Some of us lead more stressful lives than others. One renovation idea that can address aesthetics and stress reduction is to make your bathroom more “spa-like.” McDonald Remodeling, a remodeling company located in the St. Paul MN region, offers some soothing ideas on their website: “In bathrooms, calm design can lead to rejuvenating spaces. With that in mind, each bathroom has a style that befits the homeowners.” Ideas the company offers include having a “soaking retreat,” where the bath tub or Jacuzzi is the focal point of the room; having a very simple, but stylish bathroom that needs little or easy upkeep; and having an nature-oriented, soothing color scheme or a large shower “tube” for a feeling of space while bathing.

Oregon-based Etsy seller AtomicAttic has dreamt up an imaginative and simple way to reuse old computers without having to call in a Portland electrician to wire it up into some new gadget. Late model computers and computer monitors seem to make up a large portion of the world's e-waste and creating a second life for them is a godsend for the environment. Using ancient iMacs as a frame, AtomicAttic has built a line of pet beds that are eco-friendly and stylish (they also have some nice upcycled suitcase beds as well).

If you want to do something really different at your next dinner party, consider switching to the casual elegance of the "Redneck Wine Glass." Interior designer Lee Anne Culpepper recently shared this hilarious DIY project with the community over on Hometalk. To make one, you'll need a Ball Mason Jar and a clear glass candle stick. Just use an adhesive like Loctite Glass Glue to attach the two pieces, and you will have your very own country-style wine glass! Perfect as a gift, these are sure to strike up conversation (and controversy amongst your more formally-minded friends).

There are many myths and tips people share about keeping cut Christmas trees healthy during the course of the holiday season. Aspirin is commonly recommended, and there are even strange concoctions involving Karo syrup and bleach. Mike and Anne of the Raleigh-based "Weekend Gardener" radio show dispute these complex solutions with a dose of common sense. In their recent Hometalk thread, they offer two simple tips to keep your tree in good shape for the holidays. First off, they say to "refresh" the tree by cutting off an inch at it's base.

Burglar-proofing your home can be a daunting project. Between costly options like home monitoring systems and straight up scary options like pit bulls and guns, it can be almost as stressful as a real robbery. Thankfully, a recent thread on Hometalk explored a number of simple preventative measures homeowners can take to keep their homes safe without breaking the bank or dealing with weapons. One easy to implement technique that was brought up, is to plant tall pointy shrubs like holly around and under window areas.

Using a live tree as the centerpiece of your Christmas decorations is an inspiring and sustainable choice that will remind your family of that holiday season for many years. But how do you care for such a thing? It's a lot more complicated than the traditional "use it and throw it in the trash" type of cut Christmas tree. Hometalk users got together recently to discuss how to care for and plant a live holiday tree. Here are 3 tips from the conversation: 1) Limit how long the tree is indoors; the heated air can quickly drain all of the moisture out of it.

This tip is from horticulturist Erica Glasener, one of our favorite people. Nikki from Atlanta asked what flowers she could plant now (in late September) that would last through the winter in Georgia. Erica suggested Foxgloves, and said that they would overwinter and bloom in the spring. Extra tip from Erica the horticulturist: Parsley and Foxgloves are a good combination to plant together.

I was privileged to attend "Home by Design", a discussion on the intersection of fashion and home trends last night, at 1st Dibs at the New York Design Center. 1st Dibs is a showroom of fine antiques and 20th Century design -- a perfect setting for the panel, which inlcluded potter/TV host/multigenre designer Jonathan Adler, eco-designer Clodagh and Macy's home fashion director Stephen Cardino. It was hosted by the publisher of Elle Decor, Barbara Friedmann. The consensus among the panelists was that what fashion taught the home furnishings industry is the art of constant change.