I admire the entrepreneurial spirit, and passion about one’s work, and courage. So when Steve Broujos, a painting contractor and educator in Wilmington, Del., asked if I’d like to see his new book, I thought: Why not? The title is not exactly dynamic: “The Homeowner’s Guide to Surface Preparation for Interior House Painting.” But I’ll tell…
In 1990, he created a sensation with his hip-hop single, Ice Ice Baby. Two decades, several public controversies, and many life lessons later, Rob Van Winkle emerges from the shadow of his alter-ego, Vanilla Ice, to debut a mellow, more mature attitude and a new show, The Vanilla Ice Project, on the DIY Network. We spoke exclusively with…
One day, when I wasn’t looking, my once-charming front porch went from shabby chic to just plain disgusting. I waited for the crew from HGTV’s Curb Appeal to show up. When they didn’t come, I decided to take on the job. Here’s the porch I started with: As you can see, I had many challenges:…
What do you look for in flea market chairs? Kitty Bartholomew of HGTV fame shares two tips: 1) Look for chairs with a seat that can be taken off and recovered. Turn it over and see if there are screws holding the seat to the frame. If there are, the potential for recovering the seat…
When Jennifer Aniston’s home turned up in Architectural Digest last month, the bed in the master bedroom really caught my eye. As you can see above, it’s an oversized platform with two “ears” for low-slung night stands. I can imagine one of those ultra-comfortable memory foam mattresses sitting atop this platform. It’s just too yummy.…
There’s a good reason Lance Armstrong‘s kitchen is so comfortable and inviting. This is not merely a showplace, but the heart of a family home where the cycling superstar is raising three young children (he shares amicable joint custody with his former wife), and where he plans to live until his kids graduate from high…
In the middle of a home remodel this Valentine’s Day? No doubt it can be stressful. But instead of bickering and lashing out at the one you love, how about making this a time of sweetness? Here are some ideas to ensure a romantic weekend, despite all the dust and rubble: 1. If the kitchen…
The last time my sink clogged up, I tried muscle power and the force of a plunger to unclog the drain. When that failed miserably, I switched to liquid drain cleaner, then graduated to crystal drain cleaner and finally moved up to a thick gel. Nothing helped. At all. Finally, I called the plumber to…
From DIY Life: When the corner of my favorite wooden picture frame broke apart during a move, I pondered the ways I could fix it elegantly, preferably with a thin and quick-setting adhesive. Wood glue would be sloppy on the finely crafted joint and slow to set. In typical carpentry, a joint can be held…
State health officials say an increase in childhood lead poisoning cases in Iowa could be tied to the economic downturn. Kevin Officer, with the Iowa Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Lead Poisoning Prevention, says many people living in older homes are choosing to do their own repairs and they’re not always following lead-safe practices.…