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. I'm having trouble finding a good-looking sconce to light an open staircase. It needs to be flat so we don't bump into it, and we don't want to be blinded by it, whether we're going up or down. Patricia Schulman
Q. We live in a house with a so-called decorative fireplace-meaning it once was usable, but now just sits there. How big a deal would it be to turn it into a working, wood-burning fireplace? Patricia Schulman
Q. I'm planning to build a kosher kitchen from scratch. Do you have any advice for me? Patricia Schulman

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• South Side Story »

  A former soda pop factory finds new life as an eclectic family home

• Over the Rainbow »

  Lamps that pack a punch of color

• Sheer Cool »

  Spaceship? Gigantic clam? Pac-Man? Whatever it is, your guests will be impressed