Read the latest articles from Bob Vila (Page 387)

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!

Sure, days are longer in summer, but still not quite long enough to squeeze in all the seasonal fun. Stay out after dusk when you light the night with these 8 DIY luminaries, lamps, and lanterns.

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.

Taking out the trash is a routine we’re all too well acquainted with. But believe it or not, you can actually make trash day easier—perhaps even pleasurable —with these brilliant hacks. Why didn’t we think of this sooner?

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.

While your vacuum cleaner is designed to do most of the work for you, understanding how to use it properly can make a huge difference in the cleanliness of your floors. Learn what you may be doing wrong when you're performing this common household chore so that you can be on your way to fresher, better-looking carpets and other flooring.

While laws vary from state to state, generally speaking, sellers are responsible for disclosing only information within their personal knowledge that could affect the property value, such as structural defects, mold, and lead paint. Some issues, however, fall into a gray area that a home seller may try to conceal in order to get a top-dollar offer. To protect your investment, hire a certified home inspector before making an offer, and be on the lookout for the following signs that a seller has something to hide.

You can run, but you can’t hide from the dog days of summer. You can, however, camp out on your balcony to enjoy slightly deflected rays of sunlight while keeping all the cool comforts of home within arm's reach. Whether you have a traditional balcony that amply extends your living area, or a diminutive Juliet balcony, you can convert the bleakest outdoor space into a serene sanctuary. Just focus on adding a few of these 11 simple but striking garden features, architectural elements, textiles, or furnishings. With inspiration from our collection of favorite accents, your balcony can project an inviting style and ambience that you’ll want to bask in year-round.

Before you decide to go the "For Sale by Owner" route, it's a good idea to figure out what you're getting yourself into. You might find that the time commitment, marketing costs, and legal processes may be more than you bargained for. If you're getting ready to put your home on the market and think you may want to do the dirty work yourself, make sure you're prepared by perusing these 10 must-know considerations of being your own real estate agent.

Turn gungy grout like-new again using this easy and colorful approach!

Rub-a-dub-dub, soap is great for a scrub! But bar soap is handy to have around for many reasons that go far beyond the bathtub. It can serve as a lubricant, freshener, and even a pest-repellent. Here are just a few unusual and clever uses that make the most of a single bar of soap.

Organizing the bath can be as easy as finding underutilized real estate and repurposing it into crafty compartments for all of your bath goodies. Soak up these 18 sleek storage ideas, designed for spacious and space-challenged bathrooms alike!

We bet you didn't know that you have an incredibly versatile tool—cleverly disguised as a common hair-styling essential—hiding just under the bathroom sink. Learn how to move beyond the blowout with these little-known ways to use a hair dryer to simplify tasks in your home.

Add a touch of originality to your shelves with a DIY geometric bookend, molded easily from leftover cardboard and a little concrete mix.