Carrie Whitney is an Atlanta-based writer with a love of all things design, particularly tile. In addition to being willing to cover any topic that sparks her interest, she has spent many years zeroing in on home improvement and currently serves as the newsletter editor for Kitchen & Bath Business magazine. Although she’s never tackled a renovation of her own, she’s pretty handy with a paintbrush.
Carrie earned a B.A. in journalism from Georgia State University, then an M.A. in anthropology and a Ph.D. in history. Along the way, she picked up a B.A. in French literature and remains a devoted Francophile (allez les Bleus!). In addition to writing, she teaches in the department of communication at her alma mater and tries to keep up with the latest trends in social media.
Recent Contributions
Located on Mount Fanjing in China, the Temple of the Buddha and Maitreya Temple sit impossibly atop a spindly rock formation, more than 7,600 feet (2,336 meters) above sea level.
Both William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer are known for using iambic pentameter in their famed works of literature. But what is iambic pentameter and how can you spot it?
As the result of a happy accident, scientists have created a sustainable paint that's lighter, longer-lasting and more cooling than traditional paint.
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There were some totally awesome things about the decades that span the 1970s and 1980s. But man, are there things we're glad to leave in the past. Here are 10 of them.
The bright yellow hue used to great effect by van Gogh and other painters was eventually outlawed, as it was made of urine from dehydrated cows.
Call it bubbly or bubbles, but don't call what's in your glass Champagne unless it truly is. How do you know? It depends on where and how it's made.
Happy birthday to Edgar Allan Poe, master of the macabre! The story of his life and mysterious death is as fascinating as his most suspenseful work of fiction.
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Few former U.S. presidents have ever run again, but even fewer have won. What does this mean for Donald Trump?
Point d'Alençon Lace is a needlepoint lace that originated in Alençon, France. It's delicate and rare and takes years to master. Why is it so different from other lace?
Every year the U.S. president pardons a turkey and Americans eat it up. Not the bird, but the ceremony. How did this priceless tradition even start?
The 'Close Before You Doze' campaign is on a mission to get you to sleep with your bedroom doors closed. Why? Fire safety.
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Jimmy Carter, who turns 98 this year, isn't necessarily considered one of America's greatest presidents. But the legacy he's built in the 40-plus years after leaving the White House is one that will be hard to top.
Henry Louis Gates Jr. will serve as editor-in-chief of the new Oxford Dictionary of African American English, which is slated to be published in spring 2025.
At 984 feet tall, Paris' landmark Eiffel Tower is no picnic to maintain, so how is it done and who is responsible for keeping it standing and painted?
Coco Chanel is a symbol for fashion and feminism. She's credited with designing the little black dress and the Chanel suit, after all. But hanging in her closet were a few pretty big skeletons, too.
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After the fall of Paris in 1940, French Gen. Charles de Gaulle called for resistance to the Nazis. From military sabotage to civilian clandestine activities, the French answered and resisted mightily.
Plains Indian men kept historical records of their tribes in art. First with petroglyphs and pictographs and then on buffalo hides. When the white man came, they moved their art to ledger books.
Two gas stations might face each other on a street in Anytown, USA. Yet their gas prices might be different. Why is that?
Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but thieves like them too. Find out how they orchestrate multimillion-dollar heists and how jewelers switch the real thing for fakes.
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Come explore the fabulous French capital on a guided tour of the arrondissements with Rick Steves associate Steve Smith.
The glue, the scraping, the mess, the hours of torture and pain. If the idea of using wallpaper anywhere in your home conjures up images of sheer agony, then temporary, removable paper was made for you.
The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most iconic and enduring symbols of the city of Paris, France. But why did Napoleon commission it?
Student loan refinance and student loan consolidation are completely different beasts. If you're weighed down with student loan debt, you need to know the difference.
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Espresso, latte, macchiato. The coffee bean didn't even originate in Italy, so why do so many coffee drinks have Italian names?
Opus 40 is a 6.5-acre (2.6-hectare) earthwork sculpture that was hand-cut and created by artist Harvey Fite over a 37-year period. So how did he do it?