A special supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

Vinyl takeover?By Trey Mewestrey.mewes@austindailyherald.com

Most people think getting the wallsrepainted on a home is a goodchange, but for the truly adven-

turous, it could be time to replace yourwood or ceramic flooring, and there’s notrendier alternative right now than vinylfloor paneling.“A lot of that wood is being replaced

with luxury vinyl tile,” said Susy Bengt-son, designer at Freeborn Lumber in Al-bert Lea.Vinyl composition tiling has been

around since the 1980s, but there havebeen vast improvements in vinyl tilelooks and adhesives since then. Manyvinyl floor panels closely resemble types

of wood, stone, terrazzo and even con-crete. In addition, area suppliers and re-tailers have seen an increase in vinylfloor panel sales over the past severalyears, particularly for the ease which itcan be installed.“They don’t have to have new con-

struction or new plywood, necessarily,”said Gordy Handeland, of Doors &Floors, Inc. in Austin. “They’re more ofa floating floor.”Vinyl flooring can be used in entry

ways, hallways, laundry rooms,kitchens, even bathrooms provided itgets properly caulked.

With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s not too late to have new flooring in placebefore Thanksgiving and Christmas. Metro image

Newly improved flooring has many opportunities

See VINYL, Page 8

2 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

Upgrading a kitchen for lessBrand Point content

From cooking to entertaining, thekitchen — always the heart of the home— now takes center stage as the 21st cen-tury hub of the home. As families spendmore time in their homes, today’s “com-mand central” kitchen needs to be multi-functional and high-definition witheasy-to-maintain surfaces dedicated tocooking, working, Web surfing and blog-ging, paying bills and doing homework,as well as creating a comfortable envi-ronment to entertain with family andfriends.To design a kitchen that meets the

multiple needs of today’s modern family,including standing up to its daily wearand tear without breaking the bank,homeowners can transform theirkitchens with a few tips and tricks frominterior design experts and companiesthat have created more durable and af-fordable yet equally beautiful products.

Small steps can create betterspacesBegin redesigning your kitchen to ad-

dress multi-functional needs with somesmart planning, and consider remodelingin phases rather than all at once. Beginwith the easiest area: replace aging coun-tertops with materials that are beautifulyet durable and versatile. Counter spacefor food preparation can be optimized forlaptops and other electronics while youkeep an eye on dinner and the kids. De-sign at the appropriate height and allowspace for your legs under the counter sothat the same space can be converted toan ad-hoc desk when you aren’t cooking.Incorporate a distinct play and work

area for kids to do homework or create acrafting or game area for school and artprojects, and family activities that can betucked into a corner when not in use. In-clude flat-panel screens in a back splashor a separate lounge area adjacent to theworkspace to entertain family andfriends.

Counter life’s madness withbeautiful surfacesMaking the most of the countertop

requires the right material for aesthet-ics and functionality. While there arenumerous options, today’s laminatecountertops feature beautiful designsthat mirror granite and other naturalstones at a fraction of the cost, andwith scratch-resistant finishes that arenot only easy to clean but also resistcommon stains like peanut butter, per-manent marker and red wine. Becauselaminates are made from recycled con-tent and are easy to install and main-tain, they make an eco- andbudget-friendly choice for consumers.“Everyone loves the look of natural

stones but they don’t realize howmuchmaintenance they can require, while,today’s high-quality laminate mirrorsthat look and withstands daily wearand tear,” says interior designer andHGTV’s Design on a Dime host, Sum-mer Baltzer. “I love the fact that there

are now new countertop collections,like the Wilsonart HD line, that offergreat design options that complementboth traditional and modern spaces,but also offer great features like inte-grated sinks and decorative edges, tomake it a simple one-stop remodelingproject. Consumers can give a roomnew life just by replacing a countertopwith laminate at significant savingscompared to other materials.”

Get inspired and create a spaceto live in high definitionBefore embarking on a renovation

project, talk with the family to determinewhat the ideal kitchenwill look like. Readhome improvementmagazines, watch re-modeling shows for inspiration, and askexperts for tips and tricks at your homeimprovement store. Look at online toolssuch as the visualizer onwww.WilsonartHD.com to see how youcan upgrade your kitchen from blah tobling for less.

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012 3

Bathroom design: It’s all in the detailsBrand Point

It’s most likely one of the top reasonsyou’ve been putting off that bathroommakeover or remodel — you’re not surewhere to begin. What should the decor belike?Do youwant a pedestal sink or a furni-ture-style vanity? Will you incorporate anywater-saving faucets or fixtures? And, withall the decisions tomake,will it all look goodtogether and still performwell?These questions, and many others,

should be at the top of your list when youstartmapping out your next bathroomproj-ect. Luckily, many manufacturers havemade it easier in recent years for you to an-swer those questions in a painless, afford-able way.“We’ve created several complementing

suites of fixtures and faucets,” says KevinMcJoynt fromDanze, Inc. “The elements ofeach collectionwere literallymade for eachother, whichmakes your job easier.”Sowhat should you look forwhen you’re

planning your next bath or powder roomproject? Here are a few things to considerwhen choosing the key pieces:Sink andvanity—Choices are abundant

when it comes to the sink area of a bath-room. For those smaller footprint powder

rooms, or where storage isn’t as critical,consider a pedestal sink. If a pedestal does-n’t match your taste or needs, furniture-style vanities can have a significant impacton a room’s decor and add extra storage.Faucet—This canbe one of themost no-

ticeable accessories in the room and onethat homeowners and guests interact withthe most. Make sure you choose a style andfinish that is consistent with the overalldecor. A soft brushed nickel or warm oil-rubbed bronze finish can add a distinct de-

tail to the feeling of the room. If environ-mentally friendly options are important toyou, explore WaterSense-certified faucetsthat can reduce water usage by 30 percent,without affecting performance.Toilet — This is one of the best places to

go “green” in your bathroom. High-effi-ciency toilets use 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf),saving two ormore gallons of water duringeach use compared tomany toilets installedin the 1980s and prior. This saves 20 percentcompared to more recent 1.6 gpf designsthat are standard today. And, just becauseit’s a veryutilitarian element of a bathroom,don’t skimp on design for this piece. Shape,height, styling and color greatly impact howthe toilet can enhance the room’s decor.Shower system—Years agohomeowners

had a handful of choices for showerheads.Today, there are hundreds of styles, func-tions, finishes and components that cancomprise a home’s shower system. This is arecently discovered area of the bathroomthat can really show off your personalityand can help you create a unique retreat.Tastes range from building a “shower spa”with wall- and ceiling-mounted shower-heads, to conservation-minded shower stallsequipped with WaterSense-certified show-erheads.

Small details can make a big difference in a remodel. Brand Point photo

4 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

When Chris and Bruce Henricksbought their house in 1996, theyknew what they were getting into.

As Bruce described it, the house was“bulldozer-ready.”

“A lot of people would have knocked itdown,” he said.

The house was in shambles when the Hen-ricks first saw it. Vacant for a few years, it wasfull of bats, snowwas drifting in, water leakedthrough parts of the house and many of thedoors on the main floor were nailed shut.

“The condition of the house was not very

good,” Chris said.The Realtor warned them: If you buy it,

you get it as is. Yet something appealed to theHenricks about the old brick house a fewmiles south of Austin on 540th Avenue. Brucetold Chris it looked like a Christmas housewith its brick exterior and green trim.

After a decade of remodels — most doneby Chris and Bruce — Christmas ornamentsand decorations can be seen in the house al-most year-round.

“Christmas is never really over here,” saidChris.

A model remodelABOVE: Thisbrick home, re-built from neardilapidation byBruce and ChrisHenricks, sits onfive scenic acresof land south ofAustin.

LEFT: The Hen-ricks expandedthe bed ratherthan buying awhole new bed.

Story By JasonSchoonover

Photos by EricJohnson

Couple takes home from bull-dozerready to ‘Christmas house’

She does a lot of decorating for Christmas,but puts away all the small decorations oncounters and book cases.

After buying the house, the pair quickly gotto work on renovating it — a process that has-n’t stopped since. They bought a semi-load ofbuilding materials and got to work.

“The frame of mind has been: If we can doit, we’ll do it,” Chris said.

Bruce is a handyman and woodworker.While Chris said she shouldered her share ofthe big work, she prefers more of the finework, like painting, trim and caulking. Thesediffering preferences make for a mostly posi-tive working relationship.

For the exterior, they tried to keep thehouse original, especially the outside trim.They hired one person to make many differentpieces to complete the exterior, including “bul-let” circular decorations, most of which Chrispainted.

“She’s the painter,” Bruce said. “It’d driveme crazy.”

The jobs haven’t all been small things liketrim and paint, though. The two added on agarage with a small shop and room for Bruce’swoodworking on the west side of the house.Aside from the cement, Bruce and Chris builtthe entire addition.

Chris and Bruce also knocked out wallsfrom closets and bedrooms downstairs to re-construct the kitchen, living room, breakfastroom, dining room and three-season porch asthey liked.

An upstairs bedroom added on in the1970s was cut away, and the Henricks hired acarpenter to build the frame of a new room tomatch the rest of the house. Then they took itover and completed the remaining work them-selves.

Most of thematerials used in the house did-n’t come straight from a lumberyard. Bruce hasa shed of recycledmaterials, because he prefersthe quality of old wood.

In fact, many materials are either recycledor have sentimental value. Bruce’s fatherworked downtown when the First NationalBank closed. His father took tables, doors, trimandmaterials from the building but never usedthem.

Years later, Bruce built them into variousparts of the house, like the doors going outinto the garage and the center of the mantleover the fireplace. Even wood from the roomthey removed was reused in a gazebo attachedto the deck.

“I hate to see old buildings crushed anddumped in a hole in the ground because Ithink it’s getting more popular to recycle,”Bruce said. “There’s some absolutely beautiful,quality materials that are going in the groundright now.”

The Henricks admitted the house has a his-tory all its own. The farmhouse was reportedlybuilt in 1872, but Bruce said he believed it wasactually built closer to 1900.

Many stories persist about the house: Onestory goes that Al Capone stopped in on hisway to Blooming Prairie during prohibition.

Another story states the house was a brothel atone time, and many people claim the house ishaunted, though the Henricks don’t seem tobuy into that.

“So many people know this house or knowof this house,” Chris said.

Since they bought it, the pair have done alot to make the home their own while remain-ing true to the original stylings. Chris said it hasbeen fun and rewarding to remodel the housethemselves and as they’d like it, even thoughshe admitted she has gotten impatient fromtime to time.

The two have breathed new life into thehouse and land they bought for $32,000. Theydon’t know exactly how much money they’veput into it, but adding up what they’ve putinto the house is a project for the future. Be-fore that, they’re moving onto the next thing.After finishing the expanded kitchen, the twoplan to next repair the foundation around the

garage and then work on resurfacing theirdeck.

“We’ve had a good time out here,” Chrissaid.

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012 5

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LEFT: Chris and Bruce Henricks sit in thedining area of their home south of Austin,one of many rooms that required massiveamounts of work in renovation of the home.ABOVE: The Henricks' upstairs bathroomand shower.

6 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

Easy tips for green remodelingBrand Point

One of the hottest trends in home im-provement is remodeling with green orsustainability in mind. Going “green”means using building methods and envi-ronmentally friendly building materialsthat reduce your home’s impact on theearth, while enhancing the health of yourhome for you and your family.In a nutshell, remodeling your home to

make it more green means reducing yourhome’s impact on the environment (usingless resources such as water and energy);using building products that are madefrom sustainable or renewable materials;enhancing the health of your home (im-proving indoor air quality, removingmoldand rot); and using long-lasting, lowmain-tenance building products that don’t re-quire paints and chemicals tomaintain orwon’t endup in the landfill after only a fewyears of use.“The important thing to keep in mind

is that you don’t have to do it all at once,”

says John Gardner, director of marketingfor APEX Siding System, which makessustainable siding and trim. “You canmake your home greener over time, proj-ect by project, as your budget allows, to in-crease its efficiency and quality, whilereducing your home’s impact on our envi-ronment.”Here are some tips from Gardner on

how tomake your homemore green:Go green today. You can start going

green today by replacing all of your old in-candescent light bulbs with florescent orLEDbulbs, or installing rainbarrels underyour gutters to capture rain water, whichyou can use to water your flower or veg-etable garden, while reducing your waterbill.Audit your home. A home inspector

trained in green building practices canhelp you identifywhat parts of your homeare already green, how energy efficientyour home is today, and what improve-ments you could make so your home runsmore efficiently. Consider taking this step

before conducting amajor remodel.Experience in green remodeling and

building.Hire a remodeler or design/buildfirm that is experienced in green buildingtechniques or holds a certification from areputable organization such as from theNational Association of Home Builders(NAHB).Stamp out moisture. Rot and mold

caused by moisture is a big problem formany homes because it can compromisethe structure of your home and can createan unhealthy living environment. Keepmoisture out and increase the air flow ofyour home with low-maintenance sidingsuch as APEX siding and trim. APEX sid-ing is pultruded-fiberglass siding with Ul-trex, a long-lasting, durable materialdesigned with a unique airflow systemthat reduces the occurrence of moistureandmold problems.Bring in natural light. New energy-effi-

cient windows can reduce your heatingand cooling bills while maximizing natu-ral light to reduce your use of artificial

light in your home. Integrity windowsfrom Marvin, for example, exceed federalEnergy Star guidelines and are also madeof long-lasting Ultrex fiberglass.Insulate to keepyourhomewarmerand

cooler.Make sure the insulation in the ceil-ing of your homehas aminimumR-38 rat-ing (for cold-weather states), and an R-13rating in the exterior walls of your home.Green leafy trees provide long-term shadeduring the summer months, and ever-greens on the north side of your homeblock out cold winds during the winter.Reduce home maintenance. By remod-

eling your home with higher quality, sus-tainable building materials, you not onlycan reduce the time spent maintainingyour home, you can reduce your use ofpaints, household cleaners, and otherproducts for upkeep. For example, choos-ing siding made with Ultrex, will not rotlike wooden siding and will not need to bepainted because the color is embeddedright into the pultruded-fiberglass mate-rial.

FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012 7

Eight tips to improve energy efficiency through lightingBrand Point content

It’s easy to instantly trim your energyconsumption and boost the eco-friendli-ness of your home. The key to easy en-ergy savings is lighting. Though formany homeowners and renters, know-ing how and what to do to improve theirhome’s lighting energy efficiency can beconfusing.To alleviate that confusion, the Amer-

ican Lighting Association (ALA) offerseight easy energy-saving steps:

1. Replace incandescent bulbswith compact fluorescents (CFLs). Tomake an immediate impact on your en-ergy consumption — and your utilitybill — swap out your most-used incan-descent bulbs with CFLs. “It’s the easi-est way to start improving your energyefficiency,” says Joe Rey-Barreau, edu-cation consultant for the ALA and an as-sociate professor at the University ofKentucky’s School of Interior Design. Ifyou have not used any residential CFLsin your home, you might be surprised attheir range and versatility. The newestCFLs do not flicker like those of old, andthey havemuch better color quality than

even just a few years ago. A close look atthe color temperature listed on the bulbpackage label can help you get the rightproduct. “What happens is that peoplebuy a color temperature that’s too cool,and they absolutely hate it,” says Rey-Barreau. Instead, choose a bulb that’s la-beled “residential color,” “warm” or“soft white.”

2. Replace dimmable incandescentbulbs with dimmable CFLs. As thecolor range of CFLs has improved, sohas their ability to be dimmed, says Rey-Barreau — and dimmable bulbs are aprovenway to decrease energy use. How-ever, while the technology has come along way, CFLs still do not have the dim-ming range of incandescents. “At about20 to 30 percent, the CFL will shut off,”says Rey-Barreau.

3. Buy name brands. It is frustrat-ing to invest in a longer-lasting bulb onlyto have it burn out quickly. To avoid that,buy recognizable brands for improvedquality and color.

4. Revamp outdoor fixtures. Youroutdoor lighting fixture may be beauti-ful, but it may be an energy guzzler, too.Start outside as you slowly replace fix-

tures with more energy efficient ver-sions. Look for those that use eitherCFLs or light-emitting diodes (LEDs), orthose that activate using a motion sen-sor or photocell.

5. Buy Energy Star-qualified fix-tures and bulbs. Energy Star is a U.S.Department of Energy certificationmost recognized on appliances —though also used on lighting fixturesand bulbs. “Any time someone buys aproduct that has the Energy Star label,they’ll know it has both efficiency andquality verified,” says Rey-Barreau.

6. Retrofit recessed lighting withLED fixtures. Recessed fixtures can beeasily replaced with super energy-effi-cient LED versions — without anymessy construction. “You just take offpart of the existing fixture, and the re-placement fixture fits into the old hous-ing,” says Rey-Barreau. “LED fixtureshave a high initial cost, but the fixturewill last literally the lifetime of the proj-ect.”

7. Replace your under-cabinetlighting. With long life and super highefficiency, some LED lighting also offersfairly easy installation, including pucks

and strips used as under-cabinet light-ing. As an added bonus, LED lights willnot give off the undesirable heat of in-candescents.

8. Be realistic in your expecta-tions. While upgrading some or all ofyour lighting is a good way to improveyour energy efficiency, it is not a one-stop solution. “One of the things some-times misunderstood is that peopleassume if they replace all of their in-candescent lighting with energy-effi-cient versions they are going to savethis huge amount on their electricity,”says Rey-Barreau. They will save, ofcourse, but since lighting only accountsfor about 10 percent of all electricityconsumption, the amount saved will berelative to that. The most savings comesover the long term with continuedlower utility bills and fewer burned-outbulbs.Visit your local ALA-member retail

showroom to see the newest productsand to talk to an expert about how to im-prove the energy efficiency of yourlighting. To find your closest ALA-mem-ber lighting showroom, visit www.amer-icanlightingassoc.com.

8 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012 AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

New flooring can add new life to a home. Metro image

But what sort of vinyl flooring shouldpeople get? Both Handeland and Bengt-son recommend medium colors, as lightand dark-colored flooring ebbs and flowsas fashionable hues.“I’ve always encouraged my cus-

tomers that dark is trendy, but if youstay somewhere right in the middle, thatmeans that color of flooring is probablygoing to be timeless,” Bengtson said.

In addition, medium, neutral colorsoften accentuate your wall designs, andwon’t have to be redone to match a newshade of wall paint, according to Han-deland. Yet there’s no denying the ap-peal of darker floor paneling.“They’re darker than they were five

years ago, as far as what we’re selling,”Handeland said.

Vinyl: Middle-of-the-roadcolors make for timeless styleFrom Page 1

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