Polished + Bright

Amp up your home's style with ingenious indoor and outdoor decor ideas from this gleaming California abode. And keep rooms sparkling with tried-andtrue tips from GH's resident cleaning expert.

- MONIQUE VALERIS and CAROLYN FORTÉ

SPRUCE UP SEATING

Zap dust from woven wicker and cane chairs with your vacuum's soft brush tool. Clean wood backs, armrests and trim with a kitchen cabinet cleaner - it's made to cut grease without damaging the finish.

BRING THE OUTDOORS IN.

Rather than settle for the choppy original floor plan, Alice Arterberry and Barrett Cooke of Arterberry Cooke Architecture upgraded this home's hardest-working floor in collaboration with the homeowners, giving it an airy, open layout fit for entertaining. The designers combined the kitchen, dining area, and living space and added bi-fold doors that open onto the pool deck.

FIND A BRIGHT SPOT FOR THE BREAKFAST NOOK.

The kitchen's main eating area, which features wood paneling, is nestled in an ultra-sunny corner and serves as the family's command center for meals and arts-and-crafts sessions. For that reason, a custom quartz-composite tabletop (also featured in the kitchen) is a no-fail choice. "They wanted it to be indestructible so they could use the space for everything and not worry about damaging the table," says Cooke.

SUPER SURFACE SAVERS

Keep high-traffic floors, furniture, and more in tip-top shape with these GH Cleaning Lab finds.

NEAT FEET

Stick-on pads often peel off, and bare chair feet can mar floors. These vinyl caps stay put and let you slide smoothly.

GH LAB PICK: PARKER & BAILEY FELT FEET, $20 FOR 24

COUCH PROTECTOR