Decorating

Picking office furniture is generally a no frills, utilitarian endeavor. Grab some desks, chairs, file cabinets, conference tables and call it a day. Whoever was in charge of that task for the New York Times, though, decided to spice up the workspace with some modern pieces—so modern, in fact, that they’re baffling the staff.

Ever since Lucy Ricardo accidentally baked the world’s biggest loaf of bread on a 1952 episode of I Love Lucy, kitchens have been at the center of virtually every TV family’s story. In honor of TV’s love affair with the kitchen, HomeAdvisor, the marketplace that connects homeowners to home improvement pros, has carefully rendered the floor plans of some of your favorite TV hearts of the home.

Well, Anthropologie has done it again, folks. Their Spring 2018 House + Home catalog is about to drop tomorrow, we got a sneak peek and it’s GOOD. Almost good enough for me to feel like the end of all this sub-freezing, winter weather nonsense is really just around the corner (also so good that we almost titled this piece “We’re calling it: The Anthropologie Catalog Might Be the New IKEA Catalog” but then decided to cool our jets).

I always leave Costco a bit traumatized by my receipts. When you’re spending $24 on paper towels alone, the bill adds up fast. But even though buying in bulk costs more upfront, it’s usually cheaper in the long run (that’s actually the whole point, of course). The question is: how much cheaper is it? Is it really worth it to have to stash all those big bottles and tubs just to save a few cents (not to mention the cost of membership)?

It was a gray Friday afternoon, but Studio—a café and restaurant tucked inside the recently opened Freehand New York—felt alive. I was sitting across from the person who helped to create that vibe through a surprising vehicle—plants. They filled the corners, shelves, and the area between the tables, bringing each space very much to life. And, it turns out, the man responsible for their being is also behind the plants at a host of New York City’s hottest restaurants.

Project: Caitlin Murray of Black Lacquer Design Location: Los Feliz, California California vibes are hard to shake in interior design these days, and for good reason. Who doesn’t want a laid-back, relaxed place to call home? That’s exactly what Los Angeles-based designer Caitlin Murray of Black Lacquer Design gave her client, a tech executive, in this furniture and decor-focused makeover.

As someone who has watched the Netflix reboot through twice, I’m confident in saying it is a smashing success. I laughed. I cried. I wanted another eight episodes. The new Fab Five are so charming; it’s hard to stop watching. They’ve retained the same format at the original: Five gay men make over a (usually) straight guy. They redesign his home, his clothing, his hairstyle, and his inner confidence.

It’s the end of the day, and you crawl beneath the sheets next to your significant other with a *certain* expectation (cue bedroom eyes). Then, something happens — and, spoiler alert, it’s not sex. You get distracted. Or your partner does. Long story short? The only things going down in that bedroom are libidos. If your bedroom is more fizzle than sizzle lately, it might be time to re-examine the source.

We all know spring is the season for growing: grass, flowers, trees…and to-do lists. After a winter of cocoon-like inertia, it’s time to get busy deep cleaning, organizing, fertilizing and mowing. So to get the ball rolling, we made a list of some of the most essential things you’ll need, then compared their prices at two mega-stores known for their bargains: Home Depot and Amazon. Here’s how they stacked up.

When Robert and Samantha Garlow of Shedsistance designed and built their tiny home in the woods of Yakima, Washington, they created a super cool small space with an impressive amount of room for all of their outdoor gear. Fast forward a few months and they have to make room for another form of adventure: parenthood. The couple spent about $30,000 building the 24-foot long, eight-foot-six-inch-wide, 13-foot-five-inch-tall home.

Fake a larger room through the magic of paint, people!

The coming of age movie is a Hollywood staple, which often depicts a young woman whose story is defined by a romantic relationship. Part of what made this past year’s Lady Bird so special is that its subtle telling of a teenage female experience—from tenuous mother/daughter relationships to shifting friendship dynamics—relied on Lady Bird’s personal growth as the main storytelling device. Its actors have received plenty of accolades ahead of Sunday night’s Oscars.

Bye bye, bad track lighting.

We’ve all been there. After decorating our dream living room/bedroom/kitchen, etc., we discover all kinds of unexpected eyesores—a.k.a. unsightly cords, wall outlets, radiators, etc.—that definitely weren’t a part of our design vision. So what to do when faced with unattractive (but oh-so-necessary) visual clutter? Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Read ahead for a handful of ways to conceal (and sometimes incorporate) five common eyesores around your home.

Spring is a season of new beginnings. By now, you must be ready to tackle shaking out the winter cobwebs and doing a bit of a refresh around your home. I’m not talking an extreme renovation and remodeling, but more like a decorating mini makeover with a new piece of furniture or lighting. Or even a seasonal swap of pillows, throws and rugs. The Internet is kind of amazing insofar as it puts the inventory of big home retailers at your fingertips. But the downside of that is, THERE. ARE.

Kitchen islands are not really polarizing—if you have the room, you probably want one. But bathroom islands? Now there's something new to covet.

Target sells just about anything, from motor oil to mattress pads to milk. But of course Walmart sells a lot of the same stuff, too (plus some). Both of these stores aim to be your one-stop shop, whether you’re shopping in person or online, and this got us wondering: Are their prices as similar as their inventory? We compared prices at both stores, evaluating some of the most common household goods and personal care items to see which one will offer the biggest bargains.

By now, you already know that Melissa Joan Hart and company are in talks to reboot Nickelodeon’s 90s hit, Clarissa Explains It All. As the Hollywood Reporter said of the project, the new show would see former star Melissa Joan Hart reprise her role as Clarissa Darling, but this time, she’d play the mom of the family. How very Girl Meets World of them!

You’ve probably heard of the site Dormify, but didn’t consider giving it a second glance because, well, you’re not in college anymore. However, considering the brand’s well-curated selection of decor for small spaces, it’s just as ideal for the urban dweller as it is for collegiate dorm rooms. Check out some of our highly covetable finds below. This black-and-white Scandi-inspired pillow sham will take your bedding game to the next level.

Don’t want to shell out $60-$120 on a Costco membership, but do want to take advantage of the club’s low prices? Well, you’re in luck, because these five retailers helpfully offer price-matching to us lowly non-members. Read on for all the details. There are reminders for each of the retailers below, but it warrants emphasis: be sure to read the fine print for any price-matching policy you come accross.

Earlier this week, we published an article that shared six stylish solutions for those (kind of awful) vertical blinds you so often see in rental apartments. Of course, they are incredibly practical, and if you’re all about privacy and so-so about aesthetics, then keep on keepin’ on I suppose. But me? I can’t stand them. They look so… institutional and devoid of any personality.

“Trading Spaces” and I go way back…like Alex McLeod back (the season 1 host prior to Paige Davis joining the show). I was but a mere high schooler with a penchant for basic cable when I first laid eyes on Ty Pennington’s puka shells and Hildi’s offensive wall treatments. The OG interior decorating reality show, Trading Spaces definitely spawned my foray into the world of interiors, but after re-watching the original series (the TLC reboot airs April 7th!

A proper laundry room is a fabulous thing to have, but this one had a few issues: indoor vinyl siding, various holes, and so much brown, brown, brown. Laundry is tedious enough already — if you have a chance to make the experience more pleasant, take it.

New Girl’s L.A. misfit friends are returning for their final season on Tuesday, April 10. [Spoilers ahead] The ending last season was tough because we didn’t know if we were saying goodbye forever or see ya later. Nick and Jess were kissing, Schmidt and Cece got pregnant, Winston is…Winston. It didn’t leave me totally satiated, but I wasn’t mad either. It was just kind of ‘eh’. Lucky for us, the team gets one more shot to wrap it up the way they want.

Recently, my parents sold my childhood home and bought a grown-up condo. Gone is the lovely, comfortable suburban dwelling that housed countless birthday parties, homework cram sessions and dance recital practices. Their new home doesn’t have to be kid proof; it can just be cool. And no show’s design has been quite so cool as Mad Men (my dad loves mid-century furniture, so it’s fairly obvious inspiration). The set of Mad Men was notoriously well researched and designed.

The Avengers are reuniting one more time on April 27 for Avengers: Infinity War, the fourth installment of the franchise, which has been going strong now for almost a decade. In preparation, it’s not a bad time to rewatch some of your favorites from the series, which encompasses three movies each about Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor, on top of a dozen others, including the record-breaking Black Panther from earlier this year.

From globally chic interiors that fill our Instagram feeds to flourishing lifestyle, travel and culture blogs, the free-flowing Bohemian style of living leads to some of the most intriguing spaces and design ideas around the world. The irresistible pull towards an unconventional life is manifested in our homes, where the pretension of perfect gives way to living with what you love.

Babies don’t know much about design. Every time I’ve tried to delve into the finer points of Eliel versus Eero Saarinen with the under-one crowd, they just stare at me blankly (and occasionally drool). Thankfully, Julie Merberg has a new book coming out May 8 called Baby’s First Eames (Downtown Bookworks), and I am thrilled that finally, newborns and I will have something to talk (rather, screech and coo) about.

By now you’ve probably heard of Gen Z Yellow. We first introduced you to term late last fall, and now that Millennial Pink fatigue may be starting to set in, and Pantone’s own Ultra Violet still seems a little esoteric and dark, perhaps you’re ready to take this shade of sunshine for for a test drive?

If you live in a small space, chances are that your kitchen is also equally diminutive. As you can see, my particular kind of tiny rental kitchen is of the single wall variety, with a paltry two cabinets width of counter to speak of. While that (and the single outlet) mean I have to cull the clutter and keep appliances elsewhere when not in use, even when the counter is cleared, that’s not a ton of space to work with if you’re trying to cook a meal.

They say that the only things that should happen in the bedroom are sleep and sex, but ask anyone who’s fallen victim to a mid-afternoon nap on the sofa, and you’ll hear that sleep and sex are both great outside the boudoir, too. After all, the heart wants what it wants. And sometimes, it can’t wait.

When New Girl first premiered in 2011, I’m not going to lie, I kind of wanted to be Jess Day. Who wouldn’t live in a loft with three kooky-but-cute dudes and have a killer vintage wardrobe? Sure, her love life was kind of in shambles (at least, initially), but she had great hair and an awesome pad to match. Speaking of the latter, there are a lot of decorating lessons to be learned from the set of New Girl before it goes off the air. And it’s not too late, people!

Fun fact: You don’t need to be a professional chef to take advantage of some of the smart tools used in restaurant kitchens. And no, we’re not talking about $200 knives or fancy sous vide machines. We’re talking about the inexpensive, everyday sort of stuff that’ll make your time in the kitchen neater, easier, and just a tad bit better. See, many of the gadgets and tools that professional chefs use in restaurant kitchens can be just as useful to us casual home cooks.

On June 6, 1998, the world was introduced to Carrie Bradshaw and her sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating, but always fabulous life in New York City. Twenty years ago, Sex and the City debuted and we all fell in love with Carrie’s friends, her fashion, and yes—her apartment.

While we still have six months left of 2018, that hasn’t stopped paint companies from looking forward to 2019 and beyond. If you’re dying to know what colors will be hot for the last year of the decade (we’re looking at you, renovators and redecorators), Sherwin-Williams just announced their color forecast for next year. Here are its picks for color trends for 2019.

We’re halfway through 2018, and you know what that means? It’s time to start trend forecasting for 2019. Just yesterday, Sherwin Williams shared their color forecast for 2019, but PPG Paints is taking it one step further and announcing their pick for the Color of the Year. So what shade do they predict will reign supreme next year? Night Watch, a deep, almost jade-like green.

With the monster hit of Avengers Infinity War still going strong at the box office (topping $2 billion worldwide), I’d like to celebrate Tom Hiddleston in his role as…Jonathan Pine, The Night Manager! And by celebrate him, I mean focus solely on the Egyptian interiors of the Nefertiti Hotel in Cairo.

If you watched Season One of Netflix’s Queer Eye, chances are you benefitted from the Fab Five’s heartwarming antics as much as the men being made over— or, “heroes”—as home design expert Bobby Berk lovingly referred to them as during our recent chat. In season one, Berk and his castmates delivered viscerally-satisfying transformations that tugged at our heartstrings and basically gave us all a restored hope in humankind.

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.

If you’ve been to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in midtown Manhattan, you’ve probably marveled at its permanent collection, which includes some of the most iconic and immediately recognizable works, ever — there’s the melting clocks of Salvador Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory, the soft-focus pastels of Claude Monet’s massive Water Lilies triptych, and everyone’s go-to poster from their freshman year, Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night.

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?

And how to stop it from happening ever again.

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.

There’s no denying that the 1980s hatched some of the most iconic movies of the 20th century—and most of the cult classics beloved by Gen X and older millennials. To celebrate their love of all things ’80s, the folks at Angie’s List teamed up with Neomam Studios to meticulously design a variety of unmistakable floor plans.

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.

For all the talk around wood versus plastic, there’s very little talk about the SIZE of cutting boards. And this is one case where size really does matter. One of the biggest mistakes we see time and time again? People opting for cutting boards that are too small. A too-small cutting board is not only awkward to use, but it can also be unsafe! We’ve all done it before: You’ve pulled out a little guy, thinking you just have to mince some garlic.

You’ve seen them, I know you have. The sad, mirrored walls, or maybe sliding closet doors, the ones that were intended to be signs of disco-era extravagance but that can now read a a little sad and tawdry. They’re all over a certain kind of ’70s and ’80s condo. I always thought that mirrored walls were just plain bad. I thought that until I started doing research for this post, and discovered that actually, mirrored walls can look very nice.

#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.

In a small space, every inch counts. There’s quite literally no room for frivolous decor items that don’t also provide a function. But the items in this post—spotted in real homes from recent house tours—are hardworking and good looking. Melina Peterson’s 300-square-foot New York studio apartment is not just small, it’s an odd shape.

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.

You don’t often hear people complaining about the roll-arm upholstered sofa or white tulip dining table they bought. 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! And though quality generally comes at a higher price point, you’d be surprised at the well-priced classics that some of your favorite affordable home furnishing brands offer.

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.