Before & After: A DIY Desk For Two Topped With a Surprise Surface How to Nest For Less

Erin and her husband wanted to overhaul their craft room into something special – a place where both of them could work from their laptops, focus on craft projects, and even play with their child. And from all appearances, they were quite successful in hitting all those requirements with their craft room makeover. They also used an unexpected material...

Name: Giovanni (9) and Matteo (6)
Location: Temecula, California

I wanted this space to reflect my children's character and heritage. We have the West Coast/Midwest design, the Italy maps and globes to represent their father’s family who all live in Italy and the Luchador artwork that I created as a salute to our past lives when we resided in Mexico for 4 years.

With all of the recent focus on gardening here on Apartment Therapy, it can be easy to feel left out if you are, like many city dwellers, without any real outdoor space. Enter the vertical garden, perfect for the balcony or fire escape with the smallest of footprints.

Gardens on Shelves: The New Vertical Garden Trend? The Gardenist

I've been noticing a trend in the garden world that is loosely related to the ubertrend of vertical gardening. Shelf Gardening (as I am calling it) solves the same challenge of creating a lot of planting space in very little square footage, but provides a whole new range of options for adding your own sense of style.

It's coming, I can tell. That tipping point in the year when it seems safe to actually make outdoor plans instead of just scrambling to take advantage of a random gorgeous day. It's a time that sets my mind a wandering, and imagining myself somewhere...out there.

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As a city dweller, I envy anyone that has an outdoor space they can call their own. A balcony, backyard, even a stoop can make for some good hangouts in the nice weather. Lately I have been especially into rooftop gardens — I think it is fun to see how plants can transform an otherwise unremarkable rooftop into a beautiful place. Here are a few that I think are particularly pretty.
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A Purple Bedroom Fit for a Tween My Room

Name: 8-year-old girl
Location: near Sacramento, California

My daughter is not quite a tween yet, but she has declared the end of pink and frilly things. Somehow we've gotten to the point where Barbies are out, and jewelry and clothing are in.

The Home Office and Playlist of
Lab Partners Lifework

Soon after moving to the Bay Area in 2007, Ryan Meis and Sarah Labieniec collaborated on a letterpress announcement for friends and family announcing their new digs. They enjoyed their collaboration so much, they founded Lab Partners to continue to explore their shared creative passions. With a focus on design and illustration, Sarah and Ryan approach visuals with a combination of imagination, storytelling, and craft, all reflected in their workspace and their playlist below...

3 Ways to Dress Up File Folders

Manila folders. You don't want to live with them, but you can't live without them. You could spend extra on a set of pretty (but pricey) pre-packaged folders from a big-box office supply store. Or you can re-cover the inexpensive, boring ones you've already got with a new, fresh face.

Lawn Be Gone: 4 Methods to Kill Grass

I grew up in inland L.A., where every house had a perfectly manicured lawn. Back then we didn't think of water as a precious resource. Now I live in drizzly Seattle, but my lawn is choked by dandelions and moss. Grass has become more of an accent than a dominant feature in recent years, a landscaping trend that shows no signs of reversing. I can't wait to cut back on mine. But how?