7 Expert-Approved Ways to Keep Pests Away from Your Home

KATIE CHARLOTTE FIEDLER

When creating a beautiful outdoor space, you often start with an empty space. Expansive backyards, empty decks, and beautiful front porches are easy to fill with plants, lighting, and furniture.

If you've already encountered a few or a group of spotted lanternflies in your yard, you may need to take extra steps to protect your yard since this invasive pest can damage the ecosystem around them.

Looking to step up your flower gardening game? We’ve tapped into the tasteful toolbelt of Hannah Rose Rivers Muller, master florist farmer and author of Designing With Dried Flowers, who shares her selects for stylish yet practical farm gear that she personally uses while busy harvesting at Full Belly Farm. Well known for pioneering the Northern California field-to-vase movement, Hannah is no stranger to getting her hands dirty and knowing the type of quality gear needed when working in a fast-pace seasonally driven industry.

We’ve all been there: The first summer heat wave comes to town and your air conditioner stops cooling, leaving you stranded in the heat. Air conditioners work hard year after year, but they do require a little upkeep and maintenance to run their best. If your air conditioner’s not cooling properly, there are a number of potential reasons. Some are simple, while others may require a service call from a certified HVAC technician. Here, we’ve outlined 7 potential reasons for your conditioner not cooling—and how to remedy them.

There are always lots of details to take care of around the house when you're preparing for a vacation. Your list might include tasks such as reprogramming the thermostat and holding the mail, but what about your garden? Your plants in the ground will usually be fine for a week or so without watering, especially if there's some rain in the forecast. But because containers have limited space for holding water and are more exposed to warm temperatures, they tend to dry out much faster.

Epsom salt is extremely beneficial when it comes time to tackle your household chores, so you're going to want to start keeping it on hand if you're not already.

If you love coastal style, there's no reason not to incorporate actual seashells into your home as decor—and it doesn't matter whether you actually live by the water or just wish that you did. Interior designers love how shells can add charm and character to any space.

Since heat naturally rises, most homes with a second story face unbearable temperatures in the summer months. This can make your surroundings almost impossible to lounge in or sleep in (after all, who likes sleeping in buckets of sweat?)

My sister recently purchased a condo with a shockingly expansive wraparound balcony. The only problem? She has no clue how to fill the space. How much furniture is too much furniture? Should it match the black and white decor she’s collecting for her interiors? Is the comfy lounge chair she’s been eyeing really worth the investment? In an effort to answer these questions and more, I reached out to several California-based designers for their insights. 

Once the temperature rises, and that unwavering urge to spend even more time outside kicks in, the great outdoors becomes the best room of the house. (For a few glorious months, Mother Nature replaces our living room… dining room… and, yes, even our kitchen!) However, just like in your home’s interiors, an outdoor space hinges on selecting the right furniture. 

Gulla Jónsdóttir is an Icelandic architect known for her dynamic forms that have found their way into award-winning projects in the West like the La Peer Hotel, Palmilla in Newport Beach, and Sandbourne Santa Monica, the latter of which just opened. From her Los Angeles-based design studio, she shares insights on how to integrate organic beauty and function into your own home.