Tina Fey and James Franco in "30 Rock"
I was amused to see James Marsden geared up in a tool belt on “30 Rock”, as his character set about fixing loose floor boards in the apartment he’s sharing with his girlfriend Liz Lemon (Tina Fey). I hope he completes his project successfully—I guess we’ll find out in future episodes.
It’s no mystery why home improvement turns up so often in entertainment. Fixing up our homes can involve drama, conflict, maybe a little comedy–all ingredients of good entertainment.
Here are five of my favorite TV shows and movies where homes and/or improvements figure prominently. When you need to take a break from your latest project, these options will provide a terrific respite:
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Bob Vila Radio: Induction Cooking
Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening—or reading—to Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day. Today, it’s all about Induction Cooking.
materialgirlsblog.com
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- Storage >
- Creative Closet Organizers
Creative Closet Organizers
Creative closet organizers can help solve many space challenges. High ceilings, tight corners, and narrow spaces are handily addressed with the following inventive closet organization products. They can help turn what seemed like lost space into more space… and who doesn’t feel that they could use more space?
Rotating shoe rack. This rotating shoe rack makes great use of a corner space, and takes advantage of height with its vertical approach to storing shoes.
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How To: Get Clean, Chip-Free Cuts in Melamine and Veneer
Melamine-coated particleboard is a great material for storage, basement, garage, home office, and kid’s room projects. It’s less expensive than plywood and has a much cleaner finished look than painted MDF or fiberboard. Unfortunately, the plastic resins in the coating are prone to chip when cut with a spinning saw blade. They make special (read: expensive) saw blades just for the task, but with a bit of care, you can get perfectly clean, factory-like edges with the circular or table saw blade you currently have.
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Bob Vila Radio: Countertop Options
Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening—or reading—to Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day. Today, it’s all about Countertop Options.
mychicmyway.com
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Engineered vs. Solid: Selecting Wood Flooring
There are a lot of decisions to make when constructing a new home. Having a large production builder as our contractor, the task was made somewhat easier with an all-day “selections appointment,” where samples of all the products were presented and a specialist was on hand to answer questions and give guidance.
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Bob Vila Radio: Childproofing Tips
Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening—or reading—to Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day. Today, it’s all about Childproofing Tips.
bornangels.com
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New Wave of Brushless Motor Power Tools
Brushless motor technology has been around for a while, but only within the last couple years have power tool manufacturers actually incorporated brushless technology into cordless power tools.
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The Rising Cost of Low-Rate FHA Loans
In the wake of the housing bust, the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), once a lender of “near-last resort” for moderate-income buyers, has become a lender of “first resort” for pretty much everyone. The agency estimates that it now insures about 40% of all purchase mortgages—ten times its 2005 market share.
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