Grills gone wild
Nancy Davis Kho, Special to The Chronicle
Standing next to a barbecue shaped like a flying buzzard on a recent sunny afternoon, the winds coming over the top of the Santa Cruz Mountains to ruffle the ashy edges of a cooking fire, metalsmith Bill Sorich can be...

Shopping the International Contemporary Furniture Fair
Nancy Frick Battaglia, Special to The Chronicle
The biggest and best collection of contemporary furnishings in North America comes to New York City each May. The International Contemporary Furniture Fair is the trade show to entice decorators, architects, retailers...

Great Sunflower Project tracks bee population
Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer
We're a bit hung up on bees at The Chronicle this year. Between the rise of urban beekeeping and the decline of bee populations worldwide, Home & Garden Editor Deb Wandell and I have hopes of someday starting a hive on...

'Flower-pot parasols' no threat to plants
Pam Peirce
Q: I have had a heart-leaf philodendron hanging indoors for about three years. It was doing just fine, great, actually. I recently moved it into a different room that gets a little less light. After about two weeks, I...

Exbury azaleas' bold hues make a garden glow
Erle Nickel
Evergreen azaleas are one of the most popular of the partial-shade-loving plants, but their deciduous cousins, a group known as Exbury hybrids, have largely flown under the radar. Exbury azaleas' calling card is a...

Marin Designer Showcase's final week
Deb Wandell
This is the final week to catch the Marin Designer Showcase, back after a two-year hiatus. Thirty Bay Area interior and landscape designers have put their signature touches on San Rafael's Rosegarden Estate, an 8,...

Before you grill
Lynne Char Bennett
The weather hasn't yet allowed for much out-of-doors cooking, so many of us can't wait to start this summer's grilling season. Despite all the excitement of planning that first flame-kissed meal, consider some...

Home design is where his heart is
Anh-Minh Le, Special to The Chronicle
When most 4-year-olds build a fort, the blankets and cardboard boxes come out. But for interior designer Matthew MacCaul Turner, it meant sitting at the table with a set of crayons to draw plans and elevations. His...