A Guide to Four of the World’s Top Interior Design Districts

In the décor world, a city’s interior design district is hallowed ground for professionals and amateur design enthusiasts alike. Furniture, fabrics, lighting—all the decorative elements collide in this one area tailor-made for shopping and inspiration gathering.Whether you’re redecorating your home, looking for a piece or two, or simply collecting ideas, we chatted with designers who … Read more

‘Google go home’: the Berlin neighbourhood fighting off a tech giant

 Protesters outside the Umspannwerk building in Kreuzberg, Berlin, where Google plans to set up a campus. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images In the streets next to Görlitzer Park – an oblong patch popular with skaters, dog walkers and the odd drug dealer in the east of Kreuzberg in Berlin – you soon spot signs of contention about the … Read more

Historic London Townhouse is a Masterpiece of Modern Interior Design

Having most recently been used as commercial offices, the six-level residence was left in a dilapidated state. Ms. Solland took on the challenge of reinstating its historic layout, which included creating large reception rooms and extending the basement level to create a 40-foot long kitchen/family room. She also restored the numerous bedroom suites and created … Read more

A HOME NETWORK, SECURITY SYSTEM, AND A HIDDEN ROOM BEHIND A BOOKCASE

Ok, now this is something special. This is a home network and security system that would make just about anyone stop, and with jaw hanging agape, stare, impressed at the “several months of effort” it took [timekillerjay] to install their dream setup. Just. Wow. Want a brief rundown of the diverse skill set needed to pull … Read more

From a 10-bedroom house in Kimberley to a bachelor flat in Sandton, this is what R2 million will buy you right now

Thanks to significantly improved domestic sentiment, faster growth in property prices (particularly in Gauteng) can be expected this year. John Loos, household and property sector strategist at FNB Home Finance, says house prices could even possibly grow by more than 5%. This follows a weak period in house prices in many areas. See also: This is … Read more

Why Baking Soda Is A Miracle Cleaner & Exactly How To Use It

We’ve long known that baking soda is a miracle ingredient when it comes to home and beauty DIYs, but we didn’t realize just how versatile it was until The Natural Home: Simple, Pure Cleaning Solutions and Recipes for a Healthy House landed in our office. This comprehensive excerpt tells you exactly what to pair this magical ingredient with … Read more

Beyond Bombs and Bullets: A Comprehensive Approach Needed to Defeat ISIS

Many articles with similar ideas have been written about the current situation with ISIS and what will happen to the terrorist organization in the future. Most of these articles, however, ask incomplete or incorrect questions, which leads to inaccurate assessments of the safety of the world when ISIS is defeated. The articles typically ask questions … Read more

Add a touch of drama to your decor with these maximalist looks

1. All the world’s a stage so bring a touch of drama to your home by letting any original features shout and by mixing styles and textures. Jan Kath’s new Heritage collection of wool/silk mix, hand-knotted rugs will give a luxe feel underfoot and put a sense of contemporary polish to plush period features. Its antique … Read more

Admit It, Your Kitchen Would Look a Lot Nicer with a $50,000 Fridge

We can tell you all day about stylish, functional, and just plain cool ways to upgrade your kitchen (and every other room of the house), but if you’re really looking to turn your cooking quarters into a fashion statement—and drop a little cash while you’re at it—then Dolce & Gabbana has you covered. The Italian luxury house … Read more

Health and wellness products for your pet are a growing industry, says pet company CEO

As Americans’ appetite for wellness grows, consumers look for new products for their pets, said BarkBox CEO Matt Meeker. “It’s a huge industry,” Meeker said, referring to the nearly $70 billion pet products industry. Meeker is co-founder of BarkBox, a subscription service that provides dog owners, and even some pet pig owners, a monthly box of two … Read more