A close-up of a cluster of swirling decorative art glass pieces by glass artist Dale Chihuly. The glass vessels have uneven shapes and swirls of color mixed into the glass and creating patterns that look much like large jellyfish, but in bright colors—orange, green, yellow, brown, and black.
Design 101

2023 Interior Design Color Trends

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 […]

You Might Also Like

An assortment of instruments in the lute family plus a long brass horn and a large gourd shaker hang from hooks on a wall
Collecting Q&A Style, Decor & Design

Musical Instruments Make Great Home Decor

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: Everyone in my house is a musician. That means we have instruments, cases, and music all over the place. I’d love to put our instruments on display instead of having all this musical stuff get in the way. Any ideas on how to make our love of music into a decorating feature, instead of […]

An array of 45 RPM records, record covers, and sheet music that overlap as if spread out on a floor.
Collecting Q&A Style, Decor & Design

Decorate with Music—Display What You Love

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: I’m looking for style on a budget. Being a jazz musician, I sometimes host musical parties and gigs at my place. I don’t have a lot of cash,but I’d like to have jazz-related art on my walls. I want something more stylish than the posters I had up in college. How can I decorate […]

15 hanging and dozens of folded examples of colorfully patterned Indonesian batik fabrics are displayed on wooden shelves
Care & Cleaning Q&A

Caring for Batik and Other Deeply Dyed Fabrics

by Laura Grey No Comments Share this  

Q: On my travels, I’ve picked up some amazing hand-dyed fabrics around Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Australia. I’ve found colors and patterns outside of the US that were like nothing I’d ever seen. I want to use some of them to decorate my home. But when I prewashed them before sewing, thd lost so […]