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YOUR Advertising FeatureAdvertising 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 invit- ing porch is wonderfully welcome as the weather beckons us outside. Your porch is an outdoor living space that fulfills many roles. Entertain- ment 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 solitary 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. Repurpose trunks, crates and ladders to add character and offer spots to line up flowerpots, a reading lamp and books and maga- zines. How are the exterior walls and floor of your porch? Just like inside, you don't want to be staring at sur-Just like inside, you don't want to be staring at sur-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 in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, Ju ne 4, 20 20 | 20 Over 120,000 satisfied custOmers 9 Locations to serve you better Heating & Cooling www.aireonewest.ca high efficiency central air & furnace *Call for Details $3990$3990*Startingfrom OAKVILLE 905-849-4998 1-888-827-2665 Central air or FurnaCe DiagnostiC speCial *Call for Details*Call for Details $79$79 * *Call for Details $49$49 * $700 Off hi-efficiency central air *Call for Details $1990$1990 *Starting1990Starting1990from 10 Year Factory Warranty 10 Year Factory Warranty $29 /MTH OAC* AIRE ONE MADNEss sAlE!AIRE ONE MADNEss sAlE! Central air or FurnaCe Cleaning 6 mOnths nO payment nO interest high efficiency central air & furnace 10 Y 95.5%EFF. $59 /MTH OAC* SPRING SPECIALS Vince Capobianco O: 905-333-8900 C: 416-989-5712 vince@westviewpaving.com www.westviewpaving.com OPTIMIZE YOUR HOME'S CURB APPEAL WITH QUALITY RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY PAVING SERVICES NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED - GUARANTEED PAY UPON COMPLETION Parking Lot Paving | Interlocking | Concrete