For modern design at an incredibly affordable price point, no one does it quite like Ikea. The Swedish megastore is known for its kid-friendly practices, from supervised play areas to shopping strollers, baby care areas to healthy, hearty children's meals at in-store bistros and restaurants. Here are 16 of our favorite Ikea finds for little ones — from kids room essentials to fun, affordable Read more

Curious to see what our design-savvy readers are inspired by in and outside of the home, we decided to take our Lovely Little Vignettes platform mobile. In addition to sharing your styling skills through our Lovely Little Vignettes community group, we're also welcoming Instagram users to add the #llv hashtag to any vignette shots you take. Whether it's a window display you fancy or a decorative Read more

I first became a fan of Ikea's Ung Drill Frame when I was searching for a photo prop for my wedding last August. Ornate, affordable, and very lightweight, I decided to paint the frame a pale peach and convert it into a chalkboard sign for guests to write messages on and hold in the photo booth. Since then, I swapped the peach for a charcoal gray and hung it in my kitchen. I noticed that other Read more

All of us savvy budgeters know that Ikea is the best place to get affordable furniture. It's a one-stop warehouse filled with everything you need to furnish your humble abode. But although you can get your house cheaply furnished, you don't want it looking like . . . well, everyone else's place. Here are some ways to fancy up Ikea furniture. Read more

The 2012 Ikea catalog is finally here, and you don't even have to wait to get one of your own in the mail — you can browse the catalog right now online! Though the pages are stuffed with affordable and stylish home furnishings, it's also ripe with home tech design ideas that you can steal for yourself. I've combed through and highlighted some of the best ideas here for your inspiration. Read more

The 2012 Ikea catalog has arrived, and its 374 pages are chock-full of products, both new additions and tried-and-true standbys. It's also long on inspiration. See some of my favorite ideas for organizing, displaying artwork, and decorating from the catalog's photo shoots. And after you absorb all of the decorating eye candy, take a look at GeekSugar's favorite tech design ideas from the 2012 Read more

Ready to revive your patio for the Spring and Summer seasons? Start with some great seating. I've found options for pairing bistro tables as well as more laid-back loungers. Take a look, then snap one up. Come on — sit down and stay for a while. Read more

Raising children in any city or culture will cost you. In fact, the price of caring for children adds up quick: The US Department of Agriculture estimates that the average middle-income family will spend almost $300,000 to raise a child from birth to age 18. While the trend to splurge on swanky goods for your child can be tempting when you have extra funds, there is plenty of great gear you can Read more

Swedish company Bemz makes beautiful slipcovers for Ikea furniture, partnering with Marimekko, Bantie, and Designers Guild, among other companies, to create its diverse covers. One element that's often missing for visitors to its website is the way that these various patterns and covers can coexist in the same apartment. Luckily, today I'm sharing an apartment in Stockholm, Sweden, which uses a Read more

Sure, it's called a laptop, but if your computer is anything like my MacBook Pro, after working for an hour it's too hot to rest on my lap! There's a bevy of laptop stands available, but if you're already planning a weekend trip to furniture giant Ikea ($1 frozen yogurt, ahoy!), here are five different-yet-affordable options for resting your laptop not on your lap. Read more