Improve your overhead Question for Francesca Diggs, owner of The Feathered Nest: What are some things I can do to a plain drywall ceiling to make it an attractive part of the design of a room? Answer: Diggs says that whether you are working with new construction or planning a renovation, there are many ways […]
See shells “A box without hinges, key, or lid,Yet golden treasure inside is hid.” —from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit There is no simpler example of the miracle of life than the egg. It is to an animal what a seed is to a plant; it contains the genetic information, as well as the nourishment, that […]
So you want to build green, eh? You’ve come to the right year. Five years ago—heck, two years ago—if you were searching for an architect to design your sustainable house, a builder to put it together, or a store to supply its fixtures and finishes, you would have had far fewer choices than in 2008. […]
Haven’t been keeping up with our Green Scene section for the last couple of years? We forgive you. Here, in very condensed form, is some of the vocabulary you’ll need if you want to build a green home, green your current home, or just impress your friend the architect. Certifications LEED: Nationally touted green building […]
Last time we took a good look at the ecoMOD house in Fifeville, it had yet to be transformed into the high-concept dwelling designed and built by a team of UVA students. Back then, it was a ramshackle mid-19th-century home that had narrowly escaped demolition. So when it caught our eye this time—looking urban and […]
Need to get away from it all? Need a new easy chair? Says we, these goals are entirely compatible. We all know there’s lots of great shopping here in Charlottesville, but sometimes it’s fun to turn home-related quests into mini-adventures. Hop in the minivan, crank up the tunes and venture out to some of the […]
We love a house that’s completely at ease with itself. In the case of this Barracks-area home, that means a modern-as-modern sensibility that makes no apologies. It’s your basic double take: First you think, “Is that an extra-large outbuilding?” Then you notice the path, the bench and the domestic interior through the lofty, minimal glass-block […]
The grate war Going into outdoor cooking season, we all labor under the following maxim: Grilling is great. Cleaning is not. However, if you want to keep grilling, you’ve got to keep cleaning. Damn logic. Most hardware stores will recommend good old barbecue cleaner, steel wool (sold by them) and elbow grease (provided by you), […]
“It was this dark, stinky house.” So says Grier Murphy about her house on Hinton Avenue, back when she and her husband, Kevin, first saw it in 1999. At that point, it had been empty for a dozen years. Grier remembers, “Every square inch of the house—floors, every piece of woodwork, trim—was painted black. …The […]
Line up! Being part of the solution means different things to different people. Money saved, a smaller carbon footprint, and fresh-smelling sheets: Line-dried laundry is the solution that City Councilor David Brown has chosen for over 28 years. Your dryer is second only to the fridge as an energy-loser appliance, consuming 6-10 percent of home […]