Thinking of adding library shelves to your home office, or perhaps the kids’ study room? Before you rush off to the hardware store to buy lumber and paint, here are a few tips on designing quality library shelves for your home:

With gas prices at all-time highs, energy costs are on consumers' minds. The last thing you want to do is spend more than you need to cool your home as temperatures rise. Buying a new energy-efficient air conditioning unit can pay for itself in cost savings in no time.

It's important to consider two important factors to get the maximum benefit -- cooling capacity and efficiency. Many people size air conditioners incorrectly, purchasing an air conditioner with more cooling capacity than needed.

After a long day at work, there's nothing like a cold beer.  Enjoying that cold brew in the comfort of your own Basement Dive Bar can make it taste even better.  Here is a simple design for a rustic bar you can build yourself, on the cheap! 

Your front door entry way is the first place you and visitors see when entering your home. The way it’s decorated will set the tone for the rest of the home. Here are a few simple ways to make it warm and inviting.

Use Rugs

You can find beautiful carpet runners that can be used in your entry way that will make the room look more inviting. Runners are designed for small hallways and you can find them in a variety of sizes and styles. They generally aren’t too expensive either.

Hang Artwork

More Americans are turning their homes into sanctuaries. And with "nesting" on the rise and the economy in flux, the trick is how to create such comfort zones without breaking the bank.

A survey by Opinion Research Corporation showed Americans pampering themselves and their families - with 33 percent citing their children as a priority, and 24 percent each citing their spouses or themselves. Twelve percent want to go the extra mile with special purchases for their pets.

Here's a new interior design tip that's just in time for summer. In this Room of the Month we take a look at a dining room with a view, one which lets in plenty of light and greenery, holding the promise of long summer days ahead. This room really lets the sun shine in, and yet there's enough foliage to keep it from becoming a sauna. Let's take a look at the home decorating ideas that are in use here.

Q. We recently moved into a mid-1960's colonial. There is a room next to the kitchen and across the foyer from the living room that we want to use as a formal dining room. We were wondering about other options for lighting besides a chandelier. We haven't checked into prices for the electrical and drywall work, but we were wondering if a floor lamp or two would also be a cost effective and attractive alternative. I've never really seen or hear of floor lamps used in a formal dining room, so not sure how it would do.