Wow Home Idea

We'll be the first to admit that when spring rolls around, we're keen to get out and garden. But while there's still a chill in the air, starting seedlings indoors is the best way to get a head start. Luckily, you likely already have the makings of a seedling starter at home. Plant your seeds in one of these easy DIY planters now, and then transport the resulting buds to your garden when the sun is out and shining. 1. Eggshells Courtesy of Squawk Fox Don't throw out those empty eggshells after making breakfast — put some soil in them! Eggs are a great source of calcium for plants, too. When you start to see sprouts, you can place the whole shebang right into the dirt — just give it a squeeze so the roots can find their new soil easily. Get the tutorial at Squawk Fox. 2. K-Cups Courtesy of Surf and Sunshine Just because they're disposable doesn't mean they're trash — K-Cups are actually more reusable than you might think. To turn them into seedling star

CARRIE ANTLFINGER/AP For years, friends told Linda McQuillen that her Madison, WI house ( above ) looked like it was designed by the noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright.  The retired teacher paid $$$,000 for the 1,800-square-foot home in 1989 and has spent the past 25 years renovating and refurbishing it, not knowing its true provenance until earlier this week when a Wright scholar confirmed the house is an example of the architect's work.  Mary Jane Hamilton, who has written about Wright's family and homes in his home state of Wisconsin, confirmed the authenticity of the structure, the AP reports. She verified it as an American System-Built house, one of 16 built by Wright to offer well-designed homes at an affordable price.  "It's pretty exciting, I've got to tell you," McQuillen told the  AP . "And pretty overwhelming." Hamilton had heard rumors of the house's potential Wright connection for years, but she couldn't prove it until she

Getty It goes without saying that anyone who chops down a fresh fir hopes to keep it alive until  at least  December 25th (preferably January 1st). While that's sometimes easier said than done, here are a few simple care tips to keep your tree in the best shape possible during the holiday season: 1. Choose a tree with a straight cut across the base. When you purchase a Christmas tree from a farm, our home care expert Heloise says to make sure the seller makes a fresh cut straight across the base of the trunk to aid water absorption.  2. Look for a healthy green color with few brown needles.  If you prefer to find your tree from a roadside lot, it likely came from out of state and has been exposed to dry winds in transit, according to Carolyn Forte, director of the cleaning lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. To make sure it's fresh, raise the tree a few inches off the ground and drop it onto its trunk — if only a few needles drop off, you're good to go. 3. Trim the

Courtesy of Christie's A classic, sophisticated design with a hint of glamour is probably what you imagine when you picture a Parisian home. And the majority of this $$ million estate is just that. Located in the 16th arrondissement — the neighborhood where you can find the Roland Garros Stadium (home of the French Open tennis tournament) and tons of famous museums — it features a main house, an annex, and a sprawling yard that connects the two. For the most part, the color palette is tame, featuring subdued neutrals like gray and pale yellow against a white and cream backdrop — even a pop of red in the bedroom somehow feels subtle and refined. Add to that a rustic wooden table, French doors that allow the sunshine to spill through, and a winding staircase and you've got a mansion straight out of a movie. Take a peek around the main house to see for yourself: Courtesy of Christie's Courtesy of Christie's Courtesy of Christie's Courtesy of Christie's Courtes

Getty Bravo writer Kristyn Pomranz recently went on a three-day, $$$ vacation planned by domestic travel agency Pack Up + Go. It was great, she wrote. She'll totally do it again, she explained. She also didn't know where she was going until the day of the trip. The so-called "surprise travel agency" explains how it all works on their site: You first answer a few questions about the kind of trip you want to take (including your budget-per-person, ideal date preferences, hobbies, etc.). The agency then books all your accommodations. A week before the trip, you get an email detailing the weather forecast of your mystery destination, as well as a packing list and a departure time and date. A few days before the trip, you get an envelope you're not supposed to open. It's filled with all the fun things you can do at said mystery location once you actually get there. You show up to your departure location and open the envelope. Pomranz wrote though she wasn&#

Courtesy of La Sultana With its stately interiors and Old World charm, it's hard to imagine the La Sultana once led a secret life. But the 213-foot vessel, originally named Aji Petri and built in Bulgaria in 1962, went from a Black Sea passenger ferry to a spy ship overnight. In 1970, the Soviet navy commandeered Aji Petri for use as an environmental research ship in the North Atlantic Ocean. Its unofficial mission, on behalf of the International Organisation of Telecommunication, was to spy on the United States and Britain. After the fall of the USSR, Aji Petri was assigned to a Bulgarian shipping company and resumed service as a passenger ferry between Istanbul and Yalta. Today, the ships life has taken a much more luxurious turn: In 2007, the La Sultana Group purchased the vessel and set about transforming it into a superyacht. In addition to two outdoor areas, La Sultana now boasts seven cabins, a dining room, lounge, a helipad, hammam, and swimming pool. Keep scrolling to

A glass tower in the heart of Dallas proves to be ultimate setting for Lisa Fine's vivid textiles and deft styling. Miguel Flores-Vianna Living Room East meets West in a Dallas apartment that textiles designer Lisa Fine decorated with a luscious abundance of pattern and color for her mother. A Langham & Fine dhurrie rug and a Turkish kilim on a French ottoman add graphic spice to the expansive great room. The Guéridon tables are from Nick Brock Antiques. Lacquer Screen An Asian lacquer screen backs a custom-made sofa upholstered in Quadrille's Colombe. Miguel Flores-Vianna Great Room A plush banquette by Richard Keith Langham in Scalamandré's Volterra spans a wall in the great room. Animal-motif prints hang above it. Luxor, by Lisa Fine Textiles, covers the slipper chair. A Louis XVI-style chair is from Nick Brock Antiques. Miguel Flores-Vianna Dining Area In the dining area, a wall painted in a custom burnt orange sets off an antique pagoda to dramatic effect.

It's not just about rustic finishes and classic antiques.  Miki Duisterhof Hang Lights Low Your dining room table and chandelier should be closer than you may think. Hang fixtures 32 to 38 inches from top of table. If your light source takes up less than 1/4 the width of the table, opt for two identical fixtures splitting the center of the table. David Tsay Keep Centerpieces At Arm's Length Place your elbow on a table. A centerpiece should be no taller than the distance from your elbow to your wrist so that guests can look one another in the eye. Brian Woodcock Get Rug Scale Right There should be 6 to 8 inches between the back of the chair legs and an area rug's edge. (For the record, an 8' x 10' rug is usually right on scale for a six-person rectangular dining table.) Bjorn Wallander Choose Longer Curtains When it comes to draperies, you're better off erring on the side of too much puddle than "high-water" hangings. The sweet spot: Curtains that