Deep IMPACT

Plants that can make a statement in your perennial border

Rarely if ever is a perennial planting scheme permanent. The selection and arrangement of plants in a perennial bed naturally changes over time as plants grow, mature, re-seed where we don’t want them, expire from natural causes, or simply lose . . .

Posted: 2016-04-23

First-quarter new home starts encouraging

The new home start numbers for the first three months of 2016 are available and the results are encouraging, yet not surprising.Single-family-detached starts are slightly ahead of last year, whereas multi-family starts are down by quite a bit. The single-family . . .

Posted: 2016-04-23

Patina perfection

Weathered decor can give your home designer flair

Architect Steve Giannetti and interior decorator Brooke Giannetti, who co-authored Patina Style and Patina Farm, recently joined Washington Post staff writer Jura Koncius for an online chat. Here is an edited excerpt: Q: Your California farm is gorgeous. How can we . . .

Posted: 2016-04-23

Celebrate Manitoba's vibrant colour palette

Last year, my husband and I took a road trip to the East Coast. As lovely as it was and as breathtaking as the scenery was, I still found myself yearning for the beauty of Manitoba’s prairie landscape. There’s nothing . . .

Posted: 2016-04-23

Get professional opinion before removing wall

Question: I have a 1, 070 square foot house, with a cottage roof, built in 1960. I would like to remove the wall between the living room and the kitchen, which spans the front of the house. How do I . . .

Posted: 2016-04-23

Muriatic acid best for cleaning stubborn driveway stains

Question: It is time for spring cleaning and we have a paved driveway that we would like to clean. We used baking soda and Dawn dish soap already; it still needs more work. Do you have anything else to suggest? . . .

Posted: 2016-04-23

Every home, big or small, should have a mudroom

Given the volatile weather this spring, we all need to be prepared for all conditions, all of the time. Boots, umbrellas, coats and hats pile up the minute you and your family bound through the door, so if you don’t . . .

Posted: 2016-04-23

Rare combination

South Pointe two-storey unique yet functional

When it comes to unique new home designs, there tend to be two types. One is unique just for the sake of being unique, and may lack function. The other, while also unique, is expressly built to seamlessly weave function into . . .

Posted: 2016-04-23

Split decision

Four-level home perfect for active family

It’s a dream many families have: to live in a big house in a spot that’s quiet and secluded, yet close to key amenities. That’s exactly what 6294 Henderson Hwy. — a 2, 000-square-foot, four-level split design — has to . . .

Posted: 2016-04-23

Perennial all-stars

Match a plant's needs to a particular growing site for continued success / F17

 If you’re like me, you’ve already been peeking under layers of mulch or flax straw checking for the first signs of life from your perennials. Some plant varieties seem harder to grow than others. Popular species that can be challenging . . .

Posted: 2016-04-16