Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

English ivy was once seen as the perfect plant for certain landscape situations but is now listed as an invasive plant species in South Carolina. It is seen as a severe threat. Clemson Extension recently released a bulletin encouraging homeowners to get a grip on this aggressive plant which can overrun anything in its path.

It is always a shame when gardeners realize that a plant that seems to be the answer to a problem spot or that is so attractive they cant resist planting it, then becomes a menace. It brings to mind the term too good to be true. A plant that is fast growing, thrives in adverse situations or is prolific with flowers and fruit can sometimes become an enemy.

English ivy fell out of favor some years ago, but there is now a more genuine effort to eradicate it. Clemson extension suggests the following step for making your landscape ivy-free.

Ivy that has grown up trees can be dealt with any time of year. Use a flat-head screwdriver or the blade of your pruners to pry the vines off of the truck. A saw may be needed for large vines, but be careful not to cut into the tree trunk.

Cut the vines and strip them down the tree trunk. Wear gloves and long sleeves during this process as the sap from the vines may irritate your skin.

Clemson recommends several weed-killers for eliminating beds of solid ivy or for spraying around the base of trees.

Glyphosate is a general, non-selective, systemic herbicide that has the least soil activity and is less harmful to the roots of nearby trees and shrubs than other herbicides, Clemson Extension Service notes.

You also want to be aware of other vines that may be growing in with the English ivy. Poison ivy, Virginia creeper and smilax or greenbrier may be mixed in with the ivy and require more caution or a different method for removal.

A moist soil will make it easier to remove ivy from ground areas. Try tackling it after a rain or when it has been wet by a sprinkler of irrigation system.

Eliminating ivy from annual or perennial flower beds can be a more difficult chore. This is more easily tackled when favorable plants have died down for the winter or just before they emerge in spring.

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Ivy-free: Keeping invasive plant out of the landscape

By AMY TAXIN Associated Press

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Rick Blankenship was tired of an insatiable lawn he couldn't keep green, no matter how he watered it, so he decided to tear it out.

Three years later, he brims with pride at his new front yard in Long Beach, California, carpeted with natural sage- and emerald green-colored ground covers and shaded by flowering magnolia and peppermint willow trees.

"It just sounded like a great way to save money and at the same time, kind of beautify my landscape," said the 51-year-old medical sales director.

As California faces an historic drought, more residents are following in Blankenship's footsteps and tearing out thirsty lawns to cut down on water use. Water agencies across the state have been encouraging the change by offering thousands of dollars in rebates to help homeowners make the switch to a drought-friendly landscape with better odds of surviving dry spells common to the local climate.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which covers 19 million people, received requests to remove 2.5 million square feet in residential lawns in July, up from 99,000 in January, said Bill McDonnell, the consortium's water efficiency manager.

The Municipal Water District of Orange County is taking in 20 to 30 applications a day, up from just five a week before Gov. Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency earlier this year. "We are just buried right now," said Joe Berg, the agency's water efficiency programs manager.

The trend isn't just catching on in Southern California. The Santa Clara Valley Water District, which serves Silicon Valley, received more than 1,700 requests for applications for turf removal rebates during the first six months of the year, a five-fold increase from the same period in 2013, said Marty Grimes, a district spokesman.

Water officials hope the shift is more than a fad and marks the beginning of a transformation in the way residents view neighborhood landscapes.

Most lawns in Southern California don't bear greenery other than grass but water agency officials say the interest in turf removal programs - fueled in part by an increase in rebate rates - is encouraging.

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Californians tear out lawns to cope with drought - Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, Sports

"If the bill passed, and it came to the lower house, where we could amend that ... it would give everyone protection,": Kevin Humphries. Photo: Steve Lunam

Farmers have vowed to be "unyielding" in their lobbying on controversial native vegetation laws, with the Baird cabinet expected to discuss a bill that green groups fear will gut the protection for endangered species on private land.

Sensitivity on the issue has been heightened following last month's killing of Office of Environment Heritage official Glen Turner near Moree, allegedly by local landowner Ian Turnbull over a land-clearing dispute.

Environment Minister Rob Stokes, a Liberal, has made several trips to the region and is understood to be keen for the independent Biodiversity Review Panel to complete its examination of the Native Vegetation Act, the Threatened Species Conservation Act, and the flora and fauna protection sections of the National Parks and Wildlife Act.

But the Nationals' Kevin Humphries, who is Minister for Natural Resources, Lands and Water, said he would back the Shooters and Fishers' upper house bill even though it contained "a whole lot of perverse outcomes" for landowners.

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The NSW Nationals and NSW Farmers have vehemently opposed Labor's land clearing laws, which ban the removal of some vegetation.

"If the bill passed, and it came to the lower house, where we could amend that ... it would give everyone protection," Mr Humphries said. "It would allow landholders to get on and do some of the work they want to do. The government hasn't landed on that but it's the preference from my end, and certainly the rural constituency's."

The Nationals are eager to claim shared responsibility for land-clearing policy. The Land reported in April that Mr Humphries would "jointly oversee native vegetation laws, previously the domain solely of the Environment Minister".

But Mr Stokes told budget estimates last week "the administration of acts provides that the Minister for Environment is the responsible minister for the Native Vegetation Act".

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Native vegetation bill a seed of contention

By Michele Lerner August 25 at 5:30 AM

Interior designers not only see things differently than people with an untrained eye for design, they also have access tofabric and home furnishings that are only available to those in the trade.

For at least one day, that will change. Interior designer Kelley Proxmire, known for her tailored traditional interiors,is holding a sample sale of designer furniture and accessories that will be open to the public. Proxmire loves to mix traditionalpieces with unexpected finds, so the sample sale should feature a variety of items and styles. The 3,000-square-foot warehouseis filled with designer furnishings and accessories from Hickory Chair, Lee Jofa, Schumacher and many more companies.

The Open House Sample Sale will take place Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the DNS Warehouse at 4229b Howard Ave. in Kensington(behind Hollis & Knight).

For decorating advice from Proxmire and other designers and home stagers, check out Thursdays Local Living section.

Share your morning coffee with an antelope

If your favorite TV shows run on Animal Planet and your favorite recent movie was We Bought a Zoo, the home at 1315 DasherLane in Reston may be your perfect retreat.

The house backs to the Reston Zoo where you can see antelope, buffalo and other animals as they graze in the grass fields.In addition, the National Wildlife Federation has certified the homes back yard as a national wildlife habitat.

Just in case you want something besides animals near your residence, the home is within walking distance of Lake Fairfax,a 10-minute drive to the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and 2.5 miles to the new Wiehle-Reston East Silver LineMetro station.

The six-bedroom, 4.5-bath home has nearly 5,000 square feet of living space, including a lower level bedroom with a full bath,kitchenette, media room and walk-out to a patio. The home is priced at $948,900.

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Town Square | Local interior designer to hold sample sale

Homes can be surprisingly dangerous places with the potential for both environmental hazards and safety concerns.

Homes can contain lead-based paint, asbestos, formaldehyde, radon, mold, imported drywall and other substances that can cause illnesses or chronic health problems. Homes are also full of safety hazards from stairs and stoves to bathtubs and swimming pools that can contribute to accidents, injuries or deaths.

Hazards at home Substandard housing is a significant public health problem, according to Sandra Whitehead, director of healthy community design at the Florida Department of Health in Tallahassee and a technical advisor for the National Environmental Health Association, a nonprofit organization in Denver.

"People who reside in substandard housing are at increased risk for fire, electrical injuries, falls, rodent bites and other illnesses and injuries. Other issues include exposure to pesticide residues, indoor toxicants, tobacco smoke and combustion gases. Burning oil, gas and kerosene can release a variety of combustion products, including carbon monoxide, a well-known cause of illness and death," Whitehead said via email.

Homes can also harbor mold, unhealthy indoor air or residues from illegal drug manufacturing.

"Materials such as carpet and wallboard in homes used as meth labs have absorbed chemicals that can damage the nervous system, liver and blood production mechanisms. Children are at the highest risk, and exposure can trigger birth defects and developmental issues for babies in utero," Whitehead explained.

Home inspection Many home hazards were originally introduced by builders and contractors, says Jay Gregg, director of marketing at Pillar to Post Professional Home Inspections, a Tampa, Florida-based franchise company with 450 outlets in the U.S. and Canada.

One way to find these hazards is get a home inspection , but that's only a starting point. A home inspector can't move furniture or boxes without the homeowner's permission and even a vacant house isn't 100 percent accessible.

First-time homebuyers especially should seek the help of a home inspector as they have never been through the homebuying process before and are not aware of the potential problems they could encounter as homeowners.

"We can't see behind drywall," Gregg says. "We aren't Superman. People end up doing renovations and (discover that) -- whoa! -- there's funky wiring behind this piece of drywall. There's no way a home inspector could see that."

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How Healthy Is Your Home?

Vance Lile relied on his keen attention to detail and sharp situational awareness to stay safe every day during a decade-long career in law enforcement. Now he uses those same skills to inspect Longview homes.

You have to know whats going on around you at all time, Lile, 44, described working in law enforcement. You have to know exactly what youre looking at.

Lile began working as a reserve Longview police officer in 1997 but quit law enforcement in 2007 to pursue a career in building science. In April, he began assessing homes for Pillar to Post, a nationwide home inspection franchise. Within the last month, Lile says, he has become one of the fewif not the onlyLongview home inspectors certified to examine pools, spas, four-plexes and log homes. Hell soon be certified to inspect septic systems and check for radon.

Lile describes himself as mellow and said he liked working with the public during his law enforcement career. But working with buildings affords him the chance to interact with people without having to watch his back all day long.

In 1999, while still working in law enforcement as a juvenile corrections officer, Lile started a side business Aftermath renovation and cleaning. He later left his corrections job to become an operations manager at General Growth Properties.

Inspections became the most enjoyable part of Liles job at General Growth Properties, he said, and he always dreamed of owning his own business. So the former cop closed Aftermath and left General Growth earlier this year. Since then, hes spent about six months and tens of thousands of dollars setting up his new franchise.

Lile says he enjoys the freedom of making his own schedule and the art of running a small business.

Youve got to keep coming up with ways to promote it, and to keep it going, and to feed it, Lile said. Its almost like a living creature.

Lile lives in Vancouver but hopes to move to the Longview area soon. His business serves Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties.

Lile cant keep his business afloat with just specialty inspectionslike examinations of pools and spashe says. Regular home inspections still make up about 90 percent of his business, but his new certifications allow him to offer more hard to find inspection options to potential customers.

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Talking Business: Former Longview police officer opens home inspection service

Brian Carothers sees great wisdom when he meets a yinzer basement visionary.

Those adept buyers can look at an unfinished area beneath a house and see things to come. Plans generally involve pictures of Pittsburgh athletes; IC Light cans commemorating a Super Bowl win; and a piece of carpeting that doesn't quite fit but sort of makes it look like a room, he says with a laugh.

It is space that, when unfinished, isn't counted in the square footage of a home, so is basically free, say building and taxing officials. Architect Ben Maguire and builder Stephen A. Catarinella call it bonus space.

Although the space has untapped potential, as Lawrenceville homeowner Kelly Compeau says, it sometimes is overlooked in discussion of a home.

Catarinella says he always tries to make basement possibilities a part of the conversation when starting a house project. Even if the client doesn't want to do anything with the space when the home is being put together, he tries to make sure they can see what they could do down the road, says the owner of Steve Catranel Construction Co. in Wilkins.

Maguire says he, too, tries to make sure even empty basements are ready for the future by making sure that elements such as electrical wiring or plumbing are available.

Basements, though, still can be a problem with some homes.

Some people look at the bad reputations of basements and leave them unfinished, says Maguire, owner of Emerge Real Estate, a firm that has been creating and redoing homes in Lawrenceville and other parts of the city.

Others, like Kelly Compeau and his wife, Alisa, see basement work as a way to add to their house. He says they wanted an informal gathering spot they didn't think the first floor would provide.

They had Maguire's builders turn an end-to-end basement-level garage into a family room and a workout room the latter of which still is served by the garage door and has a little patio on its end.

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Basements can be valuable bargains for alert homebuyers

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