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EPISODE #20 -
SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2009
Rain is not a bad thing. It actually makes us slow
down and reflect on the change of seasons. I have
spent part of this last week thinking about friends,
family, the projects that I didn’t get done this
summer and even a little bit about the upcoming
holidays. Of course, the snows in the mountains
made me think about the hard winter last year and
whether I was ready for the up-coming winter
weather. I guess we will have to do more stories on
the show about preparing for the cold!
Tuesday Morning Table
The
holidays are almost here and a lot of people are
thinking about entertaining. Of course creating the
perfect atmosphere can get a tad bit expensive.
William from our sister program ‘Garden Time’ caught
up with Ross Manning from
Tuesday Morning (503-699-8954) to learn how to
freshen up your holiday entertaining on a budget.
Tuesday Morning offers top quality merchandise at
discounted prices. Ross started by talking about
using new recipes on your holiday table. He
featured a recipe book from Neiman Marcus and a DVD
from Martha Stuart. He then moved to the wine.
They also have a complete wine opening kit at a
great price. We then moved to the table. Ross had
his crew build 2 separate looks on one table.
Starting with the table runners and napkins, Ross
moved through the chargers, plates, glasses,
coasters and table decorations. Almost everything
on the table was under $15. You can find all of
these great products at any off the 12 Tuesday
Morning stores in Oregon and SW Washington.
Organizing your Bathroom
Counter space is at a premium in the home and that
is especially true in the bathroom. We asked Linda
Gemal from
Rejuvenate your Home (503-803-8000) to give us
some tips on how to organize your bathroom cabinets.
Most people have quite a mess under their
cabinets. In the bathroom the clutter is really
bad. Organizing this space is tough; there are
water pipes and drains to consider. First, clean
out the area you are trying to organize and then
measure the space under the sink and find out what
type of room you have to work with. Take these
measurements to the local home improvement or
container store. Look for someone that can point
you in the right direction and help you make an
efficient space. Linda went to the Container Store
and found a lot of fun and functional drawers and
bins. Linda picked out some trays that had rollers
and were stackable. She also picked out ones that
were clear so she can see what are in the drawers
without opening them. Once she had them installed
you can really see how much better the space is
organized. There is much more room for storage and
it is much cleaner too. What a great way to take
control of your bathroom again.
Reasons for Choosing a Designer
When a lot of people are looking at re-doing a space
in their home or considering a home improvement they
may think an interior designer is a luxury.
Actually, hiring a designer may save you money (and
your sanity) in the long run. Designer Kimberlee
Jaynes talked to David about the main reasons for
hiring a designer. First of all they offer
solutions. Most designers have a wide range of
experience and they have worked through a lot of the
common problems that people face when they are
looking at a project. Providing solutions to these
problems are easy for them. They also know what to
look for. They make sure things are done right the
first time. You can’t always return the couch when
you get it. You have to also look at the space and
figure out if things will fit. Designers also have
the contacts and means for getting into design
centers where the newest products are displayed.
They also have working relationships with suppliers
and can sometimes get discounts that you can’t find
elsewhere. They also can help with opposing tastes,
especially between husbands and wives. That is
worth the price in itself! Hiring a designer is
just protecting your investment. If you have any
questions feel free to contact Kimberlee at
Kimberlee Jaynes Interior Designs
(503-407-9525).
Space Saving Kitchen Tools
It
is time to take control of your kitchen. Kitchen
utensils can be big and bulky. To learn more about
saving some space we stopped by
Sur La Table (503-968-8015). Laura Bogert found
some gadgets and tools that will save you lots of
space in your kitchen. The items she found are all
collapsible utensils and are extremely durable.
First was a colander that was 14 inches wide and 7
inches tall. This one had a silicone center and it
was easily compressed into a 2 inch tall disc. She
also had a smaller one too. The next piece was
really cool! It was a funnel made of the same
material. It squeezed down to a flat disc about 1
inch high. Measuring cups can take up a lot of
space in a drawer. Laura had some that were also
made of silicone that were extremely flat. The best
was saved for last. Sur La Table had a collapsible
salad spinner. All of these silicone products are
great and they are all dishwasher safe!
Making Pesto
The
season is winding down but you can still create some
tasty treats from your garden. Chef David tackled a
quick and easy basil pesto. There are lots of
different types of pesto, so check with your local
garden center or grocery to see what style or flavor
works best for you. First you need to start with 2
cups of leaves. Add them to your blender with a
little bit of olive oil and start to puree them.
After a couple of minutes add some parmesan cheese,
more oil, garlic and pine nuts (or walnuts). Once
you are done you can use it on bread as a spread, or
even as a sauce for pasta or chicken. If you would
like to try making your own,
you can get the
recipe here.
Rain Gutter Covers
With the falls rains finally here you may be turning
your attention to your roof and gutters. Mike from
Interstate Roofing (503-684-5611) joined us to
fill us in on the different types of gutter guards
and how effective they are. It is important that
you protect your roof and gutters because they
prevent the rain from getting into your home and
ruining your structure. Mike started with a foam
gutter filler. This one is a product that lets the
rain through, but keeps the leaves out. The
drawback to this one is the dirt and grime that
builds up in the foam. Mike has even seen plants
growing in this dirt. He then walked through a bunch
of different screen type guards. The problem with
these is that they also build up with dirt which
plugs the screen. Then the water either flows off
the screen or backs up under your roof. The next
product has a bunch of channels in the guard. This
one still gets a ton of dirt and fir needles that
will follow the path of the rain water and still get
into your gutter, causing problems. Finally we
looked at the last one that they are currently
testing at the main office. This one is a pipe with
slits in it that allows water to go in and blocks
the leaves from entering. The main problem is that
they are not totally maintenance free. It is hard
to let the rain in and keep the leaves dirt and
grime out without some type of occasional cleaning.
If you have any roofing questions, check with the
experts at Interstate Roofing.
Sealing Your Deck
The
winter weather is on the way, but you still have
time to stain and seal your deck. David took us
through the steps on how you can do it. First you
have to clean your deck. Don’t use a power washer
unless you know what you are doing. Using a power
washer can create some real problems when you have
it set too high. The high pressure can ruin the
wood on your deck. Even composite decks can be
damaged. The best way to clean your deck is with an
approved cleaning product. Two that work well are
the E-Z Deck Wash from Armor All and a product from
Sun Frog. You put this product down and use a good
scrub brush to clean the dirt off the deck. Next
you will want to get down and run your hands over
the deck and check for exposed nails or screws.
These will need to be driven in again or replaced.
While you are hand checking the deck, look for worn,
rotten or damaged boards. These will need to be
replaced. Finally, once the deck is dry, you can
start to apply the stain or sealer. We used an oil
based sealer from Penofin. This type of product is
best applied during a warm (between 50-70 degrees),
but not hot, day. You will also want to let it set
for 20 minutes before you check it for good
coverage. Also, the weather will need to be dry for
a couple of days for the product to penetrate the
wood. If you have any questions about choosing the
right product for your application contact the
experts at
Parr
Lumber (503-531-7277).
Quick tip – Zone Heating
This week’s tip will help you save some money and
still remain comfortable in your home this fall and
winter. Jenna from
NW Natural told us about ‘zone heating’. What
‘zone heating’ means is that you only heat the areas
where you are living and lowering the heat in areas
that you are not using. First, close down the vents
in those seldom used rooms, then close the doors to
those rooms. Finally, check to see if the air
intakes are open and unblocked. This will make sure
that your furnace is running efficiently. For more
tips on saving money and energy check out the NW
Natural website.
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