Room by Room Makeovers will help you make the smartest decicions in all of your home purchases. We do the research, testing, and user reliability research to help you make the best decision for all of your household purchases.
Most of us are all too familiar with the realities of our home’s “before”: the outdated appliances, the drab carpet, the tired paint colors. It’s getting to the “after”—to that beautiful fantasy room—that can seem nearly impossible. But what if you had your very own team of homeimprovement helpers to steer you through all the choices and expenses, along the fastest, easiest route from “before” to “after”? That’s exactly what Consumer Reports provides. Our team of home experts— researchers, engineers, market analysts, editors, and more—is here for you with buying advice, money-saving tips, and, of course, our exclusive product reviews and ratings. You can trust us because we’re nonprofit and independent: We buy all the products we test, and we accept no ads—so we can tell it like it is.…
When looking for a new home or updating the one they have, most Americans take their pets’ needs into account, according to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). More than half of all survey respondents, 52 percent, said they had completed a renovation project specifically to accommodate their animal. And realtors surveyed reported that one-third of their pet-owning clients often or very often will refuse to make an offer on a house if it is not ideal for their pet. Among the most popular pet-centric projects are adding fencing, a pet door, and installing laminate flooring, reports the NAR. So if you’re tempted to build a feeding station (left) or a bed (see page 109) or a grooming area, don’t worry—you’re not the only one happy to live…
Nate Berkus, well-known from his appearances on “Oprah” and now from “Nate and Jeremiah by Design,” currently airing on the TLC network, has launched a new collection of roller shade designs, available nationwide at The Shade Store (theshadestore.com). In updating what has typically been the most utilitarian of window dressings with rich patterns in a modern, neutral palette, Berkus turned to his favorite source of inspiration—his travels. “I’m currently on my third passport,” he says. “This collection represents some of the best textiles I’ve found along the way, whether a place mat from Mexico, embroidery from Southeast Asia, printed fabrics from Europe.”…
1. Alabama Camping Tent 2. Alaska Knighthood 3. Arizona Smoke Bush Rose 4. Arkansas Palm Desert 5. California Swiss Coffee 6. Colorado Moroccan Ruby 7. Connecticut Fortune 8. Delaware Touch of Class 9. Florida King Salmon 10. Georgia Marrakech Brown 11. Hawaii Less Traveled 12. Idaho Village Green 13. Illinois Alice White 14. Indiana Old Amethyst 15. Iowa Adventurer 16. Kansas Classic Bronze 17. Kentucky Czarina 18. Louisiana Silent Sands 19. Maine Winter Shamrock 20. Maryland Antique White 21. Massachusetts Blue Fir 22. Michigan Wine Not 23. Minnesota Chelsea Garden 24. Mississippi In the Woods 25. Missouri Debutante Ball 26. Montana Encore 27. Nebraska River Forest 28. Nevada Kyoto Pearl 29. New Hampshire Gingko 30. New Jersey Art Deco Pink 31. New Mexico Camelot 32. New York Linen White 33.…
2017 has been the year of the rainbow: We’ve seen rainbow hair, rainbow flags, even rainbow lattes (we’re looking at you, Starbucks). Now, the trend is arcing into the home market with a shimmery new crop of iridescent accents, from oil-slicked glass pendant fixtures from Tom Dixon to lustrous wine glasses at CB2 to Kevin O’Brien’s color-shifting velvet pillows from Barneys New York. And then there’s the tile: acres and acres of beautiful iridescent glass tile in every colorway you can imagine, including Lilac Field micromosaic from Tile Bar (tilebar.com), left. Now, let’s just hope 2018 isn’t the year of the unicorn.…
Oversized watercolor organics, graphic geometrics, faux wood patterns: These are just a few of the styles showing up on many of today’s bestdressed walls. But if you’re not used to living with wallpaper, committing to a strong pattern can be daunting. What if you hate it in six months? If this worry sounds familiar, peel-and-stick wallpaper is your friend. These products come with an adhesive already applied, so there’s no need to wet the back of the paper or cope with messy paste; you just peel off the backing and position the design on a clean, dry surface according to the manufacturer’s directions (wait four weeks before applying to a newly painted wall to ensure good adhesion). Some products, like Waves, $40 for a 2x4 foot panel, from Chasing Paper…
