HGTV Magazine September 2013

Porch light Wheeler Dino 14"-diameter steel wall sconce in cobalt blue, $233, barnlightelectric.com Doorbell Company's Coming Maple Leaf polyresin doorbell, $18, doorbellfactory.com House numbers Mission 5 ½"-tall oil-rubbed bronze house numbers, $15.50 each, atlas homewares.com for stores Door Classic Craft Canvas Collection fiberglass entry door, $387, thermatru.com for stores; paint: Instant Delight by Behr; Reserve Cottonwood handle set in dark bronze finish, $330, baldwinhardware.com for stores Welcome mat Orchard doormat, $34, garnethill.com Table and planter Satellite 16"H x 18"-diameter polyethylene outdoor end table in red, $199, roomandboard.com; Night blue 8"-tall ceramic planter, $17, lowes.com. We filled ours with mums. Outdoor clock Spiral 14"-diameter aluminum clock in French bronze finish, $79, grandinroad.com…

I have a dream kitchen. Not in real life, but it's picture-perfect in my head. I see gleaming white cabinets, marble countertops, a blue tile backsplash, and a fridge that cleans itself. (Told you—dream kitchen!) Until my fantasy comes true, I want to love the one I'm with, so I often buy bright new accessories and constantly swap things around—cookbooks, napkins, artwork, even salt and pepper shakers. Recently I asked my mom if I could borrow her kitchen witch (my Grandma made it from a sewing pattern she bought) while I worked on this issue. What's a kitchen witch, you ask? According to family lore—part Swedish, part German—a kitchen witch brings good luck. Perch her on a shelf and she'll watch over you as you cook, unload dishes, or do…

This is the second year in a row that I've delivered a design challenge to the HGTV Star contestants, and let me tell you, it's a rush! My heart pounds and my stomach does flip-flops when host and mentor David Bromstad introduces me and I see how much energy each designer brings. This season the designers had 48 hours to decorate a living room in a luxury rental unit at the Icis Apartment Homes in Glendale, CA. No permanent changes—like knocking down walls or ripping up floors—were allowed. In the end Brooks Atwood and Tiffany Brooks created the winning look, at right. What swayed the judges most? "They made this room feel special," says David. "The graphic walls and teal and orange palette gave edge to what could have been…

I've been buying the magazine digitally for six months, but the June issue has convinced me that I need a hard-copy subscription, too. I loved all the articles, especially "10 Things to Do With a Plain Frame." There are so many affordable, doable ideas that I want to flag and save in every issue. —Cissie Larsen, Fairview, TX When the June issue arrived, I was determined to save it for a flight I was taking in 10 days. But 12 hours later, I gave in and read it cover-to-cover while standing at my kitchen counter. I kept saying, "I'll stop after this feature," and then wham, another fabulous design tip. —Lori Heathorn,Palo Alto, CA I have been a fan of the HGTV network for years, and now I'm a fan…

$3,500+ worth of giveaways! Desk set, page 52 15 winners Pool blue starter set, poppin.com Flowery pillow, page 50 5 winners Cydney Multi 22" x 22" cotton and linen pillow, companyc.com Upholstered ikat chair, page 56 1 winner Dining chair with arms in cotton pewter, hgtvhomefurniture.com for stores Cookie jar,page 118 10 winners Bright Dot 8 ½"H x 9"-diameter ceramic jar, coton-colors.com Knickknack tray, page 46 5 winners Metal 8" x 8" trinket tray in Capri Monaco, themacbethcollection.com Address labels, page 28 5 winners (each win 120 labels) Be Bright labels, shutterfly.com Curvy lamp, page 46 5 winners Genie in a Bottle 24"-tall resin table lamp in coral, shadesoflight.com Chevron slow cooker, page 118 5 winners French Bull Crock-Pot 5-quart slow cooker, target.com Red bench, page 63 5 winners Sigurd…

DOWN + DIRTY PLUMBER SECRETS 8/9 The best $3 you'll ever spend. Got a call about a backed-up shower. This same woman calls me every other week. Doesn't she know about the Zip-It? It's a thin piece of plastic with little barbs that you snake down a tub drain to remove clogs. And it's just 3 bucks at the hardware store! Look, I love getting paid $50 for 15 minutes of work, but that woman is throwing her money down the…well, drain. Ha! I crack myself up sometimes. 8/13 Careful what you flush. I'd love to post my "no-flush list" on all my clients' bathroom doors. It includes cigarette butts, tampons, dental floss, press-on nails, cotton balls, and any paper that's not toilet paper, including tissues. All will wreak havoc…