At Home Living 050617

Saturday, May 6, 2017 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

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Real estate

On the market Why it’s a good time to buy or sell

page 6 n Making the most of mulch, page 2 n Recliners get a makeover, page 5 n Creating an ‘outdoor living room,’ page 7 keith horinek/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

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To mulch or not to mulch?

Mulch is a material placed over the soil to discourage weed growth and help regulate temperature fluctuations and the soil’s moisture content. It also can be used to enhance the appearance of a landscape by unifying the planted areas when one consistent mulch is used throughout the landscape.

Well-chosen mulch also can improve soil quality, because it decomposes by breaking up clayey soil, increasing water and nutrient availability and preventing soil compaction.

Trees, especially newly planted ones, benefit from being mulched.

Grass growing over the

ALICE BROOKS

UPCOMING EVENT

“Master Gardeners” will be presented by Shawnee County Master Gardener Kathy Wade at 7 p.m. May 18 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 S.W. 10th Ave.

roots of newly planted trees competes with the tree roots for moisture and nutrients.

Mulch for newly planted trees should go as far out as the drip line of the tree and should be 3 to 4 inches deep. The mulch shouldn’t touch the trunk of the tree, which could cause rotting of the trunk. In the

winter, mulch around a tree trunk can be a great hiding place for field mice, which could eat the tender tree bark, thus killing the tree.

Mulching of perennials helps control the freezing-and-thawing effect of the ground during winter temperature fluctuations, which can damage plants and may heave their roots out of the ground.

The type of mulch used depends on the situation and personal preference.

Organic mulches, such

as wood chips, grass clippings and cottonseed hulls, will disintegrate over time.

A bed that will be worked every year, such as for vegetables and annuals, can be mulched with straw, chopped leaves, shredded newspaper or grass clippings, because they will be incorporated into the soil each year.

These choices add organic material to the garden, thus helping improve the soil. However,

metro creative connection

Mulch can improve the appearance of your landscape and retain the moisture content of the soil. the decomposition process consumes nitrogen, so a little extra fertilizer may be needed.

For a perennial bed, a more-permanent mulch is

often used, because these beds aren’t tilled every year. Wood chips, bark, pine needles and cotton BROOKS continues on 9

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Flowerless bed shows 50 shades of green

By Kim Cook

The Associated Press

While beds tumbling with flowers are lovely, there’s an emerging trend in landscape design: the flowerless garden.

Non-traditional gardens are no less green. In fact, the hue is often more obvious than in a floral-filled space. Varieties of leafy shrubs, trees, vines and grasses create a verdant vista, even in small gardens.

An additional perk: These gardens may be significantly easier to maintain than a plot full of posies.

Justin Hancock, of Costa Farms, a nursery in Miami, Fla., describes two types of non-traditional gardens: “One is a soothing, natu-

ralistic garden that’s filled with different shades of green. The other is a little more flamboyant and uses variegated plants to bring in splashes of color.”

Both offer a pleasing aesthetic in all seasons, and you don’t need to worry about plants going in and out of bloom.

Visual interest

Serenity

A Zen-like garden keeps the focus on the garden structure itself, with greenery that’s calming.

Shawn Fitzgerald, of the Kent, Ohio-based Davey Tree Company, thinks hardscaping should also be a consideration in these gardens.

“A water feature always adds a nice element — a pond, or a creek, with the

costa farms via ap

Patriot Hosta’s variegated green and white leaves are a great choice for a non-flower garden, says Justin Hancock, of Costa Farms in Miami, Fla. sound of running water.

It’s especially nice if you have some lush foliage over the water,” he said.

He encourages adding rocks, perhaps some large and small boulders strate-

gically placed.

“And, of course, benches are always great,” Fitzgerald said. “Who doesn’t like to sit and reflect in a peaceful garden, under some nice shade cover?”

Hancock suggests using variegated shrubs or trees to add color and texture to a garden. Give similarly hued plants like hostas, dusty miller and succulents a tonal frame by placing them next to bluestone pavers, he suggests. Or play with scale perception by graduating dark and light greenery along a pathway.

“One of my favorite ways to make a small space feel larger is to plant varieties that have rich green, purple or orange foliage up front, and incorporate white-variegated leaves at the back.

Because the light color recedes, it creates an optical illusion of more space,” he said.

No matter what hardiness zone you’re in, there’s one annual he recommends for any nontraditional garden.

“Coleus is one of the most versatile foliage plants you can choose.

Some tolerate full sun, but most grow in shade, too,” he said. “You can get varieties in so many colors — Redhead, which is a personal favorite; Campfire, which is purple and orange; chartreuse Wasabi; gold Honeycrisp. Plant these in the spring, and enjoy them right through the fall.”

Sweet potato vine is another easy-care annual, with multi-colored varieties.

“On the perennial side, GREEN continues on 8

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Small household changes reduce carbon footprint

By Michelle Guerrere Domaine

Environmental awareness is becoming more and more of a priority for most Americans. We bring canvas bags to the grocery store, ditch paper towels for washable cloths and use ride share transportation apps.

Our society is slowly shifting toward more environmentally friendly ways with the mentality that, if we don’t take care of our world, who will?

What some people don’t know is there are things

we do in our home each day that may be hurting the environment in a pretty big way, Real Simple reports.

Read on to see some of the top everyday activities that are unknowingly increasing your carbon footprint, right in your very own home. n Tossing used coffee pods: The No. 7 plastic used in K-cups isn’t recycled at many plants, so the majority of cups end up in landfills, says Elizabeth Glazner, the editorial director of the nonprofit organization Plastic Pollution Coalition.

Search for a plant that will

take them or simply switch to a refillable pod. n Using body wash: Liquid soap users, beware.

Soap in liquid form takes five times more energy to produce than a bar. A study also found people use seven times more liquid soap than regular soap to wash their hands. n Running appliances during the day: It’s best to use your dishwasher or dryer at night when temps are lower so your air conditioner doesn’t have to work twice as hard — and thus twice as much energy. n Using plastic bags:

There’s nothing better than quickly throwing leftovers into a zip-top bag, but unlike Tupperware, we don’t tend to reuse them. Invest in reusable, dishwashersafe glass storage containers to beat this habit. n Leaving your TV on all night: Most of us like to fall asleep to something, but you’re wasting a ton of energy by leaving your television on all night. If you need some background noise to lull you to sleep, go into your TV settings and set a two-hour timer, or download a noise maker app like White Noise.

dreamstime

Soap in liquid form takes five times more energy to produce than a bar.

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Embraced by baby boomers, recliners get makeover Function takes back seat to style

By Melissa Kossler Dutton The Associated Press

Including recliners in home decorating projects used to be an interior designer’s nightmare, says Bonnie Lewis, founder of 55+ TLC Interior Design in Scottsdale, Ariz.

But the easy chair has gotten a face lift, thanks largely to baby boomers.

“Before, this furniture was strictly about the function — meaning it could recline, but there wasn’t much to the aesthetics of it,” says Lewis, whose firm specializes in design for older adults.

“Because boomers want that cleaner-line look, it’s pushing the manufacturers to get on board.”

Recliners used to come in one profile: big and bulky, says Bruce Birnbach, president and CEO of American Leather in Dallas, Texas. “Either you wanted that look or you didn’t.”

Today, he and his competitors offer recliners “in every size and shape and style,” he says.

Like other manufacturers, La-Z-Boy, which introduced the recliner in 1928 and for years built a reputation more on com-

fort than on style, has added automation to the chairs, and offers models that are smaller and more stylish. But La-Z-Boy will never stop making the traditional chairs that made the company’s name synonymous with recliners, says Penny Eudy, product manager of upholstery for La-Z-Boy in Monroe, Mich.

“We want to cast a wider net to attract that more stylish consumer and get them coming in, but we want to do it without alienating the customers that we’ve always had,” she says.

Eudy believes recliners are the ideal chair for the modern home: “We all are

living more casually and more comfortably than we ever have.”

The trend toward open living spaces means that customers are looking for furniture that’s less formal but still eye-catching, says Erin Berg, an associate editor at Furniture Today magazine in Greensboro, N.C. Open floor plans mean there’s nowhere to hide an ugly recliner, and no place for a formal chair that’s not comfortable, she says.

New recliners’ smaller footprint gives homeowners more flexibility, Berg says. Some manufacturers offer a “wall-hugger” feature: The seat moves forward when it reclines,

allowing the chair to be placed against a wall.

Many reclining chairs, sofas and sectionals now plug in or run on battery packs, allowing them to do everything from charging your phone to cooling your drink, while providing an articulated head rest and lumbar support.

“Today’s recliners have become sleek and smoothfunctioning, combining designer-quality looks with engineer-quality operations,” says Patricia Bowling, a spokeswoman for the American Home Furnishings Alliance in High Point, N.C. “The baby boomers love their gadgets. They love being connected, and they are

doing that in every room of the house.”

Still, comfort remains a priority — particularly for an aging generation that’s active and has “a tendency to overdo it,” she says.

Berg says there are many more options now for how the chairs’ backs recline and the footrests extend.

The variety of new fabrics and styles — including some recliners with legs — means that designers no longer shy away from the chairs, Lewis says.

“Before, when a client wanted a recliner, you worried that it was going to ruin the whole look,” she says.

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Now’s a good time to buy or sell a home Realtor: Interest rates will rise eventually

By Shanna Sloyer

Special to The Capital-Journal

With historically low interest rates slowly rising, now is a great time to consider buying or selling a home, according to Jamie Sauder, president of the Sunflower Association of Realtors.

“It’s a good time from the perspective of interest rates, which are still very low, but trending upward,” Sauder said. “Striking while the iron is hot is important for the budget-conscious.”

Sauder points out that low interest rates are a compelling factor in home sales, because consumers who have the ability to borrow at low rates are typically able to spend more than they thought they could while still living comfortably within their means.

Interest rates eventually will rise, which means buyers won’t be able to qualify for as much and will be able to afford less than when rates were lower. Sauder and SAR encourage potential buyers who aren’t living in a home they plan to stay in forever and who are on the fence about selling to do so now.

“Inventory is the biggest challenge we’re facing on the market,” Sauder said.

“It’s hard to gauge how many buyers we actually have, because inventory is so low.”

Sauder faults lack of new construction projects locally and nationally.

“So many who have recently bought or just refinanced at a lower interest rate may be wondering if there’s something out there for them,” Sauder said.

Many existing homeowners have been forced to wait for the perfect house to come on the market before making a move, and many more are still waiting. This is good news for sellers, because, economically speaking, lack of inventory drives up real estate prices.

Lower inventory also means every buyer in the market at that price range will view a house. It makes sense to list now before there is more competition in the market. The first to list has the best probability of selling first as well.

Spring temperatures also make it a good time to sell, because mild weather brings potential homebuyers outside, where they are more likely to drive or walk by homes for sale and attend open houses.

SAR offers these tips for HOME continues on 7

keith horinek/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Carrie Calhoon, realtor and co-owner of Reece & Nichols, shows off a remodeled kitchen that will help sell the home quicker.

INTEREST RATES

The following table from the Sunflower Association of Realtors depicts the amount of interest a buyer will pay over the life of a loan based on the interest rate when they borrow, as well as the length of the loan. Generally, shorter loans have lower interest rates, but monthly payments are higher.

Longer loans have higher interest rates, but lower monthly payments.

Type of loan $100,000 loan amount Interest paid 30-year at 3.99 percent $476.84/month $71,662.03 30-year at 4.5 percent $506.69/month $82,406.71 30-year at 5 percent $536.82/month $93,255.78 n $30 increase in payment for every .5 percent bump in rate n $11,000 increase in interest for every .5 percent bump in rate Type of loan $100,000 loan amount Interest paid 15-year at 3.25 percent $702.67/month $26,480.38 15-year at 3.75 percent $727.22/month $30,900.04 15-year at 4.25 percent $752.28/month $35,410.11 n $25 increase in payment for every .5 percent bump in rate n $4,500 increase in interest for every .5 percent bump in rate Type of loan $200,000 loan amount Interest paid 30-year at 3.99 percent $953.68/month $143,324.05 30-year at 4.5 percent $1,013.37/month $164,813.42 30-year at 5 percent $1,073.64/month $186,511.57 n $60 increase in payment for every .5 percent bump in rate n $21,500 increase in interest for every .5 percent bump in rate

Calhoon recently sold this Topeka house after a few updates were made. With low interest rates rising, now is a good time to buy or sell a home.

Type of loan $200,000 loan amount Interest paid 15-year at 3.25 percent $1,405.34/month $52,960.76 15-year at 3.75 percent $1,454.44/month $61,800.08 15-year at 4.25 percent $1,504.56/month $70,820.23 n $50 increase in payment for every .5 percent bump in rate n $9,000 increase in interest for every .5 percent bump in rate

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Outdoor decor has thrown away the rules

By Melissa Rayworth The Associated Press

For decades, “outdoor decorating” meant arranging a few nice chairs and a table near a barbecue grill, then adding an umbrella to block the summer sun. But as patios and decks have morphed into “outdoor living rooms,” the bar has risen for outdoor style and comfort.

“HGTV Design Star” judge Vern Yip says he knew we’d reached a new level of outdoor decorating this year when he discovered a fully upholstered, tufted, Chesterfield-style sofa designed for outdoor use. It’s not a less comfortable, backyard version of a classic piece of furniture; it’s a classic piece of furniture that happens to be

weather-proof.

Technology has come so far, Yip says, that we can now have anything outdoors that we like indoors.

As warm weather returns, we’ve asked Yip and two other experts — interior designer Betsy Burnham, of Burnham Design in Los Angeles, and Sarah Fishburne, director of trend and design for The Home Depot — for the furnishings, color palettes and accessories they are using this year to make outdoor spaces even more luxurious and inviting.

Mix and match

It’s been decades since people looked for a “suite of furniture” for their bedroom or living room. But until recently, Burnham

Home: Don’t only rely on info online Continued from 6

homeowners who are considering selling or buying: n Contact a Realtor for a professional market analysis of a home, as opposed to relying on information online. n Price it right. Don’t rely on county appraisal values alone. There can be a large discrepancy between county appraisal values and actual market values. n Special considerations: For higher-end homes and new construction, county appraisal values may be especially low due to lack of comparisons or missing square footage that may not have been counted.

Conversely, older homes may have been appraised too high, depending on outdated decor or more current sale comparisons.

A real estate professional familiar with the local market can help to determine the best price point for a house to ensure that it sells quickly without having to make deep price cuts later.

“It’s a good time to buy, a good time to sell, and a good time to be in the market in general,” Sauder said.

sarah dorio/betsy burnham via ap

Rather than selecting a set of matching outdoor furnishings, designers encourage clients to mix and match a variety of styles and brands as they decorate outdoor spaces. says, that’s been a common approach to outdoor space.

She says that’s slowly changing, as people want a more interesting look that doesn’t seem lifted directly from a single catalog page.

Designers are encouraging their clients to mix and match, creating outdoor spaces that feel as personal and layered as interiors.

Fishburne says retailers have noticed this trend.

At Home Depot, her design team selects a few popular shades and makes sure they stay consistent throughout the furniture offered in a given season.

So “chili red,” for example, will be the same shade if you buy a rug from one brand and pillows from another.

And rather than having to buy a group of four or six identical dining chairs, Fishburne says many chairs are now available in sets of two that can be paired with a contrasting style.

There are also more outdoor styles available than ever, offering more to mix and match.

Aluminum-frame furniture is back, with updated details.

“It’s the sort of stuff

your grandparents used to have, but the 2.0 version,” Yip said. “The proportions are what we like today — deeper and bigger and more comfortable.”

If you’re worried about how to mix and match successfully, try one of these approaches: You can mix furniture frames, perhaps using a few teak pieces alongside metal or woven resin pieces, and then keep all the cushions or pillows the same. Or you can use all metal or all resin frames from different brands, and mix up the pillows and cushions.

Either way, you have consistency, but also a unique look that isn’t exactly the same as your neighbor’s.

OUTDOOR continues on 8

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Outdoor: Take time to shop for what you love Green: ‘Key to a Continued from 7

Don’t settle

“If you had put an outdoor sofa and an indoor sofa side by side in front of a consumer a year ago or two years ago,” Yip says, no one would have had trouble picking out which was which.

Today, he says, “you really can’t tell the difference.”

So take time to shop for what you love, rather than settling for the typical outdoor furniture you see everywhere.

There are outdoor fabrics that feel as soft as what you’d expect indoors, and cushions that are just as soft and deep. Yip says the newest outdoor cushions offer two layers of foam and then a top layer made of a down alternative.

Seek “that super-plush feeling with your outdoor furniture that you’re used to feeling with your indoor furniture,” he said And start with your fa-

sarah dorio/betsy burnham via ap

As basic patio decorating has grown into the idea of creating an “outdoor living room,” seating options have come to include items like this rustic daybed. vorite interior design retailers. They’re likely to offer outdoor options.

“It’s not just at the patio store anymore,” Burnham said.

For example, she says, Design Within Reach and Restoration Hardware both offer wide selections of outdoor furnishings.

Seek next-level details

Outdoor storage has become even more inventive: You’ll find “console tables that have built-in coolers, or daybeds that have built-in coolers,” Yip says.

And outdoor accesso-

ries have “detailing and embellishments that used to be reserved for indoor stuff,” Yip says, including hurricane lanterns with mother-of-pearl detailing, and pillows with feathers, beading or embroidery.

“We’ve figured out how to have all this detailing, all this embellishment,” he says, and “how to have it on the outside, so it does endure and it does last.”

To define your outdoor space and bring in plants and flowers, Fishburne recommends large “statement planters.” They come pre-planted with a mix of plants that look stylish and grow well together.

Most important: Go for a look you love, rather than one that’s perfectly coordinated.

“All the rules have kind of been broken,” said Fishburne.

“No one says you have to have a matching cocktail table in front of your chairs.”

garden ... is foliage’ Continued from 3

hostas are beautiful shade plants that thrive from Alaska way down to Texas,” Hancock said. “Variegated liriope has a wide planting range, and has deep green, grassy leaves edged in gold or silver.”

Heuchera, also known as coral bells, “is another perennial that, like coleus, offers tremendous versatility with leaves in a wide range of colors, and varieties that thrive in sun or shade,” Hancock said.

Fitzgerald recommends palm trees for southern zones 8-11. Gardeners in the Mid-Atlantic might consider cool-season grasses that bloom early, and warm-season ones that bloom at summer’s end.

For the Northeast, varieties of conifers provide

year-round greenery.

Hancock’s pick for a great North American native shrub is ninebark.

“It’s practically bulletproof, and offers colorful foliage,” he said. “Diabolo is an older variety that has deep purple leaves from spring to fall and grows big, making it a stunner.

Dart’s Gold is a smaller variety, with golden-chartreuse leaves.”

Red twig dogwood, elderberry and variegated Japanese white pine would also provide allseason interest, he notes.

“The key to a garden where flowers aren’t the focus is foliage,” Fitzgerald said. “There are lots of trees, shrubs and plants with stems, fruit and foliage of different sizes, shapes and textures. Just because there aren’t flowers doesn’t mean your garden can’t be colorful.”

homes.cjonline.com | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, May 6, 2017 | 9

Brooks: Mulch not always best choice Continued from 2

burr compost are longerlasting organic mulches that help unify the look of the landscape. Colored mulch is becoming popular, but remember, the plants are the stars of the garden so the mulch shouldn’t be distracting.

Inorganic mulches are another choice, including black plastic, rock, shredded rubber tires and landscape fabrics. Rock and shredded tires tend to get too hot in the summer and may damage roots and stems of plants. Tires also smell in the heat of the summer and leave black smudges on shoes

and hands when it’s hot.

Rock also needs landscape fabric under it to prevent weed growth. Landscape fabric requires some cover, such as a wood mulch, for it to look nice and last a reasonably long time.

Other considerations: n Drip irrigation and soaker hoses should be placed under the mulch.

It is the plant that needs watered, not the mulch. n Most mulches retard soil warming, so they shouldn’t be applied too early in the spring in vegetable and annual flower gardens because these plants need warm soil to germinate and grow. n Black plastic mulch

helps warm the soil in the spring, which is good, but may later bake the soil if other mulch isn’t timely placed over it. However, black plastic is a good choice under a garden path, because weeds won’t grow under it.

Mulch isn’t always the best choice for gardeners.

Mulch prevents self-seeding plants from seeding next year’s crop, because the seeds don’t contact the soil. Ground covers such as sedum, vinca, ajuga or ivy will accomplish many of the same advantages as mulch.

So there you have it — to mulch or not to mulch — you decide.

Service Directory

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