A glass vase filled with pink and clear glass balls is viewed from above. It sits on a patchwork runner made of patterned fabrics designed by Kaffe Fassett and Philip Jacobs. At left is a vase of evergreen branches decorated with fake red berries and red and green tartan ribbon.
Feature Special Occasions

Quick and Elegant Christmas Decorating Ideas

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Here’s how to decorate for Christmas both quickly and elegantly. Featured here are centerpieces, mantel decor, and large and small Christmas trees.

A four-poster bed hung with white fringed linens sits at left. A caned two-seat bench sits at the foot of the bed on a wide-planked floor; a white chamber pot sits on the floor at the foot of the bed. At right are walls covered in bright, cheery leaf-patterned wallpaper in greens and whites, a double-hung window with white shutters, and white wainscot. Below the window is a window seat. Caned side and arm chairs matching the bench sit along the right wall. An antique highboy chest sits in the back right corner.
Feature

The Delights of Historical House Museums

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

When I visit a new region, one of the first things I want to know is where to find the historical house museums. They’re full of beautiful old treasures and architectural choices I’d never find elsewhere. Houses tell us fascinating stories about their place in history. Guides or placards explain what you’re seeing and what’s […]

A large loft apartment with exposed beams, ducts and brick is decorated with midcentury modern (MCM) dining furniture, a Persian carpet, and a dark leather sofa, mixing industrial and MCM styles
Design 101

Decorating with Texture

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Texture is one of the elements of design that does the most to make a room feel welcoming and comfortable. We notice and remember colors and patterns, but textures really make a room feel interesting. They invite us to let our eyes and hands explore a space. Decorating with texture and three-dimensionality can bring warmth, […]

Many Arne Jacobsen Series 7 pale bent-wood chairs arrayed in offset lines seen from above, all with a white floor showing between the many chairs
What's Your Style?

Scandinavian Interior Design

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Scandinavian interior design is a functional and minimalist style. It combines sleek, simple geometric forms with organic shapes using natural materials. Scandi style emphasizes the beauty of decorative elements like wood and glass by adding unexpected curves or textures. The Nordic countries represented by Scandinavian design all have much in common regarding materials, colors, shapes, […]

A view of Wright's studio complex from the sidewalk shows a sseries of low horizontal walls of brick, concrete, and wooden shingles topped by planters designed by Wright. In the center rear is a taller octagonal wooden building that contained the drafting room and the vault that held his blueprints.
Feature

Decorating Tips from Frank Lloyd Wright

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867 – 1959) is often described as the greatest American architect of the 20th century. But he was much more than an architect. He designed furniture, stained glass windows, tiles, ceramic blocks, sculptures, and decor. Wright thought of his buildings as environments in which every element should work together to create a […]

A Midcentury Modern minimalist rush-seated wooden dining chair in pale wood sits on a light-wood floor with a white bare wall behind. To the left of the chair is a pair of small MCM cabinets in a mid-toned wood (perhaps walnut) with a prominent grain. It has two sliding doors across a cabinet on the top, and a wooden shelf below, all on a metal frame. It is about as tall as the back of the chair. Resting on the cabinet is a minimalist line drawing of a face in simple black lines on a white background. Books rest on top of and below the cabinet with spines facing away from the camera.
Design 101

Sustainable Interior Design

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Sustainability is, simply put, the goal of creating and maintaining an environment in which we can safely coexist with other humans, animals, and botanical life, both now and far into the future. This beautiful goal means we have to be honest with ourselves about how we live. Living sustainably can sometimes mean changing the way […]

An enormous indoor swimming pool that reflects the millions of blue and gold mosaics on the walls and ceiling above the pool. Also reflected are tall pedestal lamps surrounding the pool, and white roman statues.
Feature

Want to Live Like Royalty? Maybe You Already Do!

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Modern technologies, techniques, and materials make homes more functional and comfier than palaces of the past. Today’s commoners live better than most royals throughout history.

A kitten plays with a feathery toy hanging from a cat tree.
Care & Cleaning Q&A Style, Decor & Design

When Pets Scratch Furniture and Floors

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: My cat and dog are wrecking my home! My dog gets the zoomies every evening and tears across my wood floors like he’s on fire. In just three months, he’s scratched the floors up where he makes hairpin turns around the stairwell and in front of the doors. My cat is well on her […]

Four dogs sit on a living room floor in furry dog beds.
Feature

Best Upholstery and Flooring for Homes with Pets

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Here are tips on choosing upholstery, flooring, pet doors, and other furnishings for homes with dogs or cats.

A large canopy bed with a simple dark wood frame coordinates with other similarly stained wooden elements around the room: a low fluted credenza, walnut paneling above the window at back and behind the bed, and framed paintings. A large wooden bench at the foot of the bed with taupe and cream upholstery and pillows matches the bedding. A large creamy textured rug sits on a wooden floor.
Feature Style, Decor & Design

2024 Interior Design Trends

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Looking to freshen up your home with something new and intriguing? Despite the recent “mob wife” design trend that features bolder, blingier attire and decor, the bigger overall trend this year is for subtler, classic, low-key luxury. Here’s a round-up of top 2024 interior design trends in furnishings, colors, materials, and decor from major designers […]