In the economic boom time that was the 1990s in this country, the thinking was that bigger was better. Cars were replaced by SUVs that gradually got larger and larger, houses grew, and even fast food was super-sized. Then the bubble burst. As we’ve regained our economic footing and … Read More

A black-based container planting is more than a “because you can” novelty: it’s an exceptionally elegant way to display some truly distinctive and eye-catching plants. When it comes to foliage and flowers, what we call “black” is usually a shade of deep purple to burgundy … Read More

Timber framing in much of the world can refer to any framing system using wood components, but in North America we use it to mean solid timber (greater than 5 x 5 in section) joined together with traditional wooden joinery. It’s a type of post-and-beam … Read More

Since I don’t mind spreading the good word if it means keeping more things out of landfills, I will tell you that one of my best tactics for sourcing free materials, with a success rate over 50 percent, is to drop mailbox notes. No, not … Read More

Last year, project editor Hannah Fries spent a week at the Heartwood School for the Homebuilding Crafts, exploring her personal interest in the art of timber framing. Now in the process of editing a book on the subject for Storey, she recently returned … Read More

For the past two years the stone walkway going into my garden shed was only half finished. Last Sunday I decided to complete the job. Two hours later, after setting in the final stones, weeding around all the existing stones, and spreading down mulch, I … Read More

This photo was taken in about 1985. What clues me in is the Mets hat I’m wearing — a hat I wore for a few months after going to Shea Stadium to see Dwight Gooden pitch in his rookie year. This shot reminds me of … Read More

When people find we’re designing a cabin, the questions progress in a certain order. Spike Carlsen is known for woodworking books like The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects and Woodworking FAQ. His new book,  Cabin Lessons, isn’t a woodworking how-to; it’s an honest … Read More

You can use this multipurpose tote for ferrying tools into the garden or woods and for carrying berries, vegetables, and mushrooms back out. It’s lightweight and easy to sling over one shoulder so that both hands are free for carrying or picking. And it’s large … Read More

I can’t precisely pinpoint the first time I dumpster-dived, but I know I started young. My parents added on to our home six times when I was growing up, and there was an ever-changing set of crews reconfiguring walls, adding a porch, or fixing the … Read More