hFor some, old is in

hFor some, old is in

Not everyone lives in a brand-new house, and frankly, not everyone wants to.

“Old House New Home: Stylish Modern Living in a Period Setting” by Ros Byam Shaw (Ryland Peters & Small; $24.95; paperback) shows you how to accentuate your home’s best features, regardless of the period for which it was built.

Examining both the joys and troubles that come with remodeling a home, Shaw offers readers various alternatives to furnishing a home so that it’s conducive to modern living.

Each chapter represents a unique style — Period Piece, Urban Chic, Rustic, Recycled Spaces and Country House — which can be mixed and matched, and adapted to any setting. To help you achieve this, you’ll find suggestions for furniture, lighting, fabrics, colors and more at the end of each section.

hTailor a home for your lifestyle

Sarah Susanka changed the way we think about home building with her landmark book, “The Not So Big House.”

But not everyone, of course, has the luxury of starting from scratch. So now Susanka and co-author Marc Vassallo are addressing existing homes with “Not So Big Remodeling: Tailoring Your Home for the Way You Really Live.”

The book furthers Susanka’s mission of encouraging people to add character to their homes while getting maximum livability from the square footage. She and Vassallo help readers identify problems, set priorities and develop a strategy for improvement.

The book addresses projects small and large, from using color effectively to building additions and remodeling extensively.

“Not So Big Remodeling” is published by the Taunton Press and sells for $32 in hardcover.

Lint trap aids system

A new lint trap is designed to capture the lint and particles that come out of a washing machine and can cause septic systems to fail.

The Filtrol 160 is designed to trap particles such as polyester, nylon, sand, hair and pet fur. These small, light particles don’t settle in a septic tank, but instead become suspended and eventually are flushed out to the drain field. Because they don’t break down, they can plug the pores of the soil bed.

The trap attaches to the washing machine’s discharge hose and mounts on the wall near the washing machine. Its filter is reusable and will last one to three years, the company says.

The product sells for $139.95 plus shipping from the Laundry Alternative Inc., www.laundry-alternative.com or (888) 813-9559. Look for it under the heading ”Septic Protector.”