Better Homes and Gardens October 2022

LIKE MANY AMERICANS, BHG has been renovating. If you think of this magazine as a house, it would be a much-loved 100-year-old Cape Cod Revival or maybe a Craftsman that, though structurally sound, needs some tweaks and updates. So we’re pleased to unveil a front-to-back redesign celebrating the wonderful history of Better Homes & Gardens while adapting to the ways our current readers enjoy the information in our pages. Don’t worry; we’ve made sure to keep your favorites: “I Did It,” “Stylemaker,” “Fast & Fresh,” and all the home-based subjects you’ve enjoyed over the years. At our century mark, however, we’ve shored up a few beams, knocked down a couple of walls, and restructured the architecture of the magazine to better reflect how we live now. Some of the changes are purely…

Podcast Tune in to Design We’re talking homes. How to find one, how to buy the one, and how to decorate it once you’re holding the keys. In each episode, host Mélanie Berliet talks with guests about the been-there realities of homeownership. Learn the three Ls of real estate from serial DIYer Wendy Lau. Find out why TV hosts Dave and Jenny Marrs believe in the magic of white paint, even with kids. And tap into content creator Kay Volmar’s tips for tackling a gigantic reno. Find wherever you get your podcasts: BHG.com/TheBetterBuyPodcast. It’s Mum Season Our guide has everything you need to know to successfully grow and care for all types of mums. BHG.com/GrowMums sweepstakes Win $25,000 We want to make your life a little bit easier with $25,000 cash to help pay off your…

The Dream List 1 MAXIMALIST PLANTINGS Andrew’s garden is a strong argument for planting boldly and enthusiastically—and not overthinking it. A self-taught gardener, he plants whatever strikes him. Herbaceous perennials, bulbs, and self-seeding annuals wind among unusual shrubs and trees. Even on a small scale, you can re-create this magic by encircling a backyard deck or shed with a densely packed border. Choose tall plants for impact and repeat combos for cohesion amid the wildness. 2 MINIMALIST DECK A simple wraparound wood deck echoes the crisp lines of the house. Low enough not to need railings, the deck allows an unobstructed garden view and seems to hover above the plants. 3 THE DARK SIDE Dark colors like this one look good on the exterior of a house because they don’t get washed out by the sun’s…

Better BE-LEAF IT! The fanciful leaf shapes of hip houseplants shine when rendered on pumpkins. An eye-catching variety of pumpkin colors—orange, green, gray—up the drama of monstera silhouettes. For a bright glow, fully carve around the outline (top) or for more subtle contrast, etch to remove skin and some of the flesh beneath (bottom). Seasonal WELCOME Greet visitors throughout the season with this friendly gourd. If etched on an uncut pumpkin, the design will be visible during the day (and your pumpkin will last longer); if you want it to show up at night, cut and clean out the inside and add a light. Trace templates onto a piece of thick plastic cling film (we used Glad Press’n Seal) to easily transfer the pattern to the pumpkin. Honey MOON This buzzworthy gathering of petite squash…

CHARBOOTERIE Ingredients you may already have on hand make building a board of snacks spooky-easy. Monster Cheese Ball HANDS ON 20 min. TOTAL TIME 4 hr. 35 min. In a medium bowl combine two 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened; 2 cups finely shredded smoked cheddar, Swiss, or Gouda cheese; ½ cup butter, softened; 2 Tbsp. milk; and 2 tsp. steak sauce. Beat with a mixer on medium to high until fluffy, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours or until easy to handle. Shape cheese mixture into a ball; roll in 1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese to coat. Add one large pimiento-stuffed green olive, halved, for eyes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Franken-Crackers START TO FINISH 20 min. Break chocolate graham crackers into rectangles. Melt 1 cup semisweet chocolate…

Ever since she was a kid, Brittany Smith (Instagram @thorn_cove_abode) has loved celebrating Halloween. Now that she has kids of her own, she leans hard into the holiday, decking her Chesnee, SC, home inside and out. She says it’s all to give her kids “wonderful memories of a silly time in costume and more candy than they should ever see in one day.” Borrow some or all of Brittany’s clever ideas for creating a little Halloween magic at your house. Boarded-Up Windows Brittany designed the rickety window dressing so it can be rehung easily each year. She built a frame of white lattice strips, cut boards from veneer paneling, then stapled them at angles into the frame. She hangs each faux window on wires looped over hooks she installed above each real window.…