I Heart HGTV

We are excited to announce the arrival of the newest member of the HGTV family – Rivington Boone Faires. Former Design Star contestant and host of DanMade, Dan Faires and his wife Dasha welcomed their sweet baby boy on Friday, April 12. Welcome to the world Rivington Boone!

I cannot live in all of the cool houses. Sad but true. I love to look, though.

FrontDoor’s Cool Houses Daily serves up one unique home per day, every day. Not all of them look like a space ship, but this one does.

Bob Hope lived here.

For those curious about celebrity homes (so, basically, nearly everyone) it’s a must-have in the blog roll.

Roasting is my go-to way to cook a vegetable. My husband roasts broccoli with olive oil and garlic cloves and I cannot stop eating it until it’s all gone. Seriously, so delicious. Please try it. It will make you a happier person.

I’m coming to the realization that it’s not just for fall. Now I need to figure out what springtime produce can star in this roasted vegetable recipe. Tomatoes? Okra? I’m taking suggestions.

I want to stick my face in this forever.

What does spring mean to you? Relaxing on a hammock? Climbing trees with friends? Cold drinks on the back porch? Check out some of our favorite springtime moments shared by HGTV users with #lovehome.

Keep sharing your pictures on Instagram and Twitter with #lovehome and make sure to follow @HGTV on Instagram.

This is exciting! For those who don’t know, the Webby Awards honor the very best of the web. Former winners include the likes of Al Gore and Prince. The best part: All acceptance speeches must be five words or less.

I’d love to see what Laurie March would say. She’s our very own House Counselor and a nominee for the people’s choice award in the DIY/How-To video category. Check out her videos and, if you agree with me that she is fantastic, please consider giving her your vote. If she wins, I’ll make her come over to I Heart and deliver her acceptance speech for you.

Vote! (Please)

This house. This pool. These chairs. The pillows. Even the fruit bowl. They could all belong to you. Mary has the the details on how you can win the HGTV Smart Home.

Please invite me over for a pool party.

The second installment in our Homeowner Help series comes from the moment when you’re running crazy late to an event, go to lock the side door, and (ARGH!) the key snaps off in the lock that’s been jamming lately. Now what? Well first, know that you’re definitely going to be more than a few minutes behind schedule. Now you have an excuse, right? Secondly, don’t panic, because after reading our step-by-step, you’ll know just how to tackle this problem.

How to Remove a Broken Key From a Lock

What to know: If you can see a bit of the key, follow these steps. If not, bite the bullet and call a locksmith.

1. Spray a lightweight oil like WD-40 or Liquid Wrench into the keyhole.

2. Using tweezers or needle-nose pliers, grab the top of the key (not the teeth) and try to pull it out.

3. If you can’t get a good grip with pliers, cut a wire hanger and bend one end into a small hook. Insert it into the lock under the key’s teeth. Wiggle it around to help you coax out the key.

Learn more from Homeowner Help

Originally appeared in the May 2013 issue of HGTV Magazine.
Illustration by Brown Bird Design

I got married more than five years ago, but I still adore a chance to window shop for this particular big event. Our gardening site just published 9 beautiful wedding bouquets. This monochromatic stunner is my favorite.

Picture this beauty in front of a white wedding gown.

From cuddly infants to wild and crazy toddlers, kids made up thousands of our #lovehome pictures. Check out some of our favorite kid and baby pictures shared with #lovehome.

Keep sharing your pictures on Instagram and Twitter with #lovehome and make sure to follow @HGTV on Instagram.

These days microwaves have more buttons than a TV show control room, so zapping a plate of leftovers becomes a serious challenge. Not to mention the aftermath of a splatter can create a sticky mess with a huge radius. The appliance can be a real time-saver though, and one that even pros use, so to keep it humming along, we went straight to the source. Here’s what your microwave would say if it could talk:

“Microwave-safe dishes are always a good idea”
Glass and ceramic dishes that aren’t microwave-safe absorb the machine’s energy instead of letting it pass through to the food, so they can crack or become too hot to touch.

“Close my door gently, please”
Slamming it could blow the internal fuse so the machine won’t turn on. Then you’d have to call a pro to replace the fuse. Bummer.

“Use that popcorn button!”
When you press a button designated for a certain food, such as popcorn or a frozen meal, you activate the machine’s humidity sensor. This adjusts an item’s cooking time based on the amount of steam it releases, leaving you with a perfectly done dish.

“I’m easy to clean. I promise”
If you’ve let spills sit too long, mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with 1 cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat and let boil for three minutes; keep the door closed for five minutes more. The steam makes gunk a cinch to wipe away, and the lemon zaps odors.

“Cover with plastic or a paper towel? It depends”
If you’re cooking something that you want to stay moist—like chicken or veggies—loosely shield the dish with microwave-safe plastic wrap. But use a paper towel for foods that should stay drier or crisp, like pizza or fries.

The microwave is made for more than Easy Mac. Even chefs nuke stuff!

• Asparagus “Sprinkle with water, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil, then heat on high for 30-second intervals.”—Geoffrey Zakarian, chef at New York City’s The Lambs Club

• Chocolate chips “Heat on low for a minute or two until melted, then use for chocolate-dipped strawberries.”—Ellie Krieger, author of Small Changes, Big Results

• Potatoes “I like to ‘power bake’ them whole for about six minutes on high.”—Alex Guarnaschelli, host of Food Network’s Alex’s Day Off

Some content originally appeared in the May 2013 issue of HGTV Magazine.

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