Both instrument and furniture, a piano can add beauty to a home

By Stacy Downs

A piano isn’t simply a musical instrument. It’s fine furniture, often the most expensive piece in a home.

The National Arbor Day Foundation has announced a special new campaign to assist in tree recovery efforts for the areas that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Through the Katrina Tree Recovery Campaign, the Arbor Day Foundation, in cooperation with the National Audubon Society, is offering people across America the opportunity to support replanting trees in coastal Mississippi and Louisiana, and begin the reforestation of neighborhoods and cities across the region. For every $10 donated to the Katrina Tree Recovery Campaign, the Foundation will contribute 10 trees to be planted by Katrina victims.

If you’re the new sheriff out to clean up the town, there’s nothing to it if the town has maintenance-free vinyl siding. All such siding normally needs is a good rinse with a garden hose. But after a few years of wear and tear, you might have to work a mite harder.

Q: We have had a mold assessment that indicates non-toxic mold, but we are being advised to have professional remediation done at a cost estimated at $11,000. Since the mold is not of the toxic variety, is this really necessary? Some contractors also are telling us that we might have asbestos to deal with. Our house is 40 years old. We are more confused than ever.

“I am praying my contractor shows up,” people in the midst of remodeling contracts will likely say. Or you’ll hear, “I have to have faith the kitchen tile will arrive before the holidays.”

Q: Do you use duct tape to seal ducts?

A: If you mean the household kind of duct tape, no. Heat hardens the adhesive in most household duct tapes. Over time, the tape loses its stickiness and the duct leaks again.

The 2005 Fayette County Master Gardeners recently updated and expanded the prayer garden at the Wellspring Living Home in Fayetteville. Seventeen new Master Gardeners participated in the project to enhance the existing garden and create a beautiful and relaxing sanctuary for the residents of the home.

Patio furniture needs protection during winter months

By Stacy Downs

It’s best to start protecting patio furniture before all the leaves have fallen. Autumn’s wind, rain, changing temperatures and leaves damage even the most durable furniture over time. Umbrellas won’t last more than a season if they’re left uncovered outside.

(ARA) - The bad news from Hurricane Katrina is now spreading across the country. The Department of Energy states natural gas prices will leap up to 71 percent this fall and winter, due to damage caused by the storm. This translates into a $600 jump in home heating for most homeowners, according to the Georgia Public Service Commission. Now is the time to give your home a “check-up”. Here are six tips from the Comfort Institute to make your home an energy sipper instead of a gas guzzler!

Make sure to prepare your sprinkler system for winter

By Stacy Downs

Fall is just appearing, and it’s time to winterize sprinklers. This annual chore applies to in-ground irrigation systems only. But if you have sprinkler attachments stored outdoors, consider bringing them indoors soon.

Latest Target designer takes high-end design to the masses

By Eils Lotozo

New York interior designer Thomas O’Brien has a roster of A-list clients and a chic home-furnishings store in SoHo. He has his own line of luxury bedding (from Marshall Field’s) and an elegant collection of furniture that bears his name (from Hickory Chair).

You want your yard to not only look its best but be its best at meeting your family's needs. You just don't know enough about landscape design to create a place that does that.

Clay-based wall treatment blends texture and color

By CHANDRA ORR
Copley News Service

Forget wallpaper. The latest wall treatment is a unique clay product thats all about adding texture with a touch of color. Its American Clay Earth Plaster, a new finish that can easily mimic the rugged earthy feel of adobe or the smooth, porcelain finish of Venetian plaster.