Whether it's your local court house or something more prominent like the White House, government buildings tend to have similar design features. These designs represent a classic American design element and can be scaled down to create a unique design for a back deck or porch. The use of precast stone can create a durable design that is easy to maintain and lasts for years to come. As you are planning your backyard deck, there are four design elements you can use that are featured on numerous government buildings.

The wood filler putty products sold at home improvement stores are great for doing small repairs in parts of the floor that are relatively stable, such as disguising nail holes or filling in a small chip at the edge of a board. However, filling in gaps between floor boards is a bad use for this product because it can't flex as the boards shrink and swell, resulting in cracked and crumbled material that makes the gaps look dirty and more noticeable than ever.

Rain gardens offer homeowners the chance to do their part in lowering storm water pollution by creating water-retaining and filtering, flora-filled swales in their yards. A single 10-feet by 12-feet rain garden can effectively filter 30,000 gallons of roof runoff water a year, thus preventing that water from picking up surface pollution and carrying that pollution to local lakes and streams. If you're considering adding a rain garden to your property, here is what you should know about soil type and plant selection.

Spring is the time when you start to see healthy greenery again and you are likely to see a great deal of rain as well. In fact, you may even see up to five to six inches of rain during the months of March, April, and May. Even if you only see a few inches in your area, this is the time when your sump pump really needs to do its work to keep your basement dry.

Contemporary furniture is obviously based on modern design trends rather than the styles of the distant past, but strictly modern decor can end up feeling impersonal and cold. The hottest trends for contemporary furniture today rely on small details drawn from the past to give the furnishings a historical connection that makes them feel warmer and more welcoming. Try joining in on these five trends that are currently driving the world of contemporary interior design.

The Chesterfield sofa is an iconic design that has graced military offices, gentleman's clubs and homes for many years. Experts believe the design originates back to 17th or18th century Britain and the fourth Earl of Chesterfield, but this type of sofa became particularly popular during the 1920s. Today, there's continued demand from collectors and home owners alike, who want to enjoy these classic items of furniture. If you're in the market for a Chesterfield sofa, carefully consider the following antique buyer's tips.

Whether you've finally landed that executive position or you're launching the business you've always dreamed of, one of the most important things you can do for your office is to consider feng shui. Proper feng shui can enhance your productivity, inspiration and creativity while also helping you to feel more disciplined and focused. As you start thinking about your office layout and design, here are some tips to help you build a feng shui environment.

As summer begins, you are probably thinking more about barbeques than basements. The warm weather seems to invite lazy days, iced drinks, and long vacations. However, this coming winter has already invited excessive rain--a cold awakening to reality as your unready basement fills with water. La Nina is coming to Illinois, like it or not--and that means a wild winter and flooded homes. Trouble ahead The country has just emerged from an El Nino winter.

Moving to a new home opens up a world of possibilities. In a new house, you have the option to decorate it any way you want. If you have an overabundance of clutter in your current home, you don't have to take your piles with you. Here are some tips on purging items you no longer need while you are packing up for your next move. Unopened Boxes Do you have unopened boxes sitting in your garage or basement, left over from the last time you moved?

Cloth diapers have many advantages over disposable ones. Cloth diapers are more affordable, more environmentally friendly and -- most importantly when trying to go through the night without a diaper change -- more absorbent. If exposed to hard water, however, cloth diapers' absorbency can be greatly diminished. If you're cloth diapering a baby or toddler, here's how to make sure the minerals in your home's water don't reduce how well your cloth diapers absorb urine.