ELLE Decor

4 min read Above: The parlor room features the modular Mah Jong sofa by Roche Bobois with custom pillows in Pierre Frey’s Pachira Blanc fabric. The area rug is custom, and the coffee tables are the Blackbird Glossy Tables by Gio Pagani. The wallpaper is the Terrace Porcelain Woven Sisal Wallcovering by Carlisle & Co., and the pendant is an Akari Lantern by Noguchi. From the sidewalk, a row of Upper West Side brownstones may appear deceptively uniform.

1 min read My friends know there’s one rule when they walk into my apartment: Don’t touch the overhead light switch. If you do, I’ll probably stop you. The moment the sun starts to disappear, I make my nightly circuit, switching on the table lamps, floor lamps, and anything else that casts a softer glow. Whether I’m scrolling on the couch after work or having friends over for drinks, every lamp earns its keep in my small New York apartment.

3 min read It was a big week for royal real estate. The onetime English country retreat of Queen Elizabeth’s sister, Princess Margaret, and her husband, Lord Snowdon, hit the market for $5.3 million. Dubbed Old House, the charming property still features one upstairs room sheathed in newspaper clippings and photographs of the royal family installed by Snowdon himself. Across the pond, two houses tied to American royalty—the Kennedys—are for sale.

2 min read Milos is often described as a “hidden gem.” Best known for its quiet beaches, historical sites, and volcanic landscapes, the Greek island is far more relaxed than its counterparts like Santorini or Mykonos, but no less beautiful. And the new Eréma hotel neatly highlights the natural scenery and island history in one tranquil retreat.

2 min read The house that appeared as Lorelai and Rory Gilmore's home in the pilot episode of Gilmore Girls is now for sale, marking its first time on the market in 24 years. The 2,840-square-foot property is located in Unionville, a neighborhood within Markham, Ontario. It’s listed for $3.88 million CAD, or $2.7 million USD. The home last sold in 2002.

2 min read For the first time in decades, a storied Telegraph Hill apartment building tied to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera is on the market for $8 million. The 11-unit property at 36–52 Calhoun Terrace was completed in 1938. Originally known as the Hoeffler Building, it steps down the eastern slope of the hill in a Swiss village–style cascade of balconies, decks, and picture windows overlooking the bay.

2 min read On Tuesday night, interior designers and decorators from all over the country—and the world—found themselves in the rare situation of being together in the same room. French architect and designer Robert Couturier posed for a photo with interiors expert and Queer Eye veteran Thom Filicia, while London-based Leonora Hamill met Reinaldo Leandro, one half of prolific design duo Ashe Leandro. Across the room, designer Young Huh clinked glasses with lawyer-turned-decorator Delia Kenza.

2 min read Malfalda Arrivabene leads a life surrounded by beauty. For over two centuries, her family—descendants of the Italian royal house of Savoy—has lived in Venice’s Palazzo Papadopoli right on the Grand Canal; in 2013, the palazzo became an Aman hotel, and the Arrivabenes moved to the top floor. Her sisters, Viola and Vera Arrivabene, built the shoe brand, Vibi Venezia, crafting modern versions of classic Venetian slippers.

3 min read In the span of a summer, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, one of Washington, D.C.’s most famous landmarks, has gone from highlight to headache. The historic water feature, built in 1922 between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, is once again dry. It is currently undergoing a slate of repairs following a recent $14 million revamp that was supposed to address leaking and algae bloom.

3 min read We have good news: Your herbs aren’t dying because you’re a “bad plant parent.” They’re likely dying because the modern kitchen is a pretty hostile place for plants. Between dim light, dry indoor air, decorative planters with no drainage, and supermarket pots, most herbs are set up to fail before you ever snip a sprig of basil.