Choosing the perfect paint color for your living room, kitchen, or bedroom can take a ridiculous amount of time. What starts with a simple tour of the hardware store's paint chip display, can evolve into a pretty painstaking process—especially if you choose the wrong color and have to start all over again. These 9 simple shortcuts will help you select the right paint color every single time.
Now that the worst of winter is behind us, it’s time to set our sights on relaxing, entertaining, and eating alfresco. But outfitting these spaces with decorative and functional elements can get expensive. Instead of heading to the home goods store, take a U-turn to your local thrift shop or dollar store to craft one of these clever, creative, and incredibly cheap projects that are sure to give your outdoor retreat the spring spruce it needs.
Garage sales, thrift stores, and flea markets are great resources for finding furniture, decor, and other housewares for a steal. But there are some used products that run the risk of being dirty, in disrepair, or just downright dangerous. Don't let a low price tag persuade you—avoid picking up these 11 secondhand items that may be the worse for wear.
The diminutive dimensions of your home may have whittled your design dreams down to size, but there’s one way to make the most of your square footage without tearing out your hair or your walls: Fit two distinct rooms into one living space. Multipurpose rooms break down conventional barriers between distinct spaces like the kitchen, office, bedroom, and dining room to create stylish and effortless integrated living spaces. Reveal the hidden depths in the most cramped quarters with inspiration from these 9 elaborately efficient 2-in-1 rooms.
Looking for ways to spruce up your home for little to no money at all? It's not as hard as you think! These smart decorating tricks show you how to transform your spaces using everyday items you probably already have on hand.
Is your kitchen’s hallmark feature its chaotic cabinets, overcrowded counters, or limited space for meal prep? Get cooking on one or more of these 21 organizational solutions to minimize the clutter while maximizing surface and storage space!
If you plan to sell your home someday (and most people do), it's important to always consider the long-term consequences of short-term design decisions. Remember, when it comes to resale value, timeless trumps trendy every time. So, before you install a state-of-the-art sports court, invest in a luxury hot tub, or convert your garage into extra living space, keep in mind the following complaints home buyers often express about certain home enhancements.
Even the most experienced homeowners can get sucked into spending a lot of money on maintenance costs or home improvements that just don’t deliver. For those who take pride in their homes, it's important to make improvements that enhance functionality, save time, or make a big design statement. Unfortunately, some of the most common renovations and additions are just a waste of money. Here are some of the major items that can fritter away your funds.
Whether you're packing away seasonal gear, or stockpiling a few extra home essentials, the basement is a natural storage spot. Because the basement is dark, cool, and roomy, it can be a perfect spot for storing certain items, especially those you won't often use. On the other hand, a basement that is prone to flooding, mold, or pests is no place to store heirlooms or valuables. That's why it takes a little planning to make the most of your basement storage and ensure that your belongings last for years to come. Say no to musty old shoeboxes filled with junk, and check out our do's and don'ts for proper basement storage. You don’t need to break the bank to get fabulous basement storage. All you need is a little imagination—and our handy guide!
Formal dining rooms are starting to go the way of the formal living room—out of service. While many homes have dining rooms, the square footage devoted to them often isn't justified by the little use most families get out of them. And who wants to waste that much space? Instead of letting an entire room become a black hole for clutter, get inspired by these 7 ways real families have converted their dining spaces.
A house feels most like a home when you share it with those you love—and gathering together with friends and family is even more fun if everyone has a comfortable place to sleep. Whether you have a large family living in a small space or just like to host lots of people at once, let one of these multiple-bed bedrooms inspire you to find a way to accommodate them all.
Discover the few simple secrets that can help you clean and care for your cast-iron cookware. So, what are you waiting for? Break out that old skillet and get cooking!
Struggling to create order in the chaos of a full house? These 18 space-smart DIY furnishings and home accents will help you manage your humble home in an ultrafunctional new way!
No matter the square footage of your kitchen, the perfect amount of space for storage and prep always seems just out of reach. Fortunately, nothing frees up space like a little organization. And when we hear that you can clear out a full drawer by devising a DIY solution for spice storage, we're all ears. Actual woodworking is not a requirement, because these 10 ideas for storing spices include simple repurposing projects as well as custom-tailored solutions, and all of them get the job done.
Choosing paint colors for your home can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to the living room. It's a space that is both an intimate setting for your family and a gathering place for your friends. To find your favorite hue among a sea of swatches, St. Louis, Missouri, interior designer Joni Spear advises staying true to the colors you love most. "When it comes to paint colors, I always rule by my heart," says Spear, principal of Joni Spear Interior Design. "You have to be happy in your surroundings." Draw color inspiration from a cherished possession, Spear suggests, like a painting, pillow, rug, or vase. Be sure to view paint samples at different times of day to see how sunlight and ambient light will affect them. Here, Spear, along with other interior designers and paint professionals, offers nine colors that are worth your consideration.
The formal dining room is an interior in flux. For decades it was a mainstay of the American home, but in recent years it has often found itself co-opted for a playroom or home office. Today, the dining room is making a comeback, appreciated again for the way it provides a spacious, welcoming environment that brings family and friends together. But successful entertaining requires more than just a dedicated space. In particular, the colors you choose for your dining room go a long way toward setting the tone for your gatherings. Here, design experts share 8 of their favorite hues and tips for using them in your own dining room.
Few chores are as perennial as cleaning the bathroom. The loo probably gets more use per square foot than any other space in the house. As a result, it has to be cleaned more frequently as well. You may think you know all there is to know about getting your bathroom spick-and-span. But there are a few unconventional ways to cleanse the commode and scrub the tub that you’ve probably never heard of, including these surprising favorites.
So, you’re not a neat freak? You can still keep your house from spinning into chaos if you just follow one simple rule: Make it easy to put items away, and you’ll do it more often. To keep your house tidy without breaking a sweat, try these 10 simple shortcuts.
It’s a new year, which means it's time to get started on your home resolutions for 2016. The best place to start? Out with the old! While it can be difficult to let go of prized possessions, the relief that comes along with decluttering can be well worth the brief pangs of sentiment. Start lightening your load with these 14 items that you can—and should—toss right now.
Learn how two popular paint products can each achieve such a wide range of style—from distressed color washes to bright opaques—and how to choose the right one for your next project.