Dress Your Windows in Style

by Sharon Naylor, CNS

Giving your window treatments a style makeover is one of the fastest and most budget-friendly ways to refresh any room in your home. Replacing furniture and flooring can cost thousands of dollars, after all, but a simple switch of curtains, swags, shades or blinds can be achieved for as low as $50. And when it’s done right, it can make it look as if you spent hundreds.

Many home remodeling projects take months to complete, so wouldn’t it be a nice change to get one big-impact project crossed off the to-do list in just a few hours?

Window makeovers can save you tons of money
Giving a room a fresh, summery style may be a major factor in your moving “window dressing” to the top of your wish list, but those new shades could deliver an extra benefit; window dressing can make your home more energy-efficient. Installing the new class of thermal pull-down shades, wooden blinds or curtains with sun-blocking liners can reduce your home cooling costs by 40 percent, according to Energy Star. Many of the most in-demand materials also deliver the gift of “greening” your home, such as natural wood blinds’ insulating and noise-reducing effects in your rooms. Wood blinds are called “hard treatments” — as opposed to fabric materials, which are called “soft treatments” — and they join thermal and lined shades and curtains in eliminating or reducing the damage the sun’s harsh ultraviolet rays cause to your furniture and floors.

Your new window treatments could very well save enough on your home cooling costs to pay for themselves in just a few months.

Hot window-dressing trends
“We’re seeing a lot of ‘woven woods,’ such as Roman shades made from earth-friendly bamboo and other natural woods,” says Michele Dawson Kendall, interior decorator at Interior Visions.

Some brands of woven wood shades do move into the higher budget range of $200 or so per shade, but interior designer Marie Marzarella of Window Tailors (http://www.WindowTailors.net) says that leading brand “Hunter Douglas is always in demand, and they’ve now come out with a less expensive wood blind that fits most budgets.”

Keeping with the wood window treatment style, a hot new trend is the hard treatment of plantation shutters. “These wooden shutters are installed inside the window, opening inward,” Kendall says.

“Home redecorators love the design options afforded by plantation shutters because they become a part of and add to the value of the room, and you can have them in white or in stained wood colors to coordinate with your existing wood furniture.

In “soft treatments” of fabric window dressing, Kendall says lightweight linen, cotton and all-natural soft bamboo fabrics lead the way for airier looks, and Marzarella says silks are extremely popular and reasonably priced. “Look for a woven, gauzy look to your lightweight fabrics,” Marzarella says. “Earth tones are always popular, and right now we’re seeing more blues and teals used in home redecorating projects.”

Hardware Must-Haves
The prettiest new curtains or sheers lose a bit of their luster if they’re hung from those old-fashioned, out-of-date, white metal curtain rods or spring-tension mini rods. Dressing up your windows calls for new curtain rods, either in popular round wooden designs or trendy wrought-iron bars. “Wooden rods are more in-demand right now,” Kendall says, owing to the natural home look. “And I like to pair the finials to the style of the room. A more contemporary room will get chunky glass finials, whereas a formal dining room might call for decorative wrought-iron finishing ends.”

Decorative tiebacks for curtains often are made of the same or coordinating fabric, such as a 3-inch-wide length of bamboo, cotton or linen. If you’ve chosen the wrought-iron curtain rod and finials, your budget splurge might be decorative wrought-iron tieback hooks from Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware.

An interior decorator’s trained eye can help you tailor your window dressing to the personality and tone of each room, and can direct you to well-priced window treatments and accessories. Don’t assume a decorator is going to cost you a fortune. Today’s design experts work with all budgets, and their design boards covered with swatches and sketches can bring extra inspiration to your rooms.

What to Fix When You Put Your House On the Market

By Katie Langrock, CNS

Trying to sell your house? With the housing market still struggling in some areas — plummeting prices, excessive competition and timid bank loans — selling your home is an upward battle. But don’t give up hope. There are many small fixer-uppers and a few large overhauls you can do to make your house stand out from the rest. Here are a few tips on how to get your home sold quickly.

Easy fixer-uppers
The first thing you should take care of is curb appeal, i.e., how your house looks from the street. Getting buyers inside the house is half the battle, according to Sandi Forgey, a real estate agent and a tax accountant. “People can’t see past a bad curb appeal. The inside of your house may be awesome, but no one will know if the curb appeal doesn’t draw buyers in.”

Luckily, curb appeal is a cheap and easy fix. Forgey recommends cleaning up your yard, trimming bushes, planting flowers, power washing and, if needed, adding fresh paint or an attractive new door. “Take care of all the things that make the front of your house look appealing to someone, and make them feel as if they want to come inside and see what else is in there.”

Congratulations, your perfect curb appeal has attracted potential buyers to step inside your home. “The next thing you need to do as the homeowner — so people aren’t turned off the moment they step inside your front door — is to de-clutter your house,” Forgey says. “You need to get rid of all the junk. And don’t just put it in the closet; put it in a storage. Rent a Pod; rent storage space; do a yard sale.”

De-cluttering your home also includes taking down all of your family photographs. “If you leave all your photos and your personal items in the house, it makes it harder for potential buyers to visualize their families and their things in the house,” Forgey says.

If you need help de-cluttering and reorganizing your home, you may want to consider hiring a stager, Forgey advises. “Stagers don’t have to use their own furniture. They can come in and just spend a couple of hours giving you advice on how to move around your own furniture and de-clutter. So you are only paying for an hour or two of consultation, not paying for their furniture, and it can make a huge impact on your house,” she says.

When selling your home, keep in mind that first impressions are everything. Clean the carpets; change the burned-out light bulbs; fix anything that is broken. “If people are looking at your house and there are all these easy fixes that haven’t been taken care of, they are going to think that you haven’t properly cared for your house,” Forgey says. “The buyer will wonder what else is hiding in the closet. If the easy stuff isn’t fixed, what big problems haven’t been taken care of? On the contrary, if they see that everything is in good condition, it makes them feel comfortable.”

Neutral paint color also helps attract and comfort potential buyers. “I sold a house once that had very cool, eclectic purple paint on one wall,” Forgey says. “But the sellers lost many potential buyers because they just couldn’t see past that purple paint. They couldn’t visualize the house in another color. Painting is one of the easier and cheaper things to take care of, so you should fix it before buyers come in.”

Big overhauls
People don’t want to spend extra money fixing up a house after they buy it. To keep potential buyers interested in your home, especially in today’s struggling housing market, it may be worth it to spend some cash updating it. Most buyers are interested in renovated kitchens and bathrooms. “If you have the money to completely renovate these rooms, that’s great,” Forgey says. “But don’t overlook what new floors and painted cabinets can do to update the look of your kitchen and bathroom.” Instead, she recommends spending the big bucks on making functional changes to the home, such as replacing an old roof and windows, bringing in hardwood floors, updating to central heating and air conditioning and upgrading your plumbing.

Ultimately, Forgey says, the most important thing to keep in mind when you go to sell your house is that you have to disengage yourself from the emotional connection you have with your home. “It’s no longer your house; it’s a commodity that you are selling,” she says. “You may love it the way it is, but once you make that decision to sell it, you need to change your focus to: ‘This is not my house anymore. How do I get it to a place where other people will like it?’”

The Recycle Cycle

By Shawn Dell Joyce, CNS

We Americans produce over four pounds of garbage per person each day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This adds up to 29 pounds per week and 1,600 pounds a year. What happens to all that trash?

Most garbage haulers dump the garbage at a transfer station. Recyclables are sorted mainly by hand, on a conveyer belt. Plastics, particularly numbers 1-7, are crushed and baled by a “Wall-e” type machine that produces perfect cubes. These cubes are sold on the commodities market for about 60 cents per pound. This plastic is reprocessed using high temperatures that burn off most food particles and paper labels.

Glass is more difficult to recycle, and there is little call for it on the commodities markets. Industry is switching to lighter packaging to save money on shipping costs and replacing glass bottles with plastic. Most recycling facilities actually have to pay an average of $25 per ton to ship glass to a reprocessing facility.

Aluminum is one of the most recycled items in the garbage, with about 35 percent of all cans on the market living a second or third life. “It takes about 12 ounces of energy to make a single 12 ounce can,” notes recycling facility manager Bill Cutler. “Never, ever throw one away!”

Polystyrene foam is considered a contaminant in most recycling facilities as it often winds up in garbage but cannot be recycled. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the bulk clogging up our landfills, nor is disposable diapers. The bulk in most landfills is paper, especially newspapers that could be recycled.

This little-known fact was discovered by an archaeologist who excavates landfills. William L. Rathje, professor emeritus at the University of Arizona, dug up three landfills in Arizona, California and Illinois. His team discovered newspapers from the late 1970s that were still readable, green grass clippings, a T-bone steak with lean and fat and five hot dogs, all fairly fresh.

Rathje exposed the fact that organic matter doesn’t really biodegrade in landfill conditions. “Well-designed and well-managed landfills, in particular, seem to be far more apt to preserve their contents for posterity than to transform them into humus or mulch,” says Rathje. “They are not vast composters; rather, they are vast mummifiers.”

A byproduct of landfills is methane and carbon dioxide gases, which contribute to climate change. These gases could be used to generate electricity or heat, instead. There are 400 landfill gas energy projects scattered across the United State.

“It’s too late to do anything about reducing waste by the time it gets to the landfill,” notes Cutler, who diverted over 5,000 pounds of recyclables from the waste stream last year. “We need to let go of the disposable mentality,” he notes. “If you don’t absolutely need it, don’t buy it!”

Want to reduce your household waste?
• Compost! Separate organic materials like leaves, grass clippings, vegetables peels and scraps, and keep them in a composter or pile in the back yard.
• Precycle! Purchase items with the least amount of packaging. Buy items that can be recycled, like Tom’s toothpaste, the only toothpaste tube that can be recycled.
• Guerrilla Recycle! Take apart the layers of pet food bags and discard the plastic inner liner. Over a pound of paper can be recycled from one pet food bag! And, if you have a lot of old stuff to clear out of your home and can’t afford the time and effort to recycle everything, call a service such as 1-800-GOTJUNK to do it for you. For a fee, the company will clear out anything and everything you no longer want, and will recycle as much of it as possible. Aaron Fastman, manager of the 1-800-GOTJUNK in Williston, Vermont, says that they are unique in that many other “haulers” don’t recycle. “We do all the donating and recycling for you, and we know what items various places will accept.” Locally, Fastman says the company recycles/donates to organizations including ReSource, CSWD, GoodWill, the Salvation Army, Environmental Depot, Lund Family Center, Howard Center, and the Refugee Resettlement Program.
• Skip the juice box! Items in packaging that combines paper with metal or plastic like juice boxes, milk cartons, paper bags lined with foil or bubble wrap mailers are all unrecyclable.
• Skip the disposables! Use real cups, plates and napkins at your next party, and wash them instead. If it is a large party, budget for a cleaning service or find a caterer who uses real dishes. Fastman believes we are living in one of the best states for recycling awareness. “In Vermont, recycling is really on people’s minds.”

Vermont Offers Sustainable Wood Furniture with a Technological Twist

By Maggie Reed, CNS

Combine being earth-friendly with some hi-technology, and you will have furniture from Vermont Woods Studios. This line of bedroom and living room furniture is made with the highest ecological standards, along with some whimsy:

– Vermont Modern Bed. This handmade wood queen- or king-size bed frame has a solid footboard that stores a flat screen TV. Press a button on the remote and the TV is lifted up and out of the footboard. The bed is available in solid natural cherry, maple, oak or walnut hardwood to any specifications. Retail price is $4,000.

– Modern Pop-Up TV-Media Console. This console features a sleek rounded front with high-end tambour doors that slide smoothly out of the way to reveal all the media equipment. With a touch of a button on the remote control, any flat-screen or plasma TV rises from the back of the entertainment center for easy viewing. Handmade from solid natural cherry, maple, oak or walnut, it also can be made to any specification. Retail price is $4,600.

Vermont Woods Studios is a group of world-class furniture makers that work independently from small studios scattered across Vermont. It is a community of eco-friendly artisans and environmentalists dedicated not only to beauty and quality in their craft, but also to the preservation of the environment.

Furniture is made with only premium solid hardwoods, primarily from the Green Mountains. Sometimes, they even use reclaimed barn wood materials from dismantled New England barns.

Vermont Woods Studios is committed to sustainable forest management principles, traditional techniques and natural finishes that highlight the inherent beauty of the wood.

For more information, visit www.vermontwoodsstudios.com.

Getting Rid of Large Household Items

What can you do with them?

By Ginny Frizzi, CNS

Spring-cleaning usually means out with the old — including appliances, televisions, furniture and other large items. It can be challenging to dispose of them in a responsible manner, but there are a number of options available.

One of the most popular is to donate to a local charity.

“Organizations like Goodwill and The Salvation Army will take many large household items, such as furniture and televisions, as long as they’re still in decent condition,” says Erin White with Goodwill. “Often, these charities will come and pick them up. These are incredibly worthwhile charities that you can help simply by giving away something you no longer want.”

Potential donors should contact local organizations to learn about what items are accepted, as well as condition requirements and whether pickup is provided. Goodwill has locations in Williston and South Burlington. Other organizations that might pick up large items include Vietnam Veterans of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

In addition, other local charitable organizations and local schools, churches, women’s shelters and pet shelters may be in need of large items or have clients who can use them.

Some municipalities pick up large items once or twice a year. Though such collections often are scheduled for the spring and fall, it is best to check with individual municipalities for collection dates and restrictions on what can be put out for pickup.

John Z. Wetmore, producer of the syndicated “Perils for Pedestrians” television series, mentions that some communities have a “Trash or Treasure Day” once a year, which is another convenient and free way of getting rid of large items.

“People put stuff out on the curb once a year over the weekend. You can pick over stuff you might be interested in on Sunday afternoon, and then on Monday, a truck comes around for a special trash collection pickup for the leftovers,” he says. Again, check with your local municipality for details.

Another variation is to put items outside by the curb the night before garbage pickup. Chances are the items will disappear before the garbage truck gets there, according to Dr. Taffy Wagner, CEO of Money Talk Matters (http://www.MoneyTalkMatters.com). Some people will even place “free” signs on the items.

Wagner also suggests sending an e-mail to friends informing them about items you no longer need. “If anyone needs what you are trying to get rid of, just make sure they know they have to pick it up,” she says.

Online forums Craigslist, Kijiji and Tag Sell It enable people to post photos of items for sale. The Freecycle Network is another great online forum with local groups across the country.

“I have used — and I recommend to my clients — Freecycle.org,” says Peggy Woodall of Simply Organized. “Giving items away for free gets them gone quickly, and the taker handles the hauling. This is especially good for items that are too good to toss but not really good enough to sell or donate. I make sure to carefully describe the issues I have with the item I am giving away. For instance, I had a lawn mower that had not been started in a couple of years and also some rusty yard tools. My offer explained their condition and what needed to be done to get them back into usable condition. I had dozens of offers within the hour, and someone came in a pickup that day. Obviously, this is not junk junk, but it’s not really worth the time and trouble to sell,” she says.

Those looking to get rid of wheelchairs also have an option that will help others in need, according to Amy Losak, who represents the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, which awards quality of life grants to nonprofit organizations that help people with spinal cord injuries and other causes of paralysis. One of those organizations is headed by David Heim of Marlborough, Mass., also known as the “Wheelchair Recycler.” Heim, who is confined to a wheelchair because of a spinal cord injury, collects discarded power wheelchairs and recycles them for people who can’t afford to buy them new.

“These chairs would be bound for the landfill in many cases, and people in need would go without if it weren’t for David and his colleagues,” Losak says.

Those who live in college towns shouldn’t overlook students, who may be in need of large household items for their off-campus homes.

“If the item is not attractive to buyers on Craigslist, if you can wait until Aug. 30 and live near a college, students are happy to haul away almost anything that is usable to them. Most colleges have electronic bulletin boards, but even posters around campus will work,” says Jodi Smith of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting.
When donating to any charity, don’t forget to get a receipt for possible tax deductions.

If you are looking to make some money from your discards, Money Talk Matters’ Wagner suggests renting a truck for several hours and hauling the items to a consignment shop. You can also call a local service such as Vbay in Williston, which will post your items on online auction site eBay for you for a commission.

For those who want to get rid of the items and choose not to donate, junk removal services — such as 1-800-GOT-JUNK? — can be hired to haul away the goods.

Give Your Bathroom Some Splash

By Tom Roebuck, CNS

Of all the rooms in a house, the bathrooms usually are given the least amount of space but generally get the most wear and tear. The larger the family the likelier it is that someone’s in the bathroom, especially during the morning rush hour. All of that traffic will take its toll on a room, resulting in a battered bathroom begging for an upgrade.

Bringing a bathroom back to life doesn’t require a massive overhaul and a crew of workers. By paying attention to the little things, homeowners can get new looks without busting their bank accounts. Bathrooms are full of accessories — such as faucet handles, towel rods and toilet tank levers — that can be replaced cheaply and easily. Doing so is a small step that can go a long way.

“You can change the look and feel of your bath for less than $100 just by changing the accessories,” says Tim Bitterman, group marketing manager for Moen Accessories.

A more extensive overhaul — or “remodel light,” as Bitterman puts it — includes a new coat of paint, along with upgraded accessories and new linens. The result is a bathroom that feels like new.

“For a few hundred dollars and a half-day’s work, you can really change the entire look,” Bitterman says. “There’s definitely a before-and-after effect.”

Jazzing up a bathroom can be something as simple as a new ensemble, with matching wastebasket, tissue holder, lotion and soap dispensers, soap dish and toothbrush holder.

“Bathroom ensembles are popular because they are not only functional, helping to keep your bathroom looking tidy, but also a great way to accessorize your bathroom,” says Catherine Gentile, a spokeswoman for Bed Bath & Beyond. “They allow you to easily change the look and feel of your bathroom without doing anything permanent.”

To incorporate an ensemble into the rest of the bathroom’s decor, picking a color scheme that complements the major aspects of the room is key.

“It is important to think of the colors of the walls and shower curtain,” Gentile says. “If you are looking for more impact, you can also change the shower curtain and decorative towels to match your new ensemble.”
The shower curtain is one of the main focal points of a bathroom, so new designs and patterns are introduced regularly. But it’s a new twist on the curtain rod that has caught the public’s attention. Simply changing from a straight rod to one that curves outward adds several inches to the shower area. Once found only in hotels, the curved shower rod is turning up in more and more homes.

“It’s an unbelievably popular product for us,” Bitterman says. “One of our models gives you an extra 7 1/2 inches of elbowroom.”

Extra elbowroom can make for a safer shower, and so can strategically spaced grab bars. Often associated with old age, grab bars have become more common and can be found in many styles and finishes.

“They’re not an eyesore; it’s not an institutional-looking grab bar anymore,” Bitterman says. “It’s a part of the bath. People are using the grab bar for support, and they’ll also put their towel on it and use it as a towel bar. It almost hides the fact that it’s a grab bar.”

Bathrooms typically occupy small spaces, so every inch can make a difference — even on the back of the door. It’s a natural spot for a robe hook, but not much else. Moen has made the most of that space with a robe hook that takes on a new life when the door is shut.

“It collapses into a normal robe hook, but there’s a piece that extends out that you can hang two or three hangers on,” Bitterman says. “When you’re getting ready in the morning, you can hang your robe on it. You can put the clothes that you’re going to wear that day on it, as well.”

Extend Your Living Space With a Screened-In Porch

By Chelle Cordero, CNS

Extend your living space to the out-of-doors with a screened-in porch and you’ll have hours of carefree, mosquito-free and fresh-air living. Whether you are screening in an existing deck or porch or building one from scratch, here are a few tips from the pros on how to do it.

David L. Businelli of Studio 16 Architecture reminds folks to check their local ordinances regarding design and new structures. “In many towns and cities, an owner needs to engage an architect to design the structure and prepare documents for filing and to secure permits,” he says. Even if you don’t require an architect, you may have to submit drawings and obtain required permits. Key issues municipalities consider include placement, safety, engineering, setbacks (distances to neighboring properties) and overall aesthetics. Check with your local municipality and ask to see the building codes; many towns have these available online.

“I think professional help is more needed in the design and documentation of the project,” suggests architect Paul Buum of SALA Architects. “The porch has to be ‘programmed,’ and how it will be used has to be determined first,” to help decide placement. Think of using the screened-in porch as an extended room. If you want easy warm-weather entertaining, the porch might be set off of the living room or den; if you are looking for comfortable “outdoor” dining without the bugs, place the porch off your kitchen.

Buum feels there is a lot of leeway in choosing materials for your porch. “If natural wood, then cedar or Douglas fir is often used,” he says. “If not, treated structural lumber can be used and covered or cased with a composite board or a cement board, such as hardy board. Screen can be aluminum, copper, bronze or fiberglass.”

Screening the area in can be easy. “The simplest method is to staple screen directly to the structure and cover it with the finish wood,” Buum says. “More detailed construction methods include building screen sashes, like individual window frames, and stopping them into the structure like windows. Finally, another method is to use pre-made screen doors and jamb them side by side, fixing all the ones that need not operate.” Even though the area is screened in, it still will be subject to rain and outdoor weather extremes. “Floor material can also be cedar, but another great product is Iron Woods’ Ipe, which is very dense and weather-resistant,” Buum says. “It’s harder to install and more expensive than cedar, but it’s a pleasure to look at and stand on. It ages beautifully with little maintenance.”

Rick Goldstein, co-owner of Mosaic Group, spoke about a recent project his company did. “By adding this screened porch, Mosaic basically added a whole new living room to the house,” he says. “With the addition of a fireplace, this space is perfect for early spring and late fall gatherings. The screened areas above the fireplace allow for more light into the space and help keep the area cool in the warmer months. Ceiling fans are also a must, as even our screened areas can get very warm. But with a little airflow, they can still feel very comfortable.”

You can add months or even full seasons to the “livability” of your porch or deck, Buum says. “Extending the season means controlling the temperature. Fireplaces, wood stoves or temporary electric heat can add to the months spent outside. Also, extended rooflines or overhangs can help keep the water out of the porch (remember that this is an exterior space, even though it’s screened in) while providing a great place to sit during a warm rainstorm.”

Part of the planning, though, should consider the effect of outdoor elements. “I would say watch the water. This is a room on the outside and is subject to rain and snow,” Buum says. “Water will get in during driving rains, so floors should be sloped for drainage, and a means for the water to get out should be planned for. Also, all materials, even those on the inside, should be weather-resistant or pressure-treated.”

Give Namby-Pamby Neutrals the Color-Punch of Black

By Rose Bennett Gilbert, CNS

Q: I have always liked living with calm, neutral colors, but lately, I’ve decided all that beige may just be too bland. Without getting all new furniture (not the year for that!), what can I do to punch up my color scheme (taupe, cream, and beige-beige-beige)?

A: Contrast. It’s an eight-letter word for adding zest to a color scheme.
See what we mean in the up-market pictured sitting room. New York designer William Sofield casts a golden glow over his Greenwich Village pied-a-terre with a palette of mostly neutrals. It’s the exceptions — the black armchair, strong artwork and deep-toned wood furniture — that give the space its visual energy. And without ruffling the overall calm and luxury feeling, those draperies are made of cashmere, the better to ward off the winter chills, says the designer.

“Real glamour is rooted in practicality,” Sofield told Michael Lassell, author of “Glamour: Making It Modern,” the new book published by Filipacchi, from which we borrowed this photo.

Sofield’s touches of gold on accessories like the drapery rods, candlesticks and mirror don’t downplay the glamour. But all that glitters does not visual interest make: hence those strokes of black for gravitas. You can easily follow the design pro’s lead without jettisoning your current furniture. Add dark-toned decorative pillows to a beige sofa. Change white picture mats for black ones. Paint the inside back of a bookcase charcoal gray … you get the idea.

While we’re on the subject of neutral color scheme, listen to the advice of The Trend Curve, a marketing group that tracks the latest in decorating ideas. They identify four categories of neutrals you should consider:

1. “Whisper-Light Pales” — from cream to muted olive to a purple so faint it may look brown or pink

2. “Pliable Mid-tones” — think of the variations in a bouquet of dried multicolored roses

3. “Metamorphic Mid-Values” — greenish browns and grays with splashes of mauve, beige and deep blues

4. “True Deeps” — tones you might find on a dense forest floor: greens, browns, grays and the blues of evergreen needles, accented with golden moss and light mineral tones

A far cry from your same-old beige, yes? Who says neutrals are boring?

Q: Our neighbors added a great room to their home, which practically sits on the property line. It has big windows all around, so they can look into our living room. We put up blinds, but I hate having them closed all the time. What else can you suggest that will let in the light but give us a little privacy?

A: Do it with mirrors. There are window films that let you see out but not vice versa. One version turns the outside glass into a mirrored surface that also reflects heat and glare, more good reasons to consider window film (sources include Vista, 3M, and Sears).

Uncle Sam is even offering up to $1,500 tax credits for making your windows energy-efficient (windowfilmtaxcredit.com).

Remember what designer Sofield said about real glamour being rooted in practicality?

You might also consider something more decorative. Wallpaperforwindows.com and Brewster Home Fashions (800-366-1700) make appliques that look like stained or beveled glass when you press them onto your plain old windows.

PHOTO CUTLINE: Dark accents add life to a calm, cool and luxurious townhouse sitting room. Photo by Laura Resen, courtesy of Filipacchi Publishing.

Preserving the Season with Do-it-Yourself Fall Décor

By Amanda Kuhnert

There’s more in our gardens and woodlands to gather and preserve this autumn than fruits and vegetables. Along with the tomatoes, zucchinis, and berries that you’ll be canning and freezing this fall, take time to preserve the inedible bounties of the season.

Enjoy Local Fresh Flowers

You don’t need an official cutting garden to appreciate the fragrant, colorful blossoms still on display throughout northern Vermont in early autumn. Take a stroll along a country road or a nearby walking trail to relish the sights and smells of nature’s garden — and bring a little bit of it home with you.

For a festive autumn flower arrangement, Heather Listenik, lead designer at The Village Green Florist in Essex, combines a handful of chrysanthemums (the bronze and gold varieties) with other fall favorites, such as sunflowers, yarrow, roses, and larkspur, with a little solidago for accenting. Add a rose or carnation to the mix, she says, for a warm, rich tone.

Creative Vases

When you’re picking up a pumpkin or two at your local farm stand for the front stoop, grab an extra one for a festive homemade vase.

How To: “First, scoop out the pumpkin pulp and seeds, and place a plastic plant liner on the bottom,” Listenik says. “Then, set a damp Oasis floral foam inside the liner. Use tree fern, leather leaf, lemon leaf, eucalyptus, or a handful of brightly colored leaves to camouflage the foam.” Just add flowers for an eye-catching display.

If you’re planning a formal dinner party or just prefer a more elegant look, Listenik has the perfect floral centerpiece for you.

How To: For this project, you’ll need a 12- x 6-inch clear glass cylinder vase, Listenik says. Fill the vase with 1 ½ inches of water. Then, add a thin layer (1/2 inch) of rocks, marbles, or plastic gems to the bottom of the vase.

“Now, create a small, hand-held bouquet — 6- x 5-inches wide — that will fit inside the vase,” Listenik says. “Tie it with your choice of wire or ribbon.” Cut all the stems to the same length, and place the bouquet within the cylinder. “This creates a focal point and is an alluring, pretty addition to any dinner table,” she says.

Dry Late Summer Flowers for Lasting Beauty

“Some flowers that are easy to dry from your cutting garden include peonies, cockscomb, strawflower, and silver king,” says Wayne Sprengeler, co-owner of Wildflower Designs, an upscale flower shop in Stowe. Take the time to properly preserve these garden beauties, and you’ll enjoy the delights of the growing season all year long.

How To: “Be sure to hang your flowers in a dry, dark place where there’s plenty of air circulation so they won’t mold and the flowers will hold their color better,” says Janice DeGoosh of The Pink Shutter, a European-style flower shop in Montpelier.

Sprengeler also suggests laying your cut flowers in a baking dish filled with play sand and topped with cheesecloth, and placing the dish by a dehumidifier in the basement. “Later, when your dried floral arrangement is complete, use a floral glaze like Pokon Silk and Dried Flower Cleaner to bring your creation ‘back to life” and keep it looking fresh and clean,” Sprengeler says.

Create an Autumn Welcome

Look no further than the side of the road or your backyard to collect enough grapevine to make your own fall wreath. “This is the one thing I love doing every year,” DeGoosh says. Once you’ve gathered your grapevine, use it right away while it’s still fresh and pliable.

How To: “Wrap it around like you’re wrapping a garden hose,” DeGoosh explains. Then, place the wreath in a dry place – on a porch or in a garage – to set over the course of a week or two. Virginia creeper, she says, also makes a nice base for a wreath or can be used, along with the grapevine, to adorn your front porch railings. When winter hits, DeGoosh suggests adding some greenery and lights to the vine for instant holiday décor.

“Once the wreath’s dry, I may let the leaves fall off and add dried flowers for color, or I might keep the leaves on,” she says. “I like the ‘fall’ look of the grapevine leaves. They hold their shape for a long time, and then when it’s time to crumble them off, you’re left with the vine.”
DeGoosh collects and dries hydrangeas, milkweed pods, roses, sunflowers, lavender, and peonies to adorn her fall creations. She also looks for roadside berries, like winterberry, to add color and texture to her wreaths. For more “oomph,” pick up some colorful accessories, like dried pomegranates or orange slices at your local floral shop.

Dress up your Mantel with a Touch of Fall

Although doorways and tabletops get the most attention when it comes to seasonal décor, mantels provide the perfect blank slate for your creative inclinations. “Creating a fireplace mantel arrangement is one of my favorite autumn projects,” says Sprengeler.

How To: Loosely arrange, or braid, grapevine and Asian honeysuckle to create a light and airy base, Sprengeler suggests.  “Next, add hydrangea and dried oak leaves for depth,” he says. For some added color, Sprengeler incorporates some of the season’s bolder varieties, such as sunflowers, larkspur, yarrow, and statice, into his mantel arrangement. “I also like to use some dried flowers that we sell at my shop, such as poppy pods, chili peppers, and mini pomegranates,” he says. “And don’t forget things like Indian corn and lotus pods.”

The forest is teeming with creative accents for your fall décor projects. “When you’re out on a nature walk, keep an eye out for birch bark, pine cones, tree moss, an abandoned bird’s nest, and hopefully, some pheasant feathers,” Sprengeler says. “Any botanicals that you find in the woods can be zapped in the microwave for a minute to kill any organisms.”

“And one last tip … Just before company arrives, selectively place a few fresh flowers and ornamental berries in the garland, as they will last the entire evening,” Sprengeler adds.

Healthy Homes: Simple Changes Offer Lasting Improvements for Safety and Independence

By Phyl Newbeck

In 2008, the AARP did a survey on healthy homes. The results were somewhat disheartening: One-third of all seniors interviewed reported having limited independence in their own residences based on deterioration of strength, endurance, vision, hearing and memory. Thankfully, many of these impediments can be overcome if seniors make some simple changes to their homes.

The AARP recommends having an occupational therapist perform a home assessment to ensure a safe living environment. An occupational therapist will review the activities that are important to each individual. For gardeners, raised flower beds might allow a favorite hobby to be performed without back strain. Better lighting may be essential to someone who enjoys reading, crossword puzzles or other potentially eye-straining activity. Kristine O’Malley, an occupational therapist at Fletcher Allen Health Care, said a distinction must be made between being independent and being safe. Many seniors are pleased by their independence, but their living areas are not safe. Occupational therapists visit homes to ensure that they are both.

O’Malley said occupational therapists study a patient’s daily routine with the goal of making necessary adaptations. If there are some visual deficits which prevent someone from seeing a step or a rise, they may suggest adding colored tape to the floor. O’Malley said one of the greatest risks to seniors is falling after getting out of a bath tub. Therefore, therapists often recommend shower seats or a tub bench. O’Malley cautioned against making too many modifications. If a senior has lift chairs and lift toilet seats, they may not be using their leg muscles sufficiently and will have difficulty with regular chairs outside the home. “It’s a delicate balance,” she said.

One way to ensure homes are safe is to follow the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This includes eliminating steps for at least one entrance, adding grab bars in the bathroom, changing the height of bathroom fixtures to allow for wheelchair users, exchanging handles for levers for those with limited hand strength, and widening doorways. Some common sense changes including limiting opportunities for tripping and falling by ensuring carpets don’t slip, extension cords don’t stretch across walking areas, and moving furniture out of the way.

Tom Moore, a builder based in Underhill is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist, one of only four in the state. Moore believes more thought should be put into planning a home to avoid costly retrofits, noting that it costs no more to put in a doorway which is wide enough for a wheelchair than it costs to install a smaller one. Moore added that seniors can be seriously injured by falling and therefore attention should be paid to transition areas to make them as clean and settled as possible. He also touted the importance of good lighting, suggesting that homes be constructed with extra fixtures so lighting can be added, as needed.

Moore said statistics show that seniors who stay in their homes rather than going to assisted living may live longer. An important component is having one’s living quarters on the first floor, but Moore noted the value of seemingly little things like light switches and door handles. Large rocker switches are easier to use than small toggle switches and lever handles are easier than doorknobs. To prevent stooping, he suggests raising the height of washers and dryers, and adding rolling cabinets which can be hidden behind doorways. Creating kitchens with peninsulas instead of islands also improves mobility and Moore recommends installing showers without lips.
Physical changes are the most obvious, but there is far more that can be done. Many paints and varnishes contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). According to the EPA, exposure to VOCs can lead to a variety of health issues. They recommend ensuring houses have good ventilation if VOCs are present. One option is to use paints which have been given a “Green Seal.” Another major issue, particularly in old homes, is mold. According to the EPA, “molds produce allergens…, irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances.”

The Agency stresses that it is impossible to get rid of all mold because spores float through the air. However, mold can be controlled by fixing the underlying issue of moisture seeping into the house.

Todd Leach of Leach Construction in Jericho noted that modern building shells are tighter than older ones and it is important that these buildings have proper ventilation, particularly with older citizens who may not be in the best health and are more susceptible to pollutants. Leach cautioned against the use of plywood made with formaldehyde-based products, and paints and varnishes with VOCs. He noted that all products, even such seemingly benign ones as plastic toys and scented candles produce “off-gases.” Heightened exposure to these gases can affect people adversely, particularly those with high sensitivity levels. Leach cited studies that the elderly tend to spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors. He said indoor air is generally of poorer quality than outdoor air because of the variety of products in a confined space. Therefore, those who spend a great deal of time indoors are more likely to have respiratory and allergic reactions. This can be exacerbated by the addition of toxic cleaning products, space heaters, wood stoves, fireplaces, animal dander, bacteria, and gas stoves. Leach recommended electric stoves over gas ones.

One simple solution offered by Leach is to make sure your house is clean. Since mold is a major issue, residents should control the humidity level of their home and, whenever possible, let in fresh air. If a carpet gets soaked from a leak or burst pipe, Leach recommends replacing it rather than trying to clean it. He also cautioned against leaving unnecessary toxins like paint or cleaning supplies in the house.

In addition to making a house physically healthy, Leach noted that one should take care of the mental health of the inhabitant, as well. Even though it may increase their bills, it is important for seniors to be warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Leach stressed that one crucial component of mental health is light. “Sitting in a dark room with the curtains drawn,” he said, “is a recipe for depression.” Leach recommended skylights and open floor plans with windows. “Natural light,” he said, “just makes you feel better.”

Next Page »