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Here’s a breakdown of costs, features, and other important considerations when searching for a new furnace. Price Range Based on Style of Furnace There are various factors that contribute to the cost of a new furnace. They include the type of furnace you select, the size of your house, and the cost of labor for installation, explains Bailey Carson, home care expert for Angi. “Furnace systems can cost anywhere from $2,300 to $7,200, depending on the size of your home and specific furnace type,” says Carson....

The couple bought what was once the maids’ quarters in the prodigious four-story Georgian structure, built in 1893 under the direction of architect Stanford White. Commissioned by Joseph Medill, owner of the Chicago Tribune, the mansion was first home to his daughter, Elinor, and then to Cyrus McCormick Jr., president of International Harvester and heir to the McCormick manufacturing dynasty. (Cyrus Sr. developed the first commercially successful mechanical reaper, a harvesting machine that revolutionized agriculture....

The low-cost, easy-to-build cold frame presented here takes one or two weekends to build and uses widely available materials. You can place it on a deck or patio to grow plants in pots, or you can place it over a garden bed. Materials 4-x-4-foot sheet of 1/2-inch exterior plywood (or two 2-x-4-foot panels) plus scraps of 1/4-inch plywood for corner braces18-gauge perforated steel angle – approximately 3 feetTwo 1x3x8-foot clear pine for the top frameHardware: 25 1/4-inch-diameter by 1-inch-long hex bolts and nuts; 16 washers sized to fit the hex bolts; four 4-inch steel L-brackets; 45 3/4-inch No....

Types of Lumber for Decks The strength of a board depends on two factors: its species and its quality. Among lumber commonly available in a pressure-treated form for deck framing, Douglas fir and Southern yellow pine are strongest, but Southern pine has more of a tendency to warp. Hem-fir is a designation that includes hemlock, fir, and other species that grow in the same stands. Some hem-fir is solid and stable, while some is weak and likely to warp and crack....

In his first book, Design Remix: A New Spin on Traditional Rooms ($45, Barnes & Noble), Jenkins reveals his tips for using bold color, creating powerful pattern play, and adding drama: “The book teaches the building blocks of design.” He says you should think of choosing colors for your home as if you’re casting a movie: You need to pick a star and supporting players. For example, in this family room, peacock feathers inspired the palette, with vibrant blue walls getting the spotlight....

How Do You Cut an Onion? A bit of care, a sharp knife ($40, Target), and a cutting board ($18, Walmart) are all it takes to slice and dice most vegetables. Our step-by-step guide shows you how to make quick work of dicing the tear-jerking bulb. How to Chop an Onion While it takes some practice to get super speedy at cutting finely chopped onions, it doesn’t take long for even beginner cooks to ace this basic chopping method....

Fortunately, there are many easy tricks for cleaning a shower curtain; wrestling with the rings might be the hardest part of the process. To start, practice good habits post-shower. “A little time spent after each shower can help keep shower curtain liners looking good for longer,” says Jessica Ek, director of digital communications at the American Cleaning Institute. “One way is to make sure after showering you pull the curtain closed instead of leaving it bunched up on one side....

Due to their porous composition, cutting boards can be the perfect playground for pesky bugs like E. coli and salmonella, which can find their way into your food while you’re prepping. To make sure this kitchen tool is squeaky clean and free from germs and viruses, follow these steps for cleaning cutting boards. How to Clean Wood Cutting Boards Set aside a few lemons from your next grocery trip. Paired with two pantry staples (salt and baking soda), citrus delivers strong cleaning power that goes beyond the surface....

Bathroom rugs are a magnet for hair and dust, and depending on how well-ventilated your space is, they can also be a haven for mold and mildew. (Ew!) Not to mention, they pick up anything your shoes track in on the way to those last-minute mirror checks. All the more reason to clean your rugs and bath mats at least every three to four weeks. To learn how, follow our step-by-step guide for the best way to clean bathroom rugs and mats....

Vacuum Upholstered Furniture Often Our number one cleaning tip is to vacuum your upholstered furniture often. Dirt not only affects the appearance of your furniture, it can also wear away fabric fibers. Use a clean, dry upholstery attachment, or any stiff-bristle brush, to loosen dried dirt and debris. Use the crevice tool for hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. Use Baby Wipes to Clean Furniture Baby wipes are surprisingly effective for quick DIY upholstery cleaning (although you should always test first on an inconspicuous area to make sure they won’t damage the fabric)....

How to Cook Delicata Squash Cooking delicata squash is a little different from other types of winter squash, such as butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash. The skin is thinner and its flesh is more tender, so it cooks much faster, usually with the skin left on, and preparation is quite simple. Here are some basic methods for cooking. How to Bake a Delicata Squash Whole Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut delicata squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds....

The Menu From the Bar: Gibson, Manhattan, Old-Fashioned, Martini, Mint Julep, Whiskey Sour Snack: Polenta with Peppers and Onions Snack: Antipasto Kabobs Dessert: Chocolaty Tiramisu Parfaits See Gibson recipe See Manhattan recipe See Old-Fashioned recipe See Martini recipe See Mint Julep recipe See Whiskey Sour recipe See Antipasto Kabobs recipe See Chocolaty Tiramisu Parfaits recipe

Into meal planning for the family? We’re also sharing some of our fave freezer-friendly soup recipes (not all soups are OK to freeze) to keep the freezer stocked. How to Freeze Soup When making homemade soup, your recipe will determine whether it will freeze well. Broth- and tomato-based soups, stews, and chilis freeze best. Avoid cream-based soups and soups thickened with flour or cornstarch. Wondering if you can freeze potato soup?...

With so many electric fireplaces available, there is something for practically every home’s design style and budget. When searching for the best electric fireplace, it’s important to consider the type of heat produced: convection or radiant, as well as the style, which can be freestanding, wall-mounted, or insert. To find the best electric fireplaces, we considered design, unit size, and BTUs to determine the amount of square footage each fireplace can heat....

Being smart with the space you have is key. While professional garage storage systems are excellent organizers, they can be costly and may not even be necessary for your needs. Before embarking on a large organization project, try one of the following DIY garage storage ideas to get your stuff sufficiently tidy, saving you time and money.

1. Display Family Heirlooms French interior design is all about mixing new and old to create a space with a sense of history. There’s no better way to incorporate the past than including family furniture and keepsakes that have been handed down for generations. Not only does your grandmother’s table or great uncle’s painting add substance to your space, but it also provides a story. A bit of patina is another soothing contrast to shiny new things....