October 1981

EDITOR at large

In the background of the room setting pictured below-- a reduced version of the first big photograph in our main decorating story this month-- you see a woman gazing wistfully out of the window. Her name is Pat Atkins, and the room is in her house. You see her near the end of a long, trying day.

Why Your Youngster Should Learn A Foreign Language

Warum Ihr Kind eine Fremdsprache lernen sollte Por qué sus niños deberian aprender una lengua extranjera Pourquoi votre enfant devrait apprendre une langue étrangère

Apple Buymanship

Apples and fall just naturally go together. To make the most of this year's harvest, brush up on the apple varieties and try some that may be new to you and your family. To start you off right, here are a few tips on choosing and using apples to the best advantage, plus a clip-and-save chart with thumbnail descriptions of 12 common varieties:

A HIGH-STYLE SEWING & LAUNDRY CENTER YOU CAN BUILD

Traditionally, the sewing area has been banished to a back room or basement, but that needn't be the case. This classy built-in sewing center (complete with a compact washer and dryer) is located right at the end of a living room.

Fireplace Inserts

If your home is equipped with one of the nation's 20 million masonry fireplaces, you've probably enjoyed many cozy evenings watching its crackling fires. What you couldn't watch (and wouldn't have enjoyed) was the endless trail of warm, expensive household air racing up the chimney.

SOLAR CONVERSIONS: ADD A KITCHEN SUNSPACE

Double the benefits with a duplex add-on Can you spot the solar sunspace in the photo of this duplex (top left)? Chances are good you'd never notice it unless the owners pointed out the sun-gathering expanse of skylights and the sliding glass doors that span both halves of their duplex.

How to Borrow Against What You Own

Your hard-earned solid assets, such as the equity in your home and the cash value of your life insurance, must not influence day-to-day spending decisions. But in a crunch, or in the event of an exceptional business opportunity, you probably have much more collateral available for loans than you may think. What's more, interest rates often are lower on loans backed up by your property.

Home Fire Extinguishers

No home fire extinguisher, no matter how powerful, can substitute for your local fire department any more than a bottle of aspirin can replace a physician. Yet if chosen with care and installed in the right location, even a small extinguisher can save some of your valuables from going up in smoke, and might save your life.

Antiques & COLLECTIBLES

More and more people these days are collecting old boxes. They're readily available in a wide variety of types, sizes, and shapes. And because they once were used to store almost everything, old boxes are an interesting link to our country's past.

What Home Mechanics Can Learn From the Pros

How do professional mechanics manage to repair dozens of cars in a day? Certainly skill is a factor, as are the special tools mechanics use. But there are tricks of the trade as well, and you'll find some of the most helpful ones listed below.

A GUIDE TO Home Recording Equipment

One of the simplest ways to upgrade your home hi-fi system is to add a tape recording and playback unit. With it, you can record your own music and eliminate most of the dust and wear problems that are common with records. You also can record the performances of the musicians in your family.

Dual-purpose speakers

Three-step ceiling system

Low-cost ice cream maker

Food preservation system

Compact kitchen machine

SHOPPING FOR Upholstered Furniture

A sofa or upholstered chair is a major investment that should pay off in many years of service. But because the construction of these pieces is hidden beneath layers of fabric and filling, it's difficult to tell just what you're buying. Fortunately, there are ways to size up upholstered furniture before you buy. Here's a rundown on how to shop and what quality points to look for.

How to Shape Up a Small Kitchen

In a tiny kitchen, even small changes can make a big difference. Here are some tips that can make your undersized work space function more efficiently.

What to Consider Before Buying a Horse

Sooner or later, many parents are bound to be asked: "Please, may I have a horse?" Already some 3.5 million Americans own horses, and their numbers are growing. But before you agree to buy your youngster his or her very own Trigger, consider the matter carefully.

Tips, Tools, and TECHNIQUES

This feature is written by you. It's a wide-ranging collection of shop hints, installation tips, and repair shortcuts that you-- along with millions like you-- have picked up from your experience as a do-it-yourselfer. We pay $25 for each problem solver we publish. See the box below for submission details.

AFFORDABLE Elegance

During the '60s and '70s, elegance was in short supply in America. Blue jeans became the national costume. Strident supergraphics and pop art gripped our attention.

Fair Isle Knitting

Why pay colossal prices for handmade fashions when you can make them yourself with inexpensive, easy-care yarns in nature's colors of the sand and sea? Fair Isle patterns, which traveled from Spain to the British Isles with sailors of the Spanish Armada, form horizontal stripes of multicolored designs. Although the traditional designs are intricate, our simplified patterns are easy to knit.

PARTY PERFECT TABLE SETTING

The essential ingredients for an elegant party are good food, good friends, and a gracious atmosphere. Atmosphere is the most elusive, but you can create a convivial mood without spending a mint-- and here's the proof.

An Efficient, Easy-Care Kitchen

When you set out to add a new kitchen to your house, you're well ahead if you know precisely what you want. These homeowners did: They wanted a minimum-maintenance room with loads of work space. Here's how they achieved their goal.

Free Information for Overseas Travelers

The more you know before you go abroad, the smoother your trip should be. Luckily, there's a world of up-to-date material available-- and usually it's free for the asking. Here's where to look:

A Step-Saving Kitchen Remodeling

Looking for a way to make your oversize kitchen easier to work in? This recently remodeled kitchen holds some space-planning ideas you may be able to use. The key to streamlining the large kitchen was to move the three major appliances (sink, range, refrigerator) as close together as possible.

Vegetarian Diet Tips

If you are presently on a vegetarian diet or are considering one, the following suggestions can help you decide which foods to include. A qualified nutritionist can also be a great help in planning your diet.

Focal-Point Collections

Instead of stashing collectibles away, why not make them an inte gral part of your home's decor? As these three examples show, a well- displayed collection can become the focal point for an entire room.

Pressed Flower Tips

Offbeat End Tables

A Barn-Door Divider

Gardener's log

Wrap every young deciduous tree with a long strip of burlap or tree tape to avoid sunscald. This problem occurs when the bark of the tree is warmed during the day by the winter sun and then is suddenly subjected to freezing temperatures at night. The burlap or tape acts as a protective barrier until the tree is old enough to develop its own thick bark.

Big City

There's lots to love about big city vacations-- the hustle-bustle excitement, sight-seeing, shopping, sports, dining, cultural happenings. And despite sky-high prices, you still can join in the fun. In fact, if you plan in advance, set a spending limit, and stick to it, you can enjoy vacationing in the country's major metropolises-- and pocket the change after your visit.

Shopping editor's choice

Discover the ease and pleasure of shopping by mail. Order from the convenience of your own home with complete confidence. If not delighted, each company will happily refund your money.

The Man Next Door

Burt, Jr., has signed up for a wilderness survival course offered by the local YMCA. According to Chris, the training will be a great success if Burt learns nothing more than how to survive without potato chips and TV for a few days.