Erika Howsare

“Lucky” is the word you apply to Michael Williams as he leads you up the long flight of stairs to his apartment above a Downtown Mall bank. After all, most people don’t get to sit in their living rooms, looking out over the city’s bustling heart, above the fray yet deliciously within reach. But Williams […]

So you’ve decided to repaint a room or two—fantastic. Chosen a color yet? No? You’re sure to wind up in a position that’s both thrilling and terrifying: standing in front of the wall of color chips at the paint or hardware store. Knowing this position bewilders many would-be Picassos, I enlisted an expert to walk […]

“Perfect,” you’re liable to think as you pull into the yellow-gravel driveway of the little cottage in Free Union. It couldn’t be more quintessentially Albemarle: Set back from a winding country road in a yard with lovely trees and understated landscaping, it has a cute-as-a-button gabled profile, a sheltered porch in front and an open […]

1. Which of the following is a fabulous remedy for cleaning up spills in your oven?A. Inviting your mom over. B. Tossing a towel in there and waiting a few months.C. Sprinkling the spill with salt while the oven’s still hot, then wiping with a sponge once it’s cooled.D. A hose. 2. Crumpled-up, black-and-white newsprint […]

You can’t get away without cleaning your house. (Well, you can hire someone to do it for you, but if you’re reading this we bet you fall just outside that particular category.) And no amount of supermarket-style perkiness can disguise the, well, down-and-dirty nature of the chore. You’re on your knees, you’re up to your […]

Well, now you’ve done it. You’re throwing a dinner party in one hour. The soufflé is in the oven and well on its way to greatness, well-chosen wines are chilling or breathing according to their needs, and oh-so-tasteful music is cued up on the stereo. And your house is a frigging mess. Here’s how to […]

Yes, disinfecting is important (see above). And no, you can’t do it with your Superman laser-gaze. But that doesn’t mean you need bleach. “People think there’s nothing else that can disinfect, but it’s just not true,” says Elizabeth Dance, owner of local earth-friendly cleaning service Eco Clean. Dance uses hydrogen peroxide instead, which lacks bleach’s […]