Home Remodeling Opus

Refresh, Renew, Rejuvenate Your Home with a Makeover

Consider renewing and refreshing your living environment with a makeover. To make a notable difference this year, spruce up your home with a touch of personality and style. Combining fashion and function, lighting is one of the easiest ways to rejuvenate a room, giving it an entirely fresh look and feel.

"Now more than ever, it's easy to revitalize your home with simple accents like lamps, mix-and-match lampshades and even light bulbs with color-enhancing benefits," says Catherine Bailly Dunne, author of "Interior Designing for All Five Senses." "We're seeing a surge of stylish lamps -- both modern and retro -- dominating the market. When used in a variety of styles, colors and designs, they can help consumers breathe new life into their homes or simply provide a new look for a new season."

With more than 60 percent of consumers spending leisure time at home rather than out and about, it's no surprise that home accents such as lamps and stylized lampshade "separates" have become important fashion accents in homes across the country.

Sometimes, refreshing a room can be as easy as changing a light bulb. Bulbs like GE Reveal filter out yellow rays common in ordinary light bulbs, making colors, fabric, walls and artwork appear richer, crisper and more vivid.

"It's amazing the impact lighting has in our homes and in our lives," says Dunne. In fact, in a recent survey by GE Lighting, nearly three quarters of Americans said that light quality affects their moods. Survey respondents overwhelmingly acknowledged the importance of good lighting for a variety of home settings including romance (76 percent); dinner with friends (75 percent); watching a movie (72 percent); cooking dinner (58 percent); taking a bath (50 percent); and even paying bills (33 percent).

When looking to update the ambiance of a room, consider some simple and affordable lighting accessories. For instance, popular animal-print lampshades might evoke a sense of daring or adventure. Laced with beads, fringe, sequins, appliques and trendy crystals, lighting fixtures can inspire playfulness and charm. And what better way to display one's light-hearted nature than lighting a bedroom or den with a whimsical character lamp.

For more information or other helpful lighting tips for the home, visit GEreveal.com or call (800) GE-LIGHT.

Courtesy ARA Content, http://www.aracontent.com.

Floor Warming Ode

Electric Radiant Floor Warming: the Affordable Luxury

Mountain climbers have an old saying: "Don't cheat your feet." A homeowner might consider this advice when building or remodeling a bathroom or kitchen floor.

For floors, homeowners know that ceramic, slate or marble tiles are attractive and durable alternatives to wood, carpet or vinyl. They want the beauty of tile floors, but their feet tell them they're cold.

While most people are comfortable with air temperatures of 65 to 75 degrees, they tend to feel uncomfortable if there's more than a 5-degree difference between the surface temperature (80 to 85 degrees) of the head and that of the feet. A bare foot gives an immediate indication as to the comfort level of any floor. For this reason alone, tile is often not the flooring of choice.

With a tiny amount of heat supplied by a human foot, carpet fibers warm almost instantaneously to "foot" temperature, about 83 degrees. A ceramic tile can't compete in this race: its mass needs a lot more heat for a longer amount of time. It would take approximately 30 minutes for a human foot to increase a 68-degree marble floor to foot temperature!

Radiant floor warming systems solve this problem -- fast!

The most common radiant floor warming systems are either hydronic (circulating hot water in tubes in the floor) or electric (heating cables in the floor). Hydronic systems are more complicated, requiring pumps and valves and modulators and so on, and, as a result, are a lot more expensive to install than electric. Still, for whole house heating solutions, hydronics are a good choice. By contrast, electric systems are inexpensive enough for single room applications and simple enough for do-it-yourselfers.

Suitable for new construction or remodeling applications, electric floor warming systems include a network of cables installed in the mortar just below the tiles. These cables gently warm the tiles, operating on ordinary house current. While using a professional electrician is advised for those not comfortable working on electrical installations, these systems are generally easy to install and will not compromise the integrity of the tile installation.

Designing a floor warming installation first requires a determination of the area to be warmed. Calculating the total square footage will require collecting information from the blueprints of the room or actually measuring the area itself. It should be noted that areas that are inaccessible or under vanities, cabinets, or plumbing fixtures should not be included -- there's no need to heat floor area that won't be walked on! When making the calculations it is advisable to design a layout that considers actual use and traffic patterns in the area to be warmed. Using care in measuring and calculating the area will help ensure that the proper cable is selected for the installation. Preformed mats can also be selected to simplify the installation, but these are usually only suitable for rectangular areas; odd shaped areas, such as "T's" or "L's" will often have cold spots if heated by mats.

Easy Heat's Warm Tiles cables are available as an off-the-shelf product in a growing number of distribution channels, including retail. Easy Heat also provides mats in stock and custom sizes. Thermostats are also available with setback features to ensure that the cables are only heating the floor when the floor is being used. Floor heating thermostats differ from room heating thermostats in that they have a sensor that extends down into the floor to sense the actual floor temperature, and to control the cables accordingly, usually at about 85 degrees. Today, floor warming thermostats are available with sophisticated programming features as well.

A complete system often can be installed using an electric drill and other ordinary hand tools. The installation process can be completed in three phases that will likely correspond with the construction or remodeling phases of your home or building.

Phase one -- Electrical Rough-in

During the electrical rough-in, the electrical box for the thermostat is installed, and the power supply cable pulled into it. Conduit holes are drilled into the wall plate (a two-by-four on the floor at the bottom of the wall) to enable the heating cable leads and thermostat sensor to be pulled into the electrical box.

Phase two -- Install Cables

For new construction, the cables are installed only after the drywall is finished and immediately prior to the tile installation. The cables are provided with plastic strapping that is stapled to the floor, and the heating cable is simply woven over the floor on the strapping. The leads of the cable and the thermostat sensor are routed through the conduit holes and up to the electrical box. A "scratch coat" of mortar (just enough to cover the cables) is then applied and allowed to dry, usually just a day. Then, the flooring can be completed in the usual manner.

Phase three -- Thermostat and Power Connection

The last phase calls for the installation of the thermostat and connection to the power source.

For more information on electric radiant floor warming call (877) EASYHEAT, or go to www.warmtiles.com. Warm Tiles is a registered trademark of Easy Heat Inc.

Courtesy ARA Content, http://www.aracontent.com.

Weather Poem

Grilling, Gardening or Storm Watching: Thermometers Provide the Numbers You Need

To make the most of outdoor activities, people need more information: the temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and whether any storms are lurking over the horizon.

Fortunately, there are thermometers that fit the bill for the weekend gardener, the grilling enthusiast, the weather aficionado or anyone in between. And with various outdoor celebrations throughout the season, thermometers make a great gift that's also practical and attractive.

Accurate weather information

If it's weather information you're after, digital thermometers and weather stations are the latest trend. These handy devices incorporate wireless monitoring technology and provide the convenience of having a monitor on a table inside the house with a weatherproof sensor outdoors, in the attic or wherever you would like it to be. Acu-Rite's models feature easy-to-read LCD screens that display both the internal room temperature as well as the temperature for up to three remote sensors with a range of up to 100 feet. They also function as clocks with snooze alarms and day/date displays.

The more advanced models will give you barometric pressure and humidity readings and alert you to weather changes and impending storms. If you want to monitor the temperature of your lily pond or swimming pool, the weatherproof sensors also come with a submersible waterproof probe.

If you are really into precision, Acu-Rite's newest model, available this spring at Wal-Mart, will give you not only accurate weather readings, but also will synchronize to the official U.S. atomic clock in Boulder, Colo.

Spruce up the deck

Whether you need to know when to flip the burgers or when to flip yourself to get an even tan, a combination thermometer/clock on the deck is handy during warm weather. Many combination models or sets are available, in designs ranging from a bright mosaic, to garden herbs, to sea shells. Look for sets made from durable sculpted resin to withstand outdoor use and still provide accurate time and temperature information.

Decorative thermometers, including glazed ceramic or earthy terra cotta designs, are suitable for indoor or outdoor decorating. Stoney Creek's ceramic line offers colorful designs with floral, French Provincial and other garden-related themes. Other designs incorporate nature themes such as birds, frogs and flowers that can also function as birdfeeders, key holders or planters. More traditionally-styled thermometers available from Acu-Rite include brass tub thermometers that mount to a window frame, metal verdigris or grape leaf patterns, or a nautical, porthole style thermometer.

Look for Acu-Rite products at major discount stores including Target, Kmart, Wal-Mart, ShopKo and Lowe's. Stoney Creek Trading Co. products can be found at specialty retailers. Acu-Rite and Stoney Creek Trading Co. thermometers are made by the Chaney Instrument Company, an internationally-known maker of quality timepieces and thermometers since 1943. To learn more about the Acu-Rite or Stoney Creek Trading Co. brands or Chaney Instrument Co., visit www.chaneyinstrument.com.

Courtesy ARA Content, http://www.aracontent.com.

Windows Decor Serenade

Windows Last Decor Priority When Canadians Move

Selecting window dressings is usually the last thing on many new homeowners to do lists once they move into their homes. Other, "more important" decor priorities are dealt with first while blankets and sheets usually suffice to achieve a semblance of privacy for the first few weeks. It doesn't have to be this way.

"Blinds and shades tend to be the type of thing that people forget about. It's the last thing people buy when decorating their home, but they end up being the most important," says Yasmin Siboldi, Manager, Visual Merchandising at Blinds To Go, who believes window decor choices can be the first step in establishing the primary look of a decor. "People don't realize how window treatments can totally change the look of their home."

According to Siboldi, the current styles and trends in window treatments have evolved to such an extent that they can now be part of the primary decor of homes offering both fashionable and functional properties.

Today's blinds and shades offer a clean tailored look while softening and diffusing light. They are now made with a wide variety of new fabrics and are available in fashionable colors and patterns.

Horizontal blinds made out of wood, metallic fabric roller shades, embossed vinyl vertical blinds, pleated, cellular and Roman shades, as well as elegant sheer shades highlight a fashionable wave of products that are accenting decors across the country. The major problem people now have is deciding between so many new window treatment options.

"Captivated is the reaction people have when walking around in our superstores," said Siboldi. "There is so much selection displayed it's breathtaking."

Here are a few examples:

* Wood blinds: one of the most popular choices for today's decor as they can match any style and feature excellent insulation and privacy functions.

* Metallic finish roller shades: streamlined and lightweight in design, they are tightly woven, and as such, cut sunlight, maintain privacy and provide insulation. They are an excellent room-darkening option for the bedroom and well suited for the minimalist decors in vogue today.

* Cellular and pleated shades: they give people the "simple soft look they're looking for in their decors while also providing important energy efficient insulating properties," added Siboldi.

Once you select your new blinds and shades you will see your decor take shape before your eyes in a matter of days. Unlike typical window covering boutiques, Blinds To Go is both a manufacturer and retailer so you can select from an unparalleled selection of products at the lowest factory-direct prices and your custom-made blinds can be ready to install as quickly as 48 hours.

So take down your blankets and sheets and start your look off on the right track with window dressings.

For more home decor and window covering ideas, visit a Blinds To Go superstore (1-800-blinds-7 for store locations) or their web site at www.blindstogo.com

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Home Decorating Verse

Window Decor Q&A

Q: We've just moved into our home and we were considering different window treatment options. When it comes to the front of the house how uniform should our treatments be? Should they all be in one color or is it preferable to mix and match depending on our interior decor?

A: It is common to want the window treatments in the front of your home to be as uniform as possible-just how uniform is up to you. Most people just make sure that the front products are generally white. Options like Cellular and Pleated shades have white backings despite their colored inside-facing fabric. Some aluminum blinds can be made as "duo-tones" which are white on the back.

In general, the more symmetrical your home decor the more likely the products should be similar. People often use one product across the front; however, many also use one for the first floor and another for the second. It's your home, so whatever option you feel is appropriate should be fine.

Q: What are some window shade options for a second story window in a study?

A: If you want a shade, consider the Top-Down/Bottom-Up feature, which allows you to cover the bottom half of your window and not block your view. For instance, if you're studying or reading, this option allows you to block people from seeing into the room while maintaining some of the outside view and sunlight.

Q: Our family room in the summer is almost unbearable due to the heat from the harsh sunlight that comes into the room from our several windows. We have central air conditioning but that room is always a lot warmer. What type of window treatment should I consider that will help me cut my air conditioning costs in the hot summer months?

A: Look for window treatments that have insulating qualities. There are four different types of shades available that provide excellent insulating values - the pleated shade, nested cellular, single cellular and double cellular shade. The pleated shade blocks heat and protects against the suns harmful U.V. rays. This treatment option can also add a decorative element to your decor as they are available in linens, prints and jacquards. Nested and Single Cellular shades are constructed to actually trap pockets of air inside the shades, helping to regulate your room's temperature. The Double cellular shade's structure maximizes energy efficiency lowering your cooling costs. If you're looking for complete blackout options, effective choices include room-darkening roller shades and pleated shades with a blackout lining feature.

For more home decor and window covering ideas, visit a Blinds To Go superstore (1-800-blinds-7 for store locations) or their web site at www.blindstogo.com.

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.

Frame Opus

Re-Using Old Picture Frames

It's fun taking something apart and putting it back together again in a new creative way. I work in an office where we had a lot of old promotional type posters that were very expensively matted and framed. Now that we're moving to a new office we wanted something new, but didn't want to spend a lot of money decorating. We decided to disassemble the old frames and re-use the mats to frame new prints.

We made a visit to a local craft store and found an abundance of inexpensive artwork in all sizes, ranging in price from $1.49 to $40.00. Definitely within our budget. We picked out several beautiful floral prints and framed them with the old mats and frames. Disassembling the old prints included tearing off most of the prints that had previously been glued to the mats, but I just tore it all off and used scotch tape to tack down the new prints.

The new prints don't have to completely fit your frames or mats, either. It was hard finding prints that were just the right size. Don't be afraid to move the print around in a mat that's a little too small. Often you can cover some edges of the print and not take away from the overall effect of the picture at all. Just trim edges where necessary to make the print fit (after you've double checked your positioning within the mat). You can also buy bigger mats to make a smaller print fit in a larger frame.

If you don't care if all of your frames match, it's very inexpensive to shop thrift stores and yard sales for cheap prints and re-use the mats and frames for new prints. Or go through some of your own old prints and redecorate!

Also, when looking for inexpensive prints, don't limit yourself to poster prints. Postcards and greeting cards also look great framed. Add a mat and you'll never be able to tell the difference.

You don't need a lot of special tools to get started. All you really need is possibly a screwdriver for disassembling frames, a ruler to make sure your print is straight, some tape for attaching the print to the mat, and a pencil and scissors for marking and trimming prints that don't quite fit.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to have great wall art. It just takes a little planning ahead to match print sizes to frames and match colors. Have fun, and use your imagination! A beautiful picture really brightens up a room, and you can create your own easily and inexpensively.

Author, Rachel Paxton, is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

Safe Cottage Life Serenade

Preparing For Safe Cottage Life

Cottage living is home away from home to Canadians and life at the cottage boasts campfires, fireworks and hearty eating. In fact, Canadians love their cottages and feel more at home there than anywhere else, according to a 1998 Royal Bank survey.

But as with primary homes, cottages require regular upkeep to protect against hazards, and fire safety is especially a key issue at the cottage. However, owners taking a few simple precautions will go a long way in protecting their family and cottage.

According to the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC), first and foremost, it is extremely important that owners maintain fuse boxes, heaters, wiring, stove and other possible heat sources as they would in their primary homes. Test smoke alarms and ensure long-lasting batteries, such as new Advanced Performance Duracell® CopperTop® batteries, are used for protection all summer long.

Fire pits and campfires should be built where the fire will not spread, away from dry grass and leaves and low-hanging trees. Never leave open fires unattended, including barbecues, and supervise kids at all times. Watch out for flying sparks that could set fire to areas close to the cottage and be especially cautious with fireworks around kids.

Around the exterior of the cottage, a basic precaution is to keep grass cut and raked. Dry grass and debris can also collect under open porches, decks and floors, so it is important to keep these areas covered. In addition, stack firewood well away from the cottage.

Keep other highly-flammable objects, like fibreglass boats and canoes, away from the cottage and store them upside down, one meter above ground, either on a clearing or a rock.

By taking these simple precautions, cottage owners will go a long way to ensuring they don't lose their homes away from home to fire.

To learn more about summer fire safety, join Duracell Canada and the CAFC for the Duracell Fire Safety Drive. Starting in June, parents are encouraged to bring their children to participating retail outlets to learn more about the dangers of fire and how to adopt a new and improved fire safety and escape plan for their homes. Visit www.duracell.com/firesafety for details about an event near you.

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.