Just in time for all those April showers, the MoMA store brings us something to brighten up all those gloomy days: the color-changing umbrella, $38. When dry, the umbrella is black with white paint splatters. As the rain comes down, the paint splatters morph into colors more neon than a Lady Gaga video! — Katie D.

Can I be honest here? We love Design Public. And even more honest? We love it even more when we can get their super cool wares for up to 80% off! The recently launched Design Public Outlet has tons of the great stuff we post about regularly — gorgeous rugs, fun nursery decor, sleek iPhone accessories — but all at extreme discounts. Most of the goods are just fine — the only issue is that they were returned, so the box was opened. I’m pretty sure I can live with that! Visit the Design Public Outlet here. — Mary T.

1) You have very strong opinions about the Out of Sight Litter Box. Thanks to a link from Stumbleupon, this post from January is suddenly generating a lot of debate. Most of you like the idea of the hidden box, but not the price. DIY says: “You could just make one of these. Looks like about 7 pieces of pressure treated board, a little time with a router if you want it to look nice and decorated, cut some hand holes, a staple gun, and some 1/4 size hinges. STOP BUYING THINGS YOU CAN MAKE!” Okay, okay!!!! Meanwhile Monica made us laugh. She says: “’Why does your lamp stand smell like cat crap?’”

2) Interlocking patio furniture seems like a win. Daffodil says: “LOVE this idea. There’s nothing sadder than looking at patio furniture blanketed in thick snow. But a snow-covered patio sculpture? That’s a different story entirely. Wonder how the stacked furniture holds up to wind, though?” We were wondering that, too. See the Art-Deck-Oh! here.

3) Fiddlehead ferns come with recommendations and warnings. Khrystena says: “I’m a little spoiled, fiddleheads are amazing and I grew up in a growing area (not far from the “fiddlehead capital of the world”). @Megan B, the reason they were bitter is you have to boil them twice, and in fresh water each time. They taste [like] brussel sprouts.” But another reader had a very bad experience when she was sickened by undercooked ferns. See all the comments here.

4) You’re diligent in your search for Liberty of London for Target. Online and stores keep selling out, but you’re having luck at your Target — or not losing hope, at least. Jane says: “I ordered lots of plates and bowls online Sunday and then went to my store Monday. They had everything that had been sold out online at mind — the canisters, mugs, piggy banks, etc. I’m in love with everything I have, especially the Maynard and Sixty canisters.” See Sarah L.’s ideas on pairing new Liberty of London with old transferware, and don’t forget that today’s the last day to enter to win our Liberty of London for Target giveaway!

5) We’re not the only Twin Peaks fans. Elissa Davis, a Facebook fan, says: “These articles were GREAT! Thanks!” Elissa, you’re welcome. They were an obsession — we mean, a labor of love! Click for the finale in the Twin Peaks decor series.

Become a Shelterrific Facebook Fan to win!

You have until 9 p.m. EST today to become a fan of Shelterrific on Facebook, which will get you entered to win the collection you see above of the sought-after Liberty of London for Target homewares collection! Get all the details to win here, or simply click on over to Facebook and fan Shelterrific’s page. Once the deadline arrives, we’ll choose one name from the fanbase via random number generator. Good luck!

Sacre Bleu! Amazing Moroccan baths at MarieClaire Maison.

CasaSugar did a great roundup of artichoke-themed decor this week. Beautifully delicious!

Here’s a great little reminder on how to hang artwork in groups at Absolutely Beautiful Things: start by grouping them all on the floor.

Bring the outdoors in with this exquisite bell jar table lamp at Design*Sponge. WANT.

Green Your Decor is throwing down the energy gauntlet.

Interesting debate about saving salmon from orca whales, at McClatchyDC. We’re kinda rooting for the whales, honestly.

Should we convert 25% of ramshackle Detroit into farmland? Sounds like quite the idea! Via the Huffington Post.

Real Simple’s got some great advice on how to help relieve stress and arguments about chores. We can ALWAYS use more help with this, chore charts and all!

We love when readers send us cool stuff out of the blue! Abby Stavig got in touch with us this week to share the fab cake she made for her daughter’s birthday. Abby says:

My daughter recently turned two and we had her birthday at Chuck E Cheese so I thought a pizza cake would fit the theme nicely! I had decided I was going to try to make her cake myself this year as a challenge, so I set out to find inspiration. Your site and many others all had great examples of DIY cakes, and I wanted to share my success with you.

I purchased a 16″ round cake pan from Michael’s Crafts and asked my local pizza joint to donate a box and they were happy to oblige. It was SUPER easy to make, and I think it turned out great! Hope you enjoy taking a look!

Abby, we did! Happy birthday to your little one and congrats on a great-looking cake. Readers, you can get Abby’s how-to after the jump, and see more photos right here. Happy Friday! (more…)

We’re all just itching to get outside and into the sun — and thankfully we’ve already got an early spring here in the Northwest. But all this lovely weather has me dreaming of new outdoor furniture to enjoy it in, and these fresh picks from Loll Designs are what I’m dreaming of! A pair of coco chairs (shown in apple) out on the deck? Sigh! Perfect for having coffee while I look at the lilac blooms. And that coffee is resting on a tiered topo table (shown in sky) while a family of robins chirp inside their pitch birdhouse (shown in leaf). But these are cooler than the average plastic furniture. Loll makes their products out of recycled milk bottles, and they’re constructed to last. See them all here. — Megan B.

Want to change up your decor? If you have one of Anika Englebrecht’s hair lamps, it’s as easy as a braid or a trim. Found via ShelterPop, the Frisa customizable floor lamp has a shade of long blond locks. While I’m not sure I could find a place for this in my house today, it does appeal to my younger self — I gave all of my dolls and barbies new hairstyles (read: hacked off their hair) at one point or another. So what do you think: hair-raising or totally hip? — Erica P.

Do I need my patio furniture to interlock into one tidy, design-y structure? No — but it sure is fun. The goofily named Art-Deck-Oh! Interlocking Furniture comes from Deeco. It looks like wicker but is made from polyethylene-based resin designed to stand up to sun, rain, and cold. (The site says it’s environmentally friendly — I’m checking into what that means exactly, but I believe it means it’s low on BPAs and also recyclable.) Honestly, it’s pretty darn cool looking — stacked or in use. You can learn more about it at the Deeco site, or shop online at just a few retailers so far. The groupings range from about $800-1500. — Mary T.

Stay tuned for more modern patio furniture — this time made from recycled materials — coming up.

Spring is right around the corner — this weekend, finally! And even if it doesn’t really look or feel like Spring where you are, you can EAT like it’s Spring. That’s why I love this risotto. It’s loaded with sweet peas (that just happen to be frozen) that act as the perfect counterpoint to a healthy dose of black pepper and parmesan, not to mention that creamy, comforting Arborio rice. I know that some people may think risotto is complicated or difficult to make, but it’s just the opposite. This risotto takes at most 30 minutes from start to finish, with ingredients most of us already have on hand, and doesn’t require constant stirring. It’s the perfect dish to eat on the Equinox, or alongside your Easter ham, or heck — skip the corned beef tonight and have risotto instead! — Megan B. Click for risotto! (more…)