Yellow vase with red flowers, vintage books, and a gold lamp on a table against a botanical wallpaper.
Level Up Your Accent Wall With This DIY Finishing Touch
“When we bought our first condo, our immediate focus was to try our hand at a wallpaper project,” Andréa writes about the home she shares with her husband Stefan. “Rental properties had never afforded us the luxury of doing something so dramatic and custom. We knew we wanted a statement wall somewhere in our home, but given that the main area is one large room (like many open-concept condos), it didn’t quite fit there.
May 3, 2019
Before and After: We Can’t Believe This is the Same Philadelphia Row Home
This Philadelphia row home came with many enviable features when Matt and Anne Thomas bought it. Stunning architecture. Tons of space. All that natural light. The one thing they didn’t love was the home’s extremely red-toned cherry wood floors. But, the floors had just been re-done and were nice in every other regard. Replacing them would have been wasteful.
May 3, 2019
This Under $200 Way to Double Your Kitchen Storage Comes From IKEA
I thought the simple and affordable bed hack in Erica Massey’s Dallas, Texas rental apartment was pretty brilliant. A tall bed with storage for her, and a cozy and cool spot to call his own for her dog Deacon. The fact that most of the components were sourced from IKEA for not a lot of money is the cherry on top. But that’s not the only smart IKEA hack in her home! One IKEA trip and less than $200 later and Erica was able to nearly double the storage space of her kitchen.
May 3, 2019
How To Fold Towel Animals at Home Like a Luxury Hotel
You know you’re staying in a luxury five-star hotel when your wash cloth or hand towel is folded into some sort of flower or zoo animal. It’s one of the little touches that signifies the level of care that’s been put into every aspect of your stay, so how cool would it be if—without a lot of extra effort—you could surprise your house guests with the same experience?
May 3, 2019
Sherwin-Williams On What Color Palettes Will Take Us Into 2019 & Beyond
While we still have six months left of 2018, that hasn’t stopped paint companies from looking forward to 2019 and beyond. If you’re dying to know what colors will be hot for the last year of the decade (we’re looking at you, renovators and redecorators), Sherwin-Williams just announced their color forecast for next year. Here are its picks for color trends for 2019.
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This $15K Kitchen Reno Lives Up To Its Open, Airy Potential
This kitchen was super cozy and sun-soaked, and it boasted an ample and intriguing island/peninsula hybrid—pretty sure that’s what an isthmus is—but it had a few shortcomings: The finishings were getting worn, and the freezer was a full 70 years old. Now it’s light and airy, and full of personal charm and quirky objects. Reader Catherine S. Vodrey of OutspokenWomen.
May 3, 2019
PPG Paint’s 2019 Color of the Year is a Gorgeous Green
We’re halfway through 2018, and you know what that means? It’s time to start trend forecasting for 2019. Just yesterday, Sherwin Williams shared their color forecast for 2019, but PPG Paints is taking it one step further and announcing their pick for the Color of the Year. So what shade do they predict will reign supreme next year? Night Watch, a deep, almost jade-like green.
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This IKEA MELLTORP Table Is Now Unrecognizable
The MELLTORP is one of IKEA’s ubiquitous and affordable tables. It’s minimal and modern, but it also makes a great blank canvas for a DIY. Here’s how Tiphaine of Kraft & Carat transformed it. This is extremely cool, and the way the table now matches the chairs is uncanny; choosing colors that close to each other often leads to awkward almost-matching, but this looks perfect.
May 3, 2019
Pros Weigh In: These Are The Best Paint Colors For Your Kitchen
Years ago most kitchens were dark and full of autumn tones, like red, gold, and even orange. More recently, those bolder shades have given way to all-white kitchens. Why? Homeowners are building and renovating kitchens to be open to the rest of the floorplan, rather than segmented. “Kitchens have basically become invisible to blend with the rest of the home.
May 3, 2019
Get the Look: The Night Manager’s Egyptian Inspired Space
With the monster hit of Avengers Infinity War still going strong at the box office (topping $2 billion worldwide), I’d like to celebrate Tom Hiddleston in his role as…Jonathan Pine, The Night Manager! And by celebrate him, I mean focus solely on the Egyptian interiors of the Nefertiti Hotel in Cairo.
May 3, 2019
Oprah Buys 43-Acre Pacific Northwest Island Estate for $8.28M
The rumors have been confirmed: Puget Sound is getting a new celebrity resident. Oprah Winfrey just picked up an $8.275 million estate on Orcas Island in the San Juan archipelago, halfway between Seattle and Vancouver—the first Pacific Northwest property for the billionaire media mogul and her burgeoning real estate empire.
May 3, 2019
How Dinosaurs are Responsible for Bobby Berk’s Success on Queer Eye
If you watched Season One of Netflix’s Queer Eye, chances are you benefitted from the Fab Five’s heartwarming antics as much as the men being made over— or, “heroes”—as home design expert Bobby Berk lovingly referred to them as during our recent chat. In season one, Berk and his castmates delivered viscerally-satisfying transformations that tugged at our heartstrings and basically gave us all a restored hope in humankind.
May 3, 2019
The Weird Story of How Recliners Became a Staple in American Living Rooms
Growing up, it never really felt like an official family party until my dad and uncle retired to the twin tan recliners in my grandparents’ living room after dinner, while my grandpa settled into his own rusty orange recliner on the opposite side of the room. Within minutes of sitting down and kicking up their feet, all three would be sound asleep. How they could sleep through the sounds of six shrieking children pretending to be wolves, I’ll never know. It must have been the chairs.
May 3, 2019
The Trick to Growing Your Own Pineapple At Home
Fun fact: Pineapples are actually a member of the bromeliad family, a tropical species long popular with houseplant enthusiasts for their dramatic spiky leaves and neon-colored blooms. And, it turns out, you can even grow a pineapple as a houseplant, too. You don’t need to make a special trip to the nursery either—just add a pineapple to your grocery list and you’ll have exactly what you need to start growing a brand new pineapple plant.
May 3, 2019
Everything Sucks, So Here Are 8 Fun Games to Play Outside This Summer
I know I am not the only one depressed by the state of the world right now, growing more and more incredulous and outraged with each passing day. If you work hard, and do what you can to make things better out there, it’s okay to take a break too. One of the best ways to recharge is to gather a group of friends, go outside, and indulge in some brainless fun this summer. Balance your rage/shock/concern with some wholesome/ridiculous/playful outdoor games.
May 3, 2019
10 Ways the Smartest People Spend Their Downtime
Life can get crazy. That’s why it’s important to take mental breaks from daily stress throughout the day. And while for some of us that might mean watching a mindless reality TV show or playing a silly iPhone game, there are also some more enriching ways to spend your downtime, when you feel so inclined. The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by work or family, try calming yourself down with a more cerebral distraction.
May 3, 2019
6 Plants That Naturally Repel Mosquitoes
I live in a one bedroom “garden” apartment, which means that I get to have my own front door, porch, and small strip of flower bed. The only downside? The flower bed is under the porch roof, which means it’s constantly damp and shady, and also an ideal mosquito habitat. So this year, after frantically trying to squash a few rogue mosquitoes that snuck indoors while I was carrying in groceries, I’ve decided to get myself some mosquito-repelling plants.
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Dilapidated Church Was Transformed into an Amazing, Modern Home
Hugh Molten, a South Carolina-based real estate agent, didn’t plan for such a big project when he bought this falling-down old church. “I originally had the vision to simply clean it out and live in it basically as-is; create a small shower in the corner, stainless prep tables for the kitchen and call it done.” Today, this 1600-square-foot former house of worship is an incredible industrial modern home, and how it ended up that way was a long and interesting journey.
May 3, 2019
This Tiny ‘Mean Girls’ Broadway Dressing Room Got a Really Fetch Makeover
Backstage at the August Wilson, the nearly 100-year-old theater currently houses the cast of “Mean Girls,” the delightful Tony-nominated musical adaptation of Tiny Fey’s beloved early aughts teen comedy. Barrett Wilbert Weed, who stars as Janis, preps for eight shows a week in a minuscule dressing room—one that recently underwent a serious style transformation.
May 3, 2019
21 of the Most Beautiful Bohemian Style Home Designs
You can find definitions of Bohemian style decor online. They’re described as spaces filled with lots of plants, colors, patterns, rattan, and stuff. You can even take online quizzes to see if “Bohemian” style is for you. But while all of these adjectives are technically true, boho decor has always been a “I know it when I see it” sort of style for me.
May 3, 2019
The Kitchen Paint Color That Could Cost You Thousands
While you may love your barn red kitchen, a new report released today by Zillow finds that it could cost you when looking to sell your home someday. The report found that painting your front door, kitchen, or bathroom with certain color palettes can drastically depreciate your home value by more than $2,000.
May 3, 2019
4 Cats Graciously Let 2 Humans Share Their Stylish Home
Name: Anne Hodder, husband, 4 cats, and a ton of plants! Location: Los Angeles, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, renting Our home is a sanctuary hidden behind a tall wooden gate and invisible from the street. Even though it’s a duplex, the only shared wall is behind our fridge so we NEVER hear our neighbor. It feels like a separate little house. What is your favorite room and why?
May 3, 2019
This $9 Kitchen Tool is a MoMA-Approved Design Icon
If you’ve been to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in midtown Manhattan, you’ve probably marveled at its permanent collection, which includes some of the most iconic and immediately recognizable works, ever — there’s the melting clocks of Salvador Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory, the soft-focus pastels of Claude Monet’s massive Water Lilies triptych, and everyone’s go-to poster from their freshman year, Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night.
May 3, 2019
Thinx Wants to Conquer Period Sex Stigma — With a $369 Blanket
Period sex is a highlight of what I, personally, consider the most miserable 3-5 days of the month. Because of my birth control, it’s been about a year since I’ve had an actual period, but the previous fifteen years of intermittent anguish are burned into my memory: cramps, mood swings, anxiety attacks, ruined underwear, bloating, acne, and spotted sheets, to name just a few symptoms. But sex on my period?
May 3, 2019
Here’s Everything That’s Leaving Netflix In July
Summer: the season where you neglect Netflix to spend more time outside—or, the time when it’s too hot, so you stay cool and comfortable on your couch. Either way, if any of your faves are on the list of July’s expiring titles, you might want to make a date with your (streaming) device. Sadly, the 1994 version of Alcott’s March sisters will snowball fight out of our queues in July, but it could be the impetus you need to check out the recent PBS/Masterpiece adaptation.
May 3, 2019
Here’s What’s New on Netflix in July
You may be tempted to cut down on screen time this season to enjoy the outdoors, but Netflix wants to make that as hard as possible. Here’s what’s coming to the streaming service in July. Everything leaving Netflix in July Everyone’s favorite rambunctious redhead returns for a second season of the Netflix/CBC reboot. Jerry Seinfeld is back, and picking up more comedians in cars to get coffee.
May 3, 2019
The Pop Culture History of This Controversial Engagement Ring Style
The latest celebrity engagement between Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande solidifies the official comeback of the disputed pear-shaped diamond engagement ring. On June 15, the Saturday Night Live star posted a black-and-white photo on his Instagram account with his hand positioned under Grande’s left hand and on her ring finger sparkled a $93,000 rock. His caption: “u know what you’d dream it be like? it’s better than that.
May 3, 2019
Here’s How to Ruin The Trendy Brass Fixtures You Just Spent a Fortune On
Filed under things I didn’t know I had to worry about: the fact that the pretty finish on my new kitchen fixtures might not last. When you’re dreaming about a new kitchen, it’s often the jewelry—those gleaming brass fixtures—that imprint on your mind. They certainly did mine. Pinning my little heart out, I began to see patterns in what I liked, and that included modern brass fixtures.
May 3, 2019
The “Faceless Bunker” From Fixer Upper Can Be Yours For $1.15 Million
Here’s your chance to snag a piece of Fixer Upper history. Known as the “Faceless Bunker” on season two of the HGTV show, the four bed, three and a half bath home was absolutely transformed by Chip and Joanna Gaines. Now, it’s hit the market for a whopping $1.15 million. Quite a difference from the $349,000 it was last sold for in 2014, according to realtor.com.
May 3, 2019
7 Smart Laundry-Organizing Ideas to Steal from IKEA
What is it about laundry? For some reason, a well-designed and organized laundry area can inspire deep wells of envy. That’s certainly how I felt when I saw IKEA’s gallery of gorgeous laundry rooms—maybe it’s because my washer and dryer unhappily occupy a wall in my kitchen, a wall where style and organization is certainly less of a priority. Here are some of IKEA’s ingenious ideas you can steal for your own laundry space.
May 3, 2019
Before and After: We Can’t Get Over This Zero-Budget Makeover
You are currently gazing upon a floor that is not only old linoleum—it is the old linoleum floor of a fish-gutting room. Is there any hope for this room, or is it doomed to be forever haunted by dearly departed stinky fishies? The old, fishy floor has been replaced with a watery blue dream; it’s like a river you can walk on. This stained plywood floor was created by Tanya of Dans le Lakehouse, and I’m in awe of her vision.
May 3, 2019
The Best Vintage Travel Trailer Makeovers on Instagram
Instagram is overflowing with renovated vintage trailers: they’re all adorable, and they all have adorable names. Check out the amazing work that’s been done on Sprite, Scamp, Rosie, Rubie Jane, Lula, Lorelai, Peach, and 12 others—most of these homes-on-wheels are at least 40 years old, and they all look better than ever. This minimal beauty is enormous for a trailer, but fairly small for a family of five!
May 3, 2019
5 Storage & Design Hacks Every Stand Mixer Owner Should Know
A stand mixer is a staple of many home cooks’ kitchens—and it can also be an amazing focal point. It’s sculptural! It’s industrial! It comes in so many different colors! On the flip side, a stand mixer can be big and bulky and presents a fair share of other problems you might not have anticipated before you decided to spring for one. But don’t fret—there’s probably a hack for whatever it is that’s ruining your stand mixer state of bliss.
May 3, 2019
I Hacked My Messy Pantry Using Only Stuff From the Dollar Store
I’m pretty lucky. My rental apartment has a large, cavernous pantry, which is a boon in the kitchen storage department. However, what it has in size, it lacks in efficiency. For all that space, there are only a few shelves (which tend to overflow with canned goods and foodstuffs) and the full-size refrigerator prevents me from adding in more. In an effort to boost my pantry’s usefulness, I headed straight to the dollar store.
May 3, 2019
What HGTV Doesn’t Tell You About Flipping Houses
So you want to make a cool $100,000? Popular HGTV shows lead you to believe the secret to getting rich quick is to start flipping houses. From Chip and Joanna Gaines, to Tarek and Christina El Moussa, there are plenty of everyday people making a name for themselves this way. So a few years ago, after I got married, my husband and I said to ourselves: We could totally do this. He works in construction.
May 3, 2019
The Trader Joe’s Towel Your Kitchen and Bathroom Have Been Missing
We’ve sung the praises of Fouta (a.k.a Turkish Towels, Peshtemal, Hammam) before. They’re lightweight and thin, which is great for folding and storing, but still pretty absorptive. If they’re authentic, the cotton gets softer with every wash. They come in a bunch of shades, perfect for adding a pop of color to any space that needs it.
May 3, 2019
The Best Budget Fixes for Your Really Bad Countertop
Nothing screams ‘Sad Kitchen’ like shoddy old countertops. Okay, a bad floor or rickety old cabinets are probably right up there, but a decades-old, grungy, cracked, and damaged counter can turn an otherwise perfectly decent kitchen into something to cringe over. When my husband and I prepared to put our previous home on the market, our realtor encouraged us to replace the dated laminate counter.
May 3, 2019
How I Developed an Obsession with Real Estate Apps
My daily use of real estate apps started off as a justifiable act: my husband, Kumar, and I we were in the market for a house after receiving the news that he’d matched for a gastroenterology fellowship in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At the time, we were living in New York City, paying budget-breaking rent for a tiny apartment. Thus, we figured—why not put our money into a small starter home when we move? We wanted a yard for our two little dogs to run around in.
May 3, 2019
Try The “Bigger Than a Breadbox” Decluttering Challenge This Weekend
There is endless advice in the world about how best to declutter your home—some of it is helpful, a bit of it is masterful, and much of it is inconsistent. “Keep only the things that spark joy” they tell you… but, I mean, you need to keep your screwdriver and vacuum, no matter how boring or frustrating their utility may be. Point is, the “rules” don’t always work.
May 3, 2019
People Are Ditching Their Upper Kitchen Cabinets and I Don’t Think I’m on Board
Upper cabinets are starting to disappear from kitchens, and I’m not sure how to feel about it. It all started with the open-shelving phenomenon, and now, in some cases, it has morphed into this total lack of anything structural above the countertops. On the one hand, it is visually beautiful. You can really go to town with tile—think an uninterrupted, ceiling-high wall of subways or a bold geometric backsplash. But on the other hand, where exactly are you supposed to put your stuff?
May 3, 2019
10 Michaels Money-Saving Tricks You’re Not Taking Advantage Of
You’ve clipped the coupons, you’ve scoured the weekly ads. But if you really want to save on all the bits and bobs at Michaels that fuel your DIY hobbies and home decor dreams, you’ve got to strategize. Here are 10 ways to maximize the savings. By all means clip those Michaels coupons (or better yet, download them on the app), but if you haven’t signed up to get coupons from the company’s competitors you’re missing out.
May 3, 2019
This is Why Your Curtain Liner Likes to Stick to You in the Shower — And How to Stop It
And how to stop it from happening ever again.
May 3, 2019
Does Mouthwash Deserve a Spot in Your Medicine Cabinet? A Dentist Weighs In
You’re just getting home after a long night, or you’re rushing to work in the morning, and you think: A quick rinse with mouthwash will be the same as brushing my teeth. Sound familiar? Unfortunately for you, that logic isn’t quite right. While mouthwash can be a helpful addition to your oral hygiene routine, it should never be a replacement for proper dental care, says Dr.
May 3, 2019
Get the Look: The Incredibles 2 Mid-Century Super Home
It only took 14 years, but we finally have the superhero film we deserve. The hero being mid-century modern design. Picking up right where the first installment left off, the Parr family is on the forefront of the fight to make superheroes legal again. During that process, they are set up in a mid-century design lover’s dream house. And lucky for you, Zillow created a listing so you can really get a sense of the home’s super features.
May 3, 2019
Wainscoting Is One of the Easiest Room Details to Get Wrong
Let’s talk about wainscoting. Wainscoting is one of our favorite ways to dress up a boring or unremarkable room, to give it an instant dose of old-world style. But it can also be an easy detail to get wrong. Specifically, a lot of people struggle with how far up the wall the wainscoting should be hung—an important detail that makes a huge difference in the look of the finished application. Here’s what you need to know.
May 3, 2019
Vintage Travel Trailer Paint Jobs You Won’t Ever Forget
We had so much fun exploring The Best Vintage Travel Trailer Makeovers on Instagram that we’re back with 20 more. This time the focus is on exterior paint jobs, but the adorable trailer names—Sassafras Lou, Delilah, Sprout, Beatrice, Archie, and Mrs. Schmick—are still going strong. Let’s hit the road! These pink scallops are the sweetest, cutest thing ever, and a big change from the original mossy-green stripes.
May 3, 2019
A 400-Square-Foot San Francisco Home Was Furnished in Only 3 Months
Name: Prathima Nalluri Location: Nopa (North of Panhandle) — San Francisco, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 9 months, renting I moved into my apartment about nine months ago with not much furniture except my bed and a console table. I know they say take your time to furnish your place but I did it in less than three months (and I don’t regret a single purchase!). I love spending time at home and I wanted to create a space which is airy and cozy at the same time.
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Kitchen Has a Radically Different Look
Let’s be real: This about-to-be-renovated kitchen is far nicer than any kitchen I’ve ever had, so much so that I kept putting ‘after’ labels on the ‘before’ photos. But now it has a fresh vibe, new appliances, and a radically different look. After all the before/after confusion, I still had to double-check that this was the same view as the top image. It is the same camera angle, but every other thing has been changed.
May 3, 2019