April 2017

COLOR THEORY

Remember the Internet sensation of the black-and-blue dress many people saw as white and gold? With all the optical complexity of color perception, I'm surprised that any given group of people can ever agree on what color something is, much less the difference between taupe and tan or lilac and lavender. Some years back, I remember learning that color as we know it doesn't really exist outside of human perception.

WHAT'S TRENDING ON BHG.COM

DIAMOND ROUGE HYDRANGEA

Daily win

BHGCELEBRATE

OBSESSED WITH TILE MOTIFS

Move over, simple solids. We can't get enough of the intricate designs of far-flung decorative tile prints. The star motifs, geometric borders, and medallion patterns are rooted in history: the Ottoman Empire domes, Moroccan inlaid floors, and Moorish archways of southern Spain.

It's a colorful life

Longtime friends celebrate color in a playful home shop dedicated to inventive design. And we have serious new homegoals.

GET THE LOOK HIGH GLOSS

Lacquer gives walls, furniture, and wood a colorful sheen and durable finish. Until recently, it was impossible to get the same luster without resorting to lacquer's expensive, time-consuming process.

PUT IT in NEUTRAL

This fixer-upper didn't need bold colors and bright patterns to bring it to life. It owes its stay-awhile personality to a quiet, layered palette.

SHAY spaniola

This adventurous designer's pillows and textiles deliver exotic color and pattern inspired by the watercolors she has painted in her travel notebooks. (She's visited 45 countries.)

Painting a BLUE STREAK

From perky turquoise to inky navy, blogger Brittany Hayes splashes a little-- or a lot-- of blue in every room of her family's Atlanta house.

POT LUCK

Make over those basic clay pots you have lying around with these sophisticated (but ridiculously easy) painting techniques.

I did it!

As sure as she likes to shake up cocktails, this out-of-the-box thinker likes to shake up her decor. Case in point: Her grandma's dark old cabinet is now a chic bar cart.

Color theory

Silver, garnet, inky purple, or chartreuse-- spin the color wheel and put together a container garden united by a narrow but versatile range of hues.

PUSHING the LIMITS

Her yard might be minimal in size, but this Portland gardener and self-proclaimed plant obsessive maximizes the space she has.

GEUMS

Hybridizers have developed a new range of carefree, sunset-color versions of this often overlooked, spring-blooming perennial.

SHRUBS SHAPE-UP

PRUNING A FLOWERING SHRUB STARTS WITH KNOWING WHEN TO SNIP.

For the love of CHOCOLATE

It's always the right time to celebrate this tempting treat, so gather your nearest and dearest for a decadent dessert potluck.

FUN HOUSE

LIFE INSIDE THIS FUN HOUSE IS LIVELY AND FAST-PACED-- JUST HOW THE BIONDI FAMILY LIKES IT. THE ENERGY IS CONTAGIOUS, CARRYING THROUGH TO PLAYFUL, COLORFUL, AND SLIGHTLY UNPREDICTABLE DECOR.

2017 BH&G COLOR PALETTE OF THE YEAR WITH an ARTIST'S EYE

With this year's palette, you can. We've picked the loveliest, most livable colors you'd find in an impressionist landscape: mossy green, daffodil yellow, sky blue, raspberry, and a violet so subdued it never gets cloying. We show you how to use them to create rooms that are masterpieces of color, comfort, and calm.

IN PRAISE of VIOLAS

PANSIES, VIOLETS, AND JOHNNY-JUMP-UPS ARE ALL MEMBERS OF THE SAME EASY-TO-GROW FAMILY. WHETHER THEY SCENT PERFUMES AND SOAP, TOP CAKES AND SALADS, OR ADORN PRECIOUS KEEPSAKES, VIOLAS DON'T SHRINK FROM ANYTHING.

BETTER BLENDERS

With user-friendly programming, insulated jars, self-cleaning options, and bonus attachments, these blenders have made powerful strides in technology.

Better

WHEN IT COMES TO EASTER BASKETS, CANDY AND CHOCOLATE ARE THE POPULAR TREATS. GROWN-UPS GET IN ON THE SWEETS, TOO: 81 PERCENT OF PARENTS ADMIT TO SNEAKING A PIECE (OR TWO) FROM THEIR KIDS.

THE SKINNY ON FATS

Embrace the fat! Eating the right type plays an important role in a healthy diet by strengthening your heart and fighting inflammation.

The health nut

Our intrepid health director, Amy Brightfield, visits an aromatherapist to tap into the power of scents.

UNDER PRESSURE

Find out where you might have trigger points-- knotted areas of muscle-- and how to massage them for relief.

BH&G throwback 1972 KITCHEN COLOR

This kitchen's color wheel is in overdrive, but just a few vibrant touches will transform your space.