Installing a stone surface can add an element of beauty and quality to a home environment. With so many different options of stone to choose from, we’ve created a guide for choosing which one could be the best pick for you!
 
Limestone
Limestone comes in a variety of colors, textures, and qualities. It can add a unique and stylish touch to any room. It’s best suited for kitchen flooring, entry spaces, and bathroom surfaces. Depending on the density, harder pieces of limestone will take polish while softer pieces don’t.
 
Sandstone
Sandstone is composed of rich neutral colors that are layered together for an overall natural look. This stone creates warm tones within a room, and it’s best used as shower tiles and walls, bathtub surrounds, and kitchen flooring.
 
Granite
Granite is typically known for its trademark mineral flecks, which add pops of color throughout the stone. It’s very durable, making it hard to scratch and harder to stain. It’s perfect for fireplace surrounds, kitchen countertops, and pastry surfaces.  
 
Soapstone
Soapstone has the exact qualities of its namesake, with a soft and soapy texture at its surface. It will never need to be sealed or overly cared for, as the stone is extremely durable and dense. It’s well suited for sinks, fireplace surrounds, kitchen countertops, and vanity tops.  
 
Slate
Slate has the earthy colors and tones of dark purple, gray, green, or blue, and has a patterned look to it. This stone creates a calming feel within a home, and is best used for flooring and kitchen countertops.
 
Marble
Marble comes in a delicate, swirling pattern with a variety of colors, and adds a touch of luxury to a room. It does require a bit of maintenance, and should be regularly sealed. It’s best for vanity tops, flooring, backsplashes, tub surrounds, and pastry surfaces.

If you plan to make pool parties or brunch by the pool part of your entertaining you will want to give some thought to decorating around your pool.

Here are some ideas:

If you have pool toys and supplies, storing them in an attractive shed is a must for creating a party-friendly poolside.

Oversize paper lanterns provide a great center of interest with their bright colors. They also double as a source of light in your outdoor space. Hang them like mobiles at different heights over the pool area, buffet table, or bar.

Get the kids involved in decorating for a kids’ pool party. Have them create paper garlands using drinking straws. String these over the kids’ eating area. Add little white lights to create a fairyland atmosphere.  You might also have them make tissue paper fans and string them about to waft in the breeze.

Place drinks in fancy pails filled with ice. The dollar stores have lots of galvanized pails in pool-side decorator styles.

Kids of all ages love games like water polo, water volleyball and water basketball. You’ll be really popular if you have these available for pool parties.

Think about large containers of plants around your pool. Good choices are easy maintenance ones that add color and delightful scents. Found containers at garage sales, outlets, Pottery Barn, or Pier One make good planters. Consider adding wheels if you are going to move them or put them inside for the winter.

Consider pool side furniture that is colorful, easy to maintain and can be easily moved to create conversation circles.

Around your pool you can add chairs and planters to make the site homey and attractive for guests to share a cocktail and conversation. Planters can add privacy or be moved to open up spaces for larger groups.
 
Consider portable food and drink caddies which can be prepared in the kitchen and wheeled to poolside. When not in use these caddies can be stored inside an attractive poolside storage space.

Adding greenery around your pool makes it an aesthetic center as well as an exercise or relaxation location. Use the pool surface to reflect nearby plants to add depth, texture and aesthetics to your pool area.

I’ll bet you never gave a thought to security when you were planning your landscaping.
The fact is landscaping can be a deterrent—or an open invitation—to thieves.
Here are some interesting facts about burglars:

• American burglars don’t want to spend more than 60 seconds breaking into your home. 
  
  
• Burglaries usually happen between ten in the morning and three in the afternoon—when most people are at work or school. 
  
  
• The typical burglar in US is a male in his teens. He usually lives less than ten miles from your house.      
  
  
• Burglaries last only eight to ten minutes 
  
  
• Most home invaders are not professional thieves; burglaries are quick, disorganized amateur ventures. 
  
  

So how can you make your home uninviting for a typical American burglar? Here are some tips: 

• Mark where your property begins, using a fence, gate, wall, or a hedge. Thorny bushes like trumpet vines, roses, and fire thorn discourage burglars or intruders. 
  
  
• Pea stone, gravel, oyster shells, or other noisy ground cover offers a discouraging noise to burglars. 
  
  
• Avoid tall hedges or plant rows. They make it easy for burglars to crouch and move. 
  
  
• Planting thorny plants like cactus or roses makes your flowerbeds or border an unwelcome environment for both two and four-footed intruders. Plant  thorny bushes under your windows; some good choices are: bougainvillea, barberries, roses, yuccas and other large low maintenance succulents 
  
  
• Keep bushes trimmed to under three feet and trim trees so that you have a clear line of sight across your property. 
  
  
• Make sure that any tree branches, bushes, trellises, or patio railings do not provide an open invitation to the second floor of your house. 
  
  
• Eliminate dark areas like porches, garage walls, alleys, garbage can storage spaces, and darkened backyards that would make it easy for trespassers to get close to your house. Illuminate those areas with motion detector lights. Illuminate walkways with moonlights.

 

• Give your house a lived-in look even when you are gone. Leave your car in the driveway. Play a radio or TV. Use a timer for lights throughout the house. Have someone take in flyers, newspapers and other debris. Have someone clear your mailbox. If you are away for an extended period, don’t forget to have someone water and trim plants. 
  
  

Your safety plan to protect you and your property should include ways to make your landscaping difficult for thieves to penetrate.

Just as your car needs to be “summarized” so your house needs to be prepared for the summer months.

1. Open up those windows and let the fresh spring air inside. Don’t forget to air the closets, shake out the rugs and dry clean or wash the curtains. 
   
   
2. Detox your bathroom by placing plants near the sink and toilet. Plants filter air and give off oxygen. Good choices include: snake plants, spider plants, English ivy, and rubber plants. 
   
   
3. Clean that refrigerator—inside and out. Unplug the fridge and remove the base plate. Vacuum out dirt and lint from the fridge coils using a nozzle attachment.  Don’t forget to plug the fridge back in. 
   
   
4. Get those screens out of storage. Clean and repair or replace torn screens so you will be ready to let in the summer breezes. When screens are clean, put them on the windows. 
   
   
5. It’s time to store those winter coats and boots. Wash or dry clean them and store them. At the same time, get out your summer things. Air, wash, or dry clean them and then hang them in your closet. 
   
   
6. Summer is a time of visiting. Freshen up that guest room. Change sheets and pillows. Vacuum the room and air the duvet or bedspread. Tuck sachets of lavender in drawers and under pillows. 
   
   
7. Clean light fixtures and fans. Set fans to move counterclockwise. This pushes the warm air to mix with the cooler air and delays the need to turn on the A/C. 
   
   
8. Go through cupboards and discard anything past its due date. Rearrange food being stored and reline shelves. 
   
   
9. Give all small appliances a good cleaning with the nozzle attachment of your vacuum. 
   
   
10. Give the air conditioning a hand. Install reflective film, or sunscreen-fabric curtains, or roller shades on your windows. 
    
    
11. Now is the perfect time to attack that garage. Take everything out. Sort into three piles: keep; donate; trash. Vacuum the garage floor and shelves. Power wash the winter salt, mud, and oil off the floor. Decide what goes where. Get hooks for hand tools and gardening implements. Buy new shelves or paint old shelves. Store things where you can find them easily. Consider storage boxes for things like winter clothes or sports gear. If you had to discard old beach chairs or umbrellas, now is the time to replace them.