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Decorating On a Budget - From the Ground Up

Spring is a time of renewal. The drab outdoors bursts forth with vibrant color, as tiny shoots emerge from the ground to blossom brilliantly under sunny skies. Nature decorates first from the ground and then spreads its beauty throughout the landscape.

So why is it that so many overlook flooring when refreshing their home decor after a long, drab winter? This year, take a cue from Mother Nature and start your spring decorating from the ground up.

While refreshing rooms with bright new paint colors and lively window treatments is an important step in any spring decorating project, don't forget the floor. Too often, homeowners fail to update flooring when redecorating a room and wind up at odds with their goal to create a brand-new, fresh look. Today, most consumers find themselves following a strict budget, and flooring is expensive to replace, right?

Think again. It's easy to update a tired room and outdated floor without breaking the bank. Stylish but budget-friendly fiber-backed resilient sheet flooring like Tarkett FiberFloor, which earned a prestigious "BestBuy" rating from "Consumers Digest" magazine for value and durability, gives you the best of both worlds. FiberFloor not only looks great and mimics natural flooring but also stands up to the stomping, jumping and everyday life found in homes.

"In this economy, homeowners are still redecorating, but they're doing it smarter," says Mario Allard, Tarkett Residential director of resilient products. "They want dependable products that provide ongoing value and look great."

With value, performance and the good looks it delivers, it's no wonder fiber-backed resilient is today's fastest growing segment in the flooring category. What's more, it also comes in a wide variety of designs to meet any personal style. Are you funky and eclectic? Do you gravitate toward a contemporary look? Or do you like something more traditional and austere? There's fiber-backed resilient sheet flooring out there for any taste and budget.

Also, don't be afraid to think outside the box. While many homeowners want to replicate the look of attractive natural materials - slate, bamboo, stone and hardwood - resilient flooring, like FiberFloor, also comes in a vast array of colors and textures, providing stylish options for any decor.

"Savvy homeowners have discovered that fiber-backed resilient sheet flooring products aren't their grandmother's vinyl," notes Allard. "Today's options offer incomparable design, style and durability at a price that doesn't throw a carefully balanced budget off track."

When selecting a new floor, be sure to keep comfort in mind, too. A floor might look good, but it might not feel good underfoot, have poor insulation properties or carry sound noisily - all undesirable comfort factors that should be taken into account during the selection process. That's one of the reasons today's fiber-backed resilient products have comfort features like improved foam density, which delivers added performance and durability, not to mention warmth, comfort and a quiet living space.

Once the perfect flooring has been selected, it's easy to fill the rest of the space with bold, cheerful colors thanks to paint, window treatments and fun accessories like cushions, vases and artwork.

"Making the right flooring choice first really pulls the rest of a room together," Allard says. "Once you lay the foundation - in this case, an attractive, new floor - the rest of the design elements easily will fall into place . . . all with your budget in mind." For more information, visit www.tarkettna.com or call (800) 367-8275.
~ Courtesy of:  ARA Content

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Take the sweat out of your DIY projects this year

You've been dreaming about digging in your garden, tweaking your landscaping or improving your house all winter long. Finally the weather is nice, your yard is clear and dry and it's time for you to get your hands dirty and start working.

Having an off-road vehicle handy can help you save time and money - handling the heavy work that could require additional workers. Here are some ways having an off-road vehicle can help you with the home project you have planned:

* Hauling rocks or mulch around your yard is exhausting. The value-priced Polaris RANGER 400 side-by-side allows you and your helper to move and distribute these materials in different garden beds or around all your trees without tearing up your grass when the machine is set in turf mode.

* Remove dead branches and tow out bushes and trees easily using an off-road vehicle. Just hook up a winch around the bush to the vehicle's bumper and slowly apply pressure as you drive forward.

* Smooth out fresh dirt with a plow. Raking by hand is messy, and takes a lot of time. Instead, hook up a plow to your ATV and gently smooth out the dirt with the plow lowered to the level you want. If the dirt is already level, attach a pull-behind rake to your vehicle to make the dirt perfect for planting or seeding.

* Cart lumber from the driveway to the back patio for easier access to the house project you're working on. This will allow you to take fewer trips and saves your muscles from a few aches and pains, and also splinters. You also can reduce the number of helpers you need for the project - just make sure you have another person handy to help you load up the ATV.
* If you have a boat dock, use your off-road vehicle to tow it into the water for some summer fun.

After all the hard work, take your vehicle out on the trail for a bit of fun. The RANGER 400 side-by-side fits into the bed of a full-sized pickup, making it easy for you and a family member to take a break from the work and hit the trails at up to 40 miles per hour. Don't forget to throw a picnic cooler into the bed so you can extend the trip.   ~ Courtesy of:  ARA Content

Conquer Clost Creep With These Time-Saving Tips

Closet creep is real. No, your possessions aren't multiplying in the middle of the night, though it may seem that way. But it does take resolve to tame the tendency to keep more than is discarded so your home stays organized and clutter-free.

Having the right storage solutions on hand also can go a long way towards helping you get organized and maintain a comfortable, grab-and-go lifestyle. Many do-it-yourself closet systems are available to help with your closet transformation. While professionally installed closet solutions can run thousands of dollars, you can pick up a ready-to-assemble kit containing everything you need to start creating a stylish custom closet in a weekend. So you can have the closet you want without a hefty price tag.

But first, a little planning is in order. Start by purging the chosen closet of items you no longer use. Banish sentimentality, and police your thoughts for these familiar closet-killers:

* "I'll be ready when that comes back in style."

* "When I lose the weight, I'll wear it again."

* "I don't really like it, but it was a gift."

* "It's out of style, but I always loved it."

Just can't let it go? Try putting the item on probation by taking it out of your active closet and placing it in alternative storage - a basement or attic. In a year, if you haven't been tempted to dig it out, you'll be ready to pitch it - and well on your way to a more clutter-free home.

Next, organize the items by type and count them. How many pairs of shoes, pants, belts, suits and dresses do you need to accommodate? Then, measure your closet and investigate solutions that make the best use of every inch of space.

Many new homes are outfitted with wire closet systems, but adjustable and beautiful wood solutions, such as Home Options Storage Solutions, found in Lowe's stores, are more attractive and often more flexible. The unique, all-in-one-box starter kit, containing one tower, three shelves, three rods, three drawers and one wide shelf, has everything you need to get started.

In the meantime, what to do with your closet clutter? Unload it for some quick cash on eBay, craigslist.org, at a local consignment shop or the neighborhood rummage sale, or take it to a donation drop-bin. Or have a "purge party" with friends, where everyone brings and swaps gently used clothing, shoes, purses, scarves and jewelry. Whatever is left at the end of the party is donated to charity. For more information on how to maximize your storage space, visit http://www.homeoptionsstorage.com/.  ~Courtesy of:  ARA Content

Creating An Outdoor Living Room

For leisurely entertaining this summer, take full advantage of the great outdoors and extend your living space by creating an outdoor room. Why not have an outdoor living room with comfortable seating for all or your friends, or a space where you could fire up the grill and dine out under the stars? Adding a level, low maintenance surface, like a patio, will give you not only the pleasure of living in your outdoor space, but of loving it too.

A great way to create this space is by installing pavers, bricks, or stone to create beautiful patios and paths. Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, it can be as easy as installing a winding path to connect your home to your garden or creating a space for a cozy bench to watch the birds splashing in the bird bath.

Pavers come in many different shapes, sizes and colors, offering you ways to customize your ideas to match your house and landscaping. Once you have your patio or walkways installed, you can make your backyard inviting and appealing all summer long.  Continue Reading >>

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