Photo: Debbie Sklar
It’s January and, while some of the country is buried in snow, people in more moderate climates are still enjoying the great outdoors (like we are in Southern California). The warm and sunny days still turn into chilly nights, however, making amenities like an outdoor fireplace both desirable and popular.
In fact, a good majority of homes here have some form of outdoor fireplace, from fire pits and Chimineas—Mexican-inspired, freestanding fireplaces made in clay, ceramic, and metal—to more extravagant masonry installations.
Last summer, my parents decided to jump on the outdoor fireplace bandwagon and had one built. It was my mother who actually designed the “Montana-Dunes” stucco fireplace (pictured above), complete with handpicked “wild horse” stone bricks that she purchased by the pallet from a nearby supplier. It has a tall chimney, stone mantle, and to support logs for burning, it features a grouping of desert-colored fire rocks instead of a standard grate. A large metal Gecko graces the front.
Read the rest of this entry »
- Kitchen >
- New Knobs Give Cabinets a Lift
New Knobs Give Cabinets a Lift
Restoration Hardware's Green Glass Cabinet Pull
One of the easiest ways to update your kitchen or bath cabinets—and add pizzaz—is to swap out the old hardware for new. You will have no problem finding an abundance of designs at retailers, from Home Depot to Restoration Hardware, which fit your style and budget. But, before you fall in love with a new pull, knob or handle, consider the following tips for selecting hardware:
If the plan is to replace existing pull handles with new ones, be sure to measure the distance between holes to make sure the swap requires nothing more than a screwdriver. Better yet, take the old hardware with you when you shop.
Read the rest of this entry »
Pegboard: Still a Classic Storage Solution for Today
Photo: Flickr
As a kid growing up, I remember visiting my grandparents’ house and heading straight for granddad’s garage. It was immaculate, had all kinds of fun stuff, and everything was ALWAYS in its place. He didn’t have closets where he could hide everything from A to Z, but he did have Pegboard from floor to ceiling. It was a dull brownish shade and definitely not pretty, but it did serve the purpose of keeping all of his Sears tools organized, visible and always at the ready.
Although Pegboard—popularized in the 1950s—has taken a back seat to more recent storage/organizing innovations, it is still a clever, simple, and inexpensive way to keep everything from tools to crafts to kitchen cookware and utensils in place.
Read the rest of this entry »
- Bathroom >
- All Ugly Showerheads Need to Go!
All Ugly Showerheads Need to Go!
I HATE MY SHOWER! Well, actually, it’s my showerhead that I don’t like. Granted, it’s better than the standard fixture that most bathrooms come with and does offer a few water-pressure options, but really, does anybody ever use more than one setting?
Price-Pfister Tuscan Bronze Rain Showerhead
So I’ve been in the market to buy one of those oversized “rain” showerheads, but finding the right one can be time-consuming. I liken it to trying to search for a new lipstick shade at a Sephora cosmetics store. Ladies reading this will know very well what I mean.
Rain showerheads can wash your entire body with a “rainfall-effect” from above as opposed to the more vertical water stream of older models, like mine. If you’ve ever been to a day spa for a treatment and then escorted to a shower afterward, that’s what a rain shower looks and feels like. Simply glorious!
Read the rest of this entry »
Beat Those Laundry Room Blues
In between my rebellious college days and learning the difference between a Phillips- and flat-head screwdriver, I became my mother.
I’m a “Felix,” not an “Oscar.” I find myself spending more time cleaning than enjoying the great outdoors. But while I do consider myself a neat freak, there are some chores that get under my skin more so than others.
I don’t like doing laundry or dusting. I’ve learned the hard way that jeans and white sheets don’t go into the washing machine together. I don’t enjoy having to separate clothes for different cycles or waiting for a load to dry before folding the wash into neat little piles to be sorted later.
Read the rest of this entry »
