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

The beauty and ecological benefits of a garden in decay

Spring is not a moment in the garden but a sequence, a gentle unfurling of plant life that grows fuller by the day at a tempo that is almost out of sync with human perception. One minute perennials are peeping out of the earth, and the next the soil is covered by fully grown greenery. … Read more

Solve this puzzle and (maybe) win a job at Dyson

Are you smart enough to escape a locked room — and walk into a job at Dyson? The British company, famous for its vacuum cleaners and other slinkily designed home appliances, is recruiting 110 software engineers. And in a stunt to promote that hunt for new talent, Dyson is combining cryptic video brainteasers with one … Read more

How to create a year-round garden:take a tour of the ultimate ‘outdoor room’ designed by Abigail Ahern

‘ With a coffee table overhung with a chandelier, a snug two-seater and curvy armchairs ranged around a fireplace, as well as a kitchen and dining table, Abigail Ahern’s back garden has to be the ultimate outdoor room. When she moved to Hackney with husband Graham 13 years ago, Ahern, an accomplished interior designer but … Read more

Sharp is bringing a ninja-fridge to Europe, and I am so jealous

People often ask me if it’s boring writing about refrigerators. I think it’s a silly question. After all, pretty much everybody has a fridge and uses it every day — how many other product categories on CNET can claim that? I get to write about tech that’s relevant for everybody. But, I will confess that … Read more