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Essentially, people turn their garden sheds into adorable backyard escapes, or even build their own from scratch. There are so many uses for these summer sheds — whether used for backyard parties, art studios, playspaces, or havens to unwind. Just pop open the doors, and you have a seamless outdoor-indoor living area to relish in the warm weather. So, ready to have one of your own? Check out these 25 summer home ideas for inspiration, ahead....

Common Problems Caused by Tree Roots To understand the impact that tree roots can have, it is important to keep in mind that the roots of a tree spread two to three times as wide as the radius of the canopy. In dry conditions, they can spread even as much as five times as wide. For example, a tree with a canopy of 12 feet—which equals a radius of six feet—the roots can spread 18 to 30 feet from the trunk....

What to Consider Before Installing Outdoor Lights First, assess features in your yard to emphasize with lights. For example, the pool, spa, and steps are key areas to illuminate for safety purposes. Also, consider highlighting plants, architectural features, and outdoor rooms. In some areas you might want to add uplighting while in other areas you might be aiming to silhouette shapes. Purpose will dictate what type of fixture you need. Prior to choosing lights, contact your area’s building department for any local codes that dictate lighting types or levels....

The three most common types of copper pipe used in residential and commercial construction are Type K, Type L, and Type M. A fourth type, used for drain-waste-vent, or DWV, piping, is found most often in some older homes. Below, we’ll discuss how to choose the right copper pipe for your application. Type K copper pipe has the thickest wall of all the common types. It is used for water distribution, fire protection, oil, HVAC, and many other applications in the construction industry....

Lawn and garden maintenance can be enjoyable but almost always require a commitment of time and physical labor. The good news is there are plenty of products out there to help you add beauty and value to your property and an important one to consider is fertilizer. We looked into the four different types of fertilizer and their uses to help you choose the best one for your green thumb project....

Before reaching for an air freshener that may contain potentially harmful ingredients to you and the planet (and yes, even some of the so-called “natural” air fresheners are a concern as well), take a deep breath and consider using a do-it-yourself, green alternative. Here are the top green air freshener ideas and recipes that are easy, cost-friendly, effective, and use simple ingredients often found in your kitchen pantry. A few may require a trip to the store, but they are worth it to battle unpleasant odors and keep your home smelling fresh....

Seventh Stag is ideal for a room with large windows, and bold architectural features like a stone fireplace or beamed ceilings. You can also create the effect of architectural features by using a strong color like Benjamin Moore’s gorgeous Ebony Slate or Tapestry Gold as an accent wall, or painted fireplace.

Some suggestions for kids’ movies with a winter theme include: “Snow Buddies"“Eight Below"“Snow Dogs"“Happy Feet"“Mr. Popper’s Penguins”

Here are nine easy organizational tips and hacks for how to keep up with laundry. Learning to institute the one-touch rule will help you conquer the laundry pile more quickly than any other tip. When you remove a piece of clothing from a drawer or hanger and you decide not to wear it, return it immediately to the original location. If you wear something and think it could be worn again, designate a spot in your closet for that item....

Designer Molly Machmer-Wessels is also a big proponent of going the vintage route. “We love the unique design each one offers, no one is like the next,” she says. “We love the history they add to each room. They can be neutral and soft or bold and colorful. From a pattern perspective they can be busy or simplistic.”

Cork is harvested from the cork oak (Quercus suber), generally at plantations planted for commercial purposes. The cork is found in the outer bark of the tree, which is cut away every seven to 10 years and used in a variety of purposes, from wine corks to poster boards. Manufacture of flooring material generally involves using the cork waste remaining after wine corks and other products are made. This leftover cork is pulverized, boiled, mixed with resins, and pressed into sheets for use in flooring products and sheet goods....

I adore Thanksgiving. Not because it falls during my favorite season or because I also love pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and cornbread dressing. This year I noticed that Thanksgiving trees are gaining popularity. Pinterest says searches for Thanksgiving tree decorations have tripled, compared to this time last year. And it makes sense that Thanksgiving trees are becoming more popular—Halloween trees had their moment, too! Besides, having a tree from October to January-ish sounds about right to us, especially in 2020....

Whether you have a houseplant or you’re trying to grow an indoor herb garden, the Aceple LED 6W Desk Plant Grow Light is a simple, inexpensive solution to healthier, happier plants. Grow lights help plants thrive through the winter or when they’re unique growth needs warrant controlled lighting. We wanted to see if the Aceple LED grow light’s minimal features could give our plants a boost. Keep reading to see our take on what this grow light has to offer and under what circumstances it might be the perfect choice for you....

Costs The costs of a ceramic tile floor are comprised of two elements. These include the price of the materials themselves and the cost of installation labor. When purchased at big-box stores or tile specialty outlets, ceramic tile can range from less than $1 per square foot for plain solid-color tiles to just under $20 per square foot for porcelain tiles that mimic the look of fine marbles or woods. At the high end, prices rival that of natural stone tiles, but very elegant and serviceable tiles are available in the $3 to $7 per square foot range....

A salt water pool is an excellent choice for someone that gets irritated by chlorine easily and with proper monitoring can provide years of trouble-free service. Salt Water vs. Chlorine Pools There are a few reasons why you would choose a salt water system over a conventional chlorine pool, but it is important to understand some key differences. If you have someone that is easily irritated by chlorine (ever try to open your eyes in a pool under water?...

Infrared heaters are most ideal for family rooms, insulated garages, or open living spaces. From key features and advantages to their best use and care tips, here’s everything you should consider before buying this type of heater. The Advantages of Infrared Space Heaters Infrared heaters are more energy-efficient than other space heaters. They use 100 percent of the heat they produce, which creates almost no loss in heat transfer to zone heat at a low cost....

Effectiveness: Most light stays out Light crept around the edges of the curtains, too. To prevent the sneaky light, we would need a wrap-around curtain rod and extra long curtains to encapsulate all the light. But, we were satisfied that the curtains performed well at their main purpose for us. Fabric Quality: Effective but not attractive The stiffness of the fabric gave these curtains body but not drape, which doesn’t make them visually appealing....

Aquamarine is said to symbolize youth and happiness, and it is the birthstone for March. For crystal healing enthusiasts, aquamarine is often paired with heart stones, such as rhodonite, green opal, rose quartz, pink halite, chrysocolla, and green calcite, where the combination of powers is thought to speed the healing of the heart when used in meditation. For feng shui practice, aquamarine crystal benefits revolve around the gemstone’s calming, balancing properties....