Timely Home Improvement News from the Washington Post:
- The ultimate budget decorating February 1, 2012My name is Terri, and I’m a serial redecorator. I admit it, and I’m not ashamed. Because as vices go, I don’t think this is a bad one. Unless, of course, you are my husband. On many days he can be found schlepping large pieces of furniture around our house, rehanging heavy mirrors and shelves or patiently holding a piece of fabric against a wall or chair so I can stand back for a better perspective. Read full article >>Terri Sapienza
- Get organized in 20 minutes January 25, 2012Whether your home is 700 square feet or 7,000, having organized spaces will make your life easier and less stressful, says professional organizer Rachel Strisik, who is based in Bethesda. Here, she offers three household projects that should each take about 20 minutes to accomplish. Read full article >>Terri Sapienza
- How To: Synchronize an antique clock February 1, 2012Q I have an 18th-century French mantel clock. It runs quite well, but its chimes are not properly synchronized with the time, so I hear things like nine chimes at 7:30 and one chime at noon. How do I find a reputable clock repair place? Read full article >>Jeanne Huber
- How To: Clean antique fabric January 25, 2012Q. Where can I go to get a radiator cover? Not the 1950s style, but just something that looks good? A. A good carpenter or cabinet maker can probably help you, or you can go to a company that advertises its expertise in this area, such as SMK Enterprises (877-768-8072, www.smkenterprises.org) or Lloyd Pitts Custom Cabinetry (301-599-1616, www.lloydpitts.com). Both make regular deliveries to Washington and surrounding areas. Send questions to localliving@washpost.com . Put “How To” in the subject line, tell us where you live and try to include a photo. Read full article >>Jeanne Huber
- Fixing a noisy water-source heat pump January 18, 2012Q. I live in a condo that is heated and cooled by a water-source, electric heat pump. From what I understand, it’s an unusual system for a residential building. There is no outdoor space or even a balcony, so the unit is inside the apartment in a utility closet. The unit, probably the condenser, is extremely noisy. In a small space like my condominium, it’s similar to the constant noise on a jet airplane. Is there anything that can be done about the noise? With all the condo construction that took place during the housing boom, this must be a fairly common problem. Read full article >>Jeanne Huber
- How gardens grow during a mild winter February 1, 2012Perhaps the notion of a “normal” winter or any other season is nothing more than an artifice to protect us from the taunts of the weather gods. Normal, we discover, is not a constant. It changes with where you live and how long you have lived. My formative years in England brought February walks alongside frost-crusted wheat fields. I searched for puddles that were frozen, so I could smash them with my boot as if they were panes of glass. Rarely were they frozen solid. Usually, the “glass” was eggshell thin, unhappily. Read full article >>Adrian Higgins
- Garden journal Hortus marks 25 years January 25, 2012A curious throwback to the analog age landed in my mailbox the other day. Hortus, a journal of garden writing, is the size of a slim paperback but printed on heavy, ivory colored stock and illustrated with line drawings and wood engravings. Read full article >>Adrian Higgins
- Tomato talk: Pro gardeners’ favorites January 18, 2012Political punditry has its place, but the breathless and incessant chatter about the presidential race can become wearisome, even in Washington. Tomatoes, on the other hand, that’s a topic that transcends tedium. Read full article >>Adrian Higgins
- Why you should try pelleted seeds February 1, 2012Some seeds are a joy to plant. Poke a pea, a bean or a kernel of corn into a straight furrow and you can easily see what you have just done. You can guarantee that if the seeds germinate well, they will be correctly spaced, and each plant will have just the right amount of earth it needs to grow in. These are the seeds we hand to children when they are learning how to garden. Read full article >>Barbara Damrosch
- Featured Advertiser February 1, 2012
- Why you should grow garlic chives January 25, 2012I sometimes wonder why garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) are not as commonly grown as regular chives (Allium schoenoprasum). They are hardy perennials and just as easy to grow. Like regular chives, they can spread and become too much of a good thing. But more likely, they’re just less familiar and slower to creep into our kitchens. Read full article >>Barbara Damrosch
- For the best apple pie, don’t rely on Granny Smith January 18, 2012The apple was not born here, although in a pie there is no fruit more American. As to what goes into that pie, feelings run strong. Should the crust be made with butter, shortening, lard or two of those combined? Should you get fancy with spices, nuts and raisins, or stay pure? Most important of all, what kind of apples should you use? If you’re a gardener with an eye to spring planting, you might also be wondering what kind of pie apple to grow. Read full article >>
- How to shop smart when buying a television January 25, 2012Read full article >>Jura Koncius
- Handy guide: Ranges December 20, 2011Read full article >>Jura Koncius
- Featured Advertiser December 20, 2011
- Microwaves find their niche October 26, 2011The microwave showed up on many American kitchen counters in the 1970s, a giant metal box that promised to zap food on demand. In the 1980s, the pre-programmed popcorn key started a rage for the new version of the snack. Sales of microwaves skyrocketed. Read full article >>Jura Koncius
- Featured Advertiser October 26, 2011
- House Calls: Studio apartment makeover, living room February 1, 2012Grace Maldarelli, a medical student in Baltimore, finally has her own apartment and calls herself an “absolute design novice.” She says her 330-square-foot studio unit (kitchen, living space and bedroom, all in one) feels “impersonal” and lacks cohesiveness. Maldarelli wants to decorate but doesn’t know where to begin. Her requests are simple: She loves warm, muted colors and needs plenty of shelving for her schoolbooks. But the space is a challenge: With white walls, white wall-to-wall carpet and a 7-by-6-foot sleeping alcove, it hardly feels like home. Read full article >>Megan Buerger
- House Calls: Guest bedroom makeover January 18, 2012After spending their honeymoon in Florence, Shawna and Will Smith of Potomac want to give their guest room a “Florentine feel.” The hurdles: Finding a proper place for the TV and adding art to spruce up the bare walls. Read full article >>Megan buerger
- A Burke, Va family room gets a fresh makeover January 11, 2012Stephanie Kane of Burke says her 13-by-22-foot family room “is suffering from clutter and gloominess.” She needs more storage, a place for the television and child-friendly furniture. Designer Lisa Montague de-clutters and creates a fresh and modern space for the whole family. Read full article >>Terri Sapienza
