Here Comes the Sun and a Multitude of Interesting Ways to Harness It
Sean Conway

Solar energy is harnessed in a multitude of ways, and new technologies are making it much more efficient and practical. Thanks to solar batteries that store the sun's energy, today we can buy path lights and lanterns, flashlights, pool pumps, radios, fans, showers and fountains that need no external power supply. One of my favorite products in this category is the solar water pump

Take Your Parties Outside
Patricia Berry - Ideas That Spark

Maximizing your outdoor space -- using items you already have on hand -- can make throwing warm-weather parties much less work than indoor entertaining. Tidy up the lawn, throw a few twinkly lights from the holiday bin and voila. No vacuuming, no dusting necessary. Here’s how to turn your outdoor space into a party palace.

The Stress-free, Low-cost Party Planner
Victoria Scanlan Stefanakos - Ideas That Spark

The weather outside may be frightful, but hosting a great party shouldn’t be. If you’re game to entertain friends and family, you can make it festive and simple. How?

Easy Home-value Boosters
Sarah Mahoney - Ideas That Spark

Even if you have no intention of selling, it's hard not to get a little jealous of all those prettied-up houses on the block. But you don't need to spend thousands to make your home more marketable and attractive. Experts say some of the best ways to boost your home's appeal are practically free. Here, inexpensive ways to increase your home's value and appeal.

Microgreens

Grow Salads All Through Winter with Microgreens
Sean Conway

Growing fresh greens outside in the middle of winter is not an option in most of the country. But growing fresh greens in your kitchen can be -- if you grow microgreens. Microgreens are simply sprouted seeds that have grown on a bit. They're becoming more popular due to their vibrant colors and textures, and the ease with which you can grow them

In Praise of Good Old Garden Tools and a Few New Ones
Sean Conway

After gardening for decades, I have learned that what separates efficient work from drudgery is having the right gardening tools for the job. The problem with today's tools is that they weren't designed with specific tasks in mind. Their design suggests that more attention was paid to how well they nest together in a shipping container than to how well they perform a task.

Bats: Our Fanged, Furry, Flying Friends
Sean Conway

In the dead of winter, it's not likely you're thinking about bats. And they're not thinking about you; they're hibernating. But now is a good time to be thinking about how you can attract this much-misunderstood flying mammal to your neck of the woods. Here's why you would want to invite bats to your backyard

Jumpstarting the Garden
Sean Conway

In February the sun starts to climb in the sky and almost everyone begins to notice the longer days. It may seem a bit early, but February is the time of year I start thinking about my vegetable garden. Early in the month I complete my seed orders, and toward the end of the month I begin drawing a plan for the garden on paper.

Grow Salads All Through Winter with Microgreens
Sean Conway

Growing fresh greens outside in the middle of winter is not an option in most of the country. But growing fresh greens in your kitchen can be -- if you grow microgreens. Microgreens are simply sprouted seeds that have grown on a bit. They're becoming more popular due to their vibrant colors and textures, and the ease with which you can grow them

10 Great 'Green' Home Improvements for 2010
Luke Mullins

Energy-efficient features are a key attraction for today's home buyers. Nearly 90 percent of buyers consider heating and cooling bills important, and more than 70 percent wanted high-efficiency appliances. To assist consumers considering making these upgrades, a number of experts compiled this list of 10 Great Green Home Improvements for 2010.

Cleaning Naturally Improves Indoor Air Quality
Andrea Donsky and Randy Boyer

From bleach to grease-busters to deodorizers, there are plenty of chemical cleaners out there to tackle your dirtiest, grimiest, bacteria-laden situations. However, many of those cleaning products contribute to indoor air pollution and poor health. Fortunately, there are plenty of natural cleaning solutions that will keep you and your family healthy and squeaky-clean ...

Doing More with Lighting
Rita St. Clair

Lighting may be the most important element in creating functional as well as pleasant interior spaces. Various lighting technologies and techniques available make it easier to create the effects we want. Much depends on tapping the right professional expertise.

Paralyzed in Search for 'Art'? Just Go with 'Decoration'
Rita St. Clair

I've seen plenty of strange collections in the course of my career. Some were more attractive than others, but in every case they expressed the personality and passions of the collector. And because of the commitment that went into assembling them, many of these unusual collections were more interesting than the pieces of art someone acquired

Best and Worst Home Improvement Projects for Your Money
Luke Mullins

Before you get started on that family room addition, take a moment to consider its potential return. Remodeling magazine's Cost vs. Value Report provides a look at the percentage of a home improvement project's costs that are likely to be recouped at resale. We used the 2009-2010 report to compile a list of the 5 best and 5 worst home improvement projects for your money

 

Kitchen Design

Arts & Crafts Style Adapted to a Modern Kitchen Design
Rita St. Clair

American Arts and Crafts interior design and furniture style comes into vogue every decade or so. With so little new in design today, many of today's enthusiasts of Arts and Crafts and its many adaptations are those looking for sustainable design and construction. In fact, the Arts and Crafts style can be applied to kitchen designs as well.

Time to Plan Your Vegetable Garden

Now is the Time to Plan Your Vegetable Garden
Cara Smusiak

A vegetable garden provides plenty of benefits. Not only will your food be nutritious and as close to chemical-free as possible, you'll also get great exercise from planting, weeding, and harvesting. Planning is important for all gardens, but it's essential for vegetable gardens. Here's a guide and tips to get you started on your own vegetable garden

Green Thumb 101: Propagating Houseplants with Clippings
Sean Conway

One of the great joys of gardening is sharing plants with friends. And many plants can be reproduced without the long process of cross pollination and seed production, simply by taking a part of the existing plant and tending it until new roots or shoots form. Here's a simple guide and how-to for propagating plants with Clippings

 

Spa-Like Bathroom

Spa-Like Setting for Your Bath Room
Rita St. Clair

What does it mean that, these days, even the most staid homeowners are eager for the pleasures of a spa? Is it a sign we are becoming more cultured -- or more hedonistic? The bath historically has been associated with both good health and good fun. So it's entirely fitting the concept of the spa is influencing the design of baths in the home.

 

Begonias

Old School Stalwart Houseplant: The Begonia
Sean Conway

Among the many domestic touches that have been handed down to us from the Victorians is the houseplant. True, keeping plants in the house has a long history, but only in the latter half of the 19th century did it become a popular mania. A well appointed home meant having not only fine furnishings but also fine plants. Today, climate-controlled houses allow a much wider range

 

Terrariums

Indoor Botanical Exoticism: Wardian Case Terrarium
Sean Conway

Growing plants under the protection of glass has been practiced for centuries in large outdoor greenhouses, but during the Victorian era in England the practice was taken a step further and brought indoors. Growing plants in glass enclosures is still popular, and they are a wonderful way to observe small tropical plants. And making your own terrarium is easy ...

 

Great Views

Shades, Raised Platform May Improve View in Awkward High-Rise Rooms
Rita St. Clair

We have moved to a new high-rise building with spectacular views of the city. Unfortunately, the windows, even though they are room width, are 33 inches off the floor. This produces two problems that we would like to solve: First, when seated, we can barely see the skyline. Second, the afternoon sun produces an uncomfortable amount of heat and glare

Working with Available Light
Rita St. Clair

In Scandinavia, where winter light is much shorter than in the United States, architects and interior designers strive to capture every ray of sun while covering surfaces with cheerful colors. Recognizing that nothing improves appearance and mood better than daylight, we can all profit from techniques perfected by the Scandinavians.

 

Indoor Citrus Trees

You Don't Need to Be Royalty to Have Your Own Orangerie
Sean Conway

Being able to pick an orange, lemon or lime from your own indoor tree is impressive. Aside from the novelty factor, containerized citrus trees have a beauty all their own. Their lush, dark green leaves are attractive, and many varieties have intoxicatingly fragrant flowers. Unlike other fruit trees, citrus have the unique ability to produce flowers and fruit at the same time.

 

Cymbidium Orchid

How to Keep Your Orchids Happy and Healthy
Sean Conway

Orchids are thought of as elegant and sophisticated yet difficult to grow. The truth is they are quite easy to grow, provided you meet a few key requirements. When happy, orchids will often bloom for months at a time.

 

When Is a Foreign Architectural Style a No-No
Rita St. Clair

Thematic designs are fine for restaurants and entertainment venues, but they seldom look appropriate in residential interiors. An obvious exception would be a home done in a style that reflects the region where it is located. A Tuscan-themed interior would look quite OK in Tuscany, for example. But it would be a bit of a reach in, say, Connecticut.

Ceilings Do Not Always Have to be White
Rita St. Clair

During the last decades of the 20th century, for reasons of cost control as well as style, the average ceiling seldom achieved a height of over 8 feet. The popular color for such a low ceiling was and still is white because of the incorrect assumption that no matter what the color of the walls, white on the ceiling will make it look higher. However, there are alternatives to white and paint

Enliven Your Wreath with Elements from Your Yard and Garden
Sean Conway

Personalizing a wreath is easy. You'll need only a few simple tools: a pair of pruners, some florist's wire and some wired floral picks. And you'll need a plain wreath to start with. This makes for a great project to do with the family right before Christmas

Custom Cabinetry Can Solve Difficulties
Rita St. Clair

Cabinetry, whether a movable piece of storage or a built in, should be designed first for its function and then for style. So, it takes a lot of thinking before you put pencil to paper or select a piece of available standard cabinetry for any room in the house

 

Baby's Room

Designing a Room for Baby, Keeping Future Adaptations in Mind
Rita St. Clair

We're going to convert a guest room into a place for our baby, who's due in a couple of months. The plan is to decorate the space not as a nursery but as a room that can be adapted relatively easily as our child grows up. What sort of design would you suggest?

 

As Winter Looms, Time to Think Porches, Patios and Terraces
Rita St. Clair

Even though winter is just beginning, it's not too soon to make plans for inside/outside spaces such as terraces, porches and patios. In fact, it's smart to start planning now because designing such a versatile space often takes longer than furnishing a living room. Besides, more deals will be available in the winter than in the spring.

Kitchen Table

Clever Way to Maximize Space in a Small Kitchen
Rita St. Clair

I'm trying to figure out how much space will be needed for a table and chairs in a small kitchen that's about to be renovated. Kitchen and furniture stores give all sorts of answers to my questions about these measurements, so I'm hoping there's some general formula I can follow. And can you offer some suggestions for making the space look larger?

 

Caring for Christmas Trees

Caring for Freshly Cut Christmas Trees
Sean Conway

There is nothing more exciting for my children than the day we bring our Christmas tree home. After I string the lights, they decorate it and it is ready to preside over our holiday festivities. There is nothing, however, less exciting than a newly decorated tree that showers needles. So before you head out to choose that tree, here are a few things you should know.

After popping all those corks why not put them to good use
Sean Conway

I am not sure why we first started saving corks. It seemed a shame to just toss the corks in the garbage; in fact, they can be recycled and put to good use around the house.

Stitch in Time Can Save Your Cracked Terra Cotta Pots
Sean Conway

Small cracks in terra cotta can lead to big problems and, if left uncorrected, will lead to the demise of an otherwise good pot. Repairing a crack while the pot is still intact can keep the problem from getting worse.

 

Paperwhite narcissus

With a Little Planning, Bulbs Can Bloom All Winter Long
Sean Conway

Hard-core gardeners and real plant lovers know that the end of fall means it's time to start planning ahead. Now is a great time to plant bulbs. With a little effort and some planning you can have bulbs blooming all winter long. Here's how ...

Hang Your Hat on This Winter Trophy
Sean Conway

Nothing beats antlers for adding a rustic feel to home decor. Think of them as a renewable resource for any number of craft projects -- making lamp finials, drawer pulls, door handles and even buttons. If you find an antler big enough, you can make a version of the coat hook like this one ...

Repurpose Small Spaces with Custom Built-ins
Rita St. Clair

Built-in furniture can do wonders with small spaces. Here, built-in seating fills a space the size of an unused closet

How to Block Glaring Sun but Not the View? That's a Tall Order
Rita St. Clair

I'm often amazed at our obsession with covering windows. No sooner do we move into homes with good views and good natural light than we're wondering how to dress the windows.

Lotus Container Adds Touch of the Sacred to Your Backyard
Sean Conway

One need not travel to India to glimpse this perennial aquatic known for its magnificent, spice-scented flowers. The sacred lotus of Asia has a North American cousin that is hardy as far north as Canada.

 

National Building Museum

The World's Top Architecture Museums
Jonathan Lerner

Spending so much of our lives inside them, and surrounded by them, we often take buildings for granted. But architecture can help us understand history and grapple with the future. The following fascinating museums are dedicated to buildings, cities and landscapes

Wood Is Suitable for the Bathroom, but Sparingly and with Proper Care
Rita St. Clair

I empathize with your desire to use wood in a bathroom. I've done so myself, though sparingly. Bathrooms these days typically have a crisp look, but they should never have a cold appearance. Properly placed and treated for moisture resistance, wood can supply much needed warmth in a bathroom

 

Richard Neutra House

What to Do With a Wall of Windows
Rita St. Clair

'Duette' honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas are used here to solve the problems of privacy and light control and to ensure that the exterior remains on view at the pull of a cord. The individual shades can be raised and lowered from the top or bottom.

Japanese Solution for Storage
Rita St. Clair

No one's more imaginative and successful than the Japanese in making the most of limited living space -- and making the result look orderly and effortless. For example, Japanese designers long ago devised an efficient storage system for that generally unused space beneath a staircase. It's a set of cabinets and drawers known as stair tansu

 

Living Room Redo

Home Makeover Requires Careful Thought to Succeed
Rita St. Clair

Why is it that redo sounds somehow less expensive than makeover? Just because it's a shorter word? Or because it implies a touch-up rather than an overhaul? As in, I think I'll redo the living room, rather than, The living room sure could use a makeover. And both terms in turn cause less price anxiety than does the very serious-sounding renovation. In fact, all are pretty much synonymous, so don't mislead yourself into underestimating costs

Time to Rediscover the Vine
Sean Conway

In the gardening world there are trends and fads just as there are in retail, fashion or the auto industry. The 'latest' plants or types of plant, such as grasses or flashy tropical annuals, come in and out of favor, but there is one group that has somehow missed the spotlight: vines. Gardeners often overlook vines in part because they are not always readily available

Beautify Your Garden with Concrete? Not as Crazy as It Sounds
Sean Conway

The rising cost of conventional building materials and the expense of transporting them has brought a renewed focus to alternative methods of construction. One of the more interesting examples is the home of artisan builder and master craftsman Matt Rogers built almost entirely out of concrete

Trees Whose Bark Is Better Than Their Bite
Sean Conway

When choosing a new tree for their property, most homeowners think about showy foliage, colorful flowers or ability to produce abundant fruit. Experienced gardeners, however, know there is another, often overlooked, attribute that can make some trees stand out in the crowd: bark

 

Stair alcove perfect for a desk

What to Do With Nooks and Crannies
Rita St. Clair

'Making Room,' written by Wendy Jordan, focuses on using or creating nooks in unlikely parts of the home. In this case, a desk wide enough to be functional has been placed under the highest point of the staircase. The recess is tall enough to allow for a light to be installed above the desk. I suspect that your own storage area meets these specs.

 

Painted cabinet great focal point

Focal Point Does Wonders for Entrance Hall
Rita St. Clair

When positioned at the end of hallway or at the top of a stairway, a colorful painting or a piece of decorative furniture can foreshorten a space, making its proportions more pleasing to the eye. Success in this case depends on balanced scale, which is why I describe it as a more sophisticated type of design. And whatever the purpose of a focal point, it's got to be properly lit.

 

Historic & Eclectic Design

Historic and Eclectic Not Necessarily Opposites in Home Design
Rita St. Clair

A visit to an historic home, or at least a look through a book on traditional American and European interiors, may well upset the assumption that the only appropriate design in these circumstances is a conservative design. Our ancestors often devised eclectic looks for their homes rather than following strict formulas. That's partly because they seldom had easy access to the type of furnishings they were expected to use. They had to improvise -- and the results were never dull

 

Breakfast Room Design

Making Dark and Cramped Seem Bright and Spacious
Rita St. Clair

Small spaces often present challenges for designers. Placement of furniture usually isn't much of an issue because a small room offers only a few options. It's color and lighting that can be difficult to get right -- and it's essential to choose well because these elements can ensure that a small space will look cheerful and feel comfortable.

 

Retro Style Room

Retro Style Need Not Follow a Formula
Rita St. Clair

In many design settings, a variety of styles are mixed and meshed to produce what's known as an eclectic design. And don't assume it's got to be one or the other. A room can be given a single stylistic direction that's tweaked with look-alikes or new adaptations. An example of such an approach is described below.

 

Avoid Poisons & Toxins: Use Natural Cleaning Products
Randy Boyer and Andrea Donsky

Avoiding unsafe cleaning products is just as important as identifying safe ones. About 100,000 chemicals are used commercially, and the production of chemicals doubles every seven years. Cleaning products are among the most toxic substances that can be found in the average home. Most household cleaners are hazardous to health and the environment

 

Banquette Seating

Banquette Seating Maximizes Efficiency and Comfort
By Rita St. Clair

Don't assume that an attractive design featured in a magazine can be applied only in a space of similar dimensions. Good ideas can often be adapted to rooms much larger or smaller than the original. Functional issues may have to be addressed of course, trickier -- and crucial -- is the question of scale

 

Opaque Glass Panels

Sliding Opaque-Glass Panels Are Attractive and Functional for Modern Interior
By Rita St. Clair

The designs associated with the Arts and Crafts movement and with architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright have powerfully influenced the look of the modern American interior. So it's important to realize that Wright's work and the Arts and Crafts style in California were themselves shaped by Japanese design.

 

Winebar

Turn Antique Furniture into Unique Fixtures
By Rita St. Clair

Design schools never include "investment" in the lexicon they teach their students, but they should. Good interior design not only produces visual pleasure, it also enhances the value of a home by adding structural improvements and high-quality fixtures. And for homeowners seeking a return on the money they put into their homes, the art and antiques they buy will do better these days than the equity of the real estate itself.

 

Unmistakable Hallmark of Contemporary Home Design: Fun
By Rita St. Clair

In distinguishing contemporary from traditional styles, designers often point to differences in how spaces are configured, with 21st century interiors typically having a sleeker and sparser look. Even more obvious, however, are differences in the types of elements used in these respective settings. Designers must therefore stay current with advances in technology and changes in product lines. That's not easy to do in a rapidly evolving marketplace, but can be fun and exciting to try.

 

Sometimes the Best Window Treatment is None at All
By Rita St. Clair

Window coverings are among the elements people think of first when decorating a home. And rightly so, because they play many roles: provider of privacy, shield from both heat and cold, and frame for views. Window treatments can also singlehandedly spruce up the look of a dull room. And, sometimes the best window treatment is none at all ...

Traditional and High Tech Can Coexist in Kitchen
By Rita St. Clair

We're planning to redo the large kitchen of a home in a rural area with an informal interior design. My wife and I both enjoy preparing food with our "armada" of kitchen appliances, but we're wondering how all those digital widgets will look in a rustic setting.

Do-It-Yourself Plumbing Has Its Challenges
By Tim Carter, Ask the Builder

While much about plumbing is somewhat easy, you need to have a crisp understanding of the physics of water movement as well as some specialized tools to get professional results. There are many great resources available, and they may turn you into a fine home plumber in your own right

Good Home Design Is About More Than Good Looks
By Rita St. Clair - Design Line

Even though we live in an interconnected global community, cultural differences are still evident in home designs. European interiors, for example, generally mix styles more freely and are much more colorful than American interiors. They're also less orderly.

Make Over a Room With a Small Budget, Use Color to Your Advantage
By Rita St. Clair - Design Line

Furniture alone -- whether modern or traditional in style -- can't ensure the success of the design of an interior. A room's overall appearance depends on many elements, with color and scale always counting for a lot.

Tired of Small, Bland Room? Use Simplicity to Your Advantage
By Rita St. Clair - Design Line

Small, bland rooms can be helped by simplicity. In this case, a continuous band of flat wooden trim, which creates an interesting geometric design reminiscent of Japanese interiors.

There's a Window Covering Out There for Every Taste
By Rita St. Clair - Design Line

This particular shade system, available from Hunter Douglas, permits easy and effective light control while adding an attractive touch to the room. I can't guarantee that the price will be right for you, but some options may prove surprisingly affordable.

Don't Equate Scandinavian Design with Midcentury Minimalism
By Rita St. Clair - Design Line

When I tell people I'm partial to Scandinavian design, many of them ask what's so attractive about teak or leather chairs and those cabinets that look like dormitory furniture. However, they're mistaking the Danish Modern look, common in this country ...

Making Country Kitchens Contemporary
By Rita St. Clair - Design Line

Wondering how to proceed with a kitchen renovation? Here are a few suggestions you might not get at your local kitchen supply store.

5 Simple Ways to Make Your Home Feel Bigger

Instead of expanding the size of the property, Susanka, an architect and author of the best-selling book The Not So Big House, believes homeowners should make better use of interior space. Susan Susanka shares five simple ways that homeowners can make their houses feel bigger without expanding the size of the structure.

 

Green Building & Eco-Friendly Design

Green Building Options from the Ground Up
Going Green Environment Friendly Home Renovation Tips

More and more homes are being built and remodeled with the environment in mind. This green building movement is gaining momentum and options for homeowners continue to increase, making creating a green home easier than ever. Here are some tips to make your home greener, from the ground up.

Put the 'Eco' in Decorating
Eco-Friendly Home Decorating Tips & Trends

Just because you're going green doesn't mean you have to sacrifice style. There are many ways to easily incorporate eco-friendly ideas into your home decor without living the stereotypical "granola-and-Birkenstocks" lifestyle.

 

Gardening & Outdoor Living

Leafy Plants & poolside landscaping

Poolside Landscaping Should Emphasize Ease and Beauty
By Sean Conway

A backyard pool is a great place to relax in the summer heat, but it can present landscaping challenges. Planting trees and shrubs too close to the pool should be avoided since they will block sunlight, not to mention deposit leaves and other debris in the pool. A similar caveat applies to planting grass close to the edge of a pool. It may look pleasing, but every time the grass is mowed the clippings invariably end up in the water.

 

Log Planter that Salutes America's Rustic Vernacular
By Sean Conway

The 'Adirondack style,' known for its rough-hewn logs, often with their bark left on, twig detailing, and massive fireplaces made from local stone, remains the architectural touchstone for cabins, lodges and national park buildings throughout the United States. Among its other merits, the Adirondack style lends itself to do-it-yourself projects using wood, stone and other materials you can gather locally or even on your own property.

Home Gardening: Sand and Fertility: A Delicate Balance
By Sean Conway

When most of us think of sand, two images come to mind: the beach and the desert -- neither of which we associate with lush fertility. Thus it may surprise a lot of people that sand is an important part of the soil in our gardens and our farm fields

Home Gardening: Confessions of a Tool Geek
By Sean Conway

Most people consider the essentials of gardening tools to be a shovel, a rake, a trowel and perhaps some sort of pruners. The newer and shiner their tools, the better they feel about them. My passion however, is for old gardening tools. Many of the tools I use in my garden are over 50 years old. Their smooth, worn handles feel good when held, but the primary reason I have come to like them so much is that they are so much more efficient to use.

Home Gardening: Before You Build a Garden Storage Shed, a Little Practice Helps
By Tim Carter, Ask the Builder

If you can enlist the help of a friend for a few days, and the garden shed you decide to build is not too large or complicated, you can do this job start to finish in two weeks. The weather will need to cooperate, and you will need to be on top of your game each day.

Gardening - Not Too Late to Plant Vegetables
Cultivating Life by Sean Conway

If you're just realizing that summer is here and you never got around to planting a vegetable garden, don't despair. While it may be too late to plant cool season crops such as peas, lettuce and broccoli, it is still not too late to plant heat-loving vegetables.

Gardening - Clay, the Unsung Mineral Beneath Your Feet
Cultivating Life by Sean Conway

The amount of clay in our soil has a lot to do with how well the soil drains, and how well plants will grow in it. Most soils are composed of sand, silt, clay and organic matter. Good garden soil contains a balance of these components, but when there is an overabundance of one or the other, many plants simply will not grow -- or grow well -- in it.

Create an Inviting Outdoor Space, Follow these Principles
Cultivating Life by Sean Conway

Although all the spaces I have worked on for the project are different, there is a common set of principles for creating an inviting outdoor environment, whether you're revitalizing an abandoned lot filled with trash or just doing something more interesting with your back yard.

Gardening for the Birds
Cultivating Life by Sean Conway

If you're interested in attracting different species of birds to your yard, be ready to offer a buffet of enticing foods and shelters. One size (and a bag of birdseed) definitely does not fit all.

Composting: From Garden to Kitchen to Garden

The key to a good garden is good compost, and every gardener worth his salt should be making his own. Compost is a wonderful thing, plants are happy when grown in this sweet black soil amendment. Making your own is easy. Anything that once was living will eventually become compost. The trick is how fast you can harvest it.

 

Do-It-Yourself - Ask the Builder

When Installing Backer Board for Tile, Always Be Thinking of Moisture
Ask the Builder - Tim Carter

Recently I've been experimenting with some of the alternative backer boards. The most recent one I've worked with has a water-resistant gypsum core with a fiberglass mat backing and a handsome blue waterproof coating on the side that the tile adheres to. This material is code approved and recommended.

The Bathroom Mirror Conundrum
Ask the Builder - Tim Carter

A bathroom vanity mirror is a conundrum when building or remodeling. The problems you're having can be traced to poor planning, poor construction and/or poor supervision. You can see why it's so important to select all fixtures for a job long before you start.

Outdoor Porch Rooms Look Sumptuous, but Elements May Take Their Toll
Ask the Builder - Tim Carter

Contemporary outdoor porches I've seen in magazines and at home shows would never survive the weather and interlopers prevalent in many areas I'm familiar with. Driving rains, dust, birds, animals and thieves would ruin or rip off many of the things found in these spaces when the homeowner is not around to watch or protect them.

Why Paint When You Can Give the House a Good Wash
Ask the Builder - Tim Carter

Painting the exterior of a home can be very expensive, and sometimes it's not necessary. I'll gladly share my exterior cleaning house tips. It might save you thousands of dollars.

Installing Kitchen Cabinets a Tall Order for Do-It-Yourselfer
Ask the Builder by Tim Carter

Do-it-yourself cabinet installations can range from simple to extremely difficult.

Limestone Kitchen Countertops Stand Test of Time
Ask the Builder by Tim Carter

Limestone countertops rank right at the top of my take-your-breath-away countertop contest. I love granite tops because of the deep color and some of the magnificent crystals, but the buff shades of limestone mixed with the fossils create a classic look that will generate unending compliments from all who see the stone in your new kitchen.

Window Seats Make Great Addition to a Room & Not That Difficult to Build
Ask the Builder by Tim Carter

A window seat with storage is really the thing to have, as you'll get not only the function of the seat but the space beneath it as well. You can have hidden or open storage, but hidden storage -- which uses doors or a flip-top seat -- adds significantly to the cost and complexity of the project.

Replacing Old Windows Doesn't Always Save You Money
Ask the Builder by Tim Carter

To make an informed decision about investing in new windows, you need to put a pencil to paper. Among the many things you need to consider are current heating and cooling costs, projected maintenance of the existing windows, and future increases in the cost of fuel.

Planning A Screened-In Porch: What to Consider
Home Renovation Tip & Advice from Ask the Builder by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: The next project at my home is a screened porch. I have looked at many plans, but none of them really excite me. After looking at some pictures, I have some really good ideas about what I want in my design. What should I take into consideration in this planning phase so that I end up with the perfect screened-in porch?

Two Main Forces Working Against Your Retaining Wall: Gravity and Frost
Home Renovation Tip & Advice from Ask the Builder by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: Can you tell me how to build a retaining wall? Are retaining wall blocks a good choice? What critical things do I need to know so that I don't have a collapse or other failure in the years to come? I have access to lots of large stones. Can I just stack them to make a retaining wall from stone?

When Installing a Patio, Build It to Last
Home Renovation Tip & Advice from Ask the Builder by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I have decided to use patio pavers to build a nice outdoor space. Installing patio pavers seems easy enough. I don't want to make a mistake, so can you tell me how to install patio pavers? What method would you use? What should I be concerned about if I want a patio that looks good and is as maintenance free as possible?

Power-Wash the Deck or Do a Green Clean? The Pros and Cons
Home Care Tip & Advice from Ask the Builder by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I am having a spirited debate with my husband about how to clean a deck. The job doesn't seem that hard, but my husband wants to use a pressure washer, as he thinks it will save time. I want to use a green cleaner that is non-toxic and environmentally safe. What is the proper way to clean a deck and keep it looking nice? --Lisa T., Burlington, N.C.

 

Architectural Detail to a Home's Interior

HOME DECOR

From Common to Customized ' Add Value With Architectural Details
Architectural Details Increase your Home's 'Wow' Value & Selling Value

Architectural elements are the unique details that form the architectural style of houses and buildings.

Customizing your kitchen, baths, master bedroom or any other room with architectural details is a simple way set your home apart and increase the "wow factor" of those particular rooms and in turn the selling value of your home.

Interior Decorating Trend: Wallpaper Makes a Comeback
Home Decorating Trends & Tips

Since Oprah announced on her TV show that "wallpaper is back" and Time Magazine called wallpaper "hip" and the "latest passion" of interior designers, the plain painted wall seems a bit boring.

HOME DECORATING & INTERIOR DESIGN

Interior Design for the Sports Lover
Interior Home Decorating Trend

With the trend of sports decor becoming a mainstream choice throughout homes, decorating options are endless. Sports themes can range from fun and over-the-top to subtle and tasteful integrations depending on what the homeowner likes. Here are some ideas about where to start.

Island Innovations: Make the Most of Your Kitchen Space
Home Innovation Tip & Kitchen Islands

"The kitchen island has become the icon of the modern kitchen ' the 21st century equivalent of the old-fashioned hearth," says architect Duo Dickinson for This Old House Magazine. "It's easy to understand why - kitchen islands work."

Add Warmth and Value with Easy Weekend Projects
Easy Home Decorating Tips that can be accomplished over a weekend

You've got a weekend to work with and the inspiration to do something to dress up your home. You don't need to spend like a diva or wield a hammer like a home improvement show host to achieve a high-impact do-it-yourself project. Many value-enhancing, elegance-adding improvements can be accomplished in a weekend with minimal effort and expense.

A Good Excuse to Upgrade Your Home Entertainment System
Home Theater & Home Entertainment Systems

Television has come a long way since its introduction to the world in 1925, when Scottish inventor John Logie Baird successfully transmitted the first recognizable image -- the head of a ventriloquist's dummy.

Hot Home Decorating Tips - Freshen Up Your Home and Brighten Your Mood
Home Decorating Tips & Advice

Could your home be putting you in a bad mood? If so, you're not alone. A recent study shows that having a clean home in the winter makes 92 percent of adults feel happier. You don't have to undertake a major cleaning overhaul; just a little polishing here and there can boost your mood as much as a sunny day.

Hot Home Decorating Tips - Walls Get In Step With Fashion
Home Decorating Tips & Advice

Fashion and home decor trends are so closely aligned now that we can add a favorite new look or color scheme to both our wardrobes and our homes at the same time. One day you're shopping for handbags in the hottest color and the next day you find yourself reaching for pillows in a matching shade.

Hot Home Decorating Tips - Copy an Inspiration Room on a Budget
Home Decorating Tips & Advice

With a few easy tips, you can achieve a similar Inspiration Room look without the hefty price tag. The trick, experts say, is to draw "inspiration" from these examples and emulate the look and style with more affordable furnishings and decorations.

Hot Home Decorating, Color Trends and Tips - Interior Design and Decorating
Home Decorating Tips & Advice

Are you ready to get a jump start on discovering 2008's hottest decorating and paint color trends?   Winter is an ideal time to start planning your interior decorating spruce ups. And one of the easiest, least expensive ways to give a room a new look and feel is with paint.

Top 10 Home Decor Trends for 2008 - Interior Design and Architecture
Home Decorating Tips & Trends

Much like we can expect from the American people in next year's election, the votes among the nation's top interior designers and manufacturers are split when it comes to forecasting what will be "hot" in home decor in 2008.

Kitchen Color Trends and Tips - Interior Design and Decorating
Kitchen Decorating Tips & Advice

Every homeowner knows that the kitchen is the perfect place to please the palate. But it can also be the perfect place to add character with the color palette. When remodeling the hub of your home, choosing the right colors is an important part of the decision making process. But how do you choose colors that are compatible with your space and your taste?

The Art of Accent Colors: How to Use Color to Brighten a Room
Home Decorating Tips & Advice

Certain colors innately evoke different memories, thoughts or moods, according to a study conducted by Miami University. If your home is laced with walls that are too white or overbearingly dark, details in your d'cor can change everything. By recognizing this, it is easy to brighten up or give any room a little extra personality with accent colors.

Architectural Digest's The New AD 100 Top Interior Designers and Architects
Top 100 List from AD (Architectural Digest)

 

Stylish Screens
(Slide Show) Sleek, ornate, traditional and exotic—our showcase of some truly memorable room dividers.

Striking Images
(Slide Show) A gallery of editors’ favorite photographs from the pages of Architectural Digest

Great Design Under $100 - April 2010
Our showcase of well-designed items that add style without costing a fortune.

Books
(Slide Show) Check out the latest must-have titles by designers, architects and photographers.

Bay Area Embrace
(Slide Show) An Asian Aesthetic Defines a High-Rise Apartment in Downtown San Francisco

AD Directory - April 2010
Look here for a listing of the designers, architects, hotels, museums, galleries and dealers featured in each month’s issue of Architectural Digest.

AD 100 Tips
(Slide Show) Our Ongoing Section Featuring Words of Advice From Today’s Top Designers and Architects

Transparent Furniture
(Slide Show) AD editors present their favorite see-through furniture from designers Philippe Starck, Geoffrey Bradfield, Jennifer Post and more.

Famous Houses Around the World
(Slide Show) Our Exclusive Look at Homes from Across the Globe United by Architectural Merit and Noteworthy Inhabitants

AD 100 Tips
(Slide Show) Find out creative use of fabric our readers voted as their favorite.

Wine Country Accord
A House and Winery Find Their Place in Napa Valley

Simply Sustainable
A 45th-Floor Aerie on the Upper West Side Goes Green

Design Hollywood
(Slide Show) A Brief Look at the Unique Style Associated with the Film Industry, from Costumes and Sets to Photography and Graphic Design

Classical Epiphany
New Life for a Once-Abandoned Medieval Property in Italy

Bay Area Embrace
An Asian Aesthetic Defines a High-Rise Apartment in Downtown San Francisco

Accessorizing Low Tables
(Slide Show) A gallery of the various styles and objects—from books and decorative trays to sculpture and everything in between—used when accessorizing this living room staple.

AD Directory - March 2010
Look here for a listing of the designers, architects, hotels, museums, galleries and dealers featured in each month’s issue of Architectural Digest.

AD Directory - February 2010
Look here for a listing of the designers, architects, hotels, museums, galleries and dealers featured in each month’s issue of Architectural Digest.

Material Distinction
Merging Traditions in a Modern Beirut High-Rise

Hollywood Homecoming
A Paul R. Williams Original Regains Its Glamorous Past

Clockwork Reinvention
Making a Family Home out of a Duplex on Central Park

AD Directory - January 2010
Look here for a listing of the designers, architects, hotels, museums, galleries and dealers featured in each month’s issue of Architectural Digest.

A Dream Reimagined
The Sky’s the Limit in a Creative Epiphany in Beverly Hills

Treading on Medieval Ground
Rediscovering a Forgotten Château in France’s Auvergne Region

Material Distinction
(Slide Show) Merging Traditions in a Modern Beirut High-Rise

Home Theaters
(Slide Show) Ten unique designs celebrate the art of watching movies at home while reflecting the imagination of 10 unique interior designers.

Hollywood Homecoming
(Slide Show) A Paul R. Williams Original Regains Its Glamorous Past

Elie Saab
Opulence and Masculinity Merge in the Fashion Designer’s Paris Apartment

Discoveries by Designers - December 2009
(Slide Show) AD’s Editors Present Designers’ Sources

Clockwork Reinvention
(Slide Show) Making a Family Home out of a Duplex on Central Park

Celebrity Wheels
(Slide Show) AD’s gallery of famous figures and the vehicles that—emotionally and literally—transport them.

A Dream Reimagined
(Slide Show) The Sky’s the Limit in a Creative Epiphany in Beverly Hills

AD Travel: Vancouver
(Slide Show) Our look at a few of the homes, gardens and shops found in the Canadian city that is hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics.

10 Great Fireplaces
(Slide Show) AD editors present their favorites, from sleek and contemporary to traditional and ornate.

AD Directory - December 2009
Look here for a listing of the designers, architects, hotels, museums, galleries and dealers featured in each month’s issue of Architectural Digest.

Mary Wells
The Advertising Whiz Finds Her Footing Aboard Strangelove

Kelsey Grammer
In Bel-Air, the Actor and His Wife, Camille, Preserve the Legacy of “Henry’s House”

James Burrows
The Veteran Television Director and His Wife, Debbie, Recast Their Bel-Air Home

Ferruccio Ferragamo
With His Wife, Ilaria, the Scion of the Famous Label Revives a Working Tuscan Estate

Donna Karan
With Local Materials and Tropical Detailing, the Fashion Designer Dreams Up a Family Retreat in the British West Indies.

Brad Pitt Makes It Right: An Update
(Slide Show) See what’s happened since AD’s January 2009 story on the actor’s efforts to rebuild New Orleans’s Lower Ninth Ward, hard hit by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

BRAD PITT MAKES IT RIGHT: The Designs
(Slide Show) Innovation and sustainable design unite for the revitalization of New Orleans as 21 architectural firms from around the world share visions for a rebuilt Lower Ninth Ward. Here’s a glimpse of things to come, with information on how you can help the Make It Right Foundation achieve its goals.

Architectural Digest—The Latest
The latest about interior design, architecture, shopping, travel, great design items and more from ArchitecturalDigest.com.

 

Returns on Renovations
Before making further investments, homeowners learn the value of those they've already made. Bill and Jeanne would like

Model Home on the Move
In Covington, La., Arlo Guthrie and his daughter, Jenny, are moving a model home that a developer built for a new

Environmentally Friendly Backyard
Eco-minded homeowners Bruce and Lisa love the great outdoors but not their backyard. Landscape designer Andrea Wedul

Handmade Albums
The perfect show for croppers tired of 3-ring bingers and top-loading albums. If you're up for the challenge, this show

Artistic Home Office
A graphic artist and her team transform their office with a cool industrial/organic makeover. Homeowner and

Retro Holiday Style
This holiday season Melanie Patterson will be celebrating her first Christmas in her very own home with friends. She

Luxurious Vintage Bathroom
Jackie and Patrick Maloney love the bright, airy seaside home where they live with their two young daughters. Their

Bog Garden
Homeowners Melanie and Jason Deitch want to create a kid-friendly play area that is socially inviting and sophisticated

Nantucket-Style Family Room
Host Joan Steffend and designer Beth Solberg bring light to a family room with a cozy, Nantucket feel. Next, interior

Indian-Influenced Living Area
After living with her brother in a rundown row house in Philadelphia to save money, Nya El-Amin is more than ready to

London Church, Cape Town Tree House, French Curved Wood ...
Michael Rubinal creates a five-story luxury home in a gothic tower left standing after the attached church burned down

Needed: Baby-Friendly Home
New parents Angelina and Bob Abraci are in need of a larger home. They recently had their first child and would like to

Contemporary Kitchen
David Bromstad and the Color Splash team transform a dated kitchen into a sleek, modern space in just two days. David

Basement Declutter
The Skigen family's 25 x 25-foot basement has become overrun with toys, dress-up clothes and a cluttered array of long-

Time to Tone it Down
Way too much color, way too many walls. The old family home desperately needs to be toned down. Shari transforms a teen'

Home and Garden Television

 

How to Install a Lockset: Overview
Boring holes and cutting mortises require careful layout and patience, but at least there's no heavy lifting. Whether

47 Skills You Need to Survive Homeownership
Too bad a house doesn't come with an owner's manual. And a week-long seminar where you learn what every button, switch,

How to Make a Folding Screen Using Old Hinges and Shutters
Victorian-era metal hinges cost between $15 and $30 each, depending on size and decoration. Individual salvaged

Growing Up Green
Technology, politics, economics. While the future of the green movement might be shaped by these large, complicated

How to Make a Dressing Vanity from a Vintage Door: Overview
Some tough finish carpentry is made a lot easier with power tools. The Victorian-era cottage door was the people's door.

Decorative Painting Techniques: Two-Tone Patina: Overview
To create the effect of patinaed plaster, Finkelstein brushes two different colors of glaze over a base coat of paint,

How to Turn a Salvaged Sink Into an Outdoor Bar: Overview
If you're handy with a drill/driver and a jigsaw, you're golden For months my coworker Hylah Hill has been inviting me

Working with a Tree Removal Pro
CREEEAAK, CREEEAAK, CREEEAAK... The sound of trees swaying in the wind can be pretty ominous, especially if they

Use them to:
Joint compound is exactly what you need when sealing seams in drywall, but the 5-gallon plastic bucket it comes in just

Green Resolutions
New Year's resolutions tend to be goals like quitting smoking, running some knee-crushing marathon, or writing that

Is Wind Power for You?
This map shows average annual wind density and speed throughout the United States. Areas designated Class 3 or greater

How to Hang Kitchen Cabinets: Overview
About $100 for necessary Shopping List items, plus the cost of the cabinets and finish of your choice Requires precise

TOH Picks the Best Tools For Mom
Face it. She doesn't want a vacuum cleaner. And that food processor you bought her in 1997, well, that's still in the

Does It Pay to Buy Cheap?
Remodeling is expensive. I can often help my clients manage costs, but not always in the ways they expect. Most of my

Want a Room With More Stature? Start With the Baseboards
Depends on the room size; cutting tight joints requires patience and practice. Despite their lowly position along the

This Old House

 

RSS feed no longer available
This New York Times RSS feed is no longer available and you should unsubscribe from it. Available RSS feeds are listed on this page on the New York Times website

NY Times RSS feed no longer available
This RSS feed is no longer available.