Although Austinites love to enjoy nature year-round, spring is the best season to get outside before the mosquitos descend in full force and patio furniture is liable to scald the thighs. For locals looking to spruce up their own slice of nature at home, the annual Outdoor Living Tour on May 4 provides the perfect inspiration from Austin’s best landscape architects and designers. The event is presented by the Modern Architecture + Design Society, which also hosts the annual Modern Homes Tour. Whereas the latter takes place over a full weekend, the Outdoor Living tour is designed as a “lighte ..read more

Austin's penchant for developing creative talent knows no bounds, and when its artists return to the city for some down time, their homes are their peaceful retreats away from the fuss of public life. That rings especially true for musician Sloan Struble – known professionally as Dayglow – and his wife, Reagan, who recently shared their 19th century Austin home with the team at Architectural Digest. The farmhouse is secluded on a three-acre property in the "Austin countryside," giving the creative couple the height of privacy, as well as breathtaking views of the Hill Country. While it's qui ..read more

Another local furniture store is biting the dust. The Furniture Mall of Texas, established by the owners of the Furniture Mall of Kansas and Austin Couch Potatoes, is closing its doors. The closure was announced on the store's Facebook page on April 6, adding that there would be a "multi-million dollar store closing forever sale." The mall's website says all furniture, including the mattresses and signature Amish lines, will be "sacrificed at 50-70 percent off." The mall doesn't have an official closing date just yet, according to a customer service representative. The store may run out of i ..read more

Anyone can have fun storming the castle with Multimorphic, Inc.'s new pinball game. A leading innovator in the pinball industry, Multimorphic has partnered with The Princess Bride Ltd. to bring the beloved classic film to life through pinball. Multimorphic, Inc., based in Round Rock, TX, makes a unique machine: a modular pinball game that can swap out art and obstacles to fit a variety of collectible themes. The company now boasts 21 available games, with multiple licensed titles in development, offering a diverse range of experiences for pinball enthusiasts of all skill levels. The classic ..read more

Round Top, Texas, population 93, is a year round destination for lovers of all things antique. The town’s Spring Antiques Fair is currently underway, but my particular favorite event is just about to get started. Open since 1997, the Marburger Farm Antique Show is truly my favorite destination for sourcing antiques for both myself and for clients. When I crack open the spine of a new datebook — yes, I still use those — I highlight the dates of the spring and fall shows right along with my loved ones’ birthdays. This year’s show, which takes place March 26-30, is highlighted in pink. Vendors ..read more

A new off-price home goods retailer is carting in discounted decor, furnishings, and entertaining essentials to Austin: Homesense will make its area debut on Thursday, April 11, in the Lakeline Market. This will be Homesense's third store in Texas, after a Fort Worth location that opened in mid-March and a store opening in San Antonio on April 11, as well. It's definitely not a local debut for the store's parent corporation, TJX Companies, however. Framingham, Massachusetts-based Homesense is a sibling concept to popular discount home and apparel stores HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls. Sho ..read more

Cult favorite French cookware brand Le Creuset is debuting a new color in the U.S. Called Bamboo Green, it's the latest shade for the company, known for its Dutch ovens and other cookware in a rainbow of table-ready colors such as red, orange, and blue. The company initially launched Bamboo Green in Europe in 2021. It is the only color launch planned this year for Le Creuset Outlet Stores. Shoppers can find the collection at any of the five Outlet Stores in Texas. The closest to Austin is in Round Rock or San Marcos. Outlets are the only stores it will be carried in. The color appears in 16 ..read more

Austin's vibrant art scene gains an exciting new addition this May with the launch of the Affordable Art Fair. From May 16-19, the Palmer Events Center will host the internationally renowned event's inaugural Texas show, attracting more than 50 galleries and thousands of extraordinary contemporary works priced from $100 to $10,000. This launch follows popular fairs in New York, London, Amsterdam, and other cities. The Affordable Art Fair brings together local talent alongside national and international names. The event features a diverse array of creative mediums, including paintings, prints ..read more

You can save all the Pinterest ideas you want, but seeing things in real life really puts a new spin on home inspiration. What does it look like in sunlight and shade? How does it feel to stand next to it? Does it block or enhance the natural surroundings? Sometimes we don't even know what questions to ask until we're experiencing the answers. The multi-city Modern Home Tour announced it is providing several venues for these epiphanies in Austin, on February 24 and 25. Guests will be invited to self-paced tours of 18 houses currently on the market — nine on Saturday, and nine more on the fre ..read more

A new and improved IKEA shopping experience is making its way to Central Texas, perfect for furniture and Swedish meatball enthusiasts. On January 17, the furniture store revealed plans on four new Plan & Order and pick-up points across the U.S., including one in the Austin area, expected to possibly open as early as this 2024. The new store will be located at 3306 Esperanza Crossing at the Domain. The pick-up stores are designed for specialists to assist shoppers in deciding on specific home plans while organizing orders and deliveries at the designated pick-up points. The Domain has be ..read more