On_The_Level's blog

Move over, Martha Stewart. "Iron Chef" Bobby Flay has his own line of home products, now available at Kohl's. The line includes cookware, dinnerware, kitchen gadgets, utensils, cutlery, barbecue tools and more. To check it out, go here.

The line is boldly styled and features a Southwestern feel. Best of all, right now much of it is on sale!

I'm a big skeptic when it comes to "miracle" home improvement products. I recently read a story about those products you see on TV (Magic Putty, Stick N Click lighting disks) ... 95 percent of them don't work. But I found this one online -- called Rejuvenate -- and thought it looked interesting. Has anybody ever heard of it? Ever tried it?

What about other products you've ordered via TV/infomercial? Have any of them worked?

I remember very distinctly the way my dad used to struggle with home improvement projects when I was young. He'd try to fix the toilet or something and have to make three or four trips to the hardware store just to get the right part. I always wondered why he just didn't call a plumber.

Now I know.

Over the weekend I needed to fix a lock at my house. Sure, I could've called my father-in-law or a handyman or somebody who actually knows what they're doing. But I really wanted to do it myself. I struggled for about an hour and got pretty frustrated a couple of times. But when I finally got it done .... what an adrenaline rush!

I DID IT! ... MYSELF!

Saturday's Your Home story about pools, spas and "spools" had me thinking over the weekend about the pictures we ran. None of them showed a security fence around them. Today I found a Fresno Bee article -- you can read it here -- about pool safety.

I don't think I could ever have a pool in my yard. I would be too paranoid about not only the safety of my children, but that of other kids. You'll notice this line from The Fresno Bee's story: "The recent drownings of two 5-year-olds in backyard swimming pools in Fresno have flashed a spotlight on pool safety."

Just my take: If you own a pool, you have a responsibilty to make sure it is secure and safe.

My garage project is still some time away, but I continue to look for products that I might be able to use (a guy can dream, right?).

Here are two:

1. Garage floor tiles that come in various colors. They're about $2.80 a square foot. Go here for info.

2. A storage unit that makes use of ceiling space, but also can be lowered for easy access (pictured above). It's $140 at Costco.com. Go here. It includes a video demonstration.

If you watch as much of home improvement TV as I have over the years, you are familiar with Vern Yip, who made a name for himself on "Trading Spaces" and now has his own show on HGTV called "Deserving Design." I'm not a design/decor expert by any means, but in my opinion he's one of the better designers on TV.

I found these simple tips from Vern in a recent story:

1. Start with a space plan before you buy anything.
2. Embrace color: It’s just paint.
3. Invest in quality furnishings.
4. Seek out environmentally friendly products.

For more on Vern and some great design ideas, go to his Web site.

I found this short story this morning. It's pretty good:

Finally, it pays to have an ugly yard. In fact, having one of the four ugliest lawns in the United States can win homeowners professional help, tools and cash.

Running through June 30, homeowners can nominate
their yard or a neighbor’s in a Briggs & Stratton-sponsored ugly yard
contest. To enter, submit videos on YouTube. Find rules and directions
for submitting here. 

The ugly yards will be posted on the Web site, and viewers
across the country will vote on which are the four ugliest. In July,
winners will receive a consultation from Trey Rogers, a turf grass
specialist who has helped design and grow fields for Olympic
competitions and World Cup soccer games. They’ll also win $1,000 and
two pieces of new outdoor power equipment.