MORE STORIES

• Washington Report

  Mortgage deals are there, if you look

  Fear, lack of information keeping qualified applicants on the sideline.

• Q&A

  With sofas, appreciate the classics

  Kelly Galvin Robson, a Philadelphia-based designer who runs the online shop High Street Market, was the guest for an online Q&A. Here is an edited excerpt. Q. When looking to invest in a piece of furniture, like a couch, I want something I won’t get tired of as my tastes change. What styles and lines do you find to be timeless and work with the most decorating schemes?
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  Does it work?

  Putting home products to the test

  Promises, promises.
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  Fairchild’s tropical garden column

  Use your garden to introduce children to nature

  The intricate pattern of a spider’s web glistening with dew in the morning light, the unbridled beauty of an orchid’s bloom perched high in an oak, the absolute grace of an osprey flying overhead. All are experiences that happen only in nature, and, no matter how hard we try, they cannot be faithfully reproduced by man. Nature has the power to calm, excite and inspire.
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  Holiday decor

  Candles and candy extend the life of seasonal decorations

  You love it when your house is decked out in its holiday finest, reflecting all the good cheer and festive spirit inside. At least, you love it until Dec. 26.

• Washington Report

  A market in real estate fraud

  Some say today’s real estate market conditions are ripe for a reprise of some of the worst behavior of the boom and bust.

• Home repairs

  Shocked! When it’s time to call an electrician

  Some repairs, especially in older homes, require help from a pro.
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  Decor

  Elemental design

  Copper architectural details are like jewelry for the home

• Home advice

  How to choose a real estate agent

  Dear Angie:
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  For sale

  Staging homes that need it most

  Selling your house? Your broker may recommend staging it, which usually means winnowing down the furniture and accessories to a well-chosen few, artfully highlighting your home’s selling points, and neutralizing paint and personal touches so buyers can imagine it as theirs.
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  Tools

  A good cart helps make a good garden

  With two wheels and high walls, a garden cart is not a wheelbarrow.

• Hot property: L.A.

  Is comic actor David Spade saying ‘buh-bye’ to Malibu?

  Comic actor David Spade has listed his Malibu beach home for $13.5 million. It joins more than three dozen other houses for sale in the coastal city priced at $10 million and up.
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  Dr. Dolittler

  Cats get chatty watching wildlife

  Don’t worry; it’s perfectly normal. Many cats make that odd chattering sound as they’re staring longingly at birds, rodents or lizards just beyond their reach. What it means, though, isn’t such an easy thing to answer.

• Washington Report

  New hotline ready for mortgage complaints

  If you’re unhappy with your lender, there’s a hotline for you.
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  In the garden

  Attorney finds orchid gardening is an outlet for stress

  Attorney Lance Stelzer finds gardening is a great outlet for stress

• Dr. Dolittler

  Ashes to ashes: Dealing with a euthanized pet’s remains

  I wish everyone was willing to consider these issues beforehand so it wouldn’t add to the stress of their final moments with their pets.

• Washington report

  Keeping score on a bust’s devastation

  Millions of homeowners — and would-be homeowners — experienced big drops in their credit scores at the same time that lenders and home loan investors were demanding higher scores.
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  Fairchild’s tropical garden column

  Planting (Cuban) palms with personality

  Are you looking to add a palm tree to your backyard plant collection? Instead of opting for the same common palm trees spotted regularly in South Florida landscapes, such as the ubiquitous sabal palm, pick a palm that truly stands out.
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  Applicance care

  Stainless steel takes a light touch

  Stainless steel appliances: They’re eye-pleasing, sleek and darned near a cliche these days.
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  Going untraditional

  Christmas: a new look

  Try branching out with these edgy holiday ideas

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