Have you ever gone to the movies and thought about the many ways you could improve the experience? Those queues could be eliminated, and so could the attitude of the young kid at the door. It could be cleaner, the food is too expensive, and the only seat left by the time you get there is in the very first row where you strain your neck looking up at the screen. They call that entertainment?

The solution is not to go to the movies. Bring the movies home. Build the ultimate home cinema and make your home the place where all your friends come to for their cinematic enjoyment. If you’re making permanent changes to your home, just make sure you have some contents insurance, and a full refrigerator! The contents can be cold beer, chips, sandwich meats, or anything else you like to eat when you watch a movie. Ideally, you want to get a mini fridge to place next to your seat in the movie room. That way, you don’t need to move to get a refill of whatever you’re eating or drinking.

How do you begin building your home cinema? It starts with the TV. Ideally, a flat screen HD or plasma TV of 40 inches or more should be the centerpiece. Connect it to some external speakers and mount those around the room, creating a surround sound effect. You’ll also want a CD player and maybe a stereo receiver added on if you want to just listen to music. Finish it off with a gaming system of some kind if you’re into that type of thing, and you’ll be ready to start selecting furniture.

When you get to this step in creating your ultimate home cinema, you’ll need to assess the uses of the room you are working on. Will it be used solely for watching movies or is it going to double as a sitting room? Are adults going to be the only ones allowed in the room or should you also “kid-proof” it? Will anyone be sleeping in that room? Is it necessary to buy furniture that “converts” or “folds up” into something else?

The best move is to buy comfortable chairs for the principle residents of the house and then perhaps a sofa for when guests come over. If you’re going to be spending a lot of time in there, make sure the seats have good lower back support and that your remote controls are stored near your chair. You’ll want a universal to get the full home theatre experience, one that controls the TV, the lights, the stereo, and the game system with the click of a button.

The photos above show the luxe home theater in the 2010 Hampton Designer Showhouse.

Money magazine's much-fanfared list of Best Places to Live in the U.S. each year positions smaller cities as rivals to find the best places to live according to conditions ranging from jobs to commute time. One of the measurements of quality of life is affordable housing, and according to this year's picks, Deerfield Beach, FL tops the Where Homes are Affordable list.

We think surveys are excellent ways to sell more copies of a magazine, but a "Best Places to Live" feature wouldn't be our recommended guide for homeowners looking for relocation options. Magazine surveys make excellent press events - witness Best Colleges issues - but they tend to place arbitrary measurements on intangibles. How can you measure the quality of local restaurants, the availability of cultural venues, or the visual pollution of too many franchise chains? While we congratulate the good people of Deerfield Beach, FL for their Money magazine Affordable Homes crown this year, we also came across a 2007 article called Deerfield Beach = The Riviera? from the always-funny Real Estate Hell blog that paints a less than idyllic picture of the place. Perhaps a small city can turn around in three short years, but it becomes Exhibit A in the cautionary tale of not placing too much stock in magazine surveys.

Here are other cities that made the Affordable Homes list this year, along with their 2009 median home sales price. Click on each city link to read what Money magazine has to say about each location.

Linda Grasso - Whether you're planning an outdoor summer dinner or going to a wedding for a couple with a beach house, please take note: there are some really beautiful place settings and dishware available for these more casual summer settings.

One of my favorites is the hand-painted china by Anna Weatherley. You can get it at Neiman Marcus.  The detail on the leaves, dragonfly, and butterfly are works of art (see top photo).

The exquisite setting is paired with a festive, gold and white "pom pom" napkin ring by Kim Seybert - seen below - and a crisp, white embroidered napkin.

The patio furniture below, with blue, turtle-adorned cushions, really tees up this pretty place setting.  The charger is a fan-shaped piece of coral from the ocean. On top of that, the hostess placed two square, glass plates - one is translucent and other is light blue. Glassware is also light blue and a white orchid arrangement is in the center of the table.

An urn overflowing with sea shells and coral is the centerpiece to this lovely wooden table. The juxtaposition of the heavily-lacquered, bright kelly green dishes topped by a Margarita glass adorned with a floating magnolia is just smashing. The alabaster flatware handles are the perfect accompaniment. The colors and textures work together in a simple way that just really sings. And sitting down to the intoxicating fragrance of a freshly-cut magnolia? What's better than that? (I know what you're thinking: a margarita!)

Linda Grasso is the energetic engine that drives SheSez. Her site exemplifies great living, with a California flair, for women of style and substance. Its mission is to inform, inspire, and entertain. Linda says,

We love sharing the unique, interesting, cutting-edge things west coast women are doing. Women all over the world look at California for ideas and inspiration from beauty to health to style. They want to replicate our open-air lifestyle, amidst such breathtaking natural beauty: the ocean, sun, mountains, warm weather. Let's face it, west coast women lead the way for progressive living - whether it's practicing alternative medicine or the latest type of Yoga, we aren't afraid to try something new.

Irwin decided that a pair of them would look smashing on his dining room table in Bucks County, PA. He set his table with strongly patterned Indian print table cloths and napkins, some exotic peacock napkin rings from NYC's Bergdorf Goodman Decorative Home (a real splurge), some spritely table sculptures (including a 1940s "napkin lady," rooster salt and pepper set, rooster dinner bell - a "JanaBell" - created by Jana Kolpen, and a crazy calypso frog), red-rimmed Rimi wine glasses from Barneys, and some vintage blue and yellow Crown Band dishes from Arabia of Finland. The layers, textures, and colors in the tabletop arrangement work well together.

Above the dining table is a combo light fixture put together by Irwin, combining a tin-and-canvas lantern he bought at the Egyptian Spice Bazaar in Istanbul with a miniature chandelier. He knew this fixture set the tone for the exotic Balinese temple umbrellas, and you'll see the results of his shopping and styling in this video, along with vignettes from Two Buttons.

One of the reasons Irwin thought the small umbrellas would make perfect "centerpiece" elements for his dining table was that the stands had enough height to lift the umbrellas themselves above the sight lines of his dinner guests, enabling a clear view and flow of conversation. "There's nothing worse than having a huge centerpiece blocking your view across the table and isolating diners," says Irwin. "And I also appreciated the temple umbrellas original purpose of shielding sacred objects. In this case, my place settings, food, and dinner companions are all being sheltered in a special way. The end result is very theatrical and fun, which is the goal of a good dinner party."

For more information: Visit the Two Buttons website for store hours, background, and directions.

Stubbs' tips and advice are practical and affordable ways to bring luxe into your life without breaking the bank - and the show provides hours of inspiration, the fuel that drives all great interior design. Watch the program for the great ideas alone, but keep watching it and you'll find a whole new way to appreciate the details in the world around you. Here's a video collage from Season 2 of Moment of Luxury, and it's packed with tips and interviews with some of our favorite design industry folks.

Luxury Moment: Design2Share loves luxe details like the DESU Design White Marble Valas Bowl. It's a large, heavy piece that can anchor a coffee table or dining room table, as both a useful bowl - for fruit, candies, nuts, or other items - and a piece of tablescape sculpture. The classic white marble is chic and timeless, and the carving is exquisite and inspired from the underbelly of a whale ("valas" is Finnish for "whale"). Indulge your senses and add the White Marble Valas Bowl to your home decor today.

But now it's hunker-down time, and Money is telling us all about house wisdom - a move we applaud. Here are some of the tips that strongly resonated with us:

• Home repairs will get you the biggest returns on your dollar investments. Money notes that "while buyers might appreciate enhancements like Jacuzzis and Sub-Zeros, they won't tolerate a house with a leaky roof or antiquated plumbing." At closings, it's becoming more common for new home buyers to subtract from the purchase price both the costs of anticipated repairs and a penalty for the buyers having to make those repairs. Bottom line: make the repairs now before you sell and save penalties (not to mention enjoying the results of your repairs while you're living there).

• Here are the Big 3 home improvements that will have the best paybacks if and when you sell your home: finishing your basement (estimated project cost: $65,000 - per Remodeling magazine); attic conversion to a bed + bath combo (est. cost: $50,000); and replacing your roof (est. cost: $20,000).

• And then there are the Big 3 home improvements that are experiencing falling paybacks: luxe master suite addition (est. project cost: $226,000); complete kitchen remodeling (est. cost: $112,000); and new wood deck (est. cost: $11,000).

• Rather than putting in a media room with high-tech systems that will date quickly - here's the rule: new gadgets will always become obsolete - install cable and Ethernet ports into your rooms when you're opening up walls for a construction or remodeling project. That's only about $80 a room, and you'll be able to handle any new technology that comes along (the flashiest 3D flatscreen, for instance) and show that your house has modern wiring upgrades.

• We were fascinated by Money's advice not to undertake a major remodeling project if you're going to move from your home in less than 5 years. Five years is what you should wait after a big remodeling project. But start making your renovations and repairs right now as we're in a bargain home improvement climate. How so? Most contractors are needing the work now and you can sometimes get up to 40% off what you'd normally be paying. So this is the classic "buy low" financial advice, and Money is saying that now is the time to buy and make your improvements - if you're willing to sit tight for at least the next 5 years. Design2Share adds: improve and enjoy your home right now and give your family as much stability and happy memories as possible. 

Now that Spring is here, be certain to check our Spring Home Checklist to keep everything in tip-top condition, and make sure our checklist becomes part of your home to-do list.

Who doesn't love taking a ride to go foraging for fabulous home design finds? NECTAR in High Falls, NY, is one of those "secret" addresses where the design savvy go to shop. We want all our readers to know about this fantastic design resource destination!

From the organic tea salon to the furniture to jewelry, almost everything in the inviting store reflects the principles of socially and economically responsible business by offering many fair trade items and furniture made from reclaimed "green" wood.

Looking for the perfect brass tub? Directly across the street from the main NECTAR store is the NECTAR FURNITURE ANNEX, and you will find it there. Two floors of unique furniture, antique urns, shrines, statuary, art, and architectural items each styled with Jenny Wonderling's perfect eye. World music, decadent candles and body products. NECTAR is a feast for all your senses.

The palette may be nude, but by mixing a collection of these sleek shades together, adding a little sparkle and shine, a stylish room that flatters and looks fabulous comes to life! This palette is for those of you who desire natural definition but still want the perks of a designer palette. It is the ideal color palette for creating chic rooms without looking like you are trying too hard. Simple, yet genius designs.

How do you make this palette work?

• Stick to tone-on-tone for a soft and feminine look.
• Begin by mixing and matching prints and patterns within the nude palette.
• Add a few accents of lace and painted or bleached French furniture.
• For sparkle, add some luminescent accents or soft matte gold accents.

For a more urban feel accent, you can change up the look.

• Incorporate dark woods or even black mill work and case goods.
• For punch, add a touch of black current or even Asian red.
• The sizzle will come when you finish the room off with a couple of fresh plants and silver or stainless accessories.

Two completely different looks, both using a palette of nudes, and both will give you some stunning results. Isn’t it time you went naked – at least in your own home?

This article was reprinted with the permission of casaGURU. casaGURU is an everyday, everywhere, anytime homeowner website built on the premise that every home deserves a house expert.

• If you have an older kitchen, it may need to be brought into today’s trend of incorporating more of a “living room” experience into the traditional kitchen footprint. Plan for a bigger hangout area to accommodate conversation, homework, playing games, watching TV, and working on the computer—as well as food storage, meal prep, and eating.

• An island is a useful addition to any kitchen. It can be used for meal preparation and, if large enough, can incorporate counter seating for informal meals and snacks. Many islands feature a small sink for rinsing off fresh foods and washing hands, a cooking surface with exhaust (some exhaust systems pop up from the countertop rather than require a hooded unit and ceiling extraction), a durable and practical countertop for meal prep and serving, under-counter storage drawers, under-counter appliances, and a bookshelf for cookbooks and décor items.

• Plan for incorporating new appliances into your new kitchen, and try to get energy-efficient models whenever possible (they'll have high Energy Star ratings). Two-drawer dishwashers make life easier. You can run double loads when you’re entertaining or clean only the drawer that you fill. Consider adding a plate warming drawer, cigar humidor drawer, under-counter beverage center (great for kids to pull out their favorite snacks and beverages without grownup help), wine cabinet, trash compactor, and refrigerator/freezer drawer units.

• Look at Valcucine for inspiration on the latest modular kitchen systems. They’re made with eco-friendly materials in processes that minimize environmental impact, and their fantastic designs include cabinetry that hides appliances when not in use and creates a living room feel.

• For remodeling your kitchen with the environment in mind (and that’s great for your family’s health and safety, too), there’s a great How to Go Green in the Kitchen guide with helpful articles on the Planet Green website.                                                                

• Great cabinetry can make a great kitchen. Cheap cabinetry will cost you more money in the long run, so invest in good work. Absolute Kitchen and Bath Marketplace in Surrey, Maine has a Superior Construction Checklist to help you select or build quality cabinets that will stand up to time and heavy use.                                                                 

If you aspire to living in a luxurious home, most everyone will need to either design the latest kitchen in their new construction home or undertake an ambitious kitchen remodeling job in their existing home. Either way, we think we have a book that will help you out as you try to balance luxe with practicality.

Many design books wow readers with inspirational projects, but Kitchen Design for the 21st Century is far more a practical advice guide for homeowners. The book is filled with "news you can use" by author John Driemen, former editor and publisher of Best Kitchens & Baths Magazine, and good kitchen photos by Nancy Elizabeth Hill.

This book deals head-on with kitchen design issues for today's busy, multi-tasking family. Too many kitchen books are far too luxe, and it was refreshing to see photos of kitchens with fixtures you can easily find at your local Lowes or Home Depot. While some of the photos are a bit dated, many will inspire families to create the kitchen of their dreams.

The book convincingly makes the case for going back to the original modern kitchen research done in 1947 at Cornell University. This groundbreaking study used test kitchens to find out how life could be made easier for the family, and the researchers (and this book) address three key questions you should ask yourself when you're planning your own new kitchen or kitchen remodeling project:

1. How can you arrange your kitchen to make your work easier?
2. What are the things your family wants to do most in the kitchen?
3. Do you want your kitchen to be a living room, a room that is the shared activity center of the home?

Use Kitchen Design for the 21st Century to learn more about and plan for the various Work Center elements that make up today's contemporary kitchen:

• Food Storage Center
• Snack Center
• Casual Eating Area
• Cooking Center
• Baking Center
• Fresh Food Prep Center
• Clean-up Center
• Counters

There is solid advice on all the practical and luxury angles surrounding kitchen design, including pantry planning and general kitchen storage tips, color color guidance, and surveys of new appliances (such as dual-fuel cooktops and all the appliances now available in drawers -- microwaves, refrigerators, freezers, warming drawers, and dishwashers).

Particularly interesting to us was the section on green kitchen design, with environmentally-friendly suggestions on installing the "right" wood products and efficient appliances, using eco-friendly adhesives, incorporating recycled materials, using linoleum and bamboo, and choosing alternative countertops. Don't expect to find floor plans or elevation drawings -- it's not that kind of book. The bulk of the book covers 20 homeowners' kitchen projects. You're sure to find a kitchen style and set of challenges that fit your own situation. In Kitchen Design for the 21st Century, you'll get enough inspiration, design history and theory, and practical advice to make your kitchen project a pleasure.