Articles filed under Home & Garden
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Your home is too boring. Let’s get a little weird.Feb 17, 2026 4:16 pm - Interior designer Lily Walters has a word for anyone looking to have a more interesting, expressive home. “I want it to be weird,” she says.
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Tips on composting to improve garden soil and starting seeds for annualsFeb 17, 2026 2:21 pm - Chicago Botanic Garden director Tim Johnson shares tips on composting to improve garden soil and starting seeds for slow-growing annuals.
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Refunds from negligent home inspectorsFeb 17, 2026 2:08 pm - After we bought our home, multiple problems were discovered. None were reported by our home inspector. When we called to complain, he said his liability is limited to a refund of his inspection fee.
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How repurposing historic buildings breathes new life into the Tri-CitiesFeb 12, 2026 3:30 am - Geneva, Batavia and St. Charles have joined the trend of repurposing old buildings for new uses, with historic structures renovated into apartments, restaurants, businesses and community spaces.
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How to handle condo owner who pounds on ceiling when hearing neighbor’s noiseFeb 11, 2026 11:40 am - The owners of a unit in our condo building are harassing the owners above them for everyday noise and retaliating by pounding on the walls and ceilings. What can the board do?
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How to choose and care for cut flowersFeb 10, 2026 4:07 pm - Valentine’s Day is coming, and cut flowers make a great gift for your special person.
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Homeowner concerned about foundationFeb 10, 2026 4:00 pm - I found a house that I really like, but the home inspection report says there may be foundation problems. How can I determine the cost to fix the foundation, and if in it actually needs to be fixed?
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‘Everyone’s tired of winter’: Chicago Botanic Garden’s annual orchid show offers a colorful escapeFeb 10, 2026 3:52 pm - Outside it’s cold, but it’s warm — and colorful — inside at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s 12th annual orchid show. This year’s theme is “Feelin’ Groovy.”
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The first bloom of the year is here, even if it’s buried in snowFeb 10, 2026 1:23 pm - The first wildflower of the year is already blooming — even if it is still covered in snow. The spiky shoots of the eastern skunk cabbage poke through the mud in mid-January, months before other plants begin to wake up.
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Backyard vegetable gardens are healthy for people and the planet. Here's how to start yoursFeb 10, 2026 12:22 pm - It doesn't get more local, organic and in-season than a backyard vegetable garden.