How to keep your patio furniture looking its best

Sun, rain, precision-bombing birds: outdoor furniture takes a beating. Here's our guide to keeping it looking good and out of the landfill.

Quality

Start with good products. That $89 wicker chair looks great in the big-box store, but guess what happens when moisture and pollution and the human body get at it?

Better to save up for something like the Bimini wicker line. Manufactured by Toronto-based Actiwin and available at Ottawa's The Fireplace Center & Patio Shop, it's made of weatherproof resin wicker, has a welded aluminum frame and is UV-resistant. At $300 a chair, it's not cheap, but it will last.

Wood

Prefinished wooden patio furniture usually spells disaster, says Zvi Gross, owner of Mostly Danish Furniture on Wellington Street. Varnish, for example, lifts when moisture gets underneath it, leaving a rough, flaky surface.

Some manufacturers, he adds, use stains and finishes to disguise lower grade woods that are less durable. Gross sells unfinished teak patio furniture and recommends either treating it with Semco sealer or leaving it to age naturally to a rich silver-grey.

Sealed or not, clean outdoor wooden furniture with warm soapy water and a brush twice a year, rinsing it lightly afterward.

If the furniture is near a pool, rinse it weekly: chlorine plays havoc with finishes.

Keep wooden legs off grass -moisture will make short work of the wood -and refinish surface scratches right away to prevent moisture penetration.

Aluminum

Aluminum won't rust, but the powder coating on aluminum lawn furniture breaks down from suntan lotion, perspiration and air pollution. An occasional sponging with warm, soapy water followed by a rinse keeps it looking new.

An occasional light coat of liquid car wax heightens the coating's gloss and makes it easier to remove stains.

Plastic and recycled furniture

The ubiquitous white plastic lawn chair can be spiffed up with a household cleaner that's safe for plastic. Use an old toothbrush for crevices. Ditto for higher-end garden furniture, like Adirondack chairs, loungers and picnic tables made from recycled plastic by C.R. Plastic Products of Stratford, Ont. Available in bright yellow, fuchsia and other eye-candy colours at Apple Saddlery on Innes Road and elsewhere, the Adirondack chairs run $280 to $340.

The company suggests an occasional coat of Armor All for UV protection and says a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is great for eliminating streaks and dirt.

Delaying Repairs Can Come Back To Haunt Owners

It is recommended that homeowners keep at least $5,000 in easy-toliquidate assets, to cover emergency repairs or replacement costs.

It is recommended that homeowners keep at least $5,000 in easy-toliquidate assets, to cover emergency repairs or replacement costs.
Photograph by: Thinkstock, Postmedia News

In a recent article, I wrote that an expert recommended homeowners keep at least $5,000 in easy-to-liquidate assets, to cover emergency repairs or replacement costs.

Although no one objected to that number -the expert said it was a minimum, and more like $10,000 in the bank would be better -I assume that very few people, especially those on fixed incomes or who have children in college, have even $5,000 to set aside for emergencies these days.

With the economy still in disarray, there is a tendency to postpone repairs if they don't disrupt day-today living. If a pipe bursts, you shut off the water and call the plumber immediately.

But if the faucet in the bathroom sink drips a bit, you try not to think about it, even though you're wasting lots of water and probably adding to your monthly bill.

Sometimes, even if there is enough money to pay for the minor repair, you postpone it -learning to live with the situation, as real estate agent Marilou Buffum put it, until it becomes so much a part of your life you forget about it. Until you list your house for sale, that is.

In a market where there are still too few home buyers, sellers are less likely than ever to find someone as tolerant of a dripping bathroom faucet as they are, Buffum said. A few weeks back, I wrote about a five-bedroom Colonial for sale for $234,900 that prospective buyers described as "too blah," and that even the agent had considered "boring."

The owners had spent a lot of money trying to make the house, built and purchased in 1971, look appealing, but it spent the winter sitting empty.

Finally, an agreement of sale was negotiated with first-time buyers for $225,000, with a $5,000 sellers' assist at the settlement table.

The subsequent home inspection uncovered needed plumbing and electrical repairs, including bringing the septic system up to code.

Then, there was the water pressure, which the owners said had always been problematically low, though the family of nine had managed to get by on it for three decades.

The repairs were not that expensive, but the angst created by the inspector's report was high, as was the concern that the best opportunity for selling the house might be lost to things that were known and left uncorrected because its owners had learned to live with them.

Noelle Barbone, broker manager of Weichert Realtors, in Media, Pennsylvania, recently sold in just two weeks her parents' home of 40 years. Sure, they gave each room a coat of paint, but her father also had the roof replaced. Because they knew the house would have to pass the township's use-andoccupancy inspection, "we had everything taken care of from that checklist," Barbone said.

In preparing the colonial for sale, however, the owners of that house focused on cosmetics rather than on the systems, which were in greater need of attention.

Items that are not on most buyers' lists of desirable features are roofs in need of replacement and major plumbing and electrical issues. They want those fixed, or there's no sale.

Best advice: Deal with deferred-maintenance issues before you list your house for sale.

If you can't remember what they are, start at the bathroom sink.
© Copyright (c) McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Property market challenged to create niche for vital seniors

Canada’s population is getting greyer every day, but the level of vitality and the desire for independence is just as strong as those much younger.

Between 1991 and 2031, the proportion of Canadians over 55 will have risen from one in five to almost one in three, according to figures in a Housing for Older Canadians publication by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

And, the 65-plus crowd will grow from one in nine to one in four.

“These numbers suggest substantial increases in demand for products and services targeting older segments of the population,” says the CMHC publication.

And housing is one of those areas that builders and developers have to spend more time considering — and doing something about.

Sure there are some out there who have delivered housing for seniors — Statesman Corporation, for example — which has created communities for the older set, much of it with a health care element.

And there are others who have developed housing styles, typically villa bungalows, that caught the eye of the more affluent of the 55-plus group.

But, in general, the housing industry has kind of forgotten the greyhairs and their housing wants and needs.

“We’ve thought about it, but not much more than that,” I was told recently by one builder. “Maybe it’s time we looked at it again.”

There is a huge middle market of financially comfortable seniors who would like to live in their own home for much of the year and then head to the warmer climes in the winter.

They don’t want an aging-in-place scenario, don’t want to spend megabucks on a home they will use only part of the year, and don’t want to buy something out past the suburbs.

Yeah, I know the other side of the coin isn’t bright and shiny, the housing industry has a lot of challenges in finding land that can be brought to market with a product that allows some expectation of being profitable.

And this particular market segment likely isn’t as easy to satisfy as the first-time homebuyer group. But it is a segment that deserves some housing consideration.

A delicious colour for a first-time buyer.....

Hi Sam,

I’m moving into a brand new condo, which also happens to be my first home that I purchased with my fiancé. I really want to do a good job with the design since it will be the first time I have a real say in how my home will look. I’ve had a few months to think about my design, but I’m getting cold feet.

I want a light taupe sectional from Maison Corbeil in Montreal, and a glass coffee table and a low white TV unit facing the sectional. Now the tricky part, I was thinking of having purple accents like pillows, some purple details in the drapes, maybe some flowers or a vase. I also wanted to paint the wall behind the sectional purple! When I mean purple, I mean a greyish purple. We were considering Inspired AF-595 from Benjamin Moore, keeping the other three walls light cream. Am I crazy to think of putting purple in a small condo?

Andrea Bednarczyk (a student who’s trying to focus more on finishing her semester than finishing her design)

Dear Andrea,

Crazy? I would say you’re crazy not to add purple to your new condo. Please, Andrea, don’t chicken out and go all beige and neutral on me — no matter what your girlfriend, neighbour or mother tells you. If you love purple (or orange, green, pink or blue), then use it. It’s your home.

Colour rules such as light colours for small rooms and dark colours for large rooms drive me bonkers. Great decorating is all about an awareness of balance and how you pull the furnishings and accessories together.

You are on the right track; start with some lavender accessories. A giant vase, bold patterned pillows, maybe even an upholstered bench or chair. Then move on to paint, which is an inexpensive way to inject personality into your space. I’m not the biggest fan of feature walls because it’s hard for many of us to pick which wall is the best to highlight. Usually a recessed wall or wall behind a fireplace, headboard or, in your case, the sofa will work best as an accent wall.

The lavender-grey you’ve chosen is soft and won’t feel overpowering throughout the living and dining room. I won’t be a pushy decorator, but I like the unified feeling of all four walls painted the same colour. Just be sure to keep the space balanced with soft whites and varying shades of lavender, grey and sand (to reference your sofa).

Back to the feature wall. A lavender and cream wallpaper would be a sassy alternative to paint. Plus, the cream will provide a bridge between the wallpaper and white walls. A horizontal five-inch lavender and cream stripe paint treatment will have the same effect.

Finally, drapery is the ultimate and most luxe finishing touch in a room whether you do lavender and white patterned panels, a leading edge or horizontal stripes as we did for a young couple’s living room on HGTV’s Pure Design. If custom drapes are not in the budget (they’ll start at $120 per panel plus fabric), there are plenty of fabulous ready-made panels on the market to which you can add a four-inch purple leading edge or 24-inch width of fabric at the bottom. We kept the walls white, but imagine them in lavender, or better yet with a graphic wallpaper — magnificent.

Send your small-space question to asksampynn@gmail.com
© Copyright (c) National Post


http://www.househunting.ca/montreal/buying-homes/delicious+colour+first+time+buyer/4239488/story.html

C'mon, baby, light your fire....

Rebecca Rogers, 12, roasts marshmallows at a portable firepit in the backyard of her home in Toronto.
Photograph by: Tyler Anderson, National Post

Back in the day, no self-respecting backyard would be caught dead without a display of patio lanterns.

Now, it's all about firepits and firepots, stylish gizmos that cast a merry glow, can help warm the cool evening air, and run on everything from propane to ethanol.

They range from the $399 Jackson Patio Fire, a Jackson Grills firepit available at Romantic Fireplaces & BBQS in Orléans and dandy for a wiener roast, to the four-footlong, decorative Linear Patio Flame by Napoleon Grills ($1,299 at Ottawa's The Fireplace Center & Patio Shop).

Both products are made in Canada and are even safe for backyard decks. Whereas strict regulations govern open-air wood fires, natural gas, propane and ethanol-fired appliances like these are permitted in the City of Ottawa.

"People like creating backyard oases," says Mike Pilon, president of Romantic Fireplaces & BBQs (romanticfireplaces.com). "These give you some heat and comfort and extend the season."

Pilon's company also designs and builds larger, custom firepits starting at $1,500. They include traditional campfire-like models and sleek, contemporary designs.

Some off-the-shelf products use a standard barbecue-style propane tank or alcohol-based gel fuel. Others tap into natural gas lines or large propane tanks, requiring professional installation.

Big box stores have got into the act. Home Depot (homedepot.ca) sells the Paramount line including the mood-creating, table top Gel Pot Cream. At $39.99, the seven-inch-tall ceramic firepot has river rocks cradling a small, central flame. It runs on clean-burning gel fuel.

http://www.househunting.ca/montreal/homes-and-gardens/baby+light+your+fire/4837016/story.html

WIRED OR WIRELESS?

Pulling cyberspace into the home can be a daunting experience for those not familiar with terms such as 801, 12a, b, g and n Wi-Fi; Cat-5 Ethernet cables and Gigabit routers. For the average Canadian just wanting to set up a simple home network, it can all be a bit overwhelming.

Fortunately, the debate over wired versus wireless home networks is easy to resolve. Deciding which option to choose is "really all about choice and how a family uses their Internet," said Chris Fudge, HP Canada's vice-president of consumer business. "Both options have benefits and drawbacks, so the choice really comes down to personal preferences and factors like installation, cost, reliability, performance needs and security."

Let's talk tech: A wired network uses Cat-5 cables to physically link computers, a broadband modem (for connecting to the Web), a router, and perhaps Internet-capable TVs, game consoles and Internet radios (audio devices that tune to Web-based radio stations). In contrast, a wireless network uses radio waves to link these devices. Each device transmits and receives signals over the air. This is why setting a password on the wireless router — the electronic gatekeeper that manages and controls the network — is a must. A password keeps out intruders, just as a front-door lock keeps out burglars.

Because a wired network uses physical cabling that is immune to wireless hackers, it is more secure than wireless. Wired networks also move data much faster than wireless networks can, are more stable and have more carrying capacity. These capabilities matter if you want to stream high-definition movies from your home computer to your HDTV set, said Ted Kritsonis, spokesman for online retailer NewEgg.ca."Unless your wireless-connected TV is really close to your wireless router, the signals can experience dropout," he said. "This makes your video stop and start, an effect known as stuttering."

Given that wired networks are operationally superior to wireless networks, why would anyone want to go wireless? One reason is mobility: "With a wireless network, you can move around the house with your laptop and stay connected," said Darryl Rosenfeldt, director of Future Shop's ConnectPro installation services division. "A wired network forces you to stay wherever the Cat-5 cable connections are."

Wireless networks are also easy to add new devices to. With a wired network, you have to literally run a new cable from the router to the new device. This means either having cables running along the floor, or opening up the walls and building them in. In contrast, adding a new wireless device is easy: Just turn it on, connect to the wireless router, enter in the password, and presto: You're on the home network!

On the negative side, wireless networks are prone to performance issues due to radio interference. Warning: The more people who use wireless in your neighbourhood, the more likely your network performance will slow down due to interfering signals. In some areas of North America, the airwaves are becoming so congested that wireless networking isn't practical. Add the fact that some wireless networks run on the same radio bands as baby monitors and cordless phones, and the chances for interference are very real.

http://www.househunting.ca/montreal/decorating/Wired+wireless/4826763/story.html

How Do You Spell Curb Appeal?

It doesn't matter if you're just starting out in a new home, thinking about selling, or staying put - buffing up the curb appeal of your house is an absolute must. How your home looks from the outside is the first impression viewers get of who lives inside.

And real estate agents will tell you when it comes to selling, there is no bigger turn-off than a messy front yard or sad-looking front door.

We gathered sage advice from area gardening and home professionals to help you spruce up the front of your house.

Clean up: The cheapest way to put a shine on the old address is to grab the rake and get busy.

Weed, trim edges for a clean appearance and prune and shape overgrown bushes. Snip off lower branches of pines for a good neat factor.

Add mulch or stones under cedars and around flower beds. Just like a new haircut, you will feel lighter by the end of the day.

Urban choices: Most of us live in the city, be it a tight bit of city bliss or in a suburb where neighbours are within touching distance. Choose trees carefully, says Trevor Cullen, co-owner of Cullen Landscaping on March Road.

Look for compact trees, including the Canadian Serviceberry or the Japanese Silk Lilac, suited to smaller urban lots. They will grow to 4.5 metres (15 feet). If you desperately love maples, be sure they are planted at least 12 metres (40 feet) from your house, says Cullen.

Smart Planting for the dry days of summer

Ewan MacKenzie has his eye on the weather. He sees that heavy rain is in the forecast, but he also knows things are going to change.

Summer is coming and just as sure as there are puddles everywhere in spring, there will be parched earth and thirsty gardens once we get a string of sunny days.

“Eighty per cent of the year we have a problem getting rid of water here,” says MacKenzie, co-owner of Exemplar Horticulture, of Abbotsford.

“And yet, come summer, we are all on watering restrictions. We can get 60 to 100 inches of rain a year and the same area can be bone dry in summer. It sounds a little crazy but that is the reality in many gardens.”

MacKenzie thinks the answer for many gardeners looking for a low-maintenance landscape is to make better use of drought-tolerant plants — ones that are hardy enough to survive the cold and wet of winter, provided soil is well drained, and capable of flourishing with minimal watering through the overheated days of summer.

“When most people think of drought-tolerant gardens, they think of adobe buildings and cactus, which is totally false.

“That may be the case in Southern California or Arizona, but there are a lot of areas here in B.C. where people have drought problems, such as on the Gulf Islands, where many people don’t have their own water supply and have to harvest rainwater from their roof.”

When MacKenzie moved from Scotland to Abbotsford 16 years ago, he was surprised to find a total ban on watering lawns.

“That really drove it home to me that we have got to be more creative in our use of plants. Now we are going to have water metering. There has never been a more important time to concentrate on getting the right drought-tolerant plant in the right place.”

MacKenzie is one of the main suppliers of ornamental grasses in Western Canada, sending drought-tolerant species to the B.C. Interior as well as into Alberta.

He uses the terms “drought-tolerant gardening” and “smart gardening” interchangeably; to him, they are one of the same.




http://www.househunting.ca/montreal/Homes-and-Gardens/Smart+planting+days+summer/4827058/story.html

Designer Karen Hall says bungalows are making a comeback......

"Modern cottage" is the term interior designer Karen Hall uses to describe her renovated Wildwood bungalow.
Bathed in white and light, it conjures up casual summer holidays by the lake, with the amenities of a city. But for all its simplicity, the inviting home has flair.
"It's very European. I mix a lot of old with new," says Hall, owner of CIRCA Interior Designs. "I like the comforts of modern but I love big puffy furniture and old chippy things."
Her sink-down comfy white Montauk sofa sits next to an industrial coffee table made from an old factory conveyor belt topped with glass. It's but one example of "eclectic" in a house where antique wardrobes hold new white linens and a modern kitchen, shiny with stainless steel appliances and Italian marble floors and counters, stands beside a dining room with a primitive farm table, antique chairs and a stunning chandelier.
"That's a personal weakness of mine," says Hall about her nine vintage chandeliers from Sweden, France and Italy.
"I love age. It's like our own wrinkles. It's character. It's history. It tells a story."

http://www.househunting.ca/montreal/Buying-Homes/Designer+Karen+Hall+says+bungalows+making+comeback/4809324/story.html

Buyers Say No To Fixer Uppers

In the overheated housing market of five years ago, buyers often felt they had to accept homes in woeful condition. But these days, most look at "as-is" properties and say, "No thanks."

Photograph by: Thinkstock, Postmedia News

In the overheated housing market of five years ago, buyers often felt they had to accept homes in woeful condition. But these days, most look at "as-is" properties and say, "No thanks."

"I try to stay away from things that need a lot of work," said Michael Lisa of Chestnut Ridge, New York., who is searching for a home in New Jersey.

"Buyers will tolerate nothing," said Maria Rini, a Re/Max agent in Oradell, N.J. A recent Coldwell banker survey found that 87 per cent of first-time buyers said a move-in-ready home is important to them.

"This is absolutely the story of this market. It seems buyers will pay a premium, engage in a bidding war and even overpay just to avoid buying a 'project' house," said Beth Freed of Terrie O'Connor Realtors in Ridgewood, N.J.

As a result, real estate agents strongly advise sellers to fix up their homes for quicker and more profitable sales.

For example, when Kate Conover recently listed a Franklin Lakes, N.J., colonial, she encouraged the seller to replace the roof and driveway, repair ceilings, rip up carpets and paint interiors.

Paying contractors to do the work cost almost $40,000, but Conover estimated it added well over $100,000 to the asking price.

"There is no question homes that have been spruced up for the market sell quicker," said Conover, a Re/Max agent.

But she recommended against major renovations - such as replacing the kitchen and baths. Most agents agree with that philosophy, saying sellers shouldn't risk spending more than they'll get back in the sale price. That's especially true with major kitchen and bath renovations because they're so much a matter of taste.

"No matter what you do, it may not be the buyer's choice anyway," said Antoinette Gangi, a Re/Max agent in Woodcliff Lake, N.J.

On the other hand, agents say that major maintenance and safety issues - such as underground oil tanks and leaky roofs - must be dealt with before the home goes on the market, because buyers are unwilling to take them on.

Beyond those kinds of headaches, sellers can make a big difference with simple and relatively inexpensive fixes: painting the walls, getting rid of clutter and pulling up carpets to show the hardwood floors.

And spruce up the front yard and entryway to make a good first impression. In the same vein, Gangi recommends painting the front door if it's looking tired.

"Curb appeal is very important, and the front door is the first thing you see," Gangi said.

Getting rid of clutter (as part of an overall deep cleaning) is probably the most cost-effective step, agents say. When sellers resist this advice, Rini reminds them they'll have to pack up their stuff when they move anyway.

"You've got to clean it out sometime; if you do it now, it's going to benefit you financially," she said.

http://www.househunting.ca/montreal/Buying-Homes/Buyers+fixer+uppers/4731318/story.html

http://www.househunting.ca/montreal/Buying-Homes/Buyers+fixer+uppers/4731318/story.html

Fall Preparation
- Don't "Fall" into the Season Without Preparing Your Home Getting your home ready for the cooler weather
Proper maintenance of your home and garden will help preserve your investment. And best of all, keeping your house in tip-top shape this fall will prevent any unnecessary chores in the spring.
Outdoor Projects
- Complete exterior painting before cooler weather arrives
- Check and repair exterior lighting before daylight fades
- Store lawn ornaments and patio furniture in a shed or basement. If space is limited, weather-resistant covers can protect outdoor furnishings
- Cover air conditioner and barbecue to prevent winter damage
- Close your pool before leaves start to fall, and nighttime temperatures begin to drop. Sooner than that and you risk an algae bloom
- Store kids toys indoors or in an outdoor shed to prevent rusting and fading
Lawn & Garden
- Till and prepare planting beds when the soil is relatively dry. By adding soil and mulch to your beds, you'll be a step ahead for spring planting
- Plant spring blooming bulbs and perennials
- Protect roses, saplings and small trees by sheltering them with a burlap screen
- Pull weeds to reduce the number of seedlings next spring
- Mow grass short for the final cut of the year by reducing the cutting height gradually to 3.5 cm (from 7.4 cm) until the grass stops growing
Indoor Preparation
- Bring container plants indoors, making sure they are free of pests. Doing so may enable plants to survive the season and bloom again in spring
- Check and clean your humidifier. Empty the tank, dry the inside surfaces and refill with clean water. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions

Snow Safety Tips

Snow Safety Tips to Survive the Winter Weather
The cold winter weather shouldn't limit time enjoyed working on the home outdoors. Before venturing outside, ensure proper safety precautions are taken to avoid an accident or injury. Consider the following snow safety tips from The Home Depot Canada to help keep warm and safe all season long.
- Dress for outdoor success. Whether at work or play, bundle up in layered clothing to allow for better evaporation of perspiration. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Wear boots or overshoes with non-skid soles to avoid slips and falls.
- Master the right shoveling technique. Before shoveling the walkway or driveway, ensure you are physically able. Arm yourself with a quality shovel that will last the entire winter. Lift with your leg muscles, not your back and remember, pace yourself and take frequent breaks.
- Blow it away. If shoveling is not your fancy, consider using a snow blower to push the white stuff away. Maintaining the blower will enhance performance and increase longevity. Check areas such as the engine oil levels, blower system chute positioning and tire pressure on a regular basis.
- Light the way. Since visibility is reduced in snowy weather and the winter brings darkness earlier, make sure you have well-lit walkways around the outside of the home.
- Roof clearing. If you need to clear the roof, try using long-handled snow rakes or poles. Should you require a ladder, make certain that the base is securely anchored. Ask a friend, family member or neighbour to hold the ladder while you climb.
- Winter warm-up. After spending time outdoors, snuggle up with a loved one and drink warm beverages like hot chocolate, coffee, tea or soup.