THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 25, 1996 TAG: 9602230108
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: AROUND THE HOUSE
SOURCE: MARY FLACHSENHAAR
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
DREAD DRYING a hand-washed sweater? This easy method from a household-hint column in The Baltimore Sun makes child's play of the job:
Simply place a child's safety gate across the bathtub and lay the sweater flat to dry.
Now why couldn't I ever think of that? IN A NEW LIGHT
SnakeLight, the flashlight that stands, wraps and coils, leaving hands free for the job, is a smash hit. It has been so successful, in fact, that producer Black & Decker has sequels in the wings.
According to a recent Washington Post article, several sons of SnakeLight are about to slither onto hardware and department store shelves. Look for:
SnakeLight Plus: This souped-up version of the original comes with two lights, a floodlight for distance and a spotlight for the task at hand, and a rubberized lens for heavy-duty use. Approximately $35.
SnakeLight Auto: This model comes with a 12-foot, 12-volt adapter cord that plugs into a car's cigarette lighter. Approximately $35.
SnakeFan: This flexible, personal-size fan runs on two C batteries and has an AC adapter for home use. Approximately $30. BIG CHANGES, LITTLE MONEY
Yes, you can give your house a face lift even when there's no room in the budget for redecorating. The February issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine offers tips from top designers on how to get the most design impact for the least decorating dollars.
``Use things in ways and places that weren't in the original plan,'' advises the magazine's editor Jean LemMon, also a designer. In her '40s cottage, a salvaged mantel gets a second life as a wall shelf, a crochet-edge pillowcase becomes a valance and hooked rugs turn into artwork on the wall.
``Don't buy more, learn to live with less,'' says magazine stylist and author Tricia Foley. ``Keep only what is beautiful and useful.'' Her philosophy is that one focal piece in a room - something simple, useful and classic in design - will always look better than a roomful of mediocre pieces.
``Like a scarf or a great necklace, a little bit of artful fabric can go a long way if you showcase it properly,'' suggests designer Sonja Willman. She hunts for interesting textiles in unusual places, such as the kitchen, linen closet and attic, and reworks the fabrics to create focal-point window dressings.
``You can make the most daring and dramatic change with paint,'' says designer Jeffrey Bilhuber. ``If you don't like it, for another $15 you're on your way again.'' Bilhuber's tips - balance a light wall with a dark floor, or vice versa; dramatize furnishings against a dark backdrop; enliven a pale scheme with texture; pep up a dark wall with reflective accents. SAVE WATER AND HANDS
From the same magazine comes this tidbit, sure to be savored by those who hate to hand-wash dishes:
In an Ohio State University water-use study, it took kitchen workers about 16 gallons of water to hand-wash eight dirty place settings and four serving pieces. Dishwashers required less than nine gallons for the same task. by CNB