It's a fact of residential life: most kitchens are located in the rear of a home. And the rear of a home features many walls that block light. Walls contain windows, so the challenge is set right there: How do you optimize light in a kitchen, no matter what its size? Five ideas are worth considering – and all of them can be enhanced with the right interior shades: 1. Under-cabinet lighting Which...

Even the most skilled DIY-er can't do it all, and there is something to be said about learning from your mistakes. While some mistakes can be easily rectified, others can wind up costing you more than you bargained for—especially when it involves caring for, repairing, or maintaining your home. Avoid some of the most common home mistakes by doing a little more research before you begin your...

Whether you’re upgrading your home to sell or for your own enjoyment, home renovations can help improve the value of your home. With a well-planned renovation project, you can expect to recoup about 75 cents of every dollar you spend on the upgrade. Not sure which renovation will give you the most bang for your buck? Here are a few of the best home improvement projects along with interior shades...

Your spring maintenance checklist should include five essential outdoor projects. Left unattended, they can end up costing you dearly in more serious repairs that could require remediation by professional contractors. This scenario should add urgency to any list, but there can be light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. After you're finished inspecting your windows, reward your efforts with new...

If you're straining to see the exact color of your ready-to-roll summer outfits, your windows may be trying to “tell” you something: It's time to maximize the natural light in your home, just in time for summer, when the longer days will mean more hours of daylight. Five ideas will help brighten the rooms in your home, no matter what their exposure to the sun: 1. Begin with a clean slate Yes,...

Is the hot water in your home burning through your wallet? Fortunately, switching to greener, eco-friendly habits is easy and efficient. For example, adjusting the temperature setting on your hot water heater a few degrees cooler can go a long way in reducing your electricity usage. Which is great for the environment and your bank account. Remember, saving money with an eco-friendly house is...

Home offices have become integral to the modern home, with more people running home businesses and working from home on a regular basis. With so many activities occurring in this space, home office design continues to evolve. Some trends are functional, others cosmetic. Here are some features trending in 2017 for home office design. Wall hung desks and shelves. Many home office spaces are tight...

It's only a matter of time. No matter how roomy your kitchen is, the day will come when you find yourself muttering you wish it were bigger. If your kitchen is small to begin with, your imaginative powers probably have been percolating faster than a coffee maker since you first laid eyes on it. The great American kitchen is also the great American equalizer, for most people want their kitchen to...

Your kitchen is one of the most-used rooms in any home, so you’ll want to create a space large enough to suit your functional needs while looking open and flowing well. Along with interior window shades, try these six designer tricks to make your kitchen look and feel bigger: Choose shallow cabinets Lower kitchen cabinets have a standard depth of 24 inches, while 12- to 15-inch depths are usually...