Photo: hgtvremodels.com
We often choose colors we believe to be an expression of ourselves. But the science of color psychology suggests that we might successfully select paints based, not on who we actually are, but on who we want to be.
The practice of using color to influence health and moods dates back to ancient times, when it was thought that blue heals burns, yellow alleviates breathing problems, and red overcomes paralysis.
Though it doesn’t support the bold claims of our ancestors, modern research has proven that, indeed, color can have dramatic effects on our mind states. By applying color theory in each room of the house, you can ensure, not only that your colorful abode is visually appealing, but also that it makes you feel great!
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Bob Vila Radio: Exterior Paint Color
Choosing a paint color for your home’s exterior can be intimidating: This is a big, expensive job, and whatever color you choose is going to be there for a while. Here are a few tips to help you choose wisely.
Photo: architecture.about.com
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Listen to BOB VILA ON EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR or read the text below:
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How Stuck Is Your Market? Two Key Metrics to Track
Photo: npr.org
All real estate is local, but it’s national real estate statistics that dominate headlines. If you wish to identify emerging trends relevant to your market, ignore such perennially popular statistics as the number of houses selling. Instead, focus on two other key metrics:
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- Lawn & Garden >
- A Second Home for Sod: Top Tips for Transplanting
A Second Home for Sod: Top Tips for Transplanting
A sod cutting machine, rentable by the day, makes quick work of transplanting. Photo: Flickr / jcelene
It’s been about 18 months since we moved into our house, but only recently have we begun to landscape beyond the basic builder’s package. A designer helped us formulate a plan that we intend to roll out in stages over the next several years. This spring, we initiated phase one: creating more strategically placed planting beds. That meant removing sod—a LOT of sod.
Sod is expensive to install and, surprisingly, expensive to remove. Even if you rent a sod cutting machine, the work is still labor-intensive and time-consuming. Not to mention that once you have the sod lifted, it must be hauled away and dumped somewhere—at a price, of course.
Related: Artificial Turf: 7 Reasons to Consider the New “Grass” Alternative
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- Bathroom >
- Bob Vila Radio: Unclogging a Toilet
Bob Vila Radio: Unclogging a Toilet
You’re in the middle of a party, enteraining a houseful of guests, and the toilet acts up. Are you ready to spring into action? Here’s a game plan.
Photo: lowes.com
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Listen to BOB VILA ON UNCLOGGING A TOILET or read the text below:
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Smart Storage for Small Workshops
A slotted shelf is ideal for holding assorted tools. Photo: JProvey
Since my wife and I recently downsized, I am making do with a much smaller basement workshop these days. Whereas I could fit as many as four workbenches into my old basement, I now only have a five-by-eight-foot area, that is just enough room for a worktable and some compact, well-organized workshop storage.
Related: DIY Workbenches: 5 You Can Build in a Weekend
Large stationary power tools may be out of the question, but there is undoubtedly sufficient room for me to fix things and build small projects like wooden toys and picture frames. Because I like being able to see the items I need, the design for my new workshop involves a great deal of shelving on which I plan to store everything from hand tools and portable power tools to drill bits and bottles of glue.
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The 5 Apps You Won’t Want to Renovate Without
Photo: apartmenttherapy.com
If your file folders are bursting at the seams with to-do lists, contractor quotes, spec sheets and inspirational clippings from interior design magazines, it may be time to think about organizing your project with a renovation app on your mobile phone or tablet.
Remodeling work can be overwhelming at times, whether you’re tackling the entire house or one room only. Save time and money—and minimize your stress level—with a suite of well-chosen apps. Here are five of our favorites for compiling and managing all the information you need to make the most of your effort.
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