Home and Garden

Now you can garden anywhere and anytime, thanks to the new MiniGarden modular growing system.

Perfect for urban dwellers and suburbanites alike, MiniGarden's system of modules creates a self-contained vertical structure for vegetables, herbs, flowers or houseplants. It comes from EarthBox, which makes self-watering patio container gardens.

The MiniGarden system can be installed indoors for kitchen use or outside on patios, porches and decks. A MiniGarden can even be used to create a rooftop garden, or the modules can be used on and around fences or used as modern window boxes.

Creating an outdoor living space isn't cheap, but it is a viable alternative for someone who wanted to build their dream home and now has to work with what they have.

"A lot of our clients wanted to build a green home -- but with the economy, work or being able to qualify for a loan -- that's gone," said Landscape Architect Paul Keeler of Deseret Land Design in Plain City. "To take out a loan is almost a joke. People have to work within their means, and some have pretty good money saved up. They can't get into their dream home, so instead they're making updates on the existing home. We're doing a ton of nice outdoor social spaces like outdoor kitchens, decks and patios that make you feel like you're in a new home."

Keeler said the outdoor room is an extension of the home with the same look, taste and feel. The outdoor room can bring privacy and the "wow" factor to the yard, help control the sun and increase the day-to-day usability of the yard.

Spring is nearly here, and it won't be long before your college student is coming home for the summer, bringing along all of the things she/he needed to furnish a dorm room or apartment. There not only will be extra blankets and clothing -- there may be kitchen supplies and utensils that will be needed in the fall when the young student once again heads back to school. Or maybe a married son or daughter needs to move back in with a spouse. They will also have things that need to be stored. Of course as a homeowner, you may also need some extra storage space yourself.

Now comes the big question: Where are you going to store all of those items?

Advanced Door of Ogden has the answer.

TACOMA, Wash. -- You can call it a man cave, as owner Gordon Robinson does, but Garage Mahal might be a better term.

Sure, it's a basement with recliners, big screen TVs and drinks on ice. But that's only the beginning. Where other dude hangouts end, this one's just starting.

Robinson, 57, built the 2,300-square-foot Guytopia for himself, but it has quickly become just as popular with friends and neighbors.

"Everybody stops by all the time. It's nice," wife Debbie, 55, says.

Debbie has the rest of the 7,600-square-foot house for her own amusements, which include a TV lounge, kitchen and craft room. It's all situated on the shores of American Lake in Lakewood, Wash.

OGDEN - Rebates, tax incentives and great deals from window vendors make right now an ideal time to buy replacement windows.

Landon Moyes, with Moyes Glass, said vinyl windows still seem to be the most popular and economical way to go when buying replacement windows. New construction has dropped off significantly, so Moyes said much of his business involves replacement windows.

Fiberglass windows are a new trend right now, Moyes said, but they cost about 50 percent more than vinyl, so haven't really caught on in the market. While the fiberglass windows aren't necessarily more energy-efficient, they are more durable and don't have the same expansion issues vinyl has.

OK, call it a resolution. I'm just a tad overwhelmed by stuff, so the new year seems a fitting time for organization. There are stores dedicated to it, publications with a sole focus on it and people who make it their job to help us manage it better.

While the creative intersection of organization and design can seem challenging, it's actually an opportunity to blend the two into a statement-making environment. When I buy antiques and vintage goods for my shop, it's not always for the provenance or value of the items, but rather sometimes for the utilitarian purposes they can serve. I determine how to enlist these goods as foot soldiers in the war on clutter.

OGDEN -- These days, many people are choosing not to move but instead update their home with a more modern look.

One of the most noticeable changes a homeowner can make is to replace or resurface their kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

"If you don't want to replace your entire cabinet, a little cleanup will make quite a difference," said Jim Stratton, marketing sales manager for DreamMaker in South Ogden.

To start with, you can replace the door or the drawer front with new hinges or molding, Stratton said. Those two things alone will change the look and feel of your cabinet. Although painting and staining can also be done, they are more of a quick fix and wear out faster than new cabinets, he said.