HomeStyle: simple stylin' with shells

So, after your umpteenth visit to the beach this summer, you've got quite a collection of shells, sand dollars, coral, and sea urchins that you simply had to pick up ... but what to do with them when you get home?

iVillage resident designer Matthew Mead has a simple but elegant solution: create a centerpiece by stacking some blue glass plates (hit your local restaurant-supply store for some terrific options) and arranging your beach souvenirs on top. The plates will mimic the blue of the ocean to show off your sea treasures—and, when the sun hits just right, it'll create some lovely light-play on your wall or floor.

HomeStyle: Coming clean for spring

So the excitement of the new year has worn off, and the weather's still a bit chilly to qualify as "springtime," so what's a fabulous girl to do? Give her domicile a little TLC, of course!

Whether you're living in a teensy-weensy urban studio or a sprawling house in the 'burbs, there are few things as satisfying as a clean, clutter-free, company-friendly home. Of course there's a little work involved between here and there.

Fortunately, the domestic divas over at iVillage have made it easy for you by putting all the tips, tricks, and advice you need on their Spring Cleaning Guide. Whether you're looking for eco-friendly cleaning products or nifty clutter-busting ideas, they've got everything you need to get cleaned up, streamlined, and organized—kind of like a trip to the spa for your pad.

And when the warm weather finally does arrive, you'll have that much more time for playing!

HomeStyle: stashing your sparklies

Between the holidays and Valentine's Day, chances are your collection of baubles, beads, and bangles has grown somewhat—maybe even outgrown your tried-and-true jewelry box.

Leave it to Martha Stewart and her team at Blueprint to come up with a few innovative—not to mention stylish—ideas for keeping your bling tangle-free as well as easy to find.

• Use mismatched cups and saucers to transform an ordinary dresser drawer into a jewelry jubilee.
• Turn your favorite pieces into art by draping them over a classical bust or other favorite sculpture.
• If drawer and shelf space is scarce, try mounting a shadow box outfitted with hooks to keep necklaces and earrings organized and within easy reach.
• Pick up an unusually shaped branch the next time you're out on a walk, then set it up in a vase or pot with filler and drape it with your favorite finery. (For added fabulousness, spray-paint it gold or silver first.)

You'll save yourself time when you go looking for that special string of pearls—and save your whole collection from the perils of nasty tangles. Dazzling!

HomeStyle: animal prints come out of the closet

You love them on your shoes, bags, scarves, and even bras, but animal prints in your living room?

Absolutely!

According to StyleHive, animal prints are one of the hottest things going in interior design today. And if leopard-print chairs and zebra rugs conjure up images of 70s-era bordellos, the key is not to go too ... well, wild.

1. Keep it subtle. If you use more than one animal print in a room, don't make them compete with each other. Think proportion.
2. An animal print rug is an ideal way to pull a room together, especially if you use a lot of neutrals: think zebra with black-and-white or cheetah with earthtones.

So the next time you go décor shopping, trust your animal instinct!

(Dolce & Gabbana Mademoiselle Chair, $950 at allmodern.com)

Reorganize, redecorate ... what's the diff?

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to get your personal space organized, but you have nightmares about your stylish sanctuary turning into an Ikea-catalog-photo-from-hell, relax. The fabulous design divas from Blueprint are here to save the day.

Here are just a few of their ideas for creating a space that incorporates both storage savvy and stylish sophistication:

• Need extra storage space? Create your own "walk-by" closet using an old ladder and some basic shelving units.

• Looking for a home office space that doesn't scream "Office Depot?" Try their elevated workspace design approach.

• Is your living space crying out for a media-center alternative to the pasteboard atrocity that moved in with your boyfriend? Find out how you can put together a stylish media cabinet.

• Need a place to stash your magazines and other random stuff? Learn how you can turn an ordinary storage cabinet into a decoupage treasure.
  

So relax. You can have your organized space and design it too! Here's to being both together and fashionable in 2008!

Surviving holiday house guests

They're coming. You thought maybe this year would be different, but deep down you know it's inevitable. Oh yes, they're coming.

No, we're not talking about those few extra yuletide pounds or even the latest super-flu germs. We're talking about something with a far greater capacity for mayhem: holiday house guests.

As if the holidays weren't crazy enough, many of us will have the additional responsibilities of cooking for, cleaning up after, entertaining, and, yes, sharing our homes with the friends and family who choose this time of year to visit.

Fortunately, a few savvy strategies can help make the experience more enjoyable—or at least a little saner—for both you and your temporary roommates.

Recently iVillage.com asked its readers to submit their favorite tips and tricks for making holiday guests feel welcome without making themselves feel like they need a padded cell. Here are the top 10 responses:

1. Tell guests who have visited before, "The first time you're a guest, the second time you're family," meaning they're welcome to anything in the house but are expected to clean up after themselves. Make sure you show them where everything is (food, dishes, towels, laundry supplies, etc.) so you needn't wait on them hand and foot.


2. Put them to work. Most considerate guests are always asking if there's anything they can help with; don't feel bad about taking them up on it!


3. Create a list of meals you've planned to prepare and enjoy together at home, and place it on the fridge. Guests will know which food items are "off limits," plus it solves the problem of preparing a huge dinner only to find out they've had a huge lunch.


4. Leave a container of Clorox wipes on the bathroom counter ("hint, hint, please clean up after yourself").


5. Remember all those hotel-size shampoos, lotions, and soaps you just couldn't bear to leave behind? Pile them into a decorative basket in your spare bathroom for guests to use as they please, so they won't need to keep borrowing yours.


6. Designate a "travel-free zone." This is one room in which there are no open suitcases, no clothes lying around, no miscellaneous clutter allowed, preferably the living room. (If you have guests sleeping in your living room, just ask them to stash their stuff in your bedroom—or at least in a corner—during the day.)


7. Every night, get the morning coffee ready to brew, so that whoever is up first can just switch it on (and so you won't be awakened with plaintive cries of "Ummm, where did you say you keep the filters?").


8. Ask guests to give you their itinerary of day trips, parties, planned visits, etc., so you know when you'll have some downtime to yourself.


9. Don't let it stress you out! As one reader puts it, "As long as the laundry is up to date and the bathroom is kept clean, most of the other housekeeping stuff can wait."


10. Move. If they can't find you, they can't stay with you ... kidding, kidding!!!

And what if you're the guest this year? To ensure that you complete your stay with your friendships intact—and with the possibility of returning—check out 10 Ways to Be an Excellent House Guest, courtesy of The Frugal Law Student.

Happy visiting, ladies!

(Image: inspireco.com)

Holiday ornament 2.0

Trends in holiday décor have come and gone, but the basic tree ornament has remained essentially unchanged. Take something pretty—well, that or something hand-made with pride by a family member—attach a string, hang it on the tree, and there you have it.

Now this humble trimming has gone all-out 21st century with the Digital Ornament. Just pop in batteries, connect it to your PC, and upload up to 50 of your favorite photos. They'll play as a slideshow on the 1.5" screen—or select one to display continuously.

What a picture-perfect idea!

Bringing flair to the (Thanksgiving) table

It's your turn to host Thanksgiving this year, and you're looking for decorating ideas that don't involve paper turkeys, pilgrim-shaped candles, or hours of preparation work. As usual, Hostess with the Mostess has your solution.

A quick visit to your local crafts store and a little time is all you need to re-create the Modern Elegance Thanksgiving table pictured above. Or just use these tips as a guideline to create your own unique look:

• Start with cream-colored table linens and add a plum-hued table runner for a splash of rich color.
• Create visual intrigue with unique dried florals, like the cream-colored bell cups and autumn-hued fans in the photo.
• Add a touch of shine with gold vases and candle holders, or cover plain ones with gold foil paper.
• Drape bunches of oversized artificial grapes over the edge of a vase; if it tips over, just balance with rocks or heavy marbles.
• Embellish vases with colorful holiday-themed ribbon, which can also decorate wine glasses and napkin holders.

You'll see that it doesn't take a major investment of either time or money to create a festive feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Now that's something to be thankful for!

Happy Halloween! Our last-minute roundup

Some people live for Halloween the way some others live for Christmas. They pick out their costumes in July, start party-planning in August, and have the evening's full itinerary (complete with reservations) wrapped up by mid-September.

For the rest of us, here are some fa-boo sources for last-minute ideas to get yourself, your home, and your crew in the spirit:

For the Lowdown on Looks

• BellaSugar has scads of howl-a-licious makeup ideas, from witches and fairy princesses to ... Amy Winehouse?


• If you're looking for something a little less time-consuming, about.com's Julyne Derrick shows you how to create super-scary hair using just basic styling tools.

For Ghoulish Get-Togethers

• Stumped about how to decorate for a grownups' Halloween party? Hostess with the Mostess has scared up some fun, easy ideas you can throw together today.


• For munchables that go beyond basic partytime predictables, YumSugar is all you need.


• And for a cache of creepy cocktails (besides the Trick-or-Tini featured here earlier this week), check out about.com's list of sensational sippables, concocted just for the holiday.
  

For Scary (in a good way) Social Scenes

• If you're looking for a kickin' club where you and a few ghoul-friends can party the night away, visit Shecky's and click on your city for the very latest on the very hottest.

Have fun, ghouls!

Halloween entertaining: ghouls gone wild!

So you're planning on hosting the season's hottest Halloween party, but those cheesy orange-and-black paper decorations are so fourth-grade ...

Let Hostess with the Mostess save the day with this fabulous hot-pink-and-black table setting. Takes a little time to put together (you'll have to spray-paint the skulls yourself), but it's a fabulous—and surprisingly economical—alternative to the same old Halloween decor.

Link on over for your step-by-step guide to setting a table your ghouls will go gaga for!