It’s a time-honored custom to improve ourselves in the New Year, but what about improving where we live? The smartest New Year’s resolution you can make might be to finally remodel that bathroom or paint those kitchen cabinets. Putting a home improvement project on the “do it this year” list may be just the incentive you need to get it done. And best of all, it’s a promise to yourself that doesn’t require giving up chocolate.
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There’s nothing like an icy-cold January to make us wish we’d insulated that attic last summer. Take the first step to lower energy bills this year by scheduling a home-energy audit. Available for free from many utility companies and for a fee from trained, licensed technicians, home-energy audits identify the location and severity of a home’s energy-loss sites.
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You just can’t beat a fresh coat of paint to make the inside of your home look like new for the New Year. But you’ll get better results if you follow the advice of a pro. Veteran painter Frank Sinicrope offers tips on surface preparation, tackling doors and windows, and choosing the right brush, primer and paint for the job.
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Get a jump on summer and plan now to add a backyard deck to your house (or repair the eyesore that’s there). Our online Deck Planning Center is chock-full of information on every aspect of deck-building and design, from mapping out your deck, to pouring footings, to choosing the best hardware and decking.
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Color trends come and go (for 2015, the “it” color is Marsala, as in wine) but the use of color in home design never gets old. If you need inspiration (or courage) before committing to a bold scheme for 2015, take a look at these rooms designed by some of our favorite architects and designers.
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If the walkway to your front door has seen better days, this may be the year to replace it. Concrete pavers are widely available, highly durable, look great, and (most important) are fairly easy to install. Contractor Mike Guertin explains every step, from removing your old, cracked walk to sanding the joints on your new one.
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Appliances, that is. But before you throw down $3000 on a refrigerator, you need to understand how appliance marketing impacts your choices—and your budget. Contributing editor Sean Groom takes a close look at the three main categories of kitchen appliances (cooktops, stoves, and ranges; refrigerators; and dishwashers) and spells out what features and performance you’ll find at any price point.
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So you got a nifty new set of pots for the holidays…but where do you put them? You’ll find lots of clever ideas among the submissions to our Kitchen Storage Solutions Contest.
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Is this the year when you finally replace those clouded, leaky windows? But with what? Looking at four key factors—energy efficiency, durability, appearance, and functionality (and the costs associated with each) can help you choose the windows that fit your needs and your budget, too.
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If your family grew this year, you don’t necessarily have to consider the expense and hassle of an addition to keep everyone under one roof. There might be plenty of room waiting to be utilized in a basement or attic. Here’s a checklist to help you determine what untapped potential lies in those under-appreciated spaces.
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We’re now 15 years past the millennium, but not all of us are ready for the home of the future. You can move a step closer, though, by gaining an understanding of how an Internet-connected “smart home” works. In this article, Sean Groom helps readers make sense of the rapidly evolving field of products and networking devices that allow you to monitor and control your home’s appliances and mechanical systems no matter where the year takes you.
