Designed family home

A trendy-meets-traditional family home designed for everyday life

Trendy meets traditional in this family home built from scratch. When you’re a designer who specializes in hip eateries, it’s natural to be nervous about designing your first home, especially when it comes to the kitchen. “I definitely felt a lot of pressure because I’m known for my work in the restaurant business,” says Tanya […]

Beautiful home

Choosing Door Materials: Interior and Exterior Doors

This is a gallery of the different door construction design and the materials involved. Door Types and Styles: Interior Doors Because wood has a tendency to warp and to expand and contract with the weather, a door cannot be made from a single slab of wood. Centuries of experience have resulted in the practice of […]

room

Ask a Designer: How Do I Decorate a Room With High Ceilings?

Every week, we’re asking designer Scot Meacham Wood, formerly of Ralph Lauren and now owner of his eponymous design firm, a question from our readers. This week’s topic is all about decorating a room with high ceilings. Have a decorating dilemma? Comment below and yours might be featured in a future installment. Q: What are […]

Clean room

Top Cleaning Tips From the Pros

To clean your home in record time, try these tips from professional cleaners. Professional cleaners. They have the tools, the talent and the know-how to make short work of cleaning a house. Learn their secrets to speed cleaning chores in your organized home. Schedule Cleaning Nobody hires a cleaning service that promises to arrive “some […]

Organized kitchen

10 Tips for a Cleaner Refrigerator

1. Create a homemade all-purpose cleaner by combining the following in a gallon of hot water: 1 cup clear ammonia, ½-cup vinegar and ¼-cup baking soda. Pour into a spray bottle, or use from a bowl with a sponge. This no-rinse formula is a degreaser that prevents mold and mildew. Wipe down the entire refrigerator […]

water spray

Say No to Fumes in Your House

Wipe out the chemical odors that can trigger allergies and asthma. You bring home a brand-new shower curtain and your eyes burn for the next few weeks. The new carpeting looks great, but nobody can stand being in the room. One important strategy for controlling allergies and asthma — aside from controlling your exposure to […]

Kitchen

Clean Up Your Act in the Kitchen

Learn about the latest creative ways to make cleanup easier in the kitchen. An efficient cleanup area is a top priority for homeowners and kitchen designers. A kitchen’s floor plan can create a chain of events that make cleanup easier. When the table is close to the counter and dishwasher, steps can be saved. Additionally, […]

Organized kitchen

How Clean Is Your Home?

Where does your family fall on the cleaning spectrum? This quiz will help you assess the sweet spot of “clean-enough” for your home. 1. When dinner is over, what’s the state of the kitchen? A. Pristine, of course. I load the dishwasher as I cook, and dinner dishes are done promptly. I can’t relax if […]

Bathroom wall

Take a Moisture Assessment of Your Home

The best way to have a mold-free home is to prevent the mold from happening. When it comes to battling mold, the best action is prevention. If you can prevent problems from occurring in the first place, you’ll save loads of money in the long run. Controlling moisture is the key. There are essentially two […]

Clean bathroom

Bathroom Cleaning Done Right (and Fast)

Showerhead Twice a month, scrub the nozzle with a grout brush and an all-purpose cleaner (like Bon Ami powder cleanser), then wipe with a sponge. Every three months, pour enough white vinegar to cover the nozzle in a plastic bag, then secure it to the showerhead with a rubber band. Let it soak for a […]