September 1983

Editor At Large

You may have noticed on the cover that we're launching a contest this month, a nationwide search for "America's Favorite Rooms." Since the project is my idea, I'd like to tell you a little about it.

FOR PERSONS WHO CARE ABOUT CATS

"DOLLAR-STRETCHING DECORATING"

UP WITH FAMILIES

"MOTHER OF EXILES" NEARS 100

OLYMPICS PLANNER

NEW BREED OF FAMILY VEHICLE

HELP FOR FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS?

SALT-WATCHERS TAKE HEART

Tougher Standards In Our High Schools

This fall, schools across the country will be opening for the first time in the shadow of last spring's scathing report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education. The report decried the "rising tide of mediocrity" in U.S. education, particularly at the high school level.

Sponge and Splatter

Satisfy the urge to be creative even if you don't consider yourself a Rembrandt. With sponge and splatter painting you can create quick and easy "masterpieces" from everyday accessories (above). Your imagination is the key; paints, brushes, and sponges are the tools. Just dip your brush or sponge in paint and let yourself go on baskets, bowls, linens, almost anything! To try this foolproof paint technique, choose from our roomful of projects and accessories shown here and on the next pages.

Creating Your Own STYLE

Style. What does it really mean? In homes, true style has little to do with fads and fashion. Instead, it's an expression of your taste and interests. What's your style? If you're not sure, forget the labels and ask yourself what makes you comfortable. Do you favor sink-in seating pieces or something tailored? Do you like personal clutter or streamlined organization?

AMERICA'S FAVORITE ROOMS DECORATING CONTEST

See Your Room Pictured in Better Homes and Gardens and Win Cash Prizes

Planning Furniture Purchases

Thoughtful planning of home furnishings purchases ensures years of enjoyment from them. Here are some tips to get you started.

Fireside Sitting Spot

If you're lucky enough to have a beautiful fireplace in your home, you'll want to play it up as a decorative asset.

Buying Wood Furniture and Upholstery

Furniture pieces carry certain clues about the quality of their materials and construction. Keeping these special points in mind when you shop makes it easier to choose pieces that are good values for the money. Here are two checklists that can help you pinpoint these features in wood furniture and upholstery.

Carpet Buying Guide

For comfort, warmth, and decorative value underfoot, nothing beats a well-carpeted floor. When you team these benefits with lasting quality and easy care, it's simple to see why carpet is a popular choice. Since carpet is a sizable investment, it pays to do your homework before you buy.

A Room to Grow Up In

A comfortable, well-planned kid's room depends on how the space is used, rather than on its size. In this small tract-house bedroom, furnishings are flexible and simply styled so they can "grow up" and change with any child. The room arrangement provides plenty of space for work, play, and sleeping overnight guests.

Bird-Care Basics

Keeping a bird as a pet is fairly easy and inexpensive. In return, you'll reap the rewards of affection, entertainment, and companionship that these sociable little creatures provide. Like all pets, however, birds require basic care and attention.

Mortgage Refinancing What's Your Best Strategy?

If you got stuck with an expensive mortgage during that high-interest crunch a couple of years ago, you're probably frustrated by the much lower rates you see advertised these days. After all, a fixed-rate mortgage that runs three or four percentage points higher than today's rates is probably costing you $150 to $200 more a month than you would be paying for a loan of the same amount at current interest rates.

PAINTING TOOLS

TINY PUMP

HOME PRESSER

FITNESS GYM

LEAN-TO SHELVES

EASY AWNING

SOAP 'N SHOWER

Gardener's Log

A clump of peonies will reward you every spring for many years with six- to eight-inch-wide single, semidouble, or double blossoms. In the single category, try Barrington Belle (red with golden centers) or Krinkled White (white with yellow centers). Coral Charm (coral-peach with yellow centers) and Red Glory (red) are two favorites on the semidouble list.

Christmas Make-Aheads: A MENAGERIE OF Animal Crafts Projects

Animal lovers on your holiday gift list will be charmed by these enchanting fabric pets. With our five exclusive designs, you'll want to start stitching and painting now to create a menagerie of crafty critters. Choose from a fair isle cat, cross-stitch bear, patchwork pig, tapestry cow, or crewel sheep. Then, stitch a quilt, pillows, or miniature sachets. For more delightful ideas, please turn the page.

Easy-Care Chrysanthemums FOR GLORIOUS FALL COLOR

Few garden flowers are as versatile as chrysanthemums. These hardy perennials adapt to most garden sites and are available in many sizes and colors.

Solar Additions THAT HEAT YOUR HOME

In the '50s and '60s, we seldom paid attention to the effect a room addition would have on our utility bills. Now, after a number of dizzying changes, fuel costs are almost as big a factor as price tag. That's why it pays families who are planning additions to design rooms that produce their own heat and, if possible, contribute excess warmth to the rest of the house.

DISCOVERING AMERICA'S EXOTIC WETLANDS

Families who love the great outdoors find that the nation's swamps and marshes are an endless source of joy and wonder. These wetlands abound in an incredible variety of wildlife-- from fish to waterfowl, from rarely seen mammals like otters to exotic reptiles. The flora is equally fascinating. Depending on the particular ecosystem, you can experience a number of different environments. For example, you can explore amidst tangled mangrove and gnarled cypress, in bulrush thickets and sawgrass prairies, on waterways covered with lily pads and bordered by voracious insect-eating plants.

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.

How to Order Material from the Magazine

The Man Next Door

"Ever notice how some phrases that used to be familiar ape heard less and less these days," says our new neighbor Betty Bigley, "like 'spare cash'?"