Renovation & Design

Renovation & Design

Even cheap facelift can make big difference

If you're not ready for a full-scale renovation, a mini facelift can make your home feel fresh again.

With a modest investment in improvements, such as paint, lighting, linens, cushions and slipcovers, you'll see your home and existing furniture through new eyes. Simply re-arranging the pieces, and perhaps eliminating one or two pieces can also re-energize a tired room.

Designers say paint is the easiest and most cost-effective way to transform a space.

"Paint the walls, or one wall, or a key piece of a wall, or a fireplace mantel, or just the bulkheads -- you get the idea," says designer Joanne Padvaiskas, founder of Wow Great Place, with offices in Ottawa and Montreal.

"When you change your wall colour, the relationship of the existing pieces of furniture changes completely," she says. And subtle hues in fabric and artwork may become more visible as they play against a new colour.

Lighting can also transform a space, says Padvaiskas. "Even changing the bulbs can change how the room feels. Put as much as you can on dimmers -- put a dimmer in the bathroom for your next long soak in the tub. Think about where you need and want light."

If light fixtures or lamps and lampshades feel dated, shop for new ones at the nearest big box store -- there are some real bargains out there.

Next, consider how your furniture is arranged. "I've done lots and lots of spaces where we simply spent an hour or two rearranging the furniture. It amazes people how different the room will look and feel."

She may pull a sofa away from the walls, or create groupings of furniture in a larger room, but she never neglects traffic patterns and the way her clients use the space. If you're acting as your own designer, remember to make yourself at home: it's your place, not a furniture showroom.

Sometimes an unloved piece of furniture can blossom in another room. Chairs are the most versatile. They can live almost anywhere in the home, says Padvaiskas.

Chests of drawers are also good travellers. "They can act as a console or a dining room buffet. And I almost always remove the mirror on a bedroom dresser, and either hang it above the dresser on the wall, or use it in a different room. Just because the pieces were bought as a set doesn't mean they always have to live in the same room. Matchy-matchy can be bland."

New linens in a bedroom, and fresh towels in the bathroom are, of course, instant improvements.

Last, but not least, don't forget to pay attention to your foyer and front door. The foyer should be welcoming but also practical, with a place to drop keys and mail and slip off outdoor footgear

As for the front door, "It gives the world an idea of who lives inside. It is the face of the house," Ms. Padvaiskas says. The colour has to work with the facade of the house, of course, but it's an opportunity for bold colour: "Classic black, fire engine red, warm yellow, navy or royal blue, even deep eggplant, all make gorgeous front door colours."

--Canwest News Service

Lin Connery
October 5

Renovation & Design

Battle of the bathroom

This one is for the couples out there who share one small bathroom with their partner and are finding it to be a bone of contention. By couples I mean everything from a husband and wife to roommates to parent and sibling to spouses. No one is exempt from the small bathroom battle.

Sharing any small space can be difficult but with the bathroom it's personal in more ways than one. Each person wants their time and space in the bathroom. This can be anywhere from 10 minutes for necessary functions to an hour for a relaxing bath. When schedules don't jive, battles begin. When space is at a premium the boundaries overlap and chaos can ensue.

Well, maybe I'm overstating things a bit but there are ways to alleviate tension and create more bathroom bliss when sharing one small bathroom.

Scheduling

This is huge, especially in the morning. If each of you needs to get in the bathroom in the morning at the same time of course this is going to cause turmoil. Why start your busy day harried and stressed before you even get out the door? If one of you can get up even ten minutes earlier to start the bathroom process ahead of the other you'll save yourself a lot of headaches. Some grooming processes can be done the night before which will free up valuable morning bathroom time.

Too many functions in the space

Small bathrooms just aren't conducive to all of the rituals one could normally cram into a larger space. Some functions, like putting on makeup and hair styling, could be set up in another room (like the bedroom) to free up bathroom space and time. A simple vanity in a corner of the bedroom can be set up for these necessary daily rituals thus freeing up bathroom time and valuable space.

Doubling up

Counter space and elbow room are sparse in a small bathroom so having a simple system in place to alleviate overflowing countertops, wet towels on the floor and so on will help keep the space clean and your nerves calm. A few things that you can do is to have two of the things you might be vying for. Two mirrors is a good idea. One at the sink and a second full length one behind the bathroom door (or wherever you can fit one) will give each person a little breathing room and will brighten up the space at the same time. Even a pull-out wall mirror can be helpful and usually has a magnified mirror on one side for putting on makeup. A second towel bar or ring (I prefer towel bars as the towels dry better on them) will help keep your mate's towels from being under your feet. Adding decorative hooks for items like bath robes is also a great idea. Even if the items hang in plain view, at least they're not on the floor. It is a bathroom after all so having items like bathrobes in plain view is not a crime and might actually give the space a spa-like feeling.

If you have the space to install second sink and/or a larger vanity then by all means do so. Two sinks will enable you to each do your thing at the same time saving time and possibly your relationship! If you have the option to install a sink and vanity in your bedroom, as in our feature photograph, even better. More and more designers are blurring the lines of the bathroom and bedroom areas and are placing more bathroom items right into the bedroom. Claw foot tubs, shower stalls and the like can be found right in the master bedroom in many new designs.

If a second sink/vanity is not an option, you can lessen the dispute over counter space in a couple of ways. One idea would be to purchase a small caddy for each person in which to keep their essentials, like hair brushes, hair spray and so on. This caddy can be stored in the bathroom (if you have the space) or kept in another area and brought into the bathroom as needed. Installing additional storage units on the wall might be another option. Each person gets a designated space and everything is out of sight when the cupboard doors are closed. Hanging storage, like wire basket trios, can hold items like hair brushes, bath supplies, face cloths and bar soap for easy access and will not affect the small footprint of the room.

If your laundry room is in the basement, see if you can install a laundry chute in the bathroom or in close proximity (like in a closet floor) so that the wet laundry can be sent out of sight immediately and down to the laundry room in the basement. This will help keep the space tidy.

connieoliver@shaw.ca

Connie Oliver Room For Change
September 28

Renovation & Design

Consider removing siding to reinsulate home

111 I have an older house built in 1902 with wood siding. I am in the process of having the walls insulated and this will result in numerous holes being drilled into the siding and then plugged with a wooden plug. My house is ready for some exterior work so the timing is good. My question is whether it would be better to paint or to cover the wood siding either with stucco or vinyl siding. There are spots of dry rot occurring in the siding and the plugs would all need to be sanded and filled with wood filler. I don't know whether covering the wood siding would stop the dry rot from going any further or if it would require repair as well. What would you feel is the best value for improving the exterior?

I appreciate any insight you might have.

---- Marlaine Willborn, e-mail

ANSWER -- You have posed a very interesting question that likely faces more and more people each year, as blown-in insulation increases in popularity. While I will address your question directly, I will also offer another alternative that you may not have explored.

The choice of repairing and painting the old wood siding or covering it with new material will largely depend upon your preference. There will be a large amount of work involved in any choice you make, so aesthetics and cost will be two factors you can use to make your decision. Patching & painting will likely be the least expensive option, as long as there are not too many rotten boards. It may be difficult to find an exact replica of the older siding, so that may only be a viable option if the siding is in fairly good condition. That choice will also be a good one if preserving the original look of the home is desired.

Covering the old wood siding after insulation will be a better option if the older material has considerable rot, badly peeling paint or loose sections. In that case, covering the damaged wood will improve the look substantially. Vinyl siding is one option that may mimic the original look most closely but is not the only choice. Stucco is another option that may be a more popular choice, but will change the look of the home considerably. There are hundreds of homes in our area that have older wood siding covered with stucco and many have retained a good appearance for decades. There are also newer types of finishes, such as cement composite siding or imitation stone, that have become more popular due to their durability and relative ease of installation, but will likely be more costly to install than the first two options.

All of these options will improve the look of the old siding considerably, but all will require one other modification to the home that will add cost and labour. Due to the added thickness of installing new siding over the old material, the window and door trim will have to be built up. All of the window and door trims or brick moulds will have to be furred out to extend beyond the new siding. Also, window and door flashings may have to be replaced with wider ones to accommodate the thicker trim. To eliminate the need for this or the alternative of extensive scraping and painting, another option should be explored.

Complete removal of the existing siding and sheathing and reinsulation with alternatives to blown-in insulation is another possibility. The benefit of this relatively labour-intensive option is that the windows and doors will not have to be extended and less costly insulation may be used. To blow insulation into existing wall cavities from the exterior, a large number of holes may have to be drilled and plugged, which will be fairly labour-intensive. Also, blown insulation may not have complete coverage if there is extensive blocking in the walls or existing insulation is in place. Often, older homes had wood shavings in the walls that have settled to the bottom and have poor insulation value. Adding more insulation by blowing in through small holes may not give complete coverage and could result in uneven insulation levels.

If all the siding and sheathing are removed, rigid insulation or a combination of batts and rigid insulation may be installed, giving excellent insulation levels. This may be less costly or similar in cost to blown-in and will have a higher insulation value and may reduce heating costs much more significantly. If you still desire high-quality blown-in foam insulation it can still be installed more completely from the exterior, after the siding is removed.

Several options have been suggested for the energy efficiency and comfort improvements you are planning, but the ultimate decision is yours. The final choice should be a combination of aesthetic appeal, cost-effectiveness and practicality that most closely suits your tastes.

Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and the President of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors - Manitoba (www.cahpi.mb.ca). Questions can be e-mailed or sent to: Ask The Inspector, P. O. Box 69021, #110-2025 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3P 2G9. Ari can be reached at (204) 291-5358 or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca.

trainedeye@iname.com

Ari Marantz
September 28

Renovation & Design

Fall for <em>style</em>

Just because fall -- and, inevitably, winter -- are on the way, that doesn't mean you have to shelve your home decorating or renovation plans until spring.

Thanks to the Autumn Home Show -- which runs through today at the Winnipeg Convention Centre -- there will be an avalanche of ideas for aspiring home decorators and renovators to take from the drawing board to reality, says show organizer Ron Mark.

"We're very excited about bringing this show to Winnipeggers," he says. "Trust me, there's going to be a lot to take in. There will be over 100 exhibitors involved in the show who will be on hand give people ideas on what they can do, and how to make their home an oasis."

He adds the show's most prominent feature is a 1,600-square-foot Living Green & Beautiful home designed by Calnitsky Associates Architects and built by Malibu Building Group.

"It will be front-and-centre on the convention centre's third floor and will feature new green products, technologies and services. It will also illustrate how to incorporate them into your own projects," Mark explains. "Visitors will get a first-hand look at things like geothermal heating, solar panels, low V.O.C. (Volatile Off-Gasing Compounds) paints, even couches with low emission foam and bamboo kitchen cabinets. The idea is to show that you can live green and beautiful at the same time."

The Autumn Home Show's second component will be an Idea Stage, where four different panels will give presentations on diverse topics -- and conduct question-and-answer sessions.

"It's a great place to learn how to get started and to get energy saving tips, or the lowdown on the latest green products, such as dual-flush toilets, low-flow shower heads or even the best Energy Star-rated appliances on the market," he says. "Drop by, and you'll be amazed by how much you can learn about the little renovations and things that can not only upgrade your home, but make it greener."

Last but not least is Consult a Decorator, where show patrons can book a 15-minute appointment to get professional advice from a CDECA (Canadian Decorator's Association) accredited interior designer.

"This feature is free -- all you have to do is to go online (see Consult a Decorator link to view available time slots) to our website to book an appointment, or call us at 219-4442 to reserve your 15 minutes," he says. "Just bring your plans in with you to give the decorator a good idea of what you want to do and they'll be glad to get you pointed in the right direction."

There will also be a grand prize draw for a living room package donated by JS Furniture & More, says Mark.

"Just fill out an entry and drop it into the ballot box on the Idea Stage," he says. "Who knows, you might not only go home with all kinds of great home decorating and renovation ideas, but some fine furniture and accessories, too. It's going to be a great show."

Admission to the Autumn Home Show costs $10 (plus agency fee) for adults, $8 (plus agency fee) for students and seniors. For more information, see the show website at www.autumnhomeshow.ca

lewys@mts.net

Todd Lewys
September 28

Renovation & Design

Decorating for a cure

When Susan Sorbie and her husband Tom moved three months ago from Victoria to Comox, about three hours north, they thought they were starting a new chapter of their lives. After 30 years of marriage, Tom retired early to spend his days with Susan who at 50, had survived two nasty bouts with ovarian cancer.

But things didn't work out the way the B.C. couple had planned. Three weeks after they moved into their new home, Susan was diagnosed for the third time and they just didn't have the heart to set up their new house.

"It was so hard getting things organized," she says. "Getting chemo, there was a lot going on. It wasn't coming together."

Then Sorbie remembered an article she had read about a professional who donated a bedroom redesign to a woman with ovarian cancer.

The article told the story of two redesigners, Sharon Wood and Jan Laurie, who transformed Lelean MacFarlane's bedroom into a sanctuary where the single mother of two young boys could focus on her own health for a while.

Wood and Laurie are Vancouver Island-based members of the Canadian ReDesigners Association which, at Wood's suggestion, decided four years ago to offer free room makeovers to women going through or recovering from treatment for ovarian cancer.

Women in that situation can contact the Redesigners association who will set them up with a professional. In the four years they have been doing it, Wood estimates only a dozen women across the country have taken advantage of it. Since September is ovarian cancer month, the association decided to alert others to their service.

Wood's mother died of ovarian cancer and Wood knows how brutal the treatment can be. She wants to offer her skills to others so they can focus on healing in an environment free from stress or distraction.

MacFarlane's bedroom was her third such donation and MacFarlane, who was at the tail end of her treatment, was thrilled.

"To know that the support is still there and to have people still walking beside me was great," she said in an interview. "It had a huge impact on me in terms of moving forward from ovarian cancer to cancer-clear. It was such a gift."

Sorbie figured Wood would be inundated with requests from others and didn't expect she'd be available.

"But she e-mailed me back in 24 hours and said they would love to do it," Sorbie recalls.

So began an odyssey that saw Susan and Tom's bedroom transformed into a haven for healing.

In the month leading up to the makeover, Wood frequently e-mailed Sorbie with questions about what is important to her and what makes her feel happy or calm. From Nanaimo, Wood tried to plan a room that offered something for each of the senses.

Most of Wood and Laurie's redesigns have made do with what the homeowners already have. This was a great comfort for MacFarlane who never felt like she was in unfamiliar territory. Occasionally, Wood donated small items like a throw or new cushions. And sometimes she would encourage the owner to invest in something new like original art. But this time, Wood decided to involve the nearby community of Courtenay/Comox in the redesign and requested donations from local businesses. They responded with enthusiasm.

In Courtenay, 5th Street Florist donated a spectacular white orchid for the bedside table, Tab Imports provided draperies, Cody & Company in Courtenay gave some wall art and HomeSense in Nanaimo, which, through Winners, is already associated with ovarian cancer, came through with new bedding and lamps.

"I knew it would be touching," says Sorbie. "But I was actually really overcome with emotion. It really choked me up.

The designers had introduced a soft seafoam green into the room, which had been that ubiquitous beige. They removed some old furniture and brought in a chair.

"It really does feel like a sanctuary," says Sorbie. "It didn't feel like that before. It was just a place to sleep. Now I can sit and read. I can't associate ovarian cancer with being in that room."

Since her first diagnosis four years ago, Sorbie has had a complete hysterectomy causing chemical menopause, and lost her hair to chemotherapy. The treatments also caused nerve damage that made walking excruciating.

She felt like she'd lost all her femininity.

"When you get this disease, you know that family and friends will rally for you, but I have been so fortunate to have absolute strangers come forward. It just bolsters you, gives you that extra oomph. I feel like my heart and soul have been nourished," she says as tears well up.

For more information about this program, go to the Canadian ReDesigners Association website at canadianredesignersassociation.org.

-- Canwest News Service

Karen Gram
September 28

Renovation & Design

Curb appeal now key to home sales

A little bit of turf bisected by a sidewalk and surrounded by a laurel or pieris hedge used to be the standard landscaping a homeowner accepted when purchasing a newly constructed home. Now, a home needs to be staged inside for top dollar and the outside must have much more curb appeal.

No longer an afterthought, well-designed landscaping is high on the wish list for many home purchasers.

"I have sold homes to clients whose decision to purchase the home has been based more on the garden than on the house itself," says real estate agent Patrick Skillings.

Smart builders are spending close to 10 per cent of the cost of construction on landscaping these days. That figure includes all the hardscaping -- walkways, retaining walls, patios or terraces -- and turf, trees, plants and irrigation systems.

Steve Copp Construction just completed a modern home in the Victoria suburb of Gordon Head, that sits on a 15,000-square-foot waterfront lot with a northeast exposure. The task of landscape designer Rob Bond was to design a deer-proof, low-maintenance, low water-consumption garden that fit the site and the architecture of the house all within a set budget. Bond recommends that the sooner a landscape designer is brought into a project, the better he or she will be able to accomplish all those tasks.

Site, according to Bond, should always dictate what will happen. Although this property is waterfront, it is not a cold site since the prevailing winds come across the land and not the ocean. The site was basically flat with a steep drop to the beach.

The house sits approximately on the first third of the rectangular lot presenting a large, unadorned plane toward the street. Bond has softened this area with 12-year-old Cedrus libani (Cedar of Lebanon), an ornamental maple, phormium and Carex testacea- an evergreen grass. Woolly thyme clumps complete the neutral colour scheme, which in turn pulls out the colours in the rock face details of the house.

The cedars were chosen for their architectural shapes. They will grow taller than wide, casting narrow shadows -- important on a small lot. Conifers are underused, Bond says. As a group, they are more expensive than most deciduous trees used in residential landscaping but they are low-maintenance and are almost drought-tolerant once established.

The are no flowers and the garden has "empty" spaces where ground, aged fir bark mulch shows. Bond believes many new gardens are over-planted and will need plants removed within three years. This garden -- only one month old -- has great bones that can easily accommodate another layer of colour or texture if the homeowner chooses or it can easily mature naturally without anything else being added or subtracted. New owners need at least a year to assess how they want to live in the outdoor space.

The main door to the house is on the side of the building rather than on the street side. An exposed aggregate path leads to the door and then a more organic path of slate pavers continues toward the backyard. Bond purposely made this change to slow people down as they walk toward the views of the ocean.

Once in the backyard, a full 180-degree ocean view dominates. The challenge for a landscaper is to create enough drama to balance the huge backdrop of the ocean and sky.

Using different levels in a space is always more interesting than one flat plane. The house has a large slate terrace which steps down to a grassed yard in massive slate steps. A large round patio made of stamped concrete has been pulled away from the house toward the ocean. This has been purposely placed to receive as much sun as possible. The terrace next to the house is a shady space.

Bond chose to use weeping Blue Atlas cedars as focal points in this space. He cautions that, because weeping trees command so much attention, they should be used in a controlled fashion -- repeat the same plant rather than introduce other varieties. Repetition of a plant, colour or form -- this time Mexican feather grass, planted around the cedars and encircling the round patio -- is one of Bond's signature details to unite different areas of the garden.

The fact that all the trees on the shoreline were topped to reveal a full unobstructed view of the ocean was not Bond's decision. Selectively eliminating trees to frame views would have been his preference, making for a more interesting and intimate space. He also feels that the inclusion of lawn is "old school" and would have done the entire area in slate.

Each person will see this garden differently, of course, and there are lots of spaces to add personal touches of grand containers, fountains or statuary.

--Canwest News Service

Susan Ramsey
September 28

Renovation & Design

Taking a hammer to the gender gap

Sure, Sex and the City's trendsetting heroine Carrie Bradshaw may have had glamorous friends, a fabulous wardrobe, and a chic walk-up apartment in New York's Upper East Side. But there's a pretty good chance the fashionista didn't know the first thing about tiling a backsplash or installing a toilet.

Not so for today's growing population of female homeowners who think being sexy in the city is all about swapping high heels and high fashion for tool belts and coveralls in order to tackle do-it-yourself projects around the house.

"There's a real hunger out there from women who want to acquire skills in areas that have traditionally been labelled 'men's work,' " says JudyLynn Archer, CEO of Women Building Futures (WBF).

Since 2003, the Edmonton-based not-for-profit organization founded by Archer and a handful of female social workers has helped hundreds of women escape the cycle of poverty by providing them with training and assistance to re-enter the workforce as skilled trades workers.

Those who make it through the rigorous application process are placed in training programs like the fast-tracked construction or electrician boot camps, or the flagship 17-week Journeywoman Start program. They can even apply to live in one of the 42 on-site affordable housing units, 18 of which are reserved for single mothers with up to four children.

And now that construction of the new multimillion-dollar downtown headquarters and training facility is complete, WBF is once again operating the Fixit Chicks Inc.

The for-profit company offers full- and half-day workshops priced from $75 to $140 that are designed to teach women from all walks of life the basic skills needed to complete home renovation projects. And the best part is that all of the profits are used to directly support initiatives at Women Building Futures.

"There's a great dynamic when women get together to learn something new," says Archer, who made garden benches with members of her book club at a Fixit Chicks workshop offered last year. "We (women) tend to be relational learners. We're very interested in helping each other and seeing how each other is doing something."

Archer says the courses tend to attract two types of women: the first being the hands-on woman who owns her home and wants to learn a new skill, or who is tired of waiting for her boyfriend or husband to fix things; the second being the woman who wants to know more when it comes to dealing with contractors.

"Not all women, or men for that matter, are interested in doing renovations themselves. These courses give women the confidence and the vocabulary to communicate with their contractors so they know what's going on and don't get taken advantage of."

In just a few short years, the Fixit Chicks Inc. has amassed a small following of DIY groupies who appreciate the small female-only classes taught in a safe, nurturing environment. An environment where Archer says participants feel comfortable to ask "those dumb questions."

"You take a course and realize it's not a mystery. You learn the basics and it's like 'Yes, I can learn how to put on a toilet or change the sink faucets,' " she says, recalling many instances where women leave a Fixit Chicks course with a renewed feeling of pride.

"When we learn how to use our hands and use tools, it gives a sense of confidence that you can't get from reading or writing. It's the kind of thing that's like none other, and at the end of the day you have built something. It's a very tangible experience."

--Canwest News Service

Jodi McKague
September 28

Renovation & Design

Space -- the final, shrinking frontier

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. -- Brave souls taking the plunge into home ownership are increasingly turning to studio apartments and smaller homes, especially in large urban centres.

Their logic is rooted in efficiency. They really want to own a home -- and afford one at the same time -- and are willing to sacrifice space to accomplish that goal.

But there's one problem: Studio apartments aren't always livable upon moving in. Space is exceptionally tight, your bathtub might be in the middle of your living room, your kitchen area is so small that you might as well keep the local Chinese restaurant on speed dial.

A little work can get you cooking again, though.

You will be surprised how even a tight budget can go a long way toward transforming your cramped space into a cosy, enjoyable pad that will make your neighbours and friends with their bigger apartments (and even bigger mortgage payments) envious.

They may resent you even more when it comes time to sell your apartment; the value you can add to your home by renovating a kitchen can be truly enormous. This is especially true in a studio, simply because the kitchen makes up such a disproportionate amount of the space when compared with larger homes.

I own a studio in New Jersey that measures about 500 square feet -- the penthouse at the Plaza this is not. After putting in a new bathroom last year, I turned to the kitchen this summer in an attempt to truly revitalize the apartment.

First, let me explain what I was up against. The white-covered particle board cabinets were ugly, at least 20 years old, and barely better than a cardboard box. They weren't that good when Michael Jackson's Thriller was flying off the shelves, and they most certainly weren't any good in 2008.

The existing kitchen space was tiny -- 2.2 metres in all, including a 50-centimetre range, a sink, and about two-thirds of a metre of usable countertop. Such limited space makes any cooking endeavour challenging at best.

The cabinets had to go, the counter had to go, and so did the appliances.

I'm not the only one doing more with less. The real estate boom produced a surge in studio buyers in places like the New York City area, according to Jonathan Miller of the Miller Samuel real estate appraisal firm. They were primarily first-time buyers who had rented for many years and wanted to take advantage of the hot market, but couldn't afford one-bedroom apartments.

And with owning comes remodelling. Some might react to my daunting kitchen by calling a contractor and opening up the chequebook. Not me -- I drove to the local home-improvement store.

The situation required a top-to-bottom renovation: new cabinets, new countertop, new dishwasher, new range, new refrigerator, new plumbing, along with adding an entirely new set of cabinets on the other side of the room that would expand the kitchen area into a real kitchen area.

The total cost: about US$3,500. (This includes tools and basic supplies that you may already have on hand, so the price cost could have been considerably less.) But for those of you baffled

at how to pull off such an ambitious project for such a relatively low price, here are some pointers:

"ö Free Labour. My parents came to visit for a long weekend in the New York area, so we teamed up for four days of bonding-while-remodelling. Call it a reno-vacation, if you will. (For the record, the parents were not forced to renovate against their will; this was a fun, family affair, and there was still enough time to see two Broadway shows and take in some fabulous restaurants.)

"ö Keep it simple with your cabinets. Your local home-improvement store will have a great selection of in-stock cabinets that are affordable and attractive. There's really no need to spend thousands of dollars on custom cabinets when such quality products are available at lower costs. I found a great style at the local Home Depot -- Glendale Champagne Oak -- that matched the rest of my apartment, and I paid about US$1,200. The cabinets were fully assembled -- no staining, no varnishing, no stinking up your apartment -- although they do not come with hardware. Still, you can buy attractive handles for less than $3 apiece.

"ö Countertops. There is no need to cough up US$50 or US$100 per square foot for marble or granite countertops when technological advances have so drastically improved the quality of laminates. For about US$75, you can get about 2.5 metres of a high-quality laminate countertop whose looks run the gamut from marble to granite. We opted for a granite style for my renovation, and from a distance, it looks like the real thing.

"ö Delicate flourishes. Sometimes the subtle touches in home-improvement projects really make the difference. Take the issue of backsplash, for example. Sure, you can spend thousands of dollars on ornate ceramic tiles and exotic murals for your backsplash, but again, they make some really alluring alternatives these days.

Many home-improvement stores sell plastic 45-by-60-centimetre backsplash panels that cost less than $20 and provide an authentic, rustic look. The parents and I were able to pull this off for under US$100, covering the wall with copper panels that replicate an elegant, turn-of-the-century Victorian look.

"ö Appliances. The dishwasher is a necessity in my book, but many owners of small apartments consider it an impossible amenity given the lack of space. Under-the-sink dishwashers allow you to enjoy this luxury. The dishwasher tucks nicely below your sink in space that normally would be cluttered with cleaning supplies and rags. One warning: This requires a shallow sink to make the dishwasher fit.

So for all the studio apartment owners out there in the world, do not despair -- you can improve your bleak situation with very little work.

-- The Associated Press

Josh Hoffner
September 28

Renovation & Design

Tips for seniors to avoid falling on stairs

When seniors fall on or from stairs, even a short distance, the consequences for their health can be both severe and long-lasting. Thankfully, many of those falls can be prevented with a little careful planning and a few simple strategies.

To help protect your health, increase your safety and maintain your independence, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has a number of tips on how seniors and their caregivers can help reduce the risk of falls on or from stairs at home.

Avoid visually distracting patterns on the tread (the horizontal part of a step) that can make it difficult to distinguish one step from another. If the edges of the stairs can't be seen clearly, mark them by painting a permanent stripe on the edge in a contrasting colour.

Improve the lighting on steps and stairs. Use lighting that makes the edges of stairs visible without causing glare or strong shadows, and consider installing low-intensity night lighting, as well as a light switch at both the top and bottom of the stairs. (If you're doing remodelling, ensuring a light switch at the top and bottom of the staircase is a code requirement. The inspector will need to see this before signing off on your building permit.)

For steps with short treads and/or high risers (the vertical parts of the steps), keep any coverings thin and tightly affixed to maximize the usable tread space. Avoid soft treads with a large rounding at the edge.

If you're renovating or building new stairs, allow for ample treads and gentle risers, and make sure all the steps are of a uniform size and height.

Steps that are non-uniform in size are an especially common cause of missteps and falls. Consider partially or completely rebuilding the steps to make them of uniform treads and risers. This is very important.

Use a slip-resistant, rough finish on stairs that are prone to getting wet.

Make sure to fasten all coverings on stairs securely.

Don't place any objects or loose rugs on steps, landings or at the top or bottom of the stairway.

Handrails are strongly recommended regardless of the number of steps on both sides of the stairs. A functional handrail serves several purposes including providing a visual indicator of the stairs, assisting with normal balance and -- most critically -- preventing a misstep and fall.

Installing handrails on both sides of the stairs is particularly important for winding or curved stairs, especially where the stairway includes combinations of rectangular and tapered treads.

Position handrails at about adult elbow height, and extend them on both sides for the full length of the stairway as well as beyond the top and bottom of the stairs.

Repair loose or broken handrails. Ensure that the handrails have a tactile indicator that warns you when a stairway is coming to an end, and that they're easy to see even in low light or at night.

Lastly, when taking the stairs, always be cautious, deliberate and not rushed. Hold on to the handrails, wear shoes or slippers that fit properly and have a non-slip sole, remove reading glasses, switch on stair lights and -- most importantly -- always take your time, especially when using an unfamiliar stairway.

For more information or a free electronic copy of a fact sheet on Preventing Falls on Stairs, visit cmhc.ca or call the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation at 1-800-668-2642.

--Canwest News Service

September 28

Renovation & Design

solutions Of tennis balls, jewelery and peanut butter

Sometimes, the best tips give unexpected uses to everyday household items. Here's a collection:

1. Create a stunning and edible centrepiece for your next dinner party by displaying veggies in a vase of water. Inside the vessel arrange an assortment of herbs, raw broccoli, cauliflower, long carrots and stalks of celery. Tip: Beside the vase set out a bowl of dip for a healthy after school snack.

2. Undercook pasta and drain leaving a small amount of water in the pot. Add sauce and freeze. When reheated the pasta will be cooked to perfection.

3. Before composting coffee grounds, rub them on your hands to soften skin.

4. Soften feet or hair by combining a few drops of 50/50 Jojoba oil and Aloe Vera. Rub on hands or throughout hair, feels great. (Submitted by Sharon Nerbas)

5. To whiten yellowing fingernails, soak fingertips in 1-tbsp. 3% hydrogen peroxide and 1-cup warm water.

6. Deter moles in the yard by mixing half-cup castor oil with 2-gallons water. Pour mixture down the hole, will not hurt moles but keeps them at bay.

7. To open a bottle in a hurry, place a deflated balloon over the bottle opening and twist.

8. Create your own customized cork board for a child's room by spelling out the letters of his/her name with painted cork.

9. Perk up stale potato chips or crackers by spreading them in a single layer onto a microwave safe pan. Heat on high for a few seconds. Tip: Stale potato chips and crackers also work well when crushed and sprinkled into casseroles.

10. Instead of icing the sides of a cake, break up Kit Kat chocolate bars lengthwise and stand them up along the outside of the cake. Tip: To give your cakes a professionally frosted appearance, use a hair dryer set on low to blow the surface dry.

11. Spread peanut butter onto hardwood floor scratches. Let sit for 1 hour and wipe off all excess.

12. Give windows extra shine by putting cornstarch into enough water to soak a cloth. Wipe windows and dry with a separate clean cloth. (Submitted by Tina from Corner Brook)

13. Dirt on glass attracts more dirt. Exterior window surfaces should be cleaned often because dirt left over time becomes harder to remove, and some types can etch the glass, causing permanent damage.

14. Keep jewelery safe by hiding it in a tennis ball with a slit cut into it.

15. Polish teak furniture by applying coconut oil onto a cloth and wiping wood along the grain. Remove all excess.

Solutions, is compiled from various sources. Thanks to all who contributed! Similar information may be found elsewhere.

Solutions sleuth Reena Nerbas is a home economist and speaks professionally on the topic of household challenges; she is also the author of two national bestsellers, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions and Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets. She can be heard on radio and television programs across Canada.

www.householdsolutions.org

Reena Nerbas
September 21