At first glance, Nina Edwards Anker’s sconces and chandeliers look like ancient scrolls of parchment, or sheets of buttery toffee, wrapped around LED bulbs. Come closer — or just ask the New York-based designer/architect — and you’ll find they’re actually made of algae. She came ...

Chances are if you’ve been to a great restaurant, bar or hotel, you’ve snagged a coaster, matchbook, napkin or card key. Mementoes like these are talismans that help us remember what a fun experience we had. You may hesitate before you pocket the swag, wondering if doing so is OK. Worry ...

Whether in cardboard, wood or porcelain, little villages — with houses, shops, miniature figures and snowy fir trees — have long been part of many families’ holiday decorating tradition. They’re also popular now as part of an ongoing love of the cozy and the ...

In much of the country, much of the landscape goes barren from fall through spring. Evergreens are typically the workhorse plants that carry us through. But not all evergreens are created equal. A subset called conifers provide not only year-round greenery but ornamental cones that command ...

The landscape across much of the country has changed from green to vibrant shades of yellow, orange, red and even purple. But is this dramatic annual kaleidoscope the leaves’ transformation into something new? Not exactly. The visual feast we see in autumn is actually a return to normal for ...

By KIM COOK Associated Press It’s not a “she shed” or a “man cave.” More of a “me space.” It might be a little nook beside a stairway. Or along a wall with a nice window. An enclosed balcony. A basement alcove. Even deep inside a roomy closet. In a home full of roommates ...