“The home is now the ultimate retreat from the world, and color is an easy and effective way to create a personal haven,” Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams, said in a press release. “Urbane Bronze encourages you to create a sanctuary space for mindful reflection and renewal.” A warm nature-inspired brownish-gray shade, Urbane Bronze is a versatile and easy-to-live-with dark neutral that, like all paint colors, changes subtly with the light, and works well in a range of interiors and applications big and small....

How to Wash Flags Correctly Whether it is the American flag, a college or special group flag or a decorative garden banner, washing a flag on a regular basis can prolong its life. Most outdoor flags are now made of polyester or nylon; however, cotton flags are still available. The safest way to wash a multi-colored flag is to handwash in cool water with a mild laundry detergent. If you are unsure if the fabric is colorfast, test it first....

Variegated carpet beetles: These beetles have either ​solid or splotchy coloring of black, white, brown, and yellow and are only 1/10-inch long. The larvae are oval or elongated in length and have brown or black bristles.Black carpet beetles: Attagenus unicolor have solid black bodies and brownish legs as an adult and vary in length from 1/8 to 3/16-inch. The larvae can vary from light yellow to golden to dark brown. The larvae bodies are tapered from the head to the posterior....

Bicast leather is the result of modern technology, which lets leather be split into a number of layers. Top-grain is the highest grade of leather. The inferior remaining layers are used to make bicast leather. Without the polyethylene coating, this castoff may not have been of any use at all. For someone who is not really aware of the characteristics of real leather, it is very easy to mistake it for the real thing....

Looking for a toy that’s both entertaining and educational? The KidKraft Uptown Espresso Play Kitchen is the answer. Play kitchens are a great way for growing toddlers to use their imagination and learn valuable skills and lessons. Even better, large sets like this can grow with your child through preschool and their early elementary years. We assembled the play kitchen in our own home and let our kids get to testing it so we could see what they thought....

Laminate flooring manufacturers have been working hard on improvements. Micro bevels, deeper texturing, and better graphics reproduction have brought laminate flooring closer to the cachet enjoyed by solid hardwood and engineered wood flooring, but this remains a budget flooring material in performance, appearance, and reputation. Because product quality differs greatly, the life expectancy can also vary. Some laminate floors can last as much as 25 years or more in rooms that see light use, while others installed in heavy traffic areas may need replacement in as little as 10 years....

The lightwood tree has a greyish brown bark and evergreen oval, sickle-shaped leaves (which are not true leaves but actually flattened stems known as phyllodes) that sometimes appear purple based on soil condition. The growth cycle brings flowers, leaves and finally seed pods. The showy flowers arrive in summer, cream-colored to pale yellow, formed in a burst of round spiky flower heads that are strongly fragrant. The flowers are followed by a twisted cylindrical seed pod that has an unusual texture and appearance, a bit like a large pea pod, that starts out green and slowly turns reddish brown....

Decorating your living room should reflect you and your family. Do not let anyone else tell you how you should or should not decorate. It is your home and it needs to be right for you. There are some basic rules and the mathematics of decorating. These rules are like a guide to help you create a space that is pleasing to the eye. If you want to make sure your living room looks great, then you should take a look at these living room dos and don’ts....

Unfortunately, marble queen pothos are considered mildly toxic to cats, dogs, and humans if ingested. Take caution with this pothos if you have pets or young children at home. While marble queen pothos can flower, it is rare to see them flower indoors and their flowers are fairly insignificant compared to their stunning foliage anyways. However, if you are lucky enough to see one, it is a great sign that your pothos is happy and thriving under your care....

From earthquakes to fires and hurricanes to floods, we’ve seen wild and unpredictable weather over the past few years. In fact, I moved to Hoboken, New Jersey, right after the massive Hurricane Sandy flooding, and learned about the real-life trauma and why disaster preparedness is essential from neighbors who survived the storm. That’s why I decided to make my home ready for emergencies with more than a few spare bottles of water....

Nature’s Way Bird Products is a small Ohio company started by a bird-loving family. The brand offers bird feeders and houses of all types, which can be found in small-chain and independent retailers as well as online. We recently tested out the Nature’s Way Hanging Platform Bird Feeder, a simple yet attractive (and attractively priced) model at our Colorado home. Find out if the wooden tray-style feeder appealed to birds in our area—and if the open design invited other creatures such as squirrels....

Indoor plants are a decorative element that give a vibrant touch to any living space. Many people do not have the time, energy, and endless funds to keep filling a vase with flowers daily or trying to keep a rooted plant alive. While some faux plants look cheap and flimsy, Nearly Natural’s Decorative Silk Plant is lush and lively. Read on to find out what we thought about its design, construction, price, and more....

The “Goodbye Summer” sales event has already begun, so you don’t have to wait until Labor Day weekend to click add to cart on that new Mini Always Pan or Perfect Pot you’ve been eyeing. While the Our Place sale runs through September 7, popular colors are selling fast, so we recommend shopping sooner rather than later to ensure you can get all your favorite beautiful hues. The only items excluded from the sitewide sale are the Wave Trivet and gift cards....