Design

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

By New York City standards, my bedroom is huge, which basically means it’s the size of a walk-in closet in the Midwest. But I’m a card-carrying member of the “fake it till you make it” club, and fortunately, it doesn’t take much to make a small sleep space look bigger. It’s all about fooling the eye and really is as simple as this: Don’t overcrowd your furniture, which should be appropriately-sized for your room in the first place.

If you dig shows and movies like Big Little Lies, Gone Girl, and even Buffy The Vampire Slayer, you need to be watching HBO’s Sharp Objects. The eight-episode miniseries is based on Gillian Flynn’s debut novel and is centered around Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), a St. Louis-based journalist who is sent back to her hometown in the southern part of the state to report on the year-old death of one young girl and the recent disappearance of a second.

In “Ideal Home,” Paul Rudd and Steve Coogan star as Paul and Erasmus, a couple with an extravagant lifestyle who take in Bill, the grandson Erasmus never knew he had. Throughout the movie, we learn an ideal home is not ideal because of the things that fill it, but the people who inhabit it. Obvious? Yes; But when Erasmus is eating Taco Bell in a fur coat telling his grandson this is the happiest he’s ever been, it does feel a bit more nuanced.

Ah, to see the world through the turquoise-colored glasses of Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again. Where a practically abandoned farmhouse can become a chic boutique hotel with some elbow grease and plucky attitude. Where the house band at your favorite bar is always on call. Where a trio of suitors is ready to welcome you to a beautiful scarcely populated island. It’s not a bad place to kick off your sandals.

I might be a little biased, since one of the first things Aliza Kelly Faragher told me was that my name, which rhymes and has always made me weirdly self-conscious, holds a lot of power in spellwork and spiritual practice. Let’s just say it was a good way to kick off a conversation with Allure magazine’s resident astrologer and the author of the forthcoming book, The Mixology of Astrology: Cosmic Cocktail Recipes for Every Sign (it drops August 7).

I have a small kitchen. And most days, it’s cool. I have accepted the fact that I’m not going to have a proper place to make meals (or eat them frankly) until I move out of New York City. That hasn’t stopped me from dreaming about the future—and looking at oodles of kitchen porn to serve as inspiration for my someday reno.

#Ihavethisthingwithtiles, and it’s sort of unfortunate because I’ve never actually picked any of my own. I fell in love with subway tiles nearly a decade ago, and I was crushing hard on those matte patterned cement tiles that popped up a couple years ago. I’m even into faux “wood” larger scale ceramic tiles and teeny tiny, mesh-backed penny tiles. And I’m not mad at a fish scale or arabesque shape either.

Bachelor party on a yacht, you say? Sure, but anyone with money can do that. Instead, this stag night shall be held on a private cargo ship, ostentatiously outfitted with a casino, helipad, basketball court, climbing wall, hot tubs, dance floors, and a Rolls Royce converted into a DJ booth.

I know it’s hard to think about fall right now, when it’s 100 degrees outside. But this crisp, yet not quite chilly, colorful season is on its way, folks. And with it comes a shift in decor. Home trends don’t move quite as quickly as fashion ones do, which may be one of the reasons plaid is, yet again, everywhere in major retailers’ and smaller home designers’ collections alike. But there’s another reason: Plaid is pretty rad.

“Crazy Rich Asians” is sparkly and colorful; the story is heartwarming and heartbreaking; the acting is joyful, and the fact that this is the first entirely Asian cast of a major studio film since “The Joy Luck Club” makes its success all the sweeter (a sequel is already in the works). It also happens to be visually stunning. The majority of the movie is set in Singapore, which main character Nick Young’s family basically owns.

Are you nervous about pulling the trigger on a possible new paint job? It’s only normal to have a bit of decision paralysis on such a seemingly big decision. What colors do you choose? What happens if you change your mind once it actually dries on the wall? What happens if–gasp–you don’t like it? We consulted several of our favorite designers to ask them what exactly you can do to prevent any paint-related disasters from occurring in the first place.

We’ve all been there. You just bought the sofa, bed, desk—whatever—of your dreams, only to find out that it doesn’t fit in your space. Or worse, in your doorway. And it goes both ways. A too small piece can be just as annoying to deal with, time and energy-wise. Instead of hoping for the best when you’re unboxing or waiting for that white glove delivery, take matters into your own hands.

Being in the moment and at ease is tough, even within your own walls. But there’s really no place like home for mindfulness, which is why we rounded up a few tips and product picks to help you feel more at peace in your space. No crazy scientific claims here—just some pretty gear and strategic design moves so you can be your best self in the place that matters most.

Ahh the gallery wall. It’s an efficient way to display a lot of art and take up a large swath of wall real estate, making a big visual statement. It’s an awesome design solution when you have an awkward space to fill. It’s a classic, timeless, and beautiful way of showing off your art collection. But it’s been done before. In unexpected arrangements. In these 50 different ways.

After the cameras turn off, some reality TV winners never find their footing. Not so for Erin Robertson, who wowed the judges and took home the grand prize on season 15 of “Project Runway.” Now, the designer has teamed up with her neighbor, interior and product designer Nicole Fichera, to open Hourglass, a pop-up boutique and content studio filled with new designs and vintage finds in Boston’s famed Fenway neighborhood.

As we inch closer and closer to 2019, the 2019 Color of the Year predictions have started steadily rolling in. The latest contender? Garden Patch, a grassy green from Dutch Boy Paints. While announcing the shade as their choice for Color of the Year, Dutch Boy described the hue as “not too deep and not too primary.

If you can even believe it, it’s been 25 years since our first taste of tossed salad and scrambled eggs. Frasier debuted on NBC on September 16, 1993, and although we all knew the good Dr. Frasier Crane as a patron where everybody knows your name, we finally got to meet and come to love his Seattle family—we also got our first peek into Frasier’s gorgeous apartment (but seriously, that view).

I’m not an IKEA hater, and I’ll never be. There’s a reason they’ve become such a success. Their pieces are functional and affordable, and there’s something to be said for that. IKEA also basically put flat-pack furniture on the map, which is a win for all of us. Other companies have followed suit, and if you’re looking for something that might last a little longer than IKEA’s entry point pieces, you’ve come to the right place.

Right now in home design and even fashion, it feels like a total ’70s takeover. Some might argue that the ’90s are going strong, too. But the ’90s were the first real throwback to the ’70s, so there you go. This time period had two pretty distinct things going on—boho hippie vibes and glam, glitzy disco feels, which means you can probably find a way to work something ’70s into your home no matter your aesthetic.

“I do need just a simple favor,” Blake Lively says to Anna Kendrick in the new movie “A Simple Favor.” Her request is easy enough—to babysit her son for a few hours one afternoon—but then, she suddenly goes missing for days on end. The suburban noir thriller is a gripping cat-and-mouse game of wits between Lively’s Emily, a powerful executive in the fashion world, and Kendrick’s Stephanie, a dismissable homemaker who idolizes her.

There are just some pieces that transcend whatever time, space, or style of interior they're thrown into. Good bones and timeless materials equal design staying power, people!

I consider myself something of a candle connoisseur. I’ve smelled a ton over the years and lit plenty, from Diptyque to Yankee and everything in between. Tapers, votives, you name it—there’s some kind of candle in practically every room of my home. But I’ve never given much thought to my burning technique, that is, until a recent trip to Nashville, Tennessee. Turns out the country music capital also knows a thing or two about getting (candles) lit.

“Golden Girls” is a quintessential television show that aired during the ’80s but whose design influenced has lasted long into today. While the original sets of the show had definite ’80s vibes, it’s not hard to imagine what their home would look like today, considering the prevalence of boho style, rattan, and palm leaf prints.

Trends in interior design don’t move quite as quickly as they do in fashion, but the home market still follows the runways to some extent. And if this past New York Fashion Week and the recent award show red carpets are any indicators, neons are about to come back into the collective color story after chalky pastels, moody indigos, and metallics have dominated for so long.

Remember our epic guide to white paint? We figured it was time to ask designers about their blue crushes as well—you know, those just right shades of cornflower, ocean, cerulean, navy, and everything in between. Blue typically isn’t a polarizing color. Most people gravitate towards the spa-like, tranquil quality of its lighter shades, while others love the darker side—the energy of aqua, the intensity of midnight. Sure, you could go about picking a blue paint color alone.

There’s nothing wrong with using outdoor furniture indoors. In many ways, it’s actually a smart move. Pieces created with outside use in mind are typically built to withstand things like wind, moisture and extreme temperatures. So if you have kids or pets, these items should be better suited to hold up to wear-and-tear. Some outdoor items have gotten a bad rap in the past for being not so stylish or crafted from less-than-cozy materials, which made them unfit for inside the home.

With the Fall 2018 season underway, we are returning to some our favorite TV abodes, and getting invited inside a few new ones. Join us this month as we explore the best homes on the small screen. Show: Will & Grace—NBC Thursdays at 9 p.m. Style: The beloved two-bedroom apartment of the Upper West Side is masculine, tailored and timeless. Why we love it: The titular characters are reunited as roommates, and their shared accommodations got a visible upgrade over its 11-year hiatus.

My two biggest passions in life are probably design and word play, so give me something that combines the two and I’m practically in heaven—like with greige, that aptly named neutral color that’s the perfect combination of gray and beige. But in all seriousness, greige really has become so popular in recent years that it’s now on the unofficial list of colors you need to know.

When it comes to Color of the Year announcements, this isn’t our first rodeo; we’ve already written about a handful of 2019 COTYs and we still have some months left of 2018. But, we don’t often see too many WOTYs—Wallpaper of the Years, that is. With the decorative trend making a bold return in recent years, it’s only fitting to celebrate it, courtesy of British brand Graham & Brown.

We’re finally in the last quarter of the year, which means the 2019 Color of the year announcements are streaming in more steadily than ever. The latest contender? Benjamin Moore. On October 10, the paint brand gathered design editors, interior designers and other industry folk at The Grill & The Pool at the Seagram Building in New York City (a bastion of mid-century modern design). After a few minutes of socializing and a welcome glass of champagne, it was time for the big announcement.

“Bad Times at the El Royale” offers a good time for anyone who appreciates period design. The gripping mystery thriller, which Fox releases in theaters on Oct. 12, sees Jon Hamm, Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo and Dakota Johnson checking into the titular resort, a once-glorious has-been hotel that captures the glamour of the 1960s with the conceptual aesthetics of the American West. Such a combination is an optical indulgence for both the viewer and production designer Martin Whist.

I just upgraded to a king-size bed, and sadly, I think my nightstands are going to have to go. This is New York City after all. It’s all about compromising. There just isn’t enough room for everything you want. All is good on the lighting front—I have a floor lamp that’ll suffice for reading in bed. But what about all the stuff I jam into that tiny nightstand drawer?

The hype is the well-deserved; Netflix’s summer smash rom-com ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ is sticky sweet, like cotton candy, perfect for when you’re in the mood for a burst of flavor—or color, as is the case for the design. Much like Lara Jean’s love life, her room is whimsical…and messy. A true romantic’s safe haven.

Spoilers ahead for season four and the season five premiere of “Black-ish.” With the Fall 2018 season underway, we are returning to some our favorite TV abodes, and getting invited inside a few new ones. Join us this month as we explore the best homes on the small screen. Show: “Black-ish”—ABC Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. Style: Set in the suburbs of Los Angeles, the Johnson home serves a heavy dose of contemporary finesse while playing it California cool.

I’ve been living in small spaces for almost a decade so I have my fair share of tricks for dealing with the lack of room. And lately, I’ve been writing about small spaces a lot too, which requires asking different decorators for their ideas. I usually get annoyed when the pros all say the same thing.

Multipurpose seems to be in IKEA’s DNA—the Swedish brand is always churning out collapsible, mobile, and transformable products with handy features. Design chameleons, as I like to call them. You think something’s a table, then all of a sudden, pull the pieces apart and you’ve got a storage basket and a tray. IKEA also seems to understand that small space living is on the rise, and this trend calls for items with dual functionality.

Spoilers ahead for season one of “Forever.” With the Fall 2018 season underway, we are returning to some our favorite TV abodes, and getting invited inside a few new ones. Join us this month as we explore the best homes on the small screen. Show: “Forever”—Season one streaming on Amazon Prime.

Books aren’t just the best things to have in your house—your collection can be as cool as you are. And with National Book Lovers Day (Nov 3) today, why not relook at these tomes as decor items, too? Not only does this make your apartment to look great, but it also gives you ample permission to buy as many books as you want!

I’m constantly trying to predict what’s going to be the new “For Like Ever” poster. I’ve written about a potential typographic contender before, which I loved for its simplicity and reference to a Talking Heads song. And now I think I’ve figured out another heir apparent: Block Shop and their woodblock paper prints. This L.A.- and Jaipur-based studio’s stuff is everywhere, from house tours on AT to Instagram and Pinterest.

There’s no knocking the convenience and cost effectiveness of the bed-in-a-box phenomenon—no days off from work for fussy white glove delivery (or tipping!), an Instagrammable unboxing experience and a price point that’s generally under a thousand dollars for a queen. They’re a great solution for tons of folks and probably have made the entire mattress market better by introducing more competition.

Lighting can totally make or break a room, and it can be easier to change out than you think, even in a rental. Take it from me—I’ve swapped out three fixtures in my space and brought in my own special bulbs for the recessed cans in my living room and the strip above my medicine cabinet. Don’t be that person that lets a crappy builder’s grade fixture bring down your otherwise awesome room. You can find something cool without spending a fortune, I promise.

‘Tis the season for holiday decorating! Year after year, I find myself wanting to spend a small fortune on mini trees, lights, and all things festive. But after the first year of going all out in my apartment, I had to pull back. Because there are only so many places you can add cheer to in 600-square-foot apartment, that is, without stumbling over faux reindeer or worse, blowing a fuse.

We could all learn a lesson in restraint from the tactful ways these tiny house and small space dwellers work farmhouse features into their overall decorating schemes.

When you want smart space-saving strategies, you can pretty much turn to IKEA. Almost all of their interior images are built sets, so they’re jam packed full of editorial ideas that someone has dreamt up and turned into reality. Inspiration abounds, and yet, these IKEA “homes” still feel like real homes with actionable ideas beyond just buying a table or a sofa or whatever.

Netflix’s latest original movie is already making waves as “Roma” has taken home over three dozen awards so far.

Lighting doesn’t have to be so serious all the time. I mean, don’t get it twisted. Lamps, pendants, sconces—they all still need to be functional, but if you can find something that looks cute and might get a chuckle or two from a houseguest, while still dutifully illuminating an area, I’m sold. And so, I bring you the latest trend to check all of those boxes: Animal lamps.

Fifty-four years since her big-screen debut, Mary Poppins is still practically perfect in every way. The magical nanny reappears in Disney’s highly-anticipated sequel, “Mary Poppins Returns,” starring Emily Blunt in the charming titular role (as Julie Andrews did before her in the 1964 musical movie).

This time of year, there’s really nothing better than channel surfing and landing on a Hallmark holiday movie marathon or spending a whole weekend streaming classic Christmas movies. But as many times as you’ve watched “Home Alone” or “Love Actually,” have you ever really taken notice of the films’ holiday decor? I mean, you can’t have a Hollywood Christmas without lights, a tree, and other festive flourishes, am I right?

The latest victim of the reboot craze is Sabrina Spellman. Our once fun-loving teenage witch has been reborn as a darker, edgier version of herself and I, for one, could not be more thrilled that the ’90s suburban, pastel floral TV sitcom house was laid to rest. The new Spellman Mortuary is granny chic-gone-spooky. It’s chock-full of vintage (well I guess it isn’t vintage if you’re hundreds of years old and you bought it when it was new…) and fabulous treasures.

Well, the end of the year is upon us, and it’s time to look forward to what 2019 has to offer in terms of style and design. But I also think it’s fun to reflect on the past and think about what trends might be running their course. What I’m about to say might be a little polarizing, especially if you live in a rental and can’t really do much about your surroundings. But the one trend I hope stays in 2018 is: Bright white painted walls.

Season 5 is streaming now.

There’s some wacky but true stat that says we spend about one-third of our lives in bed. The bulk of that time is spent sleeping, but there may be a little bit of active awake time in there, streaming Netflix or otherwise hanging out. And no matter the activity, your surroundings are important. With that in mind, make 2019 the year that you actually get your act together—at least in terms of bedroom design.

Remember when we all lost our minds over The Wing’s decor when founders Audrey Gelman and Lauren Kassan opened their first outpost in NYC’s Flatiron district back in 2016? With every subsequent club location, things have just gotten better and better. And it’s not just the broad strokes with furnishings and finishes—the details are on point, too. I mean, I even wrote a story about how pretty (and budget-friendly!) the blush dinnerware they use in their cafes is.

The one place I’ve been seeing a lot of color lately is in bedrooms, and things are getting dark. Navy and midnight blues, charcoal grays, deep teals, and even black, which is the trickiest to pull off if you don’t get a lot of natural light in your space. But it’s doable. The word on the street is that this trend might actually be beneficial for sleep—either it helps you drift off easily and/or stay asleep longer.

Have you looked on Amazon for decor items recently? And I mean really looked. Since launching their private label home goods last year, Amazon’s offerings have really come a long way. Obviously, you can get other brands on the site too. But if you’re looking for something budget friendly that’s a little more under-the-radar, start with the site’s exclusives.

Caution: These stylish spaces may send you running for the nearest paint store.

IKEA isn’t exactly the first place you think of when looking for wedding decor, but I’d argue that that’s actually a good thing for two reasons. First, the price is right, and there’s no “wedding upcharge” there—which is a real phenomenon and exists for everything from cake to candles and beyond with many vendors. Second, much of what IKEA sells doesn’t feel totally specific to a wedding, so you can actually use things again and again.

Styling a coffee table is an opportunity to show your personality to anyone who walks through your doors, either by displaying your prized photos and objects, your favorite books and magazines, or even some fresh flowers and plants. And, of course, you’re going to want a place for things like your TV and speaker remotes here too. Oh, and maybe some space for refreshments? So, it’s easy to go overboard with stuff on this surface. But it’s not inevitable.

Decorating isn’t cheap, especially when it comes to shopping for furnishings and finishes that are stylish, durable, and comfortable. Finding all of those qualities in a single piece for a sensible price is a little bit like finding a diamond in the rough, but it’s doable. And if anyone knows how to stretch a dollar, it’s a designer. I mean, no clients are ever mad when their project comes in under budget, right?

Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent was onto something when he famously said, “Fashions fade, style is eternal.” Your personal style is so much more than haphazardly throwing on a T-shirt and pair of jeans; it’s a reflection of who you are. It’s as much a part of your identity as your job or Instagram feed. So why should your home be any different?