I never planned on creating a gathering place for frogs, known as a froggery. But I did nevertheless. It started with a simple fountain on my back patio, which I set up in a pot to hear the sound of water. I added some water plants for variety. One day, as I was adding fresh…
After the overhead cabinet came down in Joni’s kitchen, and sunlight from the back yard flooded in, she said: Ten years! I’ve wanted to do that for 10 years! With a $1,000 budget, she wants to update and brighten the kitchen, giving it what she calls a coffee-house feeling of comfort. Now, it just looks…
For a cool contemporary home, these DIY paintings might be fun and flexible. These look so sophisticated. But actually, they’re simply canvases stretched on wood frames covered liberally with gesso-thickened paint. And where in the world would artists be without the miracle of gesso? Just moving one colored canvas in or out of a scene…
Men, could this be true? You’re abandoning your man-caves for man-kitchens and man-patios? This emerging (get it?) trend was announced in a press release for ReVision, a remodeling company that won an award for the outdoor man-kitchen you see here. Todd Senft, from the Canadian remodeling company, said the project was created for “a young…
Patti here, blogging about the kitchen remodel I’m helping my friend and fellow nurse Joni accomplish in her SoCal condo. I blogged about the beginning of this project last week. On Saturday my husband, Gary, and I stopped by to help. And Joni’s next-door neighbor helped as well. I appreciate all your votes on the…
So I asked the guys at my local paint store about no-VOC and low-VOC paints. As you may know, VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, but you could also call them volatile chemical compounds. They are emitted as gases from paints and glues and sealants and other products and make people sick. Or, as the…
The title of this post is a joke, of course, because there is no charge for clinics at Home Depot, Lowe’s and other places. It’s just a matter of signing up and showing up. The clinic I attended today consisted of a talented guy named Zac in aisle No. 7 with a table and some…
The Human Footprint will be on the National Geographic Channel on Sunday at 9 p.m. The subtitle is: Everything you eat. Everything you drink. Everything you use. Your entire life’s consumption in one place at one time. The website includes these 10 ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Here’s my status and my goals. Post…
. . . to create awesome remodels. Based on my experiences, here’s my list: 1. Being clear about what you want 2. Becoming clear about your budget 3. Getting professional design advice 4. Checking out the companies you’re considering 5. Not taking the lowest bid 6. Sticking to the plan during construction 7. Not overestimating…
During these lovely spring days, your thoughts may turn to buying an inexpensive metal garden swing with a charming fabric canopy. I have one short piece of advice for you: DON’T DO IT! Pictured here (bottom) is one of these swings I spotted on a SoCal balcony. The metal is rusted. The fabric is rotted…