There are sand castles and then there are sand houses. As my daughter, Ursula, has turned five, her imaginative play has suddenly all centered on the home and making it her own. She wanted a play kitchen for Christmas, she has been taking care of her doll by giving her a bed and a clothing shelf in her room, AND she's become super great at cooking and helping to set and clear the table. More

Name: Bryce (4)
Location: St. Paul, MN

Novembers in Minnesota are usually cold so we hosted Bryce's birthday at an indoor playground. The kids loved it.

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What makes a good home office? Is it the chair or desk? The photos and pieces you display? Or is it the technology and equipment that you use throughout the day? We say it's all of these things and more as we present our ten steps to making your home office a better place to be. More

Like deep dish pizza, prop comics, and nude beaches, there seems to be no gray area when it comes to shipping container homes: some people truly love them while others despise them. Maybe it's the setting or the cherry red exterior, but I find this one compellingly livable. What do you think? Is this home a compelling example of adaptive reuse? Or is it the Carrot Top of sustainable architecture? More

As I walked the aisles of the Toy Fair this year, I was more aware than ever how dominated the toy industry is by licensed characters. As a self-described toy snob, of course, I hate them. Toys are supposed to be what childhood memories are made of, not marketing propaganda for a mega brand that is already plastered all over your television, kids' clothes, and food. But, oh wait, I love Charlie and Lola, and Huckle and Lowly and plenty of other characters and would barely hesitate to buy a toy with their image. Hmmmnnnn...a chink in my toy snob armor?

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The neighborhood of Silver Lake is getting Los Angeles' first experimental pedestrian plaza as part of a pilot program that draws inspiration from San Francisco and New York. It will be called "Sunset Triangle Plaza" and is adjacent to where a twice-weekly farmer's market takes place. More

Unless all your outlets are perfectly located near desks and countertops, you probably have to deal with the annoying mess of cords and gadgets — not to mention the worry of them getting stepped on, or chewed up by pets. This clever little DIY is not only a great way to hold your phone while it's charging, but also reuse a common household item. More

In watching 1989's dark anti-romance comedy, The War Of the Roses, where a seemingly perfect couple embarks on the emotional destruction of their union and the physical destruction of their enviable home, I'm often left wondering: Does amazing real-estate and meticulous decor reveal nothing about the people who live with it? Forget years of marriage and kids. Is there nothing sacrosanct about good interior design?

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Let me introduce you to Stevie who lives in Vancouver. Since 2004 Stevie has been transforming the back garden into something wonderful and taking readers of Garden Therapy along for the ride.

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Well, if this igloo doesn't beat them all. Build an adorable, functional, and very "green" space for the kids by recycling milk jugs. If you start saving now, you could have a substantial structure by next winter! More