Category: HOME

Companion Planting: For Happier Plants, Grow a Garden of Good Neighbors

You know that friend that you just feel right with? You may not see them for weeks, months, or even years, but when you meet up, it’s as if you saw them just the day before. You go together like peaches and cream, tea and scones (that’s a British thing), or peanut butter and jelly…


How Can I Chill out This Summer?

By Paul F. P. Pogue From Ask Angi For much of the nation, keeping homes cool is one of the most energy-intensive tasks around the house, consuming about 6% of all electricity in the United States. Because of that, your cooling system is often foremost on your mind in summer. Here are four questions to…


Design Recipes: 10 Tips for Adding Texture, Textiles to Your Decor

By Cathy Hobbs From Tribune News Service Texture and tactile materials can help infuse an often ignored sensory element: touch. How often have you enjoyed how something felt, perhaps a furry pillow, textured throw or area rug? Regardless, the decor element of incorporating texture into your space can help elevate your home and please the…


How Should I Plan for a Move?

By Paul F. P. Pogue From Ask Angi As the brisk housing market heats up this summer, remember that buying a new home means an upcoming move. And let’s face it, nobody looks forward to packing up and moving to a new place, whether across town or cross-country. But moving doesn’t have to be a…


Ask Me Anything: Dip-It for Percolators, Laminate Floors, Unscented Dawn

Growing up in Boise, Idaho (shoutout to all my Gem State readers), my parents had a percolator. I can still hear that coffee pot perking away in the mornings. My mom used something called Dip-It powder to keep the thing clean. That’s a memory that sent me into research mode, prompted by today’s first reader…


Spotted Lanternflies Are Hatching Again. but How Far Do They Spread Each Year?

By Frank Kummer From The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia — Black-and-white spotted lanternfly nymphs about a quarter-inch long are starting to hatch in the region, hopping across decks, patios, and trees before they morph over the summer into flying Technicolor adults. If you haven’t seen them in your yard yet, it could only be a matter…


Plumber: Tired of Getting the Cold Shoulder in the Shower

By Ed Del Grande Tribune News Service Q: Hi Ed: We plan to do an extensive remodeling job in our bathroom. Also, I’m tired of waiting for what seems like a long time for the shower water to get hot before I can jump in. Is there a way we can address this problem during the…


Leaks, Termites, and Cracked Foundations: Skipping Home Inspections in a Competitive Market Is Tempting — and Risky

By Michaelle Bond The Philadelphia Inquirer The woman had just bought a house an investor flipped in Montgomery County. She skipped a home inspection to compete against other buyers and, a couple months ago, she asked inspector Ben Poles to take a look. As part of his usual examination, Poles, who owns Rest Assured Inspections in…


Is the Homebuyer Angry With the Wrong Party?

Dear Monty: I purchased a home after a home inspection was done. The seller would not allow me to bring in the inspector my agent and I chose. My agent advised me that the seller’s inspector was a licensed state inspector and would be fine. Two months after closing, I walked on the deck beside…


Style at Home: Textiles and Texture Make Spring Tabletops Shine

By Katie Laughridge From Tribune News Service We have had so many beautiful tabletop looks so far this season — I have been truly in awe of our visual teams’ creations. This is the perfect time of year to let your settings speak for themselves in a way. During the holiday seasons we get caught…