The Latest: Oct 2026

Every once in a while, style switch-ups are good for the soul — even if the room “before” isn’t terrible to begin with. For Emma and Zack Shay, their kitchen wasn’t bad-looking by any means, but they wanted to ditch the blue-gray cabinetry for something that felt warmer and homey.

If there’s one 1990s or early aughts feature that DIYers and designers are ditching when redoing a kitchen in the 2020s, it’s a two-tiered island countertop. Multi-level bar seating is making way for something more practical — often an expansive, single-level island or peninsula. You can see examples in this green kitchen makeover and this navy one — and in Sheri Abernathy’s (@brasswalnut) recent kitchen makeover.

“I have a really high-quality bed with a vaguely modern aesthetic that no longer suits me,” Maya Drozdz says. She bought the bed frame years ago, but her current style shifted towards an eclectic, vintage look. Maya had originally wanted to replace just the headboard, as that was really the only noticeable part.But because it couldn’t be detached from the frame, Maya had to come up with another solution instead of replacing it.

Think twice before including this in your plans.

I absolutely hate hot weather, so there’s no time of year that makes me feel quite as giddy as the arrival of fall and, most importantly, fireplace season. Now that autumn is here, I’ve been thinking more about fireplace decor and looking for easy, affordable ways to dress up my own mantel.

Sarah Bryant’s (@sarah_louwho) over-100-year-old Brownstone apartment came with a lot of charm: original woodwork, two fireplaces, flower pots on the stoop, and friendly neighbors. A few things that weren’t so nice or charming? The large window right next to the toilet in her bathroom, the dated tan-and-black tile, and the hardware in the space. “The upgrades [over time] left some room for improvement that I’ve been happy to build on,” Sarah says.