Spring Home Improvement 2025

All about living mulch

Consider green, or living, mulch as an alternative to wood mulch WRITTEN BY STEPHANIE BOUCHARD There’s something particularly enjoyable about bark mulch in the landscape, said Caleb Davis, landscape designer and owner of Songscape Gardens, a landscape design and build company in Bar Harbor. “I remember getting great satisfaction out of a nice, very neat, clean garden that’s freshly mulched,” Davis said. But Davis, like…

Flower power

Local experts offer tips for beautiful gardens WRITTEN BY CRYSTAL SANDS The colorful beauty of flower gardens adds something special to any home’s landscaping. In addition to improving your home’s value, flower gardens bring a charm that makes them well worth the time, work, and investment. Marie Sekera of Eddington is a retired teacher and landscaper who ran a landscaping business in the Bangor area…

Tips from a pro organizer

WRITTEN BY KATIE SMITH Does the thought of cleaning out cupboards, organizing your garage, and revamping the closets to make more space get so overwhelming you walk away just minutes after you get started? That’s what happens to 95 percent of people when they start the daunting task of figuring out what to keep, what to donate, and how they are going to stay organized.…

Have gardening questions?

UMaine’s Cooperative Extension provides invaluable resources WRITTEN BY EMILY BAER This time of year, when the days are short and the months are long, few things are more hopeful than sitting down with a hot mug of tea and slowly flipping through a seed catalog. There’s something about the promise of bright red tomatoes, plump blueberries, jewel-toned flowers, and verdant landscapes that makes late winter’s…

Earth colors dominate 2025

COURTESY OF SPECIAL SECTIONS Change is in the air when a new year arrives. People often use the turn of the calendar as an opportunity to redecorate living spaces or revamp their wardrobes. As individuals narrow down their projects, they may want to incorporate a fresh and trendy palette of colors. For 2025, the options are decidedly warm, cozy and earthy. Industry color experts routinely…

Home interior trends on the rise

COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE Trends that seem ubiquitous one day can seemingly vanish before the sun rises again just 24 hours later. That’s especially true in the digital age, when overnight celebrities and viral videos can be on the tips of everyone’s tongue before being forgotten entirely when the next online sensation emerges in an increasingly rapid news cycle. Home trends typically benefit from a…

Transform your home with windows that stand the test of time

COURTESY OF RENEWAL BY ANDERSEN OF GREATER MAINE As Maine’s winter winds howl outside your windows, have you noticed drafts making their way inside? Or perhaps you’re already thinking ahead to those spring and summer renovation projects? Your windows and doors are more than just functional necessities—they’re an investment in comfort, energy efficiency, and lasting beauty. Superior Products: The Fibrex® Advantage At Renewal by Andersen…