The cheapest way to create a new feel in your living room (or any other space for that matter) is to use what you have and arrange it in a different way, adding just one or two new accessories. And since most of us are cutting back and staying in, entertaining at home instead of going out - you want your living room looking its best! Check out these tips to create a well-designed living space...

As spring cleaning gives way to summertime garages sales, you may be thinking of hosting one of your own. After all, it's a great way to clear out the "junk" you don't use anymore and make a buck or two to spend on some new home accessories! Plus in an era of green - it's just not socially acceptable to throw things in the trash anymore.

While watching the Today Show this morning, I caught some great ideas on how to make your garage sale stand out from the others on your block. And I've added a few of my own ideas after the video.

By the time it started to warm up this year, I was already in desperate need of a change of scenery. Sick of spending time indoors, I made a premature effort at getting my back deck in order. As of today, I've used it a total of just three times. Sad, I know. I suspect many of you have had the same experience - a surge of creative energy that came with that first 70-degree day, but not much on the follow-through. I blame Chicago's roller-coaster spring (I'm still half-expecting flurries any day). But no matter who's fault it is - summer is only so long and once it really heats up, I want to be able to enjoy my outdoor space!

The only way I can tackle large projects is to break them down. So, this week I'm getting back to basics. And the first thing you need in order to enjoy your outdoor space is some place to sit. The perfect spot to sip your lemonade as you watch the sun go down this summer is in an adirondack chair. Snag a pair and share the sunset with a friend. Here are some options, depending on your budget and style preference...

(Photo by Stacey Wescott/Tribune)

So, how do you know when it's a good idea to give old household items new life by reusing them and when is it time to toss the junk? Turns out, that line is different for everyone. A Lakemoor woman who has been cited for using toilets as planters in her front yard could be fined up to $500/day if she doesn't remove them by this time next month. She says the two toilets, filled with potting soil and flowers, are art and just meant to get a laugh out of passersby. Neighbors say it's an eyesore. What do you think? Art...or atrocious? Leave your comments!

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of meeting up with the interior designer and the listing agent for the Highland Park home that was featured in Ferris Bueller's Day Off back in '86 and is now on the market for $2.3 million. I was initially attracted to the house (like everyone else in America...) because of the movie magic attached to it. But as it turned out, the house itself has some interesting history. Plus, it's one of the most unique homes I've seen since I started with HomesPlus...and there have been A LOT of homes!

It all starts with the surroundings. The main house and garage (the actual garage, not the structure that they used as the garage in the movie - that's actually the pavillion house) are set no further back from the road than any other home in the neighborhood, but because of the way it was designed, it's not even visible from the street; the foliage provides incredible privacy...for a lot less than a big ol' iron gate. Gotta love nature, right?

As you've seen in pictures and of course in the movie, the home is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that allow for an unparallelled view of the surrounding ravine...from nearly every room (bathrooms and kitchen excluded). The nature angle continues throughout the home. From wood ceilings to cork floors (underneath the carpet) to the steel-and-glass frame of the home - this place was way ahead of its time in terms of eco-friendliness. Which brings me to its other claim to fame...

If you've ever tried to shop for a home or decorate that home with a member of the opposite sex then you've probably noticed that guys and gals are looking through different lenses when it comes to the home. One North Shore architect estimates that women make about 80% of the decisions when it comes to home design and remodeling. So, what is it that makes us so different? Too much for one blog, I'm sure. But here's how it breaks down where homes are concerned:

That means patios, balconies, decks, backyards, rooftop terraces...if it's outside and you're proud of the space you've created - we want to see it! Just email your photos along with a description of the space and what you did to make it spectacular for this summer and we'll post them here on our website to inspire others...and they might even make it onto the show!

Hard to believe that someday we might be sitting on the patio, sipping our tea, yearning for the "good old days" when houses were cheap and deals were plentiful. But despite a nasty recession that has taken its toll in one way or another on all of us, the pros (the pros being the President's Council of Economic Advisors and the Federal Reserve) seem certain that the economy will improve by the end of this year. Which means all of those great deals you're seeing on everything from houses to vacations will slowly begin to disappear and prices will start to rise again.

Among the top ten things to buy before the economy bounces back? A house tops the list at #1. It seems that between the competitive pricing of homes right now (prices were down 25% between the 4th quarter of 2006 and the fourth quarter of 2008), interest rates that hover around 5% for a 30-year fixed mortgage and the $8,000 tax credit for first time buyers...the stars are aligned for those in the market. Also on the list? Furniture. So, if you've just taken advantage of the market and purchased a home, don't wait to furnish it.

Check out the other 8 items you shouldn't wait to buy after the jump...or click here for the full article.

Since buyers are trending more toward buying right-sized homes these days, and not super-sized homes, it seems everyone wants their space with a side of flexibility - space that can grow and change with the family that uses it. It's a fantastic idea. It saves on the energy costs of heating and cooling a larger-than-necessary home and allows a play room to turn into a media room which can then turn into a den, guest room or any other room that your lifestyle requires!

Jon and Kate aren't the only ones with problems.
Their Elizabethtown, PA home has been listed for more than three months and while I've never seen a single episode of their reality show (don't worry, I'm still totally updated on their daily activities, thanks to every media vehicle in existence) it does appear that the reality of the housing market is weighing on them just as it is the rest of us. And if the home of the couple that everyone can't get enough of can't sell, then what hope do the rest of us have, right?

Turns out celebs (real or otherwise) aren't immune to the housing slump. Here are a few who are feeling the heat of the current market...

Do you know what "vu" means? How about "w/d?" Take this quiz and see how on top of your real estate lingo you really are! And if your score tells you that you have some homework to do, just tune in to HomesPlus every weekend and catch up on your real estate basics!

Click here to take the quiz!

Yes, we have a beach in Chicago. It's on Lake Michigan and it's lovely. But when you're spanning the nation for the country's top ten beachfront homes, surely you can understand why they might all come from the left and right coasts and not so much the northern coast that we occupy. And if not, then just take a look at these pictures...I think you'll forgive the list's publisher for the faux pas of leaving our windy lake-side city out of the mix.

So, here's the good news - they're incredible and they're all on the market right now. Here's the bad news - the least expensive home comes in at #9 - a 12,000 square foot estate on the Atlantic...available to the savvy buyer ready to sign on the dotted line for a mere $12 million. Think that sounds extravagent? Just take a look at the other nine...

Ahhh, the life of celebrity...fancy cars, fine champagne and gorgeous estates are just part of their daily lives. That is, when they're not behind on their mortgage payments like so many average Joes.

Case in point: former Bulls player, Eddy Curry. Today's Tribune reports that Curry's suburban Chicago home is in foreclosure. It would appear that the baller has fallen short by about $217k...so far. That's probably not difficult to do when you've got an interst rate of 9.25% (can we stress the importance of refinancing??).

The home was purchased for $3.7 million in July of 2003.