Tuesday, February 13, 2018

By Barbara Pronin You can never find the flashlight when you need it, and that shed in the yard where you store your ski gear is—let’s face it—an eyesore. Editors at the multi-platform “This Old House” home enthusiast network provide a few home improvement solutions you can accomplish in a weekend or less:

Build a gallery wall. Bring fun and focus to the dead wall space in your stairwell with a well thought-out gallery arrangement. Choose a selection of favorite prints or old family photos in different sizes, and fame them in same-color frames. Or, consider an all black-and-white display of artwork or a selection of photos framed in a single color to match your décor.

Organize a small kitchen with pegboard. It’s not just for the garage anymore. Interior designers are painting pegboard in various colors to create a backdrop for hanging pots and pans. Finish the sides with thin strips of molding and your kitchen is better than ever.

Jazz up the shed. Paint that ho-hum outbuilding to tie it to the landscape and make it a welcoming focal point. Hang a stenciled wood placard of your choice on the door, plant a flowerbed just outside, and voila!, it’s part of the scenery.

De-junk that drawer. Turn a cluttered kitchen catch-all into an organized storage space by re-purposing items you may already have on hand. Think of that drawer as a puzzle space and fit together a selection of cupcake pans, ice cube trays, a silverware holder or any combination of low-profile containers painted the color of your choice. Now your pencils, rubber bands, thumbtacks and batteries are at last eminently reachable.

Feed the birds and enjoy the view. Edible ornaments can attract and feed hungry birds. Dissolve 2½ teaspoons of plain gelatin in half a cup of cold water. Blend in three tablespoons of corn syrup and ¾ cup flour. Mix in two cups of birdseed. Press the mixture into oiled cookie cutters, using a straw poked in near the top to create a hole for the ribbon. Remove and let dry, then hang the treats in trees where you can see and enjoy the action.

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