2 L ‘Observateur SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012HOME & GARDEN

Sprucing up yourhome for spring doesn'thave to mean spendinghuge amounts of timeand money.

In fact, there aremany projects that youcan complete in a week-end that will improvethe look and feel ofyour home.

With a little guidanceand the right tools, youcan easily get yourhome in top shape byMonday morning.

Paint refreshCommonly recog-

nized as one of themost easy and cost-ef-fective interior up-dates, painting is aweekend project thatcan completely trans-

form the aesthetic ofyour home. When pur-chasing paint, a qualityproduct will ensureyour end results arebeautiful. Low-quality,inexpensive paint willlikely require a numberof coats to get the cov-erage needed - resultingin more time and mon-ey spent. To avoid in-creased time and cost,use a premium line ofpaint like Pratt & Lam-bert's Accolade, whichguarantees excellenthide and outstandingdurability. Popularamong interior design-ers, Accolade is avail-able in more than 1,000colors to complementany style. When choos-ing paint for your next

weekend project, re-member that a qualityproduct will achievethe best end result andsave you time and mo-ney in the long run.

Lighting updateTired of the same old

lamps sitting on yourend tables but don'thave the funds to re-vamp your lighting de-cor? A new lamp shadewill completely changethe look of any piece.You can also easilytransform pieces byrenewing the lamp bas-es; a quick walk downthe spray paint aislewill show limitless pos-sibilities of colors andfinishes. You can evenrenew plastic pieces

with Krylon Fusion forPlastic, the first paintof its kind. Create a co-hesive look by bringingthat new finish to yourhanging fixtures aswell.

Furniture renewalOne easy way to

update furniture on abudget is by recoveringit or using slip covers.Premade covers areavailable in a wide vari-ety of fabrics anddesigns, or you can cre-ate a custom cover foryour sofa or armchair.More ambitious craft-ers may actually re-upholster furniture tocreate a completelynew-looking seating op-tion. After repadding

and covering cushions,sand and stain or paintwood pieces for a com-pletely modern feel.

Modern flooring Carpet has seen bet-

ter days? Replace it.Hardwood is scuffedand dull? Refinish it.You can also achievethe look of naturalwood or stone flooringwith luxury vinyl tile.This affordable optionis no longer your grand-mother's vinyl, nowavailable in a variety ofnatural finishes thatare both durable andmodern. If replacingisn't in your budget,simply give your floor-ing a good cleaning anduse accent rugs to cover

blemished areas.

AccessorizeAdding trendy, fun

accessories will giveany room a new andmore put-together look.Think vases and bowls,wall art and rugs. Whenadding accessories,look for colors thatcomplement what is al-ready in the room.Plants and flowers canalso add energy andcolor, some with theadded bonus of a pleas-ant aroma.

Check off a project onyour home improve-ment to-do list thisweekend, and enjoy theresults through springand beyond.

Spruce up your home with these weekend projects

Who would havethought getting dirtunder your fingernailswould ever be consid-ered one of the hottesttrends going? Accord-ing to Doug Jimerson,garden core director forBetter Homes andGardens, "growing yourown fruits, veggies andherbs is somethingAmericans are doing inrecord numbers thisseason."

"It's cheaper to growyour own produce thanbuy it – one $3 tomatoplant will yield poundsof produce all seasonlong," Jimerson says."Plus, the produce yougrow just tastes betterthan even your grocer'sbest. And while it'shealthy to eat and growyour own, gardening israpidly gaining popu-larity as a great way toget some exercise, re-lieve stress and spendhealthful family bond-ing time."

Eating foods grown inyour own backyardmeans you won't becontributing to the car-bon footprint left be-hind by the "food miles"it takes to bring import-ed produce to your localgrocers – so you're help-ing the environment,too.

Growing vegetables iseasier than you think.Plan it properly, andyou can enjoy a healthy,homegrown harvestfrom the fruits of yourlabor – without havingto spend hours tendingit.

Gardening 101

Sunshine is suste-

nance – Vegetablesneed at least six hoursof full sun per day. Theeasiest thing to do is toplace your garden infull sunlight. Make sureit's easily accessible forwatering; if the gardenis too far from yourhouse it could get neg-lected. Check the lastfrost date in your re-gion and wait untilthreat of frost is pastbefore you begin plant-ing.

No yard necessary –Gardening doesn't re-quire a lot of room –although if you havethe space and time to golarge, go for it!. Manypopular vegetables andherbs grow just fine incontainers, makingthem a great option forthose with limitedspace. For smalleryards, raised beds arean easy, low-mainte-nance option. If yourgarden is going rightinto the ground, justturn the earth with ashovel, toss out rootsand rocks, mix in a soilamendment for healthysoil, and plant.

Water relief – Waterregularly, but avoiddoing so during theheat of the day whenevaporation will dimin-ish the effectiveness ofirrigation. Water to wet

the soil about 8 inchesdeep, but don't over-water.

Feed your food – Alledible plants draw nu-trients from theground, and can quick-ly exhaust the soil with-out the help of a fertil-izer. Always follow la-bel directions.

Growing for it

Now that you've gotan idea of the basics,it's time to pick yourplants.

Start with trans-plants – seedlings areway easier to get grow-ing than seeds, so you'llsave loads of time andenjoy improved suc-cess. Fortunately, na-tional purveyors likeBonnie Plants make iteasy to find hardy, high-quality, regionally ap-propriate plants at yourlocal garden retailers.Bonnie offers time-test-ed vegetable and herbfavorites, as well as newvarieties, in eco-friend-ly, biodegradable potsthat not only reduceplastic waste in land-fills, they reduce trans-plant shock. Simplytear off the bottom ofthe pot and set thewhole thing – plant inpot – directly into theground. Be sure to pay

close attention to planttags, they're packedwith facts and details tohelp you successfullygrow your plants.

Here are somefavorites to consider foryour garden:

• Tomatoes – The mostpopular, most-grownvegetable, tomatoes arealways a best bet. Dis-ease-resistant BonnieOriginal is a hardy, fla-vorful addition to anybackyard garden. Forcontainers or smallspots, try Sweet n' Neat,a prolific plant that setsfruit in grape-like clus-ters.

• Basil – The perfectcomplement to toma-toes, basil works well ingardens and contain-ers. New Greek Colum-

nar Basil is particular-ly bountiful, as it growshigh, leafs out denselyand rarely flowers. Theflavor blends tradition-al basil with spicy over-tones of cinnamon, all-spice and cloves.

• Bell peppers – Ver-satile, flavorful and nu-tritious, bell peppersare great raw snacksand make an awesomeingredient for a varietyof cuisines. Harvestpeppers when they'regreen or red when thevitamin levels are high-er.

• Eggplant – BlackBeauty is the quintes-sential eggplant with adeep purple, glossyskin and meaty texture,and thrives in hotweather. White-skinned

varieties like CloudNine offer a sweeter,bitter-free flesh.

• Mints – Easy-to-grow mints are avail-able in traditionalspearmint and pepper-mint and in more exoticflavors like BonniePlant's new apple mint,orange mint and evenchocolate mint, whichhas a flavor that echoesthe classic Girl Scoutcookie.

Hefty harvest – Thegeneral rule: If it looksgood enough to eat, itprobably is. With manyvegetables, the moreyou pick, the more theplant will produce.

For more gardeningtips, ideas and advice,visit www.bonnieplants.com.

L ‘Observateur SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012 3HOME & GARDEN

Grow for it: Homegrown on your own

Spring is here, whichmeans one thing: it'stime to get your homein tip-top shape. Bycompleting a few easytasks, you can spendmore time soaking upthe sun and less time oninterior projects. Hereare five ways to spruceup your home thisspring to prepare for arelaxing summer – andgive your home that"spring cleaning" feelwithout spending theentire spring, well,cleaning.

• Let there be lightNothing makes the

house feel drab like dir-ty windows. Make anyroom feel bright andfresh by cleaning theinside glass of yourwindows. A quick onceover with a paper towel

and glass cleanershould do the trick.Look for a "streak-free"formula and the insideswill be sparkling in notime.

Get the outside just asclean – without the

hard work – by using acleaner that attachesdirectly to your gardenhose. All you have to dois point and spray toremove the dirt andgrime left behind fromwinter. It's safe to use

on plastic siding andcan help you easilyreach second story win-dows. Plus, while you'reoutside, quickly rinseoff patio furniture, jun-gle gyms or your chil-dren's outdoor toys tomake them look good asnew.

• Pick up a paintbrush

To freshen up anyroom for springtime,pull out your paint.Don't try to redo thewhole house – pick theroom where a fresh coatof paint will make thebiggest impact. Choosea fun new color, or addsome flare with aunique design likestripes or chevron.And, don't forget totouch up the trim if youhave the time.

To make paint touch-ups a simple process,use FrogTape brandpainter's tape. Treatedwith patented Paint-Block technology, thistape prevents paintbleed by reacting withthe water in latex paintto create a barrier thathelps ensure clean,sharp lines. Plus, no te-dious preparation isneeded – just make surewalls are clean, dust-free and dry before ap-plying.

"FrogTape is the bestchoice to help anyhomeowner paint withease," said designer andRestaurant: Impossibleconstruction managerTom Bury. "Its Paint-Block technologyleaves very little roomfor error, making it agreat choice for quickspring touch-ups."

To ensure painting isa painless process, be

sure to select the righttape for your surface.Choose FrogTape Mul-ti-Surface for curedpaint (paint that hasbeen dry for at leastthree days), wood, met-al, glass and more. UseFrogTape Delicate Sur-face on fresh paint(paint that has been dryfor at least 24 hours),wallpaper and decora-tive painting. With theright tools, your paintproject can be quickand easy, making yourroom look polished andpulled together.

• Wash away wintergrime

You know that soft,comfy throw blanketyou've been snugglingup with all winter? It'sstoring more than cozymemories. Since winteris prime cold and fluseason, it's probably be-come home to lots ofgerms. Increase theclean factor in yourhome by tossing throwblankets, pillows, win-dow treatments, evencouch covers in thewashing machine to getrid of germs. Then,hang them outside todry in the sun and soakup that springtimescent.

• Say "sayonara" toyour sweaters

Scarves, hats, gloves,wool sweaters andother heavy items ofclothing won't be muchuse to you once springis in full swing. Saveroom in your closets bygetting them out of theway – put clothingitems you won't need inwarm weather in plas-tic storage bins. Keepthem in an attic orbasement, clearing

space for your warmer-weather wear. As you'repacking things up, pullaside anything you hav-en't worn all winter anddonate these items toyour local charity. It'san easy way to de-clut-ter, make your homefeel more organizedand give back to yourcommunity. The samemethodology goes forkitchen cabinets, deskdrawers and play-rooms. Store awayitems you're not usingand give what you don'tneed to charity – ifyou're not using it,someone else might.

• Dust your digsSpring brings more

than just sunshine – it'salso the bearer of sea-sonal allergies. Helpfight the sniffles byshaking out rugs andgiving rooms a goodonceover with a featherduster. If wiping downthe entire house seemstoo tedious, focus onareas that aren't inplain sight. Through-out the year, you proba-bly wipe down surfacesthat are clearly visible –tables, shelves, counter-tops. But, when was thelast time the top of therefrigerator or the ceil-ing fan saw a duster?Use spring cleaning asa chance to focus onthose areas that don'toften get cleaned. Yourhome, and your nose,will thank you.

Follow these simpletips to make every mo-ment count this spring.Your home will besparkly and clean be-fore you know it – giv-ing you plenty of timeto relax and soak up thesun.

4 L ‘Observateur SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012HOME & GARDEN

Spring into a relaxing summer with these tips

As temperaturesreach 60 degrees, one ofthe manly rites ofspring, designed to im-press the neighbors, isa fresh layer of mulch.But, did you know thatit can also help preventerosion and discourageweeds in the garden?Mulch is an invaluableingredient to a success-ful growing season – somuch more than shred-ded bark sprinkledaround the base of anornamental tree eachspring. Get the facts onmulch to impress allthe neighbors and havea great looking land-scape to boot.

What is mulch?Just like the leaf

layer found on a forestfloor, mulch is a cover-ing that can benefitboth plants and soil.Consider the many dif-ferent mulch types.Some contain leavesand bark that decom-pose, breaking downover time, while othersare pebbles or shreddedtires. The available var-ieties of materials arediverse and nearly lim-itless. The varieties ofmulch that break downare beneficial to thenutritional make-up, ortilth, of soil. Ingred-ients commonly usedfor beneficial mulchingmaterials are: bark orwood chips, leaves,grass clippings, strawor hay, newspaper, pineneedles, cocoa shellsand compost.

When selectingmulch, realize that notall mulches are thesame. In the past, youmay have laid mulchonly to see it start to

fade in a matter ofweeks. This is a majorfrustration for garden-ers. Scotts NatureScapes Advanced withColor Guard technolo-gy retains its color for afull year backed byScotts no-quibble guar-antee.

Where does it comefrom?

From recycling lastweek's newspapers orcollecting grass clip-pings after mowing, tocomposting garden andkitchen waste, inexpen-sive mulch materialsare readily available allaround. The lumberand arborist industriesoften sell chipped woodproducts inexpensively.These wood chips tendto break down slowlyand are sometimes usedon garden paths andwalkways. Many gar-deners prefer the lookof the woodchip or barkmulches that are avail-able through local gar-den centers. Read thelabels to determine thecontents or sourcing ofmulches before pur-

chasing. Whether thesemulches are sold by thebag or by the truckload,these tend to be partial-ly composted and add agreat, finished appear-ance to the gardenwhile breaking downover time to add organ-ic matter to the soil.

Why do I need it?Leaves and bark

mulch benefits runmuch deeper thanbeauty.

• A mulch layer canmoderate the soil tem-perature reducing theeffects of extreme heator cold.

• Soil condition maybe improved by the de-composing matter frommulch that providesplants with added nu-trition.

• Mulching a gardencreates the ideal envi-ronment for earth-worms and beneficialorganisms.

• If heavy rains or soilerosion is an issue,mulch can help reducethese effects.

• Weeds will find itmore difficult to grow

in a mulched area, asthe mulch helps toblock weed growth andaccess to the sun.

How much do Ineed?

It is easy to determinehow much mulch youwill need using the on-line mulch calculatorfrom Scotts. Measurethe bed size and the cal-culator does the rest.Then, when spreadinghigh quality mulch,take your favorite coldbeverage, draw a linearound the can abouttwo to three inchesfrom the bottom, anduse it to spread mulchto the appropriatemeasured level.

When should I usemulch?

Mulch can be appliedanytime, but it is best tospread it out early inthe growing season,before weeds have had achance to get estab-lished. Remove any ex-

isting weeds and spreada two to three inchlayer around landscap-ing plants, in the veg-etable garden or alongwalkways.

If recent rains havemade the garden toomuddy, mulch is also agreat way to create adry path through themuck and keep yourfeet from slidingaround.

A fresh mulch layer isextremely beneficial,and can make the gar-den and landscapinglook awesome. Theproper application ofmulch demonstratesyour expertise to yourfriends and neighbors,and helps create a natu-rally weed-free environ-ment to maximize yourgarden's growth.

L ‘Observateur SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012 5 HOME & GARDEN

Mulch 101: A very manly guide to gardening

A little black dress, agreat pair of jeans anda leather jacket – somestyles never go out offashion. Some elementsof home decor sharethat same sense oftimelessness, and nonemore so than a simple

floral theme."Flowers are always

fashionable, stylish andon-trend," said DaniNichols, a trend-watch-er for home decor web-site MuralsYourWay.com. "Whether you'relooking for just the

right touch of eleganceand life for patternedupholstery or modernfloral murals to makean accent wall pop,flowers are always ap-propriate."

Nichols points to hottrends in floral decorthis spring and sum-mer:

Floral walls"Flowers have always

inspired paint makersto create colors that payhomage to both theboldness and the delica-cy of floral inspira-tions," Nichols said.This year, paint manu-facturers are offering adiverse palette of floral-inspired colors, fromdusty roses and irisblues, buttercup yellowand daisy white, to

frothy lilac and poppingpeony.

Floral wallpaper andfloral murals are alsogreat ways to incorpo-rate flowers into aroom's decor. A subtlepattern of small, deli-cate flowers can createa gentle, peaceful feel-ing in a room. Or, gobold with an accentmural that depicts asingle, showy bloom.You can find a plethoraof floral options onlineat websites like MuralsYourWay.com.

SustainabilityOne of the most

enjoyable ways to deco-rate with florals – cutflowers – is also one ofthe most fleeting. Fewbeautiful things are asshort-lived as cut flow-ers. This season, lookfor cut flower designs totrend toward sustain-ability, as everyonelooks for ways to getmore enjoyment fromtheir flowers for longer.

While adding thepacket of plant food

will help keep a florist'sbouquet alive as long aspossible, there's moreeveryone can do tomake their displaysmore eco-friendly. Lookfor more florists to usebiodegradable packingproducts, compost theirleftovers and chooseseasonal blooms thatdon't require long-dis-tance shipping.

Daring pairingsWhen you think of

floral design, you prob-ably envision bright,rich hues paired withbackground neutrals.This year, however, flo-rals are going daring,mixing in metallicaccents and deep, satu-rated purples and bluesthat almost appearblack.

A touch of silver orgold matched with purewhite creates an up-scale, classic effect. Adash of bronze or cop-per married with vi-brant yellows or bluesis an unexpected anddelightful decorating

twist.And while bright or

light colors are asintrinsic to floral decoras the backgroundgreenery, dark bloomsimpart an almost mys-tical aura, whether thehue is natural or dyed.You'll see these daringpairings pop up every-where from throw pil-lows to centerpieces,this year.

Nichols also predictsdesigners will continueto experiment withcombinations of floralpatterns.

"Long gone is the con-ventional wisdom thatif you had one bold flo-ral pattern in a room,you couldn't do more,"she said. "It's perfectlyalright to experimentwith one floral patternon the drapes and acomplementary – or ev-en competing – one onaccent pillows."

"Few decoratingthemes afford the time-lessness and flexibilityof florals," Nicholsadded.

6 L ‘Observateur SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012HOME & GARDEN

Let your creativity bloom with floral prints

A home is a place ofcomfort and relaxation.Many homeowners arenow taking to the out-doors and making thisspace an extension ofthe dream home they'vealways wanted.

One way to transforma house into a dreamhome is by utilizing theoutdoor space with theaddition of a new deckor improvements to anexisting deck. A deckcreates the perfectbackyard oasis to es-cape the stresses of abusy lifestyle, to enjoythe outdoors, grill out,have a party or simplyrelax. With a deck, acouple can celebratewith friends, childrencan play outside andparents can retire incomfort.

Many alternativedecking choices areavailable for homeown-ers seeking high-quali-ty materials with low-maintenance features.Choosing to go with al-ternative decking mate-rials helps homeowners

save money and havemore time to spend out-doors enjoying timetogether. While com-posite products willneed occasional clean-ing, they don't need thesanding, staining, seal-ing or painting thatwood decks require.

There are manychoices for deck de-signs, materials andcolors that can makechoosing a dream decka little overwhelming.But deck design toolslike those found atTimberTech can helpease the deck designprocess without havingto leave the house.

For example, Tim-berTech's product selec-tor can help homeown-ers determine which al-ternative decking mate-rial works best for theirlifestyle. Families withchildren, pets or evenspecial needs equip-ment like wheelchairswill be interested in theproducts offered byTimberTech that caneasily withstand high

traffic volumes withoutshowing scratches orwear. These productswill maintain theirgood looks and durabil-ity in the years to comewith minimum clean-ing and maintenance.

Online design toolshelp homeowners envi-sion the perfect colorsthat match the houseand find environmen-tally friendly deckingand railing products.Some homeowners areinterested in a cleanappearance by usinghidden fasteners orrailing systems with noexposed hardware,while others pursue amore economical ap-proach to picking theperfect decking. Railingsystems provide addi-tional safety and stylewhile lighting optionshelp homeowners illu-minate their space forextended time on thedeck once the sun hasset.

The beauty of com-posite decking – in add-ition to the multitude ofcolor and material op-tions – is that it's fullycustomizable to what-ever style or look iswanted for the deck.Homeowners can optfor a deck and railingdesign all in one colorto perfectly blend inwith the house, or cango the contrastingroute to make the decka unique design featureto beautify the back-yard.

Decks can be bothpractical and stylish,which is why manyhomeowners looking toenhance the look andthe value of their homeand increase their liv-

ing space consider re-planking an existingwooden deck or addinga new deck. Compositedecking products pro-

vide many different sty-le options and allowhomeowners to enjoytheir deck without an-nual sanding, staining,

sealing or painting. Toget started on planninga new deck or upgrad-ing your current deck,visit timbertech.com.

L ‘Observateur SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012 7 HOME & GARDEN

Transforming your backyard into an oasis

There's no doubt thatwe're a connected socie-ty – and connected likenever before throughemail, social networks,video conference tech-nology, instant messag-ing, smart phones, thelist goes on. While thisinflux in connectivityhas made it easier to dobusiness, it has alsoblurred the lines be-tween work and homelife, resulting withmany of us working inour homes at least a fewhours each week. Ifyour kitchen counter-top has become your go-to place for paying bills,responding to emailsand conducting busi-ness, it may be time toconsider adding a dedi-cated office space inyour home.

Whether you telecom-mute for work or justneed a work space toorganize personal docu-ments and files, a well-thought home officecan help you stay pro-ductive, efficient andorganized. Before be-ginning the design pro-cess for an office space,think through how thespace will be used andask yourself thesequestions:

• What activities willtake place in the space?

• Who will be utilizingthis area?

• What are the storageneeds?

• What time of daywill you be doing mostof your work?

• Where in your homewill you set up theoffice?

• What type of con-nectivity/technologywill be necessary forthis space?

Once you have a han-dle on your needs,you're ready to start theplanning and designprocess. Here are a fewimportant things toconsider when you'resetting up a home of-fice:

Flexible and func-tional: A home officeshould be comfortable,but not too casual thatit lacks structure andfunction at the expenseof productivity. Wheth-er you opt for a desk ora table, be sure to evalu-ate how much work sur-face is needed beforeyou make the purchase.Consider how muchspace your computerand phone equipment,wires and cords, files

and paperwork andoffice supplies will oc-cupy. All of these thingscan quickly swallowspace you might need towork comfortably. Afteryou've selected the fur-niture, it's wise to in-vest in a high-qualityergonomic chair thatcan help promote youroverall well-being.

Orderly and organ-ized: It's easy to let ahome office become ov-errun with paperwork,mail, bills, etc. Givingthought to smart stor-age solutions from theget-go will help mini-mize stress in the longrun. The good news isyou don't have to settlefor commercial-lookingmetal file cabinets tostore everything. Cab-inets have long beenused to create stylish,orderly kitchens andbaths, and can do thesame for a home office.QualityCabinets offersa number of affordablecabinetry options thatprovide smart storageand have the ability toblend in with the decorof the rest of the home.

"Cabinets shouldn'tbe limited to the kit-chen and the bath," said

Sarah Reep, director ofdesigner relations andeducation for Quality-Cabinets. "A cabinethas the ability to lookand function like ahigh-end furniture-quality desk for thehome office, at a frac-tion of the cost."

Once you have an ideaof your storage needs,check out some ofQualityCabinets' onlinedesign and planningresources at www.qual-

itycabinets.com to getstarted.

Light and lively:Good lighting in ahome office is essential.While overhead light ishelpful, your desk andwork spaces shouldalso feature a few tasklights for reading, writ-ing and computer work.Adding a decorativetable lamp can helpmaintain a homier feel.The amount and type of

lighting really dependson when you'll be doingthe bulk of your workand can vary drastical-ly throughout the day.Installing light dimmerswitches and addingwindow treatments cankeep light at optimumlevels. Painting asplash of color on thewalls or adding textilesor artwork reflective ofyour personality willmake the space feellively and inspiring.

8 L ‘Observateur SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012HOME & GARDEN

Design your home office for comfort and productivity

Ah, spring! Theweather warms, song-birds return and back-yards burst with showyspring blooms. Ofcourse, all this resur-gence of life will re-quire some care, whichmeans it's also time tostart thinking aboutlawn mowing.

From saving moneyto getting exercise,there are plenty of pos-itives about mowingyour lawn. To do the jobright, however, you'llneed the right tool ofcourse – a good lawn-mower. The OutdoorPower Equipment In-stitute recommends re-placing worn out equip-ment with the latestmodels to take advan-tage of new equipmentefficiencies. If you're inthe market for a newmower this spring,here's what you shouldconsider before youbuy:

• How big of amower do you needfor your lawn? Gen-erally, the more grassyou have to mow, themore mower you'll needto buy. If your lawn isrelatively small – a halfacre or less – a walk-behind mower shouldbe sufficient for yourjob. For larger lawns,you'll probably want ariding mower (alsocalled a lawn tractor). Ifyou decide on a walk-behind model, you alsoneed to consider wheth-er it should be self-pro-pelled or a standardpush style. While apush mower will giveyou a better workout, ifyour lawn is rough orhilly, self-propelled canmake the job moremanageable.

• How frequentlywill you need tomow? During theheight of summer,grass can grow quickly,

especially in regionswith moderate temper-atures. It's not unusualfor a lawn to need caretwice a week. Grassmay grow slowly indryer, hotter regions, somowing once a weekmay be sufficient.

• How important isenergy efficiency? Ifyou have a very smalllawn, you may be ableto use an electric mow-er. With most lawns,however, a gasoline-powered mower willmostly likely be thechoice.

Assuming mosthomeowners will optfor a lawnmower with agasoline engine, hereare key items to lookfor in that engine:

• How easy is it tostart? Some walk-be-hind mowers can be ascomplicated to start asthey are to repair. Lookfor a model, like Kohl-er's Courage XT6.75that requires no prim-ing or choking to start.The mower managesthe start-up process soall you have to do is pullthe cord and go.

• Can it handle yourlawn and terrain? Aprofessional grade en-gine can give you thepower needed to cutthrough the grass ofyour lawn. Whetheryou are trimming youryard or tackling a littletaller grass and weeds,the engine should deliv-er consistent power tomaximize cutting, bag-ging and mulching per-formance. Plus, a toughcast-iron design helpsyour engine last longer,so you can keep themower longer and re-duce costly trips to the

repair shop.• How easy is it to

maintain? From fillingit before each use tocleanup tasks beforestoring it for the winter,your equipment willrequire routine lawn-mower maintenance tokeep it running well.Look for models that

make all these tasks assimple as possible. Forexample, the KohlerCourage XT featuresthe trademarked Accu-Fill gas tank, which isdesigned to ensure few-er spills and less wastedgas. Simple measureslike changing the oiland spark plugs, and

cleaning the air filter,can help keep yourmower running better,longer, and you'll bemore likely to keep upwith those chores ifthey're easy to do.

Finally, perhaps themost important ques-tion to ask before youinvest in a new moweris how much it will saveyou over the life of theproduct. When youcompare the cost of anew mower to the aver-age cost of professionallawn care, it's easy tosee that the scales tip infavor of doing your ownmowing.

Choosing the rightmower with a qualityengine can help ensureyour mowing exper-ience is productive andpositive.

L ‘Observateur SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012 9 HOME & GARDEN

Buying a new mower this spring? What to look for

10 L ‘Observateur SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012HOME & GARDEN

The American homemay be shrinking, butnot the Great AmericanDream. Americans arestill living large, justdoing so in smallerspaces.

To some trend-watch-ers, the downscaling ofthe American homecomes as good news.Architects, designersand social observerssay our willingness toresize our floor spacemeans Americans arerethinking the way wereally live and how weuse whatever space wedo have. Home, they say,has become less aboutimpressing others andmore about makingourselves happy. Andsince we are mostlybaby boomers – thattidal wave of Ameri-cans born between 1946and 1964 – who havelong been accustomedto getting what wewant, happiness is of-ten defined in terms ofluxuries and personalamenities.

"Natural materialslike American Hard-woods are redefiningthe word 'luxury,'" saidLinda Jovanovich ofthe American Hard-wood Information Cen-ter. "Hardwoods bring

richness and warmth toeven small rooms,whether it's used on thefloors and walls, orcrafted into built-ins.Custom hardwood fur-nishings like bookcasesand cabinets make ahome personal, yoursalone, and isn't that theultimate luxury?"

This new definition ofluxury – top-quality,

mostly natural materi-als, careful attention toarchitectural detailslike natural wood win-dow frames and mould-ings – is one that archi-tect and author SarahSusanka agrees with.And what Susankathinks matters.

In 1998, her profes-sional hunch launchedwhat has become the

"build-better-not-big-ger" movement, whenshe published the firstin her best-selling ser-ies of "The Not So BigHouse" books.

Her mantra is indeed,think smaller, and shealso believes that "luxu-ry comes from thematerials we surroundourselves with. Beautycomes from natural

materials. You can seewhere they come from -in the grain, the vein-ing. The more naturalthe materials, like realhardwoods and granite,the more content youare. There's a qualityyou can't name, but youcan feel it."

Gale Steves, author,editor and design in-dustry consultant sumsup a similar concept inher book about "Right-Sizing Your Home." Ac-cording to Steves,"Right-sizing is aboutmaking the best use ofthe spaces you have forthe way you live." Shesuggests these ways tobest enjoy the shrink-ing and changing Am-erican home.

• "Create a room with-in a room," Steves ad-vised. Her ideas beginat floor-level. Installhardwood flooringthroughout to unify thespaces and make themlook larger, then usearea rugs to define sep-arate areas. Lay hard-wood on the diagonal toset off special architec-tural features. Create a"rug" under a diningtable with an insetframe of contrastinghardwood. Or outlinean entire room with

two courses of con-trasting hardwood.

• More ideas: Use asectional sofa to delin-eate an intimate seat-ing area within an openfloor plan. And – of spe-cial interest to themany boomers who areeschewing retirement –find a standing wood-panel screen to createprivacy or isolate awork space, say, in abedroom office area.

• And don't forget tomake it sustainable.Living green is a highpriority for the anti-McMansion genera-tion. As Susanka seesit, we should think ofthe 21st-century houseas "a well-tailored suit:you use less material,but it fits you perfectly."

So while the size ofthe "average" U.S. homemay be shrinking, re-member that it's moreabout space that worksand that satisfies thepsyche in the processthat defines the ulti-mate in luxury. Thinkcustom kitchens withpro-quality appliances,posh home-spa baths,stone countertops andthe beauty and warmththat only come withhardwood flooring, cab-inetry and millwork.

Living large in smaller spaces: the shrinking American home

L ‘Observateur SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2012 11 HOME & GARDEN

Weekend spruce-up projects to tackle this springWhen it comes to

home improvement,most of us have two "to-do" lists: the things weneed to do, such aspaint the shutters andclean out gutters, andthe list of those wewant to do, such as funand easy projects thatadd visual interest orpractical enhance-ments to the outdoors.Since our budgets forboth lists are usuallylimited, it makes senseto seek out projects thatare easy, affordable andthat create the mostimpact in a shortamount of time.

Spring outdoor proj-ects often show up onboth lists. Upgrades canprovide a welcomingretreat for your family,or can improve yourhome's marketabilityand appeal to potentialbuyers when it comestime to sell. Fortun-ately, it's easy to findsimple projects thattake only a weekendand a modest budget toaccomplish.

"Adding elements likeplanter boxes andraised garden beds is agreat way of creatingimpact without a hugecommitment of time,"

said home improve-ment expert Mark Cle-ment, co-host of "MyFix it Up Life" whichairs nationally, oniTunes, Blog Talk Ra-dio and at MyFixitUpLife.com .

Clement offers someeasy tips to help guideweekend projects thatanyone can build:

• Raised bed gar-dens – Some of themost abundant veg-etable, herb and cut-flower gardens growexceptionally well inraised beds becausethere is less soil com-paction, and they allowfor excellent drainage.While raised beds areextremely functional,they can also add styleto your yard and gar-den. Their organizedappearance lends astructural element, par-ticularly if you con-struct them with quali-ty materials like cedar.

"By carefully select-ing the right materials,your garden bed willlast longer and look bet-ter. Western Red Cedaris a good choice be-cause it is easy to workwith, rot-resistant, andit ages beautifully andmaintains its shape and

strength over the years,even when exposed toextreme weather," Cle-ment added.

• Window and plant-er boxes – An easy andfun green project, woodplanter boxes can bebuilt in an afternoon.Whether arranged in agroup or hung as win-dow boxes, they in-stantly add a warm tex-ture and welcomingtouch to your frontporch or backyard deckwhen filled with fol-iage. This project al-lows do-it-yourselfersto inject some personal-

ity that transforms thelook from simple toelaborate and tie intothe character and styleof your home.

"Even if you've neverbuilt a box, you can cre-ate a classic look byadding a bit of thintrim to the top and bot-tom of the box,"Clement says. "You canalso buy wooden brack-ets to support the win-dow box for a more tra-ditional look."

• Simple structures– For those looking totackle a bigger project,invite friends over and

make it a do-it-yourselfproject party. Fromsmall decks to barbe-que platforms, or frontdoor arbors to back-yard gazebos, gatherfriends to help assem-ble projects that createnew spaces and placesto entertain or dress upyour outdoors.

"I love to make thingsthat give my yard andhome a finished touch,"Clement said. "Andmaking something as aproject makes it trulyyours and a part ofyour home – somethingyou can be proud of

and really enjoy."Power washing your

deck, play equipmentand even your furni-ture is also an easy, low-commitment, low-costway to spruce up youroutdoor environment.You can buy or rent apower-washer and ac-complish the job in aday.

Clement does adviseto carefully follow themanufacturers' in-structions when usinga power-washer, as toomuch pressure cancause damage.

"If used properly, itwill brighten up thespace like you wouldn'tbelieve," he added. "Ifyou're really ambitious,add a clear finish ordark-colored stain toyour wood deck, andthe neighbors willthink it's brand new."

Finally, Clement's toptip this spring is sim-ple: Have fun. Shareyour experience andproject photos withfriends and family viaReal Cedar's Facebookpage.

For detailed steps onhow to construct theseprojects, visit: http://www.youtube.com/user/WRCLA/featured.