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Home Front

Briefs and news of note.

By JUDY STARK
Published April 7, 2007

SPRING IS IN THE AIR, AND IN THE LAMPS TOO

Sunday is Easter, so there's no doubt spring is really here. If you haven't refreshed the decor recently, this is a good time to try something new. Example: this shell-filled glass lamp from HomeGoods ($60). It gives you just enough of a reminder of how close we live to the water, without being too yo-ho-ho.

Seeing is believing

If you've got spring cleaning/recycling fever, here's what to do with those old pairs of eyeglasses and sunglasses: Take them to any Lenscrafters store, where they'll be donated to the company's Gift of Sight program and recycled to those in need around the world. Details at lenscrafters.com; click on "About Lenscrafters," then "Gift of Sight."

Love little kitchens

For residents of the bungalow neighborhoods hereabouts, the latest wish book is The New Bungalow Kitchen, by Peter LaBau (Taunton Press, $30). Original bungalow kitchens were isolated and strictly functional. That's not how we like our kitchens today, and the author, an architect, shows how to combine modern floor plans, appliances and materials with the desirable details of bungalow design.

Easy to be green

Oh, here's a wonderful way to cut back on unnecessary use of paper and plastic! Ask for an ice cream cone instead of ordering your scoop in a throwaway cup with a spoon. This tip comes from idealbite.com, where you'll find lots of suggestions on how to live light and green. Sign up for daily e-mail tips or join in the blog.

Not a busy guy

He's lonely, but happy. Clay Jackson of Richmond, Va., beat out 1,500 competitors to become the new lonely Maytag repairman, a symbol of the appliances' reliability. Jackson acted in college and professionally in 1997-2000 and recently worked for his family's real estate company in Richmond. The contract of the current "Old Lonely," Hardy Rawls, is not being renewed.

[Last modified April 6, 2007, 09:41:01]