One of the best ways I know of to enjoy warm, sunny weather is sitting under a pergola. What is a pergola? A pergola is: an arbor or a passageway of columns supporting a roof of trelliswork.
Have you ever noticed how much atmosphere these add to a home? It's really quite amazing how much charm this adds to a garden, pool or entrance to a yard.
The wood adds warmth to the surroundings. Growing flowering vines next to the pergola and letting them envelop it, adds even more beauty and scent to the atmosphere. You can create an enchanted feeling in a garden with even a small pergola doing the above. Put a bench underneath and enjoy!
There are many ways to obtain a pergola. One such option would be to have a contractor give an estimate to build one (especially if the structure will be of a considerable size). If you are very handy, OSH Hardware has tips on building one in the Ortho Book available at their store. You can also order these from Home Depot or over the internet.
Take a look around your neighborhood, find a pergola and see the difference it makes!
Have fun.
Dawn Holloway
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Termite wood damage--replace or patch?
Well, as you all know, termite damage can be very expensive to repair for the areas in or around your home that are wood.
I found out about something recently that amazed me, had not a clue, so I'll share.
Wood can be patched with a bonding type of material (get it at Home Depot, Orchards or any home fix up place). It doesn't necessarily have to all be completely replaced.
For example, my sister-in-law has a wood patio cover that had termite damage.
The large bottom supporting beam was rotted out at one end and broken. This had to be completely replaced, along with a cross beam which was also badly damaged. There were other cross beams with termite damage, but they were non-support types of beams, so with this bonding material, they were patched!
Being able to patch, rather than completely replace, saved her around $2000.00!
Of course repairing would depend upon the location of the wood and if it supported anything of significant weight. If just decorative, then by all means, patch it if it will be less expensive! And get a contractor who is artistic to do this. These guys do exist and they put that added extra into making the repair look like actual wood! Or if it's a small enough project, get a Do-It-Yourself manual and have at it.
The contractor who did the repair on my sister-in-law's wood patio is very artistic, and made the patched places look like the actual wood grain.
The whole patio is painted now and looks great. (The painter was impressed with the work that was done on the wood also.)
Hope this tip helps you out, and I would love your comments.
Dawn
I found out about something recently that amazed me, had not a clue, so I'll share.
Wood can be patched with a bonding type of material (get it at Home Depot, Orchards or any home fix up place). It doesn't necessarily have to all be completely replaced.
For example, my sister-in-law has a wood patio cover that had termite damage.
The large bottom supporting beam was rotted out at one end and broken. This had to be completely replaced, along with a cross beam which was also badly damaged. There were other cross beams with termite damage, but they were non-support types of beams, so with this bonding material, they were patched!
Being able to patch, rather than completely replace, saved her around $2000.00!
Of course repairing would depend upon the location of the wood and if it supported anything of significant weight. If just decorative, then by all means, patch it if it will be less expensive! And get a contractor who is artistic to do this. These guys do exist and they put that added extra into making the repair look like actual wood! Or if it's a small enough project, get a Do-It-Yourself manual and have at it.
The contractor who did the repair on my sister-in-law's wood patio is very artistic, and made the patched places look like the actual wood grain.
The whole patio is painted now and looks great. (The painter was impressed with the work that was done on the wood also.)
Hope this tip helps you out, and I would love your comments.
Dawn
Monday, November 19, 2007
Your home as Art!
Art is a wonderful form of expression, and there are many ways to create that expression!
For instance, instead of hanging a standard picture on the wall, have a mural of your favorite scene painted there instead! Experience the depth and beauty of the colors in a richer, more life-like perspective.
Make your dining area into the "Pavement Cafe At Night" like that of Vincent van Gogh, or perhaps, have the green leafy vines of a garden surround you, on the walls, to create a garden patio atmosphere.
Have Norman Rockwell take you to an earlier, more innocent age by having his images painted along a hallway.
Or, make sleeping a magical experience for children by having a ceiling mural of stars with Walt Disney's, Peter Pan flying through the air.
Take your living room wall and open it up, by having it painted with "Lily Pond at Giverny" by Claude Monet. Make your wall the piece of art!
Murals add so much more life and color. With just a little imagination, your home can be an expression of beauty and joy!
Make your home into what you'd like it to be.
I'd love to hear comments that you might have!
And visit our web site at http://www.hollowayprojectsinc.com/
Have fun!
Dawn
For instance, instead of hanging a standard picture on the wall, have a mural of your favorite scene painted there instead! Experience the depth and beauty of the colors in a richer, more life-like perspective.
Make your dining area into the "Pavement Cafe At Night" like that of Vincent van Gogh, or perhaps, have the green leafy vines of a garden surround you, on the walls, to create a garden patio atmosphere.
Have Norman Rockwell take you to an earlier, more innocent age by having his images painted along a hallway.
Or, make sleeping a magical experience for children by having a ceiling mural of stars with Walt Disney's, Peter Pan flying through the air.
Take your living room wall and open it up, by having it painted with "Lily Pond at Giverny" by Claude Monet. Make your wall the piece of art!
Murals add so much more life and color. With just a little imagination, your home can be an expression of beauty and joy!
Make your home into what you'd like it to be.
I'd love to hear comments that you might have!
And visit our web site at http://www.hollowayprojectsinc.com/
Have fun!
Dawn
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Add life and beauty to your home.
There are so many ways to add more life and beauty to your home!
For instance, plants add SO MUCH to the atmosphere. They bring beauty, and if you are savvy about what you buy, they involve very little care. You can get plants at Home Depot for very reasonable prices. Grow your own fruit trees in pots on your porch! Or have wonderful smelling flowering potted plants that spread to make a porch or patio more private. Get a pre-made trellis and let the flowering plant spread over and thru it. You can buy a small trellis (not very expensively) from local nurseries or Home Depot. Orchard Hardware may also carry these. Have fun adding life to your home.
Get potted herbs and use these to decorate your table or put in your windows. They are also great for cooking! Herbs add their own distinct aroma to the air and are delicious! I bought a well established potted rosemary plant at Trader Joes recently and have it placed in a window.
When I want that aroma, I pinch off a bit of the plant and put it on my counter. You could also boil the herb and let that be a replacement for air fresheners!
Basil is another herb that smells terrific and can be potted. Break off the leaves and add to salad or oils for more flavor. When the leaves are crushed, the aroma is fantastic!
Another great source of plants and pots is the "99 cents only" store. ( I've had one plant from them for 2 years and it's doing well!) Depending on which location that you go to, you will find small cacti, leafy plants, ferns, etc. Just make sure that you look over the plant to see that it isn't dehydrated. It will last much longer if it has been watered properly.
There really are many ways to improve the look and feel of a home, and the addition of plants is just one avenue to achieve this.
Well, I hope you have fun, and feel free to make suggestions or comments!
http://www.hollowayprojectsinc.com/
For instance, plants add SO MUCH to the atmosphere. They bring beauty, and if you are savvy about what you buy, they involve very little care. You can get plants at Home Depot for very reasonable prices. Grow your own fruit trees in pots on your porch! Or have wonderful smelling flowering potted plants that spread to make a porch or patio more private. Get a pre-made trellis and let the flowering plant spread over and thru it. You can buy a small trellis (not very expensively) from local nurseries or Home Depot. Orchard Hardware may also carry these. Have fun adding life to your home.
Get potted herbs and use these to decorate your table or put in your windows. They are also great for cooking! Herbs add their own distinct aroma to the air and are delicious! I bought a well established potted rosemary plant at Trader Joes recently and have it placed in a window.
When I want that aroma, I pinch off a bit of the plant and put it on my counter. You could also boil the herb and let that be a replacement for air fresheners!
Basil is another herb that smells terrific and can be potted. Break off the leaves and add to salad or oils for more flavor. When the leaves are crushed, the aroma is fantastic!
Another great source of plants and pots is the "99 cents only" store. ( I've had one plant from them for 2 years and it's doing well!) Depending on which location that you go to, you will find small cacti, leafy plants, ferns, etc. Just make sure that you look over the plant to see that it isn't dehydrated. It will last much longer if it has been watered properly.
There really are many ways to improve the look and feel of a home, and the addition of plants is just one avenue to achieve this.
Well, I hope you have fun, and feel free to make suggestions or comments!
http://www.hollowayprojectsinc.com/
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tips for finding a good tradesperson
The first thing that comes to my mind when someone says "home improvement" is WORK, lots of time and worry involved. How are the workers going to treat me or "how are they going to put in the plumbing?" Is the electrical going to short out once they leave? How about when they demolish a wall, will the whole home be dust ridden, and how long will it take to get everything back to normal?
It's very important to make the right choices for whomever you hire, this way you are more assured that you'll have a much easier time with the job.
Things to look for are:
1. Always get a licensed contractor, this tells you that he's worked hard to achieve that status.
2. Check the contractor's license with the Contractors State License Board.
3. Does he answer your questions without irritation to your satisfaction?
4. Does the specialist provide you with a written estimate?
5. Do you feel comfortable with this person? After all, he will be in your home, and you need to feel safe.
Having work done on your home can be made simpler and much more worry free with doing just the above.
HollowayProjectsInc.com
It's very important to make the right choices for whomever you hire, this way you are more assured that you'll have a much easier time with the job.
Things to look for are:
1. Always get a licensed contractor, this tells you that he's worked hard to achieve that status.
2. Check the contractor's license with the Contractors State License Board.
3. Does he answer your questions without irritation to your satisfaction?
4. Does the specialist provide you with a written estimate?
5. Do you feel comfortable with this person? After all, he will be in your home, and you need to feel safe.
Having work done on your home can be made simpler and much more worry free with doing just the above.
HollowayProjectsInc.com
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