Online Features
Home Improvement
Tips for extending your home into your patio
(BPT) - In warmer weather, patios transform into the ultimate gathering space for backyard barbecues, reading, relaxing or even exercising. These outdoor rooms become an extension of the house, seamlessly merging the outdoors inside and vice versa. This summer, many homeowners will tackle revamping the home to expand t...
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Turn over a new leaf this season with a home energy makeover
(BPT) - As the seasons change, turn over a new leaf and give your home an energy makeover. You can improve your home’s comfort while helping the environment by making your home more energy efficient, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, a variety of compatible technologies are available to...
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Five steps to create a customized outdoor living space with railing
(BPT) - Railing can upgrade any deck from drab to fab – adding style, as well as safety and support. In fact, it’s often the one element that truly sets your outdoor living space apart from others in the neighborhood. Here are five steps to create the perfect perimeter for your deck. 1. Find ideas at your fingertips – ...
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DIY gifts for guys
(BPT) - Show the man in your life how much he is appreciated, not just for Father’s Day, but 365 days a year. Choosing the perfect gift for that special guy can sometimes feel like a challenge. If he enjoys fixing things around the house and tackling home improvement projects – big or small – look no further for the per...
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Eight easy ways to organize - and maximize - a small bath
(BPT) - The bath serves a variety of uses, from a functional room to a serene sanctuary, a storage facility to a salon. And, whether you enjoy it yourself or share with the family, every bathroom is in need of one major thing – organization. To help keep your bath feeling more serene and less insane, follow these eigh...
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Home chefs use new technology to cook with ease
(BPT) - Home cooks are spending more time in their own kitchens and less time dining out, according to the January Monthly Measuring Cup Trend Report . Nearly half of surveyed consumers said they’re dining out less this year than they did in 2012 and are relying more on their cooking skills at home. Fortunately, techno...
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Surprising ways hot tubs heat up relationships
(BPT) - On average, working adults spend less than an hour per day socializing and relaxing, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s American Time Use Survey . Yet a host of research – and common sense – tells us that spending time together in a social, relaxing way is essential to building and maintaining healthy...
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Four hot, new-home trends that can work for your remodel
(BPT) - Builders are back in business, and new-home construction is up in areas across the country. So is remodeling, as plenty of Americans choose to stay put and upgrade their current homes rather than tackle the challenge of buying and moving into something new. If you’re planning to renovate your home, you can tap ...
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DIY tricks that make bathroom renovations easy
(BPT) - When it comes to home improvement, Americans have embraced doing it themselves – in a big way. Among homeowners who plan to make improvements, 64 percent say they will do it themselves, according to American Express’ Consumer Spending and Saving Report. Yet one area of home improvement continues to give even adv...
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Wall-mounted sliding door 'reflects' a genius design solution
(BPT) - Like many couples who share a bathroom, one Arizona couple was frustrated by the space that was compromised by a swinging bathroom door. The open door swung into the bathroom vanity and took up too much space in a very traditional bathroom. The couple turned to Board by Board, an Arizona kitchen and bath design...
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Five tips for kitchen redos
(BPT) - Feel the need to renovate? If so, you’re not alone. Fifty-three percent of homeowners believe that now is a good time to remodel, according to a recent survey by Houzz.com. When deciding on where the makeover begins, look no farther than the kitchen. Kitchens are a major selling point for homebuyers, so a kitche...
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GROZNY, Russia (Reuters) - The father of a Chechen immigrant killed during questioning over his links with one of the Boston Marathon bombings suspects said on Thursday he plans to travel to the United States where he suspects his son was tortured and killed. Ibragim Todashev, 27, was killed by a federal agent in his apartment complex when he became violent during questioning over his ties to Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the older of two brothers suspected of planting two bombs at the marathon on April 15. ...
By Marice Richter GRAPEVINE, Texas (Reuters) - The Boy Scouts of America will vote on Thursday on a proposal to remove its ban on openly gay scouts that has been in place throughout the organization's 103-year history. The vote by more than 1,400 delegates comes amid intense lobbying by gay-rights activists and members of conservative organizations. The proposal would not remove the organization's ban on gay adult leaders. Representatives from both sides have rallied in Grapevine, Texas, near Dallas, where the scouting organization is hosting its national annual meeting. ...
By Richard Weizel MILFORD, Connecticut (Reuters) - Leaders of Connecticut gun advocacy groups said on Thursday they had sued to knock down a strict new gun-control law passed in April because they believed the measure would not improve public safety. In the wake of the December massacre of 26 people at an elementary school by a gunman, Connecticut adopted a tough new gun law banning sales of the sort of high-capacity ammunition clips used in that attack as well as expanding the range of weapons covered by the state's assault-weapons ban. ...