Virginia is for tomato lovers If there were a seasonal state slogan, in late summer Virginia would be for tomato lovers. Can’t you see the heart on the t-shirt replaced with a hunky heirloom? Hot, humid summers and acidic, red clay soil combine to produce a jungle of hairy vines and a staggering array […]
Do no harm You can make a lot of mistakes in the garden this time of year: broadcasting 10-10-10 fertilizer over a parched lawn, chopping back hydrangeas from a walkway along with next summer’s bloom, whisking away valuable leaves, weeds and clippings during fall clean-up as though they were dirt on a carpet. […]
A façade of wood shingles and white siding makes this Dairy Road home stand apart in its brick-laden neighborhood. A rock wall traces the steep driveway, which leads up to a gorgeous Japanese maple tree. And it may be close to busy Rte. 250, but you wouldn’t know it thanks to huge shade trees […]
Basket cases Although we might not be as resourceful as Depression-era grandmothers with hand-made flour sack aprons, we love the feeling we get from reusing things that look like trash. Baskets and containers from the farmers’ market are a pretty way to organize in the kitchen, bath or office. You’ll find your berries and […]
Max out your miles Yeah, this is a house and home publication, and your car isn’t part of your house. But, for one thing, lots of us practically live in our cars, and for another thing, most household budgets have been getting heavier in the “gasoline” column lately, and therefore lighter in the “cool […]
Nestled in the woods east of Charlottesville, this stone house says sweet relaxation. Check out that wide front porch (complete with rocking chair) and that lush wooded view. Any double-wide might boast those goodies, but this place has style too, in the brick accents hugging the windows and the substantial flared porch columns.
Summer afternoon Henry James once said that these—“summer afternoon”—were the two most beautiful words in the English language, and with the weather we’ve been having, who could disagree? Timely rains since February have produced “significant improvement in drought conditions throughout the Commonwealth,” according to the U.S. Geological Service. The skies have been powder puff pictures […]
Cucumber Salad This summery salad recipe, courtesy of the Indian restaurant Milan, has one possibly hard-to-find ingredient: the Indian spice powder Chat Masala. If you can’t find it to buy, directions are available online for mixing your own. 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces 1/2 small onion, cut into bite-sized pieces […]
Small bath blues Question for Kelly Pfeffer, partner and senior designer at Fifth Wall Design Group: How do you make a small bathroom feel bigger? Answer: Less is definitely more, says Pfeffer: “Keeping out the clutter by limiting the amount of stuff that is around your vanity top or on the back of the toilet […]
I sink so It was one of those ideas that grabs you and won’t let go: Instead of buying a boring sink vanity for the bathroom we were building, we decided to make our own using an antique piece of furniture. We can’t take credit for the concept—I’d seen a similar vanity in another house—but […]