Home Design

Vintage glam: Home style inspired by The Great Gatsby

Claire Gallam — Fri, 10 May 2013 06:00:00 -0700

Who doesn't dream of living in the roaring twenties in the world of The Great Gatsby with sparkling gowns, elaborate homes with stunning antiques and the glitz and glamour of every character? Live just like Gatsby by recreating the look of the new movie in your own home with these decor trends!

My home decor style: Am I becoming my mother?

Jana Randall — Wed, 08 May 2013 06:00:00 -0700

Ever wonder how much your mother's style influences your own home design? Molly Branstetter from The Poor Sophisticate opens up on how her mom paved the way to her own home decor.

Design a home that inspires

Lauren Fairbanks — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 06:00:00 -0800

Sometimes the best way to design your home is to throw all of the traditional design advice out the window. At least that's Kimberly Friedmutter's view on home design. And she should know — she's created a home with her husband Brad Friedmutter, architect and designer of the famed hotel The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, that's been dubbed Shangri-Las Vegas. We talked to the celebrity hypnotist about how she flips traditional design advice on its head to create whimsical, emotionally connected rooms.

Dream Designer: Exterior design tool to help visualize a home redo

Patricia Conte — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:00:00 -0800

Curb appeal is a big deal, whether or not you’re planning a home sale. After all, the outside of your home is the first thing people see when they come calling. Dream Designer is an online tool that can help create and customize your dream home exterior.

Mom story: I help the homeless rebuild their lives

Julie Weingarden Dubin — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 08:00:00 -0700

Leaving a shelter is a huge step, but then what? Often, families find housing but have nothing for furniture — not even beds. Treger Strasberg decided to change that and co-founded a nonprofit, Humble Design, in order to provide furniture and create warm and comfortable living spaces for women and children starting over in Detroit. Helping families on the way up is a success and Treger’s work has gained national recognition. Treger was featured recently on the reality show, Motor City Rising, which aired on the Ovation network, as someone helping to turn the city around and break the stereotypes. Treger, a mother of two, ages 5 and 6, hopes to spin her idea off in other cities.

How to make your garage look like a carriage house

Laura Williams, M.S.Ed. — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 07:35:00 -0700

The horse-drawn carriages once housed inside carriage houses have largely been retired, but the classic look of the carriage house remains popular today. You can overhaul your home’s exterior and enhance its curb appeal by taking steps to make your garage look like a carriage house.

7 Innovative appliances for your home

Christina Caldwell — Mon, 30 May 2011 07:00:00 -0700

In the technological age, the evolution of gadgets and gizmos changes faster than some can keep up with. You get a new cell phone every year and a new computer every three to try to close the tech gap and keep current, but you still have a kitchen full of standard, tried-and-true appliances. While the old appliances still work, there are several new tech-boosted appliances on the market. Here are seven of our favorite innovative appliances for your updated abode.

Kitchen designs that encourage family bonding

Whitney Coy — Mon, 30 May 2011 07:00:00 -0700

Your kitchen is more than a place to cook dinner – it’s the heart of your home. Check out these kitchen design ideas to make your kitchen a place where your whole family can come together to spend time and have fun.

5 Kitchen design must-haves for busy families

Naomi de la Torre — Mon, 30 May 2011 07:00:00 -0700

The kitchen is the heart of your home, but it is also the busiest place in your household. Check out these kitchen design must-haves for busy families and build the sleek, functional and gorgeous kitchen of your dreams.

Design tips to make learning fun for your kids

Michele Borboa, MS — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:30:00 -0700

Enhance your children’s learning by providing them with an environment that makes learning fun. We spoke with Cortney Novogratz of HGTV’s Home by Novogratz about how parents can make their children’s bedrooms more conducive to learning and the kid-friendly decorating and design strategies she used at Winegard Elementary School in Orlando, Florida. Winegard was the grand-prize winner of Bounty’s We Love Our School sweepstakes and received a school makeover designed by Cortney and her husband Robert Novogratz.

4 IKEA hacks

Lauren Fairbanks — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:06:00 -0700

Hacks are typically thought of in technology circles, but they are prevalent in the decor industry too. Since furniture hacking can take some practice to get it right, it's a smart idea to make your first attempts on cheap furniture like IKEA's. While not every piece of IKEA furniture can be hacked, many of them can be because of the simple, clean lines and basic color schemes. Here are four of our favorite furniture hacks from the popular website IKEA Hackers.

8 Home design websites that make decorating fun

Lauren Fairbanks — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 03:59:00 -0800

Redecorating can sometimes be a hassle, especially when you lack decoration inspiration. Fortunately, a quick browse online through the enormous array of home design websites will not only give you home decorating ideas, it will simplify your DIY home improvement desires. We've sorted through the masses and picked out our favorite eight home design websites that will make your home decorating a fun and easy process.

Why women need a Mom Cave

Michele Borboa, MS — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:53:00 -0800

For decades, men in America have had a retreat in their homes all to themselves, the Man Cave. But according to a survey conducted by national off-price retailer HomeGoods, women want a refuge reserved just for them, too – and, no surprise, the majority of women don’t have a space to call their own. Elaine Griffin, New York interior designer, gives us the dish on why women need a Mom Cave and how to create that coveted home sanctuary.

How to design a green home

Suzi Milovanovic — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 06:53:00 -0800

"Green design," "sustainable design" or "eco-friendly home design" may be the new buzzwords to describe design methods that are sustainable and lead to less of an impact to the environment, but the foundation of designing green has been around as long as classic architecture.

Choosing the best wood floor option

Sara Elliott — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:29:00 -0800

Wood flooring adds beauty to your rooms and value to your home. With all the innovations in wood flooring products, though, it can be a challenge to discover which type of floor will work best for your room and lifestyle. From solid hardwoods to laminates, let's explore the wonderful world of wood flooring to discover some easy ways to evaluate the top contenders.

Bring in the new year with green home design

Robin Baron — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 09:22:00 -0800

The new year is here, and we are all thinking about our resolutions whether they are improvements to our lives, communities, or ourselves. One of my resolutions is to continue recycling, reducing, and reusing and to inspire others to do the same. The new year might be just the right time for you to refresh your home while maintaining a commitment to eco-consciousness! Here’s my quick green guide to home design.

5 Eco-friendly home design tips

Jessica Padykula — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 10:49:00 -0800

It’s that time of year again, when we look back at the past year and make a note of things we’d like to do better. Often it’s to exercise more or eat better, but what about minimizing our carbon footprint? Eco-resolutions are becoming more and more popular as people aim to do their part for the Earth. We’ve put together some simple ways for you to green your home design and decor.

How to organize your kitchen

Diane Mallek — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 11:07:00 -0700

For many families, the kitchen is the busiest room in the house. Even though kitchens are a hub for conversation and great food, they can also become a black hole for household clutter. Between cookbooks, mail, and food counter space can be hard to come by and before you know it, your kitchen has turned into a disaster zone. Learning how to organize your kitchen is easy and, with a focused effort, everything will be in its place in no time.

How to arrange a comfortable living room

Diane Mallek — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:46:00 -0700

A living room is meant to be lived in and, if the furniture arrangement is poorly thought out, the room won’t serve its purpose. Color schemes and furniture play a critical role in the overall mood of your living room, but the actual furniture arrangement makes the difference between a comfortable living room and a lonely one.

Best paints to use for furniture

Janet Teas — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:30:00 -0700

Painting a wooden piece of furniture can be a daunting proposition for most of us, but knowing the right primer and paint to use can remove most of the drama. Whether you’re looking at a new, unpainted piece of furniture or an old favorite that needs to be given a new lease on life, the kind of paint you choose is determined by the kind of finish you desire. And, always remember, paint can be repainted over and over again, so relax, pick a color you love, and enjoy the process.