If your idea of dog decor is a haphazard arrangement of slobbery tennis balls and muddy paw prints, well, you’ve got the wrong idea! I’ve come up with ten dog-inspired home decor pieces that will have you jumping up and down and begging for more, and from quirky canine sculptures to lamps and even furniture, you’re sure to find a treat you love. They’re perfect for the dog enthusiast, or anyone craving some offbeat, artistic flair in their home. Click SEE SLIDESHOW for 10 doggie decor items you’ll want to go fetch!
Where else can you walk in empty-handed and then emerge with a three-drawer dresser and a package of heat-and-eat Swedish meatballs? Nowhere. Furniture from IKEA is like a pair of Levi’s.. everyone has one somewhere. But at the same time, their stuff can sometimes be like a logo-drenched handbag - virtually screaming IKEA, no matter what you pair it with in your home. But not ALL of their stuff! Click SEE SLIDESHOW for 10 IKEA pieces that don’t look like they fell off a Volvo.
Let me guess, this morning you rolled out of bed and threw on “whatever,” using the Monday excuse. I don’t need to define the “Monday excuse” because it’s just what it sounds like, but I do have a solution - Stylehive’s Stylescopes! Our predictions are just what you need to whip yourself out of weekend mode and own your outfits for the rest of the week. This time around, Aries show their grace under pressure, Virgos get good reviews, and Scorpios catch the gossip bug. Want to know what’s in the stars for your week? Just click SEE SLIDESHOW, find your sign, and get stylin’!
Raise your hand if you’ve been using the same ordinary silver corkscrew/souvenir shop keychain bottle opener for longer than you can remember… ahh, I love being right. The barware you use is just as crucial, if not more crucial than the actual drinks themselves, so it’s definitely time to update these oh-so-necessary gadgets. I’ve come up with ten corkscrews and bottle openers that are reason enough to throw a party (like you really need an excuse), and you can bet these ones won’t get lost in that cluttered kitchen drawer. Click SEE SLIDESHOW for my ten favorite party starters!
It’s not often that we think of wallpaper as art, since it’s usually just the backdrop to the art, but Swedish designer Lisa Bengtsson is changing that with her collection of whimsical prints and patterns that are just too pretty to cover. Drawn to creativity and expression as a child, her background in advertising only added to her desire to work in graphic design. The inspiration for her work comes from people-- the way they live now, the way they used to live, and the behaviors and memories that make them who they are. It’s this sense of past and present combined that gives her work such a unique, imaginative flair. Click SEE SLIDESHOW to see Lisa Bengtsson’s whimsical wallpaper and graphic prints for yourself!
We don’t need to tell you that lots of important stuff goes down in the bedroom. There’s the sleeping and dreaming… and, well, y’know, other good stuff too that follows, precedes, or sometimes interrupts the sleeping and dreaming. Why have a boring ol’ bed in such a momentous room? An over-the-top, fantasy bed will make you think you’re dreaming before you even fall asleep. From crazy four poster beds to round beds (Groovy baby!), we’ve got all of the Hive’s wackiest, wow-factor beds rounded up in this slide show!
Balloon animals and cartoon characters are fun childhood memories for most, but for artist Jeff Koons, they are monuments! The Pennsylvania-born painter and sculptor’s larger than life sculptures are kitsch writ large. Koons’ latest show, “Jeff Koons on the Roof” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, which opened last week, is this year’s must-see exhibit in the Big Apple, and his public sculptures are permanent fixtures at the Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain and Papal Palace in Avignon, France. Click READ MORE for more about Koons and SEE SLIDESHOW for my favorite kooky Koons creations!
If you’ve ever dreamed of living the rocker chick life, but aren’t quite ready to rock the leather jacket and heavy eyeliner, why not try infusing a little edginess into your home sweet home? Glam pieces like mirrored furniture, black lacquer accessories and a funky animal-print rug can go a long way to turn any room into a blingy pad with major star wattage. And speaking of wattage...nothing gives a room a glam rock vibe like a seriously stylin’ chandelier. Ready to to rock out? Check out my SLIDESHOW of the glammest home finds in the Hive!
If you ask me, the best part of luxury hotels are the bathrooms. What could be better than plush towels, buttery lotions, and a hot shower with perfect water pressure? You might not be able to afford an exact replica of a $500/night hotel bathroom at home, but believe it or not, it’s pretty easy to turn any old ho-hum bathroom into a retreat of pampering and serenity. Think about what you love the best about deluxe spas....the cushy towels? Look no further than Williams-Sonoma Home. The designer lotions? Meet Jo Malone. And for the ultimate in spa pampering, invest in a towel warmer and rain shower...you’ll never leave the bathroom again!
I have an addiction to pretty spring table stuff. Case in point: I was buying pieces before I even moved into my apartment. It was the middle of winter. I don’t even cook. I have a problem. Click SEE SLIDESHOW for 10 of my favorite pretty spring plate picks. Incorporate a few new pieces here and there for the perfect place setting pick-me-up. Mix solids with patterns to add dimension to your table, and you can work with the pieces you already have! They’re a worthwhile investment, even if the only action they get is a result of your Chinese takeout habit. But if you stop using them, send them to me. Don’t even wash. Just mail now! Because I need them.
Urban Outfitters is one of my favorite sites for funky home goods that give you big, stylish bang for the buck. Take the site’s current pillow selection - so many great choices, all under $40! A couple of new pillows for your couch or bed can easily transform the entire room; they’re the perfect way to have fun with an of-the-moment trend without breaking the bank. My absolute fave pillows currently on the site? The pop art-reminiscent LOVE bedside pillowcase set and super chic, ruby red zebra print throw pillow! For the best of the rest of Urban Outfitters pillows in the Hive, check out the slide show!
People are such funny creatures. We buy pretty clothes and spritz ourselves with lovely perfumes, but then we buy pretty decor, only to spritz our rooms with… Febreeze? It’s a little off-putting, if you ask me. And while I suppose perfumes could double as room sprays, let’s just pretend that they don’t like to share, because I’ve come up with ten chic, elegant home fragrances that will make that shiny new bottle of Burberry ‘The Beat’ insanely jealous. From fragrance rocks to sticks, diffusers, and even scented sheets, there are plenty of ways to introduce a new scent to your home, and many of them are pretty enough to function as decor! Click SEE THE SLIDESHOW for 10 reasons to toss the Febreeze!
If you’re looking to create perfect bedroom ambiance that’s both stylish and functional, it’s best to consider your bedside lighting options carefully before you make a purchase. First, measure your bedside table - how small will your lamp base have to be to still allow you room for a magazine or alarm clock? No table? No problem. Sounds like you’re in the market for wall sconces, which add an easy level of sophistication to any bedroom. As you’re shopping, remember also that you’ll want lamps tall enough to throw light down on you while you’re reading in bed (lamps that are too squat will do you no good), and you’ll want the on-off switch to be within easy reach. So check out my SLIDESHOW of sexy, sleek bedside lighting!
Want to give your place an effortlessly cool, well-traveled vibe? Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors and prints: graphic, modern, and ethnic prints look surprisingly fabulously together! Accessorize with a well-edited collection of unique pieces you’ve picked up on your travels: a bleached white shell will look great next to that wood carving you picked up in Costa Rica! Haven’t gone on any great trips lately? Not to worry. There are plenty of inexpensive, wow-factor pieces to be found in shops like Urban Outfitters and West Elm. Just check out this red lantern and tongue-in-cheek hip art-piece-slash-mirror! Click SEE SLIDESHOW for some more great Stylehive finds to turn your pad groovy.
Who hasn’t been in that situation where you run into a friend and just know something’s different, but can’t for the life of you figure out what’s changed? All you know is that he or she looks good. Haircut, pilates workouts-- whatever it is, it’s working, and you’re a little blown away. Turns out, that feeling isn’t just for people! There are plenty of ways to give your home that “we totally just remodeled, doesn’t it look fab?” feel without turning your house-- and wallet-- upside down. You can easily refresh the look of any part of your home or apartment-- all you need is a little creativity and a browse through our slideshow of ways to make everyone think you remodeled! It can be our little secret… kind of like your friend’s nose job. Click SEE THE SLIDESHOW to get started!
Do you, or someone you know, seem to spend more time in the kitchen than in any other room in the house? Are you constantly looking for the latest and greatest kitchen accesories that make concocting meals - and mixing cocktails - seem more like a fabulous science experiment than a meat-and-potatoes cooking session? Maybe you’ve always wanted to mix the perfect martini or, move over Pinkberry, make your own soft serve yogurt? You (or someone you love - Mother’s Day is May 11!) will love our slide show of the top 8 funky kitchen gadgets in the Hive!
Whether you live according to reason, fashion, or constellations, Stylehive’s weekly Stylescopes feature has something to get you through your Monday-- and every other day this week. This time around, travel-loving Leos get to jet set with a new tote in tow, Scorpios go back to basics, but certainly not backwards, and Pisces are swimming in a sea of creativity. Want to know what the stars have in store for you and your wardrobe this week? All you have to do is click SEE SLIDESHOW, find your star sign, and get stylin’!
Confession: I still have a Barbie Dream House. Actually that’s not true, and I haven’t had one since the elevator on my two-story one broke circa 1991. But I do have a dream house in the back of my mind, and it’s filled with furniture by Italian manufacturer Kartell. The Milan-based design house is known for its contemporary and above all practical focus. Each piece, from the simple ‘louis ghost’ chair to the playful ‘toobe’ floor lamp is the result of careful studies of the relationship between plastic and technology. Kartell’s collections also benefit from its international design base, where designers like Ron Arad, Piero Lissoni, Maarten Van Severen, and Philippe Starck keep the ever-expanding flow of ideas in constant motion. Click SEE SLIDESHOW for 10 pieces you’ll find in my Kartell dream house. (Sorry, Barbie.)
Is there anything more effortlessly stylish than a room with a beachy, organic vibe? Designers often go the shabby chic route when interpreting this look, filling rooms with whitewashed furniture and overly feminine prints, but if you ask me, those rooms smell of mothballs when they should smell of crisp, salt air. Kick the wicker furniture to the curb and put a contemporary twist on coastal style with hip colors, bold prints, and clean lines. Fab ideas for achieving 21st century beach chic in any room? Mix textured furniture with white linens. I love the idea of pairing this sea grass bed with a white duvet cover. Look for rugs with big, bold patterns in unexpected colors (like orange!) that give your house the vibe of a sleek Miami boutique hotel. Accessorize with clear vases filled with shells and sea glass!
Art in all forms has been making its way from museum walls to our walls to even our clothes-- and beyond-- for some time now, but the latest trend is shaping up to be digital art-inspired decor. That’s right, those digital designs have been jumping off computer screens and onto our floors, rugs, walls, plates, and pretty much anywhere with a surface begging for some extra flair. To get the look, keep an eye out for iconic imagery and pixelated patterns-- they’re what will differentiate the pieces from other printed ones. Check out some examples of this technologically-enhanced trend in our slideshow of digital art-inspired home decor!
They call me mellow yellow... Ok. Now I don’t know who “they” are, but I do know they’ve got it all wrong, because if you haven’t noticed, yellow is taking spring by storm. The non-rainy kind, of course. It’s not just for clothes either! While yellow is perfect for day dresses, swimsuits, slides, and even eyelids, it’s the burst of sunlight that it adds to home decor that has us reaching for the sun-kissed shade. From creamy pastels to bold goldenrods, the color is much more versatile than it appears at first glance. A yellow pitcher adds unexpected softness to a kitchen, while yellow jewelry gives an otherwise neutral outfit a playful twist. My slideshow is full of ways to incorporate yellow into your kitchen, your closet, and anywhere else that needs a little warmth. Check it out, and tell me your favorite in Comments!
I’ll be the first to admit that unless you’re a furry four-legged domestic animal, there’s really nothing cute about waking up. From the bedhead hair to the questionable morning breath (and let’s not forget that groggy first glance in the mirror - thankfully I need contacts), it’s not exactly endearing. Which is why a cute alarm clock to wake up to is an absolute necessity. It’s easy to hate the thing that screeches at you when it looks like nothing more than, well, an alarm clock, but replace that with an adorable alarm-emitting gadget, and you might just warm up to one. See the slideshow for a few of our favorites!
Looks like the print phenomenon has jumped from couture to furniture! I consider printed furniture the costume jewelry of the interior design world-- when kept to a minimum, the look is striking but not overkill. It goes without saying that these printed pieces are real scene stealers, so let them have the spotlight and let your other accents merely accent. From well-placed patterns to the most wayward and whimsical ones out there, I’ve found ten of the coolest printed pieces in the Hive from designers including Kartell, Marimekko, and Missoni. Watch the slideshow and tell me which one gets your vote!
This may be TMI, but my youngest daughter is totally potty trained now. She learned in like a week. That’s why we love her the most of our three children. Kidding! Anyway, it made me realize, that after three kids in six years, I am done with diapers! Which then of course had me wistful for the salad days when the children were young, and so was I. Which made me start clicking on strollers and thinking - Why didn’t they have these when I had little kids? It’s not fair! I know, I’m a bit conflicted. Anyway…
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