H&g spring 2015 web

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The Newtown Bee’s

Spring

Home& Ga2015 rden

A SUPPLEMENT TO THE NEWTOWN BEE - APRIL 10, 2015

2 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

Home & Garden - 3

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

Spring has Arrived Enjoy Your Backyard Again!

Pool and Spa Sale Going on NOW Call store for details.

Linda Gottlieb, a Southbury interior decorator with Décor & You, offers a number of ways to freshen up your home for spring including using plants — a beautiful and easy way to make a room look fresh and vibrant.

Building A Pro Kitchen For Less (StatePoint) — You may not get paid for your culinary efforts at home, but you can still treat yourself to a professionally outfitted kitchen. If the idea of financing this upgrade has held you back in the past, consider different options that can help you affordably transform your ordinary space into the kitchen of your dreams.

Amazing Countertops — If you have longed for luxury granite countertops, consider quartz, which offers the same beauty as granite at a fraction of the cost. Since quartz is a durable, nonporous material, countertops will be easy to clean and maintain over time, and resistant to the nicks and stains caused by everyday wear and tear, making it a sound long-term investment.

Quartz is available in a variety of colors and patterns, and by investigating your options you can get the look and feel that complements your kitchen.

Professional Range — To ensure you are never limited as a cook, start by upgrading your cooking appliances, which are at the heart of any kitchen.

One versatile range option that delivers top-of-the-line professional performance at a consumer-friendly price is the Verona dual-fuel or all-gas range, available in 24-, 30-, and 36-inch sizes.

Sealed burners pack plenty of BTU power, delivering pinpoint accuracy and flame control for optimal heat transfer. As a result, foods cook quickly and evenly with less fuel than standard burners.

Verona ranges are equipped with fullwidth storage compartments, as well as

European convection ovens that circulate heated air for more consistent temperature, allowing you to prepare your meals faster than with a conventional oven.

Inspired by professional-style Italian design, Verona ranges can be tailored to suit your kitchen décor, with custom options such as round oven handles, island trims, and brilliant colors.

Whether you prefer the professional look of stainless steel or a bolder palette such as burgundy, white, antique white, or matte black, make your kitchen pop both visually and functionally with the right pro-style range. More information can be found at http://veronaappliances.com.

Task Lighting — Task lighting can be a gorgeous, functional addition to any kitchen. And these days, beautiful fixtures can be purchased at any price point and come in a number of styles, both traditional and contemporary, making it easy to add flair and style to your kitchen in a way that meets your taste. In addition to your ambient lighting, consider installing a row of task lights over your kitchen island, above your sink, and in or other key areas where you do the most cooking prep — after all, this is how the pros do it.

Equipping your kitchen with the functionality and beauty that a professional chef enjoys does not need to break the bank. Operating with a conservative budget, you can make longlasting improvements to your kitchen that are stunning, functional, and affordable.

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4 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

Southbury Couple Lends Their ‘Watchful Eye’ When Homeowners Go Away

By Eliza Hallabeck SOUTHBURY— For the past two years, Southbury residents David Ostermayer and Rebecca Bavelas have been offering local residents an alternative to leaving their home alone when they are traveling by providing a “Watchful Eye” for empty residences.

Watchful Eye Services, LLC, offers home watch services, key holder services, storm services, concierge services, and handyman services for homeowners in Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven Counties.

“It’s good to have someone like Watchful Eye that you get along with and can trust,” said Mr Ostermayer.

While Mr Ostermayer and Ms Bavelas work out of their home, Mr Ostermayer said they frequently begin their relationships with clients by visiting the home Watchful Eye Services will be overseeing for the owners.

Visiting the homes, Mr Ostermayer explained, is a good way to get to know the homeowner and the home.

People, Mr Ostermayer and Ms Bavelas said, frequently ask about their business and what it entails, “and a lot of times it is an eye opener.”

Mr Ostermayer said they offer a checklist for interior and exterior evaluations that would occur while a homeowner is away.

Interior evaluations include walking the interior of the home, observing all rooms, checking ceilings for leaks, checking faucets for leaks, running and flushing toilets, checking thermostat settings, checking all windows and doors, inspecting light bulbs, verifying the refrigerator is functioning properly, and more. Exterior evaluations include walking the perimeter

Watchful Eye Services, LLC, owners David Ostermayer and Rebecca Bavelas have been offering their home management services out of their Southbury home for roughly two years. of the property, checking for fallen trees or limbs, visually observing the roof for damage or other issues, inspecting doors and windows, clearing walkways, checking garage doors, checking irrigation systems, and securing deliveries.

Mr Ostermayer said they will check decks, doors, and the lawn, “just to keep an eye on things that may seem out of the ordinary.”

While walking through a home with one customer, Mr Ostermayer said he discovered a leak in a rarely used bathroom that

the owner had missed due to not being in the room for a long time.

“All it takes is one small pinhole that can quickly escalate to something larger,” said Mr Ostermayer about household leaks in general.

In order to avoid such escalations, Ms Ostermayer said Watchful Eye Services will check everything, including seals.

Some of the homes overseen by Watchful Eye Services are for homeowners who are traveling, while some homes are overseen for people who own a second home

and spend time elsewhere.

When Mr Ostermayer and Ms Bavelas began thinking about Watchful Eye Services, roughly two years ago, Ms Bavelas said she was surprised that with so many “snowbirds” in the New England area more services like Watchful Eye Services were not offered in the area.

Some people ask neighbors or friends to check on homes while traveling, but Ms Bavelas said that can become a burden for the volunteering watcher.

Mr Ostermayer said Watchful Eye Services adheres to a code of ethics set by the National Home Watch Association (NHWA). Home Watch Services is accredited by the NHWA, and Mr Ostermayer is also a certified home inspector.

When first meeting with clients, the couple said they want to hear about what the clients need or want while they are away.

Mr Ostermayer and Ms Bavelas said they meet with different contractors for homeowners and have references and venders to contact if something is discovered amiss while they are overseeing a home.

“They don’t have to worry about it,” said Mr Ostermayer, about arranging meetings with contractors for homeowners.

“Things are already done [when the homeowner returns].”

Some clients have Watchful Eye Services listed as first or second contacts with alarm system companies, and when a call comes for an alarm, Mr Ostermayer said Watchful Eye Services can be the “eyes and ears” for homeowners who may be farther away.

For additional information, visit www.cthomewatchservices.com or call 203-837-7053.

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Home & Garden - 5

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

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6 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

Five Home Improvements To Raise Your Resale Value (StatePoint) — Before you decide on a home improvement project, it is a good idea to learn which ones will help raise your house’s value and recoup the most money when you decide to sell.

From replacing your front door to adding a deck, there are many midrange improvements that will not cost a bundle but will deliver great bang for your buck. It is not about spending the most money, but improvements that best hold their value.

The experts at Remodeling magazine recently released their 28th annual Cost vs Value Report, comparing construction costs with resale value for 36 of the most popular home improvement projects.

When it came to midrange projects, the report found homeowners recouped the highest percentage of costs on these five improvements: steel entry door replacement, installation of manufactured stone veneer on home exteriors, garage door replacements, vinyl siding replacement, and wooden deck additions.

“Making your home stand out from others on your block and others on the market is achievable if you plan wisely when it comes to remodeling projects,” says Phil Wengerd, vice president of market strategies at ProVia, a leading building products manufacturer. “This year’s statistics indicate that moderately priced exterior projects can significantly enhance home resale values.”

This year’s analysis of top midrange home improvement projects provided definite direction for homeowners: 1. Steel Entry Door Replacement: The 20-gauge steel entry door has consistently delivered the best return on investment for resale, holding the top spot in the

midrange product category since its debut in this report in 2009/2010. The steel entry door is the only project that, on a national basis, more than pays back its investment, typically recouping 101.8 percent. At ProVia, for example, the company’s Legacy steel entry doors are a consistent top sales performer.

2. Manufactured Stone Veneer: A new project on this year’s report is the installation of manufactured stone veneer on home exteriors.

This category zoomed to the top of the midrange list, grabbing second place with a 92.2 percent costvalue return. Increased product demand for Heritage Stone is a reflection of this trend, observed

by Mr Wengerd and others.

3. Garage Door Replacement: The installation of new four-section garage doors on galvanized steel tracks proved to be a valuable project, with homeowners recouping 88.4 percent of their costs.

4. Vinyl Siding Replacement: Replacing a home’s vinyl siding was one of a handful of projects that jumped up the list for recouping improvement costs. So not only can new vinyl siding beautify a home, it can keep it weatherproof and enhance its resale value.

5. Deck Addition: Adding a wooden deck can do more than provide a place to enjoy the great outdoors. When it comes time to sell, you should be able to pocket more than 80 percent of the cost for this improvement.

More resources on home improvement projects, along with information on entry doors, vinyl siding, and manufactured stone veneer, can be found at www.proviaproducts.com/cvv.

Before you dip into your wallet, learn which home improvements will best hold their value while enhancing curb appeal.

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April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

Home & Garden - 7

8 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

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(StatePoint) — Being a good neighbor means more than being friendly to the humans across the street; it also means being friendly to the animals in your yard.

Making your yard a safe place for local wildlife should be a top lawn care priority.

With that in mind, here are some tips for creating a healthy habitat for local critters.

Be a Valuable Rest Stop — Stock your garden with small native species of trees, shrubs, and flowers to give wildlife needed nourishment, as well as cover from predators.

A source of water can also be a great resource for visiting fauna. Whether it is a pond or a birdbath, be sure this zone is well-maintained so you do not inadvertently create a haven for unwanted species. In the warmer months when mosquitoes are most active, you should change the birdbath water even more often.

Promote Safety — A bird feeder in your backyard, full of water and seeds, will be the perfect invitation for beautiful migrating and local birds to stop by. Just be sure your property is safe for birds. Unfortunately, birds do not see clear glass. As a result, millions of birds die every year by striking glass. Don’t let your sliding glass doors or other windows become a death trap for birds.

To protect birds, apply special decals that reflect ultraviolet sunlight. For example, those from WindowAlert have the appearance of frosted glass, but glow like a stoplight for birds, so you don’t have to compromise your own view out your window.

The brand also makes a high-tech liquid called WindowAlert UV Liquid, which should be applied between decals.

“Wildlife can beautify your garden and be a sign that your yard is healthy” says Spencer Schock, founder of WindowAlert.

“But birds and other wildlife need food, shelter, and safety.”

You can also help promote a healthy ecosystem by learning to identify and control damaging plants and insects in your yard. The following information about common invasive species and backyard invaders is offered by Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE).

Invasive Plants Invasive weeds can out-compete native species, changing the local ecosystem.

Many varieties, first introduced as flora to plant in gardens, can be confused with similar, native varieties. Here are two common damaging ones to watch out for: *Purple loosestrife, native to Europe and Asia, is found in most states. One plant can produce more than two million seeds annually. *Native to China, the tree-of-heaven was widely planted as an ornamental plant for

many years and is often confused with other trees having similar leaves, such as black walnut, butternut, and most sumac.

Invasive Insects Invasive insects can also have a severe negative impact on native species by out-competing them for food and resources. Many also cause and carry disease and prey on native species. Two common ones to look out for include: *Emerald ash borer, native to Asia, is prominently found across the Northeast, Midwest, and Southeastern United States.

The larvae do the most damage, killing ash trees by feeding on the inner bark. *Zebra mussel, native to lakes in southern Russia, is found in hundreds of waterways throughout the United States. The species commonly clog water intakes, damage boats, and can cause cuts and scrapes if they grow on rocks, swim rafts, and ladders.

Backyard Pests Did you know native plants and insects can cause damage too? *Ticks can transmit Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Left untreated, Lyme disease infects the joints, heart, and nervous system. After time spent outdoors, check for ticks, especially in and around your ears, inside your belly button, behind your knees, around your waist, on your scalp, and in your hair. *Mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus.

While most people may show few symptoms, 20 percent of people develop a fever along with headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Follow the “three Ds” to protect yourself: Drain standing water; Stay indoors at Dusk and Dawn; Dress in long-sleeves and pants; and use DEET-based mosquito repellent. *Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac can lurk in backyards. Almost 85 percent of people develop a rash when they come into contact with these weeds.

Control poisonous weeds long-term by carefully digging out the plants while wearing waterproof gloves or treating with a pesticide.

Defend your local ecosystem by identifying exotic plants in your garden or yard.

Spot invasive weeds and insects in your area? Let your county extension office know, which may have a monitoring and management program in place.

For more lawn and garden tips, visit debugthemyths.com.

By being aware of invasive species and other pests in your area, you can help support native species and a healthy ecosystem in your own backyard and neighborhood.

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

Home & Garden - 9

10 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

e t a t s Real E

Christine Fairchild Receives Coldwell Banker International President’s Circle Award

CHRISTINE FAIRCHILD Your Expert in Real Estate

(203) 470-0489 www.ChrisFairchild.net Enthusiasm and Dedication to Customer Service for 25 years!

45 South Main Street Newtown, CT 06470 To Place An Ad In Our Fall Home & Garden Call 203-426-3141

Christine Fairchild of Newtown, a sales associate affiliated with the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage office in Newtown, has been recognized with the Coldwell Banker International President’s Circle award. This distinguished honor is awarded to the top six percent of approximately 87,000 sales associates worldwide in the Coldwell Banker system.

Each year, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage recognizes the work of exceptional sales associates and sales teams through its distinguished awards program. Ms Fairchild will be honored during a celebration at the Hyatt Regency in Greenwich on May 14. Invited guests will enjoy food, music, and dancing.

Ms Fairchild has been successfully meeting the needs of homebuyers and sellers in the towns of Newtown, Brookfield, Southbury, Bethel, and Bridgewater for more than 25 years. She has several professional designations, including Relocation Specialist and Previews Property Specialist, and is a member of the Connecticut Association of Realtors and the Newtown Board of Realtors.

“I would like to congratulate Christine for her impressive sales achievements.

Christine’s efforts and strong commitment have distinguished her as a top real estate professional both regionally and nationally,” said Cathleen Smith, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Connecticut and Westchester County, N.Y. “I am proud that Christine is part of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and know she will continue to be successful.”

Coldwell Banker’s Newtown office is at 45 South Main Street; Ms Fairchild can be reached at 203-470-0489.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, a leading residential real estate brokerage company in Connecticut and Westchester County, operates approximately 51 offices with more than 2,200 affiliated sales associates serving those communities. It is part of NRT LLC, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company.

For more information, visit www.coldwellbankermoves.com.

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Home & Garden - 11

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

Boost Curb Appeal By Sprucing, Cleaning Outdoor Spaces (StatePoint) — Boosting your home’s curb appeal can help it stand out. Whether your goal is to personalize the exterior for your own enjoyment or you have plans to sell and want to improve resale value, there is great worth in this pursuit.

To get started, take a logical top to bottom approach, and keep in mind the importance of texture, which can add personality and style to a home.

You don’t need to say goodbye to the authentic look of real slate or wood shake in order to have a durable roof that is resistant to the elements. Check out polymer slate and shake roofing tiles, which are resistant to hail, high winds, fire, and other nasty conditions.

Brands like DaVinci Roofscapes are making it easier to get the right “top” accent for your home using these materials, as the company offers 50 different colors — from dark autumn to light green — and provides opportunities to create custom colors.

“Color personalizes every aspect of our lifestyles,” says Kate Smith, president and chief color maven of Sensational Color. “It makes complete sense for homeowners wanting to express themselves through the color of their roof.”

According to Ms Smith, the color gray is expected to be a popular color choice this year for roofing, due in large part to its refined elegance.

Here are a few projects to consider in order to trim out your home with smooth or textured millwork: *Trim windows with crossheads over them and molding on the sides and below. *Use faux beams arranged lengthwise or in a crisscross pattern to add dimension to porch ceilings. *Add decorative columns in fluted square, serpentine, flat square, or plain panel square shapes.

*Install a woodgrain trellis system to top off a garage door.

On these elements, as well as on other millwork such as shutters, porch rails, and pilasters, use a variety of surface finishes to get a textured look that is appealing.

Different textured millwork pieces are available ready-made from such brands as Fypon, which produces thousands of pieces of polyurethane millwork, molding, and trim in eight different textures like sandstone, Tahoe- style beams, classic woodgrain, and standard woodgrain.

“Adding a confident color to a front door can update any home scheme and create a joyful feeling every time someone comes through your entryway,” says Ms Smith, who suggests selecting a paintable fiberglass door.

When shopping for a new door, look for clean lines and crisp angles that are ideal for painting, such as those from ThermaTru Classic Craft Canvas Collection and Pulse. Their fiberglass doors are practical,

attractive, and energy-efficient. Add texture by opting for a door-top light and sidelight flanking the door.

Here are some tips to make the process of spring cleaning and sprucing faster and easier.

Declutter Workspace — Your shed, your garage, your toolbox — it is time to take stock of what you are storing in these key areas. Broken tools, piles of junk — these are items that will get in your way and slow you down all season long. So before you get to the nitty-gritty of your outdoor spring clean, take the time to organize your workspace.

Throw out what is junk, donate what you are not using, and organize the rest into categories. Vertical storage can save crucial room, so install tall shelves and use walls and the ceiling to install organizational systems. Now is also a great opportunity to perform routine maintenance on your lawn equipment and tools to improve their efficiency.

Multitasking Tools — Check out innovations on old tools that can make your versatile workload easier; perhaps upgrade your conventional pressure washer for a newer model with more diverse functionality. For example, Briggs & Stratton’s new Powerflow+ pressure washer technology has one pump with two separate cleaning modes — high pressure and high flow, which work for different tasks.

Remember, different surfaces require different cleaning techniques. Whether you’re cleaning up tough mold and mildew stains from your deck or patio, or washing the more delicate surface of your car, you can switch modes or apply soap directly from the nozzle.

This feature eliminates the need for switching attachments or walking back to the pressure washer, making an afternoon of diverse to-dos manageable. Just be sure you are using the proper mode for the task.

Tips and instructional videos can be found at www.powerflowplus.com.

Smart Yard Maintenance — If you have a larger yard, consider a riding mower to save time and energy on lawn maintenance.

Remember not to overmow your lawn. Not only is it not healthy for the grass, it can be a time hog and increase your carbon footprint needlessly.

Likewise, only water your lawn and garden when necessary. During periods of rain, you can ease up on this chore.

The most efficient times of day to water your lawn are morning. When the sun is strongest, you will lose more water to evaporation and your work will be for naught.

By changing up your lawn care habits, you can save time all season.

For more style tips for your home’s exterior, you can download the free Fresh Home Exterior Colors Guide, authored by Kate Smith and available at www.sensationalcolor.com.

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12 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

Arborist Dan Dalton demonstrates dormant pruning methods earlier in March as he spoke with a group of residents gathered at The Victory Garden in Fairfield Hills. Beside him is one of a number of dwarf fruit trees planted in recent years.

During the afternoon he and the residents worked to reshape the tree’s limbs and direct its growth to improve its ability to flower and produce fruit.

Reaching inside the tree to eliminate several vertical branches and establish one main “king” center leader, Barb Richardson follows Mr Dalton’s instruction.

Arborist Demonstrates Dormant Pruning In Early Spring

By Kendra Bobowick “What is worse than finding a worm in your apple?” asked Victory Garden Founder Harvey Pessin. The answer? “Finding half a worm,” responded several guests Sunday, March 22, as arborist Dan Dalton stood in a grove of dwarf fruit trees at the garden’s Fairfield Hills location. Before a group of roughly 15 people, he demonstrate proper pruning techniques.

Pulling through their second winter in the ground, the trees were a bundle of spindly, bare limbs planted in Newtown by Minnesota students working with the Cleveland-based Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. This month as spring dawns, Mr Dalton stood with the group on a sunny afternoon and reached toward branches with his pruners.

Because of the early season with lingering cold temperatures, mid-March offered a “dormant pruning — the trees are still asleep,” he said. Gardeners could prune again in a couple of months after growth begins.

He suggested two types of cuts: a heading cut to reduce a branch’s length, and prune it back, and a thinning cut to cut branches back to a parent branch. He recommended making the cuts at the same angle as the outward growing branch.

Focusing on the young apple tree, he told the group to select a branch to be “the center leader.” Mr Dalton then said to choose “scaffolding” branches, which will be the horizontal growth supporting fruit. Those branches will need enough light to flower, he said.

Once a leader is selected, Mr Dalton said to be aware of other branches growing upward that may be “trying to be the king.” He said, “Take all the vertical branches and reduce them so all growth hormones go the center, or the ‘king’ branch.”

A tree’s pruning does not happen all at once, he said.

“You don’t create a tree forever. Today, you start and work at it until eventually you get the tree that’s in your mind.”

The process is ongoing, he said, with the end result of a center stem with scaffolding branches and enough lights from above to reach all branches.

Borrowing a word he heard at a recent seminar, he said, “Simplify.”

Despite the early spring day, those gathered stood in several inches a lingering snow as Mr Dalton instructed them to then begin clearing the tree of “anything growing toward the center.” He said, “Get rid of it.” And as pruning takes place, Mr Dalton told guests of Dan’s Rule of Pruning: “Be comfortable,” he said.

Despite the size of a tree, large or small, someone pruning or making cuts should find a comfortable work position for the best results. “Get where you need to be,” he said, “get so your work is right in front of you. Get on the ground or get on a ladder.”

The results should leave a homeowner enough room below the tree to mulch or mow and keep fruit from pulling branches to the ground.

The end result should be a tree with strong branches to support fruit. The group moved slowly through the snowy field from one dwarf tree to another learning how to maintain and optimize fruit trees.

The Victory Garden is a community effort maintained by volunteers. All produce and food grown there is donated to the local food pantry. Visit foodpantrygarden.org for more information.

After several minutes of pruning the dwarf apple, Mr Dalton Dan Dalton is a Newtown resident, arborist, and a explains the center leader running upward, and the “scaffold- member of the Newtown Forest Association (NFA). ing branches below that should optomize fruit growth by Mr Pessin is also an NFA member, and serves on its spanning outward.” board.

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

Home & Garden - 13

14 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

Craftsmen Create Heirlooms, One Piece At A Time

Jim Widmann stands next to a nearly completed hidden-hinge table, designed for a down county client, in his SoNo Woodworks shop on Glen Road.

—Bee Photo, Crevier

By Nancy K. Crevier Furniture shopping can be a frustrating experience. Pieces are either too large, too tall, too wide, or just too unattractive in design to justify the prices commanded.

Finding the right piece for the right space can take weeks of foot work or browsing site after site online. Pieces bought off the floor are often too poorly made, as well, and that is often what drives shoppers to seek out custom-made furniture.

Two Newtown craftsmen approach the job of creating custom furniture with a willingness to create an exclusive design for customers, and a passion for giving customers the satisfaction of knowing they possess a piece of furniture worthy of becoming an heirloom.

Johnny A. Williams is the owner of JAW Woodshop on Obtuse Road in Hawleyville.

Located beneath the antiques and specialty gift shop Weathered Way, owned by his mother, Kathy Williams, Mr Williams specializes in making one-of-a-kind dining tables, coffee tables, and smaller pieces.

Originally in branding and marketing, Mr Williams found he desired a career that answered to his creative side.

He attended the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine, and fine tuned his skills at the College of the Redwoods in California. In 2011, he established his Newtown wood shop.

“I’ll be branching out soon,” he punned, “into making chairs and stools.” This year, as well, the woodworker is moving from creating pieces sold on speculation to primarily commissioned pieces.

At SoNo Woodworks on Glen Road in Sandy Hook, Jim Widmann crafts custom pieces for his customers. SoNo Woodworks has been in Sandy Hook for six years, but prior to that was located in Norwalk. Mr Widmann has been creating custom furniture for 30 years.

“I do a lot of built-ins,” Mr Widmann said, which includes entertainment centers and corner cabinets. Like Mr Williams, he is happy to take commissions for other pieces of furniture. He has made custom tables, sideboards, coffee tables, and one of his

Jim Widmann planes a piece of wood destined to become a drawer front on a piece of custom furniture.

—Bee Photo, Crevier favorites, the spool bed frame The spool bed frame, Mr Widmann said, is a timeless piece that lets the wood do the speaking. The grain changes direction with the cut of the post, and final polishing highlights the natural pattern of the wood.

Building To Taste What customers seek in a custom piece varies greatly. Mr Williams’ tagline is “Artful, thoughtful, and soulful.” His typical customer is drawn to his established style, and is one who trusts his artistic sensibility. “My job,” said Mr Williams, “is to nudge them in directions they may not have considered.”

He assesses the space a piece will live in, and asks that customers provide him with photos or magazine pages of items that they find appealing. This helps him to learn about the client’s personality.

“It’s a collaborative process with every client,” he said. Some clients need more guidance, and others have a clear sense of

Johnny A. Williams of JAW Woodshop in Hawleyville measures a piece of lumber that will be crafted into a custom piece of furniture for a customer. Customers seeking exclusivity tend to gravitate toward one-of-a-kind items, he says.

—Bee Photo, Crevier

Thoughtful detail, such as this hidden hinge on a table designed by Mr Widmann, is one of the big draws for people seeking custom furniture.

—Bee Photo, Crevier

Mr Williams chose butternut wood for the legs, and cherry for the body of this custom barstool. —JAW photo

Miniature versions of a potential coffee table give JAW clients an idea of where the design is headed.

—Bee Photo, Crevier

In this JAW original design, a hard maple slab becomes the top of this unusual coffee table, with claro walnut wood used for the legs.

—JAW photo

what they want in the finished product.

After the first meetings and discussions, he makes three model versions of an item, so that customers can have a sense of where the design is going. A sketch book in the wood shop is an ongoing source of ideas to draw on, as he develops a piece.

Going custom means the client will end up with a unique item. “For certain people, that’s important — the exclusivity. I try to keep a customer’s basic idea in mind, and then sort of surprise them. That’s the balance to keep,” Mr Williams said.

Generally, his furniture is expressive, and more a free form sculpting of the wood.

“The work is a composition. You work with the wood,” he said. He likes to think that his pieces are a refined version of what is commonly known as slab furniture.

“The best part of making a custom piece for someone,” Mr Williams said, “is starting from scratch. There’s no play book. You’re creating the design, engineering the joiners, sourcing the material. You’re creating something tangible, out of nothing.”

Mr Williams uses local lumber, exclusively, working mainly with cherry, maple, walnut, and oak — “the big four.” It is not uncommon, he said, for two kinds of wood to be paired in a piece.

Pricing is discussed when the design is agreed upon.

Both Mr Williams and Mr Widmann note that custom furniture does not come cheaply. But, said Mr Widmann, the customer will end up with a piece that is durable. Better construction techniques and quality materials result in furniture that can be handed down for generations.

Client Dreams Realized Mr Widmann says his customers usually have a firm idea of what they want. They may have very specific size requirements, and are looking for a piece with the clean lines and functional designs for which he is known.

“They are looking for something that stands up to time,” he said.

His process also begins with learning about the client, beginning with photos of pieces the customer likes, and sketches of ideas.

He is adamant in using each wood to its best advantage, and in using the best process to bring out the qualities in the wood he uses. Bird’s-eye maple, walnut, and mahogany are among his favorite woods with which to work.

There is a thrill in coming up with an idea that excites the customer, he said. One such piece is a drop-leaf table he is currently finishing for a customer down county, with hidden hinges. Clever, wood covered hinges provide a pleasing look when the table top is folded down.

Every custom piece is hand finished, using no stains to alter the color of the wood.

“My philosophy is that you should use a piece of wood that will naturally be the color you want. If you select the right wood, you can end up with the color you’re after,” Mr Widmann said.

It is a philosophy shared by Mr Williams, who also shuns the use of any stains. Finishing a piece with oil and polyurethane is all that is needed to let the natural characteristics of the wood shine through, he said.

Mr Williams and Mr Widmann are both solo artists. Customers should expect that it will take several weeks, from start to delivery, for custom furniture. Neither woodshop offers repair service.

While a custom-made piece of furniture will certainly be more expensive than one bought off the floor of a store, Mr Widmann said it is still an option the average consumer can consider. “If you see something in a magazine or show room, a local draftsman can probably make it for you; and it might not be as expensive as you think,” he said.

JAW Woodshop is at 3 Obtuse Road and is open by appointment. Visit www.jawwoodshop.com for more information, or call 914886-2305.

SoNo Woodworks is at 15 Glen Road. Contact Mr Widmann at 203-856-8313.

Home & Garden - 15

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

Where Customer Service Never Expires

50 Years and Still Growing!

In Bloom _ All Seasons _ All Reasons®

Largest Garden Center in Fairfield County Store manager Joe Patrick stands among the dozens of tables, chairs, kitchen islands and other furnishings at Dinette Depot’s new location at 227 Federal Road in Brookfield. The new and custom furniture retailer recently relocated adjacent to Jersey Mike’s sandwich shop.

—Bee photos, Voket

“A Gift Certificate from Hollandia is always appreciated”

Dinette Depot Specializes In Tables And Chairs

By Eliza Hallabeck BROOKFIELD — Dinette Depot in Brookfield has been in its new location for almost two months and Mark Fichandler, who is a partner in the business, says the 227 Federal Road location has increased the number of shoppers at the specialty tables, chairs, and islands store.

“There’s a lot more traffic and we’re right across the street from Costco’s gas station,” said Mr Fichandler, who noted that many people see the store while getting gas and decide to cross the street to take a look.

Mr Fichandler said Dinette Depot has been open in Connecticut for 24 years, and the Brookfield store has been open in the area for 18 years. Dinette Depot also has a location in Newington.

“We specialize in tables, chairs, islands — and stools,” Mr Fichandler said.

While Mr Fichandler shared that there are not many specialty stores remaining in the state, he emphasized that as a specialty store, Dinette Depot helps people furnish homes with custom furniture, selected from a range of offerings from the 20 different companies with which Dinette Depot works.

According to its website, the retailer boasts the largest display of dining room furniture in the state, and offers its customers a chance to create a custom set of furniture or choose from hundreds of ready-to-go stock sets.

“Custom doesn’t necessarily mean expensive,” said Mr Fichandler. “It just means you can get exactly what you want,” adding that Dinette Depot customers can choose the shape and color of the furniture, and different chairs can be chosen to go with different tables.

For the custom furniture, Mr Fichandler said choices prices range from $1,500 and up.

Half of the offerings at Dinette Depot, he said, are stock sets that come in one size, and range in price from $750 and up.

The sales team at Dinette Depot is experienced with helping people who are looking for custom furniture said Mr Fichandler, adding, “They’ve all got a lot of experience in wood and doing table and chairs.”

Stock set furniture is available for customers within a week, and custom furniture offerings available between eight and 12 weeks for delivery, according to Mr Fichandler.

The Brookfield Dinette Depot has more than 60 sets of furniture on display.

Spring is one of the more popular times of the year to go furniture shopping, said Mr Fichandler, who added that people may feel ready for new furniture after being stuck inside all winter.

Another popular time to is just before holidays, with people thinking about hosting parties, he noted.

For new customers or people thinking about buying furniture, Mr Fichandler said, “We always tell them they should measure the space that they want to buy something for before they come in so that they have an idea of what is going to fit in it. And to ask questions, because [furniture] is something they will have for a long time and they want it to be the right thing.”

For additional information, visit www.dinettedepot.com or call 203-775-3032.

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16 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

Make Your Bathroom A Relaxing Oasis, Or Upgrade For Aging In Place (StatePoint) — Time spent in the bathroom can be precious, as it may be your only solo time. When prioritizing home upgrades, consider first transforming a ho-hum, conventional bathroom into an oasis of comfort, style, and ultimate relaxation.

Replace outdated fixtures with new topquality options that offer greater functionality.

Manufacturers such as Mansfield Plumbing produce fixtures and fittings designed to work in tandem. Such “suites” of a toilet, sink, and bathtub can improve the look of a bathroom setting.

In a toilet, there are certain features to seek.

A SmartHeight toilet allows for easier access.

For those who are environmentally conscious or looking for a pocketbook-friendly option, seek out a WaterSense-rated toilet, signifying greater water conservation.

When it comes to relaxation, the bathtub is king. Luckily, manufacturers are innovating features to go beyond whirlpools. New bathtub offerings include chromatherapy mood light systems, thermotherapy heated backrests, and in-line heaters that keep water heated perfectly. Explore your options at www.mansfieldplumbing.com.

Make your bathroom the perfect retreat from the rest of the house and the outside world with a few stylish accents that provide greater solitude. For example, privacy decorative glass windows and privacy acrylic block windows offered from Hy-Lite are design elements that don’t compromise natural light.

Available in four designer frame colors, you can go beyond plain frosted glass with stylish windows that come either operable or fixed in place. Offered in varying shapes and sizes, it is easy to match windows to other bathroom elements, such as tiles and countertops. Full details are available at www.hy-lite.com.

Take your spa retreat a step further by piping

music into your bathroom with humidityresistant speakers unsusceptible to steamy showers and hot baths.

On a limited budget you can give the bathroom an elegant long-term facelift by investing in millwork products that resist humidity so you don’t experience warping. From crown molding to trim around showers and bathtubs to ceiling medallions, polyurethane is a more practical material than traditional wood for these design elements. It is lightweight, easy to install, and most importantly, designed to resist the humidity of bathing.

To get the look of a luxury hotel, the experts at Fypon, which produce thousands of pieces of polyurethane millwork, molding and trim in a variety of architectural styles, recommend a few project ideas: *Install a set of pilasters on both sides of your shower stall and a door crosshead overhead to upgrade your bathroom’s look. *Surround mirrors and decorative accent windows with painted or stained polyurethane moldings that complement the room. *Install chair rail molding around the bathroom to add dimension. Paint above or below the molding and use wallpaper, paneling, or a different color paint in the other section.

Find more project ideas at www.fypon.com.

While many think of the bathroom as a place to take care of necessary business, you can easily give yours an upgrade that will transform it into a whole lot more.

At the same time, homeowners should be aware of features that can help make your bathroom safer, especially if you are considering an upgrade that will allow you to age in place with a minimum of risk.

From burns to slips to trips, bathrooms can be hazardous. In fact, hundreds of thousands of injuries occur in the bathroom annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC).

Hot water can be a dangerous bathroom peril. More than half a million scald burns occur in the United States annually according to the CDC. Prevent “shower shock” by setting your water heater at a maximum of 120 degrees F. One of the most potentially dangerous bathroom activities is getting in and out of the bathtub safely. Grab bars, hand grips or tub grips around your bathtub or shower can help you keep your balance. And these days, safety features don’t need to look drab or institutional.

Brands like Moen are making such fixtures available in a variety of styles and finishes to complement bathroom décor. More information can be found at www.moen.com.

Lastly, women who shave in the shower need to be extra careful. Avoid slips with a shower seat. To make this a practical option, use a handheld showerhead to maneuver water easily from a seated position.

With a few safety updates, you can make your bathroom a safer place to pamper and prep.

Discover a world of color and the very best paint at your new Newtown Sherwin-Williams store.

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Home & Garden - 17

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

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18 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

Are Your Spring Cleaning Products Safe?

(StatePoint) — Do you know what ingredients are in the cleaning products you buy?

Probably not, as there are no federal governmental regulations requiring companies to disclose their contents.

But harsh chemicals can take their toll on the indoor air quality of your home, are harmful to the environment, and may irritate eyes and skin.

So how can you learn more about the cleaning products you plan to purchase? Luckily, certain retailers are making it easier for consumers to make informed decisions. For example, in 2011 Whole Foods Market introduced the Eco-Scale rating system, which are the first household cleaner standards offered by a retailer.

This season, don’t just spring clean your home; take stock of your cleaners and clean up your entire act. By opting for green cleaning products, you can help make your home a safer, healthier place. Here’s how: *Do an audit: Take a look at the cleaning

products you currently own. Just because a brand or product is well known does not make it a healthy option. A quick Internet search can reveal the safety attributes of a product’s ingredients — so long as the manufacturer has chosen to disclose ingredients.

Toss anything problematic and make a shopping list of what you need to replace. *Full disclosure: Avoid cleaning products that do not disclose what ingredients they use.

Look for brands, such as 365 Everyday Value, that make it easy for you to know what ingredients are being used in the product you are purchasing. *Be informed: Know what ingredients to avoid entirely. Harsh ingredients like formaldehyde and chlorine can still be found in cleaning products today. Don’t know where to start? Take a look at the list of more than 40 ingredients that are not allowed in Whole Foods Market’s cleaning products, including chlorine, formaldehyde, phosphates, phthalates, and triclosan.

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*Lock-up: No matter the contents of your cleaners, it is good practice to keep them stored in a safe place, such as a locked cabinet.

Young children and pets should not be able to access your cleaning products supply. *Do it yourself: A quick and easy way to know exactly what is in your cleaning products is to make them yourself. Luckily, only a few inexpensive ingredients are needed to make your own all-purpose cleaner. Simply mix one part water with one part vinegar, add a few drops of your favorite pure essential oil, and you have an all-purpose spray. Baking soda is another great cleaner that has a mild scrubbing power and helps combat odors.

Don’t have the time to make your own cleaner? The Eco-Scale rating system evaluates products for environmental impact, safety, efficacy, source, labeling, and animal testing.

Visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com/ecoscale to learn more.

If you are using conventional cleaning supplies, you may be exposing your family to harmful ingredients. And spring cleaning season is a great time to take a closer look at some of the potentially harmful chemicals present in your home — and to seek out healthier alternatives.

In recent years, homeowners have started asking better questions about what pollutants are lurking around nearly every corner — from building materials to the paint on the walls down to the backing on carpeting.

While it is neither realistic nor necessary to remove every toxin from a home, there are a few common sources that can be addressed easily.

“The good news is, you don’t have to be a chemist to understand what products and materials are safe to have in your home,” says Anne Hicks Harney, architect and director of sustainability at architectural firm Ayers Saint Gross and member of the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Materials Knowledge Working Group. “You can arm yourself with the knowledge needed to make smarter choices for you and your family.”

Ms Hicks Harney says whenever possible, use natural or water-based materials and cleaning agents. Also, be aware of: *Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): From paint to composite wood, VOCs are found in many products and are responsible for that tell-tale chemical “smell.” When it comes to paint, “Low VOC” or “No VOC” are your best options and are easy to find. *Flame retardants and petrochemicals: Commonly found in such foam products as couch cushions and insulation, these are a bit more challenging to avoid. The risk is that these chemicals are known to accumulate over time in the human body. Looking for an alternative? Try a natural fiber such as down in your upholstery. *Plastic additives: Plastics are beneficial in a number of household materials but their use should be limited when possible. Search for a carpet with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-free backing or try wool, a natural alternative. For tile or sheet flooring, avoid vinyl products and consider linoleum or cork and rubber options instead.

It is good to open your windows every now and then to get the air circulating into your home and any chemical smells out. Ms Hicks Harney says if you cannot open your windows due to outdoor allergies or poor outdoor air quality, indoor plants constantly regenerate air and provide a pretty alternative.

Manufacturers and professional organizations are becoming more transparent about educating consumers. Check out resources like the AIA Materials webpage or http://architectfinder.aia.org to learn more about sustainable products and to find professionals who can assist your efforts.

According to Ms Hicks Harney, as a general rule, if you do not know and understand what a product contains, do not put it inside your house. Take advantage of the wealth of information now available at your fingertips to make safer choices.

During this spring cleaning season, take the time to protect your family by removing harmful pollutants from your home.

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Home & Garden - 19

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

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20 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

You Don’t Need Rocket Science To Outfit Your Home With Smart Technology (StatePoint) — Last year went down in history as the year smart home technology went mainstream. Rapidly evolving security, entertainment, cleaning, and mobile technology have made smart home solutions more affordable and easier to integrate than ever before.

Feel like you’re still living the Stone Age? No need to fret, now is the perfect time to give yourself the gift of smart home convenience. The best part is that there are ways to modernize every part of your home.

Front Door Arms full of shopping bags? Ditch fumbling with your keys and upgrade your front door with the Kwikset Kevo powered by UniKey. Featuring touch-to-open technology, unlocking the front door is as simple as tapping your lock, without needing to remove your phone from your pocket. Have guests visiting? No problem! Send them an electronic key (eKey) to grant them instant access.

Living Room A leading trend for audio products has been to make

them as small and unobtrusive as possible. For the music and home theater enthusiast, a smartly engineered pair of compact speakers, such as SVS prime satellite speakers, can produce big-time dynamics from a tiny cabinet so you can enjoy your favorite movies and music without the bulky audio equipment.

garage door from anywhere using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Last-second delivery, but nobody is home?

Lying in bed, but can’t remember if you closed the garage door? Now you can easily monitor and manage your garage door or use the controller to easily grant guests access via the garage.

Garage Cleaning the garage used to be a pain, but smart home technology can make it quick and convenient. For example, the mountable Vroom garage vac from H-P Products has an attached 40-foot hose that can help you remove sawdust, metal shavings, sand, debris, and even tiny shreds of paper from the furthest reaches of any garage, basement, or workshop, eliminating the need for schlepping a bulky shop vac. There now are smarter ways to keep garage messes under control and even vacuum the car.

A clean garage deserves an intelligent garage door. Linear’s Z-Wave garage door operator remote controller allows you to open, control, and monitor your sectional

The Driveway If you’re working in your driveway or yard, why not use the time to listen to your favorite music while protecting your hearing? Headphones like Tough Sounds from ION Audio have you covered. Perfect for outdoor work or for streaming music inside, the ruggedly crafted Tough Sound hearing protection wireless headphones with bluetooth reduce external noise by 25 decibels, while letting you listen to AM/FM Radio or your own tunes streamed from your favorite device. Tough Sounds also allow you to make and receive calls so you can take advantage of hands-free communication while you work.

Investing in some smart home tech can make life less stressful.

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Budget. While you need the most dependable and durable mower that you can afford, you may not have to pay the entire cost upfront. Some brands offer various financing options that allow you to make payments over time; ask your dealer about your options.

Mowing Properties. “For properties under a half acre, a 21- to 36-inch walk-behind mower should be ideal,” says Daryn Walters at Exmark, a leading manufacturer of residential and commercial mowers.

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er a commercial zero-turn mower, which is more durable, tends to be more comfortable to operate, and offers increased productivity with more professional-looking results.

Properties of more than an acre may warrant a mower with a 60- to 72-inch cutting deck. Look for an advanced ergonomic design that takes a scientific approach to ensuring less vibration is transferred from the seat to the driver.

Mower Engine and Features. Many models come with a variety of engine types and configurations, including eco-friendly models that can save money on fuel. Accessories can include mulching, bagging, and striping kits. Decide what your priorities are and get a model that’s right for you.

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Home & Garden - 21

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

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22 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

Ben’s Vacuum Mart—

Selling Suction In All

By Nancy K. Crevier

Jill Austin works on repairing a vacuum in the workshop at Ben’s Vacuum Mart in Danbury. While the shop is primarily for vacuum sales, repairs have become a big part of the business.

—Bee Photos, Crevier

Jill Austin is surrounded by upright vacuums at Ben’s Vacuum Mart. Ms Austin took over the business from her father, Ben Speglevin, Sr, in 2013.

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Her “office” is a tiny counter and one file cabinet, surrounded by tidy piles of parts, boxes, and vacuums of all shapes, styles, and colors. Upright vacuum cleaners line up like soldiers at attention on either side of a makeshift aisle, as if to salute Jill Austin, owner of Ben’s Vacuum Mart, as she enters.

Nearby, canister vacuums squat on the ground, hoses coiled like miniature elephant trunks ready to trumpet her arrival.

Ms Austin is the daughter of Ben Speglevin, Sr, and since his retirement in 2013, the owner of the Keeler Street vacuum sales and repair store in Danbury.

Mr Speglevin began selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door, in 1950, as a young man just out of school. With only a break when called to service for the Korean Conflict in the mid 1950s, Mr Speglevin made vacuum sales and service his life’s focus.

“As a door-to-door salesman, my dad would take trade-ins or people would give him their old vacuums,” Ms Austin said.

The self-taught repairman would take the used vacuums back to the shop to be refurbished.

“Back then, my dad said, everything was very quality made, and not as technical as it is today. It was simpler then to troubleshoot and to fix a vacuum,” she said.

If they did not meet him going door to door, or at his booth at the Danbury Fair, Danbury area residents came to know Mr Speglevin from his many years as proprietor of Ben’s Vacuum Mart. Originally located on Liberty Place, Ben’s Vacuum Mart made the move around the corner to the larger Keeler Street space in 1972.

With his retirement, longtime customers have become more familiar with Ms Austin, whether she is behind the counter or hunched over vacuums in need of repair in the back room. Ms Austin learned her trade working beside her father for the past 26 years.

“I started learning from my dad as a kid, and started working here when I was in my 20s. I needed a job, and he needed help, and it worked out. We’re a lot alike, and we worked well together,” said Ms Austin.

“I like the challenge of figuring out what’s wrong, when someone brings in a vacuum with a problem, and then fixing it. I have that train of mind, to follow through from start to finish. I must have gotten it from my dad,” she said. There is a skill to doing the diagnosis, and the exploration of the problem. It is about remembering what screws came out as the machine is dissembled, and where all the pieces go when putting it back together. It is all about getting to the core of the problem, fixing it, patching it up, and closing it successfully, she said.

She is dedicated to providing the same quality service for which her father was known. Ben’s Vacuum Mart continues to carry vacuums for sale in a broad range of

prices, but only those that she knows are reliable and engineered to perform to a customer’s satisfaction. “Quality” is a word that recurs frequently in conversation.

As the business grew, and as Ms Austin grew up, Ben’s Vacuum Mart began to offer more services, including central vacuum systems, and bringing in a larger line of vacuums. By the time Ms Austin began tagging along to her father’s shop, he was no longer going door-to-door.

“He found there was a turn in time when women weren’t home so much,” she said.

He continued to build up his clientele at the Keeler Street location.

“My father always liked the canister-type vacuum. Silver King, no longer available, was his favorite, and the vacuum he promoted at his Danbury Fair booth.

“I remember he used to throw a bunch of nuts and bolts on the ground and demonstrate the Silver King,” Ms Austin said.

The Keeler Street shop grew again when the space next door became available, allowing it to feature more styles of vacuums.

“We’ve had the Princess vacuum, the Royal, Hoover, Electrolux, the Eureka, the Miele, and several others. Now we’ve picked up the Sebo,” Ms Austin said. The Sebo is a German engineered vacuum that is a moderately priced, quality vacuum, she said.

“We’re very keen on dust control, so we carry a number of vacuums with a HEPA filtration system,” said Ms Austin.

There came a time when Mr Speglevin’s apprentice began to show him the tricks of the newer technology.

“With variable speeds and circuit boards, there are more bells and whistles on a machine than when my dad started out,” she observed.

Ben’s Vacuum Mart services not only the vacuums it sells, but nearly every other brand of vacuum.

“We are primarily retail, but our repair service is huge. With the slow economy, we did pick up on the number of repairs requested,” she said. Ben’s Vacuum Mart may well be the only shop in the greater Danbury area that offers repairs, Ms Austin said, and does provide house calls to service central vacuum systems. That service is provided by her brother, Ben Speglevin, Jr, who also handles installation of those units.

If it is worth fixing, Ms Austin will tinker with a machine until she finds the problem.

Sometimes, she has to break the news to the customer that the machine is just not worth fixing, though.

Customers who purchase from Ben’s Vacuum Mart know that they stand behind the product, Ms Austin said. “When we sell to a customer, we want to sell something that’s going to do the job, and makes the customer happy,” she said. “If you want to ‘go green,’” Ms Austin suggested, “buy a good vacuum. It’ll last you , and you won’t be filling up the landfill every couple of years.”

A good value, in her eyes, means a vacuum

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Home & Garden - 23

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

Shapes, Sizes that has a good motor, a durable exterior, and a well-thought-out bag and filtration system. “I look at the overall ability of a machine to maintain its capability,” she said.

It is the abuse of vacuum cleaners, said Ms Austin, that makes her want to cry. “People don’t like to vacuum, so they can get a little rough on the machine,” she said. She has found crazy things sucked up into vacuums, because users do not pay attention.

“I used to have a whole shelf full of things I took out of vacuums,” Ms Austin laughed.

Among the greatest offenders are cat toys, she said, as well as tiny action figures, Legos, and socks. Ben’s Vacuum Mart was even called in to do a central vacuum repair, in one instance, when the owners had vacuumed up lobster claws.

“But if you take care of something, it will last a long time, and do a good job,” she said.

Ben’s Vacuum Mart caters not only to residential customers, but to commercial customers, as well. A wide range of vacuum brands suit the different needs, and the store also sells rug shampooers and supplies.

One thing the store steers clear of, Ms Austin said, is the bagless vacuum cleaner.

Highly promoted in current markets, she has found that what consumers save on the purchase of bags is more than offset by the amount of maintenance and repairs required.

“We don’t sell them,” she said, with the exception of the Sirena water system machine.

Bags, belts, parts, filters, hoses, and attachments for most vacuums are in stock at Ben’s Vacuum Mart. If a customer is seeking something not on the shelf, Ms Austin is happy to try to order it.

Ben Speglevin, Sr, and his family have been providing vacuum sales and service for

In addition to vacuums and vacuum parts and supplies, Ben’s Vacuum Mart also sells rug shampooers, floor polishers, and commercial vacuums and supplies.

65 years. Ms Austin sees her job now to be that of reintroducing people to the business that is a neighborhood fixture. “People forget a business is here when it has been around for a long time. Customers are surprised to find that we carry everything they need,” she said. It is for that reason that Ben’s Vacuum Mart is attracting people from the many surrounding towns.

What customers get at Ben’s Vacuum Mart is something they will not find at a big box store, she stressed: personal, knowledgeable service.

“Here, you get to know the customers, even follow them through their lives. You build relationships, and that’s what I like about it. A lot of customers now remember coming in here as a kid, with their parents.

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The Serina vacuum, which collects dust and debris in a water filled tank, is the only bagless vacuum Ben’s Vacuum Mart sells, says owner Jill Austin. The bagless machines tend to need too much maintenance to justify the savings of not buying vacuum bags, she says.

Ben’s Vacuum Mart has dedicated itself for 65 years to selling only quality vacuums that will make a customer’s life easier. The German-engineered Sebo is a more recent addition to the line of reliable vacuums carried at the store.

Some of those older customers come in here with their grandchildren,” she said. There are even current customers who remember when Ms Austin and her five siblings would be dozing among the vacuums, as toddlers, in the Liberty Place shop.

Ben’s Vacuum Mart is a part of Danbury history, she said, witnessing the changes in the city, watching fads come and go, and noticing the changes in the customer base.

As many men as women now make up the clientele.

Longtime members of the Danbury community, Ben’s Vacuum Mart supports the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury, and is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Her father is enjoying his days of retirement, Ms Austin said, but every day she keeps it in her head to make her father proud.

“One thing I took from my father was his passion. He had charisma. He didn’t want to just sell a vacuum, he wanted to sell something to make people’s lives easier. He liked to sell happiness. He loved what he did, and I truly love what I do.

“It’s nice,” Ms Austin said, “to know that in a big city, there’s still some place with a hometown feeling.”

Ben’s Vacuum Mart is at 9 Keeler Street in Danbury. For additional information, visit www.bensvacuummart.com or call 203- 7481004

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24 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

Newtown Homeowners, Architect Develop

By Andrew Gorosko A unique residential swimming pool in Newtown that employs aquatic vegetation in a natural water-filtration system recently earned a local architect a design award from the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

The society recently gave an Honor Award for the “natural swimming pool” to Artemis Landscape Architects, Inc, of Bridgeport, and its principal and founder, Newtowner Tara M. Vincenta.

The society holds the Connecticut Design Awards competition annually to recognize excellence in landscape architectural design, planning, analysis, communication, and research. The swimming pool project was cited in the society’s “design” category.

The swimming pool was built in the summer of 2014 at a local residence — the pool’s owners have requested anonymity, Ms Vincenta said.

The BioNova-brand swimming pool employs aquatic plants, bacteria, and microbes to purify the swimming pool water through the replication of natural conditions, such as those which occur in lakes and ponds.

“This project is especially significant as the first BioNova-brand natural swimming pool completed in Fairfield County, providing a ‘green’ alternative to

a Tara M. Vincent

The natural swimming pool has sections designed for swimming and also for water purification through the use of aquatic plants.

traditional swimming pools,” according to Ms Vincenta.

“Natural pools filter water through the use of plants, rather than chemicals, creating extraordinary water quality. In addition to being chemical-free, heaters are not used, creating significant energy savings.

“The water is warmed via heat transfer from the plant filtering/regeneration zones. Although these pools are closed systems, they create biodiversity, attracting wildlife, and providing an opportunity for interaction and discovery with nature,” Ms Vincenta added.

Her firm provided services to the client including a schematic design, wetland agency approvals, construction documentation, and administration.

Freddy’s Landscape Company of Fairfield, which builds BioNova-brand pools, handled the installation. BioNova is based in Munich, Germany, with a North American office in Chester, N.J. BioNova pools typically are custom built.

Sustainable Concept “The idea behind the natural pool is to create a green, sustainable solution for a swimming environment with chemical-free water, where plants naturally do the work of keeping the water clean,” Ms Vincenta told Home & Garden. “I have designed many swimming pools and outdoor living environments in a variety settings. Each design is unique in response to the client, the program and the location.

“This is our first ‘natural’ swimming pool. It is the first in Fairfield County, and the only one other Bio-Nova pool in the state is in Killingworth,” she added.

Natural swimming pools, which were pioneered in Germany, have been common in Europe for years, Ms Vincenta said.

“There is a growing popularity here in the US, as the interest in creating chemical-free swimming pool environments has expanded. The first public natural swimming pool in the United States is currently under construction in partnership with BioNova at Webber Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota,” Ms Vincenta said.

As with a conventional swimming pool, there is maintenance required with natural pools, she said. The swimming area needs to be vacuumed, and filters and skimmers need to be cleaned, and the acidity/alkalinity balance of the water needs to be tested, she said.

“But there are no chemicals added to the water, as the plants do all the work to keep the water clean,” she said.

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Home & Garden - 25

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

Award-Winning Natural Swimming Pool “Some gardening in the regeneration area is necessary, [such as] deadheading plants as you would in a garden, removing dead leaves and plants, and cutting them back at the end of the season. In the spring, any replacements can be added if needed to keep the pool in optimum balance,” Ms Vincenta said.

Water heaters are not needed, as natural pools tend to be warmer than chlorinated pools, she said. This creates a major energy and cost savings advantage, she said.

“There are no chemicals at all added to the water. The correct balance of plant types, including submerged, floating, shallow, and deepwater species, are what keep the water clean and clear,” Ms Vincenta explained. “We designed the pool in Newtown with the swimming and regeneration areas sharing the same body of water. There are separation walls just beneath the surface between the swimming and regeneration zones.

While the natural pool is a “closed system,” she said, it does provide habitat for wildlife, including frogs, dragonflies, and hummingbirds. Mostly these stay in the water regeneration zone. The Newtown clients’ daughter enjoys searching for frogs in the regeneration zone and acquired the nickname “Frog Whisperer.”

“Although fish would be very happy here, they are not recommended in a natural pool. They consume beneficial microbes and put an unhealthy biologic load on the pool,” Ms Vincenta explained.

The pool features a “beach entry,” with zero depth, and progresses downward to a 9-foot depth at the deepest point. The pool has a “flip turn” wall at the 4-foot depth, so that a 70-foot-long lap lane is provided for lap swimming.

The overall dimensions of the pool structure are 110-feet by 50-feet, including the swimming zone and the water regeneration zone. The swimming zone alone measures 85 feet by 25 feet.

The cost of the installation was not disclosed.

Development Details The natural swimming pool occupies the site of a previous manufactured pond, which was created in the early 1950s. That pond was designed as a large classical swimming pond, rectangular in shape and approximately 60 feet wide by 110 feet long.

“The pond, with mud bottom and crumbling stone walls, was in derelict condition when my clients acquired

Schematic drawings depicting overhead and cross-sectional views of a natural swimming pool that has been built at a Newtown residential property. the property. It was their dream to turn it into a natural swimming pool,” she said.

“I worked with a local wetlands expert and scientist James McManus. He was instrumental in researching and documenting the site conditions for our approvals process.

He determined that the pond was not fed by a natural watercourse. That was important to establish in garnering approvals to drain the existing pond and replace it with a natural pool,” Ms Vincenta explained.

The design for the natural pool was part of a larger master plan that was developed for the residential property.

The project includes a driveway relocation, an entry courtyard, and terraced gardens.

Ms Vincenta said that her clients have a keen interest in maintaining the operational balance of the natural swimming pool. The clients enjoy gardening and they tend to the aquatic plants and much of the maintenance of the natural pool, she said.

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The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

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Home & Garden - 27

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

Farm Bill Funding Will Help Protect State Agriculture, Plants NEW HAVEN — The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) announced that it received $293,179 in funding from US Department of Agriculture (USDA) provided by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill), to support Connecticut projects to prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests, diseases, and pathogens.

This was part of the $57.9 million in funding announced by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. The projects supported at CAES fall under the Farm Bill “Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Programs.” Proposals from all states and many other organizations were evaluated by teams comprised of USDA experts, agricultural scientists, and industry representatives.

The CAES projects focus on enhancing plant pest/disease analysis and survey, enhancing mitigation capabilities, and conducting outreach and education.

Dr Theodore G. Andreadis, CAES director, reported, “We are pleased to receive support from USDA for five key areas that include an important spectrum of Connecticut’s commodities and forests.”

Funded CAES programs are: *Grape Commodity Survey: to detect diseases and introduced pests of grapevine; *Orchard Commodity Survey: to detect diseases and introduced pests of apples, peaches, and pears; *National Honey Bee Pests and Diseases Survey: to detect diseases, pests, and viruses of honeybees; *Forest Pest Outreach: to help inform the citizens of Connecticut about introduced pests that may affect the state’s forest resources; *Boxwood Blight: to conduct research on this new disease in the US to evaluate boxwood germplasm for resistance as well as fungicide controls and the potential for fungicide resistance in the pathogen.

For more information, visit http://www.usda.gov/farmbill.

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28 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

From a small tailgate grill like the one displayed, to propane or gas fired grills, patio heaters, fire pits, home hot water systems, fireplaces, decorative wall units, space heaters, even refrigerators, Danbury Hocon Gas Showroom Manager Don DeRosa is ready to help customers make the switch to these safe, efficient appliances for home, hearth, and patio.

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By John Voket As Connecticut’s longest established and largest familyowned propane purveyor in Connecticut, Hocon Gas and its representatives have spent more than 60 years educating homeowners and consumers about the constantly expanding ways of tapping this safe, efficient energy source. Whether it is fueling a decorative wall unit, heating water, or spot heating rooms, basements, and garages, adding practical or decorative features to patio or poolside, or just firing up a weekend grilling session, Hocon Gas has the fuel and accessories to make it happen.

On a recent visit to the company’s Danbury showroom at 86 Payne Road, manager Don DeRosa talked about the amazing variety of ways Hocon customers incorporate propane into their homes, businesses, and lifestyles.

Hocon itself not only retails most of the available types

of gas appliances, fireplaces, grills, and home heating appliances on the market along with the fuel to make them glow — the company also operates a landscaping subsidiary that can complete exterior work for clients installing propane-fired outdoor kitchens, fire pits, or fire places.

In addition, Hocon handles a variety of commercial/industrial gas products, and is building a new customer base among owners of gas/propane-powered vehicles and fleets, and their certified technicians service virtually all propane and gas appliances.

As the company has branched into retailing and installing select propane equipment, many customers who arrive at Hocon’s five locations to refill their grill tanks often leave the showroom full of ideas about expanding their use of propane accessories. The company, of course, delivers and maintains residential and com-

mercial propane supply tanks as well.

Mr DeRosa has been working in the field for more than 40 years, 23 of them with Hocon. And since he started his career installing and servicing propane and gas appliances and heating systems, he brings an amazing degree of knowledge to every client interaction, whether its commercial, residential, or recreational.

“Since I started in the business 40 years ago, I try to make sure every client knows how versatile and efficient propane can be for them,” he told Home & Garden. “And the variety of uses has expanded to almost any type of home appliance you can name. Even our Tarantino Landscaping division uses propane mowers and yard tools.”

Many Hocon Gas clients also appreciate the “green” aspect of propane, and how its low emissions provide an environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum-fueled

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Home & Garden - 29

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

The Danbury Hocon Gas showroom offers everything from a propane fired refrigerator to a variety of outdoor grills and grilling accessories. equipment. Mr DeRosa said almost every appliance available in the Hocon showroom is convertible to propane or natural gas, depending on the needs of the customer.

Hocon’s technicians ad contractors can also perform the gas tank installations, piping, and hookups for everything they sell.

“For new and occupied homes, our hearth products are among our most popular,” Mr DeRosa said. “We have fireplaces and log sets that are either purely decorative, or that produce heat along with a decorative flame.”

For either outdoor or indoor application, Mr DeRosa said other Hocon customers are flocking to their portable fireplaces and fire pits, a number of which are on display at the Danbury showroom, as well as at company stores in Guilford, Torrington, Norwalk, and Waterbury.

“As long as a customer has a good idea of the appliance they want, and how much they plan to operate it, we can

typically calculate the average fuel costs so they can do the math to see how much money they can save by going with propane,” he said.

The instant hot water systems are becoming a very attractive item for first or second homes, and for households where occupants may travel frequently.

“With the instant or on-demand hot water systems, you don’t have that tank heater going 24 hours a day keeping 30, 40, or 50 gallons of water inside to a set temperature,” he explained. “You simply set the on-demand system for the temperature you want your water, and within seconds of flipping on the faucet, you have a constant flow of warm and hot water. Then when you turn the faucet off, the heater goes off.”

Many of the Hocon appliances that do require a pilot light system now come with an electronic pilot that does not require a constant, small live fire ignition going all the time.

Homeowners looking for hot water options can choose from a conventional high efficiency propane or gas hot water tank, or an instant hot water system that only operates on demand. The instant system can save a homeowner 25 to 40 percent compared to a conventional electric hot water heater, according to a Hocon representative.

“Our electronic pilot systems eliminate the need for a standing pilot flame, which gives an added measure of peace of mind to some customers,” he said. “Either way, the safety record for gas and propane is excellent. And all our service and installation technicians are fully licensed and are constantly undergoing continuing education and training as new equipment is introduced, or conventional systems are improved.”

Hocon is a Better Business Bureau affiliate, a longtime corporate supporter of Susan Komen for the Cure cancer foundation. For more information on the variety of Hocon Gas products and services, visit www.hocongas.com, or reach the Danbury showroom at 203-744-4000.

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30 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

Start And Enjoy Your First Spring Garden

Whether indoors or out, you can start and enjoy your first spring garden and its bounty of vegetables, fruit or flowers with relative ease by following planting tips from the experts at www.aerogarden.com.

(StatePoint) — Planting a garden from scratch can sound like a daunting task, especially for those who are new to the hobby. But with the right knowledge, you can plan a successful, fruitful green space and expect to have a great harvest.

One way to get a head start on your garden is to start your seedlings indoors and then transplant them later into an outdoor garden. This time-tested technique can save you hundreds of dollars annually, as young plants at a nursery can be pricey.

Here are some tips and tricks to make the most of this method: *Don’t start your indoor plants too soon.

They can grow in about four weeks or less if you use a high-quality garden starter.

Check seed packages to learn when to plant outdoors in your area, and then start them indoors one month earlier to your transplanting date outdoors. *Consider using a seed-starting system that takes some of the gardening guesswork out of the equation. For example, the AeroGarden Seed Starting system allows you to start up to 66 seedlings indoors with no dirt or mess, nurturing seeds with optimal amounts of water and nutrients for reliable germination and

healthy growth. *Add new nutrients to the seedlings every two weeks and keep the water at full level. Feeding your plants more than the recommended amount will not make them grow faster. In fact, it could hurt the plants. *Before transplanting, seedlings need to be hardened off. Skipping this step will almost certainly result in some or all of your plants dying. Hardening off seedlings eases their transition to the outdoors, where they will be exposed to the elements. The process involves gradually exposing plants to the outdoors, protecting them from full sunlight, temperature variations and wind. *Don’t let sprouts get too big before transplanting them outdoors. Ideally they should be about 4-6 inches tall. If possible, wait to plant your seedlings on a cool, cloudy day. If your seedlings get too large before weather will allow transplanting outdoors, transplant them into small pots with high-quality potting soil. Keep fully watered in a sunny space until weather permits transplanting outdoors. *After transplanting seedlings outdoors, be sure to water them daily for the first

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You can find the perfect look for your home with quality, affordable fabrics for upholstery, slipcovers and draperies at wholesale prices or less!

Foundation - Fireplaces -Retaining Walls - Stone Walls - Patios Walkways - Poolscapes - Masonry Repairs - Chimney's and So Much More

plus...

Tapestry Vintage Fabrics Leather Hides & Vinyl Decorative Trim Indoor/Outdoor Fabrics Moire 54" Foam Cut-to-Order Thread & Batting Upholstery Weight Fabrics Sheers & Laces Down & Polyester Pillows

• Licensed • Insured • Experienced • Free estimates

Call or Stop by Chintz-N-Prints.

Our friendly staff will be happy to help with your selection!

Visit our store in Newtown for all your masonry needs!

91 South Main Street, Newtown

Call 203-405-7279 or 203-270-9293

203-426-2022 39 S. Main Street | (Route 25) | Newtown, CT 06470 chintznprintsct@yahoo.com | www.chintz-n-prints.com find us on for upcoming news & sales

Make a Statement.

Discover the best in home decorating product choices.

Carpet • Tile • Flooring Stone • Fabric Wallpaper • Lighting Window Treatments Custom Draperies Bedding • Upholstery Countertops and more!

Call or Stop in today!

203 Main Street South, Southbury, CT

203.264.8155 | www.alcher.com

Home & Garden - 31

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

With Tips From Green Thumb Pros two weeks, especially if the weather is dry and sunny. *Save and reuse your seed starter tray for the next season. Once the spring plants have been transplanted outdoors, you will be free to get a head start on your summer crop.

Once you set your sights on starting a new gardening hobby, there are a few tools that can help you grow and enjoy your delicious bounty: Herb and Vegetable Cookbook. Everyone gets stumped from time to time when planning meals or figuring out how best to incorporate a fresh harvest into tonight’s dinner. Consider a little inspiration. A great cookbook that focuses on cooking with fresh herbs and vegetables can serve as a primer for making better use of the fruits of your labor.

There are many options from cookbooks that focus on vegetable side dishes to vegetarian ones where veggie main dishes take center stage.

Birdfeeder. Help attract pollinators and add a touch of beauty to your garden with a unique birdfeeder. The birds attracted by the feeder will do more than bring beauty to the recipient’s garden — they can help

cross pollinate plants and flowers, as well.

If you’re crafty, consider making it yourself, or use an online marketplace to find a unique, handcrafted, or vintage treasure.

Offering Professional Service and Quality Products: Kitchens & Baths • Windows Doors • Millwork • Lumber Building Materials Hardware • Components

You might also opt for a do-it-yourself feeder or birdhouse kit.

Indoor Gardening. Why only grow tasty vegetables and beautiful flowers part of the

year? With an indoor garden, you can get your gardening fix year-round. For example, The Miracle-Gro AeroGarden is a soil-free garden that grows herbs, vegetables, salad greens, and flowers five times faster than plants grown in soil. Because it uses advanced hydroponics to create an ideal environment for healthy growth, you won’t need expertise for a successful garden to thrive.

Plants grown in an AeroGarden receive an ideal balance of water, air and liquid nutrients packed with calcium, iron, magnesium, and other key minerals. It also features a control panel to tell you when to add water, eliminating some of the trickier guesswork.

Foodies and health enthusiasts will also be pleased to know that many of the seeds provided are heirloom varieties, and the company sources organic seeds when possible.

For greater gardening, go beyond the shovel and spade. Stock up on all the tools you need to support a lifelong, year-round gardening habit. More tips to start your own seedlings, or an indoor soil-free vegetable and flower gardening can be found at www.aerogarden.com.

Do you need to replace your mailbox after the harsh winter?

Thinking of sprucing up the curb appeal with new mailbox?

Specializing in high quality mailboxes and post

"The Classic"

kitchenfactor.com

FOUR Locations For Your Convenience

NEWTOWN

2 Turnberry Lane, Sandy Hook, CT P: 203-426-0030 • F: 203-426-7164 Mon. - Fri. 7- 4 MANCHESTER 166 Colonial Rd Manchester, CT P: 860-474-9040 Mon. - Fri. 7- 4

EAST HAVEN 193 Silver Sands Rd, P: 203-469-2394 F: 203-469-0807 Mon. - Fri. 7- 4

"Main Street"

"Stately"

Visit our showroom for full array of traditional, sleek and modern to the most whimsical mailbox ideas.

DEPENDABLE AND GUARANTEED WORK Open 6 days a week.

MILLWOOD, NY 87 Millwood Rd P: 914-941-8080 F: 914-941-2814

2 Nabby Road, Danbury, CT

Mon.- Fri. 7:30- 4:30

203-628-7544 • notjustamailbox.com

Adjacent to Stew Leonard’s Wine & Liquor

32 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

TIM WILDER TREE CARE 3rd Generation CT Licensed Arborist Over 30 Years Experience in Arboriculture • • • •

• • • •

Removals Pruning Cabling Spraying

Fertilizing Diagnosis Aerial Lift Stump Grinding

QUALITY VALUE TRUST SERVICE

Prompt Professional Response & Service

• FREE Estimates • Licensed • Insured

NEWTOWN, CT (203) 270-1012 Ct Arborist Lic. #62799

CT DEP Reg. #B-1704

ISA Certification # NE-0735

GIGLIO Landscape Services LLC

Masonry Design & Installation Landscape Design & Installation Complete Property Maintenance HIC #604369

203-270-4585

Buy Directly from the Area’s Leading Manufacturer.

Celebra t 34 Yearing In Busin s ess

WHOLESALE BARK MULCH

BARK and WOOD MULCH Color Enhanced Mulch (4 colors) Cedar Mulch • Screened Topsoil Certified Playground Mulch

Ask about FREE Delivery!

203.426.2909 Fax: 203.426.1637

4 TODDY HILL ROAD • NEWTOWN, CT

PAV I N G • S E A L C O AT I N G • M A S O N RY

Greg’s DRIVEWAY SEALING & PAVING

Serving Serving Newtown Newtown & & Sandy Sandy Hook Hook Customers For Over 24 Years Customers For Over 24 Years with with Honesty Honesty & & Integrity Integrity

Paving • Drainage • Excavating Sealcoating • Line Striping • Hot Rubberized Crack Repair Other Services: Driveway Belgium Block Liners & Aprons Stone Walls • Blue Stone Walkways& Patios • Unilock Pavers

Cut Out & Hot Asphalt Repair Specialists $

50 OFF

$

250 OFF

F R E E E S T I M AT E S LICENSED & INSURED R e s i d e n t i a l & C o m m e rc i a l

203-426-5432 $

250 OFF

Driveway Sealing (min 1000 sq. ft.)

Any Masonry Service of $1000 or more

Driveway Paving (min 1000 sq. ft.)

Must mention coupon upon estimate.

Coupons may not be combined with any other offer. Expires 4/30/15

Must mention coupon upon estimate.

Coupons may not be combined with any other offer. Expires 4/30/15

Must mention coupon upon estimate.

Coupons may not be combined with any other offer. Expires 4/30/15

Visit The Newtown Bee website at www.newtownbee.com

Home & Garden - 33

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS APPLIANCE REPAIR Advanced Appliances, LLC . . . . . . . .34

HARDWARE/PAINT Newtown Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Stony Hill Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

BIRD FOOD/FEEDERS/ GARDEN ACCENTS Wild Birds Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

HOME DÉCOR Alcher Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

BOOK SHOP Byrd’s Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

HOME HEATING FUEL ABC Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

BUILDING SUPPLIES/ WINDOWS/DOORS/SHOWERS Apex Glass, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 East Haven Builder Supply . . . . . . . .31

HOME IMPROVEMENTS FJS Building & Remodeling, LLC . . .19 MJC Lawns & More . . . . . . . . .10 & 34

CUSTOM CABINETRY Tortora Marble & Tile Design Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 EXCAVATION Bennett, H.L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Yacko & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 FABRIC & NOTIONS Chintz-N-Prints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 FENCING Addessi Fencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 FLOORING/CARPETING & TILING Alcher Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 FLOORING RESTORATION Historic Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 FRAMING Art & Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 FURNITURE Wood Bin, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 GARAGE DOORS Overhead Door Of Brookfield . . . . . .20 GIFT & GARDEN Hollandia Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Shakespeare’s Garden . . . . . . . . . . .27 GUTTER CLEANING Frank Pruner Gutter Cleaning, LLC .34 Martin’s Aluminum . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

INSURANCE State Farm Insurance Agent Brittany Roberts . . . . . . . . . .28 Stockwell Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 JUNK REMOVAL MJC Lawns & More . . . . . . . . .10 & 34 KITCHEN & BATHROOM DESIGN & INSTALLATION Kingswood Kitchens . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Southeast Kitchen & Bath . . . . . . . . .35 LANDSCAPING A&L Landscaping, LLC . . . . . . . . . . .10 A-Z Landscaping, LLC . . . . . . . . . . .22 Cleancut Lawn & Landscape . . . . . . .9 Enchanted Landscaping, LLC . . . . .34 Giglio Landscape Services . . . . . . . .32 John Spector Landscape Design . . .34 Juan’s F. Landscaping Masonry . . . .34 MJC Lawns & More . . . . . . . . .10 & 34 LANDSCAPE DESIGNER Holmes Fine Gardens . . . . . . . . . . .21 LRM Inc Landscaping Contractor . . .13 Stony Hill Snow Plow . . . . . . . . . . . .30 LAWN FURNITURE Newtown Mulch & Outdoor . . . . . . . .21 LAWN TRACTORS L&R Power Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . .6 MAILBOXES Not Just A Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

MASONRY/PAVERS A-Z Landscaping, LLC . . . . . . . . . . .22 Ben’s Masonry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Benn’s Masonry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Giglio Landscape Services . . . . . . . .32 Juan’s F. Landscaping Masonry . . . .34 Luno Masonry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 MULCH/LANDSCAPING Ferris Mulch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Newtown Mulch & Outdoor . . . . . . . .21 Southbury Stone & Supply . . . . . . . .34 Walsh Wood Services . . . . . . . . . . . .32 OUTDOOR HOUSE CLEANING & CARPETS All Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 PAINTING SUPPLIES Newtown Color Center . . . . . . . . . . .24 Sherwin Williams Paints . . . . . . . . . .16

PROPANE/GAS GRILLS Hocon Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 REALTORS Christine Fairchild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 REFUSE REMOVAL Associated Refuse Hauler of America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 ROOFING Mark Edwards Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . .4 SAND & GRAVEL Southbury Stone & Supply . . . . . . . .34 SEAMLESS GUTTERS/ WINDOWS/DOORS Martin’s Aluminum . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 SEPTIC INSTALL & REPAIRS Bennett, H.L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

PAVERS & NATURAL STONE CLEANING Top Notch Hardscape Restoration . . .26

SHEDS Newtown Mulch & Outdoor . . . . . . . .21

PAVING/LANDSCAPING Southbury Stone & Supply . . . . . . . .34

SURVEYORS Brautigam Land Surveyors . . . . . . . .26

PAVING/SEALING Greg’s Driveway Sealing & Paving . . .32

TICK CONTROL Deer & Tick Guard . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

POOLS/ENVIRONMENTS/SPAS Hat City Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 J&J Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 L&J Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Nejame & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Newtown Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

TILE & MARBLE Tortora Marble & Tile Design Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

POWER EQUIPMENT Bethel Power Equipment . . . . . . . . .17 L&R Power Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Newtown Power Equipment . . .22 & 28 West End Power Equipment . . . . . . . .5

TREE SERVICE/LANDSCAPE Bartlett Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Tim Wilder Tree Care . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Yacko & Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

POWER EQUIPMENT RENTALS Newtown Power Equipment . . .22 & 28

TOOL RENTALS Decker Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

WINDOW CLEANING/ POWER WASHING Solimine Window Cleaning . . . . . . . .18

POWER WASHING MJC Lawns & More . . . . . . . . .10 & 34

Home insurance from someone proud to call Newtown home.

As a local Allstate Agent, I know firsthand all the good that happens in our community. And I’m here to help protect all that’s good in your clients’ lives. That includes their most valuable possession: their home.

With a variety of home insurance options, I can help your clients get the coverage that’s right for them. Plus, they get personal service, local insurance advice and much more:

Experience Tells!

Over 30 Years in Business Quality Inground Pools Gunite & Vinyl Liner We Provide Complete Pool Renovations • Weekly Maintenance Service Virtual Pool Design • Liner Replacements Acid-Washing, Re-Plastering • Salt Water Systems Pool Water & More • Financing Available

Swim With L&J Pools

quick proof of insurance

24/7 access to service

easy coverage updates

annual insurance reviews

time saved by bundling policies Let me help your clients let the Good Life in.

Please remember me the next time you’re asked for a referral.

Peter Stockwell 203-426-8080 17 Church Hill Rd Newtown pstockwell@allstate.com

155 Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT (203) 791-0307 • www.ljpools.com Lic#0572941 • Swimming Pool Builder Lic#SPB.0000061 • Plumbing Lic# PLM.0279925-SP1

Subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co. and Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Co. and their affiliates: Northbrook, IL. Life insurance issued by Allstate Life Insurance Co., Northbrook, IL, Lincoln Benefit Life Co., Lincoln, NE and American Heritage Life Insurance Co., Jacksonville, FL. In New York, Allstate Life Insurance Co. of New York, Hauppauge, NY. © 2013 Allstate Insurance Co.

127940

FREE IN HOME CONSULTATION!

34 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

n o e v a S

Spring Home Improvements Luno Masonry Work Over 24 year experience

New Customers Welcome

New Customers Welcome

Stone, Brick, Blocks, Walls

New Customers Welcome

Steps, Porches, Sidewalks, Bluestone, Pavers, Belgium Block, Fireplaces, Stucco, All types

24 Hour Emergency Service • Next Day Delivery • Discount Fuel Oil Dealers Full Service • Energy Assistance Program

203-775-0221

HOD #009

All Clean,

LLC

SPECIALIZING IN Window Washing Carpet Cleaning (Truck Mount) Gutter Cleaning • Power Washing

1 Tamarack Ave, apt 12 Danbury, CT 06810 Fax 203-917-3390 lunomasonry@hotmail.com

Newtown 426-2776

AdvancedApplianceCT.com PROMPT • PROFESSIONAL • REASONABLE

JOHN SPECTOR LANDSCAPE DESIGN

40% to 70% OFF

allcleanct.com • 203-270-0000

203-263-4650 • 203-586-8541

Discounts Available w/Multiple Services

Fully Insured

Water & Vegetable Gardens Drainage

Brickwork • Foundations Patios • Sidewalks • Steps Chimneys • Stonewalls • Fireplaces All Types Veneer

203-262-6502 Free Estimates Licensed • Insured

Frank Pruner Gutter Cleaning, LLC Established 1989

Masonry Stonewalls Walkways • Patios Chimneys • Steps Brick & Block Work

(203) 426-3103 www.frankprunerguttercleaning.com

Gutters & Leaders Cleaned & Flushed Quality Screening Available Minor Repairs • Tree Trimming

Juan Fajardo

203-312-6782

Spring/Fall Clean-Ups Tree Service

Free Estimates • Fully Insured

Since 1962

Apex Glass LLC LLC

Frameless Shower Doors, Mirrors, Tabletops Replacement Windows, Storm Doors & Windows.

We do Screen and Window Repairs!

The All-Season Landscape Professionals for Design, Installation & Maintenance Fully Licensed/Insured

“Name It We Do It”

35 Years in Business

Landscap n’s F ing a Masonry LLC u J ALL WORK GUARANTEED

Free Estimates

Ben’s Masonry

Buy Direct from the Grower & Save

KEVIN BARRETT Established in 1994

203-470-6042

www.enchantedlandscapingllc.com

SENIOR DISCOUNTS

(203)

On Landscape Design & Installation Mulching • Lawn Installations • Sodding Patios • Stonewalls & Walkways • Tree Services Gravel & Regrading Driveways • Drainage Systems

Landscaping Spring/Fall Clean-Up Planting • Mulching Trimming • Tree Work Gardens & More

Over rs 20 Yea nce Experie

FREE ESTIMATES

Family Owned Since2000 2000 Family Owned&&Operated Operated Since

Diesel*

REFRIGERATORS • WASHERS & DRYERS DISHWASHERS & RANGES DISPOSALS • AIR CONDITIONERS • DEHUMIDIFIERS EXPERTS ON ALL MAJOR MANUFACTURERS

Call the owner 203-770-9273

Family Owned & Operated Since 2000

Off Road

ADVANCED APPLIANCE REPAIR

10 Riverside Road www.apexglass.com

S

UTHBURY

S T O N E & S U P P LY SouthburyStoneandSupply.com

Mulch • Top Soil • Decorative Stone Masonry & Landscape Supplies Pipe & Geotextile Fabrics Grinnell Pavingstone & Retaining Walls • Etc. 55 Bullet Hill Road, Southbury, CT 06488

Monday - Friday 9 am to 5 pm • Saturday 9 am - 1 pm

Phone 203-264-1118

203-426-4475 Fax: 203-426-3633

southburystoneandsupply@yahoo.com

Bethel Handyman Hardware is Now

STONY HILL HARDWARE Serving Your Community For Over 30 Years!

Complete Line of Hardware, Paint, Lawn & Garden, Hand & Power Tools, Snow Removal and Much More!

Ask About Our “Refer a Friend Program” Trimming • Power Washing • Spring Clean Ups Mulch Installations • Material Deliveries Dump Runs • Metal Runs • Painting • Lt. Carpentry and Much More!

Owned by Newtown resident Matt Chittem who promises

34 Stony Hill Road, Bethel (Rte 6, between Big Y & Target) Open M-F 7:30 - 6, Sat 8-5, Sun 9-3

203-792-4043

“You’ll Always Get Our Best!”

CALL 203-638-4111 FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

April 10, 2015 - The Newtown Bee

Home & Garden - 35

Make Your Dream a Reality

Kitchens ~ Baths Built-Ins ~ Pantries Customize Closets Expert Craftsmanship

from CONCEPT to COMPLETION PROFESSIONAL ADVICE & EXPERT CRAFTSMANSHIP

203-748-9000 southeastkitchenandbath.com • southeastkitchen@aol.com Onsite parking, located across from Caraluzzi’s

Four Convenient Showrooms:

101 Greenwood Ave BETHEL • CT 19 Old Doansburg Road BREWSTER • NY 594 Route 6 MAHOPAC • NY 3 East Main Street PAWLING • NY

36 - Home & Garden

The Newtown Bee - April 10, 2015

a beautiful pool by an experienced builder with a name you can trust

The only pool care system with an algae FREE Guarantee!

The Area’s Leader in Pools & Spas SOUTH STREET’S

NEJAME & SONS

p o o l s cool.com www.myp

91SOUTH STREET, DANBURY • 203-743-4663

Family Owned and OperatedSince 1921