D.I.Y.

Bike enthusiasts' passion for the pavement inspired redesign

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

By Staci Dennis
Correspondent
CHESAPEAKE
Rick Turner is most at peace on his Harley-Davidson with the open road before him.
"Riding through the mountains with my lovely wife sitting behind me is one of the best feelings in the world," the Wingfield Point resident said. "It's something that gets into your soul and changes how you see everything."

Couple's DIY project restores home to its original glory

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

By Staci Dennis
Correspondent
NORFOLK
For Justin Hickman and Terresa Landess, finding their first home was more of a hunt for the perfect diamond in the rough, rather than a quest for a shining gem.
The duo set their minds on buying a place they could fix up and eventually resell for a profit. But the search proved harder than they thought.

Suffolk resident created tropical retreat for his teen daughter

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By Staci Dennis
Correspondent
SUFFOLK
Sultan Camp lived in apartments most of his adult life. When he bought his first house, he had one priority.
"It wasn't going to look anything like an apartment," the 37-year-old said. "There was going to be no white walls or beige carpet. There had to be color."

DIY Renovation: A perked-up porch

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

By Staci Dennis
Correspondent

NORFOLK
Sue Gaines and Jerry Foley had a dream to live in a small cottage on the beach.
They wanted plenty of windows to see the ocean year-round and enough room to house their brood of animals.
"We weren't looking for one of those mega houses on the water," Gaines said. "We just wanted something simple."

A winning recipe for a new kitchen

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

VIRGINIA BEACH
For more than nine years, Tim and Charity Figallo 's 120 square feet of kitchen space served its purpose - albeit tightly - feeding the couple's family, acting as a play area and entertaining countless friends.
"Our kitchen was small, but we made due," said Charity, 38. "We knew one day we would get around to fixing it up."

DIY winner is awash with ideas

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

By Staci Dennis
Correspondent
VIRGINIA BEACH
When preparing for life with his new bride, Brad Boyette wanted to make sure everything was perfect.
The 38-year-old bought a house in Virginia Beach's Wedgewood Estates in November and immediately started renovating. The first item on his list was completely updating the master bathroom.

Make it: How to make a green Valentine

Tracie.L — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Learn how to make a Green valentine.

Chillin' in the garage

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

"If you're going to cut up like we do, I'd rather be out there where you can only do so much damage," said Bob Futrell, a retired employee with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Interior decorating trend: Wallpaper makes a comeback

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

ARA Content Since Oprah announced on her television show that "wallpaper is back" and Time Magazine called wallpaper "hip" and the "latest passion" of interior designers, the plain painted wall seems a bit boring.

Do-it-yourself clubs offer help with home projects

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:01:00 -0500

By Melissa Kossler Dutton Associated Press Lewis and Rebecca Taylor were confident when they recently bought a fixer-upper, even though they're not particularly handy. They knew they'd have plenty of help updating the kitchen, tearing out carpeting and redecorating the house, which was built in 1965.