apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

What with the flaming tap water and the ecological problems with bottled water, we're seriously thinking about investing in a water filter. But most countertop water systems are awfully ugly. Need something more in line with your design sensibilities?

Take a look at five beautifully designed models in this water filtration system from Aquaovo.

• Read the full post at The Kitchn

It doesn't matter how much counter space you have — it always seems you need more during various times throughout the year. For many it's the holiday season, but if your space is small, it could just be cooking a real meal instead of reheating take out.

This cutting board-countertop extension might be exactly what you need.

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We recently engaged in a fruitless and exasperating search for good-looking, reasonably priced beverage dispensers. Too bad we didn't see these then.

Do you have a recommendation or tip for another good glass beverage dispenser?

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Jean Greenfield's husband did most of the major work on her beautiful vintage-inspired kitchen in her Arts & Crafts-style San Anselmo home. Jean is no stranger to the food industry; she has worked in it for 30 years and maintains a website called My Recession Kitchen.

The kitchen is very tiny, but it makes wonderful use of the space with floor-to-ceiling cupboards, a built-in tool rack, and slide-in extra counter space.

• Read the full post at The Kitchn

Maybe it's because Halloween falls on a Saturday night, or maybe it's the gloomy economy. Whichever it is, everyone seems to be in a spooky Halloween spirit this year! There is a lot of fabulous inspiration for Halloween tricks, treats, menus, and parties around the blogosphere, and we're rounding up some of our favorites here. Whether your taste runs to the old-fashioned and wholesome, or to the seriously creepy, there's something for you here.

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A ladder in the kitchen? We've dreamed of a library lined with bookshelves and a sliding ladder, but we never thought about a ladder in the kitchen.

But that turned out to be exactly the right solution for this small, but tall, Edwardian kitchen.

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We love how this kitchen has clean, crisp modern touches right alongside some really traditional elements—the toile-like wallpaper and the wooden cabinet (maybe it's antique?) tucked into the far right corner. It belongs to a woman who's known for her fancy, iced-to-perfection cookies in every shape, size, and character. Know who it is?

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Art, paint and pattern: three spirit-raising tools that I use in every project. They exist in the kitchen as part of the fabric of the design. Can you have a happy or home environment without them? Color is their chief medium, albeit with texture and shape delivering their full presence.

Here are a few tips on using color in your kitchen or other spaces.

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Happy Monday! Our discussion on choosing the fastest checkout line reminded us of this more humorous take on "queue strategy." Get your week started with a laugh from one of our favorite comedians, Eddie Izzard. (P.S. Go ahead - this one's SFW!)

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Architect and designer Steve Justrich is inspired by color. When he renovated his tiny San Francisco kitchen, he drew his primary inspiration from the colorful art that lines his walls and makes his kitchen such an interesting place to cook.

He says, "I wanted a kitchen that would be colorful and delightful to be in but still be a professional, working kitchen."

Well, in our opinion he more than succeeded. The result is a dramatic transformation and one of the most pleasant small kitchens we've seen in a long time.

• Read the full post at The Kitchn

Take a look at this cozy, vibrant kitchen from South Africa! It was a Color Contest entry but we sadly ran out of space before it could be posted. But we just had to give you a peek into this colorful space. We emailed the owner of this wonderful kitchen and she gave us some more details about the colors she chose, and why.

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Water Under Attack is a new documentary from Josh Fox, who learned that natural gas drilling was coming to New York City’s watershed, as well as to his hometown in Milanville, PA. So he hopped in his car and drove out west to find out the effects of the recent drilling boom. Although the water has tested out OK with the city, many residents with wells still have ignitable tap water. Trust us when we say: Watch this.

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Take a look at this kitchen transformation from Portland, Oregon. We love this: a tired old 80s-style kitchen with those terribly bland rental kitchen cabinets was remodeled back to its classic-midcentury self.

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What does your kitchen need? Oh good lord, what DOESN'T it need?! I'm a professional photographer, but I was thisclose to becoming a chef. Having a stylish, welcoming kitchen is just as important to my culinary creativity as the rest of my apartment is to my artistic creativity (since I work from home).

• Read the full post at The Kitchn