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Gray: A ‘sneaky color’ is red-hot for painting interiors

By Katherine Roth Associated Press When it comes to painting rooms, gray is red-hot. Benjamin Moore carries over 150 shades of gray, and Sherwin-Williams says that of their top 50 colors for interiors, 30 are grays. “The trend toward gray started in Scandinavia, became big in the U.S. around six years ago, and is still on the rise,” says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. Andrea Magno of Benjamin Moore says, “Gray is not going anywhere, and is still growing in popularity. It updates things instantly, and it’s evolving over time. And we’re ...

Home prices surge 18.4 percent

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home prices surged again in October as the housing market continues to boom in the wake of last year’s coronavirus recession. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home price index climbed 18.4% in October from a year earlier. The gain marked a slight deceleration from a 19.1% year-over-year increase in September but was about in line with what economists had been expecting. All 20 cities posted double-digit annual gains. The hottest markets were Phoenix (up 32.3%), Tampa (28.1%) and Miami (25.7%). Minneapolis and Chicago posted the smallest increases, ...

The ‘good enough’ home may be just perfect

By Barbara Marquand NerdWallet Constructed from aspirational Instagram feeds and reality TV, the dream home floats in the imagination like a castle in the sky but dissolves in the rain of hard numbers. Chasing the dream can lure buyers to overextend themselves financially. Or the high prices can lead first-time homebuyers to delay a home purchase — and the opportunity to start building home equity. For many homebuyers, buying a “good enough” home can be a sounder strategy, particularly for those most eager to become homeowners. “I’d rather see people buy a good enough ...

Choosing the right rug for the room

By Melissa Rayworth Associated Press A warm, cozy rug can make a room look and feel more appealing on even the chilliest night. And the right rug can be a source of comfort year-round. “They’re also great in the summer, if you think about it, because your shoes are off, you’re in your shorts, the house is air conditioned,” says designer Michelle Gerson, founder of Michelle Gerson Interiors , based in New York. “You love to put your toes in a big cozy rug.” How do you choose the perfect rug for your space? The latest options include everything from century-old ...

Solutions and help for small-space living

By Kim Cook Associated Press Setting up home in a small apartment poses all sorts of challenges. First, there’s the floorplan: With small rooms come issues like storage, and where to put the bed. Then there’s the furniture: Will it fit up the stairs, and will you need a toolbox and an engineering degree to put it together? Retailers and design services have answers. Design-your-space websites can give you accurate floor plans and helpful decor suggestions. Cleverly designed furniture is scaled for smaller footprints, and might come to the door in easy-to-assemble formats, or ...

New doorbells have lots of bells and whistles

By Kim Cook Associated Press Before electricity, doorbells rang via a complex rigging of mechanical pulleys. Visitors pulled a rope or turned a key-like affair — think Downton Abbey’s elaborate system to summon staff, but on a smaller scale for the masses. The electric doorbell was invented in 1831, and by the early 1900s was all the rage. Chimes and bells could be heard from anywhere in the house; a tremendous convenience for homeowners and visitors alike. Today, you can coordinate the look and sound of your doorbell to your home’s style. You also can embrace the internet ...