faux-fur throws, and rugs or pillows made of cashmere or soft wool, says Kirschner.
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Ryan agrees: Make sure you have pleasing textures around you, he says, including underfoot. Little touches can make a big difference. Try adding a sheepskin or soft blanket over a chair that you use when working at home. Kirschner also suggests adding pleasing fragrances to your space. Choose organically scented candles, or simply take items from your kitchen (lemon and orange slices, cloves and nutmeg, or other fruits and spices) and steep them in water in a heat-safe container over a votive or tea light candle.
INSPIRING WORDS
Several years ago, Burleson decorated a home office with the uplifting words “Don’t Ever Let Anyone Dull Your Sparkle” printed in a subtle shade of gold in a delicate brass frame. It serves as “a very, very simple, elegant little pick-me-up,” she says.
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Up your home’s curb appeal with year-round landscaping AUTUMN
Judging a home by its appearance is often par for the home-buying course. In fact, according to the National Association of RealtorsŽ, 49 percent of buying decisions are made from the street. An appealing home exterior suggests the homeowner takes pride in his or her home and wants to make every effort to maintain that home. Curb appeal involves various components a home’s exterior, but beautiful landscaping can make a home stand out. While maintaining a lawn is something many homeowners may think is exclusive to spring and summer, lawn maintenance is really a year-round endeavor. The following steps can help anyone maintain curb appeal no matter the season.
Autumn is often a forgotten season when it comes to maintaining a landscape. However, fall is a key time to keep landscapes in order. According to the landscaping resource LoveYourLandscape.com, fall is the ideal time to tend to a lawn that just endured summer heat. Seeding and fertilizing can ensure a stronger lawn come next spring. Perennials should be pruned and cut back. Raking leaves will help keep the property looking presentable.
WINTER
One of the ways to maintain an attractive landscape throughout winter is to install plants that can survive the colder temperatures. Winterberry is a cousin of holly, but loses its leaves in the fall. SPRING SUMMER The bright red berries can be a stark contrast to the Spring is a season of renewal when plants and Summer landscaping is all about maintaining what trees will begin to look fresh and green once more. was established in the spring. Regular mowing, weeding white of winter snowfall. Camellia is an evergreen that blooms from fall to early spring and looks like Spring maintenance includes applying fertilizer to and trimming can keep a landscape manicured. Other pink roses. Heather is a popular plant in the United lawns, replenishing mulch in planting beds, creating than drought, weeds are perhaps the biggest lawn and Kingdom, but is growing in popularity on this side more pronounced edges around the lawn and garden garden nuisance to a landscape in the summertime. of the Atlantic as well. The Home Depot says this beds, and testing soil. Some homeowners like to Black medic, carpetweed, knotweed, mallow and apply a weed-prevention product in the spring as well. prostate spurge are some of the weeds that will crop up plant blooms all year and offers beautiful flowers in Spring is a good time to plant annuals that will add a summer and fall. In winter, the thick foliage makes during the summer. Seeds begin to germinate as soil pop of color to the landscape. For those concerned for an appealing contrast to the more delicate blooms warms up. According to the University of Maryland about permanent planting, container gardening of other winter plants. Extension, control with a broadleaf postemergent allows homeowners to move around planters in a herbicide applied when the weed is actively growing will Maintaining a landscape through the seasons configuration that works best for them. help prevent weeds from suffocating lawns. makes a home attractive all year long.
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