Archive for May 2010

Special Delivery: Add Pizzazz to Your Mailbox

May 31st, 2010 | By Carmen P Fleischauer | Category: Top Drawer

You visit your mailbox almost every day, so it can be easy to take it for granted. Instead of treating a mailbox as simply a place to collect mail, think of it as an accessory and an extension of your home and personal style. Whether you want to celebrate the change of seasons, to mirror [...]



Roses: Summer Garden Superstars

May 31st, 2010 | By Meridith Ingram | Category: Features

Roses are a little bit like celebrities. Both have a reputation for being mysterious, elusive and a little bit fussy, and yet somehow they are available everywhere—even in the grocery store checkout line.
But take a closer look at this age-old flower. Roses have a lot more to offer than fodder for tabloids; they have been [...]



Plantation Shutters Offer Timeless Appeal

May 31st, 2010 | By Amy Trent | Category: Favorite Things

Anyone can welcome sunshine into their home, but not everyone can do it with style. That requires plantation shutters.

Always present in the decadent plantation homes of the South, plantation shutters are a statement piece. Using them throughout the house not only complements windows but brings continuity to a home.
“The appeal is that it’s window [...]



Creative Disguises: Hide Unsightly Outdoor Features

May 31st, 2010 | By RL Franklin | Category: Hot Tips

At this time of year, most of us are ready to be outside and enjoy the spaces we’ve worked so hard to clean, plant, groom and furnish. While we have many spots of beauty in our yards, there are a few unsightly components—think utility meters, cables, air conditioning units, trash cans and the like—that many [...]



Showcase Home: A Study in Contrast

May 31st, 2010 | By Patricia C Held | Category: Showcase Home

Debra McCabe’s home on the historic Ivy Hill estate in Forest is truly a house of contrasts. An eclectic mix of elegant and casual furnishings is set against the backdrop of her century-old log cabin. The great styling here is really not surprising, considering Debra’s background. She is the owner of The Columns, which is arguably one [...]



Bring-Along Perfect Potluck Fare Salads

May 31st, 2010 | By Lucy Cook | Category: Culinary Corner

Is it just my competitive nature, or is this everyone’s scenario? At every potluck, I watch to see if my contribution is “selling.” It’s true validation when mine is the first empty dish, but I’ll take anywhere in the top couple of empty dishes as a positive vote. And if more than one person asks [...]



Cool Counters: Nature-Inspired Options

May 31st, 2010 | By Amy Trent | Category: Features

Homeowners have always loved bringing a bit of the outdoors in. We find inspiration for our paint colors from the great outdoors, and select fabrics decorated with nature’s creatures. It should be no surprise then that when it comes to renovating our favorite rooms, we bring one of nature’s most beautiful creations—stone—inside as well.

Materials [...]



Details Make the Difference

May 31st, 2010 | By Jennifer L Prince | Category: In The Yard

I love getting dressed up! It is so fun to pick out a special outfit, take extra time to fix my hair and even don false eyelashes to head out for a spectacular evening. Yet there have been times when I have arrived back home from a great night out only to find that the [...]



Ahhh-choo! Keeping Home Allergens at Bay

May 31st, 2010 | By Patricia C Held | Category: Keep It Clean

Summer is not the best season for allergy sufferers. Allergens are everywhere; there is no escaping the congestion, sneezing and itchy eyes that plague allergy sufferers. Outside allergens lurk in the mulch, leaf piles, gutters and anywhere that pollen and mold spores can be found, sending allergy sufferers indoors. Unfortunately there is a whole different [...]



Housewarming Parties: Making a House a Home

May 31st, 2010 | By Kim Fox | Category: RSVP

“Bread, that this house may never know hunger.
Salt, that life will always have flavor.
Wine, that joy and prosperity may always reign forever.”
Everyone feels the excitement as actress Donna Reed gifts a couple who has purchased a new house in the classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” This part of my favorite holiday movie never fails [...]