Articles by Lisa Frederick
5 Ways to Declutter Your Bathroom Countertop And Organizers to Shop to Keep It That Way
Hair dryers, flat irons and other products can easily create an unsightly mess on your bathroom countertops. Bathroom countertopo organizers can be a quick fix. Price and stock could change after publish date, and we may make money off these affiliate links. Learn more.
Best Things to Do in Vienna with Kids
City Breaks 5 Min Read For those looking to explore beyond the typical European capitals, the elegant city of Vienna, Austria, is a perfect choice for families. Its narrow cobblestone streets, classical architecture and grand palaces make even a simple stroll for coffee a delightful experience. Plus, what kid can turn down the delicious selection of pastries? Best Things to Do in Vienna with Kids Schönbrunn Palace There is so much to see in Vienna that it is hard to fit it all into 72 hours.
Patagonia Family Vacation | Things to Do in Patagonia | Ciao Bambino
Family travel and travel planning continue to be affected by COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. At Ciao Bambino, we’ve seen a big surge in families looking for what we think of as “second level” destinations: off-path locales that push both parents and kids beyond their comfort zones and offer authentic experiences, unique adventures and a deep connection with nature.
Before and After: 3 Ways to Add Bold Color to Your Yard
Color can be the magic cure for an uninspired yard. Bold planters, walls painted with lively hues or an eye-catching focal point take a space from ordinary to one of a kind. Even better, by using color on hardscape features rather than relying solely on plantings, your color story will last year-round. Read on to see how designers took three backyards from so-so to standout. 1.
Family Travel to Egypt
Family travel and travel planning continue to be affected by COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. Egypt was a travel hot spot for years, but its popularity waned following political upheaval in 2011. Now, Egypt is back on the scene, ready for its comeback as a once-in-a-lifetime vacation destination. For those considering future family travel to Egypt, this overview can help you imagine how you might go about visiting one of the world’s most incredible places with your kids.
Where Europe Meets Asia: A Georgia Travel Guide for Families
Family travel and travel planning continue to be affected by COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. The first thing that families who plan to travel to the country of Georgia will want to clear up is that, yes, indeed, it is a country, not just a southern U.S. state. Situated between Turkey and Russia on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, Georgia offers visitors a mix of Asian and European influences.
New York City Insider Things to Do with Kids
Family travel and travel planning continue to be affected by COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. Are you daydreaming about your next trip to the Big Apple, but wondering what to do beyond the obvious tourist stops? Check out these insider ideas, guaranteed to keep kids engaged and happy while keeping parents from wandering around Times Square (again).
Croatia Family Vacation Ideas
Family travel and travel planning continue to be affected by COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. We’ve seen tremendous demand for families looking to explore Europe’s beauty beyond the well-worn tourist path, and Croatia ticks just about every box. Croatia is a welcoming and safe country, ripe with authentic experiences, stunning scenery and outdoor activities galore, all with fewer crowds than more heavily traveled countries.
Road to Hana Tips with Kids
Family travel and travel planning continue to be affected by COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. Maui‘s famous Road to Hana is one of the most spectacular places in all of the Hawaiian islands. It’s full of sites that are not to be missed: the Pipiwai Trail, which traverses a bamboo forest in Haleakala National Park; idyllic Wailua Falls; the black sand beach in Wai’anapana State Park.
Best Things to Do in Salzburg with Kids
Family travel and travel planning continue to be affected by COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. Although best known as Mozart’s birthplace and the home of the Von Trapp family, the city of Salzburg has much more to offer even its youngest visitors. Tucked in the Austrian Alps, Salzburg has an Italian flair with Baroque churches and interlocking squares that bask in the shadow of the imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress.
Best Costa Rica Travel Tips for Families
Family-friendly Costa Rica offers a blend of active adventure experiences and beach downtime, with multiple ecosystems: rainforests, cloud forests, jungles, mangroves and beaches. Geographically, it combines mountainous regions interspersed along the interior with hills leading down to the waterfront.
The Best Belize Travel Tips for Families
Family travel and travel planning are being affected by the ongoing spread of COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. On the eastern coast of Central America, with Mexico to its north and Guatemala to its west, Belize is small compared to its neighbors but still manages to pack in plenty of adventure. Snorkel in the Belize Barrier Reef, the second-largest reef system in the world and home to 500 species of fish. Spot toucans, panthers, monkeys and crocodiles in the dense jungles.
Houzz Tour: Music, Crafts and Americana Inspire a Cozy Nest
This special property on Northern California’s San Rafael Bay inspires its owners, musicians and composers Hilary Perkins and Jim Nunally. It was love at first sight for the couple as they wended their way through the wild and woolly gardens to reach expansive views of San Rafael Bay. The property had a cozy little fishing shack built in 1945. And though they felt embraced by the small house, its flow and size weren’t functional.
2021 Family Travel Wishlist
What a difference a year makes! This time in 2020, both our clients and our Ciao Bambino team were looking forward to incredible family vacations across the world. The pandemic may have put those plans on hold, but it never stopped us from dreaming, and while globetrotting will have to wait just a little longer, brighter travel days are on the horizon.
New Zealand Travel Tips
If outdoor adventure and stunning landscapes are what make your family happy, a trip to New Zealand should be on your bucket list. With no language barrier, a modern culture and few safety concerns (and a whole lot of sheep!), families find travel to New Zealand very familiar and stress-free. U.S. visitors don’t even need a visa. Visiting New Zealand is perfect for those looking to unplug and immerse themselves in nature.
Best Things to Do on Maui with Kids
This is a guest post from Sarah Burns, a California native and mom blogger who traded traffic-filled freeways & the cold West coast waters for a beach house in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Sarah, along with her husband and two children, now calls Maui home and shares her parenting dispatches from paradise on her site The Ohana Mama.
Best Family Hotels and Resorts for Remote Learning
Back-to-school has taken on an entirely new meaning this year for many families. While a record number of students are home from their classrooms due to the pandemic, their parents are also juggling working remotely. It’s a transition, to say the least, but the ability to work and attend classes from any location might be the silver lining for families who long to travel.
Green Cabinets and Bold Tile Star in Historic Kitchen Remodel
See how the designer blended classic details with bold elements to create a stunning kitchen in a historic Houston home Bryan Anthony26 minutes ago Houzz Editorial Staff; writer, design enthusiast, reader, avid traveler. More The chance to bring a 1920 house in a historic neighborhood of Houston back to life excited the homeowners even though the challenge was steep.
Best Family Summer Camp Resorts
Family travel and travel planning are being affected by the ongoing spread of COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. Summer camp is a rite of passage that many children look forward to, but the COVID-19 pandemic has put this year’s camp dreams on hold.
Breezy Beach Style Brings Joy to a Designer’s Kitchen and Bedroom
Designer Krista Watterworth Alterman loves bright, white, neutral interiors. “They give me great joy and pleasure,” she says. So the dark cabinets, heavy draperies and muted yellow walls with a sponged-on effect inside her 2002 basic model home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, weren’t exactly delivering much delight. Alterman and her husband, Eric, lived with the existing style for about eight years until they decided in 2019 it was time to renovate.
10 Design Tips for Planning a Family Kitchen
When planning a new kitchen, it’s important to consider the requirements of everyone who’ll be using it. For family homes, this means having an adaptable space that can meet your needs and those of your children, both while they’re young and as they grow into teenagers. This is just as important for anyone planning a kitchen who hopes to have children in the future.
Best Itinerary for Visiting Australia with Kids
Australia is a vast and beautiful country. In two weeks you can see a lot, but you won’t have time to see it all. With everything that Australia has to offer (and not knowing if you’ll ever make it back because it’s so far away), creating the right itinerary for your family can be daunting. Here are our planning tips and a great itinerary framework to help you take in the best of Australia with kids. Sydney Harbour Bridge.
7-Day Plan: Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Bedroom
cmkossler: Goodwill – The Original Recycler Goodwill outlet locations double as recycling facilities where the teams sort, bundle and distribute the unsold goods. They are able to recycle nearly everything that is collected; paper for pulp, clothing for rags, glass for counter tops – even metal, electrical cords and light strings. So, please consider donating the old linens or whatever else you may have. It will be recycled and not go to a landfill.
Best Summer Hotel Stays 2020
Family travel and travel planning are being affected by the ongoing spread of COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. There is no doubt this summer’s travel will look different than in years past, especially when it comes to staying in hotels. Buffet breakfasts, lobby happy hours and room keys have given way to virtual check-ins, hand sanitizer stations and social distancing as the new must-have amenities.
How to Prepare Your Family for a Natural Disaster
It’s a conversation you might hesitate to have with your kids: what they should do if a hurricane, tornado or wildfire was headed toward your house. Or where they should go if a big earthquake hit while they were at school or soccer practice. But if you live in an area where a natural disaster is a possibility — and many of us do — it’s a talk you should have. Photo by Brian Khoury The good news is that it doesn’t have to be traumatic.
Why You Might Want to Work With an Interior Designer
A designer describes how a pro can help you get the most joy from your remodel while minimizing headaches along the way Yanic SimardMarch 29, 2021 Toronto Interior Design Group is a trusted one stop shop residential interior design boutique-style firm crafting timeless interiors. More When people consider hiring an interior design professional for the first time, they often don’t know what to expect. Television can make it seem as though designers are magicians.
Thala Beach Nature Reserve Resort
Thala Beach Nature Reserve is located on 58 hectares in northern Australia along a pristine beachfront and wild jungle. With two UNESCO world heritage sites right next door — the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest — the resort is a great place for the family to stay while exploring both. It’s also just a 15-minute drive from the lively town of Port Douglas.
Mustang Monument Luxury Eco-Resort Review for Families
Family travel and travel planning are being affected by the ongoing spread of COVID-19. For information and updates, click here. Lifelong animal lover and philanthropist Madeleine Pickens has created a paradise for some 750 wild horses in northeastern Nevada.
Guide to Venice Neighborhoods, Venice with Kids
With cobbled sidewalks, pedestrian streets, canal views and hundreds of bridges, Venice neighborhoods seem tailor-made to enchant kids. For many families, though, the unfamiliar terrain can be both dreamy and daunting. This magical floating city is made up of more than 117 islands, and it’s hard to know where to start. Venice is divided into six neighborhoods, collectively called sestieri (or sixths). Much like the arrondissements in Paris, each sestiere has its own flavor.
Here’s What Designers Want You to Have Ready When You Call
So you’re ready to tackle a home design project. Now what? Chances are, you’ll need professional help from an experienced interior designer, decorator, architect or all three. The first logical step would be to search for professionals in your area and then reach out to several professionals to find the best fit and get the ball rolling.
Where to Go in Vietnam with Kids
There was a time not that long ago when parents had to be convinced that a Vietnam vacation would be kid-friendly. Not any more. As more and more families demand meaningful learning experiences in addition to fun and relaxing moments together, Vietnam’s popularity has skyrocketed. But choosing where to go can be difficult, especially if you want to get out of the crowded cities and off the beaten path.
Best Southeast Asia Cruise
Cruising is one of the easiest ways for families to travel. It doesn’t matter where you go, being able to unpack once and wake up somewhere new just about every day has a way of making vacation actually feel like vacation. But cruising with kids offers a long list of perks that aren’t quite as obvious, especially if you’re exploring more off-the-beaten-path locations for families like Southeast Asia.
Zion National Park Vacation with Kids
Visiting Zion National Park is a must for many families — for good reason. It’s gorgeous. Pine trees cling to the slopes of spectacular red-rock canyons. A river twists through narrow stone passageways. Melted snow creates delicate waterfalls. The cherry on top? There’s a deep blue sky nearly every day. This rugged paradise in southwestern Utah is less than three hours from Las Vegas, so it’s easy to fly in and drive.
Coverlet, Duvet, Quilt, Comforter: What's the Difference?
Veronika - duvets in the USA are not "bags of feathers" either, I've never even heard of such a thing, I don't know why the writer said that because a duvet styled the way he/she described would be impractical and uncomfortable.
Affordable Caribbean Family Vacation Tips
The Caribbean is a blissful family escape, but paradise comes with a price. From accommodations to dining, it’s one of the most expensive regions for a vacation. That said, there are ways to enjoy a Caribbean getaway without major damage to the bank account. Try these tips for keeping costs in line.
How to Help California Wildfire Victims
Wind-driven fires this week have displaced residents and destroyed homes in Northern and Southern California. The Kincade Fire in Sonoma County has consumed nearly 77,000 acres and destroyed more than 150 homes. In Southern California, the Getty Fire in Los Angeles has burned 12 residences. The Hillside Fire in San Bernardino has burned six homes and consumed 200 acres. The Easy Fire in the hills above Simi Valley is threatening 7,000 structures.
Tips for a Family Vacation in Spain
Spain has always been a favorite with traveling families, and there’s no sign of a slowdown … in fact, it’s become our second most requested destination in the past few years, behind only Italy. And for good reason: Spain is as kid-friendly as it gets! Locals adore children and go out of their way to accommodate them.
Things to Do in Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia, is for the outdoor adventurers, the history buffs, the academics and the nature lovers. It has been named by National Geographic as one of the happiest cities in America. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the central part of the state, Charlottesville is a beautiful and fun place to visit, with a number of activities that families are sure to enjoy. Here are 10 to check out.
Things to Do in Hue, Vietnam with Kids
Perched right in the middle of Vietnam‘s coastline, Hue rarely makes the short list for a Southeast Asia family vacation. But there’s arguably no better place to delve into the country’s tangled history. After centuries of political tumult, Hue grabbed the limelight as the capital from 1802 to 1945; the town and its surrounding provinces would later endure some of the most brutal battles of the Vietnam War.
Have a Design Dilemma? Talk Amongst Yourselves
Judy Marusa’s Rhode Island vacation property was falling down. The structural bearing for the house was collapsing, and if she didn’t find someone to address the problem immediately, she would be in trouble. Stuck on the problem, Marusa began browsing the Houzz Discussions forum, where she frequently posts and comments in the Design Dilemmas section. She found a post about a beach home in Rhode Island whose owner, Houzz user Al Lazaro, was looking for suggestions on how to improve curb appeal.
5 Lessons From My Parents’ Master Suite Makeover
A Houzz editor looks for remodeling wisdom behind the scenes of her childhood home’s recent overhaul Gwendolyn Purdom9 minutes ago Houzz Editorial Staff. Lover of architecture, history, dogs, the Chicago Cubs, crowded bookshelves, and homes with a story. Former editor at Preservation mag and Culturess.com. More When I was growing up, my parents’ bedroom was fancy. It was in the “new” part of our 1920s Tudor in suburban Chicago (with “new,” in this case, translating to “added in 1988").
Your Guide to Industrial Style
Whether you’re shopping for furnishings or sharing your ideas with a designer, having a clear understanding of your favorite style can be a big help. If you love gritty, utilitarian spaces, raw materials and decor that evokes factories and warehouses, industrial style might be your best decorating match. Read on for the need-to-know details about this popular style, including key elements, color palettes, furniture and accessories.
Your Guide to a Craftsman-Style Kitchen
Whether you’re tackling a kitchen remodel with the help of a kitchen designer, an architect or a contractor, being able to clearly define your favorite style will help get your project off to a smooth start. If you live in a Craftsman home or just love handcrafted quality and a warm, cozy atmosphere, Craftsman style might be the right fit for you. Read on for the need-to-know details about this popular kitchen style, including key elements, color palettes, fixtures and finishing touches.
Toddler Travel Tips | Toddler Traveling Advice | Kid-Friendly Hotels
I’d argue that traveling with toddlers is the most challenging of all the stages. Babies take work, but they are portable and can’t venture off on their own. Meltdowns and tantrums aside, the real issue at this stage is that they are active, mobile, and into everything and anything. Given all the time, effort, and money that we put into toddler-proofing our homes, staying in random accommodations for even just a few days can be very stressful. Sleep is a big issue too.
Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City with Kids
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam at its most cosmopolitan and intense. It’s younger, bigger and worldlier than its northern cousin Hanoi, an endless sprawl of neon-lit skyscrapers, whizzing motorbikes and glitzy commercial areas interlaced with humble market streets and ancient temples. Most locals still call it by its old name, Saigon, and that fiercely independent regional spirit is part of what gives this town of almost 9 million its vibrance and vitality.
Things to Do in Chicago Off the Beaten Path
Families can easily spend several full days in Chicago just experiencing the city’s go-to tourist attractions, like the Sky Deck atop the Willis Tower, the Shedd Aquarium, the Navy Pier or the many wonderful and kid-friendly museums. But if your family is seeking out things to do off the beaten path, we’ve got a roundup of lesser-explored but just as fun ideas for your next trip to the Windy City.
Best Things to Do in Glasgow with Kids
Edinburgh may be the most popular city in Scotland for tourists, but Glasgow is actually the country’s largest city. Don’t overlook it as part of your Scotland itinerary — there are so many things to do in Glasgow for families. You’ll find kid-friendly museums, free attractions like amazing urban parks, fascinating walking tours full of history and fun, and more. The playground at Glasgow Green is ideal for little daredevils of all ages.
How to Vacation with Friends
As an only child, my son loves it when we travel with other families. Having additional kids along for the trip is infinitely more fun for him than hanging out with Mom and Dad. Likewise, my husband and I love having the chance to spend time and make memories with friends in a new place, free from all the commitments, comings and goings of our busy day-to-day lives.
Best Utah Road Trip Itinerary with Kids
Utah is truly an outdoor mecca all year round. In summer, hiking, camping, rafting and biking reign, and it’s peak season for the state’s “Mighty 5” National Parks (Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, Zion and Capitol Reef). To see the highlights of Utah via road trip, you’ll need more than a week. Even then, plan on spending quality time in the car. There’s just no best direct route! Park City’s historic Main Street.
Best Things to Do in Cape Town
South Africa is fast becoming a popular holiday destination for families all over the world. And with its majestic mountain scenery, white sand beaches and Mediterranean climate, Cape Town is the jewel in this country’s crown. I recently spent a long weekend in the city with my young toddler, Mary, and found the “fairest Cape” the perfect host for families of all ages and sizes.
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