Sunset Magazine - Living in the West

Can a “Granny Flat” Be Cool? A Palo Alto Architect Says YES!

Mary Maydan turned her home-design hobby into a thriving Silicon Valley architecture practice, and designed her own multi-generational family's unusual home.

July 6, 2021

July 9, 2021

Decorating & Design

This One Paint Color Can Boost Your Home’s Value

Research shows that painting your interiors blue can boost the selling price by thousands of dollars.

July 15, 2021

Home & Garden

Everything You Need For a Bathroom Remodel is Made Right Here in the West

You can avoid supply chain woes by sourcing your bathroom renovation supplies—from tile to faucets and hand-cast hardware—from these local makers. And reduce your carbon foot print while you're at it.

July 13, 2021

Wild Lands

It’s National Forest Week— Here Are Some Forests We Can’t Wait to Revisit

National Forest Week runs from July 12-18.

July 14, 2021

The Latest From Sunset

Wild Lands

Hawaii is Giving Away Goats by Lottery. You Have 3 Days Left to Enter!

Hawaiian residents could receive a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 50 goats after the animals overran a 420-acre site that "once served as a hub of political and religious activity within the Kona district."

July 19, 2021

Travel

30 Events Not to Miss Across the West This Summer

Festivals, fairs and events are returning across the West this summer. Here are the ones you don't want to miss.

July 16, 2021

Wild Lands

Watch This Wild Video of Aerial Fish Restocking Over Utah's Alpine Lakes

On average, approximately 95 to 99 percent of the dropped fish survive.

July 15, 2021

Home & Garden

Emergency Preparedness Kits: The Best Kits for a Wildfire Evacuation

To take the hassle out of creating your own emergency pack, we gathered a few options for ready-made kits that come with everything you might need in an evacuation.

July 15, 2021

Keep Cool This Summer

Home & Garden

Keep It Cool: Eco-Friendly Ways to Stay Comfortable at Home

Keep your home cooler this summer, and boost your air conditioning efficiency, with a few simple tips.

July 11, 2021

July 12, 2021

Home & Garden

A Disappearing Pool Is the Small Yard Hack of Your Dreams

File this pool that transforms into a patio with the touch of a button.

July 9, 2021

July 12, 2021

Klopf Architecture in Sacramento designed this single-story modern house with intense summer heat in mind, building a patio under the shade of a mature oak with a large overhang.

Home & Garden

This Sacramento Stunner Is Built to Beat Intense Heat. Learn How They Did It on The Bay Area Modern Architecture Tour.

This gem is designed to maximize shade and natural circulation on toasty days.

June 25, 2021

July 16, 2021

Recipes

9 Punch Recipes to Cool You Down—or Heat Things Up

Whether you need to cool down the summer or warm up the holidays with cheer, these drinks will quench the thirst of a crowd.

July 12, 2021

On the Road Again

Road Trips

Where to? Western Road Trip Tips from Pros Who Know the Backroads Best

We asked several pro explorers about their favorite Western road-trip routes. Here are their recommendations.

June 25, 2021

July 16, 2021

Outdoor patio at the Motel SOCO with red lawn chairs and tables in the background.

Travel

Why You Should Book a Colorado Motel This Summer (Safety Is Only One of the Reasons)

With outside entry and upgraded amenities, these cool motels have become preferred pandemic lodging.

June 23, 2021

June 24, 2021

Travel

Ready to Get Back Into Museums? Start at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco

After a year of prep, museums are reopening their doors. Here's how they've changed.

July 12, 2021

California

How the West Was Fun: Pioneertown’s Red Dog Saloon Serves up Western Nostalgia and Craft Cocktails

We’ve got the skinny on the joint and a few recipes that are a big step up from a shot and a beer.

June 30, 2021

Finding Inspiration at Home

Home & Garden

A Summery Palette of Sorbet Shades Gives an Old Colonial House a Modern, New Life

Lemon, berry, pistachio, and cream—a pale palette and clean-lined modern furniture bring a wood-clad traditional house into the present tense.

July 14, 2021

Decorating & Design

Wave Hello to Scallop-Edged Detail on Everything from Napkins to Light Fixtures

Straight lines have been replaced with wavy curves, and a subtle frilled edge looks anything but stodgy.

June 9, 2021

July 14, 2021

Home Tours

Mother’s Little Helpers: A Santa Barbara Family Works Together to Build the Ultimate Cabana

Jill Ellis puts her father and three young sons to work, enlisting their help in building a picture-perfect pool house in her sunny Santa Barbara yard.

July 2, 2021

Idea Houses

Idea House Workbook: How to Style a Cool Patio in the Desert. (A Pool Helps)

In the first installment of this new column, we visit the Sunset Desert Oasis Idea House to share high-impact design solutions that transform the pool area into a multi-function al fresco retreat.

June 22, 2021

Outdoor Living

Camping in Place: How to Make a Sleepaway Camp in Your Own Backyard

Create a guest-ready, teen-approved backyard glampsite with sleepaway camp style that’s almost as fun as the real thing.

June 7, 2021

Decorating & Design

They Reinvented the 80s Beach Condo: No Anchors, No Seashells, Just Cool Coastal Colors

Los Angeles-based interior decorator Kristi Bender returns to the San Diego-area beach of her childhood, and transforms a nondescript condo into a teen-approved retreat.

May 18, 2021

June 21, 2021

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Landscaping

His Garden Is a Wonderland: Inside John Mayer’s Cactus Collection

Plus, two more gardens designed by Cactus Store in Los Angeles.

April 28, 2021

April 29, 2021

Hydroponic Hack: Lettuce Grow Farmstand Lineup

Home & Garden

Hydroponic Garden Hacks: The Ultimate List So You Can Grow Better Vegetables

Vertical gardens are pretty easy to use, but Mother Nature always has a few aphids up her sleeve. Here's the ultimate list on how to take your vertical garden to new heights.

July 7, 2021

Edible Gardening

Herb Garden Basics: The Tasty Essentials Every Home Cook Should Grow

Never run out of parsley again. Or basil. Or thyme. Or cilantro. Or...

May 19, 2021

May 20, 2021

Flowers & Plants

Everywhere There Are Spikes: An Amazing Cactus Collection

Are you even ready for all of the xeric inspo coming your way?

April 22, 2021

April 29, 2021

Set the Table

Recipes

Filipino Barbecue Is Your Summer Cookout Savior (and You Won’t Need a Whole Pig)

Whether it’s succulent grilled chicken or rotisserie pork belly cooked slow and low over coals, the folks behind L.A.’s breakout takeout hit Lasita show you how it’s done.

June 17, 2021

Mister Jiu's in Chinatown Spicy Crispy Peanuts pictured in a green bowl topped with fried anchovies.

Recipes

He Wrote the Book on Chinese-American Food (Luckily It’s a Cookbook)

Spicy, crispy peanuts kick off a flavor-packed, Chinatown-inspired feast from chef Brandon Jew’s newest cookbook.

June 21, 2021

Recipes

These 8 Hot Dog Recipes Prove the Humble Frank Is a Culinary Rock Star

It's the ultimate blank canvas—a tube steak you paint with your dreams

June 28, 2021

Wine & Drinks

What Is Coffee Cupping, and Why Should You Do It?

Learn to appreciate the subtler flavors of your coffee by cupping like a pro—you can do it at home.

June 29, 2021