By Kim Cook Associated Press Ask interior designers what the most important element in a room is and many will say that — after wall color — it’s the sofa. So how do you choose this crucial piece of furniture? Should you go for one big sofa or two love seats? What about materials, ...

By Kim Cook Associated Press An early, painted Swedish sideboard next to a leather sectional. An ornate Italian walnut headboard on a bed dressed in featherweight linen. A collection of colorful 1930s Fiestaware pottery on a Lucite bookshelf. Mixing vintage and modern elements is one of ...

By Kim Cook Associated Press As fall nesting season returns, home décor retailers are presenting collections that reflect the idea that home is where our hearts and heads are. Our long housebound stretch may have made us restless for the outside world, but it has helped us appreciate our ...

By Kim Cook Associated Press The ceiling — sometimes referred to as a room’s fifth wall — often gets short shrift in decorating schemes. Walls and furnishings take center stage while the acreage overhead receives a coat of neutral white paint, with perhaps a snazzy ceiling ...

By Katherine Roth Associated Press Two of the hottest trends in home decor are sustainability and authenticity. No wonder architectural salvage shops are busy. Homeowners love features that come with a story, says Rich Ellis, publisher of Architectural Salvage and Antique Lumber ...

By Katherine Roth Associated Press With the current trend toward de-cluttering and downsizing, there are plenty of books about how to winnow down possessions to the few that are truly necessary and loved. This book shows how you can live well once that’s done. In “Downsize: Living ...