Blog Posts by House Beautiful Magazine

Florence Perchuk - who's been designing kitchens for 38 years - shares her expert advice on countertops made of marble, granite, and other types of stone.

spill on counter1. Spills Should Be Wiped Up Immediately
With her years of experience, Perchuk has seen stains from wine, cranberry juice, all citrus juices, salad dressings, vinegars, and coffee. Her advice? "The key is to wipe a spill up as soon as you see it: I can't emphasize that enough. If you don't let the spills sit there, they won't penetrate," she says. "Also, oils are less of a problem, once the stone has been sealed, and kids with sticky fingers are no problem at all."

Photo: Maren Caruso/Getty
Related: Best Designer Kitchens


water drop
2. A Proper Seal Is When Water Beads Form
A supplier should seal the stone a few times as soon as it's installed. "You'll know it's sealed properly when water beads and forms droplets on the surface," she says. "Then have it sealed again a year later - that should do the trick." And while you can seal it

We asked an aromatherapist, a chiropractor, an insomnia specialist, and more experts to share their best, natural tips for getting a good night's rest.

Long Island Home

1. Clear Your Thoughts
"I like to keep a little yellow pad and pen next to the bed so that before turning the lights out, I can empty my head onto a to-do list. It keeps me from having racing thoughts all night long like 'Oh God, I've got to call about those lamps being rewired!' or 'I've got to make that dinner reservation!'" -David Kleinberg, interior designer

Related: Beautiful Designer Bedrooms

2. Stay on a Schedule
"Establish a strict bedtime and awakening time. Expose yourself to bright light in the morning - within 5 minutes of waking, go outside and take a walk for 30 minutes. Avoid any bright light for 2 or 3 hours before bedtime, or exercise within 3 hours. Avoid heavy meals, large amounts of fluid and alcohol - it might help you fall asleep, but it fragments sleep and cuts down on the amount of deep sleep." -Clete Kushida,

From adding dimmers to finally saying goodbye to 'make-do' furniture, 6 interior designers share the secrets of their own quick-change acts.

Lampshades

1. Paint Lampshades with Pattern

For a bedroom in this New York apartment, designer Eric Cohler had the lampshades custom-painted to echo the vibrant suzani throw on the bed. On another project, "I had a client with a small lighting budget, and we blew that on two overscale glass lamps from Hollyhock, Suzanne Rheinstein's great shop in LA," he says. "The accompanying shades were anticlimactic, so I painted them with a bold eggplant-colored starburst pattern in a nod to Matisse. Fast and fun."

Related: 55 Living Rooms You'll Love


Textiles

2. Liven Up a Room with Textiles

"I was filming a reality show in England and had to live in a Winnebago for over a month! You don't find interiors more standard-issue blah than a mobile home. But I packed some of my collection of old quilts, colorful alpaca throws, pillows, and some pictures in an extra suitcase. By

From blush to bubblegum, these rooms prove that pink is fun, flattering, and not just for February 14th.


Painting

1. Girly Pink

In designer Melissa Rufty's New Orleans home, a pink scribble painting by Amanda Talley hangs on floral wallpaper in a girl's bedroom.

See More: 55 Living Rooms You'll Love



Bedroom

2. Romantic Pink

The master bedroom in this Palm Beach home received a pink-and-white makeover by designer Gary McBournie. "It started with the fabric on the lampshade - a simple, soft shell pink and white linen print," he explains.

See More: 12 Romantic Bedrooms



Pink Patio

3. Sunny Pink Dining

On the brick patio of a tiny California bungalow, designer Krista Ewart kept the mood fresh and playful to match the decor inside. A white 1960s lawn furniture set is perked up with a pink patterned tablecloth.

Related: 20 Decorating Secrets Revealed



Pink Kitchen

4. Petite Pink Kitchen

The star of the kitchen is the cute pale pink Smeg fridge that Ewart chose. Other touches include pink curtains and artwork.

Related: Amazing

Romance doesn't have to be saved for February 14. Here, four interior designers show you how to do romantic decor in every room of your house.

Single Bloom

1. Arrange Just a Single Bloom

A large flower, like a magnolia, doesn't need any other adornments. It looks stunning all on its own, floating in a low Limoges bowl. (Tip: It's also less expensive to buy one statement-making flower than an entire bouquet.) Interior designer Hal Williamson chose the fragrant flower for his clients who live in New Orleans.


See More: 20 Decorating Secrets Revealed



Toile

2. Try a Little Toile
In the home's dining room, Louis XV chairs are upholstered in a toile called Louisiana Purchase. "Each chair depicts different iconic imagery," Hal Williamson says, including St. Louis Cathedral, plantations, and flatboats on the river. The upholstery doesn't match perfectly, but the chairs all still work together.

See More: Tour a Daring, Dramatic, and Colorful Family Home

Romantic Blue

3. Know that Blue can Be Romantic Too

There's no need to

From being able to kick back with an ottoman to keeping a throw in every room, we asked five decorators to share how they make a house feel more cozy.

Dining Room

1. Have Plush Dining Room Seating

In this L.A. dining room, designer Peter Dunham fashioned a sprawling yet comfy corner. "A deep banquette in a dining area is dressier and more relaxed than just chairs," he says. He brightened it with six pillows made from a vintage suzani from Design Utopia. Banquette not in the budget? Pull in an armchair from another room or try tossing a few pillows onto the seating.

See More: 20 Decorating Secrets Revealed

Ottoman


2. Kick Back with an Ottoman

"Putting your feet up is like lying in bed," says Dunham, who added a Caucasian carpet ottoman from Hollywood at Home to a slipcovered chair in the master bath.

Related: 11 Essential Organizing Tips for Small Spaces


Bedroom


3. Sleep on the Right Pillows

"When you're the parents of six children, you absolutely need a retreat," says designer Susan Zises Green, and the

From tiny thumbtacks to a fluffy powder puff, don't miss these Valentine's Day gift ideas in shades of rose, raspberry, and magenta.

Elephant Cards

1. Elephant Cards

A whimsical way to send sweet nothings - and in recycled cotton paper from excess fabric. Eco-friendly, too. $40 for set of six. John Robshaw Textiles.

See more: Tour a Japanese-Inspired Home

Tote Bag

2. Tote Bag

A cute carryall with a personal touch. $20 with free monogram. Ballard Designs.

Related:Conquer Your Fear Of Color

Candle

3. Candle

With a scent of early spring, it's the perfect pick-me-up for cold February days. In Japanese Peony, $34. Red Flower from Garnet Hill.

Related: 101 Easy Makeover Ideas

Wrapping Paper
4. Wrapping Paper

Such gorgeous paper, it almost doesn't matter what's inside. $4 Per Sheet. John Derian Co.

See More: 20 Decorating Secrets Revealed

Washi Tape

Add a touch of pink to stationery, inspiration boards, organizing labels, and more. $8.50 for set of

From space-age soundstick speakers to to a hub that links your Skype, mobile, and landlines, these innovative products will streamline your workstation.

1. A Desk That Hides Your Mess

Hide your mess in the hidden recess. All of your external drives, chargers, routers, and a power strip can be tucked in a compartment under the desktop - cords can be fed through an opening at the back - freeing up precious surface area for your paperwork. Bluelounge StudioDesk, bluelounge.com.

Related: Designer Bedrooms

2. Storage that's Wireless

Any cord you can eliminate is one fewer to deal with on your desktop and when you travel. The G-Connect is a wireless storage and streaming device for Apple and Android phones and tablets, as well as laptops and desktops. It holds up to 500 GB of content - think of all those bulky HD movie files - which can be accessed via an iPad app or Web browser. It even acts as a Wi-Fi hot spot for up to five users. And at less than 10 ounces,