home & garden
How Twin Cities homeowners are making money off their basements, garages, even pools
To bring in money and put empty spaces to use, owners are renting their backyard pools, garage stalls, basements or entire homes.
Pandemic is perfect time to savor the gardens at St. Paul's Como Park
The pandemic is a perfect time to savor the gardens at St. Paul's Como Park.
Call it grandmillenial: New design trend mixes old with the new
Instead of stark minimalism, a comfier blend of new and old is taking hold in home decor.
New lake home in Wisconsin is designed for cozy comfort
Rustic materials and spots designed for curling up with a book bring warmth and character to a new getaway.
1970s Mpls. activists saved Milwaukee Avenue's modest homes from teardown
A grassroots effort fought a plan to raze modest "Joe Sixpack" houses on Milwaukee Avenue that dated to the 1890s.
3 Twin Cities home goods stores that provide classic comfort
At a time when the future is so uncertain, there can be comfort in classic design.
Tenant more than 'inconvenienced' by repairs
Q: Last August, the upstairs renters in our duplex caused an overflowing toilet, and the water came through to our apartment. It caused damage to…
Home plan: Living large in small spaces
PLAN 45-583 Total sq. feet: 1,620 Bed/Bath: 3/ 2 Stories: 1 Garage bays: 2 Foundation: Walk-out basement It’s all about the details in…
Home listings: What $415,000 buys in the Twin Cities area
St. Michael Built in 2019, this three-bedroom, three-bath house has 2,978 square feet and features two bedrooms on the main level, fireplace, hardwood…
Minnesota's best potters, inspired by nature, on display
Minnesota is an epicenter of pottery.
Fines, fees, fear: Mpls. neighbors decry 'harassing' homeowners association
The Heritage Park homeowners association has filed liens and foreclosure actions on homeowners who fail to pay fees and other costs on time, even during the coronavirus pandemic.
Bird migration is like an aerial rush hour
Some birds start early, others choose to wait a bit and finally the laggards rush through just before the snow.
A lone shop in a tiny Wisconsin town boasts treasures from across the globe
Discover Wounaan baskets from Panama, pastel Kantha quilts of vintage fabrics hand-stitched in India and colorful, patterned rugs hooked in Guatemala.
Home inspector training advice
Today I'll share my advice on how to become a home inspector. I blogged on this topic back in 2011, and again in 2016, but things change and it's time for another update. I'm writing this because I get a ton of phone calls and emails from people who want to get into the home inspection business. Instead of sharing the first thing that comes into my head during these conversations, I'm putting down all of the most frequently asked questions right here.
Migration prediction
Heavy on Monday and Tuesday nights
New bird boxes? Think fall, not spring
Do it while the doing is easiest
A Plymouth couple transform their longtime home from dark to bright
A Plymouth couple disliked their then-new home's dark finishes before they even moved in. After 26 years, a makeover let the sunshine in.
Home listings: What $335,000 buys in the Twin Cities area
New Hope Built in 1968, this four-bedroom, two-bath house has 2,177 square feet and features two bedrooms on the main and lower levels,…
Gardeners in Minneapolis and St. Paul find joy in abundance
Two urban gardeners build on their successes, plan to go bigger next year.
Houseplants help their owners get through the pandemic
Pandemic produces a new wave of plant lovers.