Home Show 2018

2018

36th Annual Home Show Community Aquatic Center 100 Park Avenue

March 16 - 18

FREE ADMISSION FRIDAY 3PM-7PM • SATURDAY 9AM-5PM SUNDAY 9AM-3PM F Giveaways!tside, ree

e & Ou d i s n I s r o d Ven s.

Raffle Prize

8 201 l h c r Ma Specia t to A emen pl Sup

’s y a Tod ws Hosted by the e N ald Colorado River r Building Industry Association He For information Contact (928) 453-7755

2 - March 15, 2018

Home Show

Home Show March 15, 2018 - 3

HOME SHOWSale!

Special It’s Your Lake Havasu City’s largest selection of furnitureof& furniture mattresses Lake Havasu City’s largest selection for every room of of your home. for every room your home.

SAVE AN EXTRA

YOUR PURCHASE OF

50 OFF $500 TO $749 YOUR PURCHASE OF $ 75 OFF $750 TO $999 YOUR PURCHASE OF $ 100 OFF $1000 TO $1499 YOUR PURCHASE OF $ 150 OFF $1500 OR MORE $

be combined other offers or appliedtotoprior priorpurchases. purchases. Expires CannotCannot be combined with with other offers or applied Expires4/30/18.

1.31.2015.

SAVE AN EXTRA

What’s inside 4

CUT THE GLARE

Suncreens slash energy costs, protect interior furnishings

8

LEFT OR RIGHT?

It really does matter which direction your AC filter faces

11

ALL THE FAMILY

Multigen homes proliferate

14

CATCH THOSE FIBERS Products keep microfibers out of seafood we eat

CannotCannot be combined with with other offers or or applied Expires4/30/18.

1.31.2015. be combined other offers appliedtotoprior prior purchases. purchases. Expires

16

SECRET ROOMS

Create clever kids’ spaces where imaginations can soar

18

$500 IDEAS

Kitchen upgrades don’t have to cost a fortune

20

MR. FIX-IT

Throwing a wrench into protocols for home repairs

22

YOUR DECOR

Frugal updates for all styles

SAVE AN EXTRA

CannotCannot be combined with with otherother offers or applied totoprior 1.31.2015. be combined offers or applied priorpurchases. purchases. Expires Expires 4/30/18.

SAVE AN EXTRA

Cannot be combined withwith other offers or or applied purchases.Expires Expires4/30/18.

1.31.2015.

Cannot be combined other offers appliedtotoprior prior purchases.

FREE DELIVERY • FREE SETUP • FREE MATTRESS REMOVAL

www.citymaytag.com FREE FINANCING • FREE LAY-A-WAY ...because you’re comfortable with the best.

(928) 855-1212 FASHION Open 9-5 Mon.-Sat. FURNITURE (928) 855-1212 FASHION FURNITURE

www.showplacefashionfurniture.net “COMPLETE FURNISHINGS” 175 N. LakeHOME Havasu Ave • Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 Open 9-5 Monday - Saturday www.showplacefashionfurniture.net

175 N. Lake Havasu Avenue

4 - March 15, 2018

Home Show

Window screens block sunlight, make Havasu summers more bearable

By BUCK DOPP

SPECIAL TO TODAY’S NEWS-HERALD

Every homeowner in Lake Havasu City should consider installing solar screens to protect carpets, furniture, and window treatments from the damage caused by exposure to the ultraviolet rays from the sun.

The window screens also reduce the cost of electricity needed to maintain comfortable temperatures in the home.

Lee and Kay Harrison sold their janitorial business about eight years ago and started Riverfront Sunscreens out of their garage. It was a risky move at the time considering that the city was impacted by the Great Recession. Nevertheless, the Harrisons felt that solar screens were a necessity for most Havasu homeowners.

It turns out, they were right.

Kay said the screens significantly cut utility bills in the winter and summer and pay for themselves in a “short amount of

time.”

Most of their customers choose the 90 percent sunscreen, which lets some light through, but blocks 90 percent of the harmful UV rays, which can damage furniture, carpets and blinds. Riverfront also provides 80 percent and 98 percent screens in brown, black, tan, stucco and several custom colors.

The only windows they can’t put screens on are the old-fashioned crank-

out type. Depending on the demand, work orders can be fulfilled in approximately two weeks. Costs vary according to the size and type of window.

Riverfront’s screens carry an eightyear warranty, but they can last 15 years or more if cleaned on a regular basis.

Twice yearly they should be removed and washed with a little soap and water to eliminate the buildup in the mesh and then rinsed with a hose.

RIVERFRONT SUNSCREENS

THE WORLD’S STRONGEST SCREEN DOOR

The Only Screen Door That Keeps Your Family Secure!

No Bars Needed!

• CUSTOM BUILT TO FIT YOUR HOME • INNOVATIVE STAINLESS STEEL SCREEN • EXCEPTIONAL AIRFLOW & VISIBILITY • DURABLE ALL STEEL CONSTRUCTION • LIFETIME WARRANTY (Guardian Door) Stop By Our Showroom To See Patio Roll Downs & Solar Sunscreens

2550 N. Kiowa Blvd • Lake Havasu City • www.PrestigeSecurityDoors.com

928-727-1170

ROC #229454, #289829

928-727-3364

Sabre Building Corporation

62 Garage Projects & Counting

Shannon Plane and Kay Harrison at Riverfront Sunscreens point out the features of a screened security door.

SHOP LOCAL WITH THE LARGEST SPA DEALER IN MOHAVE COUNTY

Havasu’s #1 Garage Builder Always on the Cutting Edge

See Us at the Home Show!

Space 50

928 505-4522

2935 Maricopa Ave.

Licensed • Bonded • Insured • FREE ESTIMATES ROC#204134 & #279325

• Serving Lake Havasu for over 40 years • Customer Care you can count on

www.sabrebuilding.com

www.neatpool.com 52 Scott Drive • LHC • 928-855-2558

www.powerhouselhc.com/sabre-building-corp-lake-havasu

Proudly Serving Lake Havasu City Since 1975 Lic. Com./Res. #162022 #3632

Home Show March 15, 2018 - 5 than the fact that 80 percent of their business comes from referrals of satisfied customers. For information or to schedule a free estimate with Riverfront Sunscreens, call 928-727-1170.

Dan Plane and Lee Harrison pose with a solar screen sample at Riverfront Sunscreens in Lake Havasu City.

Riverfront’s business has expanded to providing RV and pool covers, as well as security doors and windows. Kay explained that the steel security doors and windows “can be bent but can’t be broken or cut.” The security doors start at $850 and go up depending on the type of door.

Business is so good, they needed help.

The Harrison’s grandson Dan Plane and his wife Shannon have joined the company and will eventually run it. Dan’s specialty is on-site fabrication of custom

fit pool covers.

“The solar screens are a product that works and everyone needs one,” Dan said. “We’ve made a lot of friends and they become family.”

“Danny is a perfectionist,” Lee said.

“If he can’t do it precise and right, he won’t do it.”

Shannon noted, “We’re a family owned and operated business where the customers always come first and that makes the difference.”

There is no better proof to these words

ONE MAN’S PROBLEM BECOMES ANOTHER MAN’S OPPORTUNITY Jeff Bailey enjoyed spending time in the garage with his dog and watching TV. However, he didn’t like how the sun made his garage uncomfortably warm. He also worried his dog would run out into the street, so he started looking for a solution.

When he heard about garage screens, he called a dealer in Henderson, Nevada to get an estimate.

He was told it would be too expensive for the contractor to travel to Havasu to install only one garage screen. The guy on the other end of the phone said, “We need someone in Havasu.”

Bailey decided he was that man. He started Havasu Garage Screens four years ago and now serves Havasu, Kingman, Bullhead City and the surrounding area.

“A garage screen gives you an extension to your house without having to get a permit,” he said. “Harmful rays from the sun are blocked and it cools your garage in the summer.”

Bailey added, “There is a privacy screen option which allows you to see out of the

garage, but others can’t see in,” he said.

“Every screen has a 10-year warranty and the metal parts have a lifetime warranty.”

Bailey said the garage screens cost “around $1,500 installed, give or take, depending on discounts and sizes.” They can be installed within two to three weeks after an estimate has been accepted. For a free estimate, call Jeff Bailey at 928-2207449 CUSTOM BLINDS ARE THE FAVORED FINISHING TOUCH About a year ago, Shane Fowler left his profession as an electrician, a field he worked in for five years, to buy Colorado River Blinds. The company installs custom shutters, interior blinds, window and patio shades.

“I love the business, especially designing interior window treatments, which is mainly my thing,” he explained. “It’s the cherry on top. When you finish, nothing clashes and its high quality.”

The 2007 graduate of Lake Havasu High School is proud that he only uses products made in the USA and that Colorado River Blinds was chosen to install all the window treatments for the local military recruiting offices, which says a lot about the quality of his finished product.

Call Shane Fowler at 928-680-5547 for a free estimate.

A garage screen operates on its own or moves in tandem with the main garage door.

Garages become more useable with the addition of a garage screen. A sliding door makes the unit more accessible, said business owner Jeff Bailey.

6 - March 15, 2018

Home Show

Discover exciting innovations, great ideas and clever products at the 2018 Home Show INDOOR LAYOUT

Use the list at right to help you locate your favorite vendors and merchants on these maps.

Browsing encouraged!

There’s plenty of finds, food and fun at the Home Show March 16-18 Aquatic Center 100 Park Ave. Free admittance Friday: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Sat.: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sun.: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Host: Colorado River Building Industry Association 928-453-7755

OUTDOOR LAYOUT

Home Show March 15, 2018 - 7

2018 Home Show Exhibitors 0 Better Business Bureau 1 River Valley Window 2 River Valley Window 3-4 Sunpower

by Esmay Electric 5-6 Colorado River Building Industry Association 7 Your Alarm Company 8 Rudy Glass 9 The Pampered Chef Tonya Rivello 10 We Fix Ugly Houses 11-12 Streamline Solar 13 Today’s News Herald 14 doTerra Essential Oils 15 AAA Affordable A/C 16 Wells Fargo Home Mrtg 17-18 Riverfront Industries 19-20 Bullet Proof Systems 21 MDS Enterprises 22 EZ Tech Electronics 23-24 Air Control Air Conditioning 25 Desert Cat Old West Soaps 26 Lifesource Water Systems 27-28 Sleepcraft Sleep Shop 29 DL Kettle Corn 30-31 Mohave Solar 32 Realty One Group Callagy Construction 33 Loscar Countertops & Cabinets 34 AZ Closets Windholz Construction 35 Reliant Capitol LLC 36 Colorado River Home Watch 37 Kitchencraft

38 Kitchencraft 39 Advantage Windshield 40-41 Ace Glass Tinting 42 BHT Marketing 43 Stanley Steel Structures 44 Parker-Desert Pest Control 45 EZ Tech Electronics 46 Mutagim USA 47 Sinclair 48 Window Elegance 49 Kitchen Tune-Up 50 Sabre Building Corp.

51-52 Budget Blinds 53 City Maytag 54 Colorado River Blinds 55 Havasu Solar 56 Sinclair 57 Cutco 58 Eclectic Avenue Castle Rock 59 Ben Franklin Plumbing 60 Pitzers One Hour Heating & Air 61-63 Michael Alan Furnishings 64 Mutagim USA 65 Havasu Aqua Systems 66 AleaMari Co 70 Summer Accent Umbrellas 76 Linda Elkins Designs 99 Atmo Investments 100 Bamboo Products 101 Tuff Spas 102 Tuff Spas 103 ServPro 104-105 Catching Air LLC 106 River Paint & Supply

Clean it up: Kitchen trends for 2018

107 Advanced Garage SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE Cabinets & Coatings 108 Comfortably Chic he biggest trend in kitchen remodels is tidiness, (LuLaRoe Vicky Shannon) according to Houzz’s survey of more than 1,700 home109 Any Time Fitness owners who are either planning a remodel, are in the 110 Evo Energy Solutions middle of one or have just completed an update.

111 Lowe’s The 2018 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study found that for 75 112 Havasu Garage Screens percent of the homeowners, decluttering their counters was the No. 1 priority. That was followed by 66 percent who wanted 113-114 Five Star Culinary to put things away and 49 percent who focused on recycling.

Connection Inc. For their new kitchens, homeowners wanted pullout waste 115 Santana’s Black Label bins, utensil and dish organizers, and wine bars.

Gourmet Food Even microwaves are getting put away, said Tara Ryanof the 118-121 Unisource design firm Ryan Young Interiors. The appliances are being 122-123 Sunpower built into lower cabinets with a pullout drawer design.

by Esmay Electric For additional storage and countertop space, 39 percent 124-125 Truly Nolen of homeowners are adding islands. Islands have become an 126-128 Neat Pools essential part of the kitchen, which might be one reason why & Supply homeowners now prefer L-shaped kitchens to U-shaped ones.

(Galley and single-wall kitchens are also gaining ground.)

129 The Bench Wench Oversized light fixtures above the island to create a focal point 130 Cybersleuth are becoming an increasingly popular design trend, Ryan said.

131-132 Hidden Treasures According to the Houzz survey, homeowners prefer tran134 U of A Mohave County sitional or contemporary styles and Shaker cabinets for their Cooperative Extension kitchen, although European cabinets with sleeker finishes 133 Origami Owl are trending, Ryan said. And white continues to rule for back137 EZ Roll-Out Drawers splashes, countertops and wall finishes, according to the study.

138 SCS Global Group LLC “The kitchen trends I’m seeing in 2018 are a return to 140-141 Evergreen Softub wood cabinetry. I see them in exotic woods with intricate and 145 Tuff Shedinteresting grain patterns to warmer deeper wood stains over Arizona Building Creations muted, uniformed grain patterns,” said Nikki Klugh of the Nikki Klugh Design Group.

146 Farmers Insurance “You will still see white cabinetry, as it works well with stainCassie Sotelo Agency less appliances and the current gray tones for walls, tiles and 147 Arizonians for Wildlife color palette-driven elements. However, gray tones will be 148 LHC Water Department replaced with a stronger, darker gray, going towards black. On 149 A Spice Above the more expressive side, be on the lookout for painted cabi150 Mohave Mist & Spa nets in all colors — anything from a more stately navy blue to a 151-154 Mohave Mist bright, modern orange.” & Spa For countertops, engineered quartz has become the favorite 156 ES-Future material as granite continues to decline in popularity. Counters 201 Burgers & More are the most common major upgrade and the most common 1 2/26/18 4:00 PM Page 1 on” item, according to the survey.

200 Scoops AnnsIM ad-logo.qxp_Layout“splurged

T

Specializing in Your New Home Lighting and Decor Needs

Expressions

Ann Holmgreen (928) 727-2046

Home Lighting & Decor

lotsawatts2@gmail.com (928) 855-2394 171 Swanson Avenue Unit 102, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403

annsinteriormotives@live.com

8 - March 15, 2018

Home Show

‘Oh, no!’

It’s what we cry when the hot water heater conks out

By ALAN J. HEAVENS

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

A neighbor had to replace a malfunctioning hot water heater just two days before a nearby relative was forced to do the same thing.

Obviously, it was a coincidence, but it made everyone who heard about it check out their own hot water heaters, to see if the ghost was about to be given up there as well.

Thus, I thought it might be wise to write about traditional tank hot water heaters, because they have been known to break without warning.

The following advice is from what manufacturer A.O. Smith calls its “university.” My plumbers, past and present, have installed only A.O. Smith or Bradford White heaters in my houses, so what they say goes: Check water pressure at the drain valve or the hose bib. If it’s above 80 pounds per square inch, install a pressure-reducing valve. (Call a plumber for this.)

To protect appliances, most experts recommend setting the pressure-reducing valve at 50 to 60 psi.

Check for an expansion tank, which is required by plumbing codes for closed

plumbing systems. Operating a water heater on a closed system without an expansion tank will damage the heater and other appliances.

Pressurize the expansion tank with air before installing on a cold-water line. The air pressure should match the water pressure.

Inspect valves — temperature and pressure-relief valves — per instructions on the label. Valves will drip if the water pressure is too high, or due to thermal expansion on a closed plumbing system.

Drain and flush. Turn off the cold-water supply and open the drain valve. Open the temperature/pressure-relief valve. Drain two to three gallons of water. If the water is milky, drain entire tank.

Close the drain valve and open the cold-water supply valve. Open a hot-water faucet and let hot water run three minutes to make sure all the air is out of the tank before returning it to service.

Check the anode rod. This reduces corrosion and extends the life of the heater. You should have a plumber check the anode rod at least every three years, depending on local water conditions.

Please call the plumber.

Time savers also add convenience Save time at home while adding convenience by choosing products that do more for you. Consumer Reports suggests these: GET A DISHWASHER THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE A creaky old dishwasher that doesn’t work well is almost as bad as no dishwasher at all.

If cereal bowls and dinner plates keep coming out flecked with bits of food, plastic containers never quite dry and you have to shout to make yourself heard when the machine kicks into high gear, it might be time to consider an upgrade.

PUMP UP YOUR WI-FI Is your house bigger than your Wi-Fi network? It’s a common technology challenge: The signal doesn’t reach your home’s far recesses — say, the basement or one of the

kids’ rooms. To solve it, consider one of a new generation of routers from Eero, Luma, Google and others, all of which employ mesh networking.

Simply place multiple routers around the house, and the system will create a single network that extends Wi-Fi coverage without clipping bandwidth. A set of three Eeros is claimed to cover up to 4,000 square feet, well over the size of the average American house.

You can buy the units individually, but if you want the benefits of a mesh network, you’ll need more than one.

THE PERFECT LAUNDRY ROOM A laundry room is only as good as the appliances you put into it. CR says the mark of a top dryer is its ability to dry items without overcooking them, plus convenience features such as easy loading and unloading.

By installing your filter backwards, air will have a harder time flowing through the filter and your air handler will have to work harder to make up for the loss of airflow.

It does matter which direction your air conditioner filter faces

By ROGER SCHLUETER

BELLEVILLE NEWS-DEMOCRAT

Question: Can you tell me why it is so important to install the air conditioner filter in a certain direction? What harm, if any, does it do if it’s backwards? My husband always puts it in backwards.

Answer: Let me assure you that HVAC companies are not just blowing hot air when they implore you to install filters correctly.

In fact, they warn that constantly putting them in backwards like your apparently worser half could conceivably result in your system blowing no air at all. Here’s why: Although the two sides of an air filter might look the same, they are not. If you’d examine them with a magnifying glass, you’d find that one side is more porous than the other. This allows the filter to effectively trap airborne particles while also minimizing the slowdown of airflow through your system.

By installing your filter backwards, air will have a harder time flowing through the filter and your air handler will have to work harder to make up for the loss of airflow.

This could lead to higher utility bills

and possibly damage your furnace or air conditioner. And the last thing you want is your HVAC system conking out on a zero-degree night or 105-degree day.

So be sure to look for the arrows that are printed on the sides of the filters because they show you which way the filters are supposed to be installed. That arrow must always face toward the furnace and away from the return duct that carries the air in need of heating or cooling. Forced air furnaces recirculate air throughout a home, blowing air (cooled or heated) out while pulling spent air back in for another cycle.

To make the chore next to automatic, you might consider grabbing a permanent marker and drawing the arrow in its proper direction on the actual furnace housing or ductwork. That way you easily can make sure the two arrows match the next time you change your filter. Dirty filters are also a drag on the system, so don’t forget to change them at intervals you’ll find recommended on most filters.

If my word picture has left you more confused than ever, you might want to watch a short video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y06YJpVZbw

Home Show March 15, 2018 - 9

9 tips for motivating your home contractor

By DANA DRATCH BANKRATE.COM

You finalized the purchase on your home, and you just hired the perfect home contractor.

Or you thought your contractor was perfect.

Now the contractor is showing up late (or not at all), tuning you out and (you suspect) cutting a few corners.

You’ve already forked over a pile of money. What now?

There are some positive steps you can take if you want to salvage the relationship and the money you’ve already spent.

Here are nine strategies that building professionals, designers and remodelers use to motivate a difficult contractor.

STUDY YOUR PROJECT Thanks to YouTube, the internet and a profusion of home improvement books, magazines and TV shows, homeowners can research the projects that their contractors will be tackling.

Become a “virtual” expert before you even interview your first contractor, advises Christopher Lowell, designer and author of “Seven Layers of Design” and “One-of-a-Kind Decorating Projects.”

“Use the right terminology,” Lowell says. It tells the contractor “these people are serious, they know what they’re talking about” and they’ll be paying attention to the work.

“The more you let them know you might not know how to do it yourself but you have a strong idea of the process, the better off you’ll be,” Lowell says.

Encourage the contractor to be forthcoming, he says. You want to be in the loop, so your attitude should be one of “the more you can be upfront with us, the more we can solve these problems together,” Lowell says.

GET PROJECT DETAILS IN WRITING Your bid or contract should be “so specific it leaves nothing to chance,” says Michael Hydeck, master certified remodeler and past president of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

If you notice different materials or unapproved changes, or more materials ordered than your job requires, it’s a red flag that you can document.

It’s also easier to take your concerns to licensing and accrediting authorities to make a complaint, says Norm Abram, master carpenter for home-improve-

ment TV series “This Old House.”

Some authorities you might consider: the local chapter of the National Association of Home Builders, or whoever licensed your contractor, he says.

You can also talk with the local inspector, says Abram. But be forewarned: Inspectors are only looking to make sure the work meets building codes.

Always talk to your contractor first to “try to get a sense of why this is happening” and see if you can work it out, he says.

INCLUDE BOTH PARTNERS Include both parties in the discussions with the contractor, Lowell says.

Make it clear that both of you are decision-makers.

This can be especially important if one of you will be home while any of the work is being done, he says. If both of you are involved in the conversations, “the person who’s home every day gets the same information as the (one) who’s not on-site,” Lowell says.

If you’re a stay-at-home spouse and you’re not included in the conversations and decisions, the contractor “won’t respect you,” Lowell says.

But if you are the one who has to be at home with the contractor and work crew all day, let the spouse who’s not there play “bad cop,” he says.

KEEP A DIARY, GET DAILY REPORTS Get a daily email project report from your contractor, Lowell advises. That paper trail will help if you have problems.

Email the contractor — mentioning specific dates, materials to be used, when items are being installed, details of salient conversations, etc., says Lowell.

All the contractor has to do is send you a reply that, yes, that’s correct.

And a lack of response can be just as telling, he adds.

Start on day one, if you can. “Unless you document everything from the beginning, you will have a hard time,” Abram says.

TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS If the site is a mess of tools, debris and beer cans after the crew has gone home, you’ll have documentation in living color, says Paul DiMeo, designer and builder for “Building Wild” on the National Geographic channel.

Be sure to get pictures of any perceived problems, along with photos of “all the major phases of the project,”

Lowell says. So if there are corners that were cut, or substandard work or materials, “you’ve built yourself an entire case against this guy and he knows it.”

ADDRESS PROBLEMS SOONER, NOT LATER Opt for addressing problems as soon as you notice them, DiMeo says. “Do it right off the bat. If you see (a problem) on day seven, imagine what it’s going to be like on day 40.”

HOW TO HAVE ‘THE TALK’ “Try and take the emotion out of it.

If everyone’s screaming and yelling, no one’s being heard.”

And don’t do it in the middle of the site or in front of the crew, DiMeo advises.

Striking the right attitude can help, Hydeck says. “Do it more as a ‘let’s solve this problem,’ rather than placing blame.”

Even if the contractor deserves a dressing down, present it as a problem you both need to solve, he says.

Constant communication is a must when you’re working with a contractor, DiMeo says.

Hydeck agrees. “Usually when a problem develops, it’s because of a lack of communication.”

and the pro will play along, Lowell says.

For a designer, who typically earns $150 an hour, you’ll probably need only a half-hour here and there, so it shouldn’t add significantly to the bottom line, Lowell says.

FIND A PRO TO HAVE YOUR BACK What happens if, even after everything you’ve tried, you’re being ignored? Or you fear that the work or materials are substandard?

Hire a pro (such as a building professional or designer) to show up periodically for short periods, see what’s going on, examine the work and report back to you.

Try to find a retired carpenter to be there a few hours a week, says DiMeo. As far as the contractor knows, this is someone you’ve employed for the project,

CUT THE MONEY FLOW Expect to pay no more than 10 to 15 percent upfront. Additional payments should be made only after the contractor has completed certain specified milestones and the work has passed inspection.

“If they need more money than that, chances are their business credit is not good,” says Lowell.

If you see he’s not doing the job, stop making those payments until the issues are straightened out, Abram says.

10 - March 15, 2018

Home Show

Build a beautiful bathroom that won’t break the bank CONSUMER REPORTS

Bathrooms are where we go to pamper ourselves. Consumer Reports offers this advice on how to renovate yours.

a circuit.

MATERIALS Before you begin shopping for tile, you’ll want to familiarize

yourself with the lingo you’ll find on the packaging labels. Make sure any tile you’re considering for flooring is available in grade 1 or 2, the most durable. (Grade

3, which tends to be thinner, is suitable only for walls.)

Water absorption is another important spec — the lower the number, the less water can seep

DESIGN With bathroom renovations, the biggest costs come when you relocate important fixtures.

Moving toilets, sinks and showers requires that workers tear out subfloors and walls to access pipes.

“Moving the toilet just 1 foot can cost $1,000,” says Robert Degni, a contractor in New York City.

If you need only a slight shift —because, say, you’re hoping to squeeze in a double vanity — Degni suggests using an offset flange, a $10 fix that allows you to move the toilet a few precious inches in any direction without extensive plumbing work.

One extravagant addition that doesn’t have to break the bank?

Heated floors. Even in Havasu, using this option in winter is a winner. Just make this call for heated floors early and know that it might affect your flooring options. Installing electric radiant-heat mats, rather than hydronic (water-filled) lines, can save up to $8,000. But unlike most hydronic systems, underfloor mats aren’t compatible with all solid hardwood.

Adding radiant electric heat costs roughly $11 per square foot of open flooring. Plan on an hour of labor for an electrician to connect the mats and thermostat to

through. For flooring you want tile with a rating of less than 7 percent, and 3 percent or less for shower floors.

Next, note the coefficient of friction rating, which conveys slip resistance; you’ll need a COF of 0.6 or higher for floor tile.

As for the ceiling and walls, don’t waste money on bathspecific paint. Consumer Reports’ testing reveals that any paints with good scores in mildew resistance, such as Behr Premium Plus enamel, hold up well. Choose satin finish, or semigloss if you don’t mind the sheen — either will withstand periodic scrubbings.

FIXTURES If you have a dingy cast-iron tub, reglazing the surface can give it new life for a few hundred dollars. Replacing it with a soaker tub could cost $500 to $1,000 for the tub itself, plus hundreds more for installation.

No space for a separate tub and shower? Don’t blow out a wall for the sake of keeping both. Go ahead and install that stand-alone shower in the master suite, but if and when you put the house on the market, having at least one tub is important for resale value.

Don’t get too caught up with toilet features. A toilet that flushes well will pay for itself if it spares you the need to call a plumber even once to free a clog, says John Banta, Consumer Reports’ test engineer for toilets.

To learn more, visit ConsumerReports.org.

Attention Homeowners Tri-County Property Services, LLC Home Monitoring and More

Don’t Leave

Without the security of knowing your home is properly looked after.

• Licensed • Bonded • Insured

(928) 230-8531 Residential/Commercial • AZ ROC #230489 • CA ROC #510697

thepropertyimprover@yahoo.com

Give yourself a peace of mind with our home monitoring services weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

• Custom Euro Cabinets • Custom Closets • Custom Garage Cabinets

Tim Loscar

2169 Swanson Unit #2 LHC, AZ 86403

CA LIC#509609

www.loscarcc-lhc.com

NV LIC#55620

Loscar Countertops and Cabinets

Home Show March 15, 2018 - 11

COLORADO RIVER BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION Serving Our Members And Community Since 1974 According to the Pew Research Center’s latest data, taken in 2014, more than 60 million people -- about 19 percent of the U.S. population -- live with more than one generation (not including minors) under one roof.

Multigen homes fit bill for extended families THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

SAN DIEGO — Multigenerational housing, a trend borne out of need that took hold during the Great Recession, is still going strong 10 years later.

Not since the 1950s have this many U.S. households included two or more adult generations. According to the Pew Research Center’s latest data, taken in 2014, more than 60 million people — about 19 percent of the U.S. population — live with more than one generation (not including minors) under one roof.

In the 1950s, it was 21 percent.

These households often include young adults living at home or older parents living with their adult children and their grandchildren. Increased longevity and a growing immigrant population in which this living arrangement is more common are both contributing to this shift in family dynamics.

Homebuilders are responding by including flexible living space and downstairs guest suites that offer privacy. Two builders with San Diego-area developments are taking it a step further: They offer multigenerational suites, designed for extended stays.

Pardee Homes offers a GenSmart Suite that features a separate entry and its own living and dining space. Options for kitchenettes and laundry are also available. The suite can add as much as $25,000 to the cost of the home, but the ultimate savings of combining two households will be substantial.

Lennar is another builder with a multigenerational option, called NextGen.

Advertised as “The Home Within a Home,” this option can also include a living area and kitchenette, plus a singlecar garage.

While some may shudder at the thought of having their mother-in-law under the same roof, the benefits are numerous, especially if there are private spaces for everyone involved. Not only is there significant financial savings, but a household with an extended family provides additional emotional support for children. Built-in childcare eases stress on parents and helps grandparents stay active both physically and mentally.

Close family connections can also help keep our aging population healthier. By 2035, more than one in five adults will be 65 or older, and many of those feel cut off from society. According to the AARP Foundation’s Connect2Affect website, more than 8 million adults 50 or older are affected by isolation.

Extended families living together is the norm in many cultures. In the United States, Asian families are the most likely to live in a multigenerational household, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau surveys.

The study, published in 2016, showed that 28 percent of Asian households surveyed were multigenerational; black and Hispanic households, 25 percent each; and white households, 15 percent.

What started as a need during the economic downturn a decade ago has turned into a choice for many homeowners. And with more builders taking note of this trend, the options for peaceful coexistence are increasing.

Members are licensed contractors NOT handymen. Licensed Contractors are Insured and Bonded.

•YOUR CONSTRUCTION RESOURCE CENTER We can print your plans, put your project out to bid and take care of all your printing needs.

•Our membership is made up of

general contractors, sub-contractors, engineers as well as those associates who support the construction industry at every level.

•Call our office at 928-453-7755 for

a membership directory plus you can go to the Register of Contractors on line at azroc.gov.

12 - March 15, 2018

Home Show

p e x r E t ! e h t k s A 36TH ANNUAL

HOME SHOW

MARCH 16-18TH AT THE AQUATIC CENTER FRI. 3PM-7PM SAT. 9AM-5PM SUN. 9AM-3PM

Ask

KERRI ELLITHORPE SERVICE MANAGER

Ask

JIM JENSEN

ASK ME ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING ROUTINE A/C MAINTENANCES PERFORMED.

OWNER

ARE YOU BUILDING A CUSTOM HOME AND WANTING THE QUIETEST, MOST STATE OF THE ART SYSTEM OUT? COME ASK ME ABOUT VARIABLE REFRIGERANT FLOW SYSTEMS AND HOW WE WERE THE FIRST HVAC CONTRACTOR IN THE STATE TO INSTALL ONE.

Ask

ADAM

Ask

JOURNEYMAN INSTALLER

JAMES JENSEN JR.

MANAGER

COME TALK TO ME ABOUT ALL OF THE UTILITY REBATES AVAILABLE!

Ask

ADRIEL MONTES

LEAD PLUMBING TECHNICIAN COME TALK TO ME ABOUT DOMESTIC WATER SHUT OF VALVES AND IF YOUR HOME HAS ONE.

COME TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW YOU CAN GET BETTER AIR FLOW IN YOUR MASTER BEDROOM.

60 MONTHS 0% APR

Financing With Equal Payments On Air Conditioning Installation

Ask

CLINT

SERVICE TECHNICIAN

ASK CLINT ABOUT HOW TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE LEAKY DUCTS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THEM.

See your independent Trane Dealer for complete program eligibility, dates, details and restrictions. Special financing offers valid on qualifying equipment only. All sales must be to homeowners in the United States. Void where prohibited. The Wells Fargo Home Projects credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., an Equal Housing Lender. Special terms apply to qualifying purchases charged with approved credit. The special terms APR will continue to apply until all qualifying purchases are paid in full. The monthly payment for this purchase will be the amount that will pay for the purchase in full in equal payments during the promotional (special terms) period. The APR for Purchases will apply to certain fees such as a late payment fee or if you use the card for other transactions. For new accounts, the APR for Purchases is 28.99%. If you are charged interest in any billing cycle, the minimum interest charge will be $1.00. This information is accurate as of 1/1/2018 and is subject to change. For current information, call us at 1-800-431-5921. Offer expires 12/31/2018

Home Show

March 15, 2018 - 13

DUCTLESS VS. EVAPORATIVE COOLER One of the most common questions I get asked when out on an estimate for a garage is whether an evaporative cooler or ductless unit is the better route to go. Here is a little info on each piece of equipment.

Ductless units, also called mini splits, have two main components: an outdoor condensing unit and an indoor air handler. Conduit, which houses the power cable, refrigerant lineset, and condensate drain, links the outdoor and indoor units. These type of units literally have no ducting, hence the name ductless unit.

Ductless units have many advantages. The first advantage is their small size and flexibility for zoning particular areas. Many models of ductless units can have as many as four indoor air handlers (for four zones or rooms) connected to one outdoor unit. The number of air handlers depends on how much heating or cooling is require for that particular application. Ductless units are also extremely efficient. Since they have no ducts, they avoid the energy losses associated with ductwork. Duct losses can account for more than 30% of energy consumption. Ductless systems also feature variable speed technology which allows the system to produce the exact amount of cooling needing to match the heat load of the space.

These systems also offer both the option of cooling and heating and can be run year around. Finally, mini splits offer many different design options. The indoor air handlers can be mounted flush to a ceiling or hung on a wall.

One disadvantage of ductless units is the fact that they are critical charge units. During install, the refrigerant must be weighed in to ensure proper refrigerant charge. Without this step, the system will not operate correctly. If you chose to have a ductless system

installed you want to make sure you are dealing with a qualified contractor.

Evaporative coolers on the other hand are typically installed one of two ways: the cooler blows air directly into a central location, or the cooler connects to ductwork which distributes the air to different rooms. In my opinion, there are only two advantages an evaporative cooler has over a ductless unit. The first is that initially an evaporative cooler install may be cheaper in price. The second is that an evaporative cooler will put some humidity into the cooled area. Some people prefer this, some do not.

As for disadvantages, coolers have many. While you may pay less initially for a cooler, the maintenance required will far surpass that of a ductless unit. Evaporative coolers are high maintenance items.

Ductless systems require very minimal maintenance. Evaporative coolers are not effective during our hot and humid months.

Ductless units will continue to cool when evaporative coolers cannot. Evaporative coolers create dust and dirt in the cooled area.

Ductless units do not. And believe it or not, evaporative coolers do actually cost more to operate than ductless units.

I think you get where I am going with this, if you are looking to cool your garage, casita, craft room, man cave, etc. – a ductless unit is the way to go! Just make sure you are using a qualified and experienced contractor when having a ductless unit installed. As a company, we are the #1 seller of Trane ductless units in the entire country. How’s that for qualified and experienced? If you’re tossing the idea around of having a ductless unit installed, give us a call we’d be happy to come out and give you a free, no pressure estimate.

Same family owned and operated company you’ve known & trusted for 28 years, just better!

• Air Conditioning • Plumbing • Insulation • Duct Testing & Sealing •

2571 N. Kiowa Blvd. • Lake Havasu City, AZ • 928-846-8564 ROC #105758 • ROC #105764 • NV LIC #0077925 • ROC#311494 • ROC#211404

Home Show March 15, 2018 - 15

Choose the right flooring for every room CONSUMER REPORTS

Wood wins the prize as America’s favorite hard-surface flooring type, outselling vinyl, porcelain tile and every other option, according to marketresearch firm Mintel’s 2017 report on residential flooring.

But wood can be a loser in the kitchen, where a dropped can of peas can literally leave a lasting impression. Or in the laundry room, where a splash of bleach can blemish its finish.

Consumer Reports analyzed key areas in a typical home and chose the top flooring materials to meet the challenges in each.

KITCHEN AND MUDROOM Though wood remains a widely used aesthetic choice, it won’t stand up well to that assault: Consumer Reports’ tests show that, in general, wood floors are far more prone to denting than other materials, and, with very few exceptions, foot traffic is tough on the finish.

Top choice: porcelain tile. A natural fit for high-traffic areas of the home, porcelain tile outperformed every other flooring material we tested for resistance to scratching and denting, says Joan Muratore, Consumer Reports’ lead test engineer for flooring. Plus, porcelain tile comes in a range of styles to fit any decor. Tile is also low-maintenance, never requiring more than a vacuuming and mopping, and it’ll last a lifetime, says design-and-build contractor Rob Wennersten of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

BATHROOM AND LAUNDRY ROOM These floors don’t face the stress of foot traffic or the constant sunlight that can

fade solid and engineered wood. Rather, the flooring threats in these rooms come in liquid form. Bathers splash, showerers drip and toilets overflow.

Top choice: porcelain tile. Even purists who refuse anything but real wood should seriously consider porcelain tile for their bathrooms and laundry room.

After all, tile is a traditional choice in these rooms because it holds up well in wet places, says architect John Cole of Fryeburg, Maine. Porcelain also allows for design-forward, barrier-free showers, where the bathroom floor extends straight into the shower without any lip. To avoid slippery-when-wet floors, choose a more textured product rather than one with a highly polished surface.

DINING, LIVING AND FAMILY ROOMS Though it’s true that furniture feet, pet claws, stiletto heels and kids’ toys with wheels can damage a wood floor, any other material can feel substandard in these cozy common areas.

Top choice: solid wood. By this, Consumer Reports means prefinished wood flooring, as well as unfinished wood flooring, which gets sanded and finished on site.

There are plenty of reasons to opt for prefinished planks: You won’t have dust from sanding or fumes from finishing to contend with during installation; depending on how it’s installed, you might be able to walk on the floors right away; and prefinished flooring also tends to be less expensive. Perhaps most important, the factory-applied finishes are significantly tougher-wearing than what your contractor would be likely to apply once the floor is installed.

To learn more, visit ConsumerReports. org.

16 - March 15, 2018

Home Show

In-home slides, secret rooms and other kids’ spaces bring in the fun STAR TRIBUNE

HOPKINS, Minn. — Leo Kuhl sat on the edge of a yellow tube.

Then he disappeared.

The 6-year-old twisted and turned down the curved, enclosed slide, then landed in the basement below.

“It’s fun,” said Leo. “But a little scary when it turns.”

“It is kind of fast,” admitted his dad, Steve Kuhl of his in-home slide creation, “but I didn’t want the kids to be bored with it by the time they’re 7.”

The 26-foot-long tube slide is among the quirky play spaces

inside the Kuhls’ Hopkins home.

Kuhl also has carved out secret rooms under staircases, tunnels inside closets, suspended bunk beds and built a timber-framed loft for his two children, Leo and Charlie, and their friends.

Architecture can play a role in sparking kids’ imaginations, said Kuhl. “In this age when we’re more virtual, these spaces can encourage kids to interact with their environment.”

His kids are lucky that their dad has construction know-how and resources; he and business partner Dan Murphy own Kuhl

Leo Kuhl, with his friend Elliot Budziak, hop off the indoor slide, which travels from the upstairs mudroom down to the basement.

Design and Build in Hopkins.

Kuhl recently added a ladder above the slide so the kids can climb through a door opening to the second floor. He revealed it to Leo for his sixth birthday.

“He was whooping and hollering ‘This is awesome!’?” said Kuhl.

The long slide travels one story, from the mudroom to the basement. To assemble it, Kuhl used 3-D rendering computer software to model how it would fit in the space. He ordered the tubes from a playground equipment company and installed them in sections. Lastly, he added LED blinking lights for a carnival funhouse feel.

Adults take spins down the slide, too. “We’ve had to wipe off spilled cocktails inside,” he said.

While slides are spendy — the tubing alone cost $5,000 — secret rooms are more attainable for homeowners, said Kuhl.

“Cut a hole in Sheetrock, and put in an access door.”

Under the stairs is a popular — and smart — spot to carve out kid-friendly hideaways.

“We look at under staircases, an often unused storage space, as opportunities to create something unique for kids,” said Matt Schmidt of AMEK Builders.

A reading nook outfitted with bookshelves and a cushioned bench, and a curved secret room, are two of AMEK’s kidcustomized projects.

Leo and Elliot chill out in a rustic lofted hideout.

Judy and Bob Worrell tucked a cozy retreat to read, study or a playhouse for grandchildren watch TV under a skylight. inside a storage area beneath the “It was designed to grow with stairs of their basement. her from 5 years old to a teenBob installed cedar shakes ager,” said DiGiacomo. and blue painted siding to match A more high-end, elaborate the exterior of their French Disneyesque space is an “Alice Country home. in Wonderland”-themed tunnel Their grandchildren deco- and playroom inside an Edina, rated the interior with different- Minn., home. Builder Andy colored handprints.

Schrader fashioned the childAdults need to duck to get sized playland under a basement through the child-sized door, staircase and porch. A white rabbut “the kids love it and sleep in bit painted on the wall guides there,” said Judy. you through an 8-foot passageBedroom lofts, which feel like way to an arched opening,” said funky forts, are a hot commodity Schrader. among kids and teens.

Kid-friendly fun features can Gigi DiaGicomo designed a even help make the sale. “We’re loft above her daughter’s bed- not just selling the house to room inside an addition on her mom and dad,” said Schrader.

Minnetonka home. She climbs “We want the kids to get excited a ladder at the foot of the bed to about having their own place.”

It’s a jungle in here! Houseplants help decorate, provide comfort and clean the air THE SACRAMENTO BEE

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Hanging from the ceiling or making a major green statement in any room, houseplants are back in style.

“There was a period when the economy was bad and people were economizing. They’d say, ‘We don’t need it!’ But you really do need houseplants. They clean the air. They make us feel better,” said Kifumi Keppler, owner

of Sacramento’s Exotic Plants.

“People are realizing that now.”

Millennials such as Tyler Davis, Orchard Supply Hardware’s green merchant, are helping drive a current houseplant trend.

“They’re natural air purifiers,” Davis said. “Some of them, such as Snake Plant, release oxygen at night. That actually helps you sleep.”

Air seems to be a big part of the current houseplant trend.

“The trend we see is the growing interest in houseplants that filter the air — such as Peace Lily and Red-Edged Dracenea — and ‘air plants’ — Tillandsia,” said Tami Kint of Green Acres Nursery, which also has seen an uptick in houseplants. “Air plants are super easy to care for and can be fun to incorporate into unique displays.”

Air plants can live without soil and tend to stay small. That makes them ideal for terrariums

as well as hanging displays.

A favorite is Snake Plant (Sansevieria). “It’s just so easy,” Davis said. “It’s a foolproof houseplant. It’s also very structural.”

Customers also gravitate to colorful foliage such as neongreen pothos or variegated Chinese evergreen. Easy-care orchids such as phalaenopsis and dendrobium also grab attention — and sales. Such orchids offer weeks of eye-pop-

ping flowers with little water or care, even in low light.

Anything that blooms needs more light than foliage plants, Keppler noted.

African violets, for example, need bright light close to a window while Snake Plants tolerate lower levels.

Anthuriums, a heart-shaped symbol of Hawaii, “are really catching on,” Keppler said.

“They’re pretty easy to rebloom as long as their light is good.”

Home Show March 15, 2018 - 17

All’s fair in love and decor when using books

The dubious art of ‘decorating’ with books

By LAURIE HERTZEL STAR TRIBUNE

I

have books in every room of my house except the bathroom and kitchen. The living room, the front hallway, the dining room and the three bedrooms all have bookshelves, as does the basement TV room (six of them; it’s a big room).

This is not how I grew up. My father was an English professor and a writer, and he, too, had a lot of books. But for many years, his books were mostly tucked out of sight in the creepy unfinished basement of our Duluth, Minn., home. He kept them in a small room behind the scary furnace and opposite the old coal cellar.

I used to tiptoe down the basement stairs, peer into the dark corners that might hold ghosts and monsters and who knows what, then rocket across the floor to the book room, where I pushed open the door and fell happily inside.

The walls of the book room were painted white and lined with black metal shelves, and it was here where my father kept his literature — novels, poetry and plays, including the complete works of William Shakespeare. And it was here where I spent many hours of my childhood, sitting on a blanket on the cold concrete floor, reading.

Why were the books in the basement?

My father believed that displaying books in one’s living space was gauche. He found it blue-collar, show-offy, something done by people who wanted to look like intellectuals. He had been proud to rise above his own blue-collar childhood; his father, who left school after the eighth grade, was the son of immigrants who spoke only German, and his mother was the daughter of Irish farmers.

My father’s determination to hide his books didn’t make sense to me until a few weeks ago when I read a home decorating story in the newspaper. Books, the story said, can “dress up shelves and add a pop of color to any space.”

I’m not sure this is how anyone would view the books in my house. They’re messy, stacked any which way. And while they might add a pop of color, it’s more true that they add a lot of dust.

The story went on: “The beauty of books is that they come in all different shapes, sizes and colors.”

It seems to me that the beauty of books comes more from the fact that the writers come in different shapes, sizes and colors — as well as mind-sets, points of view, background and attitude. But I am trying hard not to be a snob here, trying to be somewhere between my father the book hider and someone who thinks of books as baubles.

The story had tips: Hard-bound books “feel more luxurious” than paperback.

Fashion books are bound in “festive, fun colors.” Flea markets are a great place to buy “vintage books.” (This is what you and I would call used books.)

Then came the tip that floored me: “Consider a monochromatic theme.

Books that are all one color can make a bold statement.”

Let us stop and consider this for a moment. Picture your house, with its bookshelves, which probably are crammed full of books of all sizes, some old (or vintage), some new, some paperback, some hard-bound. And then picture a room where the shelves all have identical books, same size, same color — who knows, maybe the same book, over and over, making a statement.

That statement would be: “Don’t touch these books. They are here for show.”

My father read his books. He taught them. He underlined key passages and wrote spiky inscrutable notes in the margins with a fountain pen. He loved his books too much to treat them as objects.

My books are on display in every room in my house because there is nowhere else to put them. They, too, make a statement. I hope that statement is: “This is the home of a reader. Here are some books.

Come browse, and borrow. And I’m sorry about the dust.”

It’s been said that books make a home. And it is true.

A home without a few stacks of books feels, well, kind of lonely. Books add warmth.

Books come in handy when you need a nightstand or end table. Stack sturdy, large volumes such as oversized coffee table books, atlases or Oxford dictionaries to make a tower.

A stack of three beefy dictionaries on the floor looks smashing when topped with a sculpture or plant.

Use smaller books as “lifters” in your tablescapes to create different heights for objects.

A vintage paperweight resting on top of a stack of three smal books puts the spotlight on the paperweight.

Visit Pinterest for more great ideas on craft and decorating projects using books. To get started, visit yard sales and secondhand stores to begin building your book collection.

A headboard made of vintage books mounted on plywood is perfect for book lovers. Get directions at designeveryday.com.

Call Us TODAY for HOME SHOW Specials!

Ask About Floor Model Discounts!

We will BEAT any Competitors Price!!*

Ask About

0%

Financing!

FREE Value Pack ($1,400 Value) with purchase at show

Includes:

* On comparable model.

602

• Colored Stone Option • Local Delivery • 110V Plug N’ Play • LED Light Kit (220V available) • Ozone Water Purification System • Lifetime Warranty on Hard Top Cover & Shell • Stainless Steel Jets

487.8655 www.tuffspasusa.com

18 - March 15, 2018

Home Show

5 easy kitchen updates for under $500 4. ADD SPLASH TO THE BACKSPLASH A relatively easy and inexpensive update is to install or replace a tile backsplash. According to George W. Edwards, a certified kitchen and bath remodeler with A&C Kitchens and Baths in Chester, Pennsylvania, the average cost is about $3 to $5 per square foot, though decorative inlays and trims can cost more.

Whether you do the job yourself or hire an installer depends on the state of your existing backsplash, and how much time you can commit to the job.

Your kitchen may be looking a little shabby. But Consumer Reports offers five ways to spruce up your kitchen.

1. GIVE CABINETS A FRESH FACE If your cabinets are plumb, square and sturdy, there are two ways to update them for a fraction of what it would cost for replacements: refacing and refinishing.

Refacing offers more choices; refinishing requires more work, but costs less.

Refacing involves adding new “skins” to cabinets, and costs $150 to $300 per door opening, including materials and installation. Or refinish your cabinets with a new coat of paint. First, clean them with a degreasing agent, rinse, sand and prime, and then give them a topcoat or two.

2. ADD A BRIGHT SPOT Use color to energize your kitchen. A few well-placed accessories, such as boldly hued mixing bowls, flowers or even fruit, can instantly create an eye-catching focal point. An island offers another opportunity to introduce color. Just paint this gathering spot in an attention-grabbing shade.

Consumer Reports notes that you’ll want a semigloss or high-gloss formula for easier cleanup on this high-use area.

And don’t forget that light fixtures can add accents of color.

3. ADD AN ISLAND A custom-built island adds conve-

Fashion a kitchen island from materials that are in contrast with the rest of the cabinetry for an updated look. nience — but often at a hefty price. Save starts around $300 at unfinishedfurnituby opting for an unfinished or ready-to- reexpo.com. For a high-end look, conassemble prep table and doing part of the sider an island topped with stainless steel. work yourself.

Or choose one with a granite top.

You’ll find a wide variety of doors, Before you buy, be sure you have drawers and countertops in different con- enough room to fit the island comfortfigurations. A 36-by-24-inch unfinished ably. You want a 36- to 48-inch clearance island topped with a wooden counter on each side.

5. MIX UP MATERIALS For decades, kitchen design favored uniformity — one cabinet type, one countertop material. But Consumer Reports says that nowadays designers are creating excitement by combining a wide range of materials and finishes.

That’s good news, because it means you don’t have to worry about everything matching perfectly in your makeover.

Choose pricey glass-doored cabinets above, but bargain wood or laminatefront units below.

Stick your expensive slab of granite or marble on an island, where everyone will see it, but go with basic laminate around the perimeter.

Instead of a built-in island or built-in storage, use freestanding furniture to add prep space and storage.

To learn more, visit ConsumerReports. org.

5 must-have range features you didn’t know you needed

When shopping for a range, look for range features that save time and make cooking easier, says Consumer Reports.

The cooking appliance experts at Consumer Reports put these five range features on their list of favorites.

1. Double ovens. Roast a lemon-garlic turkey in one oven while apple pies bake in the other — different foods, different temperatures and no crossover of aromas. Or use one oven for daily dinner but both when hosting holidays. Many double-oven ranges pair a smaller top oven with a larger oven below, and some pair two ovens that are the same size.

2. Induction. Every induction range CR has tested delivers fast cooktop heat and superb simmering. The electromagnetic field below the glass cooktop surface

quickly generates heat directly to the pan, offering you precise simmering and control. Remove the pot from the element and heating stops, and the surface stays cooler than a radiant electric smoothtop, which should make cleanup easier.

3. Convection. Convection can cut cooking time and result in more uniform heating. Convection also improves browning and crisping, using one or more fans to circulate the oven’s hot air.

Convection used to be just on higherpriced ranges, but now it comes on ranges that are less than $800.

4. Warming drawer. Timing a meal so that the main course and side dishes come to the table at the same time is tricky. A warming drawer can help. Warm the sweet potato casserole and roasted

vegetables in the drawer while the chicken cooks on high heat to give it that crispy, nicely browned finish.

5. High-power burners. Great for bringing a large pot of water to a fast boil and it provides the high heat needed for stir-frying. Every range in Consumer Reports’ recent range ratings had at least one high-power burner, including electric coil ranges, and some have two, even three.

When Shopping for a Range Type. Freestanding ranges are the most popular and easiest to install.

Typically, the oven control panel is on the back panel, above the cooktop surface.

Slide-in ranges give a custom built-in look and easily slide in between surrounding cabinets. The oven controls are on the

range front and there’s no back panel, which showcases your backsplash.

Size. Most electric and gas ranges are 30 inches wide, and they are what Consumer Reports buys and tests for home use. Pro-style ranges usually span 36 inches or more. Consumer Reports has found that pro-style ranges are big on style, but not the best performers. Even regular ranges now have beefy knobs, rugged grates, style and stainless trim for a lot less money.

Capacity. A roomy oven comes in handy when baking or entertaining.

Consumer Reports measures oven space you can actually use. The smallest ovens in its tests are a little more than 2 cubic feet; the largest are nearly 4 cubic feet.

Learn more at ConsumerReports.org.

Home Show March 15, 2018 - 19

Drought drives greater household use of gray water

By MATT STEVENS LOS ANGELES TIMES

LOS ANGELES — Strands of silver hair fell into Annie Costanzo’s face as she wielded a sledgehammer against the brick walkway in her backyard. Plumes of dust and debris filled the air, and reddishpink shards scattered in the wake of the 64-year-old sculptor’s latest water conservation project.

Over the course of two days, Costanzo created a channel, set PVC pipe in it and drilled a hole in a wall of her house to carry water from her laundry to a mulch basin near a magnolia tree behind her home in the Miracle Mile.

“I’m happy to find any way I can to make water go a little bit further,” she said.

Costanzo is among millions of Californians who, amid the state’s punishing drought, are increasingly turning to gray water — from the clothes washer, shower or bathroom sink — to keep trees and other plants hydrated.

Educational seminars on the onceillegal water source are filling up faster than ever, installers who did one project a month are putting in two systems a week and a major builder is adding gray water systems to new homes in San Diego.

And local and state lawmakers are

passing measures and offering proposals to make it easier and cheaper to use gray

water.

Still, significant barriers remain.

Annie Costanzo finishes installing a three-way valve, which is an important component of the laundry to landscape gray water system she has been installing, at her home.

Installing all but the most basic laundryto-landscape system can require permits and cost thousands of dollars. Experts say the cost savings often don’t pencil out and the short-term water savings are relatively meager, leaving homeowners to wonder whether it’s a worthwhile investment.

“Probably 15 years ago, it was kind of fringe,” said Richard G. Luthy, a Stanford University professor who studies water quality and urban water supply. “Now, it’s part of the portfolio people are looking at for water conservation.”

Gray water is classified as water from the clothes washer, tubs, showers and bathroom sinks. Water from toilets, kitchen sinks or dishwashers is considered black water, and is typically not reused.

Experts say installing an in-home gray water system can sometimes be more trouble than it’s worth. Parts for a laundryto-landscape system can cost hundreds of dollars, and not everyone is comfortable drilling a hole through their home.

Gray water’s greatest potential lies in the coming years, experts say.

“Many residents have already replaced inefficient toilets, showerheads and clothes washers,” said Amanda Dougherty, the agency’s conservation administrator, “and are looking for that step to using water more efficiently at home.”

Preventitive measures help to keep your carpet looking guest-ready THE WASHINGTON POST

You might be looking around and thinking that your carpet could use a good cleaning before guests arrive. Or you might think that your carpet looks pretty good but that you want to have a contingency plan should someone accidentally spill a glass of red wine. There are a few things you can do every day to maintain your carpet’s appearance.

DAILY CARE The best way to protect your carpet day to day is to remove your shoes when you get home. But don’t go barefoot; your feet have natural oils that rub off on the carpet. Those oils act like a dirt magnet, so it’s a good idea to always wear slippers or socks.

If possible, vacuum your carpets daily to remove surface dirt and dust. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and change

the filter every six months so you don’t blow pollutants back into the air. And for maximum effectiveness, change your vacuum bag when it is anywhere from one-half to two-thirds full or when the outside of the bag feels firm.

PROFESSIONAL CLEANING As far as deep-cleaning your carpets, of course you want to clean them if there are visible stains, but the Environmental Protection Agency recommends a professional cleaning one to four times a year, depending on how heavily trafficked the area is. A professional cleaning removes not only the dirt and stains you can see but also what you can’t see.

Carpets are like indoor sponges, trapping all types of pollutants SPILLS When it comes to emergency spills, Andrew Ross from Triangle Legacy, a carpet-cleaning and flood restoration

service, says to act quickly. Use a white cloth or towel (the dye from a colored cloth could rub off on your carpet) to blot the affected area. Do not rub, or you will just push the stain in deeper. “You can use a little water on the stain but not

too much — you don’t want to douse the stain, or the water will seep into the carpet pad and will take longer to dry,” Ross says.

Most important, “don’t wait to call a professional,” Ross says. “The longer you do, the more the stain sets in.”

20 - March 15, 2018

Home Show

Safety upgrades at home make it more safe for seniors THE SUN HERALD

As we age, even a house that has been a home for decades can become an obstacle course or pose unexpected problems.

AARP suggests these modifications for your home: VISION — Make sure lighting is adequate on exterior pathways, porches and doorways.

— Improve lighting on stairs, such as with night lights or installing overhead fixtures or wall sconces.

— Add lighting to closets.

— Use halogen bulbs to reduce glare.

— Full-spectrum bulbs better simulate daylight.

— During the day, open curtains, shades and blinds for plenty of natural light.

— Consider placing automatic, light-sensor night lights in rooms and hallways.

— Install glow-in-the-dark

light switches.

— Keep magnifying glasses handy throughout the house wherever you might need one, such as in the kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom.

— Adequate kitchen lighting includes over the sink, stove and other work areas. Be sure you can easily see the stove’s controls.

MOVING ABOUT — Place rolling casters on chairs.

— Consider touch-control devices for lights and electronics.

— Look into installing a walkin or no-threshold shower and add a bath seat or bench plus an adjustable hand-held showerhead.

— Consider drawers designed to close automatically, and use adjustable and low rods and shelves in closets and cabinets.

There also are pull-out or pulldown shelves.

Night lights can be an important safety addition to a home, especially when guests are present.

HANDY TIPS — Lever-style door handles are easier to operate than round doorknobs.

— A chair or small table near your entrance door is a great place to put packages, mail or your purse while you lock or unlock the door.

— Those larger rocker-style light switches are easier to use than traditional toggle-style switches.

The National Association of Home Builders offers these suggestions if you have a senior temporarily in your house, such as a visiting older relative: Clear pathways: Look for obstacles, and look for furniture that people usually have to maneuver around. Look for and move any electrical cords that might be in the path of your visitor. If you find some, consider taping them to a wall.

Keep stairs free of any objects and make sure the stair railings are secure.

Light it up: Put nightlights in dark spots that might affect your guest such as bathrooms, the guest room, nearby hallways and even the kitchen. Make sure there is a light source within easy reach of the bed. Your visitor also needs well-lit outdoor walkways and entrances.

Don’t slip up: Make sure the guest’s shower has a non-slip floor, non-slip strips or a suction-attached non-slip mat.

Beware of throw rugs, including bathroom mats.

The right seat: Look for chairs and seating in your home that will best suit your guest. A chair or sofa that is too soft or too low can make it difficult to stand up and maintain balance. A chair with arms provides something to grip while standing up or sitting down.

If you don’t have living room or family room seating that is accommodating, bring a dining room chair, preferably with arms, into the room.

Mr. Fix-it throws a wrench into the home maintenance plan

By LORI BORGMAN

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Over the years, the husband and I have developed a three-step approach to home repair.

Step one is to note the problem.

Step two is to wait and see if the problem takes care of itself.

Step three is to talk about how professionals attacked the problem on one of those home and garden television shows.

Of course, they always have large work crews, no clean-up and accomplish in 10 minutes what may take the rest of us three months, so then we get discouraged and revert to step two, which is wait and see if the problem takes care of itself.

For the record, a home repair project has never taken care of itself yet, but that doesn’t mean we’ve given up hope.

The system worked well for more than three decades and we were happy. And then our youngest daughter married a fellow who does not abide by the three-step plan.

He does not note a problem, talk about a problem, or consult with media gurus; he simply attacks the problem head-on and fixes it as fast as he can.

We should probably call him Flash.

His wife once mentioned that the tile in their kitchen

was looking dated and 90 minutes later they were at a big box store and she was picking out tile. He had the old tile off and the surface prepped for new tile by sundown.

It’s like watching a time-lapse video.

When their youngest outgrew her crib and needed a

toddler bed, he built one. In a weekend.

We appreciate that the man has talent, but he sure makes the rest of us look bad.

He was at our home for dinner one evening and noticed that the refrigerator door made a ka-lunk sound as you closed it. He asked if it bothered me. I said yes, but I was still on step two, waiting to see if the ka-lunk sound would take care of itself.

The meal was about over when I detected motion in my peripheral vision accompanied by a beeping sound — the alarm signaling the refrigerator door was open. I looked over my shoulder and there was Flash with the door completely off the refrigerator.

“I found the problem,” he said. “It’s this small plastic clip. I can fix it.”

“Great,” I said. “I can get dessert.”

We all have our strengths, right? Mine is chocolate.

He had the refrigerator door fixed by the time I cut the brownies.

We appreciate it all. We really do — the screen repair on the back door, the towel bar that no longer pulls out of the wall, the new door stop, the electrical help, the plumbing help, the yard help and the loan of the fancy nail gun with the air compressor.

But now that he’s raised the bar, life will never be the same. It’s time for us to up our game.

And so we are. We’re adding step four to our threestep approach to home repair — call the son-in-law.

Home Show March 15, 2018 - 21

Bring the man cave into the light with these ideas

By PAT SETTER

THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

While the dark, dingy man cave with the mismatched recliners has gone the way of videotapes and TV antennas, new homes come with options that the manof-the-house will love. Here’s a look at new ways to find rooms for guys to hang out.

RECREATION ROOM Many new homes have a bonus room that can be turned into a welldesigned recreation room. Add a pool table and some arcade games and this will soon become the heart of the home, where Dad can spend time with family and friends. Before buying that long-dreamed-of pool table, be sure to measure the room. You will need at least a five-foot area around the table to be able to play because cues are four to six feet long.

WINE CELLARS While not all homes have cellars, wine rooms can be created above ground.

The trend for wine lovers is to not only have a place to store wine in a proper setting, but also to experience the wine in a designated space. Mediterraneanstyle rooms with rustic woods and stone walls are popular, but the key is comfort to encourage guests to relax and enjoy the experience.

darkened home theater. What it does need is a screen large enough to watch a favorite sporting event with friends and, of course, comfy seating that can be used while snacking.

Whether contemporary or traditional, these spaces are more social than the traditional theater room.

OUTDOOR KITCHENS Grilling can be as simple as cracking open a beer while waiting for the coals to heat. But the outdoor kitchen has been become increasingly important and more elaborate over the years, essentially bringing the entire kitchen outside.

Today’s grilling areas often include a sink, a refrigerator and icemaker as well as a luxurious gas grill. An outdoor living area is becoming an important selling point for today’s homebuyers.

OFFICE As the workplace has become more mobile and many people are now working from home, having a designated space to make calls and concentrate is essential to productivity.

Need more quiet space away from the house? Convert a garage into a private office space or even add a modular unit to the backyard. But be sure to check with the homeowners association first.

If there’s room for more than just the desk and chair, add a comfy seating area and this room can also serve as a library.

And decorate the space to help get Dad inspired.

If he has always wanted to work in a trendy, downtown loft, add brick wallpaper for that vibe.

MEDIA ROOM This will probably be just as popular with the teenagers in the house, but a media room can be masculine in décor.

The term media room is now used more generically and doesn’t have to be a

22 - March 15, 2018

Home Show

Decorating-on-a-dime tips to re-energize your living space

By LORI STACY

THE KANSAS CITY STAR

W

hen Hidden Lakes resident Amy Haney walked into her newly redecorated family room, she was awed by what a big difference a few design changes could make.

“It made me love our house again,” says Haney, who called on local decorator Kristi Margiotta to transform the main room in the family’s 8-year-old home.

Margiotta breathed new life into the Old World-style room by adding a fresh coat of paint along with new furnishings, lighting, pillows and window coverings.

Although the impact was big, the price tag was not: Margiotta stuck to an agreedupon budget and employed some decorator tricks-of-the-trade to redo the room without wreaking havoc on the Haneys’ budget.

Today, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to refresh your home’s decor.

No matter what your budget is, you can

start the year off right with an affordable home refresh whether you opt for an interior decorator or go it alone utilizing these decorating-on-a-dime tips.

“I love to hunt for bargains for my clients, and I’m not afraid to drive all over the state,” admits Margiotta, “I also shop all of the Home Goods within a 50-mile radius; that is my favorite place to find accessories.”

THE THREE PS OF HOME DECORATING In addition to adding affordable accessories, Margiotta stresses what she calls the Three Ps of home decorating: “Paint, pillows and plants are huge when updating a room,” she says.

Jordin LePori and Jennifer Parker of Interior Styling concur that plants can play an important role in a room’s look and suggest that their clients do a plant overhaul.

“All that silk greenery on top of your cabinets?” says Parker.

Remember: plants, pillows and paint easily transform a room.

CELEBRATING 23 Years of BUILDING!

We set ourselves apart as a homebuilder by adding our own high standards of building quality in all of our homes. From the smallest to the largest custom design, every Paradise Home of Havasu, Inc. turns out to be an exciting and pleasurable experience for the customer.

We have many floor plans to choose from... or we can design and complete your custom floor plan with our in-house draftsman. Many of our standard features are upgrades in other models.

Model Located at 699 Paseo Granada. Open Monday — Saturday 11AM - 3PM

“You have to tear it down and add more modern foliage such as faux succulents, fiddle leaf fig trees or olive trees.”

Parker and LePori also suggest changing out pillows and lighting, as well as adding curtain panels — even inexpensive ones from places like Ikea — to your rooms.

“We always say that little things like putting up simple curtain panels can have a big impact,” says LePori.

LePori and Parker also understand the importance of paint in enhancing a room and suggest that “when in doubt, paint it white.”

A few other tips the decorating duo recommend: using stacks of books on coffee tables, end tables and bookshelves; adding natural elements like a jute rug or wooden bowls; and replacing builder-grade light fixtures with more style- and taste-specific lighting.

CREATE HARMONY Quality of life and overall well-being are also aspects of a home’s design that feng shui practitioners focus on. Beata Kulitskaya of Double Happiness Studios says her business can help clients improve their finances, careers, relationships and health through feng shui, an ancient Chinese practice that focuses on creating harmonious environments for

living and work.

“Any time of year is a good time to bring in new energy to your home,” she says, and one of the first things that she helps a client do is to declutter. “Too much clutter leads to too much stagnant energy,” she says.

In addition to decluttering, Kulitskaya looks for ways to increase the positive energy in a client’s home. If, for example, a client is concerned about finances, she will look at the area in the home where he or she works and ensure that it exudes wealth and success, such as by displaying achievements or images that support the person’s goals.

“If you walk into that office, it should look like a successful person works there,” she says.

While this ancient Eastern practice hasn’t won over every Westerner, it’s hard to argue with the principles that Kulitskaya stresses. Just as with the decorating and design firms, it’s all about creating a home environment that’s not only aesthetically pleasing but functional as well.

Says Margiotta, “There is nothing better than walking into a room that is thoughtfully decorated with style and that reflects your personality, a place that feels cozy where you want to spend time and hang out — that’s what home is.”

Home Show March 15, 2018 - 23

Welcome Home to Arizona’s Island Paradise!

Grand Island Estates invites you to select your new home from three exclusive neighborhoods featuring semi-custom homes ready to move-in, or at framing stage awaiting your design choices, or select your homesite and we’ll build your custom dream home. With 300 miles of shoreline, multiple golf courses and an abundance of dining and entertainment venues, combined with the grandeur of the Arizona desert, it’s easy to see why so many visitors become residents.

Come see for yourself why we call this “Arizona’s Island Paradise”.

We’d love to welcome you Home!

London Bridge Rd.

• Several Homes Ready to Move-In

• 3-Car Garage Options Available on Select Homes • New Clubhouse & Pool

ch

llo Cu

d.

Blv

Mc

La

ke

London Bridge

H

av as

u

Av e.

d.

Blv er mb Be

ach

co

• Models at Sienna Villas Open Daily

95

QUEENS BAY GOLF COURSE

ay hw

Coming Soon at Sienna Villas

Queens Bay

ig

H

Sw an LONDON son BRIDGE Av e.

RESORT

LAKE HAVASU .

lvd r B d.)

be Blv om ch hc llo ac Cu Be (Mc

Vialetto Drive

Cala Rosa Drive

Find us on Facebook Badge

From the Low $600,000’s

Map is not to scale.

CMYK / .eps

Sienna Villas at Grand Island

From the $300,000’s

NAUTICAL INN GOLF COURSE

Grand Island Realty Where Dreams Become Reality

From the $1,000,000’s

Luxurious Semi-Custom Homes 1 & 2-story Plans from 1,382 to 2,984 Sq. Ft.

One & Two-story RV Garage Homes 2,400 to 4,000+ Sq. Ft.

Exclusive All Custom Home Neighborhood Large Estate Lots Available

928.505.0202 610 Veneto Loop | Lake Havasu City www.GrandIslandVillas.com

928.855.6060 905 Cala Rosa Dr. | Lake Havasu City www.GrandIslandEstates.com

928.855.6060 905 Cala Rosa Dr. | Lake Havasu City www.GrandIslandEstates.com

Developed by Trinity Land Development, LLC. Homes built by Rupp Construction, ROC#287560. Represented by Sheila Clark, Broker, Grand Island Realty.

Prices, specifications & incentives subject to change without notice.