Abby Stone

Two matching lamps in the bedroom? Fuggedaboutit! For a lamp lover, the bedroom’s a great place to mix it up. Combining table lamps, office lamps, sconces, standing lamps — even chandeliers — together can show off your style, shave a little off your bedroom budget and keep it modern. Our favorite new trend: mixing a standing lamp with a task or table lamp.

A mattress is a big investment and rightly so: the quality of your sleep has a profound effect on the quality of your life and how well you function. Since we spend about a third of our lives sleeping, it’s worth it to take a few moments to keep it functioning at its best. Try out these tips every few months to keep your mattress in tip-top shape!Strip your mattress down: Inspect the mattress for surface soil and stains.

The other day, I was talking to some friends about our dream bathrooms. A sunken tub, said one. A shower for two, was another vote. His and Hers sinks, was on a third friend’s wish list. Top of my list? A towel warmer. I got that one covered, said my sunken-tub-wishing friend. Really? I’d been to her house recently and I didn’t remember any towel warmer or even any space for one. She shared.

If you’re thinking of moving to or even visiting L.A., the first thing you need to know about Los Angeles is that it’s not New York. Or Paris or London or Tokyo or Sydney or any other city in the world. Throw out your expectations of how a major metropolis should be organized. Those rules don’t apply here.

Yesterday, I was at my cousin’s house. Are these the same couches? I asked. Her couches looked different but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. She explained that, using the extra fabric she’d bought when she purchased them, she’d made a few small but significant changes that had given them a whole new look!

Name: Albright Restaurant Location: Santa Monica, California I’m sure that, if I’d gone to architecture school, I would’ve ended up as a preservation architect, carving new spaces out of old ones and creating a seamless transition between then and now. So it’s no surprise that I was curious, when I discovered that Santa Monica Pier Seafood, one of the older (and better) fish shacks on this wooden wharf, had undergone an update, to find out a little bit more.

The walls of my home are bare. Though I own some art, very few pieces are hung; most of what I own leans against the wall. I’ve been thinking that not only should I commit to actually hanging the things that I have, but that I should think more seriously about collecting art and how it can enhance my home. But where to begin?

Name: Natural Curiosities, an art house/art studio Location: Echo Park, Los Angeles, California Size: 5,200 square feet Years lived in: 2 1/2 years at Jensen Recreation Center’s Bowling Alley Space. How do you imagine your dream office? Lots of light? A historic old building? Lots of hidden nooks and crannies filled with things to discover? Working with a bunch of talented and creative people? Check, check, check and check! Welcome to the wonderful workspace of Natural Curiosities.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know by now that Radiant Orchid, a medium-toned pinky purple, is Pantone’s color of the year for 2014. As Janel mentioned the other day when she broke the news, it marries well with grey (the real color of the year in my opinion), as well as creamy whites and metallics. And, may I add, it’s a great color for bathrooms and bedrooms, where it reflects off your skin and makes you look amazing (I know, my bathroom used to be this color).

Mystic Medusa Mystic Medusa:hereARIES: Aries craves simplicity and a funky-inspirational atmosphere from which to operate. Think primary colors — most of all red — Mark Rothko-style massive bright abstracts if there is to be art, and the most insane, enviable and functionally loud sound system possible. TAURUS:The couch is the center of the Taurean universe, and ideally it is ultra-comfortable and yet provides proper support.

The day before Thanksgiving I slipped on my front steps and broke my foot. Suddenly, life became a lot more challenging. Hopefully you’ll never break anything, but if you happen to come home from that holiday skiing trip with a souvenir, here are some of the things I’ve learned that will make your life a lot easier.Roll Up The Rugs: Rugs, especially those without a rug pad under them, can slow down a wheelchair or slip under a crutch. Roll them up or remove them.

Name: California Home & Design’s 2012 Small Space, Big Style LA Showhouse Location: 6735 Yucca Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 1400 square feetDates: Open to the public from now through November 18, 2012. What’s in a name? In this case, everything! Small Space, Big Style, California Home & Design’s Show House in Hollywood, packs a lot of glamor, along with two floors, two bedrooms, a sleek kitchen and four bathrooms, into a small footprint!