Online Features
Home Decorating
Start planning now for spring's home makeover
(BPT) - If April showers bring May flowers, what do winter’s snowflakes bring? Perhaps it’s an excuse to curl up with your favorite magazines and imagine the kitchen makeover of your dreams. When the cold winter months keep you indoors, use the time to take care of things that will make your remodeling plans much easier...
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Your bedroom: the key to a restful night's sleep
(BPT) - Whether snuggling in for the night or just trying to catch a quick few winks, your environment plays an important role in determining if you’re counting sheep or counting Zzzs. From noise reduction to lighting, there are a few easy ways you can turn your bedroom into a tranquil oasis. “A third of the adult popu...
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The busy person's guide for entertaining on short notice
(BPT) - Ideally, you’ll have a few days notice to get everything in order when you’re hosting guests. But everyone knows that’s not always the case. Drop-ins happen and you can make a choice between panicking or embracing the spontaneity of a last-minute get-together with your friends and family. The key to being an unf...
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Ten lucky home decor trends for 2013
(BPT) - Despite its negative reputation, the number 13 doesn’t always have to be unlucky. Take these top 10 decor trends for 2013 from design experts, manufacturers and trend forecasters across the country. They’re fresh, fun and sure to bring good fortune to any home. A splash of color Industry leader Pantone’s annua...
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Kitchen trends for 2013: 'Revamping kits' offer high-end results
(BPT) - If you’re tired of looking at your outdated kitchen, but feel replacement would be impractical, you’re not alone. In 2013, consumers will be trying to find the beauty in the beast. Projects that help the old look new will be the next big makeover trend – especially in the kitchen where remodeling becomes more pr...
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Use a fresh start to get organized with these tips
(BPT) - Whether you’re celebrating a new job, new house or new member of your family, fresh starts and major life events herald a time to rejoice. While you’re feeling good about a positive change in your life, it’s also a great time to get organized so you can focus on what’s to come instead of worrying about where to ...
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Go with the flow to add flexibility to your home
(BPT) - Talk to any contemporary architect, remodeler, interior designer or homeowner, and you’ll find one of the hot topics these days is “flow.” Gone are the days of floor plans burdened by closed-off, claustrophobic rooms, each designed around specific functions. “Today’s new homes and home remodeling projects em...
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Spruce up your home before the holiday
(BPT) - Looking for simple and quick ways to spruce up your home for the holiday season? Get your home looking its best before the guests arrive with some easy home improvement projects and seasonal inspirations. By making a few simple updates and adding new design pieces to your home, you can deter some of those winter...
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Home care for the holidays
(BPT) - Whether it's guests arriving for a holiday party, visiting relatives or holiday revelers, your home can feel like a revolving door during the holiday season. Unfortunately, all of this added traffic can also bring unwanted dirt and germs that can outweigh holiday cheer. Keep your home looking clean, germ-free an...
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Delight friends with unique eats this holiday
(BPT) - The holidays are a magical time to celebrate with family and friends. Whether it’s the first snowfall or a gift from a loved one, the season inspires us to celebrate and be merry. It’s also a time when holiday hosts and hostesses are eager for entertaining inspiration. Entertaining isn’t effortless, but there a...
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Festive fragrances bring favorite holiday memories to life
While the holidays are supposed to be a joyous occasion, trying to meet unrealistic expectations can bring out the Scrooge in anyone. A simple way to ease the stress is with a holiday-scented candle. Studies show that "scent memories" can remind us of wonderful events in our pasts, and a candle can trigger these types of...
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(Reuters) - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called sexual assault a "scourge" on Saturday as he addressed graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where a sergeant stands accused of videotaping female cadets in the showers. "Sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military are a profound betrayal - a profound betrayal - of sacred oaths and sacred trusts," Hagel said. "This scourge must be stamped out." His comments came a day after President Barack Obama delivered a similar message to graduates at the U.S. ...
By Jeffrey B. Roth PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - Fifty years after the Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest of the U.S. Civil War, a survivor of that fight marched 200 miles from Pittsburgh to the site of the battle for a reunion attended by both Union and Confederate veterans. On Sunday, another veteran, Jim Smith, 70, of Hempfield, Pennsylvania, will start out on the same trek as part of the observation of Memorial Day, when Americans honor their war dead. ...
By Malia Mattoch McManus HONOLULU (Reuters) - The city of Detroit may be facing a deepening financial crisis but that hasn't stopped four trustees of its public pension funds from spending $22,000 of retirement system funds to attend a conference in Hawaii this week. The trip 4,500 miles west to a four-star resort on the world-famous Waikiki Beach in Honolulu doesn't sit well with the top officials now running Detroit's finances under an emergency order from the state of Michigan. ...