24 Mid Century Modern Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Read more about our Diversity and Inclusion Pledge to make The Spruce a site where all feel welcome.

December 29, 2022 · 1 min · 18 words · Courtney Raybuck

25 Christmas Party Games Just For The Adults

Here are 25 entertaining, festive, and funny Christmas party games for adults that you can play no matter your party size or average age. Some are even Christmas games for adults with gifts to reward the participants. “Jingle Bells"Snow angelsThe NutcrackerDecorating a Christmas tree"Silent Night”

December 29, 2022 · 1 min · 45 words · Michelle Morgan

25 Dwarf Trees For Use In Landscaping

To plant a small tree in your yard, find a suitable spot away from strong winds. Dig a hole about twice the width of the root ball and roughly 3 inches deeper. Gently remove the rootball from the container and loosen the soil around the roots. Place the tree in the hole and backfill around the rootball, compressing the soil firmly as you go—the tree should remain in place if you give it a tug after filling the hole....

December 29, 2022 · 4 min · 704 words · Sara Middleton

27 Modern Victorian Decorating Ideas That Aren T Stuffy

According to Mona Ying Reeves, Founder and Designer at Re:modern, a design firm in San Francisco, interior spaces from the original Victorian era were characterized by an exuberance of ornamentation, historical influences, and handicraft—all of which can be easily adapted to the current design aesthetic—which is why the style remains relevant as trends and tastes change. Traditional Victorian spaces tend to be compartmentalized and often dark, which lends to them feeling cramped and outdated but the good news is that there are some easy ways to bring a Victorian sensibility into modern decor today....

December 29, 2022 · 1 min · 109 words · Janice Guerrette

3 Birds That Are Considered Pest Birds

Pest Bird Damage and Disease Most birds, along with their eggs and nests, are protected against non-permit trapping or killing under the Migratory Bird Treaty and Endangered Species Act. However, neither U.S. federal nor any state law holds protection against control or elimination of the nuisance bird species. However, local ordinances may apply so should be checked before any control effort. Pigeons, house sparrows, and European starlings are considered pests because:...

December 29, 2022 · 3 min · 616 words · Josephine Allison

30 Flowering Container Garden Ideas

Here are 30 container garden ideas to add some color to your landscape.

December 29, 2022 · 1 min · 13 words · Nicole Carbaugh

35 Best Drought Tolerant Shrubs For Warmer Zones

Warmer USDA zones are usually any zone 8 to 13, although we’ve included a few zone 7 plants, like rock cotoneaster, mountain spray, and shrubby cinquefoil, in this list since they are on the borderline. You will find several stunners, most have year-round seasonal interest, flower beautifully, or yield berries. Many are fragrant. Some of the hardiest shrubs are those that can take neglect and don’t need much water, such as lantana, Russian sage, and glossy abelia—these plants grow well in dry soil and can survive months without much rainfall....

December 29, 2022 · 4 min · 812 words · Hilma Romie

4 Different Types Of Window Shades And How To Choose One

Window treatments can consist of blinds, curtains, drapes, shades, and more, but there are also a few key differences between different types of window shades. Available in several different styles, materials, and a nearly endless range of colors and patterns, there’s a shade to suit every decorating theme from casual to formal, rustic, or contemporary. Some styles roll up and down while others are manually tied, but all window shades can be installed easily....

December 29, 2022 · 3 min · 554 words · Nella Stoner

40 Blue Dining Rooms That Stole The Show

One of our favorite colors to use in the dining room? Blue. There are so many directions that one can take with this magical color. Pale blue, turquoise, cornflower blue, and navy, just to name a few shades, all evoke such different types of feelings. Whether your style is coastal chic or you can’t resist anything glam, there’s no reason you can’t have fun working a bit of blue into your space....

December 29, 2022 · 1 min · 138 words · Jeanelle Seale

5 Great Herbs To Grow In Pots

Herbs are grown for culinary use as well as for decorative enjoyment. You can interplant herbs in flowering containers because they add great fragrance and texture to the overall appeal of the container. The following list contains some favorite herbs to grow in pots. Parsley comes in two types: Italian, also called flat leaf parsley, and curly parsley, which is the more common variety used by restaurants as a plate garnish....

December 29, 2022 · 3 min · 554 words · Brock Abernathy

5 Must Have Tools For Refurbishing Wood Furniture

After cleaning your furniture, take a good look at the condition of the wood: Are there any dents, cracks, or scratches? Does your furniture have a layer of varnish or lacquer? Are there multiple layers of paint on the item? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, make sure to pick up the items on this list before starting the refurbishing process. Here are five items for refurbishing furniture....

December 29, 2022 · 3 min · 599 words · Louise Panzarella

6 Reasons Designers Swear By The Triangle Rule In The Kitchen

Enter: the triangle rule. What Is the Kitchen Triangle? Keith Myers, Design Director from The Myers Touch, says the three main work areas in the kitchen—the sink, the fridge, and the stove or oven—make up the points of the triangle. The triangle rule says these should form a triangle in your space for maximum ease-of-use, with minimal obstructions between each. Your Triangle Size Matters “Each side of the triangle should measure no less than four feet and no more than nine feet and, ideally, the perimeter of the triangle should be no less than thirteen feet and no more than twenty-six feet,” Myers says....

December 29, 2022 · 3 min · 589 words · John King

6 Tips For Growing Fruit Trees In Containers

There is a learning curve to everything, but it really isn’t any more difficult to grow trees in containers than it is to grow them in the ground, provided you follow some simple guidelines. Choose Dwarf or Semi-Dwarf Specimens Most full-sized varieties of fruit trees will be challenging to grow in pots if it is possible at all. But you can pot almost most any dwarf or semi-dwarf variety of fruit tree, so long as you keep moving it up to larger pots over the course of its life....

December 29, 2022 · 5 min · 935 words · Michelle Martineau

6 Tips For Installing Carpet Yourself

The Truth About Free Installation It is true that carpeting that is advertised as “free installation” is not really free, since the cost is actually slightly inflated to cover the labor of the team who will come to install it. You can, therefore, save some money by specifying that you want to buy carpeting without installation labor. But by the time you buy or rent the specialty tools, padding, seaming tape, and other supplies necessary, the extra $1 to $1....

December 29, 2022 · 4 min · 796 words · Marion Gatlin

6 Tips For Living With Less From People Who Are Doing It

Have the Right Mindset As soon as Michelle Jones read about tiny home pioneer Dee Williams in Yes! Magazine, she knew she wanted to live in a tiny home herself. Motivated partly by her desire to pursue what she calls “purpose-driven work,” she didn’t want any distractions. “When I chose this life, I knew I needed to live simply,” says Jones, who founded Wayfinding Academy, a private liberal arts community college....

December 29, 2022 · 5 min · 881 words · Jean Broadnax

60 Beautiful And Unique Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

Below, we share our favorite Christmas tree decorating ideas to help inspire you and get you and your family into the Christmas spirit this holiday season.

December 29, 2022 · 1 min · 26 words · Wanda Mcmanus

7 Home Trends Designers Can T Wait To Say Goodbye To In 2023

1. Neutrals Everywhere Whites, grays, blacks, and beiges…they can all go for now, some designers say. Textile designer and artist Caroline Z Hurley has personally had enough of such neutrals. “I am sick of the all neutral everywhere with zero pattern,” she says. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my whites and subtle textures in the same hue, but I’ve been into richer bolder patterns recently and hope to see more color in 2023!...

December 29, 2022 · 3 min · 609 words · Jeanne Conger

8 Bathroom Decor Trends

You can also change small things, like the shower curtain or smaller decor elements, to keep a neutral bathroom trendy and fresh. Looking for a way to refresh your bathroom look? Here are a few ideas. This clean, minimalist bathroom by House of Sylphina features mostly white tile (note the different textures and patterns) and a little gold to bring some bling. This bathroom, photographed by Eliot Cohen of Zeitgeist Photography, shows how beautiful and practical well-thought-out storage can be....

December 29, 2022 · 2 min · 289 words · Janina Moses

9 Best Tiny Flowers For Your Garden

These plants are a versatile garden design element that can fill spaces where larger blooms either won’t fit or simply don’t suit. You can tuck them into a stone wall, plant them between pavers, use them as fillers, and add them to cut flower arrangements. Here are nine tiny flowers that will enhance your borders, hanging baskets, and even fairy gardens. USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Color Varieties: White, pink, orange, red, yellow, and purpleSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Alkaline...

December 29, 2022 · 2 min · 214 words · Crystal Leone

9 Coral Color Decorating Ideas For Your Inspiration

December 29, 2022 · 0 min · 0 words · Stacey Chiarelli