HGTV Magazine May 2013

porch swing International Caravan Balau 4' hardwood swing, $190, wayfair.com doorbell Whittington Dion brass doorbell in brushed nickel, $29, signaturehardware.com door Therma-Tru Classic-Craft Canvas fiberglass entry door, $387, thermatru.com for stores; paint: Spirit in the Sky by Benjamin Moore; Hamilton Mortise entry set in satin nickel, $454, hoah.biz; Monogram door knocker in brushed nickel, $39, michaelhealy.com outdoor pillows Chili Pepper 22" x 22" pillow, $55, Juniper 20" x 20" pillow, $40, both crateandbarrel.com outdoor thermometer Flower Market enamel thermometer in white, $98, mackenzie-childs.com house numbers Solid brass 5" floating house numbers in satin nickel, $16 each, architecturalmailboxes.com for stores welcome mat Threshold Multi Medallion doormat, $13, Target stores lantern Cube aqua 8 ½" x 6 ½" lantern, $30, cb2.com…

Here's a little story about a sugar bowl. I broke mine. Surely I have something else I can use, I thought. While rummaging around my hutch, I found my grandma's green glass sugar bowl that I'd forgotten about. Rediscovering this treasure made me re-appreciate other little things around my house. • I love this short and sweet book on my nightstand—it's only 50 pages. • Tucked inside is my favorite bookmark. • I pick up mini pink flowers called godetia (they stay fresh for two weeks) every time I see them. • When Petal, my 8-year-old cockapoo, isn't following me around, she's snoozing on her 2' x 3' sheepskin rug. • Tiny candles in tins! I can't get enough. • On my living room side tables, I keep linen napkins…

I've subscribed to many home magazines over the years, but I'm happy to say I've found "the one" with your magazine! Not long ago I reread all my previous issues while wondering when I'd get my next one. Lo and behold, I received the most recent issue the very next day. I have already read it twice and am making a mental list of upcoming projects you've inspired me to do. —Connie Olson, Wheaton, IL You could have knocked me over with a feather when I turned to the story on Sarah Richardson's lovely home ("Hey, Sarah, What Did You Do With All These Colors?") in the March issue. I've loved her shows for years, and it was inspiring to see her own house in all its glory, filled with…

"When I make my bed, the pillowcase openings have to face in, so when someone looks at the bed from the doorway, they don't see the open ends of the cases." —Kathy Bertone, Naples, FL "This is so funny to me: Whenever my husband is on the phone, he organizes things. I realized it when, after one call, I found all the fruit from the fruit basket lined up by size and color on the counter. Ha!" —Christine Piccin, Santa Rosa, CA "Towels have to be folded in thirds in my house. My stylish mom and neat-freak dad always did it this way, so it's totally ingrained, but I have to say, it is the tidiest way to hang towels. My husband's a reformed half-folder, and I'll train my baby…

1 SWITCH OUT A SHOWERHEAD Bring your old showerhead to the hardware store to make sure your replacement will fit the arm that's already in the shower. 1. Clamp an adjustable wrench around the nut at the base of your showerhead. Turn counterclockwise until you've loosened it, then unscrew it with your hands to remove it. With a damp rag, wipe away any residue around the pipe. 2. Wrap plumber's tape—a thin, flexible white kind used on pipes—around the threads of the shower arm a couple of times. It'll help create a tight seal and prevent leaks. 3. Put your new showerhead on the end of the shower arm, and tighten by turning its accompanying nut clockwise with your fingers. Then turn on the shower to check for leaks. If…

…to never feed your houseplants? A: Don't panic if you've never fed (a.k.a. fertilized) those ferns on your windowsill. "Food will keep them green and healthy," says Mike Rimland, director of business development for Costa Farms, North America's biggest houseplant grower. "But plants can live without it." For one thing, when you buy a houseplant, its soil has likely already been boosted with a slow-release fertilizer that can last as long as six months. Also, because they're in containers, houseplants don't need to put a lot of energy into spreading their roots, so they don't require much food. If you do want to pump up your soil with fertilizer, Rimland suggests using a liquid product every other month. BOTTOM LINE: not bad at all! DID YOU KNOW? Like overwatering, it's…