Bar stools aren't intended for hours of lounging. What they are intended for, however, is constant use. Because what’s a bar if not a counter by another name? And a counter, in many cases, is also a breakfast table, the after-school snack buffet, the take-out and basketball-watching hub, and, eventually, the cocktail bar, come hosting hour. For each activity, the same seat does its duty. Unlike dining room chairs, bar stools suffer thoughtlessness: We yank them out, half asleep in the morning. We hike our feet up their pegs, lost in a TV show's plot. When friends come over, we lean forward, animatedly. All the while unwittingly testing each little joint and bolt beneath us. That’s why shopping for them requires a good deal of thought. So, we went ahead and did a lot of that thinking for you. Below, you’ll find some of ELLE Decor's favorite stools, from the design-forward to the budget-conscious. You'll also find a little about what went into our choices. The Classic (with a Back) Carter Counter Stool$398 at Serena and LilyThere's a lot to be said for a classic. With this elevated chair-like stool, you can rest against the back and bring your feet up to its pegs. Also, it comes in six colorways.Dimensions37"H x 18.25" W x 21" DFeaturesSolid beech, painted finish. No assembly required. Holds up to 275 lbsThe Vacationer Avalon Rattan Swivel Bar Stool$648 at Serena and Lily If there's a material evocative of vacation, it's rattan. This version also has a swivel seat and basket-weave back. But, you'll have to appreciate the natural wear on a material—it's part of the appeal. Dimensions38.5"H x 20.5"W x 22"DFeaturesMade with hand-wrapped rattan, holds up to 300 lbsAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowLaurel Foundry Modern Farmhouse® Baggett Solid Wood Windsor Back StoolNow 15% Off$165 $140 at WayfairIf you like the look of light wood but at an affordable pricepoint, this option from Wayfair is totally serviceable. And, it comes in three classic colorways. Dimensions14.8'' W X 14.2'' D; back is 12.5'' HFeaturesWood frame, some assembly required; holds up to 300 lbsMartha Stewart Martha Stewart Playa Handcrafted Rattan Counter StoolNow 36% Off$399 $256 at WayfairTDimensions35'' H x 23'' W x 22.5'' DFeaturessolid wood; some assembly required. Holds up to 300 lbsAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowElegant designVanity Counter Stool$3,400 at nickeykehoe.comAnd what if you want the back, the cushioned seat, and a considered, elevated design? Time to check on Nickey Kehoe. Says our own Interiors Director, Bebe Howorth: “I love a stool with a little bit of back support, but doesn’t impose on the space like a chair.” Dimensions33.25" H x 18" W x 19.5" DFeaturesNatural oak; Susan Deliss, constanza in denimBarely-there backrestSede Counter Stool $249 at ArticleA short back, a cushioned seat, and an elegant, tapered leg, this stool has a lovely silhouette at a low price point. Available in three colorways and the option of a leather (versus fabric) seat. Dimensions31"H x 16"W x 17"DFeaturesSolid and veneered wood, holds up to 300 lbsAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowWayne Swivel Bar & Counter Stools$449 at West ElmThere's no denying the appeal of the swivel. And if you foresee your bar stools serving a primarily social function, you'll want to seek that out. As Dorothy Scarborough, Editorial Assistant at ELLE Decor and Town & Country says: "Bar stools, by their very design, are tricky. When you're a few martinis in, it's fun to swing your legs and turn in circles, but when you're trying to enjoy a bowl of cereal, bar stools make for a less than ideal experience. This West Elm design has a higher back and arms, and at only 26 inches off the ground, doesn't make you feel like you're sitting on a tower. It's almost like a real chair, but it has all the jazzy chicness of a barstool."Adam Stool$610 at framacph.comOf course, not all stools need to be tall chairs. The perch-type stool can serve its function expertly, even with a minimal design, like this one from Frama. Dimension30" H x 17" W x 10" DFeaturesPowder coated frame, oiled seat; steel frame, oak seatAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowErgonomic PerchWayland stool $1,110 at oandgstudio.comPrepare for a comfortable perch with this statuesque stool from O&G Studio. Says ELLE Decor's Market Director, Benjamin Reynaert: "I personally sit-tested the Wayland Stool, and let me tell you—the carved solid wood seat isn’t just a design detail, it’s a comfort revelation, perfectly pairing form with the casual functionality of its bamboo-inspired turnings and classic box stretcher base, all available in a palette of 19 hand-applied stained finishes that highlight the American craftsmanship of O&G Studio."Dimensions25" H x 21.25" W x 18" DFeaturesMade with ash and maple wood, stained; "stylized bamboo turnings of the Wayland Family."Industrial chicSteel Stool$129 at ZARA HomeFrom Zara Home comes this sharp number. Not as tall as some, and, clearly, not intended for hours of sitting, this steel stool brings a chic taste of the industrial to any room. Dimensions17" H x 11" W x 11" DAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowWinsome Winsome Satori Stool$36 at AmazonWith a curved wooden seat and a classic, ladder-leg construction, this Winsome Satori stool is chic, simple, and affordable. Bonus: It's available in multiple heights.Dimensions16" H x 18" W x 29" DFeaturesSolid beech wood with a walnut finishLancaster Stool $48 at webstaurantstore.comIndustrial but make it comfortable: The Lancaster stool comes in multiple colors and heights. Plus: the cushion is removable, making these stools stackable for easy storage. Dimensions24" H x 16 " D x 16" WFeaturesFrame is coated steel, and the cushion is corrosion-resistant powder coated vinyl. Holds up to 400 lbsAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowCurvy and Cushy Lulu and Georgia Ashford Bar Stool$598 at Lulu and GeorgiaThis curvy stool from Lulu and Georgia comes with the brusque silhouette of its industrial cousins tempered by the soft edges, arched lines, and plush seat of a comfortable chair.Dimensions30" H x 18.25" W x 18.25" DFeaturesAsh wood frame, foam cushion; hand-crafted and made from sustainable materialsThe Heavy-Lifting VacationerAlastair Bar & Counter StoolNow 37% Off$264 $167 at Joss & MainA return to the vacation rattan, this classic, backless stool comes with all the attitude of a beach cabana at a reasonable price. Offered in multiple colors and heights for beach-adjacent rooms of all sorts. Surprisingly, perhaps, this stool claims to hold up to 500 lbs, making it the heaviest lifter of them all. Dimensinos24'' H X 16'' W X 16'' DFeaturesMade from rattan and plastic, it can hold up to 500 lbsAdvertisement - Continue Reading BelowInnovative eleganceMoon Stool$880 at sunatsix.comIt's all about the considered design on these moon stools. But, made from solid white oak treated with tenna oil, they're also stain resistant and built for use. Dimensions30” H x 19.5” W x 16”DFeatureshand-made from white oak using traditional joinery; three finishes availableHigh-quality classic Range Stool$1,200 at assemblyline.coThese classic stools are solid wood, handmade, and all about the understated beauty of quality. Which also means you'll need to order these well in advance of your first soiree, as they take roughly 12 to 14 weeks to make. Dimensions25” H x 13” L x 13” WFeaturesMade from white oak; multiple finishes available.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowMainstays Natural wood stool$35 at WalmartYes, Walmart makes a totally serviceable, classic wooden bar stool. Sold in packs of two, and available in multiple heights, they get the job done. Dimensions13.50" H x 29.00" D x 13.50" WFeaturesMade from woodFrequently Asked QuestionsWhat makes a bar stool comfortable? Let's be honest: Most stools are not built for comfort. Especially the perch variety, as we're calling it—stools with just a flat shelf or round disk to sit on—are functional. If comfort is high on the must-have list, look for a perch with a slightly concave seat, engineered for the shape of a human body. Or skip the perch and go for stools with backrests and cushions. Here's a rule of thumb: the thicker the cushion, the higher the back, the longer you'll want to sit. Ideally, however, you'll find a showroom to test out any piece you're looking to invest in. How do you clean a stool? Most of the stools we've listed have specific instructions for cleaning, but non-abrasive cleaners are always recommended. And, most if not all of the stools we've chosen are intended for indoor use only. Even indoors, however, keeping your stools out of direct sunlight will help preserve the finish. Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowWhy Trust Us?For more than three decades, ELLE DECOR has covered stylemakers, trendsetting interiors, and must-have home furnishings. With a focus on the latest design trends and ideas about how to incorporate them into improving your own space, we’re your go-to resource for elevating and beautifying your home. Our team of editors and interior design pros research and review every new article we publish to ensure you have the most up-to-date, expert-approved information.

To this day, Jaws remains the best example of Steven Spielberg‘s genius as a filmmaker. He somehow took a middling pulp novel about a killer shark and turned it into a thrilling adventure about masculinity and economic desperation. And to the surprise of no one, the massive success of Jaws spawned a lot of knockoffs, a glut of movies about animals terrorizing communities. None of these reach the majesty of Jaws, of course. But here’s the thing—none of them had to be Jaws. Sure, it’s nice that Spielberg’s film has impeccably designed set pieces and compelling characters, but that’s not the main reason people go to animal attack movies. We really just want to watch people get attacked. And eaten. With such standards duly lowered, let’s take a look at the best animal attack movies that came out in the past half-century since Jaws first scared us out of the water. Of course this list doesn’t cover every movie inspired by Jaws ( for example Godzilla Minus One, which devotes its middle act to a wonderful Jaws riff), and some can argue that these movies were less inspired by Jaws than other nature revolts features, such as Alfred Hitchcock‘s The Birds. But every one of these flicks owes a debt to Jaws, either in inspiration or simply getting people interested in movies about animals eating people. Those warning aside, lets make like drunken revelers on Amity Island and dive right in! 20. Sharknado (2013) Sharknado almost doesn’t belong on this list because it’s less a movie and more of a meme, a precursor to Vines and TikTok trends. Yes, many fantastic movies have been made off of an incredibly high concept and a painfully low budget. Heck, that approach made Roger Corman’s career. But Sharknado‘s high concept—a tornado sweeps over the ocean and launches ravenous sharks into the mainland—comes with a self-satisfied smirk. Somehow, Sharknado managed to capture the imagination of the public, making it popular enough to launch five sequels. At the time, viewers defended it as a so bad it’s good-style movie like The Room. But today Sharknado‘s obvious attempts to be wacky are just bad, making the franchise one more embarrassing trend, ready to be forgotten. 19. Orca (1977) For a long time, Orca had a reputation for being the most obvious Jaws ripoff, and with good reason—Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis, who would go on to support Flash Gordon, Manhunter, and truly launch David Lynch‘s career with Blue Velvet, wanted his own version of the Spielberg hit. On paper he had all the right ingredients, including a great cast with Richard Harris and Charlotte Rampling, and another oceanic threat, this time a killer whale. Orca boasts some impressive underwater cinematography, something that even Jaws largely lacks. But that’s the one thing Orca does better than Jaws. Everything else—character-building, suspense and scare scenes, basic plotting and storytelling—is done in such a haphazard manner that Orca plays more like an early mockbuster from the Asylum production company (makers of Sharknado) than it does a product from a future Hollywood player. 18. Tentacles (1977) Another Italian cheapie riding off the success of Jaws, Tentacles at least manages to be fun in its ineptitude. A giant octopus feature, Tentacles is directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis, a man whose greatest claim to fame is that he annoyed first-time director James Cameron so much on Piranha II: The Spawning that he activated the future legend’s infamous refusal to compromise with studios and producers. Tentacles somehow has a pretty impressive cast, including John Huston, Shelly Winters, and Henry Fonda all picking up paychecks. None of them really do any hard work in Tentacles, but there’s something fun about watching these greats shake the the octopus limbs that are supposed to be attacking them, as if they’re in an Ed Wood picture. 17. Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) Spielberg famously couldn’t get his mechanical shark to work, a happy accident that he overcame with incredibly tense scenes that merely suggested the monster’s presence. For his arachnids on the forgotten movie Kingdom of the Spiders, director John “Bud” Cardos has an even more formative tool to make up for the lack of effects magic: William Shatner. Shatner plays Rack Hansen, a veterinarian who discovers that the overuse of pesticides has killed off smaller insects and forced the tarantula population to seek larger prey, including humans. These types of ecological messages are common among creature features of the late ’70s, and they usually clang with hollow self-righteousness. But in Kingdom of the Spiders, Shatner delivers his lines with such blown out conviction that we enjoy his bluster, even if we don’t quite buy it. 16. The Meg (2018) The idea of Jason Statham fighting a giant prehistoric shark is an idea so awesome, it’s shocking that his character from Spy didn’t already pitch it. And The Meg certainly does deliver when Statham’s character does commit to battle with the creature in the movie’s climax. The problem is that moment of absurd heroism comes only after a lot of long sappy nonsense. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! It’s hard to figure out who is to blame for The Meg‘s failure. Director Jon Turteltaub hails from well-remembered Disney classics Cool Runnings and National Treasure. But too often he forgets how to pace an adventure film and gives into his most saccharine instincts here. One of the many Chinese/Hollywood co-produced blockbusters of the 2010s, The Meg also suffers from trying to innocuously please too wide an audience. Whatever the source, The Meg only fleetingly delivers on the promise of big time peril, wasting too much time on thin character beats. 15. Lake Placid (1999) I know already some people reading this are taking exception to Lake Placid‘s low ranking, complaining that this list isn’t showing enough respect to what they consider a zippy, irreverent take on a creature feature, one written by Ally McBeal creator David E. Kelley and co-starring Betty White. To those people, I can only say, “Please rewatch Lake Placid and then consider its ranking.” Lake Placid certainly has its fun moments, helped along by White as a kindly grandmother who keeps feeding a giant croc, Bill Pullman as a dumbfounded simple sheriff, and Oliver Platt as a rich adventurer. Their various one-liners are a pleasure to remember. But within the context of a movie stuffed with late ’90s irony, the constant snark gets tiresome, sapping out all the fun of a killer crocodile film. 14. Open Water (2003) Like Sharknado, Open Water had its fans for a few years but has fallen in most moviegoers’ esteem. Unlike Sharknado, Open Water is a real movie, just one that can’t sustain its premise for its entire runtime. Writer and director Chris Kentis draws inspiration from a real-life story about a husband and wife who were accidentally abandoned in the middle of the ocean by their scuba excursion group. The same thing happens to the movie’s Susan Watkins (Blanchard Ryan) and Daniel Travis (Daniel Kintner), who respond to their predicament by airing out their relationship grievances, even as sharks start to surround them. Kentis commits to the reality of the couple’s bleak situation, which sets Open Water apart from the thrill-a-minute movies that mostly make up this list. But even with some shocking set pieces, Open Water feels too much like being stuck in car with a couple who hates each other and not enough like a shark attack thriller. 13. Eaten Alive (1976) Spielberg’s artful execution of Jaws led many of the filmmakers who followed to attempt some semblance of character development and prestige, even if done without enthusiasm (see: Orca). Not so with Tobe Hooper, who followed up the genre-defining The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with Eaten Alive. Then again, Hooper draws just as much from Psycho as he does Jaws. Neville Brand plays Judd, the proprietor of a sleazy hotel on the bayou where slimy yokels do horrible things to one another. Amity Island, this is not. But when one of the visitors annoy Judd, he feeds them to the pet croc kept in the back. Eaten Alive is a nasty bit of work, but like most of Hooper’s oeuvre, it’s a lot of fun. 12. Prophecy (1979) Directed by John Frankenheimer of The Manchurian Candidate and Grand Prix fame, Prophecy is easily the best of the more high-minded animal attack movies that followed Jaws. This landlocked film, written by David Seltzer, stars Robert Foxworth as Dr. Robert Verne, a veterinarian hired by the EPA to investigate bear attacks against loggers on a mountain in Maine. Along with his wife Maggie (Talia Shire), Verne finds himself thrown into a conflict between the mining company and the local Indigenous population who resist them. Prophecy drips with an American hippy mentality that reads as pretty conservative today (“your body, your choice” one of Maggie’s friends tells her… to urge her against getting an abortion), making its depictions of Native people, including the leader played by Italian American actor Armand Assante, pretty embarrassing. But there is a mutant bear on the loose and Frankenheimer knows how to stage an exciting sequence, which makes Prophecy a worthwhile watch. 11. Piranha 3D (2010) Piranha 3D begins with a denim-wearing fisherman named Matt, played by Richard Dreyfuss no less, falling into the water and immediately getting devoured by the titular flesh-eaters. This weird nod to Matt Hooper and Jaws instead of Joe Dante’s Piranha, the movie Piranha 3D is supposed to be remaking, is just one of the many oddities at play yhere. Screenwriters Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg have some of the wacky energy and social satire of the original film, but director Alexandre Aja, a veteran of the French Extreme movement, includes so much nastiness in Piranha 3D that we’re not sure if we want to laugh or throw up. Still, there’s no denying the power of Piranha 3D‘s set pieces, including a shocking sequence in which the titular beasties attack an MTV/Girls Gone Wild Spring Break party and chaos ensues. Furthermore, Piranha 3D benefits from a strong cast, which includes Elizabeth Shue, Adam Scott, and Ving Rhames. 10. Anaconda (1997) With its many scenes involving an animal attacking a ragtag group on a boat, Anaconda clearly owes a debt to Jaws. However, with its corny characters and shoddy late ’90s CGI, Anaconda feels today less like a Jaws knockoff and more like a forerunner to Sharknado and the boom of lazy Syfy and Redbox horror movies that followed. Whatever its influences and legacy, there’s no denying that Anaconda is, itself, a pretty fun movie. Giant snakes make for good movie monsters, and the special effects have become dated in a way that feels charming. Moreover, Anaconda boasts a enjoyably unlikely cast, including Eric Stoltz as a scientist, Owen Wilson and Ice Cube as members of a documentary crew, and Jon Voight as what might be the most unhinged character of his career, second only to his crossbow enthusiast from Megalopolis. 9. The Shallows (2016) The Shallows isn’t the highest-ranking shark attack movie on this list but it’s definitely the most frightening shark attack thriller since Jaws. That’s high praise, indeed, but The Shallows benefits from a lean and mean premise and clear direction by Jaume Collet-Serra, who has made some solid modern thrillers. The Shallows focuses almost entirely on med student Nancy Adams (Blake Lively), who gets caught far from shore after the tide comes in and is hunted by a shark. A lot of the pleasure of The Shallows comes from seeing how Collet-Serra and screenwriter Anthony Jaswinski avoid the problems that plague many of the movies on this list. Adams is an incredibly competent character, and we pull for her even after the mistake that leaves her stranded. Moreover, The Shallows perfectly balances thrill sequences with character moments, making for one of the more well-rounded creature features of the past decade. 8. Razorback (1984) Jaws, of course, has a fantastic opening scene, a thrilling sequence in which the shark kills a drunken skinny dipper. Of the movies on this list, only Razorback comes close to matching the original’s power, and it does so because director Russell Mulcahy, who would make Highlander next, goes for glossy absurdity. In the Razorback‘s first three minutes, a hulking wild boar smashes through the rural home of an elderly man in the Australian outback, carrying away his young grandson. Over the sounds of a synth score, the old man stumbles away from his now-burning house, screaming up into the sky. Sadly, the rest of Razorback cannot top that moment. Mulcahy directs the picture with lots of glossy style, while retaining the grit of the Australian New Wave movement. But budget restrictions keep the titular beast from really looking as cool as one would hope, and the movie’s loud, crazy tone can’t rely on Jaws-like power of suggestion. 7. Crawl (2019) Alexandre Aja’s second movie on this list earns its high rank precisely because it does away with the tonal inconsistencies that plagued Piranha 3D and leans into what the French filmmaker does so well: slicked down and mean horror. Set in the middle of a Florida hurricane, Crawl stars Kaya Scodelario as competitive swimmer Haley and always-welcome character actor Barry Pepper as her father Dave, who get trapped in a flooding basement that’s menaced by alligators. Yet as grimy as Crawl can get, Aja also executes the strong character work in the script by Michael Rasmussen and Shawn Rasmussen. Dave and Haley are real people, not just gator-bait, making their peril feel all the more real, and their triumphs all the sweeter. 6. Piranha (1978) Piranha is the only entry on this list to get a seal of approval from Stephen Spielberg himself, who not only praised the movie, even as Universal Pictures planned to sue the production, but also got director Joe Dante to later helm Gremlins. It’s not hard to see why Piranha charmed Spielberg, a man who loves wacky comedy. Dante’s Looney Tunes approach is on full display in some of the movie’s best set pieces. But Piranha is special because it also comes from legendary screenwriter John Sayles, who infuses the story with social satire and cynicism that somehow blends with Dante’s approach. The result is a film about piranha developed by the U.S. military to kill the Vietnamese getting unleashed into an American river and making their way to a children’s summer camp, a horrifying idea that Dante turns into good clean fun. 5. Slugs (1988) If we’re talking about well-made movies, then Slugs belongs way below any of the movies on this list, somewhere around the killer earthworm picture Squirm. But if we’re thinking about pure enjoyable spectacle, it’s hard to top Slugs, a movie about, yes, flesh-eating slugs. Yes, it’s very funny to think about people getting terrorized by creatures that are famous for moving very, very slowly. But Spanish director Juan Piquer Simón, perhaps best known for his equally bugnuts giallo Pieces (1982), pays as little attention to realism as he does to good taste. Slugs is filled with insane and ghastly sequences of killer slugs ending up in unlikely places, swarming the floor of someone’s bedroom or inside a fancy restaurant, and then devouring people, one methodical bite at a time. 4. Deep Blue Sea (1999) When it comes to goofy ’90s CGI action, it’s hard to top Deep Blue Sea, directed by Renny Harlin and featuring sharks with genetically enhanced brains. Deep Blue Sea doesn’t have a strong sense of pacing, it lacks any sort of believable character development, and the effects looked terrible even in 1999. But it’s also the only movie on this list that features LL Cool J as a cool chef who recites a violent version of the 23rd Psalm and almost gets cooked alive in an oven by a genius-level shark. It’s scenes like the oven sequence that makes Deep Blue Sea such a delight, despite its many, many flaws. The movie tries to do the most at every turn, whether that’s clearly reediting the movie in postproduction so that LL Cool J’s chef becomes a central character, stealing the spotlight form intended star Saffron Burrows, or a ridiculous Samuel L. Jackson monologue with a delightfully unexpected climax. 3. Alligator (1980) In many ways, Alligator feels like screenwriter John Sayles’ rejoinder to Piranha. If Joe Dante sanded down Piranha‘s sharp edges with his goofy humor, then Alligator is so filled with mean-spiritedness that no director could dilute it. Not that Lewis Teague, a solid action helmer who we’ll talk about again shortly, would do that. Alligator transports the old adage about gators in the sewers from New York to Chicago where the titular beast, the subject of experiments to increase its size, begins preying on the innocent. And on the not so innocent. Alligator shows no respect for the good or the bad, and the film is filled with scenes of people getting devoured, whether it’s a young boy who becomes a snack during a birthday party prank or an elderly mafioso who tries to abandon his family during the gator’s rampage. 2. Grizzly (1976) Grizzly stands as the greatest of the movies obviously ripping off Jaws precisely because it understands its limitations. It takes what it can from Spielberg’s masterpiece, including the general premise of an animal hunting in a tourist location, and ignores what it can’t pull off, namely three-dimensional characters. This clear-eyed understanding of everyone’s abilities makes Grizzly a lean, mean, and satisfying thriller. Directed by blaxploitation vet William Girdler and written by Harvey Flaxman and David Sheldon, Grizzly stars ’70s low-budget king Christopher George as a park ranger investigating unusually vicious bear attacks on campers. That’s not the richest concept in the world, but Girdler and co. execute their ideas with such precision, and George plays his character with just the right amount of machismo, that Grizzly manages to deliver on everything you want from an animal attack. 1. Cujo (1983) To some modern readers, it might seem absurd to put Cujo on a list of Jaws knockoffs. After all, Stephen King is a franchise unto himself and he certainly doesn’t need another movie’s success to get a greenlight for any of his projects. But you have to remember that Cujo came out in 1983 and was just the third of his works to get adapted theatrically, which makes its Jaws connection more valid. After all, the main section of the film—in which mom (Dee Wallace) and her son Tad (Danny Pintauro) are trapped in their car and menaced by the titular St. Bernard—replicates the isolation on Quint’s fishing vessel, the Orca, better than any other film on this list. However, it’s not just director Lewis Teague’s ability to create tension that puts Cujo at the top. Writers Don Carlos Dunaway and Lauren Currier key into the complicated familial dynamics of King’s story, giving the characters surprising depth. It’s no wonder that Spielberg would cast Wallace as another overwhelmed mom for E.T. The Extraterrestrial the very next year, proving that he still has a soft spot for animal attack movies—even if none of them came close to matching the power of Jaws.

As I’ve searched across sites from AD-favorite bedding brands, I couldn’t help but notice that tried-and-true retailers like Quince and Serena & Lily are getting in on the action with picks that are strikingly similar to designs you’d find in a fashion catalog, and for good reason. Like linen sheets, AD PRO Directory designer Jasmine Artis, owner and principal designer of J’Miracle Designs, says what she loves about a denim-like material in home interiors is that it “provides durability, texture, and a relaxed aesthetic.” What’s more, she describes it as casual luxury: “It appears laid-back but still feels thoughtfully styled, especially when paired with layered textures.”When searching for denim-centric bedding, Artis recommends gathering inspiration from your favorite pair of jeans with attributes such as pre-washed fabrics, contrast stitching, indigo blue hues, or just plain-out comfort. “Suppliers have responded to this trend by offering a range of denim bedding products from duvets, comforters, rugs, and even lamp shades,” she says. Artis suggests looking for high-quality materials like washed denim, cotton chambray, cotton twill, recycled denim, or cotton linen blends on care labels to ensure easy care (typically a machine wash and tumble dry) and that they’re designed to last—just like your go-to pair of pants. Shaffer adds that materials like the aforementioned fabrics not only help capture the look and texture of denim but they also offer the breathability that you’ll need to comfortably catch some z’s.Photo: Angelina DreemWhen it comes to styling, don’t be afraid to experiment. Artis recommends pairing bedding with neutrals for a clean look, as this keeps the space airy and modern while still allowing the denim to be the centerpiece in the bedroom. Otherwise, she recommends pairing lightwash blue colors with textures, like sherpa or fur throws and velvet decorative pillows."Colorwashing is having a real moment in interior design right now,” Shaffer adds. “A fully tonal blue room can be incredibly striking, especially when layered with different textures and shades.” To create a Canadian tuxedo-like sleep setup that makes the space feel completely cohesive, she points to sourcing a blue rug for starters and recommends building from there for tonal depth.West Elm Faux Fur Chinchilla ThrowRuggable Impasto Slate Blue RugThe Citizenry Naveta Velvet PillowIf you want to go the deep blue denim route, Artis notes that this instantly brings a “bold, cozy, yet grounded vibe to a bedroom.” She loves to pair this color scheme with lots of layering. Think velvet and wool throws and bedspreads in rich colors like midnight blue, olive, or aubergine. “Also, I like to incorporate woods and brass elements in which the denim creates a warm balance,” she says.Parachute Linen Duvet Cover SetRejuvenation Atticus LED Table LampLinoto Aubergine Linen Sheet SetWhile all of these experts know a thing or two about styling with this fabric, they all just recommend letting your bedscape become your playground. “I typically don’t ascribe to do’s and don’ts,” says Shaffer. “Interior design is all about having fun and playing around with the textures and colors that are exciting to you and make you feel warm and welcome in your space."As for me, I’m going back to listening to “Levii’s Jeans” and updating my own wish list to make this trend a reality for my bedroom. From a comforter set to pillow shams, here are even more picks to inspire your shopping journey:The Citizenry Stonewashed Linen Curated Bed BundleCompany Cotton Washed Denim Duvet CoverPottery Barn Teen Denim Duvet CoverArticle Elmer Large PillowSimple&Opulence French Linen Duvet Cover SetWest Elm Cotton Cloud Jersey Duvet CoverPottery Barn Teen Denim Stitch QuiltAnnie Selke Kodi Batik Duvet Cover

With around 1 billion searches on ChatGPT each week, Gen Zers are increasingly turning to AI to solve a daily dilemma: what to wear. Last month, OpenAI announced updates to ChatGPT’s search function, enhancing the shopping experience with personalized product recommendations and direct purchase links. Users have already begun using these features to plan their outfits. “I’m going out to dinner tonight, what should I wear?” one user asked ChatGPT in a TikTok video. The AI suggested a fitted black cami, black trousers, strappy heels, and silver hoops. “Why did ChatGPT kind of slay though?” the creator said. @kalitaku Ok but chatGPT lowkey killed it #ai #chatgpt #personalstylist #styling #kalitaku ♬ Aesthetic Coffee – Febri Handika Another fashion and lifestyle creator prompted ChatGPT with “streetwear,” “blue denim,” and “clean aesthetic.” The resulting outfit, shared on TikTok, was simple yet stylish. Others are uploading images from Pinterest boards or their wardrobes to generate entire shopping lists. @cassieborgie I love that it gave accessories and shoes tips too. Scandinavian aesthetic here I come! #ootd #clothesinspo #chatgpthack #chatgpt #styleinspo #clothesinspo #outfitinspo #findyourstyle #findmystyle ♬ original sound – Cassie✨ While it may be some time before AI-generated outfits appear on runways, OpenAI is embracing its role as personal stylist and shopper. Replacing the group chat, ChatGPT now offers what it calls “conversational shopping,” OpenAI said. “Instead of juggling tabs or scrolling through endless results, you can just have a conversation,” Saguna Goel, product lead on the ChatGPT search team, told Vogue Business. “What’s really exciting is that this movement is being led by shoppers themselves. Gen Z are definitely out front, but people of all ages are getting involved—and stylists and influencers are now following their lead. It’s a fascinating shift, and it’s only just beginning,” she added. For brands, the potential payoff is huge—if they can make themselves discoverable where customers are searching. With no paid placements currently on ChatGPT, AI recommendations level the playing field for small businesses competing with brands that have far larger ad budgets. Still, not everyone is on board. As AI becomes more embedded in daily life, critics say it’s erasing creative jobs in fashion and other industries, and diluting personal style in favor of fleeting micro-trends. If you ask ChatGPT to plan your next date-night outfit, just know: Someone else might show up wearing the same thing.

The butter yellow trend has been persistent—we were writing about its emergence even last June—and it’s found its rightful place in our bathroom towel sets, living room details, and, most importantly, our bedroom setups. With warmer months ahead, we’ve been considering a sheet refresh to suit the season, and below you’ll find a list of our butter yellow bedding favorites—duvet covers, pillowcases, we’ve even snuck a couple bedroom accessories in for good measure. Whether your preference is for linen, percale, maybe even a bit of patterning to keep your decor flavorful, we’ve got a high-quality (and oftentimes tested) option for you.Our Top Picks for the Best Butter Yellow Bedding:The Softest Pick: Ettitude CleanBamboo Sheet Set, $379 $284Most Breathable: Quince European Linen Sheet Set, $180The Budget Pick: Casa Platino MicrofiberSheets Set, $25For Year-Round Use: Buffy Breeze Duvet Cover, $200 $160Best Cooling Pick: Brooklinen Cotton Sateen Core Sheet Set, $189Browse by CategoryBest Butter Yellow Bedding, OverallThe Softest PickEttitude CleanBamboo Sheet SetThis bamboo lyocell sheet set is as smooth as whipped butter. It’s our pick for sensitive skin and made with 100% lyocell, which is hypoallergenic and super soft against skin for those of you that are silk pillowcase fans. It’s also an AD-favorite, ranking high on our list of the softest bed sheets. “Sinking into these is a dream thanks to their glossy feel that rivals the best silk sheets out there,” says senior commerce editor Nashia Baker. “It also doesn’t hurt that the set comes in a warm yellow hue, which just so happens to be my favorite color!"Most BreathableQuince European Linen Sheet SetTechnically “oat,” we love these sheets for their flax-like color that still maintains shades of the aforementioned butter yellow hue. We’ve reviewed Quince’s garment-washed, midweight 100% European flax sheets as some of the best linen sheets. Baker loves them from a design perspective for maintaining her room’s minimalist aesthetic, but also adores them from a sleep perspective, on account of their being “airy nature” and maximum affordability.Budget PickCasa Platino Microfiber Sheet SetIf you’re considering the trend but not wanting to spend hundreds on an interior design moment, this full sheet set will only set you back $24. At such a dubious price, you’d expect these to suffer in quality, but these temperature-regulating sheets are beloved by over 2,000 reviewers on Amazon, who confirm the brushed microfiber bedding set is just as cozy as percale or washed cotton.For Year-Round UseBuffy Breeze Duvet CoverWe’ve raved about Buffy, and we’ll say no different about this 300-thread-count eucalyptus duvet cover. It boasts softness and breathability, and the high-quality material makes it temperature-regulating. Senior digital editor Zoë Sessums says Buffy’s Breeze sheet set is “cool-to-the-touch” and “ideal for warmer months and hot sleepers.”Best Cooling PickBrooklinen Cotton Sateen Core Sheet SetOf course trendy Brooklyn-based bedding brand Brooklinen would be tapped into the butter trend (enough b’s for you?). This soft cotton sateen sheet set set delivers on style and quality, and multiple AD staff swear by them: Commerce director Rachel Fletcher says they’re “not at all scratchy or harsh” on her skin like some other expensive options on the market, and for contributor Erika Owen, these sheets offered refuge during a New York City heatwave.More AD-Approved Butter Yellow BeddingPiglet Heritage 100% Linen BundleLanding a spot in our best colorful bedding, best cottagecore, and best linen roundups, we’re big Piglet in Bed fans. Made from a mix of cotton and linen (55% European linen and 45% long staple cotton, to be exact), these maintain the relaxed look of linen while achieving the softness of cotton. “Though this sheet set is a bit steep in price, the quality is unmatched and I predict I’ll use these for as long as they’ll last (seemingly incredibly long!),” Sessums says. “You really get what you pay for, so I would say these are A+++ sheets.”Schoolhouse Seersucker Check Duvet CoverSchoolhouse goes above and beyond with this butter yellow option—a seersucker duvet that incorporates soft yellow, a denim blue and white detail, and a seersucker texture for a preppy, summery feel. The 100% cotton guarantees softness, and six corner ties will help keep you from readjusting your duvet insert every night.Bed Threads Scalloped Pillowcases (Set of 2)Bed Threads combines turmeric with limoncello in this whimsical pillowcase pair. The stark contrast and scalloped detailing make exactly the sort of summery statement we’re looking for, and 100% French flax linen means they’re both plush and durable. Pair these with a more understated sheet set for a distinct decor moment.Tekla Percale Duvet CoverTekla has long been a go-to for their trendy Danish designs—thick stripes, bold colorways, towel and sheet sets that show your design know-how. So of course they’d have a butter yellow duvet cover in the exact shade we’re looking for—bright but not overpowering, pastel without losing impact. It’s 100% organic cotton, 200 thread count, and stonewashed, meaning it arrives soft and gets even softer over time. We’d pair with some bold striped sheets for a fully embraced bedding moment.Parachute Percale Sheet SetFor subtle traces of butter yellow, try this percale set from Parachute that comes with one pillowcase, a flat sheet, and a top sheet beneath your choice of duvet. These offer just enough saturation to take you from classic ivory territory to somewhere a bit more interesting.Urban Outfitters Breezy Cotton Percale Sheet SetThis well-reviewed percale set from Urban Outfitters is another great budget option. Customers confirm the quality, softness, and longevity of this pick, made from 100% cotton and Oeko-Tex certified to be free of a range of harmful chemicals.

After reviewing almost 500 projects, we’re excited to share the winners of the 2023 Unity for Humanity Grant. All of the social impact creators receiving funding this year are using real-time 3D to drive change in truly innovative ways.Projects were judged based on vision, impact, inclusion, and viability. Winners will receive a bespoke grant from a pool of $500,000 USD, plus mentorship and technical support to help bring their projects to life. If you have a project you’d like to submit in the future, sign up to the Social Impact mailing list for updates about when next year’s grant will open.What’s the project?X-Ray Fashion is a VR documentary by Denmark-based XR studio MANND that uses immersive storytelling to educate audiences about issues within the fashion industry. The project combines virtual reality with corresponding physical elements (for example, when walking through water in the documentary, you walk through shallow water in the real world) to create a truly sensory experience that takes viewers through the various stages of a typical garment’s production process, from the sweat shop all the way to the catwalk.What’s the purpose?The fashion industry is the second-largest polluter in the world. It accounts for 10% of all global carbon emissions, and a huge 60% of textiles are thrown away within one year of being made. On top of that, a single pair of denim jeans requires 10,000 liters of water to make.The creators of X-Ray Fashion recognize that our habit of constantly changing our wardrobes and disposing of clothes we no longer like is having a big impact. Their goal is to use this immersive experience to change consumer behavior by helping viewers understand the impact that their wardrobes have on the environment and people working in the industry. Ultimately, the project encourages lifestyle changes such as buying second-hand garments, taking better care of what we already own, and minimizing our overall fashion consumption.What’s the project?Trying to put how you’re feeling into words when experiencing complex emotions and mental health issues can often be difficult. Sarah Ticho encountered this challenge when trying to describe her grief and mental state to a doctor during a time when she needed help. The experience led her to collaborate with experience designer Niki Smit to develop SoulPaint, a VR project in which participants create artwork on an avatar that expresses their inner world using color, shapes, movement, and imagery.What’s the purpose?According to Harvard Medical School, miscommunication is at the heart of most medical errors. SoulPaint is a unique experience that aims to transform the way we communicate our emotions with others, remove the stigma around mental health, and trigger impactful conversations by creating a shared exhibition experience in public spaces worldwide. It will also ultimately provide a tool that allows patients to improve communication with health care professionals.What’s the project?Quantum’s Pursuit is a game by Limbitless Solutions that lets children with bionic limbs play the limb-different grandchildren of Dr. Quantum, a tech genius and wizard who has developed renewable energy. Dr. Quantum has been kidnapped by evil Galacdorks trying to steal his invention, and it’s the player’s goal to journey through the levels, defeat the boss, and save Dr. Quantum.The game allows hospitals to teach children how to use their new bionic limbs in a fun, engaging, and stress-free way, while also gaining insight into the needs of each child based on their muscle strength – information that is usually difficult to ascertain.What’s the purpose?Limbitless Solutions provides free bionic arms, training, and even covers travel costs for patients and their families. This incredible project can vastly improve the quality of life of children with limb differences and ease the transition to a bionic limb during an otherwise difficult time.What’s the project?Using VR, Follow the Investigation: Inside the ICC shows International Criminal Court (ICC) cases at various stages of the judicial process. The experience provides valuable insight into how the ICC system works to bring those responsible for crimes against humanity – including war crimes and genocide – to justice.Viewers witness testimonies from survivors of past ICC cases, visit field investigation sites, process evidence in ICC forensic labs, and sit in on courtroom proceedings drawn from a variety of infamous global cases.What’s the purpose?This project serves as a somber reminder of and education about the work of the ICC and the process of seeking justice, helping to raise awareness of atrocities and the experiences of survivors to ensure continued global support for their recovery and the work of the ICC. The project also offers an impactful way for victims of horrific crimes to better understand the legal processes that relate to their own cases.What’s the project?In World Reborn, the world’s first activism adventure game, your goal is to save the world after a cataclysmic event fractures it into multiple realities. The mobile game uses AR to combine actions in the real world with choices in the virtual world, encouraging players to make a difference in both. Real-world actions that help you progress through the game include donating money, picking up trash, completing breathing exercises, and more.What’s the purpose?90% of the 72 million teenagers in the U.S. play video games. Having grown up with an awareness of pressing global issues – including climate change, mental health, and racial injustice – they want to make a difference, but often feel powerless to do so. The founders of Wicked Saints, creators of World Reborn, worked for the world’s largest peacebuilding organization and trained young movement leaders all over the world. They saw how many lives were transformed using an approach called Common Ground Activism – attacking the problem, not the person. Now, they’re building World Reborn to empower young people with CGA skills and drive change through incremental steps in the real world. Join their Discord community to get special access and be part of building the game.What’s the project?“What would the children of the future think about the mistakes of our past?” is the question that Team Gramps sought to answer with A Week at Belisamas Lake. This narrative-based mobile fishing game follows young Lotus and their grandmother Pearl as they recover 21st-century trash from a local lake in a future where humanity has overcome the climate crisis – and profoundly changed in the process. Using gyroscopic controls, you fish for items, inspect them, and listen as Pearl sheds light on relics of the past.What’s the purpose?Through a wholesome, optimistic narrative, A Week at Belisamas Lake shines a light on the possibility of a future society in a post-climate change world. Weaving together intergenerational relationships and items of the present day, the story examines just how drastically things might change if we don’t take action now, and how meaningful climate action will ultimately change us.Trigger warning: griefWhat’s the project?Drawing on the 17-year life cycle and symbolism of the Brood X cicadas, this virtual reality experience follows a mother’s journey to find meaning after the loss of her son. Using personal audio files, music, and images, the player is taken on a journey through the mother’s narrative, interacting with the experiences of passing time and grief.What’s the purpose?Year of the Cicadas is a mother’s reflection on the power of finding meaning in the most tragic of stories, and how that meaning transforms over time. The goal of this experience is to provide a window into the life-long journey of meaning-making after child loss for those who may know or work with bereaved parents and family members.Trigger warning: sexual assault, child abuseWhat’s the project?This mobile game is designed for parents who suspect their child may be the victim of sexual abuse or who want to talk to their children about topics like consent. Patito uses minigames to show a young character realizing he is a victim, providing a sensitive approach to educating children and parents on these difficult topics.What’s the purpose?According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), over 4.5 million children are victims of sexual abuse every year in Mexico. Pink Bear Games have created Patito to raise awareness of this issue and help give parents an effective way to communicate about sexual abuse and consent with their children. Their goal is to provide the app for free in an effort to help prevent future cases.Congratulations to all of this year’s winners – we can’t wait to share more of their projects with you. If you’re a social impact creator, join the Unity for Humanity Community Discord to meet like-minded creators.

93FT has created the playful interiors of Starwood Hotels’ second UK branch of its Treehouse brand. With chalk boards, patchwork quilts and tree stump furniture, the hotel leans into childhood nostalgia and creative freedom. Aimed at 25 to 45-year-olds, this Treehouse Hotel is housed in a 1970s concrete building in Manchester’s city centre. It started life as an office block, but more recently operated as a Renaissance Hotel. The building started life as an office block This iteration was designed by Sheffield-based 93FT in collaboration with Starwood Hotels’ international design team. “Throughout the project we have followed our brand ethos of ‘carefreedom’ whereby we want to transport guests back to a time when they were children, more carefree and able to explore their world creatively,” says Neil Andrew, Starwood’s vice president, design – EMEA. 93FT co-founder Nick Clark echoes this sentiment. “Treehouses are about escaping. They’re about a sense of nostalgia, and feeling young again.” This extends to every design detail – Barry Sternlicht, the hotel group’s founder wanted these hotels to feel like “a kid had made them,” says Amber Addison, 93FT senior interior designer. The team worked to strike a careful balance and meet health & safety standards The challenge was to make this playful environment also be commercial, comfortable and meet health and safety standards, she explains. And aesthetically, the team had to strike a balance between the designs looking not too ramshackle, but not too polished either. The agency brought in a mishmash of vintage items from different sources including salvage company Retrouvious, plus reclaimed building materials and a variety of fabrics, to capture that spontaneity of children’s creativity. Glass Onion created bespoke cushion covers for all 224 bedrooms, using denim off-cuts For example, vintage clothing business, Glass Onion, which has a store in Sheffield, made cushion covers from denim off-cuts for each of the 224 bedrooms. “A treehouse can be made of things that your mum doesn’t want in the lounge anymore,” Addison says. Hence in the restaurant, Pip, there are eclectic lampshades, and one wall is filled with shelves of rainbow glass bottles of different shapes and sizes, which are intended to conjure up the intuitive collecting habits of children. Meanwhile, the bedrooms are furnished with individually made patchwork quilts, asymmetrical door handles, handmade furniture and larch cladding. Chalkboards lean into childhood nostalgia and creative freedom In the entrance, a mix of reclaimed and handmade windows make up the lobby walls. And some of the chairs are made from tree stumps, with old tool handles embedded in them to form a back rest. This sourcing came easily to 93FT, which brought in 1,400 items for its redesign of London’s Pilgrim Hotel. Other playful elements include chalkboards, which guests are inviting to doodle on, or they can carve their name on small pieces of wood, which are then hung in the lift lobby as an alternative guestbook. The agency initially came up with some strong ideas to bring the treehouse concept to life. “We loved the idea of a treehouse in a Treehouse,” Clark says. “We were going to cut some big shapes into the floorplates, and add a big tree with a treehouse at the top.” Another idea was to have a big swing in the entrance, but neither of these ideas turned out to be feasible. Existing columns are clad in timber, to give them a tree-like appearance They were able to install a big artificial tree clad in real bark, which reaches up through the ceiling of the dark, lower-ground reception. Also on this level, the timber walkway is bathed in dappled light in reference to a forest floor. The effect was created by cutting out organic shapes in the ceiling and carefully placing lighting there. A second tree made of reclaimed timber stands on the mezzanine with a bench at its base. For phase two of the build, 93FT is designing a presidential suite, and Blacksheep in London is designing a rooftop bar. In the UK, Manchester Treehouse follows on from Treehouse London in Marylebone designed by Birmingham agency Keane. It is also a transformation of an existing hotel, and that outpost has city-specific elements including Paddington Bear references and London-centric souvenirs. Further Treehouse locations in the works include Brickell in Miami by Rockwell Group; Riyadh in Saudi Arabia by Blacksheep; and Adelaide in Australia by Woods Bagot. The glass bottles are intended to conjure up the intuitive collecting habits of children The bar area features an eclectic mix of light fittings, adding character and visual interest to the space

Credit: Mashable Photo Composite/Apple Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Learn more about how we select deals. SAVE $70: As of May 14, the Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm) is on sale for $359 at Amazon. That's down from its list price of $429, saving you 16%. Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm) $359 at Amazon $429 Save $70 There have been some great deals lately on a wide variety of Apple products. If you've had your eye on the brand's smartwatches, you're in luck as a few are still discounted to low prices. In particular, the Apple Watch Series 10 is on sale at Amazon right now, allowing you to pick it up for under $400.The Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm) has received a 16% discount that has dropped its price from $429 to $359, allowing you to save $70. There are a few color options marked down to this price as well, so you can choose between the jet black aluminum case with a black sport band, the rose gold aluminum case with a light blush sport band, or the silver aluminum case with a denim sport band.Whether you want it for working out or to just stay on top of your general health and wellbeing, the Apple Watch Series 10 boasts plenty of features to help you out. Not only does it include heart rate and sleep tracking, it also comes with a Training Load feature that helps you keep track of the intensity of your workouts, Activity Rings (which are useful for keeping track of calories and movement), and safety features like Fall Detection, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS. All of this comes on top of a bigger display than its predecessors and a comfortable design that you can easily wear on the go. If you've been hoping to pick up the Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm), now is a great time to do it. Mashable Deals Want more hand-picked deals from our shopping experts? Sign up for the Mashable Deals newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up! Another one of our favorite deals at the moment is also over at Amazon, where you can score the iPad mini for under $400. The best deals this week, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts Energizer AA Batteries (24 Count), Double A Max Alkaline Battery — $13.31 (List Price $21.98) Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99) Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $149.00) Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $799.99 (List Price $1599.99) Peloton Bike — $1,145.00 (List Price $1445.00) New Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro): Apple Intelligence, 8.3-inch Liquid Retina Display, 128GB, Wi-Fi 6E, 12MP Front/12MP Back Camera, Touch ID, All-Day Battery Life — Purple — $399.00 (List Price $499.00) Hannah Hoolihan Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer with Mashable. She’s written for various entertainment websites since 2017, covering everything from tech to games to film. You’ll currently find her work on IGN and Fangoria alongside Mashable, but she also has bylines at Rock Paper Shotgun, Collider, Screen Rant, and more. When she’s not writing, she enjoys catching up with the latest films and shows — horror, in particular — and has a deep love of FromSoft games, which she continues to happily replay.