What happens when two young architects get to be own clients? Budget constraints are, of course, a given–so things like learning how to hang wallpaper come into play. So does treating the house as a treasure hunt, and finding out what’s hiding under the carpets and painted mantels. And, of course, experimenting yourself with the transformative power of paint. That’s but a sampling of what took place when, after a year of real estate hunting, Andrea Fisk and her partner, James Klauder, got to overhaul their own late-19th century townhouse in Brooklyn’s Bushwick. “The structure had been barely altered since it…

Ikea is still the standard-bearer when it comes to churning out desirable designs at low prices, but Spanish brand Zara Home, which launched in 2003 (in 2012 here in the US), is hot on its tail. We recently took a closer look at its website after learning of food blogger Mimi Thorisson’s collaboration with the company (see In the French Kitchen with Mimi Thorisson: A New Collection from Zara Home), and found a host of well-designed storage and organization tools for the home, all at affordable prices. Here are 10 favorites: Above: The Woven Basket (8.7 inches across) and the…

Last year I had a suite of allergy testing done. Some of the results I half expected—cat dander, pollen, and mold—but when I learned feathers were on the list, honestly, I was devastated. If I wanted to breathe again, it would mean getting rid of my duvet, pillows, winter coat, and sofa. Some of these, admittedly, I ignored (the sofa isn’t going anywhere), while others, like the coat and bedding, were more practical to swap. Still, I lamented the idea of a flimsy poly-fill comforter in place of my feather cocoon. But when I began looking, I found many shredded…

Enhancing a Historic Home with Hardware | 2019 Idea House 2 × A Little Hardware History A Little Hardware History Photo by Cynthia Brown Studios Double-hung windows operate through a system that's simple enough: The sash is counterbalanced with a chain and a pulley connected to steel weights. The weights create the proper counterbalance for each window sash, allowing for smooth operation. The hardware in the Idea House's original windows was rusted beyond repair; replacing the hardware with authentic reproductions was critical to the authenticity of the project. 4 × Appeal Starts at the Curb Appeal Starts at the Curb Photo by…