November 2005

1716 LOCUST

We've built the best new home in America and thousands of you had a hand in it. When you answered our Better Home Better Living survey last year, you helped us draft the design criteria for our Better Home Better Living house. With this house, we wrapped your top needs and wants into one innovative and beautiful package.

MAKE YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER A SUCCESS!

THANKSGIVING DÉCOR

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Setting a place for memories

Some families gather in the same beloved dining room every Thanksgiving, celebrating the holiday with recipes that have become rituals. Mike and Connie Miller, who have moved eight times in 20 years of marriage, found a different kind of tradition for their family of five.

A New Tradition to Cherish

On Thanksgiving morning at Isabelle and Charley Carroll's coastal Virginia home, the crisp air carries a hint of salt from the tidal creek behind the house, mingling with the aroma of breakfast. Indoors, there's cooking and commotion; everyone is talking and laughing and planning the day.

Natural Wonders

This month, take a naturalist approach to your home and create a miniature museum of found curiosities and stylish accents.

To Grandma's house we go

Whether you're traveling over the river, through the woods, or along the freeway, going home to count your blessings is one reason why

A CUE FROM THE SEA

Subtle nautical details, smart storage, and inviting landscaping transform a lackluster Connecticut home into a cozy seaside cottage.

Embracing life--and pattern

KITCHEN ALFRESCO

It's a plaid, plaid world

Clever guest rooms

THE WRIGHT LOOK FOR THE TIMES

Street Smarts

CUSTOM ON CALL

Power in Numbers

QUICK-CHANGE ARTIST

Innovations

WINTER IN BLOOM

ROOM FOR PRIZE FINDS

Careful editing and an eye for detail make this 250-square-foot apartment owned by a California designer feel lively and sumptuous.

GREEN PEACE AND QUIET

A couple builds their dream place-- a comfy retreat outside Austin, Texas-- that lets them feel good about their home's efficiency and sustainability.

RURAL ROOTS MEET URBAN STYLE

Nuances of the Heartland in this cozy urban condo are proof that this city dweller remains true to his country roots.

A GARDEN ON THE WILD SIDE

When New Yorkers started gardening at their remote country home, they took their cues from the forest surrounding them.

SERENITY MEETS SURPRISE

Asian landscape style and rugged natural elements are skillfully combined in a Seattle garden full of unexpected delights.

HARMONY TIMES THREE

A blend of ingenuity and craftsmanship, this fireplace hits a graceful note with an intriguing mix of wood, marble, and concrete.

Add Warmth with Copper

STYLISH STOPPERS

Scoop Up Dessert

Large and substantial with a deep oval well, this old-fashioned server is perfect for scooping any type of fruit or composed salad from a large bowl. Combine it with a cold-meat for kand you have a salad set as well. And berry spoons are handy for any dish requiring a generous scoop or a dollop.

FROZEN GRAPES

Pass the Salt & Pepper

Spirit of the Heartland

Morning After Thanksgiving

Best Friends and Brownies

KEEPING new promises

In the final installment of our Resolutions series, find out if one family met their goals, and learn new strategies to fulfill your own.

Virtual family reunions

Bring distant relatives closer to home with simple-to-use devices and Web services that let you share pictures, video, and stories instantly.

FAVORITE family rituals

Every family has its own fun and unusual traditions. Celebrate yours-- or adopt new ones-- as you head into the new year.

SOUP-ER SPOONS

FRUIT GIFT BOX

FIGHTING teen abuse

When young love turns destructive, parents can make a difference. These strategies protect abused teens while reinforcing their confidence.

Sharpen their senses

Engage your child's sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch by staging a five-event "Sensory Olympics." You'll activate their sense of wonder too.

A HOME FOR ALL STAGES

For our Better Home Better Living House, we wanted an innovative floor plan that could flex with your evolving lifestyle. Here's how we made it happen.

A COMMUNITY FOR LIFE

Welcome to the neighborhood! Just like our Better Home Better Living house, Atlanta's Vickery community is designed with quality of life in mind.

Better Homes and Gardens Prentsents the BETTER HOME BETTER LIVING HOUSE

We've built the best new home in America. It lives, works, and plays as hard as you do.

PASTRY ESSENTIALS

MITTEN MEN

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.

BETTER HOME BETTER LIVING HOUSE SPONSORS AND CONTRIBUTORS

A host of companies provided innovative products and smart design to help us build the Better Home Better Living house shown on pages 203-226. On the following pages, you'll find an exhaustive listing of the resources we used to give our house the latest in comfort and convenience.

COMPANY coming

The welcome that company gets in our house isn't always as smooth as we'd like. We're nervous, we can't get the coat hangers in the sleeves, the lid on the olive jar refuses to budge. We fret and we wonder: Was there ever a time when families entertained more graciously, when they effortlessly gathered friends for fierce yet friendly games of bridge and to watch plays put on by the kids?