Kathy Bates
Expertise
Home Decor, Garden Design, DIY Home And Garden
- Kathy Woodard Bates was one of the first DIY home and garden bloggers back in 2001.
- Her DIY decorating book spent time at #1 on Amazon's Home & Garden Best Seller List in 2002.
- When she's not writing, you can find her looking for just a little more space for new plants in her garden.
Experience
Kathy started her career in the late 1990s as a home staging consultant and garden designer for her own company. She has created four home and garden-related websites over the course of her career. Kathy was also a home decorating expert for Lifetime TV, Galtime, and Country Woman Magazine. Published in numerous national publications, including Country Sampler's Decorating Ideas magazine, Woman's Day magazine, HGTV, and Decorating Solutions magazine, she seeks to continue her lifelong love of good design and DIY.
Education
Kathy has an associate's degree in photography from De Anza College and has been self-taught in home and garden design over the past 25 years.
House Digest uses a knowledgeable team of editors, writers, and experts to create all our content. We dive deep into the always-evolving conversations surrounding design and home trends, striving to deliver the most current and helpful tips, strengthened by expert takes and tutorials from our talented team.
As we cover many fields of expertise, we make it a priority to ensure every beat remains fresh and comprehensive. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
Stories By Kathy Bates
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You don't necessarily need expensive materials to help grow your plants. In fact, a useful soil enhancer might already be in your kitchen.
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Grease and oil stains have a way of dragging down the ambiance of a garage workspace. Here's a hack to help you remove unsightly liquid spots.
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Common wisdom says you're supposed to water your plants. However, you also must be strategic about not overdoing it, especially with snake plants.
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Let's check out an eco-friendly ground cover that doesn't need much water, won't attract most pests, and sounds a bit like a comic book character.
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Got issues with unpleasant insects chomping away in your garden? Consider planting a few of these well-known bug-deterring flowers.
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Plenty of bulbs look pretty when they bloom, but do they all have characteristics that keep pests away from the rest of your garden? This one does.
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Weeds take nutrients and water away from plants you paid for; so, in a way, weeds steal your money. Here's one way to keep greedy weeds off your property.
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Hydrangeas might be easier to grow than some of the more complicated flowers, but that doesn't mean there aren't potential missteps to avoid.
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Occasionally, homeowners planning a DIY project decide to save a few bucks by buying cheaper building materials. But is that a good idea?
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Wherever you're located, a certain type of seed can bring a different set of colors to your garden. With a bit of knowledge, these flowers are easy to care for.
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Aluminum foil is useful for wrapping up leftovers and making a crunching sound, but can it benefit your garden? The truth may surprise and delight you.
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Trees come in all sizes -- in fact, some trees are also shrubs -- but this sort-of tree will definitely appeal to you if purple is your favorite color.
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Though the word "weed" certainly has negative connotations, this particular plant can bring all kinds of vibrant colors to your yard.
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Egg cartons are great for holding eggs, and we didn't think they were useful for a second thing until we stumbled upon this essential hack.
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Though these particular flowers may be related to an addictive and harmful product, they're a beneficial and delicious choice for hummingbirds.
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By this point, basically everyone knows baking soda can be a useful stain remover. But how long does it need to stay on the carpet? Let's see for ourselves.
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Thinking about turning one bougainvillea plant into multiple bougainvillea plants? Here's some guidance about what to do and what not to do.
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Does the prospect of adding pink, purple, red, or white flowers to your garden or potted plant collection sound intriguing? If so, read on.
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If you're having difficulty keeping your plastic food containers organized, you are far from alone. Here's a trick to manage your minor kitchen crisis.
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We tend to think of trees as taking up a lot of space, but this variety of flowering tree can be a great match for relatively small spaces.
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Before you dash off to the hardware store to grab some fancy apparatus to clean your garden tools, scan your bathroom cabinets for a much cheaper possibility.
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Potential home buyers care about the material used for kitchen cabinets, which is why you'll want to steer away from this type if you plan to sell your home.
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Interested in a houseplant that's not difficult to maintain and looks neat? Read on for more info on a plant recommended by at least a few indoor gardeners.