Rich's for the Home

Create a White-Bright Outdoor Room with the Argento Collection from Jensen Leisure

Neutrals are popular choices for outdoor furniture this season, so it’s no surprise that our new line of roble hardwood furnishings (from Jensen Leisure) is a huge hit.

Argento Garden Bench by Jensen Leisure

Roble is a native hardwood from Eastern Bolivia, highly valued for its durability. Roble gets its name from the trumpet tree it comes from, called roble de sabana.

Roble trees used to manufacture Jensen Leisure Furniture are at least 100 years old before they are harvested. Their large size (they can grow up to 90 feet tall and the trunk typically measures about 2 feet in diameter) allows for wide board and clear cuttings of 100% heartwood, the most durable part of the tree.

Argento Lounge Group

The Argento Collection of roble wood furnishings by Jensen Leisure are made exclusively of 100 percent Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC)-certified timbers. The FSC is considered the “gold standard” in forest certification.

Credible forest certification involves an independent, third-party system of inspection and tracking of timber and other forest products to ensure that forests are managed in a way that preserves ecosystems, biodiversity, and water quality; that respects the rights of workers, indigenous peoples, and forest dependent communities; and that is lawful and economically viable over the long term.

Also new this season at Rich’s from Jensen Leisure:

Ruby Rocker Group

Topaz Opal Hi Dining Group

• Table height: 38.5”
• Table depth: 47.25”

Topaz Swivel Hi Dining Chair

• 47” high with a 28.25” seat height
• 25” width
• 24.25” depth

Opal Deep Seating Collection (at the Lynnwood Rich’s store)

Stop by any of Rich’s five Puget Sound showrooms in Bellevue, Lynnwood, Southcenter, Tacoma, or Silverdale and ask to see our Jensen Leisure furniture or place your special order.

Related article

• Hardwood Indoor-Outdoor Furniture from Jensen Leisure

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Glass Media for Fire Pits Comes in 120 Colors and Shapes

“Glass Media” is a term you’re going to hear increasingly, because ‘glass is the new log’ when it comes to fire pits and fireplace inserts.

This eco-friendly fireplace décor uses post-industrial glass that has been melted down and has a dye added to it. It can withstand temperatures of up to 1,300 degrees, making it ideal for use in fireplace inserts and fire pits.

Glass Media (also called fireplace glass and fire pit glass) can be used indoors and outdoors. But perhaps the most appealing aspect of glass media is that you can change the color and shape of glass depending on your mood or the color palette of your furnishings.

At Rich’s, we have 120 types of glass media available for you to order, and we stock the top colors and shapes in our showrooms.

Glass media comes in every color of the rainbow, from amber to crystal red to sky blue. A typical fire pit uses 30 pounds of glass media. 

Here are pictures and descriptions of several types of glass media:

Eco Glass

Comes in 11 colors: amber, orange, red, white, yellow, green, black, plum, sapphire blue, sky blue, and smoke. Pictured: Crystal Red Eco Glass

Firebeads

These luminous beads glow and reflect the dancing flames from your fire pit or gas fireplace. The firebeads are approximately 1/2" and uniform in size. They come in 16 colors.
Pictured: Aqua Blue Luster Firebeads

Fireglass

The ¼” bronze fireglass pictured below is a popular color in fire pits that use natural earth tones as the building material.  It also complements rooms with hardwood floors or brown colored walls. The ¼” fireglass comes in 13 colors.

Reflective Fireglass

To add extra flare to your décor, you can add a second reflective color as a topper to accent the fireglass. For example, as an accent for the bronze fireglass above, you could add ¼” platinum reflective fireglass.

Platinum pairs well with almost any other color. It is a starfire-colored glass with a reflective mirror effect on one side. The reflective properties offer a brilliant sparkle under the midday sun or a reflection of fire while the flame is burning after dark. 

Fireglass, ½”

If you prefer a larger size fireglass, it also comes in ½”. The Evergreen fireglass pictured below is an excellent choice in any landscaped area that has a lot of foliage, or in homes where green is the primary color. Half-inch fireglass comes in 9 colors, plus 8 reflective colors.

Stop by one of Rich’s five Puget Sound showrooms in Bellevue, Lynnwood, Southcenter, Tacoma, or Silverdale to check out our fire pits and glass media.

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The Changing Face of the Gas Fireplace: Top Trends for 2013

Remember when stoves and fireplace inserts came in one color…black?

Then came variations on black:

• Black with gold accents.
• Black with brass accents.
• Black with nickel accents.

While the traditional black is still the most popular look in free-standing gas stoves and fireplace inserts, we’re seeing huge shifts in stove faces and finishes. Here are some design trends to look forward to in 2013:

SHADOWBOX

The sleek shadowbox face makes a statement with its streamlined, clean look.

On a gas fireplace, the shadowbox looks like a picture frame. The “frame” surrounds all four sides of the fireplace, creating a “shadow” effect around the firebox.

On a fireplace insert, the shadowbox serves as a trim piece, giving the insert a finished look.

Shadowbox with satin finish

FINISHES

Mix-and-match faces and finishes will continue be a trend in 2013. Many gas fireplaces and inserts offer multiple face options in a choice of textured finishes.

Neo-Classic face with brushed nickel finish

Metropolitan face with black painted finish

Charcoal Painted Finish on the  FPX 864 TRV Gas Fireplace

Popular finishes you’ll be seeing in 2013:

• Carbon patina (black tone, hand-rubbed at the factory)
• Pewter
• Black satin
• Bronze patina (Pictured below : Artisan face with hand-rubbed bronze patina finish)

Brushed nickel (pictured below)

MEDIA

Gas fireplaces offer much more than traditional logs. Complementing the sleek shadowbox face, you can choose contemporary options such as glass media or fyre stones (pictured below).

Driftwood fire art is an excellent middle-of-the-road option that’s increasing in popularity every year.

Feeling chilled?

Stop by one of Rich’s 5 showrooms and ask to see our gas fireplaces in action. You’ll get toasty in no time. We promise. Rich’s is located in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Southcenter, Tacoma, and Silverdale.

Related articles:

• Gas Insert from Avalon Showcases a Fire that's Second to None
• Design Your Own Perfect Fireplace at the FPX Website

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9 Advantages of Wall-Mounted Electric Fireplaces

They’re sleek, stylish, and eco-friendly. Wall-mounted fireplaces are the latest fashion in interior home design, and they’re catching on like – well – wildfire.

Here are nine good reasons why you might want to invest in a wall-mount fireplace:

1. Space-Saving

If you don’t want the bulk of a free-standing wood, gas, or pellet stove, a wall-mount fireplace is an excellent alterative. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so whether you live in a large home or an apartment, it’s easy to find a model that fits comfortably on your available wall space.

2. Easy to Install

Similar to installing a wall-mounted flat screen TV, you simply install the wall bracket that’s included with your fireplace near an electrical outlet, plug it in, and you’re good to go. Some models, such as the Chalet (from Dimplex) pictured below, include a pedestal base so you can display the fireplace on a flat surface such as a dresser or buffet table. A portable fireplace… now, that’s the ticket!

3. Stylish

Electric fireplaces feature clean, contemporary lines. The interior – called the “media bed” or “ember bed” – may be a combination of driftwood and river rock (Chalet, above); crushed glass embers (Dusk, pictured below); sand or pebbles.

4. Realistic Flames

The patented LED Dimplex flame technology creates the illusion of a true wood-burning fire.

5. Zone Heating

The Dimplex fireplaces we sell at Rich’s, such as the Strata (pictured below) include a powerful fan-forced heater that can provide supplemental heat to a room. Or, you can switch the heater off and enjoy the ambiance of the flames. A three-stage remote control allows you to control the heat and flame with the touch of a button.

6. Eco-Friendly

No matches. No refueling. No smoke. No chimney cleaning. Not to mention that electric fireplaces produce 90% less carbon dioxide than an average direct vent gas fireplace.

7. Economical

Electric fireplaces plug in to standard household outlets – no re-wiring is needed. And they cost just pennies per hour to operate (based on national average residential electricity rates).

8. Durable

Cabinet-quality wood veneers, hand-applied finishes, and superior hardware ensure that your Dimplex electric fireplace will withstand a lot of wear and tear.

9. Safe

The glass front of an electric fireplace remains cool to the touch, making it an ideal choice for families with young children.

We stock an excellent variety of electric fireplaces at Rich’s. Come in to one of our five Puget Sound showrooms and ask for a demonstration.

Related Articles

• The Most Romantic Fireplace Ever: Illuminations
• 5 Things You Never Knew About Electric Fireplaces
• The Perfect Combo: A Flat Screen TV and a Fireplace
• Retro-Cool Space Heater: Mini Cube Electric Stove

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Ebel Partners With Trees For The Future to Promote Agroforestry

I love it when our outdoor furniture manufacturers come up with innovative ways to make our world a “greener” place.

Ebel Inc. is making every effort to remain environmentally responsible. In 2008, they partnered with Trees for the Future – an organization that furthers sustainable agroforestry in developing countries.

Ebel has committed to plant one tree for every piece of furniture produced, and to plant enough trees to offset the total carbon emissions resulting from the daily operations at their Jacksonville, Florida headquarters. Ebel has already planted over 85,000 trees.

Trees for the Future is an organization committed to promoting agroforestry around the world by integrating agriculture, trees, people, and animals, and providing the necessary training to rehabilitate land into renewable energy.

Since its inception, Trees for the Future has planted nearly 50 million trees – estimated to remove 1 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year.

Here’s a video that explains more about the program:

 
At Rich’s showrooms, Ebel furnishings carry a special tag. When you purchase an Ebel Inc. product, you’ve just provided food for animals, reduced soil erosion, improved the quality of life for people around the world, and reduced harmful CO2 from the atmosphere.

About Ebel

Ebel Inc. was founded in 1988 with Anne Ebel (president) selling resin benches out of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Fast forward 22 years. The company, now based in Jacksonville, Florida, creates aluminum and weather wicker that is 100% recyclable, and their teak parts are only harvested from sustainable plantations.

As of 2009 all of Ebel’s marketing materials are printed in a facility that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, whose mission is to promote well-managed forests by ensuring forestry practices that are environmentally responsible.

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Meet the Founder of Lopi Stoves at Rich’s This Weekend

Thirty-one years ago, a young rock ‘n roll drummer named Kurt Rumens began selling wood stoves so he could pay for gas to drive his band to gigs.

Kurt examined the stoves he was selling and thought, “These stoves need heavier steel. They need to burn more efficiently. And they need to be prettier.”

He decided to do something about it. Kurt and his friend, Dick Miller founded their own stove company, Lopi Stoves, in the garage of Kurt’s Bellevue home.

Today, as president of Travis Industries, Kurt is still actively involved in the design and production of every Lopi Stove. Along with the Lopi brand, Travis Industries manufactures three additional brands: Avalon, Fireplace Xtrordinair,  and Tempest Torch Gas Lamps.

   

This coming weekend, you have the opportunity to meet this vibrant man who truly loves creating wood, pellet, and gas stoves, fireplaces, and fireplace inserts. Kurt will be at Rich’s Lynnwood store Saturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23 from noon to 3 PM. He’ll be talking about breakthrough technologies in stoves and sharing other interesting and fun facts about stoves.

Factory Direct Sale

Rich’s is also hosting a factory direct sale this week, featuring products manufactured at Travis Industries. Contact a sales associate at any of Rich's 5 Puget Sound showrooms in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Tacoma, Southcenter, and Silverdale for details about the sale.

Travis House of Fire Tour

In addition to meeting Kurt Rumens at Rich’s, you can tour the Travis Industries factory, a sprawling 11-acre facility in Mukilteo. The House of Fire Factory Tour is free and open to everyone who’s interested (Note: Please no children under the age of 8 years old). Registration is required for tour entry – just ask any Rich’s sales associate to help you register for a tour.

More About Kurt Rumens and Travis Industries

The following posts from our blog will help you get to know Kurt Rumens better, and will give you a preview of what you’ll experience during your tour of Travis Industries.

1. A Man Who Loves Fire: Kurt Rumens, Founder of Lopi Stoves
2. Take This Hot Factory Tour – You Won’t Regret It
3. Travis House of Fire Factory Tour Gets Rave Reviews from Rich's Customers

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3 Important Factors to Consider When Choosing a Wood Stove for your Home

Shopping for a wood stove can be mind-boggling, especially since there are so many styles to choose from. With assistance from our friends at Morso, we’ve prepared a checklist to help you shop for the stove that best meets your needs.

1.  How do you plan to use your stove?

Wood stoves are typically used for zone heating – that is, for heating a particular area or “zone” of your home. Stoves are excellent for supplementing your existing heating system, and may help you cut back on oil, gas, or electric energy consumption.

And here in the Puget Sound area, where our weather is mild year-round, you can often use a wood stove as the sole source of heat for your home.

2.  What is your inside temperature preference?

If your home is well-insulated and your windows and doors are weatherproofed and have good seals, a wood stove that cranks out less heat may be just the ticket.

This may vary depending on how well insulated your home is and the quantity and quality of windows and doors, affect the inside temperature in your home and energy consumption. 

3.  How much area do you want to heat?

1000-1200 sq. ft.

A small stove is ideal for heating smaller areas such as living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, and seasonal cabins or cottages.

Larger homes with central heating can also benefit from a small wood stove for zone heating purposes. 

1200-2000 sq. ft.

A medium stove is ideal for heating older small homes and medium-sized energy-efficient homes. They also work well in 4-season cottages and cabins.

2000+ sq. ft.

A large wood stove is ideal for heating large, open plan homes or older, drafty, medium-sized houses in colder climates.

Our friends at Morso (renowned for their high-performance, Scandinavian designed cast-iron stoves), shared a YouTube video that walks you through the ins and outs of choosing a wood stove:

Related articles:

• Morso European-style wood stoves: Where "green" is a way of life 
• The Advantages of Zone Heating Over Central Heating

Visit Rich's

Stop by any of Rich's 5 Puget Sound showrooms in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Tacoma, Southcenter, and Silverdale and ask to see our full line of wood, pellet, and gas stoves.

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How to Make Your Own Soda from Home

I’m always on the hunt for unique, affordable gifts for graduations, weddings, Father’s Day, and birthdays. I recently discovered the SodaStream at Rich’s. These sleek, stylish machines turn tap water into sparkling water or soda in seconds.

Here’s what sold me on the SodaStream: Once you make the initial investment of $99 for the Genesis Bundle Kit, plus purchase syrup flavors (each concentrated bottle makes the equivalent of 33 cans of soda), you’re set. This baby doesn’t even use electricity!

If you drink a lot of sparkling water or soda, you’ll definitely save a ton of money over the long haul; the folks at SodaStream estimate their concoctions cost 25 cents per 12-ounce can of soda or 25 cents per liter of sparkling water.

How it Works

Fill SodaStream’s carbonating bottle with tap water. Secure it to your soda maker. Then press the carbonating button a few times to add the fizz. Presto! Sparkling water.

If you want soda, add a capful of the concentrated sodamix to the carbonating bottle and shake gently.

30+ Flavors

SodaStream offers more than 30 soda flavors. Each 16.9 ounce bottle of concentrated sodamix syrup costs about $4.99 at Rich’s. 

Here are a few flavors that caught my eye:

• Regular Soda – 16 flavors, including Cola, Cherry Cola, Lemon Lime, Root Beer, Dr. Pete, Cream Soda…
• Diet Soda – 16 flavors, including Diet Caffeine-Free Cola, Cola Free, Diet Orange, Diet Pink Grapefruit…
• Energy Drink – Regular and Diet
• MyWater – Unsweetened, all-natural flavor essences, including Lemon-Lime, Orange, Raspberry, and Mint
• Sparkling Naturals – 9 flavors, including Apple Mango, Black Currant and Pear, Green Tea, Orange Pineapple
• Sparkling Water – Basic soda water, club soda, or seltzer.
• Sparkling Teas – 8 flavors, including Mixed Berry, Pomegranate Peach, Lemon, and two diet flavors

Carbonating Bottles

These specially designed, high pressure-resistant bottles are BPA-free and may be reused for up to two years. The glass carafes included with the Penguin soda maker may be used indefinitely, with proper care. Every SodaStream bottle and carafe comes with a fizz-preserving cap that helps to keep drinks fresh and fizzy longer than store-bought bottles.

Speaking of Fizz…


SodaStream Carbonators are made of lightweight aluminum and come in two sizes, to make up to 60 or 130 liters of soda or sparkling water per carbonator. A full, licensed CO2 carbonator is included with the purchase of every SodaStream soda maker kit. I recommend investing in a spare CO2, which costs $24.99 at Rich’s.

SodaStream takes back the empty cylinders to be cleaned, inspected, refilled and reused. Carbonators may be exchanged online, or at select SodaStream authorized retailers.

Raves about SodaStream

Rich’s customer, Brenna Douglas, posted this on our Facebook page:

"We just love our SodaStream that we got at Rich's. Thank you for having all the refills and flavors. We now have so much less recycling and save money!!"

  Share Your SodaStream Thoughts on Facebook

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Visit Rich's

Stop by one of our five Puget Sound showrooms and ask to see the SodaStream. Rich's is located in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Tacoma, Southcenter, and Silverdale.

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Hardwood Furniture from Jensen Leisure: Perfect Indoors and Outdoors (Slideshow)

I love furniture that functions equally well in my living room and on my patio. So it’s no surprise that I’m enthralled with Jensen Leisure furniture. Not only is their furniture sturdy and finely crafted, it’s beautiful to look at and it’s comfortable!

Furniture from Jensen Leisure is constructed from a fine-grained, buttery-smooth hardwood called Ipé (EE-pay), from the tropical forests of Bolivia.

Here’s a slideshow I created, which includes images from the Jensen Leisure catalog as well as several I snapped with my camera as I strolled around the Rich’s showroom. (My pictures aren’t nearly as pretty as the ones from the catalog, but they will give you an idea of some of the displays in Rich’s showrooms.)

Environmentally-Friendly Furnishings

There’s a “green” story behind this incredibly strong, durable wood. Ipé timber comes from the Chiquitania forest reserve in Eastern Bolivia. Because of the nature of tropical dry forest, trees there grow very slowly. Consequently, some of the world's strongest and most durable woods come from the Chiquitania forest.

From an environmental standpoint, no product is more environmentally conscious than Ipé timber. All wood used in the manufacturing of Jensen Leisure Furniture is Forest Stewardship Council-certified, which means that the FSC can track a piece of furniture all the way back to the original tree it was cut from. A hectare of forest is divided into 25 sections and trees that heave reached 85-99% of their natural lifetime are selectively cut from one section.

Jensen uses the heart wood from Ipé trees (also known as Tajibo in Bolivia) in their furniture; other parts of the tree are used for flooring and plywood.

Ipé is chocolate-brown when new, and the sun transforms it to a silver patina. Because it is so dense, Ipé naturally resists splintering as well as rot, decay, insects, carpenter ants, mold, and even fire. Weather has little to no negative effect on Ipé, making it an ideal choice for Pacific Northwest outdoor rooms

See For Yourself

We’re devoting a huge amount of showroom floor space to Jensen Leisure furnishings this year so you can get ideas for how to pair seating, dining, and chat groups and see how they look with different fabrics.

New this year: The Opal Collection (pictured: Opal Lounge Group at Rich's), which can include the following pieces (mix-and-match!):

• Love Seat 
• Ottoman
• Lounge Chair
• Chat table
• Coffee table
• End table
• Oval extension dining table
• 7 ft. Dining table
• 6 ft. bench with armrests

Rich’s for the Home has been selling Jensen Leisure furniture for 20 years and is the exclusive dealer of Jensen Leisure’s Ipé furniture in the Greater Seattle area. Stop by any of Rich's five Puget Sound showrooms in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Southcenter, Tacoma, or Silverdale and say, "Show me the Ipé!"

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Avalon Cypress Gets New Bronze Finish

I’m having a hot flash!

Well, not a physical hot flash, but a metaphysical one. 

That’s because one of my favorite gas stoves, the Avalon Cypress, is going to the prom, all decked out in classy bronze.

The bronze high-temperature powder-coat finish is a new direction for Avalon, but one I’m predicting will be a “hot” improvement for the popular brand.

Last month on my blog, I showed you some videos of the Cypress -- a freestanding gas stove with a three-sided view of the fire. My favorite feature of the Cypress is its flexibility (who knew a stove could be flexible?).

Customize It!

You can customize the Cypress by choosing from three interior log and stone looks:

1. Detailed six-piece log set
2. Driftwood fire with glass floor media (Glass media comes with your choice of reflective Platinum, Bronze or Cobalt Blue colors)
3. River stones with glass floor media (pictured below). Glass media comes with your choice of reflective Platinum, Bronze or Cobalt Blue colors.

You can also customize the following elements:

1. A plain firebox or a reflective black enamel liner
2. Top vent or rear vent
3. Black metallic paint or the new bronze finish pictured above.

The GreenSmart operating system makes operating the Cypress easy and energy-efficient.

All About The Cypress

Read all about the Avalon Cypress in my blog post, "View the Fire in Your Stove from Anywhere in the Room."

See the Cypress in Action

To test-drive the Cypress gas freestanding stove, stop by any of Rich's Puget Sound showrooms in Lynnwood, Bellevue, Southcenter, Tacoma, or Silverdale.

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The Best Blog Posts About Fireplaces, Hot Tubs, Grills and Outdoor Furniture

We’re so grateful that you’ve chosen to spend time reading Rich’s blog; our goal is to provide you with the best information about stoves and fireplaces, hot tubs and spas, outdoor grills and patio furniture.

Here’s a look back at some of our most popular articles during 2010, organized by category:

Stoves, Fireplaces, and Inserts

The Advantages of Zone Heating Over Central Heating

How to Choose the Correct Wood Stove Size for Your Home

Morso European-Style Wood Stoves: Where “Green” is a Way of Life

Heritage Pellet Stove: The Prettiest Pellet Stove in Town

A Greener Way to Heat Your Home

Illuminations: The Most Romantic Fireplace Ever

Hot Tubs/Spas

Hot Tub and Spa Safety Tips

How to Shop for a Hot Tub or Spa Cover

How to Turn Your Hot Tub into a Salt Water Spa

Clearwater Spas: Committed to Energy-Efficiency


Outdoor Grills

How to Clean Your Outdoor Grill

Pellet Grills: Sophisticated, Energy-Efficient, and Easy to Use

Lump Charcoal vs. Briquettes: Which is Better for Grilling?

Consumer Reports Gives Weber Genesis Grill Top Marks

Recipes for the Grill 

Delicious Grilling Recipes from Traeger

Beer Butt Chicken Recipe for the Big Green Egg

Molten Chocolate Cake Recipe for the Big Green Egg

Outdoor Furniture

How to Choose Outdoor Furniture that’s Best for the Northwest

Ipé: Truly Sustainable Furniture

Stay Toasty Year-Round with an Outdoor Heater

Contemporary Wicker Furniture from Ebel

The Latest Wrought Iron Furniture from O.W. Lee

Join Us in 2011

You won’t want to miss a single blog post in 2011. Subscribe to our blog via your feed reader or receive our latest posts in your e-mail Inbox. Simply click “Subscribe to this blog’s feed” or fill out the form located in the righthand sidebar of our blog.

We also provide daily tips and Internet-only specials on our Facebook page. Hope you’ll “like” us, and encourage your Facebook friends to join us, too.

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2011, from all of us at Rich's!

Rich’s for the Home has five giant showrooms in Bellevue, Tacoma, Silverdale, Lynnwood, and Southcenter. Our displays are designed to give you ideas, inspiration, and to open your eyes to possibilities for your home. Come see us!

$1500 Wood Stove Tax Credit Good Through End of 2010

I’ve been hearing Christmas carols on the radio and TV for the past week. Although it irritates me that they’re playing them before Thanksgiving, those jingle bells remind me that it’s time to begin making my list and checking it twice.

If you’re looking for a big ticket item  (for yourself or a loved one), consider an energy-efficient wood burning or pellet stove, fireplace, or fireplace insert.

Here’s the good news: you can claim a tax credit of up to $1500 on your 2010 federal income taxes on a 75 percent-efficient biomass stove purchased by December 31, 2010.

The tax credit can be used for the purchase and installation of the stove, venting, and hearthpads, and is good on all stove and fireplace brands Rich’s for the Home carries, including Lopi, Hearthstone, Avalon, Morso, and Harman.

Here’s how the tax credit works:

1. When you purchase an energy-efficient stove, fireplace, or fireplace insert, you’ll receive certification that the product qualifies for the tax credit.
2. You can claim a 30 percent tax credit on your federal income tax return. The credit either increases your tax refund or decreases your tax bill, dollar-for-dollar.

There are two fantastic benefits of heating with biomass:

1. Lower heating costs – Wood and pellet prices fluctuate less than propane, oil, and natural gas.
2. ‘Green’ heating – Wood and pellet fuel is a carbon-neutral, renewable resource. Today’s stoves  produce more heat with less wood and are clean-burning, with less ash and minimal outside air emissions. They eliminate 75 percent of the carbon emissions associated with fossil fuel burning.

Be sure to stop by any of Rich’s 5 Puget Sound showrooms TODAY – you can save up to half off the Northwest's largest selection of name brand fireplaces, stoves, and inserts (including Lopi) during our Factory Direct blowout sale (ends 11-8-10).

Plus, when you buy any fireplace or stove at Rich’s, we’ll send you $250 in bonus gift cards as our thank-you (available to followers of Rich's blog, Facebook, and Twitter).  

For complete details about the tax credit:

• IRS Notice 2009-53, Non-business Energy Property
• Hearth, Patio & Barbeque Association (HPBA)

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How to Have an Eco-Friendly 4th of July

This 4th of July, why not go "green" with your celebration? Here's how:

1.  Get crafty.

Ask your guests to bring a box of stuff they'd normally throw away. You supply hammers, nails, glue etc. Set everything out on a table and have everyone craft their own wind-chime or garden sign.

2.  Choose local, organic foods whenever possible.

Turn a visit to an organic farm into a party. Don't be shy about asking the farmer for ideas and recipes.

3.  Focus on no-cost fun, including old-fashioned games.

Set up an obstacle course or relay races that you adapt according to participants' ages. More games.

4.  If you're seriously into eco-friendly, ditch the personal fireworks as they are anything but.

Also, it is more environmentally friendly for thousands of people to attend a big display versus setting off your own fireworks.

5.  Don’t waste food.

If you have leftovers, send them with people who will eat them. Put them in containers with lids versus plastic baggies. If you don’t want to send your good leftover dishes, buy disposable that can be washed and re-used.

6.  Recycle any waste that is left over.

Put veggie and fruit scraps in the compost bin. Recycle aluminum cans and anything plastic or glass.

7.  Walk to your local parade and fireworks instead of using your car.

That will make even parking a breeze. Or ride your bikes and get good exercise too.

8.  Proudly wear a green tee shirt to any gatherings.

How about “I’m celebrating with Red, White and Green?”

Thanks to CelebrateGreen for a couple of the above ideas.

How to Plan an Earth-friendly Summer Celebration

For most Americans, July 4th marks the official start of summer and that means family and friends gathering together enjoying each other at picnics and barbecues. But all this celebrating can take a toll on the Earth (and cost a lot of green as well), so why not consider some alternatives to the ways we've traditionally celebrated summer? Here are just a few ideas:

Serve filtered tap water. It's so easy to hit one of the big box stores and pick up cartons of water if you're hosting a picnic or barbecue, but you can save money and the planet when you choose to drink and serve filtered tap water instead.

Knowing that bottled water (even by the case), is 240 to 10,000 times more expensive than tap water and that 40% of bottled water should be labeled tap water because that's what it is, you may decide that the "convenience" is simply not worth the cost. Instead, set out pitchers of iced tap water and ask a willing helper to keep the pitchers full.

Substitute reusables for disposables when possible. Picnics and barbecues have become synonymous with throw aways--plates, cups, napkins, tablecloths and decor. While there are more choices for disposables made from recycled and biodegradable materials, using what you already own and remains a more earth-friendly (and budget-conscious) choice.

If you don't own enough plates and glasses, why not:

1. Borrow. Friends and neighbors are usually happy to contribute
2. Ask everyone to bring their own place settings. That's what people used to do B.P.P. (before paper plates).
3. Hit your local thrift store. You'll likely be able to pick up dozens of plates very inexpensively and when you're done, you can donate them back.

When it comes to napkins, tablecloths and decor, think outside the paper box by decorating with items you already own, like sheets. Supply guests with red, white and blue fabric markers and set them loose. You'll end up with a unique table covering that you can use over and over again. Also, washcloths make great napkins and if they're stained with barbecue sauce, use them for rags.

--
Guest posters Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family. 

GreenSmart Lopi Stove

The Lopi website tells us that The Berkshire™ GreenSmart (GS) is the newest cast iron gas stove, and features the revolutionary GreenSmart system.

What is GreenSmart?

GreenSmart is a gas technology that is energy-efficient and saves on the usage of energy. In other words, it will reduce your energy bill but still keep you warm. I know that we can all use a little (or a lot) of that.

"The real power of GreenSmart system is the entire collection of components, controls and technology features like: accent lights, flame adjustments, blower control and a choice of pilot ignition modes, a collection of features only available on GreenSmart models."

GreenSmart models even have a remote control with a "Smart Mode". It has the ability to adjust the flame height based on the temperature setting. Instead of turning the flame on or off, as many models do, the flame can modulate up/down slightly as needed. It prevents it from having to restart when it gets colder in the room so it both conserves fuel and increases the heating ability of the stove. 

Lopi reports that the GreenSmart Stove has a realistic wood-like flame. And "with the combination of convective heat, radiant heat and 31,000 maximum Btu heat output, this stove is ideal for mid-sized homes and for zonal heating large areas of your home."

Rich's for the Home cares about our environment just like you. We realize not only the importance of saving energy but also feel responsible to offer consumers choices that are eco-friendly, safe and smart.

Get smart. Get GreenSmart.

Backyard Halloween Activities

Here are some fun, backyard Halloween activities courtesy of Green Halloween.

• Dunk for apples or try to bite apples hanging from strings.
  
• Make recycled paper hats. Get patterns and add decorations as wanted.
  
• Put on a Halloween themed puppet show
  The kids can do the entire thing themselves including making the puppets and creating the story or you can read a book as they act out the story.
  
• Make a mural.
  Use a long sheet of tree-free or recycled paper and tape it to the floor or wall. Give kids some crayons and ask them all to draw some Halloween scenes. Then ask them about what they’ve drawn. Older kids enjoy this too. They can vote on the scene they like best and the winner can be given a prize. Check here for healthy art supplies.
  
• Build A Scarecrow
  Form groups and have a variety of old clothes, pillowcases for heads, markers and recycled newspaper. Groups have 20 minutes to create. Give prizes to the scariest or funniest, then place outside.
  
• Guess The Ghost - Great for Young Children
  Have one child leave the area. Then take a large sheet and have a different (child) stand and hide under the sheet. Mix up the remaining children in the room and then allow the child who left the room to come back inside. That child has to guess who's the ghost, by process of elimination they need to figure out which child is hiding under the sheet. Then that "Ghost" goes out of the room and a different child becomes the new ghost, mix up the remaining children and repeat until all of the children have had a turn being the ghost.

Tax Stove Credit Information

The Stove Tax Credit put into place by the Obama administration has been finalized and although there are some stipulations, it means that you can get up to 30% of your qualifying stove/fireplace purchase as a tax credit, up to $1,500.00.

What are you waiting for? It's an ideal time.

All the products from Lopi meet the qualifications. Here is a handy-dandy list of models just for you:

Lopi Wood Stoves:

Leyden

Answer

Republic 1250

Republic 1750

Endeavor

Liberty

Lopi Wood Stove Inserts:

Answer

Declaration

Revere

Freedom

Freedom Bay

Walden

Lopi Pellet Stoves:

Leyden

Pioneer

Yankee

Lopi Pellet Stove Inserts:

Pioneer Bay

Yankee Bay

Which grill is the best for the environment?

When it comes to being environmentally friendly, which grill is the best? There are so many options and you may be surprised as I was to learn that electric grills actually are the worst on our environment. According to US News and Oak Ridge National Laboratory: "A liquefied petroleum gas grill

operated for an hour would emit 5.6 pounds of carbon dioxide while a charcoal grill would emit about 11 pounds. An electric grill would account for about 15 pounds of carbon dioxide."

So that means that by using a gas grill, you can actually cut that carbon monoxide in half. That's a pretty good amount.

Rich's for the Home features a variety of gas grills for your choosing. Here are some of your options:

Lynx- Lynx professional grills are the best when it comes to presentation and built-in varieties. If you like to spend a lot of your time cooking outdoors and/or have regular get-together's than this is likely the best option for you.

Vermont Casting- Vermont Casting are cast iron and classic, although not classic-looking. Their durability is unmatched and works well especially for our NW weather.

DCS- DCS Grills offer a lot of variety in cooking styles from searing to smoking. Their stainless steel look blends in beautifully with most decor.

Broilmaster- The Broilmaster P3 was named the "Best All-Purpose" Grill by Money Magazine. They even have an online Build-a-Grill option where you can add all the features that you want.

Weber- The Weber EP-310 comes in three colors! They are green, black and copper--if you can call black a color. And of course, Weber is known for it's long-term committment to their customers and good, economical grills.

If you just have to grill, know that you are doing the best for your environment by using a gas grill.

Let's go shopping!

Gifts for the Mom who has everything

My parents announced a couple of years ago that they don't want anymore "stuff". I have tried to honor that, although it's hard at times. It's not that they already have everything-but they do feel that they have everything that they need-and I suppose as you age you think more about that phrase "you can't take it with you".

But with that announcement came a few healthy changes in our family. My mom loves to grow so for the past few Mother's Days I have either bought her a hanging flower basket or planted flowers for her. It's the perfect gift for her. Of course, I choose her favorite flowers, colors, etc.

Here are some hints to help you think of gifts this Mothers Day 09 for the mom who doesn't want more "stuff":

1. THINK DISPOSABLE- Don't think paper plates. But plants and flower are a great way to not accumulate more things. Flowers die off and only the vase or planter is left. A plant can be enjoyed and easily passed on.
2. THINK NATURAL- How about planting a flower bed or garden for your mom? And keep it cared for too. That is something that she will enjoy for months to come. Why not have her over for dinner and grill up her fave food? Or bake her fave dessert?
3. THINK ACTIVITY- Consider a gift certificate or gift card to a fave restaurant. We all need to eat. How about movie passes or admission to a fun museum, zoo, botanical garden or other destination? Maybe she would prefer a weekend away, or a night at that hotel she always talks about.
4. THINK ONLINE- There is so much available online that won't add to a collection of "stuff". There are memberships to cool organizations and causes. You can also register for many classes online, whether they are held online or off. Does she have an interest in finding old friends? Offer to help her set up a Facebook page. Does she care about certain charities? Donate some money to one of them in her name.

There are many creative options that won't add to "stuff". So make this Mother's Day the most creative one yet and give her something that she really wants. And feel good about it. She'll be happy and it will be a gift that won't add to our landfills someday.

Dressing up a flower box

A planter box of flowers can give your outdoor room the sprucing up that it needs for a spot of color or a whole new look. It refreshes the soul and is also good for nature. You can do it on a budget with a little bit of work.

The picture shown is an old grey wooden planter box that was falling apart in my storage shed. Once an item that I would have tossed, this year I looked at it with whole new eyes. With three nails and some leftover wood stain that I used last year for a coffee table, I spruced it back up.

Then I chose some fresh flowers (English Daisy) that I had never seen before that I found at my local nursery. I loved the colors and thought that they complimented the darker stain. I stuck with two colors of flowers, although a garden designer I know recommends three colors to a pot, and I love the resulting look. The pot matches my furniture and although I did not go as far as matching the flowers with the furniture cushions, they certainly compliment the full picture.

You can spruce up pots easily. Although wood is the easiest to do this with, you can also spruce up plastic pots with paint made to adhere to plastics. Krylon and Delta both make a paint for plastic and you can find them at most hardware-type stores.

Don't have a pot? Hit the garage and yard sales this season. Also try second-hand stores. It's both eco-friendly and budget-friendly to buy something that has already been used to fix up yourself.