House & Home: March 18, 2023

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Views expressed in the articles of House & Home are the views of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Santa Barabara News-Press.

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Santa BarB ara County SaleS

This is a partial list of all recorded residential sales in Santa Barbara County from February 27 thru March 3, 2023. While these recordings are public record, the News-Press receives this information from an outside source. This list does not represent all sales that occurred over this time period. Consult your REALTOR® for further information regarding home sales in your area of interest.

Here’s how you can boost your house’s curb appeal

“Whether it’s a wreath or a planter full of greens, this bit of nature gives liveliness to your front door,” Shea McGee, of Studio McGee, told Marthastewart. com.

According to Moving.com, simply maintaining your front lawn is an easy and effective way to significantly improve curb appeal. Mow the grass, rake the leaves and pull any weeds. Water the lawn to prevent any brown spots from appearing. Those in dryer climates may have a more difficult time maintaining a lively lawn, making shrub beds and artificial turf better alternatives.

Another great way to improve curb appeal is to replace any old hardware at the front of the home, Better Homes & Gardens reported. The front door lockset, mailbox and any overhead light fixtures visible from the street are all great opportunities to bring attention-getting style to your home. Contemporary homes often see great success with brushed nickel finishes, while more traditional homes can use oiled-bronze fixtures.

©2023 Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Hunter Boyce

Curb appeal, the general attractiveness of a home’s visage, accounts for up to 7% of a house’s sales price, according to a 2020 report by The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics. Luckily, making the most out of your home’s look is a relatively easy task.

Some curb appeal improvements are purely cosmetic, but most involve regular landscaping and maintenance. .

According to HGTV, one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve a home’s curb appeal is to paint the front door. Exterior paint costs roughly $35 per gallon, which makes giving your front door a new coat of paint a relatively cheap opportunity. Choose a bold color for the front door, something that will make it stand out and draw attention to the home.

Another cheap way to improve your home’s curb appeal is to add some greenery. While plants take time and effort to maintain, the upside to your home’s value is worth the effort. While installing a full garden can have a massive impact, simply using plants to accentuate key visual points — such as windows and doors — can have a significant impact as well.

Its late afternoon but you still have to eat,

Superbena’s imperial performance has begun

By Norman Winter

Right now, it is a verbena world at The Garden Guy’s house. It is super exciting, as I forgot I had so many, and which containers had what. The growth since the December arctic blast has been simply amazing. One in particular, Superbena Imperial Blue, almost looks like a mini-hydrangea.

This Gulf Fritillary butterfly demonstrates the power of nature’s orange with the Superbena Imperial Blue verbena.

says this Ruby-throated hummingbird feeding on a Superbena Imperial Blue verbena blossom.

Photos courtesy Norman Winter/TNS

Superbena Imperial Blue made its debut in 2022, and I was part of the testing process in 2021. I’ve loved it for its intense color, which screams deep blue. I say that full well knowing some of you will correct me and say you see purple tones. That’s OK. This verbena has been a champ each year with butterflies like the eastern tiger swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail and the treasured pipevine swallowtail. I have had the American lady, Gulf fritillary and ruby-throated hummingbird, too.

I put my containers in the garage during the cold wave and then put them back on my wall. The old guy couldn’t remember which containers had what from the standpoint of color. Also kind of funny was I forgot what the dormant sticks were behind the wall.

First off, I was surprised I had placed Superbena Imperial Blue in proximity to Double Play Candy Corn spirea. This is going to cause great joy with my Louisiana State University horticulture buddies.

Then a large container with Superbena Imperial Blue found its position in proximity to Double Take Scarlet flowering quince, as well as both red and white azaleas. It is a feast for the eyes.

Superbena Imperial Blue, like most of the other Superbenas, will get 5 to 12 inches tall with a spread of 30 inches. They need fertile, well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight to reach their true performance potential. For the most part, Superbenas are considered an annual, and one certainly of exceptional value.

I live in zone 8a, and in my zone and warmer we get them to return in the spring, which causes the perennial happy dance to break out. Superbena Imperial Blue, Superbena Whiteout and Superbena Stormburst have been good perennials for me. This year I also have Superbena Plum Wine returning. Strangely, all these are in containers. They are way ahead of those in the soil.

The key to this is good soil drainage, which is easy-peasy in a container. Son James and I both are firm believers in cutting the verbena back periodically to keep

rejuvenating growth and new blooms coming. It also helps to minimize chances for spider mites and lace bugs to have a fatal infestation.

So, to put it another way, if you leave a huge patch of weak foliage because you still have a couple of blossoms, you are not helping the plant. Cut it back, and new growth will resume quickly, followed by blooms.

There are 17 varieties to be found in the Superbena (most vigorous), Superbena Royale (slightly compact, less spread) and Superbena Sparkling (bicolored) groups. Make sure you try the Superbenas in baskets or taller pots, too, as the off-the-ground or aerial-like aspect, coupled with cascading flowers, is an easy attraction for the hummingbirds.

Superbenas may have a funny sounding name to you, but it is just Proven Winners’ way of saying that these are Super Verbenas.

Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy.

©2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Sunrise at The Garden Guy’s backyard shows Superbena Imperial Blue verbena handing over the wall with Double Take Scarlet flowering quince nearby.

Double Play Candy Corn spirea has emerged from its winter sleep and appears to have found a colorful partner with Superbena Imperial Blue verbena.

This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail has chosen Superbena Imperial Blue verbena to be on the daily menu.

Yard Sale Tips Yard Sale Tips

Yard Sale Tips

BEFORE YOUR SALE

•Prepare to start early. Collectors and antique dealers like to show up early in the morning.

• Obtain a permit if required

•Clean up your space. People like clean and neat places.

•Gather lots of shopping bags. Gathering Items

•Test any electrical items to make sure they work.

•Collect your items and sort it by type. (clothing, toys, tools, etc.)

•Take time to clean or repair your items.

•Wash all the clothes so they smell fresh.

WHAT SELLS BEST?

•Tools: Guys love it all, any kind.

•Baby items of all kinds, especially clothing.

• Kitchen appliances.

• Clothing: Kids and adult.

What Should You Not Sell?

• Items missing safety parts.

• Unused prescription drugs or medications.

• Personal hygiene items.

•Halogen floor lamps.

• Old baby cribs or playpens, incomplete child safety seats.

ADVERTISING

•Tell your friends, family or coworkers about your sale. Word travels.

•Place a classified ad in the Santa Barbara NEWS-PRESS!!Remember to check the publication’s deadline.

•In your ad, give lots of details. Include the address, day(s), time of your sale.List major items such as “Lots of kids clothes.”

SIGNS

•Check your local ordinances.

• List your address and sale date on all signs.

• Post your signs at main intersections, street corners and at the end of your driveway.

• Use same colors and writing on your signs as people recognize them at a glance.

•Keep a list of where you posted your signs. It will be helpful when it’s time to take them down.

The consumer Protection Agency offers a complete list of dangerous items to avoid selling at yard sales. Visit

Can’t choose a paint color for the living room? The pros have you covered

By Hunter Boyce

Choosing a fresh paint color for a dull living room can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. According to the pros, picking the best living room paint color can even be achieved in a few simple steps.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what they had to say:

Create a color scheme

First, select colors from objects in your living room.

“Take a pillow from the family-room sofa, your favorite tie or scarf, or a painting — anything that conveys comfort or has an emotional connection for you — and take that object to the paint store,” Architectural color consultant Bonnie Krims told This Old House. “Find three sample strips with those colors, and you instantly have 15 to 18 colors you can use, since each sample strip typically contains six paint colors.”

Next, choose a paint color from the trio of options. This will be your wall color, while the other two colors can be used around the room through fabrics and furnishings.

Don’t overcomplicate it

Krims is not the only expert that believes

in the importance of a good color scheme. According to Behr Paint’s color expert and vice president of color and creative services Erika Woelfel, sticking to a color scheme is a simple way to keep things practical.

“Be sure that your wall color doesn’t clash with focal points throughout the room,” Woelfel told My Domaine. “A general rule is to stick to one palette of three to five colors. One white or light color, one to two neutrals, and one or two supporting colors.”

Too many colors can be a pain on the senses, especially after a tiring day at work. Stick to a simple, yet effective, color scheme to make the most out of your living room paint color choice.

Consider earthy colors

Bright colors can look dazzling on a paint chip or color swatch, but going bright can be a bad idea.

“The biggest mistake people make, especially when they’re staring at a wall of paint swatches, is they end up going too clear with the color — like a kid’s crayon blue instead of something a little bit more muted and sophisticated,” Rebecca West, founder of Seriously Happy Homes, told Apartment Therapy.

While bright colors can be used effectively in

the home, utilizing them as living room paint colors often requires expertise. West contrasted a jar full of jelly beans and a jar full of beautiful river rocks to help explain the conundrum.

“They are both full of gorgeous color, but those natural hues are going to be more timeless, long-lasting, and easy on the eyes,” she said.

©2023 Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Stick to a simple, yet effective, color scheme to make the most out of your living room paint color choice.

Photo courtesy Dreamstime/TNS