EPISODE #7 -
SATURDAY MAY 16, 2009
OK, so we've got some
nice weather in store for us this weekend. But, that
doesn't mean that all of our projects have to be outside.
Remember that summer entertaining will include guests inside the
house, as well. So, now is the perfect time to tackle
those home improvement chores, and get the house tidied up for
the nice weather. This week we've got some great tips on
updating the look of your bathroom with a simple project you can
do yourself. Then, we'll demonstrate how to make the most
out of lighting your rooms and what to do to keep your window
treatments looking like new. Take a few moments to try
some of these projects then get ready for the compliments from
your summer guests.
A reminder that we
can now be seen at our new
time on KOIN-6 in Portland, 8:00am, right before our
sister show "Garden Time," at 8:30am on KPTV-12.
Lighting Design For many of us, lighting a room means
screwing in a light bulb and flipping a switch. But for Al
Thomas from
Globe
Lighting (503-639-8816), it is a work of art. Al took
us to a special room to show us how different lighting
techniques can change the mood and focus of a room. For
this demonstration, we were in a dining room setup. First,
Al showed us what the room looked like with only the chandelier
over the table on, at its brightest. Then, he reduced the
brightness of the chandelier, and used recessed lighting to
highlight the table, make it the centerpiece of the room, and
create a sense of intimacy. For larger-group entertaining,
Al directed some lights onto the paintings on the wall.
This creates an intimate space that also encourages guests to
move about the room. Plus, it shows off the design and
architectural elements of the room. For more great
lighting ideas, go to the
Globe
Lighting website to find out about their monthly lighting
seminars. Green Supplies
The big
trend these days is making things “green” and Dan Lerma from
The
Container Store (503-620-5700) showed us some of the
eco-friendly products you can buy. Bamboo is very popular right
now, because it is sustainable, grows very quickly, and is
naturally anti-bacterial. Dan showed us a variety of
bamboo items, including a drawer organizer, a stacking organizer
for canned goods, and a kitchen composter. Many of the items
feature plastic parts, which are biodegradable. We also saw a
bulletin board made from recycled paper, several different kinds
of garbage containers, and “green” (both literally and
figuratively) bathroom soap and toothbrush holders. Baskets
made from recycled newspaper are also available. A bucket made
from recycled plastic bottles featured a microfiber mop which
can be laundered, and the handle has interchangeable parts, to
use as a broom.
One
household chore that often gets overlooked is cleaning our
window coverings. Amy Troute of ‘design
for home’ (503-805-1959) had some great advice for keeping
those window treatments looking clean and new. For “hard”
treatments like shutters or wood blinds, a wash cloth with a
mild detergent will work. However, for cloth or porous
materials, she suggests a clean white cloth, again with a mild
detergent. Ongoing maintenance is the best way to keep your
blinds and curtains looking fresh and new. Use the soft
attachment on your vacuum to keep dust and dirt from setting on
and in the blinds. For a stain, Amy recommends professional
help (for both Ken and the blinds). Professionals will know how
to clean specific spots without damaging your window treatments.
Northwest Cioppino The Northwest is
known for lots of things; beautiful outdoor scenery, clean air and fresh
and tasty produce. We stopped by the
Stone Cliff Inn
(503-631-7900) and met with Chef James Keeney to learn how he uses some
great local ingredients (including seafood) to make a cioppino with a
Northwest twist. This recipe has a little bit of prep before you fire up
the stove. You will want to cut up your vegetables, clean your seafood
and organize your ingredients first. Once you have everything ready it
will only take about 10 minutes to cook everything. To see how quickly
it can go together check out the video. If you don’t want to tackle this
recipe (or you want to compare your recipe) feel free to stop at the
scenic Stone Cliff Inn. Once you are there, see if you can recognize the
scenes at the restaurant that appeared in the recent ‘Twilight’ movie.
Even one of their employees appeared in the movie (see if you can guess
who the star is!). You can find Stone Cliff Inn along with many other
great local restaurants at
DOITNW.com.
Peeler Tools What is the
difference between and kitchen tool and a kitchen gadget? To find out we
visited with Nancy Chinn
a local cooking consultant to learn the difference. She told us that a
gadget is something you may use in your kitchen once a year. The tool is
something you use everyday. She found some cool kitchen peelers (tools)
from Pampered Chef,
that she wanted to share. The first was a serrated peeler that tackles
the tough skins of apples and carrots with no problem. The serration on
the blade really made quick work of the tough skin. Next we got creative
with a julienne peeler. This one cuts vegetables like carrots or
zucchini into long strands for great garnish and a tasty addition to any
dish. Add these ‘tools’ to your kitchen and impress everyone at your
next meal.
Replacing a Faucet
Updating the look of your
bathroom doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Dave
Charvet of
George Morlan Plumbing (503-224-7000) tells us that simply
changing the faucet on your sink can give your bathroom a new,
updated look. The first thing to do is determine what kind of
faucet you have and there are three types: one hole, eight-inch
center (three holes), and four inch center (three holes). Be
sure to buy your new faucet fixture to match the holes on your
sink.
To change the faucet, you will
probably need just basic tools, and possibly a basin wrench,
which allows you to unscrew the nuts on the faucet under the
sink, when space is tight. The first, most important step, is
know where the shutoff for the water is. Most likely, it is
under your sink. Once it is turned off, disconnect the supply
tube coming from the wall into the faucet. This would also be a
good time to replace the tube with a newer flexible supply tube,
if it is old or damaged. Disconnect the fitting on the pop-up
drain. Then loosen and remove the nuts holding the faucet to
the sink. The faucet should then lift out of the sink.
Installing the new faucet is the
reverse procedure: Place the new faucet through the holes in
the sink; screw the nuts back on to fasten the faucet to the
sink. Reconnect the water supply (using some teflon tape on the
threads will make it easier) and reconnect the rod for the
pop-up drain. In about a half hour, and for minimal cost, you
have given your sink, and your bathroom, a whole new look. The "Ferrari" of Toilets
A couple of
weeks ago we showed you the “Cadillac” of all toilets. This
week, Ken demonstrated the “Ferrari” of all toilets…so dubbed
because of its “convertible” attributes (courtesy of a remote
control). 
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