The Apprentices At home with Nate Berkus's right-hand women Gina Bazer
	A Little Night Music High-society bandleader Stanley Paul throws an Old Hollywood–style party Courtney Pitt
	Rising Above It A backyard prone to flooding becomes an opportunity to reshape outdoor space with architectural elements Dennis Rodkin
	The Essential Mudroom A once-humble home feature becomes—voilà!—the new must-have amenity Karin Horgan Sullivan
	Exposed! Open shelves are so very cool, but what to put on them? A designer offers two solutions ... Joanne Trestrail
	Special Delivery Just in time for baby, a new kitchen and bathroom are born in Roscoe Village Gina Bazer

Q. Besides composting, what can I do to be a green gardener? Patricia Schulman
Q. I once, unwittingly and foolishly, removed handcrafted needlepoint panels... my grandmother had made for a rocking chair long ago, then covered the chair in a nondescript fabric.Every time I view her lovely chair, I am sickened by my youthful mistake. How can I find... Patricia Schulman
Q. We love the look of back-painted glass and would like a backsplash of this material in our kitchen. How pricey is it, and how should we proceed? Patricia Schulman

Have a design or renovation question?

• Light Fantastic »

  A Bucktown three-flat morphs into a sleek modern house with dramatic outdoor spaces

• Refinish Your Old Bathtub? »

  Q. I love my old, extra-long bathtub but the surface is wearing away around the drain and the cast-iron is showing through. In fact, the whole thing looks kind of dull. Can I get it refinished?