Forget the Open Floor Plan--It's Time to Bring Back Walls

1. Encapsulated Style Embrace a clean, maritime-inspired aesthetic with encapsulated lights, with bulbs encased in glass. “The minimalist design highlights form and composition, adding interest without overpowering a space,” says Wilson, who owns the design firm Form180. It also balances masculine and feminine elements. “While it’s not necessarily dainty crystals, this approach softens the pendant and brings in a feminine component,” she says. Au courant white glass, as in the  oblong pendants  seen here, as well as  frosted or etched glass,  takes the look to the next level. Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery 2. Fusion Fun Homeowners are opting for a more personalized, collected look, stepping outside the confines of conventional design styles to create their own. “We are embracing eclectic design, mixing style periods, metals and textures,” Wilson says. Rustic is mixing with midcentury modern, traditional is pairing with industrial, and ...

1. Shiplap Cabinet Fronts 2. Custom Refrigerator Panels 3. Pressed-Tin Ceiling 4. Dry-Storage Bins in Island 5. Accent Tile on Range Backsplash 6. Bright Green Paint 7. Stone-Clad Range Hood

1. Build your own flower boxes Photo by DD Hus AB   Porch railing planters are a great way to get in a bit of extra garden space—even when you don’t have a full garden to begin with. This is a great DIY project,” says designer  Kayla Goldstein  of  Kayla LLC . “Besides working up a sweat, it’ll give your porch a lot of personality and privacy." Paint them to match an accent color or to contrast the colors of your porch. Just be sure to get plants that are easy to maintain and can survive your climate, Goldstein cautions. Follow this  deck planter guide  to get started. 2. Install new porch lights Photo by Celtic Works   You won’t need to spend a whole day on this project, but that doesn’t make the payoff any less impressive. “Outdoor lighting takes a beating after years of being exposed to the elements,” says  Vineta Jackson , home improvement expert for  The Handyman's Daughter . “A new porch light can perk up an entry...

Mike  and  Crystal Green  couldn’t have picked a worse time to look for a new home. In mid-February, Mike was offered a promotion to be regional sales manager at Chatsworth Products, a computer security company. The catch was the couple would need to relocate from California to the  Houston  area by April 1. The Greens accepted an offer on their West Sacramento, CA, home two days after it went on the market in early March. But by then, the Greens didn’t feel safe flying to Texas to check out houses given the coronavirus pandemic. States across the country were urging workers to stay home if possible and practice social distancing when out in public to combat the spread of the coronavirus. That wound up working in their favor. The Greens went online and took a virtual tour of a home they liked. It was in a new development with more than 300 homes   in the Houston suburb of  Conroe, TX,  called Grand Central Park. They spoke with the sales re...

1. Build Healthy Soil The key to any productive garden starts with the soil. Plants grown in healthy, fertile soil that is rich in nutrients and able to retain water will be far more productive during their lifecycle and need less care. For gardening in containers, always start with fresh potting soil. Potting soil often has ingredients such as perlite (those little white specs) or vermiculite (the shiny specs), which both help regulate soil moisture. You can mix the potting soil with organic compost or add other amendments before planting to boost soil nutrient levels. Ann-Marie Powell Gardens Ltd To boost your soil health in garden beds this season, work 3 to 4 inches of organic compost into the soil before planting. During the growing season, lay off synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, which can be harmful to beneficial soil organisms. Try no-dig gardening.  If compacted soil or persistent weeds have been an issue, consider a no-dig method of improving soil stru...