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Posts By Rachael Grad

Entertaining Ideas from DC House Tours

It's Entertaining month at Apartment Therapy so we've rounded up DC homes that are ready to entertain. Click through for ways to make your home party-ready and see a peek of an upcoming House Tour.

Gas Mask Shower Head

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The Gas Mask Shower Head is the scariest design we've come across this Halloween. Designed by Chris Dimino, the gas mask's eye holes can be used as soap dishes. Would this scare you in the shower?

Brian Jungen's Repurposed Sculpture
The National Museum of the American Indian

Brian Jungen uses common, mass-produced objects to make powerful sculpture. Currently on view at The National Museum of the American Indian in DC: totem poles made of golf bags, golf balls and painted golf tees; a whale skeleton from reassembled plastic chairs, and Northwest Coast-style masks out of Nike Air Jordan basketball sneakers.

The 2009 White House Christmas Tree

The official 2009 White House Christmas tree was selected this week by a team of White House staff. The tree comes from West Virginian growers Eric and Gloria Sundback, both in their 80s, who have been growing Christmas trees since 1956. This is their fourth White House Christmas tree.

Michael Hampton: Designer & Artist

Talented interior designer Michael Hampton recently launched his own DC-based design firm. Michael brings a modern take on classical design ideas. He also paints watercolors of neoclassical architecture.

Anthropologie Chandelier for Obama Daughters
Man Shops Globe

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In the TV show Man Shops Globe, Anthropologie buyer Keith Johnson travels the world shopping for the store - dream job, anyone? In this week's episode he commissions a chandelier, which is later bought by President Obama for his daughters' (Sasha and Malia) White House bedroom. Can you guess its materials and country of origin? Note: the image shown here is from the same designer but not the commissioned Obama piece.

Ode to Diana Vreeland: Alex's Red on Red on Red Living Room

A constant source of inspiration is Alex's Granny Chic House Tour. In honor of COLOR month, we're highlighting Alex's "ode to Diana Vreeland" — a red on red on red living room.

Obamas Pick Bold, Modern Artwork for The White House

Last summer we blogged about the Obamas' call for modern artwork in the White House. They put out a request to museums for bold, abstract, and modern artwork to replace the 19th-century still lifes, landscapes, and portraits that had long adorned the White House walls. This week, the White House announced the Obamas' art picks...

Artist Tanja Bos' DC Home
House Call

Artist Tanja Bos has a beautiful, autumn-colored home that suits her landscape paintings. The green and yellow walls provide the perfect backdrop for her artwork -- and a beautiful inspiration for Apartment Therapy's COLOR month...

A Color that Makes You Happy?

Each day waking up in the lavender blue bedroom was a happy day because we loved the paint color - Benjamin Moore feather soft 1431. The shade, coolness and intensity changed according to the light, but it's always incredibly lovely and satisfying. Do you have a paint color that makes you happy?

Closeup: Yassir's Mixed Modern & Asian Art Collection

In House Tour: Yassir's Mid-Century Modern with an Asian Twist, Yassir skillfully combines inherited antique artwork with contemporary pieces he acquired on his own. Minimal Japanese or Scandinavian ceramics are carefully placed near Buddhas and ornate Indian or Chinese wall hangings.

Frank Warren's PostSecrets... in Person!

Known for PostSecret - the website that shows anonymous secrets on postcards - Frank Warren and his "post secrets" have been making the art gallery rounds in the DC area. We recently saw different selections of postcards in person at Artomatic and the Hilllyer Art Space.

Closeup: Scott's Hidden Historical Treasures

In Scott's organized home everything has a place. Hidden in cupboards and walls and peeping through the glass cabinets are some fascinating collections. A wall safe was built into the 2-foot wide wall. Look carefully at the bookshelves and you'll find vintage paperbacks, WPA state guides, and antique toy trains.

Collections: Are You a Lamp Tramp?

During our recent House Tour: Alex's Granny Chic, Alex confessed that he's a lamp tramp. He has a hard time passing up lamps and is always looking for new styles. The term was new to us and it stuck (not surprisingly). Do you consider yourself a lamp tramp? Take our survey and see more closeups of Alex's fabulous lamps.

Sara & Pete's Eclectic Prop House
House Tour

Names: Sara & Pete
Size: 5,000 square feet, including the basement apartment
Years Lived in: 10
Sara and Pete's DC rowhouse is decorated with a mix of antiques and repurposed theater props. The couple has long supported theater companies in DC — including Constellation Theatre and Woolly Mammoth — and have collected and incorporated their favorite stage props into their home.

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