HGTV Magazine is about real life at home. In every issue you'll find money-saving mini makeovers, simple ways to conquer clutter, smart DIY solutions, time-saving cleaning tricks, and so much more. Plus--see how the HGTV experts really live!
Like many of you, I have read HGTV Magazine since its inception. I can still picture the cover of the very first issue—it featured a photo of my fellow HGTV designer David Bromstad, and I remember thinking I couldn’t wait to one day be in his spot. Now here I am on the cover…as the guest editor. Talk about manifestation! I love so many things in this issue, like the closet tips on page 40 and the Chicago travel guide on page 81. But what I’m most excited about is that I am finally sharing my house with you all! Until now, I’ve never done a house tour—not because I didn’t want to, but because between my work for HGTV and my design clients, I hadn’t had time to finish…
Rico to the Rescue In this popular show, builder Rico Leon swoops in to save homeowners from contractor catastrophes. We asked Rico to play Two Truths and a Lie. Can you guess which reno disaster is the fake? FAULTY FOUNDATION “Sometimes when contractors cut corners, they get away with it; other times it’s a total disaster. I recently helped a client whose contractor used cheap cement for the foundation, and it didn’t cure the right way. They built the house anyway—and the whole structure had to be torn down.” SHOWER OF SHAME “After a bathroom reno, homeowners could get only scalding water out of their new shower. It took a few visits, but a plumber determined the pipes had been connected the wrong way, a basic mistake. They had to…
NOT BAD AT ALL! NOT SO BAD! KINDA BAD! PRETTY BAD! REALLY BAD! SUPER BAD! how bad is it to let dust collect on a ceiling fan? “Dust buildup anywhere in a home can cause unpleasant symptoms like a cough, and for someone with allergies or asthma, it can create serious health problems,” says Panagis Galiatsatos, M.D., a pulmonologist and associate professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD. It’s easy to forget surfaces we can’t see, but those are just as important. You should wipe the blades on a fan every two to three months. ● REALLY BAD! how bad is it to skip pet insurance? One out of three pets needs emergency treatment each year—and those visits can add up, says Erin Greenwood, D.V.M., a veterinarian…
the hottest range LSIL6336F RANGE $2,999, lg.com A “scan to cook” feature lets you send instructions from your phone, so the oven knows what’s cooking and can adjust temps and times for you. “No more babysitting your food!” says Tiffany. a life-changing doorbell NEST DOORBELL $180, store.google.com “I’m obsessed with this,” says Tiffany. “I can answer the door from my phone and it tells me when my son is home!” The device can ID familiar faces and will send alerts for activity, whether it’s a person, a package—or a raccoon. a genius vacuum GEN5DETECT VACUUM $950, dyson.com Want to get your kids to help clean? This ultra-powerful vacuum has an LCD screen that shows you how much dust you’ve sucked up in real time. “It’s like a video game.” a washer/dryer…
Give it sun Place your plant in a bright spot with indirect sunlight and rotate it monthly to give all the leaves some exposure. Trim it Cut away any leaves that turn more than 50% brown. If your tree is getting too tall and narrow, remove the top third to encourage wider growth. Feed it Use a slow-release fertilizer once or twice a year. Stop if leaves start to yellow or wilt—you may have used too much. Go easy on the water Your fiddle-leaf is thirsty when the top inch or two of soil feels dry. Use room-temperature water and look for signs of overwatering: The leaves will turn yellow and feel limp. Dust it off Gently wipe both sides of each leaf once a month to help them absorb…
READ MCKENDREE BY PORTOLA PAINTS “This forest green envelops low-light rooms in a lovely way, so sitting down to dinner feels like being in the back of a cozy restaurant. I ordered it in a plaster-like finish for an even warmer look.” —Ryann Swan, @ryannswan, Greenwich, CT chinaberry BY BENJAMIN MOORE “When you first step into this small kitchen, the bold cranberry color is a surprise. My client loves pink, and she suggested the shade to complement her pottery and china collection. It was a risky move, but it really paid off!” —Sheila Mayden, Sheila Mayden Interiors, Seattle, WA caviar BY SHERWIN-WILLIAMS “People are often surprised at the variation among black paint colors. This one has gray undertones, so looking at it doesn’t feel like staring into deep space. It’s…
