From House to Home Week of 5/7/07

This week's tips:

• Complete the pruning of your spring flowering shrubs and flowers with a light feeding of balanced fertilizer. Formal hedges may be pruned as needed but remember to keep tops narrower than the base.
• Move outdoor gear, boots and ski clothing to another location to free up space for baseball bats, gloves, running shoes and other summer play equipment.
• If you have an extra closet in a study that you don't use, remove the door and form a cubbyhole office with a desk and filing cabinet. Cover the closet walls with corkboard so you can pin reminders and messages.
• Unleash a wild color to draw eclectic objects together in a room. Try lipstick red on a small chair.
• Attend a flea market or yard sale to find 1940s and 1950s classics such as toasters, bar stools, martini shakers and glasses. Old-fashioned items add charm even to a high-tech kitchen.