Category: HOME

Ask the Builder: Home Improvement, I’d Like You to Meet Artificial Intelligence

I’m celebrating my 30th year of doing my best to protect you against home improvement scams, subpar products, and all the pitfalls of building, remodeling or maintaining your home. I’ve stood up to billion-dollar corporations to prevail on your behalf. But now I’m here to alert you of something far more sinister. Have you been…


A Grand Greenwich Estate 

One of the most prestigious and expensive estates in the United States is currently available for purchase. At 50 acres in size, it’s the largest waterfront estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, located on a private peninsula overlooking Long Island Sound. Once known as Kincraig, the home of the Lauder Greenway family beginning in the 1890s has…


Calm Your Living Space With These Four Design Elements

By Hunter Boyce From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Years of living in a pandemic has inspired interior designers and homeowners alike to make some changes inside their living spaces. Decorators are experimenting with how they can bring more calming atmosphere to their projects. From decluttering high-traffic spaces to giving the walls a new coat of paint,…


Install Drywall Properly to Avoid Shadowing

Dear James: We remodeled our bathroom and tried to do the drywalling ourselves. There is shadowing by the joints, and it seems worse at night. What was our mistake?—David G. Dear David: There is quite a learning curve when hanging and finishing drywall. Shadowing is not a condition that resulted from you not hanging the…


Canine Influenza Very Contagious

Q: My dog’s annual physical is coming up soon, and my veterinarian is sure to recommend the flu shot, which I’ve declined in the past. I’m rethinking that after a friend’s dog came down with the disease. Please tell me about dog flu. A: Dog flu, formally known as canine influenza, was first recognized in…


Bounce Back From Bankruptcy and Advice to Readers

Dear Mary: Please give me some pointers on bouncing back from bankruptcy. Will this have any effect on future employment opportunities?—Henry, email Dear Henry: Live on cash. Have only one credit card, and if you use it, pay it in full every month. Refuse all other offers of credit, and take on no unsecured debt….


Perfectly Seasoned Living: Herb Gardening 101

From mint, rosemary, and basil on a kitchen windowsill to a backyard filled with savory flavorings and medicinals, fresh herbs make everything better. Most herbs will grow just about anywhere as long as they get a minimum of six hours of sunlight each day, whether in a large backyard or on a small patio, apartment…


The Sprinter Season is Upon Us

Did you know that the month of March has been renamed “Sprinter”? Well, at least it should be. This is a transition month between spring and winter that has several features all its own. It is the time of the biggest transition in temperature in the shortest length of time each year. The meteorologists say…


How to Remove Salt Stains on Leather Boots

Salt. It’s mandatory in a human diet. But in other situations, salt can be as destructive as it is needful due to its ability to eat holes through metal and leave ugly stains on footwear. Salt stains on leather are a problem, but not without an easy, effective solution. Dear Mary: I have several pairs…


How to Eliminate Paper Clutter in Just 5 Minutes a Day

When you think about the biggest organizing challenges in your home, there’s likely a few things that come to mind: the messy kitchen counter, the overstuffed bedroom closet and that towering pile of papers. Considering the influx of mail, bills, catalogs and paperwork that flows into our houses every day, it’s no wonder we can’t…