HOME Magazine | A monthly special section from Hersam Acorn

How to create a paver walkway or patio

by Home Staff on May 17, 2013

Creating a walkway or patio out of paving stones can add aesthetic appeal to a property. Pavers are less permanent than concrete and decking. As a result, it is easier to change the design later on if you want to give the space a new look. Homeowners who install their...

The Music Man

by Lisa Sullivan on May 8, 2013

If you’re not in the music business, you might not immediately recognize the name Joey Levine. You can be sure, however, that you are familiar with his work. The Queens native and Fairfield County resident is responsible for some of the catchiest, most famous songs and jingles, literally, in cathe...

Featured Stories / Home Improvement / Renovation

A stroke of genius: Paint finish helps make a kitchen family-friendly

by Lisa Sullivan on May 8, 2013

Like a lot of homeowners, I keep a running slide show of dream kitchen photos in my head, periodically swapping out granite countertops for quartz, or tile flooring for wood. One photo that never changes, however, is the cabinets: they’re always a creamy white, Shaker style with old-fashioned brushed nickel...

Bionutrient Gardening: The Cream of the Crop

by Lois Alcosser on May 8, 2013

Vegetables have attained an honored, near-sacramental position in the realm of healthful foods. It seems the green, leafy and the plump red produce stemming from a home garden is not only a source of pride, but the recommended method to assure a nutritious diet. Simply eating store-bought veggies doesn’t fill...

Columns / DIY | (don't)DIY / Featured Stories

Water Gardens: The dos and don’ts

by Joanne Greco Rochman on May 8, 2013

People like to live by water. That’s why waterfront homes and resorts are so sought after. The next best thing to living on a lake or seaside is to enjoy the natural beauty of a pond, stream, or waterfall. When these natural elements are not forth coming, one can still...

Design / Featured Stories

ABC of Wilton debuts home tour

by Home Staff on May 8, 2013

On May 31, A Better Chance of Wilton (ABC) will host its first home tour, “Opening Our Hearts and Homes for ABC,” to benefit the organization from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Six distinctive homes in Wilton will be open to the public, including a recently constructed farmhouse with a...

Featured Stories / Home Personality / Real Estate

HomePersonality: Homes with Front Porches

by Home Staff on May 8, 2013

111 High Ridge Avenue, Ridgefield, CT $1,999,000 Carissa McMahon, Coldwell Banker Moves, 203-442-4159 1 Hedgerow Common, Weston, CT $1,075,000 Barbara Babcock, The Riverside Realty Group, 203-246-6300 143 Gerdes Road, New Canaan, CT $1,249,000 Marsha Charles, Coldwell Banker Previews Int’l., 203-966-3737 x28 63 High Ridge Ave., Ridgefield, CT $3,700,000 Karla Murtaugh,...

Cooking / Featured Stories / The Recipe Box

The Recipe Box: “Mom’s Favorites” in honor of Mother’s Day

by Home Staff on May 1, 2013

Send us your “June Celebrations and Special Occasions” recipes! Email us at home@acorn-online.com. We’re looking for recipes for summer weddings, graduations, Father’s Day, anniversaries, birthday parties, etc. Please be sure to include exact measurements and instructions, and a photo of your creation, if you have one. Waffles w/Homemade Lemon...

Gardening for beginners: Start off on the right foot

by Home Staff on Apr 25, 2013

Each year, thousands of first-timers will join the millions of seasoned gardeners who already know the satisfaction of picking a perfect tomato at its peak, serving up salads from greens just grown right outside the back door, or harvesting home-grown peppers and specialty herbs never even seen at the grocery...

Cooking / Home Tips

Is your grill ready for your culinary imagination?

by Home Staff on Apr 23, 2013

Recent improvements in the design and engineering of gas grills have transformed the art of grilling. From searing and rotisserie cooking to planking and smoking, gas grills now provide chefs with several different grilling techniques to develop flavors, textures and aromas. With a quality gas grill, the right set of...

Featured Stories / Home Improvement / Home Tips

Can pools and lawns cohabitate peacefully?

by Home Staff on Apr 23, 2013

The backyard has become a go-to destination for warm weather recreation. As the “staycation” has grown in popularity, more effort has been put forth in making the backyard a place where all members of the household can enjoy themselves. That means merging interests into one space. A pool may be...

Home Improvement

Pave the way to a new driveway: choosing the right materials

by Home Staff on Apr 1, 2013

When renovating a home, many homeowners look to increase the home’s curb appeal. “Curb appeal” is a term used to describe how the home’s exterior appears to buyers the moment they pull up to the curb. A home that impresses prospective buyers before they even go inside is said to...

Gardening / HomeBriefs

Strawberry fields forever

by Home Staff on Mar 21, 2013

Get kids growing in the garden by starting them off planting their own strawberries. You can let them plant and care for a whole patch, or just one or two plants, planted in a strawberry jar or garden container. Be sure to engage your kids in the planting process and...

Featured Stories / Gardening / HomeBriefs

Eco-conscious ways to tend to your lawn

by The Home Monthly on Mar 13, 2013

Many homeowners are constantly on the lookout for ways to make their homes more environmentally friendly. Such a pursuit is both noble because it helps the environment and practical because it often saves money. While there are many eco-friendly improvements homeowners make inside their homes, it’s important to note that...

Home Tips

Prepare a deck or patio for entertaining

by The Home Monthly on Mar 4, 2013

Few things are better than having a functional and beautiful outdoor space to entertain guests. Having a great outdoor space enables a person to host parties or intimate gatherings all year long. Establishing an entertaining space and maintaining that space are essential when planning another year of fun in...

Latest entries

Columns / Home Moaner

Dish Strainer

by Ben Guerrero on May 8, 2013 •

I visited my friend Silda’s apartment. The dishes in her kitchen were piled high. I channeled my inner 17-year-old — my first job was washing dishes — and got a rhythm going: scrub, dry, stack. It was a bit of a juggling act since all the horizontal space in Silda’s small kitchen was occupied with...

Columns / The Jewelry Box

May Emeralds

by Joe Brandt on May 8, 2013 •

One of the most highly prized gemstones in the world is emerald, the May birthstone. Emerald (a member of the beryl family, and first cousin to aquamarine) is fairly hard (71/2 – 8 on the Mohs scale) as gemstones go, although by no means truly durable, and is subject to chipping (or breakage) with relative...

Featured Stories / HomeBriefs / Shopping

HomeBriefs: May 2013

by Home Staff on May 8, 2013 •

Plant sale Spring is in full bloom, and The Redding Garden Club is holding its annual plant sale this Saturday, May 11, from 9 to 1 on Redding’s Town Green. “In addition to finding top-quality plants, it’s a great chance to visit and share tips with other gardeners,” said plant sale chair Lynn Grant. There...

Calendar / Featured Stories

HomePlanner: May/June 2013

by Home Staff on May 8, 2013 •

Mother’s Day floral arrangement in Greenwich May 9 Thursday, May 9, 10 am; Garden Education Center of Greenwich, 130 Bible St., Cos Cob. Fee applies; www.gecgreenwich.org, 203-869-9242. Carriage Barn juried exhibition Now through May 24, Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Waveny Park, New Canaan; 203-972-1895, carriagebarn.org. Ballard Green...

Columns / Green Building / Home Improvement

The Energy-Efficient Foundation

by Mike Trolle on May 8, 2013 •

I began this monthly series of columns by taking a look at options for building energy-efficient walls and then moved on to attics and roofs. Now let’s complete our look at advanced thermal envelopes (TEs) by checking out foundations. Most homes in Fairfield County have foundations that include basements, so we will start there. Foundation...

Decorating / Home Improvement / Home Tips

5 fast fixes that add value to your home

by Olga Adler on May 6, 2013 •

By Olga Adler – an award-winning interior designer and creative director of Olga Adler Interiors - www.olgaadlerinteriors.com. With the real estate market warming up (according to all the sources), now may be the time to look at your home with a critical eye and see how you can take advantage of home improvement magic while...

Powder Pouch makes removing beach sand a breeze, contributes to Storm Sandy relief

by Home Staff on Apr 15, 2013 •

Any parent, grandparent or babysitter who has ever taken a child to the beach knows just how difficult to remove all of the sand from children’s – and adults’ – skin. Now Powder Pouch, a new product designed by a third generation beach family that was always looking for ways to brush beach sand off...

Columns / Home Moaner

Mat the Knife

by Ben Guerrero on Apr 11, 2013 •

This is the first in a series of Homemoaner’s “Salute to Tools.” Collect them all! Razor knife, utility blade, box cutter. These are just a few of the names for the ubiquitous, handy cutting device available in most handy, Home Moaner’s tool kits. When my father recently went off to his last reward, his corporeal...

Columns / Green Building

Insulating the Roof of an Energy-Efficient Home

by Mike Trolle on Apr 11, 2013 •

Reducing the flow of heat from the conditioned areas of a house to either an unconditioned attic or directly through the roof itself is a critical task in an energy-efficient house. In last month’s column, I wrote about how to insulate and air-seal at the level of the attic floor. However, there are times when...

Calendar

HomePlanner: April/May 2013

by Home Staff on Apr 11, 2013 •

Ridgefield family history hunt Monday, April 1 through June; find treasures all over Ridgefield using a free booklet available at Keeler Tavern Museum, its website and many locations in town, families are guided to 20+ historic points of interest in Ridgefield; earn an opportunity to win prizes. For more info, visit keelermuseum.org. GMO Films and...

April 2013 HomeBriefs: business accolades + new products

by Home Staff on Apr 11, 2013 •

Ballard Green Plant Sale Members of the Ridgefield and Caudatowa garden clubs have been working hard since February preparing for their annual Ballard Greenhouse Plant Sale that first began in 1940. The event will be held on Friday and Saturday, May 10 and 11, 8:30 to 2, rain or shine, behind Ballard Park. Gardeners will...

Columns / DIY | (don't)DIY / Featured Stories / Home Improvement

The dos and don’t of fixing leaky pipes

by Joanne Greco Rochman on Apr 10, 2013 •

It starts off as a stain on a ceiling. Then it turns into a bulge. Before you know it, the bulge is as ripe as an overblown balloon and just waiting to pop. That’s when you know you must puncture it or it is going to splatter all over the place. You’ve sprung a leak....

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