According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, Traditional designs for bathrooms continue to hold the top spot for 2010. Sleek contemporary and simple Shaker styles are the distant runners up. Colors are bland with beige and bone beating out white as the most popular hues. Ivory and brown will also be featured making earth tones a prevailing theme for this year.

Fixtures are still predominantly white with off-white and bisque as the secondary choices. In keeping with the Traditional concept, undermount sinks will continue leading the pack. Pedestal, vessel, and other sink styles will also have a place in modern bathroom designs.

Faucets will continue to boast a brushed nickel finish that can be cleaned with delicate agents such as a vinegar/water mixture. Shiny chrome and rich bronze are other popular 2010 choices. Tile and stone will provide the foundation for bathroom décor as flooring while granite tops off most new vanities.

The folks at Signature Contractors have compiled a different list of bathroom trends for this year. They point to luxury items like flat screen TVs and filtered shower heads as prime picks. Radiant floor heating, low flow toilets, and other environmentally friendly upgrades are also heading the list of remodeling projects.

Are you planning to add a sunroom to your home? This is the type of home improvement project that should be done because you plan to enjoy the room yourself. While this type of addition does offer an increase in property value, you can’t expect to recoup your entire investment. In fact, the average cost recovery is just 51% of the price of the sunroom when you sell your house. The percentage is slightly higher if you live in the Southern United States, but it tops out around 55%.

Another important financial issue that you should be aware of before constructing a sunroom is homeowner’s insurance. What happens if you build the room yourself and someone is injured in the process (or if you inadvertently damage the structure of your house)? You need to know if your existing insurance policy will cover the claim.

It’s also important to revisit your current coverage to add the sunroom. Otherwise, it will not be replaced if your home is lost in a fire or other catastrophic event. Then, your full investment in this remodeling project will be lost and you will have to rebuild the sunroom out of your own pocket. Think of the cost of purchasing additional coverage as a small maintenance fee that is just part of having a beautiful new sunroom to relax in.

Gutter downspouts can become clogged by all sorts of debris. Twigs, silt, leaves, catkins, and more can drop into the trough and get swept along the gutters creating a logjam. When a downspout becomes clogged, water doesn’t drain quickly and the gutters will overflow dumping water around the foundation of your home. Spouts that are completely clogged permit water to pool in the gutters providing an ideal environment for algae, mold, and mosquito larvae.

This scummy water can smell pretty bad, so be prepared when you climb up a ladder to check your gutters. Wear work gloves and bring a tool to scrape out as much debris as you can. A hand trowel works well. You can also pull twigs and leaves out of the top of the downspout with a pair of metal tongs.

Some people recommend using a wire hanger or a plumber’s snake to push debris down the spout. However, this can puncture the downspout if you aren’t careful. Use a hose with a high pressure spray head to wash clogged materials out of the length of the downspout. If that doesn’t work, you will have to disassemble the spout and remove the clog manually.

Keep It Draining

To prevent future clogs, cut tree branches well away from your roof. Consider installing a wider downspout that is less prone to obstruction. You may also use a guard, screen, leaf strainer, or filter to keep debris out of the spout opening. Some of these are installed at the top of the downspout. The DrainGuard is a little different since it puts a filter about halfway down the spout where it is easy to clean out. Whichever system you use, you will need to perform a full maintenance check every 6 months and a spot check after any significant storm event.

If you have a small leak in your gutters, it is possible to patch just the affected area. However, where there is one hole more will probably develop over time – especially if your gutters are fairly old. This means it may save you time and trouble to proactively stop leaks. You can do this by installing a liner along the entire width of the gutter.

This material may consist of a geosynthetic membrane or aluminum fixed in a self adhesive matrix. Either type of material can generally be cut to the desired width with scissors or a utility knife. The liner is slipped into place just under the hangers along the entire length of the trough for full coverage. Using a single, uninterrupted piece of liner reduces the risk of leaking since there will be no overlapped areas.

A gutter liner kit will generally come with a caulk gun and adhesive for putting the gutter back together and sealing all the seams (such as around the downspouts). Aluminum faced liners can be painted, but since they are hidden inside the gutter this is not absolutely necessary.

DIY Or Hire It Out

This is a project that you can do yourself if you don’t mind working on a ladder. Whether you actually need to remove the gutter from the house depends on the type of liner used. It is possible to hire a gutter company to do this job. The labor costs will make the job more expensive than it would be otherwise, but it is still much cheaper than having new gutters installed.

Some liner manufacturers claim that their products can extend the life of a gutter system by 10 years. However, if your gutters have large holes caused by corrosion or serious damage from a storm, a liner isn’t the appropriate solution.

Siding installation is often touted as a DIY job. But without proper tools, materials, and information, there is a high likelihood that the average homeowner will make a few mistakes. Some errors are evident (like crooked or sagging panels). However, others are hidden and will only become evident over time. By then, a lot of damage may have occurred. Here are 3 common mistakes the amateur siding installer tends to make.

Measuring Too Perfectly

Both vinyl and aluminum siding products expand in hot weather. This means there has to be a little room left for the material to increase in size. Otherwise, the siding may buckle where it presses into the wooden frame of a door or window.

Pounding Too Hard

It can be tempting to nail siding down as hard as you can. However, since the material expands and contracts it needs to have a little wiggle room. Leaving a tiny gap between the nail head and the aluminum or vinyl permits enough movement to protect the integrity of the siding.

Choosing Cheap Materials

The underlayment for siding needs to be high quality. Furring strips over a foam board is one combination that some siding installers recommend to make the job easier. The specific materials used are very important. For example, using moisture permeable insulation with vinyl siding is not a good plan. It may trap and hold moisture under the siding and permit mold to colonize the interior of the home.

Just like clothing fashions change, so do home improvement trends. This year, the National Kitchen & Bath Association has compiled a list of the most popular choices for residential kitchens in 2010. Traditional styles still have the top slot with contemporary designs holding second place. Pale, natural hues like white, ivory, and bone are some of the favorite color choices.

Brown is also a trending color – and not just in paint. Wood finishes ranging from cherry to maple bring a warm, rich tone to cabinets. Floors are also being outfitted with hardwood; but tile still holds the top spot in that area. Ceramic, porcelain, and glass remain popular materials for backsplashes. Counter tops are trending away from cheap laminates toward high end products like granite and quartz.

It’s not just aesthetics that are important to home owners going through a kitchen remodel. They are also looking for greater functionality in fixtures and appliances. There’s an upsurge in demand for flexible faucets like the pullout model that is a spout and sprayer in one. Undercounter fridges are in demand this year – especially those designed for wine storage. Double drawer dishwashers are also making a splash since they allow modern families to run smaller loads and save water/energy.

Having skylight windows in your ceiling varies in one important way from having windows in your walls – you can’t just reach over and pull the blinds shut when you want less light. Having a long, trailing cord hanging down into your living space from the skylight might look tacky and it would be in the way. Using a long manual device to manipulate the blinds or bringing out a ladder to perform this task can be inconvenient.

So, many skylight window treatments are automated for convenience and looks. A roller blind/awning or louvered shades can be triggered with a remote control. These treatments are available in many of the same basic styles as those for traditional vertical windows. However, round and geometric skylights may require custom shades.

Function and Aesthetics

Sometimes, you might need the ability to completely block a skylight (such as in a bedroom if you want to take an afternoon nap). In those cases, a blackout awning will provide solid coverage. An insulated shade may also be used on hot or cold days to reduce energy loss. However, a high-quality skylight should feature construction and materials that are energy efficient to begin with.

For areas where you just want to dim the light a little, louvered blinds can allow for more subtle adjustments. Filters can also be installed to transform the sun’s illumination into a soft glow. Perhaps you prefer a permanent window treatment that adds a visual pattern to the light entering your living space. A fabric screen that mimics the appearance of dappled sunlight shining through tree leaves might be nice. You can also alter the mood in a room by using a tinted shade.

Stucco siding is beautiful in its own right. It also makes the perfect backdrop for artistic murals of all kinds. Some can be installed concurrently with the siding, others can be added after the stucco has dried. Tasteful murals that face the street can add curb appeal. Those in the back of the house near outdoor living areas can be even more expressive and imaginative. Here are just a few ideas for ways to make your house stand out as a work of art.

Sculpted Scenes

Adding texture to stucco siding is a typical final step. However, this texture doesn’t have to look random. The siding mixture can be stamped with a design that will show up in subtle relief whenever the sun strikes the wall at the correct angle. Scroll work, Aztec, or Classic designs can all be incorporated into a stucco surface with the right mold. Patterns can also be created by hand if you work quickly enough.

Tile Designs

Tile mosaics can be inset directly into the stucco material while it is wet or applied with a strong adhesive after it is dried. This is an ideal approach for matching a wall design to one featured on a patio or in a pool. The colorful glass or ceramic mural tiles can be used for geometric patterns or to create realistic depictions of various plants or animals.

Painted Murals

Stucco siding is a great canvas for a painted outdoor mural. This decorative effect can be applied to the home at any time. Trompe l’oeil (eye fooling) images can give the illusion of more space by creating “windows” that overlook a spacious courtyard or a scenic vista. Select paints that are intended for outdoor use so the mural will remain vibrant and attractive for many years.

These days, it seems like the only rooftop decorations most houses sport is a squeaky wind turbine or two. If you want to add some old fashioned charm to your roof, consider installing a weathervane. Designs range from traditional water birds and roosters to dragons and sailing ships. You can even have a custom piece made with your favorite animal or sports team mascot.

These timeless roofing accents are usually crafted of metal such as steel, aluminum, or copper. They may last for decades with little maintenance. Just a spray of lubricant now and then will keep this device spinning quietly atop your home from one year to the next.

Of course, proper installation makes a big difference. This type of decoration is designed to be exposed to wind and weather 365 days per year. That’s a good reason to avoid the use of external mounting brackets and have your weathervane installed through the roof into a wooden brace in the attic. This entire area will then need to be sealed to keep moisture from penetrating around the base of the weathervane.

The purpose of a weathervane is to show you which way the wind is blowing, so you will also need to make sure it is installed in the correct orientation. Otherwise it will simply be decorative – much like a sundial that isn’t designed for your latitude. Bear in mind that a weathervane isn’t a lightning rod. It shouldn’t be connected to the ground by a highly conductive material unless you are paying a professional to turn your vane into a lightening protection device.

Prior to the 1978 federal ban on the use of lead paint in residential buildings, many homes had their wood or brick siding coated in this toxic substance. Lead is a very efficient material for providing opaque coverage. This means it took only a thin layer of the paint to effectively coat siding well enough that the original surface color didn’t show through. This made it cheaper to use than other paints that didn’t provide the same level of coverage. Today, titanium is added to paints to achieve the same effect without the hazardous side effects of lead.

Of course, lead was still used well into the 1900s, so there are plenty of older homes that pose a problem for residents and communities. As the paint deteriorates, falling flakes can accumulate on window sills and other areas where they may drift into the interior living space. Lead will also contaminate the soil around the foundation of the home. This means leaving old lead paint exposed to the elements is not a viable solution.

Get Expert Help

The process of stripping off lead paint to refinish the underlying siding can release dangerous levels of lead-laden dust into the air. Special precautions must be taken in any kind of home improvement project involving sanding, cutting, drilling, or otherwise disturbing a lead painted surface. Having an environmental evaluation and cost analysis carried out by a certified abatement specialist is critical.

Such a professional can determine the best approach for refinishing siding. This may involve painting over the existing lead contaminated surface to seal it in place. Or, wet sanding techniques may be used in conjunction with personal protective equipment to remove the old paint while preventing contamination of the air, soil, and water in the surrounding area.

Home alarms come in two basic varieties – monitored and internal. A monitored alarm system is generally installed by a home security technician as part of a long term contract. A monthly service fee is charged for your alarm system to be monitored by representatives at a call center. If you need to know when someone is trying to enter your home while you are away, this type of security system works best.

The monitoring station can call your cell phone when the alarm sounds and verify whether you are home or not. Then, they can notify the police or a private security firm to check your home for a possible burglary in progress.

Internal Window Alarms

If you are primarily concerned about an intruder entering your home while you are in residence, an unmonitored system can be an effective warning system. This type of alarm has a siren that sounds if a door or window is opened. The alarm can be deactivated during the day, or set to merely broadcast a notification tone whenever someone goes in or out. Parents of small children often use this type of daytime setting to alert them if a toddler has managed to somehow get out of the house.

In the past, security systems had to be hardwired into the home. Now, most systems communicate wirelessly. An unmonitored system can be installed in an afternoon and requires no special skills. The magnetically activated switches are simply affixed to the door and window frames with adhesive or screws. Then, they can be turned on or off via remote control or with a switch in a hidden panel on the alarm unit itself.

In the northern U.S. where snow storms are an unavoidable winter weather phenomenon, a house can really take a beating. Gutters are at particular risk for damage as snow slides down the roof and collects in the upturned troughs. Melting and refreezing cause an even bigger problem – ice accumulation. Ice can become heavy enough to rip a gutter system free from its moorings. It can also build up in the gutter and downspout preventing proper drainage.

There are a number of heating systems that are designed to melt ice and snow and prevent it from accumulating. The simplest approach is to run heater cables through the gutters and downspouts. These come in varieties that can simply be plugged into an outdoor electrical outlet. Others must be directly connected to a junction box.

These heaters may need to stay turned on all the time in winter or be manually switched on by the homeowner prior to a severe weather event. Or, they can be self regulating and only activate when the weather is cold enough for ice or snow storms to occur. Most home improvement advisers suggest using 2 cables side by side for adequate melting power.

The heater cap may offer a somewhat more sophisticated approach. This type of system is composed of heated panels rather than cables. These effectively disperse heat to prevent buildup of snow and ice along the gutter line. The panels can be installed over a gutter guard or directly in the gutter and downspouts.