May 1989

OUR KIND OF ARCHITECT

I've always had a sort of love-hate relationship with architecture and architects. I love wonderful houses and grand buildings. I admire the famous architects-- Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe, I. M. Pei-- but, I also get very irritated with buildings that don't work very well for the people who use them and with architects who put aesthetics before practicality.

BED AND BREAKFAST FOR BIRDS

TINY TOOLS FOR YOUNG SPROUTS

Willow In the Wild

COUNT ONLY SUNNY HOURS

CATCH A SUMMER BREEZE

Carefully Choreographed Chaos

A CUT ABOVE THE REST

Flowers of a Color Bloom Together

HELPING HOMELESS FAMILIES

MORE GOOD NEWS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING

SUPER WOOD FROM DOWN UNDER

CAMPUS CRIME

On many American campuses, violence and crime are as much a part of life as final exams. Students and parents need to know about this alarming trend, and how to avoid becoming victims.

OVERCOMING INFERTILITY

Our son Ben began, I suppose, the night MASH ended. I was watching the last minutes of that TV show's moving final episode when Jane, my wife, burst through the front doorway in tears, and wailed about trying again to get pregnant. Sometimes they come as spiders, sneaking up your legs. Just as often, they are kitties, climbing on your back. Regardless of the mode of attack, the outcome is always the same-- a group hug followed by some playful tickling with our giggling 2-year-olds.

DECK OUT SOME SUMMER SPACE FOR SUNNING, DINING, JUST PLAIN RELAXING

ARTFUL GARAGE CONVERSION

BAY-WINDOW BATH

DISPOSING OF FLAMMABLES

Many remodeling projects leave you with unused products that are flammable and toxic. Use these disposal guidelines.

COPING WITH MOLDING

Moldings are the crowning touch to a room, and easy to install-- until you come to the corners. Here's a tip on a saw and a technique that carpenters use to fit those wily curves together.

AFFORDABLE Style

"We're ordinary people who find beauty in ordinary things. The challenge? What can we put together today that will make us feel at home?"

WHAT YOU WANT IN A NEW HOME TODAY

AMERICA'S TOP FAMILY-HOME AND AWARD-WINNING ARCHITECT SHARES HIS ELEMENTS OF GOOD DESIGN

CORNER PANTRY SMALL-SPACE STORAGE

Think diagonal! If you're stumped for storage space in the kitchen, take a closer look at the corners. This once overlooked 90-degree nuisance became a big, roomy pantry without cluttering up the floor plan.

LESS-IS-MORE LOTS

Today's developers offset rising land costs by building more houses per acre. Does less land mean less livability? Not where good design shapes the plan. Use these pointers to spot the best small-site developments in your area.

PERENNIAL PARTNERSHIPS

HOW TO COMBINE PLANTS FOR BEAUTIFUL BLOOMS SEASON TO SEASON, YEAR AFTER YEAR

ENERGY-EFFICIENT ENTRY

INSTALL A HARDWOOD FLOOR

Lay a floor in a day or less? To find out, we ordered some bundles of Harris-Tarkett's Long-strip laminated planks and "floated" them on polyethylene foam over a wood subfloor-- a speedy installation system recommended by Harris-Tarkett, Bruce, and other makers.

IS YOUR BANK SAFE?

With faltering financial institutions so much in the news, you might well be concerned about your money's security. Here's what to look for and what you should do.

FLOWERS FOR YOUR TABLE

Textural sphagnum moss set into pale blue ceramic tiles creates a "take notice" tabletop for a garden brunch or buffet. Cover your table with a layer of protective cloth, then lay loose tiles in place and intersperse squares of moss. Ordinary wildflowers complement the rustic nature of the small wooden crate.

ADOPT A PET!

Secondhand dogs come from many places-- animal shelters, the street, a friend who's moving. These uprooted pets have one thing in common: They need special care to surmount the hardships they've endured. Love and sympathy provide a good start.

PETS AND RABIES

First the good news: Nationwide, rabies cases among pets are half what they were a decade ago. The Center for Disease Control's most recent figures report 557 cases of the disease in pets. The bad news: Rabies outbreaks still occur.

NEW-CAR LINGO

Car ads and brochures are full of phrases and labels reflecting recent technological strides that may baffle the uninitiated. How do you know what you're getting-- or if you want it? You won't always have a choice:

50 FAVORITE FAMILY RESORTS

We searched the country, and here's what we learned: A truly great family resort provides lots of activities for everybody, rain or shine, and a hassle-free atmosphere that lets you really relax. Clean rooms and good food rank high. And, quality service shows in every detail. Choose your own favorite resort from the list we've compiled. The symbols below will help you decide.

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

Our friend Lynda Pearce says she never regrets taking a couple years off to care for her new baby. "I thought the crying and whining would drive me crazy at first," she explains, "but my boss eventually calmed down."