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Even the best exterior paint can fail if it’s applied incorrectly. Always use a primer when painting any untreated surface to seal it off and to provide a base for topcoats to stick to. Alkyd primers are best for bare wood because they cover bleed-through from wood knots better; be sure the label states that the primer is designed to stop bleed-through. Water-based primers are a good choice if knots aren’t an issue. Water-based paints are compatible with both types of primer.
When repainting, prime only when necessary. If the paint hasn’t cracked or flaked, you may not need to prime at all. Advantage 900 from Porter Paints is designed to go over any existing paint without priming or sanding. If you must scrape down to bare wood, spot-prime. Not sure whether priming is needed? Try this test: Paint a small portion of the wall and let it dry. Then put an adhesive bandage on the newly painted surface and snap it off. If paint sticks to it, the old paint won’t support a new coat and requires a coat of primer. If the bandage is clean, power wash the siding and paint.
For more handy tips to paint up your home right the first time visit HouseColour.com today!
Sometimes smaller is better, especially when it comes to space. Think cozy and quaint rather than throwing your hands up in the air and screaming: “Oh it’s so cramped! I give up!”
There’s no need to be discouraged. In fact, decorating a small space can be a fun challenge that requires you to be more innovative than ever.
Start out by acknowledging the many advantages inherent to small homes. Small rooms generally require fewer furnishings and accessories, so your decorating budget can get you a little further. Small rooms can also inspire you to do something we all need to do: get rid of clutter!†The more clutter we get rid of the larger the room will appear!
Since storage space in small dwellings is likely limited, getting rid of unnecessary items is a must. People living in larger homes, however, with plenty of storage can more easily fall into the pack rat mode, too. And of course, small spaces can be quite inviting, that is if you decorate consciously and creatively.
So, for each area of your home, you might want to consider these ideas to help you maximize your space as well as your decorating dollar:
Kitchen: Use over-the-cabinets space for storage of little-used items or decorative display of collectibles; hang pots from a rack suspended from your ceiling; open up cabinet and drawer space by placing cooking utensils and spices in baskets, crystal bowls or ceramic pitchers.
Living room: Paint the walls a light hue and use sheer curtains to invite in the sunlight; instead of a coffee table, use an ottoman with a tray on top to hold drinks and prop up your feet (also for extra seating in a pinch); create tables that do double duty as extra storage by stacking suitcases, using an old trunk, or by stacking two old soda or wine crates and adding a glass top.
Bedroom: If there’s ample space in your closet, move your dresser inside to free up main area floor space; instead of night tables, place a small, wall-mounted shelf on each side of the bed to hold nighttime needs like a small lamp; if you’re low on closet space, use the space under your bed to store out-of-season clothing; if you need an armoire but can’t afford one, make or buy an inexpensive bookshelf and attach curtains (or canvas) to cover up the clothing but still offer easy access.
Bathroom: Use an over-the-commode shelving unit to hold essentials if cabinet space is sparse; use several decorative hooks instead of a towel bar and you can hang up more towels (and robes) in a small wall area.
Another vital rule in small space decorating to keep in mind is that dark colors make things appear smaller and light colors make things appear bigger. If you’re tired of your white walls, a taupe or sand color is a great substitute. These aren’t gleaming, but they also are not dark enough to close a room in, making it longer than it is.
You can accent — that is add a little color — with candles, pictures, paintings or pillows, or brighten things up with curtains. If you have a lot of windows to dress, stick to a neutral color because a dark color can have the same effect as painting your walls.
Also, multi-function pieces of furniture are perfect for small spaces. For example, try a loft bed, which puts your bed off the floor. If it’s high up, it opens up the floor space for other purposes. A couch or desk can fit easily underneath, too for more space saving. If you don’t have enough space for a bed, or you don’t like sleeping in high places, a futon or pull out couch can act as a couch by day and your bed at night.
Need more storage space? A storage chest can easily double as a coffee table. Hanging shoe racks are also a way to create more space in a closet. Toiletries can hang, too, creating more counter space for other bathroom supplies. To create the illusion of a bigger space, try hanging a large mirror reflecting a window from across the room. It instantly makes the space look bigger.
Finally, it is important to find the style that you like. Whether it’s Modern, Victorian or Country French, the style should reflect your personality. After all, you’re the one who is going to be living there. With a little creativity, you can make living in a small space as comfortable as living in a castle.
Searching for an Apartment
Rents for apartments in Boston can be expensive. With very few
exceptions, there is no limit to how much rent a landlord can charge
for an apartment. Some of the suggestions listed below may be
helpful in locating reasonably priced housing.
• Realtors: Many charge a broker’s fee of a month’s rent,
so be sure to inquire about broker’s fees before you
start your search with any realtor.
• Local newspapers
• Websites
• Neighborhood bulletin boards
• School and University bulletin boards
• Community, religious and social organizations
• Roommate agencies
• Word of mouth: Let friends, acquaintances, shopkeepers,
etc. in the neighborhood know you are looking for an
apartment. Someone you tell may know about an
available apartment or provide you with a lead.
For more suggestions concerning where to look for an apartment or
for hands-on assistance, call the City of Boston’s Rental Housing
Resource Center at (617) 635-RENT.
Before Renting an Apartment
Entering into a rental agreement is a serious commitment. Do not
put money down unless you are sure you want the apartment.
Although you may be legally entitled to get your money back until
the landlord formally accepts you as a tenant, that money may be
difficult to recover. An apartment may seem like a dream
apartment, but there are many costs and issues to consider in
determining whether the apartment is right for you, such as:
• Affordability of rent
• Utilities and heating costs
• Up-front fees
• Moving expenses
• Availability of off-street or on-street parking
• Access to public transportation
• How many people are allowed to live in the apartment
• Whether pets are permitted
• Presence of lead paint, if child under age 6 will be living
in the apartment
• Whether subletting is permitted
• Whether a re-rental inspection has been done
• Whether laundry facilities and/or refrigerator are
provided
The City of Newton in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, is an important residential suburb of Boston, which abuts it on the east. According to the 2000 census, the population of the Newton was 83,829, making it the tenth largest city in the state.
Newton does not have a single town center, but is rather a patchwork of 13 “villages”, many boasting small “downtown” areas of their own. The 13 villages are: Auburndale, Chestnut Hill, Newton Centre, Newton Corner, Newton Highlands, Newton Lower Falls, Newton Upper Falls (both on the Charles River, and both once small industrial sites), Newtonville, Nonantum (also called The Lake), Oak Hill, Thompsonville, Waban, and West Newton. Oak Hill Park is a place within the village of Oak Hill that itself is shown as a village on some city maps. Although most of the villages have a post office, they have no legal definition and no firmly defined borders. See The Thirteen Villages of Newton.
Emily Lavan, Heartbreak Hill, 2005
Newton was settled in 1630 as part of Cambridge. It was incorporated as a town known as Cambridge Village in 1688. It was renamed Newtown in 1691 and finally Newton in 1766. It became a city in 1873. Newton is known as The Garden City.
The city also has two symphony orchestras, the New Philharmonia Orchestra of Massachusetts and the Newton Symphony Orchestra.
The Newton Free Library possesses more than 500,000 volumes of print materials (2004), as well as art, both original and prints, sound recordings and videos: the largest collection in the Minuteman Library Network.
Each April on Patriots Day, the Boston Marathon is run through the city, entering from Wellesley on Route 16 (Washington Street) where runners encounter the first of the four infamous Newton Hills. It then turns right onto Route 30 (Commonwealth Avenue) for the long haul into Boston. There are two more hills before reaching Newton City Hall and then the fourth and most infamous of of all, Heartbreak Hill, rises just past City Hall. Residents and visitors line the race route along Washington Street and Commonwealth Avenue to cheer the runners.
Newton is in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, at 
42°20′16″N, 71°12′36″W (42.337713, -71.209936).GR1 The city is bordered by Waltham and Watertown on the north, Needham and the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston on the south, Wellesley and Weston on the west, and Brookline and the Brighton neighborhood of Boston on the east.
From Watertown to Waltham to Needham to Dedham, Newton is bounded by the Charles River. Yankee Division Highway, designated Interstate 95 but known to the locals as Route 128, follows the Charles from Waltham to Dedham, creating a de facto land barrier. The portion of Needham which lies east of 128 and west of the Charles, known as the Needham Industrial Park has become part of a Newton commercial zone and contributes to its heavy traffic, even though the tax revenue goes to Needham.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 47.1 km² (18.2 mi²). 46.7 km² (18.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (0.82%) is water.
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 83,829 people, 31,201 households, and 20,499 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,793.2/km² (4,643.6/mi²). There were 32,112 housing units at an average density of 686.9/km² (1,778.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.07% White, 7.68% Asian, 1.97% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.52% of the population.
There were 31,201 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.
According to a 2006 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $101,001, and the median income for a family was $121,496.[4] Males had a median income of $65,565 versus $46,885 for females. The per capita income for the city was $45,708. About 2.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Based on statistics reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newton was the nation’s safest city during 2003, 2004 and 2005, and the fourth safest city in the nation in 2006.[2] The designation is based on crime statistics in six categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and auto theft.