There’s a lot of basil out there this time of the year, but it has reached the end of the season. Folks are scrambling to use and process the fresh aromatic leaves — drying and making yummy basil butter and pesto concoctions. Basil is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum of the […]
At Home
Read about interior design tips, remodeling advice, real estate trends, fresh décor ideas, new products and more.
Posted inAt Home, Blog
How to Insulate with Shades
Some years ago, representatives of an engineering firm in Winslow came to our studio on Madrone Lane and argued that a window shade could not insulate well because the cold has already passed through the glass and is inside the house. To test that assumption — and to prove them wrong — we installed a […]
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Projects to Consider Before Seasonal Changes
We have been blessed with a long, warm summer, but as fall (and winter) loom, it’s time to think about the home maintenance and improvements that are common for the season. Furnace Service Have a professional heating company check and service your furnace. You might have a specialized air filter installed too to help reduce […]
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Wild Game Meatloaf in Vintage Casserole Dish
It is not so much the food, but also the casserole dish that was selected for the job, a white opaque Pyrex 2.5-quart casserole dish introduced in 1963. As ingredients were added, the meatloaf grew until it wouldn’t fit in a standard loaf dish or my smaller oval casserole dishes. It was then I realized […]
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How to Make an Easy Summer Salsa from Fresh Ingredients
Great summer weather equals great vine-ripened tomatoes, and this summer is the poster child for both. Even if you aren’t growing your own tomatoes, you can find beautiful, local and delicious tomatoes ready to eat now at your local farmers market and store. It’s hard to describe the difference between a freshly picked, vine-ripened tomato […]
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How to Incorporate Your Books into Your Home Decor
If you have bookcases on each side of your fireplace and the shelves are deeper than the normal 10 to 12 inches, don’t push the books all the way back against the wall. In fact, you should do exactly the opposite. Line up all of the books with the front edge of the shelves. Leave […]
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How to Use Space Creatively in Your Home
Whether you need more space in your existing home or you have an odd space that is unused, look at some creative options for using space in your home. Have kids? If you have a stairwell, turn that useless under-stairwell closet (you know, the nightmare that has to be fully unloaded to find anything) into […]
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Look Up and Take Advantage of Unused Spaces for Home Décor
Don’t forget to look up. There are spaces that we never knew existed. There are ledges and ceiling corners that call our names and are saddened to be unnoticed voids. In this day and age, interior living space is at a premium for a lot of reasons, but primarily a matter of practical economics and […]
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The Secret to Homemade Pizza: Pizza Stones
Pizza stones are required equipment for the best homemade thin-crust pizza. There, I said it! I could beat around the bush and say that you can get the same results with a pan in the oven, but I would be lying. It doesn’t matter if you use the oven or put it on the barbecue, […]