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The Peculiar History of the Toilet

Mention the unmentionable -- toilets and the, um, urgent function thereof -- to the average person and you’re likely to provoke a flushed face and a nervous giggle. Should you continue the conversation by asking about the type of toilets used in ancient times, the response will probably be: “A hole in the ground.” (If you test this on your co-workers, try no ... Read More »

Dreaming of a New Kitchen?

Thinking about remodeling the kitchen? Before you pick up the phone to call a Baltimore contractor about the kitchen of your dreams, you have some things to think about. The kitchen is among the most important rooms of your home -- more and more people are spending a lot of time in the kitchen -- and it can be one of the most expensive to remodel thanks to b ... Read More »

Act Now to Refinance Your Home Before It’s Too Late

(VIRGINIA) – There has never been a better time to refinance your home. That’s because of a little-known government program called the Home Affordable Refinance Plan (HARP). This allows Americans to refinance their homes at shockingly low rates, and reduce their payments by as much as $4,905 a year. But here’s the catch – like most government programs, this ... Read More »

DIY Recycled Door Coffee Table

I'm pretty sure you can teach an old door new tricks, and Hometalk users have pretty well proved it with their wide assortment of reclaimed door projects large and small. One of my favorites right now, though, is the humble coffee table, because it's such a great, but simple, use of a door in interior design and decor. How hard can it be? I took a look a ... Read More »

10 New Uses for Cornstarch

It comes in a classic yellow box or container, you might use it to make pudding, it's great for making oobleck...but did you know that cornstarch actually has some really cool, and handy, uses around the house? It's time to get this ingredient out of the kitchen and put it to work, because, let's face it, do you really use more than a few tablespoons of it a ... Read More »

Dress Up With Fun Wall Patterns!

I've been spotting a new trend popping up on more and more home design, home improvement, and home fashion blogs: wall patterns. These bold paint effects are easy to do, they're far more reversible than wallpaper if you decide you don't like them, and they can dramatically change a room -- for the better, we promise. I took a closer look at some painting tre ... Read More »

7 Unexpected Uses for Honey

Honey sure is great stuff. Bees may make it to provide nutrition to members of the hive, but we've been liberally "borrowing" it for centuries, and using it in all kinds of delicious dishes as well as intriguing medical treatments. Depending on where the bees go on their daily rounds, the flavor and color of honey can vary radically, from light golden blonde ... Read More »

Welcome Bats to Your Garden

Bees, mason and otherwise, are among our favorite pollinators, but there's another group of pollinators out there that doesn't get nearly as much friendly press: bats. That's right! Far from being vampires in disguise, bats are actually a vital part of the natural ecosystem, and while you might not know it yet, you really want them in your garden. We're goi ... Read More »

Are Built-Ins Worth It?

Built-ins are an incredibly popular aspect of interior design in homes from all eras, from homey Craftsmen with charming woodwork to soaring modern homes with sleek, minimalist shelving built right into their walls. In most modern construction, built-ins are reserved for luxury homes or remodels, rather than being included by default (oh, for the Craftsman d ... Read More »

10 Amazing Uses for Tension Rods

If you've ever been a college student, or just an adult who doesn't stand on ceremony, you've probably dealt with a tension rod. These nifty little rods expand and collapse to fit irregular spaces as needed so you can quickly install curtains, but, as it turns out, they're good for more than that. We went on a quest to round up some of the best, the brightes ... Read More »