September 1999

Between friends

Revving Up Ready-Mades

With a few inexpensive trims or some clever crafting, standard store-bought curtains can go from simply so-so to oh-so-sophisticated.

Every room is a stage

Whether the occasion is a birthday party, Sunday dinner, or cocktails with the boss, setting the scene can be as simple as choosing the right location, then searching your cupboards and closets for a few good props.

Sunny outlook for a '60s ranch

Looking at them now, though, they seem quirky with their boxy floor plans, walls that block views, and time-warp finishes. Donna and Gordon Hamilton stumbled upon these very problems when they first walked into this 1962 ranch-- but they couldn't resist the idea of one-level living with amazing views of a Washington lake. To the Hamiltons, it was prime remodeling territory.

Curtain Stamping

Ring in a New Topper

Set a theme for your window the same way you would for a special dinner-- with cloth napkins and matching napkin rings.

Literary Retreats

Reading tastes range from classics and poetry to the latest courtroom thrillers. Whatever your preference, having a quiet spot where you can settle down and lose yourself in a book makes reading even more enjoyable.

Decorating Q&A

Q: I'm planning to paint several rooms in my house. I have the wall and trim colors picked out but am confused by the various finishes available. Which one is better?

Three Multipurpose Laundry Rooms

Nowadays, laundries have come up from the basement and taken on new functions, Here's proof-- times three-- that a well-planned utility room can do lots more than laundry.

The Magic of Carpet

Endless variety can make it tough to commit to a fuzzy flooring. To help you narrow the field, notice how the same room changes with different choices. Then read on for the lowdown on establishing style from the ground up.

Charming Cottage Facelift

A lake-country cottage embraces summer as if every day were a holiday. Breezy porches set the stage-- the posts beckon you to hang out a flag, and the steps make room for kids to sit back and bite into thick slices of juicy watermelon.

User-Friendly Front Entries

Your formal front entry is too important to get short shrift when you're building or remodeling. Putting extra thought into its design can give your entry more than just a pretty face.

Preserving Flowers

Lighting Up a Dark Den

One new floor, two skylights, and three cans of white paint went a long way toward transforming what was a dark, dreary den into a bright and welcoming family room. "It was lost in all the darkness," Joyce Merkle says of the old space in her and husband Bernie's Westlake Village, California, home. But with the help of several family members, the couple renewed the room, making it everyone's favorite sunny space.

Bathroom planner

In years past, bathrooms were viewed purely as utilitarian rooms, furnished in plain and practical ways. Practicality is still in vogue, but today we want baths splashed with panache and sprinkled with bits of luxury. Who can resist tubs that bubble, showers that steam (with mirrors that don't), and bars that warm towels? Even no-nonsense types who never linger in the shower can appreciate a grooming area where shadows don't obscure the face in the mirror and where the toothbrush, hairbrush, and cosmetic brush don't mingle.

Pick a pack of paper

Stop by any office supply store and you'll discover how many different types of paper you can buy for your computer printer. Not all papers are the same, and while some types cost less than a penny a sheet, you may want to spend a little more depending on what you're printing.

A Bug's Life

Beaming its bright smile through the fog of nostalgia, the New Beetle charmed its way into the hearts of 85,400 buyers last year to become 1998's most successful new model.

A Good Soaking

Sometimes "You're all wet" is a compliment. Here's a liquid look at tips, gadgetry, and innovations that make thirsty landscapes wonderfully wet.

High-Wire Act

Here's how to build a formal-looking vine pole that helps flowering climbers do what they do best. Vine poles can be exclamation points in a garden bed. They can spread color up drab backdrops, such as garages or featureless walls. They can even help muffle the noise of the neighborhood.

Mighty Aphrodite

Lavender and Lace

Borders That Flow

Watering When You're Away

When flowers are forever

Forget whatever algorithmic formulas and quadratic equations you may have overheard about drying flowers. The process is not at all daunting. You don't even have to grow the traditional "everlastings" to preserve flowers and bring them indoors. In fact, says Betsy Williams, flower-saver nonpareil, you can dry just about anything. Whatever flowers you have handy, give 'em a whirl. "Try the unexpected," she says, suggesting berries, ferns, seed pods, branches, even entire plants.

PIONEER SPIRIT

Finding your true self sometimes means doing the one thing no one would have expected. For Sandra Holtzinger, that meant pulling up stakes and making a new life in the country. Let her gutsy style-- a blend of cowboy nostalgia and rustic romance-- inspire you to explore your own style frontiers.

Little luxuries

Everyone deserves to be pampered now and then. We asked our readers to let their imaginations run wild. If they could have anything their hearts desired, how would they spoil themselves or someone they love? Their answer: It's the little things that mean the most.

2 additions

When the family grows, so must the house. But don't fall into the trap of adding purely utilitarian square footage. Follow the lead of these homeowners and see how an addition can complement your home's interior and exterior style, while providing the needed elbowroom. By keeping an eye on the site, potential views, and position of the sun, you'll be able to craft an easy-living plan where the family loves to live.

Is Ritalin Right?

At least 2 million children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder take Ritalin and related stimulants. Are these medications miracle cures, or are we simply teaching a generation of children to turn to drugs to solve their problems?

Hit the books

The bell rings and you're off-- headed back to school. We've got everything to get you ready for this exciting time of year, from cool bookmarks to scrumptious after-school snacks. So what are you waiting for? Get booking!

Halloween!

Kids love cookies, so they'll certainly have fun cutting out and decorating these not-so-scary treats. Just use your favorite sugar cookie recipe (adding cocoa for chocolate versions). Our Halloween Cookie-Making Kit contains a giant spider-web cutter (about 6 inches in diameter), plus spider, pumpkin, bat, ghost, and scary cat cutters (about 2 inches each). You'll also receive a 3¾-ounce plastic dispenser containing four different Halloween sprinkles.

The Shopper's Mart

The man next door