With the fun and excitement of the holidays behind us, it’s time to do what seemed unthinkable only a couple weeks ago–unstring the lights, remove the ornaments, and figure out what to do with the Christmas tree. If you have an artificial one, the solution is simple: pack it away for next year. If, however, you are one of the 30 million households that have a real evergreen, consider disposing of your holiday treasure (“It was the best tree ever, wasn’t it?”) in a way that will not only be earth-friendly, but useful. For the record, a tree carted off to a landfill will take up a lot of space–and for quite some time, since the lack of oxygen makes decay a painfully slow process.
LUTRON, a brand commonly known for its innovations in light control and dimmers, recently added a new and more affordable—starting at $299—line of cellular shades with Serena.
The remote-controlled Serena Cellular Shades, which can be mounted easily inside or outside window frames, are available in more than 50 fabric colors and a choice of opacity, from sheer and translucent to room darkening. Since all fabric shades come with a white backing, they not only provide a uniform look from the outside but offer light reflecting benefits that help keep interiors cool during summer months.
While visitors to Miami primarily come for sun and fun, the city offers a wealth of artistic, cultural and architectural wonders, among them Vizcaya—the former winter residence of American Industrialist John Deering.
My first memories of Vizcaya date back to 1960 when I visited the grand estate with my parents and grandmother one Sunday afternoon. It may well have been the spark that ignited my love of old houses and classical architecture. The house is a perfect Italian Renaissance Palazzo. It was built in 1916 by Deering, a vice president of International Harvester, to resemble a 400-year-old Italian estate that had been occupied and renovated by several generations of family. Much of the actual building components (ceilings, doors, floors and mantlepieces) were bought from Italian antiquarians and installed here along with a ship-load of antique furniture.
It was finally done. The punch list had been completed, the painting was (mostly) finished, and the wall hangings were in place. And it looked fabulous.
No matter how great a kitchen looks, though, it has to work. The cook needs to have everything within reach, the family needs to be able to use all the new features, and guests need to feel comfortable going in and out of the room—and you know how guests always congregate in the kitchen. With the work behind us, it was time to give our new kitchen a test run.
Nothing puts a kitchen’s design and fittings to the test more than the Big Kahuna of entertaining days, Thanksgiving. I’m happy to report that our new kitchen passed its inaugural Turkey Day with flying colors. It all came together, from the double oven that worked overtime in the days leading up to the big day and all throughout the day, to the super-sized fridge that had room for everything, to the sink and counter space that allowed us to prepare dinner for 15 with none of the cramped awkwardness that plagued us in earlier years. It worked. We even got to watch the parade as we worked—on the little flat-screen TV we added on a swing-away wall mount.
It’s almost a shame to think we’ll never do this again—and trust me, we won’t! We learned so much as we made our way through the project that we should lend ourselves out to friends and relatives who want to remodel, so we can put some of this newfound smarts to work. I would summarize the important things to know as these:
• Planning is everything. We spent months refining the floor plan, thinking through the cabinet design, mentally turning on and off the lights so we could plot out the electrical wiring. If I had it to again, I probably would have ordered a double-hung window instead of a casement in the powder room, but except for that I don’t regret a single thing—we did all our thinking in advance, so we don’t have to second-guess ourselves now.
• Communication with the contractor is a two-way street, and you need to keep that traffic flowing. Margaret and I talked to Keith every day, checking in on what decisions we needed to make that day and what decision points were coming in the next week or so.
• Timing, timing, timing! Since we had very little room to store materials, we had to practice “just in time inventory”—the garage had to be cleared of all the lumber, windows, doors, and plywood before we could take delivery on the cabinets, and the appliances had to stay on hold until all the cabinets were installed.
• Mutual respect is a critical component of the contractor-homeowner relationship. For the duration of the project, half of our house was a work site… but it was right there in our living quarters. Knowing that Keith was respectful of our home made it easier to deal with the disruption in our lives; I’m pretty sure he appreciated our being respectful of his job site.
• Measure, measure, measure. We just talked to friends who have had to return and exchange a long list of materials and supplies that didn’t fit. Their sink protruded into the shower stall, a cabinet was a full six inches short of its space, faucets didn’t fit, and on and on. We did have to swap out the pot filler for a smaller one when we realized we’d failed to account for the light cove molding on the bottom of the cabinets when we measured the space. But that was really the only misstep—and after the hundreds of decisions and measurements over the last nine months, I’m okay with that.
It will still take us a few more months to get the house completely back in shape—we need to repaint the center hall, the blinds we ordered for the bay window will need to be installed, and next spring we’ll need to repaint the picket fence that got a little banged up over the course of the project. But the kitchen is officially done, and we’re ready to start thinking about our next project. The kids are lobbying for a finished basement, but that’s not in our budget. What comes next will be strictly DIY!
For more kitchen design ideas and planning advice, consider the following Bob Vila articles:
Today, December 24, is the final day of Bob Vila’s 24 Days of Holiday Give-Aways and your chance to enter to win one of two (2) Four Seasons Courtyard Wood Burning Fire Pits from True Value, each valued at $109 (MSRP). But, you must ENTER TODAY to be eligible to win.
The Four Seasons Courtyard Fire Pit features a decorative stamped tabletop, cast iron legs, and a porcelain-coated fire bowl. Measuring 35″ diameter, the wood burning fire pit comes with a mesh fire screen and poker, and can easily be converted from outdoor fire pit to decorative table by adding a center cover. The perfect addition to any patio, deck or open outdoor living area.
Today, December 23, is day twenty-three of Bob Vila’s 24 Days of Holiday Give-Aways and your chance to enter to win a $1,000 Gift Card from Lowe’s. But, you must ENTER TODAY to be eligible to win. (This is the fourth and final Lowe’s Gift Card of the contest period.)
Imagine starting the New Year with a $1,000 shopping spree at Lowe’s to spend at your local store or on the company’s well-stocked website. Whether your project is large or small—tool, material or product-specific—Lowe’s is the place to shop for all of your home improvement/DIY needs.
And, don’t overlook the opportunity to make your home-related projects a family affair. The Lowe’s Build and Growclinics, held on average two weekends a month at store locations around the country, offer parents and adult mentors the opportunity to teach their children basic DIY skills and build confidence in the bargain. The clinics challenge kids to a simple woodworking project that they can take home. Each participant receives a free apron, goggles, a project-themed patch and a certificate of merit upon project completion. The clinics are recommended for children in grades 2 to 5 and provide hands-on instruction to approximately 50 children.
For official rules and entry, click here. To see tomorrow’s prize—the last of the contest period, check out the Bob Vila 24 Days of Holiday Give-Awaysslideshow.
To find out more about Lowe’s products and services, including the Build and Grow clinics, visit the company’s website.
Today, December 22, is the twenty-second day of Bob Vila’s 24 Days of Holiday Give-Aways and your chance to enter to win this Kenmore Elite Trio Refrigerator in Stainless Steel, valued at $3,139.99 (MSRP). But, you must ENTER TODAY to be eligible to win.
The 31 cu. ft. Elite Trio, which measures 70-1/4″ tall, 35-3/4″ wide, and almost 36″ deep, features smooth contoured doors and an integrated, extra-tall ice and water dispenser. The refrigerator’s GeniusCool Technology with linear compressor and dual evaporators provides smooth, quiet operation and energy efficiency that exceeds Energy Star standards. Multi Air Flow Technology provides even cooling by circulating cold air into every nook, while seven electronic temperature sensors work to ensure accurate, consistent temperatures for refrigerated and frozen contents.
Additional features include a CleanFlow Air Filter to fight food odor, an AirTight Crisper with moisture lock to keep vegetables fresh, and a Gourmet Pantry Drawer for storing meat and produce. Two SlideAway Shelves and a three-tier freezer drawer make for easy access and better organization.
For official rules and entry, click here. To see what prizes will be offered during the final days of the contest period, check out the Bob Vila 24 Days of Holiday Give-Awaysslideshow.
For more information on Kenmore appliances and products, visit the manufacturer’s website.
Today, December 21, is day twenty-one of Bob Vila’s 24 Days of Holiday Give-Aways and your chance to enter to win one of 10 Black & Decker SureGrip All-In-One Laser Levels, valued at $29.97 each (MSRP). But, you must ENTER TODAY to be eligible to win.
The new SureGrip Laser Level features both visual and audio cues for maximum accuracy and visibility. The device securely suctions to non-porous wall surfaces—from painted drywall and wood to glass and polished stone—for up to two hours without leaving surface marks. To eliminate the need for second-guessing, a color change vial automatically adjusts from red to green when level is achieved. For accurate leveling when the device is out of sight, like installing a new refrigerator or hanging a curtain rod, the SureGrip laser level can also be set to provide an audio alert that gently beeps until the item is aligned.
Additional features include the SureGrip’s ability to project a laser line on either side of the fixed level—handy when hanging a row of pictures or wallpaper—and lines that conveniently wrap around corners for leveling objects on perpendicular walls.
For official rules and entry, click here. To see what other fabulous prizes will be offered tomorrow and the remaining days of the contest period, check out the Bob Vila 24 Days of Holiday Give-Awaysslideshow.
To find out more about Black & Decker’s complete line of products, including appliances, hand and power tools, and lawn and garden equipment, visit the manufacturer’s website.
Today, December 20, is day 20 of Bob Vila’s 24 Days of Holiday Give-Aways and your chance to enter to win a Total Air Sanitizer from Hunter Fan Company, valued at $179.99 (MSRP). But, you must ENTER TODAY to be eligible to win.
The Hunter Total Air Sanitizer is the only portable unit in the U.S. proven to effectively capture and kill harmful airborne particles, airborne germs, viruses and bacteria. It is capable of moving 100 cubic feet of air per minute and features an innovative electric HEPA filter technology that eliminates up to to 99.5 percent of pollen, mold, viruses and bacterias in a 12′ x 14′ room. In addition to being more effective than UV or UV-C air purifiers, the device carries an Energy Star rating and comes with a five-year manufacturer’s warranty.
For official rules and entry, click here. To see what other fabulous prizes will be offered tomorrow and for the remainder of the contest period, check out the Bob Vila 24 Days of Holiday Give-Awaysslideshow.
To find out more about Hunter Fan Company’s products, visit the manufacturer’s website.
Today, December 19, is the nineteenth day of Bob Vila’s 24 Days of Holiday Give-Aways and your chance to enter to win a $1,000 Gift Card from Lowe’s. But, you must ENTER TODAY to be eligible to win.
With more than 40,000 products in 20 categories from lumber and tools to appliances and nursery products, Lowe’s offers everything you need to accomplish your home improvement projects—regardless of size, scope and budget. And if you’re looking for inspiration, tips, and expert how-tos, check out the retailer’s consumer publication and companion website—Creative Ideas, where you’ll find everything from simple weekend projects to instructional home maintenance videos. There’s also Allen + Roth, Lowe’s private label décor brand, featuring 40 product groups and an online tool to help you visualize your personal style.
For official rules and entry, click here. To see what other fabulous prizes will be offered tomorrow and throughout the remainder of the contest period, check out the Bob Vila 24 Days of Holiday Give-Awaysslideshows.
To find out more about Lowe’s products and a retail store near you, visit the manufacturer’s website.
