Trying to replace your traditional light bulbs with look-alikes in the near future will be a real Easter egg hunt. The energy-efficient bulbs will soon be as commonplace as the ones you’ve had for years, and available in Halogen, CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamp), and LED (Light Emitting Diode) styles. Many will come in a modern artsy spiral shape and all will be designed to save energy and money on your electric bills.

You can even go a step farther and look for bulbs certified by ENERGY STAR — a cooperative program between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy — for some extra big energy savings. They project that the switch from your traditional lighting to the new ENERGY STAR-qualified lighting with mean an energy savings of 75 percent or more, so if you install ENERGY STAR approved bulbs in your home’s five most often used lighting fixtures, you can save around $70 per year.

ENERGY STAR also says if every American home replaced their five most frequently used light fixtures according to their recommendations, we could save $8 billion every year on our electric bills, while at the same time preventing greenhouse gases equal to the emissions from 10 million cars.

If all of your bulbs throughout the house are ENERGY STAR certified, and the average home in the United States has some 30 light fixtures, they figure, a home owner can save more than $400 per year on the electric tab. Plus ENERGY STAR light bulbs lasts some 10 to 50 times longer than traditional light bulbs.

For more information on ENERGY STAR, log on to www.energystar.gov

For expert advice on lighting your own kitchen and bathroom, call Fahy Kitchens at (315) 735-8181 or fax to (315) 735-2829. Fahy Kitchens is located at 1908 Oriskany Street West in Utica, N.Y. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated.

The owners of that oddly designed shower never consulted the professionals at Kevin Fahy Kitchens and Baths.

Although not usually to the extreme seen in that photo, the bathroom is too often overlooked when it comes to decorating the home with a personal flare and eye for maximizing comfort. And what better place to make your own than the bathroom? Lock yourself in there and it becomes your Shangri La away from the real world.

Think about what you would like to see the first thing in the morning, or the last thing in the evening. Would you like an exotic and upbeat theme, a subdued and relaxing décor, something bright and warm, or a bathroom a little more traditional? It’s a given you’ll probably want a sink and a toilet, but beyond that do you need lots of mirror space and lighting, major cabinet storage space, and organizing apparatus for all of your bathroom doodads? Or how about going for the glory and turning your bathroom into a spa?

Whether you prefer function or fluff, or somewhere in between, the Fahy experienced and skilled design team will help you create the bathroom you’ve always wanted. Showers and baths by Sterling, Swanstone, and Danze. Glass doors from Century Bathworks and Basco. Fixtures and accessories by Moen, Kohler and Delta. All of these well-known brands give you the industry’s top lines in shower and bath accoutrements.

For expert information on making your bathroom the highlight of your home, call Fahy Kitchens at (315)735-8181 or fax to (315) 735-2829. Fahy Kitchens is located at 1908 Oriskany Street West in Utica, N.Y. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated.

At Fahy Kitchens, you’ll find one stop shopping for everything you need in cabinetry, countertops, fixtures and appliances – from industry leading brand names you’ll recognize. You’ll be able to make your purchase in confidence from manufacturers who are the tops in their fields, backed by the experienced advice and guidance of your Fahy Kitchens consultant.

Factory-direct pricing on appliances from Amana, Maytag, Whirlpool, Kitchenaid, and Elica Hi-Life not only saves you time but also money. Cabinetry comes from Dura Supreme, offering mid-range and the highest quality selections, and Timberlake, for the basic to mid-range options. You’ll find sinks, faucets, fixtures, decorative hardware, and cabinet accessories from the likes of Blanco, Sterling, Kohler, Century, Delta, Basco, Danze, Broan Nutone, Moen, Swan, Kohler, Gerber, Berenson, Top Knobs, Jeffery Alexand, Rev-A-Shelf, and the Holland Bar Stool Co, and More!

Laminate is available from Formica and Wilsonart, while solid countertops feature Corian, Hi-Macs, and Living Stone brands. Quartz is offered from Cambria, the only quartz product manufactured in the USA, and natural stone is available in granite, soapstone and marble. Spekva makes exotic solid wood tops, and Fahy Kitchens also promotes a green product called Paper Stone.

Do a little research, and you’ll find all of these brand names are well known in their particular fields. You can expect quality, and you’ll get it by visiting Fahy Kitchens. And you won’t have to worry about fighting the holiday shopping traffic and long lines at the mall.

To take a look at all of the selections available to you, call Fahy Kitchens at (315) 735-8181 or fax to (315) 735-2829. Fahy Kitchens is located at 1908 Oriskany Street West in Utica, N.Y. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated.

But while you know those dreams will soon turn into reality, you need to get your ideas into proper perspective so you can convey your personal desires to create concrete renovation plans. Regardless of your experience or inexperience as a designer, it isn’t as daunting a task as it may seem. Inspiration is all around you if you know where to look!

Start with analyzing exactly what brought you to the conclusion that you’d like work done. Did you see something in a magazine you thought was a nicer configuration than your own, or spy something on TV — whether in an actual home improvement show or even on a drama or a sitcom — that you decided would look good in your own home? Was there a picture in a magazine that caught your eye, or did you see something at a friend’s home you’d like for yourself? Get together your source material and bring those ideas in.

Maybe it isn’t as easy as having a picture to work from. Now is the time to do a little research. Drop by the showroom and take a look at the displays. Surf the Internet for some examples of finished products. Take a trip to your local library. Visit a friend, and make sure to use the bathroom. Your own inspiration might be as easy as a little borrowing from someone else.

Once you have a general idea where you want to go, Fahy Kitchens will take you the rest of the way with the expert service to take your ideas and make them into a kitchen or bathroom that will become the inspiration — and maybe even the envy — of your own visitors!

Call Fahy Kitchens at (315) 735-8181 or fax to (315) 735-2829. Fahy Kitchens is located at 1908 Oriskany Street West in Utica, N.Y. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated.

– Pat and Rich Reynolds, Newport, NY

One day you might decide your kitchen is drab and dull and you really need to liven it up for both practicality and looks. But going from there to the finished project can be a daunting task. It doesn’t need to be an overwhelming proposition, however, with some careful consideration and planning on your part plus the expert Fahy Kitchens advice that dream kitchen is closer than you think.

You don’t need to be an architect or an artist to come up with your basic floor plan of what you want the finished project to look like. Consider the wall space and come up with a rough sketch showing where you would like big items like the cabinets, sink, refrigerator, stove, and counters to be. Don’t worry about your artistic talents — this is only a rough draft and won’t be the actual schematic used by the installer who renovates your kitchen. Unless you are a professional kitchen designer, of course.

Break your kitchen into zones — you need an area for cooking, of course, and with cooking you’re going to later want space for cleaning pots, pans and dishes. You’ll need work space and storage space. And don’t cram 1,000 square feet of dream kitchen into a 300 square foot actual room size! Get out that tape measure, learn how to read it if you have to, and plan the layout within the confines of the room. At the same time, don’t worry too much about making a booboo, because your Fahy Kitchens expert will iron out any of those little glitches.

Be realistic in your expectations. Work within your budget, and keep in mind that chances are pretty good that what you invest in your kitchen remodel will pay off if you ever decide to sell your home.

For more expert remodeling advice, call Fahy Kitchens at (315) 735-8181 or fax to (315) 735-2829. Fahy Kitchens is located at 1908 Oriskany Street West in Utica, N.Y. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated.

Look around you. You’ll likely find flame, water, electric appliances, chemicals, and sharp objects … any of which if used inappropriately and unsafely can create unsafe conditions. But don’t run out of the kitchen in fear for your life. With some proper planning and organization, kitchen accidents can be avoided.

While the convenience of a gas stove means instant flame yielding instant heat for cooking, that flame is also awfully close to flammable greases and combustible items. Be aware of the flame any time the stove is on, and never leave it unattended while cooking even for a moment. Accidents can strike quickly; so don’t leave them the opportunity. Electric stoves also lend themselves to kitchen calamity as curious little fingers — or even careless older ones — can get burned on the hot surfaces.

Water might seem harmless by itself, but a spill makes that tile floor slippery when wet so clean up any leakage immediately. Spilling some in the vicinity of an electric appliance can be a shocking experience as well. Be mindful of running water, and careful as you transport water from one place to another.

Check the cords on your electric appliances to make sure they are grounded and in good condition with no frays. Avoid the use of extension cords and make sure you have a Ground Fault Interrupter receptacle that will immediately shut off the power if there is a sudden threat of shock.

There are probably cleaning chemicals on a shelf or under the sink, and any chemical that works as a cleaner is potentially hazardous if ingested or dripped onto the skin. Make sure they are out of reach of youngsters; either up high enough where they can’t reach them or preferably behind a childproof cabinet lock, and wear gloves when handling caustic cleansers.

Always make sure you have a fire extinguisher nearby, if only for the peace of mind to know it is within arm’s reach if you need it. Baking soda is also a good extinguisher if you have a grease fire and often simply placing a lid over a burning pan will put out the flame. Just be prepared — don’t panic if a pan ignites and throw it because that will spread the flaming grease. And make sure you have your local emergency numbers somewhere near the telephone.

Make sure to face knives away from you when in use just in case you slip, and make sure the handles are clean and not greasy. Don’t throw the dirty knives in the sink’s dishwater … they won’t be seen under the bubbles and can easily stab the person washing dishes.

For more expert advice, call Fahy Kitchens at (315) 735-8181 or fax to (315) 735-2829. Fahy Kitchens is located at 1908 Oriskany Street West in Utica, N.Y. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated.

Thank you so much for doing our bathroom design. It came out absolutely beautiful. What a big difference. We only we had taken a before and after picture because it’s so hard to believe. That big cupboard you suggested is a god send. We have so much more room for a small bathroom. The tub is amazing. After gardening, I can really soak in it. It was a pleasure working with you. What a wonderful job!! Thanks again. P.S. You really have a great talent for ideas.

- Mike & Celest Pytko

We just wanted to thank you for the fine work that was done in our kitchen design. We really appreciated all that you did. We are very pleased with the details and appreciate the suggestions you made to make our kitchen function well. We enjoyed working with you and the fact that you were focused on what needed to be taken care of. Your staff was also always polite and helpful.

- Tim & Cheryl Khaliqi