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For years Leslie Powell held her love of Early Americana at bay. 'We were living in a Victorian house, and I always like to decorate according to the architecture,' she [...]

SAVING TRADITIONAL American crafts from extinction was not what Dennis Belanger, April 2003 Country Living Guild Member, had in mind when he and his wife, Sheila, bought their Colonial-style New [...]

Making a new house look and feel timeless is no small achievement, but that's builder David Steele's specialty--and why Country Living turned to him to collaborate on the 2008 House [...]

There are certain places that hold a special magic for each of us. Janet and Churchill Franklin found theirs in the Green Mountains of Vermont, at Middlebury College, where they [...]

seeing is believing What we see is a reflection of how we see. And so, this month, we pay tribute to restoration, renovation, and reinvention. Join us as we explore [...]

This Lancaster County, Pa., farmhouse had been sitting empty for several years before it was brought up to date. Too close to the road, dilapidated, uninsulated, and heated only by [...]

Creativity Counts By rearranging and painting the 'solid but ugly' cabinets, replacing tired surfaces, and installing new appliances, the owners of this Connecticut kitchen created a bright, efficient space--on a [...]

Sometimes, when you fall for a house it's really the location that tugs at your heart--you might call it 'love at first site.' Such was the case when Diana and [...]

MAGICAL A black-tie dinner served at a table reachable only by a canoe trip across a pond? It sounds the stuff of romance novels, but such was the setting of [...]

'The magic moment of owning an old house,' says homeowner Keith Keegan, 'comes when you let in the light and see what the wood floors look like for the first [...]

make a wrapping station Pretty papers and ribbons make holiday gift-giving festive and heighten everyone's anticipation--but only if you can find them. So why not spend a few hours creating [...]

Unable to find anything in a garage overflowing with nine years' accumulation of tools, sports equipment, crafts supplies, and out-grown toys, this family decided finally to take action. One garage [...]

The article offers information on design and construction of kitchen, houses and bathrooms and offers suggestions on getting inspirations from the same. Topics discussed include bathroom in Portland, Oregon which brightened up with combination of palette and tiles, garage storage space transformed by homeowner Sherry and John Petersik and handling plumbing and electrical issues.

When the busy pace of work and school slows down, the Koeblers like to stay home and cook. A respectful renovation gave them a kitchen that is at once up-to-date [...]

The article presents tips to upgrade kitchen. It mentions the kitchen surfaces such as those of concrete, marble and tile, that are easy to clean using vacuum cleaners. It adds flooring with bamboo, wood and tile. It suggests to use acrylic grout or epoxy grout in kitchen and kitchen cabinets that are easy to clean.

The article offers suggestions on different types of paints, painting products and their uses. Topics discussed include use of different paints like latex paint, waterborne alkyd, and spray paint; step-by-step instructions for using rollers for painting and usage of prep and primer; and a five-quart red plastic bucket from Leaktite.

The article offers suggestions on choosing a refrigerator matching perfectly with family. Topics discussed include the classic single-door fridge with freezer above as the most affordable, the bottom-freezer fridge but with two narrow doors makes it clunky to use as it needs to open both doors to stash a big casserole and needs bending to open the freezer drawer for reaching frozen foods and features not available but are worth considering such as barista service and double-door action.

The article offers suggestions for picking the right bulb for improving home's mood and safety along with reviews of bulbs. Topics discussed include dimmable soft white bulbs for nighttime or in the morning, need of high-quality light in the kitchen such as dimmable bulb, and review of Hue 65W BR30 connected bulb from Philips.

The article focuses on how to choose rug and and taking care of it. The best rugs are handmade by skilled designers and weavers using top-grade natural fibers, like wool and silk. Every six months to a year, one can turn rug 180 degrees so it will wear and fade evenly. If the room is very sunny, one can apply window film to reduce damaging ultra violet rays.

The article offers advice on washing machines and latest technology in washing machines along with positive and negative points. Topics discussed include conventional top loaders that account for about 40 percent of new washer sales across the world, high efficiency top loaders that that account for 35 percent of total washer sale and lack central agitator and high efficiency front loaders.

The article presents information on how New Hampshire-based couples Dennis Belanger and Sheila Belanger got the floorcloths of their Colonial-style New Hampshire house, reproduced. Many artisans used stencils to create a regular repeat over a large area. Dennis Belanger cuts his own stencils, also using them on the walls like famous 19th-century stencil artist Moses Eaton. Dennis Belanger follows historic methods when making his floorcloths.

The article offers several tips for making human beings environment-friendly. It is suggested that to save water, one should turn off the tap while shaving and brushing the teeth, and use a bucket of soapy water to wash cars. It is stated that one should use hybrid cars, because they are more fuel efficient and produce less emissions. It is suggested that one should use a reusable bag instead of single-use plastic bags.

The article provides information about Janet and Churchill Franklin's vacation home in Green Mountains, Vermont. The couple bought a 200-year-old barn in the area and had it removed to form their new family gathering center. One long renovation later, the Franklins now spend the winter time skating and skiing, and the summer time, swimming and hiking. The Franklins designed the dining room in a party-theme setting where walls are clad with reclaimed barn boards and floors are maple milled.

Presents information on ideal locations for a house.

The article provides answers to questions on common household problems including creaking stairs, windows rattling and whistling, and banging or knocking sounds inside the walls.

The article presents suggestions related to designing of the pantry of a kitchen. Careful organization and a few personal touches would make this storage area one of the favorite features of one's house. One should show off his or her new pantry by fitting it with an eye-catching exterior door. A chalkboard in the pantry makes it easy to keep notes visible. One should place frequently used items on the front of the shelf at eye level.

Discusses efficient storage systems and tips for organizing garage doors.