NEIGHBORHOOD SHOWCASE
College Hill Home Tour
Saturday, October 1, 2016 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal
Four homeowners reveal striking renovations, page 6
n Jamie Kidd on moving houseplants inside, page 2 n Decorating: What’s in, what’s out, page 3 n What causes humps in floors? page 4 n Hacks to organize a workspace, page 5
homes.cjonline.com JAKE GATCHELL/special to THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL
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Reduce stress on plants moving indoors for winter Labor Day has come and gone. Kids are back in school, and the weather is beginning to cool. I’m not sure I’m ready for fall. I love the fall colors and crisp mornings, and I look forward to apple cider and pumpkins. But I could use a few more weeks of summer — wishful thinking. I need to consider the houseplants, though. They have been on vacation all summer outside. It’s time to prepare them to move indoors again. Many of you place some, if not all, of your houseplants outside in the summer to give them a growth burst or to enhance outdoor living spaces. While outside, the plants acclimate to greater light intensity and higher humidity and temperatures. They most likely have experienced temperature fluctuations of 20 to 30 degrees in a day. Watering frequency and fertilization
Jamie KiDD
jamiehan@ksu.edu
have increased. Plants have grown in size and vigor. Bringing houseplants inside will change their environment. They’ll experience much less light, and humidity and temperature fluctuations will be 10 degrees or less from day to night. Watering and food requirements drop off. Basically, we’re asking them to stop growing. They’ve been moving at break-neck speed, and we’re putting a brick wall in front of them. Is it any wonder they experience stress and leaf drop when moved indoors?
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
n The Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners will demonstrate how to make and use compost at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 8 at the Master Gardener vegetable demonstration garden in front of the train engine on the southeast corner of the Kansas Expocentre grounds. Free. n Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners will present “Bulb Planting for Spring,” a program about what bulbs to select and how to plant them for a spring show of color, at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 S.W. 10th Ave. Free. There are several things that can help mitigate the stress on transitioning plants. n First, move the plants to a shadier outdoor location for a couple of weeks. This will allow you to slow the watering and fertilizing, as well as get them used to lower light levels. Watch the temperature. Forty degrees is critical, and some tropical plants won’t tolerate night-time temperatures below 50 degrees. n Next, clean your windows inside and out. This will let more sunlight in. Your house-
plants may still experience some yellowing or leaf drop from low light levels. Adding a fluorescent light over the plants will help. n Inspect the leaves, stems and soil for pests and other insects. Soaking the pot up to the rim in a tub of lukewarm water for about 15 minutes will force ants, sow bugs, millipedes, ground beetles and the like to the surface. Insects living in the soil will drown or float so you can remove them.
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Are your home decorating ideas trendy or not? By Amanda Bell Angie’s List
From wall colors to accessories, what design trends dominate decorating, and which decorating ideas are passing fads? Interior designers Jeanette Turk, of Decorating Den Interiors in Baton Rouge, La., and Marisa Moore, owner of Interior Style in Chantilly, Va., weigh in on what’s in — and what’s out — in the world of home decor. n White and gray walls: trendy. Gray and white walls remain the go-to neutral wall colors over beiges and tans, Turk says. “Everything is light, airy and bright,” she said. “If you’re seeing dark colors, they’re navy blue on accent walls or in pops on textiles.” n Formal living rooms: not trendy. More homeowners are opting
to replace formal sitting areas with multi-purpose rooms or home office spaces, according to Turk and Moore. “As more people work from home, they’re willing to spend more money on a dedicated home office rather than just a small chair and lap desk,” Turk said. n Brushed nickel fixtures: not trendy. While chrome finishes remain popular for bathroom fixtures, elsewhere around the house and in home accessories gold reigns the world of metallic finishes, along with brass, ahead of brushed nickel and oil-rubbed bronze, Turk said. “Gold is the metal of the year in everything from drawer hardware to light fixtures and other accent pieces,” she said. n Natural elements: trendy. Fresh and simple remain the ideal aesthetic as mid-century
chelsea strain
Painting walls gray and white open up various options for accent colors throughout the home. modern and transitional decorating ideas continue to gain popularity, Moore said. Get the look by combining materi-
als like furniture in gray- and white-washed or natural wood tones and textiles in linen and burlap fabrics.
n Granite: not trendy. This year, quartz and marble surpassed the mighty granite in trendiness in the realm of countertop materials. “With their subtle patterns, white carrara in the bathroom and marble in the kitchen offer a much sleeker look than granite,” Turk said. n Patterned wallpaper: trendy. Your grandmother’s wallpaper with a duck border? Definitely not on trend. Instead, think natural elements like grass cloths and subtle geometric prints and variations of color, Moore said. Make a statement by applying a pattern to a feature wall, or go for a cozy effect and wallpaper an entire room. Amanda Bell is a reporter for Angie’s List, a provider of local consumer reviews and an online marketplace of services from toprated providers. Visit AngiesList.com.
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Sagging joist may cause humps in floor Heavy kitchen appliances can contribute to problem, too By C. Dwight Barnett Tribune News Service
Q: We lived in our home for 22 years and recently noticed a hump in a floor between the kitchen and the living room. The home has a basement where we can see the floors, and I cannot see anything like a hump. We never noticed this until the carpet was removed and a new wood floor
installed. Do you think this was always there and unnoticed? A: A hump may appear during construction, or it could take several years to develop. Without knowing the layout of your home, I’ll tell you what I have seen in a standard ranch-style home with a kitchen at the rear corner of the home and a living or family room at the front corner of the home.
There is usually a hall from the kitchen/living room areas that leads to the bathroom and bedrooms. In the basement, there will be a beam made of steel or wood that extends from the kitchen end of the home to the bedroom end of the home. There are also floor joists that extend from the front of the home to the back of the home and overlap one another at the beam.
When a floor joist or joists are too long and extend past the center beam, they can cause a hump in the floor. A wood floor joist will deflect or sag near the center of the joist under the weight of the flooring and furniture. When a joist sags, the end that is past the center beam will be pushed up in an action similar to a teeter-totter. It’s the end of the joist
being pushed up that causes the hump. The kitchen has heavy cabinets and appliances in addition to the kitchen furniture. The concentrated weight in the kitchen pushing down on the floor joists that are too long often leads to a humped floor in the room next to the kitchen. A floor joist should overlap the joist next to it by only 3 to 4 inches. The hump may be noticeable, but unless it’s causing cracks to the
room’s walls and/or ceilings it’s not a major problem. You can have the joist or joists cut off where they extend too far past the beam. Don’t expect immediate results although the defect may disappear over time. C. Dwight Barnett is a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors. Write to him with home improvement questions at C. Dwight Barnett, Evansville Courier & Press, P.O. Box 268, Evansville, Ind. 47702 or e-mail him at d.Barnett@insightbb.com.
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Follow these simple hacks to Kidd: Inspect houseplants for pests, keep your workspace tidier repot if roots have become crowded Toss out unnecessary receipts; sort bills by month By Sophie Miura One of the things that cause Ask me to locate an chaos is that people don’t electronic bill and a quick Command + F will retrieve know what they need, so they my archive in an instant. Ask me to find hard-copy save everything.” medical records or reDomaine
ceipts, and that’s a completely different story. If, like me, you’ve mastered a digital filing system but don’t quite know how to organize life’s administrative paperwork, it’s time to declutter your desk. The digital age might have replaced mounting paper bills with a bursting inbox, but according to Martha Stewart, a filing system is crucial for important documents — something many millennials overlook. Guilty? Here are some simple hacks tidy people swear by for an organized workspace. n Centralize paperwork: Leaving items scattered around the house or creating multiple filing spots is an easy way to lose track of paperwork. Choose one place to store all important documents, ideally near
‘‘
Julie Morgenstern
author of “Organizing From the Inside Out” a computer so you can cross-reference soft and hard copies. n Reduce receipts: Holding on to important receipts and warranty information might seem like a safe bet, but it can quickly spiral out of control. “One of the things that causes chaos is that people don’t know what they need, so they save everything,” said Julie Morgenstern, author of “Organizing From the Inside Out.” Morgenstern suggests making an automatic toss list for unnecessary receipts and storing the rest in an accordion file by month. Review this at tax time, and toss any papers that aren’t relevant. n Create a mail sorting area: To prevent paper-
work from piling up, add a wastepaper bin to your entryway so you’re forced to keep or toss mail straight away. n Sort bills by month, not type: Professional organizer Barry Izsak says it’s a mistake to file bills based on type. Instead, he recommends organizing paperwork by month or scanning the copy to add it to your digital system before recycling the original. n Use a safe-deposit box: Some important documents should be stored away from the rest of your filing in a safe-deposit box. This includes birth certificates, medical records and legal documents. Make sure you keep these together and retain copies for quick reference.
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Allow the pot to drain thoroughly. n Inspect the foliage for aphids, spider mites, scales and slugs. Using your hose with the nozzle set on shower, wash the leaves carefully with water and/or use insecticidal soap, which is a mild soap with insecticidal properties that will leave a slight residue to protect the plant. n Some plants will have outgrown their pots over the summer. Check for crowded roots by supporting the plant with one hand on the surface of the soil. Turn the pot over and tap it once or twice to remove the pot. If there ap-
pears to be very little soil and lots of roots, it’s time to repot. Choose a pot 1 to 2 inches larger than the one from which it came. Too large a pot can make it difficult for the plant to make the transition. n Cut away any dead or damaged leaves and stems. Avoid infecting healthy plants by disinfecting your tools with bleach and a clean water rinse. n Refrain from heavy pruning. It will encourage new growth, and now is the time for the plants to begin to rest. n Scrub the outside of the pots and check under the rim for insect nests. n Consider tossing diseased or unhealthy plants.
Disease can spread quickly to other indoor plants. n Overwatering is the fastest way to kill a houseplant. There are no breezy, sunny days inside to dry the soil quickly. Stick your finger in the soil to the first joint. If you feel moisture, don’t water. If it feels dry, water. It’s best to water thoroughly once in a while than to water shallowly and too frequently. n Place plants away from drafts and heater vents. These tips should help you have healthy, happy plants to enjoy all winter long. Jamie Kidd is a horticulturist with K-State Research and Extension in Shawnee County.
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College hill
An eclectic array of homes
photographs by jake gatchell/special to THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL
A few years ago, Tamara Goodson purchased and began renovating an English Tudor home at 1509 S.W. Jewell Ave. She now shares the home with her niece, Washburn University student Rachel Ecklund. “I wanted an old home with charm and character,” Goodson said.
Advance tickets on sale for Oct. 9 tour By Shanna Sloyer Special to The Capital-Journal
The College Hill neighborhood has been drawing families for more than 100 years, and Steven and Grace Greene were happy to join the ranks of those who have gone before them. Three years ago, the Greenes, who have three children, bought a Craftsman-style bungalow that was built in 1923 and made College Hill their home. Steven, who is director of young life at Washburn University, and his wife often host groups of students in their home and backyard. Along with programs from the university geared toward young families, the College Hill neighborhood sponsors an annual Fourth
The American foursquare-style home of Charles and Charlotte Bates, 1257 S.W. College Ave., will be open to visitors during the annual Historic College Hill Home Tour.
HISTORIC COLLEGE HILL HOME TOUR
Built-in wooden bookcases lend a period feel to the study in Goodson’s home. of July parade, movies at Boswell Park, a chili cookoff, a plant sale, frog races and a Super Bowl potluck, among other events. “It’s the community that’s really attractive for us, because everyone has
an interest in seeing the neighborhood thrive,” Steven said. Topekans will have the opportunity for a firsthand look at the Greene’s 1½-story bungalow and renovations happening at
What: A tour of four homes in the College Hill neighborhood: n A craftsman bungalow, 1426 S.W. Jewell Ave.. owners Steven and Grace Greene n An English tudor, 1509 S.W. Jewell Ave., owner Tamara Goodson n An American foursquare,1257 S.W. College Ave., owners Charles and Charlotte Bates n A Queen Anne, 1301 S.W. Mulvane St., owners Juan and Letty Perez When: 1 to 5 p.m., Oct. 9 Cost: $5 in advance or $6 at any of the tour homes on the day of the event. Tickets available in advance at Porterfield’s Flowers and Gifts, 3101 S.W. Huntoon; University Flowers, 1700 S.W. Washburn Ave., and Flowers by Bill, 1300 S.W. Boswell Ave. Other activities: Lunch at 11:30 a.m. in Boswell Square; Topeka High School Jazz Band at 12:30 p.m.; and Wall of Fame induction ceremony at 1 p.m. at Boswell Square three other College Hill homes from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 9 during the annual Historic College Hill Home Tour. Tickets are $5 in advance or $6 at any of the tour homes on the day of the event.
“I think it will give individuals a glimpse of what College Hill has to offer,” said Joyce Smith, a committee member for the home tour. “It showcases the neighborhood, and what you can do with an
older home. It’s a very diverse neighborhood, with so many styles of homes. It’s a great neighborhood for young families.” In addition to the home tour, two new honorees will be inducted Oct. 9
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Steven and Grace Greene bought a Craftsman-style bungalow at 1426 S.W. Jewell Ave. that was built in 1923 and made College Hill their home three years ago. The Greenes enjoy sitting on the front porch, which has decorative braces under the gables. The Queen Anne-style home of Juan and Letty Perez, 1301 S.W. Mulvane St., features a large, circular front porch with decorative railing. into the Wall of Fame in historic Boswell Square. This year’s recipients are Kelsey and Edna Petro, for whom the Petro Allied Health Center on the Washburn University campus is named. While the Petro home in College Hill won’t be open to the public, it will be marked on the tour map for visitors to see. A chili-dog lunch will be served, and the Topeka High School Jazz Band will play.
Colorful exterior
The Greenes’ bungalow, 1426 S.W. Jewell Ave., features offset, pitched roofs and an offset porch with square brick piers, wide hanging eaves and decorative braces under the gables. A picturesque white porch swing welcomes visitors and is in contrast with the peacock blue exterior and goldenrod hue of the front door. In keeping with the historic period of the house, the Greenes consulted a Sherwin-Williams paint expert to advise them on paint colors of the early 20th century.
“We enjoy sitting on the front porch and eating breakfast as a family,” Steven said. Once inside, the offset porch places the focus of the house on the dining and living rooms, which are where the Greenes spend the majority of their time. The interior boasts original, refinished hardwood floors, built-in shelving, crown molding and wainscoting in the dining room, as well as original leadedglass window panes and a fireplace with Craftsmanstyle mantle. The Greenes are the fifth owners of the home. While little information is known about the original occupants, they have a 1991 newspaper article that highlights the lives of the second owners, Bill and Hazel Kirby. A miniature chair that Bill Kirby made out of aluminum cans as a hobby has been passed from owner to owner over the years. “The reason we moved here is that we appreciate the rootedness of the people who live here,” Steven said. “This neighborhood has existed for over 100 years. Some people have
lived in the same neighborhood their entire lives.”
Tudor-style renovations
Neighbor Tamara Goodson is living in the second College Hill home she’s purchased. Goodson previously owned a bungalow that she and her father renovated. She was originally looking for a mid-century house when she fell in love with an English Tudor home at 1509 S.W. Jewell Ave. that she now shares with her niece, Washburn University student Rachel Ecklund. “I wanted an old home with charm and character — something I could redo and make my own,” she said. “Old homes tell a story.” Walter Davis, who lived in the house for a couple of years while he worked for Santa Fe Railway, built Goodson’s home in 1929. For the past four years, Goodson has been renovating and refurbishing the structure, starting with removing an overgrowth of English ivy from the exterior to preserve the tuck-pointing in the brick masonry of the house.
The interior of the Greenes’ home features built-in shelving and a fireplace with a Craftsman-style mantle. A traditional Tudor-style arched doorway greets visitors, along with a porch alcove where Goodson often finds neighborhood cats catching a nap. The interior features French doors and dark walnut woodwork, along with original hardwood floors. Goodson has spent countless hours scraping popcorn ceilings and removing layers of paintedover wallpaper. Her most extensive remodeling job to date has been the formal living room. “I had no vision at first of what I wanted in the living room,” Goodson said. “I was going for whimsy with lots of color.”
Enlisting the help of Chris Grandmontagne, of Grandmontagne Designs, the formal living room is painted in a deep rose hue and enlists bold colors and textures in its design. The original brick fireplace was lightened up with a fresh coat of creamcolored paint, and a blend of old and new furnishings give the room an eclectic feel. “I really like oneof-a-kind pieces,” said Goodson, who looks for furniture and pieces at consignment stores, estate sales and auctions. A modern glass coffee table is juxtaposed with an antique sofa and chairs,
A microwave oven and cookbooks find a place on the built-in shelving in the Greenes’ home. which, along with a chandelier and gold-gilded mirror, were consignment finds. Built in bookcases, casement windows and French doors lend a period feel to the study, where Goodson is in the process of repairing and repainting the crown molding. Both bathrooms in the home feature hexagon tile and new countertops, and the downstairs bathroom is outfitted with a vintage sink that was ordered from a salvage company in New York City.
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Repurpose spaces into home offices Array:
Four homes featured
Necessities include chair, storage, plenty of light By Cathy Hobbs Tribune News Service
For many homeowners, it’s not unusual for spare bedrooms to be used as home offices. In fact, with so many working from home and the influx of virtual meetings and telecommuting, home offices are no longer considered to be an extravagance, but a necessity. What if you don’t have a spare room or large extra space in your home? These days, home offices can range from a simple chair and desk to space to truly spread out. Small home office solutions can include: n A long wall in a bedroom, spare room or even along a hallway. n A kitchen niche.
n Under a stairwell. n A closet. n Small alcove. When it comes to outfitting your small home office, function and efficiency are key. Instead of crowding your small home office with unnecessary extras, be sure to focus on the necessities. When creating an efficient, small home office, here are some necessities to include: n Workspace. This can just be a small table or desk. n Comfortable chair. If you are especially tight on space, consider a foldable chair option that can easily be stowed away. n Storage. Keeping items hidden can go a long way to create a clean, streamlined look. File
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tribune news service
Pops of red add a touch of color and elegance to this home office. A small space in a home can transition into a home office with little effort. cabinets, drawers, top cabinets and even stackable boxes and bins are good solutions. n No paper. Instead of having your workspace crowded with papers, go-
ing paperless will help to keep your workspace clutter-free. n Lots of light. Lighting can help make your small workspace feel larger and brighter.
Cathy Hobbs, based in New York City, is an Emmy Award-winning television host and a nationally known interior design and home staging expert with offices in New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C.
“When I restore a home, I want it to be period to the house,” Goodson said. “A lot of people who buy in College Hill are dedicated to restoration. Several homes in the area are under renovation.” Also featured on the College Hill tour are an American foursquarestyle home at 1257 S.W. College Ave. that is owned by Charles and Charlotte Bates and a Queen Annestyle home at 1301 S.W. Mulvane St., owned by Juan and Letty Perez. Shanna Sloyer is a freelance writer from Topeka. You can reach her at ssloyer@yahoo.com.
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Tip of the week: A perfectly packed cooler
Bad cooler etiquette can crash a tailgate or end-of-fall party. Here are a few tips on how to pack a cooler and avoid soggy chaos. n Get the right cooler. Make sure it has a handle that secures the lid, a latch or a zipper. The last thing you want is your cooler tipping and everything spilling out. An 28-quart cooler packs enough food and beverages for four people, and it can double as an extra seat. n Start with the beverages. Beverages at the bottom of your cooler will stay colder for longer, and won’t smash your food items. Try to refrigerate or buy beverages that are already cold. n Add ice. Ice down beverages before stacking food on top. If you’re working with warm drinks, add a little water and a dash of rock salt to chill beverages quickly. n Use watertight containers. Glass storage containers with tight-sealing plastic lids and Mason jars work well, but a sturdy plastic container is OK, too. Double bag your food if you’re going the plastic bag route. n Don’t forget dessert. Smaller Mason jars are great for individual servings of banana pudding, summer berries and whipped cream, or whatever tasty dessert you dream up. n Pack it right, pack it tight. Add perishables first, because you want to make sure these items are surrounded by ice. Dairy, eggs, meat and fruit should be 40 degrees or colder. Check out FoodSafety.gov for tips on packing a cooler to prevent food poisoning. n Top it off and enjoy your day. Pack your cooler with the remaining ice, but allow enough room for breads, chips and any items that squash easily. You don’t have to add these items, but it’s good to have everything in one place. Source: www.diynetwork.com
Service Directory
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