As a mother, I'm always on the lookout for solutions that will help ease the space and storage issues that come with raising a large family. With five children and two adults living under one roof, you can imagine how something simple like shoe storage can get out of hand. Around here we have...

No matter what type of bathtub you choose for your new bathroom or remodel, deciding on tile can be complicated. Who will be using the bathroom? Will the tub double as a shower? Do you need a service access in the tub deck or tub face? These issues all need to be considered before construction starts....

Orange and blue go together like a blazing sunset over an ocean horizon. If you're looking for a beachy look but crisp coastal navy and white or nautical red, white and blue are not for you, consider sprinkling some paprika around the room. Opposite colors orange and blue can freshen things up in all...

Trends in plants come and go, but if there's one that seems to have settled into the modern gardening mainstream, it's shrubs with purple foliage. I, for one, am glad. There was a time when (gasp!) I wasn't wild about plants with colorful foliage, but purple plants were my gateway, and for that, they...

As I type this, New York City is getting pounded by rain, a welcome bit of moisture during a summer when the Northeast and the rest of the country are dry. But as I watch the rain hit the empty asphalt lot out my back window, I can't help but think that more could be done with the rain rather than it...

Window planter boxes are a great way to add an architectural element and a boost of color to your home's exterior. There are a wide variety of styles out there; I chose to create a simple box style to reflect our 1900 cabin-style home and shed.We recently built a shed to store all those items...

Petrified wood is my latest decorating accent of choice and full-on obsession! The polished earth tones add a rustic yet chic look to any room, and they can work for you whether your taste leans toward the modern, the traditional or somewhere in between. "Petrified" comes from the Greek word for...

This roundup of sensational vanities is giving me an unhealthy level of vanity envy. Is that a thing? If you long for a bathroom vanity that is truly unique, then these will get you thinking creatively about your space. All but two of these are custom creations. Some make use of architectural salvage,...

Interior designer Emily Mughannam's clients needed their kids to share one room in their San Francisco home, but the kids' different ages made for a design challenge: The nursery needed to be stimulating enough for a toddler while...

It's hard to pinpoint a signature style for the lights designed by Ingo Maurer. There are whimsical lights composed of birds with lightbulb bodies and minimalist, ethereal lights made of Japanese paper; the style runs the gamut. One thing all the products have in common is thoughtful, good design. Ingo...

There are many reasons to include a landscape painting as a focal point or an accessory in any room. Some of the designers highlighted here featured work by artists they know personally. One in a find worthy of a segment on Antiques Roadshow came across a valuable piece tucked away in...

Getting mail is one of the best parts of the day as long as you're expecting more than junk mail. Certain homes simply call for an attached mailbox that adds curb appeal. Whether it's hanging on the front porch, the garage or the wall surrounding the home, the right mailbox is one of those details...

Watching the Summer Olympics on just a TV? Oh, that is so 2008!Olympics fans in the past needed only to learn which major U.S. network got the monopoly on broadcasting, then remain glued to that station for the duration. This year its much more complicated. And much better. Heres why....

There are certain phrases that are innately nonarchitectural. Not that phrase, of course. But other less wordy, more direct phrases. I mean, that phrase had the word "innately" in it, so it's definitely architectural. But some things you just don't expect to hear from your designer, like, "I don't...

Brazil native Daniel Vianna has brought his clean and modern style from Rio de Janeiro to his new Brooklyn, New York, apartment. After settling into his rented space just a few blocks from The Pratt Institute, he wasted no time putting together an eclectic collection of seminal modernist furnishings....