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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

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Kitchen sinks have come a long way from the wash basins of yesteryear. With so many to choose from, how do you decide which one is right for you? First, consider your countertop material. With laminate countertops, you ll need a top-mount or drop-in sink. If you re installing stone, composite or solid surface countertops, you could consider an undermount sink for a sleeker look and easy cleaning. Most solid surface manufacturers offer flush-mounted or integral kitchen sinks in the same material as their countertops for a seamless transition and a clean, modern look. Once you ve determined how you ll mount the sink, decide what it should be made of. To coordinate with appliances, stainless steel is a very popular and durable option. Cast-iron sinks glazed in porcelain offer a variety of colors to go with your d cor. Acrylic sinks also come in colors and are very affordable and easy to install, but they can be damaged by hot pans or boiling water. Solid surface sinks are great for durability with a modern aesthetic. For a more historic patina, consider a farmhouse or apron sink or invest in copper, zinc or soapstone. How big should you buy? Measure the width of your sink cabinet. If you have the room, consider a three-bowl sink of varying depths. It s very handy to have separate spaces for food prep, dishes and the garbage disposal. Be sure you factor in holes for all the accessories that will make your sink a more useful tool: strainers, cutting boards and dispensers for soap and filtered water. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Don Humphrey is spraying a cement and polymer mix from Innovative Concrete Technology called Texture-Krete 2000 onto the pool edge and deck in Punta Gorda, Florida. He moves in a circular motion to splat the cement mix onto the deck. As the gloss begins to leave the spots, a crewmember follows behind to knock it down with a trowel. This removes the pointy tops but leaves a 1/16-inch stucco pattern to the pool deck to make it easy to walk on. The deck is cleaned and scratched to remove any rough points before Humphrey and his crew apply an acrylic paint to the textured deck surface. The key to a well-sealed surface is to roll the paint firmly into all the nooks and dips in the surface. Bob talks about the embedded deck drain set in the concrete that is pitched slightly away from the pool. Excess water and dirty deck water drains away from the pool and is carried off to the sides of the pool deck by the deck drain. Humphrey applies two coats of paint and a topcoat for protection. The deck can be maintained with gentle soap-and-water washing to prevent any white spots from drying chlorine on the painted surface. Humphrey says the paint should last three to five years before it is redone. One key to maintaining the surface is to avoid abrasive cleaners or power washing. Should any mold or mildew attack the surface, Humphrey suggests using a mild bleach-and-water solution to kill the mold. The oyster color the homeowners have selected should wear well and stay cool in the hot Florida sun. Editor�s Note: The deck surface product with cooling properties used in this application was not Kool Deck from Mortex.

Anthony Lopez from Porcelanosa is at the Punta Gorda house for the installation of their Ferroker series oxidized-look tiles and Antic Colonial glass tile border. Porcelanosa is porcelain tile that is fired and glazed for maximum durability and unique stone and marble-look finishes. This tile is designed for interior, exterior, residential, and commercial applications. Bob remarks that the metallic look is uncommon in a traditional Florida home and gives the house a very contemporary look. The 17 by 26 inch tiles cost about the same as natural stone at $8 per square foot and come in a wide array of stone-look textures, colors, and shades. The glass inset tiles are from Porcelanosa�s Listello series and have shades of metal and stone throughout. The tile setter is applying a layer of thinset to the slab and then working it with a notched trowel before laying the first course of tile. The glass tile surround must be built up underneath to lay flush with the large format tiles. The tile setter uses tile spacers to maintain even grout lines as the tiles set. Once they are squared and checked, these tiles serve as the set line for the next course of tile. The overall design will be a staggered, offset pattern across the field. Lopez explains that maintenance for these tiles is as simple as mopping with a natural stone soap or detergent.

Bob tours the completed kitchen at his Cambridge home. The Sub Zero refrigerators have been customized in one area using the same bead board design as the kitchen walls and in the breakfast area refrigerator drawers to match the wood cabinets. Two Jenn-Aire digital convection ovens and a cook top from Brown Stove Works allow for a truly impressive cooking operation. Most of the kitchen is commercial grade with stainless steel. The exhaust vent stove backsplash and the countertops flanking the stove were made by a restaurant supply, stainless steel fabricator in the Boston Area. The counters were fabricated on site from soapstone quarried in Brazil. Soap Stone if cut upon can dull a blade so hard rock Maple butcher blocks from Eastern Butcher Block are laid on top for food preparation.