Wow Home Idea

Getty/Kathryn Scott Osler You know how blasting "Eye of the Tiger" can dramatically improve your workout? (Just us?) Well, according to a study out of the University of Missouri, playing the right sounds for plants can also have a dramatic effect on their performance — particularly how well they stand up to nibbling pests. But it's not the latest Beyonce beat or even Mozart that can help plants thrive, reports  Gastropod.  Researcher Heidi Appel has found success with sounds that are more, um, chewier? You see, plants can't actually hear sounds (no ears, duh), but they do respond to the vibrations created by sounds. Abel suspected that plants might exhibit a protective response to one of the earliest noises they "hear" — caterpillars chewing on them. To test her theory, she and her team recorded the tremors caterpillars make when they munch on Arabidopsis (a rel...

Getty/Hilton & Hyland/LLNYC Turns out pay phones aren't the only throwback item Adam Levine's been missing. The Maroon 5 frontman and judge on "The Voice" just shelled out $$ million for a mansion in Los Angeles. Based on the listing photos, it certainly seems like a relic from another era. Hilton & Hyland/LLNYC The home is located in Holmby Hills and was originally listed for $$.5 million in 2016, per the Wall Street Journal . The 9,200-square-foot home sits on 1.2 acres and features views of the Los Angeles Country Club and the Century City skyline. It has five bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, a pool, cabana, guest house, "postmodern kitchen" and "breathtaking marble slated bathrooms." Uh, sure. Hilton & Hyland/LLNYC Levine and his Victoria's Secret model wife, Behati Prinsloo, sold their Soho loft last year for $.5 million after only three months on the market. Linda May of Hilton & Hyland had the listing. Scroll on...

Dreaming of a rustic country wedding? These barns, rounded up by the Venue Report, have got your number. <a href="http://www.lauramurrayphotography.com/" target="_blank">Laura Murray Photography</a> Hammersky Vineyards Location: Paso Robles, California East Coast cool meets West Coast sunshine at this whitewashed barn just a few hours north of Los Angeles. Get the details. <a href="http://braedonphotography.com/" target="_blank">Braedon Photography</a> Annadel Estate Winery Location: Santa Rosa, CA Located in the Sonoma area's Valley of the Moon, Annadel Estate features manicured lawns, a distressed barn and a central location for guests. You'll be reminded of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden as you walk through the estate's fields of heirloom roses, majestic woodlands and 40 acres of rolling green vineyards. Get the details. <a href="http://www.jbmphoto.com/" target="_bl...

Skyscrapers aren't the only buildings that get architectural accolades. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) just selected the most structurally-pleasing homes in the U.S. for the 2015 Housing Awards. This AIA recognizes everything from affordable apartment buildings to university housing, but check out their top picks for family homes. Bridge House, South Kent, Connecticut This weekend home uses louvers to create maximum light exposure while reducing heating costs. Better still is the view — the house sits on a 300-foot ridge that runs parallel to the Housatonic River and a state park. David Sundberg, Esto Photographics David Sundberg, Esto Photographics David Sundberg, Esto Photographics Studhorse, Winthrop, Washington The courtyard of this desert home brings nature right into its four separate structures. Shared spaces like the family room and kitchen are in grouped in the main building, while private areas like the master bedroom are more isolated. Benjamin Benschneid...