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Toy House: Tiny Taipei Apartment Customized for a Collector

dornob — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:47:20 +0000

What do you do with all your stuff when you’re a collector, but live in a tiny apartment? For one Taipei couple, the answer was to have the interior of their 538-square-foot flat in the Wanli District customized by KC Design Studio to store and display dozens of toys and LEGO structures, making their quirky and fun hobby an essential part of their decor. The result is a three-level space taking advantage of the full ceiling height to maintain an open, uncluttered feel.

The front door leads past a bathroom and into a small, minimalist kitchen with black granite countertops and concrete floors. Two floating copper steps lead to the wood-floored living room where larger-scale toys share space with the couch. A generously-sized floor-to-ceiling glass door visually expands the space out to the balcony.

Another set of stairs offers built-in storage for the kitchen as well as access to the sleeping loft, which is large enough for a queen-sized mattress and a closet and can be closed off from the rest of the apartment with sliding curtain panels.

Of course, the real star of this apartment is the wall of gray cabinetry hiding some items while spotlighting others. Some of the niches are lined in mirrors and illuminated from above to show off the residents’ most prized toys, and additional storage is stacked on top.

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Top 5 Storage and Organization Trends to Try in 2023

Stephanie Rogers — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 14:00:26 +0000

If the approaching new year has you itching to reorganize your space, you’re not alone. Storage and organization trends are just as hot as ever for 2023. Give your space a fresh start with these five tips, from so-called “invisible” closets to clever hidden storage for ugly electronics.

Invisible Closets

Have you noticed that all the chicest home renovations seem to include hidden closets these days? The so-called “invisible closet” is a modern update to the European style closet, which is basically a built-in armoire packing tons of storage onto a wall instead of a walk-in closet space. The invisibility comes in when the seams of the doors and drawers are as tight as possible, and push magnets take the place of visible hardware.

Office Sugurufukuda took advantage of this technique for its 404 Apartment in Tokyo, making the space appear larger using a system of wall panels that conceal closets, cabinets, shelving, and even entire rooms. Interior designer Kate Polak created a similarly clean look for a UK apartment by spray-painting the front of lacquered birch plywood wardrobe doors and drawer fronts with a nearly seamless result.

Pleasing Pantries

It looks like we’re still on a major collective pantry organization kick, making it easier to keep track of all of our food in the process. TikTok remains a great way to somehow lose hours watching videos of pantry reorganizations and tutorials, so head to the #pantryorganization hashtag for inspiration. This is definitely one trend that’s worth following, considering that all those matching food containers will keep your stored goods fresher and more aesthetically pleasing.

Use clear containers with tight-fitting lids to store things like cereal, oats, flour, sugar, and other pantry basics. A matching set of baskets in the right size for your shelving can help corral items like bags of chips, root vegetables, and paper products. Use risers for canned goods and spices so you can see exactly what you have on hand at a glance. A label maker will also come in handy here, or you can get a little bougie with professional-looking custom sticker labels from Etsy.

Hidden Electronics

Electronic devices rarely add any aesthetic value to a space, yet we seem to need more and more of them with each passing year. It’s best not to store things like Wi-Fi routers, phone chargers, smart home hubs, and portable speakers in closed compartments to maintain airflow and signal strength, so you’ll need to come up with creative ways to hide them. If you’re up for a project, a DIY built-in media cabinet with decorative metal grille doors is one way to do that — check out a tutorial from Frugal Family Times.

Another possibility is something like this fun CovoBox available on Etsy. It’s a three-sided box that uses real reclaimed books to conceal a storage area for whatever you’d rather not display. You can even choose the color scheme of the books to match your decor.

Closed Kitchen Cabinets

Many people have spent the last decade ripping out all the upper cabinets in their kitchens and replacing them with open shelving. That can open up the space and make it feel less cluttered — but only if you’re highly disciplined at keeping the items on the shelves to a minimum. In reality, most of us can’t manage to do that, so it’s no surprise that open shelving is now on the outs.

Closed, opaque cabinetry is hip again in the kitchen, which is good news for people who never jumped on this trend to begin with. Keep your stuff corralled and out of view, or maybe limit the open shelving to just one small area of the kitchen, retaining the utility of upper cabinets elsewhere.

Vertical Home Office Storage

Remote work is here to stay, no matter what CEOs like Elon Musk might say. 25 percent of all professional jobs in North America are likely to be remote in 2023, and that means a lot more of us need comfortable places to work from home. One of the biggest downsides of remote work is the blurring of boundaries between work time and downtime, so it’s best to have a clearly defined workspace that’s not spilling out into adjacent domestic spaces.

Make it easy to stay organized, no matter how small your workspace might be, by taking advantage of the vertical wall space above your desk. If you just need to keep a handful of items handy, a mesh grid wall organizer like this one from Wayfair might do the trick. But if we’re talking about printers, paperwork, reference materials, and other bulky items, consider either closed cabinets or a track-style organizer unit to keep it all in check.

The post Top 5 Storage and Organization Trends to Try in 2023 first appeared on Dornob.

This New LEGO Vacuum Was Inspired By an Episode of The Office

Lisa Wright — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 23:20:16 +0000

With great LEGO sets come great responsibility – that is, finding a way to store your beloved blocks without losing crucial pieces. A dropped piece can easily get lost in carpet, under the couch, or even worse, inside your vacuum among the dust bunnies and cat hair, never to be seen again.

But now all that may be a thing of the past with an incredible invention straight from one of the most ubiquitous pop culture gems of all time: The Office. Undoubtedly superfans will recall Dunder Mifflin exec David Wallace’s idea for an unfortunately named vacuum dubbed the Suck It designed to help kids clean up their toys. Later sold to the U.S. military, the fictional Suck It was a Shop-Vac-like machine and basically a souped-up vacuum. Like so many other inventions, it was a slightly tweaked version of an already existing device.

Fast forward to today, and enter Matty Bendetto, host of the YouTube channel Unnecessary Inventions. He’s also an already accomplished inventor with a resumé that includes “LEGO socks” meant to prevent wearers from mashing up their feet when stepping on the hard little blocks. Now, Bendetto says he was “inspired” to create a new LEGO invention from watching the aforementioned episode of The Office. Of course, Bendetto doesn’t want users to simply Suck It, but to Organize It, too.

The “It” in this case is, as you may have guessed, lost LEGO bricks. According to a recent AV Club article, Bendetto created his LEGO vac by “designing and 3D printing four canister inserts” that take simple suction one step further by adeptly organizing the errant pieces by shape — the next-gen souped up Suck It.

The canisters are conveniently transparent in this uber-modified Shop-Vac, allowing users the visual thrill of watching their truant pieces being separated before their very eyes. The secret here is Bendetto’s addition of increased air flow to allow pieces to be sucked up more easily in a virtual clog-free zone. Before you know it, you now have yourself a neatly organized quartet of LEGO canisters at the ready, no muss, no fuss.

Bendetto also provides a cool video to demonstrate his latest invention. Described as “unexpectedly hypnotic,” it’s easy to see why LEGO fans would be wooed by such a device — the latest addition in the charismatic Youtuber’s list of “unnecessary inventions.”

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13 Post-Prime Day Amazon Deals for Your Home Office

Lisa Wright — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:00:31 +0000

Lots of us have been working from home more over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic – and still are, as office culture continues to evolve and change. Even as the vaccination rate increases and people slowly start to return to the office, many companies are choosing to have their staff continue working remotely.

But working from home doesn’t mean you can’t have a sweet office setup. That’s where we come in.

Amazon Prime Day was on June 21st and 22nd this year, and if you were paying attention (and we know you were!), you probably scored some great deals. But just because Prime Day is over for another year doesn’t mean you can’t still get some post-Prime Day picks at amazing prices. We’ve done the legwork and come up with a list of sweet deals on office supplies and furniture:

HP Neverstop Wireless Laser Printer

Maybe you missed the boat on that printer you were eyeing on Prime Day. But that’s okay! This environmentally friendly printer, with its ability to wirelessly pair with all your devices, is a find worth snapping up.

now $239.89

Amazon Basics 3-Tier Metal Rolling Cart

This wheeled, 3-tiered metal cart is ideal for all your home office storage needs. Its open sides also make it super easy to find what you need fast, so no more wasting time trying to find cords, chargers, etc. (we’re speaking from experience here).

now $37.55

Natural Bamboo Monitor Stand Riser and Desk Organizer

This stylish riser elevates your monitor to eye-level so you can see your screen better and sit more comfortably. It also helps to save space, as it’s multifunctional and ideal for storage. You can even store your keyboard underneath come quitting time.

now $13.88

Aduken Gel Office Chair Seat Cushion

Sitting all day can be just as uncomfortable at home as it is in the office. This is where a memory foam seat cushion becomes your best firend. Durable, washable, comfortable, and portable, this king of cushions is sure to improve any home workspace.

now $20.28

Adjustable 3-Level Laptop Stand

We highly recommend this adjustable laptop desk stand that works with most 11″ to 16″ laptops. It’s sturdy and has a hollow design to promote air flow, and best of all, it securely keeps your laptop at eye-level.

now $25.99

Storex Small Cubby Bins

Working from home is so much easier if you’re organized! This 5-pack of colorful storage bins are great for keeping everything in its place, from chargers and cords to paperclips and pens.

now $22.44

Kantek Tablet Stand

Show your tablet a little love with a stand of its own! This Kantek stand provides amazing support, is incredibly durable, and can rotate and swivel with the best of them. Perfect for any tablet whose width or height measure between 6.6 and 8 inches.

now $21.76

YITAHOME 2 Drawer Rolling File Cabinet

Remember what we said about organization? This little beauty is made of durable steel, has an anti-tilt system, a locking mechanism, and is great for storing all your important papers and documents.

now $157.36

FelixKing Ergonomic Desk Chair

Your desk chair is one of the most important pieces of furniture in your home office.Why not choose one that offers the best lumbar support for extra comfiness? This adjustable chair is easy to assemble and even easier to store out of sight at the end of the day.

now $139.99

Fujitsu Color Duplex Document Scanner

Scan, scan, and scan some more with the most popular business scanner in the world – right in your home office. With the highest image quality available, this reliable gem is a must-have for any serious workspace.

now $879.99

Computer Desk With Ergonomic Monitor Shelf and Storage

If you weren’t able to score a new desk on Prime Day, now’s your chance! This stylish model is made of high-quality, eco-friendly materials and is super durable. With a large monitor shelf and built-in storage, it’s a well-deserved desk upgrade.

now $189.99

Amazon Basics 6-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper and Credit Card Home Office Shredder

Shred paper and credit cards with ease with this shredder that has overheat protection and a manual reverse to tackle blockages whenever they might occur.

now $33.49

Scotch Thermal Laminator

Who doesn’t want a laminator? From Scotch, the top laminating brand, this beauty will laminate whatever you throw at it, including photos.

now $21.99

Even if you missed Prime Day, there are still plenty of deals to be found on Amazon for your home office. Head over there now and score some of the best bargains around to help make your workspace the hottest spot in the house.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commissions at no cost to you.

The post 13 Post-Prime Day Amazon Deals for Your Home Office first appeared on Dornob.

Budget Direct Turns 1 Living Room into 7 Unique Home Office Spaces

Dawn Hammon — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 23:46:14 +0000

Like millions of employees around the globe, the pandemic has likely driven you straight to your living room to start your work day. And with an increasing number of businesses deciding to make the work-from-home lifestyle a more permanent arrangement, you might as well nestle into the idea and ditch the “temporary workstation” you’ve been perched at for the past year. To provide inspiration, Budget Direct Home Insurance teamed up with an interior designer to provide seven living room office setup options, all “working” with the same office and home furniture in the same sample room.

These working solutions address desk location, space options, storage solutions, and the need for adequate lighting and privacy while you work.

The Work-Free Zone

As far as sample living rooms go, this one is pretty ideal, free of the copious toys, pet beds, and almost-there design elements we’re all so familiar with, but I think we can still envision ourselves working here. Is that an adjacent sunroom? And the architecture. Wowza. Okay, down to business:

Configuration 1: Use Existing Display and Storage

Get in the zone, work and otherwise, by sectioning off a portion of the living space to designate a work area. You don’t need to haul in the room dividers, either. Simply arrange freestanding shelving or bookcases to frame in your space. This creates a separation from the lounging, eating, and recreational areas of the room to help keep you on task. Plus, placing your desk in the center of the room allows you to benefit from flowing light since the divider doesn’t block it out.

Configuration 2: Use Existing Display and Storage

Instead of struggling to find room for the desk and nearby organization, just move in front of an existing bookcase for instant storage. With your desk pressed up towards a wall bookcase, you’ll have room to keep supplies nearby without taking up coveted work space. Not only does this option dial up the supply management, but it also moves you away from any central activity in the room.

Configuration 3: A Low-Cost Divider

When looking at your living room, there’s typically a rather large obstacle that dominates the center: the sofa. If your couch is currently pressed against the wall, pull it into the room and use the back of it to designate a dividing line between the workspace and the after-work space.

Configuration 4: Got a Sunroom?

We can all only hope to have a “conservatory” attached to our living room. If you do, you’ve likely already considered the space as a climate-controlled and nature abundant place to type up reports. In case you haven’t, though, image being immersed in plants while enjoying the sun-capturing benefits of the space. You may even decide to extend your work hours.

Configuration 5: Take the Opening

Depending on the type of opening to your living room, you may find a previously overlooked option that you walk past several times a day. Try squeezing in a desk and needed supplies directly to the right or left of the doorway if you can – even if that means popping off the door to take advantage of the space behind it.

Configuration 6: Window Seat

When calculating the most pleasant location for a desk, the corner office is typically associated with the best views. Your own living room window may also offer a few good views, though, so don’t be afraid to scoot that desk right up to it. From a window-side perch you can take in natural sunlight and find inspiration, entertainment, or distraction from the activity outside. It also turns your back to the activity in the space. Add some noise-canceling headphones, and you might even forget you’re in the center of your house.

Configuration 7: The Naughty Corner

It doesn’t have to feel like you’re in trouble if you decide to clear out a corner for your desk. It’s popular real estate in the living room, of course, so you might have to pull furniture and bookcases down the wall a bit to make space. If your couch is using up the square footage, use the idea from configuration number three. Pull the couch out just far enough that you have room for your desk, and enjoy the buffer from the rest of the room.

The post Budget Direct Turns 1 Living Room into 7 Unique Home Office Spaces first appeared on Dornob.

5 Ways We’ll Be Transforming Our Homes in 2021, According to Lowe’s

Stephanie Rogers — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Stuck at home far more than usual, many people took on home improvement projects in 2020. Kitchens were expanded, outdoor spaces created, garages converted to home gyms, and spare bedrooms transformed into home offices and classrooms. Projects relegated to the back burner for too long suddenly became priorities, even if just to keep ourselves busy. And in 2021, our desire to spruce up our living spaces is only set to continue.

Lowe’s recently commissioned a study to explore how the connection between people and their homes changed last year, and to find out what Americans were most excited to tackle in the year ahead. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64 percent) said their home meant more to them than it did a year ago, and 84 percent said that they’d continue to spend more money on home improvement than they did before the pandemic.

Here are the top home improvement projects Lowe’s customers said they’re looking forward to in 2021. How do they match up with your plans?

Reorganize the Closet

Remember the KonMari craze of 2019? It kind of feels like a lifetime ago. Between the reshuffling of our homes to fit new functions and the closure of many Goodwill donation facilities in the midst of the pandemic, many of us have accumulated too many items that don’t “spark joy.” It’s time to throw open the doors of our darkened closets and face the mess inside. 64 percent of Lowe’s survey respondents plan to reorganize their closets this year, and indeed, it would do us all good to take a page from Marie Kondo’s book and minimize our stuff while storing it in a much more aesthetically pleasing manner.

Paint a Room

Over half (52 percent) of survey respondents plan to paint at least one room in their homes in the coming months. Popular choices include jewel tones, seafoam green, chalk white, and Pantone’s dual Colors of the Year, “Illuminating” yellow and “Ultimate Gray.”

Organize the Garage or Storage Area

51 percent of respondents say they’ll focus on organizing their garages or storage areas this year, making these spaces more streamlined and functional. Lowe’s has lots of suggestions for getting this done, including sorting and cleaning the contents, creating a storage plan, deciding on a shelving or bin system and finding a place for every last item.

Update Your Decor

53 percent of those surveyed are ready to tear out tired trends and freshen things up. If you’re on board and could use some ideas, check out our assessment of up-and-coming interior design trends and styles, including “Scandi Style,” “cottagecore,” statement walls, and “mermaid tiles.” And if you long to overhaul your decor on a shoestring budget, here are six ways to redecorate without spending a penny.

Plant Something

Spring will be here before we know it, and now is the time to make plans for new gardens and landscaping. 65 percent of Lowe’s consumers surveyed say they’re planning to “plant something” this year, whether it be in the form of fruit, vegetables and herbs, or ornamental greenery for a boost in curb appeal.

The post 5 Ways We’ll Be Transforming Our Homes in 2021, According to Lowe’s first appeared on Dornob.

One Furniture System to Rule Them All: Create Infinite Configurations with the Julia Shelf

Stephanie Rogers — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 14:00:00 +0000

The tradition of buying a “forever home” to live in for the rest of your life seems to be dying fast. Most of us are now more nomadic than ever before, whether that means we move from one home to another within the same town or cross continents multiple times in a single decade.

In the old days, it wasn’t uncommon to fill a home with huge, heavy furniture that remained in place until the owners passed away, but new times require new ways of thinking about the way we choose and organize our belongings. Even if you do intend to stay in your home forever, life happens, and tastes inevitably change. For those reasons, the furniture we buy should always be both stylish and easy to rearrange, dismantle, and move.

Adaptability might just be the single most important characteristic of modern furniture, and systems that do it well can pay for themselves many times over. The Julia Collection by Momocca is a prime example of beautiful, fully configurable furniture that makes the process of freshening up a room or transferring your life to a whole new space as effortless as stacking LEGOs. The Valencia, Spain-based brand debuted the system at this year’s Feria Hábitat Valencia furniture and lighting fair, embodying the exact opposite of stuffy with its airy open design and versatile palette of colors and materials.

“Julia” consists of modular elements that fit together in virtually unlimited ways, yet it’s minimalist, streamlined, and much more adult than the average configurable shelf set. A framework of nickel-plated steel supports either oak veneer or natural walnut shelves, as well as sliding panels covered in a range of upholstery fabrics. Once assembled, the system can stretch up to the ceiling or low across the floor, closed in some areas to hide clutter and wide open in others to accommodate couches, chairs, televisions, or works of art.

The shelves are available in a variety of widths, from small squares to ultra-long platforms that fit the scale of larger rooms. The freestanding system doesn’t even have to be attached to the wall (though it can be mounted if you like), giving it total freedom of movement and the ability to double as a room divider. Move it around, expand it, or contract it. Use it to build desks, coffee tables, media stands, nightstands, corner systems, or sculptural creations of your own design. Since it’s so modular, you can assemble it to perfectly frame windows and doorways for a custom result. Momocca describes the collection as a “big open canvas” just waiting for your creative touch.

Moving to a new home with an entirely different layout? Expecting a baby? Just sick of looking at your living room and craving something new? Adaptable systems like the Julia Collection allow you to rearrange and redecorate to your heart’s desire without requiring you to purchase all new furniture, and it all packs up flat for easy moving. That’s great news for wanderers, apartment dwellers, the aesthetically indecisive, and most importantly, the planet. Just imagine how much less furniture you would buy (and discard) over the course of your life if you had this kind of customization at your fingertips?

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The 2020 Real Simple Home Offers a World of Design Inspiration

Dawn Hammon — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 21:15:08 +0000

Everyone has their own sense of comfort and design within their home. After all, the home is a personal sanctuary. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still find inspiration in all sorts of places, including this year’s ultimate Real Simple Home, a culmination of the best sponsors and designers have to offer in the way of organization and decor.

2020 has been a year of pivots, with both jobs and schooling shifting to place a greater importance on the home environment. Even the gym and an increased reliance on cooking have changed the needs we require from our abodes. So popular home magazine Real Simple decided to set up a kind of challenge.

This marks the third annual installment of that challenge, which brings together top designers and organizational experts in the industry to completely makeover a preselected space. This year’s target was a two-story penthouse apartment in New York City’s Upper West Side, which itself makes up part of a boutique condominium building called The Marbury, located on West 74th between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue. There are only 14 residences in this building, each designed to respect old-world architectural elements such as high ceilings and large windows. As you can imagine, that opened up a ton of interesting opportunities for the Real Simple Home designers.

Notable names like Joy Cho and Rebecca Atwood had their hand in the final designs, along with support from the four sponsors: Arm & Hammer AbsorbX Cat Litter, The Glad Products Company, The Home Depot, and Kerrygold. The result is a culmination of interior design, organization, and DIY inspiration that might have you rethinking more than one space in your home.

“Over the past few months, our houses have become more than just our homes. Our spaces have been transformed into classrooms, offices, gyms, and more, which is no easy task in the midst of a global pandemic,” says Liz Vaccariello, Editor in Chief of Real Simple. “This year’s Real Simple Home is here to celebrate all that encompasses our homes in 2020 and shows how our spaces can be both incredibly beautiful and extremely organized.”

Easy DIY tips like adding wallpaper to the back of cubicle bookcases or using a paint technique that emulates wainscotting are peppered all throughout the article, and they all serve to empower rather than assert a particular style. For example, the piece proves that there are countless ways to create a gallery wall that works for you. It also highlights ways to feature clothing, fabrics, and books in a cohesive way. Organization is another key component of the redesign, with hacks for creating a study space and effectively storing totes in the pantry.

Each room in the apartment is pulled together with design elements of color, furniture style, and function, giving the reader a lot to dream about. If you’re more of a “see it and want it” kind of person, you’re in luck. Many of the items throughout the house are labeled in the images, identifying exactly how much it costs and where you can purchase it yourself.

In addition to inspiring the modern homemaker, Real Simple continues to promote an additional goal of promoting the work of partner Win, “the largest provider of shelter and permanent supportive housing for NYC’s homeless families, to raise awareness of the organization and its mission to break the cycle of homelessness.”

The finished Real Simple Home is featured in the October issue of Real Simple, both in stores and online.

The complete list of contributors includes Joy Cho, founder and creative director of the lifestyle brand Oh Joy!; Jamie and Fillip Hord, founders of the world-renowned organization service Horderly; Roxy Te Owens, entrepreneur and furniture designer for her “Society Social” line; Rebecca Atwood, designer, artist, and author; Kate Hamilton Gray, Brooklyn-based interior designer and founder of Hamilton Gray Studio; Max Humphrey, experienced home designer; Dayna Isom Johnson, trend expert for Etsy; and Katie Holdefehr, senior editor at RealSimple.com.

The post The 2020 Real Simple Home Offers a World of Design Inspiration first appeared on Dornob.

Home Depot Releases Over 200 New Decor Pieces to Help Round Out Your Interiors

Dawn Hammon — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 06:00:00 +0000

Home decor options range from high-end custom made exclusives to quirky flea market finds, so it’s sometimes difficult to find a line of products that seems to fit a bit of everyone’s style — but Home Depot’s new home decor accents just might do the trick.

The recently launched product line includes over 200 storage and display options for virtually every surface in your home. Under the brand names Stylewell and the Home Decorators Collection, these artful decor pieces will match nearly any aesthetic they’re put in, including farmhouse, classic, bungalow, modern, art deco, and transitional design.

Without further ado, let’s check out some of the new offerings.

‘Hoo’ knew storage could be so cute? This StyleWell Light Brown Owl Water Hyacinth Woven Decorative Basket with Lid also comes in a darker shade, but both will hide away gloves, toilet paper, paperwork, and/or small umbrellas whenever the need arises. If you’re more of a unicorn person, check out the StyleWell White Unicorn Water Hyacinth Woven Decorative Basket with Lid instead.

Those who prefer a more traditional look might like this farmhouse-style Home Decorators Collection Square Galvanized Metal and Natural Bamboo Woven Decorative Basket with Handles, which provides both an eye-catching design and superb functionality. Other baskets in the new collection come in galvanized metal, gold metal, black metal, rattan, and more.

For table accents, check out the collection’s selection of decorative trays, which come in just about every shape and size you could want. Examples include the Home Decorators Collection Wood with Galvanized Metal Trim Decorative Rectangle Tray and the eye-catching Home Decorators Collection Black and Natural Water Hyacinth Decorative Rectangle Tray. Those who prefer something even more eye-catching will be happy to hear that there are also mirrored options to consider here.

Looking for a better way to spruce up your walls? Just choose from one of Home Depot’s 78 new options ranging from basic white shelving to comprehensive designs that are completely unique. The Home Decorators Collection Round Wood and Black Metal Wall-Mount Bookshelf stands out as a transitional piece, while the StyleWell Hexagonal Wood and Metal Floating Shelf embodies a more modern style. Function is important, too, of course, so be sure not to overlook pieces like the StyleWell Wood, Black, and Galvanized Metal Wall Organizer, which boasts three cubbies and five hooks to organize even the messiest of entryways or school stations.

Perhaps the best way to personalize your space is to include those closest to you in your wall decor via beloved family photos. Of course, the frames you put them in are half the battle, especially when you have a particular style to adhere to. If you’re looking for something relatively simple with just a splash of style, the Home Decorators Collection Wooden Geometric Picture Frames might be a good option for you.

Finish off your interior design with the perfect mirror for each space, adding depth to your rooms and reflecting natural light all throughout the house. Home Depot’s new mirrors offer large, small, square, round, and just about any other kind of accent you can think of. Check out the 31-inch Home Decorators Collection Round Framed Antiqued Wood and Black Metal Accent Mirror for farmhouse comfort, or go bold with the more modern Home Decorators Collection Round Framed Gold Accent Mirror.

Even if you don’t have any home improvement projects on the horizon, you’ll find it incredibly worth it to make one more trip to Home Depot to put the finishing touches on the interiors you’ve worked so hard to cultivate over the years.

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Bobby Berk for A.R.T. Marks New Chapter in “Queer Eye” Star’s Career

Dawn Hammon — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 14:00:00 +0000

Like all forms of art, furniture design is fluid and teeming with possibilities — which is exactly what makes great furniture the essence of all great interior decorating. Simply swapping out a piece can elevate the entire vibe of a space.

Anyone interested in interior design has probably sank some time into Netflix’s Queer Eye, where you’ve seen design expert Bobby Berk add his personal flair to countless spaces. Now Bobby is focused on merging his experience with his passion for great decor in a collaborative furniture line with A.R.T., appropriately named Bobby Berk for A.R.T. Furniture.

Berk’s sleek style and aim to make furniture that’s both functional and appealing to a variety of consumers brings the collection to life. Particularly captivating are its occasion tables, which can be placed in a variety of spaces. They can solidify the look for a sitting area in the sunroom, work as nightstands, make highlights of the entryway, or simply hold lamps in the living room.

The collection’s modular design also makes it functional in any size space, as best exemplified by a chaise lounge that can move from whatever side of the sofa, loveseat, or sectional it’s on to the other with ease. This allows for customization and perfect flow in every room.

Overall, the minimalist design elements yield space savings and a clean aesthetic. This is seen in the Faber Platform Storage Bed, which completely eliminates the need for a traditional box spring and instead boasts several built-in storage compartments and attached reading lights. Larger pieces serve functional needs while sticking to the theme of urban appeal. The Bobby Berk Gehl Dresser offers six roomy drawers mounted to a sturdy metal base, while the Brekke Credenza adds a striking parquet look to the mix.

Other multipurpose pieces in the collection include the Gehl Display Cabinet, with glass-front doors for visible shelving displays and lower drawers for additional storage, and the Bauer Bar Cabinet, which may look like a standard wardrobe but also houses a combination of drawers and shelving for your bar entertainment or other organizational needs.

Berk also brings universal appeal to his collection via a bold color palette best described as monochromatic with textural interest. In other words, he uses texture and contrasting elements to create depth among his warm color combinations.

Of course, any room needs accessories to really be tied together. With this in mind, the Bobby Berk for A.R.T. collection also includes the 32” x 40” Hera Mirror, with a satin-brass finished metal frame, and the Jonsi Mirror, whose circular design features inset satin-brass embellishments to “round” out the look.

This collection is the culmination of Berk’s years of experience in the interior design field. Although he leapt into fame after appearing on Queer Eye, his design background spans decades throughout the retail world, previously working with companies like Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Portico Home + Spa. In 2006, Berk took a leap of faith by starting his own design company, holding a showroom in lower Manhattan a year later. In 2015, he expanded his business further, and today offers interior design solutions to residential, commercial, and hospitality clientele.

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Wood Slat Wall Inspired by Safari Vests

Schell Loef — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 13:50:31 +0000

We spend time and money trying to hide our messes, but at the end of the day, often keep track subconsciously of where all our stuff is anyway. What if we were to celebrate disorder and couple it with accessibility?

Phoebe Washburn is actually an artist, not organizer, by trade, but there are interesting lessons to be taken from this installation project.

In her case, the wall is composed of overlapping slats of found wood, given it depth, dimension and just a hint of chaos – layered on top are other found objects, at once disorganized but hinting at shed pegboards and other functional storage systems.

From Guggenheim:

“Phoebe Washburn was born in 1973 in Poughkeepsie, New York. She received a BFA from the Newcomb College of Tulane University in 1996 and an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York in 2002. Since her first one-person exhibition in New York, at LFL Gallery in 2002, Washburn has constructed monumental installations from detritus found in city streets. In this early exhibit, the imposing materiality of her piece Between Sweet and Low (2002), crafted from a hefty 2,500-plus pounds of cardboard and thousands of drywall screws, overwhelmed the ceilings and walls of the gallery, even encroaching on areas like the reception desk and office.”

“The similarly bulky raised installation True, False, and Slightly Better, produced at Rice University in 2003, appeared from the front to be bolstered by not much more than some rickety-looking wooden ladders and a few plastic chairs that buckled under the enormous weight of a densely shingled cardboard construction. For Heavy Has Debt (2003), Washburn built a colorful patchwork cardboard structure along the curve of a ninety-foot long wall at Rice University. While the shape and scale were visually akin to Richard Serra’s Tilted Arc (1981), Washburn’s employment of a pastel palette, humble materiality, and craft-like construction bespoke the radical and playful differentiation between her own work and Serra’s sculpture.”

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2 Cheap DIY Corner Desks with Shelves

Schell Loef — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 17:00:50 +0000

Corner desks can be a real life saver in small spaces, and they tend to feel extra cozy, too, wrapping you in a nook and keeping everything you need within arm’s reach. But you don’t have to splash out a bunch of money to get the same functionality with just a little bit less polish.
They may not win awards for style or be quite as elegant as the store-bought versions pictured above, but the two ideas below sure are simple (and relatively cheap) to build as long as you have a plan and know what you want out of a corner-oriented work space. Shelving and a working surface should suffice, but even then there is more than one way to frame a do-it-yourself desk.
Consider these two DIY desk ideas a starting point to creating your own customized setup.

Designed by Cate of Los Angeles, this wrap-around system of Sears Kit Home shelves frames a cozy semi-enclosed desk while keeping all of your books, odds and ends readily at hand and making maximum use of a small space.

Standing desks can be great for our health, helping us avoid all of the diseases experts say we’re risking when we sit too much. Corner desks, on the other hand, save a lot of space. This brilliant solution not only combines the two, it simplifies them – and does it for very little money. The result is visually clean and appealing despite using unconventional materials.
A graphic artist and patent illustrator by trade, Tom Geisler shows off raw functionality aesthetically-simple standing desk constructed from wooden IKEA butcher blocks. Hung from walls in one corner, the desk surfaces could of course be lowered as well for those who would rather sit. Now just imagine if they were mounted to the kind of wall brackets used for adjustable shelves, so you could raise and lower them at will.

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Get Fresh: How to Redecorate Without Spending a Penny

dornob — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 15:00:41 +0000

With its themes of growth and regeneration, spring is an ideal time to give your home a fresh new look. But you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune — or any money at all — to pull off an impressive makeover. Here are some easy tips for no-budget redecorating.

Start With a Deep Clean

It’s hard to see the potential of a space beyond clutter and grime. Dive into a whole-house spring cleaning and maybe a little bit of KonMari (or whatever technique works best for you) before you make any decorating changes, and you’ll find it much easier to envision how your rooms could change. In the process of getting rid of stuff you no longer want or need, you might just discover a vase, framed photo, lamp, or other object that isn’t being shown off to its best potential, leading seamlessly into the next step.

Shop Your Own House

Would the side table that no longer matches your living room decor look better as a nightstand? Could you create new groupings of objects with common themes or color schemes as decorative vignettes? Unless you’re an ultra-minimalist, chances are your house is already full of stuff you could simply move around in order to freshen up each room. To gain a new perspective on things you already own, pull them down from their current places, place them all together on the floor or coffee table, and see what pops out at you as potential pairings.

Refinish Pieces in Need of Love

You might be surprised by what spray paint can accomplish these days, even on fabric. If you have a chair, table, or even some old candlesticks that are looking a little tired, you can transform them just by changing their color — no long, involved rehabilitation process required. To change the look of aging upholstery, look for paints that are specifically made for fabrics, some of which promise a result that’s a lot less stiff and uncomfortable than you might imagine. This works best when you’re going at least a shade darker than the piece’s original color.

Upcycle Old Textiles

Do you have any hidden gems in your linen closet, or even among your wardrobe, that could be turned into throw pillow covers or a new set of tea towels? Small projects like these can be doable even for beginning sewers, and fabric glue can sometimes be used in a pinch. Or, you could consider changing the look of your dining chairs by upholstering them with little more than a sheet and a staple gun.

Bring Nature Inside

Bulbs are blooming, buds are appearing on branches, and the grass is getting greener. You likely have everything you need to create a few high-impact bouquets right outside your door. Oversized branches can make a big impact, and sometimes all you have to do is take a walk around the neighborhood to find a pile of cast-off clippings. Alternatively, you could gather up some wildflowers and dry them into beautiful textural bouquets that will last for years on end. You can experiment with this technique by gathering up whatever you think is pretty, tying it together, and hanging it upside-down in a cool, dark, dry space like a closet. Just remove anything that isn’t drying well after two or three weeks.

Find the Best Free Stuff

Does your neighborhood have a Buy Nothing group? This waste-reducing community project offers a way to give, receive, share, and lend items with neighbors, and sometimes you can score big. Participants routinely gift furniture, house plants, decorative objects, and much more, and nothing is expected in return. The groups are hosted on Facebook and exist all over the world.

Of course, the free category on Craigslist yields plenty of gems, as well, so it pays to keep an eye on it. If you have a green thumb, you might even want to check your local plant nurseries, which routinely toss plants that could still be brought back to life by a loving caretaker.

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Incredible Sub-Compact Stair Design Saves You Space Unlike Ever Before

dornob — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 16:50:04 +0000

There are all sorts of ways to design space-saving staircases, most of which involve combining the steps with built-in storage like bookcases, cabinets, and even climbable vertical drawer systems. Some of the most clever solutions for tight spaces involve suspended staircases that merge into furniture, alternating treads, Jenga-like spirals, and even minimalist vertical designs that look more like leaning ladders. But what about actual full-scale staircases that are way more comfortable to use than ladders but can be folded out of the way when they’re not needed?

Until now, designs like that have been hard to find. But an Australian company called BCompact specializing in “innovative, clever, and sustainable creations” might have just changed the game for tiny houses, micro-apartments, and other ultra-compact spaces with an amazing hybrid system that allows stairs to be installed in areas they simply couldn’t fit into before.

Winner of a 2019 iF Design Award and the Gold prize at the European Product Design Awards in 2018, these compact hybrid stairs are just as substantial and easy to climb as any standard set, but they fold completely flat against the wall when they’re not in use. That means they can be deployed in spaces where they’d otherwise be blocking traffic, like doorways and hallways, without having to close off the opening between floors the way a fold-down attic staircase would.

Capable of covering distances between 6.5 and 10 feet and customizable to each customer’s specifications, the Hybrid Stair meets building code regulations for both stairs and handrails, unlike many other space-saving designs.

The stairs are made from specially constructed and sustainably sourced bamboo composite plywood, which itself boasts a high tensile strength and flexibility despite its light weight. They can handle loads of up to 440 pounds, and they’re all counterbalanced with a simple spring mechanism so the act of opening and closing them is easy enough for virtually anyone to perform, including children and the elderly. They can be operated from the ground or from the landing, and an optional security gate mechanism can lock them into a closed position to eliminate access, “thus creating an unsurpassed security system denying all access between floors.”

Founder Zev Bianchi explains that he got the idea “during a seven year stop-over in NYC, living in high-priced and confined conditions…partly out of necessity, to design furniture and products to help create the best living environment in the least space.”

“The world we live in is getting smaller and far more expensive! And there is a massive surge now taking place around the world to optimize the way the majority of us all live. Downsizing, compacting, and tiny home movements are just a few, and BCompact design prides itself as being amongst the forerunners of these changes and has been working with these concepts long before [they] became [trends]!”

“Being able to adapt your lifestyle to where you live now and how much you earn is becoming more and more necessary and now more accessible to people around the world, by developing creative and innovative solutions to these issues. From furniture that unpacks and disappears to flat-folding chairs and Hybrid stairs. Products that open areas to your home [and turn them] into new and usable spaces that you never knew you had; ideal for growing families or simply reorganizing your life.”

All photos courtesy of BCompact

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Meet Zenbo: the Cutest Virtual Assistant You’ll Ever Own

Dawn Hammon — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 22:00:43 +0000

When it comes to completing everyday household tasks, everyone can use a little help now and then. That’s why technological aids are seemingly everywhere these days, from the ever-helpful Cortana on your laptop to the Amazon Echo, which uses Alexa to help you place orders with simple voice commands. Now, ASUS is entering the artificial intelligence (AI) market with a personal assistant that boasts a little more personality. Meet Zenbo, the adorable robotic companion that keeps an eye on all your home devices and quickly adapts to your personal preferences.

This charming little robot is more than just a sweet face. Unlike it’s stationary competition, Zenbo will cruise through the house to personally respond to requests, moving along lines and avoiding obstacles like a Roomba vacuum. Zenbo can also teach itself how to recognize the faces of individual family members and take pictures or videos on command. Interactive by design, the bot listens to voice commands and responds appropriately every time, with the ability to operate in several different languages.

Of course, Zenbo also performs tasks similar to other virtual assistants, serving as a hub for other smart household devices and connected services around the home. The difference is that Zenbo moves about and responds with undeniably adorable expressions, at long last bringing a lifelike face to AI. After all, many software programs can read a recipe out loud, but none also provide facial gestures and cute winks.

As if all that wasn’t enough, the first commercially-available home robot to offer assistance, entertainment, and companionship has also been equipped with storytelling and interactive game functionalities. It can monitor the home by connecting to smart security cameras and aid homeowners and seniors by notifying family members whenever there’s a fall or injury. This goes as far as letting you know if your toddler gets into the medicine cabinet or someone opens a window. Zenbo can also help the family stay connected via social media, shop online, and hear their favorite songs. He can even change the TV channel when you can’t locate the remote or turn lights on and off as you move through the house. With your personal comfort in mind, Zenbo will also turn on the air conditioning or crank up the heat when the weather’s less than ideal.

Although Zenbo can’t perform icky household chores like laundry and toilet cleaning, he can help you be more organized by providing reminders for upcoming events on your calendar like family portrait shoots, work meetings, and doctor’s appointments.

Artificial intelligence is extremely prevalent in Zenbo’s interactive capabilities, responding to simple voice commands in the appropriate way while also seeming to understand more complex requests like “follow me.” When providing step-by-step instructions for recipes and repairs, the little guy will even wait to read each step until you’re fully ready for them.

ASUS’ brilliant design has not gone unnoticed. In fact, Zenbo won big at the 2018 iF Design Awards, an international design competition with over 6,400 entries from 54 countries. The design was also recognized at the 2017 version of Computex Taipei, where they won three awards including Best Choice of the Year Award, Best Choice Golden Award, and the Computex d&i Award. With so much to offer, it seems like we’ll be seeing a lot more of our cartoonish friend in the future. For now, he’s on sale for the affordable price of $600.

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