We've covered ombre wallpaper before, but did you know it's also relatively easy to paint your own ombre pattern? The Front & Main blog by West Elm shows you how.

Name: Christine & Pierre
Type of Project: Kitchen remodel
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Type of building: Ground floor apartment of a triplex, 1,100 square feet

Tucked away within attics, or at the top of high ceilings, lofted offices provide just enough privacy while still being connected to the rest of the home. From the tiniest desks nestled in at the top of a landing to expansive studies open to living rooms below, these office lofts make work look fun.

Do the words "wood paneling" still make you recoil in fear, leaving bad memories of childhood decor and a bitter taste in your mouth? Where once wood paneling was merely a cheap way to quickly cover walls, we now see it as a creative antidote to blank, blah spaces. That's thanks largely to clever people who've figured out ways to make it interesting and fresh. Here are a few ideas and techniques to consider:

Emptying the last dishes from the dishwasher before we remove it and the accompanying sink.

Name: Sandra & Justin
Type of Project: Kitchen remodel
Location: Arlington, Texas
Type of building: Single-family home, 2,450 square feet

My kitchen Before.. just two-three months ago.

Name: Maxwell & Ursula
Type of Project: Light renovation of a rental apt
Location: Soho, NYC
Type of building: Two bedroom apartment

Whenever I am asked how you learn to make good interior design decisions, how to trust yourself or how to just plain have style, I say the same thing. Start by copying. I don't mean the type of copying where you cheated in high school by looking at someone else's answers. I mean the type of copying folks do in art school where they spend the first few years learning to look at great art and copy it with pencil and brush. 

You have a new tile floor, and it's gleaming and gorgeous. Or maybe you have a 70-year-old checkerboard floor that could use some TLC. Either way, this list of tips can help you maintain your floor for years to come. 

When the going gets tough, the tough get creative. Decorating a house on a budget can be hard work, especially if you're trying for a specific look. There are only so many fixtures in the lighting aisle, after all. But if you're the resourceful type, you'll come up with an idea like this one: using outdoor lighting options indoors.

While a 24-7 monitored home security system would be ideal for peace of mind, the cost of installation, equipment, and ongoing monitoring services can often be out of reach for tighter budgets. Fortunately, there are several affordable home security products which hit the mark for both simple self-installation and lower investment costs. Here are our prime suspects for an affordable home security upgrade...

This week on Renovation Diary, Christine and Pierre shared the inspiration for their kitchen renovation, Sandra and Justin started in on demolition of their old kitchen, and Faith and Mike's bathroom got off to a promising (but very slow) start. 

• Sandra & Justin's Kitchen: A Smashing Time
• Inspiration for Christine & Pierre's Kitchen
• Faith & Mike's Master Bathroom: First, We Waited. And Waited Some More.