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Yet building your own home (meaning to hire a general contractor to complete a new-construction home) has an undeniable allure. A new house can be designed exactly for your needs. It comes with few, if any, hidden problems. Hazardous materials such as lead-based paint and asbestos are non-existent. New advantages are built into the house, and old problems are left out. So, it’s no surprise that most people would choose to build their own home rather than buy an old home if all other factors were the same....

Originating in the Brazilian rainforest, all varieties of a Christmas cactus can be started any time of the year indoors as a houseplant until the summer when you can replant or move it outdoors. Given the right care, your cactus should grow fast and bloom at the beginning of each winter. To encourage more stems, grow your Christmas cactus as a hanging plant or place it where it has room to drape....

Under the right conditions, many houseplants will grow for a very long time. I have a neighbor who had plants for well over 30 years, but does that count as an heirloom if she passes it onto her kids or grandchildren? Absolutely! Author and founder of The Houseplant Guru, Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, shares her thoughts on heirloom plants and the most common varieties that live the longest. What Qualifies a Plant as an Heirloom?...

Size It Up The size you’ll need for your nursery will depend on the type of rug you’re interested in. A nursery area rug should either be big enough to anchor your major furniture pieces or small enough to sit independently of them. If you’re working with hardwood floors, it’s always best to choose a larger rug, ensuring that the front legs of your crib and other large furniture pieces overlap the carpet’s edge by at least a few inches....

Paint and Accessories Can Change Over Time When you’re choosing countertop color, you’ll be matching it to a color scheme for the room. Matching the countertops to a paint color can be gorgeous, but keep in mind that your color tastes may change and the room could be repainted. Strongly colored countertops that are chosen to match with paint, accessory, or furniture colors, can become outdated easily. Consider a countertop with veins or splashes of your favorite color, so you can keep your options open....

While many homeowners have had popcorn ceilings removed, many remain and are in need of cleaning. Cleaning is a bit time-consuming and it can be a messy job, but it can be done. How Often to Clean a Popcorn Ceiling Since the texture of popcorn ceilings traps dust, insects, and spider webs, they can become quite dull. Luckily, thorough cleaning once per year will help brighten them and reduce home allergens....

That Warm Squiggly Glow What makes Edison bulbs so unique? Filament. It’s the wire inside of them that casts their electrifying glow “Edison bulbs are fascinating for a few reasons,” says Chris. “The filament inside of them is what transforms them into illuminated art, so it’s important to feature them in the right fixture.” For example, you don’t want to hide these beauties behind a lampshade. If you want to show off your Edison bulbs keep them dimmed....