2 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013

For the past twenty-one years, HADCO has been offering ourcustomers a vast array of high-end products from every cornerof the globe. We import goods from the US, UK, Costa Rica, Europe, Far East and the Caribbean. We have everything to suityour needs, from cables to transformers to lighting, and muchmore!Our Company caters to both local and regional markets, and ourservices apply not only to the commercial sector, but the industrial sector as well. We supply hardware and contractors.We also cater to retail customers through our Nova Lighting andLighthouse stores in Trinidad and our Kelec store in Tobago.

HADCO LIMITEDHEAD OFFICEJRJ Warehousing Compound,Bhagoutie Trace, San Juan,Trinidad, W.I.Tel.: (868) 675-7628Fax: (868) 675-2641E-mail: info@HadcoLtd.comHelpdesk: feedback@HadcoLtd.com or (868) 675-7628 Ext. 1317

HADCO Group is dedicated to the importation and distribution offirst-rate food, beverage, wines, spirits, electrical and lightingitems in Trinidad & Tobago.

OUR MISSIONOur mission is to enrich our stakeholders’ quality of life, throughthe setting of trends and providing superior brands and services.Our Corporate Head Office is located at Bhagoutie Trace, SanJuan with branch offices and subsidiary companies spread acrossTrinidad and Tobago and Barbados.

UNFALTERING COMMITMENT AND PASSION FOR SUCCESSOver the past 21 years, our unfaltering commitment and passionfor success has led us to achieve immense recognition in the corporate sphere. We have maintained an untarnished reputationthrough the provision of quality products and excellence in service in the electrical and lighting wholesale, retail, commercialand industrial sectors.

DIVERSITY, INNOVATION AND DYNAMISMOur diversity, innovation and dynamism are reflected in every aspect of our business. The combination of these qualities hasgiven HADCO Group a competitive advantage in the businessenvironment.

BRANCH OFFICE#6 Greenland Drive,Point Lisas Industrial Estate, Couva.Trinidad, W.I.Tel: (868) 636-4369, (868) 636-4373;Fax: (868) 636-7672;E-mail: adellep@HadcoLtd.com

BTicino offers new product lines eachyear, thereby implementing the strategyto strengthen and update its solutions,staying at the forefront and innovationwith the latest technology to controllighting, video control, comfort andsecurity and serve new markets with highgrowth potential in the residential,commercial and industrial.

Choosing a Switch PlateLong gone are the days when you

would leave this choice to your electrician.With so many colour and texture optionsavailable from BTicino you can matchalmost any paint colour or surface with acoordinating switch plate.

The real question here is what’s yourstyle? Think about how the room isdecorated; the important thing is that youchoose a switch plate, electrical outputsand connectivity devices that comple-ment the design of the room and that it istailored to your personal taste.

Switch your thinking!BTicino offers a wide and modern range

of wall plates to choose from; all of whichwill definitely add that extra style and

flair to your home. These wall plates arealso called cover plates, switch plate cov-ers, electric wall plates, or wall switchcovers.

The finishing touches to any room arelike the icing on top of a cake – small insize but dramatic in effect and impact! It’sthe switch plates, electrical outlets andconnectivity devices that tend to receivethe most personal contact while youenjoy a space. Whether you notice themor not, every time you walk in or out of aroom or need to plug something in; yourhands and eyes are drawn closer to thesewall plates compared to other features inthe room. So why not choose somethingto cover your outlets that are worthlooking at!

From the ‘Matix’ line which offers boldand exciting colours to ‘Living Light’ thatexudes style and contemporary finishesto the highest end of ‘Axolute’ thatscreams sophistication and opulence;choose for yourself!

So you decided that you want to be arisk taker and paint your dining roomwalls in bright red! Now you are stuck

with white or maybe beige plates thatcover your switches. The typical stepwould be to paint them red to match thewalls which would be a disaster. BTicinohas the solution for you; its ‘Matix’ linehas twenty-four colours in five colourfamilies of whites, galvanic, metallizedcolours and texture to match any décor.BTicino anticipates change in lifestyle;hence we design and develop our products to allow maximum freedom toexpress your ideas and personality.Whether you prefer the round ellipticalshape or the square contours, you have avast array of designs to choose from.

Did you just renovate your kitchenand upgraded your appliances to thesleek look of stainless steel? Now youhave to match your wall plates with yournew décor. BTicino offers its ‘Living Light’line of chrome or nickel finish wall platesto match your appliances. The ‘LivingLight’ line encapsulates the tasteful rich-ness of design and continued innovationthat has made the BTicino brand a globalleader in electrical wiring devices.

Have a Swarovski work of art or Italian marble on your wall. BTicino’s

‘Axolute’ line is all about luxury, panacheand having a non-conformist lifestyle.The brightness of Swarovski Elementscrystals and the elegance of Axolute, together in a cover plate are destined toleave a mark. Thanks to the collaborationwith Graniti Fiandre, BTicino is capable ofsupplying cover plates made using someof the most prestigious ceramic slabs,achieving perfect coordination withinterior coverings.

Bid farewell to the timeworn concep-tion that electrical wiring is monotonousand get with the trend of defining yourspace with colour and texture. From thebudget friendly ‘Matix’ line to the richnessof ‘Axolute,’ BTicino caters to everyindividual’s sense of uniqueness.

Feel free to contact any of our well-trained and knowledgeable Cus-tomer Service Representatives or theBTicino Brand Ambassador for further

information and advice.

HADCO Limited – 868 675 7628www.hadcoltd.com Check us out on Facebook:www.facebook.com/HADCOGroup

BTicino 3April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

BTicino is an international leader inelectrical device design. A divisionof the Legrand Group, BTicino manufactures low voltage electricalequipment for living, working andproduction spaces; integrating solutions for energy distribution,communication, control of lighting,sound distribution, climate, andsafety.

4 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013What’s Inside

Bring Your Windows To Life...

“Visit Our Showrooms for the Widest & Finest Selection of Custom-Made Designer Window Fashions”

We Offer:-

0000 www.cwinteriors.com

Showroom

Now Open at

52 Royal Road, San Fernando

PRODUCERTRACEY ALONZOtracey.alonzo@guardian.co.tt

HEAD OF DESIGNDENISE BAPTISTE

ASSOCIATE EDITORS SPULISA JESSAMY, HALCIAN PIERRE

FEATURE CONTRIBUTORSRANDALL WADDELL, ANN MOORE-SPENCER, DIANNE HUNT, BAVINA SOOKDEO, DARREL DOOKOO, CHRIS CHANDLER

DESIGN & LAYOUTSEAN SIMONRAQUEL VASQUEZ LA ROCHE

SALESSPECIAL PUBLICATIONS ENQUIRIESSPU1@GUARDIAN.CO.TTBUSINESS DEVELOPMENTMANAGER (SPU)SONJA ROMANYSONJA.ROMANY@GUARDIAN.CO.TT623-8870 EXT: 2928, 742-9920

Special Publications Unit [SPU]

BEFORE YOU BEGIN6 Renovation Deliberations7 Renovation checklist

ENTERTAINING8 Coastal Living

IN THE KITCHEN10 7 Easy Kitchen Cabinet Repairs

DESIGN & DECOR11 Gift idea - Beautiful Crockery

SURFACES14 & 15 Colour Vocab

PLUMBING16 How to Test for Water Leaks

FABRIC & FURNISHINGS22 WOW: Window Wisdom

TRADE SECRETS17 30 Minute Makeovers18 How to replace a Deadbolt Lock23 How to replace a Slab Door

BACKYARD BASICS20 Discovering Orchids21 Porch TLC

5April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

6 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013Before You Begin

Every home needs repaint-ing, updating or repair work tokeep it looking fresh, stylishand in good condition.Whether you have a newhouse in need of additionalfeatures and fittings, an oldproperty requiring a majoroverhaul, or simply want to re-fresh an outmoded decoratingscheme, you can always turnto an Interior Designer for theguidance, expertise and inspi-ration needed for completesuccess and perfect resultsevery time.

Using a professional is a goodway to outline how best to as-sess the existing décor and con-dition of the home, and how toplan the work and choose newdesign or decorating materials.

The planning stages includeinvaluable advice on usingcolour, texture and pattern tobest effect, reorganising avail-able space effectively andchoosing lighting to enhanceevery room in the house. It iscritical to spend time in plan-ning as everything you do andspend on will follow from thatplan. Painting, tiling, architec-tural features and fittings, softfurnishings and storage are afew of the details that you willneed to think through.

Painting walls, woodwork andother surfaces in the home is byfar the most popular, easiestand cost effective way of mak-ing big visual changes to thehome than any other method.Paint technology has movedpaint from solvent based towater based products which donot give off harmful vapours asthey dry, and though they maynot be as durable as the solventbased ones, the advantages offaster drying times, no smelland easier clean up make it aneasy go-to for a DIY project.But painting can also be daunt-ing – when faced with a hugepalette of colours it’s easy tobecome confused - so a profes-sional can guide you in under-standing the complimentaryand contrasting shades andeven how the natural and artifi-cial light in a room can affectthe colour hue when applied.

Randall WaddellCID, ASID

Principal Interior DesignerHomeWork Design Studio

868-680-6732Email:

randall@homeworktt.comWeb: www.homeworktt.com

FaceBook:www.facebook.com/home-

workdesignstudio

Tiling remains one of the staples of interior and exterior décor. Thereare prolific designs, sizes, styles and materials in tiles. Ceramic andporcelain are common, but vinyl, lino and cork are also great choices. Thebest and worst feature of tile is its longevity; best because you cancount on it to stand up to wear better than almost any other materialand worst because it lasts so long that it can easily become dated and

it’s not the easiest finishing to change – it entails a whole lot of messand is usually only considered when a renovation includes all the otherfinishes as well. So this remains one of the most important of your deci-sions in planning, making the right decision on tile almost requires a littlebit of fortune telling so that you can envision your choice lasting longerthan the current trends.

A bare room, with its areas of flat and featurelessplasterwork, is a blank canvas which can be outfittedin many different ways. Paint and wall coverings areusually where you start, but there is also a wide rangeof other architectural features and fittings which canbe added to the room to give it its own personality.Adding decorative details like cornices (crown mold-ings) which run around the angle between wall andceiling or skirtings (baseboards) fitted around thewalls at floor level; architraves (trims) around flushdoors and window openings can make a dramatic im-pact on the space and can set the tone for the colourscheme as well as give the room its individual look.

Fabric choice plays a major part in setting the styleof a room, creating accents of colour to enliven a neu-tral décor or providing a means of coordinating differ-ent elements effectively in a room. Colour is animportant consideration when furnishing a room –light shades tend to open it out, while dark and vividshades close it in. Many people tend to play it safe bychoosing neutral shades, which is easy to live withbut can be boring and impersonal. To jazz it up, allowyourself to be daring, even if it’s just with one piece offurniture in the room as soft furnishings in a stunningfabric design can transform an entire room.

Finding suitable storage space around the house forall the personal and household items we all accumu-late can be quite a challenge. In a typical home, pos-sessions are stored in one of three main ways: onshelves, in cupboards/closets or in drawers. Usuallythe best pieces are bespoke (custom) – this allowsthe space to be used in full and the unit can be de-signed and built specifically to either display items orcontain them to their own specifications.

Many people do not consider the enormous quan-tity of decisions and detail that go into a renovationof a residential or commercial space. These can leadto a tremendous amount of stress and worry whenthe planning is not done correctly; but then again –thank God for Interior Designers!

Storage and Organisation• Full size closet for vacuum

cleaner, brooms and all cleaningitems

• Linen closet• Built in bookshelves• Counter top cabinet storage for

electric toothbrushes etc• Kitchen pantry• Appliance garage with electrical

outlets in kitchen for toasters,sandwich makers, etc

• Enough storage for Christmasdecorations.

Before you Begin 7April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

We go through a renovation exercise to make the space better. We spend time on layout,finishes and colour trying to get everything just right. After the renovation and we are living in the space, we see that there are a number of little things that we wished we hadthought about. They would not have cost an arm and a leg and they would make a big difference to how your renovations function. In no particular order of importance:

Outdoors• Run conduit under the driveway

for future wiring or plumbingneeds

• Prewire for speakers both indoorand outdoor

• Ensure you have hose outlets forhot/cold outdoor and electricaloutlets on all sides of the houseand on patios, verandas and ter-races.

• Gas line to grill location

Kitchen• Customize storage organization

in kitchen drawers and cabinetsfor your specific items such astrays, platters, bowls, knives

• Set up for both gas and electricappliances

• Pull-out garbage and laundry fordirty dish towels, napkins,aprons

• Drawers or pull-out shelves forlower cabinets

• Build storage on both sides ofwide islands

• Under-cabinet lighting.

Electrical • Prewire for security system &

cameras • Prewire and prepare roof for future

solar system• Prewire for music and speakers,

inside and outside • Consider iPad controllers to control

whole-house music systems • Pre-wire for generator to essential

areas • Take photos of all the wiring in case

you needed to add or change any-thing.

• Include a 220V to garage or anyworkshop area

• Run an electrical line with a few flooroutlets, especially since we have veryopen floor plans

• Install motion sensor on pantry andcloset lights

• Electrical outlets in dresser drawersand vanity cabinets and drawers forhair dryer, curling pin etc. and inpantry for and appliance garages

• Pantry, closet and bathroom lights onmotion sensors

• 4-plug outlets near the bed in themaster

• An inside button to open and closeyour garage door for when guests ar-rive and it’s raining.

• Electrical outlets with switches forChristmas lights: over cabinets, instairway, in porch ceiling, under eaves

Plumbing• Run plumbing for all current and pos-

sible landscape needs• Do plumbing and electricals for drink-

ing fountain outside• Proper plumbing for icemaker on re-

frigerator. Plastic tubing will fail withtime.

Lighting • In-cabinet lighting• Outside lights on timers; some with

motion sensors• 3-way switches for rooms with multi-

ple entries • Master switch from the master bed-

room that controls all exterior lights • A master switch at each exit (Front,

back or garage), that turns off alllights in the house

• A light switch at the head of yourbed so you can turn out the lightonce you are in bed.

Other• Make copies of manuals prior to installation and

give the builder the copies so you can keep theoriginals.

• A full, secure laundry room. • Make choices that are handicapped accessible.

You never know when life will change for a fam-ily member for a recovery or a lifetime. Even ayoung person can wind up incapacitated by in-jury or disease. Having an entry, doorways, bed-room and bathroom accessible or easilyconverted may make your home more suitable.

8 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013Entertaining

One of the obvious advantages ofisland living is the increased optionfor costal homes. From pebbledbeaches to white sand coasts theseaside home is beaming with inspi-ration especially for entertaining.

Entertaining with Dianne Hunt of DH Gift Inspired by the Elements

There is no limit to the inspiration that can be derivedfrom the costal elements. Birds and fishes are greatcostal motifs to translate into decorative elements oncetastefully done. Fish shaped bowls and serving traysand coral printed cake stands give quite a shabby chiclook.

Costal ColourWhile Caribbean costal homes traditionally lean to-wards bright coloured decor and entertaining elements,the new shabby chic costal trend favors off whites,aged coral, sea foam and dusty blues. These colours arequite calming and complement the costal home beauti-fully. Use these mildly coloured serving trays for brightlycoloured tropical fruit and salads to create contrast.

FabricWe suggest breathable cottons and linens. These fab-rics are durable and available in a myriad of colours.Linens are perfect for aprons, table runners, napkins,place mats and throw pillows. Cottons are supper com-fortable and durable and make lovely napkins, apronsand table cloths.

Menu When entertaining in your coastal home, the menu is high on the list of priori-ties. Here are a few recipes that are sure to complement your coastal soirée:

Tuna with Lemon and Caper Sauce INGREDIENTS:• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil• 4 (6-ounce) lemon sole fillets• 1/2 teaspoon salt• 1/4 teaspoon freshly

ground black pepper• 1 teaspoon butter• 1 garlic clove, minced• 3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained, and minced• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

PREPARATION• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle fish with salt

and pepper. Place fish in pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fishflakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.Remove fish from pan.

• Melt butter in pan. Add garlic; cook 1 minute or until lightly browned. Addbroth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cook until re-duced to 1/4 cup (about 6 minutes). Stir in minced capers and juice; cook 3minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in pars-ley. Serve immediately.

INGREDIENTS:1 cup couscous 1 cup boiling water 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper 4 green onions, sliced 1 cup cherry tomatoes 1 cup fresh basil leaves 1 pinch salt 1 pinch ground black pepper 1 dash balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Company CouscousPREPARATIONS:• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175

degrees C).• Stir couscous into boiling water and

return water to a boil. Cover and re-move pot from heat. Let stand 5minutes, then fluff with a fork.

• While the couscous is cooking, heatoil in a large skillet over mediumheat. Stir in garlic, green onions andpeppers; saute briefly. Stir in toma-toes, basil, cooked couscous, saltand pepper. Mix together and trans-fer to a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.Splash some balsamic vinegar ontop.

• Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F(175 degrees C) oven for 20 min-utes. Sprinkle with Parmesancheese while still warm.Courtesy allrecipes.com

Decor items available @ DH Gift

All Products are Available at D Rite Stuff

Bright Ideas 9April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

OUTDOORSOutdoor Rugs add character to your

BEDROOMSComfy Bedspreads and Luxurious rugs.

KITCHENSMake drab counters look less outdated and morelike a slab of new Granite! Try Granite Paint.

DINING ROOMEvery good eating table deserve great dining ware.

LIVING ROOMSpruce up windows withsome fancy curtains.

10 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013In the Kitchen

Are you bugged by kitchen cabinets that don’twork quite right?  Broken latches, loose doorhinges, sticking drawers—are they driving youbonkers? Read on for easy fixes to these andother common cabinet problems.

Adjust depth and side screwsEuro hinges are designed for easy

adjustment. If the door isn’t flushwith the doors next to it, adjust thedepth screw. This screw moves thedoor in or out. Some depth screwsmove the door as you turn them.But with most, you have to loosenthe screw, nudge the door in or outand then tighten the screw. If yourhinges don’t have depth screws,start with the side screws. Thesemove the door from side to side. Insome cases, you have to loosen thedepth screw slightly to adjust theside screw.

Replace and adjust the catchMost newer cabinets have self-

closing hinges that hold the doorsshut. Others have magnetic or rollercatches. A catch that no longerkeeps a door closed is either brokenor out of adjustment. Catches arefastened with two screws, so re-placing a damaged catch is simple.Adjustment is just as simple, butyou might have to readjust thecatch a couple of times before youget it right. Loosen the screws,move the catch in or out, andtighten the screws. If the door does-n’t close tightly, try again.

Place bumpers at top and lower corners

Tired of listening to those cabinetdoors bang shut? Peel-and-stickdoor and drawer bumpers are thesolution. Get a pack of 20 at a homecenter for $2. Make sure the back ofthe door is clean so the bumperswill stick, then place one at the topcorner and another at the bottom.

Replace with identical slidesIf you find that slides are bent,

rollers are broken or rollers won’tturn even after lubricating, replace-ment is the best solution. To keepthe project simple, buy new slidesthat are identical (or almost identi-cal) to the old ones. That way, re-placement is an easy matter ofunscrewing the old and screwing onthe new. Remove a drawer track

and a cabinet track and take themshopping with you.

Spray lubricant ontracks and rollers

A few minutes of cleaning and lu-bricating can make drawer slidesglide almost like new. Start by re-moving the drawers so you can in-spect the slides. You can removemost drawers by pulling them allthe way out, then either lifting orlowering the front of the draweruntil the wheels come out of thetrack. Wipe the tracks clean andcoat them with a light spray lubri-cant. Also lubricate the rollers andmake sure they spin easily.

Remove fasteners and old glueDon’t put up with a broken corner

joint on a drawer. Fix it before thewhole drawer comes apart. Removethe drawer and then remove thedrawer front from the drawer box ifpossible. Most fronts are fastenedby a couple of screws inside thebox. Remove nails, staples orscrews from the loose joint andscrape away old glue with a utilityknife.

Glue knobs in placeAny handle or knob that comes

loose once is likely to come looseagain. Put a permanent stop to thisproblem with a tiny drop of threadadhesive. Don’t worry; if you wantto replace your hardware sometimein the future, the knobs will stillcome off with a screwdriver.

Use a stain-filled touch-up markerIf you have shallow scratches or

nicks, hide them with a stain-filledtouch-up marker. Dab on the stainand wipe off the excess with a rag.But beware: Scratches can absorblots of stain and turn darker thanthe surrounding finish. So start witha marker that’s lighter than yourcabinet finish and then switch to adarker shade if needed. For deeperscratches, use a filler pencil, whichfills and colors the scratch. Courtesy www.handyman.com

WALL MOUNTED MINI-SPLITS

Comfort Star and Serenity Air Conditioning Units

12000 BTU

18000 BTU

24000 BTU

36000 BTU

5 Tons BTU

INCLUDES:

• Installation kit

• L C D wireless

• Remote Control

• Ultra Quiet

• Full Supply of Warranty parts

WIDE RANGE OF PARTS FOR APPLIANCE, REFRIDGERATORS,

COMMERCIAL AIR CONDITIONING,

AUTO AIR CONDITIONING AND WATER PUMPS PARTS ETC.

127C Corner Drayton & Coffee Streets, San Fernando.

Phone 653 7877 phone/fax 652 8218 / E-Mail gapsparts@hotmail.com

MOVING SOON TO PRIVE COMPOUNDSOUTH TRUNK ROAD, LA ROMAIN

GENERAL APPLIANCE PARTS & SERVICE

0428014

Design & Decor 11April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

EXCLUSIVELY at

Level 1 The Falls at West Mall 632-6527 • Ground Floor Long Circular Mall 622-0500

12 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013LightHouse

Lighthouse imports products fromworld-renowned manufacturers withpopular US brand names such as Kichler,General Electric Lighting, Quorum andFanimation to name a few. We alsoimport from different parts of the worldsuch as Panama, China, Costa Rica andEurope. Over our 30 years of existencewe have forged new alliances, established life bonding relationshipsand have earned the respect of our competitors within the market place.

We have always focused on qualityproducts at an affordable price and thisis what sets us apart from ourcompetitors. We fully back our warranties on products and offer minorservicing of items.

We have become specialised inmaking the purchasing of our fixturesand fittings a simple task by offering toyou our years of experience, highlytrained staff and wide variety ofproducts.

32/34 Dundonald Street, Port OfSpain,Trinidad, W.I.Tel: (868) 62- Light (625-4448)Fax: (868) 625-4665

25 Royal Road, San Fernando,Trinidad, W.I.Tel: (868) 653 - 3177Fax: (868) 653 - 2961Electrical Store Fax: (868) 652– 6565

www.lighthousett.com

Lighthouse Limited, formed in 1972, is a retail establishment that focuses on the sale of decorative lighting fixtures and fittings. To datewe have two Lighting Showrooms and one RetailElectrical Store. As one of the premier and moreestablished lighting companies, Lighthouse hasgrown from a small family run organisation to alimited liability company that has earned itself national recognition.

Visit our Electrical Store at our Royal Road, San Fernando branchfor all your domestic, commercial and industrial electrical itemsYou can find generators, panels, breakers, light switches, electrical wire, water heaters, pliers, screwdrivers, exhaust fansand so much more for all your electrical and lighting needs.

We aim to facilitate all the lighting needs of our targetmarket by supplying a wide variety of superior products andconsulting in all areas of lighting – residential, commercialand industrial.

Our staff is trained on an ongoing basis to facilitate adviceand product knowledge to our customers. Management iscommitted to the provision of an environment of safety andsecurity for all our employees and customers in our drive toprovide total customer satisfaction.

We are confident that we can fulfill all your lighting needs.

Nova Lighting 13April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

Nova Lighting opened its doors to thepublic on July 1, 1997. Our showroom,located at 18 Rust Street St Clair, tastefully displays and stocks a wide variety of chandeliers, decorative indoorand outdoor lighting fixtures, ceiling fans,recessed downlighters, led lighting, solarlighting, bulbs and more.

We believe that lighting should exceedfunctionality and transform your spacesinto stunning, inspiring settings. Lightingthat energises as well as enhances yourlife.

TYPES OF LIGHTING

In order to achieve well-coordinated lighting we must follow these guidelines:• Ambient Lighting• Task Lighting• Accent Lighting• Decorative Lighting

When the lighting of each room is carefully planned the result is maximumflexibility and impact.

HOW IMPORTANTIS LIGHTING?

Look out for more InnovativeLighting and Energy Solutionscoming soon in the next issue

14 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013Surfaces

Hue. The hue is how we identify one colour from the next. Whenwe perceive a colour as being purple red, blue, for instance, we are relat-ing to its hue.

Tint. Basically, a tint is a hue that is mixed with white. So a tint is a paler, less intenseversion of a hue. Pastel colours are tints. Pink is a tint of red. We often speak of a colourhaving a tint of another colour. We say that teal is green with a blue tint, for instance.Technically, in theory this usage of the word tint is incorrect.

Tone. On the other hand, if grey is added to a colour, you have a tone of the colour.Very often people erroneously refer to tints or shades of a colour as a tone of the colour.So any grey-green is a tone of green. A tone is less intense and softer than the originalcolour.

Value. Colour also has value. The value of a colour refers to its relative lightness ordarkness. All colours have a spectrum of values. Red, for example, can have values frompink to maroon. Blue can range from ice blue to navy. Get my drift? Tints have the high-est value and shades the lowest.

Shade. In colour theory, a shade is a darker version of a hue. Maroon is a shade of red. Addblack to a hue and the result is a shade of that colour. This is another colour term that we use in-correctly. In practice we may ask what shade of green do you like? Meaning what version or varia-tion of a colour you prefer. Very often you would be trying to determine a preference for a versionof green, for instance, blended with one or more colours.

Most individuals have afavourite colour. When youspeak of your favouritecolour you have the imageclear in your mind, but itcould prove problematicwhen you try to explain itto someone. For instance,merely saying that you loveblue is not enough. Is yourfavourite colour baby blue,wedgewood, slate blue,turquoise, or royal blue? Sowhen clients tell me theyhave a blue room and wantme to select drapery andupholstery fabric withoutseeing the space, that’s …tricky. Colour has so manydifferent characteristicsand versions; plenty ofroom for misunderstand-ings. Let’s explore.

Saturation.The saturation of a colour refers to its purity, vivid-ness or intensity. A very saturated colour is force-ful, strong and very clear. A desaturated colour issofter, duller and less intense. The quality of lightin a room can impact on how saturated a colour isperceived. During the day the paint on your wallsor drapery, for instance, may seem more vivid (sat-urated) than in the night.

Next month we will lookfurther at colour and dis-cuss the basics of deter-mining colourcombinations and colourschemes.

Colour Wheel.If you did some art in school, you would have beenintroduced to the colour wheel. In decorating thecolour wheel is an invaluable tool in deciding colourschemes and combining colour.

Just to remind you of some colour basics. Thereare 3 primary colours: red, blue and yellow.

They are the base of all other colours and noother colour can be mixed to get them. In theirpure form they may be too powerful.

They are usually used as accents in children’srooms. Less saturated versions of the colours areeasier to live with.

When you mix 2 primary colours you get a sec-ondary colour. Green, orange and purple are sec-ondary colours.

In turn these can be mixed and so on. Most ofthe decorator colours don’t resemble any of thecolours on an artist’s colour wheel.

Most decorator colours are less intense and area subtle mix of many different colours.

To use colour effectively you must have an in-stinctive or learned appreciation of the composi-tion and undertones of colour.

In doing so you would be able to determinewhere these more sophisticated and complexcolours fall on the colour wheel.

Surfaces 15April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

Continued from Page 14

16 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013Plumbing

The first step is to turn off all water usingappliances. Make sure your dishwasher andwashing machine are off. Turn off allfaucets, the sprinkler system, and don'tflush any toilets. Don't forget to turn offyour automatic ice maker.

Next, locate the water meter for yourhome. In most cases it will be an in-groundbox, near the street. If you can't find it, callyour water department and ask themwhere to look.

Once you find the meter, open the coverand look for the meter with numbers on it.It may be under a little metal or plastic lid(like a pocket watch). Write down the num-bers. Also, look for a little triangle (oftenred) or small dial. This indicator moveswhenever water is flowing and will moveeven when a small amount of water is flow-ing.

Wait at least 30 minutes, even better acouple hours and remember - don't use anywater including flushing a toilet, then checkthe numbers on the meter. If the numbershave changed, water is flowing somewhereand probably being wasted.

Isolating the leak can be done with somedetective work. The first step is to turn offthe water supply to the home. Nearly allhomes have a shut off at the meter, butshutting off at the meter won't help. Mosthomes have a second shut-off, typically lo-cated just outside the home near a hose bibor possibly inside in a utility area. Turn offthe water and note the meter reading.Check again in couple of hours. If the num-bers have changed, the leak is almost cer-tainly in the underground water linebetween the meters the house.

Once you have ruled out the main supplyline, turn on the water supply again. Goaround the house and turn off the watersupply valves to toilets, sinks and appli-ances then check the meter again. If themeter didn't change, then one of thoseservices is leaking water and you can turneach one on one-at-a-time until you find theculprit. If the meter did change, it could beyour yard irrigation system, a leaking pipesomewhere around your home or some-thing such as an automatic pool refillingsystem, fountain or another similar waterusing device.

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Do you know if your plumbing system is leaking water? If you have water pooling, hear adrip or hear your toilet running, then you know water is being wasted. But what about theplumbing lines underground or in other places where you might not notice? Testing your watersupply system is easy to do and can save you money by fixing leaks.

How to Caulk aBathtub or Shower

The caulk around the seams of your bathtub or shower serves a very important pur-pose. While it provides a decorative transi-tion between surfaces, more importantly, itkeeps the bathing area water tight. Waterthat gets past seams and into walls leads toloose tiles, wood rot and mold. Each of whichcan be very costly to repair.

If the caulk around your tub or shower hascome loose or is discoloured or mildewed, itshould be replaced. While you could patchjust the affected areas, caulk does not stickto dried caulk very well. The repair will tendto leak and to come loose after a relativelyshort time. The best practice to completelyremove all the old caulk, clean the surfacesand put down fresh caulk.

How to RemoveOld Caulking

There are two common types of bathroomcaulk, silicone and acrylic. There are also hy-brid siliconised-acrylic and latex caulks. Sili-cone caulk tends to be rubbery, acrylic andlatex are more rigid.

When removing silicone caulk, it is impera-tive that you get all of the old caulk out andall remnants cleaned from all surfaces. Sili-cone caulk will not stick to old silicone caulkand thus any new caulk will ultimately leakand fail more quickly. Start by using a single-edged razor blade in a blade holder or a util-ity knife to slice through the old siliconecaulk to separate it from all adhered sur-faces. Pull out as much of the caulk in piecesas possible. Next, use the razor at a lowangle to shave off remaining caulk. Be care-ful not to scratch the tub. If the razor leavesblack marks on the surface, alcohol or mildcleansers should remove them.

Removing acrylic and latex caulks is similarto removing silicone although it is less likelyto come out in strips. Scrape out as muchcaulk as possible. If the caulk is particularlydifficult, try warming the caulk with a hairdryer or heat gun. Warm it enough to makeit more flexible then scrape it with a razor orutility knife.

Finally, clean the area thoroughly with awipe down using rubbing alcohol. The alco-hol tends to break down any small remnantsas well as effectively dissolving soap scumand other materials adhering to the surfacesof the tub, tile and enclosure. It is also neces-sary to make a second pass with a chlorinebleach solution to kill all bacteria, mold andmildew. Alcohol alone will not kill all forms ofbacteria and mold.

Before applying new caulk, all surfacesmust be completely dry. If pieces of the oldcaulk were coming out, it is likely water gotbehind the caulk and into the interior sur-faces. If you recaulk over this moisture, yourisk continued damage as well as a shorterlife span for new caulk. Wait overnight, oreven run a fan over the area to accelerateevaporation.

“If the caulk around your tubor shower has come loose oris discoloured or mildewed, it

should be replaced. Whileyou could patch just the

affected areas, caulk doesnot stick to dried caulk verywell. The repair will tend to

leak and to come looseafter a relatively short time.”

Changing the face of the showerChanging the face of the shower can also be a way to remodel.

Delta, Brizo and Hansgrohe showers all come with Universal Rough-Ins. Meaning once the Rough-In is behind the wall the faces and de-signs of the shower can be replaced without having to go in the wallor break any tiles. And the great thing is that the installation timefor this process – 30 mins. maximum.

And one more wayyou can spruce up the bathroom

Replace decorative fixtures. Towel racks, towel ringsand tissue paper holders are easily replaced and canchange your bathroom entirely. Simple stainless steelfixtures are very inexpensive and trendy. Anothertowel-hanging idea includes using robe hooks. InTrinidad and Tobago it is not the custom to dress in

bathrobes, but for the few of us who do,robe hooks will come in handy and forthose who are not familiar with this, youcan utilize the robe hook for other cloth-ing wear such as pajamas, jeans etc ortowels. Installation time for this process –30 mins. maximum (depending on howmany accessories you want).

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Trade Secrets 17April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

Three hole installations with 4”spread

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Change out plumbing fixtures. Just changing a showerhead orsink faucet can work wonders. This might seem like a job for theexperts, but as long as you remember to turn off the water sup-ply you should be fine.

In fact, most faucets can be installed with a wrench and screw-driver and the faucets supplied by Whan Tong Agencies all comewith detailed instructions for easy installations. Delta Faucets havealso taken the installation process a step further by supplying PEX–C tubing that can attach straight to the angle/shut off valve. In-stallation time for this process – 15 – 20 minutes.

Be sure to know what kind of faucet you have before you go topick out a new one.

There is single hole

About Whan TongAgencies

Whan Tong Agencies is a distributorof premium bathroom and kitchen fix-tures. It is a highly respected plumbingsupply company, catering to the specialneeds of designers, builders, contrac-tors and home-owners.

Whan Tong Agencies prides itself inhaving a friendly, knowledgeable staffto help you with all your needs, fromresidential to commercial renovationsor new buildings. The company also ex-tends their services to hotels, multi-story living complexes and newprojects.

With over 40 years of service, thecompany has grown into one of theEastern Caribbean’s premier distribu-tors for quality bathroom and kitchenproducts.

In Trindad and Tobago they arethe exclusive dealers for:

Delta FaucetsBrizo FaucetsHansgrohe ShowersFranke Kitchen SystemsFranke-Kindred Kitchen Sinksand Ronbow Bathroom Furniture

And their product line also includesJacuzzi whirlpool tubs or airbaths, Ger-ber U.S.A and Vitra Sanitaryware.

18 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013Trade Secrets

There are two types ofdeadbolt locks—externallymounted and internallymounted. The external dead-bolt is much easier to installthan the internal; however, itoffers less security. An inter-nal deadbolt, because of thetougher hardware and thelong bolt also provides muchmore security than a typicallockset that is standard for ex-terior doors.

When replacing a deadbolt,you may be able to purchase akeyed lock (also called a double-cylinder lock), which offersextra security. With a keyeddeadbolt, a key is required onboth sides of the door. If yourdoor has a window and a homeintruder breaks it, the keyedlock will prevent them fromreaching through and unlockingthe door. However, during anemergency this type of lock canbe dangerous. If the key cannotbe found and people can’t getout, the hazard is obvious.Some communities have re-strictions against the use ofsuch locks, check with yourlocal building department. If youinstall a keyed lock, always keepthe key in the same place andmake sure that everyone in thefamily can easily access it.

Most deadbolts are roughlystandardised in size. However,always measure your door andverify that any lock you pur-

chase will fit your door. Onemeasurement that you mayneed is the backset, the dis-tance from the edge of the doorto the centre of the hole thelock occupies. Another meas-urement is the door's thickness.

Remove the old lock by re-moving the screws from the in-door side of the lock. Pull theinside and outside pieces awayfrom the door. Now remove thescrews securing the bolt in theedge of the door. Slide the boltmechanism out. The new deadbolt lock should install in a simi-lar manner. Install the bolt,cylinder and thumb plate, byfirst installing the bolt then theexterior section in place. Whendoing this, make sure the writ-ing is upright. Then put the in-terior half in place, joining thetwo and aligning the screwholes. Anchor the deadbolt withthe provided screws.

You may choose to use theold strike plate or replace itwith the new one provided withthe new lock. In either case, thestrike plate should be securedwith 2" to 3" screws. Typicallythe deadbolt will come with 1"screws that do not provideenough security. Were some-one to kick the door, theseshort screws will simply splin-ter the wood. Longer screwswill lodge in the studs framingthe door and provide greatersecurity.

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Backyard Basics 19April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

Kitchens rightly have been called "the heart of the home." No longer just a place to put a meal together,today’s kitchens serve a variety of roles. In many homes they are the spots where families are most likelyto enjoy a few minutes of conversation or gather for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In the evening the kidsmight settle in for homework or swing by for a quick snack. On weekends kitchens become casual enter-taining centres.

An outdoor kitchen plays manyof these same roles, but in a morerelaxed, and perhaps more spa-cious, setting. Warm sunshine,cool breezes, and the sounds ofsongbirds paint a relaxing back-drop. Far from the TV and tele-phone, the well-planned backyardkitchen is a refreshing change ofscene from the indoor world.

The Basic Outdoor Kitchenwould be designed to incorporatea Grill - normally Gas or Charcoal,possibly including a Rotisserie anda Side Burner, a Counter Area forfood preparation and a DiningArea. Add-ons would include aFaucet & Sink, Storage Doors andDrawers, a Refrigerator and an IceMaker.

Types of CookingHere’s a look at the types of

cooking you can do in a backyardsetting:

Grilling. Although often called“barbecuing," the vast majority ofoutdoor cooking is grilling. Foodheld above a heat source is beinggrilled. A grate keeps fat from ac-cumulating under the food so thatit is grilled rather than fried.

Grilling comes in two versions:direct and indirect. In direct grillingfood is placed right above the heatsource. This provides intense heatand fast cooking but can dry outlarger cuts of meat that requirelonger cooking. With indirectgrilling food is placed to the side ofthe heat source. The heat source

warms the air and inner surfacesof the grill, which in turn cooks thefood. Indirect grilling, which is ac-tually closer to roasting, providesgentler heat, making it ideal forlarger cuts of meat that requirelonger cooking times. Many expertgrillers use indirect grilling exclu-sively.

Barbecue and Smoking.True barbecue involves a longcooking period at a low tempera-ture. Most barbecue is augmentedwith wood chips, which aresoaked in water or other liquid,then heated until they smoke. Thisadds a distinctive flavour to thefood. Different species of woodprovide different flavour profiles.Smoking is similar, but with moresmoke (and more smoke flavour).The long, low-temperature cook-ing process of barbecue andsmoking breaks down connectivetissue in the toughest cuts ofmeat, leaving them extremely ten-der and moist.

Because temperature control iscritical and the cooking time islengthy, barbecue and smoking re-quire patience and regular atten-tion. Some recipes call for dry rub,which means applying spices tothe meat beforehand; others sug-gest regular applications of barbe-cue sauce.

Although ordinary grills can bepressed into service to barbecue,specialised equipment such assmokers or barbecue cookers,which provide separate chambersfor food and fuel, produce the bestresults.

Side burner. A side burner issimilar to a burner you'd find on atraditional gas stove, thoughmany produce much more heatthan a traditional indoor burner.Side burners allow using stovetoputensils such as saucepans, stock-pots, fryers, and woks. The hightemperature is especially usefulfor bringing a large kettle of waterto boil for corn or seafood.

Rotisserie. In this cookingmethod, the food (usually meat orpoultry) rotates as it is cooked ata low temperature. Many grillsand barbecue cookers include fit-

tings for installing an electrical ro-tisserie unit. The long, slow cook-ing tenderises the food, while therotation allows the natural juicesto coat the food rather than im-mediately drip away. Rotisseriecooking is ideal for large cuts ofmeat and whole poultry because itensures even cooking on all sides.Both direct and indirect heat canbe used in rotisserie cooking, andmany newer grills now includespecial burners designed for thistype of cooking.

Wood-fired ovens. If au-thentic pizza is your passion, you'llfind nothing produces pizzeria-quality results like a wood-firedoven. These large masonry struc-tures are designed to reach andhold very high temperatures. Asteel or stone cooking surfaceguarantees rapid transfer of heat

to the crust. In addition to turningout great pizzas, wood-fired ovenscan be used for baking breads androasting meats.

Open-fire cooking.Campers are familiar with roastinghot dogs over a campfire or cook-ing with a Dutch Oven over a bedof hot coals. Though not especiallydifficult to master, open-fire cook-ing takes a bit of learning and pa-tience to do well and is not withinthe repertoire of most outdoorkitchens. Fireplaces can be usedfor this type of cooking, as can firepits. Both types of wood-burningamenities also offer the benefitsof heat and light.

Please contact us at the GourmetBBQ Grill Store for a Free Consulta-tion and EstimateWood-fired ovens

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20 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013Backyard Basics

Bavina Sookdeo

Orchid collection has becomea hobby for many garden enthu-siasts. Annually, the Orchid Soci-ety of Trinidad and Tobagohosts workshops and events toshowcase this exquisite and ex-pensive hobby. An orchid is amember of the Orchid Family(Orchidaceae) and there areover 30, 000 orchid species fromall over the world on every conti-

nent except Antarctica. Orchidscome from a wide range of habi-tats and each type requires dif-ferent care. Here are a few tipsfrom experts on orchid care.

WATERING“The majority of orchids are

epiphytes or tree dwelling (othersare terrestrial) and more thanlikely you are not creating theirnatural habitat at your home,”said one orchid enthusiast. “You

should try as much as possible tocreate an environment as close aspossible to their natural habitat.Therefore, you should not wateryour orchids too often.” “Wateringyour orchids too often and lettingit just sit still in water shouldnever happen. You should try toallow it to dry between watering.”

Watering at night is another ‘nono’ when it comes to orchids. Atnights, water will sit still in grow-ing tips of phalaenopsis or the

flower sheaths of cattleyas andthis will cause bacterial and fun-gal diseases.

When you do water you shoulddo so thoroughly. Ensure the vela-men (tissue-paper thin mem-brane surrounding orchid roots) iscompletely soaked. You also needto consider things like the type ofpots you place your orchids in andhow much water they retain, thetemperature (the higher the tem-perature, the higher the need forwater), the species of orchids(which you should do some re-search on), the humidity (thegreater the humidity the lowerthe need for water) and the airflow (greater the air flow meansmore watering is needed).

REPOTTINGAs mentioned before, each type

of orchid has different require-ments so know your orchid andwhat it needs. It is important toknow what type of material isneeded for the growth of your or-chid. Some common materials in-clude moss, coconut husk,charcoals and pebbles.

Repotting provides the plantwith a fresh media. You shouldchoose pots according to the rootmass; it is not necessary to repot

by placing the orchid in a largerpot, in fact, if orchids are trans-ferred to extremely large potsthey may concentrate all their en-ergy on root growth.

So what type of pots shouldyou choose? Orchids can betransferred in clay or plastic potswith drainage holes. Bear in mindthough, orchids in clay pots mayneed to be watered more often.Orchids should not be repottedwithout good reason as they donot like to be disturbed and whentransferred, will need to recuper-ate. You should repot if the orchidis outgrowing its pot, if you wishto divide the orchid, if the pottingmaterial deteriorates and getsblack and mushy, if there is a pestinfestation and if you suspect theroots are rotting. Some generalrepotting guidelines to follow are:

For Dendrobium, Miltonia, Pa-phiopedilum and Phalaenopsisand their hybrids – repot annually.Cattleya, Dendrobium, Oncidium,Odontoglossum and their hybridsshould be repotted every otheryear and Vanda and Cymbidiumshould be repotted every threeyears.

Look out next month as we explorecommon Orchid pests.

Add ColourAdding a new colour can totallyrenew your space. We live in thetropics; using bright bold colours canbring warmth and vitality to anyspace once chosen carefully.

New furnitureNew comfortable seating will en-courage you to use the space often.Make sure when you are choosingfurniture you take into considerationyou are basically outdoors andwhatever you buy must be able towithstand the elements.

PlantsAdding plants will bring that homelyfeeling. It will also provide shade andkeep the temperature down.

Your back porch always seems to be the last placeon your mind to upgrade. Out of sight, out of mindmost people say, but actually this should be apriority. Good mental health is linked to youspending quiet time daily and what better place todo it than your back deck or porch.

Backyard Basics 21April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

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Making the space biggerRemoving the rails can really open up that crampedback porch. Tiling or using pavers next to your porchcan give you that extra space you need to entertain.

Keep it FunctionalAdding a grill or outdoor kitchenette or even an outdoordining table can make this space an important area ofyour home...being able to cook, entertain or just eatbreakfast can draw your attention to using the spacemore.

LandscapeLandscaping around your porch can add beauty and pri-vacy you might need to enjoy the space. abirdbath,pond / water feature can bring the peace youso badly need.

Renewing your back porch can impact your life in apositive way. Incorporating the outdoors into yourlifestyle is a must. Make this space into something youlove.

A - The outside width of the window including the frames or mouldings (if your window has frames).

B - The width of the window itself (excluding the frame or mouldings). This necessaryfor inside mounted horizontal blinds, roller blinds, roman shades, café curtains, etc.

C - On both sides of the window, measure the distance between the window and theclosest obstacle. If there is no obstacle, measure to the adjacent wall. This determinesthe maximum space available for extending your window treatment on to the wall.

D - Top-of-frame to bottom-of-frame length of the window. If doing inside mount treatments, measure the actual window length also.

E - Top-of-frame (or top of window, if no moulding) to the floor.F - Top-of-frame (or top of window, if no moulding) to the crown moulding

(or ceiling, if no moulding).

Ann Moore Spencer

A major portion of the Trinbago homemakers’ holiday budget is re-served for the ‘curtains’. If the treatments aren’t new, we would bringout the set that we keep for special holidays. Our home is not welldressed without the mandatory new drapes. I see, however, that yearin, year out, many spend a fortune and make the same mistakes. Theycompromise the decorative impact of their window treatments by sab-otaging them with simple design mistakes and poor proportions. Letme share some wisdom for Wow! Windows.

Quality measurement is the foundation of great design. When measur-ing your windows, don’t use your dressmaker’s measuring tape, ruler oryardstick. Use a steel tape. Measure everything! Do not make any as-sumptions. Two windows that look the same (and actually should havethe same dimensions) more than likely may have different measure-ments. At the very minimum you should measure the following:

If you have a rod installed, measure the height and the bracket-to-bracket measurement of the rod.

Rod placement is critical. Do not install your rod just above the window. This, very often, does not result in pleasing proportions. You should not see the back of your drapery heading in the window.

The window seems crowded and your treatment is not given thespace to make a statement or just to balance with the rest of theother elements in the room. This only looks good until you see the impact of better rod placement.

For better decorative impact, the top of your drapery should be atleast 4 to 6 inches above the window. If using pleated drapery, yourrod should be at least 1/3 wider than the window opening. For a 48inch wide window your rod should be about 62 – 65 inches wide. Forrod pocket curtains your rod should be no less than 8 – 10 incheswider than the window. That is 4 – 5 inches wider on each side. Per-sonally, I use the 1/3 wider default for all styles of drapery.

EXAMINE YOUR PROPORTIONSIf using a top treatment such as a valance or swags, you must bemindful of your proportions. The biggest mistake we make with ourtop treatment is to make it too long. If you combine that with theerror of installing it too low, you have a window that looks like theHunchback of Notre Dame: short and top heavy!

Sometimes we err towards the other ex-treme and have short valances that aremounted too high. This leaves the windowframe or top of the window exposed. A gen-eral rule-of-thumb to remember is that yourvalance or swags should be one-fifth to one-sixth the height of the total window treat-ment. If from the top of your valance to thefloor is 90 inches, your valance should be 18inches long. Again, try to mount your treat-ment as high on the wall as you can.

Those were 3 simple rules to guaranteebetter presentation at your windows. Ofcourse, you do have creative license to breakthese rules. But, know your measurementsso that you can increase the decorative eq-uity of the space your window treatmentoccupies. By just changing the width andheight of your treatment you can change anugly duckling to a beauty. I invite you to joinme next week when I share more Wisdomfor Wow! Windows.

Ann Moore-SpencerBeyond Drapery LimitedPhone: 868-678-3414Email: beyonddrapery@tstt.net.ttWebsite: www.beyonddrapery.comBlog: www.beyonddrapery.com/blog/

22 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013Fabric & Furnishings

Pre-hung doors come from the factory readyto install in a rough opening. That means youdon't have to worry about precision work to in-stall hinges or the other challenges of "hanging adoor". Pre-hung doors are hinged in a preassem-bled doorjamb that’s braced to keep the jambsand sill square while traveling. When purchasinga pre-hung door, you’ll need to measure thewall’s thickness so the new jamb will be flushwith the existing wall surfaces. When orderingthe door, you’ll be able to choose on which side itwill be hinged, which way it swings, whether ornot it will have factory-drilled holes for the lock-set and, of course, height and width. You canchoose a door that is smaller than your existingdoor, although you will have to verify with yourlocal building department that a smaller doorwill conform with building code. You can also putin a larger door, but that becomes much morecomplicated because the opening will probablyhave to be reframed.

To begin installation, remove the old door anddoorjamb. With an assistant to support the door,remove the bottom hinge pin, then the middleand finally the top pin. Pull the door away fromthe jamb and set it safely out of the way. Nextremove the trim that covers the union of thewall and the door jamb. Next, remove the jamb.You can either pry it away from the studs, start-ing at the bottom, or if you have reciprocatingsaw fitted with a demolition blade, slip the bladebetween the jamb and the studs and cut all thenails securing the jamb. The rough openingshould now be exposed. Before putting the newdoor in place, verify that the new doorjamb issquare, the hinges are flush, the lockset hole isproperly drilled and all other features are correct.This is the time to adjust anything that’s notright. Make sure you have the hinges on the cor-rect side and that the door will swing in the cor-rect direction.

Next, rough fit the pre-hung door, with thesquaring supports still intact, into the roughopening. Tilt it into the opening, with the bottomgoing in first and the top fitting in last. Once it istemporarily in the opening, remove the supportstraps. Center the door, making sure it can openand close freely.

To square the door, you’ll need to move fromone side of the opening to the other. Squaringcan be done by using tapered wood shims andpushing them into the space between the open-ing’s studs and the pre-hung jambs.

Start installing the door on the hinged side ofthe jamb, working first on the bottom section.As you mount the door, you’ll have to check thedoorjamb, making sure it’s square. If needed,carefully tap shims in the bottom, hinged area.Using 10d-finishing nails, secure the lower partof the jamb by nailing through the jambs andshims and into the studs. Let the nails protrudean inch or two; do not finish them until you’venailed each side of the door in place. Once thisstep is finished check to see if the door issquare.

Then work on the top hinged section, repeat-ing the same process as above and next nail thearea between the middle hinge and the top ofthe door. Finally, shim, measure and nail theplace between the bottom of the door and themiddle hinge. Then shim and adjust the otherside of the doorjamb, nailing each section as youdid the other side, except where you will have tocut for the door latch. Do not put nails in thatarea.

Take away any remaining support materialthat was shipped with the door and visuallycheck to see if there’s about 1/16 th to 1/8 th ofan inch between the jambs and the edges of thedoor. If the door looks uneven, remove the nailsfrom the problem area and adjust with shims.Nail the area again and conduct another visualcheck. Once it’s correct, install the lockset.

Once the lockset is installed, finish anchoringthe nails with a nail set. Then test to make surethe door opens and closes properly. With ahandsaw, cut off any shims that are protruding.Finally, nail the trim into place with 6d-finishingnails.

This basic process may have to be adjusted,depending on circumstances. Throughout the in-stallation, be sure to continually assess the sta-tus of the pre-hung door and adjust accordingly.

Courtesy: http://www.acmehowto.com/dnw/replace-door.php

Trade Secrets 23April/May, 2013 www.guardian.co.tt Sunday Guardian @Home Magazine

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Update the look of your home by replacing old plain interior doors. There isa wide selection of decorative doors to improve the look of your home.Make your office feel more open with a glass door. Replace a plain pocketdoor with a raised panel door from yesteryear. Replacing an old door with anew door slab is fairly easy to do. A door slab is just the door, not the jamb.It can be fairly easy, but it will require some skill and the use of a woodchisel or a router. Alternatively, you can replace a door with a prehung door.A prehung door takes the precision work out of installing a door but re-quires more demolition and construction than just replacing a door slab.

24 @Home Magazine Sunday Guardian www.guardian.co.tt April/May, 2013

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