apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

One of our pals just put in a new bamboo floor, and it's been less than 24 hours and he's already found scratches in it. Usually, our advice is, "Don't worry about it! It'll give your home character!" But seeing as though our advice did very little to console him, we've found some interesting DIY tips on how to repair a bamboo floor. Tips after the jump!

[ Photo from Keetsa.com ]

I used wait until late Sunday afternoon before I broke out the vacuum, and then attempt to clean the whole house in one go. But lately, I've been assigning different chores to specific days so I don't have to dread Sundays (keeping a chore chart stuck to the refrigerator as a reminder definitely helps!) What's your cleaning habit? Do you designate one day to do all the housekeeping, or do you break it up to different days?
[ Photo from BlessedMamaofFive's Flickr ]

Meh. It's been a bit overcast and cold-ish in LA these past few days. Very grey and blah, which inspired us to feature this lovely bright orange Danish modern lounge chair today. The oak frame and the upholstery are in good condition. Priced at $240.

Happy Hump Day! Check out some more stuff after the jump:

Before there was Flickr, there was the Camera Club. And if you love photography, then take a minute and join The Camera Club at The Quiet Life. It began as a small project by photographer/designer/ping-pong champion Andy Mueller and his wife Jennifer Pitt as a means to unite photographers of all levels around the world to share their photos.

[ Photos from The Quiet Life Camera Club ]

Got a lot of stuff laying around that you've been wanting to replace? We just heard about this site after perusing Big Skills.This new site. Commuto.com, is all about trading, not selling! It's an online social networking site where you can trade your stuff with someone for no fee whatsoever. Simply put: a great alternative to eBay...

When we first found this carved-relief salvage piece for Scavenger, we thought it was perfect for a headboard...which got us thinking about our own headboard situation (or lack thereof). Instead of hitting up the stores, we're thinking about setting aside a weekend to make our own. We've bookmarked this feature on Point Click Home that spotlights four very different headboard projects...

[ Photos from Point Click Home ]

This could be the Best. Deal. Ever. A vintage Chesterfield leather sofa for $200?! What? It's almost too good to be true, especially considering that the leather is in pretty good condition. This amazing find needs a new home quick--the seller is moving to Europe!

More interesting stuff after the jump:

When we moved into our 70's condo in West Hollywood, one of the first things we did was remove the floor-to-ceiling mirrors in the dining area. Looking back, we'd probably do things a wee bit different: keep the mirrors, add some crown moulding, and go 30's glam. In fact, we wish we had this photo for inspiration at the time...
[ Photo from Living Etc ]

We've been seeing a lot of all-white interiors lately; and as much as we like the look, we're wondering how to make one of these rooms interesting. Check out some tips from Living Etc. that shows off how to play around with white after the jump...
[ Photos from LivingEtc ]

Our pal Craig Metzger over at Enginesystem and Get Outside More recently did an interview with Stella Bugbee for his AFQ (A Few Questions) section, the design director for Domino and Topic magazines.

Read the full interview here.

[ Photo from Domino Magazine ]

If you're lacking floor space near your bed for a nightstand, here's something that may inspire you: the Gladsax nightstand by Hildurs hus hangs on the wall and keeps all the necessary bedside items organized.

Here's an interesting mix of mid-century detail with French antique style. While this black leather chair has a heavy French influence thanks to its shape and wood carved legs, the caning back makes this piece particularly eclectic. Overall condition is pretty good, although there is wear and tear due to age. Going for $90.

More for your Monday:

Name:Laura Stang-O'Dell, creator and head designer of Porridge; Jason O'Dell, photographer; and Hazel, awesome dog
Location: Los Feliz
Size: 1600 sq/ft
Years lived in: 2 Years, own

>> Enter Slideshow

Remember when we introduced you to Porridge Home a few weeks back? We promised you a house tour. But before jumping into it, here's a little tidbit of what the Stang-O'Dell home feels like: You know when you were a little kid and all of your friends met up at one friends' house because they had the best snacks and a Nintendo? Well, Laura and Jason's home has that same nostalgic vibe...it's comfortable, inviting, and just the sort of place where friends can help themselves to the fridge and kick back to some Steely Dan.

We're always looking for more candidates for house tours. If you or someone you know is interested in inviting us for a tour, please email us!

Love the detail on these end tables--the woven look on the drawer faces are awesome. This matching pair of walnut side tables are in great condition, and are going for $220.

Happy Friday!

One of our favorite children's books is Ezra Jack Keats' The Snowy Day, and a huge part of it is the awesome cut-paper illustrations. While we've contemplated getting some of the drawings blown up and framed, here's another solution to displaying book art (as long as the book itself is thin!): Hang binder clips on the wall, and clip the book open on the top and bottom.

[ Photo from Skona Hem ]

AT reader Brandi is thinking about reupholstering her classic wingback chair in something a bit more durable: I would love to see a piece on how people are using outdoor fabrics such as Sunbrella for indoor furniture. Everytime I go to a fabric store and ask for a durable fabric I am told to look at the Sunbrella line. I would love to see how this fabric looks on more formal furniture such as indoor chairs and sofas. I was thinking of using the fabric for a wing back chair since I want it to be white (my pugs sleep on it), but I am sort of afraid to use it. Would love to hear others experience.

[ Photo from Sunbrella ]

We've been told that orchids flourish in humid environments, so we're wondering if we can salvage our dying orchid by sticking it in the bathroom on the windowsill? Or is the kitchen a better idea? Share your suggestions below!

[ Photo: Nan Goldin DK0183 Maternal Embrace Velerie And Merl St Remy Provence 2002 ]

This is for all of you Chesterfield fans out there: one beautiful, leather tufted vintage Chesterfield sofa in fantastic condition. Love the nailhead detail, and the size is a wee bit smaller than the norm (about 6 ft long). Get this gorgeous sofa for $1695.

One more day til Friday, one more day...

We might start going goth in our house: first there was Laure's intriguing black bathroom...and now this: a black study room/library. A color choice we haven't considered since our angst-ridden teens, we're surprised to see how sophisticated it looks! What do you think?

[ Photo from From House to Home UK ]

AT reader sfbbqueen's on the hunt to find a similar sofa to the one pictured here from Living Etc. Where in Southern California can I find a sofa like this one by Espacio? Since Espacio doesn't seem to have a distributor in the U.S., we probably can't get the exact sofa, but we'd love to find a good facsimile or something pretty close to it in style. Thanks!

[ Photo from Living Etc. ]

[ Photo from Van Nes-De Vos/Courtesy of the Collection of Dorothy Draper & Co. Inc and the Carleton Varney Design Group via NYMag.com ]

Here's the REAL deal, not a modern reproduction: The highly coveted Saarinen dining table! This one comes with a 47" wood laminate top and a price tag of $300. ($300!?!)

Happy Wednesday:

We've received some Good Questions about what to do with alcoves, so when we found this article at From House To Home, we had to share. While it goes through some quick tips like adding accessories or hanging a canvas, we really like the idea of creating a frame within the alcove. Want to try it? Steps after the jump!

London-based soprano singer Marianne Cotterill recently opened her home to Living Etc., showing off her taste that's a mix of well...everything. From ornate French wallpaper to classic tufted sofas to...a Saarinen dining set?

[ Photos from Living Etc ]