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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, Ju ne 4, 20 20 | 8 Style and service with North America's #1 choice. Call now for your free in-home consultation! Blinds • Shutters • Shades Drapes • Home Automation Buy More Save More, 25% - 50% off. 905-874-8478 www.budgetblinds.com/milton-on ©2018 Budget Blinds, LLC.All Rights Reserved. Budget Blinds is a trademark of Budget Blinds, LLC and a Home Franchise Concepts Brand. Each franchise independently owned and operated. Style and service for every budget. ® Drapery Cellular Shades ShuttersFaux Wood Blinds We're Budget Blinds, and we're North America's #1 provider of custom window coverings.We do it all for you; design, measure and install -- because we think everyone,at every budget, deserves style, service,and the peace-of-mind of the best warranty in the business. YOUR Advertising Feature Make your porch welcoming for warmer weather Dear Debbie; Our porch is looking forlorn and we are using it all the time now that social distancing is in place. (We group together with our families and friends via social media.) Any ideas for a facelift that we can handle ourselves? Thanks and stay safe. -- Barb Dear Barb; We are all looking for ways to keep up our spirits and stay in touch during these challenging times. Any outdoor space that is part of your home, whether it's a tiny apartment balcony, a bit of backyard or an in- viting porch is wonderfully welcome as the weather beckons us outside. Your porch is an outdoor living space that fulfills many roles. Entertainment 24/7 is just steps away - watching the birds and wild life, viewing nature's greenery, trees and flowers, feeling the sun's rays and balmy breezes, watching the stars at night. For these sol- itary pastimes you will want a comfy padded sofa or a rocking chair to settle into and enjoy the sights. Eating alfresco is as easy as setting up a bistro table. Look for old pieces of furniture around the house that can be fixed up for outdoor living. Re- purpose trunks, crates and ladders to add character and offer spots to line up flowerpots, a reading lamp and books and magazines. How are the exterior walls and floor of your porch? Just like inside, you don't want to be staring at sur- faces that have cracks, dirt or peeling paint. Give the walls and floor a good clean. Repair what you can, including split floorboards, wobbly steps, a damaged screen door, poor lighting. If you decide to replace the floor, make sure the porch's foundations are solid. There are excellent outdoor flooring products, pressure treated wood, vinyl and composites that look like natural wood and are durable, resistant to water, mould and stains. Brick pav- ers and stone have a special appeal but are heavy and require strong foundation support. Decorate simply with comfort in mind. Introduce fabric colours and patterns with touchable textures. Cushions and blankets, a curtain or blinds to protect you from inclement weather, a bit of signage or wall décor, lanterns and other task lighting all combine to create a welcome mood. Written by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please email decorating questions to house2home@debbietravis.com. Follow Debbie at instagram.com/debbie_travis, facebook.com/thedebbietravis, debbietravis.com. DEBBIE TRAVIS House to Home