Invest in your Nest (A Review)
Ah, our lovely abode. For
some it is a place to raise their family,
and for some it is an investment opportunity.
Either way, you should make sure that the
book "Invest In Your Nest" is on
your bookshelf as a reference in any home
project. Part of the title on the cover of
this book has the wording, "Add Style,
Comfort, And Value To Your Home" Yes,
you really should find ways to increase the
eye candy of your home.
This book is written by Barbara
K, who is CEO of Barbara K!, a comprehensive
lifestyle brand that offers solutions for
women through innovative home enhancement/repair
and automotive products. She is also the home
improvement expert for AOL Coaches and author
of the inspirational fix-it handbook "Room
for Improvement". She has been featured
in many large media outlets, television shows,
and radio shows. She lives in New York with
her son, Zachary.
As I read this book, I couldn't help by think
of how handy it would have been before I started
some of our own projects around our home.
But, I am glad I now have it to reference
for the future. The book is nicely arranged
with the topic and sections which cover "Go
to the pros", "On your Own",
and "Barbara's Best Bet". Each of
those areas talk about time needed, project
costs, how to do, and much more.
... My favorite parts ...
1) On the topic of buying
a home, one of Barbara's Best Bets: EXCELSIOR!
(EVER UPWARD!) Don't forget the ceiling. Bumpy
'popcorn' acoustic ceilings are outdated and
unattractive. I have two friends who walked
away from two great houses because they were
so turned off by the popcorn ceilings. That's
too bad because they are easily removed with
a scraper attached to a long pole (be sure
to empty the room of furniture and cover the
floor with a canvas drop cloth before you
begin, and wear safety glasses). Yes, it's
labor intensive and messy, but it's worth
it.
2) Another of Barbara's Best
Bets: WINDOW FILM: In summer, bright sun streaming
through uncovered windows makes air
conditioning work two to three times harder.
You could draw the shades, but who likes spending
time in a dark room on a
gorgeous, sunny day? Instead, you can install
a reflective window film over clear glass.
It reduces cooling costs by 5 to 15 percent.
Look for high-tech, spectrally selective film
that permits daylight to enter your rooms
while blocking solar heat. Most window film
manufacturers offer warranties only with professional
installation, but you can apply the film yourself.
Professionally installed window films range
from $1 to $5 per square foot.
3) I have a soapstone wood
burning stove, so this was useful: Soapstone
is extremely dense and only needs to be wiped
with mineral oil every month or so. While
it is heat resistant, cut marks will show
and edges may chip if hit with pots and pans.
The mineral oil brings out its natural coloring
of black or dark gray with white veins.
Barbara also includes some
pages with lined columns and rows for planning.
Overall
this is a book packed full of good advice.
There are time when it is geared towards someone
who buys up homes and remodels them just to
resell them. However, there are other practical
things to be learned by any homeowner. It
also mentions the training and certification
you should look for when hiring professionals,
as well as the steps to hire one and how to
work with contracts.
- Buy
Here
- www.housevine.com review by © Wendy
Shepherd
