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Prep Your House for Guests

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Prep Your House for Guests

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. To get your home ready for entertaining, first look at it with the eye of a realtor. Does it need a little TLC to feel more welcoming? Do you need to update your wallpaper or change the paint color? Re-upholster the furniture? Are your drapes worn or do they just need washing? Maybe purchasing a key new piece of furniture or just some throw pillows will be enough of a change to freshen up a drab house. Remember, not everything has to match or be perfect; it should just be clean, uncrowded and inviting. Also, remember that lighting can make or break a room. This is a great time to add dimmer switches or a new floor lamp in that dark corner. Halogen track lighting gives you the control you need to wash a wall or focus on your favorite artwork without making your guests feel like they re in the spotlight. Clear off as many surfaces as you can. Framed photos make great conversation starters, but arranging them on a wall instead of your coffee table will clear the way for food, drinks and games. If you re going to have overnight guests, pay special attention to the spare bedroom. First, get rid of the clutter that always ends up there. Add a fresh coat of paint, an area rug, new bed linens, all in one color family or theme. Simple touches like putting bottled water, fresh towels and guest soap in a large, wicker basket will make your guests feel pampered. With a few updates, you ll enjoy having your friends and family over and you ll love it even when the party s over! Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

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Lighting Design Featuring Low-Voltage Halogen and Traditional Fixtures

Inside the house Bob meets lighting designer Markus Earley. Markus highlights the blue low-voltage halogen fixtures hanging over the dining table. The fixtures are mounted in the center of custom bent monorail track system, which holds other halogen spotlights as well. Continuing, Markus points out the Lightolier Evolution fixtures that are used in the bay window and elsewhere in the house.

Reviewing the Kitchen Appliances

Bob tours the restoration on the governor's mansion in VA and visits the "first kitchen" where Todd Graves with GE appliances shows Bob the Halogen oven.

Luxury Kitchen Appliances, Finishes, and Cabinetry

Bob and Chris Vila are in the huge kitchen of the Manhattan Brownstone with floor-to-ceiling cabinets and oversized elements that take advantage of the abundant space. The island is a full 96 inches wide with front-facing deep cabinets and drawers with panel fronts that match the wainscoting throughout the kitchen and living space. The appliances are large-scale, professional quality, and stainless-steel. The 48-inch Wolf range has six burners, a central grill station, and convection and standard ovens. The Wolf range hood is also stainless steel, and functions as a smart appliance, responding to heat by automatically turning on and adjusting its fan speed. The hood vents to the outside and has halogen lighting. A pot-filling faucet sits above the stove for easy filling of large pots. The stainless-steel sink is made by Julien of Canada and features front drawers for sponge and scrubber storage.

Installing Exterior Lighting

Although the project in the Melrose home began as a basement expansion and remodel, it soon expanded to include portions of the home that either needed repair or offered opportunities for improvement. The front of the house had some serious landscape and hardscape improvements made, including putting in a retaining wall and new shrubs and bushes. A white cedar fence was put along the side of the house. An area of peastone was put in the backyard along with a section of NewGrass artificial grass. Tom Pena of Atlantic View Lighting reviews how the outdoor lighting fixtures were installed. In this case, a 20 watt Astrobrite bulb was used which should last a long time and is user-friendly as it is resistant to oils on human hands. The Uniques stem and fixture are solid brass and feature a lifetime warranty. A 25-foot wire was used to power the lights, 22 of them in all. Every fixture in this case has a 20 watt bulb. Different sections of the yard could be designed to handle lighting differently. Photocell lighting is available to turn lights on automatically when it turns dark. No matter what size the lighting job, installers should work in order from the last light installed back to the hub to make sure things work consistently.