apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We don't use honey for much more than sweetening our tea. However, it's another one of those super-versatile household ingredients. We wouldn't recommend cleaning with it, but you might want to put an extra jar in your medicine cabinet.

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

There's nothing we like better than a good DIY project, or a set of clear How-To instructions for whatever project we've got at hand. Thinking of starting a container garden? Installing a programmable thermostat? Looking for a way to whiten socks without bleach, how to wrap gifts with a furoshiki cloth, or how to carry anything on a bike?

This Roundup is for you.

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

Have you seen these adorable robots at Anthropologie?

Handmade in the USA by artist Amy Flynn, these found object robots (or "fobots") were created from repurposed bits and pieces, like an engine oiler, a funnel, and hydraulic fittings.

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

The CMYK Elektrik Bike designed by Manuelsaez Ltd recently won top honors at the 2009 Spark Awards, an international design competition. It's a folding electric bicycle specifically designed for short commutes. The power supply on the bike works just like a laptop! Just plug it into any electrical outlet, and a two hour charge will sustain you for a 50 minute ride.

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

An upholsterer’s approach to fabric is completely different than that of a decorator or designer. Their main relationship with fabric is mainly an aesthetic one whereas mine is more of a utilitarian one. Basically, I look at the fabric in relationship to the piece that I am going to be upholstering to gauge whether it has the correct elasticity and give for me to apply it properly...

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

There is nothing more frustrating than gutters that are clogged during the fall and then ice-damaged during the winter. It's bad for your house and a nuisance to repair. RainTube, one of Sustainable Industries top green building products of the year, will not only alleviate these problems, but also assist in a rainwater collection system...

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

We spent a few hours helping clean house last weekend for the 'rents, and room after room of wood floors meant we used the Swiffer to our heart's content. But tossing the cleaning pad and reaching for another one made us feel wasteful, so we searched for an alternative...

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

We know, we know. Hearing "burlap" and "green style" might make some of you want to crawl into a dark hole. Just when people begin to realize that eco-friendly decorating is not all burlap and tree stumps, we ...come back to burlap. But it might be okay this time around. There are some pretty cool things being done with the fabric, and it does give off an earthy, informal vibe which can work in the right setting...

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

The SmogShoppe, an event space in LA (used for weddings, movie screenings, and the like) was a former smog-check station before Sherry Walsh and Miguel Nelson transformed it...

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

Swedish designer Camilla Diedrich's wallpapers are stunningly beautiful, full of movement and excitement. We simply can't get over the luminescence she is able to achieve. Some of the samples you see here are part of her Nature Ray Charles collection, and they do not have electrical lights or fiber optics built in. It's simply due to Camilla's design...

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

We all know Etsy contains a wealth of handmade housewares, artwork, and vintage ephemera. But despite all its brilliance and talent, Etsy can be wildly overwhelming to navigate. So, in the spirit of Artwork, Crafts, and Collections month, we thought a little collaboration might be in order: we'll tell you a few of our favorite Etsy stores, if you tell us a few of your favorites!

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

Need to get away from the world? You got it. This private, rustic bungalow located in Sullivan County, New York is handcrafted from 100-year-old reclaimed barn wood and, with no water or electricity, will let you live totally off the grid. But the location is amazing...

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

There are all sorts of levels of urban homesteading. We'd argue that if you grow your own tomatoes and can the extras for winter, you're a bit of a homesteader. But then there are the more dedicated/extreme homesteaders—take Novella Carpenter for instance ...

• Read the full post at Re-Nest

A few years ago, we went to L.A. to visit a friend. The traffic, compared to anything we'd seen in Texas, was shocking. It's a real car culture, and we wouldn't have dreamed of biking around. But now, it seems as though the bicycle scene is booming — good news for folks who like to commute or ride around their community on two wheels instead of four...

• Read the full post at Re-Nest