(ARA) – Gas and energy prices are rising again, and that means Americans must tighten their belts even further. You don’t need to dread hot summer temps and high air conditioning bills when you have ceiling fans in your home. If you already have fans in place, check to see whether they are Energy Star [...]
(ARA) – Forget about the living room. The kitchen is the social hub of a home. Today’s homeowners update their kitchens to reflect their personal tastes and add visual appeal their guests can enjoy when they entertain. But how do you get a custom look in your kitchen without the hefty price tag? “By adding [...]
(ARA) – The economy may be down, but things are looking up for kitchens and baths as manufacturers provide affordable new ways to perk up cabinetry with colors that lift the spirits. With so many unknowns about the current economy, Americans are hunkering down and spending more time at home, where they want to surround [...]
(ARA) – Energy efficiency has gained national importance and window replacement is recognized as one pathway to aid in energy independence and the reduction of harmful global emissions.
Choosing replacement windows with energy-saving benefits is simple and the federal government also made it less expensive for homeowners with the signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
(ARA) – Gas and energy prices are rising again, and that means Americans must tighten their belts even further. You don’t need to dread hot summer temps and high air conditioning bills when you have ceiling fans in your home.
If you already have fans in place, check to see whether they are Energy Star qualified. Ceiling fan and light combinations that have earned Energy Star accreditation are about 50 percent more efficient than non-conforming units. The difference lies in improved motors and blade designs. A model with an Energy Star light kit included provides even greater energy savings, and the bulbs don’t need to be changed as often.
(ARA) – Instead of spending on pricey vacations, more Americans are turning to money-saving alternatives in their own backyards. Upgrading or adding a deck is a great way to take advantage of outdoor living spaces.
Homeowners today are viewing their outdoor living space as extensions of their home. Among the 40 million homeowners who have an available outdoor living space, less than one-third prep their decks appropriately for the season, according to a Glidden brand survey. If you’re planning on using your outdoor living space this season, you may want to consider improving or upgrading your current deck.
(ARA) – Forget about the living room. The kitchen is the social hub of a home.
Today’s homeowners update their kitchens to reflect their personal tastes and add visual appeal their guests can enjoy when they entertain. But how do you get a custom look in your kitchen without the hefty price tag?
“By adding just a few decorative accents, homeowners can not only create a custom-looking kitchen, they can create a space that reflects a specific look — from Art Nouveau to French Neoclassical,” says Paul Radoy, manager of design services for Merillat, a cabinet company specializing in kitchen design.
(ARA) – With a “For Sale” sign in your front yard, you want potential buyers to take a good, long look at your property. And even if you’re not planning a move, you want to be sure you protect and maintain your home to keep future repairs at a minimum.
Real estate is a tough market today. If you’re a seller, creating curb appeal is a key to entice potential buyers to come inside for a second look. Home selling experts predict that as many as 40 percent of potential buyers reject a home based on their first impression of the front of the house. The general appearance of the front yard is the single largest factor shaping impressions of your home.
(ARA) – Do you think that the bailout is only for the big guys? Think again.
There’s a home improvement project this year that not only adds value and curb appeal to your home, but saves energy and offers up to a $1,500 federal tax credit to homeowners. The project? A stylish new insulated garage door.
Huge tax credit
Qualifying insulated garage doors purchased in 2009 and 2010 earn a sizeable tax credit — more valuable than a tax deduction — that reduces taxes dollar-for-dollar from the bottom line of your federal tax bill.
(ARA) – What if you could easily save money and help the environment at the same time? You can. All it takes is a little expert advice on how to make your home more energy efficient.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average family spends $1,900 a year on utility bills. Unfortunately, much of that money is being wasted on inefficient heating and cooling systems, or excess use of appliances, according to Greg Schuman, electrician program chair at Everest Institute in San Bernardino, Calif.
(ARA) – The economy may be down, but things are looking up for kitchens and baths as manufacturers provide affordable new ways to perk up cabinetry with colors that lift the spirits.
With so many unknowns about the current economy, Americans are hunkering down and spending more time at home, where they want to surround themselves with comforting colors. According to recent consumer research, the upside of the economic downturn has created the art of “brightsiding,” centered on recognizing pleasures and pastimes that are the side effects of uncertainty, as reported by the Yankelovich Monitor Minute. At the same time, environmental and international influences are leading to a new palette of colors that are both familiar and inspiring, driving a trend for contrasts in color.
(ARA) – These days bailouts are common, but not many Americans have considered it for their home design. Does lifeless and cluttered design leave your home in need of a makeover?
Lifestyle and design expert Susie Coelho is out to change all of that with a sweeping Home Design Stimulus Plan that offers immediate and effective relief for homeowners to boost their surroundings, both inside and out, without busting their budgets.
(ARA) – When it comes to “greening” a new or existing home, many consumers simply do not have the facts about American hardwood as an environmentally-friendly building material choice. Wood misconceptions abound.
And with so much inaccurate information being circulated, the American Hardwood Information Center (www.HardwoodInfo.com) would like to set the record straight about American hardwoods. The absolute bottom line is this. Because hardwoods are renewing and so abundant, they are nature’s choice for eco-effective design and building. The sustainable material!
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