Box of colorful Christmas ornaments on a wooden table.
Why You Feel So Sad After the Holidays (and What to Do About It)
The holidays are over and 2018 is upon us, which means the nonstop parade of food, drinks, days off, and parties is in the past. You’re likely back home and back to work, but something isn’t right. You feel sad, tired, and uninspired—and you don’t know why. This experience is known as the post-holiday blues, and it’s a feeling that often crops up during the month of January. “Post-holiday blues is usually a malaise,” says Elaine Rodino, Ph.
Jun 27, 2019
Why You Need to Break Up With Your Snooze Button (and How to Do It)
You’re mid-dream when the alarm starts blaring on your bedside table. You slowly open your eyes and see two options: stop or snooze. A few stolen minutes in your warm bed sounds heavenly—and hitting snooze couldn’t hurt, right? But then the alarm goes off again—and again—and you realize you’re running late before the day has even officially started. Sound familiar? If it does, you’re not alone.
Jun 27, 2019
A Family of Four Makes Every Inch of This 600-Square-Foot Home Work With Brilliant DIY Built-Ins
Keeping everything in a neutral tone and playing with textures helps the small space feel visually cohesive and less cluttered.
Jun 27, 2019
7 Seating Options For Small Spaces
Even if you can cram 100 people into your tiny apartment for a party, it doesn’t mean you have room for 10 to sit down to dinner together. If you’re lacking seating, here’s a few ways to help your guests find a place to land!1. Folding Chairs: When extra seating is needed, folding chairs always seem to come to the rescue. They can be plain or they can be elaborate in design, but one thing is for sure, we appreciate their ability to tuck out of sight when not in use!
Jun 27, 2019
This $9M New York City Duplex Might Be The Most Impressive Home I've Ever Seen
Just imagine reading all the books in *that* bright blue library.
Jun 27, 2019
7 Surprisingly Luxe Bathroom Items You Can Buy on Amazon
You spend time there every day. Isn't it time for an upgrade?
Jun 27, 2019
Your Childhood Furby Could Be Worth Over $4,000
If you have a Furby stuffed away in storage, it's time to bring them out because they could be worth thousands.
Jun 27, 2019
5 Morning Activities You’ll Find in Successful Peoples’ Routines
According to a survey of 1,000 people, those who claimed to have a consistent set of morning habits earned an average of $12,500 per year more than those who didn’t.
Jun 26, 2019
This New Orleans Backyard Has an Airstream, a Music Stage & Clawfoot Tubs
Tim Sheehan knew he was in for many years of hard work when he bought an abandoned New Orleans property six years ago. The grounds included a two-story 5,500 square-foot Greek Revival home and a ramshackle guest house, both in need of major renovations. The outdoor space started taking shape to become what it is today, a communal quad where Tim gathers regularly with friends, when he started using the yard as a staging ground for his many projects in 2012.
Jun 27, 2019
Make Your Space Feel Bigger With This Mindful Cleaning Mission
This year, we’re on a mission to help you tackle spring cleaning on your time. Each weekday until April 13, we’ll guide you through a plan to clean and organize different areas of your home, but you’ll have the flexibility to choose exactly what to work on and how long you have to dedicate to the job. Each year, the breezy spring weather is a great reminder that home doesn’t have to end at your entryway.
Jun 27, 2019
Rachel’s Mid-Century Backyard Patio is About to Get a Whole Lot Better
Name: Rachel Andersen Type of Project: Backyard Patio Renovation Location: Tulsa, OK Type of building: Single-family Ranch The Renovation Diaries are a collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here. Rachel worked 3+ jobs all throughout high school and college, because she had a big dream: to buy a little place and make it into a home.
Jun 26, 2019
Rachel’s Inspiration for a Bohemian Dream Backyard on a Budget
Name: Rachel Andersen Type of Project: Backyard Patio Renovation Location: Tulsa, OK Type of building: Single-Family Ranch The Renovation Diaries are a collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here. Rachel bought her first house at the young age of 21, and works hard to make it a welcoming place for family and friends.
Jun 26, 2019
Rachel’s Backyard Patio: Now 100X Better Than Before
Name: Rachel Andersen Type of Project: Backyard Patio Renovation Location: Tulsa, OK Type of building: Single-family Ranch The Renovation Diaries are a collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here. Rachel and friends have worked for weeks to pull this backyard space together, not cutting any corners, and doing it all DIY-style.
Jun 26, 2019
Rachel Spills: What I Actually Spent on My Backyard Makeover
Name: Rachel Andersen Type of Project: Backyard Patio Renovation Location: Tulsa, OK Type of building: Single-Family Ranch The Renovation Diaries are a collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here. All projects come with lots of good intentions — filled with budgets, plans, and timelines.
Jun 26, 2019
Unusual Exterior Paint Color Combos That Actually Look Really Great
When I was growing up in Lafayette, Louisiana, my family took a lot of trips to Mississippi to see my grandparents, and on the way back, I remember, there was this one lavender house, right by the interstate, that always caught my eye. This one pale, pale purple home, in a sea of beiges, seemed almost magical.
Jun 26, 2019
Before & After: A Courtyard Gets a Low-Maintenance Makeover
For a less intrepid DIY-er the assortment pictured above would be one intimidating pile of rocks. Not so for April. She transformed her courtyard into a relaxing spot, perfect for entertaining. Best of all, it’s super low maintenance so she can spend more time planning parties and less time watering grass! From April: I am in love with the new look of my courtyard area, which was almost all do-it-yourself projects.
Jun 26, 2019
Before & After: Replacing a Rotting Deck With a Budget-Friendly Alternative
Jennifer’s backyard was overgrown and her deck had seen better days. After clearing away a good portion of the growth, she knew her backyard had major potential but she wasn’t entirely sure what to do about the deck. Enter gravel! Friend to both budget and mother nature, this alternative choice helped Jennifer build a gorgeous outdoor space. From Jennifer: Before I purchased my house in late 2007, it had lived a maintenance-free life. The yard was completely overgrown.
Jun 26, 2019
Before & After: A Budget- and Renter-Friendly Patio Makeover
It was love at first sight for Elizabeth and her patio. And like any good relationship, they’ve inspired each other, supported each other and brought a little color into each others’ lives. From Elizabeth: When we took the tour of our apartment I didn’t even need to step through the front door before I realized that we we’re going to take it. Simply based on the patio.
Jun 26, 2019
Dabney’s Bare Backyard Goes From Lifeless to Next Level
Previously I wrote about my bare backyard when it was a wasteland of dog poop, weeds and sorrow. Today I’m showing you my new and improved outdoor space, which is now a low maintenance dream. Two thirds of the new backyard is covered with an expansive composite deck. The other section is a rectangular area of gravel with a firepit: Composite Deck: Probably the most ground-breaking — yet largely unsung — feature of the new and improved backyard is the new platform deck.
Jun 26, 2019
Small Outdoor Space? Consider “Square Foot Gardening”
There’s nothing quite so satisfying as growing your own food—and nothing quite so frustrating as being a would-be gardener with a too-small outdoor space. I have known this pain myself, so I was particularly intrigued when Dabney, our Projects Editor, told me about Square Foot Gardening, a very efficient technique for growing things you can eat. Could this be the perfect way to grow a lot of veggies in just a little bit of space?
Jun 26, 2019
Before and After: A Front Yard Makeover With Massive Curb Appeal
This Bay Area front yard had seen better days, but now it is an urban oasis worthy of major admiration—and envy, especially of their lucky friends who get invitations for sunset cocktails but didn’t have to do any of the actual work. If you happen to have a similar project to tackle, this reader submission has the most thorough process description ever seen in a Before & After post. Everything looks so lush and luxurious!
Jun 26, 2019
This 200-Square-Foot Apartment Has An Equally Super Tiny Balcony
You might remember Jessica’s petite apartment, which was featured in a House Tour (and video) a couple of years ago. Off the bedroom, through that French door, is a teeny tiny balcony, which she just got around to sprucing up, and it’s so worth a look. This tiny balcony seems like it’s only large enough to hold a bistro table and chairs—or even just one chair perhaps?—but a clever makeover makes room for so much more. Absolutely amazing!
Jun 26, 2019
6 Reasons I’m Kinda Embracing The Whole ‘She Shed’ Thing
Let's unpack the tiny backyard shed phenomenon, shall we?
Jun 26, 2019
7 Ways to Throw a Summer Party Without an Actual Backyard
‘Tis the season for partying outdoors. But what to do when you don’t have a proper backyard in which to throw an al fresco bash? Fret not, my patio-deprived friends. There are still plenty of ways to host a stellar summer soiree without an actual backyard. It just takes a little planning and creativity. From picnics at the park to old-school pub-crawls, here are seven ways to throw a stellar summer fete—no backyard necessary.
Jun 26, 2019
Before and After: This Backyard Shed Is Now a Real Money Maker
It went "from shabby storage shed to chic guest suite."
Jun 26, 2019
See How Gardening Newbies and Their Neighbors Transformed a Brooklyn Rooftop into an Outdoor Oasis
Even if you don't have a rooftop to use, you'll find garden inspiration from all the ways this couple and their neighbors made use of their shared outdoor space.
Jun 26, 2019
This Home’s DIY Backyard Pergola Is One of the Coolest Outdoor Chill Zones We’ve Seen
This awesome DIY pergola hangout space in a backyard has serious hangout vibes.
Jun 26, 2019
What Each Birth Month Flower Means—And How To Arrange Them
You might be surprised to learn that flowers are much more than a beautiful part of nature and a lovely home accent.
Jun 26, 2019
The 10 Best U.S. Cities to Make Money on Airbnb
By offering travelers easy access to desirable destinations at a more affordable price, homeowners in these areas stand to make a great return on their investment.
Jun 26, 2019
How Gardening Completely Changed The Way I Think About ‘Home’
Each time a tiny seed transforms into a rainbow of flowers, I feel renewed with hope not just for my garden, but for the world. It’s a reminder that there is a possibility of beauty everywhere.
Jun 26, 2019
6 Ways to Make Your Bed Look & Feel Larger Than It Is
Blessed with only enough room for a twin bed? Trying to make a double work for two while you save up for that California king? Buying a bed that’s properly in proportion to your space (or your budget) means you’re usually left wishing there was a little more room to spread out at night. Not all of these strategies will work for your life, and some of them only give you extra space visually.
Jun 26, 2019
Beth & Jeff’s Whimsical Vintage-Inspired Home
Name: Beth, Jeff, Ruby, and Fiona Location: Bixby Knolls, Long Beach, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; OwnedSet back off of a quiet street in Bixby Knolls is Beth and Jeff’s lovingly crafted one-story 1920s home, shared with daughters Ruby, 4, and Fiona, 9 months. But it wasn’t always so quaint. When they purchased the home six years ago, it was dilapidated and in desperate need of TLC.
Jun 26, 2019
5 Ways to Speed Up Your Slow Wi-Fi Connection
There’s a good chance you’re not experiencing the full internet speeds you’re paying for. A weak wireless connection is often the bottleneck between advertised maximum speeds and the reality of waiting for pages to load and files to download. So what’s the point of paying for all this speed if you can’t take full advantage of it?
Jun 26, 2019
A Portuguese Rental Home Is Effortlessly Elegant
This bright white rental apartment in Lisbon has textiles, art, and objects that bring in color.
Jun 26, 2019
Mike’s Masculine Vintage
Name: Michael MurphyLocation: Brooklyn — New York, New YorkSize: 615 square feetYears lived in: 5 — ownedAs an interior designer, Mike is used to working on high-end projects for which he might source a sofa for $45,000 without blinking an eye. But when it comes to his own home, he intentionally aims for a more relaxed look through a combination of vintage modern furniture pieces and his own personal handiwork.
Jun 26, 2019
The One Thing Your Most Put-Together Friends Do Before Moving
It's easy to get so overwhelmed you don't know where to start when moving, but I'll make it simple for you: Here's one thing that you can do, right now.
Jun 26, 2019
The Surprising Way People Are Using Instagram (Yes, Instagram) to Stay Productive
Who thought social media would actually help you get your to-do list done?
Jun 26, 2019
Dan’s Kitchen: The Big Reveal
Name: Dan Bailey Type of Project: Kitchen remodel Location: East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts Type of building: 2nd Floor Condo in a Greek-Revival Row House At times, it may have seemed like the Kitchen Renovation That Would Never End. In fact, Dan had the dubious honor of edging out Christine and Pierre for Longest Renovation Diary Project to Date — but through all the setbacks and pitfalls and I-had-no-idea-this-would-take-so-longs, Dan stayed strong.
Jun 26, 2019
A New Study Shows that ‘Puppy Dog Eyes’ Are an Actual Thing
They're designed to melt your heart.
Jun 26, 2019
Partner
One of Our Favorite Decor Shops Now Has a Beautiful New Outdoor Collection
It’s summer, and you want nothing more than to be outside. If there’s a beach within reachable distance, you are dying to be there. If you have a bit of outdoor space to call your own, you may be thinking about sprucing it up. So it feels like a good time to announce that Society6, one of our favorite retailers, has just introduced an outdoor collection.Why do we like Society6? (1.) The things they sell are beautiful and unique. And sometimes they’re even lovably weird!
Jun 26, 2019
Instead of Renting, This Military Family Moves Their Cozy 350-Square-Foot RV Home From Place to Place
Dylan is an officer in the Navy, which means moving every year or so. He and his wife got sick of renting so decided to instead move into a fifth wheel and move their home with them!
Jun 26, 2019
A Lovely Brooklyn Studio Is a Lesson in Superb Small Space Planning
Oyin Antwi managed to squeeze every possible function a person would need in just 370 square feet.
Jun 26, 2019
This Is What an Off-Grid Passive House Looks Like
Name: Jennie Hoekstra, Luke Hoekstra, Jude (9), Neve (7), Wilder (4), Marmalade (the cat), Miki and Mandu (Australian Zebra Finches), and a flock of semi-retired hens. Location: Kemble — Ontario, Canada Size: 1,665 square feet Years Lived In: 6 months, owned In the spring of 2017 a lovely four-acre lot came up for sale in the rural village where we live. We knew the property well and loved it, but understood that it was on an unmaintained road with no hydro, so building would be tricky.
Jun 26, 2019
Partner
4 Easy Design Tricks to Turn Your Bathroom Into a Spa
Life can get hectic and, unfortunately, you can’t jaunt off to a luxury spa whenever the going gets tough. So how do you find your bliss at home? By turning your bathroom into a self-care spa retreat. And since no trip to the spa should cause more stress, consider financing your DIY with the Synchrony HOME™ credit card. It was designed with nesting in mind, offering 2% cash back everywhere plus promotional financing at more than a million home retailers nationwide.
Jun 25, 2019
The Plant Doctor’s Baltimore Home and Studio Are Absolutely Filled With Gorgeous Green Plants
Plant stylist, interior designer, artist, filmmaker, and author Hilton Carter shows us around his plant-filled industrial jungle loft home in Baltimore.
Jun 25, 2019
This Farm-Meets-Bohemian Cleveland House Has a ‘Boffice’, and You Might Want One Now, Too
Erika Wasilewski is the founder of lifestyle blog and brand Peony + Honey, and lives in this vibrant house in Ohio with her husband and three rescue cats.
Jun 25, 2019
25 Tips to Help Embrace Your Inner Boho Design Lover
Get inspired for a boho-chic home.
Jun 25, 2019
This Photographer Has a Knack for Spotting Roadside Decor Gems
This family of six has turned an outdated, 100-year-old house into a beautiful, functional, and fun home.
Jun 25, 2019