Category: HOME

Thanksgiving Cactus

You will see poinsettias everywhere this time of year, and if you are tired of them you might want to try the easy-to-grow Thanksgiving cactus. You probably have heard them be called Christmas cacti. There are three species of similar tropical cacti. One blooms in the fall, one in the winter and one in the…


Kitchen and Bath Fixtures With Versatile Install Options

By Ed Del Grande From Tribune News Service Q: Ed: Read your article on versatile dual-mount kitchen sinks that can be installed to the countertop either top-mounted or under-mounted. This makes sense to have flexible install options. What other fixtures like this can you suggest? — Don, Idaho A: To quickly recap, the dual-mount kitchen…


8 Areas to Declutter Before the Holidays Arrive

The holidays are fast approaching. One way to help yourself feel prepared and on top of things is to declutter. Taking the time to clean out closets, tidy up spaces, tie up loose ends, and make room for the inevitable influx of stuff that tends to arrive this time of year can provide just the…


US Retailer Home Depot Leaves Outlook Unchanged as Housing Market Slows

Home Depot Inc. on Tuesday left its annual forecasts unchanged even as quarterly results topped Wall Street expectations, raising concerns about demand heading into the holiday season amid a slowing housing market. Shares in the largest U.S. home improvement chain slipped in early trade, with the number of transactions falling in the quarter as surging…


The 23 Construction Steps to Build a New Home

Dear Monty: We have decided to build a new home. We have seen no existing home we like well enough to own. What are the actual steps in the construction process? Monty’s Answer: Assuming a poured concrete full basement and a 2,500-square-foot ranch home, without comment on cost, financing, timetable or builder variances in step…


The Impatient Gardener: Secrets of the Winter Garden

In 2023, home gardens are expected to be more popular than ever. Whether you’re looking to grow one to have the freshest fruits and vegetables, to experience tastes that store-bought just can’t compete with, or because you’re concerned about sky-high prices and potential shortages, there’s no reason to wait. In fact, depending on your climate,…


10 Ways to Blend Black and Gold

By Cathy Hobbs From Tribune News Service Whether in fashion or home decor, the color combination of black and gold is one of the most popular. From artwork and side tables to hardware handles, the combination of black and gold is both bold and luxurious and some may argue timeless. When looking for ways to…


Install an Attic Floor

The selling feature in many homes is the attic, an ideal space for not often-used but keeper-worthy stuff we accumulate. In many new homes there’s access to an attic, but it’s useless without a floor; the same is true in some older homes. To take advantage of the untapped storage space in the attic, you…


What Flooring Type Should I Install?

By Paul F. P. Pogue From Ask Angi Flooring is easy to forget for all the same reasons it’s essential. It’s always there, it’s the part of your house you probably touch the most, and you don’t look at it very often. But high-quality flooring can make the difference between a “pretty good” room and…


Wise to Do Inspection Day of Final Payment

Dear James: The construction of our house has just been completed. Before we make the final contractor payment, should we do an inspection even though it has a warranty? — Chad R. Dear Chad: Even with a warranty that should cover any problems you find once you move in, it is wise to do a…