I enjoyed looking into the issue of Craftsman house colors (exterior, that is; interior is next to come).

First, I just like those colors, Craftsman house or not.  It's a certain, predictable palette of colors that seems to hearken back to the past.

Second, I enjoyed seeing some of the houses that get passed off as "Craftsman" style.  Often, you'll find barely a wisp of something--wide trim, maybe, or the square exterior lights as shown in the picture above--and suddenly it's called a Craftsman house.

Image: (c) Benjamin Moore

Fiberglass batt insulation is very squishy.  Place R-19 insulation--a rather thick product--in a wall framed with 2" by 4" studs, and it will fit if you compress it with the drywall.

That doesn't mean you can use it, though.  By doing this, you lessen the number and size of air pockets created within the insulation.

Use thinner insulation and you will get the same or even better thermal insulating properties.

You would want to use an R-15 maximum for 2x4 walls, and R-21 for 2x6 walls.

Image:  EnergyStar.gov

Spring?  Who said?

It's February, but where I live we've been having such an unseasonably warm Winter that it feels like the trees should be sprouting leaves already.

It was so warm and inviting, in fact, that my hands almost robotically moved toward the paint sprayer and cans of Valspar paint I had begun applying to my house exterior months ago.  Almost.  Then, in a heartbeat, the weather changed for the worse, and I found myself fireside watching a DVD of The Flintstones, Season 1, with my son.  I tell you, it was so hard to tear myself away from that project.

Yet it's not too early to do the easy part of exterior house painting:  deciding on colors.  To that end, here are nine exterior paint ideas.  Tip:  don't let the architectural classifications throw you off (Craftsman, Tudor, etc.).  These colors will work on many types of houses.

Image (c) Dutch Boy:  Showing Dutch Boy Chanson Bleu, Durham Beige, and Surfing U.S.A. Colors

If you're replacing a bathroom vanity or kitchen countertop, you'll probably pay by cash.   It's not worth taking out a loan for a project in the hundreds of dollars:  pay now or don't do the remodel.  But if you're taking on substantial home remodels, you need a loan.

With a mortgage already in place, you may resort to a second mortgage loan, HELOC, credit cards, or even a personal loan.

But in the case where you don't already have a mortgage and you have your eye on that soon-to-be-beautiful fixer-upper, you have a great option.  It's called the FHA 203(k) "Rehab Loan."

The FHA 203(k) bundles your mortgage and your remodel loan into one.  Because the loan is insured by the U.S. government, mortgage bankers feel comfortable lending the money to you.