The Music Man
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 world. He’s written and composed...
A stroke of genius: Paint finish helps make a kitchen family-friendly
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 hardware. Should the time come...
Bionutrient Gardening: The Cream of the Crop
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 the bill, because data from...
Dish Strainer
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...
May Emeralds
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...
Water Gardens: The dos and don’ts
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 enjoy the serenity and beauty...
The Energy-Efficient Foundation
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...
5 fast fixes that add value to your home
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...
Mat the Knife
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...
Insulating the Roof of an Energy-Efficient Home
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...
The dos and don’t of fixing leaky pipes
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....
New Canaan CARES Kitchen and Home Tour: 21st tour features intimate spaces with big personalities
Seven New Canaan homeowners will open their doors to celebrate the 21stNew Canaan CARES Kitchen and Home Tour on Thursday, May 9. From multi-phase renovations to focused kitchen remodels, these homes showcase the latest in kitchen, home and interior design. Each house varies in style and setting, providing a unique and interesting experience for all...
