Unfussy and super elegant in appearance. Full of good tips and ideas, but never condescending (or uppity!). High-reward for not too much work involved, but occasionally ambitious. These are the things we would have guessed you'd want from our articles about home and design, and we were right.
Below are our fifteen most popular home posts of 2016—featuring bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, and of course kitchens and their accessories—and some thoughts on what we learned from seeing you love them.
A Duvet Cover Hack We're Stealing from Hotel Bedding
Instead of using a duvet cover (which can be ornery to take off and put on every time you go to wash it, not to mention expensive) try layering two flat sheets on either side of your comforter. Then, the trick: a smart way to fold the top section so it's nice and tidy (there's a little gif in the post to show you how). Same look, less hassle.
What we learned: All those things that annoy us about keeping up a pretty home? They bug you, too—so it's worth finding a better way.
The cuddly sheets we used to shoot it, and some more hotel-inspired design tricks:
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The Best Oils & Techniques for Finishing Wooden Kitchen Tools
What we learned: Expert coverage on common (but confusing) kitchen upkeep tasks are welcome.
How I Broke All Marie Kondo's Rules & Still Tidied My Kitchen
You weren't deterred by my horrifying photography skills, or the fact that I wrote about cleaning out my kitchen four times that week, or my failure to abide by Marie Kondo's rules. (Thank you!)
What we learned: You like it when we try something out—be that a trend, a tip, or a popular method—and tell you what actually happens. The good and the bad.
A few more posts from that series:
5 Ways to Freshen Up a Space Without Spending a Cent
Try swapping some of your artwork around tonight and see if it doesn't make you feel refreshed.
What we learned: Little things that make a big difference? More of that, please.
3 Decorating "Tricks" So Transformative You Can Think of Them as Rules
"Tricks," because once upon a time not too long ago the idea of hanging your curtains closer to the ceiling was not a thing—someone gave it a whirl, the move caught fire as a trend, and suddenly it's Interior Design 101.
What we learned: Interior Design 101—minus the textbook—is right up your alley.
A DIY Tiny Bathroom Renovation: Before, "Almost-After" & Tips
When our wonderful contributor Liz Johnson told me she'd like to write about the bathroom makeover she masterminded herself, I knew it'd be a stunner (proof of her good taste, here). It was also ingenious and budget-friendly. What could be better?
What we learned: Again, real experiences (and real homes! and makeovers! and budget-friendly fixes!) are often the most compelling way to learn.
A few bathroom fixtures from our Shop that are a little like instant makeovers:
17 Festive, Inexpensive Ways to Deck Your Table & Halls
What we learned: The key here was budget-friendly—and since we tend towards natural, no-frills solutions anyway we can easily bring you more of that.
Two of my favorite decorative flourishes from the Shop that don't require the big bucks:
13 of the Best Movie Set Kitchens of All Time
The alternative headline for this article was All the Nancy Meyers Movie Set Kitchens Ever. (You probably still would have liked it!)
What we learned: Movie sets! We'll bring you more of these.
How to Organize a Refrigerator
What we learned: Let no kitchen organizing project go undiscussed.
The Pans That French Mamas Use Instead of Cast Iron
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How 2 Brothers Reinvented the Cast Iron Skillet
What we learned: More cast iron innovation, on the double! (Spoiler: We're bringing a lightweight, super smooth, very thoughtfully designed cast iron skillet to our Shop very soon.)
Amanda Hesser's Best Tips for a Clean, Organized Pantry
From our resident organizing queen herself, tips on everything from the best containers (and markers!) to buy to what, exactly, to put on each shelf. You'll be tackling yours in no time.
What we learned: Again, that organizing tips know no limit in your estimation—and that you like hearing from our trusty co-founders!
Some pantry organizers, from our Shop:
The One-Inch Way to Make Your Home Look More Welcoming
I just hung curtains myself and put this into effect—100% warming, cozying, and welcoming.
What we learned: Easy, high-impact fixes are always welcome (and you even like hearing about curtains and bed skirts—woo hoo!).
Toss These Kitchen Items, Feel Instantly Better
You already know you don't need everything you own, but leave it to Alice Medrich to tell you precisely what needs to go (you'll thank her!).
What we learned: Knowing what to get rid of is just as important as knowing the best things to get.
7 Types of Fruit Trees You Can Grow in Your Living Room
Maybe it was the perfect balance of food, and DIY, and home design—maybe it was the empowering tone. Either way, you went nuts for these indoor fruit tree suggestions, which (with a lot of TLC and direct sunlight) can flourish by a window in your living room.
What we learned: Indoor gardening that might also serve your cooking needs? Got it.
What were your favorite home design posts that didn't make our top 15? Tell us in the comments.
Written by: Amanda Sims
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