The Record Homescape 04-02-2020 | Page 2

2H ❚ THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020 ❚ THE RECORD P HOMESCAPE / ADVERTISING SECTION YOU CAN BE IN HOMESCAPE! We invite our readers to submit photos and background information for four of our recurring features: n “MY HOME PROJECT” — Do you love tackling home improvement challenges? Is it your idea of fun to build shelves, stencil walls or refinish furniture? Maybe you’ve even reno- vated a large area on your own! If you can provide a short write up and high quality “before” and “after” photos of one of your projects, we’d like to share them with our readers. n “COMFORT ZONE” — Do you have a “go-to” or unique space in your home designed to cater to your special interests? It could be a game room, fitness center, workshop, audio room, unique retreat where you indulge in your favorite hobby or just hang out with friends. “Scouting shots” are OK for this feature, because if your room fits our criteria we’ll have our photographer photograph the space. n “COLLECTIONS” or “FAMILY HEIRLOOMS” — Are you an ardent collector of interesting items that fit a theme and are integrated into your home décor, or have you discovered a family heirloom that you’ve restored for display? We’d love to see your collection or learn about your heirloom’s special history. Contact James Emolo at [email protected]. CUSTOM PUB SPECIALISTS James Emolo and Joseph Ritacco NORTH JERSEY MEDIA GROUP 1 Garret Mountain Plaza, PO Box 471 Woodland Park, NJ 07424 ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT PRODUCED BY THE ADVERTORIAL DEPARTMENT OF THE RECORD AND HERALD NEWS To advertise, call 973-569-7800. For content, call 973-569-7895 or email [email protected] Copyright © 2020 North Jersey Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of NJMG is strictly prohibited. Natural Habitat: Plant native garden produced from cuttings (asexual propa- gation) vs. seed (sexual propagation),” or sidewalk or in any other location. Maybe explains Bruce Crawford, Rutgers Gardens most important are your reasons for plant- director. ing that tree … what are you hoping to get?” “When a plant is reproduced by seed, If you want a tree that will benefit you as there is genetic diversity that allows the well as other plants and animals, then plant plant to adapt to an ever-changing environ- a species that is native to your area. ment. In contrast, asexually propagated cultivars are all geneti- cally identical but less tol- erant of environmental change.” Nevertheless, while cultivars may not provide all the benefits of native plants, they can still be somewhat beneficial to pollinators. Before you start planning a native garden, be aware that your plants may be eaten and your PHOTO COURTESY OF WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED garden might not look tidy. Birdbaths are a welcome addition to a bird habitat, but it is “One of the reasons advised to keep the water no more than two inches deep. we plant Aesclepias NATIVES PLANTS or Butterfly Weed is to attract Monarch ATTRACT WILDLIFE butterflies, whose larvae in turn feed on the Planting a native garden brings many leaves of the plants, often stripping their benefits, chief among them that native foliage,” notes Crawford. “Oak trees attract plants provide food to pollinators such as over 530 insects that feed on the leaves, so bees, butterflies and birds. These pollinators it is rare to see one of our native oaks with- in turn distribute pollen among other plants, out perforated foliage.” helping them to produce fertile seeds. And CRAFTING A BIRD HABITAT fertile seeds are essential to producing The first step to creating a bird habitat much of our food. is to provide food, water and shelter for our Non-native plants are often not compatible feathered visitors. with our pollinators as their nectar or pollen “Insect eaters such as bluebirds, chicka- may be inedible to local insects or birds. dees, cardinals, nuthatches, and woodpeck- One challenge to going native is that the ers like to eat live mealworms,” explains plants are often difficult to find in your local Scott Gunther of Wild Birds Unlimited in garden store. Instead, you might find “culti- Paramus. vars” under the label of “native.” The best feeders to use with mealworms “The word cultivar is short for cultivated are cup-shaped, with smooth sides that are variety and refers to a plant that is typically more than 1-inch high to prevent the worms CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1H from crawling out. “Suet feeders also attract a large number of birds; make sure you buy a feeder that has a tail prop — an extra long piece that hangs down, allowing the birds to balance by using their tails,” advises Gunther. Some birds love fruit, and there are feeders designed to hold pieces of orange or apple. Some feeds include dried cranber- ries, cherries or raisins in the mix. For ground-feeding birds such as sparrows, doves, cardinals and blue jays, Gunther suggests using mixes that include white millet. “Black oil sunflower seeds are also favored by cardinals and finches, among others,” he adds. According to Gunther, birds who tend to eat in the mid to upper levels of trees will prefer feeders with mixes that contain peanuts, sunflower chips and tree nuts. “No-mess” blends of seeds discourage squirrels and other rodents by helping to minimize the seed mess on the ground. Bird feeders are a lot of fun to watch but they also need cleaning in order to prevent mold and disease from spreading through the seed. “Wash them with bleach and water every couple of weeks,” says Gunther. The most important thing to remember when it comes to birdbaths is that they should be no more than 1.5 - 2 inches deep so the birds feel safe. Be sure to change the water once a week. If you plan to install a birdhouse, make sure it has ventilation and drainage, and is easy to clean. “Once a year you need to remove the old nest so the birds can use it again,” says Gunther. “And make sure the house does not have a perch, to make it harder for predators to get inside and raid the nest.” For more information on native plants log on to the Native Plant Society of New Jersey at npsnj.org Spring Cleaning: Attack clutter before you begin cleaning CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1H It’s also smart to cut your work down to size by attacking clutter first. “Declutter- ing before cleaning is essential,” said Maniscalco. It will make organizing later more of a breeze than a hassle. There’s even a science to how to clean a room. Cohron suggested working from top to bottom, back to front, and circling the room from left to right. “You are get- ting the dust and dirt from the top to come down before you get to that lower surface. By being consistent you’ll make sure you don’t miss spots,” she explained. Then there are those items in the house that always seem to escape the weekly once-over. Harris suggests giving special attention to bedding, which includes vacuuming the top, bottom and sides of the mattress, along with washing the comforter. Also, don’t forget to toss expired products, wipe down ceiling fan blades, vacuum couch cushions, and wash or replace the shower curtain, she said. STAMP OUT GERMS! For those anxious about staying safe and healthy, Cohron finds there is good news on the home front: “The Coronavirus we are all fighting is susceptible to household cleaning products!” And the best product to kill those germs by almost 100 percent is a disinfectant, she said, preferring it to a sanitizing agent, which merely reduces the germs on a surface. Disinfecting and spring cleaning go hand See SPRING CLEANING, Page 4H Sterl Kitchens Co. Inc. Family Owned & Operated Since 1945 75 YEARS OF SAVINGS, SELECTION & SERVICE YES WE ARE OPEN SHOP FROM HOME WITH LIVE ASSISTANCE FROM OUR DESIGNERS WE ARE DESIGNING AND SELLING KITCHENS VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE ON ANY DEVICE: PHONE OR TABLET OR COMPUTER SAMPLES AVAILABLE AT YOUR HOME VIA UPS PHOTO COURTESY OF KITCHEN MAGIC Temporary phone & text [phone] Screen share link is at www.SterlKitchens.com PLEASE CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR ONLINE APPOINTMENT! 50% OFF Most American Brand Cabinets Convenient open stock from our warehouse inventory WWW.STERLKITCHENS.COM 5426 TONNELLE AVENUE US . 1&9 NORTH NORTH BERGEN 201.866.7999 STOCK & CUSTOM CABINETS Laminate cabinets with faux wood design replicate the look of traditional wood cabinets. Cabinets: materials matter CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1H the kitchen environment,” Fennessy explains. They are also highly resistant to stains and moisture, too. “With wood, the kitchen environment often causes warping over time.” To be sure, high-pressure treated laminate is strong and durable as opposed to melamine, another type of laminate that is less expensive, but also less resistant to daily wear and tear. “The kitchen is the most-used room in the home. Homeowners want to be sure they are getting the best bang for their buck and that the materials they choose will hold up for decades,” says Mayers. “The laminate materials Kitchen Magic uses are carefully vetted, with quality and durability first, ensuring that we offer our customers only the best possible product. An added benefit is the fast manufacturing lead time of the laminate door compared to its all-wood counterpart. “Our factory uses a solid, furniture- grade wood core for our maintenance-free doors. The decorative, laminate overlay (in the color, texture and finish the customer selects) is heat pressed to the core of the door, using state-of-the-art equipment and processes.” Style-wise, you have a number of choices. ”The laminated door [option] is available in an endless array of designs. Flat colors such as whites, grays, or colorful blues or greens are popular,” says Fennessy. “So are [faux] wood grains for those seeking the warm look of traditional wood cabinets. They are so realistic, people often have a hard time distinguishing them from the real thing.” GLAMOROUS, GLOSSY ACRYLIC For a highly sophisticated look that’s particularly suited to a contemporary kitch- en, there’s acrylic cabinets. Actually, “acryl- ic” refers to the finish, which is high-quality plastic coating or sheet applied over wood or medium-density fiberboard. The face of these cabinets is glossy and mirror-like, and the finish is water-proof; it won’t crack, chip or stain easily. If you splash something on the cabinets or notice a mark, just use mild soap and water and a soft cloth to clean the surface. Then to maintain acrylic cabinets’ good looks, polish them once a month, using a plastic polish. These upscale cabinets come at a cost, which is usually, although not always, higher than standard wood or laminate. According to Lorriane Sterl, of Sterl Kitchens in North Bergen, “On the high end, these cabinets come in many colors (including faux stainless steel); on the low end of the price range, however, only white is available. However, the look can be achieved within a realistic, reasonable price range.” STAINLESS STEEL, A COOL CHOICE As industrial design trends upward, stainless steel continues to be a popular material, even for kitchen cabinets. Like acrylic, stainless steel lends itself to con- temporary design, but with a commercial edge. See CABINETS, Page 3H