For all the challenges 2020 has thrown at us, there was still plenty to celebrate when it came to home décor. Driving the home design focus during the year was major investment many people put into their homes to create renovated and fresh-feeling spaces. The full-time at-home lifestyle led many homeowners to shift spending and put more dollars to décor and renovation. According to a HomeAdvisor survey, 33 percent of the 5,000 people surveyed shifted their commuting budget, 48 percent shifted their vacation budget, and 52 percent shifted restaurant budgets into home services and projects. With ..read more

You may have thought voting season was over, but LL Flooring needs you to cast your vote to help find the 2021 Floor of the Year! The second-annual competition shows off 12 of our most popular and trending flooring lines for you to vote on! The floors were selected through our ongoing research of the latest home décor trends, as well as input from designers and home-industry professionals to ensure they represent the hottest styles. The 2020 winner, Bellawood Artisan Bristol Tavern Hickory, was selected due to the natural sophistication from its warm brown tones and cool gray tones that merge ..read more

LL Style had a chance to sit down with LL Flooring friend and pro-builder extraordinaire Josh Temple about his recent home build. LL Style: So tell us about your “Upside Down” project you just completed. Josh Temple: In summer of 2019, my wife and I decided to build a house from the ground up. The lot was fairly cheap because it was on a severe slope running down the hill from the street. We called it “The Upside Down Project” — mostly because the “upside” of the project would be going “down” the hill. But the inspiration of the term came from the 30-foot tree that is stuck upside down in the ..read more

If there’s one good thing to come out of the pandemic this year – it’s the time and focus to get our homes whipped into shape. From repairs to renovations, investing in home projects has skyrocketed since Spring. Houzz, the online project platform reported a 58 percent jump in searches for remodeling professionals, and with vacation spending at a historic low, families are instead diverting money into making their homes more comfortable and functional. If you’re slow to jump on the trend, or considering which project to tackle this winter, here are a few thoughts to get you from basic blueprin ..read more

If you’re lucky enough to have a guest visiting for the holidays there’s likely a little concern mixed with the anticipation of getting together. Hosting can be stressful at the best of times – but in 2020 we can all expect a new set of holiday hoops to jump through to make any guest, and ourselves, feel comfortable. So if you do have family or friends headed your way, how do you keep things simple, seasonal and stress-free? Read our holiday hacks to get any guest room ready. Find A Space, Make a Space First up – where will your guest(s) stay? No guest wants to sleep on the bottom bunk, baskin ..read more

by Tom Kraeutler – Host of the nationally syndicated The Money Pit Home Improvement Show If home is where the heart is, the kitchen is clearly one of the vital organs that convert a house into a home. So it is no surprise that kitchen remodeling is among the most popular remodeling projects tackled each year. Not only does updating your kitchen breathe new life into your home, it also adds value to it should you decide to sell. According to Remodeling Online’s 2020 Cost vs. Value Report, even a minor kitchen remodeling project will return an average of 78% of its cost when it comes time to sel ..read more

by Tom Kraeutler – Host of the nationally syndicated The Money Pit Home Improvement Show Remodeling your kitchen can add value to your home, but also add stress to your life. Here are some more tips to make this project more manageable and help you to get the best return on your investment. Keep the Kitchen Cabinets Kitchen cabinet replacement is one of the most expensive parts of a kitchen renovation project. But in many cases, you can create an entirely new look to the kitchen by giving those cabinets the love they deserve. If your cabinets are in good shape but you’re just not thrilled wit ..read more

By Farah Merhi – Author and Interior Design Influencer When we first moved into our home, we had carpet everywhere. Even though it was a new build, for some reason carpet was installed in almost every room, even in our master bathroom! Needless to say, with kids and a busy lifestyle, carpet was not going to work for our family. We planned to remove the carpeting and replace it all with engineered hardwood floors. Now, 12 years later, we are down to 3 rooms that still have the old carpet, which are my kids’ bedrooms. All three! I wanted to wait as long as I could and keep the carpet in until th ..read more

Throwback Décor with Vintage Vibes Fads may come and go, but the concept of vintage and retro style is holding steady. It isn’t surprising: vintage looks bring a wonderful design aspect that presents both personality and the unexpected. Of course, it’s a delicate balance: vintage items that are too old may look it — and feel it. And, going full-on vintage can make things feel cluttered. So how to balance the art of vintage? Here are a few suggestions to give you inspiration and direction. Repurpose with a Purpose At the heart of vintage design is repurposing items in unexpected or unusual ways ..read more

How to “Holiday” Your Home — Simple Styles for the Season There’s no question the holidays can be a stressful time given all the guests, the gift wrapping, plus making the perfect gravy. But a great way to embrace the year-end festivities and make the most of them is to get your house in holiday shape with simple and delightful décor to deck the halls right. Gift-Wrap Your Home There is nothing quite like a beautiful (and tastefully done) holiday light presentation to show your spirit. But there are other ways to welcome the season — and your guests — by focusing on your front entrance. Want t ..read more