June 2005

1716 LOCUST

Blessed with open highways, big cars and cheap gas, Americans in the '50s and 60s perfected the summer-vacation road trip.

Win a new home!

June

Tap into petal power to brighten your home and your outlook for summer.

Playing it easy

EASY LIVING IN COLOR AND STYLE

Within the walls of this old-style Florida cottage, an extended family gathers, invigorated by bold hues and architecture that's open and inviting.

Putting Flexibility to Work

In the February 2005 issue of Better Homes and Gardens, we announced the kickoff of our Better Home Better Living House: an innovative, affordable structure that's in step with priorities that matter most to you, our readers.

ALL-SUMMER GLORY

FAMILY-ROOM GARDENS

A California couple remakes their yard into outdoor rooms with plenty of space for their young son and the family dachshund to dash around.

BIG LEAF BEAUTY

Kong coleus' giant leaves aren't on steroids but the plants do expand with amazing speed. Grow them for bold color in a hurry.

SPECTACULAR COLEUS

Beautiful art in minutes

Ask the Expert

DOOR JAZZ

GREAT FIND: BRIGHT IDEAS

Eva's Magical Style

WHAT'S BUGGING YOU?

Picture Mats You Can Make

Innovations

Clever design is the star of our Better Home Better Living house, and we're keeping our eyes peeled for products that fit the bill. The finds shown here rate high on affordability and good looks.

MAKING PEACE WITH CLAY SOIL

Working on the premise "If you can't fix it, feature it," these first-time gardeners turned a boggy slope 20 miles northeast of Seattle into a water wonderland.

A KITCHEN WITH SPACE FOR ALL

A Southern California family combines three small rooms into one glorious kitchen area fit for cooking, art projects, and just being together.

A SUMMER OF LILIES

Lilies, with looks that range from elegant to exotic, take center stage in summer gardens with wave after wave of color.

BRINGING HOME THE BEACH

Interior designer John Fletcher brightens his 1930s St. Louis bungalow with the illusion of sand, sun, and surf.

SET SAILS FOR FAMILY PLAYTIME

Colorful sails stretch out to shade a play structure and adjoining "beach." Add a deck for grownups to lounge and what do you have? The ultimate outdoor living space in Nashville.

GREAT PLACES TO PERCH

GARDEN ART PARTY

Lynn Ducar of Illinois gathers friends and co-workers for a summer day of learning new garden crafts to decorate their yards.

STRIKE ONE UP FOR DAD

THE SECRET'S IN THE SAUCE

BETTER BY THE BOOK

SWIZZLE TIME

MAKING DAD'S FAVORITE PIE

Thinking out of the box

Puzzles, riddles, and other mind-exercising games can help your kids become smarter, more confident students. Guess how?

Discovering giants

For inspiration and exercise, pay a family visit to some of our national treasures-- champion trees, nature's majestic monuments

Charity begins at home

Volunteer in your community and share with your family the satisfaction and fun of helping others.

Take the ultimate family road trip

In the first of a 3-part series, Better Homes and Gardens® puts you on the path to a summer vacation filled with fun, adventure and relaxation.

Chic on a shoestring

Holly Mathis sorts swatches in her upstairs workroom, her base from which she brings budget-friendly decorating ideas to life.

The Look of Lush

Handsome iron gates lead into a coutyard at the entrance to Shelly and Bill Coglizer's house in California. Iggie relaxes between lavender-pink azaleas.

The right angle on comfort

René Huber-Brookshire and husband Seth designed the walnut-framed kitchen cabinets, with doors that wear high-gloss gray enamel. The breakfast bar stands only as tall as a dining table.

NEW GRILLING BOOK

SUMMER TOTE

EXCLUSIVE LOW-CARB DINNER TRIO

Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow

Over the course of several spring mornings, Ray Hull, a professor of audiology at Wichita State University in Kansas, walked around a university campus looking for students who were listening to music through headphones. As he found them, he tapped them on the shoulder and asked for their headsets in the name of science. Using an artificial ear, Hull measured the volume of the tunes streaming into the students' ears. Many readings were around 110 decibels. Some were 120.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Knit Your Way to Wellness

SUN SPOTS IN SPRING AND SUMMER

When Table Scraps Are Toxic

A Berth for Books

Rib-tickling reads are more than mere diversion: They're also a great way to heal. Research involving Loma Linda University students in California showed that a half-hour after they had chuckled at length, their stress hormone cortisol-- which suppresses the immune system-- fell 40 percent. And disease-fighting white blood cells shot up 25 percent, says study leader Lee Berk, Dr.Ph., of the university's School of Public Health and Medicine.

Father's Day Gift Guide

Stumped for a unique Father's Day gift? Try one of these health-oriented suggestions. REEL MOWER If you have a small lawn, help Dad mow it in old-school style. The well-reviewed Scotts 20-inch Green Classic Reel Mower relies on muscle power rather than gas. About $130 at Home Depot stores.

Alarm Yourself

TODDLING TOWARDS SUNBURN

BUZZ NEW HELP FOR INSOMNIA

MY Television IS TOO FAT

All they're advertising these days are flat-screens, and all I have are far-screens: chubby televisions with hump backs staring blankly at me from every room. When company comes, I'm embarrassed that my TVs reveal me for the low-tech wreck that I am. But replacing them won't be easy. Seductive though those model-thin flat-screens are, they're also intimidating. LCD? HDTV? What is the definition of High Definition? Is there really blood running through a plasma TV? I did some homework to find out.