January 1998

Between friends

'98 trends interior design garden building

It may be a madcap world out there, but you'll find fresh ways to give hassles the heave-ho. As our sampling for 1998 attests, a host of new products and ideas now hitting the market are geared to make life more user-friendly-- and turn your home into an oasis of comfort.

Border Art

Single-Stroke Color

Mix It Up

When you love the look of mix-and-match patterns but are afraid to venture beyond prematched fabrics and wallpapers, take heart. A few simple tips can help you create a marriage that's all your own.

Learning a Language

Four-year-old Alexandra Demers talks to her toy animals in Japanese. At snack time, she spontaneously shifts to French, "Jus de pomme, s'il vous plaît" ("apple juice, please"). Lindsay Swan at age 8 shows an ability to carry on a basic conversation in French without the slightest English accent.

Holiday Thank-Yous

Tips for parents to encourage, cajole, bribe, or inspire children to write thank-you letters.

TOP 10 FASTEST GROWING SPORTS

Our picks 1998

If you didn't already suspect as much, let's get one thing straight right now: Even grizzled garden editors kill plants.

Reader shopping

Better Homes and Gardens magazine has done the shopping for you! Many of the "picks" shown in this gardening feature can be purchased directly from us.

3 Family Rooms Grow Up

No matter how you do the math, six children, two bedrooms, and two baths just don't add up to one happy family.

Statement Kitchens

Some architectural styles embrace us with a certain warmth, even in a space that's just four walls and a ceiling.

The (fun) art of saying thank you

In a blizzard of wrapping and ribbons, the holiday season brings toys, software, books, and clothing. But whether the gifts are big or small, many or few, good manners mean saying thank you-- even for the socks that are a size too big. With the ideas on the following pages (and more on page 44 in "Holiday Thank-Yous"), it doesn't have to be a chore. Be creative. Have fun. Impress your relatives! (And keep atop their shopping lists).

The Shopper's Mart

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

The man next door