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I Took Down My Kitchen Backsplash and Wasn’t Prepared for What Came Next

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I assumed removing a kitchen backsplash would be a clean, contained job. Pry off the tile, clean the wall, move on. That assumption lasted exactly until the first tiles came off. What followed wasn’t just tile removal. It was drywall removal, whether I wanted it or not. What I Expected to Happen My plan was simple. Remove the tile carefully, keep the drywall intact, and prep the wall for a new backsplash. I expected dust and broken grout, but nothing structural. In my head, this was a surface-level update. That expectation shaped how I started the project, and that was the mistake. What Actually Happened As soon as the first tiles came off, chunks of drywall came with them. Not small tears or paper damage, but full sections pulled loose behind the tile. The adhesive and mortar were bonded so tightly that tile and wall behaved like a single layer. At that point, removing tiles one by one stopped making sense. Each tile I pried off created more uneven damage and made the wall ha...
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7 Rich Wood Tones I’m Choosing Instead of “Scandi-Minimalist” White Oak This Year

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For years, white oak has been the undisputed king of kitchen design. It’s the backbone of that breezy, “Scandi-minimalist” look we’ve all seen a thousand times. But as we head into 2026, I’m feeling a major shift. The blonde, washed-out wood look is starting to feel a bit clinical—like a beautiful showroom that no one actually lives in. I’m ready for kitchens that feel grounded, soulful, and intentionally moody. I’m moving away from the “all-light-everything” default and leaning into richer walnuts, honeyed cherries, and smoked textures. If you’re tired of your kitchen looking like a high-end sauna, here are the 7 wood directions I’m choosing instead. 1. The Honey-Toned “Glow” of Traditional Alder White oak often feels flat, but warmer honey tones have a natural luminosity. I love how raised paneling in a warm, mid-tone wood catches under-cabinet lighting, creating a depth that blonde wood just can’t replicate. It feels permanent and architectural rather than a fleeting trend. 2...
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12 Wall Bed Designs That Let Small Rooms Work During the Day

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Wall beds rarely start as the main idea. Most of the time, they appear after a room fails to do more than one job. A guest room that sits empty. An office that can’t host overnight visitors. A playroom that needs to grow up fast. In the spaces ahead, the wall bed isn’t treated as a backup solution. It’s built into cabinetry, shelving, and storage walls so the room works fully both with and without the bed in use. These examples show how designers are using wall beds to change how rooms function day to day, without making the bed the center of attention. Wall Bed Disguised as Full-Height Cabinetry in a Calm Green Finish @whitesandsdesignbuild This wall bed reads as built-in storage when closed, with full-height cabinetry and integrated drawers keeping the wall visually solid. Once opened, the bed aligns seamlessly with the surrounding millwork, turning the bedroom into a flexible space without sacrificing calm, color continuity, or everyday function. Floor-to-Ceiling Built-In Wa...
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A Thatched Roof Floats Over Glass in This Contemporary Ukrainian Guesthouse

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From a distance, the form reads as a traditional Ukrainian hata. A steep thatched roof rises from the snow. Closer in, the enclosure disappears. Designed by YOD Group , this guesthouse reinterprets the hata-mazanka by removing its defining element: thick walls. In their place, a continuous curved glass façade wraps the building, creating a transparent perimeter with no visible corners. The roof becomes the primary architectural element, carrying the historical reference while the interior remains visually exposed to the landscape. The oversized thatched roof establishes a clear silhouette and dominates the composition. Because the cylindrical glass base is fully transparent, the roof appears detached from the ground during daylight hours. Its scale and shape reference vernacular construction while operating as a sculptural object in the landscape. The interior plan is organized around a central concrete core that contains the bathroom. The bedroom and living area are positioned...
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The Easiest Way I’ve Found to Organize Any Drawer Without Buying Anything

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Organizing drawers usually starts with buying something. Inserts, trays, adjustable systems that look good in photos but rarely fit the drawer or the way it is actually used. Most of them solve part of the problem and introduce another. What finally worked for me did not involve shopping or committing to a fixed layout. It started with looking at the drawer itself and letting its shape and contents decide the structure. The reason this works is simple. Drawers get messy when space is undefined. Once each item has a physical boundary, the drawer stops rearranging itself every time it opens. This approach takes minutes, uses what is already on hand, and adjusts easily as needs change. What I Used and Why It Worked I used what was already available. A cardboard box , a box cutter, a marker, and the drawer itself. The material did not matter. The structure did. The goal was not to build compartments, but to stop movement inside the drawer. How the Structure Took Shape I emptied t...
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27 Stone Patio Ideas for 2026 That Homeowners Copy Before They Finish the Garden

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Stone patios last when they work with the land instead of fighting it. The most convincing ones do not announce themselves through symmetry or decoration. They settle into their surroundings, follow the natural grade, and allow trees, planting, and light to complete the composition. These spaces rely on proportion, surface, and transition rather than ornament. Some are shaped by fire or water, others by circulation and edge control. What they share is a quiet confidence. Each patio feels inevitable, as if the landscape would be incomplete without it. Table of Contents Toggle DIY Flagstone Pathways That Look Settled, Not Installed Garden-Centered Flagstone Pause Framed Stone Dining Circle Stepped Flagstone Approach Layered Stone Entry Steps Fire Pit Stone Anchor Sculpted Stone Fireplace Terrace Raised Stone Platform Patio Curved Flagstone Walkway Minimal Stone Seating Nook Open Stone Courtyard Calm Open Stone Dining Terrace Covered Stone Living Zone Hillside St...
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