A closeup of a decaying wooden front door with an oval window overlaid with decorative black metal and bars. The door is chipped and worn.
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Repairing a Damaged Home

by Laura Grey
A four-poster bed hung with white fringed linens sits at left. A caned two-seat bench sits at the foot of the bed on a wide-planked floor; a white chamber pot sits on the floor at the foot of the bed. At right are walls covered in bright, cheery leaf-patterned wallpaper in greens and whites, a double-hung window with white shutters, and white wainscot. Below the window is a window seat. Caned side and arm chairs matching the bench sit along the right wall. An antique highboy chest sits in the back right corner.
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The Delights of Historical House Museums

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

When I visit a new region, one of the first things I want to know is where to find the historical house museums. They’re full of beautiful old treasures and architectural choices I’d never find elsewhere. Houses tell us fascinating stories about their place in history. Guides or placards explain what you’re seeing and what’s […]

A view of the contents of a dishwasher as seen from above. At left is the top utensil drawer filled with an antique silver-plated serving fork, a modern Oneida Michelangelo pattern dinner fork, an a cut crystal knife rest. At right is the lower rack of the dishwasher which holds two Mikasa Chatsworth vintage cut crystal wine glasses.
Care & Cleaning Collecting Q&A

Is It Safe to Put Crystal and Silver in the Dishwasher?

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: I’ve always heard that you should never put silver, crystal, or china in an automatic dishwasher. Now I’m reading that newer dishwashers and modern detergents are safer for sterling silver, silverplate, crystal, and delicate china. Is it really okay to wash these things in a dishwasher?  A: Modern dishwasher technologies and designs, and today’s detergent formulations, make […]

Antique dining and serving dishes in cream porcelain decorated with purple swags of garlands are placed over a white tablecloth on a long table. Delicate white carved chairs with gilded details are along one side of the table. The wall behind is painted a soft robin's egg blue surrounded by lavish white wainscoting.
Care & Cleaning Collecting Q&A

How Dangerous Is Lead in Dishes and Crystal?

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: I often buy vintage dishes, glasses, and serving ware from thrift shops and estate sales, and I inherited a good bit of it from my family, too. I’d love to use it, but I understand older dishes and crystal were often made with lead. Is it safe to use my antique crystal glasses, decanters, […]

A brightly colored runner made of squares of patterned Kaffe Fassett fabric designs rests on a wooden coffee table in fa family room. A plate with a potted plant sits on the runner. Behind the table is a teal sofa with a bright patchwork pillow in similar colors (teal, orange, purple, turquoise). Another large plant sits next to the sofa in front of a window.
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Shop Your Home for Fresh Decor

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Looking for exciting free decorating ideas? Want accessories or furnishings that match your style and palette, but won’t cost you anything? If you need fresh ideas and want a new look instantly, just shop your home. You probably already have some great pieces sitting in a cupboard, hiding on a shelf, or shoved in a […]

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A bent-wood chair sits on a hardscaped patio surrounded by planting areas, shrubs, trees, and potted plants but with no lawn.
Outdoor Living Q&A

Sustainable Landscaping and Garden Design

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: I want to live in a way that benefits my family, the animals and pollinators around us, and the planet. I’d like to know more about sustainable landscaping. What are some simple things I can do in my garden to live in harmony with my surroundings? A: You can make significant and lasting improvements […]

A boxy, white, open-plan interior space with a large opening facing the sea is dotted with only white, cream, and beige minimalist furnishings. Beige modern chairs and sofas are topped with terracotta pillows and sit on a seagrass rug with a round wicker table in foreground. In the background is a simple minimalist dining table and chairs below pendant lights that end in flat wicker shades. A few black metal frames, light fixtures, and a black and white folding chair provide the only dark elements in the room.
Q&A Style, Decor & Design

Stylish and Serene Vacation Home Decor

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: I inherited my folks’ 1970s beach house. It’s full of furniture my parents bought when I was a kid. I love the place, but Mom covered everything with ocean-related stuff. The bathroom has whale tiles and an octopus toilet seat! The curtains have an anchor pattern, the kitchen chair backs look like boat wheels, […]

A single very rustic looking barn door of reused pale wood planks crossed diagonaly by another plant is suspended from black rail and rests on black metal wheels in a very industrial looking home. The floors are poured grey concrete; the walls appear to be concrete as well. There are two plans on the floor, but otherwise the only things in the room are three bare-bulb pendant lights, a black and grey artwork in an industrial style framed and hanging next to the barn door, a small table with some books, and more books and rocks on the floor in the room beyond the door. There is a multipaned industrial-looking window at the back of the room seen through the door.
Q&A Style, Decor & Design

Barn Doors—Yes or No?

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

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 […]