Hand-made
HOME-SELLING TIP
Home
Appraisal can be useful
stock.xchng
Consider obtaining a formal written appraisal if you have unique property, if there hasn’t been much activity in your area recently, if co-owners disagree about price or if there is any other circumstance that makes it difficult to put a value on your home. — Century 21
DID YOU KNOW? The National Kitchen and Bath Association has a helpful glossary of terms at www.nkba.org/consumer_tools_glossary.aspx.
HOME HELP
ARA
IMPROVEMENTS
Your guide to hardwood flooring Solid hardwood flooring is just that — a solid plank of hardwood milled into a piece of flooring, usually with a tongue and groove on the edges and ends so that the pieces fit together. While it comes in a variety of thicknesses, 3/4-inch is the most common produced in the U.S. and is usually nailed to a wooden subfloor. Thinner profiles, such as 5/16 inch, can be glued directly on to a surface such as concrete. In all cases of hardwood flooring installation, a clean, moisture-free surface is essential to eliminate future problems with movement or moisture. Care and maintenance of hardwood flooring is easy; often just a matter of common sense. Follow these simple guidelines and your floors will last a lifetime, providing the warmth and feel only real hardwood can offer. — ARA
PHOTOS BY David Zalaznik | GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
The sun room in Michael Ryon’s house serves as a delightful room for relaxation as well as a sun-drenched office.
Hand-made
beauty
Man rehabs home to find Arts and Crafts roots By Clare Howard GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
When Mike Ryon found the 1920 stucco and brick Dutch Colonial home in Peoria, Ill., he was able to look beyond the powder blue paint and carpeting to see the Arts and Crafts bones of the structure. He bought the home in 2002 and started renovations. “Everyone who has lived here has taken care of the house,” Ryon said. He started stripping woodwork. Even the fireplace had been painted. The mantel is now a rich chestnut, and the fireplace surround is Arts-and-Crafts-style tiles that
DECORATING TIP
Complement your curtains The hardware that accompanies drapery might not be at the forefront of your mind as you shop, but there’s a vast array of options available. Here are some tips: ■ Determine beforehand what kind of theme or overall look you’re trying to achieve. Some drapery hardware is well suited for contemporary designs while other types will be more at home amongst traditional or rustic. ■ Hardware can be hidden from view to provide a greater focus on curtains or placed ostentatiously out in the open to serve as a counterpoint. ■ Curtain rods are the single largest piece of hardware, and the rod you choose will help determine the types of end caps, brackets, rings, tiebacks and more. — Home Depot
HOW TO
Save energy in a rented home When a home’s not your own, it’s hard to make major energy-efficient changes. But there are easy ways to lower costs. ■ Change your lighting. Replace incandescent bulbs and fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs. ■ Turn your appliances off — all the way. Some equipment continues to use electricity even when it’s “off.” ■ Use cold water. If laundry facilities are included with your rental, switch to cold water for your full loads of laundry. — Alliance to Save Energy
could be handcrafted Batchelder or Rookwood tiles. The firebox is a Gothic arch. Wall-to-wall carpeting was removed, and the oak floors were refinished. Ryon installed a plate rack in the dining room and found marks on the plaster walls indicating a plate rack had originally been in the same spot. A previous owner had upgraded all electric wiring in the home and added a second air conditioning unit. Most of Ryon’s furniture is Mission style. The home’s original French doors separating the living room from the sunroom are Mission style. He has purchased oriental rugs from Pako-
The front hallway facilitates traffic flow to the staircase to the second floor or the dining room or living room. Wooden floors and carpets complement the Arts and Crafts style.
bel Rugs on the Internet and at local antique shops and shows. “If you buy what you are attracted to, it will all come together,” he said. Ryon immediately recognized the easy traffic flow when he first toured the house. Guests enter a small front foyer and walk into a large front hallway between the living room and dining room. Stairs to the second floor start in the front hallway. “I moved here from a 900-square-foot house,” Ryon said. “This is 2,800 square feet and can easily accommodate 30 to 40 people comfortably.” Ryon had recessed lighting installed in the kitchen and bought a large antique kitchen cabinet 7 1/2 feet tall by 6 1/2 feet long that is similar to one original to the home. Lighting above the cabinets illuminates some of his pottery collection. A sun-filled breakfast room is connected to the kitchen. The home’s 1920s stucco required repair work when Ryon bought the house. When he had a pergola installed in the backyard, he used textured paint on the columns to complement the stucco on the house. He priced stone for the patio under the pergola and ultimately went with concrete air conditioner pads that look like oversized stones. Near the small back porch is the original ice door dating back to the era when ice was delivered to homes in the neighborhood.
Ryon found the cabinet at left, which was was similar to the home’s original cabinets, after seeing an old photograph of the kitchen.
Think beyond blue hydrangeas in your garden By Suzanne Mahler GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
F
or those who are often obligated to view their gardens only as twilight descends, plants that feature pastel flowers or variegated foliage may offer the greatest enjoyment. The trunks of white birches, the variegated leaves of shrub dogwoods and hostas, the pristine white flowers of tall phlox, impatiens and Rose-of-Sharon all glow in the fading light of the August landscape. Perhaps the most dramatic and impressive white blooms during the month of August are provided by members of the Hydrangea family. While so many homeowners
pursue the stunning blue blooms of the mophead hydrangeas, we often face annual disappointments when shrubs produce only sporadic blooms due to adverse weather conditions. Since these shrubs bloom on old wood, the timing of pruning is always tricky, but few can deny the allure of the elusive blue blossoms and the thrill of seeing the spectacular display of shrubs positively drooping with bountiful blooms as they have this season. New cultivars have improved the potential for blooms by summer’s end, but what about all the other hydrangeas that bloom reliably year after year with minimal pampering? Many of these carefree hydrangeas are season extenders with a
profusion of blooms that transition from white to lime green or rose pink with practically no maintenance from season to season. Hydrangea arborescens “Annabelle” is a personal favorite with massive, symmetrical clusters of sparkling white flowers that begin to appear in July and continue to bloom for weeks, gradually fading to a rich lime-green. An improved selection of a native shrub, this hardy, reliable bloomer produces enormous blossoms up to 10 inches across on stems 3 to 4 feet in height. Snowball hydrangeas bloom on new wood and can be cut to the ground in early spring, which will promote larger leaves and giant blooms, although these size-
able blooms may flop after heavy downpours. Grow “Annabelle” in fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Although it performs best given morning sun and afternoon shade or dappled shade throughout the day, it tolerates full sun but should receive supplemental moisture during dry spells. Suzanne Mahler is an avid gardener, photographer and lecturer who has been developing the 1.5-acre property surrounding her home in Hanover, Mass., for more than 30 years. She is a member of two local garden clubs, past President of the New England Daylily Society, an overseer for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and is employed at two garden centers.
Home
Appraisal can be useful
stock.xchng
Consider obtaining a formal written appraisal if you have unique property, if there hasn’t been much activity in your area recently, if co-owners disagree about price or if there is any other circumstance that makes it difficult to put a value on your home. — Century 21
DID YOU KNOW? The National Kitchen and Bath Association has a helpful glossary of terms at www.nkba.org/consumer_tools_glossary.aspx.
HOME HELP
ARA
IMPROVEMENTS
Your guide to hardwood flooring Solid hardwood flooring is just that — a solid plank of hardwood milled into a piece of flooring, usually with a tongue and groove on the edges and ends so that the pieces fit together. While it comes in a variety of thicknesses, 3/4-inch is the most common produced in the U.S. and is usually nailed to a wooden subfloor. Thinner profiles, such as 5/16 inch, can be glued directly on to a surface such as concrete. In all cases of hardwood flooring installation, a clean, moisture-free surface is essential to eliminate future problems with movement or moisture. Care and maintenance of hardwood flooring is easy; often just a matter of common sense. Follow these simple guidelines and your floors will last a lifetime, providing the warmth and feel only real hardwood can offer. — ARA
PHOTOS BY David Zalaznik | GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
The sun room in Michael Ryon’s house serves as a delightful room for relaxation as well as a sun-drenched office.
Hand-made
beauty
Man rehabs home to find Arts and Crafts roots By Clare Howard GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
When Mike Ryon found the 1920 stucco and brick Dutch Colonial home in Peoria, Ill., he was able to look beyond the powder blue paint and carpeting to see the Arts and Crafts bones of the structure. He bought the home in 2002 and started renovations. “Everyone who has lived here has taken care of the house,” Ryon said. He started stripping woodwork. Even the fireplace had been painted. The mantel is now a rich chestnut, and the fireplace surround is Arts-and-Crafts-style tiles that
DECORATING TIP
Complement your curtains The hardware that accompanies drapery might not be at the forefront of your mind as you shop, but there’s a vast array of options available. Here are some tips: ■ Determine beforehand what kind of theme or overall look you’re trying to achieve. Some drapery hardware is well suited for contemporary designs while other types will be more at home amongst traditional or rustic. ■ Hardware can be hidden from view to provide a greater focus on curtains or placed ostentatiously out in the open to serve as a counterpoint. ■ Curtain rods are the single largest piece of hardware, and the rod you choose will help determine the types of end caps, brackets, rings, tiebacks and more. — Home Depot
HOW TO
Save energy in a rented home When a home’s not your own, it’s hard to make major energy-efficient changes. But there are easy ways to lower costs. ■ Change your lighting. Replace incandescent bulbs and fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs. ■ Turn your appliances off — all the way. Some equipment continues to use electricity even when it’s “off.” ■ Use cold water. If laundry facilities are included with your rental, switch to cold water for your full loads of laundry. — Alliance to Save Energy
could be handcrafted Batchelder or Rookwood tiles. The firebox is a Gothic arch. Wall-to-wall carpeting was removed, and the oak floors were refinished. Ryon installed a plate rack in the dining room and found marks on the plaster walls indicating a plate rack had originally been in the same spot. A previous owner had upgraded all electric wiring in the home and added a second air conditioning unit. Most of Ryon’s furniture is Mission style. The home’s original French doors separating the living room from the sunroom are Mission style. He has purchased oriental rugs from Pako-
The front hallway facilitates traffic flow to the staircase to the second floor or the dining room or living room. Wooden floors and carpets complement the Arts and Crafts style.
bel Rugs on the Internet and at local antique shops and shows. “If you buy what you are attracted to, it will all come together,” he said. Ryon immediately recognized the easy traffic flow when he first toured the house. Guests enter a small front foyer and walk into a large front hallway between the living room and dining room. Stairs to the second floor start in the front hallway. “I moved here from a 900-square-foot house,” Ryon said. “This is 2,800 square feet and can easily accommodate 30 to 40 people comfortably.” Ryon had recessed lighting installed in the kitchen and bought a large antique kitchen cabinet 7 1/2 feet tall by 6 1/2 feet long that is similar to one original to the home. Lighting above the cabinets illuminates some of his pottery collection. A sun-filled breakfast room is connected to the kitchen. The home’s 1920s stucco required repair work when Ryon bought the house. When he had a pergola installed in the backyard, he used textured paint on the columns to complement the stucco on the house. He priced stone for the patio under the pergola and ultimately went with concrete air conditioner pads that look like oversized stones. Near the small back porch is the original ice door dating back to the era when ice was delivered to homes in the neighborhood.
Ryon found the cabinet at left, which was was similar to the home’s original cabinets, after seeing an old photograph of the kitchen.
Think beyond blue hydrangeas in your garden By Suzanne Mahler GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
F
or those who are often obligated to view their gardens only as twilight descends, plants that feature pastel flowers or variegated foliage may offer the greatest enjoyment. The trunks of white birches, the variegated leaves of shrub dogwoods and hostas, the pristine white flowers of tall phlox, impatiens and Rose-of-Sharon all glow in the fading light of the August landscape. Perhaps the most dramatic and impressive white blooms during the month of August are provided by members of the Hydrangea family. While so many homeowners
pursue the stunning blue blooms of the mophead hydrangeas, we often face annual disappointments when shrubs produce only sporadic blooms due to adverse weather conditions. Since these shrubs bloom on old wood, the timing of pruning is always tricky, but few can deny the allure of the elusive blue blossoms and the thrill of seeing the spectacular display of shrubs positively drooping with bountiful blooms as they have this season. New cultivars have improved the potential for blooms by summer’s end, but what about all the other hydrangeas that bloom reliably year after year with minimal pampering? Many of these carefree hydrangeas are season extenders with a
profusion of blooms that transition from white to lime green or rose pink with practically no maintenance from season to season. Hydrangea arborescens “Annabelle” is a personal favorite with massive, symmetrical clusters of sparkling white flowers that begin to appear in July and continue to bloom for weeks, gradually fading to a rich lime-green. An improved selection of a native shrub, this hardy, reliable bloomer produces enormous blossoms up to 10 inches across on stems 3 to 4 feet in height. Snowball hydrangeas bloom on new wood and can be cut to the ground in early spring, which will promote larger leaves and giant blooms, although these size-
able blooms may flop after heavy downpours. Grow “Annabelle” in fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Although it performs best given morning sun and afternoon shade or dappled shade throughout the day, it tolerates full sun but should receive supplemental moisture during dry spells. Suzanne Mahler is an avid gardener, photographer and lecturer who has been developing the 1.5-acre property surrounding her home in Hanover, Mass., for more than 30 years. She is a member of two local garden clubs, past President of the New England Daylily Society, an overseer for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and is employed at two garden centers.
