Megan Hopp

As you may have figured out by now, you can put pretty much anything in the IKEA RÅSKOG cart, including kitchen linens. Your clever and styled cart will look right off the showcase floor, which in turn will inspire you time and time again to tightly tie that apron, lay the tablecloth down, and reach for your favorite embroidered napkins.

Out of something the same can grow something new. Not to get too precious, but it really is the miracle of life — and there’s something wonderful about bringing that miracle into your home, in the form of plants, flowers, or herbs. The RÅSKOG cart can play the role of plant stand quite well, but I like it in particular for a good old-fashioned herb garden. The sturdy casters allow for easy transportation, letting you wheel the cart into the perfect afternoon sunny spot.

Never wonder, "Where did I put that sponge?" again.

Never pass up the two-for-one sale at the supermarket again.

Change is scary and can often leave a person full of excuses. Take open shelving, for example. If you’re used to having doors on your cabinets, the idea of putting everything you own out on display could make you very nervous. But you might actually end up loving it!

We know it’s a little early to start talking about the holidays. Although, to be fair, we’ve already seen Christmas decorations on the shelves at T.J. Maxx! So, just hear us out. This super-easy holiday cocktail party by Emily Henderson is Christmas-y without being over-the-top. And while it’s a perfect party to emulate come December, there was one extra-savvy element that we want to steal right now. That one element? Sandwiches wrapped and piled into a bowl!

Ever sit down to a beautifully prepared meal, with wonderfully enticing dishes from end to end of the table, when suddenly a hodgepodge of mismatched serving spoons clang onto the scene? This holiday season, put a little thought into your serving spoons. Here are 10 stylish ones worth scooping up. Copper Serving Set, $49 at West Elm: Wouldn’t it be nice to have a serving spoon as rich and smooth as your perfect mashed potatoes?

With the holiday season officially in full swing and batches of bashes ahead of us, there is so much to look forward to. The friends, the food, the drink, and the dishes. Back up! Not the dishes! Nothing puts a damper on a night of good drinks than knowing you’re gonna have to wash each and every glass by hand. Before you reach for disposables in attempts to cut the cleanup time, try swapping your hand-wash-only glassware for these spectacular dishwasher-safe options.

So, you made a cake and it’s a real show-stopper. The only problem? Your guests won’t get to see it until the end of the night and then, before you know it, it’s gone. Well, no more, I say! Have your cake, gaze at it, and then eat it too. As an interior designer and stylist, I can’t help but think that how the food looks is just as important as how it tastes. It follows, then, that my absolute favorite culinary project is a big and beautiful well-frosted cake.

Whether you’re looking to buy your first table or you want to upgrade the hand-me-down you’ve been eating off of for years, the market can be overwhelming. A single search on Overstock for “dining room and kitchen tables” comes up with 2,380 results. And that’s just one site! To help you narrow it down, I’ve distilled my five key rules for picking out a dinner table. What do I know, you ask?

So you’ve decided to make the switch from classic cabinets to open shelving. Congrats! This is a big renovation (even if you’re not gutting the entire kitchen) and you have a lot of things to think about. Here are a few things to consider — beyond the obvious question of what materials the shelves should be — and some pointers for arranging all your stuff. Trust me — I’m an interior designer and I’ve helped tons of clients transition to open shelving.

Do I like the look of open shelving? Check. Am I organized enough to rock it? Check. Do I think it adds an extra layer of design and personalization to any kitchen? Check. Would I recommend it to my own design clients? Check, check, check. Will I be ditching my cabinets for a fresh new open shelving look? Negative.

Do I like the look of open shelving? Check. Am I organized enough to rock it? Check. Do I think it adds an extra layer of design and personalization to any kitchen? Check. Would I recommend it to my own design clients? Check, check, check. Will I be ditching my cabinets for a fresh new open shelving look? Negative.

The party problem: You want to have a movie night (with lots of food), but your plain snack tables are just that — plain. The party trick: Jazz them up with a custom paint job. We used eggshell paint because we like the matte look, although a satin or gloss finish will work just as well, if not better because glossier paints are easier to wipe clean if you spill food on them. You don’t even need a big thing of paint for this. In fact, a quart will be too much.

You probably have some experience from your childhood building forts, yes? Chances are, though, your structures never looked quite this good? That’s because you were a child and you didn’t have the design sense or the wherewithal to make something so Instagram-worthy. You’re an adult now! And that means you have the skills (and the permission) to take your fort-building to the next level. Trust me — you can do it. Here are my best tips to help you.

When I was a kid, I used to build a fort any chance I got: A rainy day was always a good excuse, but growing up in temperate Northern California, it really was a year-round activity despite the constant 74-degree weather. It wasn’t the same fort over and over again, either. Every indoor structure had a very specific purpose and story.

What do most of us do every day — and, let’s be honest, many times a day? Yes, drink a nice cup of coffee or tea. Now, how many of us have a designated coffee cart in our homes? Crickets. That’s what I thought. Why not give the ritual we hold so dear a platform to live on? IKEA’s RÅSKOG cart proves its usefulness once again.

“But this is my favorite cup,” says everyone, everywhere. Why we latch on to certain dishware is not for me to answer, but ask me where to store it, and I will gladly tell you: in the IKEA RÅSKOG cart, of course! But this small-space saver isn’t just good for storing that coffee cup or three that you really (really) need; it’s also the secret to making your mornings that much easier, by keeping all your breakfast essentials in one place.

Serving pieces can be awkward to store. They come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes they are seasonally specific. For example, you need your red glass, gold-rimmed condiment tray out and at the ready the entire month of December, but the rest of the year it goes into hiding. That’s why I love this tiny cart, which is the perfect home for pieces on deck. Rotate pieces in and out: Similar to transitioning in a seasonal wardrobe, you can do the same with your dishware.

One of my favorite ways to make the most of the incredibly versatile IKEA RÅSKOG cart is as a mobile tool box. With its compact size, rotating wheels, and deep shelving with plenty of space in between, this cart can definitely hold its own as you toss your spatula in, while pulling out your tongs all in one fell swoop! Put your tool VIPs on the top shelf: We all have the tools that we turn to again and again.

Variety is the spice of life — so they say — but even a few good spices can make a difference, turning that ho-hum bowl of chili into a sweat-inducing zinger. Still, whether your spice collection is comprehensive and abundant or small and selective, there is the question of how and where to store them. May we suggest the IKEA RÅSKOG cart?

A bar cart should never be a luxury — we’ll drink to that! But wait, where are you going to fit it? The crowd-favorite, small-scale RÅSKOG cart from IKEA comes to the rescue again. It’s the perfect size for any space, whether that’s a tiny apartment or not-so-noticeable nook in the corner of your dining room. Ready to turn the RÅSKOG cart into a home for all your tipsy treasures? Here are a few tips.