jd maia

Black is back, and it's not just for fashion anymore. Here's how to embrace the dark side of home design with style and sophistication.

56 years ago, Johnny Cash recorded a live concert inside a prison that inspired one of his most famous songs, Folsom Prison Blues. For the occasion, Cash wore his classic all-black suit, complete with a double-breasted vest and patent-leather loafers (with, let's be real, a generous heel). His black hair was slicked back with pomade, and his suit's lining, the only burst of color, was a gothic blood red. The Man in Black entered Folsom Prison that day, looking like a visitor to Dracula's castle.

From tiny homes to vacation getaways, a-frame homes are the ultimate cool and cozy retreat

For the past 3+ years, the coolest nearby vacation spots in the U.S. have been booked solid, for obvious reasons. In the midst of a global crisis, those of us suffering from cabin fever found ourselves endlessly scrolling through Instagram and Airbnb, feeling increasingly desperate to discover something that offered a change of scenery. Beautiful a-frame houses and unique glamping spots were tough to come by. Priorities likely topped out with wifi, a roof over your head, and a halfway-decent view. Mountains, lake, pool, hell, even a tree with a tire swing… it wasn't the time to be picky.

Because you deserve to spend your staycation like a VIP

With summer quickly approaching and winter firmly in the rearview mirror, now is the best time to reimagine your backyard oasis so you can cultivate resort-like living in July without settling for the small inflatable kiddie pools at the bottom of the barrel. Warmer summer months ahead mean you can finally look forward to enjoying your pool deck retreat. And despite the rarified veneer of owning a property with a swanky pool area, building one doesn’t necessarily mean stretching your budget beyond your means.

Rooted in the past, yet chic and contemporary — modern barn house plans take a modern twist.

When you picture a barn house, what comes to mind? It's most likely a red, wooden building with a gambrel roof, the type you'd expect to see in a Norman Rockwell painting. But today's modern barn houses have come a long way from their humble beginnings.

Breaking down our favorite modern farmhouse looks — inside and out.

Celebrities — they're just like us. Well, at least in one way, we learned upon seeing Reese Witherspoon's former Malibu retreat: Some of them love the modern black and white farmhouse look we all strive to master. The jewel box of a home is filled with traditional farmhouse decor and modern accents you'd expect to find in one of the world's greatest farmhouses. But, while she undoubtedly has the resources to hire professionals and do the shopping with (we imagine) a substantial budget for designer furniture and one-of-a-kind antiques, we regular folk are left to operate with limited direction from the pros.