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Whether your home is newly constructed or purchased from a previous owner, painting its exterior is the first step toward putting your personal stamp on the home. Likewise, if you’re looking to sell the house, an attractive exterior paint job goes a long way toward creating “curb appeal.” The first step is choosing the correct products (brushes, primers, and paint). The second step is to understand the relationship (adhesion quality) between paint and different species of wood. How well exterior paints and stains adhere to wood is a direct result of the properties of the wood itself. As an example,...

Convenience and functionality are behind a new idea in kitchen design that is growing in popularity with many different types of home buyers. Much like the trend of larger showers a decade ago, I see the footprint of the pantry space growing in upcoming years. New homeowners are gravitating to upgrading this space to hide everyday messes in order to keep a clean, welcoming look in the kitchen. This trend is also popular because it allows home builders to showcase additional cabinet or shelving options to offer a vary of choices to their buyers. These spaces have the ability to...

A Christmas tree is more than a Christmas tree if you recycle it to help wild birds after the holidays. There are several ways you can turn this ultimate Christmas decoration into the ultimate assistance for birds once you are ready to take it down. Instant Brush Pile: The fastest, easiest way to reuse a Christmas tree is to turn it into an instant brush pile for winter shelter for sparrows, quail, doves and other backyard birds. Simply put the tree outdoors for birds to use, ideally positioning it in a sheltered location such as a fence corner or alongside...

Although primary bathrooms continue to be one of the most popular rooms to renovate, the features within the spaces have evolved over the years. According to the 2017 Houzz Bathroom Trends Study, released today, statement showers with more square footage, high-end features, such as rainfall showerheads, and accessible amenities are some of the most preferred additions in remodels. Idea generator website Houzz surveyed roughly 1,200 users who completed a primary bath renovation in the last 12 months, are currently working on one, or are planning to start one in the next three months. The 56-question survey found the average overall...

Generally, the forward thinking concept of building a home in which the owner may someday use the basement as a living space wasn’t widely practiced until the 1950s and 1960s. Older homes had basements which were primarily a place to keep the furnace and other utilities, as well as storing things that can handle the cooler, damp atmosphere. On the plus side, cool basements were excellent for storing canned goods. Nowadays, finished basements are a common and economical way of improving your home. Living space is greatly increased, and the home’s resale value goes up as well. The challenge is...