Home Improvement
Here's what you need to know about home security systems
An electronic home security system can be the source of great peace of mind or great financial headache. But buying a system can be a thorny purchase, fraught with such perils as wildly differing prices, high-pressure sales tactics and unfriendly contracts.
Date: 05/27/2012 | Business
Careful planning is the key element in remodeling job
A remodeling project can generate enough "divorce dust" to fill a 50-gallon drum. Fortunately, the potential for such a condition can be reduced, or completely eliminated, by following a few simple rules regarding money management and good planning.
Date: 05/24/2012 | Home and Garden
Structural glass can be used anywhere -- even floors
AKRON, Ohio -- Steve Levey faced a challenge: How could he bring light to his clients' dark, cramped first-floor sitting room?It's a common problem. Levey's solution, however, was anything but.
Date: 05/24/2012 | Home and Garden
Bring relaxation home with a soaking tub
Some of us are shower people, and some are bathers.But there's a way to be both, as the Japanese discovered centuries ago when they developed the ofuro, or soaking tub.
Date: 05/17/2012 | Home and Garden
Safety’s first step is the right ladder
Purchase the right ladder and use it safely, and you just might use it all season long without any broken bones. Never mount a ladder until you determine that it is sturdy and secure.
Date: 05/03/2012 | Home and Garden
Home and Garden Calendar
EVENTSPlanting Spring Crops, Maintaining Organic Garden: Master gardener Diane Decker-Ihle leads class from 10 a.m. to noon April 28 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 913 Second Ave., Snohomish. Suggested donation: $2. Reservations: Kati Anderson, 360-691-9673.
Date: 04/26/2012 | Home and Garden
Stone patio laid in sand will last you a lifetime
Patios and spring go together like peas and carrots. Outdoor living is always lots more fun when your favorite easy chair doesn't sink into a wet lawn.
Date: 04/26/2012 | Home and Garden
Tired of granite? You have options
To anyone reading the real estate ads in recent years, it could seem that granite was the only material worth using for a kitchen counter, as important as updated electrical or a reliable roof.Granite isn't going anywhere.
Date: 04/26/2012 | Home and Garden
Home & Garden calendar
EventsPlanting Spring Crops, Maintaining Organic Garden: Master gardener Diane Decker-Ihle leads class from 10 a.m. to noon April 28 at St. John's Episcopal Church, 913 Second Ave., Snohomish. Suggested donation: $2. Reservations: Kati Anderson, 360-691-9673.
Date: 04/19/2012 | Home and Garden
The inside story on the stuff that makes up your walls
Sheetrock, wallboard, plasterboard, gyp-board and drywall are the words used to describe the wall and ceiling finish material used in most modern homes. Here, for your edification, are a few fun facts about its history and how to install it.
Date: 04/19/2012 | Home and Garden
Way beyond cable
Options for bringing streaming TV into your living room
Date: 04/15/2012 | Business
Black flakes from faucet signal corrosion
It is rare for us when we get a question that is so thoroughly detailed. One of our listeners emailed us with the following question: "We have fine, black flakes that occasionally come out of our kitchen faucet. It is the only faucet in our home with this problem.
Date: 04/12/2012 | Home and Garden
A view to saving energy
Whidbey home tour features green home designs
Date: 03/29/2012 | Home and Garden
The vitamin D debate and 8 other health tidbits
Should we all be getting more vitamin D (aka the sunshine vitamin), or is it the latest nutrient not to live up to a swell of fanfare? The answer is being vigorously debated by health experts.
Date: 03/29/2012 | Home and Garden
A complete home safety checklist
It is incumbent upon all of us to do our best to ensure that our home is a safe place. Here are tips that may prove to be invaluable:•Set your water heater at 120 degrees to prevent burns.Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home.
Date: 03/22/2012 | Home and Garden
How to attract birds, bees, butterflies
Q: What can I plant in my garden that will attract birds, bees and butterflies?A: Bees and butterflies pollinate flowers, which set the seeds that attract birds. Avian visitors add liveliness and beauty to a landscape, and prey on pests.
Date: 03/08/2012 | Home and Garden
Let's talk caulk
How to lay a good bead of caulk and keep heating bills down
Date: 03/04/2012 | Business
The hot colors for 2012
Find the hues that will make your spaces pop
Date: 02/16/2012 | Home and Garden
Nuts and Bolts: ‘House Party’ theme for Seattle Home Show
"We're Having a House Party" is the theme of this year's Seattle Home Show, which runs Feb. 18 to 26 at Century Link Event Center.
Date: 02/09/2012 | Home and Garden
DIY or call a pro?
When to tackle a job yourself and when to call for help
Date: 02/05/2012 | Business
Prevention is best cure for mildew
Mildew in your home is easy to remove. Just mix 1 cup of powdered laundry detergent (less if concentrated) and 1 quart of liquid bleach with 3 quarts of warm water. Scrub with a bristle brush and in minutes the mildew disappears.
Date: 02/02/2012 | Home and Garden
Strap down televisions to prevent tip-over injuries
Alexandra Errington thought her toddler son was in bed.But then she heard a crash and a scream "like I've never heard him scream before."
Date: 01/31/2012 | Life
You don't need to grease if you're using a baking mat
Q: I know that you are a big fan of Silpat (silicone) nonstick baking mats, but some recipes call for greasing a cookie sheet or using parchment. Are these methods interchangeable?
Date: 01/26/2012 | Home and Garden
Sustainable and whimsical
Arlington home uses eco-friendly construction, unique touches
Date: 01/19/2012 | Home and Garden
Several flooring options available for entry ways
The floors of your home's entry take a beating from sloppy winter weather. The spot can be a tricky one to decorate -- to welcome guests -- and still withstand dripping umbrellas, muddy shoes or slushy boots.
Date: 01/12/2012 | Home and Garden
Set up stations to organize a utility room
When I first bought my farm in Bedford, N.Y., a decade ago, one very charming structure, dating from the late 19th century, was a two-story stable-garage-goat-shed that had stamped-concrete floors, mahogany-stained horizontal wainscoting and a peaked roof.
Date: 01/05/2012 | Home and Garden
Dirty chimney can cost you money -- and your house
Breaking news from the North Pole: Well-informed sources have it that Ol' St. Nick has been forced to replace his bright red uniform with a new one. All of this is as a result of extensive soiling because of unusually dirty fireplaces this holiday season.
Date: 01/05/2012 | Home and Garden
Underground wonder
Tulalip couple dug deep to create a custom wine cellar
Date: 01/05/2012 | Home and Garden
How to keep basements dry
Aside from being a nuisance, a house leak can cause substantial damage to framing, wall and floor finishes, and personal property, and can be the source of life-threatening toxic mold.
Date: 12/29/2011 | Home and Garden
Simple yet spectacular
Family decorations come together to create elegant Christmas
Date: 12/22/2011 | Home and Garden
Home and Garden calendar
SeriesSustainable gardening lecture series: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. every other Friday, Jan. 6 through April 13, Mukilteo Presbyterian Church, 4515 84th St. SW, Mukilteo. Tickets to the full eight-lecture series are $85 in advance.
Date: 12/15/2011 | Home and Garden
Tips for treating wooden decks
We recently wrote an article where we shared the formula for our very own home-grown wood deck preservative consisting of equal parts of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits.
Date: 12/08/2011 | Life
Come into their parlors
Tour features historic Snohomish homes decorated for holidays
Date: 12/08/2011 | Home and Garden
Martha Stewart: Popovers need steam to pop over
Question: Why won’t my popovers pop over?Answer: Unlike baked goods made with leavening agents such as yeast, popovers get their impressive height from steam.
Date: 12/01/2011 | Home and Garden
Do your best to keep water and your home’s wood apart
Until 1492, when Columbus sailed the ocean blue, there was no such thing as the Americas or wooden homes. Europe and Asia had chosen stone as their building product of choice and had used it for thousands of years.
Date: 11/24/2011 | Life
If you have a lot of china, it's best to keep an inventory
Question: I have an extensive china collection. What's the best way to keep track of it?
Date: 11/24/2011 | Life
Plant Pick: Japanese holly
WHAT: Convex-leaf Japanese holly, also known as ilex crenata convexa, is a fast-growing hedge plant than can be grown into a sheared or informal hedge.
Date: 11/10/2011 | Home and Garden
Home maintenance musts for winter
Chances are that the upcoming winter months will bring heightened wind, rain and, perhaps, snow. Now is the time of year to ready our homes against the elements.
Date: 11/10/2011 | Home and Garden
A woodworker's dream
Everett firefighter fills his home with custom woodwork
Date: 11/03/2011 | Home and Garden
Tackle chores one step at a time to make winter cozy
Sneak in a little time between cooking and raking leaves to keep your house and yard in tip-top shape.A few tips will keep you comfortable and cozy through the next few months.
Date: 11/01/2011 | Life
Quick household fixes that will save you money
Here are a few quick and easy household fixes that will save you money and headaches.Leaking toiletIf your toilet is leaking it's most likely the flapper, that rubber stopper at the base of the tank.
Date: 10/27/2011 | Home and Garden
Community Extra: Opportunities
Decorate: Riverside Halloween contestEverett's Riverside neighborhood is sponsoring its second annual Halloween decorating contest.
Date: 10/20/2011 | Local News
Learn secrets of interior design, decluttering at workshops in Marysville, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood and Everett
We're coming up on the holiday season. Whether that thought fills you with delight or dread, it means it's time to get serious about organizing and decluttering your house. You might also want to redecorate or update your spaces with art, accessories or fresh paint.
Date: 10/20/2011 | Home and Garden
What you can do to reduce your heating and cooling costs
Your air conditioner and furnace cost more to operate than any other appliance in your home. Water heater, washing machine and refrigerator combined all rate second fiddle to the cost of maintaining a comfortable temperature.
Date: 10/20/2011 | Home and Garden
Home revamp for grandma
Grandson's work on home earns Monte Cristo award (gallery)
Date: 10/13/2011 | Home and Garden
What's that gunk?
It's dryer lint and it's dangerous. Here's how to tackle it.
Date: 10/09/2011 | Business
Home and Garden Calendar
Club speakersMonroe Garden Club: 12:30 p.m. Oct. 10, Monroe United Methodist Church, 342 S. Lewis St.; 360-793-1829. Master gardener Bob Barca will explain how to design a Mediterranean garden in the maritime Northwest. Donations to the Sky Valley Food Bank are encouraged.
Date: 10/06/2011 | Home and Garden
Perfect yard, perfect day
Daughter's wedding inspires Camano landscape
Date: 10/06/2011 | Home and Garden
Cars need check-up for winter driving
Here's a staggering statistic: About 15 percent of the average household budget goes to paying car-related expenses.That's according to a recently released report from AAA.
Date: 10/02/2011 | Business
Gilding puts modern sheen on furniture; here's how
Love the shiny glamour of mirrored or silver-leaf furniture, but not the high price tag?
Date: 09/29/2011 | Home and Garden
Get informed, inspired
Ideas abound at Everett home and gift show
Date: 09/28/2011 | Home and Garden
Cut costs with a programmable thermostat in the proper spot
When it comes to easy and inexpensive energy upgrades, we often suggest the installation of a setback thermostat.
Date: 09/25/2011 | Life
For lush lawn, start now
Nurturing in fall is key to vibrant grass in spring and summer
Date: 09/25/2011 | Life
How to paint metal with good results
Question: I have a metal door that is badly worn and I want to give it a fresh coat of paint. Can you give me any advice?Answer: Actually, a paint job on metal can look pretty darn good if you know a few tricks.
Date: 09/18/2011 | Life
Homemade silver cleaner costs less
We frequently share home-grown recipes for a multitude of our favorite cleaning formulas. We have found the concoctions we use clean as well as, or better than, most of their store-bought equivalents, and ours are available for a ton less dough.For homemade silver cleaner you will need:
Date: 09/18/2011 | Life
Knock it down, open it up
Older homes can have an open floor plan with a little work
Date: 09/18/2011 | Life
Five inexpensive ways to freshen up your house
Whether you are trying to sell or just want to change up your home's look, here are five inexpensive ways to freshen up.
Date: 09/18/2011 | Life
Home plan
The Grable is a long rambler-styled home with a covered wraparound porch and accents of brick and rock. The two-car garage faces the left side, which would allow a sweeping driveway and yard in the front and rear. This elaborate home has great curb appeal with its rustic look.
Date: 09/15/2011 | Home and Garden
Full of curiosities
Explore 1890 home's elegant quirks on Snohomish tour
Date: 09/15/2011 | Home and Garden
End-of-summer chores
7 home maintenance tasks to do before autumn sets in
Date: 09/11/2011 | Business
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