Q: We are repainting a large bedroom and have finished everything but the trim. The paint on the walls and trim is latex. We want the trim to look great because it is a different color than the walls. I have seen where professional painters leave a flawless finish without any brush marks. We don’t have a paint sprayer. Is there a way that we can paint the trim so that there are no brush marks?
Every couple years I like to do a column on the most frequently asked questions. Of course there are many, but here are the top seven this year. You’ll notice that four out of the seven are about paint. It will always be the least expensive way to completely change a room.
A revival of the past is now a trending style in home decor. Home decorators are using inspiration and pieces from the past in color palettes and reimaginings that easily slip into any decor.
“It is easy to see the beginnings of things, and harder to see the ends.” — Joan Didion (1934-), American Journalist and Essayist, “Goodbye to All That”
Q: Could you provide me with a copy of the mulch trial you conducted on fruit trees several years ago? You randomly applied mulch to different fruit trees and grew some without mulch and had some remarkable results.
Decking is more than a surface to set a lawn chair on or to roll out the grill for the weekend barbecue. It’s the fundamental foundation in the exterior decor. Homeowners should take thoughtful consideration when selecting a product — not just the color and finish of the material but also the function, maintenance and durability.
Q: I have an older home that has water dribbling from the bathtub spout. I have separate handles for the hot and cold water, and then a third handle in the middle to turn on the shower. It seems like neither of the faucet handles will completely turn the water off. How can I repair the leak?
Q: During the first year with my apricot tree, I sprayed it with soapy water to control aphids. Every day I check the leaves, but the apids never stop. Is this good a spray to use?
Cabinets and drawers take up a lot of real estate in kitchens, bathrooms, pantries and studies. If they are plain or dull, they can take the feel of the whole room down to drab.
Q: I was reading up on controlling the leaf-footed plant bugs on my pistachio and almond trees and came across a recommendation by the University of California to use a pesticide containing bifenthrin. I see some Ortho products for lawn and garden contain bifenthrin. Is this a pyrethrin or something similar like you are recommending? Could this be used to spray the almond and pistachio every two to three weeks until it gets hot?
For some, modern design may be just a little too sleek. For others, traditional may feel too stuffy. The answer just might be the borderline style of transitional or what I sometimes refer to as “traditional with a twist.” There’s a definite and growing movement to bring traditional design into a fresher and more relaxed state, even though elegance and history are still very much defining elements of this style.
The black and spotted and sand-colored rabbits look cute as can be, but they are unwanted squatters living off the kindness of people who wish they could do more to help them.
As horticulture manager for JW Marriott Resort on North Rampart Boulevard, Mark Murphy is responsible for the landscaping on the 54-acre site.
The “modern” upholstered reclining chair was introduced as home furniture in 1928. However, the earliest known recliner was actually developed in the mid-1800s for Napoleon III, the nephew of French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. He wanted a portable chair that could convert into a more comfortable lounger and then lay all the way down into a cot for sleeping.
Let’s talk about wind damage. If you didn’t sustain wind damage to your landscape, you are extremely lucky. It was fortunate these high winds occurred early in the season, and many trees were not yet full of leaves. If it had been a few weeks later, the damage would have been worse.
