November 2006

BETWEEN FRIENDS

These days, it seems as though everyone's cooking. A friend of mine tells me that her children, ages 8 and 4, no longer beg to watch Saturday morning cartoons. Instead they tune in to their favorite food show, oohing and aahing over every flip of the spatula. Then they rush to the kitchen to try out their latest recipes.

100 DAYS of Holidays

PERFECT ROASTING

HOLIDAY DECOR

CUSTOMER SERVICE ON BHG.COM

Harvest Style

Pick a few fresh ideas for dressing the house.

Get Pattern Happy

Florals, stripes, and other cheerful motifs put a smile on a once-drab sunroom.

Making It Family-Size

A California couple transforms their beloved cottage into a spirited home for a family of four, with the help of savvy professionals.

Blissful Bedrooms

When the days grow shorter, the urge to nest kicks in. These three rooms set the scene for warmth, whimsy, and curl-up comfort.

Bedtime Chic

Fall is here and it's time to cozy into a warm and beautiful bed. Embellish plain sheets and duvet covers to create 4 custom looks.

Make a Splash

Revamp a tired guest bath with a few easy and luxurious additions. A tweak here, some color there will make your quests feel like VIPs.

What a Dish

It's hip to share!

Shapely sectioned dishes will wow crowds this holiday season by putting tasty nibbles at everyone's fingertips. Remember: White is right for making foods look their best.

Pumpkin Pie Goes Nutty

FOR THE PANTRY

Buttered Up

THE GO-TO BOWL

At Your Service

So Handy

Look Who's Turning 50

The Better Homes and Gardens home decorating book is turning 50, and what better way to celebrate than to take a trip down memory lane? The newly released Decorating the American Home highlights the highs (the invention of TV) and lows (paneling, shag carpet) of the '50s, when homeowners began hightailing it to the suburbs for then-modern ranches and split-levels.

Finishing Touch

ENERGY STAR

Orlo Stitt built a 5,492-square-foot home with a monthly energy bill averaging $94. The feat garnered the green builder from Rogers, Arkansas, a 2006 EnergyValue Housing Gold Award and the "People's Choice" Award by the National Association of Home Builders.

Build Smart

Keep the Best, Update the Rest

A cost-conscious makeover in San Diego plays up the best of a midcentury-modern ranch-style home.

New Heart of the Home

New parents transform the dark ground-floor kitchen of this 1904 Brooklyn brownstone into a cozy, light-filled, family-friendly hub.

Hands-Down Clever

Do mittens and gloves in your coat closet suffer the same fate as socks in the dryer? Look to the kitchen for a simple solution.

Media Room Basics

Learn the latest in electronics, and kick back in comfort.

STYLE FOR A WHILE

With a few simple but smart changes, a bland Manhattan apartment becomes a comfortable home for a young family in transition.

Artfully Furnished

A craftsman's sculptural pieces refresh an old bungalow.

New Vision for a Vintage Kitchen

A remodeling updates, yet respects the history of a 19th-century home in San Francisco.

Digs for Two

A mom keeps peace and gives her two teenage daughters privacy with smart and colorful room-dividing solutions.

Wrapped To Go

Streamline your gift-wrapping supplies with a portable storage station and papers to fit any occasion.

A Garden in Pots

Flowers, herbs-- even soaring evergreens-- grow in pots on this rooftop patio. Up here, the challenges are to reduce weight and increase privacy.

Japanese Maples

These brilliant trees offer the finest fall color of all the maples, with a shape and size for every landscape. Get in on the fun.

Backyard for All

At odds with today's hurried tempos, a Tucson couple makes room to slow down, whiling away the hours on their patio with family and friends.

HANDMADE MEMORIES

CITRUS GIFT BOX

Crazy for Collecting

Old-time sprinklers, watering cans, and whirligigs that catch this Tacoma couple's eye bring humor and a carnival spirit to the garden.

Thanksgiving Feast

Capture the sensorial appeal of this food-laden holiday with aromatic products sure to keep you in a Thanksgiving frame of mind long after you've left the table.

JAPANESE MAPLE COLLECTION

A Man of Many Colors

Thanks to this Chicago man, paint, people, and parades all come together for a day.

Smart Ways to Bounce Back

Bad breaks happen, but when you know how to overcome them, you'll grow stronger than ever.

In Touch, Online

When it comes to using the Web to connect with loved ones, e-mail is just the beginning.

Can We Talk?

Yes, you can bring back the art of family conversation and promote trust and respect at the same time.

Feminine Charm

Anne Grubb is a serious collector-- of cast-offs. Her passion creates a home of comfort and irresistible playfulness.

Grand Finale

As the growing season winds down, this Oregon garden celebrates autumn with plenty of flash and dazzle.

Vintage by the Numbers

A Georgia artist finds her creative spirit in hand-me-downs and flea-market buys that feather her nest in nostalgic style.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

With many recipes, we list 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.

HELP YOUR DOG STAY CALM THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS

FLU-FREE HOME

The single best thing you can do to keep flu out of your home is to get vaccinated, says Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.

Tame Allergies the Natural Way

Your runny nose and watery eyes remind you every day that allergy season isn't quite over yet. And you've probably tried much of what the drugstore has to offer. What you may not know is that there are proven natural remedies to squelch your symptoms.

Q&A

COFFEE BREAK

A Movable Feast

I've always had kind of a strange relationship with Thanksgiving. It might be rooted in childhood, which in most respects was a happy one. But Dad, a chef and restaurateur, didn't care much for turkey beyond its ability to make stock. He yielded grudgingly to the tradition of turkey on Thanksgiving, only because it gave him an excuse to conjure up his magical bread dressing laced with sage.