At Home Living 022517

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Winter dreams, spring projects

Saturday, February 25, 2017 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

Water gardens, decks on the horizon?

page 6 n Jamie Kidd on springtime weed control, page 2 n Upgrade your dreary basement, page 5 n Get rid of those winter blues, page 7

home.cjonline.com metro creative connection

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Controlling weeds in the spring can be a challenge It’s February, the middle of winter. What’s up with the 75-degree days?

I was outside just like you were this past weekend enjoying myself in my yard.

My gardening gloves were quivering, and my green thumbs were all but sprouting. I wanted to prune everything in sight, but I resisted.

March typically has some seriously cold weather, and pruning shrubs and trees that are already showing signs of new buds could stimulate them to grow.

That new growth is tender and very susceptible to frost damage.

I’m waiting until later in March to do any big pruning. But what I am doing is preparing to control the spring weed population.

Yes, I have weeds, too.

Hope that makes you feel

JAMIE KIDD

jamiehan@ksu.edu

better.

Henbit, chickweed and dandelions — good ole dandelions — are intruding on our greening lawns. Here is some good information that will help all of us deal with these three stooges.

Timing is crucial

Henbit and chickweed are actually winter annuals.

They germinate in fall, lie quietly through the winter and rise up with a vengeance in the warming days of spring. We don’t notice

Tip of the week

Different applications Here are some unusual uses for everyday items: n Mustard or soy sauce packets. If you get extra mustard or soy sauce packets with a take-out meal, put them in the freezer. They make great mini ice packs for small boo-boos. n Fabric softener sheets. Use the sheets as odor guards. Put them inside shoes or under car seats. n Coffee grounds. Put grounds in an old margarine tub with holes poked in the lid. Place tub in refrigerator to absorb odors. n Pantyhose. Use the stockings to make gardenstake ties. n Shower caps. When you travel, use shower caps to protect your shoes or hold rolled-up ties, belts and scarves that you want to keep separate inside your suitcase.

Source: Heloise via goodhousekeeping.com

UPCOMING EVENTS

n The Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners will present “Trees” at 7 p.m. March 2 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 S.W. 10th Ave. Learn when to plant, what to plant, where to plant and how to plant and care for your new tree until it gets established. n Mason Bee Habitat Workshop, which focuses on building for the pollinators, will be presented from 1:30 to 3 p.m. March 8 at the Extension Office. Register and pay $10 materials fee by March 3. Call (785) 232-0062. n Pressed Flowers Workshop will be presented by Anita Dreiling from 1:30 to 3 p.m. March 22 at the Extension Office. Register and $10 materials fee by March 17. Call (785) 232-0062. n The Master Gardener Plant Sale will be from 9 a.m. to noon May 6 in the Shawnee County Extension Office parking lot, 1740 S.W. Western Ave. Annuals, perennials, vegetables, gently used gardening tools, plants to attract pollinators and monarchs, and beautiful hanging baskets and patio pots for Mother’s Day will be sold. them in fall, because they are small and we’re pretty much done working in our yards for the year. I think they know this, and that’s why they sneak in. Just my opinion.

The good thing is winter annuals die with the heat of the summer. The bad thing is they leave seeds behind.

While we get excited in spring about killing these invaders, it’s not the most effective time to do so. I

know, disappointing. Let me explain.

Winter annuals germinate in fall and spend their energy pushing food down to their roots to over-winter and have a good reserve for spring growth. In spring, they are busy pushing the food reserves up, creating larger more noticeable leaves and flowers. Many post-emergent weed killers work on the premise of entering through the leaves

and being pushed down to the roots. Can you see then why fall is a better time to control these weeds? Postemergent products will still offer control just not as much as they would in fall.

The second-best time to control dandelions is in the spring, but it doesn’t last long. The time arrives during or just after the first flush of cheerful yellow flowers. Products that contain 2,4-D are the most

effective chemicals at this time.

If you only have a few dandelions, you can choose to spot treat them or dig them out. But be sure to get the whole plant — root and all — or it will come back.

Spraying at other times during the year can help control dandelions, but it’s a little less effective than fall and spring.

So, mark your calendars now. If you have problems with henbit, chickweed and dandelions, apply a weedand-feed product to your lawn in November. Temperatures must be at least 55 degrees, and the grass needs to be wet enough that the granular herbicide will stick to the foliage. This can be after a rain or irrigation, or while dew is still on the KIDD continues on 9

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Cabinets not just for storage DIY crafters can style them with interesting displays

By Mary Carol Garrity Tribune News Service

Dan once joked to an acquaintance that on my days off I could spend the whole day puttering around my house, tweaking each display, “rotating everything a quarter of an inch” until it was just so. I would have given him a nudge in the gut for that, if it wasn’t a tiny bit true.

I do love crafting intriguing displays that help tell the story of our home and our lives, especially in a large cabinet like a bookcase or hutch. These bold, beautiful pieces of furniture are a statement all by themselves, but when you fill them with head-turn-

ing displays, they make the room.

Not sure how to style your cabinets? Here are a few tricks we use.

■■Mix up the content. If you have a hutch in your dining room, style it with some beautiful serving pieces, dishes and glasses.

Similarly, a bookcase in your library should include volumes of books. But don’t stop there. Stretch beyond the practical and include a few unexpected pieces, because this piece of furniture shouldn’t just work hard, it should provide some eye candy, too.

■■Tuck in artwork. Intriguing cabinet displays are kind of like a one-act play. You’re telling a story

using a few carefully chosen props. So start your drama by creating a backdrop. A piece of artwork is a perfect pick. Prop up a framed print or plate in an easel.

■■Spotlight your treasures. They may be photos of your family, mementos from your travels, pieces of a collection or family heirlooms.

■■Include a variety of shapes, sizes and finishes.

When I style my cabinets at home, I do it step by step over several days. I start by gathering the pieces I think I want displayed together and experiment until they are grouped in ways that please me.

Then, over the next few

days, I go back and tweak them, sometimes replacing items, sometimes adding, sometimes subtracting.

■■Add some light. If the cabinets are so dark you can’t see a thing, it doesn’t matter how beautiful your displays are. So if the shelves cast shadows, consider adding some lights. My friend Cynthia propped a small lamp in her dark wood bookcase to add illumination. As tacky as it sounds, you can also bring in light using adhesive-backed battery operated lights. You can also brighten the shelves by painting the back, or sides, tops and bottoms of the bookcase a light color, like cream or soft gray.

TRIUNE NEWS SERVICE

In addition to beautifully displaying towels, bath salts and soaps, this cabinet also includes displays of shells.

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Insulating older home may pose problems Install barriers to prevent foam from igniting, letting off poisonous fumes in home

By C. Dwight Barnett Tribune News Service

Q: Just bought a 1910 house in Queen Anne (style). I thought I would start insulating the basement, because I can feel jets of cool air coming in at certain points when walking around down there. I also need to install a dryer vent, so I removed a section of the interior lath and plaster to expose the stud bays. There was no sheathing, just what appears to be tar paper behind the clap boards.

So now my question is, how to insulate? I am concerned about a vapor re-

tarder and trapping water in the wall that will lead to mold. I thought about doing rigid foam insulation surrounded by spray foam.

But I hear that will leak over time when the house contracts and expands.

Considered batts, but how does that seal air leaks?

A: The tarpaper on older homes is an excellent air and moisture barrier, much like the house wraps used today. Insulating older homes presents several problems for the average homeowner. For instance, using a rigid foam insulation provides resistance to thermal transfer, but the foam

board can’t be left uncovered.

An ignition barrier needs to be installed over exposed foam boards to protect the foam from igniting, which could give off poisonous fumes.

Spray foam also needs to be covered when exposed to areas of the home where there are lights, electrical connections, heating systems, water heaters, dryers, etc. — anything that can generate a flame or a spark. Kraft-faced fiberglass insulation requires an ignition barrier, because the infused Kraft paper is flammable.

The stud cavity in older

homes can be filled with loose-fill cellulose insulation or low-expanding spray foam. Blown-in cellulose insulation has been extensively used, but the insulation may settle over time, leaving underinsulated cavities inside the walls. Spray foam will provide a better thermal barrier with fewer, if any, voids inside the walls.

The contractor will drill holes on the inside of the home or on the exterior, depending on the damage that may be done to the exterior wall covering. Foam insulation is injected into each wall cavity, and then the holes

are filled.

On the interior, the holes can be sanded and painted to blend in with the decor. On the exterior, some holes are filled with plastic or wood fillers, and some are capped with air vents to allow the wall cavity to vent moisture.

With cellulose or expanding foam, there won’t be a vapor barrier.

Ask your paint dealer about certain paints that can provide a vapor barrier to prevent moisture migration from the warm side of the wall to the wall cavity.

Another project to help stop airflow and loss of

heat would be to insulate the gaps and voids around windows and doors.

Depending on the style of windows, the trim around the window is removed, the gaps are filled with low-expanding foam, and the trim is reinstalled.

Older windows that use sash cords with counter weights can’t be insulated in this way.

This is a brief description of methods of insulation for an older home, but your insulation contractor should be able to advise you on the need for a vapor barrier, depending on your climate zone.

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Update a dull basement with warmth mediate area. Around the TV, use dimmable lighting.

Have a cozy reading nook?

Put a lamp nearby.

Consider a strand of bare-bulb lights or holiday twinkle lights for extra sparkle.

By Staci Giordullo Angie’s List

In some homes, basements are light and airy with adequate windows and space to help you forget you’re in a subterranean room. Others might need some help. If your basement feels musty and dank, check out these ideas on how to breathe some new life into the space.

Create open space

It’s all about the lighting

Make sure windows are sparkling clean and unobstructed from the exterior to let natural light in, and approach basement lighting as you would any room — just remember you’ll likely need more.

DOVER HOME REMODELERS

The right use of light, furniture, flooring and color can transform your basement.

Recessed and undercabinet lights work well in areas where you might have food and drinks, such

as a wet bar or kitchenette.

A pendant light or chandelier above a table is ideal for spotlighting the im-

Open-concept is all the rage when it comes to primary living, dining and cooking areas. Extend the same idea to the basement to provide a sense of spaciousness.

Start with the stairs.

Remove a wall (if structurally possible) to open up at least one side of the staircase and offer a view into the room. Get creative with the beams and support systems to maintain an airy feel. If you need to

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hide pipes, beams or wires, build a half wall or box to conceal the less-slightly components.

Purposeful decor

Use decor to achieve a warm, yet open and airy feeling. Strategically placed mirrors make the space seem larger, and bounce around the beams from your new lighting scheme, shining light into previously dark corners.

Dress basement windows with normal treatments, which helps the room feel finished. If your basement is cooler, use a ventless fireplace for warmth. These units are typically freestanding, and don’t require a chimney or flue.

Eliminate any remain-

ing “dungeon-like” vibes by bringing in some live plants. Some plants do well in low-light scenarios, and nothing says “fresh” like a touch of flora. Moldings, such as baseboards and chair rails, also can play a big part in defining a space.

Select trim that’s appropriately sized to make the room seem bigger.

Embrace color

Lighter paint colors will make the room appear larger, and there’s no need to make everything in the room beige.

Use your neutralcolored walls to feature brightly colored artwork that’s spotlighted with accent lighting. Select furUPDATE continues on 7

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Home improvement

Inspiration springs as temps rise Be sure of what you want to do before starting on home, garden project

By Dustin Lemmon

Special to The Capital-Journal

Winter can feel long and dull, especially when you’re daydreaming about spring and all of the projects you want to start outside.

Sometimes, though, it’s thinking about those projects — maybe a new deck or patio — that gets you through the coldest and dreariest winter days.

That’s when talking to a construction company or landscaper can help.

They help bring those daydreams to life when the temperatures rise and the colder weather eases.

When designing a landscape or flower garden, keep in mind how much time you want to spend tending flowers, shrubs and other features.

Decks and patios

At Winston Brown Construction, 5600 S.W. 29th St., they try to help people turn their winter daydreams into reality.

Owner Jake Brown said he and his employees listen to what customers have in mind and then put together a design, be it a patio or deck, complete with drawings of how it will fit together with the rest of their home.

Customers can expect to be asked several questions to make sure they end up with the design that works best for them.

“How much do they plan on using it?” he said.

“Is it open to weather or closed? Do they want a fire pit, heaters, an outdoor kitchen?”

When it comes to patios, Brown wants to know if you’d like to have the concrete stained or stamped with a pattern.

photographs from metro creative connection

Wooden decks can add value and interest to a home. However, they require routine maintenance, such as sanding and finishing every three to four years.

Another question: “How much are you willing to spend?”

“We can design the simplest all the way up to the more elaborate,” he said.

More elaborate being in the range of $25,000 to $60,000, depending on size and other factors.

A wooden deck is still the cheapest way to go, but that will require more routine maintenance — sanding and finishing every three to

four years. Composite decks are another option, which aren’t that much more expensive, Brown said.

Other factors that will raise the price include if you decide to enclose the deck or patio or make it into a sunroom or large outdoor kitchen.

As for how much time to allow for construction, a deck should take from seven to 15 days and a patio from nine to 20 days, he said.

Landscaping

If you’ve been dreaming of a big garden, or just want to hide your home’s foundation with something decorative, you may be thinking about hiring a landscaper. However, now may not be the best time to do it.

“The biggest problem we run into is everybody wants to wait and call in March,” said Rob Nordyke, owner of Wildcat Landscape, 591 Mariner

St. in Silver Lake.

Nordyke recommends calling landscapers in the O c tober-to -D e cember timeframe if you want to plan a project that will start in the spring.

With landscaping, he recommends options that require little maintenance. This means limiting the number of annual flower beds. Instead, look for perennials, including tall grasses, roses and azaleas.

“You can leave them alone, and they’ll do fine,” he noted.

While you may want landscaping that is more elaborate and think you have the time and energy to weed your new garden, don’t underestimate how much effort it may take.

“If you have to spend a lot of time out there, it’s just not as fun,” he said.

Water gardens

Another landscaping option you may want to consider is a water gar-

den or water feature, Nordyke said.

“Water gardens have a bad reputation, because people think they’re high-maintenance, which is not true,” he said.

Once you have your water garden built and running, it really won’t take any more work than any other garden bed, maybe even less, Nordyke said.

If you have problems with algae, you can use hydrogen peroxide to get rid of it. However, if you have fish in your water garden, you should take care with the dosage used.

Water features also can be a good option if you have a small space to fill with something that looks more attractive than cement or gravel.

“In areas that separate a garage and a sidewalk, you can put a bubbling fountain,” Nordyke said.

“It looks good, and it’s zero-maintenance.”

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interior design

Melt your winter blues away

By Melissa Rayworth The Associated Press

During these chilly and gray days of mid-winter, many of us look to our homes as sanctuaries. The standard advice for cheering up your living space is to add a few splashes of bright, happy color, says designer Maxwell Ryan.

But while that may seem like an easy solution, he says, it’s actually not very effective. To create a home that really helps battle the mid-winter blues, you need more than just a pop of color.

The Associated Press asked Ryan, founder of the home decor website apartmenttherapy.com, and two other interior designers — Florida-based Laura Burleson and New York-based Jenny Kirschner — for advice on small decor changes that can lift spirits and brighten up a home.

Bring nature in

In February, many people are craving time outdoors and missing the natural energy of growing plants and flowers. “We’ve watched our plants die out-

side or the leaves fall from the trees,” and we’re due for an infusion of healthy, growing life, Ryan says.

So add a few new plants to your home — perhaps succulents arranged in a kitchen window, or flowering branches in a large vase. Or plant flowering bulbs indoors in a large, deep bowl (try paperwhites or amaryllis) and enjoy tending them as they begin to bloom.

“Even if you just go to the corner store and bring in cut flowers,” Ryan says, you’ll be adding a bit of nature’s energy to your home.

Shimmer and glow

Add “a little glimmer of light” to your living space, Burleson says, by adding shiny elements like metals, cut glass and lucite. These help natural light bounce around a room even when days are short. The goal is to make the most of what light there is. In a home in Colorado, she recently swapped out old kitchen hardware for shimmering clear agate knobs, and included metallic elements in a mix of finishes.

Burleson also suggests

Florida-based interior designer Laura Burleson uses gold-tone metal hardware, accessories and lighting to bring a warm glow to a home office.

adding metals in warm colors that “hint of spring,” such as a copper, brass and rose gold.

All three designers suggest improving the happy glow of your home by swapping out any light bulbs that offer cold or harsh light. Kirschner says hardware store employees can help you find the most appealing “daylight bulbs” to bring a sense of sunshine in during gray winter days.

Or consider swapping out old lampshades or adding a new lamp. “Spread your light around down at the level you live at,” Ryan says, so that it’s “closer to you, closer to your face.

You’ll look better and feel better.”

Designers recommend having at least three points of light in any room. Once you have plenty of light sources, make sure you use them by adding dimmers to control the light, and upgrading so that several lights can be turned on from a single knob or switch. Ryan has begun using Hue bulbs, which can be controlled by smartphone and adjusted for brightness and color.

Update: Let floor flourish Continued from 5

niture pieces that pop — maybe a turquoise couch or hot pink bar stools. Add a complementary colored rug or plush throw pillows for a cohesive look.

Look for a finish, perhaps in a bookshelf or coffee table, that’s luminous and reflects light without being too glittery — unless that’s your thing, then go for it.

Let floors and ceilings flourish

PHOTOGRAPHS BY Alyssa Rosenheck/Alyssa Rosenheck Photography via AP

Florida-based interior designer Laura Burleson decorates a home office with uplifting words printed in a subtle shade of gold and elegantly framed in pale gold metal.

You want to reflect light and brighten the space. To accomplish that, choose a polished hardwood, tile or shined concrete that’s sophisticated and somewhat reflective.

Carpet is the typical goto for a chilly basement, but if your wallet allows and you want to rip out old flooring, consider radiant heat under the new floor.

Paint or stain can go a long way with both the floor and ceiling. Paint bare, exposed rafters for a dramatic effect. Or use a stencil to create a unique pattern and give floors some flair.

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Ask questions before hiring housecleaners

By Brittany Paris Angie’s List

Theft. Inadequate cleaning. Unreliable maids. Any one of these could happen if you don’t do your homework before hiring a housekeeping service.

“Homeowners are looking for someone to count on,” said Betty Nicholson, owner of Mothers Cleaning Co-Op in Citrus Heights, Calif. “Integrity is key — a person who gives their all, every time.”

Keys to success

Nicholson says the cleaning services industry typically employs unskilled and underpaid workers. She took a new approach by creating a profit-sharing cooperative that includes 60 moms.

eldon lindsay

Do a little extra research before hiring a homecleaning company. Ask if the company has insurance and is bonded and request background checks on its employees.

The women work part time and earn $25 an hour, affording them extra income and an investment in a local enterprise.

“Our moms care for clients’ properties the same way we’d care for our own,” Nicholson said.

Angie’s List member

Teri McKown, of Sacramento, Calif., says she suffers from health issues and hired Mothers Cleaning so she’d have one less thing to worry about.

“I feel totally comfortable that my house is in good hands,” McKown said. “I can leave and know they’ve done what they said they’d do. Other services I’ve tried seemed to use cheap labor and most of (them) had difficulty with English, so this made it hard to communicate.”

Many owners of highly rated housecleaning services say they treat their employees like family, which makes all the difference to clients.

Mandy Jordan, owner of Sparklean in Monument, Colo., says watching her business grow feels like

raising a child.

“I’m very involved,” she said. “I pay my girls good and treat them like gold.

Those are all keys to success.”

Remember the old adage, “You get what you pay for”? If you choose a cleaning service because it offers the lowest price, you could get sub-par work or a company that doesn’t fully screen its employees.

Insurance and bond

Meant to protect the homeowner if something goes wrong, insurance covers damages by the cleaner, and a bond covers employee criminal conduct.

Always ask for proof of liability insurance and verify the company is bonded.

You also can ask for their

policy numbers and call the insurance company to confirm the policy is current.

For companies with more than one employee, make sure they also have workers’ compensation insurance to cover any potential injuries on the job.

Background checks

Randy Neese, owner of All About Clean in Nashville, Tenn., says he runs background checks on all workers and performs multiple interviews.

“We can teach people to clean well, but a person’s morals are deeply rooted,” he said. “Insurance and bonding are great, but the most important part is to hire (people) with high integrity.”

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Kidd: Mowing, fertilizing key Continued from 2

grass in early morning.

Application tips

Steve Keeley, Kansas State University turf specialist, says more effective control of dandelions and winter annuals can happen by applying a liquid broadleaf herbicide sprayed under these conditions: ■■The weeds are actively growing.

■■Soil moisture is plentiful, never droughty.

■■Air temperatures are between 50 degrees and 75 degrees, never above 80 degrees. New dandelions sprout in late September, so try to wait until October if

you’re just spraying for dandelions. November is better if you are spraying for both dandelions and winter annual weeds.

■■Wind speeds are below 5 mph.

■■The lawn won’t receive moisture through rain or irrigation for at least 24 hours.

■■The lawn won’t be mowed for several days before or after the application.

Also, read labels. Applying the wrong product for your turf type can cause damage.

The liquid broadleaf herbicide to use in both spring and fall contains 2,4-D, MCPP, Dicamba or

some combination of these three, according to Keeley.

Products that contain all three are Ortho WeedB-Gon Weed Killer; Ace Lawn Weed Killer; Acme Trimec Lawn Weed Killer; Fertilome Weed Out Lawn Weed Killer; Super K-Gro Broadleaf Weed Killer; Fertilome Weed Free Zone; and Trimec.

Complete control with chemicals in the spring is unlikely. It’s best to make your lawn as healthful as possible by mowing regularly, fertilizing at the right times (May, September and November for fescue), aerating once a year (more often in compacted areas) and watering appropriately.

Service Directory

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