Natural Solutions

You spend about one-third of your life in bed, so it's an important place to invest in clean, healthy, and beautiful products!

Indoor-outdoor living has become a tentpole of design over the past few years. But this year, designers predict a swap.

As most avid tea drinkers will tell you, if you are using tea bags, you can get extra use out of them if you are willing to do so. Most people just chuck them into the trash, compost heap, or recycling bin, but saving them for your next tea is also an interesting idea.The first thing that you should know is that it’s fine to reuse tea bags. The drawback is that after the first cup, you lose flavor and strength. But if you enjoy strong tea, there is a way to reuse your tea bags.

We recently took stock of our linen closet and realized that half of the storage space was taken up by sheet sets and towels that we simply don’t use. Some are very old and worn out, and some just never seem to make it into our weekly linen rotation. Of course, we didn’t want to throw them out, so it got us thinking about recycling options.Use old sheets and blankets to make new ironing board pads and covers, like those featured on A Beautiful Mess.

We hate to hear it, but it’s the truth: Plastic wrap is bad for the environment. So for a more sustainable kitchen, we’ve been switching to reusable alternatives. Don’t know where to start when it comes to replacing your disposable plastic wrap? Then check out the ideas below.For smaller items, repurposed glass jars work perfectly. They have the see-through nature of plastic wrap and can be popped in the dishwasher after being used.

A couple weeks ago, I got to preview the beautiful Boston Magazine Design Home 2014 in Salisbury, Ma. While I was inspired by many of the rooms and green features of this net zero energy home, these were the seven décor ideas I wanted to steal for my own space: Note: While its eco-friendliness is a huge draw, I’m going to focus on purely decorating tips. To find out more about its energy efficient features, visit the Design Home website. Here are my seven decorating ideas to steal: 1.

Plants are well known as great way to add some color, texture and life to a space, and when they also happen to be beautifully oversized hanging plants, they also bring the drama. We’ve rounded up some examples from our archives and around the web. 1. An oversized Boston Fern adds texture and brings character to the room. Gregory and Jenny’s Relaxed Hippie Bungalow Tour from Apartment Therapy. 2. Following curve of a staircase these Bears-Paw Ferns have a cascading effect.

When I hear the phrase “writing hut” or “backyard shed” my imagination practically squeals with delight. A small, intimate space furnished with the essentials. Low impact, high inspiration. This is probably why I love going to North Dakota and why I want to pull a Pollan and build my own little house.