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Photo courtesy of Shetka Stone.

Paper Countertop

 
When you think of countertop material, paper probably comes far down on the list, if at all. But Shetka Stone of Minnesota manufactures countertops made entirely of recycled waste paper. The kitchen countertops are durable; scratch-, stain- and water-resistant; and, perhaps most surprisingly, class A fire rated. Check out their web site for more information on this clever use of recycling.




Save piles of cash with these affordable home improvement tips.

Home Improvement on the Cheap

 
With all signs now pointing at a downturn in the economy, CNN Money has 11 home improvement tips that can spruce up your home on the cheap. The list:
  1. Buy square edge, standard color or remnant stone countertops.
  2. Use stock moldings instead of custom ones.
  3. Purchase container plants when planting for privacy. Container plants cost much less than plants that have been grown in the ground.
  4. Use copper pre-fab roofing.
  5. When buying a bathtub, skip the jets and salvage a claw-foot.
  6. Cut tile yourself. This step can save you about 30 percent of the cost.
  7. When hanging windows, gang together stock double-hungs.
  8. For a dramatic hardwood floor, buy inexpensive oak and apply an ebony stain.
  9. Use a kit and less modules when creating a closet organizing system.
  10. Use stock kitchen cabinets when building a built-in media center.

Read in-depth descriptions of each tip at the CNN Money web page.





Tommy and Al take in the action.

Tommy Talks Shop

 
BobVila.com MyProjects featured contributor and furniture maker, Tommy MacDonald, was in his element at last month's Fine Furnishings & Fine Craft Show in Providence, R.I., a show he won last year. In his three-segment Rough Cut Show podcast, Tommy tours the different exhibits and talks with the artists about their work. There is some beautiful stuff in there. I love the hand-cut, 4,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. Check out part one, part two and part three to see Tommy talking shop in his best Boston accent. (Let me assure you, it's 100% authentic). We've created a page listing the artists Tommy interviewed if you'd like to see more of their work. You can also check out the main Fine Furnishings & Fine Craft Show web site for more information.




Build Your Own Secret Room

 
When I was a kid, I found my parents' home terminally "boring." I mean, there were no fire poles, slides, or trampoline rooms anywhere. Not even a secret passage in the whole building. I swore that when I was an adult my home would have all of these necessities. Needless to say, I am now an adult who lives in a house without any of these things, unless you count the back staircase I use to take out the trash as a "secret passage." But for some, the dream never dies. When Simon Shea of Brisbane, Australia, decided to add some shelf space to the back room of his home, he took the opportunity to build one that elegantly concealed a room. Best of all, the door to the room can only be opened by tilting an old Sherlock Holmes book on the shelf. The guy has got a sense of style. Okay, the concealed room is a broom closet and not the Bat Cave but, still, this is cool. Shea provides a set of photos of the project on his webpage and an explanation of how build a door hinge that opens with a tilted book.


Vista Group's Lumistone
Vista Group's Lumistone

Let There Be Light

 
Looking for that special bathroom bling? Vista Group International’s Lumistone answers the call with “ a traditional Class I acrylic solid surface that contains the unique characteristic of long lasting photoluminescence.” English translation—a surface that glows. Of course, you can use the material outside the commode for a variety of applications including commercial (ie. exit signs, path markers and so on). The product comes in solids, strips (for use as moldings, trims) and even as a liquid inlay. Like most glow-in-the-dark stuff, Lumistone needs to be charged by sunlight or some other light source. Available now from Vista.











 

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