We love Dwell magazine, but we did have to laugh at this new site that ponders why their photographic subjects all seem to be Unhappy Hipsters.

We just noticed Friendly Cottage, and so far we like what we see — this headboard, for instance.

What to do with fireplaces that don’t work — like paint the firewood pink! — at AT.

An update on the FDA’s ruling on BPA in plastics, which followed mounting public pressure.

A beautiful loft at Design is Mine.

So much great stuff at swissmiss, but start this week with the Banana Holder Vicky.

We love, love, love before and after photos, and this dining room at Casa Sugar is stunning and we’re jealous. (Deep breaths.)

A delicious caramel concoction at angry chicken.

Beautiful porcelain and glass vessels at beachbungalow8.

Inside the Spanx offices (Did anyone else watch Veronica’s Closet when it was on? Reminds us of their offices!) at Brilliant Asylum. We would work there.

Save 15% at DWR on upholstery and rugs. (Their Knoll Classics Sale starts February 1.)

Get a 10% discount at Beekman 1802: type “valentines” in the coupon code field at checkout.

Tons of deals at CSN Stores, as per usual:
- Take 5% off your next Trans Globe Lighting order with promo code TRGLO5.
- Save 10% on Royo Bath by Nameeks with promo code NAMEEKS10.
- For a limited time, buy a Stokke Sleepi System and get a $100 AMEX Gift Card to use on anything you’d like. Include a Stokke Care Changing Table and get a $200 AMEX Gift Card.
- You can also save up to 50% on Le Creuset Cookware.

Save 50% on the Cook’s Country Cookbook using the form at the link.

More help for Haiti: Buy an adorable Valentine’s Day collar from The Modern Pet and 50% of proceeds will go toward The Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) through the ASPCA.

I first heard about Decor8’s Interior Styling Pool on Flickr via Paola at mirrormirror. The pool is for people who want to share photos of their own homes and workplaces that are not only beautifully styled but also competently photographed (I might have some trouble with that one). I love the range of styles and the creativity on display by real people, as opposed to a catalog. There’s also a discussion board where you can get help with your own decor issues. — Mary T.

Photos by Flickr members dottie angel and sandiv999

This simple design from Chiasso is a great way to create storage in your entry way, even if you don’t have room for a table. The Switch Entry Caddy fits over your existing switch plate, giving you not only two hooks for hanging keys or leashes, but also a place to stash outgoing mail. Order them for $32 each right here. — Erica P.

Via

Could you live in Laredo? I couldn’t. Don’t get me wrong — it looks like a beautiful city. But hearing on the news that the town’s only bookstore closed January 16 — leaving the nearest one 150 miles away — got me thinking, first, about the number of bookstores that I’ve seen come and go from my area in the last couple of years (three, at least). And second, about the fact that, as much as I love online convenience, I still love brick and mortar bookstores. For me, it’s both the quiet of the store and the sheer number of shelves there to browse through. How close (or far) is your nearest bookstore? Could you live without it? Why or why not? — Sarah L.

Happytape is taking over! Sarah L. noticed the latest at Little Green Notebook: Happytape used as temporary Harlequin “wallpaper”. A great idea for renters, and it probably takes less patience to do up a wall this way than to actually paint it. Get the how-to here.

There are people who love a good theme room, and then there are people who really love a good theme room. For whatever reason, sometimes obsession sets in, and quite suddenly you’re knee-deep in a replica room. Take Anthony Toth, for example, who spent 20 years and $50,000 turning his garage into a 1970’s styled Pan-Am first class cabin. Gary Reighn turned his living room into the Star Trek Enterprise’s deck while Darren Mortensen’s home theater is a replica of Cyberdyne’s evil headquarters. In Taiwan, there’s a whole resort devoted to Hello Kitty! I, for one, love it. The world would be a pretty boring place if we all had tasteful Pottery Barn-style room, wouldn’t it? Any replica rooms caught your attention lately? — Katie D.

Have you ever thought about auditioning for a reality TV show? Shelterrific contributor Megan Barone decided to go for it, and lived to tell the tale — and share the recipe.

I spent last Sunday at the local Sur La Table with about 500 eager Pacific Northwestern foodies. We were all there to audition for infamous Chef Gordon Ramsay’s new reality show, MasterChef. The new show is billed as a Top Chef for home cooks, rather than restaurant chefs, so I thought I’d give it a go.

First step: the 12-page application. This almost thwarted my aspirations right off the bat. “How would people describe your negative traits?” Um, that was a fun jaunt into self-discovery!

Second step: I was told to bring a single serving of a dish that “expresses who you are as a cook” and that can be served at room temperature, plus a photo of that dish. Now, this was more inspiring. After a few days of meticulously testing in my kitchen and forcing my friends and family to taste test, I was happy with my creation: a wintry Dungeness crab salad with shaved brussels sprouts, caramelized leeks, fennel, and blood orange, seasoned with a hint of fennel frond and tarragon. I thought it was delicious — the sweetness of the crab meat augmented by the licorice-y fennel, earthy leeks, and bright citrus. I hoped the judges would think so, too.

Is auditioning for MasterChef anything like American Idol? How delicious is Megan’s crab salad recipe? Tune in — we mean, click the link! — to read more. (more…)

When recently queried about the one kitchen tool I couldn’t live without, it was a tough choice between three things: my chef’s knife, my 12-inch cast iron skillet, and my pressure cooker. Pressure cooker, really? Yes, really. As a busy working home cook of meager means, I’ve come to rely heavily on its many strengths. In addition to reducing cooking time by almost 75%, the food retains more minerals and, in my opinion, has a much better flavor. Lentils aredone in eight minutes, no soaking required. Stocks are thick and gelatinized in 30 minutes. My favorite braise, chicken adobo, from start to finish? Twenty minutes. Start with a recipe or cookbook, or do what I do — use the timetables here to adapt recipes. My at-home cooker wasn’t very expensive, but it heats a bit inconsistently. So when it’s time for an upgrade, I’ll be bringing home one of these beautiful Kuhn Rikon pressure cookers with a nice, thick, stainless steel bottom. They’re the new slow cooker — but even better! — Megan B.

We love following folks on Twitter because we hear about so many things we might otherwise have missed. (Yes, Shelterrific is on Twitter!) For example, this Silicone Tagine that Delight.com tweeted about yesterday. We clicked out of curiosity to learn: “A ceramic Tagine can cost well over $100. And while we all LOVE our Le Creuset here at Delight, we can’t always afford to get the peripheral fun stuff. Dutch Oven? A necessity. $100 Tagine? Not so much. Ergo, a $20 Tagine made by the French geniuses at Mastrad is, well, A Smart Buy.” Agreed! And actually, it’s on sale for just $18.80 until January 27. Check it out here.