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Sunday, April 14, 2019 | Spring Home Improvement

net, billions of pieces of art, from tapestries to photographs to paintings, are at your ﬁngertips. Comparison shopping can be fun and help novices discover their personal tastes. It also can be a great way to support artists. For example, 90 percent of all image royalties on art purchased from YourArtGallery.com goes directly to the artist, ensuring much of buyers’ money is going toward supporting the people responsible for the art they plan to hang in their homes. That can give people a greater sense of pride in their home’s decor. • Seek inspiration. If you’re unfamiliar with art, don’t hesitate to seek inspiration. Art is everywhere, from the hotels you stay in while traveling to the billboards you pass while driving to work to the local art museum near your home. If you’re uncertain of what you like, make a concerted effort to recognize the art you see but may not stop to notice each day. As you expose yourself to more and more art, you will gain a greater knowledge of what you like and dislike. Use that knowledge to inform your decisions when buying art for

your home. • Switch things up. Your entire home does not need to follow a theme. If your taste in art is eclectic, embrace that and have differ-

ent rooms throughout your home reﬂect your different tastes. This can give each room its own unique feel and make for a colorful home.

The art people hang in their homes is a personal choice, and the process of ﬁnding that

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Designing a home’s interior can be fun. Whether furnishing a first apartment or a newly purchased family home, many people feel that the art they put on the walls of their homes is an expression of their individuality, and that a home isn’t truly a home until its interior reflects their personalities. Furnishing a home with art can be intimidating, especially for people doing so for the first time. But a few tricks of the trade can help men and women turn the interiors of their homes into spaces that reflect who they are. • Embrace your personal taste. Don’t hesitate to decorate your walls with art you like. When buying furniture for a home, it can make sense to follow certain rules. For example, parents of young children might want to purchase darkcolored furnishings that can hide stains. But no such rules should govern your choices of artwork. Art reflects the person who made it, but it also reflects the person who buys it, so buyers should embrace their personal taste when furnishing their homes with art. • Shop around. Thanks to the inter-

Spring Home Improvement | Sunday, April 14, 2019

The art of buying art for your home

art can be fun and eyeopening.

Sunday, April 14, 2019 | Spring Home Improvement

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Flower gardens can add color and aweinspiring appeal to a property. The National Gardening Association notes that gardeners can find nearly every color of the spectrum in flowering perennials. So whether you prefer soft pink, are partial to bright red or want to relax in a garden and gaze at something deep blue, chances are you’ll find a perennial to tickle your fancy. The NGA offers the following breakdown of colors to help gardeners learn how their gardens can set the mood they’re looking for.

Pastel colors Pastels, which include soft pink, powder blue, lavender, and peach, create a tranquil feeling in a garden. This makes pastel perfect for those who want their gardens to be a relaxing, peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The NGA notes

that pastels may looked washed out in the midday sun, so they might be best enjoyed early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Complementary colors Complementary colors are those that are opposite one another on the color wheel. Orange and blue are examples of complementary colors. According to the NGA, complementary colors can add creative energy and vitality to a garden. Harmonious colors These colors are those that are next to each other on the color wheel, such as orange and red. The NGA recommends harmonious

colors for gardeners looking to create a unifying feel in their gardens without resorting to a monochromatic color scheme. Harmonious colors give off a gentle feeling that can make for a relaxing garden atmosphere. Monochromatic colors Monochromatic gardens can be awe-inspiring even though they stick to a single color and don’t provide an array of awe-inspiring colors. The NGA notes that gardeners with monochromatic gardens make them interesting by using plants of various sizes and shapes. When planting a garden, gardeners can

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Bright colors A garden full of bright colors like red, orange, magenta, and yellow can provide a landscape with vigor and energy. The NGA notes that brightly colored flowers can withstand especially bright sunshine, meaning gardeners can marvel at their appearance even when the sun might be adversely affecting other plants and flowers.

Spring Home Improvement | Sunday, April 14, 2019

Use color to set your garden’s mood

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Setting up your smart home Technology has changed the way people live in the 21st century. Once ubiquitous, land lines anchored to kitchen walls have now given way to smartphones that can be taken anywhere. Bulky television sets that required at least two people to move have been replaced with highdeﬁnition offerings so light and thin they can be mounted on living room walls. It’s no great surprise that technology also is changing the physical places we call home. Smart homes are a rapidly growing trend. In a typical smart home, devices such as the thermostat, television and even the refrigerator can be controlled remotely through the internet. Converting an existing home into a smart home can seem intimidating, especially for people who don’t consider themselves tech savvy. But today’s user-friendly technology makes it relatively easy for anyone to turn his or her home into a smarter one. Before you get started, recognize that there are certain must-have items to turn a home into a smart home.

Hub The hub refers to software or hardware that connects all of your devices and gets them to work together. Think of the various devices you have and then think of their manufacturers. Chances are strong you have devices manufactured by various companies, and enabling those to work together might seem impossible. A hub does that work for you. And because they can be connected to your smartphone, hubs also make it possible to control devices while you’re away from home. WiFi router Some people rent their routers from their internet/cable providers, while others buy their own routers. Regardless of which category you fall into, you’re going to need a good WiFi router to get your smart home up and running. Determine which type of WiFi your home currently has and then ﬁnd a router that’s compatible with that WiFi. Request a list of routers that are compatible with your WiFi from your service provider, as not all routers will necessarily work with your internet con-

nection. If possible, upgrade to the fastest WiFi your internet provider offers, as that will make your smart home that much more enjoyable and frustration-free. Devices You won’t necessarily need to upgrade your devices to get a smart home. In fact, if you control or can control any device in your home with a smartphone, you are already on your way to having a smart home. Upgrading to a programmable thermostat that’s compatible with your smartphone might be a great idea if your current thermostat is old and not internet-compatible. With a programmable thermostat, you can control the temperature in your home remotely. That ensures the home is a comfortable temperature when you arrive home and allows you to turn off costly heating and cooling units when no one is home.

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ognize the nuances that indicate a spot-on painting job. Professional painters have spent hours upon hours learning the ropes of what works Ñ and what does not. Painters often understand that painstaking preparatory work is crucial to getting pristine ﬁnished results. Walls and ceilings must be properly repaired and prepared even before a base coat is applied. Professional painters also have an eye for details. And because professional painters make a business out of doing interior and exterior surfaces, they understand which techniques can improve efﬁciency. That means a professional job can typically be completed much more quickly than a DIY project. Even though some people think they’ll save money by painting their own homes, that’s not necessarily true. Professionals already have all the equipment necessary, unlike novices who may need to make repeated and potentially costly trips to the hardware store for supplies. Plus, if mistakes happen, DIYers

have to spend additional time and money ﬁxing them. Safety can be a large motivator for turning painting over to a pro. Navigating exterior areas or tall interior ceilings can be challenging and may require scaffolding or tall ladders DIYers do not have. Risk of falls or other injuries increase with

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Few things can revitalize a home more readily than a fresh coat of paint. Thanks in part to the affordability of paint and its ease of application, painting is something that even novice DIYers can typically handle. According to the marketing advice guru Brandon Gaille, it is estimated that residential interior paint only lasts around three years before it needs to be updated. Exterior paint can fade, chip and peel due to various environmental factors. As a result, many homes can likely use a fresh coat of paint in at least one room. As DIY-friendly as painting can be, when attempting to paint the interior or exterior of their homes, homeowners may learn that some painting projects are best left to the professionals. Painting requires skill, patience and a knowledge of how various paints Ñ including ﬁ nishes for particular applications Ñ will hold up. Novice painters may do more harm than good by dripping paint on expensive carpeting or ﬂoors or fail to rec-

Spring Home Improvement | Sunday, April 14, 2019

When it can be smart to hire a painting pro

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Sunday, April 14, 2019 | Spring Home Improvement

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Before starting a home improvement project, either on one’s own or with the assis tance of a professional contractor, homeown ers must first consider the costs involved. Ac cording to the home improvement resource HomeAdvisor, more than one-third of homeowners do not understand what hir ing a professional will cost, and then cannot successfully budget and secure financ ing once they have set their sights on a reno vation project. HomeAdvisor says that some of the more popular projects, such as remodeling a kitchen or bathroom or building a deck, can cost, on average, $19,920, $9,274 and $6,919, respectively. Homeowners may find that the more ex pensive renovations require them to secure some type of financing. Those who have never before sought such fi nancing may want to consider these options. 1. Cash-out refi nancing: With cash out refinancing, a person will begin the mortgage process anew with the intention of paying off the current mortgage balance, and

then taking out addi tional funds for other purposes. Cash-out re financing is a way to tap into a home’s exist ing equity for use on improvements or other expenses, such as col lege tuition. 2. Home equity line of credit: The financial experts at Bankrate indicate that a HELOC works like a credit card, with the house as collateral. There is a credit limit, and borrowers can spend up to that limit. The interest rate may or may not be fixed. However, the interest may be tax-deductible if the financing is used to improve, buy or build a home. 3. Home equity loan: Individuals also can borrow against equity in their homes with a fixed interest

Homeowners should speak to a financial advisor and shop around for the best types of fund ing for them. rate through a home equity loan. Most lend ers will calculate 80 percent of the home value and subtract a homeowner’s mort gage balance to figure out how much can be borrowed, according to the financial advisory site The Simple Dollar. 4. Personal loan: Homeowners can shop around at various fi nancial institutions for competitive per-

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sonal loans to be used for home improvement purposes. Funds may be approved within one business day, which can be ideal for those who want to begin their improvements soon. 5. Personal line of credit: A personal line of credit allows bor rowers to borrow only the money needed at the time, and offers a variable interest rate that is generally lower than fixed loan rates. Again, like a credit card, PLOC gives a per son a maximum bor rowing amount and is ideal for ongoing pur chases. 6. Credit cards: In a pinch, credit cards can be used to finance im

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6 options for funding your next home improvement project

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from appliances, receptacles or switches. Learning to recognize the signs of overloaded circuits is an important step in making homes safe, as the NFPA notes that home fires contribute to hundreds of deaths and more than 1,500 injuries each year. Such fires also hit homeowners in their pocketbooks, causing an estimated $1.4 billion in property damage annually. Prevention is another key component when safeguarding a home and its residents from fires sparked by electrical failures of malfunctions. The ESFI offers the following tips to prevent electrical overloads. • Never use extension cords or multi-outlet

converters for appliances. • All major appliances should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet. Only one heat-producing appliance should be plugged into a receptacle outlet at any given time. • Consider adding new outlets to your home. Heavy reliance on extension cords indicates that your home does not have enough outlets. Bring in a qualiﬁed electrician to inspect your home to determine if more outlets are necessary. • Recognize that power strips only add additional outlets; they do not change the amount of power being received from the outlet. Fires

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A home is a safe haven for its residents. No matter what’s going on at school or the office, many people know they can relax in comfort and safety when they arrive home at the end of a day. Safety at home is something that can be taken for granted until it’s too late. The National Fire Protection Association notes that each year more than 47,000 home fires in the United States are caused by electrical failure or malfunction. Overloaded electrical circuits are a frequent culprit in residential fires. Fortunately, overloaded circuits are preventable. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, the following are some potential indicators that circuits are overloaded. • Flickering, blinking or dimming lights • Frequently tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses • Warm or discolored wall plates • Cracking, sizzling or buzzing from receptacles • Burning odor coming from receptacles or wall switches 10 • Mild shock or tingle

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Kitchen remodels are among the most popular home renovation projects, whether they consist of swapping out cabinet hardware or doing major demolition. Due to the sheer amount of time families spend in the kitchen, not to mention the number of tasks performed in this space, it is easy to see why Remodeling magazine consistently ranks kitchen renovations as projects that will enable homeowners to recoup a high percentage of their investments. In the magazine’s 2018 “Cost vs. Value” report,

midrange major kitchen remodels costing an average of $63,829 recouped 59 percent of that investment. When investing in a kitchen project, it is important to incorporate items that are coveted. • Deep, double sinks: Having a double sink enables you to soak dishes in one side and then wash on the other. It also makes it easy to wash and prep produce for meals. • Kitchen island and bar stools: Even though many meals are enjoyed around the table, there’s something to be said

for the convenience of a kitchen island and some well-placed bar stools for quick breakfasts or snacks. • Smart kitchen storage: Work with a contractor to include storage solutions built into cabinetry and the pantry. Slideout shelving, nooks for a paper towel roll and custom-designed areas to store stand mixers and other necessities can make kitchens more functional. • Outdoor access: If possible, design a kitchen so it is easy to access the backyard via sliding doors. This

can make outdoor entertaining or even coffee on the deck much easier. • Under-cabinet lighting: Fixtures installed under cabinets provide both ambient lighting and task lighting. Such lighting makes it easier to see what you’re working on as well, as even well-placed overhead lighting can fail to illuminate dark corners and spots on the counters. • Convenient warming drawer: This appliance provides backup to the oven. It’s a slide-out drawer that can keep pre-

pared foods out of the way and warm until they are ready to be served. This is particularly handy for holidays and other entertaining. • Beverage station: Designate one area of the kitchen to beverages, such as coffee and tea. Or make the area an informal bar. This can limit trafﬁc in the kitchen to a single area.

Spring Home Improvement | Sunday, April 14, 2019

Must-haves for amazing kitchen remodels

Kitchen remodels are exciting to envision, and several choices can make these high-trafﬁc spaces even more coveted.

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Whether home improvement projects are design to improve the interior or exterior of a house, focusing on renovations that make the most financial sense can benefit homeowners in the long run. The right renovations can be assets if and when homeowners decide to sell their homes. So how does one get started? First and foremost, speak to a local real estate agent who is knowledgeable about trends in the community. While a swimming pool may be something coveted in one area, it may impede sales in another. It also helps to study generalized trends and data from various home improvement industry analysts to guide upcoming projects. The following outdoor projects are just a few ren-

ovations that tend to add value. • Fire pit: A fire pit is a great place to gather most months of the year. Bob Vila and CBS news report that a fire pit realizes a 78 percent return on investment, or ROI. • Outdoor kitchen: Many buyers are looking to utilize their yards as an extension of interior living areas. Cooking, dining and even watching TV outdoors is increasingly popular. Outdoor living areas can be custom designed and built. In addition, prefabricated modular units that require a much smaller commitment of time and money are available. • Patio: Homeowners who do not already have a patio will find that adding one can increase a home’s value. Patios help

a home look neat, add useable space and may help a home to sell quickly. The experts at Space Wise, a division of Extra Space Storage, say that refinishing, repairing and building a new patio offers strong ROI. • Deck: Deck can be as valuable as patios. A deck is another outdoor space that can be used for entertaining, dining and more. Remodeling magazine’s 2018 “Cost vs. Value” report indicates that an $11,000 deck can add about $9,000 in resale value to the home, recouping around 82 percent of the project’s costs. • Door update: Improve curb appeal with a new, high-end front door and garage doors. If that’s too expensive, a good cleaning and new coat of paint can make an old door

look brand new. These easy fixes can improve a home’s look instantly. • New landscaping: The National Association of Realtors says an outdoor makeover that includes well-thought out landscaping can net 105

percent ROI. Installing a walkway, adding stone planters, mulching, and planting shrubs are ideas to consider. Many different outdoor projects can add value to a home.

Sunday, April 14, 2019 | Spring Home Improvement

ing distressed hardwoods at home has migrated outside. Some decking manufacturers have recently introduced lowmaintenance composite deck boards that mimic the look and feel of distressed, rustic hardwood flooring. This weathered appearance gives the look of age without the upkeep of real aged wood. · Wooden walkways: Decking can be the more traditional design people envision with a patio table or outdoor furniture. But it also can consist of wooden walkways or a low-laying patio to accentuate the yard. · Mixed materials: Homeowners may be inspired by commercial eateries, breweries and urban markets in their exterior design choices. Decks featuring composite materials and aluminum railings blend sophistication, urban appeal and comfort. · Personal touches: Homeowners can customize their decks with personal touches. It’s not unheard of to wrap columns in stone or glass tiles for more impact. And a vast array of decking colors now enables fun interpretations for outdoor areas. · Fire pit conversation area: Many decks can incorporate water or fire elements for visual appeal. Gas-fueled fire elements can expand the functionality of decks beyond the warm seasons, or make enjoying them practical on nights when the temperature plummets.

The Berkshire Eagle | BerkshireEagle.com

Outdoor improvements that boost home value

Custom-built decks can expand usable outdoor entertaining spaces. Decks can surround pools and create outdoor patio areas that make it easy to establish multitiered living spaces, improving the functionality of outdoor areas. Certain deck trends have emerged as industry experts’ top picks for the upcoming remodeling and renovation season. For those thinking of revamping an existing deck, or building an entirely new one, these trends are on point. · Established perimeters: “Picture framing” is not a new trend, but one that has taken greater hold in recent years. The term refers to aesthetically appealing designs that conceal the ends of deck boards for a clean finish. Some designs feature contrasting material colors on the ends for even more impact. This helps create refined perimeters for a polished look. · Roof-top decking: Urban areas also can benefit from decking to create usable outdoor spaces. In fact, many new condominium and townhouse communities are incorporating roof-top decks into their designs, particularly in communities with water views or other impressive vistas. HGTV experts suggest roof-top decks feature light-colored materials and fixtures to help keep the area cool even in direct sunlight. · Distressed hardwood: Builder and Developer, a management resource for professional homebuilders, says that the trend for us-

Spring Home Improvement | Sunday, April 14, 2019

Emerging deck trends

Decks are reimagined in many different ways with continually evolving trends. 13

percent ROI. Installing a walkway, adding stone planters, mulching, and planting shrubs are ideas to consider. Many different outdoor projects can add value to a home.

Sunday, April 14, 2019 | Spring Home Improvement

The Berkshire Eagle | BerkshireEagle.com

Outdoor improvements that boost home value

Spring Home Improvement | Sunday, April 14, 2019

Emerging deck trends

Decks are reimagined in many different ways with continually evolving trends. 13

Sunday, April 14, 2019 | Spring Home Improvement

Pool safety starts with prevention

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Pools make some backyards the places to be in late spring and throughout summer. Lazy summer afternoons are a lot more enjoyable when they’re spent in or alongside a pool, and kids tend to say “I’m bored” with considerably less frequency when a pool is within arm’s reach. Pools are certainly fun, but they’re only as fun as they are safe. According to the USA Swimming Foundation, between Memorial Day and Labor Day in 2018, at least 148 children younger than age 15 fatally drowned in swimming pools or spas. While those ﬁgures represented a 9 percent decline from the year prior, 148 deaths is still 148 lives lost too early. Pool safety need not come at the expense of summer fun. In fact, homeowners can employ various preventive measures to reduce the risk of poolrelated accidents on their properties. • Inspect gates around your pool. The International 14

Code Council®, a member-focused association dedicated to the construction of safe, sustainable, affordable, and resilient structures, advises homeowners to inspect all pedestrian gates in the barrier fences around their pools. Such gates should be self-closing and self-latching, as both features ensure gates are always closed. In addition, the ICC recommends padlocking other gates around the property. • Remove objects around pedestrian gates. Kids can climb up on chairs, tables,

large toys, and other objects left around pool gates to gain access to pools even when their parents aren’t looking or even home. Such items should be removed. • Install a pool alarm. Pool alarms can alert homeowners to accidental or unauthorized entrance into the water. The ICC recommends installing such alarms while noting that they should not be con-

sidered a substitute for barrier fences or safety covers. • Install automatic or manually operated pool covers. Pool covers can effectively prevent access to pools, spas or hot tubs. At the end of each pool session, cover the pool, even during the height of

summer when pools are used daily. The minor task of covering the pool is worth the considerably lower risk of accident or injury if pools remain uncovered. Summer afternoons at the pool can be made much safer by adhering to a few safety tips.

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How many times have you sat on the sofa pouring over a home magazine wishing your rooms could be ripped from its pages? Some people are gifted with a natural talent to impart a space with perfectly balanced colors and schemes that ﬁt with one’s lifestyle and design preferences. Others are not as equipped. But that doesn’t mean design has to suffer. An interior designer with knowledge and resources who’s in your corner can make all the difference. Many people are hesitant to bring in professional designers because of cost. But contrary to popular belief, working with an interior decorator is not something reserved for the rich and fa-

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communicating with builders and architects. Designers are trained to think about things that homeowners tend to overlook, such as placement of lighting, outlets and room ﬂow. He or she also likely has contacts within the industry that can be utilized, saving even more time and money. A good designer can be worth the investment. The end results will be an interior that homeowners will be proud to call home.

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ity. That can extend to other areas of a person’s life and well-being. Putting the task of designing a home’s

interior in someone else’s hands frees up time to focus on other projects as well. Designers can look at a space with a careful eye and not be inﬂuenced by items that have sentimental attachment. He or she can help decide if anything should be repurposed or removed. Plus, an interior designer can help homeowners stay on budget. Designers also can serve as liaisons for clients who have difﬁculty

Spring Home Improvement | Sunday, April 14, 2019

Reasons to hire an interior designer

Sunday, April 14, 2019 | Spring Home Improvement

The beneﬁts of freestanding tubs

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Few home design elements provide the instant wow factor of freestanding tubs. Freestanding tubs have an air of luxury that can help current homeowners relax, and impress buyers when homes go on the market. Freestanding tubs are typically made of cast iron or porcelain. The home improvement website HomeAdvisor notes that cast iron is durable and solid and retains heat well, which is great for those who want to spend more than a little time relaxing in a freestanding tub. However, because cast iron is so heavy, installing a cast iron tub may require structural reinforcement of the ﬂooring, which will add to the overall cost of the project. According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost to install a tub varies widely depending on the type of tub, the materials its made of and other factors, including plumbing and piping. For example, the cost to install a freestanding tub will rise considerably if new plumbing and piping are necessary. Before purchasing a freestanding tub, homeowners should seek estimates regarding installation, mak16 ing sure to get them in

writing. Contractors will determine if structural reinforcement is necessary and include such costs in their estimates. In addition, make sure to ask contractors to investigate piping and plumbing so no surprises pop up after the tub has been purchased and work has begun. If estimates from contractors aren’t budget busting, homeowners can consider these benefits of freestanding tubs before making their final decisions. • Cleaning: Because they’re detached from other bathroom fixtures and not flush against the wall, freestanding tubs tend to be easier to clean than built-in bathtubs. Freestand-

ing tubs are accessible from all sides, making it easy to reach all those nooks and crannies where grime can build up. • Return on investment: In its 2018 “Cost vs. Value” report, Remodeling magazine noted that upscale bathroom remodels recouped 56.2 percent of their cost at resale. That was a better return on investment than an upscale kitchen remodel (53.5 percent) and an upscale master suite addition (48.3 percent). The thought of a sizable return

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on investment can make relaxing in a freestanding tub that much more enjoyable. • Warmth: Even freestanding tubs made of materials other than cast iron offer great heat retention. Stone resin bathtubs, for example, provide excellent insulation

on cold nights. That’s ideal for people who want to unwind in the tub without having to exit early because the water has become cold. Freestanding tubs can transform regular bathrooms into luxurious oases.

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headphones enable clear surround sound and include a retractable directional microphone to participate in social, multiplayer games. Wireless headphones are essential so that wires will not impede the action. • The right keyboard: PC gamers largely rely on keyboards and a mouse to control the action. A keyboard with backlighting and textured rubber feet to keep the keyboard securely planted will enable gamers to play in a darkened room. • Ergonomic chair: Gaming chairs come in different varieties. Some are like ofﬁce chairs that can serve double duty at a desk, whether one Now Offering Patios and Walls

is working on a school project or blasting through a ﬁrst-person shooter’s tactical ﬁeld. Other gaming chairs run the gamut of wired rockers that build sound and motion within, and top it off with comfortable arm rests. Above all, gamers should seek chairs with ergonomic features for comfort and to avoid fatigue during long hours of play. • Speakers or soundbar: If a gaming room is doubling as a home theater, investing in a quality set of speakers or a soundbar can make sensory im-

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The majority of modern households are not home to at least one gamer. The Entertainment Software Association, in a survey of 4,000 American households, discovered that 64 percent of households own a device they use to play video games, with an average of two gamers in each game-playing home. Gaming is so popular that The NPD Group says total consumer spending on the video game industry in 2017 equaled $36 billion. Avid gamers understand that having a dedicated and wellequipped setup can really improve the gaming experience. Here are some items worth considering for the ultimate gaming area. • Large-sized screen: A dedicated television screen will be needed for console gaming. Something at least 60 inches with Ultra High Deﬁnition and 4K capabilities is ideal. The high resolution enables crystal clear graphics and vividness. Most televisions now come with several HDMI ports, enabling people to easily connect gaming consoles and other peripherals to them. • Gaming headphones: The right

Spring Home Improvement | Sunday, April 14, 2019

Establish the ideal home gaming set-up

Sunday, April 14, 2019 | Spring Home Improvement

Are backyard chickens right for you? Raising backyard chickens has been a growing phenomenon for several years. Many cities have passed laws legalizing backyard chickens, encouraging many to raise chickens as a rewarding hobby. One of the biggest beneﬁts to raising backyard chickens is that their eggs are fresher and often tastier than store-bought varieties. Hens can lay one egg per day. Multiply that egg per hen, and breakfast is always available. Another beneﬁt to chickens is they produce a natural fertilizer that can be used in gardens. “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” says chicken manure can be composted, aged and eventually added

to the garden. In about six months, a person will accumulate about one cubic foot of manure per chicken. Egg shells and other compostable material can be added to create an even richer formula. Chickens also can help control bugs around the yard, offers the experts at Tractor Supply Company. Before investing in backyard chickens, people should determine if chickens will ﬁt with their lifestyle. Costs and care are a big consideration. Each chick will cost anywhere between $3 to $5 a bird. Then there’s feed to consider. The most expensive item will likely be the coop. The experts

at The Happy Chicken Coop, a resource for raising chickens and starting coops, says handy men and women can build homemade coops, but ready-made ones will cost a few hundred dollars. The coop will need to offer around four square feet of space per chicken (or what’s recommended for the breed). Despite being seemingly independent birds, chickens need people to be active caregivers. They require

feed and water daily. The chickens will need a caregiver while you vacation. People who are frequently away from home should reconsider chickens. Chickens also are prone to worms, parasites and lice. They need to have rear feathers trimmed to stay clean and sanitary, and they will require an area where they can “dust” and self-groom. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises not to cuddle

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and kiss chickens like pets because they can carry salmonella. Not every coop is completely varmint-proof, and some chickens may succumb to predators. Squeamish or sentimental folks may ﬁnd chickens aren’t the right ﬁt. Chickens require commitment and care that many people can provide. It is essential to do one’s homework to ensure that backyard chickens are a sound investment.

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Paying special attention to heavily trafﬁcked areas can help homeowners identify the problem early and address it before grass begins to suffer. sign potential indicators of compacted soil. • Hard soil: Soil that is difﬁcult, if not impossible, to penetrate with a shovel is likely compacted. Even healthy soil is sometimes resistant to penetration, but if homeowners put some muscle into their efforts to penetrate the soil and still can’t do so, then the soil is compacted. • Standing water: Water standing on top of soil for a long time is doing so because the soil is likely so compacted that the water, which roots need to thrive, cannot

get through. • Excessive water runoff: Runoff occurs when watering lawns. But if nearly all of the water intended for the lawn and the soil beneath

it is seemingly being diverted away from the grass, then that means the water cannot get through to the soil or that so little is getting through that the lawn’s health is in jeopardy. • Loss of vegetation or poor plant growth: Compacted soil prevents water, nutrients and oxygen from accessing the root zone. As a result, plants, including trees, are vulnerable to disease

and even death. • Surface crust: Surface crust, which blocks oxygen and water from penetrating the soil and tends to inflict areas like footpaths and playgrounds due to heavy foot traffic, contributes to runoff and soil erosion. Compacted soil is relatively simple to fix. But when untreated, compacted soil can threaten lawns, plants and other vegetation.

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Compacted soil can result from any number of activities, including walking on a lawn. When soil on a lawn is compacted, grass roots might not receive the water, oxygen and nutrients they need to grow in strong. The can lead to weak lawns that are vulnerable to various issues. However, homeowners need not avoid their lawns to prevent soil compaction. Rather, learning to recognize signs of soil compaction and paying special attention to heavily trafﬁcked areas of the yard can help homeowners identify the problem early and address it before grass begins to suffer. Cooperative Extension, which is supported by the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, notes that the following are some

Spring Home Improvement | Sunday, April 14, 2019

Signs your soil might be compacted

Sunday, April 14, 2019 | Spring Home Improvement

Prevent mosquitoes from spoiling your fun

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Summer is a beloved time of year that’s often dominated by time spent outdoors soaking up summer sun. But all that extra time outdoors can make people vulnerable to mosquitoes. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, mosquitoes are more than just hungry, unwanted backyard guests. In fact, mosquito-borne diseases, including the Zika virus, the West Nile virus and dengue, pose signiﬁcant threats. While not all mosquitoes carry disease, even those that don’t can still bite humans, leaving them to deal with discomfort and itchiness. Taking measures to control mosquitoes outside your home can reduce your risk of being bitten by mosquitoes. • Remove places where mosquitoes like to lay their eggs. Mosquitoes like to lay their eggs in standing water. Once a week during summer and other times of the year when mosquitoes might be buzzing around, walk around your property to remove standing water. Bird baths, ﬂower pots, kids’ toys, pools, old tires, and trash containers are some of the 20 more common places

where water can collect and present perfect places for mosquitoes to lay eggs. Turn these over to empty any standing water you ﬁnd. Remove empty ﬂower pots and old tires from the property, and make sure water storage containers are tightly covered at all times. • Address areas where mosquitoes like to rest. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that mosquitoes like to rest in dark, humid areas. This includes car ports, garages and beneath patio furniture. Outdoor insecticides can prevent mosquitoes from resting in such areas. When inside a home, mosquitoes may be resting under a sink, in closets, beneath the furniture or in a laundry room. Indoor insect sprays and indoor insect foggers work quickly and can be highly effective, but reapplication might be necessary, as they won’t prevent more mosquitoes from entering the home at a later time. • Check your window screens. Mosquitoes might prefer the outside, but that doesn’t mean they won’t

enter a home looking for meals if given the opportunity. Inspect window screens to look for holes that may provide mosquitoes with access to your home’s interior, replacing any damaged screens immediately. When leaving or entering a home, make a concerted effort to close doors as quickly as possible.

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the inside of cabinet doors. 3. Stack all the stuff you can, including washers and dryers, beds (with storage drawers underneath) and even stacking nesting tables. 4. Choose furniture that is tall rather than wide. This can mean swapping out a dresser in a bedroom for an armoire or vertical chest of drawers. 5. Canvas bags hung on a towel bar on a wall can keep dirty clothes wrangled until it’s time to wash them. This also eliminates clothes hampers on the ﬂoor. 6. Add a second rod or shelving to the inside of closets to create more space for cloth-

ing and other items. 7. Take kitchen cabinets all the way to the ceiling. Store lesser used items on the uppermost shelves and the items you use each on the most accessible shelves. 8. Install a shelf over the entryway to a room to utilize this seldomused space. Shelves also can be custom cut and placed in oddly shaped areas, such as in attic rooms under the eaves or on slanted walls. 9. Dowels or curtain

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or rolled hand towels. 12. Use rope plant hangers to store potatoes or onions near prep areas. The same plant hangers can wrangle stuffed animals and small toys in kids’ rooms. Utilizing vertical areas in a home is a great way to increase storage capacity and keep rooms more organized.

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rods and some fabric can be used to fabricate slings to hold books or magazines. 10. Invest in some magnetic boards that can hold keys or notes by the front door or store knives on a kitchen wall. 11. Install two towel bars parallel to one another on the wall of a bathroom. These can hold extra toilet tissue

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Who hasn’t, at one point in their lives, lamented a lack of space and organization at home? A lifetime’s worth of items have to be kept somewhere, and without the right organizational strategy, clutter can quickly take over. The home improvement site Home Therapy says that, when square footage is limited, tapping vertical walls is the fastest way to maximize and multiply the space available. Hooks, rods, shelving, built-ins É the sky is the limit when it comes to finding additional storage and adding a bit of personality to tight quarters. Even homes that may have adequate space can benefit from vertical solutions. Here are some ideas to put vertical and other less-utilized areas to work for you. 1. Hang wire or plastic file organizers on the inside of kitchen cabinets to easily store cookie sheets, trays and cutting boards. 2. Save on counter or cabinet space with hanging spice racks. These can be hung directly on walls or on

Spring Home Improvement | Sunday, April 14, 2019

12 ways to maximize vertical space

Sunday, April 14, 2019 | Spring Home Improvement

Preventing dog-related lawn damage

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Dogs love spending time outdoors. Dog owners with yards know that dogs beneﬁt greatly from some exercise in the backyard. While that time might be great for dogs, it can take its toll on lawns. Dog urine and feces can adversely affect the look and health of a lush green lawn. Nitrogen is essential to healthy soil, but only at certain levels. When those levels are exceeded, the result can be lawn damage. According to The Spruce Pets, an advisory site that offers practical tips and training advices to pet owners, this is what happens when pets frequently urinate on grass. Urine is naturally high in nitrogen, so when pets urinate on lawns, the grass might turn yellow or brown due to the excess nitrogen content. Nitrogen also is present in lawn fertilizers, further exacerbating the problem for pet owners who fertilize their lawns. In addition to urine damage, dogs can trample frosted grass, contributing to problems that may not become evident until spring, and get into areas like gardens where they wreak additional havoc. Pet owners who want to let their dogs run free in the yard but don’t want damaged grass may be tempted 22 to put their pooches in

diapers or conﬁne them to crates when letting them outside. But such an approach isn’t necessary. In fact, some simple strategies can be highly effective at preventing dog-related lawn damage. • Speak with a landscaper about planting new grass. Certain types of grass, such as Bermuda grass, can withstand dog damage better than others. Local climate will dictate which types of grass are likely to thrive in a given area, so speak with a professional landscaper about the viability of planting new grass. • Install fencing. Pet owners with expansive yards can install fencing that allows dogs to spend time exercis-

ing outdoors without granting them access to the entire property. Large dogs will need more room than small ones, but try to build fenced-in areas that allow dogs to run freely and get the exercise they need to stay healthy. • Work with a dog trainer. Dog trainers might be able to work with dogs so they only urinate in certain areas of the yard, greatly reducing the damage they can cause to a lawn. Trainers also might help curb digging and clawing behaviors that can damage lawns as well as gardens. • Consider hardscaping. Hardscaping might be most effective for pet owners

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