
As far as we’re concerned, EVERYTHING looks better when there’s color blocking involved. The dresses are more fun, your nails are more colorful and the most basic items are party ready. And if you think we’ve had enough of this trend, think again because you can never have too much color in your life. Whether you choose to buy or DIY, embrace the rainbow by incorporating these 22 color block items into your kitchen and home.
1. DIY Color Blocked Coasters: The pastel shades on these coasters are the perfect way to serve up cocktails at your next ice cream party. (via Poppytalk)
2. DIY Neon Painted Kitchen Utensils: There’s something about wooden utensils that immediately make your kitchen feel more homey. Spice yours up a little with this simple DIY. (via Sarah Hearts)
3. Dowood Table Lamp Collection ($195+): We love everything about these lamps, from the color blocking to the geometric shapes. The diagonal lines of the wire base play up the geometric feel, making this lamp even cooler. We know, you didn’t think that was possible.
4. Pantone Espresso Set ($70): Pantone is royalty when it comes to all things color (these are the guys that get to declare the Color of the Year), so it’s only natural that this color blocked espresso set would make the list. It’s perfect for gifting to your favorite coffee drinker.
5. DIY Color Blocked Garden Markers: Every home chef needs an herb garden (and hey, even if you’re no chef you always need fresh mint to make mojitos). An indoor herb garden is easier to make than you would think and these little markers make it more fun. (via Sarah Hearts)
6. Inverse Air Plant Pod Set ($35): Color blocking AND polka dots?! The tiny shape makes these little planters even more adorable. And to make your life easier, the plant is included.
7. Color Block Magnets ($26 for set of 12): The humble magnet gets a makeover with the help of color blocking. The shape is just a simple square block, but the colors and triangle print give it a modern pop-art twist.
8. Color Block Placemat ($18): Although sometimes forgotten in lieu of other party decor, placemats are a great way to liven up your table. This one is also uniquely shaped, making it waaaayyy cooler than regular old rectangular mats.
9. Color Blocked Baguette Cutting Boards ($95): These nautical themed wooden boards are not only bold and stylish, they’re also multifunctional. Use the painted side for serving up cheese and snacks, and the other side as a chopping board.
10. DIY Color Block Food Domes: These colorful domes are such a cute way to keep unwanted bugs away from food at picnics and outdoor events. They can also be used as a funky way to serve (and reveal) your food at parties. (via Sugar + Cloth)
11. DIY Color Block Cutting Board: While we’re all for color here at Brit HQ, there’s something so elegant about something that’s simply white. But if you really can’t deal with the lack of color (which we totally understand!), it’s easy enough to recreate this in your favorite bright hue. (via Jennifer Rizzo)
12. Assembly Home Color Block Mug ($20 for set of four): Coffee mugs are one of those items that your kitchen cabinets are probably overflowing with. And really, can you ever have too many of them? Nope. Add to your collection with these awesome color blocked mugs (which also come with matching plates and bowls… just sayin’).
13. Moth Origami Lamp Shade ($101): In the words of celeb stylist Rachel Zoe, we DIE over this lampshade! The architectural shape is unlike anything we’ve seen before and the whole thing is folded out of one piece of paper (crazy!).
14. Modern Neon Hardwood Salad Bowl ($54): Neons, pastels and neutrals: Somehow these three distinct colors go together beautifully in this wooden bowl. Make sure to browse around Nicole Porter’s Etsy shop for many more options like this.
15. Color Block Muddler ($20): You’ve seen bartenders use muddlers to make your favorite cocktails and now you can do the same at home. Snatch up this handy little tool in a color block print and try out some delicious cocktail recipes.
16. Colorful Door Knobs: At some point in your 20’s, IKEA was the go-to for all your furniture needs. But that doesn’t mean you need to be stuck with the same look as everyone else. The tiny pop of color from these DIY knobs will make a huge impact towards personalizing your space. (via Design Love Fest)
17. Magical Thinking Color Block Catch-All Dish ($15): This glossy enamel tray is perfect for tossing keys, loose change and other knick-knacks into when you walk in the door.
18. Color Block Clocks: That’s right, you can make your own CLOCK! Switch up the color combos and patterns to match your aesthetic and never buy a clock again. (via Brit + Co)
19. Color Clock Dinnerware ($20+): Go all out with the color blocking trend and pick up the entire collection of these bowls, plates and mugs for your kitchen. The scalloped edges are oh-so-pretty.
20. DIY Color Blocked Wooden Cutlery: Disposable utensils have never looked so good! Besides, we know you need some colorful spoons for all that ice cream you’re going to be eating. (via Studio DIY)
21. Color Block Candles: Candles are a great way to add simple decor elements to your home. Make a bunch of these color block crayon candles and gift them to everyone you know — including yourself. You can buy the kit right here. (via Brit + Co)
22. DIY Color Block Wine Rack: DIY and colors are what we’re known for at Brit + Co, so it’s only natural that we’d have so many color block projects in our archives. Repurpose coffee cans into a truly unique wine rack for your bar. (via Brit + Co)
How are you going to incorporate the color block trend into your home? Do you prefer to buy or DIY? Comment away!
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures