DEAR GAIL: We have a wall unit in our family room with a set of bookcases on each side of the TV armoire that’s just been junked up with books. We have a lot of books we’d like to keep but some can go. How do I go about decorating them so that they look nice? — Carolynn M.
Home and Garden
As condo living increases, for many of us balconies have become our summer backyards. Tiny in comparison, with concrete instead of grass underfoot, it may at first feel like a poor swap. But there is much you can do with a little space, and the best way to enjoy it is to design the balcony as an extension of your indoor living space. If you are just starting out, there are alternatives in outdoor seating that will help you set the style, and you can hide the concrete floor and walls too.
Amy and Rory were living the dream. Well, almost.
Before there were photographs and television, some of the best likenesses of important people were created by makers of ceramics.
It’s Independence Day and time to celebrate.
When the thermometer hits the triple digits, most of us want to just spend the day hanging around. And most of us have probably not given much thought to which type of rope is the best for the backyard hammock.
: I have these pale green, 1/2-inch transparent flying objects that remind me of moths. What are they and are they a threat to my small, young fruit trees?
Sometimes, all the logic in the world is still not enough. Perhaps it’s human nature, but we can be extremely resistant to change, even when the preponderance of evidence indicates otherwise.
Undermounted lighting and fancy molding are great ways to dress up a boring cabinet door. But unusual knobs, handles or drawer pulls are an even better way to infuse a room with personality and style.
DEAR DESIGNER: I have treasures from Spain I would like to display in my home. I live in the desert and I like Southwest style. Can these two styles be blended successfully? Is Southwest décor in style? — Randy
In the 1950s, America’s best-known folk-art woodcarver was Wilhelm Schimmel of Cumberland Valley, Pa. A carved eagle by this man was the dream of many a collector. His pieces, even then, went for thousands of dollars, and each was one of a kind.
The object of my desire was a red or gold garden seat. You know, those awesome ceramic or porcelain accessories that can be used as a seat or a side table, plant stand or anything your little heart yearns for. So, back to my quest. I went to a specific home store because I knew that its millions of items were mostly separated by color. How easy to shop.
Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher, once said that “Necessity is the mother of invention.” But in the case of Mary Jo Bass, a mother’s necessity resulted in an invention.
: We have an upstairs bedroom that leads into a Jack-and-Jill bathroom. The entry into this bathroom has a swinging door that should have been a sliding pocket door. We would like to install a sliding door in its place. How difficult and/or feasible is this?