Here’s our guide to improving, maintaining, and enjoying your house. With information on everything from home technology and reducing energy costs to outdoor living and working from home, these articles will help you care for your house and get the most out of living there.
You may have popcorn ceilings in that fixer-upper you bought. Also known as cottage cheese or acoustic ceilings, these textured ceilings were all the rage in the mid-20th century. However, today’s homeowners typically want a smoother look. Fortunately, you can probably get rid of the texture if you’re willing to put in the time and… Read more »
You may not expect pet predators in suburban neighborhoods, but wildlife can dwell in a greenbelt or a few acres of undeveloped land. So don’t be complacent about protecting your smallest, most vulnerable pets when they’re outdoors. Here’s what you need to know about pet predators. Wildlife predators in your neighborhood Wildlife is amazingly resilient… Read more »
Your home and business Internet service choices are limited if you live in a rural area. Speeds are slower than in the city, plans are pricey, and there are few providers. Fortunately, Elon Musk and Amazon are launching new technology in satellite delivery that should revolutionize rural Internet service. Country folks have limited internet choices… Read more »
You expect insects to crash your summertime barbeque. After all, the outdoors is their world. But your home is your world, so it’s vexing when flies barge in. Here are some ways to keep them out of your home. What attracts flies into the house? When winter’s chill wanes, insects emerge from dormancy and begin… Read more »
Spring comes, temperatures warm, and flowers bloom. Liberated from winter hibernation, you happily throw open the windows. Before you know it, dust and pollen blow through and settle on everything. How can you enjoy warm weather without dust and pollen taking over your home? Here’s what you need to know. Keeping dust out It’s hard… Read more »
With the right materials, a little geometry and plenty of gritty work, you can build your own fence. You’ll not only end up with the protection or privacy you need, but you’ll feel the satisfaction of a successful DIY project. Let’s get building. Fencing basics If you’re building a property line fence, you must build… Read more »
Today’s kitchens often feature open shelves instead of upper cabinets, and the trend shows no sign of ending. Open shelving presents opportunities both to store your kitchen necessities and to display favorite objects. But if you’re facing a bare shelf, you may not know where to begin. Here’s what you need to know about styling… Read more »
Your fireplace is likely the first place your eye goes when you enter your living room or den. You may already decorate the fireplace’s mantel for the winter holidays, but the rest of the year your mantel is a perfect place to exercise your creativity and add some pizzazz to a room. Here’s our guide… Read more »
Whether your front porch is a tiny stoop or a full-blown wraparound, you can decorate it just as you would any room in your home to make it a welcoming introduction to the rest of your house. Not only will you gain curb appeal, but you’ll also create a space where you and guests want… Read more »
With their warm glow and pleasant scents, candles add beauty to your home’s decor. But over time, candles can grow dusty and sooty, and their wax can make a mess of otherwise attractive candlesticks and containers. Here’s how to clean candles and their holders. Removing dirt from candles To clean away dust and soot that… Read more »
Some homeowners are lucky enough to live in view of a lake, a forest or mountains. But with the biophilic design trend, even city dwellers can make their homes’ interiors trigger the good feelings nature provokes. Here’s our primer on biophilic design and how you can use its principles to bring the benefits of the… Read more »
A pile of pillows can transform a sofa from boring to beautiful and add both style and comfort to a room. But arranging sofa pillows to look their best is not the easiest task. Follow these guidelines to achieve pillow perfection. Choose a color scheme first Before buying pillows, decide on a color scheme that… Read more »
Popular home furnishings stores and design magazines increasingly feature curved furniture. Pieces with sloping lines and rounded forms echo the past and add both comfort and sophisticated style to home decor. Here’s what you need to know about the curved furniture trend. Everything old is new again Curved furniture was initially popular in the 1970s… Read more »
We all grew up hearing that stripes don’t go with plaids. But in home decor, a mixture of patterns and prints can take a room from blah to beautiful. Here’s how to mix patterns and prints like a professional when decorating your home’s interior. General rules for mixing patterns and prints Decorators emphasize that to… Read more »
Suppose the digital display on your stove breaks down just after your manufacturer’s warranty has expired. You can call an appliance repair service, but that will likely be expensive. Or you can attempt the repair yourself with help from an online friend: YouTube. If you’re a DIYer, YouTube can show you how to make a… Read more »
What a headache! A clogged drain is nasty and messy, and the timing is never good. Let’s look at what to do when you have a clog and how to prevent them. Types of clogged drains and their causes Kitchen clogs can occur in the sink, disposal and sometimes the dishwasher. All three types of… Read more »
Nothing beats a hot summer day at the pool for beauty and relaxation. And it’s not just the refreshing water that makes a pool picturesque. Landscaping around a pool can enhance its crystalline beauty and give a spa-like feeling to your backyard. It can also provide privacy. Check out these recommendations for landscaping around a… Read more »
You may need to shut off your home’s utilities in the event of a repair, suspected leak or an emergency. Here’s what you need to know about shutting off utilities safely. Cutting the water supply The main water valve is adjacent to the water meter, often in the same valve box in the ground. The… Read more »
Today, huge wind farms are spreading across parts of America. How does having a wind farm next to your property affect its value? Is it cost-effective to let a wind farm be built on your land, given the subsidy you’ll receive? Let’s blow through the hot air and get to the truth. Visible and audible… Read more »
Wood-paneled living areas were popular in the 1960s and 70s. Unfortunately, fifty years later, some of that wall paneling has still not been updated. If you don’t want dated wood paneling in your new home, should you remove and replace it, or can you paint over it? Removal versus painting If the paneling is genuine,… Read more »
