So you’re considering taking the plunge (har, har!) and installing an at-home swimming pool. When it comes to the water, you have two choices: salt water or chlorine. We’ve rounded up a few tips to help you decide what’s…
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Design
One of the best ways to spend a long weekend is around a barbecue grill. Sure, we could spend time on the gas v. charcoal debate (*cough* charcoal *cough*), but let’s skip all that and get right to the…
We’re heading into a long weekend, and you know what that means–it’s a perfect time to tackle what’s on your DIY to-do list. Plus, you may find some specials at your area hardware store, which means you’ll save a…
In a couple of weeks, HGTV will premiere a new series: “HGTV’d.” And we love the premise. HGTV hosts will travel around the country (accompanied by a massive HGTV’d 18-wheeler) to surprise unsuspecting viewers with home makeovers! Home makeover…
When it comes to paint, color is the biggest deciding factor on what you’ll get. And with so many hues available, it can be a daunting selection process! Now, thanks to House Beautiful’s new 500+ Favorite Paint Colors app,…
We’re so unbelievably saddened by the horrific photos and video coming out of Joplin, Mo., in the aftermath of yesterday’s damaging tornado. This spring has seemed to produce an especially volatile trend of severe weather, as witnessed by many…
If you have a lot of artwork or framed photos to display, creating an in-home gallery wall is a striking way to exhibit your prized mementos. It’s a relatively easy project, too, and can be budget-friendly depending on the…
One of the cool things about living in a small space is that it tests the bounds of your creativity. You’ll need clever storage solutions, thoughtful furniture arrangements and pieces that can do double-duty to help you maximize every…
When it comes to protecting your home and your family, the exterior is just as important as any interior security features you may have. The best thing about most of these suggestions is that they’re relatively budget-friendly, too, and…
Isn’t everything more enjoyable if you can make it a party? You may have attended (or hosted) a clothing or housewares swap party, but what about planning one with a DIY focus? Gather up anything DIY-related you’re no longer…
Have you ever noticed that talking about gas stoves vs. their electric counterparts can get a little, er, heated? (No pun intended!) It seems people have some pretty adamant opinions as to which is best when it comes to…
You’ve probably heard of the term universal design, especially as it’s applied to helping people age within their homes. Yet universal design isn’t an age-specific term; at its core, universal design is about enhancing accessibility, function and performance within…
We’re quickly approaching hard core wedding/baby shower/graduation/housewarming season, and we have a creative solution to all your gift-giving dilemmas — give the gift of DIY! There are plenty of ways to spread the DIY love, and we have a…
C&H readers, you’re probably starting to think I’m obsessed with bookshelves. And you’d be right. After dealing with the odyssey of our salvaged Borders bookcase, I look at all shelving with a newfound appreciation. This latest find? Pure genius.…
There have been some interesting developments going on in our neck of the quasi-gentrified neighborhood. Over the last couple of months, our elderly neighbor on one side has had several various family members stay for extended periods with him…
Kwikset has taken notice of our home security blog and have asked us to join their Kwikset SmartSquad to help educate homeowners about effective and proactive steps to help maintain the safety of their home and family. We thought…
Last week we attended an amazing event by Lowes and Valspar Paint in New York City. They invited a small group of media to participate in a painting and design demonstration all hosted by celebrity designer and TV personality…
Container or pod storage has become a popular choice for temporary storage. You no longer have to rent a moving van and make multiple stops to a storage unit. You can now contact a service such as United Mayflower…
For those of us with the ultimate DIY projects running around (that’d be kids), sometimes it’s hard to figure out the best way to make your home safe while encouraging curiosity and healthy boundaries for your littles. While there…
We’d like to give a big shout-out to Hometalk! They’ve been a great partner of Charles & Hudson this year and we wanted to share with you a bit more about what they offer . Hometalk is a place…
Mowing season is upon us! Sure, sometimes yard work is labor-intensive, but there’s nothing like the smell of fresh cut grass. If you haven’t already taken your lawnmower for its first spin of 2011, you just might encounter a…
Whether you’re needing a new backsplash, wall or floor, tiling is often consider a DIY project. And with some experience, tiling can be relatively easy to get the hang of. But if you’re just starting out, there are some…
Painting the outside of your home can be as much fun as trying a new color in your home’s interior. Yet because the weather is such a huge factor when you’re painting outside, you may only have a limited…
We recently heard a horrifying account from a friend about a sudden honeybee infestation in a chimney. She came home to several bees buzzing around her living room, and then realized they were coming in through the chimney! We…
A sudden heat wave has descended over Kansas City, which means many of us are firing up the air conditioners–for a couple of days, anyway. Before your A/C usage peaks during the summer months, there are a few things…
If you can’t afford a kitchen remodel but want to change the look of it, you have a few options in updating your space. The best part about these projects? Not only are they affordable, but they’re quick, so…
We’ve talked before about the “man cave” as the ultimate dude space for guys and their buddies to do man things together. But we’d like to propose the flip side to that coin — specifically, the mom cave. In…
If you live or work in a large, open space like a loft, one of the biggest obstacles is creating walls and different areas (trust me–I speak from firsthand experience!) And if you’re renting the space, the issue becomes…
The great thing about paint is that it not only adds a fresh look and burst of color to the inside of your home, but it’s ideal for your home’s exterior, too. If you’re interested in changing the look…
If you’re a true Matthew Gray Gubler fan you’ll know one of his favorite movies is Home Alone. Do you think he should buy this house and create his own house of horrors? We’re sure he could top what…
At this year’s Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, Daltile unveiled several new products, including SlimLite Slate and Quartzite, “a line of innovative, thin and lightweight surfacing products,” according to the company. Available later this spring, SlimLite is designed to…
Now that spring has (hypothetically in some areas) sprung, you might find yourself looking about your abode wanting to spruce things up a bit. The same old decor can feel boring and depressing after a long winter for sure,…
We’re the first to admit that we have a small obsession with wallpapered ceilings. From the seemingly impossible task of hanging the paper, to the cool effects you can create, to the quick-fix change it can add to a…
As a Housing major and a Design Studies minor, I was intimidated by the job market. I knew that Interior Design majors would have more to offer than I would. My job search started in November and I realized…
When you’re creating colors for kitchen surfaces, what better inspiration is there than food? DuPont’s new color collections in Zodiaq quartz surfaces and Corian solid surfaces are inspired by spices and ingredients, respectively. Think of a kitchen infused with…
We go through a lot of doormats at our house. Between the weather, outside animals, and the occassional vandal, doormats seem to be something we are always putting on the supplies list. This means we often settle for the…
Porter-Cable is now offering a small angle metal grinder that also functions as a metal cutter. Other applications include cleaning and finishing surfaces and tuckpointing. Features The grinder has a powerful 6 amp motor that specs at 11,000 RPM.…
It’s been an interesting weekend at our household. A few weeks back, we had purchased a large, double-sided bookcase from one of the Borders close-out sales. After we quickly realized our current loft configuration wouldn’t accommodate the shelving behemoth,…
If you’re a fan of the DeWALT brand of power tools, we’ve got big news for you. DeWALT hand tools are now available and they haven’t just released a tape measure and wrench but they’ve identified more than 100…
Meal prep, storage, display area–in a kitchen, the counters are where the action happens. And that’s why picking a solid, durable countertop material is so important. Changing the look of your counters can not only alter their performance, but…
As the popularity of impact drivers grows, so does the demand for products that fit a need and help solve a problem. Welcome the DeWALT Impact Clutch accessory holder. This DeWALT exclusive product is the first of its kind…
The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) was great this year! Beyond seeing some unique products from the top manufacturers in the country, we spoke to a lot of designers and bloggers who provided us with some real insight…
My grandma, an avid gardener, has plant beds all around her home. Yet one of my favorite memories is of her window boxes, which were perched on her home’s front windows and spilled over with brightly colored flowers, usually…
For look, finish and durability, hardwoods are hard to beat. But what about using hardwoods in rooms that are more suited to other types of materials, such as the bathroom? Thanks to an increasing availability of wood-look tile, you…
The biggest three days in the kitchen and bath universe have started at the convention center in Las Vegas with the kickoff of the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show which is known as KBIS. All the big brands are…
Research shows that homeowners are spending more time in the kitchen, opting for open floor plans that blend living and kitchen space to create a hybrid room that’s ideal for both relaxation and meal preparation. If you’re spending more…
If you have carpeting in your home, you’re probably no stranger to spot treating when faced with unexpected spills and messes. At least once a year, however, it’s a good idea to steam clean your carpets, which will help…
We’re headed to Las Vegas for the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) which is the largest kitchen and bath trade show in the country. There are enough sinks, cabinets and appliances to make your head spin. You can…
This year our intern, Lauren Chorpening of Iowa State University, had a unique opportunity to visit the Meredith office of ReadyMade in Des Moines, Iowa which isn’t far from her campus in Ames. She received a guide behind-the-scenes tour…
Although carpet still makes up the majority of flooring sales, you can’t deny the popularity–and prevalence–of hardwood floors. The durable material makes it great for a variety of rooms, and with woods available in a wide range of colors…
When it comes to kitchens, storage is one of the most important factors. And because good storage is so important, it’s often one of the primary considerations during a kitchen renovation. In regard to kitchen cabinets and shelving, you…
Happy Earth Day! Although when I was younger, we had a saying — “Every day is Earth day.” Kinda true, right? We talk a lot about going green here at C&H — materials, best practices, energy efficiency — but…
The seated mowers you see at your home center with two handles facing each other are zero-turn lawn mowers. The popularity of zero-turn mowers continues to rise as homeowners become more educated to how they function and how to…
One of our favorite things about spring is how everything suddenly becomes green. Have you noticed that? It seems like one day you’ll notice small buds on the trees, and then a few days later, BAM – green everywhere!…
Feeling a sudden urge to redecorate your bathroom? With the new Toobi Bath Faucet from Kohler, your faucet can get in the redecorating spirit, too, thanks to interchangeable colored liners that “allow the owner to personalize their space in…
We stumbled upon this little interesting little tidbit stemming from this year’s CES and thought we’d share with you: how’d you like a pet robot dinosaur as your home security? Back in 2002, Japanese robotics company TMSUK developed the…
The FBI has cataloged the areas of entry that burglars will target into a home. Take these statistics and protect your home accordingly. 81 percent of residential intrusions occur through the first floor. 34 percent of burglars entered through…
As you very well may already know, April 22nd is Earth Day, and this year more companies than ever are joining in the effort to help green our planet. One of the most interesting concepts we’ve seen is the…
It’s great to see new ventures in shelter publishing and when established print publisher Meredith announced they were joining up with digital magazine Lonny to create Trad Home, the design world took notice. After two splashy launch parties in…
We recently had the pleasure of attending a wedding party at Sandy Valley Ranch located 45 minutes from Las Vegas. You can play cowboy for a day like City Slickers but we really enjoy visiting all the animals. They’ve…
We ordered our MACE pepper spray gun last month and finally got around to testing it. Included in the package is the gun, one canister of pepper spray, and one canister of water loaded for testing. The gun feels…
The spring season brings on a transition for many people. More families move in the spring than any other season and in May, many college students move from their school time residences to back home. Packing up everything you…
Anyone out there watching “Parenthood?” It’s one of our favorites right now, but we especially love that one of the characters, Crosby (played by Dax Shepard) is currently renovating a newly purchased home as a way to win back…
When you hear the term VOC, you probably think of paint, right? Us, too. But the truth is that volatile organic compounds can be found in other substances besides paint. And you want to minimize them because they release…
Our intern this year, Lauren, is a design student at Iowa State University and she’s done a tremendous job working with us to improve and grow all facets of Charles & Hudson. Lauren lives in student housing (dorms) like…
We’ve all seen them. Maybe you’re out for a leisurely stroll, or a relaxing drive. You decide to check out some of the nearby neighborhoods. And then, without warning … you encounter one of THOSE houses. You know what…
Let’s say you want to use different types of flooring in two rooms, but you have a rather open floor plan and the transition is highly visible. Should you scrap the whole project or stick to one type of…
Your tool collection isn’t just a great thing to have when you’re pursuing your latest DIY project–it’s an investment, and that means regular upkeep of your tools will help them last for decades. I speak from experience, as I…
People often think home security systems are only useful when they’re not at home — say, going on vacation or even just the day-to-day of going to work, driving the kids around, eating out and the like. But home…
We’ve all been through the same process — you want to change the color of a room, but you’re not sure which shade to pick, or how it will look in daylight versus at night. You don’t want to…
While walking the Passive House in February, we couldn’t help but notice the decor choices made for the ultimate eco-friendly home. From the flooring choices to furniture, accessories, color schemes, and textures, we were taken with how incredibly discerning…
We received a request last week to take a look at a new product in work safety and we’re glad we did. We feel these Combo Glasses that combine sight and hearing protection in one product will hopefully become…
Wood butcher block countertops have become a popular choice in kitchen countertops. They give any kitchen a rustic farmhouse look but can also be gussied up with the right hardware to be modern and hip. The problem with any…
Warmer weather brings with it a higher risk of severe weather. And after hail, high winds, tornadoes and heavy rains comes another danger: storm repair scams. The Kansas City area recently experienced a heavy bout of severe weather, and…
The iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad paved the way for touch technology, which is becoming increasingly prevalent as more tablets, computers and even TVs hit the market. But what about a new application of touch technology? Say, in the…
Most home inspections typically take place prior to a real estate closing and are a necessary part of the home buying transaction. Because April is Home Inspection Month, we thought we’d share a tip: home inspections aren’t just for…
Stud sensors are a bit of modern day magic that don’t cost much and make a world of difference in time and accuracy. Gone are the days of counting inches from studs on center or tapping against walls to…
High-tech alarm systems, motion detectors, motion-activated lights … there are any number of devices and gadgets that will help protect your home from break-ins. But when it comes to home security, you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot…
We’ve talked several times here at C&H about living through a large-scale renovation. Whether you flee to a short-term residence or set up temporary rooms, there’s no doubt that remodeling disrupts your lifestyle throughout the duration of the project.…
There’s no denying it–going green is all the rage these days. But when it comes to making your home an environmentally friendly, energy efficient machine, it can be tough to know where to start. Sure, there’s the little things,…