Home Guru

By Bill Primavera Autumn in the garden and yard can be the most gratifying time of year. Deciduous trees and perennials start to yawn, preparing for a long winter’s sleep, accompanied by that sweet smell that comes from plants releasing

By Bill Primavera When I first arrived in New York City straight from college graduation, my older brother had kindly offered to drive me and my things there in my jalopy of a car that I figured I wouldn’t be

By Bill Primavera A few weekends ago, I suggested to my wife that we might consider going “antique-ing,” by visiting shops in nearby Cold Spring. She looked at me as though I had suggested a trip to the moon. I

By Bill Primavera When I could afford my own apartment in New York (actually in that charming neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights), one of my first purchases, following a Danish Modern sofa that also served as my bed, was an inexpensive

By Bill Primavera When my wife and I were lucky enough to buy our first home at a young age in a halcyon world, we were in our mid-20s and the very epitome of eager beavers, always up for something

By Bill Primavera When I was a little boy, around 10 or 11, I developed a passion for gardening. We lived in Viginia in a modest bungalow that looked like every other house in the track, originally developed during World

By Bill Primavera Sleeping overnight in another person’s home can be delightful or a real drag, depending on the planning or lack of it that goes into the guest accommodations. I’ve experienced both situations. The first time I was an

By Bill Primavera Considering the temperatures of the past few weeks, it’s not a stretch to figure how my thoughts might turn to refrigeration. The refrigerator we so conveniently enjoy today is not all that old a concept. In fact,

By Bill Primavera Once again, I hear about an admonition a realtor has received: Show me anything but a raised ranch! Many years ago I wrote a column with the long title, “The Raised Ranch, Love it, Leave it or