apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

If you're thinking about doing a renovation project on your home, it can be overwhelming to know where to start, particularly if you have a small apartment. So we've put together our list of resources —including great websites, books, architects/designers, and stores— for people looking to renovate green.

This is an ever-evolving list, so if you have something to add, tell us!

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Let's now tackle the issue of “green upholstery." Without naming names, there are companies out there claiming they specialize in and sell “green” upholstered furniture using natural, non-toxic and biodegradable materials offered at the same price as mass-produced companies. This is totally untrue and misleading. The reality is that the products and materials currently available for doing green upholstery are minimal and exorbitantly expensive...

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Before a recent trip home to pick vegetables, my mom (and as I've said before, my green hero) told me excitedly over the phone about a new music stand that her husband made for her. But when she explained just what he'd made it with, I was confused. There was no way it could be beautiful, I thought, let alone fit in with her home's decor...

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A serene bathroom is not only beautiful but functional. Unfortunately, for most of us something in the bathroom always causes us problems, whether it's a running toilet or a dripping sink. But before you call in the plumber, see if you can tackle it yourself. Here are fixes for some of the most common problems...

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I find the tasks in Week 2 to be some of the most rewarding of all the assignments, since they mark the beginning of a hands-on relationship with your home. For starters, you'll be deep cleaning your kitchen, the room that encompasses many of the green lifestyle tenets we often talk about on Re-Nest: gardening, composting, recycling, and cooking with organic and/or local food that is good, clean, and fair...

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Okay granted, unlike most of my fellow Re-Nest bloggers, I live in Los Angeles. Lately, however, we've had quite the spell of cold and rainy weather, and the same thick plaster walls that keep my home cool in the summer now make it distinctly chilly with even the slightest drop in temperature. How to stay warm at home without resorting to blasting the heat? Here are some thoughts...

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For a large portion of young city dwellers, roommates are simply a fact of life. The high cost of living in urban areas often necessitates a shared living situation to (somewhat) slow the rapid drain of cash from your pockets. But for some, that reality has gone beyond finding a decent person who'll pay his/her rent on time; instead, it's become a search to form a modern commune...

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The beautiful "Moss House" is a private residence in the Ebisu area of Tokyo, Japan. Created by Nendo Studio, the designers used dried moss to cover the interior walls with vine-like patterns. The result imparts a striking, textural quality, a perfect twist on traditional wallpaper patterns...

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What you’re looking at is a sun drawing — an image of colored light that changes throughout the seasons, with the sun and clouds. Using a “sun drawing” instrument designed by artist Janet Saad-Cook, any room can be transformed into a seasonal art gallery…

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There's nothing quite like taking a peek into someone's home and getting inspired: the unique decor ideas, the personal touches, the green initiatives they've made to ensure their home is not only comfortable but sustainable. We've rounded up a few Green Tours from our archive that you may not have seen before...

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Perhaps it's the brisk onset of fall, or the fact that we're always trying to find a way to bring the outdoors inside, or maybe we're just resigning ourselves to the fact that our husband will never get rid of his threadbare plaid "study" jacket (though his elbows have worn through the fabric and the filling is falling out). Whatever the reason, we've got lumberjacks on the mind...

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In a town about 70 miles north of Houston, Dan Phillips and his company Phoenix Commotion have built 14 low-income homes built (essentially) out of trash: roofs made out of license plates, ceilings constructed of picture frames, wall mosaics made of discarded beer bottle caps...

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We've been on a bit of a blanket kick lately (anyone else anxious for fall?). This ottoman was made from this Hudson Bay wool blanket from L.L.Bean, and we love the concept: reupholster an old ottoman with a cozy wool blanket. We're partial to plaid wool personally, and here are some of our favorite options...

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If you're into crafting and/or are an Etsy stalker, then Craftgawker.com is right up your alley. Craftgawker is a gallery where artists and craftsman can showcase their art, crafting, and photography skills, as well as a "place for you to discover new artists and homemade goods to inspire your own creations..."

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