Home and Garden

Kerry Ann Mendez speaks from experience as a recovering plant-aholic.

I am a fabric junkie, and the longer I’m in interior design, the more my addiction to gorgeous textiles grows. As I design spaces for my home and those of friends and customers, I’m always blown away by the power a few yards of fabric has to take a room to new heights and to make it a truly unique expression of the homeowner’s personality.

Spring has sprung, and it’s time to talk about color. Specifically, green, a color that is often considered pure, crisp and fresh.

Collectors are searching for antique and vintage items related to discontinued technology — old computers, transistor radios, early television sets, computer games and even old typewriters, fans and ticker tape machines.

Q: I have several pecan trees and some of the nuts this year have black spots on them; others have a soft brown film on part of the back of the nuts. What caused these problems and what can I do to prevent it? The pecans have been producing for 30 years and I never had the problem until last year.

Don Rees started in the construction industry as a timber framer and eventually became a homebuilder. But as he constructed new houses he still found himself crafting custom wood doors, mostly for clients’ garages.

With the rise of the “staycation,” more homeowners are turning their backyards into their own private oases. The centerpiece of many such retreats is a refreshing, inviting pool.

When the topic is storage, most people will tell you they’d like to have more of it. That’s especially true for those living in urban housing, which typically has fewer and smaller closets.

Almost like clockwork at the start of each year, top paint manufacturers debut their new color schemes and trot out their “it” colors. Coral Reef, Springtime Dew, Guildford Green, Pink Ground; so tempting — and sure to perk up a home, especially for spring.

Looking for information on a piece you were told is “antique Royal Vienna porcelain”? You’ll find it in “Kovels’ Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide,” and other online sources listed with “beehive” porcelain.