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
Swatches of paint, fabric, and wood trims are fanned out and and overlap each other on a pale desktop
Design 101

Do Interior Design Trends Matter?

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

People can’t help but be intrigued by novelty. In the world of interior design, new and unusual materials, styles, and fabrications drive sales. Changes in color, pattern, or finish grab our attention, and we hunger for something new. What was out of style comes back around; colors we once found annoying pique our interest. We […]

A detail of a room with a white painted chair rail papered with a busy large floral featuring passionflowers, ivy, yellow poppies, and various other flowers on a medium teal background. The flowers are dark blue, yellow, pink, and soft pinky white, and the leaves are mostly olive green. A modern geometric floor lamp with gold cylinders and a white disc is at left; a touch of a curved navy chair can be seen at lower left. A green plant is at lower right.
Q&A Style, Decor & Design

Bold Floral Wallpaper

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: I’ve been looking for a wallpaper pattern for my entryway. Now that bold floral wallpaper is trending, I’m tempted to go with one—I think an oversized floral could look amazing. But is it just too loud a statement to greet people with as soon as they walk through the door? And is it likely […]

A low, wide teak armchair with a caned back sits on a tiled verandah surrounded by a white painted rail on spindle posts supported by a tall white column. Blue and grey pillows sit on a grey rug on the tile floor. An Indian-style hexagonal side table topped with books and a coffee cup sits net to the teak chair, which is topped with a white pillow. White planters filled with tall green palms sit behind the chair on the verandah. Tall green trees surround the porch.
Feature Outdoor Living

Can Teak Wood Be Sustainably, Ethically Sourced?

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Teak is a long-wearing hardwood that resists water and rot. It has long been the wood of choice for top-quality outdoor furniture and yacht decking. However, much of the teak wood on the US furniture market is illicitly sourced from Myanmar, the Southeast Asian country once known as Burma. In 2021, Myanmar’s democratically elected government […]

A minimalist room featuring a cute black Scottie dog sitting on a knitted pouf next to a beige sofa with a large white knot-shaped pillow
What's Your Style?

Japandi Interior Design

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Japandi interior design is a popular recent hybrid style incorporating elements of Japanese and Scandinavian (Scandi) style. Japandi is all about enjoying simple, functional, beautifully made items that make your life both more comfortable and more beautiful. Danshari, the Art of Letting Go Both Japanese and Nordic cultures are known for their love of fine […]

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A large wearhouse-like space, perhaps an antique store or an auction house, contains antique furniture
Collecting Q&A Style, Decor & Design

Local Online Auctions: A Bargain Wonderland

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: I keep hearing that auctions can be a great source of bargain furniture and collectibles. The thing is, I don’t like the idea of going to an auction house and bidding against a bunch of other people in person. I’ve tried eBay for collectible items, but so many people around the country see those […]

A detail of a garden with boxwood trimmed in to precise, long, rectangular hedges. At rear are several fine brick houses with steep roofs, probably from the 18th century.
Outdoor Living Q&A

Great Alternatives to Boxwood in Your Garden

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: I like the look of boxwood hedges, but mine have gotten pretty ratty. What’s worse, they have a powerful cat-pee like odor during the summer months. It’s gross, and it keeps me from wanting to have friends over in my back yard. I’m thinking of trying some other trimmable shrubs. Can you point me […]

A close-up of pale blue, lavender, and clear antique bottles clustered together shows cloudiness and some iridescence inside the bottles. Bottles are embossed with images and names of their former contents.
Care & Cleaning Q&A

Cleaning Cloudy Glass and “Sick Glass”

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: A few of my favorite vases are cloudy below the waterline, and some have white horizontal lines. I also have a collection of antique bottles—most have patches that look like they’re coated with a white film. I’ve tried soaking them in soapy water and using bottle brushes to clean them inside. Nothing works! Can […]