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Our homes are our resting places,as well as our places of family connection. We may think of them as entertainment centers or perhaps ourstop-and-drop places between outside adventures. No matter how we view them, our homes arevital to us and we want them to be comfortable and well-maintained. Whether they need to be redecorated,repaired, reorganized, or remodeled, Manhattan Public Library has scores ofsources for ideas to make our homes the best.
Redecorating may involve a changein color scheme, furniture rearrangement, new accessories and wallarrangements, or tossing everything and starting over. No matter what your decorating desires are, youcan find help to improve your space. There is a wide selection of popular home décor magazines, like Better Homes and Gardens. You can locate color combinations galore in Vinny Lee’s terrificbook, The Colorful Home: Confident andCreative Colour Schemes for Every Room. Books,such as, Home from the Hardware Store:Transform Everyday Materials into Fabulous Home Furnishings by StephenAntonson, Undecorate, the No-RulesApproach to Interior Design by Christiane Lemieux, or501 Decorating Ideas Under $100 fromBetter Homes and Gardens, are full of ideas to transform your home. A “home transformed” can become a “homeconformed” to make your daily life a more pleasant experience.
When it’s time for repairs, youcould spend a fortune by hiring contractors to execute your projects, butthrifty homeowners rely on DIY methods to keep their homes in pristinecondition. You may need to fix drippyfaucets, window casements, or add insulation, but guidance is readily availableif you’ve the spirit of adventure. TerryKennedy’s Fix It Before It Breaks andRick Peters’ simply explained Home How-toHandbook can help make your tasks easier. The library also has an excellent set of DVDs, the Positive Home Solutions series, which will guide you through basichome repairs and visual demonstrations. Magazines like Family Handyman andThis Old House are readily availablefor checkout.
Time is of the utmost importance tomost people, and you’re probably no exception. In that case, you no doubt see the need for getting organized. Using the library’s excellent collection ofbooks on de-cluttering plans to organize your home can save you time to doother things you love—like reading a good book! Consider titles like Joe Provey’s EasyClosets: Affordable Storage Solutions for Everyone or Andrew J. Mellen’s Unstuff Your Life!: Kick the Clutter Habitand Completely Organize Your Life for Good. The Reader’s Digest Association, longknown for detailed books about home improvement, has an all-in-one title thatmight be perfect for your list of needed improvements. The FamilyHandyman Best Organizing Solutions is a hefty volume loaded with all kindsof suggestions and diagrams perfect for most households.
What if you’ve an inclination formajor changes? Resources can make thoseintimidating projects more manageable. John Wagner’s book Drywall givesguidance when adding or removing walls. Books like Candice Olson’s Kitchensand Baths can put a stop to lots of guesswork. If you are looking to add more living space,Black and Decker’s handy Complete Guide toFinishing Basements: Step-by-Step Projects For Adding Living Space WithoutAdding On can help you expand. Michael Litchfield’s In-Laws, Outlaws,and Granny Flats offers suggestions for transforming one-family dwellingsinto multiple-family housing.
When you want to make changes,don’t wing it! You can give your home afacelift that is both attractive and more desirable for you with a littleplanning. And you don’t need to be a traineddecorator to finish tasteful projects. Come to the library and our staff will show you ways to collectappealing ideas!