April 2001

Indoor Grilling Guide

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What Hue Are You?

Dream a Garden

BH&G TV

In sixteenth-century France, the start of the new year was observed on April 1. But in 1562, a new calendar was introduced and New Year's Day was changed to the first of January. Some of the French who hadn't heard about the change continued to celebrate on April 1, and people played tricks on them and called them "April Fools." But there's nothing foolish about watching Better Homes and Gardens Television this month.

Between friends

Paint Techniques

Put It in Reverse Even tried-and-true paint techniques look brand new when you combine unexpected colors with updated designs. Here, light-colored flowers on a darker glazed wall look hand-painted at first glance. But the technique, called reverse stenciling, is more foolproof than that. Instead of using a stencil to paint a design on a surface, this method is exactly opposite: You paint the wall, but not the design. You can cut a stencil any shape-- flowers, clouds, letters, shells, or other motifs in the room.

All-season mantels

Just a cracking fire singnals fall's arrival, let your mantel reflect the changing seasons. Personality pieces from around the house and garden will spark up your displays.

Parent TRAP

Are you a spilled box of crayons away from going crazy over kids' clutter? Get a grip on the mess by using a clever combination of make-it-yourself storage projects and purchased organizing products.

Built-Ins for Snug Spaces

New-Look Appliances

Harvest gold, avocado green, and copper-colored appliances once were all the rage, but now they're reminders of color trends we'd rather forget. As long as an appliance is in good working shape, why not treat it to a makeover? Here are the two basic options.

Close-Quarters Kitchen

Jane Christino and Joe Wolnski had big plans for their gloomy little box of a kitchen. The Illinois couple wanted more light, an efficient work space, and styling in character with their 1920s-era home. This was a tall order, considering that the home's lot lines and their budget had room for only two modest bump-outs.

Fabulous Facelifts

A home's true character is sometimes marred with an awkward addition or shoddy detailing. Architect Doug Walter specializes in turning these ugly ducklings into neighborhood gems. Here are four of his Denver-area projects-- and four great ideas for achieving fabulous facelifts.

Four-in-One Home Office

Four Seasons Stitcheries Painting Tools

Urban Growth Too Much of a Good Thing?

Rapid growth is changing the face of our towns and cities-- and not necessarily for the better. Is growth something you should be concerned about?

6 steps to stronger families

Twenty-five years of research involving 14,000 families has uncovered this secret to building a stronger family: It takes commitment. Successful families-- those that avoid the daily dissension that often leads to divorce or abandonment-- build a wall of shared commitment around themselves, says Nick Stinnett, lead researcher and professor of human development and family studies at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Going to the playground?

Have fun. But remember, playgrounds can be dangerous. Each year, about 200,000 children end up in hospital emergency rooms with playground injuries-- many involving falls from too-high equipment onto too-hard surfaces. Nearly 70 percent of the injuries happen on public playgrounds, which recent studies show may be badly designed, with inadequate protective surfaces and poorly maintained equipment.

Steer Clear of a Nasty Rollover

Top-heavy sport/utility vehicles get low scores in new rollover resistance testing done by the federal highway safety agency. In the first group of vehicles rated (see list, page 108), only one, the Honda Accord sedan, received the best rating of five stars-- indicating a rollover risk of less than 10 percent.

Did You Know?

IMPORTANT MESSAGE!

Allergy-Smart Gardens

LOW-ALLERGEN PLANTS

LOW-ALLERGEN GARDENING

Zinnias To Go

GardenKeeper

Garden Critters

A Winning Streak

looking good

Perfect pairs

READER SHOPPING

The weed roundup

Feeling edgy

From bare to beautiful

The difference between nearly naked and lushly landscaped is a matter of a few plants and one growing season. To illustrate the point, we photographed three yards in and around Des Moines, Iowa, as their owners transformed corners of empty lawn into gorgeous gardens.

Long-blooming perennials

Not all perennials are created equal. Here are nine of the best-- dependable plants that flower tirelessly. ...

Zero-effort zinnias

Enter the Zinnia Zone, where plants are tall or small, flowers are button- to bouquet-size, and blooms come in any color you have in mind-- the brighter the better.

Let's play house

Courtney and Catherine Alpeter have a secret to tell: Life is fun and games at their house. Their mom's lighthearted decorating has put a smile on the face of their traditional suburban Minneapolis home.

Rooms for sun days

A light-filled room decked out with garden-inspired furniture. Fabrics in freshly picked colors. Accessories that hint at the great outdoors. All these invite you to bask in the beauty of nature-- whether you are alone with a relaxing cup of tea or together with family and friends. Ready for the sunny tour? Two brilliantly set sunrooms beckon.

Nutrition Information

With each recipe, we give important nutrition information. The calorie count of each serving and the amount, in grams, of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, and protein will help you keep tabs on what you eat.

Dino-mite

Don't look now, but there's a dinosaur on your head! No need to panic-- this is a lovable, poseable sillysaurus that you can make yourself, along with a fierce finger puppet or two.

The Shopper's Mart

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

The family next door