IDEAS FOR HOME AND FAMILY

For home improvements

Engineered products look like the real thing ... but are often better

You can't fault Mother Nature. Her natural products, like wood, are beautiful. But human beings have ingenious ways of improving on her creations.

Siding: Fiber cement siding, the latest improvement on wood, is a big step forward. The siding itself is almost impervious to cracking, rotting, hail damage and termites.

It's made from recycled wood fibers mixed with cement. Unlike vinyl siding, which comes in sheets, it comes in individual shingles or clapboards nailed in place one at a time to look like wood. The baked-on finish won't have to be painted for many years.

Stone walls: Wouldn't it be nice to have a stone chimney gracing the side of your home? But you would have to install costly concrete footings first.

With manufactured stone, you can have it on the chimney, on a wall outside or inside of your home, or on a stone wall surrounding your home. No concrete footings are required.

The individual pieces are lightweight and one to three inches thick. They are applied wherever you want them like tiles. Manufactured, or cultured, stones are made of light-weight concrete and individually tinted to mimic the appearance of real stone.

Countertops: Engineered stone countertops combine the functionality and durability of solid stone and the flexibility and practicality of manmade materials. Made of chips of quartz pressed together with resins. it costs almost as much as granite but doesn't have to be sealed annually. It is heat- scratch- and stain-resistant.

An installation might have fewer seams than natural stone.

Check with your nearby home improvement store or search the Internet for these products and you'll find many suppliers. Always hire an experienced contractor to install them.

'Gap year' gives students life experience before college

It's not unusual for a high school senior to feel worn out from academics and want to take a year off.

Parents who are shocked or worried at the prospect will be encouraged to know that the gap year has its advantages. But it's only true if the student is involved in meaningful work.

High schools in seven metropolitan areas hosted gap-year fairs this year to demonstrate options for spending a year away from school. Princeton University has announced plans to formalize a "bridge year" program for admitted students to do service work abroad before enrolling.

In the meantime, gap-year consultants are increasing their efforts to serve a market ripe for growth. Tom Griffiths, founder of gapyear.com, an information clearinghouse in Ipswich, England, says the sector is a "sleeping giant."

The concept is fairly new in the United States but is well-known in the United Kingdom. About 11 percent of the 300,000 college-bound seniors take a year off before enrolling. Australia has many students in what's known Down Under as "going walkabout."

College counselors approve of it all. They have seen many gappers arrive back at college with better focus, more maturity and higher motivation.

For a successful gap year: Secure a place in college first; select an approved program; have a plan for making new friends; and check your insurance policy months ahead. Consider temporary insurance if necessary.

News from Home

Classy, nice wedding gifts

If you're invited to two or three weddings, the price of gifts can add up fast. These thoughtful and usually affordable gifts are suggested by Martha Stewart:

A very nice bottle of wine. Its vintage could be the year the couple met. Be sure to point this out in an attached note.

A pair of beautiful antique silver spoons which can be found at antique shops and private sales. Engraving the bride's initials on one and the groom's initials on the other is a very nice touch. One last-name initial on each spoon also works.

New: plus-sized kids' clothes

Established retailers such as Land's End, J.C. Penney, and Old Navy are now competing with specialty retailers to expand their offerings for "plus" and "husky" junior customers.

Where have retailers been while parents have searched for clothes? They're coming out of the woodwork now. The $6.2 billion market in plus-sized children's clothes is proving to be as lucrative as the clothing market for overweight adults, says Business Week.

Though one-third of American children are overweight, retailers have been slow to adapt to their needs.

Old Navy says its stores are already crowded and plans to offer the majority of its plus-sized options online.

Home fashion has pebbles

Boulders, pebbles and stones are getting all soft and taking their place in people's homes. Big, soft floor pebbles are the new alternative to family room floor cushions. There is stone-printed wallpaper on walls, and bathroom walls covered with squares of natural pebbles.

Accessories, rugs and lamps are being fashioned from the real thing, or from imitations that are so real you have to touch them to know the difference.

Some rock imitations are pretty pricey. Merino wool rocks by Ronel Ordaan are hand-dyed, carded and felted by women in a South Africa job program. They cost $360 to $650 at www.besweetproducts.com.

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