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We interviewed two flea market fanatics — a longtime seller and a devoted buyer — to get the scoop on how to get the best price on the octopus-shaped pendant or shabby chic credenza you've got your eye on.

You like wearing other people's used clothing. You're not afraid of bedbugs. You love shopping at flea markets.

Somewhere along the line, someone decided that the word "vintage" was a synonym for "cool," which is why we have legions of women dressing like grandmothers and decorating with needlepoint pillows.But regardless of how many old-timey pieces you want to pick up when you're cruising the flea market circuit, your ultimate goal is to get a good deal. Just because something is old doesn't mean it's worth a million dollars, right? So, how can you be sure that you're going to walk away with the best deal upon leaving your favorite flea market?

Consider the following:

Bargain by . . . Knowing Where You Are
Flea markets are like snowflakes: No two are alike. "Think about the market's overall vibe: Is it aiming to be some D-list joint, shilling sunglasses, socks and cheap clock radios, or does it feature things you'd find on Etsy?" says Ashlea Halpern, a New York City-based freelance editor. "I could spend hours wandering the latter, but if I've stumbled across the former, I eat some funnel cake and get out."

Bargain by . . . Shopping Around
Your mama told you right. When it comes to flea markets, you better shop around. Remember that just because something is "vintage" doesn't necessarily mean it's one-of-a-kind. "Always walk once all the way through the market before making any purchases," Halpern advises. "I was so annoyed at one market last year when I dropped $18 on what I thought was a rad copper octopus pendant, only to discover an even radder copper octopus pendant for $15 two booths over." Unless you've fallen completely and totally in love with an item right on the spot (if so, get a grip), it may be better to assess what's on offer at other booths before making a deal.

Continue reading for more flea market bargaining tips!

Start your week off right -- with a cup of coffee and a virtual tour of our celebrity home of the day. Today: Jodie Foster lets us in.

Actress Jodie Foster just put her Beverly Hills house on the market. Sitting on just under an acre of land, the house has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms. The cost? $9.975 million. The home was built in 1949, but from what we see, it has held up just fine.

Thanks to our friends at Realtor.com, we have some photos from around the exterior of Foster's Cape Cod-style home.

The brick steps and terracotta pots are flanked by lush greenery -- that even sneaks onto the stairs themselves. It all leads you to the front patio. Don't the climbing vines and flowers make the house look so welcoming and full? And who knew the asymmetrical florals could pack such an impact?

This home is a little large to be called a cottage, but that's the feel we get from these photos. Looking through the bushes, we want to skip -- yes, skip -- down the stone path. It's like we just discovered a secret garden. The vines growing up the back of the house are just as lush and kept as the front.

And like every true celebrity home, Foster's house has a stunning pool. The perfect setting for large barbecues or private afternoons, this is a great space to relax and have a good time. 

Did you miss any of our celebrity homes last week? Take a look of our Celebrity Homes of the Week round-up to take a peek at each.

Check out a few more of our favorite ShelterPop stories recently:

• Decor Don't: Having Just One Nightstand
• Small Space Design: Tiny Changes, Big Results

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

We're obsessed with StyleList's "Look of the Day." We're obsessed with decor. So why not put them together in a shop-able, fashion-fueled room?

Today's Pick: Jennifer Garner

Garner worked the red carpet at the premiere of her newest movie "Arthur" wearing Oscar de la Renta. The seemingly-simple gray sweater was actually a reverse cardigan, complete with a button-up and scoop back. The shimmery silver lace and black skirt looked tastefully old Hollywood and added just the right amount of embellishment. Garner finished the look with black satin pumps and chic Cartier earrings, rings, and bangles.

Now: Get this look at home...

Garner's chic ensemble got us thinking of a just-as-elegant, smokey gray living room. To start the room, we chose a gray sofa with silver nailhead detail ($3,399, Horchow). The rich gray and sparkly embellishment mimic the reverse cardigan buttons on Garner's back. We imagined a couple of these silver throw pillows ($32, Urban Outfitters) tossed on the velvet sofa to emulate the silver lace embellishment of her skirt.

This twister table lamp in smoke ($378, Y Lighting) reminds us of Garner's smokey eyes and tousled brown locks. And the satin shade matches her glam-gray color palette. Next up: The Braiden coffee table ($399, Crate & Barrel) inspired by her thin, black waistband. And one last detail to finish off this elegant living room -- a scented candle in a shiny black holder ($45, Ralph Lauren) as a nod to Garner's platform pumps.

Check in every weekend on Shelterpop for another fashionable room. And see the rooms from the last few weeks:
Diane Kruger
Evan Rachel Wood
Thandie Newton

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

Forget the florist -- here are some simple DIY centerpiece ideas to wow any special guest.

Help me! I have special guests arriving within the hour, and I don't have the time or money to head to an expensive florist. What are some cheap and easy centerpiece options?

Home Rescue: You're actually in luck. Regardless of budget or time constraints, overdone, grandiose centerpieces are so out. Showing off a minimal, but creative piece is oh-so-chic."It's important that your dining table looks attractive for a sit-down dinner -- either formal or casual," says entertaining expert Baroness Monica von Neumann. "You want your table to have a sense of simple elegance, and a centerpiece is the perfect finishing touch."

Here's what to do:

If you have an existing flower arrangement or a pre-arranged grocery store bouquet, you can put it to re-use. Toss out any wilted flowers or greenery. Find three small glasses or containers for an oblong table, and cut the remaining stems down to fit, separating the arrangement equally among all three containers. Then place the trio along a table runner. If you need to fill any holes to make up for the tossed-aside stems, trim some simple branches or stems from your backyard. Even a simple leaf branch can add color.

For a round table, take the existing arrangement, place in a clear round vase filled with a layer of fruit at the bottom -- lemons, limes, oranges or tangerines are best. This adds a pop of color and life; add a little extra ambiance with tealights scattered around the table.

If you're in a flower drought -- nothing to be found in the yard and no time to run to the store -- all hope isn't lost. Simply create a fruit vignette in a stylish pedestal bowl or another decorative piece. Or loosely arrange several tealights onto a pedestal plate (or cake stand) with seasonal decorative items: fallen leaves, beach rocks or shells, etc. This will quickly add life and beauty to any table. Just don't overdo it; keep it simple and elegant.

Want more centerpiece ideas?
8 DIY Wedding Centerpieces
Video: How to create a floral centerpiece
Video: How to make centerpiece luminaries

Source

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

It's tempting to pick a paint color on a whim, but don't do it! Here's why.

You've been on the hunt for that perfect shade for your bathroom walls, and you finally think you've found it -- in the paint aisle, at your local hardware store.

Word to the wise: Don't do it.

"Lighting has a huge effect on the appearance of colors and many stores use 'cool white' fluorescent lighting that casts a bluish tint, even though you may not notice it," says interior designer and color expert Kelly Porter. The lighting in your home, on the other hand, is most likely incandescent, which gives paint colors a warmer appearance.

"In addition to lighting, most paint chips are small, so it's sometimes hard to see the color's true undertones or level of intensity," Porter says.

Take time to test the colors. Try painting a one-foot square in the middle of the wall and observing it for a day or two. Then you can see how the color looks at different times of the day, in various lighting conditions.

If you're hesitant to actually paint a test area on your wall, ask about ordering a larger paint chip, not a painted poster board. "Taping a larger color sheet to the wall will work better than painting on poster board, which absorbs paint differently than your walls."

And most importantly, be committed to the painting process. That way, you'll be willing to test colors until you find the one that's right for your space.

Here are a few more of our favorite ShelterPop posts this week:

• Sweet Furniture Inspired by Your Favorite Treats
• How Moving (and Redecorating) Changed My Life
• Molly Sims' House For Sale

Source

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, Shelterpop!

Form follows function in designer Joe Doucet's bright and modern New York apartment.

Industrial designer Joe Doucet spends his days re-imagining everyday objects. So you might be surprised to see that when it comes to the Greenwich Village apartment he shares with his wife and son, less is more.

Doucet says he's not trying to make statements with his home, instead he wants a calm, livable space with few distractions.

"We want a space that works for us, not a space we work for," says Doucet. "A six-year-old son and the countless lightsaber battles that come with him will teach you that living in a museum is no fun at all. If it can be broken and cause you misery, lock it away somewhere."
Doucet is a huge bibliophile. "A home without books has no soul," he says, adding that aside from family, books are the one thing he couldn't live without. In the living room, Doucet color-coded the books on his floating shelves to make them look more organized.The lamp and white chair in the living room are two of Doucet's designs, though he says he prefers not to live with too much of his work. "I tend to obsess over every detail and my life is more sane without being constantly immersed in my work," he says, although he will test out prototypes at home. Keep reading to continue the tour!

Here's a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

Christina Aguilera put her Beverly Hills house on the market for $13.5 million. But don't be fooled by the price tag -- there are lots of budget decorating ideas inside.

Moving right along: Christina Aguilera just finalized her divorce from husband of five years, Jordan Bratman, and now she's putting her 6 bedroom, 9 bathroom, 10,000-square-foot house on the market. According to TMZ, the couple bought the home from Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne in 2008 for $11 million.

Will the "Burlesque" star move into her nearby 6,500-square-foot bachelorette pad that has been languishing on the market for $5.9 million?

We can't imagine that this home will be easy to leave with its stone flooring, grand entryway (shown above), super-Christina decor and fun extras. Think: Beauty salon, gift wrapping area, guesthouse with recording studio, game room and pool with water slide and grotto spa.

While most of the home is pretty over-the-top, there are many easy decorating tips to steal. Here are our faves:

Cheap Chic Idea #1: Play with wallpaper.
You don't have to commit to wallpapering all of the walls in a room. Aguilera used a wallcovering to fill a few rectangular panels of her master bedroom, and we think it's beautiful ("no matter what they say.") You'll save money since you don't have to buy enough to cover the room, plus it helps break up a big wall that might otherwise feel like a giant block of color.
Cheap Chic Idea #2: Pay attention to vignettes.
When decorating your home, visually break a room into sections. Decide what you want to see when you first step inside. Is there an eye-catching piece of decor you can put in a corner to brighten it up? Paying attention to small details can make a home feel pulled together and finished. Case in point: Aguilera's reflective planter (above left) adds shine to a corner that might have felt stark, while a high back chair positioned below a climbing light fixture draws the eye up.

Cheap Chic Idea #3: Take a risk.
This room is full of them: The zebra, the metallic chairs -- even the dark gray curtains. But magically, it all comes together through the power of well-executed risks. "We don't really know what our capacities are until we tease them out of their usual circumstances," designer Petia Morozov told us recently. "I consider every design project an opportunity to give new shape to our daily habits, whether they're how we eat or shop or sleep or mingle."

Head over to ShelterPop for more cheap chic ideas!

Here are a few more of my favorite posts from ShelterPop lately:

• House Tour: Vidal Sassoon's Modernist Bel Air Home
• International Home + Housewares Show 2011: Cupcake Couture and More

We're excited to present a post from one of our favorite sites, ShelterPop!

Watercolor isn't just for an artist's canvas — the painterly theme has popped up on everything from pillows to place mats. And we're loving this 2011 design trend.

Watercolor is one of the oldest painting mediums known, dating back to paleolithic Europe, although it really made a name for itself during the Middle Ages and European Renaissance. And while flowery works on canvas are the standard association, it seems that watercolor has ditched its botanical roots in favor of the modern graphics for the home that we rounded up here.

AphroChic designer Jeanine Hays is channeling her inner Monet and her affection for the borough of Brooklyn this year to create several modern toile pieces, including a collection of "Brooklyn Life" place mats. The watercolor designs pay homage to neighborhoods like Fort Green, Clinton Hill, Park Slope and Boerum Hill (above), and are made from 100% natural Belgian linen and cotton. Keep reading for two more examples of this trend!

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

With spring gardening just around the corner, here's what you need to do to get your green space ready for planting.

Winter is slowly loosening its grip on us and on our green spaces. Hurry it along with a little spring planning. Here's how to get your garden ready for spring.

The big sweep
If you are like me, then the chances are good that your yard, terrace or balcony has been fending for itself through the winter. The result will be a lot of messy dead leaves, twigs, branches broken by snow or ice, cracked clay pots, dead annuals frozen in place from last year and a general appearance of horticultural bed head.

In order to get into the mood for spring before it has actually arrived and to prepare your garden for the real thing when it does, the first thing to do is head out there and collect all the debris. Then, if you have the space for it, add what you have collected to your compost pile for 2011. Read my previous post about compost to get a better idea of just how useful your own garden and kitchen pickings can be when put back to work in later months.Pruning the roses
Now is the time. The roses may look like frozen sticks but already they are thinking about putting out little red buds. Use a good pair of sharp pruners. I like Felcos. First remove any dead twigs or branches. Then cut any branches that are intertwined or crossing, as improved air circulation in the summer months wards off mildew. Shrub roses respond very well to hard pruning and the rule of thumb is to cut them back by at least half, snipping at a slant to just above an emerging bud that faces outward (to avoid in-growing branches).

If you have 'climbing' roses (they are really rambling), do not prune them now. In my early gardening days I made this mistake and lost my entire flower crop for that year. Rambling roses mostly bloom on what is called old wood, meaning the canes that the rose produced the previous year. The time to prune ramblers is right after they have bloomed. You can train ramblers now, tying them into place — the more horizontal they grow, the more flowers you will enjoy.
Keep reading for more garden prep advice!

I am excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, Shelterpop!

Longing for a bedroom that packs a dramatic punch? Look no further than these whimsical headboard ideas.

When it comes to headboards, it's easy to think your options are limited: rich wooden sleigh styles, vintage-inspired wrought iron, cozy quilted pieces in neutral hues — where's the sense of surprise? But we've discovered how to make a headboard beautiful, and it doesn't involve undertaking a complicated DIY project. Think: Fresh colors, patterns and scale."I definitely think upholstered headboards are going to continue to be popular in 2011, but we'll be seeing them in a lot of different patterns and textures, as well as varying heights," says Caitlin Creer of Caitlin Creer Interiors in Salt Lake City. "They'll also be paired with wild patterns for pillows and bedding."

Another up-and-coming trend: Unexpected twists on traditional favorites. "We're seeing classic wood finishes, carved and sculpted into intricate designs and patterns — not just the wood slabs that have been popular for years," adds Creer. "These shapes and curves add an architectural feeling to a bedroom and create a real sense of artistry and fantasy."

Just flip through the pages of ELLE Decor and House Beautiful, and it's plain to see she's right — over-the-top headboards once reserved for boutique hotels and glossy magazine spreads are making their way into the home. Here are a few of our favorites:

A little bit elegant, a little bit "Alice in Wonderland," this towering bed (shown above) from Z Gallerie combines modern architecture with comfortable textures and a touch of childish whimsy. I mean, who wouldn't love to climb into that big bedroom sanctuary and stay awhile? (Nina Bed from Z Gallerie; from $1,399.)

Continue reading for more headboard ideas!

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

Kevin Haley has designed rooms in Brad Pitt's house and a handful of other A-listers, but what does his house look like? Take a tour.

A fluke childhood friendship with A-list actress Winona Ryder — his parents lived next door to her grandparents in Minnesota — set Kevin Haley on a crash course to become an interior designer and decorator to the stars. Since doing the first house she ever bought in Beverly Hills, Haley has done a couple more for Ryder as well as homes for a laundry list of famous folks, including Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meg Ryan and Cameron Diaz.

Since 1997, Haley has made his home a secluded bungalow in the hills above Hollywood. Recently, the low-key designer decided to move on and put his done, done, done house in Hollywood on the market with a price tag of $999,000, otherwise known as a million bucks.

Living Room
As expected, Haley's interior spaces are quintessential Kevin Haley: A sleek and glammy old Hollywood vibe is paired with a sexy 1970s feel, but all of it is encased in a cottage-style skin. At around 1,500 square feet, the bungalow isn't big, but the living room makes a grand statement with its raised tray ceiling, wood burning fireplace and walls nearly completely covered in antique mirrors. A baby grand piano ambitiously anchors one end of the room that opens up through a series of French doors to several terraces and patios that surround the house.

Dining Room
The petite Chinoiserie-style dining room is bright and chic. Matching wall coverings and window shades depicting ancient Chinese landscapes are paired with a contemporary chandelier painted the same pretty turquoise as the window frames and baseboards.

Tour the rest of the home on Shelterpop!

Here are a few more of our favorite ShelterPop posts this week:

• The Science of Single Girl Decorating
• Best Airport Hotels For Romantic Getaways

All Photos Courtesy of Everett Fenton Gidley

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

Get style inspiration from this colorful Dutch bed and breakfast.

Many people dream of buying an old farmhouse, fixing it up and turning it into a bed and breakfast. Floriene Bosch and her husband actually did it — sight unseen, no less! More than a decade ago, the Dutch couple was living in the U.S. looking for property back in the Netherlands. A realtor faxed them a listing for a farmhouse in the countryside near the village of Beuningen, and the photos were so charming that the Boschs bought it from thousands of miles away.

However, despite its charms, the property was in need of some TLC.Thirteen years later Bosch has completely renovated the farmhouse, outbuildings and surrounding grounds and turned it into Bed of Flowers, a small bed and breakfast. Looking around the perfectly styled retreat, you might guess that Bosch was a stylist-turned-innkeeper, but her knack for decor is merely the result of a personal passion; prior to opening Bed of Flowers, Bosch worked as a nurse.

Bosch's style is like shabby chic with a kick: She loves bright, bold colors and floral patterns. While you may not be as brave as Bosch is, you can steal some style inspiration from her cheerfully decorated home. Here's how:

Collect what you love – and display it. Bosch loves flowers and collects them in many forms, including paintings of flowers (see top photo) and porcelain pieces with floral motifs. Rather than let her china hide in a closed cabinet, Bosch has displayed hers on the walls and on open shelves.

Be bold with paint, but not too bold. Bosch isn't afraid to experiment with color: Bright turquoise, pink, yellow and green all figure into her decor. However, Bosch knows to balance her daringly-painted walls with crisp white trim and neutral floors. In the bedrooms Bosch has painted the walls behind the headboards bold colors but left the remaining walls white for a more tranquil effect.

Want even more tips? Read the rest of the post on ShelterPop!

Here are a few more of our favorite ShelterPop posts this week:

• On The Hunt:  Extra Seats For $50 and Under
  
• Guess The Celebrity Home:  The Funny Guy's Son

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

If these walls could talk they'd definitely have something to say. Here, 7 things you probably never thought you could use to cover your walls.

The history of wallcoverings is vast, and while we've personally seen flowers and fabric and even chewing gum (yuck!) covering walls around the world, there are tons of other materials that make for some pretty unusual wallpapers. Here are some that surprised us.

Imagine your favorite winter sweater — toasty and tactile and neutral enough to match everything you own. That's clearly what the designers at French company Koziel had in mind when they created this Knitting wallcovering. But don't let those soft, knit ribs fool you; they aren't really made of yarn. Koziel specializes in trompe-l'oeil wallpapers (including these fun bookcase and toilet paper designs) that use photos to simulate the real thing.

Wallpaper isn't resigned to the kind you buy in rolls, as we found in these two rooms. Elle Decor featured artist John Derian's Manhattan entryway, which used pages from vintage books to cover his walls, while designers at Post Typography fashioned a wallcovering out of one ubiquitous office supply — Post-it notes.

Keep reading for more ideas!

I'm excited to present a post from one of our favorite sites, Shelterpop!

Looking for stationery that's chic, unique and, yes, cheap enough to send to everyone you know? We've got the perfect DIY project for you.

Printing your own gift tags, stationery or postcards can be a great way to personalize your communication. After all, email is so very . . . cold. So here's one idea to get you started from Christine Schmidt's book "Print Workshop" with Pin-Prick Stationery.

Clever Point

Pin-prick stationery is so easy — and so playful! Why not make some of your own? Fast and perfect for crafting dummies, this printing method gives cool relief texture to paper through embossing (pressing in) and debossing (pressing out). We even included a "Hello" and "Bon Voyage" template (see below) that you can enlarge or decrease to fit your stationery.

What you need:

• Photocopy of a template or your own artwork
• Pencil
• Blank stationery cards and envelope
• Cardboard
• Pushpin

Continue reading for the steps!

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, Shelterpop!

A textile designer makes room for a baby in her Brooklyn apartment, and it's nothing but sweet, sweet style.

Rachel Doriss, a textile designer for Pollack, moved to her Brooklyn building back in 2004. Over the last seven years, she and her husband Joel Hamilton, a record producer and musician, have watched the surrounding Clinton Hill/Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood grow and change. And in 2009, Doriss and Hamilton welcomed their own change: Their daughter Coco. Faced with a third member in their household, they had to figure out how to reconfigure their space.

After brainstorming ways to make their 500-square-foot apartment work for three, Doriss and Hamilton realized their best option was to move. However, they didn't go far: The couple rented out their ninth floor apartment and moved into a roomier unit on the seventh floor with a terrace. While the new pad is bigger, it's still a one-bedroom — leaving the pair to figure out how to fit a nursery into the apartment.

Find out how they did it!

I'm excited to present a post from one of our favorite sites, Shelterpop!

The superstar's California home is glamorous, sophisticated and surprisingly understated.

We're happy to report that Veranda magazine, now overseen by the ever-talented Dara Caponigro, keeps getting better and better. Case in point: Veranda shared a sneak peek of their January/February issue with ShelterPop and boy, were we wowed. The issue's coverline "American Glamour Now!" is a nod to all the homes in the issue, but the highlight is the stunning story on Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's California home. While J. Lo's personal style often errs toward the sparkling and synthetic, her home is an oasis of low-key, natural charm — with a few hints of sparkle. Designed by interior designer Michelle Workman, the space is sophisticated and glamorous without being showy. "It's sort of Jennifer in a nutshell," says Workman. "She has a romantic streak. Jennifer wanted to go modern and streamlined but retain the sophistication and stylishness. It's tastefully glamorous, like Jennifer herself."

Here's a peek at some of what you'll find in Veranda: Soft gray-blue walls are the perfect backdrop for feminine furnishings in Lopez's living room. We love how Workman and Lopez have mixed varying neutral tones with metallic finishes for a fresh look. Continue reading to see more photos!

I'm excited to present a post from one of our favorite sites, Shelterpop!

Next time you spy a must-have Lucite table in a magazine, you'll know where to find it: Here are three shops that specialize in all things Lucite.Acrylic furniture is an easy way to punch up a boring room. Not only does it bring a hint of modern to a staid space, it adds an artsy feel too. Whether it's called Perspex, Plexiglas or Lucite, it's all made from the same material — acrylic glass. If you're on the hunt for clear furnishings, it can be hard to cut through all the bar and club distributors, award makers, podium designers and — well — the uglies. Here are three clear winners when it comes to top quality attractive acrylic furniture. The Source

Plexi-Craft

The Goods

Anything and Everything. This New York-based fabrication house will take a simple sketch or your dream piece of furniture and make it in plexiglass. From custom headboards, executive desks and even folding chairs, I don' think there's anything Plexi-Craft won't do. In fact, they ask you to challenge them -- right there on their homepage. The prices vary, depending on the complexity of the piece. An average waterfall cocktail table will run you about $325, but something a little more complicated like a butterfly base is closer to $1000.

The Secret

Plexi-Craft has been working with plexiglass for over 50 years. I'm sure you won't find too many other furniture makers who can say the same thing about one material. Everything they make is handmade, using no fancy tools other than a band saw.

Things to Know

Plexi-Craft offers a large selection of pre-made acrylic pieces ranging from accessories to large furniture pieces, so you don't have to go custom. However, if you have the desire to create something unique, you can do so right from their website. You also have the option of customizing something that they already have. They even offer design assistance at no extra charge, so take them up on it — they're experts! If you need to touch and feel the quality, you can visit their Long Island showroom.

Continue reading for a few more secret sources!

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

Whether you feel like the roof is closing in or you can't evoke even a remote sense of hominess due to those sky-high ceilings, stay calm. We've got the fix.

There are some homes with ceilings so low that you feel claustrophobic just standing still. And believe it or not, there are folks out there who have ceilings so high that it's a problem, too (yes, yes, like our friends who are "too thin," we don't feel that bad for them. But decorating either type of room can prove be pretty trippy, to say the least.

How to "Hoist" a Low Ceiling Low Ceiling Idea #1: Use Paint (and Finish) to Lift Ceilings and Walls

You may have heard it before but we'll say it again: Paint is by far the easiest and least expensive way to revamp a room -- with astonishing results. Use it in a low-ceiling-ed space and the payoff is extra-sensational. Here, three paint techniques to employ:

• Paint the ceiling a luminous metallic hue, such as bronze, silver, gold or nickel. "Light just bounces right off of it, opens up the room and makes the ceiling look as if it goes on forever," says Chicago-based interior designer, Jessica Lagrange. (Need the paint? Ralph Lauren has an extensive line of shimmering metallics — from Faded Peony to Turquoise Sea.) Better yet, "To make a ceiling look like one of Miles Redd's glass-like lacquered walls, coat any type of finish — flat, eggshell, metallic — with high-gloss poly-acrylic," says Brian Patrick Flynn, aka the Décor Demon and lifestyle blogger for HGTV's Design Happens. "It doesn't smell and dries in minutes."
• Coat crown molding and the ceiling with the exact same color used on walls. "Contrasting colors on all three pinpoint, rather than downplay, exactly where a lower-than-normal ceiling begins and ends," says Lagrange.
• Make the ceiling smaller by extending wall paint well past the architectural line where both meet. "Choose a point anywhere from five to eight inches from where ceiling meets wall. Measure, then tape off, a running border along the ceiling diameter. Paint the taped-in area with a lighter color; choose a darker hue for walls. Frank Lloyd Wright did this all the time. It tricks the eye into seeing a higher ceiling and taller walls," says Flynn. (Doing the opposite of this works in making a ceiling appear shorter, too. Just measure and tape off about one foot past where the natural line of a high ceiling ends. Paint everything above the line a dark color, and everything below a lighter one.)

Continue reading for more tips!

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

Are you short on square footage? Maybe, like many of us, you're stuck with a fraction of what you'd like. But that doesn't mean you can't fake it with some magic tricks . . .

If you've been feeling down lately about the size of your home, take heart. Follow these fail-safe designer tricks, and we guarantee you'll stop crying about your spatial shortfalls and start making the most of what you have.

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

A behind-the-scenes look at the creative thought and decision making that goes into this oh-so-addictive catalog.

We love catalogs at ShelterPop. Sometimes when we're flipping through Anthropologie's latest catalog, we'll even feel a bit awestruck. How do the stylists make us want every single item featured?

While Anthropologie's perfectly curated collection is inspiring on its own, pair it up with creative director Trevor Lunn and his genius team, and you've got even more buy-me-now appeal.

But just how does a brand's rustic-romantic wares go from stock rooms to the stuff your home design dreams are made of? Lunn gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the making of an Anthropologie catalog.

The Team

"Like a magazine, putting together the catalog is a hugely collaborative process," Lunn explains. His team consists of buyers (including head buyer, Keith Johnson, host of the Sundance Channel's Man Shops Globe), merchandisers, designers, stylists, photographers and art directors, all working together to compose the best book possible.

The Time Frame

If you've signed up for a catalog, you can bet on a copy showing up in your mailbox each month. That means that Lunn's team is working several months in advance. "For us it really is Christmas in July," he says.

Continue reading!