Pillows should be replaced every few years

While freshening rooms and linens during spring cleaning, don’t forget your favorite pillow. A pillow is one of the most overlooked personal possessions people have. Often times, it becomes so taken for granted that it’s not properly cared for. It’s good to remember that pillows get dirty and become heavily loaded with dust mites, mold, mildew and fungus.

STAY

Going on vacation is more than just a change in place, it’s also a change in your state of mind. So, with the economy in turmoil, more Americans are tightening their budgets and taking staycations, or vacationing at home.

Smoking paraphernalia often a sign of wealth

Smoking was an important part of the life of a well-to-do gentleman in the 19th century. A cigar after dinner was routine. Smoking paraphernalia was created not only to be useful but also to show off wealth.

Sofa purchase requires thought, good measuring

Are you in the market for a new sofa? This is one of the most important and expensive purchases you will make, as it should last at least 10 years. So, as much as you love that cherry-red love seat or the recliner with all the bells and whistles, it’s time to let level heads prevail. This should be more than an impulse buy.

Furniture & Design Brief

Hadassah Tzipor to host special event at LV design center

Painted walls help unify different themes in twins’ room

DEAR GAIL: I have 15-month-old boy/girl twins. Right now they are still in cribs and sharing a room. One has a baby Noah’s ark theme in pastel colors; the other has zoo animals in blues, neon greens and different animal colors with lions, zebras, giraffes. The bedding would be too much for us to change so we just want to add to the room and maybe tie it all together. We have nothing but their cribs in the room and white walls. How can I decorate their room to tie the two together? — Dee

Balance style, comfort

Professional as well as amateur designers often find it difficult to make a setting both stylish and comfortable. Achieving one or the other usually isn’t a daunting challenge if “stylish” is taken to mean whatever’s trendy at the moment and if “comfortable” is interpreted as “casual.”

Resident praises The Cottages

A one-story cottage developed during the design stage has proven one of the biggest factors for success at the Cottages of Green Valley, a memory care and assisted living community in Henderson.

Prillers find thrillers at Bella Fiore

With a territory that covers North America and Latin America, businessman Michael Priller and his wife, Baerbel, found their base of operations at the gated Bella Fiore neighborhood built by Pardee Homes on The Falls Golf Course at Lake Las Vegas Resort.

Mountain’s Edge residents form activities team

Many Mountain’s Edge residents have formed an outdoor enthusiast club called the Mountain’s Edge Team. The 3,500-acre master-planned community is located in the southwestern Las Vegas Valley.

Getting loan approval is not easy

Mortgage rates on conforming loan amounts up to $417,000 — $729,750 in high-cost housing markets like San Francisco and New York City — are hovering close to 5 percent. That’s the good news. The challenge is getting through the approval process.

Award-winning conservation area borders community of Summerlin

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, bordered by the master-planned community of Summerlin, won six readers’ picks awards in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s 2009 “Best of Las Vegas” with readers’ picks in the following categories: picnic spot, place to spot wildlife, place to take out-of-town visitors, place to hike, place to ride a bike and place to walk/jog.

Columnist throws support to some HOA bills

I am taking another break this week from the regular Q&A format to discuss more homeowners association-related bills to be presented before the Legislature. I support all these bills and think they will be good for our communities.

Nevada Energy Star receives national award

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Nevada Energy Star Partners a 2009 Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting our environment through energy efficiency. Their accomplishments were recognized at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. March 31.

Family chooses Pulte

Former San Francisco East Bay Area residents, Alfredo and Minda Hannenberg, have visited Las Vegas many times over the years, eventually purchasing a time-share unit.

Allure to hold auction

Allure Las Vegas, a 41-story residential condominium tower, will hold a public auction of 10 units today starting at 1 p.m. in penthouse No. 4001 in the downtown high-rise development located at 200 W. Sahara Ave.

Playoff worthiness relies on roster reinforcements

It’s like they are protecting the fort while awaiting fresh troops. Like they are trying to survive until all able bodies have arrived. Like they can see what is possible when game preparation isn’t split between scouting an opponent and reintroducing themselves to each other.

2012 Olympics tempt Hrovat

Three seconds. That’s all that separated Andy Hrovat from winning a wrestling match in the Beijing Olympics.

IN BRIEF

CYCLING

HORSE RACING

TODAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK

Stop the debate: ’90 Rebels still best

A strong case can be made for Larry Johnson as the best college basketball player of the past 20 years. The UNLV teams he starred on in 1989-90 and 1990-91 defined dominance, and Johnson was the Rebels’ unquestioned leader.

ON TV/RADIO

BASEBALL

Perry’s 67 puts field on notice

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Kenny Perry thought nothing could top an emotional embrace with his 85-year-old father in their native Kentucky seven months ago as a Ryder Cup hero dressed in red, white and blue.

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