The best mattress in a box can be your saving grace if you’re turning extra space into a guest room. While this requires a bit of interior design ingenuity, it can be achieved on a budget. Heading to a mattress store isn’t always the most pleasant experience, but staying at home and shopping for a mattress online is easier than ever. No more air mattresses and cots, so your guests will surely thank you....

Here are our top choices for places where the academic spirit best meets old-home charm. South Historic District, Palatka, Florida Once known as the “Gem of the St. Johns River,” this north-state city of 11,000 people was Florida’s original tourist destination. After a devastating fire in 1884, the farm town was swiftly rebuilt into a travelers’ hot spot, with eight first-class resorts, including the still existing James Hotel. Among the personalities who kicked back here: Jimmy Stewart, Gary Cooper, Babe Ruth, Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, and Harriet Beecher Stowe....

That is why our Reviews Team has researched and ranked some of the best pest control companies on the market. Keep reading this roundup to see how each company compares on its services and cost. Top Pest Control Companies in Portland Best of the Best Portland Pest Control Companies We named Terminix our top choice for pest control in Portland. It offers top-tier specialty pest solutions at affordable prices, online tools, and comprehensive treatment plans....

A Farmhouse Refresh When starting with a blank slate, it helps to have a strong aesthetic endgame in mind, as Maison de Pax blogger Rachel Paxton did for the attic bath in her family’s 1984 ranch outside Austin, TX. “I knew I wanted a mix of black and white, with wood for the rustic charm that just feels right in this little farmhouse,” says Rachel. Carving out space for the necessities—a sink and a toilet—as well as some luxuries—a claw-foot tub and a large shower—was a challenge with a ceiling that slopes to a low of 5½ feet....

Wall-mounted Spice Rack Eye-catching spices can do double duty as works of art on your kitchen walls. Display them in a decorative frame or repurposed pallet, or install floating wall shelves for a neat, minimalist look. Just make sure the shelves have a lip or rail for keeping the jars in place. 12 Genius Items for an Organized Pantry Magnetic Spice Rack A magnetic fridge or surface in your kitchen is the perfect canvas for a spice jar collage....

Materials: Small Scrub Brush Cleaning Vinegar Baking Soda Rubber Gloves

You’ll also need a pair of side cutting pliers to trim the floral pieces and wire. Follow the steps below and scroll down for a list of tools and materials needed for this project. Steps for Making a DIY Hoop Wreath 1. Finish the Hoop Apply stain to the embroidery hoop with a foam brush, and then wipe away any excess with a cloth. Separate the layers of the hoop and stain the remaining edges....

Conventional wisdom says that slow-maturing trees live longer and are stronger. So can you grow a tree that’ll shoot up without toppling onto your house? Yes—with some careful vetting you can find fast-growing trees for privacy, shade, and decoration. First, refine your notion of fast growing to a growth rate of 1½ to 2 feet per year. Or, as Warren Roberts, longtime superintendent of the UC Davis Arboretum, puts it: “A fast-growing tree is one you can sit in the shade of, five to six years after planting....

Every heating system requires an energy source. Furnaces and boilers usually burn natural gas that’s piped in from the street. In areas without city gas, propane gas is stored in a tank outside the house, located where it can be easily refilled by a local fuel dealer. In the Northeast, furnaces and boilers are likely to burn fuel oil that’s delivered by truck and stored in a tank on-site. Electricity can directly power resistance heaters, which work like larger versions of the coils in your kitchen toaster....

Paul Staron Valley Building Inspections, Inc. Scottsdale, Ariz. Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter Leak, What Leak? “No leak on this pipe! The homeowner just needed a place to store two miles of tape, a few clamps and a Zip tie.” David Grudzinski Advantage Home Inspections Cranston, R.I. Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter Unstoppable “The owner wasn’t letting anything get in the way of moving the condensate from his HVAC unit away from his foundation....

Once the sections are built, Roger and Kevin O’Connor watch them get loaded onto the truck and taken to the project. In Newton, the crane lowers the sections right into place. One last stone is added over each seam and it looks like a traditional stone wall. Building a Stone Wall Building a stone wall by hand is typically a time-consuming and backbreaking 6-step process—from preparing the footing, laying the base course, building up the wall, cutting stones to fit, to tooling the joints—the entire job could take weeks....

Before we jump into the different types of siding, it’s important to note that any exterior siding project should also include some consideration of exterior trim–the casing treatment used around window and door openings. If the existing siding on your house has deteriorated, it’s likely that the exterior trim could also use replacement. You’ll want any new trim treatment to be compatible in appearance and function with the exterior siding you install....

How Often Should You Clean Your Dryer Vent? You should clean your dryer vent at least once a year—make it a part of your annual deep clean. But also watch to see if your dryer seems to be taking longer to dry clothing, since that might signal there’s a buildup of dust and lint in your dryer vent. Excessive dryer lint buildup can also pose a fire hazard, since lint is extremely combustible....

Steps for installing a sliding glass door Tools