Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

1 Cobalt Blue

For a pop of color, pair a cooler-toned gray with a bold cobalt blue like this example from Delish's new test kitchen. Using it in small doses can help the hue not feel as overwhelming or too visually busy.

In this Jeremiah Brent designed home, a cool, sage-like gray is warmed up thanks to terra-cotta velvet and natural wood accents. It adds just enough color to this office space without distracting from the tasks at hand.

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Monochrome can be a great way to streamline a space and make it feel luxurious and restful. Vary the gray tones to add dimension and visual interest to the room.

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In House Beautiful's 2023 Whole Home, this kitchen is grounded with a deep green-gray hue on the cabinetry. To lighten the space, the molding and surrounding walls were painted a bright, warm white.

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Channel your inner English countryside by pairing your light gray walls with hunter green cabinetry and upholstery. Warmer woods and patterned tile tie the entire room together. We didnt want anything that felt modern here, designer Amanda Jacobs says.

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Gray can feel quite modern and futuristic, so in order to ground it in the present, pair the hue in deep mahogany wood antiques. This pantry, designed by Whittney Parkinson in House Beautiful's 2022 Whole Home, uses a textured gray wallpaper to further add depth.

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Philip Smith was in search of a table when a friend of mines mother passed," he says, adding, "I adored her, and when my friend went through her things she said, theres a table here with your name on it! I was nearly in tears. The gray-blue patina looks beautiful next to the chrome chairs and green-gray wall paint.

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Light griege, black accents, and brass fixtures create a beautiful, polished mood in this living room designed by Ray Attanasio.

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We're loving the pops of jewel tones in this living room designed by Courtney McLeod. Bold shades of marigold and magenta are softened by the warm gray walls.

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The gray, swirling clouds in Anne Hepfer's dining roompapered in a Cole & Son Fornasetti printfeel anything but bleak with the addition of punchy blues.

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Gold and coral tones warm up the charcoal sofa and light gray painted walls in this living room designed by Alison Victoria.

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With its vibrant purple rug and charcoal gray cabinets, this Nicole Fuller-designed office makes work feel like play.

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Verdant, leafy green and trelliswork makes this pale gray office designed by Joe Lucas feel like an enchanted garden.

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In House Beautiful's 2019 Whole Home, design whiz Vern Yip showed how deep shades of golden yellow and brass can add glamour to layers of gray.

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David Frazier divided the main living room into two distinct zones, one for lounging and visiting, and one for dining and working. The large pendant light and antique pieces personalize the more generic bones of the building, and Benjamin Moore's Simply White makes for a more interesting impression than plain white.

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25 Colors That Go With Gray - Best Gray Color Combinations - House Beautiful

Knowing the latest living room trends will set you up with everything you need for a successful redesign of your space; from the best colors to use, to styles of furniture, lighting, accessories, and more.

As a central hub of your home, your living room ideas need to work hard to be both comfortable and multifunctional. From relaxing to socializing and entertaining, your lounge space does a lot. But aside from picking the most relaxing color combinations and deciding on your favorite interior design style, how do you know what's really 'on trend'?

Rather than focusing on fading fads, we've spoken to interior designers to give us their thoughts on the latest living room trends that will endure. Timeless, elegant, and inviting, here are the 15 living room trends taking center stage in 2024.

(Image credit: Jessica Helgerson Interior Design / Photography Aaron Leitz / TaylorSmith Sustainable Construction)

When harnessing the latest interior design trends to design a living room, ensure to establish a space that is welcoming, beautiful, and practical. There is always room to add trending pieces in the way of accessories that can be easily swapped out, but to create space that will never date you're going to want to start with a timeless foundation.

'Crafting a welcoming living space entails various elements: from snug throws and plush pillows to suitable lighting and decor that mirrors your unique taste while fostering a tranquil and cohesive ambiance,' suggests Christine Carney, director of design at Blackberry Farm Design.

There is always room for improvement and inspiring change with the latest living room trends. So, to leave you suitably inspired to upgrade your living room with confidence, here are our top 15 living room trends for the coming year.

(Image credit: Bethany Adams / JL Jordan Photography)

By now, you'll be more than familiar with the idea of color drenching aka the paint technique of taking your wall color up and over your ceiling, window trims, molding, skirtings, doors etc. You name it, we're drenching it in 2024. But have you heard of color layering?

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'Color drenching remains a strong trend in living rooms, but to give that trend extra depth and stay powder, turn it up a notch and try color layering,' suggests interior designer Bethany Adams. 'Color layering is when you take several shades, hues, or tones of the same rich color and layer them in different applications. Think walls, furnishings, artworks, etc. to achieve a more sophisticated and nuanced color story than the single color palettes we're used to seeing.'

By layering colors thoughtfully, homeowners can create spaces that feel luxurious, sophisticated, and multi-dimensional. Start with a base color that sets the mood, then layer in complementary hues through paint, textiles, or accessories and consider incorporating different textures and finishes to further enhance the color story from matte to glossy, smooth to textured.

(Image credit: Humbert & Poyet)

As we continue to find new ways to make our homes even more comfortable, cozy, and relaxing, many designers are moving away from harsh and strict straight lines and incorporating more curvaceous, free-flowing forms across furniture trends, lighting trends accessories.

Juliette Thomas, founder & director of Juliettes Interiors says, 'Curved furniture, especially sofas and armchairs, will be popular in 2024 bringing a welcome softness to living spaces. These will be adorned in light colors and textured fabrics like shades of white and cream, with boucl remaining a favorite.'

As shown above in this living room by the team at Humbert & Poyet, this iconic de Sede sofa is a real lesson in how to use curves to add flow and dynamism in interior design. 'The centerpiece for this living room was chosen due to its elegant appearance and sophisticated design. Renowned for its unique shape, this design speaks to us and provides a variety of endless seating arrangements. This orientation of the sofa provides fluidity with the other circular shapes carried throughout the living room, whilst also acting as a beautiful focal point.'

A curvaceous couch such as this not only establishes a wonderfully welcoming and relaxed atmosphere but the soft edges and rounded shape make for an incredibly comfortable seat space.

(Image credit: Victoria Maria / Photography Belen Imaz & Pedro Bermejo)

There is a growing appreciation for the careful curation of vintage and antique pieces in interiors right now. Mixing modern pieces with vintage finds and unique accents adds layers of visual interest and creates a sense of personality within a space, making environments that are as unique as they are inviting.

The key to successfully incorporating an eclectic mix lies in striking a balance between contrasting elements while maintaining cohesion. 'Usually, I will instinctively start with one object, art piece, or piece of furniture that appeals to me and that will become the living room's focal point,' advises interior designer Victoria Maria. 'What is key, is to move pieces around and find the correct orientation and the colors that best complement one another. Small or large pieces, placed centrally, against a wall, or in a corner, there are no rules when creating an eclectic seating area.'

Select pieces that speak to you personally and resonate with the overall aesthetic of the space. Whether it's a mid-century modern armchair or a quirky vintage lamp, each antique furniture piece should contribute to the story you're telling. 'I also try to embrace a rich tapestry of warm colors and tones, as their ability to infuse any room with energy, vibrancy, and coziness is something everyone desires in their living spaces,' she adds.

(Image credit: Original BTC X Beata Heuman)

A living room often serves multiple functions, therefore, your living room lighting ideas need to be carefully thought through so each zone of the space is perfectly illuminated.

Gone are the days of simply turning on the 'big light', a living room should instead have many welcoming pools of light, and a mix of both practical, task lighting and ambient, decorative light sources. Scarlett Hampton, co-founder of lights&lamps says, 'Dont just rely on just a single overhead light. Layer lighting levels from several sources, with a mix of table lamps on surfaces, floor lamps, and wall lights to cast a cozy glow. Also, highlight any focal point features or architectural details with accent lighting.' This is a technique known as 'lampscaping'.

To create a cozy reading nook, use picture lights in combination with artwork to establish a striking gallery wall. Finding the right living room lighting will ensure that your space is both functional, inviting, and of course, nice and cozy.

(Image credit: Little Greene)

Biophilic design seeks to integrate natural elements and patterns into the built environment, fostering a sense of harmony, well-being, and vitality. 'I love the idea of biophilic design, which encompasses an abundanceof natural light and incorporates plants, florals, and natural materials, like wood, stone, wool, linen, and sheepskin,' explains Molly Torres Portnof of DATE Interiors.

Green wallpapers with botanical or leafy motifs sit comfortably in any interior scheme because of their relationship with the natural environment and our longing to bring the outdoors inside,' says Ruther Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene.

Moreover, the biophilic design style encompasses the use of natural materials and textures to evoke the experiences of nature. 'We feel soothed by green and its neutral base it is neither too warm, nor too cool. Adding green to your living room will help to create a restful, positive space that will harness the calming effects of nature indoors. Even greens at the brighter and bolder end of the spectrum such as emerald or forest green will provide a serene sense of calm alongside their energizing impact on an interior,' she adds.

(Image credit: Alice Grace Interiors)

While we all use and love them, there is no denying that a large television is an eyesore in your carefully designed living room. So, concealing the TV when not in use with options such as motorized lifts, sliding panels, or custom cabinetry allows for a more versatile and visually cohesive space. It's about finding that delicate balance between function and design.

Alternatively, you might favor a living room design that loses the TV entirely. 'This is more of a timeless design choice than a trend, but I've been seeing a lot of living rooms (including my own!) lately that are designed without a television,' says designer Kathy Kuo. 'I love the idea of designing your living room around gathering and connection, maybe you have a bar cabinet or a game table instead of a TV cabinet, rather than media viewing.'

'I like the fact that I have my TV tucked away in a separate media room so that I don't need to consider it every time I want to rearrangemy living room furniture and decor.'

(Image credit: James Mcdonald)

From the rapid rise of 70s-inspired decor, to an eclectic mix of new furniture and second-hand or antique buys, 2024 will see a beautiful blend of the old and new in interior design, paying homage to designs and crafts of the past with styles of the present.

This retro living room trend does not follow a set of design rules or a strict theme, it instead focuses on our spaces becoming true expressions of who we are, through a more individual and 'collected' look.

Vinterior's brand director, Lucy Ward, refers to this style as the 'Hipstoric Home' trend, she explains, 'Homeowners will marry vintage and modern to embrace a truly maximalist feel. Key ways to do this include:

(Image credit: Alecia Neo)

Living room shelvingis a great feature in your lounge space as it provides somewhere to display your most prized possessions and lean further into the design story of the space.

I love a wraparound book storage idea it makes a room feel so cozy, and in a painted finish it isnt as heavy or traditional as a natural wood finish can feel, says interior designer Elizabeth Hay, who designed this scheme seen above. This wonderfully bright blue colorway is also broken up by the textured wallcovering behind the living room sofa, allowing the space and artwork to breathe.

To create a cohesive scheme with your living room storage ideas, link the paint to the upholstery, perhaps by adding cushions, throws, and trimmings in similar shades. Its worth selecting a second or third lead color done with red and green here so that you can link in more elements of the space without it seeming too done and overly coordinated.

(Image credit: TROVE by Studio Duggan)

When used thoughtfully, pops of animal print can infuse a room with a sense of playfulness and sophistication. While they seem a little bold and brash, decorating with animal prints is a focal point that injects personality and ties the entire space together.

The key is to exercise restraint with this one. Rather than overwhelming a space with animal prints, opt for subtle accents that create a sense of intrigue. Consider incorporating animal prints in smaller accessories such as throw pillows, rugs, or upholstered chairs. This allows for flexibility in experimenting with different patterns and textures while maintaining harmony within the space.

From the understated elegance of a leopard print (leopard print is a neutral!) to the bold statement of zebra stripes, there's a print to suit every aesthetic. Whether used in a traditional, eclectic, or modern setting, they add a layer of richness and complexity to the design.

(Image credit: Tim Salisbury)

When you typically consider using paint trends to create impact in a room, the first thought tends to be drenching the walls in a bright hue. While this is a tried and tested way of creating a statement, there are more delicate ways to achieve just as much of an impact.

In this scheme, seen above, by interior designer Anna Spiro, a high-gloss white paint on the walls bounces around light, making the surfaces nearly appear liquid with shine. Plus, it's worth noting yellow and all its buttery iterations is a big trend this year also.

Architectural details have been picked out in a beautiful deep yellow, adding not only color but an excellent grounding element. Living room furniture ideas and accessories in similar but not quite matching tones create a warming spectrum of sunshine across the space.

(Image credit: Studio Atkinson)

Set to define the next decade, zoning will replace open-plan living rooms in a phenomenon being referred to as broken-plan. So what is it? The broken-plan living room is a design concept that moves away from completely open-plan spaces and instead focuses on clearly defined, separated spaces.

Unsurprisingly, with more of us spending time at home working, eating, and relaxing we are now looking to employ the use of screens, partial walls, freestanding furniture, cabinetry, and house plants to create distinct zones and nest-like nooks, intended to provide an escape from the rest of the home.

(Image credit: John Lewis)

A classic spring decor trend, nothing signifies the start of the new season like a floral.The delicate but impactful nature of florals can add a new dimension to any scheme, whether traditional or contemporary.

In recent years, weve seen tropical and painterly florals, chintz, and oversized blooms dominant, but 2024 will also see many ditsy, delicate designs emerging. Think poppies, buttercups, and foxgloves growing wild across your walls for a classic English cottagecore feel.

Meadow-style prints are the prettiest way to add pattern and have a quintessentially country living room vibe.

(Image credit: James Merrell)

Decorating with pattern is a great way to introduce color and character into a room.'Pattern can be used to define a space and change the tone of different areas, advises Bunny Turner, interior designer at Turner Pocock. For example, you might want a bolder pattern on upholstery in a formal living area, with a contrasting pattern in an adjacent snug.

The key is to start with a fabric that has a striking pattern featuring more than three colors. From that fabric, choose the colors to be used in the scheme, then select a combination of designs in that palette perhaps a stripe, a geometric, a floral, and a textural option such as a coarse linen or herringbone.

Consider, too, the amount of pattern on show, she says. If you have a large patterned sofa, let it breathe by opting for plain curtains or ones lined with a fine design.

(Image credit: Studio Duggan)

A carefully considered clashing color combination can create a living room that truly sings with joy. This is a space for both socializing and retreat, so you want shades that both enliven and comfort you.Color confidence is bringing an impactful new energy into interiors in 2024.

Pink and green is one of my favorite unexpected color combinations they play really well off each other and its a great way to cheer up a room, says Lucy Barlow, founder, Barlow & Barlow.

Balance is key, especially as many people are still working from home. Integrating more neutral tones to offset your bold hues can help bring calm when you need to focus, but then you can turn around and be energized when its time to switch off for the day and allow the room to return to its primary function.

Juliette Thomas of Juliettes Interiors says, 'Providing a rich and moodier feel to spaces, homeowners will look towards darker and warm color palettes for their interiors. From furniture to wall color to soft furnishings, pair sumptuous tones with rich accents and materials such as brass and velvet.'

2024 will also see grounding palettes with inspiration from the natural world remain popular, with a heavy focus on rich greens and deep blues.

As we have discussed in this piece, many of us are also becoming increasingly confident with using color in the home. From bold-painted accent walls and even an accent ceiling to unexpected color combinations, 2024 is the year for a more adventurous and daring color palette in the home.

Of course, as is the nature of trends, some will remain ever-enduring year after year, and others, unfortunately, will fall flat.

Some of the most outdated living room trends include decorating with gray and beige instead we are choosing warmer neutrals such as pink and yellow and or opting for bolder colors rich in character.Additionally, we're leaning away from things that are making a home look dated in 2024 like matching furniture sets and heavy carpeting.

As discussed, open-plan living has been pushed to one side in favor of more cozy, broken-plan spaces, and minimalism is taking a back seat whilst maximalist decor, with spaces full of eclectic finds and a unique union of styles, takes center stage.

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The 15 living room trends interior design experts agree will take over in 2024 - Homes & Gardens

Last August, an elderly man named Ronald Davies was at home with his sick wife in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler. It was summertime. Their air conditioning unit had recently broken, and when investigators finally arrived to check on them, the temperature inside their mobile home was 102 degrees.

Davies and his wife were two of the 645 people who died in last summers record-shattering heat, according to records from the Maricopa County medical examiner.

Nearly half of those people lived outdoors without shelter, but public health officials and lawmakers are starting to pay more attention to the risk of dying indoors.

In a city where temperatures can flirt with 120 degrees, not everyone has air conditioning or the money to pay an electric bill.

Carole Ann Kane was one of those people without AC.

She lives with her dog Penny in a one-bedroom mobile home in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa. Kane moved in January after a split with her husband. Her mobile home is a clean and tidy place but had no air conditioning.

Kane knew this when she moved in. But she had few options.

After her husband left, she says she unwittingly gave $30,000 to a scammer who walked away with her nest egg.

Kanes daughters helped buy the mobile home with the little money she had left. Now she lives on $1,700 per month from Social Security to pay the bills, plus another $250 from a retirement account.

An air conditioning unit was not in the budget.

The only thing I can do was hope and pray that we can get the money together to get an air conditioning, Kane says. Its hard.

By May, temperatures had already topped 100 degrees, and Kane was feeling anxious and desperate with the summer approaching.

Kane would wake up in a pool of sweat and get overheated doing the dishes. Her dog suffers in the dangerous situation, too.

It breaks my heart to see her panting the way shes panting, Kane says.

Experts say the vast majority of people who die indoors in a Phoenix summer actually have AC. They just cant afford to use it.

Kane is 82. She has asthma. She lives alone.

All these factors put her at risk, says Patricia Solis, director of the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience at Arizona State University.

When youre starting to compile risk upon risk upon risk, they are exponential, Solis says.

Solis has examined heat deaths indoors in recent years and found that 30% to 40% of the heat-related indoor deaths in the Phoenix metro area happened in mobile homes, RVs and trailers. In 2023, records show that number fell to 24%.

It very much surprised me, she said. It was one of those things that are hidden in plain sight.

The regions sunny weather has long been a draw to seniors looking for an affordable place to retire.

But across the state, Solis says her team has identified 175,000 mobile homes built before 1990. That means they likely have poor insulation or leaky windows and generally dont live up to modern building standards.

People who live in mobile homes typically own the structure but rent the land from the park. Solis says some park managers prohibit people from installing shade structures and have ordered residents to take the AC units out of their front windows.

To prohibit you from using life-saving technology does not seem like something that people in Arizona would permit, she says. We may not agree on everything, but that seems like a no-brainer to me.

In April, Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bi-partisan bill that protects a tenants right to install air-conditioning window units or other cooling technology in a mobile home. Republican House member David Cook co-sponsored the legislation. Cook says this issue is closely related to the states housing shortage.

Rents have soared in recent years. Evictions are near record highs, and some people are willing to suffer without AC if it means staying in their homes.

People are on fixed incomes, Cook says. Now theyre dealing with inflation. They may have their homes paid for in one of these spots and thats all they have. The next step is homelessness.

Last July, Phoenix suffered 31 straight days of 110-degree temperatures. More people died of heat-related illness than ever before.

So why would any mobile home park ban a window AC unit?

At a legislative committee hearing earlier this year, a lobbyist with the Manufactured Housing Communities of Arizona answered that question.

Historically there have been some pretty loud ones, and also they are just a bit more unsightly, says the lobbyist, Janna Day, explaining why some parks have restricted window units.

The organization supports mobile home park owners. Here & Now reached out for further comment, but they did not respond.

DeAnna Mireau kept a close eye on the bill as it moved through the legislature. She leads the Arizona Association of Manufactured Home, RV & Park Model Owners, a statewide group of mobile home park residents.

You know what I find more unsightly? Is watching my neighbor be removed from their home in a body bag, she says from the front patio of her mobile home in Phoenix. This is a life-saving bill were talking about.

Mireau says the management of her park allows residents to use heat-blocking techniques, and her home looks like an oasis.

A trellis casts deep shade on the patio. A blossoming bougainvillea bush covers the tinted front window. A few years ago when her central air broke down she could afford a new $6,000 wall-mounted mini-split system.

But none of her precautions were enough during last summers record heat wave.

You couldnt cool the place last year, she says.

And she wasnt alone. Mireau says her group gets calls all the time from members worried about two things: Rent and heat.

Worry-free living and affordable housing those terms are no longer applicable, she says.

Meanwhile with the calendar marching toward summer, Carole Ann Kane finally caught a break in Mesa.

In mid-April, she used small rotary fans and a portable AC unit to stay cool. A thermometer on the table in her living room showed the temperature outside was 93 degrees nothing compared to what it will read in July. The sense of urgency to find a permanent air-conditioning solution was growing. But Kane refused to acknowledge her risk of dying.

I dont want to think about that, she says. Im praying to God that we get something going before it gets to be 110.

A few weeks later, Kanes tax return came through with just enough money to buy a $1,700 mini-split system. One blows cool air in the front room, another one in the back.

Finally, her prayers had been answered.

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Can you survive summer indoors without AC? In Arizona, many don't - WBUR News

Doors will soon be open to the 49th edition of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York, where the work of 24 top designers and architects is on marvelous display tomorrow through May 28. This year, the show house inhabits a 12,000-square-foot, 1904 neo-Georgian town house located at 125 East 65th Street. The particularly lovelyand unusually widebuilding was designed by architect Charles A. Platt, whose clients included Astors and Roosevelts.

The ticketed event is among the premier design events of the year and a fundraiser for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, whose mission is to provide educational and developmental programs to more than 10,000 children. The show houses have raised over $30 million to date, and its made possible thanks to a number of generous sponsorsnamely, for 2024, Artistic Tile, Benjamin Moore, Bokara, Christopher William, Cosentino, Dedar Milano, E. Braun & Co, Franois & Co., JennAir, I&G Construction Group, Kohler, Kravet Inc, Made Goods, Marc Phillips, New York Design Center, Phillip Jeffries, Pooky Lighting, Rug & Kilim Showroom, Sanderson, Silver Lining, Susans Jewelry, the Shade Store, and Vaughan.

For participating designers of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York, the carte blanche assignment is a chance to express their current musings. Show house interiors are meant to be liveable and a reflection of your work, but theyre also meant to have a bit of fantasy, says Karen Williams of St. Charles New York, who designed the homes copper-infused kitchen.

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In classic show house fashion, that sense of whimsy and fantasy comes to major fruition in the homes jewel-box-size spacesstairwells, hallways, and other pass-throughs go all-out in star treatment. Coming through the front door of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York, guests are greeted by Bennett Leifer Interiors Reframed Foyer, a completely carpeted space, in collaboration with Edward Fields Carpet Makers. Not only are the walls, floors, and ceiling carpetedso are a niche and door casings. Swati Goorha Designs wraps the homes main stairwell in a galactic world that transitions from dark to light as guests work their way upstairs, and on the top floor is a moody, water-inspired hallway by Huma Sulaiman called Dream Machine. A custom Phillip Jeffries wall covering reminiscent of the midnight sky and clouds wraps the room, giving just enough shimmer to reflect the spaces star players: two sculptural pendant lights by Jeremy Anderson.

The dark and dreamy spaces make way to light, bright, breathable takes throughout the home. Upon reaching the second-floor landing, guests are greeted by two stunning artworks by Raphaela Vogel, a set of ethereal resin urn shapes cast from architectural details on a building in Berlin. The works are part of Lucinda Loya Interiors Enchanted Roots foyer, which is covered in a neutral wallpaper drafted from 80 images of 18th-century etchings that were combined to form the scenic view of upstate New York. The design is a collaboration with Flavor Paperand it took over six weeks of digital work to achieve. Elsewhere, the Le Fumoir Fminin lounge by show house first-timer Workshop/APD evokes a sense of calm, courtesy of plaster-coated waved foam panels, and Jeremiah Brent Design offers a quiet moment for work and respite in his study, an ode to Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of beauty.

But this year, it was the show houses bedrooms that stole our hearts. In Patrick Meles On a Clear Day bedroom, crisp white architectural surrounds developed with Bories & Shearron draw attention to the wall-to-wall floral carpet by Mele for Aronsons (now available to shop) and the canopy bed fabricated in a corresponding floral print by Schumacher. My hope is for the room to feel strong, glamorous, fresh, clear, and vibrant: timeless, yet of this time, says Mele, who dedicated the incredibly chic space to the inspiring women in his life. The femme influences continue in Shawn Hendersons Steel Sanctuary, designed with Yves Saint Laurent muse Betty Catroux in mind. Sculptural steel furnishingsstatement case goods by Paul Evans and the Campana Brothers among themare seductively sophisticated against the soft pink walls and upholstered ceiling, trimmed with a fringe crown detailing. And nearby, in the Cotswolds Retreat by Mikel Welch Designs, limewash-inspired walls crafted with Benjamin Moores Rainy Afternoon and Intrigue (and a TikTok tutorial) grounds the cozy retreat complete with unicorn tapestry and a vintage hand-carved Wretling sofa by Lawton Mull.

Elsewhere, color and pattern pack a punch. In A Dining Room of Ones Own by Kit Kemp Design Studio, walls are covered by an ornate tapestry, designed by Kemp for G P & J Baker. Something pulls you in at every turn, including hand-embroidered flower faces on the back of wing chairs, a childrens clock by Maarten Baas, and a series of contemporary pieces sourced from Maison Gerard. In the Wine Lounge + Garden Level Corridor by Beth Diana Smith Interior Design, a textural wall covering from Kravet serves as a buzzy backdrop to a series of bright, contemporary artworks and wine bottles. A knockout area rug by Stark Carpet and fixtures by Vaughan Lighting also punctuate the space.

And, finally, theres nothing like a bathroom in full glam mode. Kohlers new Heritage Green plumbing fixtures make a statement in bathrooms throughout the home. The centerpiece of Vanessa Deleons Smoke & Mirrors setting is a clawfoot Kohler bathtub in a decadent green, further enhanced with Artistic Tile mosaic flooring in a geometric pattern that summons the spirit of Art Deco. And in Benjamin Vandivers bathroom, the minty Aspen Green fixtures fit right in with the interiors collected aesthetic, dotted with artworks, pottery, and antique pieces from Vandivers personal collection.

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See Every Room Inside the Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York 2024 - Architectural Digest

Every Skittles fan knows to expect a taste of fruity goodness when they bite into their favorite chewy candy. Each piece is a burst of flavor, but now, that colorful sweetness will not only be confined to candy.

To celebrate Skittles Littles, one lucky fan can live in a Skittles-inspired micro New York City apartment designed by interior decorator Dani Klaric, with Skittles paying rent for a year for the mini-yet-maximalist space.

The Vice President of Mars stated,

""SKITTLES isn't afraid to max out the micro and deliver a truly pleasantly perplexing way to experience our newest innovation, SKITTLES Littles. We hope to inspire moments of everyday happiness for fans helping them enjoy the little things in life through our SKITTLES Littles Living apartment""

The Skittles Littles apartment is 353 square feet and located in Carmel Place. It is filled with bright and eccentric color schemes that encourage a bright and cheery attitude to match.

Manhattan's first micro-unit apartment building is developed by Monadnock Development and managed by Common Living, a Habyt Company.

To successfully pull off the Skittles-inspired endeavor, The brans partnered with Gen-Z sensation and maximalist interior designer, Dani Klaric to artfully transform the space. While the apartment may be small in size, it is large in aesthetic and functionality with every inch being a useful tool and stylish solution to one of Gen-Z's most common concerns.

""The SKITTLES Littles Living apartment feels like a small escape from reality with the rainbow colors and maximalist decor. Living in a small space doesn't mean you have to think small when it comes to style. I had so much fun transforming the SKITTLES Littles Living apartment with bold colors and funky furniture.""

Fans 18+ across the United States have until May 21st to enter for their chance to live in the Skittles Littles Living apartment with rent paid for a year. For more information and entry rules, visit SKITTLES.com/LittlesLiving.

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SKITTLES LITTLES: Don't Just Taste The Rainbow Live In It With New Space Designed By Interior Decorator Dani Klaric - Culturess

You must love color to enter this giveaway.

In September, Skittles announced its "littlest" innovation with Skittles Littles, a teeny, tiny version of its candy that it promises is more "poppable" than before.

"Expanding our portfolio with Skittles Littles allows us to create even more pleasantly perplexing experiences and inspire moments of everyday happiness for fans," Ro Cheng, the marketing director at Mars, shared at the time. "We can't wait for our fans to experience this tiny treat and Taste the Rainbow in a whole new way." Now, not only can fans eat the teensy candies, they can live in an equally adorable micro-apartment inspired by Skittles Littles. For free. For an entire year.

To honor this new candy addition, Skittles partnered with interior decorator Dani Klari, known for her love of maximalist design, to transform a micro-apartment in New York City into a "rainbow-filled masterpiece." And rather than just keep it all for themselves, Skittles is giving the apartment to one very lucky fan to live in rent-free for an entire year.

Related: Green Skittles Are Getting a New (Old) Flavor

The Skittles Littles Living apartment feels like a small escape from reality with the rainbow colors and maximalist decor, Klari shared. Living in a small space doesnt mean you have to think small when it comes to style. I had so much fun transforming the Skittles Littles Living apartment with bold colors and funky furniture.

According to Skittles, the apartment is 353 square feet and is located in Manhattans first micro-unit building, Carmel Place. While its square footage may not be huge, its style is.

In the bathroom, the new tenant will find polka-dotted floors mixed with delightful cloud wallpaper and a trippy shower curtain for added color. The fun flows into the kitchen, made up of rainbow-hued cabinets paired with some surprisingly subdued granite countertops. This opens up into the living room, where a bright green entertainment center faces a deep purple sofa, surrounded by plenty of Skittles-inspired art.

Related: Swedish Candy Could Be the Key to Happiness

"Micro in size but maximized in aesthetic and functionality, the apartment makes the most out of every nook and cranny," Skittles added about the home.

Ready to trade in your expensive, and undoubtedly less colorful, home for this one? Fans can enter for a chance to win the apartment for a year now through Tuesday, May 21, at SKITTLES.com/LittlesLiving. Just make sure to have your candy jars stocked for any and all surprise visitors.

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Skittles Is Giving Fans the Chance to Live in This Colorful Micro-Apartment Rent-Free for a Year - Yahoo Lifestyle Australia

ONE sought-after interior decorator shared her top tricks for designing a space on a budget without sacrificing style.

Her techniques can help transform your home into ultra luxe for less - much less.

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Sarah Swatez, founder of Sarah Elizabeth Design, bills herself as being a "top New Jersey interior designer."

She explained in a blog post that she wants to help people get "real clear" on where they should spend and where they should save when designing their homes.

"Over the course of a decade plus designing homes in New Jersey and beyond, weve developed methods in the way we choose furniture and decor for homes and want to share the reasons why, and how, you can implement the same methods," she wrote.

For young professionals - or anyone else - who "craves an elevated design," she knows just how to mix luxury items with "budget-appropriate" furniture.

One of her biggest tips for sticking to a budget is saving on rugs in high-traffic areas such as the living room and mudroom.

"We like Revival and Ruggable for higher-end looking and seriously washable rugs, with some great patterns," she said.

Swatez added that you don't have to break the bank when picking out accent furniture.

"Accent furniture is by no means an afterthought, yet we have found many great looking metal side tables and drink stands, and even marble coffee tables, at West Elm and CB2," she said.

For example, West Elm sells a 44-inch Santa Rosa Rectangle coffee table for $349.

Available in a driftwood finish, the table boasts a "unique" cross base to complement the streamlined top.

It is also described as giving a "high-end design at a great price."

The furniture features a natural wood grain and is extra durable.

Swatez also shared ways to save money on decorative items.

"There are such great ceramic and glass vases, candles, and candle holders, and objects out there to style your entry console, coffee table, or kids' rooms," she said.

"For kids' rooms, there seem to be endless fun and even handmade wall art and decor out there from Crate and Kids and even Etsy," she continued.

"This can also include cotton or linen throw blankets for the arm of your sofas during the warmer months."

Bed frames and headboards can also be budget-friendly buys if you know where to look.

She recommended shopping at mid-priced furniture retailers like Lulu and Georgia, Crate and Barrel, and One Kings Lane for upholstered beds.

Interior designer JudyHoang shared her furniture tips with The U.S. Sun.

Swatez noted that she considers her clients' lifestyles when making design choices, saying many of them are "busy professionals."

For homes with children and/or pets, she likes to incorporate "durable fabrics" and "floor coverings" into the overall look.

She explained that "this can mean investing in custom items like a sofa with a washable velvet" or a "washable pattern rug."

The expert also recommended purchasing pieces with patterns that can "hide stains."

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See the article here:
Im a top New Jersey interior designer items you shouldnt spend too much on & my go-to spots to shop on... - The Sun

The robotics experts at ETH Zurich have developed an autonomous excavator that uses advanced AI to help it complete high-skill tasks without a human operator.

Dry stone wall construction typically involves huge amounts of operator labor. Doing it right requires not just hours of labor, but hours of skilled, experienced labor. At least, it used to. If the crew at ETH is successful, building stone retaining walls will soon become a set it and forget it task for robots to complete. Robots like their HEAP excavator.

HEAP (Hydraulic Excavator for an Autonomous Purpose) is a customized Menzi Muck M545 developed for autonomous operation that uses electrically-driven hydraulics to operate an advanced boom arm equipped with draw wire encoders, LiDAR, Leica iCON site-mapping, and a Rototilt wrist on the end that makes it look more like a high-precision robotic arm than a traditional heavy equipment asset.

Which makes sense. After all: the ETH guys are roboticists, not skilled heavy equipment operators. So, how does their robot do against skilled operators?

We are currently outperformed by human excavator operators in placement speed, ETH researchers wroteinScience Robotics. Such operators, however, typically require string and paint references with which to register their construction and often a second or third person outside the machine to provide guidance and to insert small supporting stones, gravel, and soil by hand and shovel. In contrast, our process can build complex nonplanar global surface geometries without physical reference markers, does not require a skilled driver or small supporting stones, and provides a full digital twin of the built structure for better accountability and future reuse.

Translation: the robot is slower, but it gets the job done.

You can watch the ETH HEAP put all its onboard tech to work building a 215 foot long, 20 foot high retaining wall all on its own in the video, below.

The completed project can be seen atCircularity Parkin Oberglatt, Switzerland, and illustrates the potential for autonomous equipment to build with irregularly-shaped materials. And with skilled operators in short supply everywhere, the potential to free up operators so they can go where theyre really needed.

ETH Zrichs robot excavator has been in development for years, with numerous white papers exploring its potential uses in construction and agriculture published on the companys site. Its quite a rabbit hole, as internet deep-dives go, and I highly recommend it.

That said, the electrically driven hydraulics and high-precision Rototilt wrist on the end of the boom arms claw alone make this futuristic excavator worth some attention. As more and more manufacturers switch to full electric or even just electric drive, research into better solutions for existing hydraulic equipment and expertise could lead to big market wins.

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Watch this autonomous excavator build a retaining wall - Electrek

Researchers at RTH Zurich have trained a modified excavator to build a 215-foot-long stone retaining wall in Switzerland.

The 12-ton Menzi Muck M545, known as HEAP, or "hydraulic excavator for an autonomous purpose," was equipped with satellite navigation, inertial measurement, joint angle sensors and multiple cabin- and arm-mounted LiDAR sensors and cameras to map the site and scan the building materials.

(To watch the M545 in action, check out the video at the end of this story.)

Each stone was individually picked up, laser-scanned by the excavators grapple, placed back on the ground for storage and saved in the excavators inventory to later match to a spot on the wall. As the stones were placed on the wall, the excavator rescanned them and updated its geometric planner.

Researchers say this process was repeated each time after all scanned stones were placed or after the planner was no longer able to find solutions with the available inventory. The final wall consisted of 938 unique elements, with a mixture of reclaimed concrete, mixed erratics and gneiss boulders.

Because the test took place on an active construction site, a human operator remained in the cab to provide oversight and avoid accidents. The scanning, picking and placing were performed autonomously while the operator assisted with driving between operations.

When combining the scanning and placing tasks, each stone placement took the excavator 21 minutes to complete. That time dropped to 12.2 minutes per stone when excluding the preparatory scanning time. Field observers noted that a skilled human excavator operator averaged 11 minutes per stone placement.

We are currently outperformed by human excavator operators in placement speed. Such operators, however, typically require string and paint references with which to register their construction and often a second or third person outside the machine to provide guidance and to insert small supporting stones, gravel, and soil by hand and shovel, researchers wrotein Science Robotics. In contrast, our process can build complex nonplanar global surface geometries without physical reference markers, does not require a skilled driver or small supporting stones, and provides a full digital twin of the built structure for better accountability and future reuse.

The completed project which can be seen atCircularity Park in Oberglatt, Switzerland illustrates the potential for autonomous equipment to build with irregularly-shaped materials.

Our use of local and reclaimed materials for the robotic assembly of dry-stacked structures has been applied toward the construction of freestanding and retaining walls, but the process could also be adapted to the development of coastal defenses, transportation, agricultural, or extraterrestrial infrastructure and as an alternative building method in sustainable disaster recovery, researchers said.

Check out a video about the project from ETH Zurich below:

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Autonomous excavator constructs stone retaining wall (Video) - Equipment World

Referencing the kitchen makeover the couple completed in Season 5, Episode 6 of "Fixer to Fabulous" on her blog, Jenny explains that the layout wasn't working for the way the family wanted to use the space. She says, "Their original kitchen, while spacious, had low-hanging cabinets, small appliances, and an oddly placed island. We gutted the area and used the space more efficiently to give them a beautiful chef's kitchen."

Jenny always advocates that a home should work for a family in the season that they're in, which could mean making a kitchen more family-friendly, better suited for entertaining or creating more space for meal prep. Knocking down walls, moving windows, and re-jigging the layout of a home can be a lot of work, but it's hands-down going to make the biggest impact on any kitchen, especially if your current space isn't working for you. If the thought of getting busy with a sledgehammer sends you running for the hills, alter your kitchen layout by reconfiguring the cabinet floorplan, and consider the addition of an island or peninsula for more storage and countertop space. Freestanding islands like this one from Wayfair are a stylish and functional choice if a full kitchen renovation isn't on the cards.

More here:
The Best Kitchen Renovation Tips From The Fixer To Fabulous Team - House Digest