Last week I wrote about my recent trip to Southern California. I was fortunate to spend time with a dear friend and his wife. I don’t know that I’ve ever met a person who’s more in love with a home ...

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Q. Can you tell me how to build a retaining wall? Are retaining wall blocks a good choice? What critical things do I need to know so that I don't have a collapse or other failure in the years to come?

Lowe Larretta is former lead editor for Forbes Home, covering all things related to home improvement and good design. She previously worked in the decor and lifestyle spaces for digital publishers ...