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    How to Clean a Sponge and Kill Bacteria

    No one likes the idea of cleaning dishes with a germy sponge, which is why we all know we should be cleaning ours on the regular. But which method is best? The Good Housekeeping Institute worked with EMSL Analytical Testing Lab in Westmont, New Jersey to find out if using the dishwasher, microwave, washing machine, bleach or vinegar removed the most bacteria — and bleach won.The Best Way to Clean a SpongeBelow, you’ll find the best step-by-step method for cleaning a sponge. But no matter how diligent you are about cleaning, your kitchen sponges won’t last forever. You need to clean them weekly, and toss shabby ones every two to three weeks, depending on use.Mix 3/4 cup of More

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    The Highly Poisonous Plant That Could Be Hiding in Your Backyard

    While scrolling through social media last June, a shocking post caught my eye. A woman in my neighborhood described a mysterious ordeal involving her husband. Out of nowhere, the previously healthy man had gotten suddenly and severely ill. He had nearly died and was still fighting to recover. Like amateur sleuths, the family had been searching for the cause of his rapid decline. What they discovered, before even the doctors realized it, was terrifying, because it was something that could have just as easily happened to me, literally in my own backyard. The first weekend of May last year, Jim LeBlond was busy with a familiar springtime ritual: clearing out his backyard. He was in a hurry because his city of Madeira, OH — a suburb of Cincinnati — offered curbside brush and limb pickup during the first week of May. “I worked an entire weekend clearing honeysuckle and the weeds around it with an electric chain saw,” Jim says. It had been a wet spring, and the weeds were already everywhere. “I saw a lot of white flowers, but I didn’t think anything of it.” By the time Jim was taking the last batch of limbs out to the curb Monday evening, he started to feel bad. He wasn’t sure whether he was simply exhausted from a long weekend of work or he was coming down with something. COVID-19 briefly crossed his mind, but he was fully vaccinated. He decided to go to bed early, figuring he would probably feel better the next day.

    Jeanne suspected that the culprit was something Jim had cut down in the yard.

    Instead, at 4:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, he woke up unable to breathe. Frightened, he told his wife, Jeanne, that he needed to go to the emergency room, so they drove to nearby Good Samaritan Hospital. There, the emergency room doctor ran several tests but struggled to understand what was going on. Jim looked healthy, yet he clearly needed more and more oxygen. His chest X-ray showed inflammation. The ER doctor thought it was pneumonia and decided to admit him, still not having ruled out the coronavirus.

    Jim LeBlond and his family.
    Courtesy of Jim LeBlond

    “I remember getting moved to a room,” Jim says. “But my memory of the next three weeks is totally blank.” That’s because things quickly deteriorated once Jim was admitted. He couldn’t breathe, and his oxygen levels were going down. He was being given COVID medications, but he kept testing negative. Within hours of being admitted, Jim was moved to the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU). By 10:00 p.m. Wednesday evening, he had to be put on a mechanical ventilator. Jeanne wasn’t allowed into the ICU until 9:00 the following morning. “I walked into the room and immediately started to cry,” she says. Her 58-year-old husband had tubes down his throat and was sedated, in a medically induced coma. It seemed unfathomable given that only days earlier he had been laughing at dinner and playing on the floor with his grandchildren. What in the world had made him so sick? Christopher Hayner, M.D., the pulmonary critical care physician at Good Samaritan Hospital who began treating Jim in the ICU, suspected an alveolar hemorrhage, which happens when “the blood vessels that surround the air sacs in the lungs become inflamed,” Dr. Hayner explains. This means the lungs can’t do their job of moving oxygen into the bloodstream as blood accumulates in the air sacs. “Essentially you drown in your own blood,” he says. A biopsy confirmed the grim diagnosis. Now Dr. Hayner knew what was wrong, but no one knew why. Jim didn’t have any of the conditions, like lupus or other autoimmune diseases, that usually cause alveolar hemorrhage. Dr. Hayner ran test after test looking for what might be causing the extreme inflammation in Jim’s lungs — with no luck.

    Adam Mazur

    Unearthing the Shocking CauseOnce Dr. Hayner had ruled out all the common causes of alveolar hemorrhage, it was time to think about uncommon causes. He wondered whether Jim could have experienced some form of toxic inhalation injury, but there hadn’t been a fire or any use of toxic chemicals. Jeanne is a retired elementary school teacher — for more than three decades, she had taught her young charges to be curious learners. Now she needed to use her own curiosity to solve the ghastliest puzzle she had ever encountered. She began to suspect that the problem was something Jim had cut down in the backyard. But he was unconscious, unable to offer any clues.Jeanne and Jim both come from close-knit families, and their community in Madeira also rallied to help them. Their grown children, Jay and Kate, and their spouses, friends and family helped with tasks and alternated going with Jeanne to the ICU every day. They played Jim and Jeanne’s favorite song, “When You Say Nothing at All,” sung by Alison Krauss, which he and Jeanne had danced to at their 25th wedding anniversary 10 years earlier. They held his hand and talked to him, hoping he could hear them. “I was told many times he might not survive,” Jeanne says. But Jim fought, and one morning when Jeanne arrived, the nurse said, “We have a surprise for you.” Jim was sitting in a chair for the first time in a month. “That was a big deal,” Jeanne says. “Finally, things looked like they were getting better.” He improved enough to be moved from the ICU to a step-down unit. He’d had a tracheostomy, so he still couldn’t talk, and he was still on a ventilator. He was extremely weak, unable even to push a button on the television remote to change the channel. “Lying there, you think you should be able to just get up and go home, but you can’t,” Jim says. He had a feeding tube because he couldn’t swallow or eat, and he had lost 42 pounds. Blood clots formed in his legs — common when someone is confined to a hospital bed — and he needed an IVC filter implanted in a blood vessel near his heart. This small device prevented the blood clots from traveling to his lungs and causing a fatal pulmonary embolism.But he had gotten strong enough to write. At last he could be asked, “What were you cutting down in the backyard?”He wrote, White flower, purple stem. Though Jim was used to white flowers growing in his backyard, the ones he was familiar with were snakeroot, which doesn’t bloom until late in the summer. This time Jim had been working in his yard in early May, so it must have been something else. The family Googled “poisonous plants in Ohio,” and within seconds they had the prime suspect: a plant so toxic that it had been used as a poison for centuries — poison hemlock.

    The flowers of these two plants look strikingly similar, but poison hemlock has a purplish stem and blooms in late spring or early summer, while Queen Anne’s lace has a fuzzy stem and its flowers appear in late summer.
    Adam Mazur

    Swiping through the Web, they saw abundant images of poison hemlock in fields, on the sides of roads and at the edges of parks and playgrounds, and they read about how it had been invading specific states such as Ohio. It was tall and wispy, almost like giant parsley. It had blotchy purple stems and clusters of big white flowers. Had this been in their backyard?They showed Jim the pictures. He nodded and wrote, That’s it.According to Joe Boggs, an assistant professor of entomology for The Ohio State University Extension, poison hemlock contains highly toxic compounds and could cause respiratory failure and death if ingested. “The chemicals are in the sap, but the sap circulates throughout the whole plant, including the roots and seeds, so all parts of the plant are toxic,” Boggs says. The theory was that by taking a chain saw to it, Jim had aerosolized it, or thrown that sap into the air in the form of extremely fine droplets, which he then must have inhaled. “I have to give the family credit for doing the deep dive and figuring out poison hemlock,” Dr. Hayner says. When he learned about the plant, he understood how it could have happened. “Anything you can touch, you can also inhale,” he says. The toxic aerosolized poison hemlock particles caused respiratory failure.Jim’s case raised an alarm bell for Dr. Hayner, who had a large wooded hillside on his own property. He feared that poison hemlock might be lurking there as well. “We had been trying to clear the hill. The minute we figured this out, we stopped,” he says.A Town Rallies and Raises AwarenessDr. Hayner wasn’t the only one who was suddenly looking at every patch of weeds around, wondering if it possessed enough toxins to kill. I’d stop in the middle of runs and glower at wispy weeds on the side of the road, wondering if they were poison hemlock but afraid to get too close. It was as if my entire city of 9,000 was on the lookout. We read Jeanne’s Facebook updates about Jim, looked for purple stems and learned to tell the difference between poison hemlock and Queen Anne’s lace. Even then-mayor Nancy Spencer advocated educating the public about poison hemlock at a city council meeting. She included information about how to recognize it in a citywide newsletter and was looking for more ways to raise awareness about the invasive weed. Neighbors, friends and fellow church members rallied around the LeBlond family and provided continuous meal delivery through Jim’s hospital stay and beyond. They cut the family’s grass, re-stained their deck, made the house accessible and helped with medical bills. “People who didn’t even know us stepped up to help,” Jim says.

    A local high school band welcomed Jim home after he spent more than three months in the hospital.

    Ultimately Jim needed surgery on his heart, which had been damaged because of the problems with his lungs. He began to improve dramatically after the surgery and was finally able to come off the ventilator and the feeding tube in late July. As he began rehab at a facility in early August, he knew it would be a long road to recovery; sometimes five different physical therapists would work with him at once. With his tracheostomy removed, he had to relearn to talk and to swallow. It took an incredible amount of work for him to sit up on his own, stand and eventually walk. But this wasn’t the first time he’d had to relearn basic tasks. He had broken his hip in an accident when he was 14 and had then been in a wheelchair for nearly eight months. “I learned that you never tell a physical therapist no,” he says.

    Jim and his family after he was released from the hospital and finally home.
    Courtesy of Jim LeBlond

    After 109 days, Jim finally came home on August 21. “There were many, many tears of joy that day,” Jeanne says. Everyone gathered for a welcome-home party, and the high school band played in the neighbors’ yard as Jim got out of the car. It would be several weeks before he could walk more than a few steps and several more weeks until he could play with his grandkids or drive again. He continues to do daily physical therapy to regain his strength, but the desire to do things like walk the dog and kick a soccer ball with his granddaughters again keeps him motivated. His recovery has already been miraculous, and his doctors anticipate that it will continue.“Sometimes I think, What if our grandkids had picked those flowers?” Jeanne says. That’s why she and Jim want to do everything they can to help raise awareness about poison hemlock. Their community gave them so much, and they’re eager to pay it forward by helping make sure others’ backyards are safe. Beware Poison Hemlock’s toxic cousin: Wild Parsnip

    Adam Mazur

    Poison hemlock is highly invasive and is in nearly every state in the U.S. It has especially become a problem in the Midwest and the South, says Joe Boggs, an assistant professor of entomology for The Ohio State University Extension. Wild parsnip, a slightly shorter plant with a flat cluster of yellow flowers, causes terrible blistering if the sap gets on skin and is exposed to sunlight. Here’s what to know about these two wild menaces, which often grow together:Where they grow: You are more likely to find these plants growing at the edges of your property than you are to spot them amid your flower beds. Why they are taking over: Land overdevelopment and overgrazing are big culprits. Mowing equipment that isn’t cleaned after the clearing of patches of these plants is also spreading the seeds.When you’ll see them: In spring and early summer. Both are generally done blooming by July. How to get rid of them: Never use a weed eater or a chain saw. If you wear protective clothing (goggles, gloves, mask, long sleeves and pants), you can pull up poison hemlock and bag it like other yard waste, Boggs says, but to be safe, you might consider using an herbicide to kill it. As for wild parsnip, do not touch it: Spray it with an herbicide.How to prevent their return: Once the poison hemlock or wild parsnip is dead, spread some grass seed as soon as you can. “Grasses are very strong competitors against these plants,” Boggs says.

    Judi Ketteler
    Judi Ketteler has written about youth culture for the The New York Times and Los Angeles magazine, and is the author of the forthcoming book, Would I Lie to You? More

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    The First-Ever Pioneer Woman Outdoor Collection Is Here

    When you think of Ree Drummond, what’s the first thing that comes to mind—besides, well, floppy-eared pups and comfort food? For us, it’s florals. The Pioneer Woman’s personal style has been synonymous with bright, cheerful blooms for years now…and we’re not just talking about her wardrobe. Floral pie pans, floral quilts and shams, floral bath mats and towels…you name it, she’s got it.And as of today, she’s taking the whole “floral” thing even more literally: Ree just announced the launch of a brand-new outdoor line at Walmart, and it’s safe to say it’s her sunniest creation yet.

    The Pioneer Woman Outdoor Collection

    “One of my favorite things about spring is watching everything come to life and being able to enjoy more time outside—both on the porch and in the garden. I just couldn’t help but bring that into a full outdoor line,” Ree says. “I absolutely love this new collection, and can’t wait to see the different ways the products are used to bring color and fun to outdoor spaces!” Here’s what you can expect from the new line, available now at Walmart stores and on Walmart.com: Gardening Tools and Accessories

    Walmart

    Be still our pretty-pattern-obsessed hearts! Multi-piece tool sets, gloves, hats, watering cans, and hose hangers all look a whole lot cuter when they’re decorated with Ree’s signature designs. And just wait until you see the new potting bench! 😍 You’ll be that much more inspired to step out into your garden each day.

    Shop the Garden Tools and Accessories

    The Pioneer Woman White Wood and Metal Potting Bench

    The Pioneer Woman Blue Wood Raised Garden Bed

    The Pioneer Woman Breezy Blossom Gardening Tool Set

    The Pioneer Woman Breezy Blossoms Gardening Gloves

    The Pioneer Woman Sweet Rose Gardening Gloves

    The Pioneer Woman Gardening Straw Hat

    The Pioneer Woman Breezy Blossom Gardening Tool Set with Basket

    The Pioneer Woman Embossed Hose Pot

    The Pioneer Woman Vintage Floral Gardening Gloves

    The Pioneer Woman Decorative Metal Floral Hose Hanger

    The Pioneer Woman Sweet Rose Blue Metal Watering Can

    Plant Stands and Bistro Sets

    Walmart

    Ree’s eye-catching new stands are available in two vibrant color schemes—turquoise and mosaic—and they make for the loveliest accompaniment to her turquoise bistro set. Featuring two chairs and an elegant-looking table, it’s definitely the centerpiece of the entire collection.

    Shop the Plant Stands and Bistro Sets

    The Pioneer Woman Goldie 3-Piece Cast Aluminum Garden Bistro Set

    The Pioneer Woman 16-Inch Cast-Iron Teal Plant Stand

    The Pioneer Woman Tile and Iron Plant Stand

    Decorative Planters

    Walmart

    Whether you place them on a kitchen island or leave them outside in the sun, Ree’s sturdy new stoneware planters are a must-have. They’re available in classic embossed and floral varieties as well as a variety of more creative designs: Country boots, teacups, and cows (plus, there’s one inspired by Charlie the dog) all available.

    Shop the Decorative Planters

    The Pioneer Woman Drummond Truck 6-Inch Planter

    walmart.com

    $16.47

    The Pioneer Woman Mazie Red Resin Planter

    walmart.com

    $22.97

    The Pioneer Woman Heritage Floral 8-Inch Planter

    walmart.com

    $16.42

    The Pioneer Woman Just Red Boot Planter

    walmart.com

    $16.97

    The Pioneer Woman Embossed Daisy Teal 8-Inch Planter

    walmart.com

    $14.97

    The Pioneer Woman Mazie 10-Inch Teapcup Planter

    walmart.com

    $16.42

    The Pioneer Woman 12-Inch Geo Resin Planter

    walmart.com

    $22.97

    The Pioneer Woman Sweet Rose Gingham 6-Inch Planter

    walmart.com

    $9.94

    Bird Feeders and Birdhouses

    Walmart

    Let your winged friends in on the beauty of your outdoor space with one of the collection’s beautiful new homes and feeders. They’re impossibly cute and would look lovely hung from a sturdy tree branch or porch beam.

    Shop the Bird Feeders and Houses

    The Pioneer Woman Vintage Floral Hopper Bird Feeder

    The Pioneer Woman Sweet Rose Hopper Bird Feeder

    The Pioneer Woman Mazie Lantern Bird Feeder

    The Pioneer Woman Breezy Blossom Lantern Bird Feeder

    The Pioneer Woman Vintage Floral Wood Birdhouse

    The Pioneer Woman Sweet Rose Wood Birdhouse

    The Pioneer Woman Breezy Blossom Yellow Wood Birdhouse

    The Pioneer Woman Blue Maizie Wood Birdhouse

    Outdoor Pillows, Cushions, and Rugs

    Walmart

    Bring a homey feeling to your yard, porch, and patio with embroidered outdoor pillows, patterned rugs, and more. There are so many designs to choose from.

    Shop the Outdoor Pillows, Cushions, and Rugs

    The Pioneer Woman Sweet Rose Outdoor Seat Pad

    The Pioneer Woman Fiona Floral Outdoor Seat Pad

    The Pioneer Woman Green Washy Trellis Outdoor Seat Pad

    The Pioneer Woman Floral Patchwork Outdoor Seat Pad

    Embroidered Vintage Floral Outdoor Pillow

    The Pioneer Woman Howdy Cow Outdoor Pillow

    The Pioneer Woman Kickin Back Outdoor Pillow

    The Pioneer Woman Floral Dance Stripe Outdoor Pillow

    The Pioneer Woman Embroidered Mazie Outdoor Pillow

    The Pioneer Woman Love Blooms Here Outdoor Pillow

    The Pioneer Woman Sweet Rose Embroidered Bird Outdoor Pillow

    The Pioneer Woman Multi-Color Outdoor Rug

    The Pioneer Woman Navy & Cream Scallop Outdoor Rug

    The Pioneer Woman Floral Dance Stripe Outdoor Rug

    The Pioneer Woman Red Vintage Floral Outdoor Rug

    The Pioneer Woman Ditzy Stripe Outdoor Rug

    Citronella Candles

    Walmart

    The new floral potted candles are an excellent choice for anyone who loves outdoor entertaining. Not only are they beautiful, but their citrusy citronella scent will keep mosquitos away from your patio and porch so you can really enjoy that al fresco meal you’ve been thinking about. Dreamy!

    Shop the Citronella Candles

    The Pioneer Woman Mazie Floral 3-Wick Citronella Candle

    The Pioneer Woman Breezy Blossoms 3-Wick Citronella Candle

    The Pioneer Woman Vintage Floral 3-Wick Citronella Candle

    The Pioneer Woman Betsy 3-Wick Citronella Candle

    Rebekah Lowin
    Senior Editor
    Rebekah Lowin is a Senior Editor at The Pioneer Woman, covering home décor, food, entertaining, crafting, gardening, and holiday.

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    How to Clean Cloudy Glass and Prevent Future Buildup

    You just washed a batch of glasses, but for some reason they still look foggy and in desperate need of another cycle. What gives? According to Carolyn Forte, Executive Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, two different things could be happening: Hard-water minerals are creating a film build-up or your dishwasher permanently etched the glass. To banish the former, you’ll need these cleaning essentials:What You’ll Need: Soak in white vinegarIf your issue is hard-water minerals, all you have to do is soak your glasses for five minutes in white vinegar. Since it’s acidic, it’ll dissolve the minerals. For very heavy spots, you can warm the vinegar before soaking. If stubborn spots still persist, gently rub them off with a little dab of baking soda on your fingertip. Be extra gentle here. Baking soda is very mildly abrasive and shouldn’t scratch, but add a few drops of water to make a paste if you are concerned about damaging the glass. Rinse your glasses Then rinse each glass individually by hand under warm or cold water. Dry with a microfiber clothDry your glasses with a lint-free towel or a microfiber cloth before drinking out of them again. It’s best to do this as soon as you rinse them so no new hard water stains build on your glasses while they air dry. Use this method to clean cloudy vases too. For items like glass tabletops and windows that you can’t soak in a bucket of vinegar, spray vinegar directly onto the glass surface and allow it to sit for five to 15 minutes. Wipe away the vinegar with a wet microfiber cloth and then use a dry microfiber cloth to dry the glass. How to prevent future buildupIf this doesn’t work, chances are your glass is etched — which, sadly, means you’re out of luck. “If the film is etching, which happens to some types of glassware in the dishwasher, that, unfortunately, is permanent and can’t be removed,” explains Forte. That’s why you should always wash your most prized vessels by hand.In some parts of the country, soft or mechanically softened water (water without calcium, magnesium and other metals) combined with dishwasher detergents and heat can cause etching, an actual change to the structure of certain types of glass. It happens on both expensive lead crystal and cheap glassware. If you have softened water, use the least amount of detergent necessary to get a good cleaning, don’t overload the dishwasher so water can run off freely and remove glasses immediately after the wash cycle to avoid the high heat of drying, which can accelerate the etching. Dry them by hand or just keep them out of the dishwasher completely and wash them by hand.

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    5 Small Kitchen Updates with Big Impact

    There’s no single recipe for the perfect kitchen. While one homeowner might be all about white cabinets and quartz countertops, another may tend toward darker hues and butcher block. No matter which formula you follow, there are plenty of ways to add your own secret ingredients.Still following the metaphor? In that case, think of More

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    How to Clean a Showerhead

    With its often clogged drains, showers with soap residue and less than stellar looking grout, the bathroom is probably on everyone’s weekly cleaning to-do list. But even in our most often cleaned room there are spots we sometimes overlook. If the water from your showerhead is shooting out in all directions, or your flow has become almost nonexistent, the holes in your showerhead are probably clogged with hard water minerals and soap residue. Not to worry: Carolyn Forte, Executive Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, has a remedy for this situation — and you can use it without taking your showerhead off. What You’ll Need: 1. Scrub the nozzles with a sponge and baking sodaStart by scrubbing as much of the dry debris from the holes as you can with a scrubber sponge, and follow up with a paste of baking soda and water. Baking soda’s abrasive quality will make it easier to wipe away debris that is stuck to the surface of your showerhead. Use the paste to scrub your showerhead and run the shower on hot to wash away the paste before you move on to the next step. Pro tip: Baking soda isn’t strong enough to penetrate the holes on clogged nozzles or clean away any hard water stains2. Try soaking it in a vinegar solutionIf it’s still not spraying straight, mix a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water (about 1/2 cup of each should be enough) and pour it into a plastic bag. Put the plastic bag around the showerhead so the holes are immersed in the liquid, and secure the bag to the shaft with a twist tie or rubber band. Allow it to soak for at least 15 to 20 minutes (up to an hour if you can). Pro tip: Be careful soaking high-end finishes like polished brass and oiled bronze for more than an hour. You can also dip a brush in vinegar and scrub the clogged nozzles instead.3. Finish by flushing the showerhead out with hot waterRemove the bag and wipe away loosened deposits. Run the shower on hot to flush out the hard water minerals still stuck in the showerhead holes and you’re all set! Can I clean my showerhead without white vinegar?If you prefer to clean your showerhead without white vinegar, you can make your DIY cleaner with apple cider vinegar — but it won’t clean your showerhead as well and will cost you more. Don’t try to use bleach as this can damage the chrome finish of most showerheads.

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    5 Interior Designers Reveal the Affordable Decor Tricks That Completely Transformed Their Homes

    It’s a common misconception that decorating your home with expensive pieces is the only way to make it stand out. Whether you want a minimalist, modern, bohemian or eclectic design aesthetic, there are a myriad of options to enhance your space without going over budget. To inspire your next look, we asked five inspirational interior designers to share their favorite home pieces. They give insight on how they made the decor work for their style, and they offer useful advice on how you can, too. When it comes to planning your home’s overall look, you can always find ideas and similar products to complement current design trends (don’t miss our roundup of smart decor ideas for 2022). And if you have a passion for crafts, consider adding character to your home with creative DIY home decor projects or upcycling your pieces. Before you even think of renovating and buying an excessive amount of decor that might break the bank, see how these designers beautify homes in a cost-effective way.Naïka Andre: Woven Floor Baskets

    Justin Cole Photography

    Justin Cole Photography

    As the founder and principal designer of NJA Interiors, Naïka Andre combines her Haitian heritage with her love of travel to make eye-catching and vibrant designs throughout a space. In her client’s home, they included a colorful Senegalese woven floor basket into the design that she purchased from a local small business in Brooklyn, NY. While her clients use it to store blankets, the storage possibilities are endless. “It’s multifunctional and works in various settings,” Naïka says. “You can use it as a shoe bin in your entryway, a laundry hamper in your bathroom or to store toys in the family room.” Check out NJA Interiors

    Shop Woven Baskets

    Woven Seagrass Tall Round Basket

    west elm
    westelm.com

    $59.50

    Tilda Two-Tone Woven Basket

    Pottery Barn
    potterybarn.com

    $179.00

    Natural Diane Seagrass Striped Baskets

    rugsusa.com

    $49.90

    Cotton Rope Basket with Corn Skin

    LuxiLilyBaskets
    etsy.com

    $39.99

    Emma Kemper: Murals

    Nick Glimenakis

    Seth Caplan

    Emma started her design firm, Emma Beryl Interiors, in 2015. With her work, you’ll find a combination of vintage and modern pieces, along with a mix of unexpected materials that make a room pop. This includes designing this kids room with a striking mural — perfect for bringing creativity and a sense of adventure into a space. “When you are designing a kid’s room, it’s important to embrace color and imagination to make the space come to life,” she says. “I love that this mural feels appropriate for a toddler, but will also be something that an older child will love, too.” Emma considers a kid’s room to be one of “the best places to take chances and do something fun.” Check out Emma Beryl Interiors

    Shop Emma’s Wallpaper and Similar Looks

    Emma’s Pick
    Jungle Wallpaper

    PIXELANDWALL
    etsy.com

    $39.95

    Menagerie Peel & Stick Wallpaper

    York
    riflepaperco.com

    $65.00

    Watercolor Forest Animal Wallpaper

    ElegantWalls
    etsy.com

    $18.00

    Tropical Forest Peel and Stick Wallpaper

    TapetShow
    etsy.com

    $312.14

    Bria Hammel: Botanical Artwork

    Aimée Mazzenga

    Jill Ockhardt Blaufuss

    Bria Hammel, founder and creative director of Bria Hammel Interiors, loves adding botanical artwork to projects. “For our Fargo Project’s sunroom, we opted for this black and white eucalyptus art, as it adds the perfect pop of contrast against the white fireplace mantel for a graphic, statement moment,” she says. If you don’t have a green thumb but love plants, botanical artwork can be easily incorporated into any part of your home for a lively aesthetic.Check out Bria Hammel Interiors

    Shop Botanical Artwork

    Botanical Print

    Minted
    minted.com

    $36.00

    Botanical Framed White Frame Set

    ArtbyHannah
    amazon.com

    $25.99

    Bria’s Pick
    Black and White Eucalyptus Art

    Brooke & Lou
    brookeandlou.com

    $195.00

    Flower Canvas Wall Art

    Mofutinpo
    amazon.com

    $26.90

    Imani James: Greenery

    Erica J. Simmons

    Marc Mauldin Photography, Inc

    Atlanta-based designer Imani James, uses fresh flowers and plants in her interiors. “Fresh greenery is particularly attractive when included in vignettes, on top of nightstands and placed in empty corners,” she says. “Hydrangeas and orchids add an instant touch of elegance.” Her favorite plants are Monsteras, Birds of Paradise and snake plants for their ability to take up space in empty nooks, while improving indoor air quality.Imani’s note: “Snake plants help convert used-up carbon dioxide back into oxygen as you sleep at night. So, they are especially beneficial in the bedroom!” Check out Imani James Interiors

    Shop Greenery

    Large Bird of Paradise

    The Sill
    thesill.com

    $174.00

    The Hydrangea

    Urban Stems
    urbanstems.com

    $50.00

    Monstera Deliciosa

    The Sill
    thestill.com

    $52.00

    Elegant Orchid

    1800 Flowers
    1800flowers.com

    $38.49

    Jeannelly Jay: Photo Gallery Walls

    Shekeidra Booker

    Courtesy

    As the founder of Ivyleaf Interior Decor, Jeannelly Jay enjoys creating photo galleries to spruce up empty walls — especially in common areas such as entryways or living rooms. While adding character to your interior, she also believes they make great conversation starters. “The best way to create a photo wall is to pick images that you absolutely love, printed in the same orientation,” she explains. “Whether vertical or horizontal, as long as the sizes of the pictures are the same, you can create a design that is clean and symmetrical.”Jeannelly’s design tip: You can easily arrange photo walls with measuring tape, a pencil and a level (to ensure they’re hung perfectly). If you find the task to be too difficult, she suggests hiring a handyman for a mess-free installation.Check out IvyLeaf Interior Decor

    Shop Gallery Wall Prints and Frames

    Gallery Wall Eclectic Decor Set

    7ArtPrints
    etsy.com

    $9.00

    10 Piece Gallery Picture Frame Set

    Wayfair Basics
    wayfair.com

    $46.99

    Maximalist Gallery Wall Set

    Unratio
    etsy.com

    $16.61

    Multi-Mat Wood Gallery Frames

    West Elm
    westelm.com

    $35.00

    Mariah Thomas
    Assistant Editor
    Mariah Thomas is an Assistant Editor at Good Housekeeping, where she covers home decorating ideas, gift guides and DIY projects.

    This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

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    Shop the New J.Crew and Liberty Home Collection for a Floral Spring Makeover

    Regardless of your interior design style, there’s no denying the thrill that comes with giving your home a spring refresh. To make the decorating experience even more fun for you this season, J.Crew’s new home collection with Liberty, the luxury British fashion retailer, is worth a look.The limited-edition home line is exactly what you’d expect from two popular fashion retailers—a lively mix of florals, stripes and tie-dye designs that can easily inject personality into your space. If this is your idea of perfect warm-weather decor, you’re in for a treat. You can now shop bedding (starting from $198), sleep masks ($29.50), four-piece napkin and placemat sets ($40 and $50, respectively) and much more.

    Liberty X J.Crew XL Navy Sheet Set

    J.Crew
    J.Crew

    $198.00

    Liberty X J.Crew Blue Coral Napkin Set

    J.Crew
    J.Crew

    $40.00

    Liberty X J.Crew White Printed Tablecloth

    J.Crew
    J.Crew

    $80.00

    Liberty X J.Crew Purple Blue Placemats

    J.Crew
    J.Crew

    $50.00

    While you’ll love browsing through their floral dining and bedroom essentials, including eye-catching shades of navy, white, purple, and coral, you’ll be delighted by their other cheerful home essentials. This includes their fun two-sided puzzles (who doesn’t love friendly competition?) and beautifully designed playing cards for a day of family fun or simply entertaining friends. And if you’re looking to send a special person in your life a loving letter, don’t miss the patterned note card sets that are sure to bring a smile to their face.

    Liberty Prints Sleeping Mask

    J.Crew
    J.Crew

    $29.50

    Liberty X J.Crew Two-Sided Puzzle

    J. Crew
    J. Crew

    $25.00

    Liberty X J.Crew Playing Cards

    J.Crew
    J.Crew

    $17.00

    Liberty X J.Crew Note Card Set

    J.Crew
    J.Crew

    $18.00

    Ready to give your home the spring makeover it deserves? Shop the J.Crew and Liberty home collection while there’s still time. You can even enjoy 30% off some of their limited-edition items with the code: SPRING.

    Mariah Thomas
    Assistant Editor
    Mariah Thomas is an Assistant Editor at Good Housekeeping, where she covers home decorating ideas, gift guides and DIY projects.

    This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More