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Smart home-office design. Decorating guru Christopher Lowell has teamed up with Office Depot on a new collection of office furniture. Modularity, versatility and classic style characterize the Christopher Lowell Office Collections, which are called Lattix, Geometrix and Integr8. (View them at ). Lowell marked the launch this week by offering these ideas for maximizing home-office space.
Think timeless when choosing your office furniture. No sense investing in workstation components that will date a room in the near future. Look for classic designs with clean, straightforward lines and a more modern, global feel. Pared-down detail will also assure easier decor integration now and in the future.
Look for modularity. Quality, lightweight pieces are ideal. Today’s workstations are much more compact.
Choose workstation components finished on all four sides. This will allow you to move your workstation away from valuable, uninterrupted walls and float or angle pieces at the center of of a room.
Tackle cord management. Look for USB hubs built into desktops to reduce the number of cords running from your workstation to the nearest wall outlet.
Use decorative, covered storage bins. Great looking decorative containers will help you theme your space and integrate your workstation into the rest of the room’s decor.
To prevent electronics from overheating, look for cabinets with ventilated shelves. Many now have slat or wire mesh components so air can more easily circulate.
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Reflect on your deck. Memorial Day weekend is here, so you might want to get your outdoor space party-ready. Follow these steps from , an online resource for finding prescreened home-improvement professionals, to get your outdoor living spaces into shape for summer.
Conduct an inspection. Check closely for any loose boards or protruding nails that need repair.
Clean the deck. Debris clogging the spaces between deck boards should first be blasted out with a powerful nozzle on a garden hose or a power washer. The water can also help dilute any chemicals that may inadvertently come into contact with plants and grass.
Seal the deck. Put down tarps to protect plants, air conditioners and the like from the sealant, which can be brushed on, rolled on with a paint roller or sprayed on. The latter is fastest.
Paint or stain? If you choose to paint, use a stain-blocking oil or alkyd primer first. In general, the best finishes are those that soak into the wood, not those that provide a surface film. A heavily pigmented, solid stain isn’t really recommended for decking because it shows wear patterns and may peel.
Check out . Search for and view a video in which ServiceMagic home-improvement expert David Lupberger gives homeowners additional deck-maintenance tips.
