Water leisure venues like swimming pools and waterparks are lots of fun and great places to enjoy recreation together as a family. Of course, the key to having the most fun is to be safe in the water. You can greatly reduce the chances of you, your friends or family members becoming drowning victims or being sickened or injured if you follow a few simple safety tips:
Home and Garden
: I have five orange trees that stand about 12 feet tall. They were mature when I bought the house and I have taken care of them for the past four years. My problem is the fruit looks good and smells good, but tastes bad. I tried taking the fruit at different times of maturity, but there’s no difference. Are these just ornamental or can they be edible?
Purchasing a swimming pool or hot tub is no small investment. However, if you look at it just that way, as an investment, it quickly becomes clear that it can be a very smart one.
Since we live in the desert it seems only natural that when the time comes to create the perfect backyard, water will somehow be involved.
Manny and Patricia are ready to get married. They already have a gorgeous 1920s house with loads of character, but are waiting until after they tie the knot to move in together.
Getting dressed was more complicated for a well-to-do woman in the 19th century. She wore undergarments, a camisole, petticoats, a laced corset, long stockings, shoes, a dress and accessories. To help with this project, furniture designers invented the slipper chair for the bedroom. It’s a chair with short legs that put the seat about 15 inches from the floor instead of the more normal 17 to 18 inches. That meant it was possible to bend only slightly to reach your feet to put on slippers (shoes) and stockings.
Pottery Barn Kids recently debuted its new collection featuring the beloved stories and whimsical illustrations from Dr. Seuss’ books.
Inspiration is defined as “a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul of a man.” It’s that heavenly muse that all creative people ultimately rely on, and it must have been operating at warp speed the day my wife, interior designer Barbara Woolf, and I were touring the new beach home of a client that asked us to design his little cottage by the sea.
Other than the basement, the attic is the part of the home most often adapted to new uses. So I suppose the attic will soon be given a new name. Once remodeled, a basement typically becomes “the lower level.” And while “upper level” may be the obvious candidate to designate the attic’s new identity, I don’t think that’s going to catch on — too much potential for confusion with the second floor of a home. Nominations, anyone?
Whether you are building new, renovating a home or decorating a rental, today’s marketplace and today’s consumers are focused more than ever on earth-friendly, sustainable products. It has become a mantra that is more than a trend, but a way of life that will help us to live in healthier homes long into the future. With knowledge comes strength and purpose; the more we know about the growth and reusability of materials and products we purchase, the wiser our choices.
Even in today’s economy, where people are reluctant to make major financial commitments, there comes a time when it becomes obvious that your home’s decor is in need of a little TLC.
Softsoap is pumping up the décor in American homes with a new Ensemble.
Hiking is one of my favorite activities since I love reconnecting with the natural world. Safety is always No. 1 so I try to avoid paths that get too close to dangerous cliffs. Call it self-preservation. I’m also not a speed demon, preferring to savor the experience — noticing the details.
It’s summertime and while George Gershwin may believe that “the livin’ is easy,” it’s also stylish and comfortable.
: I read your column on draining a water heater and it worked great. However, as I went to turn off the plastic drain faucet, it continued to drip. Is there a washer or something I can replace, or will this turn into a long, drawn-out project?