The colors you choose for your walls affect your mood, how you feel about a room and your comfort level in that room. So choosing the right color for a home office presents a special challenge; it’s part of your home, yet it’s also a place where you must be productive, whether you use the [...]

Toss those stiff old paintbrushes and half-empty paint cans buried in your garage. Go ahead and do it now because you won’t need them this summer. Luxurious and vibrant wallpapers that turn rooms into art are ready to reclaim their place atop your walls.
“Wallpaper’s not going to be outdone,” says Carolyn Mahone of Mahone & Sons [...]

Growing up, summertime barbecues in suburbia had a certain charm. I can still picture my dad, clad in a casual shirt and plaid Bermuda shorts, beverage in one hand and a pair of tongs in the other, manning the grill. Our dinner was often a little too well-done, but I know my mom appreciated the [...]

Have you lost your appetite to eat in your dining room? Does your powder room lack pizzazz? Is your great room so vast that it’s not so, well…great? Consider this: The solution may be just over your head—literally. You can use your ceiling to add a unique touch to your décor; after all, it is [...]

 
Lawn irrigation systems are not just about creating a beautiful yard. Water conservation and the environment are forefront in the minds of landscapers and irrigation companies today. That means fabulous floribunda without a drop of water or moment of time wasted.
“A lot of customers are asking for things that are going to conserve water and [...]

A wise friend once told me that if you have fresh flowers around the house, you will no longer notice the imperfections of your home. (What dust bunnies under the couch?) The loveliness of the flowers helps you focus on the beauty of nature and the happiness in your home. My friend was on to [...]

As Route 60 meanders across the state through the Piedmont, connecting the Blue Ridge Mountains to Virginia’s state capital, eventually crossing the James River. Here in this rural spot, Nelson, Appomattox and Buckingham counties meet near Bent Creek. Follow Jack Wright’s Hollow along the James to reach Greenway Farm. This magnificent estate encompasses 1,500 acres [...]

It was several years ago when my then-6-year-old daughter Caroline was dropped off by her carpool from the very last day of kindergarten. I met her at the door, anxious to hug her and ask her about her day, when she marched past me into the kitchen. She very purposefully set her backpack down on [...]

It’s a fashion show in your own backyard. Your grill, hidden under a cover for months, is ready to strut its stuff. So don’t forget to accessorize this “hot item” as it makes its appearance on your patio runway this summer.
Grilling gadgets are more varied and plentiful than ever before. It’s heaven on earth for [...]

Bad loans, bailouts, foreclosures, layoffs… reports of the grim state of our economy are front and center these days, and everyone is paying attention. While it’s distressing and uncertain, the upside is that in many ways, living leaner is an exercise in creative thinking. Instead of producing and consuming with no thought to the future, [...]