By Laura Mazur
Community Post
As spring starts its flowering around town this week, many homeowners are starting flowering of their own–in flower beds, as well as in other beautification aspects of the home. As with beauty and style in any arena, there are trends each season. See what specialists around the area are saying are the trends for home beauty this season.

Get an early start...
Right now at the start of spring is just getting into the busy building season.
According to Ben Baumer, owner of Baumer Construction, in Minster, getting booked early for projects is something that should be looked into by homeowners at the moment. He said there are a few items to look into before starting anything, however.
“Get a plan put together. See that you meet the zoning codes of the local town. They have set rules you have to go by. Make sure you're well-within them,” said Baumer.
Baumer said many are making improvements to their kitchens and baths. New cabinetry, countertops, flooring and fixtures are what are going in, but not much new construction is going on just yet.
Caulking of windows and doors, painting and staining, though, can be done while waiting for the snow to melt.

If you build it, they will be entertained...
Landscaping has stepped into a new realm. It no longer has to do with just being outdoors, but more about a place to be outdoors.
“A major trend in landscaping right now is adding onto a home with an outdoor entertainment area,” said Steve Stone, owner of Nature's Green Nursery, in Fort Recovery.
Extending from the older idea of a concrete slab for the summertime grille, adding onto a home by investing a little more money and adding space with walls and rooms, not just patio space, is the trend. Higher end furniture, instead of just the plastic stackable type, is used to dress up these backyard additions. Mini-kitchens and outdoor fireplaces, moving up from the older fire pit idea, are also additions that people are making to their homes as they head outdoors in the warmer weather.
“With the economy being slow, people are not building new things as quickly. They're improving what they've got,” said Stone.
For those still getting down and dirty to start their spring cleaning, though, the most important thing to do before blooms can come about is soil preparation. Organic matter, such as compost or leaf compost, even, can be added to soil to make it richer, which is needed for any good garden because the soil really makes the difference between a garden's success or failure.
Stone said he has seen a decline in the number of vegetable gardens, but they may see a population spurt with the increase in recent energy prices. For those into flower gardening, perennials are being used more frequently instead of annuals because there is one upfront cost and then they come back each year. Ornamental grasses and low maintenance flowers such as hostas, day lilies and black-eyed susans are popular. Also big are knock-out roses, which bloom profusely and are resistant to insects and disease.

Going green indoors...
For more indoor work, heating and plumbing work are things at which homeowners can look.
“Everybody's trying to go green,” stated Don Gagel, owner of Gagel's Plumbing and Heating, in Minster.
With increased fuel bills lately, many homeowners are choosing to install environmentally friendly and fuel efficient systems in their homes. Geothermal heating and cooling systems is one of these systems that is on the rise, using pumps and technology that tap into the Earth's natural heat production. Consumers may even see a two-thirds reduction in bill payments with these systems. Gagel said homeowners are also replacing furnaces with hybrid systems that use heat pumps.
More costs are being looked at by consumers when there is the choice between building new construction and remodeling. Many are remodeling baths and kitchens to give homes a face lift.
“Some may put $10,000 or $15,000 into their kitchen and make the whole house seem new,” said Gagel.
As baby boomers get into their senior years, many are looking at their existing tub or showers and changing them up for models that are easier access for those who might have had a recent knee or other type of operation. Additionally, homeowners are also getting water-restrictive toilets installed to lower costs.

The look without the work...
For updating styles and designs in the home, many homeowners are looking at styles that do the work for them.
Painting techniques, such as feathering and glazing, is one design feature that adds the look of texture but without having it, according to Sandra Kremer, interior decorator at Mel's Decorating, in Minster.
Also for painting, many homeowners used to keep their walls in white for the first few years before adding technique later on down the line. Now many people budget this into painting costs to begin with and do it right away.
Kremer said of wallpaper, “[It] has come back a bit, but it's not what it used to be.
Kitchens and family rooms are the most common rooms to make over, said Kremer, adding that custom tiling, especially in the kitchen for back splashes, is making a splash. In family rooms, homeowners are focusing on updating flooring and furniture. Carpeting is not as plush as it used to be, but more settling on twist. Ceramic tile is being used more often then hardwood. But those looking for the hardwood look can use laminate instead, which is more durable. For window treatments, Kremer said valances and blinds, not sheers, are being used.
Darker tones, golds and bolder colors, such as chocolates, are popular right now, as well as lighter blues. To go along with these bold tones, the strong Tuscan style is hitting home with a rustic look using hand scraped hickory wood instead of oak, bamboo accents and items with a chiseled edge to them.
For those wanting to go deeper into home improvements, many are turning basements from storage areas to living areas. Kremer said that while 10 years ago doing home improvements in basements meant putting down carpet, people are doing much more today.
She said, “They're doing a lot more, using it as a movie room or theater and doubling their living space. They're not just a place for kids to go, but they're entertainment areas.”

Changing up pieces...
For those updating furniture in their homes, a transitional look, a cross between modern and traditional is being sat upon.
“It's a clean look with straight lines and simplified,” said Jill Borkowski, of Gilberg Furniture, in New Bremen.
Browns and Earth tones, as well as shades of red are big for pieces. Furniture aficionados will also be seeing grays in the near future. Right now, however, shades of blue, such as “spa” is one that upholstery is being seen in.
Regardless of color, what pieces a homeowner puts into a room depends on space, said Borkowski.
Trends still lie in the pairing of a sofa and a love seat, or a sofa and a chair, but instead of a coffee table in front of the couch, many are placing an ottoman, which can be used to place a mug or a leg.
Keeping up with the electronic industry, Borkowski said with larger television sizes being produced, so are the stands and wall units to hold these pieces. For large wall spaces, the wall unit is placed in the middle of this, making it the focal point.

Quality equals equity...
Many homeowners who are looking to change things up may wonder how they might afford these improvements they are planning to make.
“A home equity loan is a very good option,” said Frank Woeste, senior loan officer at St. Henry Bank, in St. Henry.
Using the equity in a home, owners can get flexible loans for updates, with no minimal amount needed.
Woeste said this type of loan is the most popular product at the St. Henry lender. Another option is taking a second mortgage on a home, which is usually put at 10 or 15 years, but this is not as popular.