Retro Movement Reintroduces Shag Carpet
Yup. Shag carpeting, the stuff we all learned to hate, is making another run, this time, as part of the retro movement.
The reborn shag is more durable and includes yarns that hold their shape, resist soiling and are easily maintained. Today’s use of yarns of various widths and contrasting twists, from tight to lush, produce an almost handcrafted look - the shaggier the better.
Current shags team well with streamlined contemporary furnishings, which are also seeing a revival. Shag is also the perfect backdrop for highly collectible ‘60s and ‘70s furniture or retro looks that echo the era’s sleek shapes.
Consider pocket doors
We all know what the basic function of an interior door is - to give us room-to-room access. Ironically, standard doors often do just the opposite in homes where physically disabled people live.
The reason? Conventional doors are designed to swing in and out of entryways in arcs of up to 10 square feet, acutely limiting the manner in which people in wheelchairs can approach and go through them.
The Johnson Pocket Door Frame Kit, from L.E. Johnson Products, allows doors to slide across entryways instead of swinging through them so that all the floor space surrounding either side of the doorway can be used. The door slides inside the adjacent wall virtually out of sight when open, then across the entryway when closed.
From a design standpoint, a pocket door can enhance household decor by providing a modern look and making interior spaces feel open and uncluttered.
Suggested retail: $70-$74, depending on width. Available at Ace and True Value hardware stores. For more information, call (800) 837-5664.
Roll up those carpets
If you’ve got a hardwood floor, consider yourself lucky. According to a survey of real estate agents conducted by the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, a hardwood floor in good condition can increase the selling price of a house by as much as $7,000-$10,000.
Make ‘em think you’re home
One of the best methods of deterring burglars is to create the impression that someone is inside. That’s where a timer comes in handy.
For people who have few, if any, lamp cords to plug into a socket timer, the answer may be a wall-switch timer. Intermatic has a new one just out that’s digital and covers each day of the week.
The new timer can handle incandescent and fluorescent lamps, as well as heavy-duty electrical loads such as fans and appliances. It can replace a single-pole or three-way switch.
Four programming options are available with up to six on-off settings per day. A random-setting program also permits irregular on-off hours with variances of 30 minutes each.
Ask for the new Intermatic wall-switch timer at hardware stores and home centers.