home improvement

15 Inspired Easter Tables & Entertaining Ideas
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15 Inspired Easter Tables & Entertaining Ideas

15 Inspired Easter Tables & Entertaining Ideas

It is hard to believe that Easter is just around the corner. It seems like just yesterday I was taking down Christmas and here we are talking rabbits and chocolate eggs and all kinds of Easter whimsy and fun.

Even if your Easter celebrations are on the small side, you can set a pretty table, add a touch of whimsy and charm and enjoy a lovely home celebration. And today for Friday Favorites- it’s all about a round up of on the table ideas- from flowers to place setting touches to a few tried and true nibbles that are always

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Home improvement spending is up to 22%: How homeowners are paying
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Home improvement spending is up to 22%: How homeowners are paying

The best way to finance home improvements is to pay cash, but that’s not always an option. After all, home repairs and renovations aren’t cheap. The median amount homeowners spent on home improvements in 2022 was $22,000, according to a recent survey on home renovation trends by home design website Houzz. Even relatively contained projects can be costly: Bankrate says the average US homeowner spends about $8,600 on a new roof, and minor kitchen renovations can easily cost between $10,000 and $15,000. But with homeowners reluctant to give up the 3% mortgage rates they got during the pandemic housing boom, …

Pain au chocolat: A scrumptious French staple
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Pain au chocolat: A scrumptious French staple

One of the things I discovered when I first moved to France several decades ago, was the fact that although the French love their food, and although it is normal to sit down to eat long meals together, the French rarely snack. Snacking is widely recognized as being the best way to put on those unwanted pounds, and until recently it simply isn’t in the culture.

There is however a moment in the day, when it is totally acceptable to eat between meals, and that is the ‘sortie de classes’, or the end of the school day. In all the

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7 Home-Improvement Projects You Shouldn’t Put Off Any Longer
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7 Home-Improvement Projects You Shouldn’t Put Off Any Longer

It can be easy to procrastinate when it comes to home-improvement projects, especially when the projects you’re considering don’t seem super urgent or necessary. But there’s a short list of updates that you can, and should, consider making, even if you’re able to convince yourself you can live without them.

“Think of it like going to the gym,” says Bruce Irving, a home-renovation consultant and real estate agent based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “It’s about looking good, but it’s also about enabling your body to do some jumping quickly, it should need to.” That is: No one wants to be caught

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Should you get a home improvement loan from your contractor?
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Should you get a home improvement loan from your contractor?

Using a general contractor who offers home improvement financing seems convenient, especially if they’re standing in your kitchen ready to start as soon as you pay them.

Contractors who offer loans usually work with third parties that specialize in home improvement financing. While there are benefits to the arrangement, even a highly recommended contractor may not give you financing that fits your needs, so it pays to shop around.

Here’s what to know about contractor financing options and alternatives to consider.

RATES ARE TIED TO CREDIT, NOT EQUITY

Many contractors offer unsecured personal loans, which don’t require you to have

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14 Beautiful Vintage & Aubusson Style Rugs
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14 Beautiful Vintage & Aubusson Style Rugs

Cozy and warm underfoot- and another layer of beauty in a room. Adding a rug to a seating area or hallway brings more than just a soft spot to walk on – it also brings charm and beauty to your home. While in most of my rooms, I tend to leave much of the floor the bare hardwood- in some places, beautiful aubusson rugs are perfection. And my most favorite kinds of rugs are vintage and antique or at least ones that have a vintage or antique look and feel. We explored all those beautiful pillows recently- and this week,

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Home Improvement Boom Is Over As Inflation, Debt, House Prices Bite
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Home Improvement Boom Is Over As Inflation, Debt, House Prices Bite

  • US home improvement surged during the pandemic as many people had spare cash and little to buy.
  • Home Depot warned the boom may be over as higher prices and borrowing costs squeeze consumers.
  • The retailer’s bosses expect lower demand to mean flat sales and an earnings decline this year.

American homeowners invested heavily in renovating and expanding their dwellings over the past three years. Here’s a closer look at the US home improvement boom, and why

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10 ways to add spring sunshine to your home in just a few minutes
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10 ways to add spring sunshine to your home in just a few minutes

It is March 1st and I am definitely thinking spring over here. Especially after the recent storms and damage that we are sorting now. We are staying out of the area currently because of storms and damage- so it’s all about today’s favorites and 10 simple, easy and quick ways to add a bit of spring warmth and sunshine to your home.

10 Ways to Add Spring Sunshine

#1. Clip a Few Branches

Adding spring to the house can be as easy as wandering outside to clip a few branches with blossoms from the yard. Though these are mostly just

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