Blog by Beebe Cline, PREC*

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15 Things to Do on a Cozy Holiday Weekend at Home

November 6th, 2023
The feel of flannel sheets, the sound of stories told aloud, the scent of something delicious baking in the oven — as the Thanksgiving weekend stretches out ahead, plan on nestling with family and friends in the warm embrace of your home. Whether your idea of cozy quality time is sipping cider or making wreaths,   1. Wrap Up in Blankets and Sit Outside Take a cue from luxe ski chalets and pa ...

10 Tasks to Tackle in Your Late-Fall Garden

October 30th, 2023
Crisp temperatures and a kaleidoscope of colors make fall the perfect time to enjoy being in the garden. You might want to do some lingering tasks before winter sets in, or you might simply want to relax and enjoy the end of gardening season. 1. Embrace Nature Resist the impulse to cut everything back in fall, shutting the garden down completely. Let your plants, especially the native speci ...

15 Essential Tabletop Items for Entertaining

October 27th, 2023
Whether you’re setting up your first home, downsizing or just hoping to streamline that overstuffed china cabinet, this guide can help you begin. With the 15 items on this list, you’ll be in good shape to host dinner parties and family gatherings with ease. What you won’t find here: holiday-themed dishes, oyster forks, martini glasses or any highly specialized items. Instead the focus is on v ...

How to Get Your Furniture Arrangement Right

October 20th, 2023
Like a blank page or canvas, an empty room can be either an opportunity or a challenge. With so many ways to fill it, how do you know where to start? I’ve taken some of the basic rules of furniture arrangement and distilled them into 10 simple tips. They’ll help you work with your interior designer to determine where to put things, where not to put things and how to prioritize the choices you ...

4 Surprising Things You Can — and Should — Leave in Your Garden

October 13th, 2023
Old logs, branches, weeds and rubble all can mount up in the yard. But before you toss out everything in the trash, it might be time to rethink what you consider garbage. The Royal Horticultural Society hosts flower shows around England, with London’s Chelsea Flower Show being the most well known in the U.S., and its shows earlier this year offered plenty of ideas for using waste materials t ...

Why Fall Is a Good Time to Start Planning Your Landscape Redesign

October 11th, 2023
Many people start thinking about redesigning their yards and gardens in spring, but it’s better to kick things off in the autumn or winter, the landscape design experts we spoke with say. By planning early, you can get around the issues of bad weather and seasonal planting, and book good local contractors ahead of time. We asked the pros about timing and other aspects of getting a new landsca ...

10 Colorful Container Gardens That Celebrate Autumn’s Arrival

October 9th, 2023
As temperatures drop and life at home starts to move inside, give your outdoor spaces a festive update for fall with flowers and foliage in rich golds, deep reds and luxurious purples. You can start your containers from scratch or simply squeeze in some new plantings or accents to an existing container or planter box design. 1. Autumn Glow Pansies (Viola sp.) in shades of yellow, orange, red ...

10 Ideas to Make Your Home Feel Warm and Welcoming

October 6th, 2023
When a home is warm and welcoming, you can feel it the instant you walk through the door. You’re put at ease, like you’ve just exhaled a breath you didn’t even know you were holding. But what is it that makes a home inviting? If you want to feel more comfortable and cozy at home, these 10 thoughtful touches — including swaying porch swings, neighborly front yards and cushy couches — can help. ...

8 Ideas to Give Your Yard a Boost for Fall

October 4th, 2023
As we move into fall, our homes and gardens can offer something different than they did in summer. A pot of brightly colored flowers on your porch can help lift your mood and brighten your street. Setting up a badminton net or hanging a swing gives kids a place to burn off some energy after school. Installing an outdoor heater for your patio can extend use of the space when temperatures dip a ...

20 Kids’ Bedrooms That Pump Up the Fun

September 27th, 2023
Fanciful bedrooms can feed kids’ imaginations and encourage their dreams of blasting into space, sailing the high seas, summiting peaks and embarking on other big adventures. Since kids’ interests evolve quickly, homeowners and designers might add whimsy with easy-to-change paint, bedding and accessories. When the budget allows (and often when furnishing vacation rentals), others opt to go al ...

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