Stuck in a dinner rut? We recommend experimenting with your instant pot or discovering all the delicious ways you can use avocados.

Like a walk through a woodland, a shade garden can be a wonderfully cool, restful oasis in the heat of summer. But there are times when a shady nook would really benefit from a little brightening. That doesn’t mean you have to remove a tree and let in more light. Plants that reflect light or almost seem to glow on their own can be used to create a bright spot in the shade....

Out of all of the tower fans we tested, our favorite is the Better Homes & Gardens 40” 3-Speed Tower. Our testers found this fan to be powerful, quiet, easy to carry, and budget-friendly. Based on our testing and research, here are the best tower fans to cool your space. To put the fan’s cooling power to the test, we used each of the fan’s three wind modes—natural wind, sleep wind, and regular wind—at the highest of their three speed settings and stood 6 inches, 6 feet, and 20 feet away, in front of the fan and at each side to see if we could feel the airflow directly and indirectly....

Whether you’re shopping for a kid that’s a dinosaur-loving toddler or one with boundless energy (and desperately in need of something to do), we’ve covered all the bases. These products are bound to go quickly, so score one of these deals while they last. Essentially, if you see a great deal on that special toy, snag it now. Here are the best toy deals we’ve found right now. Your young engineer will be entertained for hours with this building toy that lets them assemble over 101 different circuit projects out of over 30 electronic parts....

A few factors can be responsible for these errors. In many cases, decision overload and a rushed process are the perfect storm and often lead to accidental design mistakes. With the bombardment of trends, decor items, colors, design rules of thumb, and the occasional unwanted opinion, it can be hard to remember everything and still create a space that feels good to you. So, to keep these annoyances at bay this year, we’ve compiled a succinct list of mistakes and recruited the help of two design experts to identify the biggest problem areas they’ve seen in homes and the best way to solve the issues that arise....

Then there is your precious vacation time, invaluable for relieving stress. If you leave your landscaping unattended for a trip during the summer, you can’t always count on rainfall for irrigation. As a result, while you may come home stress-free, you may find that the plants in your yard have experienced quite a bit of stress in your absence. The exception will be with the drought-tolerant shrubs and other tough plants that you grow....

Luckily, most of the surfaces are easy-to-clean and with a bit of attention daily and a more thorough cleaning weekly, the entire room can be kept sparkling clean and fresh. What You Need Supplies Toilet bowl cleanerGlass cleanerAll-purpose bathroom cleanerDistilled white vinegarBaking sodaDisinfecting wipes Tools Toilet brushSpray bottleSqueegeeSponges, microfiber cloths or paper towelsScrubbing brushBroom and dustpan or vacuumMopBucket Daily Cleaning Weekly Cleaning To make the best use of your time, start at the top of the room and work your way down....

We’re longtime fans of Erin Hupp’s beautiful namesake ceramic line. With a focus on creating pieces that are inspired by their intended space, it’s easy to see why Hupp’s tableware pieces are particularly coveted by restaurants_which she calls a “live gallery” for her work. We turned to the potter to find out what she using to create such stunning pieces, and how even at-home hobbyists can benefit from her must-have accessory: the Giffin Grip....

But what really does go into creating the ideal space for your children? From the colors on the walls to the choice of décor, here are some tips to designing the perfect kid bedroom. 1. Get Their Input If you’re looking to make a space that’s comfortable, welcoming, and exciting for your kid(s), make sure to include them in the process. While I’m not necessarily advocating for having your child as the key decision-maker, there’s a special kind of ownership that’s built when they are able to weigh in on kid bedroom ideas, decisions, and even purchases....

Towel Bars and Rings One way to join practical storage and beautiful decoration is to add more towel bars and rings to your bathroom. You probably already have at least one bar for your bath towel. If you don’t have a separate place to hang a hand towel, consider adding a smaller bar or ring near the sink. Keep in mind a bar offers a little extra hanging space, so go with that option if it fits....

The type of vinyl flooring that mimics wood most effectively is luxury vinyl plank, or LVP. Luxury vinyl is generally high-quality and has good visual effects. But more important, the rectangular shape of the planks, and the seams they create, enhance the wood look because most real wood flooring also comes in planks or strips. Read on for suggestions for vinyl flooring options that look just like wood. Mannington’s Adura line has a Hickory LVP in beveled 5 x 48-inch planks....

VOCs are commonly found in paints as the medium that helps the paint glide onto a surface. Since every room in a house and the exterior are usually painted, VOCs are already everywhere. Paint can off-gas fumes for weeks, months, or years after initial application. VOCs can build up in the home. Besides paints and varnishes, they’re also in caulk, air fresheners, cleaning products, smoking, carpet, vinyl and composite flooring, dry cleaning, photocopiers, petroleum products, natural gas, upholstery, foam, and wood-burning....

Whether you’re already on board with cherry wood or are looking to incorporate more of it into your space, you may be wondering just what color paint to use in rooms with cherry wood furnishings and finishes. Below, designers weigh in with their go to picks and share some key tips to keep in mind when narrowing down paint hues in general. Choose Colors with Subtle Pink Undertones Considering the pink undertones present in cherry wood is key when selecting a paint color, notes designer Shoshanna Shapiro of Sho and Co....

Crabgrass keeps a low profile in the lawn, eluding the mower blade when you mow the lawn. And unlike taller weeds, there’s not much that can “break” on it, so it holds up well to foot traffic, even in high-traffic areas. The one plant part on the weed that sticks up—the stalk that bears its flowers and, later, its seeds—is very tough and does not mind being tread upon....

If you are someone who likes to sit upright in a chair with your feet firmly planted on the ground, you are not likely to be a fan of this piece. But if you prefer to pull your legs up when you sit, lean back into the pillows, or like to curl up in your seat, then this may soon become your very favorite piece of furniture. Where to Use So where would you use this piece of furniture?...

Types of Wading Birds Quickly identifying the overall type of a bird is essential for proper identification, and wading birds can be easy to distinguish. A wide range of bird species is loosely classified as waders, including: Cranes Egrets Flamingos Herons Ibises Rails Spoonbills Storks Some field guides may also classify some shorebirds, particularly avocets, like waders, along with gulls or terns, and they do share some characteristics with more widely recognized wading birds....

The Origins of Shou Sugi Ban (Yakisugi) Shou Sugi Ban (or Yakisugi, as it is known in Japan) means “burned cedar.” It is an ingenious 18th-century Japanese wood burning technique that creates an intriguing charred appearance that highlights natural wood veining, creates textural interest, and varies in appearance according to how much fire is applied and which type of wood is used. (Japanese Cypress is considered the gold standard for purists, although other wood types can be used to varying degrees of success....

However, one aspect of environmental or climate control that often goes overlooked is the humidity inside the home. The ideal relative humidity level ranges from about 40 percent to 60 percent humidity indoors. If the relative humidity is too high, then the excess moisture in the air can increase the risk of wood rot and mold growth throughout the home. Low indoor humidity under 40 percent is also a problem that can cause significant damage to the home, such as causing the floorboards, cupboards, and other wooden furniture to become warped....

Storing items in your attic is far more preferable than storing them in the basement or garage where they may get wet from flooding and are exposed to the elements. Use the attic to store anything that is impervious to heat. Heat can damage items such as photographs and wood. In the basement, store everything in clear plastic bins, labeled and not packed too heavily. Make sure you can lift the boxes easily; if they happen to tumble over, they shouldn’t be heavy enough to hurt anyone....

All code-compliant houses with attics will already have some attic ventilation, but it’s always a good idea to expand upon minimum venting requirements to keep your house in top condition for the long term. What Attic Ventilation Does Attic ventilation both brings air into the attic and allows air to escape from the attic. Because roofs face the sun, they build up considerable heat in the warm season. Attic ventilation provides an outlet for this heat gain, and it allows fresh air to enter the attic....