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If you’ve never made anything out of leather before, it can be difficult to know how to get started and where to shop for supplies. Looking at the prices, it’s no wonder sticker shock can turn many would-be leather workers away from the craft.

You may already buy things like bookcases and sheepskin rugs from IKEA, but did you know you can buy kitchen appliances there too? If you’re not sure about making such a big budget purchase at the big blue store, we did a little research to see how IKEA’s line of ranges compares to products from other manufacturers. Here’s what we found out.

Activated charcoal—an ingredient perhaps best-known as those black specks in our Brita water filters—has recently been showing up in everything from trendy ice cream to skincare products. Beloved for its detoxing abilities, this it-ingredient is credited with cleansing skin, whitening teeth and treating acne. To get in on the skin-clearing natural wonder, we picked up some food-grade activated coconut charcoal and put it to work in marbled soap bars and bath bombs that mean business.

We love the look of a vintage-style mosaic tile floor in the bathroom. Like all true design classics, it matches with pretty much anything, and never really goes out of style. Compared to a lot of other options, it’s quite inexpensive — and when it comes to patterns, your choices are almost limitless. Here are some of our favorites. 1. Victorian Basketweave Black and White Porcelain Mosaic Tile, $70.99 for a box of 10 from Overstock 2.

Stacy’s rental bathroom started out just fine. She had white and grey tile floors, a grey-blue wall color, and a white pedestal sink. The bathroom was tiny, but there was a separate counter and mirror from the sink, with plenty of space to store her products. The only trouble was the green countertops, which made the bathroom feel dark and dingy despite it being light everywhere else.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Allow me to present our favorite Apartment Therapy Valentine’s Day tradition, the sex chair roundup. Introduced in 2001, the Tantra Chair is the best of breed (and I’ve put it below the fold this year), and has the most convincing argument that this thing is truly romantic. Its stated purpose: “The Tantra Chair is a modern chaise designed to enhance the advanced sexual positions of the Kama Sutra.

Product: The Monkey Hook picture hanger Designer: A Monkey & A Marketer Price: $11.25/30 hooks (10 original, 10 gorilla grade, 10 flush mount) Rating: Recommend* Like trying to reinvent the mousetrap, a product comes along every now and then that DOES make a significant improvement in an ancient field. The Monkey Hook is one of them. An ingenious and simple design, The Monkey Hook uses one rigid piece of wire to replace the need for a hammer, pin and hook.