Read the latest articles from Bob Vila (Page 381)

Impress your guests—and organize the clutter—with these 14 inspiring entryway ideas.

Many people cringe at the prospect of mattress shopping, and with good reason: Searching for a comfortable, high-quality bed within your price range can be incredibly daunting. But don’t fret! After learning these 12 things nobody tells you about buying a mattress, you’ll be able to head into the showroom with some valuable insider information—and a lot more confidence. Getting a restful night’s sleep has never been so easy.

By now maybe you've seen Dr. Bronner's Castile soap in the personal hygiene aisle at your local grocery or health food store. While Castile soap isn't new—it's been around for centuries—Dr. Bronner's has pushed the soap into the spotlight in recent years and helped a new generation rediscover the benefits of the natural oil-based cleaner. Generally considered to be gentler and more ecologically friendly than synthetic soaps, Castile soap has a wide variety of uses that range from personal hygiene to everyday household cleaning, laundry, and more. Here are some of the best uses for this versatile and mild cleaning product.

If you're venturing into indoor composting for the first time, use this guide to get a sound start and a superior compost for your garden.

Homebuyers and renters who dare to be different often put down roots in alternative dwellings that others eschew. Even if your inner compass tells you to steer clear of the offbeat or the outlandish, you may enjoy window-shopping these eccentric estates with architecture and decor that defy all conventions.

Looking to stow your special-occasion and out-of-season clothing? Keep it safe from moth damage with cedar.

Buying hand tools can be a confusing—and at times a losing—proposition. When faced with aisles full of putty knives, hammers, utility knives, and other toolbox must-haves, it’s tough to know if you’re really getting the best product for your money. If you’re like most people, you’ve probably purchased a few tools in the past that ended up breaking during use or rusting into a corroded mess soon after you brought them home, and you'd like to avoid that disappointing experience in the future. In search of advice how the average handyperson can make better-informed tool-buying decisions, we enlisted the help of Corey Talbot, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development at Hyde Tools, who knows what goes into making a quality tool and understands how DIY centers market products. The next time you find yourself staring at a wall of similar-looking tools in a bevy of colors and a range of prices, try the following tips to ensure that you come home with a quality tool you’ll be proud to add to your box. This content has been brought to you by Hyde Tools. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila.com.

Don't trash that dead telephone, scrap that torn sweater, or haul that lifeless bed frame to the junkyard just yet! As these functional and fanciful projects prove, broken or unused electronics, appliances, furniture, and knickknacks can go from junk to can't-live-without essentials in practically no time.

Looking for a way to retrofit your old baseboard heaters? Do it yourself with the versatile and easy to install Baseboarders replacement covers.

Though invaluable for cleaning up in a wet basement, these pumps are actually handy for a broad variety of household tasks. Learn the basics here.

Water woes? A good-quality water filter may be the answer, but don't simply purchase the first one you see on the shelf. Instead, read on to learn about the many different considerations involved, and for top tips from SupplyHouse.com on making the right choice for your household needs.

You can mix concrete like a pro if you grab the right tools and take note of these six best—and worst—practices.

Dreams of the summer season tend to focus on long, lazy days spent reading the latest bestsellers, napping in the rope hammock, or watching white clouds drift across a blue sky. But if you’re a homeowner, you know that summer isn’t always a day at the beach. Though storms and storm damage are hallmarks of winter, of course, weather-related hazards are threat throughout the steamy summer months, too. In addition, on those sunny weekend days, there are no shortage of maintenance tasks to complete, not only for aesthetic reasons, but for the integrity and longevity of your home and its components. It may be tempting to put off such projects until the leaves change, but don't delay. Prevent extensive, expensive problems in the future by tackling these important tasks today.

If you’re in the market for a major home appliance this year, strategize to save with these secrets for savvy shopping.

Experts agree that for comfort in winter, no other technology comes close to matching the performance of radiant floor heating. But is it the right choice for your home? Like so many other questions in building and home improvement, the answer depends. Learn the pros and cons, and decide for yourself.

You already know the value of spices for giving the dishes you love that perfect savory or sweet taste, but you may not know that many of the spices found in your spice rack are good for more than just seasoning foods. In fact, they’re good for many things that have nothing to do with food. We’ve rounded up 13 unusual uses for the spices in your kitchen. Click through to find out how to get the most out of your spice collection.

Adding a chic coffee table, an elegant end table, or a rustic dining table to your patio or porch is a must if you want to stretch your living space into the outdoors this summer. When you build an outdoor table yourself, either from scratch or from upcycled materials you already own, the project is doubly easy on the wallet. Get inspired by this selection of delightful and durable DIY patio tables, then turn the tables on your outdoor living space by making one of your very own.

Queen Victoria may have vacated the British throne long ago, but the regal and architecturally distinctive Victorian houses erected during her reign, from 1837 to 1901, remain fixtures in cities across the United States, where they've put their own American twist on the European archetype. Here you can sample a selection of our favorite stateside examples of the everlasting elegance of the Victorian home.

Gardening can be an expensive habit. But if you know where to look and whom to ask, you may be able to populate your landscape with free plants, shrubs, and trees. Check out our favorite tips and tricks for getting your garden plants for free.

‘Tis the season for BBQ. But if you’re going to spend weekend after weekend standing at the grill, you might as well apply a couple of time-saving (and flavor-enhancing!) tricks to improve the experience, not to mention your food. These 8 summer grilling hacks take minimal effort to pull off, but you—and your guests—will be amazed by the results.