The mysterious device that OpenAI is cooking up with former Apple designer Jony Ive will be pocket-size, contextually aware, screen-free, and isn’t eyewear. Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed details about the project in an internal staff call reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, after announcing the $6.5 billion acquisition of Ive’s AI hardware startup, io.

Altman suggested that the acquisition could increase OpenAI’s value by $1 trillion, and envisioned a “family of devices” being born from the partnership. Information about the first device, which Altman is aiming to release by late 2026, has been kept tightly under wraps since its development was confirmed last year over concerns that competitors will set about trying to copy the product before it’s launched to the public. 

Altman dropped some hints during the call that shape our expectations, however, including that it will be unobtrusive, fully aware of a user’s life and surroundings, and will serve as a “third core device” a person would put on a desk after a MacBook Pro and an iPhone. OpenAI is already predicting that the device will be popular, with Altman saying that it will ship “faster than any company has ever shipped 100 million of something new before.”

The leaked call also gave some insight into what the device likely won’t be — Altman said that it isn’t a pair of glasses, and that Ive wasn’t keen to make something you’d need to wear on the body, having recently slammed the Humane AI Pin. Altman has also denied rumors that OpenAI is developing a phone. The Journal previously reported that Ive and Altman wanted to wean users away from screens, with Ive saying in a recent interview that his next product is driven by owning the “unintended consequences” associated with the iPhone.

Altman told OpenAI employees on the call that they have “the chance to do the biggest thing we’ve ever done as a company here.” The Journal reports that Ive referred to the project as “a new design movement,” and harkened back to his Apple career that saw him work closely with Steve Jobs before his passing in 2011. Now teamed up with Altman, Ive said, “the way that we clicked, and the way that we’ve been able to work together, has been profound for me.”

• Lexi and Diego Newkirk built a two-story shipping container home on their land in Texas.
• They invested around $100,000 in the home, building a full-sized kitchen and luxury bathroom.
• The Newkirks plan to rent out the home on Airbnb down the line.

Lexi and Diego Newkirk had big plans for the sprawling piece of Texas land they bought in October 2023.

The Newkirks dreamed of filling their 12.5-acre property with homes made of shipping containers, a more whimsical alternative to the traditional tiny home to appeal to adventurous travelers.

When a dispute with a neighbor put a wrench in their plans, Lexi Newkirk, 25, and Diego Newkirk, 26, decided to just build one shipping container home for themselves instead, investing $100,000 in a space they plan to live in for the short term and rent out down the line.

Lexi and Diego Newkirk bought land in Texas Hill Country in October 2023 with big plans to create a rental community.

Lexi Newkirk, a digital marketer, and Diego Newkirk, who works in home restoration, bought their 12.5 acres of land in October 2023 for $180,000. Their property is about an hour from Austin.

Lexi Newkirk told Business Insider they envisioned creating a community of tiny homes people could rent for short-term stays on the property. Specifically, they pictured homes made out of shipping containers.

"People would much rather stay in a shipping container versus a traditional little tiny house out here," she said. "It would also rent for a lot more."

The couple decided to make their dream a reality, buying two containers for their Texas property in November 2023. They opted for single-use containers, which are pricier because they have less wear and tear than containers used multiple times. They cost $5,500 each.

The Newkirks had to pivot their plans after buying two containers.

Just as the couple was about to break ground in November 2023, one of their neighbors approached them with concerns about their plans for a tiny-home community.

"We got a call from our neighbor basically asking us what the heck we're doing," Lexi Newkirk said, adding that the neighbor, who threatened to sue, took issue with the fact that the tiny homes would be visible from the road on the Newkirks' property, which sits at the front of the neighborhood.

The couple didn't want to end up in a lawsuit, so they decided to shift their plans. They moved the two storage containers they had already purchased to the center of their property and decided to build one slightly larger home with them.

They started construction in January 2024 and wrapped the interior in April 2025.

During construction, they lived in an RV. Now that they've moved into the shipping container home, they plan to stay for a year or two before turning it into an Airbnb.

They designed the home to have two floors, plus a basement.

The couple thought two containers made the most sense for the house, as they would have additional space without building a separate roof.

Together, the containers are 640 square feet, and the Newkirks also built a basement for the space.

"My husband and I did the layout together," Lexi Newkirk said of the design process. "We didn't hire anyone. We built it ourselves."

Diego Newkirk built as much of the house as he could.

"He did most of the construction himself," Lexi Newkirk told BI of her husband. "He did all the stacking of the containers, all the welding."

Sometimes, he hired workers to help with larger projects, and the couple outsourced their plumbing and electrical work. Still, having him take on much of the work saved them money.

The main floor features a spacious kitchen.

Lexi Newkirk said she and her husband love to cook, so they wanted to use more of their square footage for the kitchen, particularly after only having an RV-sized kitchen for a year.

Details like butcher block countertops and a tiled backsplash, as well as the full-sized appliances, make the kitchen feel homey.

The main floor also features a washer and dryer so the Newkirks can do laundry at home.

The living area has ample natural light.

The Newkirks have a small living room that sits just off the kitchen.

It has room for a small recliner couch and is full of light because it's next to a sliding glass door.

Hardwood floors also add to the house's cozy feeling.

The main floor has a half-bathroom.

The house runs on a water tank since it's in a remote area. The Newkirks get water delivered each month so they can use their toilets and other water-based appliances.

A spiral staircase connects the two floors.

The staircase leads to the center of the second story, adding a touch of whimsy to the space.

There's a small desk and work area at the top of the stairs.

A large primary bathroom was also a priority for the Newkirks.

Much like the kitchen, the Newkirks didn't want to feel cramped in their bathroom like they did in their RV.

They decided to make their bathroom spacious, complete with a double vanity, walk-in shower, and a standing tub with a view of the property through a large window.

"The bathtub faces the sunset, so you can take a bath watching the sunset or shower," Lexi Newkirk said.

A glass window covers nearly an entire wall in the couple's bedroom, allowing them to wake up with the sunrise each morning.

"The way we engineered and built the house, the bedroom wakes up to the sunrise," Lexi Newkirk said. "And there's a huge window, so you can see all the stars and the moon."

Although the bedroom stands out to her, she said she loves every inch of the home because she and her husband designed it.

"We kind of poured our hearts into it," she said.

The couple is building out deck space to increase the home's square footage and allow them to enjoy outdoor living, but the house is complete otherwise.

They estimate that they invested $100,000 in their dream shipping container home.

Building the house itself was expensive, but Lexi Newkirk said the remote nature of their property made the construction even more costly.

"For example, our electricity pole was 300 feet down, so we had to have a 300-foot trench," she said. Getting water delivered monthly is also costly, and their electricity costs are high.

They hope to eventually use solar power on the property, but it will take some time to build it out.

Although the build was pricey, the couple still saved money by living in an RV on their property during construction.

Doing much of the work themselves and not taking out a loan for the project also helped, as they don't have a mortgage payment, though it did make construction take longer than it would have otherwise.

The Newkirks plan to turn their property into a homestead with a barndominium.

Now that the shipping container house is complete, the Newkirks are already starting to fulfill their next dreams for the property: making it into a homestead.

They already have 20 chickens and plan to bring some cows onto the property in the next few years. They also want to build a garden and mostly live off their own property.

They'll also build a barndominium for themselves in the not-too-distant future, moving into the bigger house so they can rent the shipping container home. For now, though, the tiny home is perfect for the couple.

"Everything in our house is super custom because of the size," Lexi Newkirk said. "The tiny house is only 640 square feet, but it has everything we need."

• Business Insider spoke to two professional organizers about how to declutter your bedroom.
• Extra bedding, mismatched socks, and old clothing can take up unnecessary space.
• Taking things such as mail, dishes, and empty boxes out of the room helps to reduce clutter.

As tedious as it is, decluttering is a necessary task that can make your space look and feel bigger. However, figuring out where to start can be difficult, especially when the clutter gets overwhelming.

For tips on the process, Business Insider asked two professional organizers who cofounded the organizing service Uncluttered Spaces what people should get rid of in their bedrooms.

Here's what the experts said.

Exercise equipment should be kept outside the bedroom.

Although home workouts are popular, Uncluttered Spaces' Tina Horan said having the equipment in your bedroom could create more clutter and make you feel less relaxed.

She recommended moving the equipment to a designated area for working out in order to make the bedroom feel more organized, relaxed, and spacious.

Dishes should either be kept out of the room or cleaned up right away.

Sometimes a snack in bed is comforting — but Horan advised against letting a pile of dirty dishes build up in your bedroom.

"I'm sure we're all guilty of bringing dishes into our room, but don't wait too long to declutter and remove it to ensure a constantly clean room," Horan said.

Mismatched socks can take up valuable drawer space.

Uncluttered Spaces' Nancy Yerkes told BI that having a graveyard of mismatched socks takes up a lot of useful drawer space.

"It's time to buy a new pack of matching socks — let go of the misfit ones and reclaim that drawer space," Yerkes said.

Collecting old clothes minimizes useful closet storage.

Keeping items in your closet that no longer fit you is one of the easiest ways for clutter to accumulate.

"Instead of collecting clothes, keep a good routine of trying your pieces on so you know what to keep and get rid of," Horan said.

By routinely trying clothes on, you can stay on top of organizing and maximizing your closet space, she added.

Mismatched hangers are a no-no.

For a better-looking, more put-together closet, Yerkes suggested getting rid of mismatched hangers.

"If possible, buy uniform and sturdy hangers. It's the secret to a visually satisfying closet," Yerkes said.

Keeping bills, mail, and other documents in the bedroom can make your space look messy.

Horan advised against opening mail and keeping documents inside your bedroom.

"Having a buildup of mail can cause stress, but it's also messy to have a pile of documents laying around your room," she said.

Instead, she recommended designating a drawer or basket for your mail to keep the collection nice and tidy.

You don’t need a huge collection of extra bedding.

Having extra bed sets with different designs is a nice way to decorate, but having too many takes up an annoying amount of space, Yerkes said.

"Two sets of everything is all you need — one to use while you wash the other and to switch out when necessary," she added.

Move empty boxes and storage containers outside your bedroom.

Horan said breaking down extra boxes is a tedious but necessary step in decluttering your room. This includes old appliance boxes, packaging, and storage bins.

"The boxes might look important, but they also are an eyesore and waste of space you could be using for something else," Horan said.

Instead of keeping them in your room, she recommended stacking and packing them away in a storage closet, crawl space, or basement.

She also suggested throwing away smaller boxes, such as packaging from phones or computers, because they don't offer much storage space.

This story was originally published on August 13, 2024, and most recently updated on May 12, 2025.

• Jony Ive was known for delivering simple designs at Apple.
• Ive said in a fireside chat that his design mantra at his new agency, LoveFrom, could be different.
• His new chapter is shaping up to be his "ornament era."

Jony Ive is embracing his "ornament era."

The former chief design officer at Apple spent the better part of 27 years designing products that were defined by simplicity and minimalism: the iPod, iPhone, MacBook, and iPad all had the British-born designer's hand in them.

But he's taking a different approach now.

In a fireside chat with Stripe CEO Patrick Collison this week, Ive, who has been busy working on an independent design agency called LoveFrom since leaving Apple in 2019, said his more recent work could be seen as "Jony's ornament era."

"I think that's a lovely observation," Ive said in response to Collison, who described his work at Apple as "so stripped down" and "reduced to the essence."

Ive's ideas and work at Apple were often inspired by Dieter Rams, the German industrial designer who had a "less but better" approach that informed his work at consumer products businesses like Braun.

In the fireside chat, Ive said that his work at LoveFrom is informed by a diverse team of industrial, graphic, and sound designers, as well as architects, typographers, and musicians, as opposed to at Apple, where his team had "clear criteria for what we were doing."

Ive has shared few details about the projects LoveFrom was working on, with his design agency's website maintaining a barebones display that has shrouded the storied designer's future work in secrecy.

But a few public projects have indicated a shift in direction in his design, with Ive notably creating an ornament logo for the coronation of King Charles III, as well as work for Airbnb.

"If you're working for the king on his coronation identity, that of course, would demand a very different approach than the one we would have taken if we were designing instructional products for how to use an iMac," Ive said.

Figma is expanding its creative software ecosystem to allow product designers to complete entire projects without jumping to third-party apps. Four new products for website building, AI coding, branded marketing, and digital illustration were introduced at Figma’s Config event today, aiming to fill in any gaps holding Figma back from being an all-in-one platform that supports the entire product design lifecycle.

For example, while existing products like Figma Design, Slides, and FigJam could be used to ideate and create prototypes, developers would need to use services like WordPress to create live websites or Adobe Illustrator to create customized and scalable brand imagery.

Figma’s first solution is Figma Sites, a website builder that integrates with Figma Design and allows creators to turn their projects into live, functional sites. Figma Sites provides presets for layouts, blocks, templates, and interactions that aim to make building websites less complex and time-consuming. Additional components like custom animations can also be added either using existing code or by prompting Site’s AI tool to generate new interaction codes via text descriptions, such as “animate the text to fall into place like a feather.”

Figma Sites is rolling out in beta for users with full seat access to Figma products. Figma says that AI code generation will be available “in the coming weeks,” and that a CMS that allows designers to manage site content will be launched “later this year.”

Figma Make is Figma’s take on AI coding tools like Google’s Gemini Code Assist and Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot. The prompt-to-code Figma Make tool is powered by Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 model and can build working prototypes and apps based on descriptions or existing designs, such as creating a functional music player that displays a disc that spins when new tracks are played. Specific elements of working design, like text formatting and font style, can be manually edited or adjusted using additional AI prompts.

Make is rolling out in beta for full seat Figma users. Figma says it’s “exploring integrations with third parties and design systems” for Figma Make and may apply the tool to other apps within its design platform.

Figma Buzz is a marketing-focused design app that’s rolling out in beta to all users, and makes it easier for teams to publish brand content, similar to Canva’s product design platform. The tool allows Figma designers to create brand-approved templates, styles, and assets that can be used by marketers to quickly assemble emails, social media posts, advertising, and more. Figma Buzz includes generative AI tools for making and editing images using text prompts, and can source information from spreadsheets to bulk create thousands of image assets at once.

Lastly, the Figma Draw vector design app is like a simplified version of Adobe Illustrator that creatives can use to make custom visuals without leaving the Figma platform. It includes a variety of brushes, texture effects, and vector editing tools to create or adjust scalable images and logos for product design projects. Figma Draw is generally available now for full seat users as a toggle in Figma Design, with some features accessible in Sites, Slides, and Buzz.

It’s not quite as expansive as Adobe’s wider Creative Cloud ecosystem, but Figma Draw places the two companies in direct competition for the first time since Adobe killed its own XD product design platform. It also brings some new options to the creative software industry after Adobe failed to acquire Figma for $20 billion due to pressure from competition regulators.

Correction, May 7th: corrected the failed Figma acquisition figure from $1 billion to $20 billion.

• As a wedding planner, I've seen guests commit many faux pas at ceremonies and receptions.
• Sit by the front if there are empty seats, and don't walk down the aisle as the wedding is starting.
• Believe that couples know what they want and don't assume they'll be following old traditions.

As a professional wedding planner, I've seen a wide range of guest behavior, from the bad to the brilliant.

Luckily, being a good wedding guest doesn't always have to be difficult.

From double-checking information you've received about the nuptials to asking how you can help, here are eight ways to be a great wedding guest.

Before you ask the couple a question, make sure you don't already have the answer

With resources like wedding websites and multipage invites, many modern couples provide a lot of information to their guests.

Be sure to check those resources before you contact the couple to ask something, especially if it's less than two weeks before the wedding. Your answer might already be out there.

Ask yourself, 'Is this for me, or is it for the people getting married?'

Weddings bring up a lot of different feelings, so it can be easy to lose yourself along the way. Before you make a request, ask yourself, "Am I asking for something that benefits me or the couple?"

It's OK if the answer is, "This is for me." Use it as an opportunity to share context with the couple on why a particular request is so important to you.

Sit close to the front during the ceremony

Although the first two rows on either side at a wedding are typically reserved for VIPs, rows three and four are usually open — I recommend sitting there.

Even better, if you see some empty spots and you've been sitting for a while, move up. Sitting toward the front will help make the space look fuller before the wedding party enters.

If the ceremony is about to begin, don't go down the aisle

You'd think avoiding walking down the aisle would be obvious, but I've seen guests coming back from the restroom do this as the wedding begins.

Rather than work their way around the side of the ceremony space or wait at the back until the processional ended, they'll cut in front of the wedding party and walk down the aisle.

Please don't do this.

Remember, nobody can read your mind

It's difficult to remember the respective needs of every single wedding guest while planning, whether someone is allergic to a particular food or is unable to safely climb stairs

If you feel comfortable doing so, tell the couple what you need, ideally no later than 60 days before the wedding. With your consent, they can then pass that information along to the members of the vendor team who can best assist on the wedding day.

If you want to help, offer a specific way to do so

Typically, the most useful ways to help a couple are to assist with setup or clean up on the wedding day.

Helping with setup often means arriving two to three hours before any pre-ceremony photos or events. Assisting with clean up means remaining sober enough to put items away at the end of the day.

If neither of those tasks works for your situation but you still want to help, ask the couple what their No. 1 wedding challenge is.

Use that answer to figure out how your specific skill set and schedule can help alleviate some of that wedding stress.

Don't assume anything

Not assuming anything is a guiding principle in my work as a planner, and it's one you can use too.

When it comes to modern nuptials, don't assume the couple will carry on traditions that meant everything 30 years ago or use old-school gendered language in their ceremony.

Instead, if you're curious about how the planning is going, ask open-ended questions. For example, "What's been the most surprising thing about planning the wedding so far?" or, "What part have you each liked best?"

Believe the couple knows what they want

It never fails to surprise me how much gaslighting is present in modern wedding planning. Even though two adults who have typically spent multiple years and many life struggles together have chosen to get married, there's usually someone who thinks they don't know what they want.

Of course, there are some exceptions to this rule, but you should almost always believe the couple when they tell you what they want.

Whether they're putting cash on their registry, will not wear white, or choose to forgo cake, they've likely made these choices consciously and because they bring value to their relationship. 

If you're in doubt, don't pummel with opinion. Instead, try asking, "Are you in a place where you'd like to receive advice on this topic?"

This story was originally published on October 22, 2022, and most recently updated on May 5, 2025.

• T.J. Maxx is one of the largest discount retailers in the US, with more than 1,300 stores nationwide.
• An interior decorator told Business Insider which items she always buys there.
• She recommends buying artwork, mirrors, and on-trend furniture from the retailer.

Even interior designers and professional decorators can be proud Maxxinistas.

Business Insider spoke with Emily Maldonado, the owner of the full-service interior-decorating and home-styling company Styled Mi Casa, about the home-decor pieces she always buys at T.J. Maxx for her clients and her own home.

Maldonado has worked in mortgages, real estate, and home-flipping for 20 years. She got into decorating and home styling when she moved to Texas, and looks for many budget-friendly items when creating her "modern organic" decorating style.

As people tighten their budgets, stores like T.J. Maxx could become even more popular.

CNBC reported that TJX Companies, which owns Marshalls, HomeGoods, and T.J. Maxx, earned nearly $54.2 billion in 2024, nearly double its revenue from 10 years ago.

Here are six things you should always buy at T.J. Maxx, according to an interior decorator.

Home-decor accents in natural materials like wood and metal are something to look out for at T.J. Maxx.

"I try to bring something with a wooden element into every single space that I design, just to add that warmth," Maldonado told Business Insider, "and T.J. Maxx is great for that."

"Whether it's a beautiful tone of wood in a cutting board or a nice vessel or a pot, or it's even just a little wooden ball," there are usually a variety of pieces that will add texture and coziness to any space, she said.

T.J. Maxx is also a great place to find unique decor pieces from around the world to create an eclectic, "collected" feel in your home.

"You can find pieces made of wood or iron or metal or things that are imported from India," Maldonado said. "And those are the ideal things that I'm always looking for specifically at T.J. Maxx."

She said T.J. Maxx does "a great job of importing global design," which creates a modern organic look that appears to be collected and curated from around the world.

Kitchen and drawer organizers are other items Maldonado picks up from T.J. Maxx.

"I think they do a really good job with their selection of baskets and the little containers that organize your drawers and your kitchen cabinets," she said.

You can score a deal on artwork and mirrors.

Maldonado said that whether you're shopping for a full-length mirror or a large canvas print, T.J. Maxx is one place where you might score a better deal than other retailers.

"You can usually get something that's much larger than you're going to find for the same price at Target or Walmart," she said.

On-trend furniture is often sold at a highly discounted price.

Maldonado dispelled the idea that many of the furniture items you see at T.J. Maxx are "dupes" of more expensive brands. Instead, she said she's seen pieces from high-end furniture brands like Four Hands at the retailer.

"I think, more recently, people started understanding they're not dupes, they're the original product just at a much greater price," she said.

"A few years ago, I bought some outdoor chairs from Marshalls [which shares a parent company with T.J. Maxx] that would've been $1,000 at any other retail site, and they were $299," Maldonado continued.

You'll probably find brand-name throw blankets and pillows of higher quality than at other discount retailers.

"A 50-inch by 60-inch blanket at Target's going to be around $39.99, and it's just going to be a Target blanket," Maldonado said.

"But T.J. Maxx will have Tahari or Tommy Hilfiger, something that's a higher caliber of materials and pattern, and it's probably going to be like $19.99 or $29.99," she continued.

"If you're going to spend money on a plaid blanket that you're only going to have out for a few months in the winter, I love T.J. Maxx and Marshalls because you're going to save at least 30%, and it's a higher brand quality."

Headphones had existed for well over 50 years by the time Sony’s Walkman debuted in 1979, but the portable cassette player helped popularize the technology by miniaturizing it. km5’s new Lightwear Headphones Hp1 feature a minimal design similar to the one shipped with the Walkman over 40 years ago, but upgraded with wireless capabilities and more.

First debuting last July through a Japanese crowdfunding platform, wider availability of the Lightwear Headphones Hp1 was expected late last year but delays resulted in them only rolling starting late last week. They’re now available through km5’s online store for $189.

Featuring a thin and flexible polished stainless steel headband attached to compact earpads that sit on your ears instead of completely enveloping them, the Hp1 are reminiscent of the Walkman’s headphones but with an added square housing on each side with a pair of 120mAh batteries, 40-millimeter drivers, and all the electronics that make them wireless. They weigh in at 103 grams, which is less than half of Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones that are 250 grams.

Battery life is rated at up to 24 hours, and although the Hp1 utilizes a more open design that minimizes passive noise reduction, the headphones do offer active noise cancellation as well as a transparency mode to boost ambient sounds and improve situational awareness.

As with the Apple AirPods Max, the magnetic ear cushions on the Hp1 are easy to remove and replace, while the housings feature physical buttons for power, controlling playback, volume adjustments, and for activating Siri or Google Assistant. The headphones support the SBC, AAC, and LE audio Bluetooth codecs, but can also be used wired with a USB-C cable attached to a smartphone or computer.

When Adidas’ launched its Climacool shoes last September, the 3D-printed slip-ons featuring a form-fitting and breathable lattice structure were only available in very limited quantities to those who joined the company’s Confirmed platform. Next week that’s going to change as Adidas will be launching the Climacool shoes globally making them available to everyone starting May 2nd for $140.

The Climacool will still be available for purchase through Adidas’ Confirmed platform which offers a mobile app, but also through select Adidas store locations in New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. Although the company is based in Germany, it hasn’t announced if the shoes will be available in international locations for in-store purchase.

Adidas has been experimenting with the use of 3D-printing in its shoes for well over a decade, but so far it’s only been used for specific components with a limited rollout. In 2017, the company released its Futurecraft 4D, but only the shoe’s cushioned mid-sole was manufactured using 3D-printing and initial availability was limited to just 5,000 pairs.

The company still sells what it now calls “4D shoes” with 3D-printed mid-soles, but its Climacool are distinct in that the entire shoe is created using 3D-printing. Adidas hasn’t confirmed the exact process used to make the shoes aside from saying they’re “created through additive manufacturing and engineered entirely through cutting-edge 3D printing technology.” But the Futurecraft 4D’s midsole relied on a 3D-printing process called Continuous Liquid Interface Production where liquid polymer resin is turned into a solid material, layer by layer, using ultraviolet light.

Although it may seem like a marketing gimmick, there are many advantages to manufacturing shoes this way. The shape and size of the shoe can be customized for individual buyers ensuring a perfect fit (Adidas is not offering this for the Climacool) and the design can be easily refined over time by just modifying a 3D model.

The process also allows shoes to be created with unique properties. The Climacool shoes’ lattice structure makes them both lightweight and breathable while still offering important features like arch support and soft heel pillows, and a comfortable fit without any seams. For the Adidas 4DFWD running shoe first introduced in 2021, the company engineered a 3D-printed mid-sole with a lattice structure that collapses in a specific direction under the weight of a runner, helping to direct their movement and energy forwards with every step.

Adidas’ competitors like New Balance and Nike have also been experimenting with 3D-printing, but availability of the Nike Air Max 1000, made almost entirely using additive manufacturing, has been very limited. The Climacool’s larger rollout next week will be a big step forward for this unique approach to making shoes.

• My husband and I renovated three areas in our home, and we regret our flooring choices in each.
• Our basement's vinyl-plank flooring seemed like a smart choice, but the space doesn't feel cozy.
• The light carpet in the front room isn't going to hold up against our kids and dog for very long.

In the summer of 2021, my husband and I purchased the home next door to my mom and stepdad.

Never in a million years did I imagine that I would raise my own family on the street where I grew up, in the heart of suburban Centennial, Colorado.

Yet, with two young kids, who spend the bulk of their after-school time and random school days off with their grandparents, the move toward the 'burbs began to make sense.

The decades-old home had great bones, but very little had been updated by the original owner. We were open to making the place our own through a renovation, so we didn't mind the wood-paneled family room, unfinished basement, or the brown carpet.

After a year of planning, a year of renovating, and a year of living in our home, I'm largely thrilled with our space, but I regret the flooring choices in three critical areas of our house.

The basement feels uninviting without carpet

Reflecting on the amount of time my husband and I spent in our basements growing up, we knew we wanted to turn ours into a great gathering space for our kids.

I also swore never again to have a carpeted basement after our first home's basement flooded with sewage.

So, we selected a light-colored, wide luxury vinyl-plank floor. It's gorgeous. But without carpet, the basement feels cold and unwelcoming. Our children hardly ever play downstairs.

Instead, the basement has largely become where I put the kids' toys before they relocate them to the front room of the house, where they prefer to play.

An added problem is that our anxious dog, Winnie the Poodle, is terrified of the vinyl-plank flooring.

In the rare instances that we go down to the basement, Winnie refuses to leave the carpeted steps and join us.

Our front room has become the playroom, and its carpet is susceptible to many stains

One of the many things I learned — unfortunately, too late in our renovation — was that our contractor was almost always correct.

He recommended putting wood floors in our front room to match the majority of the first floor and current trends. Instead, we installed a soft, gray carpet.

The room now offers such an inviting feel that our kids have taken over the space. At present, the coffee table is covered in Lego bricks, and the floor is barely navigable due to a flying boat made of blankets.

Initially, I was constantly on alert, trying to intercept markers and crayons from the light-colored carpet before they created stains.

At this point, I've lost my resolve. Given that this room is also Winnie's favorite room, the carpet already bears the scars from his anxiety-induced vomiting anyway.

We'll likely have to get it replaced in the next few years.

The mudroom would be even better with heated floors

When people visit our home, they "ooh" and "ahh" over our mudroom/laundry room, an enormous space with great light and excellent storage. Prior to our renovation, this space was just a tiny dining room.

We spend a lot of time on this room's tiled floors in bare feet, either doing laundry or getting into or out of shoes. It can be a little unpleasant during colder months.

After experiencing the luxuries of a heated bathroom floor in our primary suite, I wish we had thought to heat these floors as well.

Our renovation taught me a few lessons

Looking back, it might've been helpful to live in our home for a bit before making our flooring choices.

However, it wasn't feasible with the scope of our renovations, and we had no way of knowing just how much one flooring choice could impact how our family (and dog) use a space.

Once our bank account recovers from the reno, I'll be purchasing a lot of rugs for our basement to try to make it cozier.

We'll also probably start putting aside money to replace the flooring in our front room. Given that the room is so unexpectedly popular with our dog and kids, the light carpet doesn't seem like it's going to hold up for long.

Maybe one day we'll even retrofit our mudroom with the heated floors we now know we love so much.

It’s one of the oldest conversations in gaming. Do you play video games because you’re looking for a challenge and want to experience the thrill and satisfaction of overcoming obstacles? Or do you turn to games to feel empowered, for the escapist fantasy of possessing incredible abilities that are often unattainable in real life?

Nowhere is this question more relevant than in the role-playing game genre. The core of the genre is developing a character (or stable of characters) over time, watching their power grow and capabilities expand. Satisfying player power fantasies is at the heart of many RPGs, where you can watch your virtual avatar grow from an unknown serf clad in rags to a living god, wielding incredible power to dominate your enemies or redeem a broken world.

That said, the thrill of power is only really exciting when leavened with a little friction. Eventually, even being omnipotent gets old.

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Americans angry about Elon Musk's unprecedented cuts to government services are voicing their displeasure at Tesla showrooms, and Musk isn't happy about it. "Who is funding and organizing all these paid protests?" he recently groused on X, referring to the ongoing wave of Tesla Takedown demonstrations taking place across the country.

But the better question for Musk might be: "Who built my showrooms in a way that made them such ideal targets for demonstrations?" Because the answer is: Elon Musk.

Car dealerships tend to be relegated to the outskirts of big cities, but most of Tesla's 276 showrooms in the United States are located smack in the middle of bustling neighborhoods full of wealthy progressives. That puts them right next to popular stores and busy restaurants, increasing the brand's visibility and foot traffic. It's ideal if you want to sell a status-symbol electric car — but maybe not so ideal when people are up in arms about your full-tilt, questionably legal operation to gut federal services to millions of Americans.

Musk put his showrooms in tony blue neighborhoods for two good reasons. First, he needed a way to get around state laws that bar carmakers from selling directly to consumers. So Musk turned Tesla's lack of in-person sales into a selling point. The cars at a Tesla "gallery" aren't there for you to buy. Oh my, no! The grubby exchange of money happens online. That means that unlike other car dealerships, Musk doesn't need to park a fleet of unsold Hyundais along some six-lane highway on the far fringes of town. "Our stores," Musk boasted in 2012, "are designed to be informative and interactive in a delightful way and are simply unlike the traditional dealership with several hundred cars in inventory that a commissioned salesperson is tasked with selling."

Second, Teslas are designed for affluent, progressive, early adopters, not the F-150 crowd. So it makes sense to locate the showrooms where the customers are. "We are deliberately positioning our store and gallery locations in high foot traffic, high visibility retail venues, like malls and shopping streets that people regularly visit in a relatively open-minded buying mood," Musk wrote.

I asked the American Communities Project, which maintains a county-by-county map of the United States that breaks out demographic characteristics, to sync its data with the locations of all 276 Tesla showrooms. Sure enough, more than half are in what the ACP calls "big cities" or "urban suburbs." Likewise, overlaying Tesla showroom locations onto neighborhood data (courtesy of the National Zoning Atlas) shows that they're predominantly in census tracts designated as "inner suburbs." Those tracts are fewer than a third of all neighborhoods, but they're home to more than half of Tesla's showrooms.

In short, Tesla put itself in places where people are better educated, higher-income — and more likely to vote Democratic. Which means that Tesla's clever showrooms have made the company vulnerable to protests by the very people the showrooms were built to attract.

"Just when they basically won, it seems like they're finding a way to lose now," says Dan Crane, a law professor at the University of Michigan who is the author of the forthcoming book "Direct Hit: How Tesla Went Straight to Consumers and Smashed the Car Dealers' Monopoly." Sales are down, Cybertrucks are being set on fire, and Tesla's stock price has plummeted by more than 30% this year. "Their retail strategy made them sitting ducks," Crane says.

People have protested car dealerships before. In the early 2000s, ecological activists actually blew up Hummers at dealerships on the West Coast. But Tesla showrooms are qualitatively different from those of its rivals. "They are actually in places where people congregate," says Dana Fisher, a sociologist at American University who is the author of "American Resistance."

That's important for protest strategy, because it means Tesla showrooms are located near public spaces like sidewalks, where it's legal to stage a demonstration. Nobody has to trespass on a car lot. And a Tesla store in an outdoor mall or a bustling shopping street puts protesters right in the faces of potential Tesla buyers. "The goal here is shaming consumers about their purchasing decisions," Fisher says. "To protest a brand, it's great to be able to go to a dealership."

It wouldn't make sense to protest at one of Donald Trump's hotels or golf courses — they're heavily guarded, they're too far away from everything, and the wealthy people patronizing them have already picked a side. But if you want to put pressure on Elon Musk's stock portfolio, the addresses of 276 possible protest locations are right there on the Tesla website. "Tesla facilities are basically the most common, well-known, and visible symbols of Elon Musk, and Elon Musk is the most well-known, visible symbol of the cruelty, inhumanity, and incompetence of this administration," says Patrice Kopistansky, a retired government lawyer who has helped organize Tesla protests in Virginia.

The locations help, Kopistansky tells me. The Tesla showroom in Tysons Corner is surrounded by other high-end car dealerships, but those operations are set way back from the sidewalk, amid lots full of unsold cars. Tesla's building is close to the street, which makes it easy to picket. "I don't know why they built it like that," Kopistansky says. "They've probably come to regret it."

And as a bonus? When Tesla drivers stop at the traffic light nearby, protesters can offer them bumper stickers printed for the occasion: "Sorry I bought a Tesla!"

Adam Rogers is a senior correspondent at Business Insider.

Canva is launching its latest smorgasbord of generative AI-powered workspace tools in its attempt to cram everything that Microsoft, Google, and Adobe can do into a single platform. Canva’s Visual Suite is being redesigned to combine its design and productivity tools into a single interface, alongside adding new coding, photo editing, spreadsheet, and AI chatbot features.

These join the collection of office suite tools that rolled out in 2022, such as Canva Docs and Canva Whiteboards — Canva’s answer to services like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and FigJam. Having made a name for itself as a marketing and design platform, Canva is now hoping to add more office teams and businesses to its community of 230 million users by providing a visual spin on traditional workspace apps.

The Visual Suite 2.0 update allows users to build and edit documents, presentations, animations, and websites into a single design, providing a unified format for teams to collaborate on multiple tasks simultaneously. “This eliminates the need for separate tools, fragmented workflows, and disconnected files,” Canva said in its press release. “Entire campaigns – from planning and briefing to design and delivery – can now happen in one seamless, collaborative space.”

Canva Sheets is a more creative take on typical spreadsheet-building applications, allowing users to combine text with visual assets. Data can be imported from HubSpot, Statista, Google Analytics, and more, according to Canva, while the company’s AI-powered “Magic Insights” feature automatically scans the data to identify notable patterns or takeaways. Data can also be transformed into a variety of interactive graphs using “Magic Charts,” which aims to make it easy for users to turn raw numbers into infographics, reports, and animated visualizations.

Canva Code is a generative AI coding assistant akin to Gemini Code Assist or the Microsoft-owned GitHub Copilot. Users can give it a text prompt to generate widgets, websites, and other interactive content “with no coding or external tools required,” according to Canva.

Meanwhile, Canvas’s new AI chatbot — which the company describes as a “conversational creative partner” — brings all of Canva’s generative AI tools into one window to make them easier for users to quickly access. From there, you can use voice or text prompts to edit photos, resize designs, and generate text, slides, and images.

On the creative side of things, Canva has also updated its Photo Editor with similar features to those that Adobe has introduced in its professional Photoshop software. The Photo Editor now allows users to automatically modify or remove background objects by clicking on them, and create AI-generated backgrounds that “account for lighting and layout,” according to Canva.

Adobe has launched its largest typeface expansion in five years, giving Creative Cloud subscribers access to 1,500 new fonts that can be used on websites and apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. More than 750 of these fonts have been provided via a collaboration with Monotype, which owns the licenses for Helvetica, Gotham, and Avenir. 

Older versions of some of these fonts were previously available in Adobe’s Font library, but were removed in January 2023 when the creative software giant ended support for Type 1 fonts, a system that uses the outdated PostScript file format. Now, Adobe says the new fonts are integrated into Creative Cloud at no extra cost — meaning that designers won’t need to pay Monotype to license them or download them locally onto their devices.

This update should result in “fewer frustrating missing font pop-ups” according to Adobe, which users may have previously encountered when trying to use fonts that were removed, or otherwise unavailable on Adobe Fonts or Creative Cloud apps. The font expansion also includes Times New Roman, Arial, and Proxima Nova, alongside options that support alphabets used by languages like Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Hindi.

The best method that we have for defining color is by using math. Specifically, mind-boggling mathematical models called color spaces that use geometry to assign colors as a fixed point that we can reference, ensuring the blue that I see is the same blue you see. As a creative-leaning person who can barely split a bill without a calculator app, all that math is extremely daunting.

The good news is that computing software will do all these complicated calculations for us, allowing us to rely on our eyeballs to pick whatever colors look best. The bad news is that there’s an equally daunting number of color spaces to choose from, and they’re all optimized for different tasks across web design, photography, video editing, physical printing, and more. And if you select the wrong one at any point between creating, editing, and viewing something, it can really mess with what colors are supposed to look like.

It’s a lot to absorb. Thankfully, most of us will only ever need to understand the basics, and that knowledge can be useful to everyone — not just creative professionals. Learning about it can help you buy your next phone, TV, laptop, or computer monitor, and get the most o …

Read the full story at The Verge.

• Justin and Kelly Harris moved to Koh Samui, Thailand, for a better quality of life.
• They previously lived in Singapore, working corporate jobs with little personal time.
• They now run a flexible design studio, enjoying island life and lower living costs.

I'm from Pennsylvania and studied interior design before moving to LA for work. My husband, Justin, is from Chicago and studied architecture before making the same move.

We met in 2010 at Walt Disney Imagineering, a segment of The Walt Disney Company that focuses on theme park design.

Fifteen years later, we're based in Thailand and run our own business. We love the pace of life in Asia.

In 2013, we were transferred to Shanghai to help design and build Shanghai Disneyland

It was a pivotal moment for us. Not only were we working in a different country, but we could travel all over Asia.

We started to find our love for travel and experiencing different Asian cultures, including visiting Thailand several times. We moved back to LA in 2016 but were eager to find a reason to return to Asia.

I designed interiors for private jets at Gulfstream in New York City, and Justin designed restaurants in Miami before his job took us to Singapore.

We moved to Singapore in February 2022

We had a lovely life there, especially in terms of safety, efficiency, and cleanliness, but we still hadn't moved on from our US-based corporate lifestyle.

We worked around the clock, barely spending much downtime together because it was all about making money to afford to live the Singapore lifestyle.

Our condo was nice, but we have a Rottweiler named Raja, and sharing common walls was also hard.

One of the first holidays we took from Singapore was to Koh Samui

We immediately fell in love and began speaking with real estate agents because we wanted to buy a vacation home there.

Then, we started thinking about quality of life and our end goal. Did we want to keep climbing the corporate ladder, or focus on our happiness and creative freedom?

These considerations led to us quitting our jobs and moving to Koh Samui full-time in July 2023

We live where some of the most recent season of "The White Lotus" was filmed.

We love the show and were thrilled to hear that season three was being filmed in Koh Samui. Several of our friends were on set as extras.

We can't wait for the finale. It's been exciting to recognize familiar places on the island featured on TV.

We have a visa issued through the Thailand Bureau of Investment

Our visa is called a 'Smart Visa.' Our program is designed to attract startup entrepreneurs investing in targeted industries.

Moving our dog was the most important thing. We'd had support with our relocations to Shanghai and Singapore, but we had to do it ourselves for Thailand.

Ever since we decided to move here, we haven't looked back.

Navigating real estate was the most difficult part of the move

House hunting in Koh Samui is very different from LA. There's no centralized database; less than 50% of properties are listed online. Many homes are sold through word of mouth.

Renovations were difficult, too. Coming from an urban environment with much more routine, structure, and predictability, getting used to doing something on an island can be challenging.

The experience made us much more adaptable and flexible. Whereas things in the past may have been frustrating, now we can laugh it off.

We started taking Thai lessons at the beginning of this year

We took Mandarin lessons when we lived in China and thought they might help, but they've made it more confusing, as some words are similar but have completely different meanings.

We want to be conversational in Thai, but English is fairly widespread here.

We started our own architecture, branding, and concept design studio

We run a studio called SnobBirds. We work remotely, with most projects based in the US, Singapore, and Hong Kong. We have a truly flexible schedule and are available for clients whenever they need us.

Our work is entirely project-based, so our hours fluctuate. Some weeks are intense (60+ hours), while others are lighter (20 hours). We regularly worked 70-80 hours a week in our corporate jobs.

The biggest difference now is control — we choose projects we're passionate about and pass on those that aren't a good fit. When work slows down, we can fully embrace island life.

We love to use our personal time to experience the island

We do a lot of road trips and take the ferry to the mainland to drive into Thailand.

Koh Samui is quite diverse. The exposure to the international community is part of what drove us to come to this island because you get a taste of both worlds.

We came here because we wanted to experience a new culture and foods and learn a new language. We didn't want to be comfortable.

One of the best things about living here is the Thai food

You can get great Thai food for under $10; great seafood along the coast is a little more expensive.

The food quality is excellent. However, cheese and imported beer, wine, and spirits are 50% to 75% more expensive. There's also variety, as there's a lot of international food on the island, especially from the expat community.

The community is very tight-knit. We don't know many places where you'll shop at the same grocery store in the morning with a local restaurant owner.

The cost of living in Koh Samui is another advantage

We bought our house in LA, now a rental, for just over $1M in 2017 by taking out a loan and 30-year mortgage. The house in Koh Samui was one-third the cost, and we purchased it outright with cash in 2023.

Our cost of living in Koh Samui is significantly lower since our house is paid off, and we share a car without a car payment.

We miss our family and friends the most and try to go back home to LA once a year

Since we still have our house in California, if we need to split our time more for our business or family, we can.

Our families have been great about visiting us and love having the excuse to experience more of Asia.

We imagine we'll return home at some point, but there's no end date right now.

• Lexi and Jordan Poer bought their forever home in 2017.
• Six years later, they decided to build a second home for Lexi Poer's mom on their property.
• The two homes are connected, creating a multigenerational space that gives everyone independence.

Lexi Poer, a full-time content creator, always knew she wanted her mom to live with her family.

When her dream of combining households became a reality, she wanted to ensure her mother could maintain her independence.

Poer, her husband, and her mom decided to build a second home connected to their main house, fulfilling everyone's needs as they embraced multigenerational living.

Lexi and Jordan Poer bought their forever home in 2017.

Lexi Poer, 35, and Jordan Poer, 40, bought their home in Roswell, Georgia, in 2017, intending to make it their forever home for themselves and their two daughters, Kennedy and Addie. They also have two dogs, Baby and Paris.

"We purchased the house from the original owners, and it was built in the early '70s," Lexi Poer told BI of the four-bedroom home. "Everything was well-maintained and updated as needed, but we were able to come in and spend what we call the fun money on bringing it up to date aesthetically."

They did some initial renovations on the property before moving into the house in March 2018.

Poer had always dreamed of her mom moving in with her family, and in 2023, it felt like the right time to make the move.

Poer told BI that she and her mom, Sandra Vassell, 64, have always been close. Vassell raised her as a single mom, and Poer said she was clear with her husband in the early days of their relationship that she always planned for her mom to live with them someday.

"As a child, I always imagined having a compound with several houses in a cul-de-sac so we each had our own space but lived near each other," Poer said. "My mom was just laughing, thinking I was crazy."

In 2020, Poer and her family started thinking more about having Vassell live with them, as COVID made seeing each other difficult. Shortly after, when housing prices skyrocketed, it seemed like a sign that they should consolidate into one space.

"We figured out that she would be able to sell her home for far more than she purchased it not many years before that and invest that money into our home and building her own space," Poer said. "That was the piece that made the dream a reality."

It was important to the Poers and Vassell that everyone maintained their independence.

As the Poers started thinking about creating an in-law suite for Vassell in their home, maintaining her independence was a priority.

"She very much wanted to make sure that she had all of the things she needed to live independently in her space, like somewhere to park her car and enter her home without having to come through our house, access to the outdoor space without having to enter our house, her own laundry room, her own kitchen," Poer said.

Likewise, the Poers liked entertaining friends and didn't want their social life to disrupt Vassell's routine.

They decided to build a separate house for Vassell that attaches to the main house.

Rather than building a separate guest house in a different area of their yard, the Poers and Vassell wanted the two homes to truly connect, both for curb appeal and to fit their lifestyle.

"We imagined when the girls wake up on Saturday morning, they always want to run down and go into Nana's house and watch cartoons or have breakfast with her," Poer said, as her daughters often spent weekends at their grandmother's house when she didn't live with them.

They didn't want the kids to have to think about grabbing a jacket or rain boots to run across the yard, and they also wanted their dogs to be able to wander through the spaces.

The houses form one structure, though the new addition has its own driveway and garage.

The homes connect through a walk-in pantry in the Poers' house.

The new home is connected to the main house through a walk-in pantry that Poer and her mom use.

"It's where we put the things that neither of us needs daily but both want access to, and we didn't really feel like we needed double of everything," Poer said, pointing to items like a stand mixer or Christmas china.

The space, which sits off the main house's kitchen, is lined with cabinets and counters. At the end of the hall, a door leads to Vassell's home.

The connected entrance opens to the kitchen, mirroring the big house.

Vassell's home is 1,000 square feet in total. From the exterior, the houses look like one building, though her area is completely self-sustaining.

The door connecting her house to the main home doesn't have a lock, so the Poers and Vassell can come and go from each other's homes as they please.

The kitchen features a large island and built-in cabinetry, and Vassell has her own butler's pantry in addition to the one she shares with the Poers. Her house features 16-foot vaulted ceilings that make it feel open and airy.

An open-concept floor plan makes the home feel spacious.

Vassell's living room is open-concept, and she has an exterior door that leads to a shared patio outside the house.

Because the house was customized to fit Vassell's needs, it has areas designed just for her, like a craft closet.

"She's a big crafter, so she has this dream craft closet that unfolds and can fold back up and holds all of her crafting storage," Poer said.

Vassell's house also has its own washer and dryer, so she doesn't have to share with the rest of the family.

Vassell's home has a special room for the girls.

"We call it the snug," Poer said of the 50-square-foot room, which is painted a soft pink and features a twin bed, toys, and keepsakes that belong to Poer's daughters.

"That is the girls' space within Nana's house, and that was something they requested," Poer said. "It was important for them to feel like they could still go over and have sleepovers with grandma because they love doing that."

"Long-term, it could totally be an additional storage space or an office or a little exercise space," she said. "It could be multiple purposes when the kids outgrow that space."

The bedroom is spacious, too.

A hallway leads to the bedroom suite, so it isn't right off the main living area.

"There's a bit more privacy for both the bedroom and the bathroom, and then between those, she has her large walk-in closet as well," Poer said.

The bedroom has high ceilings, adding to the spacious feel.

The Poers thought long-term when designing Vassell's bathroom.

The bathroom was designed to be wheelchair accessible, so it will work for Vassell — or the Poers — if their mobility changes.

"We truly want this home to stay in the family," Lexi said. "People don't do that nowadays. But I definitely feel like, with home prices and the way they're going, that is going to become more normal, especially when you have invested so much money into your home like we have."

"We always say, even when Nana's gone someday, my husband and I might end up moving into what is now Nana's house, and maybe one of the girls will want to take over our home," she said. "We're definitely not forcing that on them but leaving the door open to explore."

The Poers' hope that they could pass the house down to their daughters is also part of why they didn't build a separate guest house, which might have given the property a higher resale value than a connected house. They wanted to create the future that worked for them, not a potential buyer.

"We have zero desire to move again, and my husband and I would be plenty content just living in that 1000 square feet once the girls are out of the house," Poer added.

The Poers gave their home a major upgrade during the renovation, too.

While adding Vassell's home to their property, Poer and her husband also renovated the second floor of their house so it would better serve their family.

They turned their original primary bedroom into two massive his-and-hers closets and built out an additional 500 square feet that became their new primary suite and luxurious laundry room.

Poer said the original primary suite was dated, and although they had renovated it in 2017, it still didn't feel like it flowed with the rest of the house.

"It just felt like we're adding such an investment into this house that the primary suite needs to reflect that," she said. "We felt making a larger, more modern-size primary bedroom and bathroom and then larger closets made the home value more what it should be overall, especially with adding the square footage."

After the renovation, the house had five bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms.

The renovation cost $350,000 in total.

Poer said Vassell's home was built for around $200,000, and the renovations to the second floor of the main house cost around $150,000.

Although the renovation was costly, the project has saved the Poer family money day to day since they only have one household that three adults pay into.

"Sure, electricity goes up, but it doesn't double," Lexi said. "It's still not you're like you're paying two electric bills. It's just one slightly higher electric bill and the same with all utilities."

Plus, the trio has three income sources they can draw from if something breaks in Vassell's home, and Poer said they're already saving money on groceries and wasting less food. Poer also said their living arrangements save her and her mom time.

"Instead of her having to clean her house and I have to clean my house, we can have a day where we're cleaning up the house," Poer said. "Now, that takes time off of both of our plates to then be able to garden together or go to get coffee together or something like that."

Poer and her whole family are closer than ever now that they live together.

"We're able to do things more often together than we did before," Poer said, adding that it's easy for her mom to be part of little "family moments" daily.

"She's at every single sporting event because she just hops in the car with us and goes. Or if we're watching 'Harry Potter' for the first time, she's able to make popcorn and pop over," Poer said. "She's able to witness more of those core memory moments with her grandkids, and she and I are able to spend more time together when the kids are at school together."

Poer and her mom's close relationship helped make the transition to sharing a property easy. Still, she also credits their design process with ensuring the home and the in-law suite work for their whole family. She said combining households is smoothest when you balance people's independence with "the value each person brings into the whole family dynamic."

"Everyone wants to still feel like they have their home and it's their safe space, their comfort zone," she said.

Poer hopes more families in the US embrace multigenerational living.

"It's not a new concept," she said. "It's been around in so many cultures."

Poer said she is excited to see more people creating multigenerational homes, and she loves sharing her experience with it on social media to help others see how easy it can be to make it work for their families.

"I think as a society, one of our biggest things that we're going to have to get through is this culture of isolation that phones and electronics and we've created for ourselves, and what better way to do that than just having your family surround you and love on you and be your built-in community right in your house," Poer said.