The Latest: 2019

Name: Matthew Manupella and Andrew Horan Location: Southwest Waterfront, Washington, DCSize: 1,100 square feetYears lived in: 2Matthew and Andrew weren’t huge fans of mid-century modern architecture before they found their townhouse in Capitol Park in DC’s Southwest Waterfront neighborhood. The development embodies its 1960s origins, with clean lines and floor-to-ceiling windows.

When home design blogger Cynthia Harper and her husband bought their home in 2012, they focused on the design features they already loved: the simple mantle and their new front door (which was an all-important element considering their first home’s entrance was through the back). They knew they wanted to renovate the kitchen, which was “clean and well-maintained” but stuck in the ’90s, but they’d have to save up first.

Get this big design decision right.

Aniko‘s tastes are always changing, so when she got the opportunity to update one of the rooms in her house, she was ready for something new. The builder’s grade guest bathroom had “old and messy” flooring and was painted an “awful” green she’d chosen when she moved in eight years before. She couldn’t wait to get started on her vision to turn the room into a spa-like haven.The first order of business was a complete bathroom demo.

Considering we spend a third of our lives sleeping, mattresses should be as comfy and cozy as possible—and somewhere you can feel good about going to sleep at night. But as inviting as most mattresses might seem on the outside, many have hidden health hazards on the inside.While mattresses are regulated to be flame-retardant and meet other safety standards, most are made with materials that aren’t exactly healthy or natural by any means.

“Hey, I’m in town. Any chance I could crash at your place tonight?” We’ve all gotten that bittersweet text. It’s the dreaded (but really beloved) last-minute guest! And as we’re gearing up for the busy holiday travel season, it’s more important than ever to prepare to host that friend who’s suddenly in town. When square footage is at a premium, you have to be smart about the details that make a guest room feel just like home.

Sometimes our never-ending quest to give our homes a personal style can be a little overwhelming. In those moments, the best thing we can do is to take a breath and remind ourselves that all of us already have a personal style; we may just need some help identifying it. A good place to start is one you’re probably overlooking: your closet.Our wardrobes are the results of years of making choices about colors, patterns, and textures. And guess what the basics of home design are?