It's easy to get overwhelmed by choices when shopping, whether you're looking for big-ticket items like countertops or smaller things like coffeemakers. So many manufacturers! So many bells and whistles! So much hype!
A new magazine called ShopSmart can help consumers make savvy choices. Published by the Consumer Reports people, ShopSmart summarizes findings from its sister magazine and presents them in a shorter format.
For example, Consumer Reports originally tested 38 kitchen knives and rated all of them in detail. ShopSmart features only the four knives that the editors liked best.
An article on car seats spotlights four top-quality seats and offers helpful safety tips on child restraint. Other articles cover topics as wide-ranging as Internet travel deals, outlet malls and organic body-care products.
In an article on vacuums, ShopSmart lists some things to consider:
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● You don't have to buy bags for bagless vacuums. But weigh that savings against the mess the bagless canisters make when emptied.
● According to conventional wisdom, rugs wear faster when vacuumed at the lowest setting. Consumer Reports testing does not confirm this.
● Push vacuums around the store before buying, because they vary widely in weight.
● Change bags or empty the dirt canister frequently. Clogged filters interfere with the motor.
ShopSmart is filled with lots of photos and no advertising, which means its reports are free of bias. It's a great concept for busy shoppers
Lighten up
It's a mistake to take your home décor too seriously. A New Yorker has the right idea in her weekend cottage, which is featured in the July issue of House & Garden.
At the top of the stairs, nine linen lanterns hang where one staid fixture typically would be found. The lanterns, all in different shapes and sizes, are playfully embroidered with seahorses, butterflies, ballerinas, mermaids, fairies and flowers. The grouping looks like a party — a lantern party.
This homeowner also has painted her rooms using an unusual palette that she compares to sorbets. Bright white woodwork nicely sets off the minty greens, pale icy blues and light peony pinks. The result is refreshing, lighthearted and soothing.
Another home in this issue has an unusual wallcovering beneath the chair rail in the dining room. Thin pieces of bamboo, reminiscent of old-fashioned fishing poles, appear to be glued side by side on the wall. Above the chair rail is a painted mural of lush palm trees and other greenery; the overall effect is of a tropical rainforest. The bamboo, which practically begs to be touched, adds texture to the room.