If she had a hammer ... well, you know

Do women really need their own home-improvement toolkits, or is it all just marketing hocus-pocus?

Companies such as Barbara K and Tomboy Tools would certainly argue the former. They offer products made specifically for smaller hands as well as educational tools meant to empower their customers.

Barbara K’s 30-piece Do It Yourself kit ($59.99) includes a six-in-one screwdriver, a hammer, adjustable wrench, slip-joint pliers, a measuring tape and assorted hardware with cushioned grips. Each kit also contains an 84-page “how-to” booklet that vows to explain the, um, difference between a flathead and a Phillips screwdriver. (It’s available at department stores and www.barbarak .com.)

Tomboy Tools, meanwhile, has built a fairly extensive online support network to accompany its sleek line of ergonomic products “for women, by women.” The company website (www.tomboytools .com) includes a discussion forum where do-it-yourselfers can exchange tips and contact local “trainers” for in-home tool workshops. The company also emphasizes safety; its $99.95 Super Stepper -- a fully stocked, 16-piece toolbox that doubles as a stool -- includes protective glasses, gloves and earplugs.

Now there’s a concept that works equally well for men and women.

Ana Cantu

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Decorating with PVC

If you’ve ever wanted to build a candelabrum out of pipe from the hardware store, a new book will show you how.

In “Hardware Style: 100 Creative Decorating Ideas Using Materials From Every Aisle of the Home Center Store” (Lark Books, $24.95), author Marthe Le Van encourages readers to try the latest decorating trend: repurposing.

For unusual home accents such as storage racks and, yes, candelabra, scan the shelves in the plumbing department. In the kitchen, store your spices in a clear plastic cabinet originally meant to hold nails, screws and bolts. Even a carpenter’s apron can make a practical carryall for children’s toys.

Le Van’s book is thoughtfully organized, and each project includes a materials list and a clear set of instructions laid out like a recipe, as well as a photograph of the finished product.

-- A.C.