Mormon Life - Home Improvement tag

Attic Maintenance Checklist

Sat, 27 Nov 2010 00:01:00 -0700

by LDS Living staff
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: An attic maintenance checklist just in time for winter. It’s that time of year to pull out the holiday décor from your attic, also making it a great time to do some yearly attic maintenance.

Here’s a checklist of to-dos:

Clear your vents: Make sure nothing is obstructing your vents; otherwise, your attic could become too cold in the winter (causing condensation and mildew), or too hot in the summer (causing you air conditioner to overwork).

Inspect your fan: Clean the blades and make sure they turn freely and easily.

Check for pests: Wasp nests are usually dormant in the winter and are easy to clear out. Also, check for insects like termites. Are there any openings in your attic that could let in rodents or bats?

Inspect your insulation: Has any of the insulation shifted, leaving an opening for heat to escape? Openings can also lead to the formation of ice dams, causing water damage inside your home.

Color Me Beautiful: Decorating Tips + Poll

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 00:04:00 -0600

by Kate Ensign-Lewis
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Choosing the right colors for a home can be intimidating. Have you seen the paint chip rack at Home Depot? Never fear; in just a few minutes, we’ll have you choosing colors with the confidence of a battle-worn designer. Color. It’s everywhere. It is the intangible element that can be the design of a room or the string that nicely ties various designs together.

And paint, the most common incarnation of color, is the most versatile of designing tools. If a wall color becomes out-of-date, you paint can over it. If the blue you loved as a newlywed makes you want to puke as a mother, you can paint over it. And if a neighbor boy does puke and leaves a stain on the wall, guess what? You can paint over it.

Yet color, this easy-to-manipulate tool, frequently sends us into fits of panic. Can purple and burnt orange go together? Is that shade of blue too bright for an entire room? Do you really dare paint a wall kelly green?

Take a deep breath and read on—we’re about to help you unwrap the mysteries of color.

Don’t be afraid of color. White is a baby-blanket—it makes us feel deceptively safe until we no longer know why we still use it. When we leave our walls that color, we try to make up for its coldness with drapes and pillows and rugs (which all look garishly stark against the brightness of the walls). White should only be used on walls when you are trying to create the feel of a New York loft.

Getting over white is the first step. Next, overcome time-worn maxims about color: “Painting a room in a dark color makes it small” (it can actually help the corners to recede, making the room appear larger). “Using a bright color in a room is overwhelming” (paired with more muted colors, bright colors can be invigorating).

Try punches of color—orange, teal, and yes, kelly green—in small areas like an entryway, mudroom, or hallway. These are excellent places to set a dynamic tone for the rest of the house, especially if you’re not convinced that bright colors are practical.

Keep it limited. The call to embrace color does not mean “go hog-wild.” Choose only three to four dominant colors and use those colors (and variations of them) throughout the home. Keeping colors in-check engenders tranquility.

When you do go the avenue of a bold color, pairing it with two neutral, classic colors—black, white, gold, or beige—keeps it from overwhelming the room and allows it to have the pop it should. Such neutral colors should make up at least half of the room in this situation.

Spice it up. Ignore the formula and include a surprising addition—something of a contrasting shade—whenever possible. A hot-pink vase in a yellow room can’t help but add depth, especially if you love it. You’ll be able to pick it out right away, and it’s bound to make you feel happy.

Adding splashes of color in unexpected places—a closet door, a bedside table, a window frame, or a stair-raise—will also increase the energy of a room in one simple step; it’s like playing peek-a-boo with color. Creating an accent wall in one part of the room can accomplish the same end, especially if paired with complementary colors.

Remember: neutrals can be edgy, too. After all this talk of “pop” and “peek-a-boo,” you might think a palette of white, off-white, brown, and tan is the most blasé color scheme possible. But aside from neutrals’ ability to unite a room, no matter what era the furniture is from, these colors also assert “modern” and “classic” at the same time. Not to mention they’re extremely relaxing.

To spice up a neutral color scheme, make sure to include varying styles (retro, baroque, modern, rustic) and multiple textures. Antique clocks, pleated duvets, layers of rugs and pillows—these help add depth to an otherwise flat palette.

Use light as color. Light affects the appearance of color, if for no other reason than—physically speaking—light causes color. But using light in and of itself is crucial to increasing a room’s space, especially in confined spaces like apartments.

In such small spaces, avoiding heavy furniture is crucial; use furniture that has thinner legs or allows for space between the bottom of the piece and the floor, through which light can shine. Then, paint the ceiling with a glossy finish so that light reflects back into the room. You also might try installing glass panes on your dish cabinets, which will increase space by showing off “non-space.”

Break out the color wheel. If choosing colors still sends you into a cold sweat, download a color wheel from the internet. Once you decide a color you definitely want, use one of the following options: (1) Pair the color with the two colors right next to it on the wheel (analogous colors); you don’t have to stay within warm colors or cool colors for this to work. (Just make sure to include contrasting highlights so your colors don’t get too boring.) (2) If you don’t like both of the analogous colors, choose one, and then choose a color opposite those colors (complementary), or use the color you like and choose two complementary colors on the other side.

When you’re picking, keep in mind the room and the principles of warm and cool colors. While warm colors make a room cozy, they also make it seem smaller because they advance on your eye. Cool colors recede, making a room seem larger; they are also great options for keeping warm, bright rooms in check.

Use your eye. Nothing can make up for the human eye. As you decide where to place your colors (especially if you’re painting), test them out before you commit. If your room is unbalanced—if darker colors overpower lighter ones, for instance—you’ll be able to tell.

As time goes on, look at your colors and re-evaluate. Don’t be afraid to paint over your wall color if you decide you don’t like it. After all, it’s only paint (and you’re the one who has to live in it).

Live in what you love. We could write an entire book on how to choose a palette (others have), but here’s the simplest advice: choose the colors you love; they’ll give you natural energy. Color preferences are highly personal, so why would you follow Joe Schmo’s suggestion of what is “safe” or “beautiful”?

Someone else may hate your choices, but your colors will make you happy. Try not to worry about an unsure future when you might have to sell your abode—if the time comes, apply a neutral coat before selling. Your happiness is well worth the cost of some paint.

Decorating Dos and Don'ts

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:00:00 -0600

by Jamie Cline
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Obeying a few cardinal rules of decorating will prevent interior design disaster and give your home that show room look.

Admit it, you're addicted to those interior design shows where the designers do the incredible: take an unbelievably messy house and turn it into something fantastic, something you would see in a magazine. At the end of every miraculous transformation, you say to yourself, "Well, sure, they can do that - they've got the money, they've taken the classes, and they were born with a sense of style!"

But really, all designers do is follow a few simple rules. Heidi Tyline King, author of Design Ideas for Home Decorating and several other design books, gave us some helpful tips for a room makeover.

Do find a focal point. "Don't start decorating without knowing what your focal point is," says King. Because the focal point is the basis of the room, it must be determined before everything else. A focal point is just what it sounds like - something you want to focus on and draw attention to. It should be interesting and attractive; it can be something that is already part of the architecture, such as fireplace or a window with an amazing view, or else something that you add, like artwork.

King recommends using color to connect a focal point with the rest of the room. "If the focal point is a particular color, put a little of that color elsewhere in the room with a pillow or an accessory. It will tie the rest of the room in with your focal point." Also, furniture and accessories should be arranged around the focal point to bring even more of a dramatic effect to the space.

Do use color and texture. Furniture, walls, and floors can benefit from a little something extra. Texture can make the dullest room turn into something exciting! The easiest way to add these are through fabrics - pillows, cushions, and throws, says King. Accessories and picture frames are another simple way to bring in color. Also, an added benefit is that color and texture are very kid-friendly.

Do use odd numbers. "When you have odd numbers, it makes the arrangement look less planned. But symmetry is important too," King says. "Odd pieces add more interest, but certainly you don't need to do it every time." When creating an informal grouping for a coffee table or shelf, use one, three, five, or seven items. More than that and you're getting a little carried away. Proportions should be about the same, but heights should differ to keep it interesting.

Do use things that you already have. There is no point in spending a lot of money when you already have so much to decorate with. "Go shopping in the other rooms of your house and your attic," encourages King. "If you already have [an item], you probably like it, and it may look totally different in a different part of your house." Take a look at what you have and combine textures and colors.

Another helpful tip is to use paint to blend your previously owned items in with your new décor. "You can paint tables and picture frames. Color is a great unifier. It's a great way to pull a room together."

Don't paint first. You can always, always find a color to match a sofa, curtains, or a painting. We've all seen the thousands of paint colors available at stores like Walmart and Home Depot - it's obvious that there are many, many more colors of paint than there are sofas. Make your decision on curtains, carpet, and furniture first, and then choose your wall color.

Don't completely fill your room. Keeping blank space on your walls and in your room makes the space feel calm. Too much going on in one place can make your guests - and you - feel overwhelmed. All rooms need both negative (empty) and positive (full) space to keep it feeling balanced. Of course, the room's size is what really counts when considering the amount of furniture and accessories. As far as space goes, says King, the rule is that when you finish decorating, take one thing out.

Don't use floating rugs. A "floating rug" is a rug that is placed in the middle of the floor without being connected to anything else in the room. "You do need to have a rug; it defines space for you. Your furniture should sit on the rug so it pulls the pieces together," says King. Rugs should always be big enough to go at least under the front legs of your furniture. A large rug will pull together the different pieces of furniture in your room to create a unified space, rather than pieces floating in their own orbit.

Don't put your furniture against the wall. Most of us have grown up in homes where it is customary for the back of the couch to be seemingly attached to the closest wall. However, keeping chairs, sofas, and tables close to each other creates a more interesting and intimate setting. If you have a very large room, try to make two groups of furniture: a big group for conversation and a couple of comfy chairs, a small table, and a lamp for reading.

Don't be timid. "People aren't bold enough - they're scared to try things." King says that people are often afraid to use bold colors in their houses because they think the shade might be too intense. Painting one or two walls a brilliant shade while leaving the others a softer color is a great way to be bold without overwhelming yourself.

Be confident in following your own personal style. One of the most important things about your decorating job is that it connects to you and your family. You won't be happy living in the current trend if it doesn't appeal to you. If you are going to work with a professional designer, make sure he or she has more than one style, says King. "Find a professional who can work in many different styles so that the result is something that reflects you, not them." You might try collecting ideas from homes, magazines, and online pictures for a couple months to find what really clicks. Then pick a theme you like and go for it!

Decorating Dos and Don'ts

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:00:00 -0600

by Jamie Cline
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Obeying a few cardinal rules of decorating will prevent interior design disaster and give your home that show room look. Admit it, you're addicted to those interior design shows where the designers do the incredible: take an unbelievably messy house and turn it into something fantastic, something you would see in a magazine. At the end of every miraculous transformation, you say to yourself, "Well, sure, they can do that - they've got the money, they've taken the classes, and they were born with a sense of style!"

But really, all designers do is follow a few simple rules. Heidi Tyline King, author of Design Ideas for Home Decorating and several other design books, gave us some helpful tips for a room makeover.