DATE: Sunday, August 3, 1997                TAG: 9708010140

SECTION: HOME                    PAGE: G1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MARY FLACHSENHAAR, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   81 lines

WOOD FLOORING BECOMES THE PERFECT CANVAS FOR CUSTOM-PAINTED, CREATIVE DESIGNS

CUSTOM-PAINTED wood flooring has become a hot trend in home decorating, according to the National Wood Flooring Association.

Across the country, wood floors are getting fancy face lifts. Some popular looks are checkerboard and gingham patterns, faux marble and stone, even simulated Oriental rugs.

Ed Korczack, executive director of the association, says: ``The look for 1997 is a balance of simple natural products like wood but with a trendy, creative twist. The possibilities are unlimited, allowing any homeowner to create a true one-of-a-kind floor.''

The association offers information on wood floors through its consumer hotline: 500-443-WOOD. For 25 cents a minute, an expert will answer questions on installing, maintaining and refinishing a wood floor and will provide a list of local professionals. Online users can view the association's home page at http://www.woodfloors.org. WRAP IT UP

Sometimes, it seems, gift wrap is costlier than the present itself. The current issue of Good Housekeeping magazine offers thrifty alternatives:

One reader saves leftover wallpaper for wrapping gifts. The paper is heavier than regular wrap and is a useful way to let out-of-town relatives and friends picture how your home is decorated, should they want to send a home-related gift.

A deflated foil balloon leftover from a party makes a gift-wrap substitute. Cut the seam of the balloon to make an opening large enough to insert the gift. Realign the edges, gather them together and tie with a ribbon.

Buy disposable paper tablecloths, cheaper and wider than regular wrapping paper, to cover large presents.

For gift-recipients who like to travel, wrap a present in an old map and tie with yarn. BLOT OUT SPOTS

If the spot you thought you banished from the carpet reappears in a day or so, heed this advice, also from the current issue of Good Housekeeping magazine.

These spots, says the magazine, are a combination of the dissolved soil and the cleaning product that was worked into the base of the carpet. The dirt makes its way back to the surface as the carpet dries.

To keep spots from resurfacing, lay several sheets of paper towel over the freshly cleaned section and place a heavy object, like a book, on top. Leave in place for a few hours or overnight. As the carpet dries, residual stain and cleaner should be absorbed by the towels. IN THE BAG

Paper or plastic? Which is the wisest choice when the supermarket bagger asks your preference?

Both types of bags pose environmental problems, according to the current issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

Plastic bags are made from polyethylene and other compounds that require significant expenditures of energy for manufacturing and transportation. Paper bags are made from trees and chemicals. Plastic is thin and won't take up as much space in a landfill. But paper is usually made in larger sizes so fewer bags are needed.

What type of bags you use may not be as important as whether or not you reuse them, suggests the magazine. DON'T ABANDON PLANTS

You may be looking forward to your vacation but the houseplants and garden sure aren't.

If you plan to be away longer than a week, the best arrangement is to hire someone to mow the lawn, harvest the garden and water the houseplants, suggests Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. Then, the grounds won't develop that overgrown look that announces no one's home.

If you're unable to hire a plant sitter, water houseplants thoroughly before you leave. Group them in the bathtub and cover lightly with a sheet of plastic to hold moisture around them. They should do well, especially if light levels are low. In dim light plants grow less vigorously and need less water than those growing in bright light, McLellan said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

NATIONAL WOOD FLOORING ASSOCIATION

Checkerboard pattern precisely painted on a wood floor...

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