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There’s no reason that an engagement party should be boring! These engagement party games will break the ice, add some friendly competition to the mix, and ask your guests to put their memories to the test. Most importantly, they’ll make sure that everyone is smiling, laughing, and making memories. You don’t need to give away prizes for the winners of these games but if you’d like to, some fun ideas include gift cards, candy, chocolate, notebooks, lip balm, bottle openers, and tea leaves or coffee beans....

Here are 18 great choices for bulbs, annual, perennials, and shrubs with gorgeous yellow blooms. Daffodils are sometimes naturalized in lawns, creating drifts of color in the early spring before turf grasses take over. USDA Growing Zones: 4–8Color Varieties: Yellow, white, pink, orangeSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Rich, moist If you have planted a named cultivar of this plant, the many volunteer seedlings may not come true to the parent plant....

Some living privacy fences are composed of trees, shrubs, or plants like bamboo, while others use sturdy fencing underneath plants to keep pets and children inside the yard’s border. Loose structures can easily be made in most yards by using plants to create privacy fences with living walls. What Is a Living Privacy Fence? A living privacy fence is not always built with actual fencing, but rather, these fences serve as borders of lush, living plants....

Because of World War II restrictions, it would not be until the late 1940s and into the 1950s that many of these new materials found their way into home design. Chiefly, the rationing of metal adversely affected the production of steel kitchen cabinets. Home design styles in the 1940s straddled the 20th century. On the one hand, kitchens were still fairly small. Linoleum was still widely used as a floor covering....

Above your fireplace may seem like the ideal location for a TV, but fireplaces are more complicated than your standard drywall, so there are a few things everyone should absolutely be aware of before picking up the hammer. We spoke to a handful of experts to get their insights on the best way to go about this cozy, dual-purpose entertainment center. Read on if you’re curious to find out the most aesthetically pleasing (and safe!...

That’s right: If you’re looking to celebrate the style of the 1950s, ’60s, or ’70s in your cooking space, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve rounded up 21 of our favorite vintage inspired kitchens from across the internet that will get your creative wheels turning in no time. But before we leave you to it, there are a few things we want to highlight. Note that when it comes to incorporating vintage style into your space, color is key....

This might mean converting the guest room or bedroom into a hybrid workspace. But it often means finding a corner of the living room—which is usually the biggest room in the house—to slide in a desk without wrecking your decor and ruining the vibe of what is supposed to be a room devoted to gathering and relaxation. There are multiple ways to approach this living room layout dilemma, from doing your best to make it blend in by making it cohesive with the rest of your decor, to making it a design feature that takes pride of place, making itself feel at home while it helps you to get your job done....

Depending on the retaining wall’s material, height, and size calling in the pros to help with the job could be a smart move—especially if you are incorporating walls to help prevent erosion. You may also need to obtain a permit from your local government agency for walls above a certain height and specification. Here are 22 garden retaining wall ideas to offer some inspiration. It’s worth noting that timber walls will likely need replacing sooner than more durable stone varieties....

What appears to be leaves on some acacia trees are actually modified petioles, the parts of the stem that attach the leaves to the branch. When the petioles form in this manner, they are called phyllodes. The plant may start out with real leaves that change to phyllodes as it matures. Other species have a modified stem called a cladode. On the species that do have true leaves, the leaves are pinnately compound—consisting of rows of leaflets around a central stem....

Space constraints and a lack of natural light can make designing a basement kitchenette challenging. But just because a kitchenette is relegated to the basement doesn’t mean it should be treated like an afterthought. Here are some ideas for decorating a basement kitchenette that doesn’t skimp on functionality or style.

The distressed cabinets doors are reclaimed wood from a local salvage yard. The new, oak cabinets are stained a shade called espresso black. The countertops are glossy gray quartz. The industrial drafting stools are vintage. The DIY pendant lights are made up of found pieces. Chalkboard paint turned the wall on the left into a whimsical feature. First, she cut a piece of plywood to size. Then she applied a black wood stain, which showed off the board’s natural grain....

The secret to making kids enjoy the bath? Fun bath toys—from soft animals that squirt water to floating ships like the 3 Bees & Me Magnet Boat Bath Toys. I was thrilled when I got the chance to test out the set of four ships. I enlisted the help of a dear friend and her 2-year-old nephew. Read on to see if these boats make for smooth sailing or choppy seas....

Check out these stylish, joyful playrooms built for kids of all ages and interests that will inspire you to give your kids a playroom of their own and remind you of the joys of childhood while you’re at it.

Signs that a plant is too cold vary across plant types and regions. Whether you are a Southerner experiencing a sudden cold snap or a Northerner growinga tropical plant in a container outdoors, it’s helpful to know the signs of cold shock. 4 Signs That Your Plants Are Too Cold Even before temperatures drop enough for a plant to be damaged from cold, the plant may stop growing as vigorously as it did in warmer weather....

The most important things to consider are quality and comfort, especially if you plan to spend any amount of time on your sofa. The best-looking sofa in the whole world cannot measure up to the most comfortable one. That is why, ideally, you need to test drive one before you buy, just the way you would test drive a car.​ 1. Take Your Time Give yourself plenty of time when you are trying out a sofa, so you get to know it....

One-Wall Kitchen Layout A kitchen design where all appliances, cabinets, and countertops are positioned along one wall is known as the one-wall layout. The one-wall kitchen layout can work equally well for both very small kitchens and for extremely big spaces. One-wall kitchen layouts aren’t very common since they require so much walking back and forth. But if cooking isn’t the focus of your living space, a one-wall layout is a great way to tuck kitchen activities off to the side....

If you are combining two or more different herb varieties into one container, make sure they share the same requirements for sunlight, moisture, and soil. Here are our five choices for the herbs best suited for growing in containers. Planting mint in containers solves these problems. Individual varieties can be kept far enough apart so that your pineapple mint won’t suddenly start tasting like catnip/pineapple. And mint confined in a container stays there—it doesn’t spread rampantly through your garden....

And cleaning such an appliance isn’t necessarily a simple task, Laugen added. “Battling these smudges often requires the help of specialized stainless steel cleaning products to prevent any streaks. While they do leave the surface sparkling, they tend to be more expensive than traditional cleaning products.” So if industrial isn’t your thing, aim to take the paneled or retro approach. After all, Sempliner added, “When appliances are paneled, or selected in a color and/or in a more residential or retro style, the entire room transforms into a more inviting, relaxed, and warm space....