Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Trends, September 25, 2000

Lisa Ferguson

Monday, Sept. 25, 2000 | 9:32 a.m.

Mood hazards

They may be the hottest thing in home decor, but candles still present a fire hazard.

This public service message is courtesy of the National Candle Association, which is urging people "to take responsibility for every candle they light." And with good reason: There are a lot of candles out there these days. The trade association reports $2.3 billion in candles sales this year.

A majority of candle fires are the result of people failing or forgetting to extinguish them before leaving a room or falling asleep. Also, candles are often placed where they can be tipped over by children and pets, are placed too close to combustible materials and are used during power outages.

The NFPA says nearly half of all candle-related fires start in bedrooms, followed by living rooms (20 percent), bathrooms (11 percent) and kitchens (7 percent). The association recommends following these simple steps to stop candle fires before they start: "light, enjoy, extinguish."

Deck 'em

Ah, the backyard deck. Sure, it may have been an expensive home improvement to make -- not to mention a back-breaking one for some die-hard do-it-yourselfers.

But for many families, those slats of wood are the stage on which many great memories -- birthday parties, summertime barbecues and such -- are made.

How much do you love your deck? Thompson's wants to know. The maker of deck-care products is sponsoring its third "Best Loved Decks" contest. Deck owners, ages 18 and older, should send photos of their deck and a letter (200 words or less) explaining why it's important to them. Maybe it's where they said their wedding vows. Or where their child took his or her first steps.

A panel of home-improvement and design experts will choose 50 winners based on the letters' inspirational value and the creativity of the deck's appearance. The grand prize winner will be awarded $5,000, with the first-prize winner receiving $1,000. The remaining 48 will get a package of Thompson's products and equipment.

Entries should be sent by Oct. 31 to Thompson's Best-Loved Decks Contest, P.O. Box 542585, Dallas, TX 75352-2585.

Now hair this

In the '70s women wanted Farrah Fawcett's flip and Dorothy Hamill's wedge. In the '90s it was Jennifer Aniston's layers and Rene Russo's bangs.

So whose hairstyle do we want now. According to the folks who make Citre Shine hair-care products, who polled Beverly Hills, Calif., hairdressers, Meg Ryan's "carefree tousled' look is the one.

Ryan's "sweet and sexy" 'do beat Martha Stewart's "simple and smart" style that's "perfect for gardening or lunches in the rose garden" for the top spot.

Also making the cut were Oscar winner Hilary Swank's "boyish shag"; waif Calista Flockhart's lightly layered pageboy look; and "Sex in the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker's "long, luscious curls."