By Design Read, Watch, Click

By MARY-LIZ SHAW

ON THE SHELVES

America at Home. By Rick Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt. Running Press. $40.

This is a compendium of pictures from the same guy, Rick Smolan, who gave us (or cursed us with, depending on your point of view) the “Day in the Life” series of books.

Smolan invited people all over the country to explain, through pictures and short text, what the word “home” means. The images woo with charm, especially the shots of kids helping their dads to shave.

There are some jaw-droppers, such as the vast basement home theater designed by the well-known impressionist, Rich Little, and his wife at their Las Vegas home.

Many other people’s homes, however, are reassuringly normal. You’ll be happy to know nobody else has time to do the dusting, either.

ON TV

“Cool Tools” on DIY

Network

This show on the glories of modern gadgetry returns for its second season at 8 p.m. Thursday, just in time for spring, when a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of drywall and T-frames.

The show’s amiable host, Chris Grundy, is the kind of guy who gets excited at the prospect of interchangeable heads on a screwdriver.

And why not?

ON THE WEB

www.youtube.com/user/countrylivinghoy2009

This is where you can enter Country Living’s and DIY’s House of the Year contest. The magazine and the TV network have an open competition for aspiring designers to design a room for the 2009 House of the Year. Presentations must be no longer than five minutes and should show the decorator’s style and personality. The video also should say why the designer should be the judges’ choice. Applicants must be available for travel between May 12 and 23 and between Aug. 11 and 16. For more information, see www.countryliving.com/guestdesigner.

— Mary-Liz Shaw

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