Follow these tips for making your bathroom a welcome and wonderful retreat from this hectic, fast-paced world. By Diane Franklin Many people view bathrooms as their sanctuary—a place to retreat from all the demands and sensory stimuli that bombard us on a daily basis. Your decorating choices certainly contribute to how soothing a bathroom retreat [...]

Black is a trending color but in the right doses. By Tammy Adamson-McMullen Bright flower-power colors are associated with the 1960s, but black was all the rage, too. Blacklights, black-flocked wallpaper, black and white pop art, black wrought iron and flat black wall paint were also popular and in both residential and commercial design. The [...]

Glazing is a visually stunning way to transform your space. By Tammy Adamson-McMullen Glazing is a centuries-old decorative finish that involves putting a transparent coat of color over a slightly different-colored basecoat. The look is soft, lustrous and multi-dimensional—and currently popular in all sorts of settings, from restaurants and hotels to every style of home. [...]

Easy to install and easy to remove, peel-and-stick wallpaper is a versatile decorating option for homes, apartments and dorm rooms. By Diane Franklin Peel-and-stick wallpaper is an easy, non-committal way to add pattern to walls, ceilings, furniture and other surfaces. Consumers can apply the self-stick wallpaper with minimal effort—no extra paste or water trays needed. [...]

Does a quality paint REALLY pay for itself? Here are the facts. By Tammy Adamson-McMullen You may have heard that a premium paint pays for itself. But is this really true? Or is it a sales pitch designed to take a few more dollars out of your pocket? Here are the facts to help you [...]

Children change so quickly, but their rooms don’t have to… By Tammy Adamson-McMullen Most kids’ rooms are in a constant state of change, just like the little ones who occupy them. From pastels and lullaby themes to primary colors and licensed cartoon characters to neons and pop star posters, kids’ rooms are always a work [...]

Natural materials, water-resistant emulators of wood and the continuing influence of gray are among the trends you can expect to see underfoot in 2020. By Diane Franklin Something new is afoot! But that’s not unusual in the floor covering industry. Floor covering manufacturers are always developing new options to put beneath consumers’ feet. New colors, [...]

You can use an HVLP paint sprayer to get a job done fast—but make sure you educate yourself on how to use it. By Diane Franklin HVLP paint sprayers are a great way to get a job done quickly and efficiently while achieving a fine finish with greater application accuracy and less overspray. The acronym [...]

Gray is one of the trickiest colors to use in decorating. Here are ideas to make it work. By Diane Franklin If you keep an eye on color trends, you undoubtedly know that gray has been one of the most popular hues in home decorating for the past four or five years. As a neutral, [...]