I have a nondescript fireplace, without a mantel or any other embellishment, in a new-construction condominium. What can I do to this feature to make it more of a focal point and add character?

The cover of Francis Levy’s collection of oddball tales of contemporary living depicts a drawing of the back of a nondescript character calmly looking at a huge colored circle of a cockroach.

Not needing to hear it twice, the founder of Violetta Interior Design broke out her flash cards to determine exactly which hues they favored. Teal, magenta, and rose were in; purple and chartreuse ...