Category: Design 101
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Really Good Affordable Outdoor Pillows And Rugs (The Sunshine Is Coming!)
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Two weeks ago I pulled together our (mostly) annual outdoor furniture roundup. I hope it was really helpful for anyone needing to fill a new outdoor space or refresh a piece or two in an existing one. But I think it’s fair to say that a solid number of us don’t need a ton of…
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Joann Fabrics Is Closing: Here Are 17 Other Places To Buy VERY GOOD Home Decor Fabrics
Earlier this year, it was announced that Joann (or Joann Fabrics as I will forever call it), was going out of business and closing its hundreds of stores nationwide. Crafters, sewers and anyone who ever DIYed a Halloween costume two nights before the big day all shed tears. But for real, I’m very sad about…
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Emily’s 6 Favorite Green Paint Colors She Would Use Again And Again
It felt like an appropriate day to show love for what feels like the world’s most popular color – green. While I’m more of an expert in “blue,” its sister color – green – is also a favorite and beloved by most people. We know that the design world is LOVING reds, burgundies, mauves –…
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The Official (Mostly Affordable) EHD 2025 Outdoor Furniture Roundup
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While it’s not “warm” in most places, yet (in the US at least), it is on its way, meaning our outdoor spaces are going to be calling our names sooner than we think. And if you are someone who needs either a new piece of furniture or an entire set, this post is here to…
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Not Ugly AFFORDABLE Ceiling Lights To Replace Your Boob Lights
Hi! It’s me Jess—your resident light fixture obsessed friend. Today I am here to chat to you about your boobs. BOOB LIGHTS! We allll know the ones. Landlords and flippers love them because they are cheap (especially when you need to get a lot of them). It’s a real “don’t hate the player, hate the…
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Emily Reviews Her First Professionally Shot Apartment From 2010 (Lots Of Feelings!)
Fifteen years ago (when I was 30) this whole thing began – both DesignStar and the blog launched in early 2010. Y’all, we barely had smartphones, the OG Facebook had just reached the non-college population, and Pinterest was just an idea without an office (thus me having boxes of magazines and an actual pin board).…
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Arlyn’s Love Letter to Latin American Designers & Creatives (Well…Sort Of)
Since January 20, 2025—though really, since the morning of November 6, 2024—I’ve felt a heavy weight on my heart as someone of Latino heritage. I’ve always felt like an American. I was born in Florida and with the exception of about a year and a half where my family lived in Puerto Rico when I…
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Arlyn Is Considering Turning Her Dining Room Into A Playroom: 3 Options To Make It Work
The dining room in my previous home was *literally* the jewel box of that place. It was my showpiece, the room I loved to just sit in and look around. I was proud to host dinners and game nights there. I was grateful for a beautiful space like that when it became the impromptu home…
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My First Time Hanging A Gallery Wall With Picture Rail Rods (So Easy And Looks So Good!)
Robyn and Ryan (two of our best friends) have this gorgeous 100-year-old home (see the intro post here) that has picture molding near the crown, which gave us an opportunity to use picture rods (art rods?) for the gallery wall above the sofa. I had bought most of these pieces for their basement in their…
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A Reader Rebuttal: Why Painting The Bookcases A Dark Blue With Light Walls Was The Right Choice
This blog post has a very happy ending – which is a very good thing as I was the one who kinda forced my best friend to invest in painting (which wasn’t cheap) and I got a lot of pushback from readers (which I don’t mind, but at times doesn’t help with the self-doubt). Well,…