Home Improvement

Decorating with white can be intimidating. But, said designer Brian Patrick Flynn of decordemon.com, “used correctly, white lets other things truly work as the breakout stars.”

If you own a home in an area of the country where you get cold and snowy winters, then you've probably already experienced ice dams. If, on the other hand, you are a first-time homeowner or a new transplant who has just purchased a home in a region of the country with harsh winters, then you may be unfamiliar with ice dams. If you fall into one of these two latter types of homeowner categories, then it's important that you become familiar with ice dams and know how to resolve them quickly.

Second homes, designed for relaxation, are often decorated with hand-me-down furniture and other cast-offs from the owner’s main living space.

rom colorful glass pieces giving off sparkle to lamps and mirrors that play with the light, adding glamour to a room is easy and something people are seeking, said interior designer Jan Showers.

Other “faux” features to consider include ceiling decals that look like parts of elaborate chandeliers, cabinetry embellishments and painted wainscoting.

Think ballet- and watercolor-inspired pastels; soft fabrics and sheer window treatments; and curvy furniture, often in traditional shapes but updated with modern fabrics and pattern.

Too much or not enough water and never when you need it. That seems to be the long time plight of gardeners. Add to these extended droughts, flooding and watering bans. What is a gardener to do? Become a waterwise gardener.

The sun-drenched colors and inviting textures of summer provide plenty of decorating ideas. The trick is doing it right.

The number of so-called multi-generational households — where adults are living with their elderly parents or grown children — has jumped since the Great Recession forced Americans to rethink living on their own.

By David Wilkening, Contributing Writer REGION - The housing situation in Boston and most of Massachusetts these days is best described as “sizzling.” Big demand...