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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 ...

Bath hardware makes a stylish splash

By Kim Cook Associated Press Step in the bathroom, turn on the tap. Step in the shower, turn on the faucet. Just mundane parts of the daily routine, right? Yet for bathware designers, they’re anything but. These creative minds dive deep into what they call “the water delivery experience,” and once you’ve experimented with some of their creations, you’ll probably never take a tap for granted again. For the bathroom sink, companies like THG, Axor and Drummonds are offering collections resembling fine jewelry, often at comparable prices. And for the full-body cleanup, ...

Find inspiration in public spaces’ decor

By Melissa Rayworth Associated Press Sometimes, sitting in a public place like a hotel lobby, you notice a mix of colors youíd never considered using in your own home — and you realize you absolutely love it. Or you see furniture that’s much more modern than you thought you liked, but itís just what your living room needs. Interior designers say clients often tell them about public places with style they want at home. This can function as a useful shorthand, says Lauren Buxbaum Gordon, design director and partner at Nate Berkus Associates, who designs commercial and ...

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 ...

By Carol J. Alexander of NerdWallet After a year of spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many homeowners are looking for ways to make their homes fit their new realities. Open floor plans are out; dedicated spaces for remote work and learning are in. Yards are being transformed into entertainment spaces and walls are being repainted. At the same time, increased demand and safety concerns can make the remodeling process much longer than before. Here are five trends to watch for this 2021 home-remodeling season. 1. A FOCUS ON DEDICATED SPACES At the start of ...

By Melissa Kossler Dutton Associated Press Storage pieces are not what they used to be. Changes in home design and technology mean that boxy, old-fashioned armoires, dressers and china hutches are being repurposed or are making room for cabinets, shelving and sideboards in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles. Today’s decor embraces an eclectic look, and rooms might serve more than one function. Walk-in closets and wall-mounted TVs are hot; formal dining rooms are not. All of these trends mean there’s more freedom in choosing storage pieces, including “wow pieces” ...