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<keyword id="12394778" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wooden-stool" source="Orion">Wooden stool</keyword>s are a cozy addition to any living and working area and since they are readily available at most places and websites, they are a popular home decor choice. The rustic feel emitted by a wooden stool, can switch up the vibe of any corner, be it your home or office. Wooden stools also offer natural hues and tones, which sit well with modern interiors and can add an aesthetic charisma to your space.<br />So if you have been on the lookout for a stool or two, that can revamp your room but within a reasonable budget, then your search concludes here! We have pulled out 6 wooden stools available online, that are artistic and cost-effective as well.<br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B07MK91RXC" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07MK91RXC_head"><div type="image" title="High Stability" msid="87285549" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B07MK91RXC</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07MK91RXC_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07MK91RXC_9109216601704456"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Amaze Shoppee Wooden Beautiful Handmade Stool</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This handmade mango-wood stool has an attractive finish and it assures you of high stability, durability and utility. Topped with an intricate floral pattern, the stool is a blend of a contemporary design with vintage aesthetics, which makes it a sought after home decor item. It will especially match well with neutral interiors, given its cozy wooden vibe. You can bag this stool for your home or present it as a gift to a new homeowner.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B07MK91RXC_3155797471188353"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This highly durable handmade mango-wood stool assures you of stability and utility.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B07FD58BMP" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07FD58BMP_head"><div type="image" title="Smooth Edges" msid="87285580" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B07FD58BMP</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07FD58BMP_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07FD58BMP_5283369243373410"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Furniture Cafe Wooden Stools</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Made out of 100% natural mango wood and equipped with a weight holding capacity of 100 kg, this pre-assembled stool can be positioned anywhere, as per your choice. Embedded with a flower design on its top surface, the stool has a comfortable height and it can play various roles- be it as a lampstand or a plant pot holder. Further, the smoothed edges of this stool allow children and pets to be around without hurting themselves. This portable stool's fittings have also been prepared to fight against rust and its sturdiness guarantees a long life span, overall.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B07FD58BMP_9103266096556704"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Made out of 100% natural mango wood, this portable stool serves an array of purposes.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B01N686MMH" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B01N686MMH_head"><div type="image" title="Lightweight Design" msid="87285603" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B01N686MMH</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B01N686MMH_body"><bulletContentRow name="B01N686MMH_8890130507870900"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Simran Handicrafts Round Wooden Stool</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This round multi-functional stool is a blend of solid wood and plyboard, with an unconventional design. It can be employed as a seating arrangement, side table, lampstand, coffee table, amid a variety of other uses. This stool is lightweight, which makes it easy to carry around and it can shoulder up to 100 kg of load. Further, this wooden stool is delivered in a pre-assembled state for your ease. Ideal as an outdoor and indoor furniture piece, this stool has a hard-to-miss luxe appeal, making it perfect as a self-gift or for a dear one on their special day.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B01N686MMH_7971123770205073"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This multi-functional stool is a blend of solid wood and plyboard, with an unconventional design.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B08D6Y7NZZ" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08D6Y7NZZ_head"><div type="image" title="Hand Carved" msid="87285622" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08D6Y7NZZ</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08D6Y7NZZ_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08D6Y7NZZ_7770630979166862"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Incredible Hub Wooden Small Stool</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This pre-assembled multipurpose wooden stool has a chic design and a luxurious feel to its overall appearance. Designed out of a reclaimed cedar tree stump, this stool has been hand-carved to maintain its natural feel. Additionally, this stool caters to different objectives and can be stationed as a coffee table, bedside table, study table and so on. The versatility of this item pairs well with any surrounding, be it residential or commercial. Its complete luxe display makes it an impeccable gifting choice as well.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08D6Y7NZZ_0569615312097106"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This pre-assembled multipurpose wooden stool has a chic design and an overall luxurious appearance.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B0857KPTYX" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B0857KPTYX_head"><div type="image" title="Portable Design" msid="87285709" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B0857KPTYX</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B0857KPTYX_body"><bulletContentRow name="B0857KPTYX_1994457425215332"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Danish Art Window Beautiful Antique Wooden Stool</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This handmade wooden stool is etched with intricate brass work and it even serves as a decorative table. It's simple yet antique semblance, lures every wooden art enthusiast. Moreover, with a concealed storage space, this premium quality stool helps you to declutter your immediate environment. Although it is lightweight and easy to move around, it can bear up to 100 kg of weight. The stool can be positioned anywhere, be it your bedroom, living room or dining hall and it is fit for the outdoors as well.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B0857KPTYX_5397949189156772"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This handmade premium wooden stool serves as a decorative table as well.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B08F37DLBK" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B08F37DLBK_head"><div type="image" title="Elephant Shape" msid="87285940" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B08F37DLBK</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B08F37DLBK_body"><bulletContentRow name="B08F37DLBK_2078921077956725"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">JH Gallery Handcrafted and Emboss Painted Colorful Wood Elephant Shape Garden Table</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This hand-painted decorative elephant stool with Rajasthani motifs, is hand-carved out of wood and it can liven up any corner with its vibrancy. The statue cum stool can be used as a home decor item as well as a storage solution. So if you have a bunch of books lying around or want to find a place for your new planter, this artsy mango-wood stool will serve the purpose. For increased longevity, keep it away from warmth, heat and direct sunlight.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B08F37DLBK_4609944273507226"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This hand-painted mango-wood elephant stool with Rajasthani motifs, can liven up any corner.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br />

Best wooden stool for living room in India

Side tables might be small, but they can redefine the style statement of your living room. Along with being home décor, they are also items of utility. We’re constantly needing side tables to place our coffee mugs, magazines or cell phones. So, why not get an elegant one that will reflect well on you. Take a look at some of the best side tables available. <br /><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B07MK91RXC" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07MK91RXC_head">            <div type="image" title="Popular Choice" msid="78815217" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B07MK91RXC</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07MK91RXC_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07MK91RXC_4922886077519884"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Amaze Shoppee Wooden Beautiful Handmade Stool (Brown)</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Made from solid mango wood, this <keyword id="1132658" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="side-table">side table</keyword> has a very fine finish. It’s strong and sturdy enough to be used as a stool too. Place it at the end of your sofa and use it to keep your teacup, novel or cell phone. You could also use it to keep an indoor plant, artificial plant, telephone or photo frame. It is long-lasting and chic.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B07MK91RXC_4962753938076339"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Can be a great housewarming gift, is elegant and stable.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B01N686MMH" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B01N686MMH_head">            <div type="image" title="Top Pick" msid="78815247" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B01N686MMH</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B01N686MMH_body"><bulletContentRow name="B01N686MMH_6596904643400271"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">myWoodKart Round Wooden Stool Natural Wood Logs Best Used as Bedside Tea Coffee Plants Table</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This piece will make any living room look ethnic and classy. It looks like a tree bark and is made by exceptional Indian craftsmen using solid wood and plywood. You can keep it in your living room or bedroom as a side table. It can be used for seating purposes too since it can hold up to 100kgs weight.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B01N686MMH_7017287519862245"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Stylish side table, contemporary design, and doesn’t take up much space.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B078N8JHY3" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B078N8JHY3_head">            <div type="image" title="Smart Buy" msid="78815355" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B078N8JHY3</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B078N8JHY3_body"><bulletContentRow name="B078N8JHY3_7240277577771361"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">DecorNation Lawanya Coffee Table Set of 2 End Side Large And Medium Sized Table</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This set is value for money because you get not one, but two tables. You could keep them both together or you could keep one in the living room and one by your bedside. It’s a triangular shaped table that’s simple and elegant. Made from high-quality engineered wood, and rounded at the edges, it’s a safe option when there are kids in the house.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B078N8JHY3_3125901425455723"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Wooden finish, can be kept one under the other, and is easy to maintain.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B081DTPDW2" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B081DTPDW2_head"><div type="image" title="Recommended" msid="78815388" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B081DTPDW2</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B081DTPDW2_body"><bulletContentRow name="B081DTPDW2_2645339167889865"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Amaze Shoppee Foldable Oval Shaped Side Table</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This oval shaped table is also a great option for your living room. The legs are angled outwards giving it better grip and firmness. The edges are rounded so your kids will not hurt themselves if they run into it. It has a smooth finish on the light grey surface, and the legs are made from strong engineered wood. It will look great with an indoor plant or a showpiece.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B081DTPDW2_4896239870383952"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Available in two colours.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B079TZ85XR" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B079TZ85XR_head">            <div type="image" title="Editor’s Pick" msid="78815302" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B079TZ85XR</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B079TZ85XR_body"><bulletContentRow name="B079TZ85XR_7197183611874956"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">AAROORA Bedside End Table Home Bedroom &amp; Living Room</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">This side table is a multi use table. It’s not just a table with a surface, but a table that has storage too. It’s designed in such a way that along with the top surface, you get two open shelves too. So while you keep your telephone and coffee mug on the top, you can keep your magazines and books on the bottom shelves.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B079TZ85XR_4365888584202285"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">High-quality engineered wood, wenge finish, dark brown colour.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br /><br /><bulletContentEmbed name="B07GYQXDHM" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07GYQXDHM_head">            <div type="image" title="Also Consider" msid="78815434" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb>B07GYQXDHM</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07GYQXDHM_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07GYQXDHM_4710442543492909"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">DriftingWood Wooden Brown Round Shape Bedside End Table</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Another great table that gives you a storage shelf. It is a tall and fairly compact table that doesn’t take up a lot of space. The top has a smooth finish and can be used to keep the telephone or a showpiece, and the bottom has a vertical rack for books, magazines or the newspaper.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B07GYQXDHM_5788599857404987"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Walnut brown, contemporary design, elegant finish, and other designs available.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed><br />

designer side tables for living rooms

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table lead-image-small"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.serenaandlily.com/south-seas-bar-cart/m11602.html?utm_source=pj&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_campaign=pjgeneric&amp;publisherId=133628&amp;clickId=2872978847" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"></a><p class="source"><span>Serena &amp; Lily/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The perfect bar cart has room to store all the bottles and glasses you need, has wheels for easy mobility, and fits perfectly with every home aesthetic.</li><li>The <a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/sid/biipgf062818bestbarcarts/https://www.worldmarket.com/product/metal+and+wood+geneva+bar+cart.do?clickid=Q4vUwtRQ3Ulr1SzTUAUGcTH3UkjTunWLVTRbW80&amp;camp=Aff:10078:84047:IR&amp;utm_campaign=84047:IR&amp;utm_source=10078&amp;sharedid=&amp;utm_medium=affiliate" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">World Market Metal and Wood Geneva Bar Cart</a> is our top pick because it's sleek, inexpensive, comes with wine and stemware storage, and its versatile look works in any room.</li><li><strong>See more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-bar-stools" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">The best bar stools</a></strong></li></ul><p>Bar carts are the newest fad in interior decorating, perfectly accompanied by tiny cacti, quote boards, chrome ice buckets, and a bottle of Israel's finest.</p><p>With so much variety, you want to choose the bar cart that's best for your personal style, whether that's vintage with stained dark wooden shelves, more modern with glass and gold accents, or more boho-chic with handwoven handles.</p><p>You also want your bar cart to meet your storage needs without overcrowding your living room. If you're a party-thrower, the cart should feature more shelves, hold more weight, and come with more stemware storage. If you're a Manhattanite in a studio apartment, you may want to downsize and go for a more simple, minimalistic look that can easily be housed in the corner of the room.</p><p>We've scoured the internet for the top-rated, best-selling bar carts in a variety of price ranges from under $50 to just over $1,700.</p><h2><strong>Here are the best bar carts you can buy:</strong></h2><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Best bar cart overall: <a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/sid/biipgf062818bestbarcarts/https://www.worldmarket.com/product/metal+and+wood+geneva+bar+cart.do?clickid=Q4vUwtRQ3Ulr1SzTUAUGcTH3UkjTunWLVTRbW80&amp;camp=Aff:10078:84047:IR&amp;utm_campaign=84047:IR&amp;utm_source=10078&amp;sharedid=&amp;utm_medium=affiliate" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">World Market Metal And Wood Geneva Bar Cart</a><br /></strong></li><li><strong>Best bar cart under $50: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I3MTIPE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01I3MTIPE&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=biipgf_062818_best-bar-carts-20&amp;linkId=2e06d39fe5804540735fc40fc86ec5f6" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Ikea RASKOG cart</a></strong></li><li><strong>Best modern bar cart: <a href="https://amzn.to/2tJIox7" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Holly &amp; Martin Zephs Bar Cart</a></strong></li><li><strong>Best mid-century bar cart: <a href="https://westelm.7eer.net/c/196318/267856/4336?subId1=biipgf062818bestbarcarts&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.westelm.com%2Fproducts%2Fparker-mid-century-bar-cart-h415%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">West Elm Mid-Century Bar Cart</a></strong></li><li><strong>Best boho bar cart: <a href="http://www.pntra.com/t/S0BHSkhMQERGRklFS0BIQ0tLSA?sid=biipgf062818bestbarcarts&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.serenaandlily.com%2Fsouth-seas-bar-cart%2Fm11602.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Serena and Lily South Seas Bar Cart</a></strong></li><li><strong>Best expensive bar cart: <a href="http://www.gopjn.com/t/TEFNTE1KQUVHR0pGTEFFRURNR0k?sid=biipgf062818bestbarcarts&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dwr.com%2Fliving-accent-coffee-tables%2Fmoller-trolley%2F1791.html%3Flang%3Den_US" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Design Within Reach Møller Trolley</a></strong></li><li><strong>See more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-bar-stools" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">The best bar stools</a></strong></li></ul><p><em>Updated 10/30/19 by Jada Wong: Updated prices, formatting, and links.</em></p><p class="tagline"><p><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a><br><br>Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.<br><br>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.</br></br></br></br></p></p>

The best bar carts

<ul class="summary-list"><li>We asked interior designers to share how people can <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mistakes-youre-making-when-decorating-a-living-room-2019-11">upgrade a living room</a> without spending money.</li><li>Decluttering and rearranging furniture is an easy way to refresh a space.</li></ul><p>Sometimes small changes can make a big impact to a space. </p><p>And with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/housing-market-predictions-2024">high housing costs and low inventory</a> making it trickier to relocate, you may be looking to make the most with what you've got without spending the money you're setting aside for your next move.</p><p>So, we asked interior designers to share their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/make-home-look-better-for-free-without-buying-anything">best ways to upgrade a home for free</a>, starting with the living room.</p><p>Here's what they said.</p><h2><span>First off, declutter the space and get rid of items you don't need</span></h2><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/tara_dennis/"><span>Tara Dennis</span></a><span>, interior designer and cofounder of </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/archie.bolden/"><span>Archie Bolden</span></a><span>, said decluttering your space can help it feel more relaxing.</span></p><p><span>"The goal is not to take away from the beautiful art or furniture pieces you may have in your home," Dennis told Business Insider. "</span>Decluttering will make for a less hectic look so you can take in all the wonderful pieces and accents you may have."</p><h2><span>Group items together to create 'moments' throughout your space</span></h2><div type="image" title="Sculpture and funky vase on black console table" height="580" width="870" msid="108627315" hostid="261" sizebytes="13772"></div><p><span>If you have many items or small decorative objects in your living room, try grouping them to "create little moments" that look cleaner and more intentional, Dennis said.</span></p><p><span>"For example, put a lamp on a stack of books with a few smaller things underneath. On the other side of your console, have another grouping of items and incorporate different scales with accessories, floral, picture frames, and other objects of different weights and sizes," she said. </span></p><p><span>Dennis also recommends styling with an odd number of things when grouping items together.</span></p><h2>Hang your curtains higher</h2><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasmine-el-sanyoura/">Yasmine El Sanyoura</a>, a home designer at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.opendoor.com/">Opendoor</a>, said hanging your curtains higher can create a more elegant and larger-looking space.</p><p>"A low-cost way to instantly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/interior-designer-living-room-neutral-space-design-tips-2024-3">make your living room look better</a> is to relocate your curtain rod to be closer to the ceiling," she said. "This will draw the eye up in all the right ways and elongate your walls to give the illusion of higher ceilings."</p><h2><span>Rearrange your furniture </span></h2><p><span>Interior designer and color expert </span><a target="_blank" href="https://www.gorgeouscolor.com/"><span>Diana Hathaway</span></a><span> says rearranging furniture is an easy way to mix up a living room.</span></p><p><span>"It's easy to get comfortable with your furniture layout after living with it for a long time," she said. "Sometimes all a living room needs is a new layout to give it a fresh look and increased livability. "</span></p><p><span>One of her favorite simple and impactful changes is trying the "wallflower layout," which is simply moving furniture away from the walls. </span></p><h2><span>Organize your bookshelf differently</span></h2><p>Jade Joyner, cofounder and principal designer of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.metalandpetal.com/">Metal + Petal</a>, said <span>rearranging your living-room bookshelf is an easy way to achieve a new look without much effort.</span></p><p><span>"Organize your books by color instead of by size. This rainbow organizing effect can immediately make a space feel fresh," Joyner said.</span></p><h2><span>Give your coffee table a makeover</span></h2><div type="image" title="Decorative wood tray with plant and candles on it" height="667" width="1000" msid="108627316" hostid="261" sizebytes="60950"></div><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-mccarthy-98334961/"><span>Jessica McCarthy</span></a><span>, global </span>director of interior design at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theblueground.com/">Blueground</a>, <span>said giving your coffee table a makeover with pieces you already have can revitalize your living room.</span></p><p><span>"Use items from other parts of your home to zhuzh up your coffee table," she said. "Stack books from your library, grab a candle from your bathroom, or florals and branches from your garden to give your coffee table a refresh."</span></p><h2><span>Find new uses for items you already own</span></h2><p><span>McCarthy told BI that finding new uses for items you own is another great way to repurpose what you have.</span></p><p><span>For example, they said, they recently used a trunk that had been storing blankets as an "unexpected side table" that "adds a lot of visual interest" to their space.</span></p><p><span>"The same can be done with a stool or chair. Stack some books, add a table lamp, and no one will ever know it wasn't meant to be a side table," McCarthy added.</span></p><h2><span>Use fresh fruit as a prop and accessory</span></h2><p><span>Moving food from your kitchen to your living room can give your space a new look and add a pop of color, said McCarthy. </span></p><p><span>"I love a big wooden bowl filled with oranges, lemons, or limes to bring color into your space," </span>McCarthy told BI. </p><p>The designer also suggested layering pomegranates with pillar candles on a table for an "old world" centerpiece you won't spend extra for. </p>

Interior designers share 8 ways to make your living room look better for free 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I stayed at a ryokan, a Japanese inn with a tatam-mat floor, futon mattress, and bath.</li><li>Although sleeping on the floor hurt my back, the room was very peaceful and I loved the breakfast.</li></ul><p>While on my honeymoon, I traveled to Japan and took the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/riding-japans-bullet-trains-between-tokyo-kyoto-2023-7"><u>bullet train</u></a> from Tokyo to Kyoto.</p><p>As Japan's former capital city, the historical area is known for its Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. While there, my husband and I stayed at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn.</p><p>Ryokan are possibly one of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/japanese-ryokan/">oldest forms of hotels</a>, dating back centuries. They can be found throughout Japan.</p><p>Although the types of ryokan can vary, most include a tatami-mat floor, futon mattresses without a bedframe, communal or private baths, and multi-course Japanese meals.</p><h2><strong>Our ryokan was modern with a nod to tradition</strong></h2><div type="image" title="Image from the street of an off-white and brown building. There are rows of windows with small balconies, a tall fence on the ground level with an opening by the entrance, and planters in front of the fence with green bushes in them. Behind the fence is a wall with a wooden sign that has the hotel name written on it." height="743" width="990" msid="105193238" hostid="261" sizebytes="100310"></div><p>The ryokan my husband and I stayed at was called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kyoto-ryokan-sakura.com/urushi/"><u>Sakura Urushitei</u></a> and was located in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto.</p><p>The building itself looked modern but had curved Eastern-style eaves on the first two floors and a small Japanese-style garden to the left of the entrance.</p><p>The lobby was modern, but everything was made of wood and featured display cases with lacquerware, as well as Japanese ceramics and art.</p><div type="image" title="A collage featuring two images. On the left is a painting with a gold background featuring an image of bamboo stalks and white cranes. On the right are a series of orange wooden gates over a stone walkway leading to an entrance to a building." height="1080" width="1440" msid="105193239" hostid="261" sizebytes="98352"></div><p>Our room, which was in an adjoining building, was "Sukiya-style" — a type of architecture that uses rustic materials and mimics natural surroundings.</p><p>On our way, we walked past a wall of beautiful Japanese art, then several orange torii gates.</p><h2>Our room was minimalist and made with natural materials</h2><div type="image" title="A photo of two wooden chairs without legs resting on the tatami mat floor around a small wooden table. Opposite, in the right corner of the room is a small alcove with a shelf that has a wooden box and below that two sliding cupboard doors. The walls are white with a thin carved wooden tree running from ceiling to floor. The ceiling is made with bamboo beams." height="750" width="1000" msid="105193241" hostid="261" sizebytes="33522"></div><p>As is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/surprising-things-about-moving-to-japan-with-family-from-us-american">common in Japan</a>, we took our shoes off when entering our room, left them by the entrance, and put on the slippers that were left for us to wear. </p><p>The space was fairly small with a short table and chairs without any legs. The overhead light was covered with a shade that looked like it was made out of paper and there was also a small lamp on the floor.</p><p>The room itself was made out of natural materials and felt very minimalist but serene and comfortable.</p><p>Our room also didn't have a TV, which felt a bit like an escape from constantly being surrounded by screens.</p><h2>Sleeping on the floor was a little uncomfortable but surprisingly cozy</h2><div type="image" title="Photo of India Kushner sitting at a small wooden table wearing red earrings in the shape of a flower and a blue cotton robe with a floral abstract print. India has dark brown hair pulled into a ponytail and dark brown eyes. Behind her is a small lamp on the floor." height="750" width="1000" msid="105193242" hostid="261" sizebytes="68222"></div><p>On the left side, we found a small closet containing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/dollar-hotel-japan-livestreams-guests-stay-2019-11">our bedding</a> and two Yukata robes made from cotton. There was also a special corner of the room to place our luggage so it didn't damage the tatami mat.</p><p>When it was time for us to go to sleep, we unrolled our<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/guides/home/best-futon"> futon mattress</a>, covered it with a sheet, and put the duvet on top.</p><p>Since the room was so small, we had to move the table and chairs out of the way, but they were so lightweight, it wasn't much of an issue.</p><div type="image" title="A Japanese-style futon bed on a tatami mat floor next to a small floor-level window. The bed has a colorful duvet cover on top." height="1080" width="1440" msid="105193243" hostid="261" sizebytes="70476"></div><p>Although the mattress was a little thin, it was surprisingly cozy and comfortable.</p><p>However, because I have lower back issues (a perk of being in my mid-30s), I don't think I could sleep like this every night. </p><p>This sleep style is somewhat common in some parts of Japan, and I wonder if my body would've adjusted if I'd slept like this for a longer period of time. </p><p>After all, some research suggests there are numerous <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/sleeping-on-the-floor">benefits to sleeping on the floor</a>. </p><p>For example, some soft mattresses can allow your spine to curve and cause <a target="_blank" href="https://www.healthline.com/health/sleeping-on-the-floor#benefits-of-sleeping-on-the-floor">back pain</a>. A firmer mattress — or a thin one on the floor — may help keep your spine neutral.</p><p>Plus, using a futon mattress that you can roll up and store during the day is a great way to save space.</p><h2><strong>Our private bath was inviting and hot — but maybe a little too hot</strong></h2><div type="image" title="A room with black stone tiles on the floor and walls. On the left side of the room is a deep bathtub with turquoise tiles and a wooden edge. There is water coming from the tap. To the right is a small wooden stool with a wooden bucket on top, a metal shower tap, and three bottles. There is a window to the left of the bathtub. Outside is a small stone lamp with light coming out." height="750" width="1000" msid="105193244" hostid="261" sizebytes="99870"></div><p>Many ryokans feature a private <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cruise-attendant-job-bathing-nude-japan-onsen-2018-9">onsen</a>, also called a hot spring or bath, that guests can reserve for multiple people at once.</p><p>The one at our ryokan wasn't a hot spring, just a regular bath, and could be rented for 40 minutes for the equivalent of $4.</p><p>Since my husband and I saw another couple wearing their robes right before entering the bath, we did the same, although it felt a little strange walking around the lobby in them.</p><p>Guests are encouraged to rinse off before a bath, so the room includes a shower, a short stool to sit on, and a wooden bucket to pour water over your body.</p><p>The bath itself was scalding hot. Despite <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/treatments/cold-shower-vs-hot-shower">loving hot showers</a>, I couldn't manage more than a few minutes with just my feet in the water.</p><p>I'm unsure if we were supposed to, but my husband and I used the bucket to add cold water from the shower.</p><p>Once the water was at a more manageable temperature, we were able to submerge ourselves and found it very relaxing. It still was quite hot, and I actually had to take a break and get out a few times.</p><p>After the bath, I was extremely sleepy and ready for bed.</p><h2>As with many places in Japan, we had to pay extra for breakfast</h2><div type="image" title="A picture of a tray with various bowls containing a piece of salmon, a Japanese omelet, shredded daikon radish, miso soup,  greens, seaweed, broccoli with sesame seeds, carrots and tofu and rice. At the bottom is a set of chopsticks on a wooden chopstick rest." height="618" width="824" msid="105193245" hostid="261" sizebytes="96390"></div><p>At our ryokan, we were given the option of Japanese breakfast, American breakfast, continental, or fruit and granola.</p><p>My husband and I chose the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/what-breakfast-looks-like-around-the-world-2019-3">Japanese breakfast</a> for our entire stay.</p><p>The main dish had a piece of grilled salmon, grated daikon radish with a sauce on top, and a small Japanese omelet.</p><p>We got <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/5-breakfast-foods-from-the-areas-people-live-the-longest-2022-11">miso soup</a> and many small bowls featuring local greens, seaweed, steamed broccoli with sesame seeds, carrots and tofu in a light sauce, and rice. </p><p>Breakfast was delicious. Despite how much food we were given, it was very light.</p><h2><strong>The back pain was worth the unique cultural experience</strong></h2><p>My stay at the ryokan was very different from a traditional hotel.</p><p>Although we could've opted for a typical Western room, I was excited at the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the local culture.</p><p>The ryokan also offered <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/diy-old-home-renovation-abandoned-japanese-guesthouse-before-after-photos-2023-3#interested-guests-can-also-attend-a-bamboo-weaving-workshop-that-kajiyama-hosts-next-door-12">cultural workshops</a>, like a tea ceremony and sake tasting, but we didn't get to try any.</p><p>Still, despite the slight back pains, I'm also glad we were able to try the Japanese-style beds.</p><p>If I lived in a big city like<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/dos-and-donts-traveling-in-tokyo-japan-american-expat-2023-7"> Tokyo</a>, I could see how coming to a place like this would feel rejuvenating and relaxing.</p>

I stayed at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. I didn't have a bed frame, but I still preferred it to a Western-style hotel. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I'm a mom to an almost 2-year-old girl.</li><li>My husband and I have been picking up after her when she goes to bed, but it's exhausting.</li></ul><p>Every night after I put my toddler, Elle, to bed, the cleanup begins. My husband and I hurry around the house, putting toys in bins, vacuuming fruit-flavored puffs, and wiping sticky fingerprints off tables, walls, and kitchen cabinets.</p><p>But after watching "<a href="https://www.insider.com/new-netflix-tv-show-old-enough-causes-among-parents">Old Enough!</a>" — the Japanese series where toddlers go on errands by themselves — I was inspired to teach my almost 2-year-old daughter to start chipping in. After all, if those <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-netflix-tips-and-tricks">Netflix</a>-famous tots could go to grocery stores and fish markets, maybe mine could clear her plate.</p><p>As it turns out, household duties can be an important part of childhood development. The <a href="https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Chores_and_Children-125.aspx">American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry</a> has found that chores can promote self-esteem, teach responsibility, and teach young kids how to deal with frustrations.</p><p>So while I'm not yet comfortable <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3lq25HLyAA">handing my toddler a flag</a> and sending her to a store, I know that even the smallest kids can do important work.</p><h2><strong>Kids want to help</strong></h2><p>Teaching a toddler to do anything new can be challenging, so I assumed getting Elle interested in chores would be difficult. But kids, especially the youngest ones, are <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/201809/toddlers-want-help-and-we-should-let-them">naturally interested</a> in their caregiver's activities.</p><p>I started to do little tasks, such as putting toys away and folding laundry, and asked her to join in. "Come on, honey, let's put these blocks in the bin," I'd say. I'd show her how to do the task and sometimes gently guide her hand to get her started.</p><p>I'll admit that she isn't <em>always</em> keen on chores. Sometimes she decides she'd like to play with whatever toy I'm putting away. But usually, she sits down next to me when I tidy up, grabbing her blocks or dolls and tossing them into the toy box, happy to help.</p><h2><strong>There are a lot of chores little hands can do</strong></h2><p>One of my biggest challenges in chore training was convincing myself that most jobs weren't too difficult for my toddler.</p><p>There's a lot a toddler can do. At the grocery store, I instruct her to grab groceries from low shelves and put them in the basket. When we get home, she carries light grocery bags with nothing breakable in them into the kitchen.</p><p>When I want to wipe down the table, I put a damp sock on Elle's hand, and she cleans right along with me. If I hand her a cup of cat food, she'll run over to refresh our pet's bowl. She even helps out in the kitchen, standing on a toddler stool and using a wooden, child-safe slicer to cut her own apples.</p><p>As "<keyword id="14136702" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="old-enough" source="Orion">Old Enough</keyword>!" viewers likely know, toddlers aren't always 100% successful when it comes to their tasks. The kids on the show don't always bring home the right items or the right amount. And similarly, my toddler's "cleaning" doesn't always make the house tidier. Her version of wiping up spilled ice cream usually spreads rainbow sherbet around the living-room floor. Watering our houseplants usually results in more water outside the pot than inside.</p><p>But I'm not encouraging my daughter to help with chores because I'm hoping to lighten my load. I want to get her used to doing these tasks so that she has a sense of pride in our home, <a href="https://www.birminghammaple.com/14615/bmc-blog/chores-key-childs-self-esteem">develops self-esteem</a>, and has a strong work ethic. </p><h2><strong>Doing chores is also great bonding time</strong></h2><p>While I used to drop my toddler in her playpen as I loaded dirty clothes into the washer, now we do the task together. I bring the hamper to the laundry room, and we take turns putting articles of clothing into the washer. Then, when the clothes are clean, I take them out of the washer, and she tosses them into the dryer. </p><p>With my daughter helping, I've found that something as mundane as laundry can be fun. Sure, chores with a toddler can take all day — but it's a day well spent.</p>

I wanted my toddler to do chores like on Netflix's 'Old Enough!' She now makes mundane chores fun.

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Chloe Pantazi/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The inside of the restaurant</p></div><p></p></div></div></span>I'm not a naturist. I've never sunbathed topless or visited a nude beach. I don't even walk around the gym changing room undressed.</p><p>And yet, here I am, sitting completely naked eating vegan food in a cubicle with two strangers somewhere in central London.</p><p>I'm at <a href="http://www.thebunyadi.com/">The Bunyadi</a>, the city's first nude pop-up restaurant that opens to the public today (Saturday, June 11).</p><p>Since <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/londons-naked-restaurant-the-bunyadi-2016-4">the pop-up was announced in April</a>, 46,000 people have applied for tickets, which cost £69 each. But The Bunyadi, open in a secret location for three months, only fits 42 people at a time.</p><p>The idea is that <em>everything</em> is naked - from the decor to the food, made with raw ingredients and cooked naturally. There's no electricity and no phones.</p><p>It's a place to "experience true liberation," Seb Lyall, the restaurant creator and founder of the pop-up company Lollipop, said in a press release.</p><p>Business Insider went to a press lunch at The Bunyadi to see what it's like.</p><h3>The experience</h3><p>When I arrive, the foyer is packed with people in white bathrobes. A man hands me a robe and slippers, and directs me to a small changing room. I undress behind a curtain and put on the gown, stuffing my clothes and bag in a locker.</p><p>At the bar, a smattering of nervous-looking journalists sit in robes knocking back cocktails. While a few people talk to each other, most frown at their phones. Occasionally, a tattoo-covered waiter - naked, except for a pair of beige briefs adorned with fig leaves - rushes in and out of the room.</p><p>One of the few fully dressed people there, Seb Lyall asks for the room's attention and welcomes us to the restaurant. Although nudity is optional, he says, "about 80% of customers do de-robe," before reminding us that we're not allowed anything with us in the room.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Chloe Pantazi/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The Bunyadi is a place to "experience true liberation," Seb Lyall, the restaurant creator and founder of the pop-up company Lollipop, said.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Without time to dash to my locker, I leave my iPhone behind the bar, and join the dining room queue, where I make conversation with a couple behind me.</p><p>A waitress - topless, in the same uniform as her male counterpart - appears from behind a black curtain, and leads the three of us into the restaurant.</p><p>Behind the curtain, the restaurant is illuminated by candles dotted about the floor and walls, and divided into mini-rooms formed by bamboo screens, with a small white curtain hanging in the doorway for privacy.</p><p>Arriving at our cubicle, we sit on stools at a wooden table laid with clay tableware and a candle. Initially, we keep our robes on, and for perhaps 10 minutes - without my phone, I've no way of keeping time - the conversation is somewhat staggered. But soon enough, the small talk gives way to discussions about travel, food, even politics.</p><h3>The food</h3><p>The first course on both menus (the table agrees to try the vegan and non-vegan versions) is a garden salad with pickled apple, salted cucumber, radish, and a "forbidden fruit," along with a cold soup. The appetiser is designed to evoke the Garden of Eden, our waitress explains. I drink the soup, which is like fruit juice, in one go, but I'm not keen on the salad. Though it tastes fresh, I don't enjoy that I can barely see my food.</p><p>Next, the waitress brings asparagus, salted almonds, pickled red onion, and watermelon; the non-vegan option is a cured salmon and seaweed salad with whipped spirulina mayonnaise. While the non-vegan mayo and salmon are slimy, the asparagus and watermelon in the vegan dish are deliciously savoury yet sweet.</p><p>By now, it's stifling hot in the room, thanks to the thick robes and the lack of air conditioning. The three of us agree to take off our robes, and we count down, "3, 2, 1," before untying our gowns.</p><p>As well as a wave of relief from the heat, I feel hyper-aware of my nakedness. I make a conscious effort to sit up straight and hold my shoulders back. (It turns out, eating in front of people naked does wonders to one's posture.) I'm also now grateful for the darkness, which mostly covers me. Though I certainly can't forget I'm naked, I soon begin to relax and focus on the food.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Chloe Pantazi/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The second course on the "naked vegan" menu: Asparagus, salted almonds, pickled red onion, and watermelon.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The main is a goji-berry, coriander Steak Tartare with basil and wild nettle oil, while the vegan alternative is sun-dried tomato stuffed courgette flowers with cauliflower couscous and seaweed flakes. With this meal, I discover as my spoon breaks, the cutlery's edible (up until now, I've been eating with a cocktail stick). I enjoy the fruity berry flavour in the Steak Tartare, but find the vegan dish bland.</p><p>The first of two desserts, a "sweet and salt seasonal forage," is like eating a messy fruit salad, and I struggle with a slice of blood orange that still has the rind on. However, the second dessert - blackberries, coconut and chia mousse with raw crumble ;- is my favourite. The coconut's wonderfully fresh, and the mushy berries combined with biscuity crumble creates a lovely texture.</p><h3>The verdict</h3><p>At £69 a head (not including wine), The Bunyadi is an expensive dinner - especially if you're going for the food, which feels secondary to the experience of being naked.</p><p>Though the restaurant's back-to-basics theme is a bit pretentious - I don't quite feel like Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the clay cups ruin the taste of good wine - being without my phone and clothes feels rather liberating. While I'd just met the people I shared a nude lunch with, I feel I can express myself more frankly than if I were at a regular restaurant. But I'm not sure if this is because I'm naked or because I don't have my iPhone.</p><p>Either way, it's an interesting social experiment, one that I was initially reluctant to take part in but that now fills me with a sense of achievement, as someone who's often self-conscious about her body. Although I'm not going to become a nudist - or a vegan - anytime soon, the experience has made me more comfortable in my skin.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/roller-coaster-restaurant-alton-towers-2016-6">You can now get your food served by a roller coaster at this UK restaurant</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="pqbzZ5MzE69Lhw5zPNfCD4v2vUviOpzG" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

I had lunch at London's naked restaurant that has a waiting list of over 40,000 people -&#160;here's the verdict

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider asked interior designers for some of their <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-home-decor-to-buy-from-thrift-store-2021-8">best thrift-store tips for furniture shopping</a>.</li><li>Remembering to bring a tape measure and physical color swatches will make <keyword id="11922150" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="thrifting" source="Orion">thrifting</keyword> even easier.</li></ul><p>Thrift stores can be <a href="https://www.insider.com/things-to-always-buy-at-thrift-stores-2019-12">great places to find the perfect piece of furniture or decor</a>, but it's easy to waste money on low-quality items if you don't know how to shop smart.</p><p>Insider asked professional interior designers to share mistakes people make when shopping at <keyword id="13459614" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="secondhand" source="Orion">secondhand</keyword> stores, as well as their tips for thrifting like a pro.</p><h2><strong>Don't skip great frames just because of ugly art</strong></h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Wooden picture frames painted white stacked vertically" height="3000" width="4000" msid="90426147" hostid="261"></div><p>Cara Newhart, an interior designer and the host of the "<a href="https://makespacepodcast.com/">Make Space</a>" podcast, told Insider that you should never skip buying a high-quality frame just because the art isn't your style.</p><p>"Even if you don't like the art, you can save the frame and swap it out for a print that's a perfect fit for your space," Newhart said.</p><p>Thrift stores are great places to score cheap frames, which can make it easy to put together a gallery wall on a budget.</p><h2><strong>Never forget to measure <keyword id="11916724" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="furniture" source="Orion">furniture</keyword> before you buy</strong></h2><p>The interior designer <a href="https://www.designwithveronica.com/">Veronica Sanders</a> told Insider that it's crucial to <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-ways-to-save-space-from-someone-in-tiny-home-photos-2022">measure your space</a> before heading to the thrift shop.</p><p>"Not measuring the dimensions of your space is such a common mistake," Sanders said. "Write them down so you can compare the size of the furniture with the space you have available."</p><p>Remember to bring a tape measure so you can assess the dimensions of any prospective purchases. </p><h2><strong>Don't underestimate the cost of repairs</strong></h2><p>Underestimating the cash or time needed to make seemingly simple repairs can be a costly thrifting mistake.</p><p>"I'd avoid buying pieces that need to be fully reupholstered, totally refinished, or otherwise made over unless you have the money or serious DIY skills required," Newhart said.</p><p>On the other hand, minor repairs such as tightening a loose screw, refreshing chipped paint, or <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-tips-for-upcycling-furniture-2021-8">swapping hardware are usually easy</a>.</p><h2><strong>Don't visit only one thrift shop</strong></h2><p>Every <keyword id="11947992" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="thrift-store" source="Orion">thrift store</keyword> has different stock, so don't limit your shopping to just one. </p><p>"Never make the mistake of thinking that one thrift shop has everything you need," Sanders said. "You could be <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-home-decor-to-buy-from-thrift-store-2021-8">missing out on the perfect piece at another store</a>."</p><p>If you're intent on hunting down the very best buys, try hitting multiple consignment shops in different parts of town or visiting a local flea market.</p><h2><strong>Skip anything that has a smell</strong></h2><div type="image" title="Floral-pattern and yellow couches in front of wooden paneling on blue wall and golden chandelier hanging down" height="2656" width="3541" msid="90426149" hostid="261"></div><p>The interior designer <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kimberleyseldon/?hl=en">Kimberley Seldon</a> of Kimberley Seldon <keyword id="11922149" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="design" source="Orion">Design</keyword> Group told Insider she recommended skipping pieces with a noticeable smell.</p><p>"<a href="https://www.insider.com/best-and-worst-things-to-get-at-thrift-shops">Leave pieces with vintage fabrics that stink</a> of mothballs or any other scent," Seldon said. "You'll never get rid of the smell."</p><p>While it's possible to completely reupholster some pieces in new fabric, the cost can outweigh any savings gained by buying secondhand.</p><h2><strong>Don't try to match art too perfectly</strong></h2><p>Trying to match thrifted art with your existing <keyword id="11910348" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="decor" source="Orion">decor</keyword> can decrease the visual effect of the secondhand piece.</p><p>"Although it's tempting, never match a piece of thrifted art to <a href="https://www.insider.com/interior-design-trends-going-in-and-out-of-style-2021-12">your furniture or wall color</a>," Seldon said. "It'll make your purchase seem to disappear."</p><p>Instead, Seldon recommended thrifting a new frame that perfectly matches the style of your art.</p><h2><strong>Never try to haggle using negativity</strong></h2><p>If negotiating is welcomed, show your enthusiasm for a shop owner's goods before venturing to make a deal.</p><p>"Negative comments like, 'You can't be serious,' or, 'It isn't worth that much,' are unlikely to result in a bargain," Seldon said. </p><p>Secondhand-item and consignment dealers may spend a great deal of time and energy acquiring pieces, so avoid insulting their wares.</p><h2><strong>Don't try to recall colors from memory</strong></h2><p>Designers know that it's almost impossible to accurately remember colors, so make sure you have a <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-colors-to-have-in-bedroom-according-to-psychologist-2021-11">physical sample of any hues</a> you're trying to match.</p><p>"Always shop with fabric or paint swatches to make your decisions easier," Seldon said. "And, of course, bring a tape measure."</p><p>If you forget your tape measure, you can get creative with what you have on hand — a dollar bill is about 6 inches long.</p><h2><strong>Embrace big, bold pieces of furniture</strong></h2><p>If you're stuck between two pieces of furniture, choosing the larger one may create a bolder look.</p><p>"When in doubt, go big," Seldon said. "If you're deciding between two sizes, and both fit your space, choose the larger one." </p><p>In particular, Seldon recommended choosing larger area carpets — which <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-make-my-apartment-look-bigger-better-2021-8">can create the illusion of a bigger room</a> — as well as decorative pillows, art pieces, and lamps.</p><h2><strong>Don't pass over quality wooden pieces</strong></h2><div type="image" title="Wooden chairs with other school chairs and fabric-covered chair" height="3485" width="4647" msid="90426152" hostid="261"></div><p>Thrift stores are often filled with particleboard or faux-wood furniture, but they're also a great place to find deals on high-quality pieces.</p><p>"A good, sturdy piece of wood furniture can be hard to find, so when you stumble upon a gem, it may be worth the splurge," Sanders said.</p><p>According to Sanders, old wooden dressers, coffee tables, and stools <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-to-do-if-im-bored-of-my-space-interior-design-2021">can be given new life with a fresh coat of paint or stain</a> and a do-it-yourself cushion.</p><h2><strong>Avoid shopping by yourself if you don't live alone</strong></h2><p>Going thrift shopping for furniture or decor can lead to household tension if you share your space with roommates or a partner.</p><p>"You may love that bright-red sofa, but it may be a total eyesore for your partner," Sanders said. "It's good to get second opinions and input from those you live with."</p><p>Bringing your housemates along is even more important when shopping for big-ticket items or bulky pieces that may be difficult to get rid of or resell.</p>

Interior designers share the 11 mistakes you're making when shopping at thrift stores for furniture and decor

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Claudia Romeo/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">Wine flights, which consist of three tasting portions, cost £7 at the Tesco finest* wine bar.</p></div><p></p></div></div>When I drink wine, it's usually from a glass I ordered with dinner or a cheap bottle I picked up at the supermarket. And I never swirl the drink around first, or stick my nose in the glass to get a whiff of the wine's flavours and notes.</p><p>But that's exactly what I'm doing at the <a href="http://www.tesco.com/finest-wine-bar/" target="_blank">Tesco finest* wine bar</a> - a new pop-up bar in Soho, London, where customers can sample 48 of the finest* brand wines sold by the supermarket.</p><p>Prices start at £3 for a glass, while flights of three different wines cost £7 each. Experts are also available to recommend different red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines to patrons.</p><p>The bar itself doesn't sell whole bottles for licensing reasons, but there are three Tesco stores nearby where customers can buy bottles of the wines they liked. As they leave, patrons are given leaflets with information on the wines they've tried, along with a voucher for £3 off a £10 bottle.</p><p>"Customers generally have a repertoire of four or five different wines," Nick Jackman, Head of Tesco finest* told Business Insider. "What we're trying to do here is take the wines out of our supermarket aisles and give people the opportunity to try something new."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Claudia Romeo/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The Tesco finest* bar on Wardour Street in Soho, London.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>The wine bar</h2><p>The space feels more like an exhibition room than a wine bar, h<span>oused inside a closed art gallery on Wardour Street. D</span>isplays of wine bottles are stuck onto blackboards with their names written in chalk next to them.</p><p>The decor is modern, furnished with leather sofas and high tables with bar stools, the kind of non-offensive, basic furniture you could buy from a Tesco.</p><h2>The tasting</h2><p>For the tasting, I'm introduced to wine expert Jimmy Smith, who runs the West London Wine School. He's dressed in a bow tie and waistcoat that's decorated with badges, which he calls "postcards" from his travels.</p><p>Before sampling the wine, Smith gives me a quick primer on what gives different types of wines their distinct flavour.</p><p>"Wines have a huge amount of difference," Smith said. "Both natural factors and human factors go into making wine," he said. That includes where it's grown, the climate, the grape variety (t<span>here are nearly 3,000 grape varieties in the world)</span>, and the winemaker's passion.</p><p>I start with a flight of reds: a Rioja Reserva, 2011; Chilean Merlot, 2015; and Argentinian Malbec, 2015, served on a wooden palette with numbers underneath each glass so you can identify which wine you are drinking.</p><p>Along with the wine, a waitress brings a small plate of crackers, Comté and Stilton cheese, grapes, and olives. These foods complement different wines, while the high fat content in the cheese balances the flavours, Smith said.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Claudia Romeo/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">A selection of red, white, and rosé wines, at the Tesco finest* wine bar.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>At Smith's instruction, I pick up the Rioja and circle the glass in my hand to swirl the wine around. This "enables the flavours to come out to the top of the glass," he said.</p><p>Then, I stick my nose into the glass and inhale deeply. The Rioja has a woody yet fruity aroma, with hints of berries. Smith said he could smell strawberry, but I got more of a blackberry scent. The oaky, wood flavour is a result of the winemaking process, as it was aged in wooden barrels.</p><p>I've never bothered sniffing wine before, but I find it's a clever way to figure out if you're actually going to like a wine before you drink it.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Claudia Romeo/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">Wine expert Jimmy Smith has previously worked with Jamie Oliver and runs the West London Wine School.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Finally, I get to drink the wine. "Slurp as much as you can," Smith said, as I take my first sip.</p><p>The taste is smooth, rich, and aromatic. The wine warms my throat the more I drink. It's the kind of wine I typically like, and it is the only one I completely finish. Conscious that I'm returning to the office after, though, I think better of downing them all.</p><p>Next, the Chilean Merlot. This one is pleasant enough but slightly more acidic, with more alcohol - sniffing for too long makes my head fuzzy. It also has a thinner texture, a bit like nail polish remover.</p><p>Onto the Malbec, it is a spicy wine that reminds me of Christmas, with hints of cloves and cinnamon. I would drink this in December, but it feels weird having this in August.</p><p>The second and final set of wines I try is the "If you only try three" flight, designed for bargoers in a hurry with a selection of white, rosé, and red wines.</p><p>Though I'm not a fan of white wine, even in the summer, the first wine - a Tingleup Riesling, 2015 - has a light, flowery taste. I surprise myself with this one, thinking I could enjoy a full glass on a hot day.</p><p>Next, I try a Provence Rosé, 2015. It looks like the kind of rosé I prefer, with a pale blush colour that's not too pink, but it's too sweet for me, with a sugary, crisp flavour.</p><p>For the last glass, I sample a Barolo, 2012. This Italian red wine has a smooth, even texture, and full-bodied, robust flavour. Like the Rioja, I could have easily polished off the entire glass.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Claudia Romeo/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>The verdict</h2><p>Aside from feeling slightly lightheaded (a result of mixing my wines), I leave the bar with more of a sense of the wines I do and don't like. While red wines are still my favourite, I am open to trying more white wine as well.</p><p>Jackman said I'm the ideal customer for the wine bar because of my lack of wine knowledge. The bar isn't really designed for wine connoisseurs. It's for people who don't know a lot about the wine they drink, but simply enjoy drinking it.</p><p>While there's been "lots of interest" in making the wine bar permanent, he said the brand will wait until the pop-up closes to see how the public receives it, and may experiment with similar projects in the future.</p><p>If it were a permanent establishment, I would go for a drink. Sure, it's not a fancy bar, but it has quality, cheap wine, and the flights for £7 are a great deal compared to the usual £10/glass you'd find in most London bars.</p><p>Drinking supermarket wine outside of my flat, served in nicer wine glasses than my own, definitely upgrades the experience.</p>

What it's like inside Tesco's new wine bar in London

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A 19th-century mansion in New Hyde Park, <keyword id="6355838" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="new-york">New York</keyword>, is the most beautiful <a href="https://www.insider.com/every-mcdonalds-menu-item-eaten-ranked-2020-2">McDonald's</a> in America.</li><li>The location is a historical landmark that has been a home and a few other restaurants. </li><li>Today it has some details reminiscent of its glamorous past but it's still just a fast-food chain. </li></ul><p>The <a href="http://www.scoutingny.com/the-most-beautiful-mcdonalds-in-america/">most beautiful</a> <keyword id="6378093" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mcdonalds">McDonald's</keyword> in America is a pristine white mansion nestled alongside auto shops and warehouses.</p><p>Located in New Hyde Park in <keyword id="141568" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Long-Island">Long Island</keyword>'s Nassau County, the 19th-century Georgian-style mansion is more than a fast-food franchise - it's also a historical landmark. </p><p>Keep reading to learn more about the famous <a href="https://www.insider.com/every-mcdonalds-menu-item-eaten-ranked-2020-2">McDonald's</a> location and see what it's like visiting it today. </p><h2>The building started as a home of a locally prominent family before housing different restaurants </h2><p>Historians say the house, built as a farmhouse in 1795, was home to the family of Joseph Denton, a descendent of one of the founders of the town of Hempstead. </p><p>The Denton family owned a farm on several thousands of acres of what is now New Hyde Park, one of Hempstead's villages.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   18" height="3344" width="4459" msid="82039969" hostid="261"></div><p>Denton's family lived in the house for generations, but much of the property <a href="https://bcc-cuny.digication.com/Molaven/Podcast">left the family's hands</a> around World War II.</p><p>The home was then transformed into a few different restaurants - most recently one called Dallas Ribs - until McDonald's bought it in 1986.</p><h2>In 1986, McDonald's bought the run-down Denton house and property for $1 million</h2><p>At this point, the Denton house was damaged and boarded up, so McDonald's planned to raze the building and <a href="https://www.insider.com/facts-you-never-knew-about-mcdonalds-2018-6">build a standard fast-food location</a>.</p><p>That prompted a community outcry, and concerned neighbors fought for years to save the house, one of the oldest buildings standing in the area and one of few historical buildings left.</p><p>In 1988 the site was designated a historic landmark, which persuaded McDonald's to pursue restoration.</p><p>The company had previously done a similar project in 1984 when it built a restaurant in a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-the-mcdonalds-in-a-maine-colonial-home-2016-1">historical landmark</a> in <a href="https://www.insider.com/mcdonalds-freeport-maine-colonial-mansion-photos-tour-2020-9#-but-through-a-closed-door-i-did-see-a-room-with-sconces-and-cozy-fireplaces-that-looked-more-like-a-pub-than-any-mcdonalds-ive-been-to-i-imagine-eating-a-big-mac-in-this-environment-would-make-it-feel-less-like-fast-food-and-more-like-fine-dining-17">Freeport, Maine</a>, which allowed the chain to move in provided it retained the small seaside town's aesthetic. Complete with fireplaces and mahogany booths, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-the-mcdonalds-in-a-maine-colonial-home-2016-1#in-1984-the-historic-gore-house-was-converted-into-freeports-only-mcdonalds-2">that 170-year-old colonial mansion</a> still houses the Maine town's only McDonald's today.</p><h2>The town eventually approved of the restaurant with a few conditions, and the location opened in 1991</h2><p>McDonald's was determined to get this location under its belt because there were no similar restaurants in the area. It eventually agreed to a multimillion-dollar restoration plan and to neighbors' conditions to prevent noise and smells.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   6" height="3117" width="4156" msid="82039970" hostid="261"></div><p>In 1991, its opening marked the world's 12,000th <a href="https://www.insider.com/mcdonalds-international-food-chicago-review-2018-6">McDonald's</a> and the only one in the US in a wholly restored building.</p><p>"When we took over this building, it was a disaster, a real eyesore," said McDonald's New York regional vice president at the time. "There were pigeons all over. We had to gut the building, take it down to the rafters."</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   2" height="3244" width="4865" msid="82039973" hostid="261"></div><p>On opening weekend, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/07/nyregion/long-island-journal-553091.html">reported</a> that traffic backed up Jericho Turnpike as dozens of cars tried to enter the jammed parking lot. </p><p>The surrounding town eventually came to appreciate the McDonald's <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-jul-20-mn-14529-story.html">as a local landmark</a>. And one local auto-body shop owner told Newsday in 1998 that his property value increased by 30% after the eatery opened. </p><h2>Today, the exterior of the building is generally the same as when it first opened 30 years ago</h2><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   15" height="3552" width="5269" msid="82039974" hostid="261"></div><p>The <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-australian-mcdonalds-is-like-2018-4">McDonald's</a> looks peaceful and beautiful, but it's still along the busy Jericho Turnpike, where the traffic never seems to stop. It looks like a piece of history transplanted in an otherwise metropolitan strip of Long Island. </p><p>Looking closely, the building still has distinctive <a href="https://caddetailsblog.com/post/gingerbread-architecture-its-more-than-gumdrops-and-icing-sugar">gingerbread ornamentation</a>, which was added around the 1860s when it was converted to a Georgian-style mansion. McDonald's restored the ornate external trim from the original templates.</p><p>The building doesn't seem to have changed much over the past few decades, which isn't surprising.</p><p>As a historical landmark, the franchise is barred from making significant changes to the building. But the shutters' original sea-green shade was replaced with black at some point. </p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   11" height="3648" width="4864" msid="82039975" hostid="261"></div><p>The front exterior was restored to match a 1920s photograph of the house before it became a restaurant. That photo still hangs inside the restaurant, next to the cash registers.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   13" height="3586" width="5379" msid="82039977" hostid="261"></div><p>The vestibule at the main entrance features some minimalist window designs and two black, high-backed wooden benches. It resembles a farmhouse-style restaurant, not a <a href="https://www.insider.com/mcdonalds-egypt-taste-test-2019-3">fast-food chain</a>. </p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   29" height="3942" width="2956" msid="82039978" hostid="261"></div><h2>The entrance has a spiffy welcome sign and an imposing double staircase that leads to a second-floor gallery</h2><p>When the restaurant first opened, the decor was a blend of both old and new elements, with wood and tile floors and floral wallpaper similar to what was in the house in the 1920s.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   26" height="3499" width="5248" msid="82039983" hostid="261"></div><p>Today, the floors are ordinary hardwood and the wall colors are a nondescript palette of sage, slate, and greige. The double staircase is still quite grand, though. </p><h2>Historical photos of other area businesses from the late 1800s and early 1900s hang beside the main entrance</h2><p>The photos give a sense of how much this spot has changed in the past 150 years and adds to the historical mood of the place.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   17" height="3302" width="4402" msid="82039988" hostid="261"></div><p>Walking around, I was struck by how <a href="https://www.insider.com/mcdonalds-around-the-world-differences-2018-12">upscale this McDonald's felt</a> - the color palette, light fixtures, and furniture could have come straight from an industrial-chic café or coffee shop.</p><p>It was also spotless, perhaps because the dining areas were still closed to the guests amid a pandemic.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   19" height="3451" width="4601" msid="82039989" hostid="261"></div><p>I could easily imagine how certain spaces in the restaurant were previously used - this area, for instance, might have been a reading or breakfast nook in a past life. </p><h2>On a wing farthest from the kitchen is the original circular portico, now enclosed in glass</h2><p>The house underwent many changes over the years, but it's believed that the portico, a structure with a roof supported by columns, and the front screened porch on the opposite side (now closed up, where the kitchen is) are original features.</p><p>To me, the portico is one of the eatery's most memorable features, the one that seems least like a typical McDonald's.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   22" height="3551" width="5327" msid="82039990" hostid="261"></div><p>The abundance of natural light also creates a lovely ambiance for dining. Unfortunately, the view overlooks the parking lot and the towing shop across the street.</p><p>It's hard to believe that <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-jul-20-mn-14529-story.html">newlyweds had their wedding pictures taken</a> here at some point. In fact, when this location first opened, the franchise owner told The New York Times that he wanted the "historic treasure" to be considered "upscale."</p><p>"I eventually want to put tablecloths and little battery-operated candles on the tables on Friday and Saturday nights," he said, "so young people can come here on dates."</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   20" height="3587" width="5380" msid="82039991" hostid="261"></div><p>I ate a meal here before the coronavirus pandemic. It was delightful and, if you could ignore the drive-thru line below, almost peaceful. </p><p>The floor-to-ceiling windows don't provide the best view today, but this must have been mostly farmland some hundred years earlier. Back then, this was probably a nice date-night spot with a great view. </p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   21" height="3472" width="5209" msid="82039993" hostid="261"></div><p>I wished I could have sat in a rocking chair on the open portico with a jar of lemonade. Today, I can see why the area is closed off - the glass serves as a divider between the dining area and the sounds of cars and the smell of exhaust. </p><h2>The main dining area opens up into a high cathedral ceiling with wooden rafters</h2><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   16" height="5283" width="3522" msid="82039995" hostid="261"></div><p>These ceilings in the main dining area definitely provided a "whoa" moment for me, when I again couldn't believe <a href="https://www.insider.com/trying-mcdonalds-in-taiwan-2019-1">this was a McDonald's</a> and not a hip restaurant built in a former barn.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   23" height="3648" width="5472" msid="82039996" hostid="261"></div><p>Upstairs, on the second-floor mezzanine, you can get a closer look at the ceiling, which used to house an attic and nods to the building's provenance as a farmstead.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   24" height="3474" width="4632" msid="82039999" hostid="261"></div><p>These second-floor spaces are more tranquil, farther away from the bustling kitchen and cashier.</p><h2>One room even used to have an old-fashioned soda fountain</h2><p>When the franchise first opened, a dining area on the second floor was done up as an old-fashioned soda fountain, complete with a star-studded blue ceiling nook overhead with Ronald McDonald and Mac Tonight (a character with a giant crescent moon for a head) reclining inside.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   25" height="3526" width="4701" msid="82040000" hostid="261"></div><p>Today only the counter with stools hints at this area's former glory.</p><h2>The kitchen and cashier area still feels like a standard McDonald's</h2><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   5" height="3254" width="4339" msid="82040001" hostid="261"></div><p>Around 2017, this location and 359 others underwent a <a href="https://libn.com/2018/08/28/hamburger-helper/">$6 billion modernization</a> aimed at transforming the customer experience.</p><p>McDonald's added new furniture and decor, self-order kiosks, digital menu boards, and remodeled counters.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   4" height="3207" width="4276" msid="82040002" hostid="261"></div><p>The cashier area looks like a typical McDonald's, complete with digital menus, two touchscreen kiosks, and a soda fountain.</p><h2>Overall, the <keyword id="6181" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Food">food</keyword> here is the same as it is at any other McDonald's, but the experience just feels special</h2><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   27" height="3648" width="4864" msid="82040003" hostid="261"></div><p>The location was not allowing indoor dining at the time I visited in order to comply with safety guidelines amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.</p><p>But even as I left, I noticed beautiful details surrounding the door. </p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   8" height="3066" width="4088" msid="82040004" hostid="261"></div><p>This Denton House location didn't have any special menu items, but I was able to order the chain's fairly new <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-and-worst-chicken-dishes-at-mcdonalds-2019-12">crispy chicken sandwich</a>. It was crispy and tender and featured Southern-style fried chicken on a potato roll. </p><p>I also had spicy McNuggets and a Shamrock Shake, a seasonal, creamy offering in honor of St. Patrick's Day that tastes of mint and vanilla.</p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   7" height="3122" width="4163" msid="82040005" hostid="261"></div><p>This McDonald's location feels pretty glamorous, even though it's surrounded by hustle and bustle and serves the same old quarter-pounders you can find at any location. </p><div type="image" title="nhp_mcd_lwm   14" height="3539" width="5309" msid="82040007" hostid="261"></div><p>When the location first opened in 1991, the Newsday restaurant critic Joan Reminick praised the "dandy architectural details" and history of the building but noted the food was "exactly the same" as it is at any other McDonald's.</p><p>Still, the critic mused about how <a href="https://www.insider.com/the-best-and-worst-burgers-at-mcdonalds-ranked-2019-11">the quarter-pounder with cheese</a> was a "potent memory-trigger" that brought her back to the many times she and her family stopped at the chain for a quick bite.</p><p>"Perhaps my next Interstate burger will transport me to a cathedral-ceilinged room with brass sconces and period-reproduction floral wallpaper," she wrote. </p><p>Maybe my next burger will transport me to this beautiful McDonald's that's unfortunately surrounded by not-so-glamorous drive-thrus and industrial buildings.  </p>

The most beautiful McDonald's in America is in a former mansion on Long Island

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Warning: Spoilers ahead for "<keyword id="510727" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="frozen">Frozen</keyword>" and "<keyword id="2763655" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Frozen-2">Frozen 2</keyword>." </li><li>In the original "Frozen" film, Anna and Elsa are orphaned when their parents' ship capsizes in a storm.</li><li>In "Frozen 2" it's revealed that they were sailing on the Dark Sea to uncover the source of Elsa's powers.</li><li>"Frozen 2: Dangerous Secrets: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr," a prequel young-adult novel from author Mari Mancusi, tells the love story of Anna and Elsa's parents.</li><li>Readers are taken back to King Agnarr and Queen Iduna's teen years in Arendelle before Anna and Elsa were born.</li><li>Insider has an exclusive first look at the book's cover and an <keyword id="1591634" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Excerpt">excerpt</keyword> from the opening chapter.</li></ul><p>Author <a href="http://www.marimancusi.com/">Mari Mancusi</a>'s new young-adult novel, "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Frozen-Dangerous-Secrets-Story-Agnarr/dp/1368063616">Frozen 2: Dangerous Secrets: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr</a>," gives readers a new perspective on the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/disney">Disney</a> story, this time through the eyes of Anna and Elsa's parents.</p><p>Save for their ill-fated sea voyage, very little is divulged about Elsa and Anna's parents, King Agnarr and Queen Iduna of Arendelle, in the <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-disney-frozen-2-was-animated-2019-12">original "Frozen" film</a>. </p><p>The 2019 sequel, "<a href="https://www.insider.com/frozen-2-details-you-missed-2019-11">Frozen 2</a>," uncovers more about how the couple met and the reason for their journey, but Mancusi's novel from <keyword id="46161" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Disney">Disney</keyword> Press reveals that this is only the tip of the iceberg.</p><p><div type="image" title="&quot;'Frozen 2' Dangerous Secrets: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr&quot;" height="2533" width="1677" msid="77378185" hostid="261"></div></p><h2><strong>Iduna's secret is revealed to Elsa in 'Frozen 2,' but Agnarr grew up never knowing who saved him from the Enchanted Forest</strong></h2><p>In the opening scene of "Frozen 2," King Agnarr tells young Anna and Elsa a story about his father, King Runeard, and the dam he built for the Northuldra people who lived in a nearby Enchanted Forest. He says the dam was meant to bring the two groups closer together, but the Northuldrans launched a surprise attack on the Arendellians, killing King Runeard and knocking Agnarr unconscious. </p><p>An unseen hero saved Agnarr before he could be trapped in the forest with the Northuldran and Arendellian fighters who were stranded there by magical spirits. He left the Enchanted Forest believing the spirits who saved him were loyal to his father's mission.</p><p>It isn't until later in the film, when the sisters travel to the Enchanted Forest, that they learn the truth. Disapproving of their connection with the magical spirits, King Runeard's "gift" was actually part of his plan to weaken Northuldra's resources and he initiated the fighting. </p><p>They also discover that their mother was a native of Northuldra and, with the help of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/frozen-2-element-symbols-explained-2019-9">elemental spirit</a> of Air, was the one who saved Agnarr. After saving the soon-to-be king's life, Iduna accompanied him on the trip back to Arendelle. The two grew up together, fell in love, and eventually married.</p><p>Whether for fear of being judged and cast out, or to protect Agnarr's memory of his father, Iduna never divulged the truth of her heritage or how she came to live in Arendelle.</p><p><div type="image" title="frozen 2 elsa anna" height="1183" width="1577" msid="77378189" hostid="261"></div></p><h2><strong>Iduna and Agnarr's wrecked ship gives Anna and Elsa a clue to the real reason for their voyage</strong></h2><p>Anna and Elsa grow up believing their parents died on a two-week excursion to the Southern Sea. In the sequel film, the sisters find their parents' washed-up ship and a map that exposed the true reason for their journey. The king and queen were headed north — not south — to a mystical glacier on the Dark Sea that their mother had sung about when they were children.</p><p>Ahtohallan, Iduna and Agnarr's intended destination, is revealed as the source of the magical spirits in the Enchanted Forest and Elsa's icy powers. In an attempt to understand their daughter's powers, Iduna and Agnarr set out to reach Ahtohallan, but die trying. </p><h2><strong>In 'Frozen 2: Dangerous Secrets: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr,' Iduna finally tells Agnarr who she really is </strong></h2><p><div type="image" title="Queen Iduna and King Agnarr in first Frozen movie Disney " height="1047" width="1396" msid="77378191" hostid="261"></div></p><p>Mancusi's new novel expands on the "Frozen" universe by telling the backstory of Anna and Elsa's parents, who weren't much more than a plot point in the original film. </p><p>While at sea, Iduna finally decides it's time to tell Agnarr the truth, and that is where this new "Frozen" story begins. </p><h2><strong>Read an exclusive excerpt from Mari Mancusi's 'Dangerous Secrets: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr' below</strong></h2><p><em>You can find out more about Mari Mancusi's work on <a href="http://www.marimancusi.com/">her website</a>, and her recently released novel,  "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Ops-Mari-Mancusi/dp/136804090X">Dragon Ops</a>," on Amazon. "Frozen 2: Dangerous Secrets: The Story of Iduna and Agnarr," will be available November 3, 2020, on Amazon.</em></p><p><em>To watch "Frozen" and "Frozen 2," you'll need a subscription to Disney Plus. You can sign up <a href="https://disneyplus.bn5x.net/c/196318/564546/9358?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disneyplus.com%2F">here</a> for $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. (When you subscribe to a service through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners.)</em></p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/frozen-2-details-you-missed-2019-11">22 details you might have missed in 'Frozen 2'</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-frozen-land-coming-to-disneyland-paris-2023-2020-2">A 'Frozen' land is coming to Disneyland Paris in 2023 — here's what it will look like</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-disney-frozen-2-was-animated-2019-12">How Disney's animation evolved from 'Frozen' to 'Frozen 2'</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/all-of-the-animated-disney-princess-movies-ranked-by-fans-2019-12">All of Disney's animated princess movies, ranked by audiences</a></li></ul>

A new 'Frozen' novel takes readers inside the love story of Anna and Elsa's parents. Read the exclusive excerpt.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I live in <keyword id="6356662" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="singapore">Singapore</keyword>, and for the past four months I've been living a hybrid <keyword id="6355058" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="work">work</keyword> model.</li><li>I go into the office two days per week and work from home the other three.</li><li>I feel less stressed, I have a better work-life balance, and I hope I can work this way forever.</li></ul><p>When I moved from New York City to Singapore last fall, it felt like a leap forward in time - and not only because my flight departed NYC on November 30 and landed in Singapore two days later on December 2.</p><p>As of November, I had been working from home for eight months. In the US, coronavirus cases were rising again, no vaccine had yet been approved, and a long uncertain winter loomed ahead. I barely left my apartment and the days blurred together. </p><p>But at the end of that month, it was finally time for my move to Singapore for work. After an 18-hour flight and a <a href="https://www.insider.com/singapore-quarantine-experience-tips-photos-food-hotel-2021-2">14-day hotel quarantine</a>, I found myself in a tropical island oasis that had nearly eradicated the virus. I was free to go to a movie, take an indoor yoga class, and eat inside a restaurant - and because of the lack of COVID-19 cases in the community, I felt safe doing all of those things.</p><p>Those freedoms were only possible because of Singapore's rigorous response to the pandemic. The city-state closed its borders in March 2020 and required returning residents to undergo a 14-day quarantine. Today, residents must download a contact tracing app and use it to check in to any restaurant, shop, or building. To date, the city-state has reported a total of 30 coronavirus deaths among a population of 5.7 million. </p><div type="image" title="singapore" height="1665" width="2221" msid="81913383" hostid="261"></div><p>The US, on other hand, reported 277 deaths on Easter Sunday alone and has reported <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html">an average of more than 64,000 new cases</a> per day in the past week. Still, the US is <a href="https://www.insider.com/third-of-us-adults-have-gotten-first-vaccine-dose-2021-3">outpacing most other countries</a> in terms of vaccinations, and a return to some semblance of normal life seems to be on the horizon.</p><p>As Americans contemplate what a return to the office might look like, I've been living the hybrid work model - working part-time at home and part-time in a physical office - in Singapore for the last four months. </p><h2><strong>Work life in the Before Times</strong></h2><p>In my pre-pandemic life in Brooklyn, I would wake up around 7 a.m. so I had enough time to get dressed, put on makeup, walk to the subway station, and ride the train for 35 minutes to make it to Insider's office in Manhattan by 9 a.m.</p><p>I typically got home from the office around 7 p.m., at which point I could choose between working out or relaxing for a bit before cooking dinner. (Working out almost never won.) By the time my boyfriend and I had cooked and eaten dinner, done the dishes, and showered, there wasn't much evening left to enjoy.</p><p>Even though I liked my job - and many people have longer commutes and more strenuous work days - I often felt sleep-deprived and stressed. Exercising, eating well, and relaxing often took a backseat to work and social activities.</p><h2><strong><keyword id="1591611" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="remote-work">Remote work</keyword> in the pandemic </strong></h2><p>In the first week of working from home in the pandemic, I worked at our bar-height kitchen table, perched on a wooden backless stool. My neck and butt constantly ached. Eventually, I gave in and bought a cheap desk.</p><p>Whenever I had to make a call, I would go into the bedroom so my boyfriend wouldn't overhear my calls, sometimes sitting on the bed hunched over my laptop for hours at a time doing interviews. I still felt tired all the time, but now it was because of long-term stress and a suddenly sedentary lifestyle. Like the rest of the world, I was anxious about the pandemic, scared for my family, and grieving my normal life. </p><p>Don't get me wrong: I felt incredibly lucky to have a job that I could do from home and not be among the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/long-term-unemployed-permanent-layoffs-rising-coronavirus-2020-10">millions of Americans</a> who lost their jobs in the pandemic. There were also aspects of the forced remote work that I enjoyed, like getting more sleep and having more time to exercise and cook healthy meals. My boyfriend and I even joined the pet-fostering club and took in a couple of cats for a few months.</p><p>But by the time I was finally able to move to Singapore, a move planned months before the pandemic, I was excited by the prospect of a return to semi-normal life. A huge part of that was a return to the office.</p><h2><strong>A new work life in Singapore </strong></h2><p>For the past few months, I've been going into our Singapore office two days a week and working from my apartment the other three days. </p><p>In September, Singapore started allowing office workers to <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-people-to-be-allowed-back-to-workplaces-essential-business-travel-pilot-to-be">spend up to 50% of their weekly working hours</a> in the office, with half of a company's workforce allowed in the office at one time. For my three coworkers and I, that meant we could come into the office twice a week, two at a time. This week, Singapore eased its office restrictions further and started allowing up to 75% of a company's workforce - in our case, three people - in the office at one time, with no limit to the number of working hours in the office per week.</p><p>The office experience is definitely different from before. I check into the office building with Singapore's contact tracing app. In the WeWork coworking space where we have a private office, seats are blocked off and signs remind people to maintain a distance of one meter from others and keep masks on except when eating and drinking. </p><p>But now, going into the office now feels like a privilege rather than an obligation. I have a renewed appreciation for endless free coffee and being able to casually chat with a coworker in person.</p><div type="image" title="singapore wework office" height="3024" width="4032" msid="81913385" hostid="261"></div><p>On the days I work from home, I wake up at 8 a.m. and have time to make coffee and do a few minutes of chill yoga before logging on to Slack. But the best part about working from home in Singapore is I now have a separate work space.</p><p>Partially thanks to a cost of living adjustment in my pay, my boyfriend and I were able to afford a two-bedroom apartment, so the spare bedroom is my office. It's a quiet room with plenty of natural sunlight and a relatively ergonomic desk setup. Having this designated work space has made a world of difference in my mental health and productivity, and I count myself extremely lucky to have it.</p><p>With no evening commute, I fit in an after-work workout class a couple of times a week and still have plenty of time to cook dinner and enjoy my evening. </p><h2><strong>Why I hope I can work this way forever</strong></h2><p>Four months into the hybrid work model, I feel less stressed and I have more time to take care of myself. I appreciate both the benefits of working from home and the benefits of working in an office rather than feeling burnt out on both models.</p><p>It's hard to imagine spending 100% of my working hours in an office again, but I also don't like the idea of never getting to see my coworkers in person or losing out on the stimulation of working in a collaborative environment.</p><p>Of course, the hybrid model won't work for everyone and it's easy to sing its praises when I have a home office, minimal distractions at home, and a short commute to my real office. Many people can't afford an extra room to be used as a home office, particularly in expensive cities like New York and Singapore. Just a year ago, I wouldn't have been able to, and I'd be writing a very different essay.</p><p>The hybrid work model won't be right for everyone. Maybe some people can't wait to get back to the office full-time, while others would love to work from home forever. In an ideal world, everybody would have the option to do what works best for them.</p><p>But for this reporter, currently wrapping up a work-from-home Monday, I can say this: I hope that I can work with this new hybrid model forever.</p>

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You Searched For "wooden stool for room" and got 12 results

Best wooden stool for living room in India

BI India Bureau

designer side tables for living rooms

BI India Bureau

The best bar carts

Leah Thomas

Interior designers share 8 ways to make your living room look better for free

Alyssa Towns Swantkoski

I stayed at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. I didn't have a bed frame, but I still preferred it to a Western-style hotel.

India Kushner

I wanted my toddler to do chores like on Netflix's 'Old Enough!' She now makes mundane chores fun.

Jillian Pretzel

I had lunch at London's naked restaurant that has a waiting list of over 40,000 people -&#160;here's the verdict

Chloe Pantazi,Chloe Pantazi

Interior designers share the 11 mistakes you're making when shopping at thrift stores for furniture and decor

Sophia Mitrokostas

What it's like inside Tesco's new wine bar in London

Chloe Pantazi,Chloe Pantazi

The most beautiful McDonald's in America is in a former mansion on Long Island

Lisa Wong Macabasco

A new 'Frozen' novel takes readers inside the love story of Anna and Elsa's parents. Read the exclusive excerpt.

Tarah Chieffi

I live in Singapore, where the hybrid work model has already been going strong for months - and I hope I can work this way forever

Katie Warren

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I had lunch at London's naked restaurant that has a waiting list of over 40,000 people - here's the verdict