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Choosing the perfect sofa for your space

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, arm styles and the all-important question of how to position the sofa in the space? Start by thinking about the shape of the room, says Elaine Griffin , who helms design offices in Manhattan and St. Simon’s Island, Georgia. “In a long, narrow room, place the sofa along the shorter wall ...

Home lighting update: Designers get creative, clever, cozy

By Kim Cook Associated Press Designers and lighting companies have been busy coming up with new ways to hold a lightbulb and project light, and winter is a great time to explore their latest solutions. Some are inspired by the skies overhead. Others by style eras, from Deco to disco. Still others are working with interesting materials around which to build a lamp. “There’s a growing world of lighting that’s so much more than the glass globe on a stem,” says designer Ted Bradley of Boulder, Colorado. He cites fresh, sculptural forms: “When done right, they both capture ...

Right at home: Ceilings with something to say

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 fixture. That wasn’t the case historically. Plaster ornamentation and murals were used centuries ago, and the Victorians really went to town on the ceiling, with elaborate moldings and stamped tin sheeting. Ceiling medallions graced more formal spaces like dining rooms and parlors, while timber beams and ...

DIY or call a professional: Which is right for your remodel?

By Annie Millerbernd of NerdWallet A do-it-yourself remodel can be a budget-friendly way to freshen up your home. For some projects, it may take just a few YouTube videos to show you how to modernize your space. But not every project is right for amateur renovators. Your skill level, budget and how important the project is to your home’s value can all be deciding factors in whether to call a professional. Here are home remodel projects you can probably DIY, and those that are better left to experts. DIY THE FLOORS AND WALLS Aminah Chung and her husband Bernard, who share ...

Wanderlust woes? Decor ideas for the housebound traveler

By Kim Cook Associated Press If your actual travel plans are on hold, you can soothe your wanderlust with a few home décor change-ups or additions. Whether you’re wishing you were at a wilderness cabin, the beach or an exotic passport destination, designers and retailers are offering clever ways to bring the world into your quarantined home space. Can’t stroll the real streets of Italy? You can clad floors or walls in a kitchen, bath or family room with a surfacing that evokes that feel. Italy’s ABK offers the Nuovi Mondi capsule collection of large-format ceramic tiles ...

US new home sales jump in December as prices fall

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Sales of new single family homes in December rose to their highest level in 10 months as buyers took advantage of lower prices in anticipation of higher interest rates. The increase put the seasonally adjusted annual sales pace to 811,000 for the month, according to the Commerce Department, an 11.9% increase over November’s figure, which was revised down to 725,000 from 744,000. The median price of a new home, the point where half the homes sold for more and half for less, fell to $377,700, last month, its lowest level since June but about 4% higher than ...