Martha Stewart Living May 2019

SOMETIMES GOOD THINGS can come out of bad things. I first dove into Martha Stewart Living the winter my father died, nearly 30 years ago. I was 16, and the loss was a wake-up call. At first, lots of things just felt frivolous: Fashion trends suddenly seemed silly; juicy gossip, not so juicy; and the news of the day, well, not always so newsy (or uplifting). But when I cracked open Living—then my mom’s magazine—or watched Martha’s show, it took me to a different place, one that gave comfort, but also taught how to give it. I could get lost in dreamy gardens and creative projects, and I found those ideas could make life a little better. Helping my mom pick up around the house, for example, began to feel like…

ON THE ROAD DOWN SOUTH With its grand antebellum architecture and Spanish moss–shaded streets, Savannah, Georgia’s oldest city, is a timeless charmer. But a chic hotel-and-food scene is making it a modern getaway. Grab a pulled-pork-and-pepper-relish sandwich at the Grey Market’s convivial lunch counter (right), then start exploring. STAY at the Alida hotel for quick access to the riverfront and downtown—that’s if you can pull yourself away from its cozy-cool décor and cabana-flanked rooftop pool. SHOP boutique-lined Broughton Street. Duck into the Paris Market and Brocante to get lost among artfully curated antique chandeliers, leather goods, and jewelry. STROLL through historic downtown with a bourbon-peach Savannah smash from the hotel (it’s legal to sip on the go), then picnic under the grand southern live oaks at Forsyth Park. ON OUR BOOKSHELF My Mexico City Kitchen (Lorena Jones…

There are so many reasons to grow boxwood: It’s gloriously evergreen, fragrant, deer-resistant, and long-lived. The plants can be large or small, and are easily shaped into hedges, borders, topiaries, and accent plants. And their history is rich. The ornamental shrub has been cultivated for millennia: It appears in The Epic of Gilgamesh, circa 2000 BCE; was discovered in ancient Egyptian tombs; and later figured in architectural plans for English, French, Belgian, and Italian gardens. When Europeans brought the plant to North America in the mid-1600s, it quickly flourished up and down the Atlantic seaboard, including at the homes of our founding fathers. When I devised the plan for my farm almost two decades ago, I started by laying out boxwood hedges and accent shrubs. I was lucky to be introduced…

CELEBRATE SPECIAL DELIVERY Knock, knock. Who’s there? A spring tradition dating back generations. In the 1800s and early 1900s, kids would mark the first of May by hanging baskets of flowers on neighbors’ doorknobs, ringing the bell, and dashing. For a modern spin, surprise a friend on your block—or a coworker or teacher—with simple stems wrapped in paper, and bundled with treats in a net bag they can reuse at the greenmarket for seasons to come. INSTANT UPGRADE Flat-Out Genius Here’s an off-the-wall idea for self-adhesive wallpaper: Choose one in a natural-stone pattern like marble, quartz, or this speckled terrazzo, and customize a shelf or coffee table. It’s fast and foolproof to apply. Measure the area you want to cover, trim the paper to fit, remove the backing a little at a time, and press…

1. Try New Textiles “Bathrooms are full of noncom‑ mittal choices you can switch out,” says Saoli Chu, an interior designer at Block, a bathroom-renovation start-up based in Brooklyn. A standard six-by-six-foot shower curtain is about the size of a wall, and updating it can be as transformative as an allover coat of paint, especially in a small space. Even swapping out plastic or acrylic rings for polished metal gives your room a “higher-end look,” Chu adds. Then replace the things you touch daily. Luxe versions, like plush cotton towels, soft rugs, or a nicer ceramic soap dish, really refine the place. THE DETAILS: Macy’s Martha Stewart Collection Quick Dry reversible 100 percent–cotton towels, in Aqua Glass, from $10 each, macys.com. 2. Increase the Pressure A spa-like showerhead will bring you daily joy, and…

BOTANICA WORKSHOP, Los Angeles Gorgeous, high-quality lingerie—that’s form-fitting but flattering, long-lasting but light as air—is a worthwhile luxury, in our book. So imagine our delight at discovering this collection from Misa Miyagawa, which is as purely produced as it is drop-dead pretty. In 2012, the former ready-to-wear designer was searching, fruitlessly, for stylish options made from eco-friendly fabric, and ended up taking matters into her own hands. “I use silk and domestically milled organic cotton with a pared-down aesthetic made to fit in any wardrobe,” Miyagawa says of her artfully cut underwear, bralettes, and loungewear, all manufactured locally. Pick your size, and slip into something far more comfortable. THE DETAILS: Vetiver silk slip dresses (left and right), in Pink and White, $340 each; and Vania dress (center), in Rosato, $395 (special order…