'MO - September 2008 - (Page 19)

1 LANDSCAPE YOUR YARD “You never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s as true with a house as it is with people,” said Elizabeth Durand. Elizabeth was a real estate agent in Seattle for years before recently selling her home. “We had a lot of curb appeal thanks to the work we did in the front yard. Our house sold in eight days and we had a significant traffic through the house during that first week. We had a professional lawn service mow at least every two weeks. They also did edging and trimming—both of which go a long way in the general appearance of a lawn. If the lawn is kept short, the weeds are also not as noticeable. Then we added fresh bark around all the trees (which were also surrounded by paving bricks to separate them from the lawn and keep the wood chip/bark in place. We planted some perennial bulbs so we had tulips in the spring. Flowers are always nice to add color and perennials take care of PHOTO COURTESY KWANCHAI themselves. Lastly, I suggest that— when appropriate—people plant arbor A well-landscaped front yard will help vitae trees as a natural fence. We did your home make a good ﬁrst impression. this years ago, but they grew rapidly and did a nice job of breaking up the monotony of the front of the house in addition to keeping people and pets off our lawn and absorbing some street noise.” 2 LESS WATER, MORE GREEN According to the Seattle Times, Seattle city ofﬁcials may jack water prices up a whopping 40% over the next three years. To help preserve the value in your wallet while still landscaping your home, PHOTO CREDIT: GREG RABOURN consider installing drought resistant plants and bushes. Christina Chung Fairley of Kwanchai—Jonathan Matthew’s Design Group told us, “Some good bets for indigenous, low maintenance and low watering plants are:” • Bitter Cherry • Vine Maple • Rhododendron • Chocolate Lily • Ocean Spray (pictured) For more about these and other native plants, visit King County’s website at: dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/pi/go-native/Index.aspx moseattle.com 19 UPGRADE YOUR KITCHEN Sources say that even a minor kitchen remodel of about $20,000 (versus a “major” remodel of $50,000) can provide an 83% return on investment. Mark Gutkowski of Coldwell Banker Bain said, “Many homes have older appliances. If you are the proud owner of a “white” kitchen package, it’s probably time you think about making a few changes. Stainless steel appliances are pretty much the standard. Super high-end homes are starting to use anything but stainless to make sure they stand out. However, for the typical home, nothing says quality like stainless steel. This simple investment will make your kitchen seem much newer than it is and will at least pay for itself. The big advantage is the perceptual boost of making your kitchen look updated.” James Winder of the Landmark Group agreed on the importance of the kitchen update. “Replace worn countertops,” he said, adding this caution: “Granite or solid surfaces are nice and trendy, but may not be right for your house. Take a look at your neighborhood before overinvesting in expensive countertops.” As it’s often seen as the heart of the home, the kitchen is also where many homeowners think about “going green.” “Greener homes feature lower VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and natural materials,” Christina Chung Fairley of Kwanchai—Jonathan Matthew’s Design Group, wrote us via email. “Each material selected ought to be because of its recycled content, proximity to manufacturer and/or impact on the interior air quality. We like to utilize innovative methods to salvage/reuse/repurpose resources.” For counters in the kitchen she recommended using Quartz, (which can be formed using recycled materials). Quartz countertops are stronger than granite, require no resealing, are highly resistant to scratches and staining, and come in a wide variety of colors. Eco-friendly products were poohpoohed in a recent article published in (continued on page 20) issue 19 | september 2008 http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/pi/go-native/Index.aspx http://www.moseattle.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of 'MO - September 2008

'MO - September 2008 Contents Letter From The Editor Voices Instant Activist Pet Project Legally Speaking: Starting Your Own Business EarthTalkTM: Soak Up the Sun ’mo-BIZ: Sternola-Brown Interiors HRC President Hails Biden as V.P. Pick Governor to Attend Annual GSBA Candidate Forum Form & Function: Cable Exercises Build Definition Gay City Health Project Makes a SHIFT Throw a Lifejacket Around Your Home’s Value Feature Film Review: A Jihad for Love Feature Film Review: Ghost Town, starring Ricky Gervais The Return of The Puyallup Fair Book Review: Life with My Sister Madonna by Christopher Ciccone Live Event Preview: Shrek The Musical at The 5th Avenue Feature Film Preview: Trumbo Now on DVD: Itty Bitty Titty Committee SceneOut: People@Places Capitol Hill Guide

'MO - September 2008

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