Mix-and-Match Your Favorite Garden Plants As long as you choose plants with similar care needs, it’s easy to create a container garden with all of your favorite annuals and perennials. For the most impact, use a variety of textures and sizes when you’re planting. Even if you choose plants that look completely different, you can tie the entire grouping together with neutral containers and repeat some plants in several of the pots....
Overhead bathroom lighting like this provides general or ambient light. Ensure the fixture’s bottom is at least 7 feet above the floor to leave enough headroom. Get tips for creating a bathroom with the best light Be sure to select bulbs designed for vanity illumination. They generate light in the daylight spectrum. Avoid bulbs that are too white or too yellow – they won’t reflect how you look outside the bathroom....
Buy It: Ninja Professional 1000-Watt Blender ($89, Walmart) Buy It: Megachef Juice Extractor Juicer Machine ($45, Walmart) Buy It: Hamilton Beach Stack and Snap 12-Cup Food Processor ($70, Target) Buy It: Williams Sonoma Pitcher ($48, Williams Sonoma) Buy It: OXO Steel Single Wall Cocktail Shaker ($23, Target) Buy It: Libbey Cactus Margarita Glasses, Set of 4 ($27, Walmart)
Test Kitchen Tip: Store this make-ahead St. Patrick’s Day dessert in the refrigerator for up to two weeks before serving. Test Kitchen Tip: Make the sauce for this Irish dessert up at least 24 hours before serving!
1. Tough Growing Conditions Nature can throw a variety of challenges at tomato plants as they grow. Less than ideal growing conditions are the most common cause of tomato leaf curl, according to experts, and also the easiest to remedy. “Leaf curl is primarily driven by hot weather, lack of moisture, and heat stress, " says Dr. Ajay Nair, Extension Vegetable Specialist at Iowa State University. In overly hot and dry conditions, the leaf margins roll upwards....
Home Improvement Projects to Hire Out Trust us—these projects require special training and tools that an average DIYer shouldn’t tackle. 1. Replacing Windows Whether you have a damaged window or want to better insulate your home, DIY window replacement “can get a little complicated, unless you have experience,” says Lyman Gilbert, owner of LG Building & Remodeling in Southbury, Connecticut. You need to know how to measure your windows correctly and which parts to get for your home, including exterior cladding, vinyl, wood, grill patterns, and glazing, Gilbert says....
1. Houseplants with Colorful Foliage Plants with pink leaves have been a recent trend, and we’ve seen that even tried-and-true favorites like snake plants and pothos that have splashes of white on their usually green leaves (known as variegation) are also very popular. Next year, we’re sure that houseplants with interesting colors and patterns on their leaves will attract even more fans—multicolored foliage like crotons, Chinese evergreens, and stromanthe will become especially trendy....
The swirls and knots of burl wood are the result of a tree deformity, usually caused by stress from an injury or an infection. Burls are knobby-looking outgrowths that can be harvested and turned into slabs or veneers for furniture. “I think that is part of its allure—a disfigurement or unattractive element on a tree trunk hides such beauty and uniqueness beneath the surface,” says Los Angeles-based designer Stefani Stein....
1. Stunning Stair Runners With options as varied as sophisticated tweeds, playful polka dots, saturated hues, and natural fibers, stair runners have won the hearts of homeowners, including more than 56,000 tags on Instagram. And it’s not just because staircases are prime spots to add a little personality. “Aside from an exciting design aesthetic, stair and hall runners add an extra layer of safety on those slippery hardwoods,” says Matt Lovetere, co-founder and CEO of The Carpet Workroom....
1. Go meat-free a few days a week. Research has found that vegetarians can save at least $750 per year. Only one or two vegetarian meals per week make a difference, cost- and healthwise, says Mary M. Flynn, Ph.D., R.D., a research dietitian at The Miriam Hospital and associate professor of medicine at Brown University in Providence, RI. For example, subbing beans for chicken in a vegetable stir-fry once a week could save roughly $400 annually and meet your protein quota....
Tip: To cut fresh herbs, place leaves in a measuring cup or bowl and snip them with kitchen scissors. For herbs with tough stems (like rosemary), strip the leaves from the stem first. Tip: For easy handling, halve sweet peppers lengthwise—then remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Tip: Stir onions continuously as they are caramelizing to prevent sticking and burning. Tip: Add more Mediterranean flavors to your meal by serving our mouthwatering Peanut Baklava (see recipe below)....
But with small spaces can come some tricky interior design choices. Balancing functionality with aesthetics is more an art than a science, especially when it comes to tiny bedrooms. Finding the right furniture that can fit through small halls and doorways is just the beginning. Here, interior design experts share their best tips and tricks for incorporating furniture into a tiny bedroom. 1. Focus on Windows and Walls Nikki Klugh, principal designer of the eponymous all-women design group, believes that everyone should have a sanctuary in which to rest, recharge, and revitalize....
With the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic in early spring, many people pivoted to working, playing, exercising, and socializing from home, making the way we furnish and decorate our living spaces more important than ever. “On the upside, it has forced homeowners to reflect, dissect, and evaluate how they live in their homes, how it makes them feel, and how, ultimately, they want to change and improve upon their relationship with home,” says Louisiana interior designer Lance Thomas of Thomas Guy Interiors....
1. Organize pots and pans above the stove. Keep your most commonly used pots and pans above the stove so they’re only an arm’s reach away while you’re cooking. Mount a simple pot rack ($22, Target) on the wall behind the range or on the underside of the upper cabinetry, making sure it’s sturdy enough to support the weight of your cookware. Use hooks to hang pots, pans, and utensils right where you’ll need them....
Forcing bulbs inside is a super easy technique that’s simply a sleight of hand—a trickster’s way to get blooms by faking out your flowers about what season it really is. It involves very little effort and few materials. The biggest exertion? Scheduling their arrival. Chilling Bulbs Here’s the deal: Bulbs that grow indoors sometimes need a reminder that they’ve been through winter—however fake it is. In fact, all bulbs except amaryllis and paperwhites need a cold snap....
