Articles by Jo Simmons

Big-ticket home improvements can transform a house, but there are many small and inexpensive ways to give a home a boost as well. Thoughtful touches and simple treats can send comfort and style levels skyrocketing and leave your bank balance largely i…

A home should be more than just somewhere to live. It should also be a retreat — a place in which you feel relaxed and nurtured. All too often, though, our houses slip into a more perfunctory role. Sometimes they even cause stress, confronting us with…

Bathroom windows have to work hard, allowing in natural light while also protecting the privacy of anyone inside. Contemporary bathrooms sometimes feature huge picture windows that seem to put protecting a bather’s modesty far down the list of priorit…

Our passion for design can lead us to choose the fabulous over the friendly, and, while nothing can compete with a midcentury Danish chair or a classic Eames lounger, there is room in our homes for more anonymous but no less appealing pieces. Think fr…

Adequate storage is crucial to the success of any room, and the bathroom is no exception. In fact, we often overlook the need for storage in this much-used area or are challenged by the small dimensions of the space. But whatever the size or style of …

We are not all blessed with an open, flat garden. Many of us live in hilly towns or the rolling countryside. Terraces cut into the incline are probably the most common method for making the most of those tricky sloping plots, but there are lots of way…