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“We talk about the ABC’s of insulation,” says Taylor Webb, a construction consultant and insulation expert with Home Solutions of Iowa. “ABC refers to ‘attics, basements, and conditioned spaces,’ and that’s the order in which you’ll get the most bang for your buck when insulating your home. Since your attic is hot in the summer and cold in the winter, you need a good insulation barrier to stop that unconditioned air from transferring into the conditioned part of your home and vice versa....

Fortunately, there are some killer home decorating blogs that show you how to refresh, revive, and fall in love with your home anew without breaking the bank. For a home that looks far more expensive than it costs to create, check out the following blogs for all of the interior inspiration and DIY tutorials you’ll ever need.

Botanical Facts About Quaking Aspen Trees Quaking aspen trees (botanical name Populus tremuloides, and also commonly called “trembling aspens”) have a golden-yellow fall foliage color, after bearing deep-green leaves all summer. The origin of the name “quaking” lies in the fact that the foliage of aspens shimmers or quakes when there is a breeze. This quality is due to the trees’ flattened petioles, or leaf stalks. What you are hearing is the beating of leaves, as they shake and slap against each other....

There are a few ways to approach color from a feng shui perspective. There are different feng shui color systems, including the five elements. Different colors also have different cultural associations and personal meanings, and it’s important to consider those things, as well, when you’re choosing colors for your home. If you’re interested in learning more about how to think about color from a feng shui perspective, here are some of the major colors in feng shui and their significance....

But did you know she’s also a cleaning guru? Hear us out. Yes, she’s a celebrity who likely has a lot of help around the house, but when we chatted with her via Zoom in December about her new Conscious Cleaning line, she shared some brilliant cleaning tips (spoiler alert: the best one involves putting her kids to work!). You’re going to want to add these to your routine, STAT....

Most storage bins are manufactured fully formed and, when you buy them, each bin takes a similarly sized shopping bag or shipping box to get to your home. Much of the space in those bags or boxes is just air, and to storage savant and entrepreneur Ben Spivack, that seemed to be a lot of waste. As someone literally born into the storage industry, he knew there had to be a better way....

When it comes to interior design, Dawn Cook of BLDC Design is a master of blending new with old. Part of this might be from her home base of Shaker Heights—one of Ohio’s most historic neighborhoods. But, as she says in her bio, she “knows when to add drama and the moment to use restraint.” It makes sense, then, that Cook’s pick for her must-have work accessory is something small and simple, but mightier than a sword....

When laying ceramic or porcelain tile, liquid adhesives are necessary for the tile to fulfill all of these conditions and to firmly stick to its substrate. Mastic and thinset mortar are types of adhesives most often used for ceramic, porcelain, and glass tile installations. Both materials can be confusing because of several overlapping applications. Which should you use and where should you use them? Tile Thinset Inorganic and composed of materials mined from the earth, thinset is inexpensive and can be purchased either in wet, pre-mixed or dry, powdery form....

The white sapote bears a medium-sized, round fruit with a sweet and somewhat delicate white flesh. Aside from the white sapote (C. edulis), there are about five other species in this genus. Typical specimens from the genus grow into small trees or large shrubs and are evergreen in tropical regions. They can be grown in large containers indoors, although as with all tropical fruit, bringing a specimen to fruit will be a challenge....

Homes take a lot of work, both inside and out, including landscaping and other general upkeep. That alone can change an owner’s tune on ownership. In recent years, many people have pulled up stakes and moved to another location, either a new town, a new state or a different type of dwelling. Part of that trend is homeowners selling and returning to the world of apartment rentals. The reasons behind such a move are as varied as the people making them....

Year 1: Start seeds or seedlingsYear 2: Last year’s biennials will bloom, then go to seed. Start more seeds or seedlings to bloom next year.Year 3: Seeds from 1st planting of biennials will sprout and just grow foliage. The second planting will bloom, then go to seed.Year 4: From here on, some plants will be going to seed and other flowering every year.

Often, it’s not possible to change the position of your stove. If this is the case, you can add a mirror in a location that allows you to see the door behind you while you’re cooking. If you’re not in the market for a new stove, an easy way to double the number of burners on your stove is to do so energetically with a reflection. Place a mirror or mirrored object where it can reflect your stove burners....

“About two years ago, we made the decision to move upstate full-time,” she explains. “We found Hudson to be a perfect combination of a small city with great restaurants and young families, along with nearby farms and outdoor space for our son to run around.” Now, Fisher shares her space with us, with a cozy and welcoming aesthetic that she describes as “lived-in eclectic.” The Victorian Brownstone of Her Dreams The Victorian brownstone offers 3,800 square feet, and every inch is a dream for Fisher....

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Purchasing a pair of slippers is much, much harder than it sounds. You want the coziest pair, a comforting home to introduce to your feet after a long day of whatever comes your way. There are so many options—fur-lined, open-back, moccasins, boots, the list goes on. I tested the UGG Ansley Slipper, wearing them around my apartment for a full week to get a feel for just how comfortable they really are....

Viscaria flowers will generally start as small, grass-like tufts of foliage, eventually reaching about 5 inches in height before producing flowering stalks. Viscaria is also called sticky catchfly, clammy campion, and rose of heaven. Its “sticky” nickname comes from its gummy, viscous substance that catches bugs nosing around. The stalks can rise as high as 12 to 18 inches tall. Viscaria plants are usually stiff enough to hold their own weight, but if you plant one of the taller varieties of viscaria, you may need to provide stakes or other forms of support....

How the Furnace Switch Works According to building codes, a furnace must be supplied by a dedicated circuit, meaning the circuit cannot supply power to anything other than the furnace. This circuit is served by its own circuit breaker in the breaker box (properly called the main service panel). The circuit wiring runs from the service panel to the disconnect switch, and from there to the furnace. Generally, the disconnect switch looks exactly like an ordinary wall switch used to control light fixtures....

When their children are little, parents often place mattress protectors on their beds to protect against overnight accidents. While this is an excellent use of a mattress protector, you don’t have to wet the bed to want or need to sleep on a mattress protector. Ultimately, mattress protectors are effective tools to help you keep your mattress in top-notch shape for as long as possible. What Do Mattress Protectors Do?...