Woman in blue shirt cooking with a pan, surrounded by plates of food and flowers.
Ina Garten’s New Wall Hanging is Causing a Stir on Instagram
This week, domestic doyenne and Hamptons entertaining heroine Ina Garten shared her latest home decor acquisition on Instagram, but the reception wasn’t nearly as warm and inviting as her famous kitchen. The contemporary art piece from a French antiques dealer is getting seriously mixed reviews — including from many who wondered: Where was Geoffrey on this?
Feb 28, 2018
Former Employees Dish on What You Don’t Know About Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Trader Joe’s
(Image credit: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com) From Kitchn → Former Employees Dish on What You Don’t Know About Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Trader Joe’s null
Feb 28, 2018
Our 10 Favorite Kitchen Towel Hooks for $20 or Less
(Image credit: Esteban Cortez) From Kitchn → Our 10 Favorite Kitchen Towel Hooks for $20 or Less null
Feb 28, 2018
You Have to See the Winners of This International Tiny House Competition
Designers continue to push the creative parameters of tiny houses. The most recent examples of their ingenuity come courtesy of the winners of Ryterna Modul’s Architectural Challenge 2018. The competition invited the participants to create a tiny house no bigger than 269 square feet, complete with a kitchen, sleeping and living areas and a bathroom. The other rule is that designs must have zero impact on the environment.
Feb 27, 2018
Why You Should Put Socks On Your Bed Frame
Few beds are heavy and stable enough to stay in place: most move around, however slightly. When you climb in at bedtime, flop over in the middle of the night, or engage in sexy times, your bed shifts along with you. Maybe it squeaks or makes some noise, or, god forbid, bangs against the wall from time to time. Here are a couple of easy and cheap ways to stop the rocking and the knocking… First off, make sure that, over time, your bolts and screws haven’t loosened.
Feb 27, 2018
Oh Joy’s Latest Target Collection Is All Spring-Ready Paper Goods
For anyone who was sad to see the final Oh Joy for Target decor collection released this past fall, we have some good news. As it turns out, the whimsical patterns and colors aren’t totally gone from Target stores, they’re just in a new (disposable) form. On Sunday, Oh Joy! For Cheeky launched online and in select Target stores. The line of disposable plates, bowls, and cups come in a variety of prints perfect for spring, summer, and beyond. “I love celebrations.
Feb 26, 2018
This Upside-Down Tiny House Is Turning the Playground On Its Head
Forget the splinter-prone two-by-fours and rusty nail playgrounds of your elementary school years. The children of tomorrow are getting something a little bit more colorful. British architectural office Alma-nac is set to create The Upside Down House in Green Park Village, located in the city of Reading, England.
Feb 26, 2018
A New Survey Says People Want to Share Gardens and Wifi, But Not Bathrooms
We’ve already shown that we’d rather share homes and rides and bicycles, and we’d rather rent, borrow, or swap clothes and books and food and even pets than own them outright — just to name a few areas of life that have been “disrupted” by the “sharing economy.
Feb 26, 2018
You Have to See Inside This Storybook Seattle Houseboat
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are great, but, to us, the real star of Sleepless in Seattle was Sam and Jonah’s dreamy floating house. This two-bedroom Shingle Style Seattle houseboat, chock full of character, may be the next best thing. 2019 Fairview Ave E Unit N Located in Seattle, Washington $850,000 830 square feet 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom Seattle is famous for its charming collection of floating houses, but what are they like on the inside?
Feb 26, 2018
A Dreamy A-Frame Cabin in the Forests of the Pacific Northwest
Name: Ryan and Valerie Location: Packwood, Washington Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, owned Our home is a two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom A-frame cabin just a few miles from Mt. Rainier National Park. We’re surrounded on all sides by old-growth forest, with a deck that backs up to National Forest land. This is a second home for my wife (Val), our dog (Emily), and myself. What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home?
Feb 26, 2018
IKEA’s Home Makeover Series Is Coming Back for More Episodes & Here Are Some Of the Best Transformations From Past Seasons
The IKEA Home Squad is back and ready to makeover some spaces. For the fourth season of their home tour YouTube series, the Swedish retailer sent a team of employees to help customers with projects, and if you love a good before and after, you’ll want to tune in. If you didn’t know the retail giant had a home show, allow us to catch you up: a team of IKEA experts hits the road to help people solve real home furnishing challenges, big and small, and transform their living spaces.
Feb 25, 2018
These Unconventional Chairs Will Make You Question What a Chair Is
How many unique chair designs can you come up with? That’s a question we’d love to ask designer Joyce Lin because we’re currently obsessing over her super creative chair designs. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and Brown University, Lin’s signature chairs are imaginative enough to spruce up any living space. The San Francisco-based designer works with a variety of mediums, including clay, foam, metal, paint, plaster, vinyl and wood.
Feb 25, 2018
Before and After: A Masterful Master Closet Makeover
This is another in a series of bravely honest closet photos that have been submitted lately—such as this one—and we cherish each and every one. Keep sending your unfiltered closet pics so the rest of us can be wildly inspired by your brilliant closet makeovers! But before we admire the closet now, let’s get a full-length view of the closet before . . .
Feb 25, 2018
8 Unexpected & Creative Ways to Store All Your Shoes
Do you have too many pairs of shoes? It was a trick question! Of course you don’t! You just have to get a little more creative with how you store them. Part of this creative process is deciding whether you want to hide or display your footwear. For example, I have some amazing pairs of shoes that I love showing off, but then there are the dirty sneakers, the old Teva sandals, and the “too-loved” everyday flats that don’t need to be celebrated.
Feb 25, 2018
Miniature Origami May Be The Smallest Art Form In Your Instagram Feed
It’s no surprise that people love tiny things. The Japanese art of origami is objectively already tiny, where square sheets of paper get folded into palm-sized cranes, boats, cups, and other items. But one artist is taking the form to a whole new (miniscule) level.
Feb 24, 2018
How I Finally Broke my Ziplock Bag Habit
We all have our home vices, don’t we? Taryn, our Lifestyle Editor, for instance, went on a “Green Clean” journey to reduce her dependance on paper towels last year — a move that made me take a good hard look at my own wasteful practices in and around my home. I’m pretty good about remembering to bring my reusable bags to the grocery store (and when I forget, I always try to return the plastic bags to the recycling bin at my local Publix on the next trip).
Feb 24, 2018
Before and After: Another Gorgeous Use For a Cheap Placemat
What a lovely placemat! It would be great for protecting a table or beautifying a table or . . . that’s pretty much it. A throw pillow, you say? Well, now I’ve heard everything! This is so pretty! I’m now convinced that placemats (which I generally have no use for) are made to be pillows. They’re generally nice and sturdy, as well as being just the right size.
Feb 24, 2018
The Unfortunate Downsides to Having Two Bathroom Sinks
Having two sinks in a master bathroom is either a nice little luxury, or a total relationship-saver, depending on how much your schedules overlap, how well you share space when they do, and just how messy you both are. Would anyone turn an extra one down? Turns out this set up does have a couple of drawbacks however, which might give you pause. There’s lots to love about having his/his, his/hers, or hers/hers sinks.
Feb 23, 2018
The Mortgage that Pays Itself: What You Need to Know to Get Started Hosting on Airbnb
If you have any extra space in your home — a spare bedroom, guest house, a finished garage — chances are you’ve toyed with the idea of listing it on Airbnb. Pros: extra money for bills or savings, a fun way to meet cool people, and not a lot of real work. Cons: the potential for weirdos in your space, property damage, and near-constant mental labor in the form of requests and bookings.
Feb 23, 2018
More Than Just a Tiny House: One Doctor’s Innovative Alternative to Assisted Living
Dr. Bill Thomas has spent the majority of his career trying to improve nursing homes, but now hopes to make it so that people no longer need them, period — by offering scaled-down residences that actually fit the needs of aging seniors. Just, whatever you do, don’t call them tiny homes. The physician turned building developer is the creator of Minka, a prototype 330-square-foot kit home designed and tested for aging seniors.
Feb 23, 2018
Medieval France Actually Had the Perfect Bedroom Solution for a Studio Apartment
In the third chapter of Wuthering Heights”, the narrator, finding himself at the manor house of the same name, describes a room with a curious kind of bed: The whole furniture consisted of a chair, a clothes-press, and a large oak case, with squares cut out near the top resembling coach windows.
Feb 23, 2018
If Disney Princesses Lived in Tiny Houses
We love a good castle as much as the next person. But what we love even more is a really good tiny home. So much so that we started to wonder what would happen if we took the grandest castle dwellers of them all—six of Disney’s princesses—and reimagined their lives in modern day smaller spaces. It’s proof that living light can bring about a whole new world of possibilities for adventure in the great wide somewhere. (So, so, so many more puns to come.
Feb 22, 2018
9 Hacks We Discovered Hiding Deep in IKEA’s Website
IKEA might love it when customers hack their products, but I particularly love it when IKEA hacks themselves. I recently dove deep down into their website, and pulled out some of my very favorite decorating and storage projects hiding in there—all of which take their items up a notch or ten. Here’s a way to add a little interest and style to an otherwise functional yet basic IVAR storage system.
Feb 22, 2018
This 187 Square Foot Tiny House Is Built Around a Whiskey Still
Tiny houses can truly run the gamut of style. From prefab basic to completely eclectic to sharp and modern, these homes aren’t letting a lack of square footage put a damper on their style. This tiny home, Honey on the Rock, took the lack of space and a request to use a family heirloom and made a home that is next level beautiful. The team at Carpenter Owl, a Bloomington, Indiana based firm, built the home around a request to incorporate a family’s heirloom whiskey still.
Feb 22, 2018
Before & After: One of The Best $2K Bathroom Makeovers We’ve Ever Seen
Wow. This is one of those makeovers that you can’t believe was done on a budget. The results are so impressive, and the new bathroom looks like a million bucks. We shouldn’t be surprised, however, since Kristine has shared some equally impressive DIY projects in the past, including this gorgeous dresser refresh and jaw-dropping cabinet transformation.
Feb 22, 2018
The Best Cleaning & Decluttering Plan for Every Myers-Briggs Personality Type
Cleaning and organizing strengths and pitfalls for each type, as well as suggestions for how to tackle homekeeping and embrace your unique personality,
Feb 22, 2018
Before and After: An Endlessly Satisfying $100 Closet Makeover
This is one of the most inspiring types of projects: it was done for approximately $100, it includes a detailed budget breakdown, it is neither glamorous nor thrilling, both the before and the after photos were taken in the same artificial light, and it hugely improved someone’s quality of everyday life. May we all tackle similarly approachable yet satisfying projects! Let’s explore. It’s so much brighter now! Well done, Old House To New Home.
Feb 21, 2018
Mandy Moore’s Pantry Is Organization Goals
We love a good sneak peek inside a celeb’s home via Instagram. If you’ve been following This Is Us star Mandy Moore lately on the ‘gram, you’ve seen an eyeful of her newly renovated pad, and recently, we got a look inside the pantry. While Moore and fiancé Taylor Goldsmith moved in last month, final touches are still in the works on the mid-century space.
Feb 20, 2018
Self-Care Obsessed? Here are 8 Books You Need to Read
If you’re feeling burnt out by your career, sleep deprived and stressed about the future, or even insecure about how your life looks on Instagram, then it’s time to start practicing self-care. It’s a simple lifestyle change that encourages you to prioritize your mental health without taking up an expensive new habit or learning how to become an advanced meditator.
Feb 20, 2018
Check Out The Full Opalhouse Lookbook, Target’s New Boho Home Collection
Boho babes, rejoice: Target’s newest in-house home decor brand, Opalhouse, launches next week, and we have your first look at all the amazingly colorful pieces you’re going to want to snatch up. The bullseye announced the new brand back in February on their corporate blog .
Feb 20, 2018
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How to Make Your Bed Like an Instagram Star
The just-so rumpled sheets, the perfectly plump pillows, the A+ color mixing: Is anyone else’s Instagram feed full of the dreamiest beds ever? Before you get too jealous, know that these beds did not wake up like this. (Except for Queen Bey’s. Her bed is obviously perfect at all times.) No, these beds were just styled by folks who know how to turn sleep into chic. Good news: So do we.
Feb 20, 2018
A Natural, Non-toxic & Colorful Clay Home in Colorado
Name: Kim and Kip Golden and two kiddos, Shae (9) and Micah (5) Location: Boulder, Colorado Size: 1600 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, owned We just remodeled our townhome to make it work for our family of four for a long time coming. I am obsessed with a healthy home, and so my most important priority during the remodel was to keep all of our choices as non-toxic and healthy as possible, without compromising our style.
Feb 20, 2018
Here’s How You Should Really Be Cleaning a Cutting Board
Although there’s a lot of room for variation when it comes to how you clean around the house, you can’t escape this one truth: You’re either getting something clean, or you’re not. This distinction is especially important in the kitchen, where cleanliness is not only a matter of taste, but of health and safety, too. That’s why you need to know what techniques will get your cutting boards clean for real.
Feb 20, 2018
A Beautifully Restored Bungalow (and Backyard Studio!) in Los Angeles
L.A. real estate prices are known for their general insanity, so the odds of finding a great property at an incredible value are about the same as the odds of hitting the lottery. That’s what makes this two-bedroom, two-bathroom restored bungalow with a bonus studio space such a winner.
Feb 19, 2018
If You Love An Old Fixer Upper, This Instagram Is For You
Some people are just old house people. Never content to live in a cookie cutter new build, creaky floors and dated wallpaper are selling points. If period details and the promise of a lot of elbow grease are for you, then this Instagram account is your new (old) favorite thing. Cheap Old Houses is an Instagram account created by the team at Circa, a magazine, community, and listing platform for people who love historic homes.
Feb 19, 2018
Before and After: A Dramatic “Renovation Free” Kitchen Redo
Although Charlotte says, “A full kitchen renovation was never in our budget,” you’ll be astounded by the changed appearance of this “renovation-free” kitchen. With a few clever moves and a lot of paint, it went from super ’70s to marvelously modern. Check out what it looks like now… Wow! This makeover was done by Charlotte of At Charlotte’s House, and the most dramatic changes were the painting of the cabinets and walls (au revoir, chartreuse!
Feb 19, 2018
Why You Should Never Throw Away Silica Gel Packets
Those tiny little packs of dessicant that come in your new pack of shoes or your vitamins have many uses around your home. Anywhere that moisture is a problem, silica gel packets can help alleviate the issue. Keep them stored in an airtight container away from pets and children (they are a choking hazard) and whip them out in the following scenarios. Keep vitamins from moisture damage.
Feb 19, 2018
A Glamazonian 1934 Craftsman Bungalow in Connecticut
Name: Jessica Brigham, her husband, Christopher, two dog-like cats, Marla & Sylvester, and their doofy mutt, Murphy Location: New Haven, Connecticut Size: 2,100 square feet Years lived in: 4.5 years, owned I’m from New York and I met my California-bred hubby, Chris, here in New Haven, Connecticut.
Feb 19, 2018
This Stunning Arctic Circle Hotel Is Also Energy Positive
Taking energy efficiency to the next level appears to be the goal of this “energy positive” hotel that’s set to be constructed within the Arctic Circle. Design firm Snøhetta teamed up with a few other Norwegian companies to create a vision for the hotel that’s energetic output will surpass the resources it consumes over the span of its 60-year lifetime.
Feb 18, 2018
30 Ways to Remake the IKEA MOPPE Mini Storage Chest
The MOPPE is one of IKEA’s most popular products, and it’s not hard to see why: it offers six storage compartments for $16.99, it’s made of attractive minimal birch plywood, it’s eminently stainable and paintable, and its drawers can be reversed to hide the opening notches. As one featured DIYer put it, it’s a perfect craft victim. Here are 30 ways to make the MOPPE — freshly available after a much-lamented hiatus — your own.
Feb 18, 2018
Twitter Is Entrenched In a Debate About Toothbrushes
It’s something we do every day, but who knew it could be so controversial? This week, Twitter got into a debate on toothbrushing habits, and we want to know where you stand. According to Mashable, it all started with one tweet asking whether people put the toothpaste on first or wet the brush first. Let’s just say that no matter which pattern people follow, they are very convinced that they are in the right, and everyone else is wrong.
Feb 18, 2018
9 Secret Shortcuts of People Who Are Good at Everyday Math
Crunching numbers quickly can give you answers to pressing real-life questions such as, "Is this shirt a good deal?" or "How much should I tip my Uber driver?"
Feb 17, 2018
Before and After: The $100 Closet-Turned-Mudroom Makeover
Other than the John Malkovich/Narnia door in the back, this was a totally ordinary closet. Thanks to a clever vision, some spatial strategizing, and a bunch of affordable accessories from IKEA and Target, this closet is now a super-handy mini-mudroom — and the whole makeover cost less than $100. For such a small space — just 3’x3.75′ — this room now contains an enormous amount of super-smart storage.
Feb 17, 2018
These 9 Stores Have the Best Return Policies
Oh, the joys of online shopping. Not only can you bypass crazy long checkout lines and cramped dressing rooms, you get all the stuff you ordered delivered straight to your front door. The only drawback: Returning items that don’t work for you can be trickier when the post office gets involved. That’s why it pays to know ahead of time which stores have stellar return policies, so you can have a totally worry-free online shopping experience.
Feb 16, 2018
Disney Fans Are Going to Flip Over Their New Homewares Store
Big news, Disney fans: now you can deck out your whole house, courtesy of the mouse. That’s right, a new store dedicated exclusively to housewares has opened at Disneyland in Southern California. Located in the Downtown Disney District, Disney Home sells (you guessed it) Disney-themed home goods from glassware to linens, kitchen accessories and more, according to a Disney Parks blog post about the opening. The curated assortment will also change seasonally.
Feb 16, 2018
Is Skinny the New Tiny? This Super-Slim $1.4M Brownstone Fits Into a ‘Growing’ Trend
With urban real estate by the foot at an ever-increasing premium, building or renovating “gap houses” — super-slim buildings designed to fit into the narrow egress between two more historic structures — are a growing trend around the globe, like this $1.4 million townhouse in London that’s only 91 inches wide.
Feb 16, 2018
Before & After: One Big Change to a Dreamy New York Apartment
In another real estate market, you might take a pass on that otherwise perfect place with one or two not so great features. But not in New York. When, after almost a year of searching, Gall and Ingrid found this stunning Upper East Side apartment, they knew they were onto something good — even though the kitchen left a little bit to be desired. Look at those bay windows! There were three in the living room, and one in each of the two bedrooms.
Feb 16, 2018
Want to Predict The Hot New Neighborhood? Follow The Dogs
By analyzing every single dog registration in New York City between 2012 and 2016, a new report by the New York Times claims that in order to understand urban real estate trends these days — which neighborhoods are poppin’ versus which may have begun to bottom out — all we need to do is “follow Fido.
Feb 16, 2018