Picking the right plants is often the first thing people think of when planning...

At the spring 2026 High Point Market in North Carolina, new lighting products embraced oversize scale, layered materials, decorative shades and organic forms — with fixtures functioning as statement pieces as much as sources of illumination. Here are seven standout lighting trends from the April 25-29...

Green kitchen cabinets are many designers’ go-to choice for adding depth, personality and a connection to the natural world without sacrificing sophistication. The right shade can feel earthy or elegant, bold or quietly grounding, depending on the materials around it. In the following four...

I have years of experience working with homeowners on their renovations, but I’ve also spent the past 20-plus years renovating my own properties. Having stood on both sides of this always-stressful process, I’ve learned quite a bit about what to do — and what not to do. These are my top 10 tips and suggestions...

When a Lumberton, New Jersey, couple decided it was time to overhaul their cramped, dark kitchen, they came in with a clear wish list: more light, smarter storage, upgraded appliances — and plenty of blue. What they needed was someone to pull it all together. They found that in designer...

At EuroCucina 2026, the recent kitchen exhibition held in conjunction with Salone del Mobile in Milan (April 21-26), the kitchen was showcased as an open environment connecting to surrounding rooms through a continuous dialogue of colors, forms, materials and surfaces.
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At her family’s home on Washington’s Mercer Island, interior designer Jacqueline Quasney’s washer and dryer were tucked inside a bathroom shared by her two sons. Quasney had long envisioned a new layout that separated the laundry chores from the kids’ morning routine. So, partnering with contractor Andrey...

Are you looking to freshen up your living room decor or even give the room a completely new look? The good news is that you can make huge improvements without a full renovation or a big budget. Here are 10 simple but high-impact strategies for giving your living space a style upgrade.

That first cup of coffee or tea sets the tone for the whole morning, which is reason enough to give it a dedicated spot. A beverage station keeps machines, supplies and mugs in one place, frees up the main kitchen workspace and makes the routine a little more effortless for family and guests....

This backyard had little in the way of plants beyond a failing lawn, but it did have one irreplaceable gem — a beautiful, mature English oak tree. “That really shaped the whole design,” says landscape designer Shelley Hugh-Jones. “I decided I wanted around two-thirds of the space to be woodland.”
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Designers, buyers and manufacturers gathered April 25-29, 2026, in North Carolina for High Point Market, the world’s largest home furnishings event. Across showrooms, an emphasis on color saturation, nature-inspired accents, classic motifs with a twist and layered details revealed a broad and varied...

If you’ve ever looked at a beautiful bathroom and wondered what takes its design to the next level, you’re not alone. Many homeowners want to know how some bathrooms get that mysterious designer je ne sais quoi. I’ll let you in on a few secrets. Because the overall material costs are low in a...

A well-designed built-in unit can transform a living room, giving it focus, function and a sense that the space was made to last. Custom millwork brings architecture and personality to a room in a way freestanding furniture simply can’t. For these five new living rooms, designers share how...

When design-build pros Ron and Elisa Scarpa added a new structure to their historic Winter Park, Florida, property, they wanted a kitchen built around the way they actually live. Elisa, who grew up in Italy, shaped the open layout around a social cooking life — lots of entertaining, lots...

Putting the right plants in the right spots is the foundation for any low-maintenance landscape. We spoke with 11 landscape professionals from seven design firms in different regions around the country to learn the plants they recommend to homeowners looking to create an easy-care (or easier-care) garden...

Comfort and well-being were the keywords of the 2026 Milan Furniture Fair, or Salone del Mobile, held April 21-26. More than 1,900 exhibitors — over a third from outside Italy — presented their vision of contemporary living at the trade show....

When a Newtown, Connecticut, couple decided to overhaul their 62-square-foot hallway bathroom, the challenges were significant: a cramped shower stall, side-by-side washer and dryer, a swing door eating into floor space and an immovable chimney inside a wall — all in a 1977 Colonial-style...

The front entryway is the first thing you and your guests see upon entering your home, so it should make a great impression and set the tone for what’s beyond. At the same time, it needs to function as a practical transition between indoors and out. Whether you have a spacious, seldom-used foyer or a...

The kitchen island has become one of the hardest-working features in the modern home — maximizing counter space and storage, anchoring the room’s design and giving everyone a place to gather. But the best island for your kitchen depends on how you live, how you cook and how much space you’re...

Designer Molly McCabe and her husband share a love of grilling, entertaining and watching wildlife from their deck on Washington’s Bainbridge Island. For decades, the cedar deck — built by the couple from trees felled on their pond-side property — served as a grilling spot and an outdoor...

Low-curb showers offer the safe, easy entry of a curbless shower while keeping water where it belongs, making them a practical choice for nearly any household. They can also open up a small bathroom visually and cost considerably less than going fully curbless. Browse this roundup for inspiration...

For those who want a beautiful garden but would rather not spend hours every week — or hire a staff — to maintain it, consider the following advice from landscape pros on Houzz. It’s important to point out that a low-maintenance landscape doesn’t mean no maintenance at all. Still, there are plenty of...

Whether you’re deep in the planning phase or just starting to think about a renovation, knowing what other homeowners are doing — and spending — can help you set expectations and make smarter decisions. Here are highlights from the recently released 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study, including the most...

In a relatively small space, compromises have to be made, but in the right hands that needn’t result in a lesser design. With this eat-in kitchen in London there wasn’t room for everything initially requested, such as a breakfast bar on the island, but the resulting space feels open, elegant and highly...

Some architectural details and finishes in old houses are merely vestigial, such as servant buttons and coal doors. But those we’ve gathered here continue to be beautiful and, in many cases, practical elements of a home, whether they’re original or added with a modern purpose in mind. Take a trip down...

As the days get warmer, many of us dream of heading off to visit distant shores. Whether your ideal getaway is a tropical island, a culinary hot spot or a breezy coastal town, the good news is it’s possible to bring some of that vacation magic into your own home...

Bathrooms of 100 to 170 square feet offer room to think bigger without going overboard. With room for features like dual vanities, separate showers and tubs and generous storage, these spaces can balance daily function with a sense of comfort. See how designers reworked...

When it comes to deciding how to dress a window, there’s more to consider than just how to control light or provide privacy. Do you want the window treatment to be a design focus for the room or an inconspicuous neutral element? What is the architectural style of your home and do you want to highlight...

Maybe your kitchen is looking a little dated or lackluster. Or maybe you’d just like to switch up its style. Whatever your motivation, you don’t need to dive into a major kitchen renovation to make significant upgrades. Here are 10 simple yet strategic ways to give your kitchen a fresh new look and improved...

A family of four loved spending time on the deck and lawn of their Chaska, Minnesota, home, which backs up to a beautiful stretch of woods. However, at certain times of day, mosquitoes often brought an abrupt end to outdoor time. When the homeowners decided to add a screened-in porch, they called husband-and-wife...