Online Features
Home Decorating
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Transform garage sale castoffs into fun finds
(BPT) - As the warmer weather is upon us, it brings many new activities: baseball, picnics, beach time and – best of all - garage sales. People are purging what they don’t need or no longer want. It’s the perfect opportunity to turn their trash into your treasure.  From outdated odds and ends to forgotten furniture, the...
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Protecting and prolonging the life of your leather investment
Mother Nature isn’t always kind to your leather goods. Dirt, salt, dry air and other harsh winter elements can damage leather if they’re left to set in for months on end. Summer days mean more exposure to damaging UV rays, so it’s important to protect all leather, including car seats, from the harsh rays of the summer s...
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Whitewashed floors complement lively decorating trends
(BPT) - It’s the season of sunshine and enjoying the great outdoors. Celebrate it with a style makeover for your home by tapping lively decorating trends and home decor ideas that will refresh and brighten your living space. “Look to nature for inspiration for decorating ideas to refresh your home,” says Erinn Valencic...
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Sell your home faster with these cost-effective staging tips
(BPT) - Appearances count, especially when you’re trying to sell a home. Even though the housing industry experts predict this spring will be a seller’s market, it’s important to grab every advantage when you’re trying to sell your home. Staging – decorating a house to appeal to the broadest possible range of buyers – c...
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Fast and fabulous fixes to banish a boring bath
(BPT) - The best bathrooms are more than just functional areas – they’re sanctuaries where you can escape, reset and recharge. And as one of the smallest and most-used rooms in the home, that’s likely why they’ve become the most popular remodeling project (78 percent), according to the National Association of Home Build...
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Amazing accents under $100
(BPT) - If you’re bored by your bathroom, you might think a total room remodel is the only way to make a difference. And, if you’re like most homeowners, you might not have the time, expertise or budget to tackle high-profile projects like replacing your flooring, vanity, tub or shower. Luckily, in a small space like a...
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2013 National Home Color Survey [Infographic]
Spring is finally here, and people are looking to update their homes and turn their design dreams into reality. From simply updating a room to a complete home transformation, homeowners are looking for ways to add color to their spaces. According to the National Home Color Survey from Sherwin-Williams, two-in-three (62 percent) homeowners are planning a painting project and three-in-four homeowners (74 percent) would like to incorporate more color in their homes, especially the living room (...
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Top remodel trends for the modern home
(BPT) - Thanks to foreclosures and short sales, home buyers are snatching up great houses at reduced prices and remodeling to create stylish modern homes. Lucky for those buyers, many of today’s top trends are relatively easy to recreate, and will add re-sale value to their homes. “TV interior design shows are mostly a...
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Couples who design together, stay together
(BPT) - Opposites attract, and for couples who live together, compromising on personal style and design choices can be a difficult bridge to cross. Someone who wants a modern, contemporary vibe might not like the decor choice of someone who prefers a more traditional or rustic feel. What most people don’t realize, howev...
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Give your home a fresh look with color
(BPT) - A fresh coat of paint can give any room an instant lift, making it a great solution for converting a space from drab to fab. Though neutrals reign as America’s most popular paint choices, the National Home Color Survey from Sherwin-Williams shows people are becoming bolder with color. Three-in-four homeowners i...
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Easy solutions to backyard problems so gardeners can focus on fun
(BPT) - For time-stretched gardeners who prefer to enjoy their backyards rather than work in them, several new products make outdoor living easier. Each offers a thoughtful solution to a common outdoor living problem, providing time-saving help to gardeners, gadget geeks and all who love to focus on fun outdoors.  * ...
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Five tips for spring home decorating 'eco-style'
(BPT) - As spring blossoms, so does our desire to lighten up – in life and at home. Simple eco-friendly changes to home decor can set the tone for a much fresher and brighter outlook. Here are five tips to get you started: Get a color lift Color has long been credited for its mood-changing qualities. “Color can reall...
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national news
Immigration bill gets Senate boost; House effort teetering

Candidates hold U.S. flags during a naturalization ceremony to become new U.S. Citizens at Convention Center in Los AngelesBy Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Supporters of U.S. immigration reform are hoping that the smooth and drama-free passage of their legislation through a Senate committee - a departure from almost everything that has happened in Congress over the past four years - will boost the likelihood of the bill winning full Senate approval. Even Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, the senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee who voted against the immigration bill on Tuesday, told Reuters TV that the "very fair" debate by the panel "does improve its chances. ...


Wed May 22 17:29:42 UTC 2013
Oklahoma tornado victims astounded at how they survived
By Carey Gillam and Ian Simpson MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Tornado survivors thanked God, sturdy closets and luck in explaining how they lived through the colossal twister that devastated an Oklahoma town and killed 24 people, an astonishingly low toll given the extent of destruction. At least one family took refuge in a bathtub and some people shut themselves in underground shelters built into their houses when the powerful storm tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday. ...
Wed May 22 17:43:17 UTC 2013
Man linked to Boston bombing suspect killed by FBI in Florida

FBI Agent Kills Man After Questioning Him About the Boston Marathon BombingBy Barbara Liston and Mark Hosenball ORLANDO, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Chechen immigrant who was being questioned about his possible links to one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects was shot and killed by a federal agent in Florida on Wednesday after he suddenly turned violent, the FBI said. A friend of the dead man identified him to Reuters as 27-year-old Ibragim Todashev, who had previously lived in Boston and knew Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the older of the two brothers suspected of planting two bombs at the marathon on April 15, killing three people and injuring 264. ...


Wed May 22 18:58:10 UTC 2013
Woman being praised for calming London attackers
The horrific attack that left a U.K. soldier dead on the streets of London could have been worse, were it not for the actions of a 48-year-old single mom, the U.K.'s Telegraph reports. Ingrid Loyau-Kennett spoke with the Telegraph about speaking directly with the suspected killers in the attack's immediate aftermath. In a photograph, Loyau-Kennett [...]
Wed May 22 18:53:08 UTC 2013