Outdoor entertaining is of the utmost importance when inviting friends or family over for a gathering, regardless of the season. The good news is that there are a few strategic decorating changes that you can make to your outdoor space to make it attractive and inviting, rain or shine.

Outdoor Decorating: Where to Begin

Use plants moderately. If you’ve gone overboard as a gardener, guests sitting on your back patio may feel like they’re in the middle of a jungle. When landscaping and planting your back garden, use your editing eye. The best way to create a calming environment is by using a color theme in potted flowers and by choosing plants with a similar texture, such as short, round bushes or long vines and trees.

Mix-and-match. If you’re the type that likes to pick up secondhand items at a thrift store or antique shop, this design trend … READ MORE ...

The temperature has already dropped in most northern states, but that doesn’t mean it is too late to get your home buttoned up for the really cold winter months ahead.

Give yourself the peace of mind that comes with knowing your home is prepared to weather the ice and snow efficiently – in other words, without costing you an arm or a leg.

Alicia on “Knowing your home”

It can be tempting to run everything in your home by the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” motto – not touching or thinking about maintaining an appliance until it dies or fails. When it comes to your house, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For example, a dryer from 1985 that still works well and is problem-free probably has a filter system that isn’t working as well as it did the day it was … READ MORE ...