At Home Living 061116

Home improvement

Saturday, June 11, 2016 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

Stained, sealed and delivered, page 6 n Jamie Kidd on Bermuda grass in Kansas, page 2 n Repurposed jars can give off vintage vibe, page 4 n Raised ceilings can change room’s feel, page 5

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Bermuda grass viable in cold despite tropical name If Bermuda grass doesn’t sound tropical I don’t know what does. And, if it is tropical, what is it doing growing in Kansas? Good question. Basically the answer is, because it can.

North eastern Kansas is in the unique position of the transition between northern and southern zones (5 and 7). So what does that mean? This is another good question.

The United States and Canada are divided into zones designated as plant hardiness zones. This means that someone somewhere has determined the average low temperature in areas across these nations and has charted them on a Hardiness Zone map.

There are 10 basic zones with the coldest in Canada designated as Zone 1 and

Jamie Kidd Jamie KiDD

jamiehan@ksu.edu jamiehan@ksu.edu

the warmest in southern Florida as Zone 10. Plants that will survive the average cold temperatures in a zone without extra protection are considered “hardy” to that zone. This is helpful information when purchasing plants. We want to be sure that the plant we select will survive in our area. Plant tags and catalogs will state what zone the plant is hardy to.

Turf is no exception to the hardiness zones.

Certain varieties of warm

season grasses such as Bermuda will grow and survive in north eastern Kansas very well. We more typically grow cool season grasses such as Bluegrass and fescues.

Cool season grasses green up early in the spring when temperatures are 55-65 degrees and usually remain green until soil temperatures exceed 77 degrees (currently 4 inches down we have soil temperatures of 70+ degrees).

They survive the heat by going dormant and revive again when temperatures cool in the fall. Warm season grasses, like Bermuda, are dormant in early spring and fall, but come alive in the heat of summer.

At first glance, this would seem like the ideal turf combination, unfor-

tunately, the texture and look of these grasses are so different they do not show well together. So here is where the choice is made. I have written about fescues and now I have a few things to say about Bermudas.

BERMUDA GRASS The varieties that Kansas State Research and Extension has found to be cold hardy in our zones (6a and 6b) are (seed types) Riviera and Yukon, and (from sprigs or sod) Midlawn, Midiron, and Patriot. “Bermuda is a durable, heat and drought resistant grass that requires less water than most other grasses,” according to Steve Keeley, K-State Assistant Professor in Turfgrass. It is comparable to buffalo grass in these characteristics but, requires more fertilizer and

mowing than buffalo grass.

Bermuda has a vigorous root system, tolerates a wide range of soil types, and is highly durable for wear. Because it is quick to repair itself it makes a great sports field grass.

Grow Bermuda grass in full sun or just a few hours of shade. It is not deep shade tolerant. It spreads by underground runners called rhizomes and above ground runners called stolons.

This makes it a good hot, south-facing slope stabilization turf. It is difficult to keep out of flower beds and gardens because of its aggressive growth habit.

Bermuda grass can be mowed anywhere from ½ inch to 2 inches in height depending on the maintenance level you wish to keep. When mowed twice

a week at 1 inch with a reel mower Bermuda grass forms a dense and even turf. Mowing at 2 inches results in less maintenance, requiring mowing only once every 10 days or so.

Higher turf does not need as much water and will have fewer weeds. Use a rotary mower when mowing higher than 1 inch.

Water Bermuda grass less often than fescues but, not on a calendar basis.

Monitor the turf and the soil. Water when it is hot and dry, watching for signs of wilting. The onset of wilting is accompanied by a change in turf color to a bluish-gray. Soak the turf to a depth of 6 to 8 inches.

Avoid light, frequent watering to prevent shallow

KIDD continues on 10C

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Repurposed canning jars create style with a vintage vibe

By Mary Beth Breckenridge Akron Beacon Journal

Canning jars aren’t just for canning anymore.

They’re for decorating, organizing, lighting, entertaining, saving your spare change — and oh, yeah, for holding food.

Grandma’s trusty canning jars are the new darlings of the do-it-yourself world. Search “Mason jar ideas” on Pinterest, and you’ll find enough projects to keep you occupied until canning jars go out of style.

The farmhouse look, with all its barn boards and chipped paint, has ushered quaint canning jars back

to popularity. Given that they’re cheap, sturdy and readily available in thrift stores or quite possibly your basement, they’re the perfect starting point for hacks that turn them into everything from soap dispensers to pendant light globes.

Jessica Piper thinks the jars’ newfound popularity is largely due to their association with happy memories.

“It’s part of our culture,” said Piper, who remembers her grandmother’s jars and how her godmother used to can foods. “When I see a jar, I think of family.”

Canning jars are how Piper makes a living as

consumer affairs analytics specialist for Jarden Home Brands, which makes jar brands including Ball and Kerr. But they’re also something of a passion for her.

She displays canning jars above her kitchen cabinet, keeps pens in them, drinks water from them and uses them to store toothbrushes, makeup brushes and just about anything else that will fit.

Painting jars and using them in centerpieces has been a big trend for a couple of years, said Shell Venus, owner of Funky Junk Boutique, a Seville, Ohio, shop that specializes in repurposed items. More recently,

she’s seeing canning jars used as globes in lighting fixtures.

She especially likes them for storing dry goods in the kitchen, a use that’s both practical (think insects) and decorative.

“Your pantry can look cute. It doesn’t have to be full of ripped bags,” she said with a laugh.

The jars’ decorative appeal prompted Jarden to produce limited-edition Ball jars in blue, green and purple, which were so popular that the company has since added blue jars in select sizes to its regular offerings, Piper said. It also makes half-gallon and

gallon-size clear jars with super-wide mouths, just for decorative storage.

But for some people, a jar is just a jumping-off point for creativity.

Canning jar hacks have been such a big trend, in fact, that companies are capitalizing by making accessories that give the jars new functions. Jarden, for example, recently introduced plastic shaker caps that make its 4-ounce jars great for storing dried herbs, Piper said.

The Mason Jars Co. makes flip caps with shaker adapters, pourable caps and even a cap with a built-in magnifying glass for converting a jar into a bug catcher.

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Flower frogs convert canning jars into flower pots or pencil jars.

At Home | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, June 11, 2016 | 5

Raising the ceiling can dramatically change a room’s look, feel

By Melissa Rayworth The Associated Press

Architects tend to look skyward: The ancient Greeks built coffered ceilings in their temples. Romans introduced the barrel vault. Medieval builders constructed Gothic arches and Renaissance domes to inspire the masses.

Centuries later, the impact is the same, says architect Kevin Lichten: “The ceiling of any room has the potential to be the most dramatic and mood-altering part.”

American builders in the

early and mid-20th century did embrace flat ceilings.

Frank Lloyd Wright would manipulate the impact of a flat ceiling by designing it lower near a room’s entrance.

“So when you came in the room and he popped it up, you felt that you’d arrived somewhere,” said Lichten, founder of the architecture and design firm Lichten Craig.

Trouble is, many other midcentury home-builders didn’t get Wright’s message. America’s suburbs are dotted with high ranches and split-level houses with

flat and noticeably low 8- or 9-foot ceilings.

Some homeowners are opting to change that, removing a low, flat ceiling and extending it all the way up to the roof. It’s a big project, but it can powerfully change the look and feel of a home.

Piggyback on other construction If you’re already doing heavy remodeling — perhaps removing walls to open up a kitchen and dining room — consider raising the ceiling in those rooms, suggests Chip Wade, contractor and host of HGTV’s

“Elbow Room” and “Curb Appeal: The Block.” The expense and challenge of redistributing the roof’s load can be shared by both projects.

If you’re not making any other changes, then raising a ceiling is an expensive choice, similar to putting an addition on your house, says Scott McGillivray of the DIY Network series “Income Property.”

Yet, it can be worth the investment.

“It changes the feel of the whole space,” McGillivray said, so there’s no harm in getting estimates and con-

sidering the project.

Last year, McGillivray was part of the team that renovated a small bungalow in North Carolina, turning it into HGTV’s “Urban Oasis” for 2015. The cramped little home with ceilings “barely 8 feet high” became an open, airy retreat because of a new cathedral ceiling.

Once the ceiling was lifted, “Bam! The place felt monstrous,” McGillivray said. “And you get a tremendous amount of light if you do some skylights, which is what we did.”

Every home’s different

Get estimates from engineers or architects who can think creatively about your particular home, says Wade.

“It needs to be someone who can see the engineering side first” and will consider more than one approach, Wade said.

Raising the ceiling of an older, pre-1950s home can be simpler than doing so on a newer home, says McGillivray, because older houses were often built with rafters rather than prefab trusses.

Exposing rafters doesn’t change the structure of the roof, so it’s a smaller job.

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Staining can help to preserve decks

By Dustin Lemmon

Special to The Capital-Journal

It’s easy to look at decks in your neighborhood and think there must be a secret to building and maintaining them. How do the neighbors manage to keep them looking so great?

Maybe they’ve hired professionals to do the job, but most professionals say there are some basic things you can do when building and maintaining a deck to keep it in great shape.

Deck maintenance For those who already own a deck, it’s usually easy to tell when it needs some attention.

“You will notice the wood splitting and cracking and starting to look weathered,” Jeremy Scott, owner of Elite Construction and Remodeling, 1315 S.W. Washburn

Ave., said.

Don’t assume it won’t get worse.

“There is a level of maintenance with anything,” Scott added.

Steve Turnbow, owner of Steve’s Deck Staining, 4312 S.E. Illinois Ave., stains more than 130 decks per year. He says staining is well worth the time and the investment, noting a new deck easily can cost more than $10,000.

“A lot of times people won’t do anything for 10 to 15 years, and then the deck is just rotted,” he noted.

“You can’t do anything with them.”

So what are some basics for preserving your deck?

First, stain and/or seal it often. When choosing stain or a sealant, look for features including ultraviolent light protection and weather

resistance.

“I personally think something with UV protection is the best,” Scott said, referring to stains that will be more resistant to the weathering effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Matt McPherson, owner of Renew Crew of Topeka/ Lawrence, said when staining a deck you get what you pay for.

“The biggest mistake homeowners make is looking for that magic stain that doesn’t exist,” he said, adding you should stay away from any stain that claims it will last 15 years.

Scott, Turnbow and McPherson agree homeowners should use penetrating deck stains versus paints, paint-like stains or film-forming products, which tend to peel badly and can be difficult to strip

off the deck.

“It’s the worst thing you can put on a deck,” Turnbow said.

“More and more we’re seeing decks that have filmforming product,” McPherson said, explaining the film forms on top of the wood.

“We do a lot of stripping.”

Turnbow prefers oil-based stains.

“The only thing I use is Cabot,” he said, referring to a popular stain manufacturer. “It wears better. It’s just a better product.”

McPherson said his company prefers faster-drying, water-based stains.

Beyond staining, you should keep the deck clean, Scott said. Make sure there is nothing on your deck that is holding water underneath it, such as a rug or mat. The water will deteriorate the wood at a faster rate.

METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

When building a deck, it is most important to make sure it is level and square, which means finding a level ground area or moving earth to make sure the base is level before starting construction.

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Well-dressed room reflects owner’s nature

By Mary Carol Garrity Tribune News Service

When I’m scrolling through Pinterest or a magazine, I love features that show you how to pull together a fabulous outfit. I think it’s in my DNA: My parents owned a clothing store in my hometown of Atchison. When I was little, mom and dad let me steam clothes and make the bows for gift-wrapped packages. When I was old enough, I got to hit the sales floor and start helping customers create outfits that looked sensational.

I loved every minute of it. And today I’m lucky to still be doing work I love, now helping friends and customers create a well-dressed home. Just as you need a few key pieces to make a great outfit, I’ve found there are five essential ingredients of a welldressed room: n Wall color that sets the mood.

Wall color sets the tone for your entire space, creating the ambiance. Right now, we are seeing a trend toward both light, bright wall colors and deep, rich shades. White and cream — timeless classics — are showing up big. We are also seeing customers gravitating toward subtle shades of their favorite colors, like pale blues.

On the other end of the spectrum, moody colors like moss green, dark teal and navy are also making a splash, as is statementmaking wallpaper.

When selecting a color scheme for your room, don’t forget your ceiling. One of my favorite looks right now is to paint the ceiling a clear, rich color, then leave the walls white or cream. You get a splash of saturated color, yet still have a neutral palette to play with. n Interesting light fixtures.

No longer are light fixtures just functional additions to a room. Today’s lamps and fixtures are so striking they can be the star of the show. No doubt, well-chosen lighting can completely change a room.

I love to cut corners when I can, saving precious dollars in my decorating budget for my splurge items, but light fixtures are just one of those places where you get what you pay for. When you invest in great lamps, chandeliers and pendants, it shows.

If your spaces have lackluster lighting, I would encourage you to begin upgrading and get the best lights your budget will allow. You’ll be happy in the end because the lighting will take your space to the next level. n A mix of fabrics.

Speaking of cheating, you can find decorating fabrics that allow you to get a big look for a minimal investment. If you are on a budget when decorating your spaces, this is where you can cut corners without sacrificing the look of your room.

One tip is to pick a modest fabric for your bedding, drapes or upholstered furniture, perhaps a solid or a subtle pattern, then give it a great story with an interesting trim or contrasting welt. Or, invest in one killer fabric and use it to make a pillow for your sofa or bed, then fill in with others that are made from less expensive fabrics.

When picking the fabrics for your home, try using a variety of patterns, colors and textures to make your rooms more interesting and unique. n Arresting artwork.

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make when they invest in decorating their homes is to fill a room with great furnishings, then leave the walls blank. As a result, the room falls flat with a big thud. Artwork is absolutely essential for a well-decorated room, so refuse to allow yourself to be paralyzed when picking and hanging art.

When I select art, I purchase pieces I love that speak to me and lift my heart, then find a way to work them into my decor. I would never pick a piece that I thought was just OK because it looked good over my sofa or mantel. Be confident, be choosy and get artwork that shares a glimpse of your personality, a window into your world.

n Something personal.

As much as we all love to look at dreamy decor in magazines and on Pinterest, no one should live in a room that looks like it’s been downloaded from a catalog. Every space in your home should reflect your unique personality, your well-lived life. Decorating accents are powerful tools to help tell your story.

I like to weave in treasures from my travels, snapshots of special moments and those I love, gifts from people who mean the world to me. Add a touch of whimsy when you can, like taking that odd clay sculpture your child or grandkid made in art class, putting it on a cake plate and topping it with a glass cloche to give it the stage it deserves. Every time you walk past it, I bet it will make you smile.

One final bit of advice: Don’t let your room remain static, once you have decorated it. I believe good design evolves, and rooms should change to reflect the seasons, your interests and life stages. And above all else, have fun.

This column was adapted from Mary Carol Garrity’s blog at www.nellhills.com. She can be reached at marycarol@nellhills.com.

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Service Directory

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Kidd: Weeds not an issue with grass Continued from 2C rooting.

Fertilizer should be applied May through August.

To avoid excessive growth apply only 1 pound of nitrogen fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn. A soil test (see www.shawnee.ksu.edu for contact information) will tell you what type and nutrients to apply.

Weeds are generally not a problem in Bermuda lawns, but weed invasions can happen in early spring and late fall. Bermuda is still dormant and unable to compete with the weeds.

Dandelion, chickweed, and henbit are the major weed issues. It is best to control these weeds in the fall when they are young.

They are also winter annuals and will die in the

summer with the heat.

Insect problems are generally not associated with Bermuda grass.

If our heat and humidity don’t make you feel tropical enough, plant a warm season grass and enjoy a cool drink with a tiny umbrella in it.

Jamie Kidd is a horticulturist with Kansas State Research and Extension in Shawnee County.

Dramatic sink colors trendy

By Ed Del Grande Tribune News Service

Q: We are remodeling our kitchen and our designer has suggested that we install a cast-iron kitchen sink with a very deep/dark color.

While I have been excited to see some color samples, I am a little cautious. Can you please give me some Ed info on installing kitchen sinks with very dark colors?

— Linda, Maine A: Bold colors for plumbing fixtures are beautiful and do make a very dramatic statement when used in a kitchen or bathroom. Many sample or staged design showrooms include these deep colors to draw attention to the area.

Hot dramatic colors for cast-iron fixtures right now include iron cobalt (deep blue), suede (dark brown)

and very rich black.

While visually these colors are striking, prices for designer fixtures may be higher. Also, some fixtures may have to be special ordered.

Finally, because of the deep finishes extra care and cleaning are usually required as well. The choice is up to you, but it never hurts to make a design splash in your kitchen sink.

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