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The Times Advocate, 2004-04-21, Page 17Wednesday, April 21, 2004 Exeter Times—Advocate 17 SPRING HOME IMPROVEMENT Bath accessories are changing on a yearly basis There was a time not too long a go when the home- owner's choice of accessories for the bath was limited to a couple of towel bars, a soap dish, a toilet tissue holder and maybe a toothbrush -and -tumbler holder. These were available in the familiar polished chrome, or maybe white vitreous enamel. That limited selection reflected the attitude that the bathroom was the practical, no-nonsense room in the house. All that has changed with today's perception of the bathroom as a showplace for home design. Consumers are lavishing attention and money on the bath to create a luxurious environment that reflects their personal taste and style. Experts suggest thinking of accessories as part of the total look of the bathroom. Now that accessories are available with styling and metal or color finishes that match faucet lines, it's easier to create a unified theme in the room. For example, if you've selected contemporary faucets in a brushed chrome fmish, look for brushed chrome towel bars and a toilet tissue holder in a complementary style. Another popular option is to match china accessories to the color of the fixtures in the bath. There are some not -so -obvious accessory choices that are practical and can help carry the design theme throughout the room. These include towel rings, shelves (especially useful when the bath is equipped with a pedestal lavatory), robe hooks, wire baskets that can hold a variety of bath paraphernalia, mirrors, cabinet knobs, and even toilet trip levers. Accessories are important elements whether the pro- ject is a totally new room or a facelift for an existing space. In a new project requiring a major investment, experts advise that you consider accessories both in terms of budget and the total design scheme. Carefully selected accessory items can be that little extra touch that pulls the entire project together. Clever use of accessories can spruce up an existing bath as well. For example, antique -styled faucets and accessories paired with a mirror in an heirloom frame can suggest a period motif without a major redo. Accessories are small items that allow you to be the designer. They offer a lot of opportunity for individual expression. Beyond the styling details, quality materials and con- struction need to be considered as well. When selecting metal accessories, look for solid brass Repairing walls Since they are so big and so accessible, walls are the first in line for damage. The problems run from picture -hook holes to punched-out sec- tions to hairline cracks. Use a hammer to slight- ly indent any protruding places just below the wall surface (such as popped nails, or places where nails or picture hooks were removed). Small holes can be easily filled with one pass of the putty knife using wall repair compound. Shallow holes and hair- line cracks can be painted over almost immediately with latex paint. Tip: Try using a 150 - watt light bulb to high- light any problem areas during the wall prepara- tion. The walls have been cleaned, slick spots roughened with sandpa- per and old paint has been scraped. Any wall problems, such as old pic- ture hook holes, dents from furniture being moved or cracks in plas- ter are patched. Larger problem areas like over- sized holes for electrical fixtures or larger wall cracks can be easily filled. The floor and any con- tents of the room that cannot be removed are completely covered. Switch and outlet face plates are removed from the wall. Wall and ceiling light fixtures are either removed or loosened from the wall or ceiling to be enclosed in plastic bags. Other hardware such as door knobs, and thermostat covers have been removed. construction. Solid brass provides the best base for a specialized metal or colored finish; and because brass is corrosion -resistant, it is well-suited for the high humidi- ty of the bathroom environment. The finish on the piece should be hard and smooth with a deep luster and no obvious imperfections. And if you select accessories with a polished brass finish, be sure that each piece has a durable clear coat to prevent tarnishing. YOUR RENOV UNDER O NFR �� It I A.B. Case Plumbing & Heating EXETER 235-1404 Licensed in: • Plumbing • Sheet Metal • Refrigeration • Propane and Natural Gas Dave Moore Fuels & Town & Country Home Comfort present Oil Furnace Upgrade Program 2004 The time is now to plan this home improvement project. Replace your old inefficient oil furnace with a new 80-85% efficient oil furnace. Upgrading from a 20 yr. or older furnace can save you BIG $$$ on your fuel bill. Furnace must be installed in May, June or July/04. Financing available: 10% down - no interest until Sept.1/04 - take 24 months to pay -upon credit approval Call today for a free estimate and details of this program. 235.2032 or 1.800.265.2931 Recent changes to government legislation under the Technical Standards and Safety Authority require that your complete oil heating system be inspected regularly and upgraded to current standards. Call today to schedule an appointment. 120 Thames Road West, Exeter, Ontario RAE ANN DECORATOR - JACQUI - INTERIOR DESIGNER - Does Your House Need a Facelift? MAKE YOUR HOUSE A HOME WITH AFFORDABLE EXPERT ADVICE from Rae Ann and Jacqui If you are stumped, Rae Ann and Jacqui will consult you on... • space planning • flooring • wall and ceiling finishes • window treatments • furniture styles • colour combinations • fabrics • lighting All the finishing touches to suit your lifestyle! YOUR HOME IS Soiredd, YOUR SIGNATURE ej„,(44elif Uinrnjs Fine Furniture and Window Fashions 467 Main St. Exeter 235-0173 www.dinneys.com s wP Interior & Exterior PAINT PAINTS, 4%off wallpaper selected books Large selection of Wallpaper and Borders in stock EXETER DECOR CENTRE 15 Gidley St. Exeter (behind Bank of Nova Scotia) 235-1010 from furniture being moved or cracks in plas- ter are patched. Larger problem areas like over- sized holes for electrical fixtures or larger wall cracks can be easily filled. The floor and any con- tents of the room that cannot be removed are completely covered. Switch and outlet face plates are removed from the wall. Wall and ceiling light fixtures are either removed or loosened from the wall or ceiling to be enclosed in plastic bags. Other hardware such as door knobs, and thermostat covers have been removed. construction. Solid brass provides the best base for a specialized metal or colored finish; and because brass is corrosion -resistant, it is well-suited for the high humidi- ty of the bathroom environment. The finish on the piece should be hard and smooth with a deep luster and no obvious imperfections. And if you select accessories with a polished brass finish, be sure that each piece has a durable clear coat to prevent tarnishing. YOUR RENOV UNDER O NFR �� It I A.B. Case Plumbing & Heating EXETER 235-1404 Licensed in: • Plumbing • Sheet Metal • Refrigeration • Propane and Natural Gas Dave Moore Fuels & Town & Country Home Comfort present Oil Furnace Upgrade Program 2004 The time is now to plan this home improvement project. Replace your old inefficient oil furnace with a new 80-85% efficient oil furnace. Upgrading from a 20 yr. or older furnace can save you BIG $$$ on your fuel bill. Furnace must be installed in May, June or July/04. Financing available: 10% down - no interest until Sept.1/04 - take 24 months to pay -upon credit approval Call today for a free estimate and details of this program. 235.2032 or 1.800.265.2931 Recent changes to government legislation under the Technical Standards and Safety Authority require that your complete oil heating system be inspected regularly and upgraded to current standards. Call today to schedule an appointment. 120 Thames Road West, Exeter, Ontario RAE ANN DECORATOR - JACQUI - INTERIOR DESIGNER - Does Your House Need a Facelift? MAKE YOUR HOUSE A HOME WITH AFFORDABLE EXPERT ADVICE from Rae Ann and Jacqui If you are stumped, Rae Ann and Jacqui will consult you on... • space planning • flooring • wall and ceiling finishes • window treatments • furniture styles • colour combinations • fabrics • lighting All the finishing touches to suit your lifestyle! YOUR HOME IS Soiredd, YOUR SIGNATURE ej„,(44elif Uinrnjs Fine Furniture and Window Fashions 467 Main St. Exeter 235-0173 www.dinneys.com s