The Home Know-It-All

Cool Your House Naturally

In the dog days of summer, air conditioning bills can go through the roof. And heating and cooling units can take a serious toll on the environment; the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that such units emit a half billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. Fortunately, there are several eco-friendly ways to combat the sweltering sun without shelling out for AC. Follow these simple steps and you'll have it made in the shade. 

Plant a Tree
It's a long-term project, but a full-grown tree can be a great air conditioner. When planting trees, consider which direction your yard faces. If it faces south, opt for deciduous trees. Their wide and thick canopies are perfect for shading your house in the summertime, and because they lose their leaves when the temperature drops, the sun can still warm your home in the wintertime. Evergreen trees, which maintain their foliage year round, are recommended for north-facing yards to break cold winter winds. 

When planting your tree, remember to give it room to grow, as a little sapling can turn into a giant. Plant your deciduous tree 10 to 20 feet away from your house, so when it reaches mature height, it'll provide a large and effective swath of shade. Plant your evergreens in a row, about 15 feet apart. Because they provide wind protection for up to 20 times their height, you can plant them a greater distance from your house. 

Elegant Trellises
Trellises not only serve as attractive and elegant additions to your outdoor aesthetic; they also provide great shade. While trees may take years to grow, trellises—and the deciduous vines you plant around them—can get the job done in relatively no time at all. Grape and wisteria vines grow like wildfire and shed their leaves in the winter to allow the sun's heat to warm your home. Here's a great step-by-step guide on how to build your own trellises.

Cool Awnings
The most important feature of an awning is its drop. The drop is the distance between the top of the awning and the base of the window. (The higher the drop, the more shade an awning will provide.) A drop of 60 percent or more is suggested for windows that are frequently exposed to sun. These sun-shielding awnings can save energy by dropping indoor temperatures by as much as 15 degrees fahrenheit. Check out cheapawnings.com to find an awning that matches your home's style.

Glass Glazing
Windows on the east and west side of home naturally let in a lot of sunlight, which can raise indoor temperatures. However, window manufacturers offer heat-reflective films and coatings for windows that still allow natural light inside while keeping your home cool. As a bonus, these films can retain up to 55 percent of your home's heat during the wintertime. 

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

Posh Purple

Who says purple is just for little girls' rooms? These days, purple is a grown-up hue that makes itself at home in a variety of settings.

And why not? It's dreamy and serene; luxurious and sophisticated. Best of all, it's calming and reenergizing. At my parents' old house, we had a powder room decorated in lavender--white wallpaper with a pretty violet print and violet-hue accessories (hand towels, soap dispenser, and a floral arrangement). I loved this room—it was small, yet the colors lifted your spirits every time you walked in.

I love the way lavender accents the expanse of white and stainless steel in this industrial kitchen. Also stunning are the purple-themed rooms featured in this post by interior designer Jill Clarkson. But my favorite shade of purple is lavender with a little gray mixed in—the same color as the lower half of the walls in this hallway.

When working with purple, make sure to select colors from the same color family—so if you're using a warmer red-based purple, mix it with other warm colors. If you like cooler blue-based purples, stick to a cool color palette. And remember that simpler is better—stick with one or two shades of purple rather than several. This Ideal Home article presents good pointers for decorating a bedroom in purple, so that everything coordinates without overwhelming. Get even more decorating ideas here.

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

Decorating with Scale and Proportion

I love stately, traditional-looking pieces of furniture. So that’s why, when I first moved into my old apartment, I happily accepted a hand-me-down entertainment center; a massive oak conglomeration with a 36-inch-wide TV nook, glass-front display case, and storage drawers underneath. Unfortunately, it swallowed my 19-inch television.

When I moved into my new larger place, I relegated that entertainment center to the far wall in my dining room (its shape and size make it easy to convert into a hutch of sorts) and bought a smaller, simpler TV stand that, despite its size, still looks stately—thanks to its deep espresso finish.

Its important to decorate with scale and proportion—otherwise everything seems out of place. Keep the size of the room in mind—larger prints and furniture tend to look better in bigger rooms than in cozy ones, and vice versa.

When you decorate with scale and proportion, all your furnishings relate well to each other and your rooms achieve a sense of harmony because nothing competes for attention. Read all about the importance of scale and proportion here.

I referred to this Lowe’s guide on balancing with scale and proportion when decorating my new apartment. If you’re dealing with a specific room flaw—like low ceilings or awkwardly long walls—this Interior-Design-it-Yourself article can help you remedy the problem.

For tips on picking and hanging the right-size wall art (and teaming it with existing hangings), check out this BHG.com article.  Curious about selecting a proportional coffee table? This article has you covered. And if you want to round out your living room all together, take a peek at these before-and-after examples. But don’t stop in the living room. The folks at Real Simple give you room-by-room proportion tips.

Once you’ve got an idea of what you want in mind, test it out with a 3D room arranger. Get the scoop here.

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

DIY Lighting Ideas

Here at the Home Know-It-All we love a good do-it-yourself project. But wouldn't you know it, we've failed to talk about a hands-on decorating idea in quite some time. So to get our juices flowing—and, hopefully, yours too—I've compiled a list of cool DIY lamp concepts. Trust me, there are a few bright ideas in this group—literally. 

Mason Jar Pendant Lights
Design*Sponge never fails when it comes to great DIY projects, and this mason jar idea is one of my favorites. All you need: mason jars, a hanging light kit, and a ceiling light plate. Simply drill a hole in the lid of the jar, thread the cords through, and then thread it through your ceiling light plate. (You'll probably want to call an electrician to install the lights though. Electricity isn't the most fun thing to mess with.) 

Thread Tea Lights
Here's an especially affordable—not to mention awesome—project. Wrap a piece of thread around a plastic-covered cardboard container, lather on fabric stiffener, and let it dry. You've got a funky lampshade that could work for almost any lamp style. The example shown may be for small tea lights, but you could follow the same steps to make a pendant light or even a table lamp. The possibilities are endless. 

Super Cool Cup Lamps
These snazzy little lamps would look fantastic on a home bar, mantel, or side table. With just a few supplies—old plastic cups, conduit hangers, and a lamp kit—this project is easy on the pocketbook and easy on the eyes. 

Rope Light Pendant Light
DIY lighting doesn't get any easier than this. Plug a rope light into an extension cord and begin winding it like a ball of yarn. Hang it from a ceiling hook and you've got a nifty pendant light. You can always count on those ReadyMade folks to come up with great DIY projects. 

Any more brilliant ideas? Send 'em my way!

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

Stay Cool (and Save Energy) This Summer!

In the midst of summer, staying sweat-free and keeping your energy bill manageable might seem mutually exclusive. But they're not—I promise! That’s why this week’s Green Around the House Challenge focuses how you can easily beat the heat and give your AC a much-deserved break. 

Raise your thermostat. Set it at 78 degrees or higher when you’re home and 85 degrees or higher when you’re away.

Draw the shades. Before heading out the door in the morning, I always close my blinds and close my curtains to keep hot air out. And when I get home, my apartment feels comfortable. Another smart summer move: Install awnings or shaded sun-control film on south- and west-facing windows.

Eliminate leaks. What’s the point of running the AC, only to have your cool air escape through leaky ducts? Stop air leaks in their tracks by plugging them with exterior-rated silicone caulk, expanding foam insulation, and weather stripping. Get the scoop on sealing leaks with this handy DIY guide from Energy Star. Doing so can slice 10 percent off your cooling bill.

Prevent a kitchen heat wave. On sweltering days, avoid the oven altogether and fire up the grill instead, prepare a cold meal, or use the microwave.

Rearrange your furniture. Position lamps and TVs away from your AC thermostat—it puts undue pressure on the AC. While you’re at it, vacuum registers to remove dust blocking the air flow. 

Landscape. Smart landscaping can help you beat the heat. For instance, place a deciduous-vine-covered lattice or trellis against the hottest side of your house, at least 6 inches from the wall. Climbing vines grow rapidly, and their thick foliage traps cool air, reducing surrounding air temperatures by as much as 9 degrees. Your local nursery can help you determine which vine varieties thrive in your climate. Planting deciduous native trees along the south and west sides of your home also helps reduce heat gain.

Turn on the fan. Cooling individual rooms with fans can make each space feel four to six degrees cooler. Plus, fans only costs two to five cents per hour to operate, according to this Green Home Guide article (which just so happens to be packed with all sorts of summer energy-saving ideas). And when you pair fans with the AC, you’ll maximize cooling power, because fans help circulate cool air. 

Time your chores appropriately. Hold off on running the washing machine or dishwasher during the day. Doing these tasks at night keeps you from generating unnecessary heat. I like to take energy savings one step further by air-drying clothes on my balcony.

Get even more energy-saving tips from the  U.S. Department of Energy and revel in your summer energy savings.

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

Cool Outdoor Games

Can you believe we're about halfway through summer already? It makes my brain hurt just thinking about it. Winter's bitterness can stay far, far away for all I care. So it's time to make the best of what we have left. That means getting outside and savoring this warm, sunshiny weather, and the best way to do that, in my humble opinion, is to play a game. Here are a few of my favorites. 

WHAM-O SLIP 'N SLIDE DOUBLE WAVE RIDER ($29.15) 

Remember those summer days of your youth playing with the Slip 'n Slide in the backyard? You can recapture those moments and build new memories for your kids by playing with this two-person slide this weekend. Race to the bottom for even more slippery fun. 

GIANT CHESS WOODEN CHESS SETS ($1,499) 

Truly get your head in the game by playing on this huge chess set. Keep it in your garden all year round—they're made of teak to withstand weather—so your entire family can join in whenever they want. Have each person take on the characteristics of a different chess piece, so everyone can defend his or her king and queen. Checkmate! 

LADDER GOLF ($64.95)

Set this fun game up at your next family get-together and watch as your family plays well into dark—it's addicting! It involves one ladder and two sets of three bolas (a nylon rope with a golf ball attached to each end). To play the game, set the ladder 15 paces in front of a throw line. Then have your family member duke it out by tossing the bolas at the ladder. Teams are awarded points based on which rung the bola lands on. The first team to 21 wins. 

For even more inexpensive outdoor games to play with your family go here and here. 

Until next time, 

The Home-Know-It-All

 

What We're Loving: OXO Watering Cans

With the dog days of summer in full swing, your garden is probably pretty thirsty. Hydrate your parched plants with one of my favorite gardening tools, the OXO Good Grips Outdoor Pour & Store Watering Can ($24.99).

It’s easy to see why I like these watering cans so much. They feature a spout that rotates toward the can and folds up, making them much easier to fill than run-of-the-mill cans and even easier to store. (If you’re like me, odds are your garage is already cluttered with a whole slew of gardening accessories!) Besides the rotating nozzle, the handle is another feature that sets the cans apart from the pack. It’s longer than most, and completely covered in soft, comfortable nonslip rubber. When you’re trying to water a hanging plant several feet above you, the last thing you want is to lose your grip and give yourself an unexpected shower!

Forget the frustration that accompanies trying to get an exact measurement of water into an opaque can; OXO’s heavy-duty cans are totally translucent, with easy-to-read measurement markings on the side. They have a 2-gallon capacity, so they’re ideally suited for outdoor gardening. You don’t always want to douse your plants though, and OXO understands that. Every can comes with a removable attachment that provides a finer spray for those delicate, just-blooming flowers. Best of all, you can choose from all sorts of eye-catching colors, such as kiwi green and orange.

Oh, and if you’re an apartment dweller or have a small garden, also consider the Mini Pour & Store Watering Can ($9.99), with a compact 1-quart capacity. There’s also the 3-quart Indoor Pour & Store Watering Can ($14.99). Find one that suits your personal style and get out there, gardeners!

Until next time,

The Home Know-It-All

Spruce Up Your Siding

The exterior siding of your home is both a great first impression and a tasteful declaration of your personal style. Because of exposure to the elements, however, siding can lose its sheen rather quickly. If your siding is starting to look run-down and dingy, you can take steps to clean it and repair it—no matter if it’s aluminum, vinyl, or stucco—without having to drop dough on a full-blown replacement.  

Cleaning Your Aluminum Siding
Aluminum siding can dull over time because it gathers mildew. Wash your siding with a low-pressure power washer to restore its former glory, but be careful: When the pressure gets too high, water can seep beneath your siding and rot underlying wood. If mildew is already growing on your siding, mix a little bit of bleach with your water in a bucket. If the mildew covers a large area, spray it down with a pressure washer, but if it’s in a small area give it some attention with a scrub brush. For a step-by-step process of how to give your aluminum siding some luster, check out How to Clean Stuff.

Washing and Repairing Vinyl
Vinyl siding is almost maintenance-free, making it an attractive option for most homeowners. However, it’s still a good idea to give it a wash every once in a while. You can either go the pressure washer route or do it the old-fashioned (and eco-friendly) way with a hose and buckets. The latter approach requires a little elbow grease, but it’ll save water and prevent any possible rotting underneath your siding. It also makes it easier to focus on areas where there may be mildew or other mold problems. Check out this tutorial on how to patch it up yourself without having to hire a pricey professional.        

Stucco Siding
Stucco is one of the most durable siding options available (it typically lasts anywhere from 50 to 100 years!), and many older neighborhoods prominently feature homes adorned with it. Because of its bumpy and uneven surface, dirt tends to get lodged in stucco’s nooks and crannies. Experts recommend taking steps to wash stucco exteriors at least once a year. Make sure not to get too close to the surface when you’re hosing it down, as it can chip under high pressure. Stucco is also difficult to repair, so you may want to hire a professional. But for the intrepid DIYer, here’s a how-to-repair guide courtesy of This Old House. 

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All 

Summertime Party Recycling

Nothing says summer quite like a backyard BBQ, but hosting one can be an eco-friendly hassle. Invites, plates, food, and garbage can give a little party a big ecological footprint. Fortunately, you have a variety of ways to recycle after your party and make your summer shindig a green affair. 

Recycle Tableware

The most eco-conscious way to set your table is to use your own dishware and wash it yourself afterward. Not every host has time to deal with that kind of clean-up headache, however, so I suggest you use eco-friendly tableware instead. Bare by Solo is a brand of plates and cups made from bamboo and sugarcane that are compostable and recyclable. I also recommend Bambu tableware made exclusively from bamboo plants. 

Green Decorating 

Forget buying streamers and balloons for your next party. They cost money and get thrown in the trash as soon as the last guest waves goodbye. Use recycled materials to make cool and unusual decorations instead. Check out the neat ideas Fun In the Making is offering up. Use an old sweater to make pennant swags or fashion quirky koala centerpieces out aluminum cans. 

Eco-Options for Your Food Scraps

After your backyard bonanza has wrapped up, odds are you'll have leftovers. If there's too much left for you and your family to eat, give some away to guests. And if you have loads of nonperishables hanging around, donate them to your local food bank. If those aren't options, turn to composting. A simple backyard compost bin helps cut down both on the negative environmental impact of landfills and your own garbage disposal bill. Check out this previous post for some composting dos and don'ts. 

Encourage Recycling

Leave clearly marked bags and bins in plain sight to give your guests somewhere to deposit cans and bottles. Grocery bags make easy and low-impact recycling bins. Have fun making the receptacles by turning it into a thrifty art project. See which member of your family can create the most colorful creation. Afterward, wheel your recycling to the curb for pick-up, or if you live in a state where bottles and cans are redeemable for cash, take them to a local supermarket or recycling center to make back some of your money. 

If you're looking for more tips to help you entertain eco-friendly style, check out our tips for throwing a green party. 

Until next time, 

The Home Know-It-All

Design Rooms in 3-D

If you're having trouble envisioning a new layout for your living room or how well that lime green wall color will mesh with your bedspread, try looking at your room in 3-D. 

 

Yep, I said 3-D, and, no, I'm not expecting you to build a diorama like you did in sixth grade. I'm telling you to visit a site like UCInteriors.com or RoomArranger.com, which both allow you to design the interior of your room with 3-D software—for free! Choose dimensions, colors, flooring, and more to capture the look of your current space, and then play with it to uncover cool layouts or the perfect table shape for your updated room. 

Can't decide where to begin? Good Housekeeping has an excellent inspiration archive, as does Inviting Home. Once you spot an idea you like, try it out on your space by implementing it with 3-D software. 

For more interior decorating ideas, be sure to visit the decorating category of this blog. We've packed the section with lots of unique ideas for any home. 

Until next time, 
The Home Know-It-All

Add Pop to Your Address

Your home address marker is more than just a series of numbers. It’s an opportunity for you to put your personality on display in a practical way, and make a great first impression. Wall plaques, lawn markers, and mailbox hangings are just a few ways to add some flair to your home digits and spruce up your outdoor decor. Whether your tastes are simple, stately, or somewhere in between, make your home address a lively and striking expression of you. Here are a few of my favorite options.

Custom Wall Plaques
Personalized wall address plaques and signs offer a virtually limitless variety of looks and styles to complement your home’s exterior, whether you pick a basic ribbon plaque to accentuate a door frame or a brass Harley Davidson plaque to make a bold statement. (No, really!) Visit addressplaque.com to find a slew of fully customizable signs in a variety of prices.

Landscape Markers
If your house is poorly lit or set back far from the street, a lawn address marker strategically placed near the end of your driveway or under a streetlight make your home easy to find. Aluminum address posts like these from Franklin Signs ($147) are a sturdy and understated option. If you’re looking for something a little grander, though, embrace your inner geologist and consider my favorite option, address boulders. Durable and resistant to the elements, these bulky decorations can be made of sandstone, granite, or red rock. Depending on the size, they typically cost around $500, though this one from Home Garden and Patio Outlet will only set you back $300.

Mailbox Accessories
Your mailbox has a ton of untapped potential for adding some funky fun to your address. The signs offered by Franklin Signs perch atop your mailbox and provide one or two lines of night-reflective lettering on both sides that you can customize with your name and address. But here’s the best part: On top of your mailbox sign is an ornamental decoration, and what you pick is completely up to you. Enjoy hunting? Pick a mallard duck, mid-flight. Pine for that Maine vacation home? Pick a lighthouse to act as your very own beacon. These clever and colorful signs run for around $120 when you include two lines of custom text, and a few bucks less when you only include one.

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All

Happy 4th of July!

 

The Home Know-It-All is taking today off to prep for a big Independence Day celebration tomorrow—and we hope you're doing the same. If you're still scrambling to come up with dinner options, check out our suggestions here. And for a few decorating tips, visit this previous post. 

Here's to a holiday packed with hot dogs, sparklers, and fun! 

See you Monday!

The Home Know-It-All 

Made in the Shade

Sun-loving gardens produce some of summer’s flashiest blooms. But even if you’re not blessed with a sun-drenched yard, you can still put your green thumb to good use by growing and maintaining a stunning shade garden. My mother has a small shade garden nestled near a tree-covered section of her yard, and it’s one the most tranquil parts of the landscape; perfect for cozying up with a book on a warm summer day.

Think a shade garden would be a fitting addition to your landscape? Though you’re better off waiting until fall when the temperature cools, it’s a good idea to plan now. Keep these considerations in mind as you plan.

Types of shade. Not all shade is equal, according to this handy guide from the University of Illinois Extension. Dappled shade means patches of sunlight hit plants through the leaves in surrounding trees. Plants in medium shade zones receive approximately 4–6 hours of sunlight daily. Dense shade is deep, and any plants planted in this area receive zero direct sunlight (which is why very few plants thrive in this kind of shade). Moral of the story? Before bringing plants or seeds home, check their growing requirements to see what type of shade they require.

Do a site analysis. If you’re planting your garden in a spot surrounded by large, mature trees, search for a section of dirt that’s root-free. This way, you’ll avoid damaging the trees, and your trees and shade plants can more peacefully coexist without competing for moisture and nutrients.

Prep your soil. It’s a good idea to perform a soil test to see what kind of soil you’re working with. In general, shady areas have less air circulation than sunny gardens. And if you’re dealing with a lot of tree roots, the soil may be heavily compacted. Encourage good air circulation by amending the soil with organic material. And conserve precious moisture with mulch.

Pick the best plants. What plants thrive in the shade, you ask?  This Boston.com article names top plants that thrive in shady surroundings.

Oh, and another thing. Remember how I mentioned that sunny gardens produced showy blooms? Even though shade plants aren’t as colorful or flashy as sun-loving varieties, you can still score some pretty sweet color. Classic foxglove comes in charming hues such as purple, pink, white, and yellow. Low-growing coral bells feature leaves in colors ranging from purple-metallic to lime green. And my personal favorite, hydrangeas, feature large clusters of blooms in pink, white, blue, and more. Learn about even more colorful shade plants from HGTV.

Design. Get free plans for stunning shade gardens a la Better Homes and Gardens here.

Get more shade-garden-growing particulars from Lowe’s. Happy shade gardening!

Until next time,
The Home Know-It-All