August 2007

Between friends

Every few days now, my husband sends me an e-mail, counting down the days to our summer vacation. As I'm writing this letter, we're 59 days and 1,296 miles away from our favorite North Carolina beach.

We asked you to describe the one major change you'd love to make in your home. For so many it has to do with creating a place for friends and family

MY WISH FOR A MAJOR change would be to extend the back of our house so we could enlarge our tiny master bathroom, the main bath, and kitchen. Cooking is my passion. When we all get together, there are 20 of us. We moved into this house three years ago from a home that was one-third the size.

10 DAYS OF BEAUTIFUL BOUQUETS

NEW VIDEO SERIES! PAINT LIKE A PRO

BE A STATE FAIR WINNER ...

Leaf of the Party

Set the scene for an outdoor party with accents gathered from your garden.

Out of the Box

A long rectangular family room with a hodgepodge of furniture poses some arranging dilemmas. Designer Laurie Smith tackles this challenge.

A Shade Better

A Shade Better Give ordinary lampshades a lift with easy add-ons that take less than an hour.

BEAUTY ON A BUDGET

We asked interior designers around the country: What are some interesting ways to decorate your home without blowing the budget?

Home Grown

Home Grown With an innovative floor plan and garden-inspired design, our 2007 Idea Kitchen brings "getaway" spirit to everyday living.

Turn the Tide

Turn the Tide Casual yet sophisticated, this house shows how you can create a summery feel without pouring on the seashells.

Hobby Central

A spare room becomes a pretty and practical spot for wrapping, scrapping, and sewing. Stock cabinets, pegboard, and smart storage strategies make it work.

CLASS ACTS

WINDOW SHOPPING

SMOOTH MOVES

TEA PARTY

STITCHIN' IT

SLIP SHAPE

Article

Eat-in Style

Eat-in Style Comfortable seating and spicy styling make these breakfast nooks as inviting as a corner café.

Shore Thing

An open floor plan, breezy colors, and new deck whip a tumbledown beach shack into ship shape.

Stocking Up On Green

If making your home more eco-friendly is a priority, start with this closet of supplies recommended by "green clean" authority Linda Mason Hunter. "You and your household will be helping to preserve the planet," she says, "even if it's one spritz at a time."

Gem Packed

Tangled bangles and errant earrings tarnish a girl's morning dress-up routine. Tidy up your treasures with pretty storage.

The Plot Thickens

The best of British gardens blooms with wild abandon around a Virginia home. It all started with a page-turner.

Daily Doses

Daily Doses Hardy, adaptable, and rarely bothered by pests-- no wonder daylilies are so popular. Follow out prescription to keep these easy-care perennials blooming their best.

Something Wild

The look may hint at native prairie, but this suburban garden is perfectly under control.

Street Smarts

Too close to the street and too dreary on the eyes, this small house gets a spiffy makeover to add drama and privacy.

SMART WATERING

Make a watering can your favorite tool by choosing and using it wisely.

VACATION HYDRATION

LIGHT WORK

SHOW OFF

THIS MONTH IN THE GARDEN

Succulent Dish

The hottest and driest weather doesn't foil this clever pot filled with succulent plants that love the heat.

Shade Solved

Turn shadowy hollows into showy gardens with our tips on making the most of shade.

Stay Cool

To beat the heat, turn your backyard into a water theme park.

On the Road Again

Love it or dread it, the family road trip is still the ultimate bonding experience.

Clean Getaway

For trips long or short, a tidy vehicle keeps your eyes and mind on the road. Try our tips for keeping your car organized.

Give Me Liberty

To step out as independent adults, children need to learn to rely on themselves, starting from an early age.

Shoot the breeze

BOSTON PHOTOGRAPHERS AMY AND JOE KELLER KEEP IT LIGHT AND COOL IN THEIR SEASIDE COTTAGE.

Perennial Beauty

A homeowner's zest for gardening spills into her small cottage.

Pint-size paradise

This tiny garden always seems to have room for one more plant.

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

COOKING BANANA

HOT SUMMER NIGHTS

I Did It!

"I love the State Fair. Where else can you go as an adult and win a ribbon? It makes you feel like a kid."