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1. Albie Knows Albie Buabeng of Albie Knows based her virtual One Room Challenge on what she calls “must be nice” spaces: luxurious rooms that might not be necessary but would be a treat to have at home. Over the past several weeks, she created dream designs for a media room, shared study, outdoor living area, laundry room, and powder room. With a focus on the media and study rooms, she considered how her family currently lives and how they’d like to live when putting together the plans....

Our Best Backsplash Projects & Ideas Stylish Backsplash Pairings Spiff Up a Small Kitchen Creative Backsplashes for Behind the Range Gorgeous Glass Tile Backsplashes Low-Cost Kitchen Updates

Name: Dianthus selections Growing Conditions: Full sun in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 1 foot tall Zones: 4-8 Name: Gardenia jasminoides Growing Conditions: Light to moderate shade in well-drained, acidic soil Size: Up to 6 feet tall Zones: 8-11 Buy It: Gardenia ($21, The Home Depot) Name: Nicotiana alata Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 5 feet tall Zones: 10-11 Name: Lilium selections Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in medium moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 4 feet tall Zones: 5-9 Buy It: Stargazer Oriental Lily ($21, The Home Depot) Name: Phlox paniculata Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 4 feet tall Zones: 3-8 Name: Rosa selections Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 5-9 Buy It: At Last Rose Live Shrub ($36, The Home Depot) Name: Lathyrus odoratus Growing Conditions: Full sun in medium moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 8 feet tall Note: Keep this plant out of children’s reach because all parts of the plant, including its red berries, contain cardiac glycosides, which slow down the heart and cause irregular heart rhythm....

Test Kitchen Tip: Look and listen to determine when your favorite cookies are done. These cookies should darken slightly and crackle audibly when nearing the finish. Storage Tip: Keep your cookies fresh by layering between waxed paper in an airtight container. Store cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Name: Aeonium spp. Size: 6-20 inches tall and wide Zones: 10-11 Top Picks: Zwartkop pinwheel plant (A. arboreum ‘Zwartkop’) has purplish black leaves at the tips of 2-foot-tall woody stems. Kiwi aeonium (A. haworthii ‘Kiwi’) has medium green leaves edged in red and gold. It is sometimes sold as ‘Tricolor’. Name: Sempervivum spp. Size: 3-6 inches tall and wide Zones: 4-8 Top Picks: Common hen-and-chicks (S. tectorum) comes in many outstanding cultivars with colors ranging from blue green to the fiery-red ‘Sunset’....

How to Grill Tri-Tip Steaks The high heat from the grill is perfect for cooking tri-tip steaks. Because tri-tip steaks are leaner than most cuts, consider marinating them for 2 to 3 hours to keep them moist during grilling. After they’re marinated, use the following steps for grilling tri-tip steaks. If marinating, remove the steaks from the marinade and discard the marinade. (Or you can season plain steaks with a spice rub, herb blend, or salt and ground black pepper....

Complete Your Easter Menu: Two-Pea Soup Salted Caramel Flan with Blackberries Complete Your Easter Roast Beef Menu: Spicy Fruit Salad Lemon-Lavender Cookies Complete Your Easter Chicken Menu: Easter Rainbow Salad Pressure Cooker Chocolate-Cherry Bread Pudding Complete Your Easter Seafood Menu: Easter Dirt Cake Complete Your Easter Brisket Menu: Strawberry Shortcake Parfaits Complete Your Easter Menu: Tiramisu Chocolate Marble Cake Complete Your Easter Menu: Roasted Berries and Grapes Tart Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Mascarpone Frosting...

Editor’s tip: You don’t have to fill the entire plastic cauldron with pumpkins! Stuff crumpled newspaper into the bottom and place a few pumpkins on top. Editor’s Tip: Slip a few black roses into the mix, or place miniature pumpkins at the base of the decoration—painted black if you’d like—to make the orange flowers really pop in this Halloween centerpiece. Editor’s Tip: Use clear plastic blocks in lieu of glass vases....

If you don’t have a way with words, don’t worry—we’ve compiled a list of the best romantic, sweet, and funny Valentine’s Day quotes from poets, authors, and celebrities. Explore our collection of romantic quotes from Aristotle to Oscar Wilde, or borrow a few words from your favorite television and movie characters. Use any of these quotes for your Valentine’s Day Instagram caption, or let them serve as inspiration as you write your Valentine’s Day cards this year....

“Your bedroom is your sanctuary, so while the rest of the house might be full of color and pattern, the bedrooms tend to be more muted and neutral,” says Hawaii-based designer Shaolin Low of Studio Shaolin. That doesn’t mean you have to stay away from color completely. The key is to bring in shades that soothe rather than stimulate, and the latest bedroom paint color trends are all about achieving that restful look....

Make the car: Using a pushpin, create an opening in the middle of a blown-out egg. Cut out felt circles for the wheels and headlights; felt strips add leaves to your carrot. Make the sailboat: Using a pushpin, create an opening in a blown-out egg. Hot-glue a wooden skewer to inside of egg; add triangle-shaped pieces of felt to finish the sail. Cut out waves from blue felt and add around the bottom of the egg....

Test Kitchen Tip: Can’t find—or not a fan of—malted milk eggs? Try peanut butter Easter eggs instead. Test Kitchen Tip: Try swapping the whipped cream for scoops of vanilla ice cream! Test Kitchen Tip: For the best flavor, make the Easter trifle the night before and keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve it.

After: Bright and Useful Closet Takeover With a few simple additions, this closet is now a welcoming and useful laundry space. A striped rug, baskets and bins for organizing and sorting, and plenty of hanging space and shelving for all of your laundry needs make this laundry room functional as well as pretty. To see the full reveal, visit Four Generations One Roof. Before: Wasted Space Before the makeover, this area was wasted space not being used to its potential....

Every year, I look forward to when the new varieties of mums start popping up, and they’re living up to my expectations yet again. Some of my favorite new mums offer larger flowers, bicolor blooms, and even cascading branches perfect for hanging baskets. Keep an eye out for these vibrant chrysanthemums, sure to brighten up your fall garden.

The lilac’s scent is what makes a lilac a stand-out plant in the garden—its scent is stronger in full sun and is commonly used in perfumes and soaps. If you have lilacs in your yard, you know how precious it is to see them bloom. Most blooms only last a few weeks each year! The Bloomerang lilac is one the of few types of reblooming lilacs. Check out the following six of our favorite surprising facts we unearthed about this amazing shrub....

1. Coconut Oil Pulling You may be thinking…what in the world is “coconut oil pulling”? While it may sound bizarre, coconut oil pulling is an ancient, Ayurvedic technique that supposedly draws bacteria out of the body as it’s swished around the mouth for 10-30 minutes. The process is said to be incredibly detoxifying for all your dental needs––boosting gum health, whitening teeth naturally, and preventing cavities. But the benefits don’t stop there: Fans also argue that the process benefits the entire body, increasing metabolism, reducing PMS, clearing acne, and eliminating candida from the system....

Look Up In a small space such as an entryway, vertical storage is key. This doorless closet-turned-cubby uses a storage shelf to keep shoes out of the way. Hooks mounted on a stylish wallpaper treatment are perfect for hanging backpacks, purses, and jackets. Extra storage built-in above the closet holds totes full of seasonal items, such as scarves and hats. Amazing Entryways that Do it All Basket Case In a tiny dwelling, like a dorm room or apartment, spaces with more than one use are often necessary....

1. Lemon Basil Room Spray Freshen up rooms with the clean scent of lemon and basil. To create a DIY room spray, start by boiling ¾ cup water in a pot or tea kettle and pour it into a liquid measuring cup. Add four tablespoons of dried basil, and let it steep for a few minutes. Line a funnel with a coffee filter, and place it in the opening of a reusable spray bottle....