Home & Garden - Aug. 2015

www.valcomnews.com • Summer 2015A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers

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Tobia Way (see ad on pg 2) • www.TomandKathy.GoLyon.com

Home & Garden • Summer 2015 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • www.valcomnews.comA-2

www.valcomnews.com • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • Summer 2015 • Home & Garden A-�

For more information visitwww.safetycenter.org or call 916-438-3351


Modern Design Tips to Set Your Home Apart(StatePoint) If it’s time for a remodel -- or even just a refresh of your home’s dated décor – it may be time to think modern.

Innovations in technology and design can of-fer your home efficiency, luxury and sophisti-cation, and even improve your home’s resale value. Here are a few trends to consider.

New KitchenWhatever purpose your kitchen serves, be it simply a workplace for meal prep or the hub of the home, you can give the room a clean modern look while retaining its functionality and aesthetic appeal.

Stainless steel appliances and hardware cou-pled with butcher block countertops harmo-nize nicely and are beautiful design elements that lend themselves to both modern form and function.

Modern design is all about streamlined sim-plicity, so use this opportunity to rid your

kitchen of clunky, clutter-causing gadgets you don’t use -- especially those that don’t match your updated look.

The FireplaceThe hearth has been, and continues to be, the heart of the home. While fireplaces may no longer serve as the primary way people heat their homes, they continue to be a focal point, both aesthetically and as a gathering place for family and friends, even in spaces character-ized by modern design.

New gas fireplace designs are focusing on clean lines, sometimes replacing logs with materials like crushed glass, and the tradi-tional masonry look with metallic fronts. For a high-end look, the MEZZO unit features a modern, see-through front.

Also consider incorporating a fireplace into your kitchen, bathroom, master bedroom or anywhere you want to create ambiance with a stunning focal point. Check out options

specifically designed to fit smaller rooms or unique spaces – like the REVO, which is only seven inches deep and features venting tech-nology that opens up opportunities for instal-lation in places and homes previously thought impossible.

From a resale perspective, a fireplace adds $3,600 on average to the value of a home, and creates a design focal point that sets it apart from the rest of the inventory on the market.

For a modern look, the more devoid your space is of clutter, the better. And this goal

in minimalism is informing many homeown-ers’ design decisions. Look for spaces that can serve as hidden, unique storage solutions, like carve outs or drawers that extend from under the staircase or storage spaces built between rooms. These modern twists on traditional storage will allow you to keep those items you need, but don’t want displayed, out of sight but not out of mind.

Modern design can set your home apart, of-fering sophistication and efficiency without compromising comfort.

www.valcomnews.com • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • Summer 2015 • Home & Garden A-5

(StatePoint) Want to set your home apart? You can add character and beauty to your home by learning more about your house’s ar-chitectural style and adding design elements to complement the look.

“With the right knowledge, it’s easy to trans-form any room of your home as well as the exterior,” says Niki Decker, senior product and marketing manager with Fypon, which creates synthetic millwork products.

The experts at Fypon are offering some tips and guidelines to achieve an authentic, coor-dinated look throughout your home — inside and out.

• Proportions matter. If you’re going to be adding shutters to your exterior, do a bit of math. The width of shutters used in pairs on a window should be half the width of the window, and should be the same height as the window.

•

The higher the ceiling, the taller the base-board should be. Additionally, the height of your baseboard moulding should always be larger than the casing, which is the frame around a door or window.

• Make a room feel taller by placing a chair rail — the moulding used to prevent the backs of chairs from rubbing against the wall — one-third of the way up from the floor. Chair rails should be 1/2 or one inch nar-rower than casings.

• If you have a classic Georgian style home, characterized by strict symmetry and a cen-tered and paneled front door, cap the front door panel with an elaborate crown support-ed by decorative pillars.

• Enhance your Victorian style home with ornamental spindlework on the porches and patterned shingles on the roof. Offset the com-plexity with simple surrounds for windows.

• For country style cottages, consider clap-board shingles for siding, or wood shake for siding and roofing, and wide white trim or shutters around windows.

• Complete the look and feel of your Medi-terranean-style home, rich with such deco-rative accents as round columns, tile and stone, by planting lush gardens and install-ing an ornate fountain.

• Maintain a traditional look with innovative, updated building material that lasts longer and with less upkeep. For example, polyure-thane pieces are a lightweight alternative to wood. The pieces are easy to install and re-sist insects, moisture and weather conditions. Manufacturers like Fypon, which creates

thousands of millwork pieces, offer prod-ucts that come both textured and smooth. A new line of Classic Woodgrain decorative millwork offers a refined woodgrain texture suitable for staining or painting, and comple-

ments home styles such as Arts & Crafts and Mediterranean.

To learn more about enhancing your home’s architectural style, you can download Fypon’s free Style Guide at www.fypon.com/litera-ture/catalog.asp.

Don’t just update your house haphazardly. Do a bit of research so you can complement your home’s architectural style authentically and with sophisticated flair.

Add COLOR to Customize

Your Home’s Interiors


Fall Home and Garden Clean-Up Project Tips(StatePoint) Fall is the ideal season to tick items off your home exterior to-do list. The weather is finally cooler, mak-ing the work more enjoyable; and a thorough fall clean-up will give you peace of mind all winter.

Your MVP during home maintenance season can be the pres-sure washer. Up to 75 times more powerful than a garden hose, a pressure washer is a versatile tool that offers an efficient way to get a variety of cleaning tasks done.

DeckOnce you’re ready to stash away outdoor furniture for the sea-son, remember to wash it down first for a deeper clean than a garden hose can provide. Before moving these items into stor-age, first let them dry completely.Ensure your deck is free of mold and debris. A thorough clean will also serve to prep your deck for weatherproofing with a stain or sealant (another useful task to include on your fall checklist.)

Outdoor SurfacesRejuvenate driveways, patios, sidewalks and other large flat surfaces quickly and with no streaking using accessories like the Briggs & Stratton Surface Cleaner that works on a 14-inch diameter in one stroke. It features a dome shape to con-trol overspray to protect walls and flower beds.

GrillCleaning your grill is a breeze with a pressure washer. First disconnect the propane tank and move it away from the area. Disconnect any electrical lines. Prop up the hood and remove the grates. Treat the entire grill with a degreasing solution, working from the bottom of the cart up to the grill bed. Let the

degreaser work for a few minutes. Be careful around gas hoses, connections, electrical components or heating elements.

Using a general medium-pressure spray pattern, flush deter-gent and rinse any residue, working from the top down. Let the grill dry thoroughly, then coat with nonstick oil to help reduce future build-up.

SafetyOperate a pressure washer only outside, far away from windows, doors and vents to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide gas from accumulating and potentially being drawn towards occupied spaces.Always wear goggles and closed-toe footwear when operating a pressure washer. Don’t spray near children, pets, electrical wires, or power lines. After use, allow the unit to cool down before storing.

EfficiencyTo switch between jobs more efficiently, consider a unit that offers versatility in its function. For example, The POWERflow+ model from Briggs & Stratton has a high pressure mode -- ideal for cleaning tough grime -- and a high flow mode which delivers up to five gallons of water per minute to rinse away soap and debris on delicate surfaces like patio furniture, vehicles and second story windows.

For more outdoor fall cleaning tips, and for resources on choosing a pressure washer right for your home’s needs, visit www.briggsandstratton.com.

This fall, get ready for winter with quick and simple outdoor clean-up tasks.

www.valcomnews.com • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • Summer 2015 • Home & Garden A-�

Home & Garden • Summer 2015 • A special advertising publication of Valley Community Newspapers • To advertise, call 916-429-9901 • www.valcomnews.comA-�

Make Over Your Front Door: Tips to Make a Grand Entrance

(StatePoint) There are many reasons why a home could need a door makeover. Entry doors, like other major components of the home, can wear out over time and need to be replaced. Ad-ditionally, homeowners may “inherit” a door on a home they’ve recently purchased and wish to change the style to a better one in order to complement their home’s personality.

“Homeowners don’t need to live with a front entry door that they don’t like or that has become inefficient over time,” says Donna Contat at Therma-Tru Corp., a leading entry door brand. “From a curb appeal and investment standpoint, it can make good economic sense to replace a front entry door.”

In fact, entry door replacement consistently ranks among the most valuable remodeling projects in the annual “Cost vs. Value Report,” published by Remodeling magazine.

This August, which is National Curb Appeal Month, the ex-perts at Therma-Tru are offering tips for evaluating your cur-rent door, and insights on door aesthetics and components.

• Evaluate Your Door: Touch your door. If you can feel the ex-terior temperature from the inside, you may not have adequate insulation. Also check its appearance. For wood doors, check for warping or rotting. For steel, check for dings and rust. Final item: does the style of your door match the design of your home?

• What’s Inside Your Door: A door is actually a system of various components. Locks should operate smoothly and be strong enough to help protect your home. A multi-point lock-ing system that engages a series of locks at several places on the frame can offer peace-of-mind.

• Slam Your Door: Doors experience wear and tear over time. Be sure any replacement door you purchase is constructed and tested to withstand harsh treatment. Consider materials such as fiberglass, which can offer the beauty of such classic materi-als as wood, while being low-maintenance and long-lasting.

• Door Appeal: Curb appeal isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the wow factor people get when they drive by your home and the cozy feel that welcomes guests to come in and stay a while. Try a paintable fiberglass door to add a pop of color or stick to the classic look of wood grain, which, when stained, adds warmth. Either way, you can make your home’s entryway stand out with a door trim surround kit, such as those from Fypon, as well as decorative or privacy glass for doorlites and sidelites.

• Replace your door: For the chance to transform the look of your house with a “door do-over” from Therma-Tru, including a new fiberglass entry door system valued at up to $5,000 (and for full rules), visit todayshomeowner.com/DoorDoOver to enter their Door Do-Over Sweepstakes throughout August 2015.

For detailed tips on evaluating your current door for form and function, and insights on making future door purchases, you can visit Therma-Tru’s Facebook page and Twitter feeds throughout National Curb Appeal Month and beyond.

Home begins at the front door. Take steps to give your home a grand entrance by upgrading this important feature.


9/30/15 VCN


(StatePoint) Fall is a great time to aerate the lawn. Whether you do it yourself or hire a lawn care professional to do it for you, aera-tion at least once per year provides a number of benefits to your lawn, say experts.

The main benefit is to relieve compaction and increase pore space, which promotes gas ex-change and microbial activity in the soil and creates a better, more supportive environment for lawn health and vitality. Aeration also promotes better soil drainage, which helps keep disease at bay and allows more water to percolate into the soil from rain or irrigation, meaning less runoff and more water getting where it needs to go.

“Ideal aeration timing depends on turf type and geography,” says Lloyd Von Scheliha of Exmark Manufacturing, a manufacturer of turf care equipment. “But annual aeration

provides valuable agronomic benefits to virtu-ally any turfgrass.”With that in mind, here are some tips from the experts at Exmark to get the most benefits from aeration:

• Timing: Ideally, aeration should take place during times of active growth to help with recovery. Avoid aeration during times of heat stress or times preceding dormancy. It’s typi-cally best to aerate cool season grasses in the spring or fall, while with warm season grasses, it’s best to aerate in late spring or early fall.

• Proper equipment: Use gear that meets the

needs of your lawn. For example, Exmark of-fers a 30-inch Stand-On aerator that makes quick work of even large properties with the ability to easily maneuver around landscape features.

• Follow-up: After aeration, it’s a good idea to wa-ter the lawn, as well as a good time to apply fertil-izer or overseed if needed. Be careful not to apply a pre-emergent if you plan to overseed, however, as it will prevent the new seed from growing.

Don’t let this important, but often overlooked lawn care task escape your attention this sea-son. At the ideal time for your lawn, either take it upon yourself or hire a professional to give your grass a better chance at thriving.

Why You Should Aerate Your Lawn this Fall

Construction Inc.


(StatePoint) A seasonal home makeover doesn’t need to cost a fortune or be difficult to execute. Quick, easy and innovative ideas can give your home the fall flair needed to cel-ebrate the season.

“Seasonal décor updates should jive with your home’s style, while also adding some-thing extra to the mix,” says Eric Cohler, who has been listed as a top international designer by House Beautiful and Elle Dé-cor magazines. “Keep it easy though, so that when the season is over, you won’t end up with a lack of motivation to re-fresh and a space that feels passé.”

To add autumn elements to your home without completely revamping your interior, consider these ideas:

Rotating GalleryA digital photo display is the easiest way

to showcase seasonally suitable photos of friends and family. In fall, that means Hal-loween portraits, autumn picnics, trips to the pumpkin patch, and back-to-school photos.

Consider rotating the artwork dis-played in your home to highlight sea-sonal colors. Whether you want to get spooky for Halloween or focus on fall ’s natural hues, this task won’t take long to do and will greatly impact the look and feel of each room.

Pops of Color“With relatively little effort, you can add

bright, bold colors to your home by swap-ping out the knobs and handles on your cabinets, credenzas and other furniture,” says Cohler.

Seasonal sets of cabinet hardware can keep the look fresh in your home. All you need is a screwdriver and a few hours.

A free web-based application, Splash by Amerock, offers a new interactive design and shopping experience by allowing you to truly customize hardware for cabinets and furniture. The interactive site and first of its kind product line allows you to test vari-ous colors and shapes of cabinetry hard-

ware and view the different looks on differ-ent style and color cabinets.

From kitchens to bathrooms to bed-rooms and living areas, you can make your rooms pop with bold colors. Think orange, purple and black for Halloween flair, or greens, reds and browns for a natural effect.

Hardware is easy to swap out and you can give your home a fun, fresh fal l makeover inexpensively and without much hassle. To check out 20 unique color options, v isit www. Amerock.com.

CurtainsAnother easy way to make a quick look-and-

feel change to a room is by swapping out cur-tains. It’s a great way to customize a space to better fit the mood of the season. What’s more -- a quarterly rotation of window treatments presents a much-needed opportunity for a good cleaning. Be sure to store your freshly laundered linens in a sealed bag so they don’t collect dust. When they make their appearance the following year, they will be vibrant and fresh.

Fall can be a particularly busy time of year; however, a few easily implemented ideas can go a long way to add a festive vibe to your home.

Quick, Inexpensive Ways to Give Your Home a Fall Facelift

Natural hues like orange and green can make kids’ bedrooms pop in fall.

Home & Garden - Aug. 2015

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