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Sample great home improvement and maintenance advice courtesy of This Old House Magazine. Peruse these 20 articles on topics as varied as mahogany wood, lawn mower maintenance, plumbing tips, contractor and Oriental rug advice then link to ThisOldHouse.com to sign up for two free magazine issues.

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Magnificent Mahogany
With its coppery red hue, subtle grain pattern, and pristine, knot-free character, mahogany qualifies as one of the most beautiful woods on earth.
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Now You See It, Now You Don't
Measuring a svelte 3 to 5 inches thick, plasma screens have literally altered the shape of television. They're revolutionizing the look of the TV room, too, as people discover inventive ways to integrate the sleek (and, for now, pricey) monitors into their homes. More >>

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Open and Shutter Case
Victoria L. Roemer was initially drawn to her 73-year-old Georgian-style house because its classic architecture conveyed a sense of refinement and permanence. More >>

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Putting Your Lawn Mower to Bed
Gas-powered lawn mowers and trimmers take their share of abuse during the warm months, so some care at the end of the season is vital to keeping their parts in good working condition. More >>

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Shelf Help
When homeowners complain that they haven't got enough kitchen space, it's usually because they're trying to cram that third cereal box into a tiny upper cabinet without sending the canned yams toppling to the floor. More >>

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A Cellar in the Basement
A little imagination and a lot of work turn a forgotten store room into a cool, dark cellar where wine can age gracefully. More >>

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Cabinet Decision
The two goals set by Theresa and Christopher Cook for the reconstruction of the kitchen in their newly purchased 1941 Colonial-style house in Madison, New Jersey, were straightforward. Theresa, an accomplished cook, wanted to open up and combine the cramped work and pantry spaces that made up the antiquated layout, to make food preparation easier.
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Choosing & Using Squares
A right angle is the standard by which all carpenters build. When corners meet at 90 degrees, drawers fit snugly, windows close tight, and walls stand straight. The key to all this is a square. More >>

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Choosing & Using Paint Sprayers
Paint sprayers have an obvious advantage: They can spread paint, stains, and clear finishes faster than any brush or roller. But just as important is their ability to apply an even coating to uneven surfaces... More >>

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Clear the Way
For a quick dose of humility, there's nothing like celery strings dangling from your ears," says This Old House plumbing and heating consultant Richard Trethewey, recalling one encounter with a clogged kitchen drain early in his career. Rather than empty the greasy, overflowing sink... More >>

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Standing Tall
Columns have graced public buildings and private houses since ancient times. Rising up elegantly, decorative columns call attention to themselves. Sometimes columns are structural as well as ornamental... More >>

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Taming of the Screw
When young Tom Silva and his brothers started their building careers 35 years ago, nearly everything was fastened with nails. Screws, while far stronger, took too much time and effort to twist into wood. "We'd never use screws on a subfloor or drywall," he says. "Nailing was much faster." More >>

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The Right Brush
Without a good brush, it doesn't matter how experienced a painter you are," says painting contractor John Dee. "You can't control the paint." More >>

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The Six Degrees of Renovation
Like the six degrees that are said to separate you from every other person, six phases separate every homeowner from a completed renovation. Every project goes through what you might call a natural "life cycle," each phase with its attendant ups and downs on the part of the homeowner. More >>

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Where the Sidewalk Mends
Sharp bits of concrete fly off the front stoop of a Greenwich Village brownstone in New York City as mason Lenny Moreira chips away at a crack that zigzags across the bottom step like a lightning bolt. He is here to repair these stairs and a nearby fractured sidewalk, a day's work for this fourth-generation mason... More >>

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Drip Dry
For too long now, a stubborn drip-drip-drip has been descending from the one-handled kitchen faucet in the home of Richard Trethewey, This Old House's plumbing and heating consultant. Droplets from a two-handled laundry-room faucet have been falling with the relentless beat of a metronome, too. "Most people will ignore a dripping faucet..." More >>

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General Construction
If you think of your home renovation as a conquest, a general contractor is your fearless leader, marshaling an army of trade professionals who will march through your house and transform it. As important as it is for a homeowner to find the right contractor... More >>

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Get It In Writing
In San Diego, bay views are priceless, and Jody Costello wanted to capitalize on her location overlooking the ocean vistas of Point Loma. So, in mid-1999, she and her husband decided to add a third-floor master bedroom suite and a pair of decks to their two-story... More >>

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Getting Into Hot Water
Water heaters are easy to ignore—until they stop working. The average one lasts about 8 to 12 years and accounts for roughly 15 to 20 percent of your utility bill. So if your heater is getting along in years, or if you're adding... More >>

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How to Choose an Oriental Rug
For many people, the world of Oriental carpet is mysterious and overwhelming. My family has been in the business since 1938. Here are a few simple pointers we've learned to give our customers. More >>

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