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Our TeamJessica Dodell-Feder

Jessica Dodell-Feder

    About Me

    Jessica is a magazine editor and writer from Queens, NY. She bought her first apartment in Brooklyn a year ago and may never finish decorating it.

    Latest Stories

    The Best DIY Closet Systems You Can Buy Right Now
    These off-the-shelf products can really make a difference in your home.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Sep 16, 2024
    How to Soundproof an Apartment: 9 Tips for a Peaceful Space
    Muffle the noise once and for all.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Dec 1, 2023
    6 Things Nobody Tells You About Removable Wallpaper
    What you need to know, before you add to cart.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Oct 22, 2022
    5 Drop Ceiling Makeover Ideas
    The sad truth about drop ceilings is that even though they’re usually installed to disguise ugly ductwork, plumbing, water damage, or crumbling plaster, they often become eyesores themselves.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Apr 5, 2022
    The 19 Best Gifts to Pick Up While You’re Already at Costco
    Is there anything you can’t get at the buy-in-bulk giant?
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Nov 15, 2021
    5 of the Most Underrated Things at Costco
    Costco’s vast selection of items has been well-documented, and anyone who’s a fan of the discount megastore knows it sells more than half-gallon tubs of mayo and toilet paper in bulk. While some of its more… unusual… offerings (think: caskets) get lots of attention from media outlets, the store stocks a whole host of housewares and home improvement items that rival what you’d find in a Home Depot or Lowe’s.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Jul 17, 2020
    7 Secrets You Should Learn From the Most Resourceful Renters
    Living in a home where you can’t make any permanent changes can be frustrating, but clever apartment dwellers know that just means it’s time to get creative. Here are some of their go-to moves for turning even the most cramped, outdated, characterless spaces into a cozy, personality-filled home. Hint: It doesn’t involve buying all new furniture.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Jul 16, 2020
    5 Things That Are Keeping Your Place from Looking Like a Grown-Up Lives There
    The good news? They're all super easy and affordable to fix.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Apr 10, 2020
    The Big Color Trend That’s Officially Replacing White Bathrooms
    This one is going nowhere.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Jan 28, 2020
    Little Magic Tricks to Make Your Living Room Look New Again
    Tired of your stuff? Here's how to refresh what you've already got so it feels brand new again.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Jan 24, 2020
    15 Practical Under-$12 Amazon Buys You Should Always ‘Add to Cart’
    Some of the best things you can buy for under $12.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Dec 30, 2019
    These Easy Changes Will Make Your Shower Feel Downright Palatial
    Some crafty renovation moves and other tricks that'll make a tiny shower or tub seem double its size.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Jun 17, 2019
    Break Out the Paintbrush: You’re Missing This Overlooked Design Opportunity
    Think your decorating work is done? There’s a spot you may very well be missing—your interior doors.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Jun 11, 2019
    What to Know Before You Go Greige
    On their own, the colors beige and gray aren’t especially groundbreaking. But combine them and bam—you’ve got a color that’s as versatile as your basic neutral, but miles more nuanced. Greige, a warmed-up gray, adds serious depth to a room and makes a great backdrop, no matter whether your style is traditional, modern, or somewhere in-between.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    May 18, 2019
    Don’t Make These Big-Regret Bathroom Design Mistakes
    Most people say the kitchen is the most important room in the home, but I would argue it’s the bathroom. Let’s be honest, some pretty important… business… goes on in there, and most people start and end their day in the shower or at the sink. When I started looking to buy an apartment last year, I couldn’t help but pay attention to the bathroom first.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    May 3, 2019
    Tile Trends You’ll See Lots of in 2019
    One of the best things about tile is its sheer variety: You can find an option to suit any taste, including the taste that doesn’t like tile much at all (in that case, go for those ceramic planks that look like wood, complete with graining). And in the past few years, tile companies have been seriously upping their game, expanding beyond the rectangles we know and love to unexpected shapes, colors, and finishes.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    May 3, 2019
    Don’t Fall For These 6 Common Home Improvement Myths
    There’s a lot of talk about renovations and the best way to handle them. Unfortunately for homeowners, much of the advice out there often contradicts itself. Talk to one contractor, and he might tell you to always expect a reno to cost 10 percent more than you expected; talk to another, and he’ll insist you should never pay a penny more than the initial bid.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    May 3, 2019
    4 Expensive Home Improvements That Don’t Necessarily Pay Off
    It makes sense to assume that because home improvements are, by nature, improving your home, they must increase its overall value, too, right? Sadly, that’s not always the case. While some updates (new windows, minor kitchen remodels, and somewhat surprisingly, a new garage door) nearly pay for themselves, the projects below don’t earn quite the return on investment (ROI) you may think they should.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    May 3, 2019
    Don’t Make These Classic IKEA Shopping Mistakes
    IKEA is a wonderland for shoppers on a budget, stuffed with everything you need to outfit your house—from complete kitchen setups to everyday essentials like lint rollers. But pitfalls lurk within that famous maze of showroom displays, and if you’re not smart about the way you shop, all those inexpensive buys can end up costing you a lot of time and stress. (And, once you see the total, money.) Here are some common mistakes to avoid.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Apr 19, 2019
    9 Things to Switch Up at Home This Spring
    Spring is sprung, and the gorgeous warm weather makes it easy to get lost outdoors. But your home deserves attention, too—and we’re not just talking about spring cleaning. These seasonal switch-ups make your home more cheerful and livable all spring and summer long. Do you switch your fan to rotate clockwise during colder months? (You should: For those who don’t know, this pulls cool air up towards the ceiling to make a room feel warmer.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Apr 18, 2019
    This Was the Biggest Trend the Decade You Were Born
    For every home trend that people are obsessed with today (patterned cement tile, industrial lighting, brass fixtures), there are hundreds that we’ve long forgotten about. But like fashion, design is cyclical, and many of the choices that people loved back in the day are bound to make a comeback. Check out some of the iconic moments of the past 90 years or so, and see if your birth decade’s “in” is on the upswing again.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Feb 20, 2019
    6 Costco Buys That Will Save You So Much Time in 2019
    A shopping trip to Costco isn’t exactly a dash-in-and-out type of experience. Spending an hour or two in the store is a given, and that’s time you probably don’t have around the holidays. But one of the great things about the megastore is that tucked among the pallets of snack food and cases of olive oil are items and services that can save you loads of time while you’re out doing your regular Costco run. Here are some to keep in mind: Need a quick hostess gift?
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Jan 8, 2019
    8 Renter Secrets You Can Learn from Resourceful Military Families
    Imagine when you moved into your apartment, you knew you were going to be out of there in about a year, two at most. Same for the next place, and same for the place after that. For members of the military and their families, that’s often the reality. Moving around so frequently has its downfalls, but it also can serve as a kind of design bootcamp.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Dec 21, 2018
    Here Are the 6 Biggest New Trends in Bathrooms
    Times are changing yet again.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Nov 20, 2018
    7 Things You Can Buy at Costco for $10,000 or More
    Costco shoppers know how easy it is to drop hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in a single shopping trip. Even with the discounts on offer, all those bulk packages of toilet paper, tubs of mayo, and multipacks of cereal can quickly add up. What you might be surprised to find, though, is that the megastore also stocks a bunch of big-ticket items starting at $10,000 that’ll make your $250 shopping trip look like chump change.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Nov 13, 2018
    6 Buys That Make Gallery Walls Much Easier to Hang
    If you want to personalize your space, display your favorite artwork and collectibles, and make a big statement on a blank wall, you put up a gallery wall, right? But it’s not quite that simple. Anyone who has ever tried to hang art and photos just so knows that getting a gallery wall arranged takes time—and often causes lots of unnecessary nail holes in the process.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Nov 12, 2018
    6 Things You Didn’t Realize About IKEA Kitchen Cabinets
    Here's everything you need to know.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Nov 6, 2018
    7 of the Most Underrated Things at Target
    While everyone knows Target’s home-décor and fashion collections have been fiercely on point lately, not everyone thinks of the megastore as a go-to spot for DIY supplies. Although I like to support my local hardware or craft store when I’m working on a project at home, sometimes it’s just more convenient to throw sandpaper and stencils into my cart while I’m shopping for paper towels and shampoo.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Oct 15, 2018
    Cheap and Easy Ways to Feel Better About Your Home
    There’s nothing like coming home and plopping on the couch at the end of a long day—unless you happen to be less than thrilled with your space. Scientific research has proven over and over again that the way your house looks, including the colors it’s painted, the amount of light it gets, how cluttered it is, and even its ceiling height can affect your stress levels and overall feeling of contentment.
    Jessica Dodell-Feder
    Oct 7, 2018