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The Brussels Post, 1979-05-07, Page 88 HOME & GARDEN IMPROVEMENT WEEK OF MAY 7, 1979. • -• CONVERTING A BASEMENT INTO THAT EXTRA ROOM YOU NEED can be a home improvement that is considerably less expensive than the usual room addition. Using western cedar or pine for the wall paneling as well as the cabinets gives it a custom look. Windows are a challenge It's Time for Home Improvements! Lawn Sr Garden EQUIPMENT SHARPE S Maintenance Service Seaforthi Ontario .5274746 cntkEh°66 ntro X1 (A V v 6•0 e Ale 400P it• • .64 44 e, te r to. ve Keep your lawn trim and neat . Riding Mowers Handle mowing chores quickly with a 5- or 8-hp riding mower. Choose from 3-speed and 5-speed transmissions; 28-, 30- and 34-inch cut. Some models have electric start, others recoil start. All have color-coded controls, padded seat, and roomy operator's area. Rotary Mowers Deluxe 21-inch mowers come in two styles — push-type with 31/2 -hp engine and self-propelled with 4-hp engine and rear-wheel gear drive. Single levers — front and rear — let you adjust cutting height quickly. Optional 21/2 -bushel rear bagger available. Nylon- Line Trimmers Nylon-line trimmers cut grass and weeds from under fences, around posts and buildings , reach areas most conventional trimmers can't. Choose from electric and gasoline powered models. One is just right for all your trimming needs. Keep your garden green and growing . Rotary Tillers Walk-behind and tractor-drawn rotary tillers make quick work of tough garden chores. Three walk-behind models: 2-hp with 16-inch tilling width; 31/2 - and 6-hp with 13- to 24-inch tilling widths. Tractor-drawn models are available for all John Deere Lawn and Garden Tractors. They till sWaths 22 to 48 inches wide and up to 7 inches deep, [40111L, JOHN DEERE" FRED MCGEE AUTO ELECTRIC "Sales Backed By ,Service" .LTD .355 Josephine Street Wingham, Ph 357-1416. I II 41,i 114 i iii t That extra room might be just underfoot teresting window treat._ dow look. ment. Sometimes windows may open on an undesirable view, yet you don't want to block out the light with closed draperies. Consider using shirred curtains that allow light into the room. Windows in a small room such as a bedroom can help expand the area if they echo an overall pattern. Use one pattern for the bedspread, walls and windows for a charming, roomier effect, You can make the most of a small window that has a lovely view by using a shade instead of curtains. When the shade is raised, your view is given full promi- nence. Windows can present a' challenge to your decorat-' ing skill, as they are impor- tant not only for light and view, but also in relation to your overall scheme. Often windows pose a problem, due to placement or size. Two small win- dows, separated by a nar- row wall, for instance, may create a difficulty for the home decorator. One solu- tion would be to turn the wall area into a shelf unit ex- tending to the floor, then hang, floor-length draperies at each window to unify the entire, area. Sliding glass windows are a delight in any home, par- ticularly if they look out on a nice view. However, to cut glare and heat in the sum- mer, you may wish to cur- tain them in some way. You can find attractive draperies to line the entire wall, or you might want to try some- thing different. If a handy- man is available, have him fashion window frames to serve as sliding panels. That extra room you're looking for could be just a few steps away — in the basement. Because the basics are already there, finishing a basement can be a considerably less-expen- sive home improvement than either expansion or a room addition. Should you decide to handle it as a do-it- yourself project, you can save even more money. Before you go out and buy materials, however, there are two things to check; the local building code to deter- mine whether the furnace and water heater may re- quire a special enclosure, and the basement itself. Make sure it's dry. Inspect it after a steady rainfall. One idea you might con- sider, especially if there are children in the family, is converting the basement into a family room for enter- tainment and recreation. If the basement is dry and in fairly good shape, all you may need is wall paneling, a ceiling, some furniture and perhaps tile for the floor. Your local lumber dealer has a wide selection of west- ern wood available for the project. Rooms can no longer af, ford just to sit there — and do only one thing. Neither can furniture. As our per- sonal share of the world's square footage dwindles, we have arrived at the age of multiple-function and dual- seats, they also can be used for storage. This arrange- ment saves floor space for entertaining, For a custom look, use the same cedar or pine board paneling on the door and drawers of the cabinets as on the walls. The counter- tops can be used for a stereo or TV set or as a buffet counter for refreshments. purpose. The extra room that had a specific function in large Victorian houses now has to pull its weight in use- fulness and versatility, doubling often as a family room or to sleep a guest. Stretch curtain fabric on the box with your prettiest frames for a stunning, in- plants for a charming win- What to do with a win- dow that's directly over a radiator or air conditioner? Hang short, draw curtains on the windows and conceal the eyesore with a deep plan- ter box. Fill the top of the The walls may need fur- ring strips to accommodate the wall paneling: Once the paneling is installed, con- sider cabinets along a wall for storage space. They can Ample overhead lighting be framed with 2x2 fir or and light-colored ceiling pine. Built-in benches that I tiles and wall paneling, will meet in a corner can be make the finished basement framed from western lum- room appear larger and ber. If they have lift-up brighter. Multi purpose rooms a c. si n p p (I] al Ji ni re 3/( re b( sib ro ro er of cr mi pry oh do ce; sp fla the sta ye. car les! eel Col