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The actress, known for her fondness of confident and colorful Christmas decor ideas has, unsurprisingly, chosen to adorn her favorite decoration with glitter, and rainbow-colored crystals to create a memorable statement, just as she has done her home. For the ultimate starting point, you can follow her lead and invest in a crystallized nutcracker (or a pair of crystallized nutcrackers) that will stand as the talking point in your home for the rest of the holiday season....

‘Living rooms are arguably one of the most important rooms in a house – but making a living room functional and inviting while still keeping it a design-forward space can be hard,’ says Austin-based Sarah Stacey of Sarah Stacey Interior Design (opens in new tab). Below, Sarah has pulled together her best tips, tricks and advice for perfecting your living room, whether you are remodeling or just looking for a quick revamp....

‘These were second time clients of ours,’ says Maureen Ursino of Ursino Interiors (opens in new tab). ‘It’s always so enjoyable to work with clients for a second time – by then, you’ve gained each other’s trust and developed a “design rapport” so the process becomes smoother, more predictable, and is often quicker.’ The clients, a young family who live in the suburbs of Manhattan, had always wanted to build a second home on Martha’s Vineyard....

That new home marries elegance with playful touches, and bold contemporary styling with more traditional references. All these elements combine to make this one of the world’s best homes. The family called on architect Bill Huey (opens in new tab) and designer Caroline Brackett (opens in new tab) who worked with them to get the look they wanted and showed them how to successfully balance classic period features with contemporary interior styling....

‘We wanted to reflect the house’s wonderful views of both the land and the sea,’ says Jess. In part, this is expressed in the colour palette: ‘We blended softer pastels with earthier, more dramatic deep tones to help the scheme feel organic and natural,’ she adds. See this house in Dorset is a treasure trove of beautiful objects The property For this project, the designers used colours by Paint & Paper Library....

‘It’s Champagne o’clock,’ declares our vivacious hostess, emerging onto the terrace clutching brim-filled flutes in one hand and, in the other, a dish of pakoras plucked from the oven, alluding her Indian heritage. ‘My husband and I have demanding jobs, and the children are in and out the house, so life is a little hectic at times,’ she says. ‘But we love socialising. Spending time with family and friends is what weekends were made for....

However, paint ideas for bathrooms need to be chosen with care, since this is the room that is often the smallest in the house. We’re here to help you make the best paint choice for your bathroom with a list of inspiring paint ideas and bathroom color ideas. Bathroom paint ideas Give your bathroom space a quick and easy new look with a fresh lick of paint, a great choice for bathroom wall ideas....

Before they could even begin to consider the fine design details, however, there were some major obstacles to overcome - namely stripping away the not very complimentary architectural elements that had been added to the house in the 1940s, 80s and 90s. The main culprit and biggest challenge was the old 1980s kitchen that was falling apart. The owners turned to designer Cecilia Casagrande (opens in new tab) to help them enhance the home’s original architecture while making it ready for modern day living....

If you already know how to grow lavender outside, moving your plants indoors may appeal for several reasons. From protecting it over winter to introducing its perfumed blooms into your home for their fragrant scent, there is little reason to not want this flower in your home. Here, experts explain how you can grow lavender indoors and share their tips for a thriving houseplant. Can lavender grow indoors? ‘Lavender is a wonderful plant to grow indoors,’ explains Rachel Crow, garden editor for Homes & Gardens....

The beauty of decorating with Christmas foliage is that it is hugely versatile. Lush greenery made up into garlands, wreaths and centerpieces can be used anywhere around the home and can be embellished with flowers and decorations to create all sorts of looks. From entryways to living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms, there’s no space that won’t look better with a touch of festive foliage. Use abundantly and keep unadorned for a beautifully rustic look, alternatively add, berries, dried fruit, and pine cones for a traditional feel....

Grime and food from pots and pans as well as things like soil from watered houseplants can easily get stuck down the drain, creating an unpleasant odor. So, make sure your kitchen is a pleasant space to be by cleaning the kitchen sink – and in particular the drain – once a week. Jelina Saliu, Chief Innovation Officer at Safely (opens in new tab), the home care and cleaning brand by Kris Jenner and Emma Grede, says: ‘Various foods and objects can easily drop down the kitchen sink and get stuck, clogging the drain which makes it hard for water to flow down....

Whilst the idea of following an internet trend may leave you sceptical, the Coastal Grandmother look is fast becoming an aspirational lifestyle for those wanting to live an relaxed, composed life. Here, designers have offered their opinions on the aesthetic and how to achieve this interior design trend in your home. What is the Coastal Grandmother style? The Coastal Grandmother style is the epitome of timeless elegance. As more mature and refined spaces find a broader appeal, especially amongst younger generations who long for a more carefree lifestyle, the trend has taken off on social media....

Whether you’re looking for ways to organize your bookshelf ideas or to showcase your favorite book covers, we’ve rounded up a host of creative decorating ideas for arranging books to help get you inspired. Decorating with books – 12 ways to display a book collection in style When it comes to decorating with books there are an array of approaches to take, so before you look to arranging your collection it’s worth first thinking about what look you’re trying to achieve....

‘I knew this house would have colour,’ says the owner, acknowledging that his Persian heritage may have played a role in his affinity for hues at the richer end of the spectrum. ‘It’s something that is probably rooted in me.’ THE PROPERTY Though most of the houses in the small village are centuries old, this is one of a cluster of five built in the 1980s, and when the owners – who have three children, aged 13, 12 and nine – bought it two years ago, it was ready for improvement....

There are certain key elements that define how to achieve a farmhouse kitchen – and others that will throw it off – so we spoke to design experts to find out the simple decorating and styling choices, and the farmhouse kitchen ideas that will help you get the look just right, wherever you happen to live. How do I make my kitchen look farmhouse? When you’re thinking about how to make your kitchen look farmhouse, remember it’s about a mood and lifestyle as much as the decor....

The key to styling a small house is avoiding overcrowding the space while still creating interiors rich in interest. And great styling in a small home will mean it doesn’t feel compact but open and airy as well as super chic. Whether you’re curating small room ideas for a living space, bedroom, or another part of your home, these interior design tips will give you the knowhow you need to style a small house....

‘It’s also the perfect time to address your outdoor space – however small – and think about how you can blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor with interior design as summer beckons. As soon as it is warm enough, I love to eat outdoors and creating a space in the garden or terrace is a must.’ ‘Create an outdoor space with hanging banners, and outdoor rugs, like those at Designers Guild (opens in new tab) (above)....

Painting a house is a project that involves careful preparation before painting commences. But the exterior of a home also calls for many hours of labor to complete the project, and both will feed into what you can expect to pay. Choosing paint colors for the exterior of a house is an important feature of house design and will help a home retain its curb appeal and protect it from the weather and, here, we examine the costs to paint a house so you can draw up a budget for the job....

The lawn is a major feature of many backyard landscaping ideas and aerating, along with mowing, watering and fertilizing, can all be required to keep it thriving and looking its best. We’ve put together the details on which tools are required, and asked the experts for their advice on how to aerate a lawn, too so that when it comes to when to aerate a lawn, you are ready to go....

You can clean a dishwasher with vinegar too, to give it that next level clean once in a while. Although, as we explain below, it’s important to dilute it. It pays to know how to clean a dishwasher to keep everything in good working order and to avoid odors. So, how do the experts do it? How to clean a dishwasher with vinegar: step-by-step Hugo Guerrero, a certified House Cleaning Technician at Mattressive (opens in new tab) recommends following these simple steps....