One man’s band: A few tips for buying the groom’s ring

Ooohs and aaahs are normal for women’s wedding ring sets, but the same attention isn’t given to men’s wedding bands. In the spirit of gender equality, we spoke with Rob Matthews, store manager of Fink’s Jewelers, about the top five things men should know before buying their bling of wedded bliss. 1. Mix and match. […]

Orchard hopping: apples and peaches and family fun

At summer’s end comes fall’s bounty. Yes, it’s apple season alright – and also grape, raspberry, peach and pear season, with pumpkins on the way. Add in strawberries, blueberries and cherries, plums, apricots and nectarines, and central Virginia orchards offer something healthy and delicious year ‘round. “Apples have been grown in Albemarle County since Jefferson’s […]

Yard sales: declutter your home and earn extra cash

According to a recent University of California (UCLA) study, U.S. households have more possessions per home than any society in all of global history. Furthermore, the study reveals that clutter attributes to increased levels of stress in many American households. In fact, cleaning up the litter in your home not only provides additional space, but […]

Historic properties

What makes a home historic? Is it the age of the structure, the year it was built? Is it an historically significant architectural style, along with excellent craftsmanship that exemplifies and clarifies that style? Is it that headline-making history “was made here?” History is whatever we choose to value, but however we define it, we’re […]

The floor: your fifth wall

A home’s floor is, in many ways, the fifth wall of any room. Many people know exactly what they want on that “wall.” Case in point: Lorraine Krebs in Nelson County who had a couple non-negotiable house-hunting items. “I wanted hardwood floors,” she declares. “If there were stairs, I wanted hardwood steps. I wanted a […]

September ABODE! In this month’s issue…

The September issue of Abode is on stands now (and find a digital copy below). Here’s what’s inside… A Q&A with Alloy Workshop architect and co-owner Dan Zimmerman. New dorms on Alderman Road. The low-down on what you should be looking for in a built-in. A peek inside designer/retailer Moyanne Harding‘s Lynchburg home. A woody […]

Bedding up: On Alderman Road, bigger and better student digs

One thing about first-year college students: Year after year, they just keep showing up. In pursuit of better places for those folks to bed down, UVA has spent the last nine years building eight new structures on Alderman Road, a massive project that replaces older dorms built in the 1960s. With the first new building, […]