5 Best Apps of the Week: A Red Bull Video App Cooler Than It Sounds + More

What do you get when you mix an energy drink, classical music, talking to strangers, home renovation and speaking a new language? You get this roundup of the best apps of the week, including four newcomers and one update worth downloading — or updating, you early adapters you, to turn your long weekend into a productive three days of learning new things and meeting new people. Go you!
1. Clashem: When Red Bull makes an app, they make a surprisingly cool app that just might become your new favorite way to watch user-generated video. Clashem pits two random five-second-or-under videos against each other. You swipe for your fave and watch it rise through the leaderboards. In its early stages, the app is v “bruh”-friendly, filled mostly with skaters and extreme sport videos, but it will be interesting to see if Clashem can go more mainstream and be at least the next Vine.
DL It: Free on iOS
2. Simply Piano: I like to believe that smartphones CAN actually unlock the power of knowledge with a few simple swipes and taps, and the latest buzzy download is proving my hunch correct. Like Duolingo (more about that one later) for learning how to piano, this innovative iPhone app helps you tickle the ivories with real time feedback in a Just Dance method of teaching.
DL It: Free on iOS
3. Project Color by the Home Depot: It would not be cool of us to withhold all the awesome that is an app that will help you make your next home renovation that much easier. Or at least your Pinterest board for your next home reno that much prettier. This DL from Home Depot lets you see, match and test out colors whether you’re sprucing up an accent wall, staining your deck or totally redoing your home. Upload a photo of your room or project, get creative with thousands of colors and share the possibilities with friends, families or Pinterest followers.
DL It: Free on iOS
4. Space: If you ever feel like you’re just floating in space, with seemingly no one to connect with, this is the app for you. It’s working to obliterate that feeling by linking you with the people around you. Another app trying earnestly to help you make connections, you’ll see what conversations are happening near you, have the ability to join them, start your own questions and peace out whenever you want.
DL It: Free on iOS, coming soon on Android
5. Duolingo: While this is usually a roundup of the best new apps of the week, this pick at least proves you can teach an old favorite new tricks. The easiest way to learn a language just got a cute aesthetic upgrade that has brains behind its beauty. A new cast of characters is here in Duolingo to help teach you one of dozens of languages, letting you further visualize the people, places, things and scenarios you will soon be speaking in.
DL It: Free on Android, iOS and Windows Phone
What was your favorite app of the week? Share with us below!
The idea of home took on a whole new meaning as soon as sheltering in place and lockdowns became a regular thing in 2020. And it wasn't all bad. We got back to cooking at home, bonding with our partners/families/housemates and pets, and we did a bit of redecorating. In fact, home decor and furniture sites saw huge growth (more than a billion global visits in March 2020 alone) as a result of the pandemic.
The New Hygge
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE4NDU0MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNDc3NzY4NH0.b5mMkAr53ylATx1FegOBQ82rORssRzwzb5mnDnh9v2I/img.jpg?width=980" id="018a4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="83ebde83c7fe24dc26f3daaa7b1af7b2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1100" data-height="1650" /><p>"2021 will be about creating connections to each other, to ourselves, to nature," says Etsy's trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson. "We're embracing <em>friluftsliv</em>, the Norweigan concept of getting outdoors – think of it as the new hygge." That means turning your home into a nature haven, with <a href="https://www.brit.co/easy-to-care-for-indoor-plants/" target="_blank">indoor plants</a> that clear the air, provide peace of mind, and hint to the great outdoors, especially giving us a boost during grey winter days.</p>Spaces Reimagined
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE4NzkxNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzODU5Mjc5Nn0.WgkbktVSlXqGCnNT2UhoIliWO5XiIcre48caYgoPK1Y/img.jpg?width=980" id="76852" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ca514cb2b31357e78a497bda001dcb12" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="3200" data-height="4800" /><p>"We added workspaces to our living rooms, classrooms into our kitchens, and gyms to our bedrooms," says Isom Johnson.This year, she says we're reimagining our homes and incorporate pieces that help restore balance to our multi-functional spaces. (On Etsy, there has been a 399 percent increase in searches for wall or foldable desks, a 159 percent increase in searches for Murphy beds, and a 134 percent increase in searches for room dividers.)</p><p>"Halls and entrances now have a new function: sanitize ourselves before entering the rest of the house, plus a place to store loose items we don't want to bring into our clean areas," says Alexa Backal, head of design for <a href="https://casai.com/en?currency=USD" target="_blank">Casai</a>, a boutique travel rental company, which brings us to a new Covid-era of design.<br></p><p><br></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>SHOP FOR THE HOME</strong></p>Balcony Table
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE4MDY1OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Mjk4Njc3NX0.X4QRUJJMIYCHUsjct1C387uP0odWSmmib9ZvwiyEmlw/img.jpg?width=980" id="bec6f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f9882725adb2b869b84df0001e86ae65" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="794" data-height="530" />Entry Hooks
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE4MjU3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDc0MzcwMn0.X7hjwYugq4tnlTD4AWAojfooJWBIudXWQC_rjegf2Kk/img.jpg?width=980" id="570ca" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c3a4be6440e1c8e43c2cdb0954095a62" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="683" data-height="1025" />Bike Wall Holder
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE4MDM2NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MDU0ODE0OX0.iSKS3PMo4ozJskKWosK3yc3FquLyOzK3rvdEj5feS1g/img.jpg?width=980" id="1612a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c13586c0632d80671f67a44d5842c20b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="794" data-height="529" />Kid Fold-Out Desk
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE4MDU3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTczNzA2NX0.5PGeY8s77owMUL4hJu-murPNKmQWy9rR2_GkAeYhz9U/img.jpg?width=980" id="db228" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9600c5b52b7088bafc01a1c3a6b3c5d7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="794" data-height="596" />Grandmillennial
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE4OTc1NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNTQwMTY5Nn0.nZqEgs6NFRmJrw9e-dos53XWsY423940LmI9iMSxV6A/img.jpg?width=980" id="9fa52" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a65d79167844cfcb8385749390e443f2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1920" data-height="1440" /><p>From cottage-core to crochet to neoclassical design, millennials are feeling nostalgia for (and coveting) their granny's decor in what some are calling <em>Grandmillennial</em> style. "I think Grandmillennials and sustainability actually go hand in hand. This trend is all about younger generations who love design and decor that we might culturally view as "old lady" or grandma-ish," says Alessandra Wood, VP of Style at online interior design service <a href="http://modsy.com/" target="_blank">Modsy</a>. That means ruffles, Victorian wallpaper like William Morris prints and antiques, anything you'll find at a flea market or your grandma's garage!</p>Art Deco
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE4MDc1NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMjQ3NjMwM30.RvCyBBpv0YcYWCM-6Zwr3tPOEAG7QHTdSz3UzhgimSg/img.jpg?width=980" id="31b79" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0ad097073d69d3108491bb37d1a39c80" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="5087" data-height="3634" />Photo: Marius Chira
<p>"Art deco is here to stay in 2021," says <a href="https://nylonconsulting-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/Redirect?ukey=13SlMtNZ76DV52bZyncUCPPsHCtfpzs3A1r9yZk0xJSo-831740962&key=YAMMID-22079569&link=https%3A%2F%2Falexanderdohertydesign.com%2F" target="_blank">Alexander Doherty</a>, interior designer based in NYC and Paris. "Art deco design works very well in contemporary decors because of its sleek minimalism and the quality that comes from the pureness of lines. It is the mixture of what is old and new that gives a space character." After all, it is the roaring '20s!<br></p>Joyful Botanicals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE4MTAxNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzkxMTg1N30.p669TTpFJHTRZqoemHVmQKRjW2s2VAfjHgWXmARn7JM/img.jpg?width=980" id="b257d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="34ccde6398e515c833739e0b86c8cf37" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="2400" data-height="2833" /><h1></h1><p>Get ready to embrace blooms in winter and beyond. Botanical walls, bedding, upholstery and more are making a big comeback. Barbara Karpf, founder and president of DecoratorsBest, says wallpaper like this <a href="https://www.decoratorsbest.com/products/york-garden-party-mural-ri5190m-wallpaper" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">York Garden Party Mural</a> ($128) are an affordable way to add drama to your home. "Murals are art in their own right. They cover the wall and provide unique art at the same time," she says.</p>Flexible Design
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE4MTI1NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjEwMTY0Mn0.8FFkw5ekcndjbALUND8nW-vcKMqjjAFMJcjtFu4WVVk/img.jpg?width=980" id="2a5e4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1cc77c1b0fcce3a4f67d32cbaf8d158b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="3000" data-height="4500" />Photo: George Ross
<p>"I am seeing a lot of enclosed kitchen spaces as opposed to large family room/ kitchen areas that are open to the rest of the home," says CEO and cabinet designer <a href="https://nylonconsulting-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/Redirect?ukey=13SlMtNZ76DV52bZyncUCPPsHCtfpzs3A1r9yZk0xJSo-831740962&key=YAMMID-22079569&link=https%3A%2F%2Fpeacockhome.com%2F" target="_blank">Christopher Peacock</a>. But within the closed kitchens are more open plans and less built-in cabinetry. "An eclectic organic feel of mixed textures and materials is very welcoming and bistro like, and this is certainly popular," says Peacock.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>SHOP FOR THE HOME</strong></p>