Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Tile walls are popular choices in bathrooms, since they withstand dampness so well, and they’re also frequently used for kitchen backsplashes. To make solid tiles pop, you can add interesting borders, such as a row of these glass “agates” from Nemo Tile.

“Freeform curves give Agates the weathered look of river rocks washed ashore. Organic in appearance, the pleasing-to-the-touch pebbles are eco-friendly, too: mosaics are crafted from hand-blended glass comprised of 100-percent recycled content.

“Available in 20 soft pastels, the polished forms can be installed in a continuous swath or used as trims to throw a curve into a straightforward run of tile. Impervious to water and frostproof, Agates can be used to clad walls both indoors and out. ”

Don’t worry about installation–you don’t have to paste each agate to the wall by hand. You can get them in mesh sheets, sizes 3″ x 12″ and 6″ x 12″, or wall tiles sized 6″ x 6″ or 12″ x 12″.

Weber has been putting out grills for ages, but now they’ve decided to move into outdoor fireplaces. Using much of the same technology that gives their barbecues a long life, Weber is offering a portable wood-burning fireplace that’s easy to use, easy to put out, and even has a lid to protect it in case it starts to sprinkle.

“Create atmosphere anywhere. Now it is easy to have the warmth and atmosphere of an outdoor wood burning fireplace or campfire. Use the Weber Fireplace camping, on a patio or in the garden – anywhere you want to enjoy the fun of a fire without leaving a trace of it. Bring warmth to cool nights and an inviting glow to any occasion. Made of heavy-gauge steel construction, the lid and bowl are porcelain enameled, that won’t rust, fade or burn. The heat shield is made of rust-resistant aluminum, and the support ring is galvanized steel.”

I like the fact that the you can extinguish the fire easily by removing the support ring and dropping the lid right over the burning logs. Beats sitting around waiting for the flames to die down on their own at the end of the night!

Under $150 at Amazon: Weber Wood Burning Fireplace

Just about any hot tub can make you feel good after a long day at work — hot water + massaging jets = good vibes! But if you’re someone who likes a lot of extra bells and whistles, then you might dig Jacuzzi’s latest models.

The J-480 has a fun lighted waterfall feature, an optional audio system with a dock for your iPod, a “therapy lounge,” and adjustable pillows that also light up. No need to worry about exterior illumination when you’re out in this baby at night.

And, of course, you have plenty of jets to massage the muscles of you and your five closest friends or family members. 48 jets to be exact. They can “produce virtually any massage type, from deeply invigorating to tension-relieving” and the therapy lounge and seats can “provide a targeted hydromassage for specific muscle groups.”

More information at Jacuzzi.

If you like fun little desk gadgets, this might be a cool find for the home office:

“Not only does this funny little gadget keep your buds untangled, but it will bring a smile to all who see it.

Meticulously crafted from a beautiful piece of solid walnut this compact ear bud holder is a must have for any ear bud user.”

The hand-crafted piece is only $23 from Etsy artist Mitch Hall. He’s got some other fun wooden gadgets, too, so take a peep at his stuff, and support a solo woodworker.