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However, hallways deserve much more credit than we give them. You can dress up a hallway with pretty prints, of course, but it’s also ideal for shoe and sweater storage or even extra pantry space. If you have a closet to work with, the possibilities are even greater. The trick is learning how to address your unique storage needs within the space allotted. So we’ve gathered 16 creative ways to transform your hallway into a pretty and practical storage solution....

Mediterranean architecture became popular in the early 20th century in places like Southern California, Texas, and Florida: areas that enjoy warm climates similar to the countries and cities along the Mediterranean Sea. While styles vary they share an emphasis on the home as a retreat and sanctuary and offer easy access to the outdoors via wide doors and windows, terraces, atriums, and patios. Notable architects who used Mediterranean influences in their designs include Bertram Goodhue, George Kaufmann, Julia Morgan, and Wallace Neff....

The variety of plants for attracting hummingbirds is so great that, in the process of building hummingbird gardens, you could also be building a landscape that will be the talk of the neighborhood. You are not limited to using red flowers either, although red is famous for catching the attention of these winged wonders. In this list of nectar-rich plants commonly used for attracting hummingbirds, you will see lots of red flowers, but also purple, white, orange, pink, and blue hues, too....

Here, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite living room storage ideas to keep your mess to a minimum.

Maximizing your closet space is the key to organizing a walk-in closet. From racks to rods, and drawers to bins, the following ideas will help you optimize every square inch of your closet with purposeful storage solutions. The right side of her closet features two separate nooks for jewelry and handbags. There are also three drawers for additional accessories. On the left side of her walk-in, cabinet, cubbies, and shelves carve out room for sweaters and shoes....

Liz Goldberg is the founder and creative director at CAROLYNLEONA. Susan Knof is the creative director and owner of KNOF Design. Leigh Jones is the principal designer at The Very Thing, Ltd. “In order to skillfully incorporate the color purple into a bedroom while keeping the space relaxing and very zen, I like to stay on the softer side and infuse a lot of lavender,” says Susan Knof, who designed this bedroom....

While some of these napkin folds look complicated and tricky, they are remarkably simple. All it takes to master the technique is a few practice tries and perhaps a little bit of spray starch. From personal experience, our team found it’s actually helpful to make some mistakes—these false starts can help you memorize and master the correct folds. Here are three easy decorative napkin folds that you can master in a few minutes....

Here are 31 reasons to celebrate during the month of July.

Here are 31 reasons to celebrate during the month of December:

Rats can wiggle their way into gaps and holes as small as 1/2 inch. And if the hole is not yet 1/2-inch big, the rat can gnaw at it until it is. Mice can squeeze in through holes as small as 1/4 inch. And, like rats, mice will chew and gnaw at smaller holes until they are big enough to wriggle through. Also, rats are great swimmers. It is true that rats can swim through sewers and come up through toilet bowls or other drains....

For thousands of years, trees have given us wonderful herbal medicines and played an important role in our lives. Let’s take a look at some of the herbal trees and their uses. You may grow many of these trees in your yards right now. All parts of the Elder are useful. The berries, of course, are delightful and nutritious. They are used in cooking to make pies, jams, juice, and syrup....

You will be surprised at the savings possible if you carefully consider your flooring options. While there are many flooring materials that meet the criteria for bathroom use—humidity resistance, slip resistance, durable wear—some of the common options can be far more expensive than you imagine. Natural stone, for example, is a common choice, but it can carry a hefty price tag. Fortunately, there are several budget-friendly options for updating your bathroom floor....

If you have planned for a dream update and then wished it had all been a bad dream, fret not! Professionals have a few ideas for how to get it right the first time, or fix it and make your home even better than you imagined. 1. Botched Paint Job Sometimes a hue that looks heavenly at the paint store is more like ho-hum once you get it on the walls....

Extending their life is possible, but it begins with good maintenance and care. Janet Wischnia, one of the owners of Thomaston Mills, founder of American Blossom Linens, and 40-year textile industry veteran knows a thing or two about this. She points out that there are several ways of lengthening the life of your towels. The set used in the bathroom needs washing every three to four days whereas kitchen towels need more frequent cleaning....