Laura Grey, Editor and Publisher
Welcome! It’s great to have you here. I look forward to sharing insights, discoveries, and tips about the world of interior design, decor, and home and garden maintenance with you. I will do all I can to make At Home with Style your go-to spot for design and decor inspiration, tips, history, and sourcing. I’ll […]
Barn Doors—Yes or No?
Q: I like rustic design elements like basketry and wrought iron, neutral pottery, and raw wood. I don’t want a lot of small stuff filling up my house, though. My place is a friendly house in the country. It should look put together over time, with things made and collected by hand. I don’t want […]
Local Online Auctions: A Bargain Wonderland
Q: I keep hearing that auctions can be a great source of bargain furniture and collectibles. The thing is, I don’t like the idea of going to an auction house and bidding against a bunch of other people in person. I’ve tried eBay for collectible items, but so many people around the country see those […]
Great Alternatives to Boxwood in Your Garden
Q: I like the look of boxwood hedges, but mine have gotten pretty ratty. What’s worse, they have a powerful cat-pee like odor during the summer months. It’s gross, and it keeps me from wanting to have friends over in my back yard. I’m thinking of trying some other trimmable shrubs. Can you point me […]
Cleaning Cloudy Glass and “Sick Glass”
Q: A few of my favorite vases are cloudy below the waterline, and some have white horizontal lines. I also have a collection of antique bottles—most have patches that look like they’re coated with a white film. I’ve tried soaking them in soapy water and using bottle brushes to clean them inside. Nothing works! Can […]
Getting Past the Fear of Change
Home renovation shows are all about “The Reveal”—that magical last act when home owners see the glorious completed renovation. They laugh, they cry relieved tears, their grinning kids jump for joy. Everybody loves the new furniture, wallpaper, flooring, and windows. They talk about all the fun they’ll have in this shiny new space, and laugh […]
Musical Instruments Make Great Home Decor
Q: Everyone in my house is a musician. That means we have instruments, cases, and music all over the place. I’d love to put our instruments on display instead of having all this musical stuff get in the way. Any ideas on how to make our love of music into a decorating feature, instead of […]
Decorate with Music—Display What You Love
Q: I’m looking for style on a budget. Being a jazz musician, I sometimes host musical parties and gigs at my place. I don’t have a lot of cash,but I’d like to have jazz-related art on my walls. I want something more stylish than the posters I had up in college. How can I decorate […]
Decorating with Quilts and Patchwork
Patchwork is an art form born out of economic necessity. People of many cultures reused fabric scraps to save money and scarce resources. Patched clothing and patchwork quilts provided both warmth and beauty. Nowadays, decorating with quilts and patchwork is more often a style choice than an economic need. Antique and vintage quilts are highly […]
Caring for Batik and Other Deeply Dyed Fabrics
Q: On my travels, I’ve picked up some amazing hand-dyed fabrics around Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Australia. I’ve found colors and patterns outside of the US that were like nothing I’d ever seen. I want to use some of them to decorate my home. But when I prewashed them before sewing, thd lost so […]