Porch places
A trend in some larger cities right now has neighbors restoring the old-fashioned front porch culture that once flourished in most towns. That means they sit in plain view of […]
Showing off at The Homestead
Ever wonder how Thomas Jefferson might decorate his dream house today? Warrenton-based designer Barry Dixon has an answer, and it’s writ large in the 2007 Southern Accents Showhouse at The […]
Go nuts with your laundry
What on earth? This is what we first thought when we encountered Maggie’s Soap Nuts—dried fruit from the Chinese Soapberry tree—billed as an all-natural, biodegradable replacement for chemical laundry detergents. […]
Cobs of fun
Mark Jones of Cismont, with the help of friends and neighbors, is in the process of building an outdoor oven from cob. The material is also used to build houses […]
The taxman goeth green
Good news for current and future owners of energy-efficient homes: The City of Charlottesville is working to cut you a deal on your real estate tax. Following in the footsteps […]
Balance sheet buzz
Charlottesville is holding its own as a leader in Virginia’s green-building movement. At least that’s what we thought when we saw the list of 2007 Green Innovation Award winners recognized […]
The evolution of the window
I do believe cavemen (I’m sorry—cavepeople) would have grooved to many of the old houses in Charlottesville. There are windows in most or all the rooms, but they don’t amount […]
Shelter sites you don't want to miss
Where there’s a wiki, there’s a waywww.Wikihow.com If you’re raring to go on some new shelter project but haven’t a clue on specifics, you might want to try Wikihow.com, a […]
Turn it around
The country is about to be awash in retired Baby Boomers, and don’t think folks in the financial industry haven’t taken notice. The first wave of Boomers turned 60 this […]
Glass acts
It’s easy to forget they’re there—after all, you can see right through them. But make no mistake: There aren’t many parts of your house more important than the windows. They […]