While designers like Shelly Riehl David are no stranger to designing with zebra, it seems like the rest of the design world is hopping on the safari bandwagon. I've seen spreads in recent design magazines devoted to the stripes and for good reason: zebra print is fun, unexpected and a conversation piece.

The best part is, any style is eligible. Check out how these contemporary, modern and even traditional rooms use the black and white to their advantage — and how you can, too!

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Why sacrifice style just because your piggy bank is starved for cash? Last night Design on a Dime revealed their Top 35 Budget Decorating Secrets. If you missed it, catch the rerun May 18 at 5pm e/p. Here are three of my favorite tips.

Secret #16: I love the idea of moving the curtains to one side of a window in order to create height and dimension.

Secret #15: Maybe it's the minimalist in me, but less is definitely always more!

Secret #1: This speaks directly to renters and small-space dwellers: Make your room easily interchangeable with modular furniture that serves multiple purposes. Less cost for fewer pieces, more money to add stylish accessories.

What are your favorite tips from the show?

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This weekend I did laundry — lots of laundry — in my cramped, beige and windowless laundry room. It made me wish for a bright, airy space to drip-dry my dresses, or at least more room to store my detergent.

I am oh-so-envious of the Rate My Spacers who made design happen in their laundry room — one of the most neglected and utilitarian spaces in the whole house.

By niknnora
Love the colors, love the organization. I wonder if the kitty enjoys the spin cycle?

By catjack
Wash, rinse, repeat in casual country style.

By colorchick
I'm drooling over all that cabinet space. Plus, how cool is that floor detail?

By onlythebest
I refuse to believe that this is a laundry room.

Psst, did you see the Rate My Space widget yet? You can grab your own right here to put on your website, blog or MySpace page. Just click "Get & Share" below.

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How sweet is this little spring gem? Kristen Cunningham, one of HGTV's Design on a Dime gurus, made these do-it-yourself prints for an episode that's long since aired. I wonder if the homeowners still have these in their guest bedroom?

Here's how she did it:

1. Gather cuttings from your own yard.

2. Let them dry a few days to make sure they don't brown.

3. Spray them with a clear acrylic finish to protect the color.

4. Purchase Plexiglas frames and mat board for the back. You could also do this with inexpensive shadowbox frames.

5. Hot-glue the clippings onto heavyweight watercolor paper.

6. Tear the edge of the paper for a more shabby chic look.

7. Stencil or handwrite the botanical name of each clipping and paste onto the watercolor paper.

8. Assemble into the frames.

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Color coding a book collection became a hot design trend last year, but had yet to reach HGTV. So when I saw it show up in none other than Ms. Kim Myles' room designs, I was thrilled.

(More pictures of the makeover)

For book lovers, this is one of the simplest ways to turn your bookcase eyesore into an art exhibition. If you don't have books in each color of the rainbow, start by grouping like colors anyway. It's what I like to call "healthy therapy" for die-hard organizers (like you and me).

I've been posting some of Kim's do-it-yourself projects seen on Myles of Style over at her blog. Check out her Cookie Tray Table (in the picture above) and Glass Ball Chandelier to get your DIY fix.

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Guest Blogger: Chelsey Bowen, decorating editor, HGTV.com

Earth Day is just around the corner (April 22), so HGTV is getting in the spirit with their eco-friendly special, 20 Ways Your Home Can Save the Planet. Premiering this Sunday, April 20 at 8/7c, the special takes viewers through a tour of some of the greenest homes around. Plus, get their 20 tips for creating a more eco-friendly home.

Here are two of my favorite ideas:

Tip #5: Recycle with style. Instead of buying new furniture and accessories, look for vintage pieces or those made from recycled materials.

The Lisbon Dining Collection was made from sustainably harvested wood, so ecosystems aren't impacted by tree loss.

Tip #8: Paint it safe. Be environmentally responsible by shopping for products that tout low volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

YOLO Colorhouse has premium interior paints with zero VOCs. Now, you just can't beat that!

Get all the environmentally friendly products featured on the show in HGTV Marketplace.

Don't forget, as of today, you still have three more weeks to enter to win the HGTV Green Home. Enjoy!

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Guest Blogger: Chelsey Bowen, decorating editor, HGTV.com

Lately, we've showed you a lot green, eco-friendly designs, but I think it's time we give the color green a little love. Green is often used to create a calming environment, but it can also infuse a space with natural energy, depending on the shade.

Dig in to some of my favorite green rooms on HGTV.

This whimsical nursery uses bright green walls as the backdrop for fun primary colors. Photo by KimJ

A green room infused with black and white takes this breakfast nook from Kermit to classy. Photo by Chelsea Ahlgrim

Since blue absorbs light, designer Constance Ramos uses a green with more yellow in it to brighten this cottage-style bedroom.

Soft greens used for the glass tile backsplash and cabinetry create a warm, Scandinavian atmosphere in this kitchen. Design by Beth Haley

In feng shui, the color green promotes growth, so designer Stephanie McWilliams uses the shade to create a wealth-enhancing home office.

More Green Ideas:

Naturally Sophisticated Green
Healing Green
Let Green Grow on You

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Last week, despite the heavy nationwide emphasis on Earth Day (it's about time!), the most read decorating article on HGTV.com was "10 Steps to a Well-Designed Room". Conclusion: No matter how green we get in our interiors, the problem of actually designing them still remains.

Design by eco-friendly designer Lori Dennis

Here's how to get that designer look by answering 10 quick questions. Answer each of these honestly and you're well on your way to decorating bliss.

1. How will you use the room?
Try not to get stuck on labels. Just because the builder called it a dining room, doesn't mean you can't use it as a game room instead.

2. Who will use the room?
List the family members – and guests – who will be spending time in the room.

3. Find inspiration for the room's design.
Make a "look book" for your room from designs you liked in magazines or even things you saw in your friends' homes. I get lots of inspiration online at Designers' Portfolio and Rate My Space.

4. Draw the floor plan of your room on graph paper.
Doing your measuring now will help determine which scale is best for furniture, artwork and lighting in your room. Don't worry about being super accurate, unless you know you're Type A.

5. Consider the design in the rest of your home.
I'm not a fan of matchy-matchy, but if the room you're decorating is part of an open floor plan, you'll want to create some sort of flow to keep the space feeling, well, open.

6. Pick a favorite thing and design around it.
Especially helpful for people who have no idea where to start. Top designers usually have one or a few inspiration pieces that serve as jumping off points for the rest of the room.

7. Compile your plan in a portable notebook.
Once you start shopping for decor, you'll love the fact that all your ideas are in one place. Plus, carting around fabric swatches and small tile samples will let you know right away if the lamp you're eying is right for the room.

8. Don't buy everything from one store.
It's alluring to walk into a furniture store, purchase an entire room and be done with it. But if your style or room's function changes, you'll have to start all over.

9. Beware of fads.
Designers do incorporate design trends into rooms, but they do so smartly. For example, area rugs, accessories and art are great places to inject your latest zebra-print obsession, and just as easy to remove when you're tired of safari.

10. Good lighting is essential.
The most important step to getting a designer look is investing in great lighting: ambient, overhead and mood lighting. Just make sure you're using CFLs so you can still be green.

What designer tips do you use when decorating your home? Post it in the comments!

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My latest chat with Carter Can's Carter Oosterhouse is up for download. This installment of the Design Happens Podcast is all about the hunk before TV, and how his career path morphed into his handyman role. Also, did you know Carter is a sailor?

Download: Listen to the 8-minute interview with Carter Oosterhouse

Coming Soon: The second part of the interview, with Carter's answers to some of your questions.

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Mother's Day is two weeks away, and there's still time to get her a well-designed gift. Here are my picks for tech-savvy, earth-friendly and simply stylish moms who go crazy — just like you — for great design.

Left - One of those "I wish I thought about that!" gifts: The StoryCatcher or PhotoCatcher from Rory Siefer, family biographer and CatchMyMemory founder. I agree with Rory when she says these kits are instant family heirlooms, and especially handy because mom, or grandma, can sometimes be forgetful.

Middle - The Sansa Fuze MP3 player is not only mom-friendly (read: intuitive and easy to use) — it's budget-friendly, too. For less than $100, gift mom with a place to hold her Beatles collection, photos and videos of the family, and special recorded messages from you. Plus, it's pink!

Right - Break out your childhood masterpieces and turn them into art at Imagekind. With a few clicks, you can recreate memories for mom on canvas instead of construction paper. Get free shipping until May 11 with promo code MDay2008.

Top left - Save mom from stubbing her toe on a midnight jaunt to the loo with VivaTerra's silver Leaf Night Light. It's by far the most stylish night light I've ever seen.

Bottom left - Karim Rashid's stylish, self-watering Grobal plant pot will impress mom's friends when she has them over for tea: no more drooping houseplants!

Top right - From JCPenney, these eco-friendly Studio Capiz Shell Candleholder will remind mom of the ocean.

Bottom right - Mom will enjoy getting in shape with this stylishly eco-friendly, non-slip yoga mat from Shama Living.

Top left - The Firsthand Soap Dispenser from NapaStyle is perfect for moms who love being in the kitchen, and take pride in keeping it clean and stylish.

Top right - Violet's Rare Beauty Eye Pillow is filled with flax, lavender and chamomile to soothe mom's headaches.

Bottom left -Take mom on a trip down memory lane with Uncommon Good's retro-style TV trays.

Bottom right - This hot pink Gerbera Daisy Umbrella from Patina might make mom wish for more rainy days.

Get more Mother's Day gift ideas from culinary queens to animal lovers.

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