43 Ideabooks by Mari Richards

Looking to create a more personal home office? Step away from the big-box office supply store. You do not need a replica of your day-job setup in your home office, no matter how professional you want it to feel. Use your home office to showcase...

Sometimes a lamp needs to be more than just a lamp. Paging through your average catalog or browsing a home store tends to yield the same results: average table lamp, floor lamp or ceiling fixture. But designers have taken notice and are providing...

I start to crave nature like a kid craves candy in spring. I think we're all ready to start spending some time with the brighter side of nature. For those of us still stuck inside thanks to dreary weather, the natural materials and nature-inspired forms...

I'm already dreaming about gardens and what I can plant this year. At our house a garden means an abundance of vegetables. Part of preparing for the summer harvest means finding just the right tools to prep those veggies for dinnertime. We definitely...

When spring arrives it's time to dream about the perfect outdoor space, one that can host both big-time barbecues and quiet afternoons with your favorite summer read. No matter what purpose you want your outdoor room to serve, consider topping a portion...

Whatever project I'm working on, I've found I enjoy it more — and am more likely to finish the tedious steps within that project — if the tools I use work well and are pleasing to look at. There's something about a quality tool that makes everything...

Many homeowners today are working hard to reduce the amount of space they need. For some it's through better organization; for others it's a smaller house — but plenty of people just want to live more simply. Are you looking for a way to save some space?...

I'm starting to think about moving to a new house later this year, and I'm already feeling both invigorated and overwhelmed by all the possible design choices and furniture upgrades — the decisions feel endless! Slowly I'm realizing that doubling up...

For city folk, condo owners and apartment dwellers, space is often at a premium. And when you're living in a smaller space, it becomes even more important that the things you own have a purpose — or more than one. Each of these designs works...

Sometimes shades of gray just won't cut it, and a couple of bright throw pillows aren't enough. Sometimes you have to take color by the horns and hang on for the ride. Not for the faint of heart, these bright colors come from all over the world to make...

Do you look around your home and think things look too heavy? Or maybe you've succumbed to the McMansion bigger-is-better trend. My first instinct in winter is to cut out the extra flotsam and jetsam and really start fresh. With the new year especially,...

If you live in a northern climate, this time of year is probably finding you out of touch with nature. It's hard to hug a tree (or even sit near a tree) when the temperatures are hovering around zero! It's a great time to bring natural elements inside...

Maybe it's just me, but sometimes everything I look at becomes anthropomorphic. The grille of the car has a certain smile, the teapot spout is tooting like an elephant and these tables and chairs all look about to walk away. It's just something about...

Sometimes modern designs look very stark, making it hard for some of us to want to add them to our homes. Let's be honest — I want my home to be comfortable and inviting, and minimalism rarely focuses on that goal. But have no fear. Adding...

Deeply complicated chandeliers and heavy lampshades have their place, especially in warm home libraries and rich dining rooms. But these French lights focus instead on the purity of their goal: shedding light on the situation at hand. Though...