Home and Garden Web

My yard is 90% fenced in by a 6-foot tall cinder block wall. But in a couple of areas I have some decorative wrought iron fencing that my two small dogs love to squeeze through. A quick and easy solution to dog-proof this type of fencing is by simply purchasing a roll of PVC coated wire fencing from Home Depot or Lowes. The fencing I got measures 36″ high and comes in a 50-foot roll. It’s also coated in a nice black finish so it blends with the existing fence.

To install, start by grabbing a roll of bailing wire, a pair of wire cutters and a pair of pliers. Begin by cutting a few 8″ lengths of bailing wire and using them to secure the wire fencing to the wrought iron at the top and bottom. Wrap the wire and twist the ends with a pair of pliers to tighten. Then simply cut off the excess with the wire cutters. You’ll want to tuck the twisted ends of the bailing wire along a rail or post of the wrought iron fencing as they can be sharp and could scratch or cut your dogs. An extra step I took to prevent my dogs from getting scratched was coating the exposed wire ends in tool dip. You can find this again at Home Depot or Lowes and it’s simply a liquid rubber coating used to make grips for your tool handles. Simply dip the ends of the wire in the tool dip and let dry for a smooth, safe surface.

All told, the labor on this project took less than an hour and the new fencing really isn’t noticeable against the existing wrought iron work. Not to mention, I don’t have to chase my dogs around the neighborhood anymore. Total cost including the wire fencing, bailing wire and tool dip was less than $50.

Used to be, a faucet was simply a way to get water from your pipes to your sink. But today, companies like Danze have turned plumbing fixtures into a wonderful combination of architectural beauty and durable performance.

I first came across Danze faucets during a home show and since have enjoyed watching the company’s numerous additions to an already stellar line of plumbing fixtures. Today, Danze boasts over 15 different lines of bathroom and kitchen faucets alone! With so many choices, there’s bound to be a style that fits your personal taste.

One of my favorite Danze faucet lines is the “Sirius” collection. If ever there were a faucet designed to make an impression, this is it. Contemporary and sleek, the Danze Sirius line is more a work of art than a simple faucet. Water spills from the unique spout like a serene waterfall, while the faucet’s operation is smooth and effortless. The Sirius line is available in both single and double handle lavatory models and is accompanied by a full suite of tub, shower, custom shower and Roman tub fixtures. 

If the stunning array of unique designs aren’t enough, you’ll rest assured you’re getting a quality product thanks to a full lifetime warranty backed by a professional customer service team. Danze faucets also meet NSF Standard 61—a national standard designed to eliminate lead and other water toxins.

Leather furniture not only adds style and character to a room, but is also comfortable and durable. In fact, leather is often superior to all other upholstery materials.

• For starters, leather doesn’t rip as like other fabrics and won’t tear at the seams. This is a huge advantage for those that have children and pets. Leather is extremely durable, puncture resistant and wears well over time.
• Leather also resists fading. Since the pigments are actually absorbed by the leather itself during the dyeing process, the color on your leather sofa won’t fade or rub off.
• It’s easy to clean. Again for anyone with children or pets, the advantages of quick and easy cleaning are endless. With most leather varieties, simply wipe up the spill or spot with a damp cloth and you’re done.
• Leather furniture is also fire resistant. This is a secondary benefit, but important none-the-less. Even when exposed to extreme heat, leather will not emit toxic fumes that could endanger your family during a fire.
• Even in settings where the sofa receives direct sunlight for much of the day, leather will not crack or peel. In many cases leather ages well and actually looks better over time.
• Leather is unique. Much like a fingerprint, every single piece of leather is different. From wrinkles to scars to variations in the grain of the leather, you’ll own a true one-of-a-kind sofa.
• It’s versatile and comes in many different forms. Leather furniture comes in virutally every configuration you can think of. Whether your looking for a traditional couch/love seat combo, a sofa bed, a sectional or anything in between, you’ll find many options in the leather category.

Recently, I put new carpet in a theater room I’d been working on. The room was previously used for a home office and had short industrial-style carpet. The new carpet was a deep shag and thus was about half an inch taller.

As a result, the existing closet door was too tall and wouldn’t close with the new carpet installed. With a couple of simple tips you can remedy this situation in about 20 minutes.

First, assuming the closet door has already been removed, take it out of the room to an area where it’s safe to use power tools. Next, set up a couple of saw horses or 5-gallon buckets to give you a stable surface to work on. With your work area set up, grab a roll of blue painter’s tape. Wrap a single line of tape around the bottom of the door. The blue tape will keep the wood from splintering when you cut down the door and is easy to remove when you’re done.

Now you’re ready to measure and cut. Measure 1/2″ from the bottom and make a mark at each side of the door.  Next take a straight edge (I use a 36″ level) and draw a line connecting the two points. Put on a pair of safety glasses and and cut down the line using a circular saw with a fairly fine-toothed blade.

At this point you’re ready to remove the tape and re-install your door. One thing to keep in mind is how much you need to cut down your door. If it’s a solid wood door, this isn’t a concern. But for most of today’s hollow-core doors, there is a 2″ piece of wood at the base of the door. If you need to cut down the door more than that, you’ll have to buy a shorter door, which is usually a custom order.

Area rugs are a great way to add style and beauty to your home. Weather you’re looking for an Oriental Rug, a Persian Rug, a contemporary rug or even a Native American rug design—an area rug can quickly transform the look of your room and even serve as the foundation for your room’s design theme.

When selecting an area rug for your home, here are a few things to consider:

• Traffic - If your rug will be subject to heavy foot traffic, be sure to invest in a durable rug–possibly one made from synthetic fiber. Also, consider purchasing a darker colored or patterned rug. These designs tend to hide dirt, stains and wear more than others.
• Cost - This is often the first thing many people consider, but it’s worth mentioning. If price is top-of-mind you may find that a machine-woven rug will work better for your budget. Many machine-made rugs look identical to the hand-made variety, but cost much less.
• Room Size - Keep in mind that a lighter colored rug will tend to make a small room feel larger, while a darker colored rug will tend to make a room feel warm and cozy.
• Furniture - If your furniture features strong, striking patterns, you may want to choose a rug with soft, subdued tones, so the two design elements don’t compete for attention in the room. Conversely, if your furniture is subdued and light, a bold rug pattern can liven up the room and often serve as a focal point.
• Underlayment - Always purchase a quality pad or underlayment for your new area rug. Not only will it soften the impact of footsteps and other household noises, a good pad will prolong the life of your area rug.

If you follow these simple tips, your area rug will be a wonderful addition to your home–one that compliments your design and can serve as a unique and interesting focal point for any room.

First impressions are big. Not only with people, but with homes as well. Often times, the first thing people see when they come to your home is your mailbox. More so than not, most of tend to view our mailbox in a utilitarian way…just as a basket for our bills. But today there are more creative ways than ever to incorporate your mailbox into the overall look of your home. Now your mailbox can be a fun and decorative accent piece to set your home apart from the others on your block.

Here are a few popular mailbox styles, sure to add charm and character to the exterior of any home or business:

Curbside Mailboxes - If your neighborhood allows them, curbside mailboxes are a great way to instantly add curb appeal to your home. They’re available in hundreds of styles and configurations, so you’re sure to find one that compliments your design theme.

Wall-Mounted Mailboxes - Many neighborhoods require a wall-mounted mailbox placed near the front door of your home. Not only are these mailboxes ultra-convenient, they come in a variety of styles. Choose from traditional on-wall placement, built in styles that sit flush against the exterior of your home and even letter drops that allow letters to be placed into a secure box inside your home.

Security Mailboxes - Unfortunately, mailboxes are often the target of vandalism and theft. Accordingly, there are a huge variety of choices when it comes to tough, secure mailbox options. Security mailboxes are available in both curbside and wall-mount varieties and include features like solid steel construction, locking mechanisms and anti-tampering features.

Weather you spend $20 or $200 or your next mailbox, don’t just settle for the same old stuff. Shop around and find something that really adds to the look and curb appeal of your home. It’s just another way to add value and enjoyment to your biggest investment.

Often times I swear I have a lot in common with a big mouth bass. I get distracted easily by big, shiny objects.

For instance, the other day my wife and I were shopping for a new vacuum. Instead of simply going with an Oreck which we know and love, we got distracted by one of those big, shiny cyclone powered models. And before we knew it, we were hooked. We got the new vac home and were less than impressed. It was heavier than the Oreck, less maneuverable and didn’t clean the floors as well.

Needless to say, we returned the new vacuum in favor of a reliable Oreck vacuum vleaner. No, it doesn’t have a cyclone sucking mechanism. No it doesn’t vacuum the floor by itself. It simply cleans the floor efficiently and effectively. No gizmos, no gadgets…it just works.

Our old Oreck was given to my wife and I right after we got married. My mother had owned it for 7 years at that point and we owned it for another 7 years. That’s 14 years worth of Oreck before it was time for a new one!

If you’re in the market for a new vacuum and you’re tempted by the big, shiny lures, take a minute to check out a good old Oreck vacuum cleaner. It’s not the newest, just the best.

It’s the holiday season again and along with the eggnog, mistletoe and fancy gifts comes the never ending debate: Real or Fake?

Yep, whenever December rolls around you can count on husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, grandmothers and grandfathers—all disagreeing to their last frosty breaths on the issue of real or fake Christmas trees. Some argue for the convenience of an artificial tree, some argue for the tradition and the unmistakable aroma of an authentic tree.

So who’s right? Probably both. And here are a few reasons why:

You should buy a real tree because…

• There’s nothing like the rich scent of pine wafting through your home during the holiday season. Many of us grew up associating the intoxicating aroma with fond memories and treasured family experiences. That alone will put many people on the “real” side of the fence.
• For many families, the simple experience of loading up the car and heading to the nearest Christmas tree lot is a part of their holiday tradition. Picking the perfect tree can be a fun family activity. My brother and his family actually apply for a “Christmas Tree Permit” and trek into the mountains to cut down their own tree. The memories and family fun associated with these events are sure to last a lifetime.
• A real tree doesn’t take up storage space in your home 11 months out of the year. Part of the convenience of buying a real Christmas tree is disposability. Come December 26th, you can simply pack it up and take your tree to the nearest drop off spot. Many neighborhoods even offer curbside pickup of your old tree.

You should buy an artificial tree because…

• You don’t have to transport a large tree from the lot and again to the drop off. Let’s face it, if you don’t have a pickup truck getting a real Christmas tree home from the lot can be a real pain…not to mention somewhat dangerous. Strapping an 8-foot tall Douglas Fir to the roof of their Lexus isn’t exactly appealing to most people.
• Most artificial trees are pre-lit. That means you won’t spend hours untangling the ball of lights you so carefully put away last year. You and your family can get right to the good part and start hanging bulbs, candy canes, ornaments and the like.
• There’s no maintenance. No watering, no asprins, no sprite, none of the virtually thousands of home remedies for keeping a large tree on life support for 30 days.
• There’s no mess. Since your fake tree will never die, you won’t be vacuuming dead pine needles all month. Not to mention there’s no sap. So when you set up your artificial tree your hands won’t stick to everything you touch for the next 48 hours.

There you have it. I’m sure there are dozens more reasons for and against each. But these few points should be enough to spark a debate guaranteed to warm your holiday spirit.

With all of the options available in today’s home decorating market, choosing window treatments can be a bit overwhelming. Take a quick look around and you’ll find a dazzling array of choices including real wood and faux wood blinds, shades, mini blinds, vertical blinds, sheers, pleated, roman, cellular and roller shades…just to name a few.

When choosing window coverings, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• If you have small children, stay away from shades and blinds with long, dangling cords that could possibly choke a child.
• If you’re looking for window coverings in a bedroom, make sure they provide enough “blackout” coverage to allow you to sleep in on those relaxing weekend mornings.
• You can save money on your utility bills by choosing from efficient window treatments like cellular shades. Many cellular shades will insulate against extreme heat and cold, saving you money on energy costs.
• Cost…This is probably the first thing many people consider when choosing a window treatment. Keep in mind, there a many different cost options that still look great. A good example is faux wood blinds versus real wood blinds. You’ll get the look of a rich wood blind without the hefty price tag.
• Finally there’s convenience. There’s nothing worse than picking a wonderful looking window treatment for a patio door and finding it’s impractical to get in and out of. Make sure your decorative tastes match your lifestyle and function within the traffic flow of your home.

Looking for a great deal on home furnishings? You may want to check out Discount Furniture Warehouse. You’ll find a great selection of bedroom furniture, bar furniture and dining room furniture at great prices.

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