If Macy’s and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are recalling 1 million Martha Stewart enamel cast iron casserole dishes, and you are an avid cook, it’s possible you have one of these. They are kind of cute. Should you care about the recall? You decide. Here are the details: Hazard: The enamel coating on the…
Have you ever been turned down by a remodeling company or a tradesperson? You may have been rejected, but a savvy contractor’s manner of turning down clients may be so artful that you don’t even realize it happened. All you know is that you’re calling other companies. First, why would a potential client be rejected…
So you’re doing some remodeling and it occurs to you that, hey, you can hang the drywall yourself and save some money. How hard could it be? You just nail some paper-covered chalk board to the studs and voila! You’re an expert. Whoa! Hold on there. I want you to hear me out. I think…
What is the most critical, dangerous, life-threatening problem of our time? Carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. Everything else — political discord, economic downturns, loss of freedoms — can be changed fairly quickly. But once those greenhouse gases become trapped in the atmosphere, they will be there for a long, long, long time. And…
Here’s an embarrassing situation: Your air conditioner stops working so you call out the repair company. When they arrive, they’re puzzled to see a bare concrete slab where your air conditioner used to be. Your AC has been stolen. This happens and not infrequently, unfortunately. Thieves can sell the copper in an AC unit for…
In case you’re not familiar with central Florida, let me break it down for you: it’s HOT, HOT, HOT. And humid. Think sunshine, thunder and flash rain storms in the summer. So what does this mean? Houses in hot and humid climates need to be built differently from those in, say, cool and dry climates.…
In most communities, garage sale signs are so ubiquitous as to be a nuisance. After all, most of us have too much stuff and we need to get rid of it. And these days, to pocket some cash is a happy thing. But in New Orleans, which got flooded in 2005 when the defective federal…
Here are a few hints: This bright foyer is in Los Angeles. The owner or owners are known for being quirky. Yep, that’s a big hand sculpture on the table. So whose is it? Click HERE to see the answer See more Famous Folks at Home
How can you go wrong with this combination? (click on photo for a larger view) This lovely raised Creole cottage just off Marconi near City Park is luminous with its periwinkle lap siding, softly yellow doors and bright white trim. It’s simple and stunning. Siding: Periwinkle blue Trim: White Doors: Yellow Roofing: Gray
Or, I guess I should ask: DID you hate your bathroom? And did you do something about it? If so, a new DIY Network television show called “I Hate My Bath” is looking for DIYers who have remodeled their bathroom, taking the room from bland to beautiful. As part of the show, they will have…
As you may know, Brad Pitt helped create the Make It Right Foundation, which has the goal of building 150 new homes in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans. The area was decimated when the defective walls of the Industrial Canal gave way after Hurricane Katrina blew past, making the destruction part of the…