How to Have the Best Valentine’s Day with Yourself This is the first year I’m spending Valentine’s Day with someone else. (We’ve been in a long-distance relationship for years, and now we finally live together.) So I have plenty of experience spending Valentine’s Day alone or with my Galentines. These are the things I do for a fantastic day, and yes, I’ll still be taking all of these steps this year....

1. Erase Artificial Barriers “There’s no question that an open living plan is now my clients’ favorite idea,” De Giulio says. “With the Kulases’ Chicago house, we’re continuing an evolution that makes spaces more livable.” Nothing interrupts the flow of activity. Life unfolds organically, and the kitchen is fully empowered to live up to its oft-touted billing as the heart of the home. The open plan also acknowledges our intrinsic need for natural light....

1. Gardening Relieves Stress A Dutch study tested cortisol, a natural steroid that helps your body respond to stress, and found that gardening after a stressful event offered greater stress relief than reading. (Don’t worry, the study found that reading still decreases stress, too!) Home gardeners report that psychological benefits like stress relief are more important to them than cultural ties or economic benefits of gardening, regardless of the type or amount of gardening activities they do....

There are several types of wall textures, each with its own features that influence the look and feel of a space. Read on to learn about the basics of seven common types of wall texture. 7 Common Types of Wall Texture Comb Texture Add a sense of movement with comb texture. Created using a toothed trowel on a wet drywall compound, the design can be personalized depending on how you comb the walls....

Sherwin-Williams Alabaster SW 7008 Painting walls with a light neutral paint color, like white, lightens and brightens a room while letting the wood floor take center stage. “If you’re looking for a neutral backdrop, opt for a warm white that has similar undertones as the floors,” says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. She suggests Alabaster for a creamy white shade that picks up the warmth of flooring with yellow undertones....

If your grass is suffering because there’s too much shade in parts of your yard, you’re better off replacing lawns that require sun in those areas with low-maintenance ground covers that thrive in the shade instead. Or consider adding landscaping features like a fire pit where grass struggles to grow. That will have the added benefit of cutting down the mowing needed. Power raking will remove excess organic material and aerate the soil, allowing your new lawn to take root....

Día de los Muertos is celebrated on November 1 and 2 every year, and the day is all about hosting a vibrant remembrance for loved ones who have passed away. If you’re looking for ways to celebrate at home, here are a few classic ways to commemorate Day of the Dead with family and friends. Sugar Skull Pumpkins Pati Jinich, cookbook author and host of the PBS television series Pati’s Mexican Table, explains that traditionally, sugar skulls are a way to take a painful experience (like the passing of a loved one) and turn it into something sweet....

In the clip, Hilda, a TikTok user who developed a passion for gardening during the pandemic, sets an assortment of potted plants, including mint, anthurium, English ivy, and various cacti and succulents, in a container filled with a few inches of water. (The tub is slightly larger than the plant pots.) The mesmerizing time-lapse shows that each one soaks up the perfect amount of water, almost as if by magic....

1 egg white 2 teaspoon water 2 cup pecan halves 2 cup walnut halves or pieces ¾ cup sugar 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

The reasons to eat more plant-based foods are compelling, whether you’re concerned about your health, the environment, or animal welfare. And add to that list the fact that you have more convenient plant-based food and drink options available than ever before. You can now buy plant-based cheeses that melt, bubble, and stretch like cheddar should. You can sip on creamy coffees, down spoonfuls of yogurt, and dig into cartons of delicious ice cream that don’t contain a drop of dairy....

¼ cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard ¼ cup snipped fresh basil 2 tablespoon snipped fresh tarragon 2 tablespoon snipped parsley 3 green onions, sliced ¾ cup vegetable oil Paprika, finely chopped red sweet pepper or finely chopped tomato (optional)

3 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces ¾ cup cold water