The following luxury homes and condos went on the market the first two weeks of May:

Parents make lots of sacrifices for their kids: soccer games, recitals, braces and the family truckster. Fortunately, family vehicles have progressed since Chevy Chase's Vacation in a Ford station wagon.

The whole ‘green’ movement is finally catching up with the design industry here in the United States, with many architects and designers doing their best to be environmentally friendly with the materials they specify for a new home.

The following luxury homes and condominiums sold the first two weeks of May:

The following luxury homes and condos went on the market the last week of April and the first week of May:

A two-story home in Ladue with 12 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 5 full- and 1-half bath is listed for $1.375 million.

This summer, think of your backyard as the next decorating frontier. Use designer-quality furniture, rugs, lighting and charming decorative accents for stunning results.

The following luxury homes sold the third and fourth weeks in April:

Beach season is almost here, and the look for summer is definitely Bohemian. Ethnic prints mixed with muted colors, fringe details and loose-fitting shapes work on everyone.

In celebration of Earth Day this month, we focus on electric/hybrid automobiles. Though some may think electric cars are something new, from about 1900 to the late 1920s, there were a number of electric cars built and sold in America, including Milburns, Bakers and Detroit Electrics. They were mainly driven around town by women who didn’t want to deal with the oil, gas, fumes and shifting of an internal combustion engine.

The following luxury homes and condos went on the market the second and third week of April:

“I’ve got a story to tell.” Kristina Blank Makansi and her daughter, Amira, hear those words a lot when people find out they publish books. Their publishing company, Blank Slate Press, was founded in 2010, and is steadily building a list of novels that it has brought to market.

Homeowners have long focused on their property’s ‘curb appeal,’ trying to create beautiful gardens in the front yard that will welcome visitors; and one day, entice potential buyers. But more and more people are seeing the value of sprucing up their backyards, as well, since that’s where families spend a lot of time in the warmer months, notes Jim Graeler, president of Chesterfield Valley Nursery.

When it comes to both decorating and entertaining, designer Bunny Williams is the epitome of classic, old-school style. Here, Williams offers advice setting up a classic drinks table, evocative of a slower, gentler, more gracious era.

The following luxury homes sold the first two weeks in April:

A 5-bedroom, 4-bath home in Franklin County is listed for $735,000.

A Mari de Villa resident recently celebrated her 90th birthday with a large group of family and friends in the new Waterford Room private party suite, overlooking the same sparkling lake her mother did 30 years ago.

A 4-bedroom, 6-bath home in Town & Country is listed for $1,599,000.

I’ve been putting off writing this story for some time—too many things to tell you about and too little space. Yes, San Diego has a brilliant blue ocean and blue skies most of the time, mild temperatures year-round, a strong Spanish/Mexican heritage that permeates most of its architecture and culture, a huge U.S. Navy presence, amazing beaches and golf courses, a wealth of public and private universities and a world-famous zoo. You knew all this already, didn’t you?

The following luxury homes and condos went on the market the last week of march and first week of April:

For the third consecutive year, the Junior League of St. Louis is granting the design-adoring and ticket-holding masses exclusive access to the area’s most spectacular residential kitchens.

The following luxury homes sold the last two weeks in March:

A 5-bedroom, 6-bath home in Town & Country is listed for $1,295,000.

Feeling a little green-eyed towards someone else’s green thumb? MoBot horticulturists explain how can homeowners achieve formal gardens in St. Louis backyards.

The following luxury homes and condos came on the market the second and third weeks of March: