May 2012

Our favorite innovations

One of the things

LEAH HAASCH

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Breathe easy

May will have you inhaling some fresh air or exhaling after a good deed.

Carry on

Just for Mom

Breakfast in bed is only a start for her day. Try these fresh ideas to tell her how special she is.

Get personalized

May day

Busy is the norm these days, so who couldn't use some help? These gadgets make managing home, health, and family just a little bit easier.

Enchanted Evening

Internet entrepreneur Amy Neunsinger hosts a sparkling soiree.

Here Comes the Sun

A photographer and her husband open their home to nature's influences with sky blues, sunshine yellows, and rustic textures.

Chalky Pastels

Pastels might seem like they're for kids, but we beg to differ. With a bit of gray in them, these soft but not overly sweet hues have grown-up appeal.

Ben Silbermann

Innovation is... smartphones with apps that help you choose paint colors. Robotlike vacuums that zoom around floors. Websites that practically design your rooms. That's innovation, all right. But to us, innovation isn't just the whiz-bang stuff. It's anything that streamlines and inspires. In this section, we celebrate advances big and small.

Jules Pieri

"I'm not romanced by the idea of building a better mousetrap," Jules says. Instead, this gadget guru has found her niche spreading the word about nifty little inventions that make life easier. Every weekday, Daily Grommet reviews and tells the story behind a product, sparking discussion among followers. Jules' goal is to celebrate innovation, often by the little guy: "What they do is heroic."

Stephen Fraser is...

Something clicked with Stephen when his wife, Kim, couldn't find a polka-dot fabric she liked for curtains and said there should be a way she could design her own. That led to Spoonflower, the start-up that turns anyone's uploaded designs into yardage. With 100,000 designs available, it's a decorator's paradise. "Kim was right the world really did need print-on-demand fabric," Stephen says.

Net Gain

A new approach to decorating-- a consultation performed completely online-- saved this family from a big move-out.

Space Adventure

Their wish list was long and their kitchen narrow, but this family of five found ways to stretch their space and their imagination.

Snap Happy

A whopping 86 percent of digital photos we take never leave the memory card. Time to do right by those precious memories. Here's how to get your pics organized, backed up, and out where you can enjoy them.

Groundbreakers

Carpet is stepping up its performance. This familiar floor covering has always been expected to add comfort and color to a room, but advances in fibers, built-in protection, and carpet construction now give us multitasking masters. Here are some impressive features you can expect to find among new carpet offerings.

Daily updates

Next stop

Help with home projects

What can I do about a squeaky floor if I have carpet?

Need a cleaner? Just add water

A New Breed

It's never been simpler to grow gorgeous roses. These easy-care blooms are... A New Breed

Narrow Escape

A sliver of a yard becomes a smart three-tiered outdoor living space.

Make Your Own Faux-Stone Pots

Festival of Foliage

A container gardener spices up pots with bold leaves and complementary colors.

On the Rocks

Stone walls and beautiful plantings tame a sloped site.

Slow the Flow

Save water and cash with a smart irrigation system. No more automatic sprinklers turning on after a drenching rain-- today's weather-based controllers and efficient delivery methods cut waste.

Garden gadgets

Breaking new ground this year? These products make yardwork more ergonomic, efficient, and enjoyable.

Blooms on high

Win a garden getaway

BHG Test Garden

GET INSPIRED

Whip Up Some Space

Rethink kitchen organization and opt for fewer but more-effective tools. Start with these four clever ideas, then turn the page for innovations in kitchenware.

Kitchen Gadgets

These new lighter, smaller products help make meal prep faster, easier, and cleaner.

Test baking powder or soda

Rhubarb

Lasagna roll-ups

New ways with salsa

On Mother's Day, Americans spend some $2.7 billion treating...

Ask our expert

Stair tactics

Game on

Gear up

Just do it

Sound advice

40% Typical May savings on wook, cashmere, and other winter knits as stores get ready for warm-weather wear...

Our Reblooming Picks for Spring 2012

Picture this

Photo publishing sites have flooded the market with possibilities. But when printing your kids' mugs-- on canvas, on phone cases, or on, well, mugs-- you want the best. Here are our favorite photo products, for gifts or for yourself.

It Takes the Cake!

I Did It!