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Lousy Boy Home furniture aiming to restructure organization

Inez Caron November 21, 2023

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Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Push &#13
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Posted Monday, November 13, 2023 10:27AM EST&#13
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Very last Updated Monday, November 13, 2023 6:47PM EST&#13
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A storied Increased Toronto Place home furniture brand name founded by a previous metropolis mayor and popularized with television and radio ads proclaiming "nooobody" could beat its rates is aiming to restructure its business enterprise.

In a filing created underneath the Personal bankruptcy and Insolvency Act last week, Lousy Boy Furnishings Warehouse Ltd. said a slew of financial situations that have weighed on consumers' shopping behavior and its organization pressured it to make the "quite tough choice" to re-analyze its functions.

"The conclusion to start these proceedings was taken following much deliberation," the furniture corporation said in a see to customers introduced to an Ontario court docket Thursday as element of a broader Recognize of Intention, a legal mechanism corporations use to suitable their company following problems.

"Undesirable Boy considered (the notice) was necessary in the context of a demanding economic ecosystem pushed by superior desire prices, declining sales in the housing sector and a tight retail local weather, specially in the property furnishing sector."

The submitting marks a important convert in the heritage of the business started off by entrepreneur Mel Lastman, who dropped out of school to get the job done at an equipment retail store prior to opening his have on Weston Street in Toronto in 1955.

Lastman went on to turn out to be the mayor of North York, a suburban area of Toronto, and later, the initially mayor of the newly amalgamated Town of Toronto.

By 1975, he offered the enterprise. The Globe and Mail documented a consortium of customers it did not title purchased the enterprise for $2 million. Shortly soon after, the firm submitted for individual bankruptcy.

Mel Lastman's son Blayne revived Negative Boy in the early nineties and these times, the Pickering, Ont.-headquartered retailer is wholly owned by him beneath Lastman Furniture Inc.

Blayne Lastman and his father, who died in 2021 at age 88, routinely appeared in advertisements with each other that blanketed Toronto television and radio stations. They ended up usually clad in black and white jailhouse uniforms and shouting, "Who's improved than Poor Boy? Nooobody."

These days, the chain has 12 suppliers in the course of southern Ontario and 275 workers.

Terrible Boy's Remarkable Court of Justice filings exhibit it has about $25 million in property, which include inventory and store fixtures and around $26 million in liabilities.

The mother or father enterprise owes a lot of of its vendors, which include most of its equipment and home furnishings suppliers.

Its money owed owed to unsecured lenders whole $13.7 million and include things like $2.3 million to Whirlpool Canada LP, $840,924 to Samsung Appliances, $404,410 to LG Electronics Canada Inc. and $317,382 to RioCan True Estate Investment decision Belief.

As a consequence, Negative Boy is going through "significant" issues sourcing stock and filings show some real estate developers have purportedly terminated their contracts with the firm.

To maintain the enterprise afloat, Negative Boy is considering a liquidation sale at some or all of its outlets to wind down inefficient portions of its business.

It also urged buyers who have paid a collective $4.5 million in deposits for household furniture that has but to be delivered to make contact with their credit card firm to acquire a refund.

Wherever attainable, the company stated it will perform with customers to total orders, if the price tag of the products is a lot less than the harmony owing, or if other arrangements can be built with the shopper.

Negative Boy's courtroom filing failed to take Joanne McNeish, a Toronto Metropolitan College associate professor specializing in internet marketing, by surprise.

Rising from COVID-19 limitations, she explained quite a few men and women were not browsing for home furnishings because they had by now redesigned their households or acquired critical parts through the pandemic.

Recession predictions retained many others absent from household furniture buys also.

"The discretionary things like 'I'm actually exhausted of the way my living area set seems,' during an financial economic downturn, we place that invest in off till we come to feel more assured about the financial state," McNeish claimed.

She also imagined Negative Boy's advertising and marketing was not as helpful at attracting revenue from a new era, which very likely noticed the company's promoting endeavours as dated and have been drawn to rivals like Ikea, the Swedish home furniture giant which offers even decreased prices.

Community tv and radio stations alongside with newspapers will have a income gap to fill for the reason that Negative Boy was a regular advertiser, but McNeish claimed it experienced by now pared back again on its advertising efforts in modern several years.

At this point, she thinks the very best way forward for the brand name is to offer off belongings like any authentic estate Terrible Boy owns.

"I usually despise to see a corporation go into individual bankruptcy and that is kind of protection for restructuring," she explained.

"But they have previously carried out factors that will alienate buyers for years to arrive."

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Home furnishings retailer Lousy Boy to file for bankruptcy about fiscal problems, debts to vendors

Inez Caron November 18, 2023

Folks stroll past a Lousy Boy furniture keep, in Brampton, Ont., on Nov. 13. The firm says it intends to file for individual bankruptcy over debts and troubles obtaining stock amid better inflation and fascination fees.Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press

Bad Boy, the home furniture retailer launched by former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman and acknowledged for ads promising “nooobody” presented improved deals, is dealing with a monetary crisis and programs to restructure the company.

Late final week, Pickering, Ont.-based mostly Terrible Boy Home furniture Warehouse Ltd. submitted a recognize of intention to file a proposal under the Personal bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, crafting that the business owes revenue to numerous of its vendors. As a consequence, Poor Boy “is owning significant difficulties sourcing inventory,” which is influencing the retail business. It also printed a recognize to prospects warning that people today who have positioned deposits on household furniture and appliances will not be receiving their orders, or a refund from the business.

Like other merchants, Terrible Boy has found shoppers pull again on expending as they feel the pinch of inflation and higher interest fees. The “tight retail climate” has notably influenced the residence-furnishing sector, the enterprise wrote in the notice to customers, calling the restructuring a “very difficult conclusion.”

Poor Boy is wholly owned by a firm managed by Mr. Lastman’s son, Blayne Lastman, who revived the organization in the early 1990s. It now has 12 retailers in Ontario, as nicely as a organization selling appliances to true estate developers and property managers. Undesirable Boy has roughly 275 staff.

“The Business is considering a liquidation sale in specific or all of its outlets so that it can wind-down the inefficient parts of its company in an orderly manner,” a submitting with the Ontario Superior Court docket of Justice mentioned.

As of Nov. 4, Undesirable Boy owed about $13.8-million to its unsecured collectors, which include big equipment models such as Whirlpool, Samsung, Electrolux and LG, and furniture suppliers these kinds of as Sofa by Fancy and Edgewood Furniture. It also owed $317,382 to RioCan Actual Estate Financial investment Belief, which is the landlord for other Ontario outlets in Mississauga, Burlington, Brampton and Kingston.

The enterprise has obtained around $4.5-million in deposits from shoppers for long run deliveries. Lousy Boy is advising consumers who have not gained their orders to contact their credit rating-card suppliers for refunds. According to the filing, Lousy Boy will finish some orders “if the expense of the goods is considerably less than the stability owing.”

The disaster is a turning place for the enterprise, which opened its initially keep in Toronto virtually 70 years in the past. A youthful Mel Lastman went into enterprise for himself immediately after the household furniture shop he worked for went beneath, according to a video clip manufactured by Terrible Boy about its business background. Mr. Lastman opened Heather Hill Appliances in 1954, and adjusted the title to Poor Boy Appliances the subsequent yr.

He became recognised for brash marketing antics, which include handing out cash on a downtown Toronto road corner, or handing out no cost Thanksgiving turkeys (on leashes, however gobbling.)

By the early seventies, Mr. Lastman’s ambitions turned to politics. He was elected mayor of North York in 1973, and right after continuing to operate Bad Boy during his initially a few many years in office environment, he marketed his 40 outlets in 1976.

Mr. Lastman’s son Blayne revived the model in 1991, betting that he could rebuild the business enterprise even in the course of a economic downturn. Blayne and Mel Lastman normally appeared in commercials with each other, reciting the slogan, “Who’s much better than Undesirable Boy? Nooobody!”

Following a COVID-19 growth in dwelling enhancements led to a spike in furniture product sales, the sector as a whole has viewed consumers pull back, said retail-sector specialist Bruce Winder, and the recent financial weather is even much more incentive to put off major-ticket purchases. The sector has also noticed upfront expenses rise considering the fact that the Canada Border Providers Company imposed new tariffs on some upholstered furnishings from China and Vietnam two a long time ago.

And level of competition in decrease-expense home furnishings is tighter than at any time.

“If you glance at businesses like Ikea and Wayfair, they have a a lot increased affinity with younger buyers, specially those on a funds,” Mr. Winder explained.

Adding to Terrible Boy’s worries now will be profitable again trust with clients, he included.

“It produces a little bit of a doom loop, due to the fact prospects say, ‘Am I definitely going to purchase my fridge, washer, dryer from Bad Boy? Weren’t they in personal bankruptcy? Who’s going to support it in just one or two decades?’” Mr. Winder said. “That’s likely to stick with them, even if they occur as a result of this.”

Good Housekeeping’s 2023 Home Renovation Awards

Inez Caron November 5, 2023

What are the most important trends in housing and home improvement? Good Housekeeping’s annual Home Renovation Awards are here to answer that question — and, in the process, help steer you through your next big project.

From the vast array of this year’s submissions, we know that today’s homeowners remain laser focused on creating beautiful living spaces that reflect their personal style. But other priorities are catching up with aesthetics, including:

✔️ Resiliency: Our homes need to be more durable than ever, to defend against pounding hail, torrential rain, blazing heat and other forms of extreme weather.
✔️ Energy efficiency: Homes must also maximize efficiency across heating and cooling equipment, appliances and more, to counter rising energy costs and the broader impacts of inflation on household budgets.
✔️ Connectivity: To facilitate the realities of remote working, as well as the demands and benefits of our increasingly “connected” lives, technology is an essential part of the home design process.
✔️ Outdoor living: Another by-product of the pandemic, homeowners are looking for new and better ways to expand their usable living space into the open air.
✔️ Low maintenance: With the pace of life in constant overdrive, minimal upkeep is needed to create time for those pursuits that matter most.

Brands throughout the home improvement space have answered the call by launching products and services that check every box for today’s homeowner. In fact, there were so many smart, innovative submissions to the 2023 edition of our Home Reno Awards that we had to extend the testing period by six weeks to give our judges ample time to review them all. It wasn’t easy, but we managed to identify the 64 most award-worthy submissions covering all aspects of home improvement, including kitchens and baths, exteriors, smart home technology, alternative energy, power tools and more.

Whether you’re embarking on a major remodel or just looking to simplify your home’s maintenance, you’ll find plenty of great ideas in our roundup of winners.

Meet the GH Experts

How We Tested

Over a rigorous, four-month testing period, experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute put every submission through its paces, often with multiple forms of assessment.

Hands-on testing started in the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab, running abrasion tests on paints to measure durability, checking the run time on power tool batteries and more. We also sent products into the homes of consumer testers, who evaluated them under real-world conditions, answering questions like: How easy is this bidet seat to install? or Does this smart home device make your life more convenient? or Is this cordless drill powerful enough for your needs?

For items that were too big or complex to call into the Lab for testing, for example whole-house heating and cooling equipment, our engineers reviewed technical data and any third-party testing provided by manufacturers to verify claims around performance, safety and efficiency. Our home design editors, meanwhile, weighed in on style and aesthetics — like assessing the texture of various lines of decking and the color depth of new countertop materials.

Last, and definitely not least, we brought in our outside judges, a pair of professionals with a combined 60 years of experience under their tool belts. Houston-based homebuilder, developer, and author Fernando Pagés Ruiz, returned for his second year of judging and installed everything from roofing and decking to a steel gazebo, and reviewed many power tools in the process. Boston’s Marc Savatzky, a contractor, real estate developer and host of the podcast Real Estate Addicts, used his special interest in smart technology to test a WiFi-connected lock, faucet, blinds, a whole-house backup power system and more.

Mike Garten

Classic Countertop

Porcelain is an ancient material, but its popularity as a countertop material is fairly recent, making it a good choice for homeowners who are going for a different look in the kitchen. Caesarstone’s version comes in 22 colors, ranging from pearly white to dramatic black. The entire line boasts the exceptional strength and durability that makes porcelain such a high-performing, low-maintenance material, even in outdoor applications. In fact, Caesarstone’s porcelain is rated for exterior use, so it’s the perfect surface for an outdoor kitchen, one that coordinates with your interior finishes.

LAB RESULTS: The nonporous surface did a solid job resisting stains, heat and scratches in our Lab tests, and it also held up well during several weeks of exposure to the elements, including hot sun and lashing rain. The material was a bit more prone to dents and dings, so you'll want to be careful with cast-iron pots and other heavy objects. As for the aesthetics, Caesarstone is a longtime favorite with our design pros. “The brand offers so many striking yet timeless options,” says Associate Lifestyle Editor Alyssa Gautieri. “With subtle yet intentional veining, these porcelain countertops look as beautiful in an array of light and dark styles.”

Cutting-Edge Cabinet Company

FORM Kitchen Custom Cabinets

Credit: Form

FORM launched five years ago with the mission of bringing sleek, modern, European cabinets to the U.S. market for a fraction of the cost of custom units. Its direct-to-consumer model cuts out the middle dealer, working directly with a German manufacturer. All planning and communication happens through the app or online — no in-person meetings with designers or showroom visits (though FORM tells us it will open physical design centers in select cities, including Denver, New York City and San Francisco, later this year). Delivery of the finished units can be within 12 to 14 weeks of the project start date.

LAB RESULTS: Laurie Jennings, general manager of the Good Housekeeping Institute, went with FORM for her recent kitchen renovation, and was wowed by the experience and end result. "One standout was the ultra-talented designer, Bianca, that we got to work with,” she says. “I also loved the exceptionally accurate 3D renderings they made of our space, which helped us choose lighting, countertops, hardware, and more — even if we then had to order them all separately." While at the time of Jennings' project, FORM didn't offer installation, it has since launched a "featured installer" program, with dozens of vendors nationwide.

Fuss-Free Smart Faucet

Artifacts Touchless Kitchen Faucet

Smart faucets bring hands-free operation to the kitchen with increasingly sophisticated sensor-based technology, plus an expanding array of styles. Kohler’s Artifacts is a recent entry to the market that drives the innovation forward with a precision sensor built into the spout that responds faster than a blink of the eye. The pull-down sprayhead features three settings: a gentle spray for rinsing hands and food, an aerated stream for filling pots, and a powerful sweeping spray for cleaning.

LAB RESULTS: None of the pain points our experts saw with first-generation smart faucets, including tricky installs and finicky response times, were an issue with the Kohler. “The sensor responds well and immediately,” reported one tester, who also appreciated the hardwired installation, noting that she was often changing the batteries that powered her last smart faucet. As for the design, “this faucet is definitely a jewel piece in the kitchen, bringing a timeless, classic look.” Outside judge and professional contractor Marc Savatsky, who has vast experience with WiFi-connected devices, added, “I love the simplicity of the Kohler touch faucet. It works reliably, and at no time since putting it in have I felt frustration or the need to revert to using the manual handle.”

Brilliant Bidet Seat

Discovery DLS Elongated Smart Toilet Seat

Bidet seats got a bump from the pandemic, following fears of toilet paper shortages. Our experts like the fixture as an "aging in place" upgrade, since it allows people of all ages and abilities to manage hygiene on their own. The Discovery DLS Bidet Toilet Seat, which replaces your existing toilet seat, is a very high-tech version, with custom controls that let you program precisely how you want to be cleaned. Key features include an adjustable nozzle spray connected to an unlimited supply of warm water, a heated seat, a nightlight and a built-in air dryer.

LAB RESULTS: The three GH staffers who tested the Discovery found it relatively easy to install, though getting the mounting brackets just right took some doing. After several weeks of use, they raved over the adjustable water and seat temperatures (“Can’t wait for the heated seat come winter!”) and the warm air dryer. "I love the self-closing lid," added Product Analyst Lynn Redmile. "It solves a huge pet peeve in my house full of guys!" The Discovery has a lower profile than other bidet seats we've tested, though using it is still an adjustment compared with the perfectly flat profile of a standard toilet seat.

Feature-Rich Smart Toilet

Today’s luxury toilets boast serious intelligence, including high-tech features that provide easier cleaning — for your private areas as well as for the toilet itself. The Kohler Innate Smart Toilet makes the point most elegantly, combining sleek contours with a long list of enhancements, starting with the integrated bidet, precision water pressure and temperature control, and electrolyzed water pre-rinsing of the bowl to minimize stains. The toilet’s intelligence is so innate it can even flush on its own and lift and lower its seat automatically, for start-to-finish hands-free control.

LAB RESULTS: The Innate has all the specs our engineers look for in a top-performing toilet, including a 1.28 gallons-per-flush efficiency rating that qualifies it for the EPA’s WaterSense certification. Its comfort height design makes sitting down and getting up easier, another "aging in place" benefit of smart toilets, along with the hands-free cleaning. Our consumer tester was full of praise for the unit too. "I really appreciate the bidet features — the auto-flush is amazing, it's nice to look at and it's much easier to clean than a regular toilet." The power-saving mode adjusts the heated seat settings to save energy.

Spa-like Showerhead

Shower combo kits with multiple showerheads bring a spa-like experience to the bathroom. Kohler’s Purist 2-in-1 Showerhead is a gorgeous example that combines form and function as well as any system on the market. The design features a rotating rail that allows you to arrange the showerheads in myriad positions, including horizontal, for a penetrating back massage. The showerhead and handheld spray offer three spray settings (full coverage, pulsating, and rinsing) for even more customization. There’s also a pause feature to save water while you shave or shampoo.

LAB RESULTS: Kohler's Purist Collection, which includes fixtures for both the bathroom and the kitchen, has earned consistently high marks with our engineers and testers. The 2-in-1 showerhead does it again with its quality construction and durable finishes. The user experience, meanwhile, lives up to the spa comparison. "The two showerheads are a dream come true!" one gushed. "The magnetic detachable showerhead is so easy to handle and I appreciate the strong water pressure these showerheads provide."

Top-Value Bidet Seat

The one drawback to automated bidet seats is that they need to be plugged into an outlet, which not all bathrooms have conveniently located next to the toilet. Manual bidet seats, like the Tushy, spare the trouble and expense, while still delivering a pleasant and effective cleansing experience. The nozzle even rinses itself before and after each use for maximum hygiene. If you’re bidet-curious, but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on the upgrade (not counting the potential added cost of adding an outlet), the non-electric Tushy is one to consider.

LAB RESULTS: Our experts liked the whole laid-back vibe of Tushy — the title of the product user manual, for example, is “How to Put This Sh*t Together.” Installation was as easy as advertised, taking testers less than 10 minutes. The bidet was very easy to operate, and while the overall experience was not the same as with an electric bidet (no warm water settings and customizable controls), Tushy’s knobs make it easy to go from a gentle spritz to a powerful wash that ultimately gets the job done.

Waterproof Wood-Look Floors

Wood flooring is a no-no in bathrooms, since moisture and humidity can cause the boards to warp and crack. Rigid core flooring is a wood-alternative material that resembles the real thing but without any of the performance issues, thanks to its multilayer construction, including a solid core that adds durability and a thick wear layer that resists scratching and staining. The Armstrong Flooring Lutea comes in 20 colors, including pale Scandinavian-inspired patterns and dark, rich shades.

LAB RESULTS: The Armstrong Flooring Lutea flooring proved extra durable in our performance tests, withstanding staining, scratching, fading, and denting. We also sent a batch of the flooring out to a consumer tester. “The product was easy to assemble even for someone with little to no experience,” he said, though he added that, as with most flooring projects, some specialty tools were required, which added to the project cost. He also had trouble sourcing a threshold that matched the material exactly. First-time DIYers might want to consider professional installation, if it’s in the budget.

Exquisite Vanity Faucet

Occasion Bathroom Faucet Collection

You start and end every day at the bathroom faucet. Despite its diminutive size, the fixture is also a focal point in most bathrooms, part of the jewelry of the space. Throw in the fact that there are so many options to choose from, and this is one tough remodeling decision. Kohler’s Occasion Bathroom Faucet Collection streamlines the process with its elegant selection of styles and configurations that are timeless enough to suit just about any bathroom. The ability to mix and match the spout, handles, and finishes leaves room for personalization without the sense of paralysis that often strikes on a bathroom remodel.

LAB RESULTS: Testers loved everything about the faucet collection. “The shape and height make washing my face an enjoyable experience,” one reported. “No leaning over excessively, and water is not splashing everywhere.” As for aesthetics, she added, “It elevates the look of the bathroom with its substantial, quality design.” The one quibble is that the vibrant "brushed moderne" brass finish she chose shows fingerprints. If that’s a concern, our experts suggest going with the smudge-resistant matte black.

Durable Interior Paint

Marquee Stain-Blocking Paint & Primer Interior Satin

Applying a fresh coat of paint is the easiest way to transform the look and feel of a space, which is why painting is the most common DIY project. Some paints deliver better results than others, especially in high-touch areas like the bathroom. Behr has been a top brand in our tests for many years now, combining value and performance as well as any name in the paint aisle. Boasting more than 1,000 colors, its Marquee line is the best of the best, and the Home Depot-exclusive is also easy to get your hands on.

LAB RESULTS: We put the Marquee paint in a satin finish through a battery of tough tests and it aced them all. Our testers were particularly impressed by its smooth, even finish and fast drying time. It's also highly stain resistant and can handle abrasions — whether from scuffs or a scouring pad — with the best of them. It fended off a litany of stains, including oil, tomato sauce and crayon. And the built-in primer reduces the need for a second coat. Start with it in the kitchen and bathroom, we say, then carry on with the rest of the house!

Perfect Showerhead

Signature Icon Anystream Showerhead

If you’ve been living with a wimpy showerhead, this simple bathroom upgrade can really improve your life. Who wants to start every day trying to rinse down with a weak sprinkle? Speakman has long been a favorite brand in the category with our experts, and its latest refinements to the Icon Anystream showerhead give them even more to sing (in the shower) about. New and improved spray plungers inside the showerhead deliver impressive spray, the solid brass construction adds durability to the design, and the expanded line of finishes helps the fixture coordinate with its surroundings.

LAB RESULTS: For all its simplicity, the Icon showerhead has always elicited strong responses from our testers — and this time was no different. “This may be the best showerhead I have ever used, and I have sampled/used over a dozen top-quality ones in the last three years alone,” reported one tester. “The showerhead is amazing,” wrote another, adding that “the pressure is perfect.” While the invigorating spray earned the most praise, our experts also liked the ease of installation, plus the fact that it’s very easy to adjust between different spray patterns.

Versatile Countertop

Vadara’s Sakura countertop, from its 2023 Natural Innovation Collection, brings together two key trends in kitchen design: the emergence of more blues and grays throughout the space and an enduring preference for low-maintenance materials. Inspired by Ijen Blue quartzite, a rare, pricey natural stone from Brazil, Sakura features a warm, off-white background with dominant blue-gray veining and subtle rust-colored accents. The polished, nonporous surface is impervious to staining and it never needs to be sealed; a soft cloth and plain soap and water are all you’ll need to maintain the countertop’s beauty and shine over decades of service.

LAB RESULTS: Through the last couple of decades of countertop testing at the Institute, quartz has emerged as the no-fuss leader, since it never needs to be sealed (unlike the natural stones whose design it often imitates). The Sakura countertop continues that tradition, showing exceptional resistance to stains, scratches, and dents in our tests. Home Design Director Monique Valeris praises the unique grain patterns. “The quality feels quite elevated,” she adds, calling Sakura “a fitting material for those who aren’t afraid to make a statement in their kitchen.”

Hard-Wearing Kitchen Floors

Karastan BelleLuxe Waterproof Wood

Engineered wood flooring has many advantages over real wood flooring, including durability and water resistance. When it comes to aesthetics, though, natural wood usually comes out on top. This BelleLuxe Waterproof Wood seriously closes the beauty gap, with an authenticity achieved through 64 layers of textured detail and over 1,000 color variations. Whether you’re going for the look of a light and airy oak or a deep, dark hardwood, BelleLuxe delivers with flooring that’s indistinguishable from the real thing without any of the maintenance.

LAB RESULTS: Let’s start with the aesthetics. “Both wood grain pattern and color look very beautiful and exude a timeless aesthetic," says Gautieri. “The material feels incredibly smooth.” Despite that smoothness, it was also impervious to scratches, dents and stains in our performance tests. The Waterproof Wood lived up to its name in our tough water resistance tests, in which we pour two cups of water on an assembled floor and let the puddle sit there for one hour, then check for signs of seepage.

Mike Garten

All-Weather Siding

James Hardie Architectural Collection

For more than four decades, Hardie’s fiber cement siding products have offered a durable, attractive and low-maintenance solution for homes of all types and locales. Given the uptick in extreme weather, with its wind, hail, wildfires and blazing heat, the product is more valuable than ever. The brand's expanded Hardie Architectural Collection continues to diversify its range of contemporary and traditional siding styles, all using the same ingredients list of top-quality, sustainable materials.

LAB RESULTS: As a Good Housekeeping Seal holder, products by James Hardie are subject to rigorous review by our engineers and experts. “All those from the Hardie Architectural Collection meet tough industry standards for protection against freezing temperatures, strong winds, fire, moisture, pests and more,” says Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director Rachel Rothman. Our style pros love the growing range of styles, from traditional lap siding to the more recent Hardie Architectural Panels, which feature panels in myriad textures that offer a more contemporary look and feel.

Reliable Roofing

GAF Timberline UHDZ Shingles

When it comes to providing shelter from the elements, there’s nothing more important than the roof over your head — and shingles are the first line of defense. GAF’s Timberline UHDZ asphalt shingles deliver top-level protection against Mother Nature’s harshest assaults — hard-driven rain, snow, sleet and hail, as well as the record-busting heat that has become increasingly common in many parts of the country. The premium shingles are also fortified with a time-release algae-fighting technology that will help extend their life in damp, humid climates.

LAB RESULTS: Our engineers verified Timberline UHDZ’s claims around resistance to weather, heat and algae as part of the GH Seal approval process. Lab tests reaffirmed durability and ease of installation, including the extra-wide strike zone for fast, efficient nailing. Outside judge Fernando Pages then went the distance and installed the shingles on a project in Houston. “Timberline’s UHDZ shingles represent a missing middle between common-variety composition shingles that protect from rain and the more durable, yet ultra-high-cost roofing selections, such as concrete tile and metal,” he says. Watch Pages's YouTube video for his full review.

Simple Cable Rail System

Barrette Outdoor Living RDI Elevation Rail

Once exclusive to decks on minimalist oceanfront homes, cable rail systems are now popular in all regions. Not only have they migrated inland, but also indoors, where they’re a common feature on staircases and upper-floor balconies, providing the uninterrupted sight lines that are their main selling point. The only downside: They’re a pain to install. Enter the RDI Elevation Rail from Barrette Outdoor Living, a preassembled DIY-friendly kit that saves time on installation and maintenance by eliminating the tedious task of tensioning each cable individually.

LAB RESULTS: Our experts got hands-on with a six-foot section of the cable rail system in our Labs. The powder-coated aluminum posts and stainless steel cables were top-quality design and construction. “Not having to thread each cable is a massive time saver,” says GH Test Engineer Alec Scherma, who handled the assembly. “And when any tightening is needed, it’s as simple as popping off the top rail and turning a few bolts.” The top rail and side posts are available only in matte black, but RDI says more colors are on the way as the rollout continues.

Sleek Siding

Azek Exteriors TimberTech Cladding

Last year’s Home Reno Awards winners included TimberTech’s Advanced PVC decking, a wood-look material that does a masterful job of combining beauty and durability. Now the brand has added Advanced PVC Cladding to its product line, and it boasts all the same attributes, including minimal maintenance (no sealing required), backed by a 50-year fade and stain warranty. The siding also scores points for sustainability, since it’s made in the USA from approximately 60% recycled materials, including plastic bottles and construction scrap like old vinyl siding and PVC pipe.

LAB RESULTS: The same high performance our experts found with the Advanced PVC decking was evident with the cladding. “Excellent dent and scratch resistance, so you won’t have to worry about hail, tree branches, or other hard objects marring the surface,” says Scherma. Our style experts like the curated color palette, which is transitional enough to work with all kinds of architecture. “It’s nice with siding not to be overwhelmed with too many choices,” says GH Home Design Director Monique Valeris. “There are just enough color options to find the right one to blend with your home style.”

Excellent Exterior Paint

Benjamin Moore Element Guard Exterior Paint

Choosing a cheap paint on an interior project won’t get you the best-looking, most durable finish, but it also won’t ruin your home. The stakes are higher with exterior paint, since it provides a layer of protection against the elements. Benjamin Moore routinely lands at or near the top of our rankings of top-quality paints, and its Element Guard Exterior Paint is another winner, thanks to its superb adhesion and resistance to stains and scratches, plus the fact that it can be applied in temperatures down to 35°F, extending the exterior painting season.

LAB RESULTS: The paint fared extremely well in our tough performance tests. It shrugged off stains, including oil and dirt, and proved exceptionally hard-wearing in our durability test, in which an abrasion machine applies 750 passes with fine-grit sandpaper to simulate years of scrubbing and scratching. As for color selection, Benjamin Moore gets top marks with our design pros. “I’ve long been impressed with Benjamin Moore’s range of exterior paint colors, including their warm whites and earthy naturals, which have an enduring appeal,” says Valeris. “The brand is a designer favorite for good reason.”

DIY-Friendly Decking

Deckorators Voyage Mineral-Based Composite Decking

One of the knocks against wood-look composite decking is that its heft and hardness makes it tough to install, especially for less-experienced DIYers who don’t have a workshop full of specialized power tools. The Deckorators Mineral-Based Composite Decking uses a fiber-like structure to maintain exceptional strength while being about a third lighter than the competition. Available in multiple colors and widths for custom designs, the decking also boasts exceptional stain and slip resistance, important qualities for any high-traffic outdoor living area.

LAB RESULTS: Pages, our outside judge, used Voyage at a 1,000-square-foot deck in Houston, documenting the project on his YouTube channel. He confirmed that the Deckorators decking is “lighter than most PVC and composite materials." He also reported virtually no expansion and contraction, which makes for an easier, more forgiving installation. And he liked that the material can be installed directly on the ground or in water without voiding the warranty — good for coastal applications, or even for building directly on a lawn.

Superior Composite Decking

Trex Transcend Lineage Composite Decking

Anyone who still doubts that composite decking can resemble real wood needs to hold a few samples of Trex’s Transcend Lineage Decking in their hands —or better yet, walk across a new deck made with it. Subtle graining gives the boards a remarkable authenticity, while heat-mitigating technology keeps them cooler than other like-colored composite options. Made from 95% recycled content, Transcend Lineage is engineered to resist fading, staining, scratching and mold. An occasional soap-and-water cleaning is the extent of the upkeep.

LAB RESULTS: Let's start with the looks: “Love it!” enthuses Valeris. “The color options feel sophisticated, especially the brown shades, which are so rich. The pattern of the grain seems natural as well." Results from our performance tests were no less positive, with the capped composite decking proving extremely scratch and stain resistant. Trex backs its promise that the material won't rot, warp, crack, or splinter with a 50-year limited warranty.

Top-Quality Vinyl Siding

Certainteed CERTAplank Single 7' Reinforced Siding

Vinyl has been the most common siding material used on newly built homes in the U.S. for the last 25 years, thanks to its relatively low cost and minimal upkeep. It’s not always the best-looking siding on the block, though, and it can be prone to cracking, rattling, and melting. That’s what makes the CERTAplank such a game changer. Its wide, flat face and convincing grain pattern gives the look of real wood, while its extra-thick panel and reinforced foam backer provides exceptional durability for a product that’s still lightweight and easy to install.

LAB RESULTS: The reinforced siding stood up to our tough impact tests, which simulate hail and other hard-driven objects. The material also fended off stains and scratches in our tests, so it should live up to its low-maintenance claims. As for its appearance, GH Associate Lifestyle Editor Alyssa Gautieri likes the “beautiful and timeless color options,” adding that “even the blue and green shades feel neutral and versatile, so you won't tire of seeing these shades every day.” A nifty visualizer tool on the Certainteed website helps you figure out which of the 10 available colors will look best on your home.

Convincing Plastic Decking

Zuri Decking Premium Decking

PVC decking is a fast-growing category in the market, and with good reason. The synthetic material is extremely durable, resisting stains, scratches and rot, without the need for annual sealing or staining. Zuri Premium Decking has all those attributes, plus it’s one of the most attractive decking products to pass through our Labs in recent years. The rock-hard PVC base is capped with a supremely photo-realistic wood-grain print in a range of colors, including chestnut, pecan and weathered gray.

LAB RESULTS: The decking fended off stains and scratches in our tests, and it also excelled in our impact-resistant tests, which simulate hail and other hard, falling objects. Pages, who has installed countless decks over the decades, raves about the appearance. “Zuri offers some of the best-looking design features,” he says, “including tasteful and interesting border patterns, dramatic inlays, and an end cap yielding a true two-inch edge for steps and rims.” He, along with our experts, also likes that the brand stands behind the product with a 25-year Color Fastness Warranty.

Mike Garten

Top-Notch Chain Saw

40V HP Brushless 20" Chainsaw

The battery-powered revolution that’s been buzzing through the outdoor power equipment category for the last decade has reached the chain saw aisle. Exhibit A: this 40-volt, 20-inch chain saw, which Ryobi claims can tackle logs up to 36 inches in diameter. Besides its impressive power, the product eliminates much of the maintenance required with a gas chain saw. The kit includes a rapid charger, which allows the 8Ah battery to reach full power in 80 minutes.

LAB RESULTS: While we didn’t fell any 3-foot-across oaks, our testers put the chain saw through a bunch of yard-care tasks that a typical homeowner might face. “It was easy to trim trees around the yard without the need for a lot of added pressure on the saw,” reported one consumer tester, adding that the size and weight of the tool was well suited to her 5'1" frame. The toughest task she tackled was a 25-inch-diameter log, which the Ryobi managed, though it took a few minutes. A gas chain saw probably would have ripped through the wood faster, but for basic yard care, this Ryobi is a clear-cut winner.

First-Class Combo Tool Kit

18V Brushless 2-Tool Combo Kit

Power tool combo kits often package together two or more flimsy tools from a brand, usually with an eye toward bargain-hunting holiday shoppers. This cordless duo from Ridgid is an exception, combining an equally powerful hammer drill and impact driver that together can complete a wide range of tasks around the house or even on construction sites. The kit also includes a pair of 18-volt batteries, plus a charger and hard-shelled carrying case.

LAB RESULTS: Ridgid, one of Home Depot’s exclusive power tool brands, is known to our experts as offering pro-grade tools at DIY prices. That’s the case with this combo kit. “One stop shop when it comes to a drill/driver combo set,” said one consumer tester, adding, “I’m used to 'prosumer' products and this duo is far beyond that.” With a maximum speed of 2,000 RPMs (revolutions per minute), the hammer drill could easily bore into metal, brick, and concrete, while the 3-speed impact driver had no trouble driving screws into a mix of hard lumber. We also like Ridgid’s Lifetime Service Agreement, which covers any registered tool that breaks due to normal wear and tear.

High-Powered Pressure Washer

Stihl RE 110 Plus Pressure Washer

A pressure washer can help you power through so many home-maintenance chores, from cleaning mildew-covered decks to blasting oil stains from the driveway. Our experts generally find that electric pressure washers hit the sweet spot between value and performance, and that goes for this 2,000-PSI (pounds per square inch) unit from Stihl. Besides packing plenty of power for any surface, it has the features we look for, including a large onboard detergent tank and an ample 23-foot-long hose to extend the reach of your washing around the house.

LAB RESULTS: The Stihl proved extremely easy to assemble, with its simple design and clear manual. “The hose on the unit stores easily on the wheel, unlike other models I've used that are prone to tangling and kinking,” said Lexie Sachs, an executive lab director at the GH Institute. Weighing nearly 50 pounds, the unit is one of the heaviest models from our extended pressure washer tests, but wheels and a handle make it easy to maneuver. The brushless motor should ensure years of service by putting less wear and tear on the mechanics.

Rugged Reciprocating Saw

BOSCH GSA18V-110 ProFactor 18V 1-1/8" Reciprocating Saw

Now 25% Off

A reciprocating saw shouldn’t be your first power tool, but once your DIY skills reach a certain level, you’ll want one of these rugged multitaskers for everything from demo work to removing grout to pruning trees. This battery-powered Bosch is one to reach for, providing fast, efficient cutting across wood, metal and other materials. It’s part of Bosch's ProFactor line, so when you’re ready to up your game again, the same battery pack can power other tools, including circular saws, grinders, and impact wrenches.

LAB RESULTS: We put the reciprocating saw into the hands of several professionals, all of whom raved about the performance. “I tested this saw making cuts through an assortment of materials and was very satisfied with its performance,” one told us. Outside judge Fernando Pagés even gave the saw to his crew to try. They balked at first, being used to brawnier corded-electric saws. “But when the battery lasted that day and into the next, they did not want to give it up,” he says. “I had to pry it out of their hands to get it back.” That's a pretty strong endorsement in our book!

Quick-Fire Framing Nailer

Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless 21° Framing Nailer

A framing nailer is another power tool for more advanced DIYers. As the name implies, it’s designed for framing work, say building a stud wall or creating an opening for a new window or door. But once you get the hang of Ryobi’s 21° Framing Nailer, you’ll find plenty of other uses, from building decks and fences to fastening molding and other trim work. Unlike pneumatic nail guns, which are tethered to an air hose that connects to a compressor, the battery-powered Ryobi runs on an 18-volt 4Ah battery, for enhanced speed and convenience.

LAB RESULTS: The professionals who put this framing nailer through its paces were unanimous in their praise. “As a contractor, I would definitely purchase and recommend the Ryobi,” one told us. “The battery life was longer than expected and it had plenty of power to drive framing nails into thick studs.” Another added that the tool is “very effective and greatly increases productivity over driving nails with a hammer.” Though the nearly 10-pound tool is a lot to lug around, he called that “a fair tradeoff for not having to deal with the nuisance of an air hose.”

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Family-friendly Fire Pit

A freestanding fire pit is a great way to extend the season of your outdoor living space. Unfortunately, fire pits also lead to thousands of emergency room visits every year. Solo Stove’s Fire Pit Surround reduces the risk by creating a 360º protective barrier around the pit’s open flames and hot surfaces. Made of perforated, powder-coated steel, the surround minimizes heat transfer to the point where it can safely double as a tabletop for drinks, s'mores fixings, and the like.

LAB RESULTS: The Solo Stove itself is a favorite with our experts, thanks to its smoke-free, efficient combustion. The only knock is how hot the unit gets, which the new Surround takes care of. GH Chief Food Director Kate Merker — who is, naturally, an avid outdoor entertainer — tested the Surround in her home's backyard. “Love the high quality materials,” she reported back. “Everything from the fabric panels to the metal frame to the fire pit itself feels well-made and trustworthy.” Referring to the unit’s 42-inch outer diameter, she adds, “It has a rather large footprint for a small fire, but knowing the kids and pets are safe is totally worth it.”

Great Gazebo

Rockport XL Steel Grill Gazebo

Our market experts have watched the demand for gazebos and pergolas surge as homeowners look to expand the footprint and functionality of their outdoor living spaces. Backyard Discovery has responded with a handsome array of offerings, none better than the Rockport XL Steel Grill Gazebo. Featuring a rust-resistant steel frame and two 16-inch galvanized steel countertops, the approximately 11' x 5.5' structure is the perfect setting for an outdoor kitchen or an open-air seating area on the back patio.

LAB RESULTS: We sent gazebos to both of our outside builders for assessment. Fernando Pagés reviewed the Rockport, while Marc Savatzky put up the 12' by 9.5' Stonebridge Gazebo. High-quality, attractive, and well-designed,” said Pagés. “Great addition to any backyard,” said Savatzky. “Industrial chic aesthetic and sturdy enough to hang hammocks and other accessories.” One note: As you can see from Pagés' YouTube review, assembly is quite involved, so you might want to consider paying extra for Backyard Discover’s assembly service.

Package Protecting Delivery Box

Lakewood Package Delivery Box

Even if your home isn’t the regular target of package thieves (a.k.a. “porch pirates”), chances are you’ve had packages go missing, or seen them damaged by bad weather. That’s created a market for delivery boxes — receptacles that live near your front door and create a safe, secure home for packages of all shapes and sizes. Measuring 49 x 25.25 x 19.9 inches, the Lakewood Package Delivery Box features double-wall resin construction and an internal spring-loaded baffle with panels that allows packages to be delivered to a secure compartment accessible by two included keys.

LAB RESULTS: Assembly of the delivery box was simple and straightforward for our testers. “It was ready for service in about 45 minutes, including weighting the box down with sand for added security,” one tester said. Another said, “The box works quite well and has definitely saved us from having packages stolen.” He added that the plastic design lacks the refinement of some metal receptacles, but for the price, our experts say the Lakewood is a worthy contender in the increasingly competitive market for drop boxes.

Clever Outdoor Cooler

V20 Cordless Misting Fan Kit

With summer heat waves running longer and hotter in many parts of the country, homeowners are looking for more ways to keep cool in the open air. Misting fans, like this battery-powered version from Craftsman, answer the call by adding a fine mist to the cool breeze of a traditional fan. The device can be connected to a garden hose for continuous cooling in the backyard or mounted to the 5-gallon bucket that's included with the kit, ideal for cooling down at campsites, the beach or other remote locations.

LAB RESULTS: The clever cooler was a big hit with our consumer testers, who put it to good use during the hottest days of the year. “I was a little skeptical, but it really made a pleasant, positive change at the outdoor event we hosted,” one said. Other testers appreciated the compact design, good for easy storage, and the three fan speed and misting settings, which make it easy to calibrate the cooling power based on outdoor heat and humidity levels. The same 1.5Ah battery can be used across Craftsman's 20-volt power tool platform.

DIY Fabric Paint

Max Flex Exterior Fabric Spray Paint

You don’t have to buy all new cushions or rugs to add a fresh splash of color to your outdoor space. Glidden’s new exterior fabric paint can be sprayed onto vinyl, canvas, leather and other exterior-grade materials. The fast-drying paint also provides extra protection from harsh sunlight to prevent fading. The 12-ounce container comes in eight colors, including black and white and more vibrant hues like Romantic Isle (teal) and Rum Punch (red).

LAB RESULTS: Glidden is a top performer in our interior paint tests, so our experts were eager to test out the Max Flex. They applied it to various outdoor fabrics, including polyester cushion covers and rugs made out of propylene. "Like any spray paint, it was easy to apply, though the fumes were very intense, so you definitely need to work with it outdoors or in some well-ventilated area," one tester noted. The paint dried quickly with an impressive depth of color that held up well over several weeks of heavy sun and heat exposure.

Mike Garten

Smart Recessed Lights

HD+ Full Color Wafer Smart LED Downlight

Lighting is one of the trickiest items to source on a remodel. That’s doubly so for recessed canister lights, given the many specs to choose from and the fact that they’re often only available through specialty distributors. Cync has made the process so much easier with the launch of its Smart Downlights, sold online and at Lowe’s. Available in 4-inch and 6-inch profiles, the all-in-one WiFi-enabled fixtures are faster to install than standard can lights, since no trim kit is required. And the LEDs can generate millions of colors, including tunable white, all programmed through the Cync app.

LAB RESULTS: "Easy to install and hook up, thanks to clear directions," reported our consumer tester, though he added that the Cync product has some design differences from other can lights he's installed, so that meant a slight learning curve. Our experts have had positive experiences with the Cync app on other lighting products and found it similarly intuitive this time around, including with the programming of lighting schedules and "scenes."

Excellent WiFi Extender

Orbi RBKE963 Wi-Fi 6E Mesh System

As homes get bigger and more connected, the result is more dead zones where a weak signal means long loading times and dropped calls. A robust Wi-Fi router is the best defense against these Internet snafus, especially one equipped with additional satellites that deliver top speeds to every corner of the house. That’s the promise of the Orbi system from Netgear, which delivers up to 10.8 gigabits per second (Gps) Internet speed over a 9,000-square-foot coverage area. Plus, the Orbi supports Wi-Fi 6E devices, including many of the latest high-end laptops and TVs, so there’s no risk of it becoming obsolete anytime soon.

LAB RESULTS: The Orbi impressed our testers right out of the box with its straightforward setup. “The app allowed for easy parental control configuration, device management, Internet speed testing, and traffic reports,” says GH Lab Assistant Nikolas Greenwald, who oversaw the test. The system clocked exceptional download and upload times and it’s the best router we’ve ever seen at running 4K videos on multiple devices at the same time — good for large households that do a lot of streaming and gaming.

Must-Have Fire Protection

In a typical year, 350,000 home fires across the U.S. cause some 2,500 deaths and another 11,000 injuries. Electrical failures caused by arcing faults and defective appliances are behind tens of thousands of the blazes — which is what makes Ting such an essential safety addition in today’s homes. The simple plug-in device plus companion app uses advanced sensor technology to alert homeowners to dangers in the system, including grid equipment faults that can result in dangerous power being sent into the home. Since its launch, Ting is now in 350,000 homes and has recorded 5,000 “saves” (a.k.a. averted fires) in that time.

LAB RESULTS: This is Ting's second Home Reno Award, which means we've been testing it now for nearly 18 months. The device continues to provide reliable hazard detection in our test homes. Our product experts like Ting's reduced price ($99), plus the fact that more insurance providers are giving it to customers for free. The software that powers Ting has benefited from several AI-enhanced upgrades, and we like that the device now has a low-temperature warning, good to prevent pipes from freezing caused by winter blasts.

Superior Solar Generator

Also known as portable power stations, solar generators are a safe and simple way to provide backup power for your home during an outage, or to power up devices on a camping trip or job site. The HomePower Two Pro is a robust, 2,200-watt generator that runs on lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, the latest technology in backup batteries. Not only does the unit boast fast charge times and the ability to hold the charge for long stretches, its 3,000-cycle life span is up with the best in the industry.

LAB RESULTS: In our rigorous tests, the generator needed less than two hours to reach a full charge using an AC wall outlet, or four hours using solar panels. Weighing 61.3 pounds, without wheels, it’s best suited to home use, where its three AC outlets can power appliances, power tools, CPAP machines and the like. "Unlike gas-powered backup generators, which produce dangerous carbon monoxide, solar generators like the HomePower can be safely operated indoors," says Scherma. It also features two USB-A and two USB-C outlets for your small electronics. The LED display is intuitive and easy to read, and the built-in LED light is helpful when working in the dark.

Versatile Smart Lock

Smart locks are high on our list of most useful Wi-Fi-connected products. They not only let you ditch your keys, but also can grant temporary access to your home for approved users, like a dog walker or a cleaning person. The technology is so helpful that legacy lock maker Schlage saw applications for it beyond the front door, to places like garages, side doors, home offices and guest rooms. Hence the Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Lever, which is designed to work on single-bore doors, making it one of the most versatile smart locks available today.

LAB RESULTS: Schlage’s Encode line of smart locks is a consistent top performer in our tests, and the Lever is no different, with its straightforward installation and setup. Testers especially liked the Apple Home Key compatibility, which allowed them to open the lock with a simple tap of their iPhone or Apple watch. “The built-in Wi-Fi is another nice feature, since it eliminates the need for a separate hub,” one tester added. The Schlage Home app is among the easiest to set up and control.

Standout Standing Desk

FlexiSpot Pro Plus Standing Desk
Credit: Flexispot

With many of us still working from home at least part of the time, versatile work stations have become an essential home office feature. Standing desks are at the core of this concept, a movable surface that lets you stretch your legs throughout the day without interrupting your workflow. The Flexispot Pro Plus Standing Desk combines this functionality with a sleek design, durable construction, and a host of useful features, including wireless device charging, USB ports and a programmable sit/stand reminder system in the LED display.

LAB RESULTS: FlexiSpot is a respected brand in the standing desk space with our experts, and their experience with the E7 did not disappoint. Though its heavy-duty steel frame and robust motor make for a hefty table, it was very easy to assemble, thanks to the smart packaging and intuitive design. Testers liked the expansive height range (25" to 50.6") and the fact that the stable table can handle up to 440 pounds. Our experts also tested several accessories, including an under-desk drawer and a monitor stand, and were equally impressed by their quality.

Whole-House Power Protection

Whole-home Backup Power Solution

Backup power for the home used to be strictly fossil fuel–based, either a gas-powered portable generator or a standby unit that ran on propane or natural gas. But the electrification trend has hit the category, as is clear from EcoFlow’s new Whole-home Backup Power Solution. The battery-based solution can generate up to 7,200 watts of clean, quiet, emissions-free electricity, enough to power most major equipment in the home. It can even be integrated into rooftop solar panels to harness the sun’s energy to charge up, instead of paying the utility company.

LAB RESULTS: Boston-based contractor Marc Savatsky installed the system on a recent project. “The Ecoflow is a simple and elegant solution for homes prone to power outages,” he said, though he does recommend hiring an electrician for the installation, since it needs to be tied into the home's circuitry. The features and accessories impressed, including wheels and a telescoping handle for easy transport, and the weather-resistant bags, which will come in handy when he takes one of the batteries to the job site or on family holidays.

Next-Level Security Camera

The best smart home technology simplifies your home while also making it more secure. Google’s newest Nest Cam checks both those boxes as well as any Wi-Fi-connected camera on the market. The weather-resistant camera not only notifies you on your phone when it detects possible trespassers, but also shines two bright LED lights on the area, so you can check on the situation from anywhere. That not only wards off would-be intruders, but also lights the way when you’re coming home after dark.

LAB RESULTS: The Nest Cam earned top marks with our testers for its excellent 1080p video quality and crystal-clear two-way audio communication. "I like that the optional $6 per month subscription offers facial recognition to avoid unnecessary alerts for family or friends," says GH Media & Tech Reviews Analyst Olivia Lipski, who has evaluated dozens of connected cameras in the last two years. In terms of quality, the camera is solidly built, as evidenced by its 3.45-pound weight, which is several times heavier than most security cameras. Note that between its heft and the fact that it must be hardwired, professional installation might be required.

Comprehensive Home Security

Home Monitoring System SE

As a leader in the streaming space for more than two decades, Roku’s entrance into home security is welcome news, since it makes it possible to keep tabs on your home from any screen, be it the phone in your pocket or the family room TV. Roku’s Home Monitoring System SE, which includes two entry sensors, a motion sensor, a wire-free keypad and a hub with a built-in siren, integrates with any Roku player or Roku TV, so it can send alerts while you’re watching your favorite show if a sensor is triggered. Despite its innovative design, the Roku is one of the more affordable home security solutions we’ve seen, starting at $99.

LAB RESULTS: GH's Rachel Rothman ran the Roku through extensive home tests. Having reviewed dozens of security systems in recent years, she was impressed by the overall value of the seven-piece kit. She also praised the easy setup, thanks to Roku's clear step-by-step in-app instructions and prompts. A nice perk was the ability to view the camera feed on any Roku device, including the Roku-enabled smart TV in her bedroom. "It's convenient and comforting to be able to monitor the house without climbing out of bed," she says.

Exceptional Air Purifier

GermGuardian AC3000 AirSafe+ Intelligent Air Purifier

An air purifier on its own can’t give your home perfect air quality, but it is an important part of the overall strategy, along with steps like vacuuming regularly and removing shoes indoors. Our experts are adamant about choosing models with true HEPA filtration, since they do the best job capturing contaminants of all sizes. This GermGuardian adds an activated carbon filter to neutralize odor and a UV-C light that Lasko says can target viruses and bacteria.

LAB RESULTS: A close review of the technical data by our engineers found that the GermGuardian’s advanced filtration is designed to capture particles down to .1 micron, in line with the smallest of all tested air purifiers. (We are not able to verify the claims related to UV-C light.) Home testing took place during a time when New York City’s air quality was severely impacted by Canadian wildfires. “We turned the air purifier on for an hour and the room felt normal and livable again,” one tester observed. Another noted that the device is a bit noisy on its highest fan speed, but ultimately decided this is a good thing because the air purifier now “serves as a white noise machine too!”

Smart Garage Add-On

MyQ Smart Garage Video Keypad

The garage is the primary entry point for tens of millions of Americans — no surprise given that the space is attached to the home in so many cases. So it was only a matter of time before we started seeing video keypads for the space, akin to the video doorbells that have become ubiquitous at front doors in the last decade. Enter the myQ Smart Garage Video Keypad from Chamberlain Group, an innovative smart home device that allows you to see who’s coming and going and create personal PIN codes for family, friends, and temporary visitors, like the dog walker or service provider.

LAB RESULTS: Rothman installed the myQ on the garage of her home on Long Island, NY. “Setup was straightforward, though we had to put in a Wi-Fi extender near the garage to ensure a strong enough signal to the camera” she says. The myQ app's live-streaming feature and two-way audio communication were helpful with deliveries. We also like that if you pair the myQ Video Keypad with a myQ Connected Garage Door Opener (like the Chamberlain Secure View that won a 2022 Home Reno Award) you can let visitors in by opening the garage door remotely through the myQ app.

DIY-Friendly Smart Lock

The best smart home products provide a seamless experience. For some homeowners, that includes keeping the technology as invisible as possible. In the smart lock category, the Level Lock+ is one of the most discreet models on the market, with all the technology baked into the lock itself. It’s particularly suited to Apple users, since the Apple home keys integration means you can lock and unlock the door by simply tapping the Level Lock+ with a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch. The lock comes in four finishes: matte black, satin nickel, satin chrome, and polished brass.

LAB RESULTS: We did a complete in-Lab assessment of the Level Lock and also sent one to our outside judge and smart home expert Marc Savatsky for review. “This is a fantastic smart lock,” Savatsky reported, echoing the view of our experts, who found the app to be particularly intuitive. “It’s high quality and the instructions are clear and easy to execute for the DIYer.” We also like that the lock meets the highest industry standard (BHMA AAA) for safety and durability.

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Power Pruner

When you have a lot of yard to prune, including thick branches and tough weeds, manual primers and shears can quickly lead to hand and wrist fatigue, no matter how sharp their edges. Stihl’s battery-powered garden pruner is a unique solution that can handle an array of landscaping tasks behind the strength of its mini chainsaw with a 4-inch guide bar for precision cutting and pruning. The set includes the tool, battery, charger, maintenance oil and a canvas carrying case.

LAB RESULTS: Testers put the power pruner to work across a slew of tough yard tasks, including cutting through 2-inch-thick tree branches and pruning a thorny rose bush with hard-to-reach stems. “The lightweight pruner is very easy to handle, with a comfortable grip and very little vibration,” one tester observed. The run time on the 10.8-volt battery is only around 20 minutes, but since the tool isn’t in continuous use, that allowed for hundreds of cuts per charge in our tests. Safety features, like the retractable chain guard and trigger switch lockout, reduce the risk of injury.

Statement-Making Lawn Mower

Americans have long taken pride in their lawns. Toro’s Max Stripe Mower is for homeowners who want to bump that devotion to the next level by giving their lawn the manicured look of a big-league baseball park. The secret is the 3/4-inch-diameter steel roller at the rear of the mower that leaves perfect stripes in the lawn as you mow. The emissions-free electric mower runs on a 7.5 Ah battery with a claimed 65-minute run time, making it a good fit for lawns up to ½-acre in size. The mower folds up for easy vertical storage

LAB RESULTS: The effect of the Stripe was unmistakable in our tests. Noted one tester: “The stripes are very defined when mowing the lawn, so it’s crucial to really keep things straight and symmetrical when mowing.” The mower delivered the even cutting performance and smooth handling that our experts expect from Toro, based on years of lawn mower reviews. Though because of the striping, it moves at a more leisurely pace than other self-propelled mowers we tested, especially when cutting taller grass.

Must-Have Garden Tool

V20 Cordless Multi-Use Garden Tool Kit

If you do a lot of gardening, chanced are you dig a lot of holes. Craftsman wants you to put down the trowel or shovel and pick up this battery-powered multiuse garden tool. The handheld device can dig up to 25 holes per minute — think garden beds full of flowering annuals or vegetable gardens with tons of tubers. A single charge on the 20-volt battery can provide enough power for up to 165 holes.

LAB RESULTS: Most of our testers were unfamiliar with multiuse garden tools, but they quickly caught on. “Great tool that I never knew I needed,” one noted. “It cuts labor time in the garden in half.” The auxiliary handle can be positioned for left- or right-handed users. Outside judge and homebuilder Fernando Pagés Ruiz (who has an impressive garden at his Houston home) waxed poetic, writing that the Crafstman has “enough power to drill through tough hard-pack soil and cut through the garden bed like a steak knife through soft butter.” His wife loves it, too, since it means less time digging holes under the hot Texas sun.

Non-Toxic Weed Killer

A weed-free landscape doesn’t have to mean blasting every square inch with harsh chemicals. That’s the promise of Earth’s Ally Weed & Grass Killer, a sea salt-based herbicide that’s formulated to vanquish common weeds like crabgrass, ivy and chickweed. The powdered formula dissolves in water, so besides being safe for people and pets, it uses 97% less plastic in the packaging process, though it is best applied with a gallon pump sprayer, so that needs to be factored into the total cost.

LAB RESULTS: Earth's Ally is a Good Housekeeping Seal Holder, so our experts have done close analyses of the brand’s ingredients list to confirm that the formulas meet the federal definition of a “minimum risk” pesticide. For their latest performance review, testers applied Earth's Ally to a variety of broad-leaved weeds and were amazed by its ability to kill them down to the roots. “Small to midsize weeds went brown within a few hours,” one tester noted. “Some of the biggest, toughest weeds needed two or three applications, but that can be true even with harsh, chemical-based pesticides.”

Most Efficient Irrigation System

Smart Sprinkler Controller

U.S. homeowners use almost 8 million gallons of water every day watering their lawns and yards. What’s more, nearly half of that water is wasted due to evaporation, runoff, and inefficient irrigation systems. Moen’s Smart Sprinkler Controller tackles the problem with the use of WiFi-enabled soil sensors that ensure your lawn only gets water when it needs it. The system retrofits to existing irrigation equipment, where it can reduce water use by 30%, saving the average household some 15,000 gallons over the course of the year.

LAB RESULTS: A GH Institute staffer installed the Moen system at her home on Long Island, New York, in a town with strict lawn irrigation regulations. “The controller was very easy to set up, as was placement of the soil sensors throughout the yard,” she says. After one full growing season, her landscape looks healthier than ever and water use is down significantly, compared with the clock-based controller that her irrigation system ran on in the past.

Mike Garten

Scene-Setting Multi-Panel Door

Also known as “scenic doors,” multi-panel doors are movable glass wall systems that blur the line between inside and out, while flooding interiors with fresh air and natural light. Milgard’s Moving Glass Walls come in sliding, pocket and bifold configurations; the entire system can be as tall as 10 feet and up to 20-feet wide. Strong aluminum frames allow for narrow stiles and rails, maximizing sight lines. The doors come in four colors: clear anodized, dark bronze anodized, white and tan.

LAB RESULTS: GH’s style team loves the impact these scenic doors will have on any home. “More and more homeowners crave spaces that showcase the beauty of indoor-outdoor living, and this system achieves the effect in a seamless way,” says Valeris. “Milgard's door styles feel design-forward and there’s nothing like the abundance of natural light they pour into a space.” Our engineers like that the system uses dual-pane insulated glass with a variety of low-e (short for “low emissivity”) options, improving energy efficiency in all climates. Note, however, that the glass is not impact-rated, so the doors aren’t meant for hurricane country.

Wonderful Window Treatments

Window shades are an important design element in any room, adding color and texture. They also improve energy efficiency by adding a layer of insulation in front of windows. Hunter Douglas’s Duette Honeycomb Shades, the original cellular shade, provide the insulating quality with fabrics that also allow light to filter into the room. The latest versions layer in all kinds of smart technology as well that make the shades even more energy efficient and easier to operate.

LAB RESULTS: One of our home experts had the shades installed at his home. “This is a fully custom service, so while you’re paying a premium, the shades are an exact fit for each opening, and the professional installation and setup is flawless," he says. Control of the shades through the Hunter Douglas app was also seamless, and there’s a wall-mounted remote control for manual operation. Another nice feature is the top-down/bottom-up feature, which maximizes privacy as well as the flow of natural light into the room.

High-Tech Exterior Door

More connected technology is being baked into the structure of the home, rather than existing as stand-alone gadgets. The M-Pwr Smart Door is an award-worthy example. It’s the first residential front door to feature integrated welcome lights, video doorbell and smart lock. The hardwired fiberglass door is always on, with built-in battery backup in the event of a power outage. It also excels at its primary job of protecting your home from intruders and harsh weather by excelling at impact resistance, air/water infiltration and security.

LAB RESULTS: While we couldn’t perform an actual installation of the M-Pwr, we have tested many of its smart components, including the Ring Video Doorbell and Yale Smart Lock, both top picks with our experts. Our engineers reviewed the technical data to verify claims around performance and efficiency. And our style experts chimed in on the rich array of design options, including various styles and finishes. “I like the full-lite with pearl glass configuration,” says Gautieri. “Not only does it look modern, but it's a great way to bring a little natural light into your home without giving up privacy.”

High-Performance Patio Doors

Contemporary A-Series Patio Doors

Andersen is one of the biggest and most reliable names in patio doors, with a track record dating back to 1903 (right around the time the Good Housekeeping Institute launched!). The brand’s A-Series doors is a legacy line that expanded this year to include more contemporary options. That includes modern accessories and narrower sight lines, to meet the consumer demand for light-flooded interiors and strong visual connections to the outdoors.

LAB RESULTS: Our engineers evaluated all the component parts of the A-Series patio doors in the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab. We like the expansive range of high-performance glass options to suit a variety of climates, including triple-pane glass for maximum energy efficiency and impact-resistant glass to meet the strictest building codes in hurricane-prone areas. The color options, both exterior and interior, include darker finishes that are a further compliment to the contemporary styling of the doors. Our market experts like Andersen's wide distribution network, including local showrooms and at the Home Depot.

Customizable Entry Doors

Window World Fiberglass Entry Doors

The entry door is like the smile of the home, which is why replacing a worn-out door does so much for curb appeal. Our experts are big fans of fiberglass doors, because they combine durability with the look of authentic wood. Window World’s line of smooth fiberglass doors showcase that excellence and come in hundreds of styles, from full-glass to double doors, to suit every type of architecture. Add-on features include sidelites, internal blinds, and more.

LAB RESULTS: As a GH Seal holder, Window Worlds Fiberglass Entry Doors have been through extensive in-Lab performance evaluations by our team of engineers. The doors proved resistant to cold and heat for exceptional energy efficiency, delivering up to four times the insulating value of wood. They’re more durable than steel doors, and our experts like the fact that they can be painted and stained, or you can choose from the extensive selection of factory finishes. As a full-service exterior remodeler, Window World provides design consultations, installation, and ongoing service support via its limited life warranty.

Mike Garten

Streamlined Remodeling Service

A welcome trend is the rise of digital renovation companies that serve as a one-stop shop for homeowners embarking on a major project. Block Renovation, which launched in 2018, is a leader in the space, with a streamlined solution that matches homeowners with vetted contractors and offers renovation resources and tools. Block Renovation has completed more than 1,000 projects in its current metro markets — New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Washington, D.C.

LAB RESULTS: We were impressed by Block's platform, which is at once sophisticated and user-friendly. To get deeper insight into the experience, GH Senior Chemist Sabina Wizemann went through the design process on a bathroom renovation in her Brooklyn, NY, home.After having her space scanned on-site and an the initial consultation, she was presented with a proposed layout of her bathroom, 3-D renders, and suggested materials. "Working with the in-house designers was great," says Wizemann. "They listened to our needs and shifted things accordingly." Wizemann appreciated the peace of mind that comes from Block's accurate estimates and all-in-one platform, making it easy to plan her remodel.

Best Solar Marketplace

Rooftop Solar Marketplace

Installing rooftop solar panels is a great way to lower your energy costs. But as the upgrade gets more popular, so does the number of solar scams, or companies that mean well but don’t have the knowledge and experience to do the job right. EnergySage is a solar marketplace that makes it easy for homeowners to shop around for the best solar system, getting multiple high-quality quotes from vetted installers. For those who are on the fence about solar, the website also features tools to help them sort through upfront costs and long-term savings.

LAB RESULTS: GH staffers from three separate regions went through the EnergySage process. One didn’t receive any quotes because her roof was blocked by too many shade trees. “Disappointing, but I think a less scrupulous service would have tried to sell us on a system anyways,” she said. Others received multiple quotes with detailed information, including the total power output of the proposed system and the length of its warranty. “A lot of solar marketplaces we’ve used felt very scammy,” one tester told us. “They collected our info and shared it with other companies who contacted us nonstop. This platform was different. We got the quotes without any spam.” Our experts also reviewed a rooftop solar study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which found that EnergySage shoppers save up to 20% compared with homeowners who work directly with a single installer.

Consumer-First Roofing Company

The construction trades aren't always known for innovation, so our experts are on constant lookout for companies that find ways to better serve consumers. Gunner Roofing is a great example. In early 2023, the company launched a digital platform that makes it easy for homeowners to shop for, purchase, and schedule the installation of a new roof in a transparent manner, knowing the work will be done by certified installers using only industry-best materials. The service takes the guesswork out of one of the more confusing home improvement projects, and also one that you need to get right given the importance of a solid roof over your head.

LAB RESULTS: Our experts went through the process of ordering a new roof through the Gunner platform. The VR-generated mockup of our house helped us visualize the project and the portal provided a clear cost estimate and timeline for completion. We like that Gunner is a certified GAF Master Elite Residential Roofing Contractor (GAF is a Good Housekeeping Seal holder and fellow Home Reno Award winner, so its reputation for quality is unblemished). Though Gunner currently serves only New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, the company plans to expand into other regions. Our judges also made it a Home Reno Award winner with the hope that other trades will follow its model of transparency and digital innovation.

Innovative Paint Company

Founded in 2018 by interior designer Nicole Gibbons, Clare is a mover and shaker in the paint industry, offering a direct-to-consumer online shopping experience that gets the inevitable comparison to Warby Parker glasses and Casper mattresses. Clare's model is built around the Color Genius, an online tool that helps you find the perfect hue (out of 75 total) for the project by asking questions about the space, natural light, personal style and more. The zero-VOC formula comes in eggshell and semigloss finishes, in quart or gallon containers.

LAB RESULTS: Starting with performance, Clare provided excellent coverage and a smooth, durable finish in our tests. It’s also GREENGUARD Gold certified, so it meets rigorous emissions standards. Some of the biggest praise came from our style experts. “I’m a huge fan of Clare,” says GH Home Design Director Monique Valeris. “Instead of being forced to evaluate an endless amount of paint colors, Clare offers a well-curated selection, including a thoughtful array of trendy picks as well as classic shades for just about any room." Our experts also like Clare's peel-and-stick swatches, which are much cleaner and more user-friendly than sample jars.

All-In-One Remodeling Company

Dwellify, headquartered in Salt Lake City, is another start-to-finish renovation company that serves homeowners nationwide, including suburban markets. It offers a wide range of services, from design guidance to orders and delivery to the actual construction, all under a streamlined timeline that can be as fast as six weeks. Homeowners can track the project and make payments through the app or website. A "home transformation specialist" is assigned to each project and essentially serves as the general contractor, working with vendors and subcontractors to ensure everything stays on track.

LAB RESULTS: We spoke with several homeowners who completed a remodel with Dwellify, and had one consumer tester experience the service up through the design phase. Customers appreciated the simplicity of the process, which starts with an online quiz that helps the homeowner determine their design style (mid-century modern, traditional, farmhouse, etc.). “We didn’t have the time, or the eye, to visit showrooms and pick out a bunch of fixtures,” said one customer, who used the service for a whole-house remodel. “Based on the online style quiz and a few visits from their design team, we were presented with a curated selection of materials and finishes that met our needs perfectly."

Mike Garten

Most Versatile Heat Pump

YH2F 1- and 2-Stage Heat Pump

Heat pump technology is one of the biggest innovations in residential heating and cooling. The systems have so many advantages over traditional equipment, including increased efficiency, improved indoor air quality, quiet operation, and easier “ductless” installation. No wonder 4 million heat pumps were installed last year. York, an industry leader for more than a century, adds versatility to the category with its YH2F line of 1- and 2-stage heat pumps, which can replace the home’s entire heating and cooling system, or be paired with an existing gas furnace for a dual-fuel comfort system.

LAB RESULTS: York is a longtime holder of the Good Housekeeping Seal, so our engineers have done extensive reviews of its equipment, including the YH2F heat pumps. Durable design and construction promise reliable performance over the long haul, and the SEER2 (short for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) will deliver significant energy and money savings, especially if you’re replacing decades-old heating and cooling equipment. "Thanks to various sound containment technologies, York’s YH2F heat pumps are also exceptionally quiet," says GH Test Engineer Alec Scherma.

Best Forced-Air Accessory

Smart Forced-Air System Upgrade

Heating and cooling accounts for roughly half of the average American home’s total energy cost. In homes with forced-air systems, much of those energy dollars are wasted by sending hot or cold air to rooms that don’t need it. Flair Smart Vent helps solve the problem by allowing you to design individually controlled heating and cooling systems for each room. The vents can also be paired with occupancy sensors so that a room is only heated or cooled if someone is in there.

LAB RESULTS: Our engineers evaluated Flair in our Labs, pairing the smart vent with a compatible smart thermostat. Setup was easy and intuitive, and the companion Flair app made the system simple to program. The wide range of available sizes, from 4x10 inches to 12 x12 inches, should accommodate the existing vent openings in most homes, allowing for an easy retrofit. While we weren’t able to install the smart vents across an actual home and record energy savings, we reviewed several independent studies that showed how occupancy-based room-level zoning of centralized HVAC systems, like Flair, can lower energy costs by as much as 30%.

High-efficiency Heat Pump

XV20i Variable Speed Heat Pump

Our home experts are so excited about heat pump technology that they handed out a second award in the category, to Trane for its innovative XV20i Variable Speed Heat Pump with Trane Link. The genius of the system is its variable speed compressor, which adjusts based on outside temperatures and other ambient factors. That makes for quiet operation and exceptional energy efficiency (its 20.5 SEER2 rating is up there with the best). Then there’s the Trane Link, an app-based technology that lets you control and monitor the system remotely. You can also give technicians access so that they can perform remote diagnostics, saving time on repairs and catching small glitches before they turn into expensive repairs.

LAB RESULTS: GH Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director Rachel Rothman was up for a new unit for her home’s forced-air heating and cooling system, so she went with the Trane heat pump. The professional retrofit was seamless, and she noticed an immediate decrease in energy costs, as well as quieter operation, even with the central air running at full-tilt. “Remote control through the Trane home app is a nice convenience,” she adds, “for example enabling us to get the home at the optimal temperature before returning from a weekend away.”

Smart Water Heater

Signature 900 Smart Electric Water Heater With Hybrid Heat Pump

The many benefits of heat pump technology, starting with top-level efficiency, can be applied to your water heater too. Given that water heating accounts for nearly 20% of the average U.S. home’s energy use, the savings can add up quickly. A.O. Smith Signature 900 Series, available in 50-gallon, 66-gallon, and 80-gallon models, boasts industry-leading efficiency ratings, as well as integrated leak detection, so you’ll receive an alert on your phone if the heater springs a leak.

LAB RESULTS: A thorough review of the specs and technical data by our engineers confirms that this is one of the most efficient water heaters on the market; its Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) of 4.02 is plenty good enough for Energy Star certification. "Its 45 dBa sound rating also makes it one of the quietest water heaters we've reviewed," says Scherma. "That's important if the unit will be installed near a living space." Besides adding convenience and peace of mind, the unit's Wi-Fi connectivity lets you implement "time of use" scheduling to prioritize heating when utility rates are most affordable.

Coolest Combo Unit

If you live in a four-season climate, you could probably benefit from a portable AC during the summer months and a space heater come winter. The EcoFlow Wave 2 is an ingenious device that combines cooling and heating capabilities in a single machine. It also adds in a battery pack that can be charged at an AC outlet, DC car charger, or solar panel, so it can deliver up to eight hours of off-the-grid comfort, say on a camping trip or during a power outage.

LAB RESULTS: Our engineers were impressed by the innovative mechanics of the two-in-one unit, though they noted that its 5,100 BTU cooling capacity is on the lower end of the spectrum for portable ACs; the output translates into a relatively small 107-square-foot cooling area. GH Commerce Editor Jacqueline Saguin tested the multitasker in cooling mode in her Brooklyn, NY, home. Setup was straightforward, the controls were intuitive, and "right after installation, it immediately went to work quickly and effectively cooling down my space," she says. One other caveat: The dual-hose design (one for intake, one for exhaust) took up extra space in her small studio apartment.

Home Improvement & Outdoor Director

Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.

Furniture

Wayfair Way Days Sale 2023: The Best Furniture and Home Deals

Inez Caron October 29, 2023

The discounts reflected in these deals may no longer be available.

Wayfair’s sitewide sale event, Way Days, is back, which means you can save big on an impressive variety of furniture, rugs, lighting, decor, cookware and more essentials for your home. We’ve sorted through the deals (so you don’t have to)to find the worth-it picks for your home. Don’t wait to shop though, since the sale only runs from Oct. 25 to Oct. 26.

Furniture

A wide variety of furniture is on sale during Way Days, whether you’re looking for a new sofa, a more comfortable desk chair for your home office or a media console with ample storage. Shop our favorite deals from well-known brands like Allmodern, Novogratz and Joss & Main.

Ebern Designs

Mickelsen Outdoor Side Table

sand & stable

Talley Leather Sectional, 2 Piece

AllModern

Geo Upholstered Armchair

Mercury Row

Dark Walnut Gambino Coffee Table

Zipcode Design

Wyndid Conference Chair

Novogratz

Brittany Upholstered Sleeper Sofa

Etta Avenue

Euclid 47" Loveseat

Allmodern

Kody Vegan Leather Bar & Counter Stool, Set of 2

MistanA

Keegan Media Console

Joss & Main

Helene Upholstered Storage Ottoman

Decor

In addition to larger furniture items, scoop up deals as you outfit your home with decor like mirrors, curtains and other accessories. Way Days includes impressive markdowns on both standing and wall-mounted mirrors, plus sheer and blackout curtains.

Willa Arlo Interiors

Baidy Tray

MAYEERTY

Gold Arch Full Length Mirror

Lauren Ralph Lauren

Rubin Sheer Curtain Panel

Joss & Main

Edith Scalloped Metal Wall Mirror

Wayfair Basics

Single Blackout Curtain Panel

Joss & Main

Selma Cotton Throw Pillow

Mercury Row

Samsel Ceramic Table Vase

Rugs

A rug is a surefire way to tie a space together. Wayfair has plenty of options, including different patterns, materials and sizes. Shop impressive deals on Moroccan and jute rugs, as well as geometric statement makers. Each of these pieces comes in different sizes, but we’ve listed them all in the 5-by-8-foot or similar size.

AllModern

Walker Performance Rug

Mercury Row

Bonifay Performance Rug

Mistana

Hillsby Performance Rug

Foundstone

Gil Moroccan Handmade Flatweave Rug

Gracie Oaks

Isalena Handmade Flatweave Farmhouse Jute Rug

Lighting

Lighting can completely change a room. If you’re in the market for a new floor lamp, a flush mount light or even outdoor string lights, consult our picks for these on-sale styles.

Mercury Row

Barfield 66'' Tripod Floor Lamp

Birch Lane

Abbey Glass Flush Mount

Trent Austin Design

Graeme Paden Dimmable Table Lamp

Ebern Designs

Kjeld Arched Floor Lamp

Bulbrite Industries

Incandescent String Light

17 Stories

Black Tray Table Floor Lamp with Outlet

Storage

There’s never a bad time to step up your organization game. Baskets, bins, shelving units and more are on sale right now, including items for every room of the house. Upgrade your bathroom shelving, or get your entryway in check with a new shoe rack.

Trent Austin Design

Flythe Ladder Bookcase

Dovecove

Superior Wicker Basket

Ebern Designs

5-Tier Storage 25 Pair Shoe Rack

Wayfair Basics

Water Hyacinth Basket, Set of 2

17 Stories

Calirose Freestanding Over-the-Toilet Storage

Kitchen

Beyond furniture, Wayfair is also home to a bevy of kitchen tools, cookware and countertop appliances. Shop knife sets, glass food storage, oven mitts and more kitchen helpers while they’re majorly marked down from Buy Side-favorite brands like Henckels and Le Creuset.

KitchenAid

Artisan Mini 3.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

Henckels

Modernist Knife Block Set, 13 Pieces

Le Creuset

Cerise Silicone Utensil Set with Crock, 5 Pieces

Spode

Blue Italian Cereal Bowl, Set of 4

Glasslock

Glass Food Storage Container, Set of 18

KitchenAid

2-Pieces Oven Mitt, Set of 2

Lodge

Pro-Grid Reversible Griddle

Holiday decor

Get into the holiday spirit with this seasonal decor while it’s marked down for Way Days. From festive pieces like a stoneware Christmas village to problem-solvers like a wreath storage bag, Wayfair’s sale has choices for however you celebrate.

Spode

Christmas Tree Platter

The Twillery Co.

Camdon Fir Artificial Christmas Garland

The Holiday Aisle

Chanukah Menorah

Wayfair Basics

Wreath Storage Bag

The Holiday Aisle

Tabletop Christmas Village

The advice, recommendations or rankings expressed in this article are those of the Buy Side from WSJ editorial team, and have not been reviewed or endorsed by our commercial partners.

Home Improvement

Home maintenance guidelines for wintertime weather | News

Inez Caron October 29, 2023

Drop is listed here, and winter will be below prior to you know it. With the modify in climate comes a listing of property maintenance that all house owners ought to deal with just before the cold climate arrives.

“The finest time to prepare for winter weather conditions is right before the probable ice, sleet and snow set in,” Mechele Agbayani, President and CEO of BBB Central East Texas reported. “A little bit of avoidance can help save you time, income and headaches.”

The BBB features these tips when making ready your house for the colder weather conditions:

Thoroughly clean Those GUTTERS

Clean up out gutters to avoid ice dams and water buildup. A develop-up of leaves and other debris can trigger your gutters and downspouts not to drain properly. Inappropriate draining can make h2o spill in excess of your gutters, top to basis/basement damage and harm to your fascia boards. In the winter, ice dams can type that can allow snow melt underneath your shingles. Get a listing of gutter contractors in close proximity to you.

Examine YOUR ROOF AND GUTTERS

Examine your roof for free or ruined shingles and make any essential repairs. Harmed or loose shingles can allow in water and ice all through the winter season, developing inside harm. Pay a visit to BBB.org to get a listing of roofing contractors in the vicinity of you.

Exam YOUR SMOKE AND CARBON DIOXIDE DETECTORS

Earning absolutely sure these crucial protection resources are in right operating condition is manageable and important to ensuring the basic safety of people in your residence. The Countrywide Hearth Protection Association features outstanding information and facts on setting up and maintaining smoke alarms. The U.S. Shopper Merchandise Basic safety Commission has information and facts on carbon monoxide detectors.

Look at YOUR WINDOW AND Doors FOR AIR LEAKAGE

Introducing caulk and climate stripping allows avoid cold air leakage into your home and helps prevent spiders and bugs from entering. Also, check out in which pipes and wires enter your property.

Organize YOUR GARAGE

You will certainly use your garage a lot far more in the colder months. Get rid of trash and litter, and make absolutely sure your snow shovel and other winter season- use merchandise are quickly obtainable. Fill/repair service any cracks or holes you see to reduce bugs and rodents from getting into that will be seeking refuge from the chilly. Find garage organizers around you.

Examine YOUR DRIVEWAY

Fall is a terrific time to fill cracks and seal coats to prevent wintertime drinking water/ice destruction. Uncover driveway maintenance contractors close to you.

Schedule HVAC Routine maintenance

A qualified Heating contractor near you can assist provider your heating unit and most likely help you save you up to 25% in energy fees in accordance to the U.S. Office of Power.

Protect PIPES

Insulate pipes in unheated areas, like attics, basements, and crawl spaces. Go over up your out of doors drinking water fixture(s). Spigot handles are moderately priced at your community hardware retailer and assist hold the exterior pipes from freezing.

Prepare THE Yard AND Hold IT PEST Absolutely free

Trim trees and bushes absent from your home to stop weighty snow or ice destruction. Clear up leaves and particles to stop pests from getting shelter. For extra help, uncover a BBB Accredited pest regulate business in close proximity to you.

Store patio home furniture and other out of doors items.

Put absent or go over outside home furnishings, grills, and other summer months things to secure them from wintertime weather conditions.

SWEEP YOUR CHIMNEY

Thoroughly clean and inspect your fireplace just before working with it. Guarantee the damper performs adequately to stop drafts when it’s not in use. Getting the soot and feasible blockages or creosote make-up eradicated can help lower the risk of a chimney fire and can strengthen the performance of your hearth. Find a chimney sweep in the vicinity of you.

REVERSE CEILING Supporters

Switch your blades clockwise to enable direct warm air downwards throughout colder months.

Check BACKUP Generators

If you have a backup generator, test it to assure it is in performing problem in case of electrical power outages. Check for BBB Accreditation for any experts you could seek the services of. Go to BBB.org to discover a business enterprise you can trust. Generally appear for the BBB seal. It is the indication of a far better enterprise.

FOR More Details

Strategies on hiring a contractor to do the job in or about your home. Learn more about protecting your house on BBB’s home servicing HQ. Glance to firms that adhere to the BBB Specifications for Believe in. Go through extra about BBB’s Accreditation Requirements.

The BBB is a nonprofit, business enterprise-supported organization that sets and upholds substantial specifications for truthful and straightforward organization actions. Most BBB products and services to people are absolutely free of demand. BBB presents objective information, cost-free BBB Small business Profiles on far more than 5.3 million businesses, 11,000 charity evaluations, dispute resolution products and services, alerts and educational facts on matters influencing market trust. Go to bbb.org for much more information and facts. BBB Serving Central East Texas was launched in 1985 and serves 19 counties.

Home Improvement

15 easy home improvement tips

Inez Caron October 25, 2023

When we consider ways to improve our homes, we often think big: new bathrooms, solar panels, or redoing the landscaping. These renovations can be costly and, in these economically challenging times, too much for many people’s budgets.

However, a series of minor tweaks, like mini-makeovers, can breathe new life into our homes. We can make countless small, affordable changes to our living spaces that make them cozier, more functional and energy efficient.

Some minor fixes can increase your property value, too.

Recently, a group of Redditors came together to share some small changes that have made an enormous difference in their homes. It all started when a user named Super_Dupa2 asked, “What small upgrade made a huge difference at your house?”

The prompt was a big viral hit, receiving over 8,300 responses in just one day. Here are 15 small upgrades that can make a huge difference in your house.

1. New shower head

"A better shower. If you can't redo the whole bathroom, just replace the head. This also works if you rent. Just keep the old one in a box, so you can bring the nice one to your next house." — Maartenvanheek

"And a curved shower curtain rod. You get so much more arm space." — Cripnite

2. More chargers

"Methodically buying phone chargers with long enough cables to not have to ever move one again." — ihadtowalkhere

3. Blackout curtains

"Blackout curtains for sleeping. Such a game changer." — blehbleh 1122

"And they keep my bedroom cooler." — BunjaminFrnklin

4. New lighting fixtures

"Fixtures are now properly grounded, the interior looks more updated, and there is more/better light." — SnooCaliflowers9981

"Lighting can absolutely make a huge difference in the way you feel in your room. Get some shoulder-height (when you are sitting) lamps for your living room. You will notice a shift in how much more relaxed you feel when you use those instead of the overheads." — ShoesAreTheWorst

5. Laundry room light

"Motion-activated light switch for the laundry room. Never have to worry about turning off the light when leaving with an arm full of clothing." — Amazing Asian

6. Attic fan

"Attic heat exhaust fan. Our attic used to get up to 140F on the hottest days; on those days, our ceilings were hot to the touch. The whole house was consequently uncomfortable. Now the attic fan is thermostatically controlled to 90 degrees, and the whole house is cooler." — jermleeds

"I added a passive whirlybird that does the same thing. Heat rises and escapes before it can accumulate to those extreme levels. It also happens to be clear acrylic, so now there's always light up there too which helps keep away any vermin." — cantwejustplaynice

7. Hanging artwork

"Spending a day mounting my artwork. It felt so much more like my home after that." — GinGimlet.

"Every time I've moved, I put that off for way too long, then finally break down and do it and the house feels so much better to be in." — Elegant-Nature-6620

8. New blankets

"My wife and I are getting separate blankets. No more fighting about who takes the covers while we’re sleeping. Highly recommend 10/10." — Akumamatata8080

9. Fake stained glass

"I had a window above the stairs the neighbors could see through, so I went on Amazon and spent 40 bucks on some plastic window film that makes it look like stained glass. It turned out AMAZING and lasted forever." — OathofFenanor

10. Bidet

"I get mad when I have to use a different toilet now. I’m truly converted." — Itwasmyshadow

"The worst part of owning a bidet is going on vacation." — TinyPieceofYarn

11. Rice cooker

"I save so much time and energy. Plus, there's less washing up to do since all I need to wash is the pot inside, instead of a saucepan, a wooden spoon, and a colander." — Molwalk

12. RoboRock

"Using a $150 GC my sister gave me for my birthday. I picked up a RoboRock Q5 robot vacuum ($70 out of pocket after the GC). I have it running on a daily schedule at 2 pm while I'm at work, and my hard floors are always immaculate." — Matt314159

13. Solar panels

"Fitted 4 solar panels to my shed roof attached to a lithium battery and inverter. Not the cheapest upgrade at about £1000. But unlimited free electricity in my shed. Can plug all my power-hungry man stuff in there and it’s guilt-free! And when there’s a power cut I just run an extension lead into the house, and I’m good! and way simpler than grid tie-in system."— Badger906

14. New windows

"After living here for 35 years. We had all the windows in the house replaced 5 months ago. The house is so much more comfortable and quiet. It was expensive but worth it. We replaced 11 windows of varying sizes with Renewal by Anderson. All had to be custom-made because of their outdated sizes. The largest was 5’X7’. They are composite materials with heat-reflecting glass. It is incredible to stand behind the window in direct sunlight and open and close them to feel the difference of the heat they block out. The house was definitely more comfortable during the hot summer, and the electricity bill was about 20% lower. They look beautiful, and the crew of 6 guys removed the old and installed the new in one day and did not leave a mess of any kind. We ordered them in the last week in March, and they were installed in the first week of June. Total cost was $23K." — Blizzard7788

15. Get a dishwasher

"It has changed our arguments over dishes." — xuknownx26

"No washing dishes! A handy place to hide all your dirty dishes! A handy place for your clean dishes to dry! And no dish rack on the draining board has freed up loads of space/made it look a lot less cluttered." — binglybleep

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Furniture

Why new home furniture does not previous long

Inez Caron October 20, 2023

Home furniture utilised to past generations. Now it barely survives a shift. Marketplace insiders demonstrate.

September 5, 2023 at 7:00 a.m. EDT

(Illustration by José L. Soto/The Washington Write-up iStock))

No just one expects an Ikea bookcase or West Elm sofa to past for generations, or maybe even to survive one more move. But wander into a classic furnishings shop and you are going to locate all sorts of outdated parts that were inexpensive and mass-developed in their working day, nevertheless have even now managed to achieve heirloom status.

Household furniture is not what it applied to be. Fifty or 60 a long time in the past, folks imagined of it as a thing they’d have for existence — a dresser that a grown child could just take to higher education, a dining table in which foreseeable future grandchildren would have Thanksgiving. Now? Not so a lot.

Present day people are often all also pleased to ditch past year’s Wayfair shipment for no matter what new development is sweeping their social media feeds. At the other close of that cycle is an sector relying on low cost labor and flimsy supplies to fatten revenue margins and continue to keep prices down.

Even larger-conclude chains are not normally a safe and sound guess. Michael Brotman has made for a number of of them, but he lately quit Significant Furnishings to open up his possess studio. Of a single past employer, he claims: “Without offering absent any secrets, their margins are significant and their top quality is not fantastic at all. I had a major discounted doing the job there — I didn’t acquire something.”

To have an understanding of the decrease in high quality, first consider what most furnishings is actually produced of. In the mid-20th century, the extra affordable things was ordinarily built domestically of American plywood — i.e., thin levels of wooden glued collectively — when fancier parts could possibly be reliable cherry or oak, and could be built in the United States or arrive from Italy or Denmark. Currently, most of what is on the market place is made up of Chinese-designed press board and plywood, while pieces marketed as “solid wood” may be rubber wood with glued-on veneer.

These alterations final result from the same directive: “Everyone is just attempting to decrease expense,” claims CoCo Ree Lemery, a home furniture designer who has worked for brands this kind of as Pottery Barn and West Elm, and is presently a traveling to professor of furniture structure at Purdue College. Rubber wood, for case in point, is much less high priced than most other lumber mainly because it’s a byproduct of latex producing, but it is inclined to decay. Chinese-produced wood products and solutions are equally inexpensive, but the quality is wildly inconsistent.

“The whole field has just adjusted so radically,” Lemery says. She describes the consistent grind of the style and design method for important stores as “soul crushing.” When she dared to produce parts that value additional to make, and consequently were being much more costly for customers, she says her employers would acquire them out of manufacturing rapidly. “My most successful items, unfortunately, have constantly experienced the greatest margin, so they’ve had the most affordable charge.”

Today’s much less expensive components and development go hand-in-hand with the voyage that most new furnishings normally takes across the ocean. The mainstreaming of container shipping in the 1970s “effectively erased distance” as a production concern, claims Christopher Mims, author of “Arriving Right now: From Manufacturing unit to Front Door.” “It’s just so head-bogglingly successful and cheap” to transport goods close to the environment.

Labor is most affordable in China and Southeast Asia, so individuals are the spots mega household furniture providers are likely to make their solutions. To travel expenses down even more, they goal to cram as many of all those merchandise into as couple of containers as they maybe can. The outcome: “flat-pack” furnishings that you, the lucky consumer, get to assemble at home, amid a mess of Allen wrenches and screws.

“Every inch and each and every pound counts when you are shipping and delivery matters,” Mims says. If you are striving to transport a container crammed with disassembled desks, cutting down the thickness of every single package by just a fraction of an inch can amount of money to squeezing in dozens far more of them. But that calculus arrives at the expenditure of high-quality.

For starters, lighter, thinner materials function a lot far better for these functions — so even if sound oak was abundant and affordable, home furnishings makers would however probably opt for push board. On major of that, Lemery states, “It’s incredibly challenging to design something that can disassemble and assemble and have the similar amount of longevity that a fully assembled piece can have.”

And now we’re just type of stuck in a self-perpetuating cycle. Low-cost production procedures have conditioned customers to expect that furnishings must be economical and drop aside in a couple several years. So not lots of buyers are ready to pay for superior excellent even when it is accessible.

Designers, not incredibly, find this distressing.

Lemery states the never ever-ending pressure to keep costs down intended she and her colleagues have been consistently generating compromises and revising their tips.

“You are doing work so ruthlessly to retain the value, that preliminary expense, lower,” she says. “When you get back again the drawing from overseas, no matter whether that is India or China or Indonesia, you’re reworking the drawings to make them less costly or you are indicating, ‘Can we substitute this for this?’ … so that I can get this product into a price tag stage that the consumer is inclined to spend.”

Brotman laments that some men and women are keen to shell out “thousands of pounds on jewelry” whilst balking at investing the exact amount of money “for a piece of furniture that their household sits close to and eats all around every solitary working day.”

As appears to be the case with most things, a great deal of the blame falls on social media. Relatively than looking at furniture as an financial commitment — and seeking far more timeless styles — shoppers typically search for trendier parts that suit the on the web micro-aesthetic of the instant. A fuchsia “Barbiecore” sofa, for illustration, could possibly use out its welcome right before the movie’s sequel, and reupholstering it would value much more than simply getting a whole new sofa.

“Factories are so much extra nimble and they can be retooled really speedily to make a new detail in a new condition,” Mims states. “And then those matters are communicated to us a lot more rapidly by way of the online. It has developed a content tradition which is just additional and extra disposable.”

And this, in flip, results in a big quantity of waste. The Environmental Security Company estimates that practically 10 million tons of home furniture finished up in landfills in 2018.

If you do not want to trash your coffee table right after your future shift, designers say there are some approaches to know you’re finding a solution that will past. Superior price tag alone does not determine excellent. But acquiring a thing that will come fully assembled or that was produced domestically are fantastic signals. A piece built “out of stable wood … that you have read of,” such as walnut, oak or cherry, will virtually undoubtedly endure for the long haul, Brotman states.

He spent extra than a dozen many years doing the job for Space & Board, and states that “as much as even bigger stores go, I think they’re probably the types accomplishing it the most, quotation-unquote, ‘right’” — as in, they charge reasonable rates for goods crafted in the United States.

A person way to ensure good quality is to acquire custom made furnishings, even though the expense implies it is out of arrive at for most. Brotman is at this time creating a dining table by hand for a consumer of his new company, Ogden Property Studio + Design. He is crafting it to her precise technical specs, which include things like producing it 11 ft very long so that it very easily seats a dozen people today. A in the same way sized table at a chain retailer could value about $2,000, and Brotman estimates it would choose about a day to make in a factory. This one particular will operate the customer $10,500, which include the good maple made use of to construct it, and require 90 hours of Brotman’s labor.

He claims the purchaser told him “her aim is for us to create a table that her young ones combat about when she’s absent. And I mean, I don’t want any preventing, but I also enjoy the idea that she’s generating this heirloom.”

Design

Bobby Berk Layout Ebook: Ideal at Home

Inez Caron October 8, 2023

If you buy an independently reviewed merchandise or support by means of a hyperlink on our web-site, Assortment may perhaps acquire an affiliate fee.

In the glut of inside structure inspiration, bash suggestions and total existence hacks that live on today’s Instagram feeds and TikTok For You Web pages — swathed in bouclé couches, checkered rugs and knockoff Eames chairs — it can be really hard to build a own style. We have the equipment, most likely way too lots of equipment, necessary to generate a wonderful area. But the final result is typically a whirlpool of tendencies devoid of individuality.

The magic that arrives with generating one’s space into a home is what Bobby Berk has delivered as a single of the inside design gurus on “Queer Eye” for seven seasons, and now the Emmy-successful host is bringing his expertise to his debut ebook “Right at Household: How Excellent Design and style Is Great for the Brain.” It releases Sept. 12 and is now readily available to pre-order on Amazon.

Appropriate at Home: How Good Design Is Great for the Head: An Inside Style Reserve~~$35.00~~ $31.50Obtain Now On Amazon

Berk’s hack for creating a property is to initial imagine about the things in your lifestyle that you like the most, and feel the most you. “Like what’s your favourite post of outfits?” he asks around a Zoom connect with.

“If it is your worn leather-based jacket, then you’ll possibly like leather-based accents like a leather be aware tray or a leather cup. If your beloved short article of clothing is a chunky cable knit sweater, then you are probably going to like cable knit throws or pillows. If that piece of outfits helps make you joyful and helps make you smile, makes you really feel harmless and secure, these points are also heading to operate in your household. And it does not subject if individuals factors are amazing in a journal. It only matters that they are sparking joy for you.”

Berk’s lovers may be shocked it’s taken so extended for the fact clearly show star to arrive out with his have style and design reserve. Most people today in his placement would have signed a profitable book deal as early as the Netflix show’s very first season but Berk says he needed to wait around right up until he was assured that it would be a e book that could truly help people today.

“I did not want to do a ebook just crammed with a bunch of pretty pictures and of lovely homes, that can at times make men and women sense worse about their areas than basically excellent about them,” Berk says. “A ton of these stunning, perfectly styled properties are unattainable spaces for the regular individual. I did not want to do a reserve that would make people today really feel lousy about their place, I required to do a book that would seriously assist persons obtain the area that they desired, and to know that layout is all about pleasure, and not about issues.”

Waiting to debut his very first layout ebook also indicates he and his crew were capable to faucet into an even much larger library of design and style get the job done. The reserve options space guides in each chapter, with suggestions on how to organize certain spaces together with pictures from authentic tasks he aided design in addition to his very own homes and these in his circle.

“There’s no stories in the e book about a specific room, it is all about large image,” Berk states. “We never want you to recreate a space that we’ve carried out — this e-book is about teaching you the means to figure out what issues in your place make you satisfied, and do it for on your own.”

Pre-purchase “Right at Property: How Good Design Is Good for the Mind” below:

Appropriate at Household: How Good Layout Is Great for the Thoughts: An Inside Structure Book~~$35.00~~ $31.50Invest in Now On Amazon

Furniture

GiraTree Launches A New Line of Sustainable and Fashionable Dwelling Home furniture

Inez Caron October 2, 2023

Press Launch

Posted September 15, 2023

The new launches by GiraTree include good nightstands, rattan nightstands, led nightstands, and extra.

GiraTree, a renowned organization with a loaded heritage in crafting top-quality high quality cupboards and dwelling storage alternatives, is set to redefine the home furniture landscape with its new line of merchandise. Since its institution in 2012, the firm has been a steadfast advocate for integrating sustainability and modern design and style in furnishings output.

In its effort and hard work to additional its commitment to providing owners with trendy however environmentally welcoming furnishings, GiraTree is launching a collection of new goods, like bedside tables, good nightstands, rattan nightstands, LED nightstands, rattan dressers, and present day dressers. These additions to their now numerous item array are intended to satisfy consumers' evolving requirements and tastes, giving a harmonious blend of style and functionality.

Sharing the company’s mission, Jeff from GiraTree explained, “Starting from an item, we only aim on creating the cupboard. we preferred to enrich our lives with timeless, nicely-built cupboard, you just need to use our product or service to conserve your funds and time.”

The bedside tables and nightstands, available in various styles and configurations, guarantee to include a contact of elegance to bedrooms although giving realistic storage remedies.

Fashionable Wise Nightstand with 2 Storage Drawers is a smaller white conclude desk that will come with a 3-color LED backlight, i.e., Black, White, and Natural, and adjustable lighting consequences that can be activated by basically pressing the touch button. It is really a quite convenient bedside desk evening light-weight. It has capabilities this sort of as wireless charging on the tabletop, developed-in speakers that can be connected by means of Bluetooth, a 2-drawer aspect desk with significant-excellent MDF board for superior organizing the stuff, and several extra. The best section is that this white nightstand can be made use of as a bedside table in the bed room and as a sofa aspect desk, mixing beautifully with the living home or hallway.

The wise nightstand comes equipped with modern-day amenities to facilitate a handy and connected way of living. It attributes created-in charging ports and comfortable-closing drawers, enhancing the user knowledge with a blend of know-how and design.

The rattan sequence, such as the rattan nightstand and dresser, provides the interiors a normal and refreshing touch. Crafted meticulously from superior-high quality rattan, these items are not just household furniture but a statement of model and a nod to environmental sustainability. They offer you a timeless charm, seamlessly blending with various interior kinds even though including a contact of character to your living area.

GiraTree rattan dresser with a simple design and style is perfect for several occasions like office environment, bedroom, and kitchen area. Not only can it be applied as a clothes organizer/lingerie dresser, but it also can be an accent storage cabinet for the dwelling home.

The storage cabinets are suitable for any home or apartment. Just about every shelf has a enormous loading capability to retailer many clothes and other bedding. The hanging rod is made of aluminum and strong ample for hanging clothing. Much more geared up with a clean and flat surface, this locker is also uncomplicated to cleanse.

The LED nightstand is yet another notable addition to the lineup, featuring a modern day glance with designed-in lights remedies that create a heat and inviting ambiance in any bedroom setting. It is created with the fashionable home owner in brain, completely balancing aesthetics and operation.

The fashionable dresser collection is a testomony to GiraTree’s dedication to presenting trendy and sensible products and solutions. These dressers supply sufficient storage house with a modern design and style, promising to be a beneficial addition to residences, enhancing the overall aesthetic even though giving useful storage answers.

Jeff further shared the company’s value: “Our researchers, designers, and engineers at GiraTree shell out their waking hours finding out eco-friendly environmental security and developing items based on actual purchaser needs and feedback. As a outcome, we are capable to present the most progressive storage cupboard products and solutions that no 1 else experienced at any time dreamed probable.”

New arrivals are coming in often, and on their on the web keep, users can effortlessly find the freshest modern-day types from the comfort of their properties. The firm is supplying free of charge transport on all orders with the skill to observe shipments on line.

For any media or industrial inquiries, users can visit https://www.GiraTree.com or call Jeff at [email protected]

For updates, adhere to GiraTree on all main Social Media platforms @GiraTreeofficial

About the Organization:

GiraTree has been a dependable name in the dwelling home furniture marketplace due to the fact 2012, providing a extensive assortment of products crafted from environmentally pleasant elements. The company is based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, and is recognised for its dedication to top quality, model, and sustainability. Each individual preference GiraTree will make & content it employs is designed with the intention of conference the greatest standards when guaranteeing high-quality craftsmanship, modern-day design and style, and time-tested toughness.

Media Get hold of
Company Name: GiraTree
Call Particular person: Jeff
Electronic mail: Ship Email
Metropolis: Shenzhen
Condition: Guangdong
Nation: China
Internet site: GiraTree.com

Design

Designer Bobby Berk on 1st E-book, ‘Right at Home’

Inez Caron October 1, 2023

Well before design and style specialist and Emmy-nominated Television host Bobby Berk could detect his instinct for structure, he could truly feel it in his bones. He encountered that sensation for the to start with time at age 5, sitting down in a bedroom that was flush with red—red bedspread, crimson pillows, crimson curtains—everything in a firetruck hue that his mom figured was apropos for a tiny boy. “I was not capable to articulate the point that this colour gave me nervousness, but I could inform that I didn’t really feel serene, and I felt that blue would make me really feel better,” he tells me. So, he saved up his birthday checks until finally he could pay for blue linens in what would develop into his 1st at any time home makeover.

Gurus In This Posting

Bobby Berk, style pro, Emmy-nominated Television set host, and writer

Though Berk did not fairly comprehend it then, this formative expertise laid the early foundations of his latest modus operandi: The heart of very good home structure is not just in how it seems to be, but in how it feels to the person who’s living within just it. As Berk outlines in his very first ebook, out September 12, Ideal at Dwelling: How Good Layout Is Excellent for the Mind, when you acquire care to style and design a place with your happiness, consolation, and design in intellect, it’ll consider care of you ideal back.

In the e-book, Berk unveils the means in which design and style has experienced a profound impression on his mental point out around the yrs, and then shares actionable how-tos for coming up with a dwelling that feels and capabilities like a protected haven—one that provides to, relatively than detracts from, your sense of peace.

“When it comes to a house, the greatest emotion for me is [that of] feeling safe and protected.” —Bobby Berk, design and style professional and Emmy-nominated Television set host

“When it arrives to a household, the most important emotion for me is [that of] experience secure and protected,” he claims. He only absolutely grasped the gravity of this emotion after discovering himself devoid of a dwelling, couch-browsing or sleeping in his vehicle or on the avenue all through his teenage yrs. The very first condominium he could manage was a lifeline, bodily and mentally. “Going from not acquiring that feeling of security to possessing that feeling, and viewing the drastic variation it manufactured for my psychological health—that’s what set me on the trajectory to be a designer and to share that experience with many others,” he claims.

In honor of his e-book start, I talked with Berk about what it actually suggests to obtain your own type and why it matters so substantially for producing a space that best supports you, plus the critical things of household style that can boost your temper and soothe your senses.

Connected Stories

Perfectly+Fantastic: Your e-book, Proper at Property, emphasizes the great importance of designing your house in a way that individually resonates with you. What would you inform a person who is battling to determine out their design and style style?

Bobby Berk: I’d start off by asking them about points that are wholly unrelated to design—because in the long run those people are the items that you want in your household for the reason that they're the issues that make you happy.

I remember, several years back on Queer Eye, we had a hero whose title was Remy, and he experienced inherited his grandmother's property. When his granny was attractive and experienced these a neat dwelling, it was not the property of a 27-yr-outdated bachelor, and he failed to actually know what to do with it.

Back in the beginning of the present, I would question people today, “What's your style aesthetic?” And they'd be like, “I you should not know.” Or, they'd say something that I understood wasn't actually them, but was just a little something they had heard—like “French industrial,” for illustration. And I’d be like, “Are you sure? Do you genuinely know what that is?” And they'd inevitably say, “No, I just go through it someplace.”

So with Remy, I requested, “What's your favourite tv exhibit?” And he was like, “Mad Adult males.” And then I was like, “What's your dream getaway?” And he was like, “Cuba, and I am also caught in the fifties.” So I did his dwelling in mid-century contemporary, and I did a seriously awesome mural of Havana, and he walked in, and he's like, “Oh my God, this is so me. I really don't realize how you were being in a position to do that.” And mainly I had just asked him about the issues that he was passionate about that had almost nothing to do with design and style, and people are the items I set in his household. Because the thing is, if they fill up your cup in other means, they are going to fill up your cup at dwelling, much too.

W+G: What is the mental-health and fitness influence of designing a residence all over your personalized fashion?

BB: It truly is drastic. Your house is like your cellphone charger. If you don't get completely charged at evening by your home, you happen to be not going to make it via the day, just like if you do not cost your mobile phone at evening, it will not make it as a result of the day, either.

So, it seriously does have a big influence when you style centered on your individual design and style. And it does not automatically have to suggest bordering your self with matters that you go out and shell out income on, possibly. It can be a awesome rock you uncovered on a family vacation that brings you back again to that moment when you ended up in a genuinely excellent psychological spot every single time you search at it. It can be a scent. It can be a texture that reminds you of your grandmother's sofa when you were being very little, all through a time when you felt harmless. The moment you figure out what those things are, it can have a substantial affect.

W+G: Are there particular design and style tweaks or modifications that you’ve uncovered tend to truly make improvements to how people really feel at dwelling?

BB: Lights is tremendous important. And when individuals speak about how much lights can do for a space, they do not seriously assume about the way it can have an affect on your psychological point out, as well.

A large amount of periods, folks are like, “Oh, I have these a challenging time slipping asleep at evening.” And I'm like, “Well, what is actually your lights program?” Based on what time you go to mattress, it is a good plan to start out turning your lights down or turning particular lights off a few several hours beforehand—or if you can, have your lights on a dimmer simply because your physique in a natural way begins making melatonin when it will get darkish.

So if you might be sitting in a tremendous bright home, your human body is not naturally likely to go, “Oh, hey, it can be dark. I will need to start off getting ready myself to go to snooze.” If you wait around right until midnight to not be in a shiny place, and then you are like, “Oh, I want to go to sleep. Why does it get me an hour and a 50 % to go to snooze?” That is due to the fact you're not programming your physique and permitting your human body know. You are not giving it the signal of, “Hey, I'm going to switch the lights down. You start off acquiring ready to go to slumber.” So even just tweaking your lighting prepare at evening can have a major influence.

The identical goes for adding vegetation into your house, which can be actually soothing—even a bogus plant can do the trick for the reason that our souls and our minds link to character. And when we are residing in a place with greenery, it methods your mind into seeing that texture and that shade that really hook up us to where by we are from.

W+G: As your own design and wishes and demands have progressed with time, what is a little something that you’ve finished to make your home get the job done (even) far better for you?

BB: Fantastic corporation has grow to be progressively vital for me. I never ever definitely recognized how significant being tremendous structured was for my mental state—even though I'm a Virgo, so I've always been mainly organized. But I employed to make it possible for the litter to accumulate a little bit far more when I initially moved to Los Angeles. I never did in New York, since in New York, you can not have litter because your house is just not large ample for it. But in Los Angeles, I employed to enable my bed room get a minimal bit out of control it was the one space in which I enable myself permit go a little bit.

But I understood that the bed room is actually one particular of the worst sites to enable go simply because then, you happen to be sleeping in chaos. And really don't get me wrong, it was in no way chaotic, but there was a pile of clothes below and laundry there you go to snooze observing those people points, and you wake up seeing those issues, and it in fact starts off to have a substantial influence on your mental well-staying. So, organizational approaches have actually been one thing that I have gravitated towards as I've gotten more mature.

W+G: What’s a straightforward style tip that an individual could use to sense even just a minimal bit extra at ease and at household in their place?

BB: I always say that a can of paint can go a definitely lengthy way. A large amount of periods, even if your partitions are not automatically a lousy shade, or perhaps they are just a little dingy or yellowish, a pleasant new coat of paint to whiten points up can enable in a massive, big way.

Editor's notice: This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Our editors independently pick out these items. Building a invest in by way of our back links might make Effectively+Superior a commission.

Furniture

Banana Republic Launches BR Home Home furnishings Assortment

Inez Caron September 23, 2023

“We are pushed by a desire for discovery and self-expression, symbolizing a new way to outfit ... [+] you and your house," Sandra Stangl, Banana Republic president and CEO, mentioned. Obligatory Credit rating Monthly bill Tompkins/Getty Photos Banana Republic shut thanks to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic on March 29, 2020 in New York Town. (Photograph by Monthly bill Tompkins/Getty Visuals)

Getty Visuals

Banana Republic just announced the introduction of a complete suite of bedroom, dwelling home and eating home household furniture, lighting and house attractive accents to insert to its preliminary entry into the home textile group before this 12 months. It will function below the name BR Home on line and be out there in select shops and in New York Town and Los Angeles pop-ups by the conclude of September.

In keeping with the brand’s upscale trend aesthetic and mission to “support the customer’s journey in a lifetime perfectly lived,” Sandra Stangl, Banana Republic president and CEO, mentioned, “We are pushed by a drive for discovery and self-expression, symbolizing a new way to outfit you and your household.”

Discovery is the key word in that assertion. Banana Republic is probable to uncover that its consumers never require the brand name to move into the residence space, exactly where they now have an abundance of far more established and authoritative possibilities.

And simply because the manufacturer is now battling with its standing in the style place, how will its launch into home help it find techniques to market a lot more dresses to much more individuals for extra funds?

Considering that timing is all the things, Banana Republic is sure to explore it has picked the erroneous time to launch into residence, if there at any time was a proper time. I questioned Banana Republic to correct me the place I’m mistaken, but they declined.

Market place Timing Off

No make any difference how wonderful the BR Home options look, it has established by itself up for a drop by launching into a dwelling furnishings marketplace currently in freefall. Whilst the Census Bureau stories that retail gross sales in furnishings and dwelling furnishings stores are down only 4% by means of July, that info doesn’t replicate what lots of main residence brands are encountering.

To date, three well known household furniture producers and retailers – Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Klaussner Home Furnishings and United Furnishings Industries, mum or dad of Lane House Furnishings – have shuttered.

And a sampling of significant-hitter home furniture and property furnishings brand names displays how rough the marketplace is suitable now:

Wayfair was down 7.3% in most current quarter, following a decline of 11% for fiscal 2022

Williams-Sonoma
WSM
, mother or father of Pottery Barn and West Elm, down 10% by 2nd quarter

La-Z-Boy
LZB
down 20% in 1st quarter 2024

RH down 21% via 2nd quarter

Overstock.com down 25% by way of next quarter, before it turned BedBathandBeyond.com

Hooker Furniture down 27% by next quarter

And Placer.ai foot traffic to home furnishings outlets is down way too. RH is off 17% this yr, both of those Pottery Barn and West Elm are down 5% and privately-held Room & Board welcomed 20% less in-keep customers by way of early September.

Each participant in home is on pins and needles about how the relaxation of the calendar year will fare, not to mention what’s forward in 2024 after consumers spent the far better aspect of the very last four yrs investing seriously in their residences. Particular consumption of household furniture by yourself rose from $135.6 billion in 2019 to $213.4 billion in 2022, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

However, home furniture is categorized as a resilient great, described officially as a item with an envisioned lifespan of three years or much more, still buyers usually get seven to 10-furthermore yrs of have on from their upholstered sofas and chairs and numerous far more from their eating home and bedroom furniture. It could be very a whilst before modern prospective buyers are again in the marketplace hunting for more.

“Finding accomplishment in a group that is declining will be complicated,” Christopher P. Ramey, founder of The Household Belief Intercontinental, observed. “Few tendencies in dwelling furnishings place to a void waiting around for Banana Republic to fill.”

Assuming Banana Republic has located a distinctive development it can capitalize on, which is uncertain in accordance to seasoned home marketplace watcher Warren Shoulberg, it will however have to take industry share from set up players that have managed as a result of dwelling downturns ahead of.

“I’m just not sure this house assortment will stand out in a pretty crowded space for contemporary, neutral merchandise and non-threatening appears,” Shoulberg said.

“The problem is, what is BR bringing to the household room that isn’t readily available from any variety of other brand names, the two in-retailer and on the net, with recognized corporations in property furnishings?” he extra.

Firm Timing Off

And then there is the even more substantial problem: why should a battling fashion brand venture outside the house its lane into an entirely new group wherever it has no authority or established reliability?

Provided the brand’s observe record, it can unwell manage the danger of getting shed in its discovery journey into residence.

Banana Republic arrived at its zenith in 2014, with sales peaking just less than $3 billion, then it hovered around $2.5 billion by pre-pandemic 2019. Just after dropping to $1.5 billion in 2020, it clawed its way again up to $2.1 billion in 2022.

But the to start with two quarters of fiscal 2023 haven’t been type to Banana Republic. Initially-quarter income have been down 13% from similar time period very last 12 months and 8% on a comparable basis. 2nd quarter ongoing its downward slide, down 11% on a topline foundation and 8% in comp product sales.

Leadership is taking its eye off the ball and need to be operating to correct the brand’s main, not insert more trouble to present problems.

“Transcending fashion to furniture is a sizeable leap. It’s tough for any model floundering in its core product or service to discover a new audience in a new class,” Ramey mentioned.

Possibly Gap Inc. management figures it can take possibilities with Banana Republic, which accounts for fewer than 15% of complete revenues.

But with its full company gross sales flagging, dropping from $16.7 billion in 2021 to $15.6 billion in 2022, and its other flagship makes challenged too – Outdated Navy, down 10%, and Hole, down 7% previous year – the BR Dwelling launch appears to be just about a desperate relatively than a strategic move at this time.

“Shouldn’t Banana Republic function on repairing their garments just before tackling dwelling, which, no make a difference how prosperous, will even now be a rounding error for the Gap
GPS
mother or father business,” said Shoulberg.

See also:

More FROM FORBESWhat Tommy Bahama Can Teach Banana Republic About Life-style BrandingBy Pamela N. Danziger

Design

Calgary Fall Residence Display: Do it yourself the home of your dreams

Inez Caron September 21, 2023

Post material

Colleen Pastoor grew up with a clever father and a couple of helpful uncles who understood their way about a toolbox. She herself had performed some dwelling painting, but once she obtained married, experienced toddlers and became the proud proprietor of a fixer higher, she and her husband had to understand some serious Do-it-yourself capabilities in a hurry. Even so, most of the details and tutorials they uncovered online were being posted by specialists, which she identified a tiny complicated.

Posting content

“A plumber crafting about a plumbing particular issue seemed really intimidating. I felt like I in all probability should not contact jobs myself,” she claims.

Write-up articles

As they went along, the couple realized through demo and mistake, eventually finishing the renovation of their initially little house in Kamloops. Correct from the starting of their house advancement journey, Pastoor felt the require to share their Do-it-yourself experiences and Lemon Thistle blog site was born.

“One of the matters I enjoy to do on my blog site now is to just take all the tips we understand and make them accessible for a person like me. It feels a great deal far more doable when you encompass oneself with individuals who are performing the exact same point, in serious life or online,” she states.

She and her partner took their Do-it-yourself style and design capabilities on the street. They aided renovate Pastoor’s sister’s Airbnb in Calgary, which was so significantly exciting they acquired and fastened up their have Calgary trip rental.

Lemon Thistle as a brand name now has more than 17,000 Instagram followers, 10,000 Facebook lovers and 45,000-as well as YouTube subscribers, furthermore tens of hundreds far more individuals on her electronic mail listing. Her layperson’s approach to outlining household design and style and renovation is a major motive powering her achievement.

Article content material

“Anybody can do it themselves. I feel when you initial begin, there’s a anxiety you’re going to wreck your dwelling, so get started with a minimal commitment Do it yourself task right up until you construct your confidence. Folks you see on line displaying their finished solution, remember, it’s not their to start with try. Not their initially time making use of instruments. If you’re fascinated in it and maintain at it, you will get better,” she claims.

Pastoor will be a Primary Phase presenter at the 2023 Calgary Fall Dwelling Demonstrate at the BMO Centre, jogging Friday, Sept. 29 to Sunday, Oct 1. Her subject matter is how to approach your Do-it-yourself project from start to complete.

“I really feel strongly about acquiring a system simply because I have completed it both ways and was overcome. Now, I have a program going,” she says.

Pastoor will also host a attribute at the display replicating the Do it yourself design she did for her sister’s residence, Tux House and Tux Suite. People to the element can scan QR codes to obtain Pastoor’s move-by-move Do-it-yourself tutorials on the transformation of a 1940s property in Calgary’s Tuxedo group.

With 10-12 months-aged twins, plus a 7- and a 5-12 months-previous, Pastoor very carefully schedules time for her Do-it-yourself jobs, calling it beneficial for her and her family.

“It can make me experience empowered that I can do these matters myself,” she claims.

Her Do-it-yourself Style Most important Phase presentation at the Calgary Slide Household Show is Friday, Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30 at noon and Sunday, Oct. 1 at 11 a.m.

For extra information and facts about Lemon Thistle and all other Principal Stage displays, stop by calgaryfallhomeshow.com.

Furniture

Glance within the workshop in which Montreal’s street home furniture is created

Inez Caron September 16, 2023

Tucked between residential structures, the a person-storey warehouse in Montreal's japanese Mercier–Hochelaga–Maisonneuve borough wouldn't convert any heads.

But inside of are the fixtures common to any Montrealer who spends time in the city's outside community areas.

On superior shelves sits wood that will be utilized for summer months phases. Inflatable screens for movie evenings in the park are piled alongside one another. Basketball hoops and yellow disc golfing nets are gathered in packing containers. Oversized chess items are scattered all-around a white bishop stands a metre tall near a pile of deflated blue waterslides.

And shortly, Montreal's vibrant community pianos will be part of them.

A shipment of goods is prepared to be despatched from the warehouse. The pile incorporates bogus plants, colourful umbrellas, a chess set and a bowling established and far more. (Sarah Jesmer/CBC)

"We are a little bit undercover," states Martin Mousseau, liable for technical providers and logistical support of installations in the borough. It really is his team that springs into motion to fill community spaces with oddities and routines each and every summer time.

"Absolutely nothing is appearing there like magic."

The warehouse and workshop, in some cases recognized as Entrepôt Chauveau, has been in business for many years — with supervising manager Éric Godcharles functioning there for the very last 30 decades.

Owned by the Metropolis of Montreal and managed by Mercier–Hochelaga–Maisonneuve, any borough can rent gear or fee the warehouse and workshop to create something. But even amongst metropolis staff, Entrepôt Chauveau's existence isn't extensively known, says Godcharles.

Godcharles, still left, and Mousseau, ideal, pose in front of 50 fake headstones established at Chauveau. Godcharles states they're receiving additional requests from boroughs for Halloween decorations. (Sarah Jesmer/CBC)

The crew is at this time concentrating on the colder seasons. They're painting the white boards that go around outside hockey rinks. And they are gathering objects for Halloween, like selfmade tombstones.

"What is truly amazing right here is we are in this article for, perfectly, for persons getting fun, for young children," said Mousseau.

But he also factors to much more really serious occasions of need to have when they have stepped in, like supplying massive white tents for working day centres in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How does it do the job?

Boroughs, not individual citizens, can lease or invest in materials from the warehouse.

Godcharles and Mousseau estimate boroughs they function with resource 10 to 30 per cent of their items for parks and pedestrianized streets from Entrepôt Chauveau, however it depends on the 12 months.

For example, the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie acquired mobile picket home furnishings, new garden bins, Adirondack chairs, picnic tables and benches from the Chauveau workforce this summer season, stated a borough spokesperson.

The Chauveau warehouse has decorative goods for boroughs to use, like plastic flamingos. (Sarah Jesmer/CBC)

"The work is accomplished listed here and the portray is accomplished here also," mentioned Godcharles. "If they question us to put varnish, we will varnish it. If they question for paint, we'll paint it. So it really is like no matter what they want we develop."

Mousseau and Godcharles monthly bill on their own as a more affordable, eco-welcoming general public provider option to decorate the streets, which directs borough paying inside of the metropolis instead than to a large on the web retailer.

But consciousness remains an problem, one thing Godcharles says is thanks to turnover in municipal workers.

"Just about every day, we get calls [saying] "Ok, I did not know that we could get this assistance,'" he mentioned. "So that's a small trouble that we are going through appropriate now."

Mousseau states they maintain an open up dwelling as soon as or two times a calendar year to assist with visibility.

'What are we going to do with all this?'

A lot more than a dozen blocks of Ste-Catherine Road E. in The Village are at the moment filled with planters, chairs, benches and art.

SDC du Village, the non-profit affiliation which manages the project, is tasked with storing all the things when the avenue reopens to autos subsequent thirty day period.

"It really is an further load when you produce a undertaking to have to think, what are we heading to do with all this?" explained SDC du Village government director Gabrielle Rondy.

Half disco balls and a painted deer sit on the corner of Ste-Catherine Road and Papineau Avenue. Fixtures like these arrive from private businesses, not Entrepôt Chauveau, states SDC du Vilage government director Gabrielle Rondy. As the summer comes to a close, the non-financial gain now has to determine out wherever to keep them. (Sarah Jesmer/CBC)

You will find some storage place in the SDC's setting up, and they rent warehouse place on Montreal's South Shore. She claims she failed to know rentals as a result of the Chauveau crew was an possibility.

"I was rather stunned to understand about this," said Rondy. "We're attempting to, of system, preserve funds each yr, conserve the world a tiny little bit extra. So we're attempting to not not construct something that's not essential."

A spokesperson for the City of Montreal mentioned it is up to boroughs to establish what goes in its streets and parks, and that the borough would have to have to make a request immediately to the Chauveau group.

The spokesperson pressured the warehouse is additional for generation than storage, introducing there is an inside catalogue accessible to boroughs to see what is obtainable.

Pay attention | Much more about Montreal's road installations:

Let’s Go13:20'What do we do in Oct with a huge moose? Where by do we keep it?'

In which do the home furnishings, seats and art on pedestrianized streets go when they open up to site visitors all over again? It is challenging. CBC researcher Sarah Jesmer clarifies.

Renovation

How To Improve Your Home Insulation

Inez Caron September 7, 2023

Do your energy bills spike during the winter and in the summer when the AC is on? You may not have proper home insulation. A well-insulated home saves money on energy bills and is more energy efficient. It will also make you more comfortable in every season.

Generally speaking, newer homes have better insulation than older homes because building energy codes have been improving over the years. If you own an older home, you probably need to look into upgrading your existing insulation. We have fixed a lot of homes with missing insulation.

Should I Add Insulation To My House?

To put it simply, insulation reduces the transfer of heat into or out of your home. Insulation traps tiny pockets of air to slow down the movement of heat out of the house in the winter and into the house in summer. You may have heard of the term “R-value”. This is a measure of how well the insulation traps the pockets of air. The higher the number, the better the insulation is at resisting heat transfer.

There are a few different types of insulation materials (fibreglass, polystyrene, mineral wool, etc.). There are also different methods of applying it (spray foam insulation, loose-fill, rolls of batting, and more).

A well-sealed envelope, paired with the right amount of insulation, can make a real difference in your utility bills. According to Energy Star, if you add up all the leaks, holes and gaps in a typical home’s envelope, it would be the same as having a window open every day of the year.

Improve Overall Comfort – Seal and Insulate

Sealing leaks and adding insulation can improve the overall comfort of your home. Those two things can actually help with other common issues in homes such as:

Reduced noise from outside

Limits pollen, dust, and insects (or pests) intrusion

Better humidity control

Lower chance for ice dams on the roof in in the winter

RELATED:

Sealing Air Leaks In The House

Is My Home Under Insulated?

Insulation is important because of its ability to reduce the amount of heat that flows between the inside and outside of your home.

These are some signs that your house may be under-insulated:

Icicles hanging from your roof. This can indicate that your attic is not sufficiently insulated.

Big changes in temperature from one room to another

Energy bills are very high in the winter and when your AC is running

BONUS TIP

If you see snow on your roof, that’s actually a good thing because it means your insulation is doing its job. When heat escapes from the top of your home, it can cause the snow to melt. This will then refreeze on a cold spot on your roof leading to dangerous ice dams. When that happens, eventually you could see water start to back up into your home and start causing some big damage.

If you see snow on your roof, that’s actually a good thing because it means your insulation is doing its job.

I recommend hiring a qualified home energy auditor to conduct a whole-home energy assessment. This should include an insulation check.

READ MORE:

HOW TO REDUCE DRAFTS IN YOUR HOME (8 WAYS)

How Can I Find Air Leaks In My House?

Before You Insulate Your Home

Before you look into insulating your house, you need to seal all areas where there is air leakage and drafts. This alone will have a huge impact on your energy bills.

If you are insulating your basement, you should know that moisture is a problem. If you don’t deal with moisture in your basement, it can seep into the insulation, drywall, wood ,etc. This can cause a LOT of damage.

What Is R-Value?

You may have heard me talk about R-value on my shows. R-value is the ability of your insulation material to reduce heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more this heat flow is reduced.

If your home already has insulation installed, a certified contractor can assess your home’s current R-value. They can recommend whether additional R-value is needed and the insulation options suitable for your home.

How Much Can You Save by Insulating Your Home?

Almost half of your energy bill is spent on heating and cooling. On average, you can save up to 20% on your home’s heating and cooling costs or up to 10% on its total energy costs by adding insulation to attics, floors, crawl spaces, and accessible basement rim joists, and by reducing unwanted air leaks all around your house.

(Source: U.S. Department of Energy)

What part of a house should you insulate first?

If you need to prioritize where to add insulation to your home, here is a guide.

#1 Attic Insulation

More heat escapes through your attic than anywhere else in your house. Adding insulation to your attic can save you a good amount of money in energy costs.

After a snowfall, take a look at the roof. If you see any bare spots, that’s a sign your attic is allowing heat to escape. Not good. Some bare spots around venting are natural, but if you spot shingles elsewhere, it’s time to beef up your attic’s insulation.

If you’ve got snow on your roof you need to find out if your attic is doing its job.

Insulating your attic can add value to your home.

Will adding insulation to your attic make a difference?

To answer this simply, YES. Increasing attic insulation is going to be one of the single most important steps you can take to save on your energy bills.

If the insulation in your attic is less than an equivalent of R-30 (about 10 to 13 inches), I recommend adding more. Upgrading an under-insulated home is well worth the expense.

#2 Insulating Your Crawl Space

If your crawl space is insulated, your heating ducts and water pipes in the crawlspace will not have to be insulated and won’t freeze. You also prevent heat loss from the ducts.

To insulate your crawl space, I recommend using a closed-cell, two-pound spray foam. This will act as both your vapor barrier and insulation.

If you live in an older home with a crawl space, you want to know what’s going on under your floors, Mike Holmes writes.

You will also need insulation under the floor of your home to keep the cold air underground and stop it from meeting the warm air in the warm part of the house.

RELATED:

Insulating Your Crawl Space

#3 Insulating Your Basement

Insulating your basement from the inside has a lot of benefits. For existing homes, this makes a lot of sense and is cheaper than insulating from the outside. Adding insulation also prevents insect infestations.

Closed-cell spray foam is an effective way to insulate your concrete basement walls. It can achieve a higher R-value. It also provides moisture resistance, which is important in a basement.

Insulating a basement can be an easy way to improve your home’s energy efficiency. This is especially true for older homes.

RELATED:

Heat Loss in Your Basement? Read This First.

#4 Exterior Wall Insulation

If your attic has enough insulation and you have done all the steps to properly air-seal your house, you may need to look into exterior wall insulation. This is an expensive job for existing homes.

Keep in mind that you may need to allow extra time if you need to excavate, repair foundation cracks, or waterproof the exterior foundation walls.

Remember, Mike Holmes Jr.’s walls weren’t thick enough to bring the R-Value up to code. We solved that by also insulating from the outside. If you can insulate and thermal break the house from the outside, the inside air, stays inside.

Three types of insulation are used on the exterior of basement walls:

Rigid mineral wool boards,

High-density polystyrene (Type IV) and

Polyurethane/polyisocyanurate boards

#5 Windows And Doors Insulation

When it comes to designing a well-insulated home, you need to pay attention to more than just the walls and ceilings. Windows and doors are important parts to avoid heat loss and cold drafts.

The first step is to examine your window and door frames and apply weatherstripping or caulking to fill any gaps or cracks. Sika Boom is a high-quality expanding foam insulation that is great for sealing those gaps —both the ones that are harder to reach and wider gaps. We use this product on all our projects and is very easy to use and durable.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeZgq68cXuM[/embed]

And don’t ignore the attic and basement windows. Insulating these can help maintain a consistent comfortable indoor temperature.

Replacing Old Windows & Doors

If you have older windows, consider replacing them with more energy-efficient ones. For example, double or triple glazing, Low-E coatings, and gas-filled glass. This upgrade will improve your home’s energy efficiency, improve its insulation, and increase your home’s value.

Home renovation with big windows completed by Lexis Homes, Holmes Approved Homes builder.

When it comes to doors, choose a model with weatherstripping and solid cores to minimize heat transfer.

Storm windows and doors give an extra layer of protection in harsh weather, further reducing your utility bills.

Finally, be sure to do annual maintenance checks to keep your window and door insulation in good shape. This will contribute to long-term energy savings and a cozy, energy-efficient home.

RELATED:

5 Signs Your Windows Needs Replacing

9 Things to Consider When Buying New Windows

Guide To Selecting a Front Door

Installing Insulation

Installing insulation is not a DIY job. You need to hire a certified insulation installer.

You may have seen DIY spray foam kits in the market. I don’t recommend using those. Hiring a pro is always the best idea.

How Much Does It Cost To Insulate Your House?

The cost of adding insulation depends on the R-value and the type of insulation. Get in touch with a professional insulation installer to get quotes.

By addressing insulation needs and sealing air leaks, you can create a more energy-efficient and comfortable home for years to come. You will also enjoy energy savings on your monthly bills!

READ NEXT:

Top 3 Ways To Prevent Heat Loss In Your House

Types of Insulation

Your choice may depend on which part of the house you’re insulating, and if you have easy access to the space. For example, to insulate a wood stud wall, you’ll have far more choices during new construction, or renovations where the wall cavity is open than if you want to insulate a wall cavity without removing the drywall.

Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam does a great job of creating an airtight home. It has a high R-value. With airtight homes, however, you do need to consider proper ventilation strategies so moist air is not trapped inside.

Generations Master Builder shows off their R25+ continuous spray foam. Holmes Approved Homes Builder.

The best way to do this is to install an HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator) or an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator). What an HRV does is that it exchanges indoor air with fresh outdoor air. But it also pre-heats the air that comes in using the air that’s going out.

Closed-cell spray foam insulation creates an effective air seal and thermal barrier when sprayed into the joist bays above the crawl space. This needs to be done by a professional. There are DIY spray foam kits in the market, but I don’t recommend messing around with stuff you don’t know.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8mKTnDluyU[/embed]

RELATED:

What Is The Difference Between HRV and ERV?

What Are The Benefits of ERV?

Open Cell and Closed Cell Spray Foam

When discussing spray foam, there are two types: open-cell and closed-cell. Open-cell spray foam consists of foam cells that are not completely closed, allowing it to be crushed by hand. On the other hand, closed-cell spray foam contains tightly packed, closed foam cells, rendering it denser and rock solid. This density contributes to an increased R-value, which measures its resistance to heat loss.

Renovation completed by Holmes Approved Homes Builder: Hasler Homes Ltd.

ICF

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) are becoming a more common home construction option. This innovative building material is typically made out of polystyrene foam blocks with room in between for a concrete wall to be poured. However, like any other structure, it must be protected from the elements and UV damage.

SikaWall®-1000 ICF is a cementitious, one-component, pre-blended parging mortar that is specifically intended for completing above-grade ICF block walls. They’re great because they offer high insulation and help to avoid thermal bridging. This results in a more energy-efficient and comfortable home, which will also save you on your energy bills down the road.

Like other Sika products, I love how simple the SikaWall-1000 ICF is to use and apply. I can’t wait to put it to use on more of our projects!

Blow-In Insulation

This is the best option for your attic. It is cheaper than fiberglass and has a higher R-value. It is less expensive than fiberglass and has a higher R-value. How it works is bags of cellulose need to be emptied into a blower. This equipment then sends the fluffed-up insulation through a long hose.

Foam Board or Rigid Foam

When it comes to insulation, foam board or rigid foam is a great, high-quality option you can’t go wrong with. These boards are known for their high heat resistance and are manufactured from materials such as polystyrene, polyisocyanurate, or polyurethane.

What’s great about foam boards is their adaptability. They can be used in several places in your house, including walls, roofs, floors, and basements. It’s also great for insulating concrete slabs. Here’s the best part. Thanks to its firm structure, it will not sag or settle with time, maintaining its efficiency.

Foam board insulation also has a high R-value, which means it’s able to keep your home comfortable, reducing the risk of heat loss or cold drafts coming in. It creates a continuous barrier against heat transfer, which results in lower energy costs and a more comfortable home.

But here’s the thing: installation is important. To maximize performance, seams and edges must be well sealed. That’s why it’s best to hire a professional installer for this job.

Whether you want to keep your house warm in the winter, cool in the summer, or simply cut back on your energy expenses, the right insulation can make all the difference. From foam board and fiberglass to cutting-edge solutions like ICF, there is an insulation material for every need. Investing in proper insulation is an investment in the future of your home. Remember that some projects are better left to the professionals – this is a big investment, so you want to make sure it’s done right the first time.

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Furniture

I dwell in a tent city but it is a great deal fancier than persons count on – our homes even have patios with home furniture

Inez Caron September 5, 2023

Living the tent life is grander than some could possibly get.

1 tent city resident absolutely thinks - and life - outside the house of the box - and 4 walls.

4

A tent dweller has added decorative things to make her house come to feel like propertyCredit: Tiktok/thejenniferwalsh

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Her tent town was full of fully decked-out patiosCredit: Tiktok/thejenniferwalsh

"Greetings from tent everyday living," Jennifer Walsh (@jenniferwalsh) welcomed viewers to check out her not-so-typical - but nevertheless stylish - room.

The tent dweller who traded in a roof for a more relaxed lifestyle confirmed the two sides of her tent group in Ocean Grove Tent Town, New Jersey.

Just about every tent home featured a patio that experienced its possess individuality.

Jennifer's very own stage-up out of doors space highlighted chairs, a aspect desk, and shells on the floor.

She even additional some greenery with a couple crops, and a hanging flower pot to incorporate some colour.

Her posh patio could have fooled most people today into thinking it was element of a extra regularly manufactured home.

Quite a few of her followers have been amazed with the luxe furnishings - and needed to hear much more about her residing condition.

"So adorable, are these rentals?" one particular curious viewer requested about how she arrived to receive the place.

Jennifer defined that the tent community's regulations had been as special as their canopied ceilings.

"No, they are not. They get handed down from technology to generation. A 10-year hold out listing for 1 at the second and there are 114 tents. It’s a have to-see," Jennifer proudly shared.

Jennifer also appeared to have no regrets about moving into her unique community - her welcome mat even go through, residence is where by your tent is.

The inside of, which in shape two beds, a desk, and chairs, as effectively as a rocking chair, and what looked like office room in the again, definitely experienced all the comforts of property.

Other watchers ended up also in awe of the atypical tent home area: "Wonderful group!"

However one more viewer had his own tidbits to share about the tent city in New Jersey.

"Fun Simple fact - the town these tents are in also has the highest total of Victorian structures in the US. The whole town is Victorian beach front houses, it’s wild", the follower shared.

Jennifer couldn't concur extra: "Yes! It is actually really awesome and so quaint."

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Her personal posh patio experienced all the cozy comforts of a standard residenceCredit score: Tiktok/thejenniferwalsh

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The interior resembled a normal-looking house - just with a canopied roofCredit: Tiktok/thejenniferwalsh

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Design

The Strategist Home Catalogue | The Strategist

Inez Caron August 29, 2023

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Courtesy of Retailers

Over the years, we’ve surfaced hundreds of home items here on the Strategist. And now we’ve taken a fine-tooth comb to our extensive archives to compile only the nicest, most design-forward, and, of course, functional objects that have been vetted by dozens of interior designers, architects, and all-around stylish folks — including the Strategist’s very own discerning writers and editors. We’ve personally sat on dozens of couches to find the nicest-looking, spoken to over 40 Noguchi Akari lamp devotees about the ones they treasure, and rounded up just about every essential you could think of, from beds to status-y towels to the most luxurious sheets — including the Lands’ End ones Nancy Meyers’s family swears by.

We’ve also stumbled on things through more roundabout routes (like snooping on Laila Gohar’s blood-red wall-to-wall carpeting and sniffing out the $13,000 coffee tables in Kendall Roy’s penthouse apartment). Here, we’ve collected 100 of the most delightful and useful décor and furniture items, including a sculptural LED bulb, an old-fashioned but still surprisingly sleek vacuum cleaner, and a historic bentwood chair that gets thrown around at improv theaters.

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Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

Furniture

Most effective Patio Home furnishings Gross sales August 2023

Inez Caron August 20, 2023

Summer months is nearing its conclude, but there are nonetheless a great deal of very long days and heat nights in advance. As the time winds down, we’re viewing tons of patio home furniture discounts crop up on the net, allowing for you to rating outdoor furniture parts for some of the least expensive rates of the year. Whether you’re trying to get a chaise to place next to the pool or a typical dinning established for your deck, the recent patio home furniture revenue are almost guaranteed to have what you’re seeking for at a wonderful selling price.

There are tons of great conclude-of-summer season patio household furniture gross sales to acquire gain of suitable now.

Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Retailer

If you want to produce a luxe escape without the lavish selling price tag, you have appear to the right position. With the recent assortment of stop-of-summer time revenue and seasonal clearance situations, you’ll be ready to rating main financial savings on patio pieces without the need of sacrificing high quality. Look at out the greatest outside home furnishings profits from leading models like Arhaus, Frontgate and West Elm below.

The Most effective Patio Home furnishings Product sales You Can Shop Right Now

Frontgate

Frontgate is presenting up to $2,200 off outdoor home furnishings sets and up to 30% off sitewide at the minute. You can also shop its clearance portion to help you save up to 70%. Psst: All of its patio home furniture sets ship no cost, far too.

There is almost nothing very like eating al fresco, in particular as the weather conditions cools. This seven-piece established consists of six resin wicker chairs and a solid teak table. It’ll also ship for absolutely free as an included reward.

Amazon

Amazon features excellent bargains and speedy delivery on just about almost everything, which includes out of doors furniture. The retail big has countless numbers of top rated-rated selections obtainable for nicely less than $1,000 if you are looking to update your property on a budget.

This contemporary set has a durable coated metallic foundation with deep-established, ergonomically made seats. East Oak also gives a three-12 months guarantee and life span assistance. The 4-piece established has racked up above 150 5-star evaluations on Amazon, which praise its longevity, straightforward assembly, comfort and all round value—which is even better when it is on sale.

Wayfair

In the course of Wayfair’s Anniversary Sale, you can help save up to 55% on out of doors dialogue sets, lounge chairs, eating tables and far more. The marketing also incorporates markdowns on décor to entire your backyard makeover.

Great for curling up on the porch, this sound acacia chair will come with plush pillows. It is remarkably rated for its top quality and comfort—but the producer warns against maintaining it in intense temperatures.

Arhaus

More than 700 of Arhaus’ patio furniture styles are on sale at the minute. Check out out the filtered landing webpages for eating sets, sectionals or loungers if you’re hunting for something unique.

You’ll sense like you are lounging poolside in the Hamptons no matter where by you are with the addition of 1 of these outside chaises. The minimalist design features an all-climate aluminum base that will not rust, topped by lofty, antimicrobial cushions that come in a wide variety of colors and designs.

West Elm

West Elm is featuring up to 40% off outdoor furniture at the instant. Or you can test out its sale segment to acquire up to 60% off pick out of doors dining sets, sofas and far more.

MOST Common

This mid-century contemporary sofa has a all-natural teak end, climate-resistant cushions and arrives with white glove delivery. You can pick out to have the chaise on both aspect, based on what operates best in your room.

Goal

Concentrate on is supplying up to 30% off decide on outdoor furnishings and décor correct now. If you have a Target RedCard, don’t forget to use it to help you save an supplemental 5%.

Stretch out on this fashionable sectional that seats up to five people. It comes with anything you need for a full discussion established, together with built-in close tables as perfectly as a coffee table. Reviewers say this sofa is magnificent and sturdy—but they warn that the cushions are pretty white and get filthy easily.

Walmart

You’ll discover already-economical patio household furniture types on sale for even less at Walmart correct now. Store more than 1,000 specials on canopies, eating sets and conversation teams (amid other options).

If you want to build a tiny additional shade and shelter in your yard, examine out this possibility. It is built of strong, rust-resistant aluminum that covers a 12 x 16 ft region. A privateness curtain and netting are together with in the set as nicely.

What To Contemplate When Obtaining Patio Furniture

Area

The to start with thought you should really make when purchasing patio furniture is the proportions of your outside spot. You really don't want to overcrowd a cozy patio or underdress a roomy deck. Further more, you are going to want to take into consideration how you and your family intend to use the house. Do you like having outdoor? Make investments in a dining setup. Or perhaps you are seeking for a spot to curl up and browse. In that circumstance, these chic loungers are excellent.

Toughness

Your neighborhood local weather and the furniture’s materials will eventually identify the longevity of your patio household furniture. Resources like powder-coated steal or aluminum are exceptionally tough and long-long lasting, whilst plastic options are a lot more possible to crack and split. Be absolutely sure to take into account your certain natural environment before investing. For instance, aluminum home furniture will fare very well in a wet natural environment, but plush cushions can take up moisture and develop mildew swiftly.

Style

Eventually, take into account your ideal aesthetic your backyard is an extension of your dwelling. The far more captivating you make the place, the a lot more you’ll delight in it. If you like a smooth, mid-century modern day layout, West Elm will almost certainly have what you’re wanting for. But coastal-chic fans may possibly come across their requires far better achieved at a designer like Frontgate. Figuring out your particular choice will enable slender down your solutions and make the choice system a lot less overwhelming.

Design

What are Alberta’s top new home design and decor trends?

Inez Caron August 19, 2023

Breadcrumb Trail Links

New Homes

Life

Homes

xx

Published Jul 27, 2023 • Last updated Jul 27, 2023 • 3 minute read

Contemporary home design in the Harmony show home in Calgary by Daytona Homes. Photo by Sona Visual /Postmedia

Article content

At the start of 2023, predictions for home design and interior decor trends included creating natural and healthy spaces that maximized natural light with an emphasis on using sustainable, greener materials that included recycled, upcycled, ethical and organic surfaces.

Now, halfway through the year, we asked Alberta designers — in both Calgary and Edmonton — what have become the most popular home design and interior decor trends with Alberta home buyers?

Article content

Their replies revealed that there are home design styles common among builders, including classic, modern, farmhouse, contemporary to modern heritage home designs, which tends to make it appear that Albertans have a vast palette for home design styles.

Maybe this vast palette is because “the internet is impacting consumer choices and driving trends based on what they’re seeing on the TV, the internet, HGTV, Pinterest, and in HomeSense,” says Katie Sutherland, interior design manager at Daytona Homes.

Sutherland adds that Daytona Homes — in Calgary and Edmonton — is seeing an interest in home designs that are modern farmhouse and modern classic in design.

Erin Davis, director of sales and marketing at Pacesetter Homes, a Qualico Company, said that the company has nearly 30 show homes around the greater Edmonton area. Each one is professionally designed and showcases a variety of design styles.

“You can see mid-century modern inspired homes, French country, modern, farmhouse, industrial and nearly everything in between,” says Davis.

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Wood-stained feature wall in primary bedroom in Jensen Lake showhome in St. Albert by Daytona Homes. Photo by Supplied /Postmedia

A modern Scandinavian farmhouse design by Pacesetter Homes. Photo by Supplied /Postmedia

A modern classic home design by Sterling Homes. Photo by Kristin Ross /Postmedia

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Homes by Avi’s customers in both Calgary and Edmonton are interested in the blend of old and new.

“The mainstream consumer trend right now looks like modern heritage designs, which really incorporates the small details like wood working, natural finishes on wood. The style is in the little finishes with a more modern palette and finishes,” says Julie Punter, manager of showhome selections and presentations at Homes by Avi.

Transitional style is catching eyes at show homes by Sterling Homes, a Qualico Company, in Calgary.

“Our floor plans reflect an open space trend with a touch of the transitional style, a blend between modern and traditional, as we’d like the customer to envision themselves living there in the home,” says Pamela Burns, director of sales and marketing. “Right now, there seems to be a real interest from consumers for open-to-above floor plans, which creates a grand foyer or great room space. And while it might sacrifice overall square footage it provides that grandeur that some consumers in Calgary are looking for.”

“People today are being more cognizant about what they are picking (for their home), and thinking about their lifestyles, and being more vigilant about what they are choosing and why,” says Punter.

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Albertans also apparently have a vast palette for interior decorating styles.

Designers from both markets shared that Albertans interior decor trends range from modern traditional, classic, contemporary, modern, farmhouse, Scandinavian, West Coast and urban decor styles.

Punter, from Homes by Avi, observes that Edmontonians appear to like homes with a warmer look and feel — farmhouse rustic yet modern — with a warm, cozy and inviting feel. Calgarians appreciate the same warm look and feel but like to apply more of a contemporary and modern look to their decor styles.

Personalized decor works best on a solid home design, says Davis.

“We design our homes with functionality at the forefront and in such a way that clients have lots of opportunity to express their unique design style,” she says.

Burns, from Sterling Homes, says they are seeing interior decorating trends with soft lines and rounded furniture, which creates a look of effortless elegance, including wall detail accents.

“(The accents are) usually painted a feature colour, adding dimension, and a pop-up wall feature,” says Burns.

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Daytona Homes has also seen an increase in feature wall trends.

“These wood wall features have been very popular as they add texture and character to the room, with out being too bold,” says Sutherland.

Gone are the days when one design style seems to trump all others.

“Just like current fashion trends are celebrating style from each decade, we are seeing a wide range of design styles being incorporated into our client homes,” says Davis. “I think the reason there isn’t one definitive design style right now but rather so many are being seen is because the home is a way to express yourself, a place to feel comfortable and at ease. A lesson that we all learned over the past few years while spending more time at home,” says Davis.

Today, both home design and interior decor are reflections of who we are, our values, lifestyle, needs and ultimately the mood and environment we’d like to create in our personal space, our homes.

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