Forget the Open Floor Plan--It's Time to Bring Back Walls

In a compact yard, creating a stylish space that’s inviting and functional requires clever design solutions. Take a look at the following six inspiring designs and see how to make the most of your little outdoor space. Harper Design Build 1. Give the Illusion of More Space When considering ideas for a small yard, think about design tricks you’d use inside the home. A series of horizontal lines that run around the walls of a room can make the space feel larger, and this idea can be just as effective outside. Lead the eye around your plot to give the illusion of size by installing horizontal slatted fences rather than vertical ones. The narrow lines on the wooden fences here create interest and draw your gaze up and around the perimeter of the urban yard. Fenton Roberts Garden Design 2. Include Curves A similar idea for drawing the eye around a yard is to incorporate curves. The lack of sharp edges will create a never-ending line that doesn’t stop and start. This small circular area of g...

  Readjust to In-Person Learning If you have children who have been learning remotely and will resume full-time, in-person classes this fall, consider how to transition them smoothly and regain your space at home. You may have purchased a lot of supplies and equipment — extra paper, pens, pencils, art supplies, glue, scissors and more — to manage home-schooling during the pandemic. These items that normally would stay in the classroom may now be taking up significant space in your multipurpose home. Organize these items, starting with “shopping” from your stash and pulling out those necessary for the upcoming in-person school year. Lindye Galloway Interiors It may be premature to get rid of all home-schooling supplies, since the coronavirus hasn’t been completely contained yet and guidelines could change. It may be wise to prepare for potential stay-at-home orders again if cases continue to surge. But you can still organize and pare down your items. Depending on their condition, co...

  1. There’s buildup in your drain pipe One of the biggest culprits when it comes to a stinky sink is having lots of buildup in your drain pipe. This includes things like bits of food and grease, and all the bacteria that’s been growing around it. “Drains will talk to you,” says  Matt O’Rourke , president of  Z Plumberz . “If there’s something wrong with your drainpipe, you will hear bubbling and gurgling or visually see the backup from a slow drain.” To unclog your drainpipe (and get rid of that nasty smell), O’Rourke recommends using a  Zip It  to clean the pipe, then maintaining it with an  enzyme treatment . “Enzyme treatments are better than harsh chemicals because they’re living organic bacteria that feeds off biodegradable waste and turns it back into water,” says O’Rourke. 2. Your garbage disposal is gross If you have a  garbage disposal and haven’t cleaned it  in a while, then there’s a good chance it’s the culprit behind your smelly sink...

  1. Mantels or exposed beams Hit pause before you send reclaimed wood from mantels or exposed beams to the dumpster. Under layers and layers of previous homeowner paint, you may find salvageable hewn wood that today’s homeowners are seeking. With some elbow grease, these beautiful pieces of timber from the past can be uncovered, sanded, and stained. Alternatively, they can be left natural, to provide architectural interest or enhance a modern farmhouse or rustic look. An original wood mantel that you decide to strip may even fit perfectly on your newly updated fireplace, saving you money. 2. Original hardwood flooring I recently heard from homeowners who’d been in their home for 15 years before discovering—buried under layers of linoleum, vinyl, and tile—some beautiful hardwood flooring. Original flooring can be refinished, which can be a huge cost saver. Also, since the wood floor is already in place, it can be stained to your preference. Before you start any flooring projects, g...

  Wildfire mitigation techniques Mitigating your property and neighborhood might sound complicated, but it’s really not. Here are three steps to get your home and property properly mitigated this fire season. 1. Create defensible space:  The first step in mitigating your property is to create defensible space around your home. “Defensible space is the area surrounding your home that can help protect it from loss or damage in a wildfire,” says  Erin Johnson , wildfire programs manager for the Theodore Payne Foundation. “Depending on your location, proximity to neighbors, terrain type, and habitat, defensible space is typically defined as a radius of 100 feet surrounding a structure.” To create a defensible space around your property, you’ll want to remove any fuel within that perimeter. “Clear grasses and shrubs below larger trees, and trim trees up to reduce the chances of fire carrying from the ground into the tops of trees,” says Landsman. Don’t stack firewood on a deck...