Home In Progress

Today's show is basically the presentation we gave on June 1 and 2 at the Sunnybrook Country Club in Grandville. It's a yearly event that RepcoLite hosts and Hailey and I called this one: Down the Rabbit Hole

SEGMENT 1: Meet Our Guides

In this first segment, we introduce you to the topic and also to our guides:

• Elizabeth Gilbert
• Frank Gehry
• David Lynch

SEGMENT 2: Recognizing Fear

One of the key requirements to living creatively is learning to recognize fear.

SEGMENT 3: Being Curious

Another key trait of creative people is that they are constantly curious! Get out there, ask questions, stop "knowing" so much and be a detective!

SEGMENT 4: Taking Time to Daydream

A third train of creative people is that they take time to daydream . . . to let their mind rest . . . or to "play and experiment with reality."

SEGMENT 1: The Field Guide

It's a simple thing . . . but it can bring about a lot of fun for the whole family. Pick up a field guide--for birds, wildflowers, trees, whatever--and turn your outdoor time into a great family scavenger hunt of sorts!

SEGMENT 2: Aura Reformulated

Benjamin Moore's Aura is the best paint they've ever made. AND, it just got better! We sit down with Benjamin Moore's Kevin Hermann to talk about what improvements have been made and what you can expect from this premium product moving forward.

SEGMENTS 3 and 4: A Trip Down the Rabbit Hole

RepcoLite and Benjamin Moore are hosting "Down the Rabbit Hole" coming up on June 1. It's a deep dive into some creative pioneers and we'll talk about what it is they do that helps them continually find new ideas. In these segments, we talk specifically about what Hailey and Dan each have personally learned in the process of preparing the event.

You can learn more about Down the Rabbit Hole here!

SEGMENT 1: TICKS

It's already tick season! They're gross and their annoying and dangerous . . . but you can avoid them. As long as you've got the right info!

SEGMENTS 2 and 3: Common Paint Questions

At RepcoLite.com we have a chat function--like most websites. However, ours is manned entirely by one guy who's always ready with an answer! Peter Ogle runs the chat from 8 AM to 9 PM every weekday and he will go to ridiculous lengths to help customers get the answers they need. Today we talk with Peter about a few of the most common questions he gets. And, he regals us with a story of his most epic chat.

SEGMENT 4: Down the Rabbit Hole

Coming up on June 1, RepcoLite is hosting our premier yearly event: Down the Rabbit Hole: Finding, and being found by, the next new idea. It's all about creativity and learning how to reignite and recharge your own! And, it's also about free wine and desserts! If you're in the area and would like to join us, you can learn more and secure your tickets here!

SEGMENT 1: Stain or Paint?

We received a great question from a listener regarding some cedar columns outside his home. They're bare wood and he wants them white . . . what's the process, and what products should he be using: Solid Color Stain or Paint?

SEGMENTS 2 & 3: 8 Steps to Staying on Budget for Your Next Project

Andy Yates from Andy Yates Design joins us to discuss 8 ways to stay on budget. With supply shortages and rising prices, this is critical info if you're starting, or thinking about starting, a home renovation or a new build!

SEGMENT 4: Hailey's New Best Friend, Lomi

Hailey has replaced her inner circle of friends with a new favorite: an appliance named Lomi. Lomi is a countertop composter . . . and Hailey adores it.

• Check out Lomi for yourself!

SEGMENT 1: Lead Paint Dilemma

Hailey's older home has some peeling paint and is in need of some work. However . . . the whole project took a turn when she discovered that the existing paint is lead based. We discuss what the project looks like now and all the things you need to know if you're in the same situation.

SEGMENTS 2 and 3: Beekeeping 101

Recently Hailey started considering a new hobby: beekeeping! To get her feet underneath her she attended a meeting hosted by the Grand Rapids Bee Club and was blown away by all the info presented.

SEGMENT 4: Steel Door Facelift

A listener posted a question regarding her front door--a steel door with badly peeling paint. She wanted to know what she needs to do to get it looking great again! It's a terrific project with a big payoff and we cover all the bases....

Segment 1: The Glass Cleaning Miracle

Last weekend, Dan stumbled into a streak-free solution to cleaning windows. It's ridiculously simple and chemical free. Basically, you just need water and these special, microfiber rags (link below). The best news? The system really works!

• MicroFiber Glass Cleaning Rags

Segments 2 and 3: Bookshop Magic

From time to time, we highlight what we call "Gems of West Michigan"--businesses we want more and more people to know about because we think they're amazing. Well, this week, we interview Aimee Chipman, owner of the Bluestocking Bookshop in Holland to talk about the Bookshop Magic that keeps her customers coming back again and again!

Check their website for renovation updates, shopping links, and more!

• The Bluestocking Bookshop

Segment 4: Mural Cover-up

We've talked about painting murals onto your walls, but we've never really talked about painting OVER them! If you're ready to cover over a mural and get back to a single color on your wall, there are a few things you'll want to know to make sure you get great results....

SEGMENT 1: Chicken Trouble!

The chickens across the street from Hailey got out the other day. At first, it was cute. But then, she found that they had The Hunger. Before she really knew what was happening, they were running around, eating road kill, and . . . Well, she'll tell the story. We also highlight the Wooster Sherlock 9" Roller Frame which is on sale through April.

SEGMENT 2: Good Earth Tree Care

Brett Nelson from Good Earth Tree Care joins us to talk about rock climbing, pruning, tree removal, and a wide variety of ways to tell if a tree or branch is unhealthy.

SEGMENT 3: Luxury Vinyl Plank

Nick Sargent from Johnson Carpet One in Grandville joins us to talk about one of the most popular and versatile flooring products out there.

SEGMENT 4: Reviving Old Hardwood Floors

Luxury Vinyl Plank is a beautiful option for many of us, but there's still nothing like hardwood. If you've got old floors and you're interested in bringing out their natural beauty, we can help!

SEGMENT 1: How to Complete Your Spring To-Do List

We all mean well! But sometimes life just gets the best of us and we don't wrap up our projects as quickly as we wish. Today we talk about a simple method that will help you get the most important jobs cross off that to-do list!

SEGMENT 2: State of the Real Estate Market, Revisited

Last week, Sue Prins and Ginger Herman were in the studio talking about what it looks like out there for people trying to buy a home. However, there was one thing Sue wished she had clarified. Well, she's back this week to dot those "i's" and cross those "t's"!

SEGMENT 3: Budget-Friendy Ways to Transition Your Decor from Winter to Spring

Andy Yates from Andy Yates Design joins us and dishes out a number of designer tricks to easily move our homes from the cozy feel we created for winter into a more open and airy aesthetic as we head into Spring.

SEGMENT 4: Compost Tea

If you're composting, here's a tea mixture that you may be interested in!

Instructions

Tools you will need:

• 5 gallon bucket
• Mesh compost tea bag (a 5 Gallon Strainer works great!)
• Aquarium aerator
• Aquarium thermometer

Steps:

1. Put 1 large handful of compost, 1 handful of garden soil, 2 handfuls of straw, 3–5 leaves from a healthy plant into the tea bag, tie the bag tightly and submerge it in the bucket of water. 
2. Add 1 cup of  fish hydrolysate and 1 cup of seaweed extract liquids directly to the water. 
3. Place the aerator in the bucket and turn it on. 
4. Brew the tea for about 36 hours
5. Monitor the  temperature—the optimal temperature is between 68° and 72°F.
6. Compost tea should smell yeasty not like ammonia 

Using It:

1. Always use the compost tea right away--do not store it.
2. Dilute it to a 3 parts tea to 1part water ratio before spraying. 
3. Gently pouring the tea out of a watering can be better than spraying because the sprayers can actually kill the microbes you’ve been growing 
4.  Apply early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid burning leaves in the midday sun.
5. Compost tea is great for raised bed gardens! Typically you want to apply it every 14 days 

SEGMENT 1: Paint Clean Up

Spring's here and, for many of us that means Spring Cleaning . . . . So, with that in mind, we talk about some proper ways to dispose of paint tools and also answer one of the the most common questions we receive: "Do you dispose of unwanted latex paint?" The answer is "Yes!" and we've got all the details on this segment.

SEGMENTS 2 and 3: The State of Real Estate

The Real Estate market is still crazy! Maybe even crazier than it was a year ago. To get the scoop on what it looks like out there, we sit down with Sue Prins and Ginger Herman from Sue Prins Group Five Star Real Estate.

SEGMENT 4: Paint Superheroes

The supply chain is causing all kinds of shortages world wide. And, of course, this even trickles down to paint. For years now, we've spent many segments lauding all the positives of Paint Superheroes like Scuff-X and Advance from Benjamin Moore. BUT, as the ability to get those products becomes tougher, it's important to point out that there are TONS of great products out there with their own super powers. If you need an alternative to a paint product, we've got answers!

SEGMENT 1: Where's the Paint?

We sit down with Kevin Hermann from Benjamin Moore to talk about the state of the paint industry. Paint companies world-wide are struggling to some extent, to get the raw ingredients necessary to make paint. What's going on? How are things looking? And when's it going to get better?

SEGMENT 2: Carpet Trends 2022

In this segment, Nick Sargent from Johnson Carpet One in Grandville joins us to talk about what 2022 will bring in terms of carpet styles.

SEGMENT 3: Picture Rails

Dan hung some art in his living room and couldn't, for the life of him, get the pieces in the right spot. So he kept adjusting and moving them and pounding new holes in the wall. In the end, his plaster walls looked like they were they scene for a mob hit. That led him into a long internet search and he ran into an old design concept that might be worth a new look: Picture Rails.

SEGMENT 4: Avoiding Finish Regret

There are a LOT of paint finishes out there. And finding the right one for your project isn't always easy. We walk through the basics AND give away a Bluetooth Speaker to a lucky listener along the way. (And yes, for some reason, we end up referring to it all segment long as a radio. We don't know why....)