CREATIVE SOLUTION | This curlicue cousin of the commercially available metal plant stake is made with 12-gauge T-bar ceiling hanger wire, which comes in a bundle of precut lengths that are perfect for supporting garden smaller plants. Read more
CREATIVE SOLUTION | Plants potted up for the house are more than just leaves, stems and blossoms. They’re landscapes in miniature, with every aspect of their situation—the pot, the soil cover, the setting—adding to or detracting from the presentation. When I want my indoor plants to look all of a piece, I start by making associations. Read more
DO IT YOURSELF | Oil lamps are probably never going to replace candles as a readily available ambient light source, but they are a viable and attractive alternative. The oil lamps you see these days, like the stylish ones by the German company Radius Design pictured above, are essentially just a wick threaded through a bead that sits on top of a bottle filled with lamp oil. This kind of decorative oil lamp is very easy to make. Read more
DO IT YOURSELF | When schedules clash and you just can’t connect, timing is everything. Leaving notes has become part of our regular routine. This make-it-yourself message board is one place you are bound to look. Read more
DO IT YOURSELF | Before I moved back into my 1920s home, I had a lovely tenant with impeccable taste who lived there for several years. When she asked if she could repaint, I gladly gave her and her decorator the go ahead, and they mostly did a great job respecting the original design.
My heart sank though when I discovered that she had also painted the tiles on the fireplace surround and hearth. The results looked cheap and more than a little tacky. I was prepared for major expense and a big mess to replace the tiles. Read more