As a flooring material, travertine is typically sold in tile form and comes in a variety of earth tone colors, including tans, browns, rust, and beige hues. It is a very durable stone, and while it is easier to care for than some types of natural stone, travertine is very heavy, and its porousness requires that you seal the surface regularly. It is not appropriate for all locations. But a properly installed and cared for travertine floor can add a unique blend of mountain-born beauty to interior spaces....

Common Problems With Laminate Basement Flooring Groundwater: A basement’s subfloor usually consists of a concrete slab that acts as the foundation for the structure. This slab is surrounded by earth that contains various amounts of water depending on rainfall and humidity. In older buildings, there usually is no vapor barrier between the earth and the concrete, and this allows moisture to slip from the ground into the slab and up to the surface floor....

Kitchen towels are the unsung heroes of the kitchen, the cleanup crew that mops up messes, wipes down counters, and dries hands, produce, and dishes. We rarely think about them until we need them—a dire situation that we avoid at all costs since we have five kids, lots of messes, and loads of laundry. One thing is for certain: Not all kitchen towels are alike. From thin to thick, small to large, soft and fluffy to stiff and smooth, and even, plain white to decorative, certain rags excel at particular jobs in the kitchen and the home....

Vinyl Fencing Cost The average cost for a vinyl fence in the U.S. varies and is dependent on size, height and current cost of materials. Labor costs will also vary. Some add-ons that will raise the price include fence post caps, texturing, lattice effects, and gates. Plus, the thickness of the material itself will affect the price. Cheap vinyl fences generally are thin and can easily be dented or otherwise damaged....

Bunk beds are a great way to provide sleeping space while conserving floor area. With many color options and configurations to choose from, it can be hard to choose the right option for your room and set up. There are a lot of factors to think about before making this lasting furniture purchase. Read a review of the Walker Edison Furniture Classic Wood Twin Bunk to see how it worked for our growing family....

We spoke with two design experts, who explained why and when you may want to pick grommet curtains over another curtain style. Why Are Grommet Curtains Used? One of the main advantages of grommet curtains is ease—the rings allow the curtains to easily slide along the curtain rod, allowing you to quickly open or close the curtains without a lot of fuss. “They are a great option often used in contemporary style designs, and are a great option for extra large windows because of how easy they are to draw,” says Kristin Patrician of Dwelling Envy Interiors....

Growing Conditions Light: Full sun. Perfect for a sunny window.Water: Water during the summer and spring, making sure drainage is immaculate. Reduce water in the winter to monthly.Temperature: Prefers average summer temps (65ºF - 70ºF). In winter, some varieties can withstand temperatures down to freezing.Soil: A well-drained succulent mix, with an ideal pH around 6.0 (slightly acidic).Fertilizer: Feed with a controlled-release fertilizer in the beginning of the season or weekly with a weak liquid solution....

Most of your choices to xeriscape in the shade will be with perennial flowers, but a few shrubs also fit the bill, including: Golden Sun firethorn (Pyracantha Soleil d’Or) Japanese skimmia (Skimmia japonica subsp. reevesiana) Japanese rose (Kerria japonica) Firethorn is an evergreen with thorny branches that becomes 6 to 8 feet tall and wide. The spines make it ideal for landscaping property lines where discouraging intruders is held at a premium....

Raised bed gardening is an old gardening practice, but it is currently growing in popularity because it offers several advantages to simply growing your plants in level ground. It has advantages for your soil, your plants, drainage, and pest control, as well as several other benefits. Improved Soil Control If you have better soil, you have better plants. In a raised bed, you can bring in the best garden soil and work in plenty of organic matter or soil amendments as needed....

During dormancy, plants stop growing and conserve energy until better cultural conditions present themselves. This happens naturally as seasons and weather changes. And it can also be artificially controlled to store plants for shipping or to get them to flower for particular holidays. Tulip and daffodil bulbs, for example, can be artificially chilled to send them into dormancy, then brought out of dormancy at the desired time to force them into bloom when required, such as for Valentine’s Day potted plants or Easter lily displays....

Variable Light Output Three-way bulbs are most often used where people tend to spend a fair amount of time doing a variety of activities, such as in the living room or den. For instance, reading print material is often better with a medium level of light. When watching TV or working with a backlit screen, you may prefer a lower level. If you’re doing a task which requires viewing it clearly, such as sewing, that’s when you’ll want more light....

Types of Sparrows The term “sparrow” covers a wide range of relatively small, mostly drab brown birds, which birders often call “LBJs” or “little brown jobs” because they can be notoriously difficult to identify. While many of these birds include the word “sparrow” in their common names, other types of sparrows include buntings, towhees, and juncos. In fact, there are dozens of different sparrow species throughout the world—more than 35 of which are found in North America....

Reasons to Install an Electrical Subpanel A common reason for installing an electrical subpanel is to separate the electrical functions of one area from another area. When a house is split up as a duplex or if there is an accessory dwelling area on the property, it is beneficial to keep those circuits separate from the circuit that feeds into it. Inaccessible Service Panel It can be a problem if the tenant in the accessory dwelling overloads a circuit and the circuit breaks in a main area that is inaccessible to the tenant....

A prairie-style home is significantly less fussy than a Victorian house of the same era. This movement comes after decades of revival movements like the Classical and Colonial Revivals. Young architects were tired of these archaic European styles and wanted to create something fresh and appropriate for modern American living. The basic foundation of Prairie School architecture is that a dwelling should function for its dwellers without being too elaborate or decorated....

Origins If you associate retro style with the Mad Men era, you’re on the right track. Primarily, retro style “refers widely to the mid-century time frame, where we saw a lot of distinct styles come forth in colors, patterns, furniture and decor,” explains designer Eleanor Trepte. “Original retro style is rooted in the color and design ethos of the ’60s and ’70s, but faded away in the ’80s through early aughts as other, more contemporary design styles came into favor....

With its practical functionality and natural feel, Scandinavian design continues to grow in popularity. Learn more about this soothing interior design style and how you can incorporate its key principles into your space. The Origins of Scandinavian Minimalism Scandinavian minimalism started in the 20th century. This design style emerged out of a desire to create functional but aesthetically appealing furniture and decor that was easily accessible to the general population....

Starting Seeds in Garden Soil You certainly could use soil directly from your garden to start seedlings indoors, but garden soil comes with two major disadvantages: It contains undesirable elements: Disease and fungal spores, bacteria, nematodes, insects, weed seeds, and other unwanted components can easily hitch a ride with your garden soil. Natural predators and weather phenomenon help keep these things in check in the garden. To use garden soil indoors, you have to sterilize it with some sort of heat treatment (not recommended and difficult to achieve)....

With dark blue shutters on an egg-blue Ranch-style home, this Florida home fits its location. Consider how combinations of colors bring together your house. Simple changes, like painting the door a dark blue like the shutters, might lend more balance to the curb appeal. With all the work you put into painting your house, curb appeal can be quickly destroyed by a window air conditioner or a more permanent dish antenna....

What Are Truffles? Truffles are fungi that grow 3 to 12 inches under the soil surface on the roots of specific host trees, with which they have a symbiotic relationship called mycorrhizal symbiosis. There are numerous truffle species but two species belonging to the Tuber genus are the culinary most relevant types: black truffles and white truffles. The look of truffles is deceiving—they are not attractive like other mushrooms with caps and gills....