June 1992

AH-H-H-H SUMMERTIME, WHEN LIVING IS OUTDOORS

This month is our annual outdoor living issue, made especially significant for us because it's the 15th anniversary of this special section. Actually, I'm sure we've been at it a lot longer than that. I remember working on outdoor living projects way back in the early '60s, when I was a young pup of an editor on the Better Homes and Gardens staff.

HOME STYLE

Gardenlike furnishings and accessories coax dreary rooms into bloom and keep them flowering all year.

Pretty And Practical PORCHES

Sure, a couple of rusty lawn chairs and a cement slab will do-- but why not turn your warm-weather sitting spot into an especially beckoning retreat. To do it, simply take comfort cues from the inside of your home. This potpourri of porches will show you how.

SCHOOL SUCCESS

Education is too important to entrust to the schools alone. But who has time to help these days? Surprise: You do! We've gathered seven simple steps you can take to ensure your child's success in school.

OUTDOOR LIVING Family Style

Grown-up pleasures and childhood delights blend wishes of every member of the family, their harmoniously in Nancy and Doug Abbey's spacious yard sets a dramatic summertime stage for hours San Francisco backyard. Granting the warm-weather of wholesome gardening, fun, and relaxation.

SQUEEZING A SPA INTO A TINY YARD

Old-fashioned Comforts

In the good old summertime, Marilyn Cornell enjoys the simple luxuries of her San Diego backyard. Marilyn's old-fashioned oasis suits her vintage house and offers open-air pleasures that are both affordable and fun.

A Splash Of The Southwest

A sunbathed southwestern-style courtyard offers Leslie Ayers the laid-back lifestyle she enjoys. Not even the subdued traffic sounds from the other side of the wall can disturb the peace she's created in back of her St. Louis rowhouse.

PROJECTS YOU CAN BUILD Outdoors

Catch the spirit of summer by building one of our stylish outdoor projects. For the more complicated designs, we offer complete plans (see page 106).

PLAN FOR PRIVACY

TURN YOUR POOL INTO A PARADISE

A swimming pool can offer much more than a place to cool off and swim laps. Integrated into a complete landscape plan, the best pool designs transform a backyard into your own private paradise.

SWIMMING POOL SAFETY TIPS

A swimming pool can be the focal point for family fun. However, the health benefits of owning a pool are accompanied by some sobering safety concerns. Sadly, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States for children less than five years of age.

TAKE COVER Your bed's topcoat

Even if you can't judge a book by its cover, what covers your bed is important in terms of looks and livability. Here are the facts.

SHEET SUCCESS Looking for linens

Thread count? Percale? Muslin? These facts will help you choose what to put under your bed's top covers.

REVIVING A TINY BATH

Big-time style ideas abound in this pint-size bathroom. Just look around to glean some useful design tips from Ruth Lord's simple yet special restoration of her historical home's second floor bathroom.

NEUTRAL TERRITORY

White walls, a white sofa, and a neutral floor offer a great decorating backdrop because they don't fight a room's accents for attention. Let neutrals ride solo, however, and they can leave you a little cold. Thaw out a white scheme with just the right accessories.

HANG IT UP

Blanket a blank wall in color using a stunning, sizable textile. Beautiful quilts, woven rugs, or unusual fabrics turn bare spots in hallways, above beds, and over sofas into arty focal points. Here's how to hang textiles on your walls.

QUALITY HOME PLANS

Here's a home with a style fit for any neighborhood and a terrific plan for growing families.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

With each recipe, we give nutrition information. We list the calorie count of each serving and the amount, in grams, of fat, cholesterol, protein, carbohydrate, sodium, and fiber.

A FOOD EDITORS' COOKBOOK TO HELP HOMELESS FAMILIES

The growing problem of homelessness touched the hearts of the food editors at Better Homes and Gardens magazine. We asked ourselves, "What can we do to give homeless families a better life?" Our answer: Food Editors' Treasured Recipes, a cookbook that benefits The Better Homes Foundation.

LOW-COST VACATIONING IN GREAT STATE PARKS

State parks are among our nation's best-kept secrets, providing delightful getaways for lovers of the great outdoors-- at a bargain-basement cost. Families can camp, swim, boat, fish, hike, watch for wildlife, and join nature programs. Some state parks even have golf courses and tennis courts. Most charge a nominal entry fee. Camping ranges from $3 to $7, and hookups run about $10 a night. What if you aren't a camper? Many parks rent cabins, but they're popular, so book early.

KEEP YOUR CAR SHINING

How do you take care of a car's finish? Wash it when it's dirty, and wax it once, maybe twice, a year.

PET NUTRITION

Choosing a pet food these days can be as confusing as picking a cereal for your family.

GOOD BOOKS FOR COMPLICATED PROBLEMS

Many Americans have found that today's environmental choices, from water filters to pesticides to energy-efficient appliances, are anything but simple. So where do you find in-depth information when a home-related environmental problem requires serious study?

Shopping editor's choice

Discover the ease and pleasure of shopping by mail. Order from the convenience of your own home with complete confidence.

THE MAN NEXT DOOR

Ned Carter reports that his auto mechanic has narrowed down the possible reasons that Ned's clunker stalls in rainy weather. "Joe says it's either a carburetor problem or low self-esteem," reports Ned.