Located off the back of the house, down a narrow stair in the basement, or tucked into a corner of the kitchen, the pantry is more than a storage closet. Stocked with food staples and household supplies, it represents forethought, stability, and a kind of practical wisdom. Surveying the shelves bowed under the weight of […]
You want to build a new house. It will be a family home, not a mansion, so you don’t need an architect. It will look more or less traditional, and provide a sound investment in real estate. You get a book of mail order plans from the public library or a building supply store, or […]
On a map of Charlottesville, West Main Street lies smack in the middle of the city. For almost two centuries, this central location has attracted commerce, and it flourished in two waves. A third wave is currently rising in hotels and dining, or what is called the hospitality industry. A local business association has even […]
Sustainability, energy conservation, wise use of natural resources, recycling, save the earth—these are all related ideas, and timely, given rapid development in much of the world and the fact of global warming. “Green design” is the latest form of the idea, especially as it relates to manufactured products and buildings. Buildings, including houses, use more […]
Barbara Taylor Moore, an organist, piano teacher, and volunteer firefighter, was born in Charlottesville to a family that goes back several generations in the area. If that makes her a rare bird, it also gives her a trove of ancestors and anecdotes
What’s more, the front porch is an American tradition, part of our way of life, with a long history and deep cultural meaning—so deep that we are not always conscious of it. If you intend to build a new house or alter an existing one, consider adding a porch. From a practical point of view, […]
A barrel-chested man with a white beard and a casual manner, James “Ike” Eichling strikes up a conversation on anything, anywhere. He is most often found in his Downtown Mall shop, Ike’s Underground, an emporium for vintage clothes, furnishings, magazines, and other artifacts. Located below street level, that is where he sits most days, and […]