Specialty: Home store totally focused on fun and quirky items
Price Range: ($) Budget to ($$$) High-End

It's hard to classify Judy Maxwell Home. It's kind of a gift shop but it's also a house of curiosities. It's an art gallery where you can also pick up a lifesize talking Power Ranger. Oh, and you might run into owner Joan Cusack, too. More

We love the new housewares and designs offered by The Bay, and were excited to see the limited edition series of Canadian Designer Tea Towels with Ulster Weavers Home Fashions. More

If you've ever been to one of Unison's famous warehouse sales, you know that their whitewashed Chicago space is a perfect setting for their designs. This spring, after many requests, husband and wife team Robert Segal and Alicia Rosauer decided to adjust their office space so that they could devote part of their warehouse to a weekend retail shop. More

The wildly inconsistent and illogical weather patterns in Washington DC lately have me as confused as the poor little shrubs and flowers in my garden. They bloomed early only to be blasted with some sneaky little bouts of overnight frost. But I have put away the winter clothes and embracing Spring, whether or not my garden has that luxury. Here are some botanical-inspired accessories to help us step into Spring in earnest. More

I'm a sucker for cool, modular design and love anything made out of felt. These two tutorials are quick and easy ways to brighten up your tabletop in any color you like. They'd also make great handmade hostess gifts. More

Every year, I'm excited to hit the aisles of the McCormick Center to suss out the hot color story at the Home & Housewares show. Last year, green ruled the roost, in 2010, somewhat surprisingly, it was a very grape-y purple and in 2009, a range of dark, deep autumnal shades were the leading edge. This time around I focused in on just tabletop items and the direction is an interesting one...looks like we're going gray! More

I'm a bit obsessed with finding the perfect coaster. Too much time on my hands? Probably. But even small accessories, like coasters, can have a big impact — good or bad — on the cohesiveness and personality of a room. Here are a few of my current favorites. More

We toured Rachel Craven's home a couple of months ago and it was filled with homemade curtains and linens. Fortunately for us, you can now find her wares at Heath Ceramics' Los Angeles, where they are currently being featured, and on her online shop. More

The story behind a handmade item is often just as interesting as the physical item. Whether it's an artisan who puts their passion into a single quilt or art print, or a small company who refuses to lower their standards or lessen their vision, handmade goods are more than just a pretty face: they've got a lot of soul. Check out some of our favorite handmade offerings from 2011:

TOP ROW
•1 Our Favorite Etsy Stores, 2011 Edition - And Tell Us Yours!
•2 Handmade Home Decor: Purple, Lavender, Violet & Aubergine
•3 Handmade Accessories for a Beautiful Kitchen
•4 15 Handmade Pillows: 10 to Buy, 5 to DIY
•5 Handmade Desk Accessories to Highlight Your Home Office More

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is over and now we are counting down the days until Christmas! Time to take out the holiday decor and incorporate red and green accents. Because it is the season for entertaining, I have been focusing on tabletop decor (in red and green hues of course). More