WINTER TV PROJECT/SANTA BARBARA

HILLSIDE HAVEN

As the finishing touches go on Jan Winford’s artfully renovated bungalow, she gets ready to settle in and settle down

By NELSON HANDEL14 min

departments

ASK NORM

How to replace rotted beams, dampen outside noise, and make gouged siding smooth

features

desert star

An adobe house blends seamlessly into a site graced by indigenous plants and mountain views

By DONNA PAUL10 min

YARD & GARDEN

CONCRETE-PAVER WALKWAY

By MARK FEIRER,THOMAS BAKER9 min

FINANCES

You Got a Permit for That?

Call it a helpful safety inspection or Big Brother watching, but when you build, renovate, or add on, town hall wants to see what you’re up to

By BETTY MING LIU7 min

departments

Silva Solutions

PREVENTING WARPS, CRACKS, AND POPS

By ZACHARY GAULKIN7 min

TRANSFORMATIONS

Shingle Minded

With years of hard work and attention to detail, a Midwestern couple achieves their dream

By VICTORIA LAUTMAN7 min

MATERIALS

Steeling Home

Metal siding, the shiny, utilitarian stuff of grain silos and Quonset huts, finds a niche in home construction

By DAVID DOBBS7 min

HOUSE CALLS WITH STEVE

A Silvery Lining

In a turn-of-the-century bungalow, the kitchen is carefully planned—and furnished—to look unplanned

By RHODA MURPHY5 min

TECHNOLOGY

Pixel This

With digital cameras, there’s no such thing a bad picture, as long as the batteries hold out

By LISA KALIS5 min