In the days or weeks between the time you choose your house colors and the day the paint goes on, doubt can creep in. “Oh, man, that’s bright,” the painting contractor thought when he visited the house with the colors I wanted him to match. “It looks like clown colors,” his lead man told him.…
What’s the deal with ivy? It climbs where it’s not wanted, chokes and kills most other greenery in its path and harbors bugs and spiders. Why would anybody plant this stuff? These are my thoughts as I work to get my home ready for painting. I practically need a crowbar to get ivy "ropes" out…
I’m not one for choosing house colors by coordinating paint chips at the paint store. For me, a better method is to walk around neighborhoods until a house gives me a visceral, emotional, oh-my-gosh reaction. I already walk everyday at 5 p.m., listening on headphones to "All Things Considered" on NPR. And so as I’ve…
Let me be blunt: My house looks like a crack house. How else do you explain the peeling paint, drafty single-pane windows, leaky fixtures, falling-down fences and overall look of neglect? Before I explain the sorry state of affairs, I’m happy to report that this will all be changing in the next few months (and…
The good news is that I have a perfect example of a bathroom that breaks some of the basic rules of green building. The bad news is, the bathroom is in my house. Ideally, to cut back on energy use, a bathroom should have natural light and natural ventilation. This bathroom has neither. Despite the…
I’m considering a pedestal sink for my 40-square-foot bathroom and I wonder if it’s a mistake. It’s exactly what I want for the space, and it’s consistent with the vintage look of the house. But I’ve been warned by a designer I respect that I will regret installing that sink and that I will eventually…