In September we feel the weight of the summer. For gardeners, it is a time of hot, sunny days punctuated with late evening watering sessions, themselves punctuated with mosquitoes and other pests. The first tomatoes arrived to much fanfare in July (or perhaps June, for those willing to gamble with frost dates). Favorite dishes have […]

 For a lot of renters, a lease does more than simply bind them financially to their landlords for 12 months. Many of us are faced with leases that read like the 10 Commandments of Design: Thou shalt not paint the walls. Thou shalt not tear out the ugly carpet. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s […]

Invented in the late 19th century, the combination square is one of those tools that modern technology really can’t improve upon. In its basic form, the combo square consists of a 12" metal ruler and a sliding, triangular head with two flat surfaces—one that measures 45 degrees; the other, 90 degrees. Squares can be used […]

  Lock it up   “Easier to put together than IKEA,” proclaims the website for Ecolok Furniture. Actually, there’s a lot more to like about this company than the guarantee of a quick assembly. Ecolok furniture is shipped flat, saving space and increasing its portability. There are no nails, tools, fasteners, hot-glue guns, or duct […]

  Color us smitten Something about red roof, yellow house always makes us look twice. In the case of this Locust Grove head-turner, we keep on looking because of the classic proportions, inviting ground-level porch and snazzy black shutters. Looks well-loved, and with good reason.                     […]

  According to the Ball Blue Book 1974 edition, there are four general classes of pickle—brined, fresh-pack, relishes, and fruit pickles. Fruit pickles often consist of whole fruits (pears, peaches, and watermelon rind, for instance) that are simmered in a spiced, sweetened syrup and stored in the same. Relishes are chopped, seasoned, and cooked vegetables […]

 There’s nothing like watching an episode of “Hoarders” to make you feel buried alive, boxed in, and like a slave to your own possessions and space. Cut to me in my front yard with a change box, half of my belongings covered with sale tags, and a poster reading “Everything Must Go.”    In all […]

 Though it sounds like a dating device, the stud finder has nothing to do with landing a man, unless you’re planning to hang him on your wall from a picture hook. This small, handheld tool ensures that your trophies, whatever they may be, stay safely in place by identifying where the wooden supports run behind […]

Sticks and stones Problem: Creating play space in a small backyard “We couldn’t get grass to grow,” says Trisha Willingham of her tiny, shaded backyard, “so we laid down stones instead.” Her home is located in a neighborhood off Rose Hill Drive, and the backyard—in addition to being small—is mostly covered by the overhang of […]

True colors, including green   How to design your garden by color? You may think you’re beyond color theory, or it’s beyond you. Oh, just let it all froth up in a Monet-like jumble and somehow everything will work out. But a successful impressionist miasma requires room for a whole bunch of different flowers and […]