Want to create a beautiful home? Don’t rush the design process
The Washington PostIf television shows have you convinced that a magazine-ready home can be achieved in a snap, professional designers will quickly rid you of that idea. “There is this fantasy of an HGTV-style reveal, walking into a home that’s 100% done — either by you or a decorator — but in reality, that happens for very few,” says Colleen Simonds, a designer based in Pittsburgh.And, really, who wants a space that looks as if it...
Tales from the kitchen table
Executive director of the Upper Valley Business Alliance According to the US Census Bureau, 2021 was a record year for the number of new businesses registered — 5.4 million — which beat the previous record in 2020 of 4.4 million. Job losses and a lot of time at home over the last two years have created a surge in people who decided to take the leap and start the business they had dreamed of doing. Many of these businesses are...
How to keep kitchens, bathrooms clean
Valley News Correspondent Kitchens and bathrooms, whether brand new or several years old, are no doubt the hardest rooms in a house to keep clean given their frequent use. Homeowners with a newly remodeled kitchen or bathroom don’t think it could one day perhaps look like the one they just replaced. While that day may eventually arrive, a kitchen can remain looking new for years with some simple cleaning steps done on a daily basis...
Making the best use of small spaces
Valley News CorrespondentThe bathroom, or bathrooms, are often the smallest rooms in the house with clearly defined and limited functions.They are also the most used and the presence of bacteria, moisture and odors. That means homeowners want a bathroom that is well-lit, easy to clean and sanitary, especially if it is used by guests.Because space is limited, remodeling a bathroom requires a lot less research for products, style and...
‘They want their kitchen to be grand’
Valley News Correspondent Last year, the National Kitchen and Bathroom Association said 70% of homeowners named their kitchens and bathrooms as the spaces they would most likely remodel. According to industry analysts who study home renovation trends, remodeling expenditures were projected to continue to grow by at least 10%.The range of costs for a full kitchen remodel is quite broad, but the minimum is around $25,000 and can rise to...
Basing a business on self-care
Valley News Correspondent WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Harnessing the power of natural ingredients is Kirsten Connor’s focus at Flourish Beauty Lab, her store where she makes and sells body care products suitable for those with sensitive skin. Connor has seen an increase in demand for her products as more people turn to natural ingredients for body care products. Free Verse Farm in Chelsea has seen a similar demand and both companies expect...
‘Functional and beautiful’
Valley News Correspondent When it comes to kitchens and bathrooms, interior design is a powerful tool for controlling the aesthetic, feel and functionality of the rooms. Putting some time and thought into the design of these spaces might be something to consider if you plan on renovating anytime soon, or even if you just want to refresh your home. Jessica Bell, an Etna-based interior designer, is the owner and sole employee of...
Going from food scraps to more food: How Willow Tree Community Compost and Sunrise Farm partnered together to keep waste out of landfills
By ISAAC LORTON Enterprise Correspondent They’ve been sugaring this spring at Sunrise Farm in White River Junction. They have about 700 tapped trees. They are growing “onions and onion family stuff.” They have a heated greenhouse that is growing what will make you cry chopping in the summer, among other baby plants. With the warmer weather recently, they have been getting regrowth of winter greens that they are starting to harvest...
Resale stores solidify their place: Three retailers reflect on how market for used items has grown
By ISAAC LORTON Enterprise Correspondent For Consign & Design in West Lebanon, Uplifting Thrifting in White River Junction, and Closet Treasures in Grantham, the stores are opportunities for items to have a new life and avoid landfills. During the stay-at-home orders at the beginning of the pandemic, many thrift store and consignment shop owners did not know when — or if — their businesses would reopen again. They worried that...
Feed bags get second chance: Participants in The Family Place’s Farm to Bag program create items, grow workplace skills
By ISAAC LORTON Enterprise Correspondent At the bottom of an empty polypropylene feed bag is potential. Probably not to be recycled because — up until recently — most recycling facilities have not accepted the plastic bags found throughout agrarian New England. The Farm to Bag initiative at The Family Place in Norwich takes donated feed bags and uses them as material to make tote bags, yoga mat carriers and even umbrellas, said Julia...
