Jean J. Brown

2022 Kia Stinger Reveals Its Updated Design Inside and Out

By Jean J. Brown 1 day ago

From Car and Driver

  • The Kia Stinger is getting an update, and we now know what its new styling will look like.
  • We also think it will receive updated powertrains, but Kia isn’t sharing details yet.
  • The refreshed Stinger is likely to arrive in the U.S. early next year as a 2022 model.

The Kia Stinger has been around long enough that it’s due for a mid-cycle update, and we now have photos of the updated 2022 model that should arrive in the U.S. next year. Its styling is slightly sharpened and we think the freshened design looks good inside and out.

Changes to the front end include new LED headlights, while the rear boasts a cool new taillight design that stretches the full width of the decklid. The turn signals’ LED elements are meant to look like a checkered flag. New 18- and 19-inch wheel designs are also on

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A Century-Old Home on Long Island Receives a Modern Makeover

By Jean J. Brown 2 days ago

It’s not often that a school auction is responsible for bringing a designer and client together, but Courtney McLeod can thank one such event for connecting her with one of her most loyal homeowners. A few years ago, McLeod donated her services to one such auction and the Manhattan family who won used her company, Right Meets Left Interior Design, to decorate a nursery for their new baby. Fast-forward to six months later: The family decided to decamp for the suburbs, specifically the tony shores of Sands Point on the North Shore of Long Island. One of their first calls was to McLeod to ask if she would consider tackling the interior design of their 9,000-square-foot manse. The catch? They wanted to be in the home by Christmas, and it was August by the time McLeod was able to begin the bulk of her work.

At the time, in 2016,

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Coronavirus quarantines made Americans want to spend on home improvement

By Jean J. Brown 3 days ago

As Americans sheltered in place this summer, home improvement retailers like Lowe’s Companies (LOW) and Sherwin-Williams (SHW) boasted lucrative summer sales. 

Americans splurged on home improvement during the pandemic because they “finally have the time” and are “adapting to a new lifestyle under COVID,” according to a survey of over 1,000 U.S. homeowners from July 7-9 by Porch, a Seattle-based home improvement website. 

“Who amongst us hasn’t sat around their home during this period and thought about how they could make it better? This is almost a universal experience at the moment,” HomeAdvisor and Angie’s List (ANGI) CEO Brandon Ridenour told Yahoo Finance last week.

One California-based service that matches contractors with consumers, Houzz, saw a 58% increase in requests for home professionals in June 2020, compared to June 2019. And private companies have echoed reports of a growing market. 

“Who amongst

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Kris Jenner, Dolly Parton and More Celebs Design Adorable Spatulas for Williams Sonoma

By Jean J. Brown 4 days ago

Williams-Sonoma (2); Kevin Winter/Getty; Vera Anderson/WireImage

Kris Jenner launched a thousand memes when she first spoke the words, “You’re doing amazing, sweetie!” on the first season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. And now the Kardashian-Jenner matriarch is using those famous words of encouragement to help other people in need, all while poking a little fun at herself.

Jenner has hand-written her personal catchphrase (in chic black-and-white, of course) on a silicone spatula as part of Williams Sonoma‘s annual celebrity-designed series—which includes new designs from 10 Hollywood and culinary stars. Thirty percent of the proceeds from sales will go to No Kid Hungry, an organization that helps fight childhood hunger in America.

RELATED: The Kitchen Tools PEOPLE Food Editor Are Using and Loving Right Now

The class of 2020 spatulas also include whimsical designs from Dolly Parton (who drew a colorful butterfly), Hoda Kotb (who

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