Metro - Halifax : Columnist - Home Scape by Sylvia Putz

home scape by sylvia putz

Your home renovation survival guide

June 24, 2010

Generally speaking, I would strongly advise against living in a house undergoing a renovation.
Sure you can save money doing this, but will you save your sanity?

Is it time for a new porch?

June 17, 2010

There’s no doubt in my mind that concrete porches and steps are ugly.

Act early to staunch that basement leak

June 10, 2010

Water trickling into your basement through walls or up through the floor — while it’s never good — may not be the kiss of death that you fear.

Creating the perfect backyard shed

June 03, 2010

A shed is a shed is a shed, right? Wrong. A shed can be whatever you want it to be.

Get the most out of your patio furniture

May 27, 2010

You’ve probably dragged your outdoor furniture outside by now, and hopefully, you’re sitting on it.

Is it time to show your attic a little love?

May 20, 2010

What’s your attic doing these days? If yours is just sitting up there doing nothing, take a moment to imagine all that potential living space just waiting for you.

Your summer patio checklist

May 13, 2010

You’ve got the basics on your patio — a barbecue, a few chairs, and a dining table. But is it as great as it could be? Maybe not.

Is your home ready for an awning?

May 06, 2010

Do you remember those painted aluminum awnings that often graced suburban windows a few decades back?

Watch out for the sun this backyard season

April 29, 2010

Backyard lounging, barbecuing and socializing sounds like fun, right? But not when you’re broiling under the sizzling summertime sun.

Setting up a home can be hard

April 22, 2010

If you’ve just bought your first home, I bet you’re learning that the process of setting up a home can be exciting, but also a little overwhelming.

Get your gardening done from on high

April 15, 2010

I now have a cute, little sedum-bedecked green roof on a new, flat-topped shed in my backyard.

How to get the bugs out...and keep them out

April 08, 2010

Keeping insects out of the house may seem like child’s play, while they’re still clumsily bumping into everything.

Usher spring's treats into your home

April 01, 2010

Miraculously, it’s looks, smells and sounds like spring outside. So, why not bring that delightful sense of spring indoors?

How not to get bogged down while cleaning up

March 24, 2010

When spring is in the air, I get the urge to turn over a new leaf. Along with the annual rebirth of nature, I plan to renew my house, office, files and affairs. That means spring-cleaned, thinned out and organized.

Developing a greener green thumb

March 18, 2010

If you’re a gardener or planning on landscaping this spring, be prepared to take a nature-friendly approach -- if you haven’t done so already.

After a smelly winter, time to freshen up the home

March 11, 2010

After a long winter of living in tightly insulated spaces with closed windows, don’t you want to throw open the shutters to the fresh, bracing air?

Take spring cleaning as a chance to 'detox' your home

March 04, 2010

As you contemplate spring cleaning this year, why not “detox” your home as well?

Batten down the bathroom hatches

February 25, 2010

A bathroom is a place where dampness and wetness rule. Water often creeps out underneath or around a shower curtain, leaving a puddle on the floor.

Secrets to DIY chalet success

February 18, 2010

The notion of a ski chalet can be kind of silly for those of us who live in hill-challenged places, let alone anywhere remotely mountainous.

What’s your winter wishlist?

February 04, 2010

Do you feel cold and chilled in your own house? Perhaps not so much when you’re moving about, but at those times when you’re reading, or camped out in front of a computer screen, reading, typing away with icy fingers and a cold-tipped nose.

Your laundry room deserves some decor love, too

January 28, 2010

Laundry has traditionally been done in a grungy basement. I’m giving myself away here, but I remember my mother doing laundry in a wringer-washer.

Are your kids in need of an upgraded decor?

January 21, 2010

As a teenager, I remember having pink elephant wallpaper in my closet.

Simple ways to liven up your January comedown

January 14, 2010

After the holiday lights and glitter are safely packed away for another year, you can sit back and enjoy the order, the quiet, the … Oh, let’s face it, the drab and empty spaces and the dark gloominess in your formerly bright, festive living room isn’t doing much to lighten your mood.