I think soothing is what most people go for when it comes to creating a nursery, and soothing is exactly what designer Lindsay Brier managed to achieve with this space for her son, Hawken. Its neutral base with bright pops of orange could definitely work for either gender. But she also used stripes!

See more about how she decorated her baby's room, below.

I don't know about you, but I am starting to get some serious spring fever. We may have several weeks of winter left, but that hasn't stopped me from scouting out ways to welcome the sunshine. Here are five easy things you can do to encourage an early spring at your house.

Spring fever tip #1: Now is a lovely time to force some flowering bulbs like pristine paperwhites. These flowers bloom quickly and will last long enough to give you that extra boost until things start blossoming again outside. Buy a kit, or try this tutorial.

When it comes to Thanksgiving, you want to save your cash for gas, tolls, heirloom turkey, and Klonopin (or maybe that’s just my family). The so-simple Pilgrims wouldn’t approve of overspending on décor. Of course, they probably wouldn’t be too pleased with marshmallows in the sweet potatoes, either, but let’s not split hairs.
 
If you’ve done all you can with the stuff in your backyard and you’re hoping for a little autumn cheer (without endangering the Christmas budget), here are some not-too-spendy options for Thanksgiving decorations on the cheap.

When I moved into my first apartment, I thought it would be absolutely adorable to paint brightly-colored moldings and window frames to offset the plain cream-colored walls. I agonized over hues, hung paint chips everywhere, and finally settled on the perfect combination. The result? Disaster.
 
Sometimes we have creative brainstorms that turn into something interesting, a quirky accent that really works. Other times, we end up wanting to call FEMA. But at least decorating disasters don’t just happen to us. The pros who make stuff don’t always get it right, either.  
 
Here are some design ideas that might look good on paper, but actually living with them? Please, just no.

When I saw bleach-pen art on a craft blog, I knew I had to try it. I mean, who hasn’t suffered through a bleaching disaster that you wished you could turn into a happy accident? In the ‘70s, my older sisters would splash the stuff on their indigo Levis and create a cool effect that went great with their tie-dye shirts. The idea that you can tame the terrifying bleach monster and use its force for good is irresistible.

But could the cleaning agent do more than just make my T-shirts look like I was attacked by a hippie ghost?

The answer is yes. In fact, I took some unused cloth napkins and turned them into little works of art that I think would be equally at home on the wall or the dining room table.

I don’t know about you, but every time I walk into a fabric store, I find myself mourning the loss of the kicky, amazing vintage fabrics I so admired in my grandma’s sewing pile. For me, the sweet fat ducklings of the ‘40s are so much nicer than anything they’re making nowadays. I mean, really, people? Do we need more wasabi-green polka dots on a brown background?!
 
In the midst of my nostalgia, I’ve found myself wishing I could just order up a few yards of a classic print, rather than forcing myself to love more modern designs. Or creating my own throw pillows from images that have meaning for me -- old paintings, or close-ups of blossoms, or antique maps. Why should it be so hard?
 
It’s not. If you have an eye for decorating, or you’re particularly enamored of a cool pattern your kid dreamed up, you can create your own fabric and turn it into a quilt, a frock, or anything else you can imagine. All you need is Spoonflower.

Nothing warms my geeky little heart more than the new issues of Consumer Reports. In the July issue, they looked at laundry pre-treatments and mentioned all the different stains they tried each product on – which made me wonder: What stains are bad enough to make the experts use them as examples?

And, you know, I have this great job that lets me be a nosy-noodle, so I called right over to CR and talked to Pat Slaven, the chemist who works as a scientist of stain removal. Seriously, that’s a job! Tell your daughters!

She unlocked the secrets of stains for me, which in turn gave me magic mom-style knowledge. These are the most stubborn stains -- and why:

Mother’s Day is just around the corner (it's this Sunday!), and even modern moms -- no matter how busy they are working inside or outside of the home -- enjoy a little something special and new to spruce up their homes. Empty-nester moms and grandmas may also love adding a bit of "happy" to their homestead, even if it’s just a colorful throw pillow, a fresh tea towel, or a great-looking new coffee mug filled with freshly picked wild flowers.

Trust us, a burst of bright color, a pretty pattern, or a special everyday object tied up with ribbon this Mom's Day can go a long way in terms of happy home-making.

Give a little bit of glee to your favorite mom this Mother's Day. We've put together a selection of 5 Mother’s Day gifts under $25 for budget-savvy shoppers looking for the perfect gift.