apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Paul Smith always manage to keep us excited with his colorful and distinguished products. His Christmas brochure is filled with creative, off-beat items and we have our eye especially on the playful ply stool.

Name: Beth Evans
Location: Dulwich, South London, England
Size: 1,400 square feet
Years lived in: Since I was two weeks old!

When Beth submitted a House Call we had an overwhelming response, readers wanted more! Beth's amazing nest in South London is what dreams are made of — her parents bought this townhouse in the swinging 60s, 2 weeks before her birth. Beth had the opportunity to move back into the family home 4 years ago and she jumped at the opportunity.

Who doesn't like LEGO? Any one dislike MUJI? No hands? A collaboration between these two beloved brands seem very appropriate then. Both MUJI and LEGO are testing the waters for a new consumer base and they joined forces to create the fun Paper — Punch stationery set.

Comedian, TV presenter and new boyfriend of the "girl-who-kissed-a-girl", Russell Brand is selling his London home. True to character — the pad is dark and dangerous! The interior is predominantly Modern Gothic with a lot of black and OTT features. The reception room gets our vote for the most "out there" with its black and silver flock wallpaper, golden carpet, diamante studded antlers and a huge plasma screen. Brand once confessed: “I am slightly intimidated by that room. I tend not to go in there much. You shouldn’t have a room you’re intimidated by.”

AGA Rangemaster launched four limited edition celebrity designed cookers to celebrate the 300 year anniversary of the Coalbrookdale foundry where all AGAs are born. The launch will form part of the ‘Great British Cooker’ campaign.

Four top designers have been invited to design an original piece of artwork to celebrate the London Design Museum's 20th anniversary. Tord Boontje, Margaret Calvert, Konstantin Grcic and David Chipperfield each came up with a beautiful design for this milestone event.

London celebrated the best in British Design last night at the annual award ceremony. It was a star studded event and the competition was fierce. We are very excited that Benjamin Hubert walked away with British Designer of the Year award, much deserved after the spectacular collection he designed this year. It's also been a busy time for Sir Terence Conran, not only did he win Outstanding Contribution To Design award last night, but was also honored with a similar accolade at the European Hotel Design Awards last week.

British artist Rob Ryan — known for his whimsical cut paper designs — recently collaborated with The Rug Company where he created the fabulous "We had everything" tapestry wall hanging. His second collaboration is more modest (and affordable!) but equally gorgeous, a tea towel for To Dry For.

Name: Anna Gabriel
Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Type: Co-op apartment
Size: 1,500 square feet
Years lived in: 3

It's no surprise that Anna's biggest home embarrassment is the lack of storage for her Rock Band guitars and drum kit, since she's the daughter of Rock legend Peter Gabriel. Within minutes of visiting her Lower East Side apartment you get a sense of Anna and her love for people and the arts. Her home is a soulful pad and you realize the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Anna is an amazing artist in her own right — a successful documentary maker, photographer and humanitarian.

Put a smile on your face with this naughty-but-nice wallpaper from UK design studio Dupenny. All the products are sustainably made and hand screen-printed, making every print unique. The designs are inspired by all things retro with a touch of humor. We love the scale option of the print: Full scale for a very large design with maximum impact, or half scale if you have limited space and prefer a smaller repeat.

Diesel's revealed their debut collection of home ware earlier this year and their collaboration with Foscarini (the contemporary Italian lighting designers) excites us the most. Diesel — famed for its denim and deconstructed aesthetic — did not deliver lights made from zips and denim as skeptics predicted. Instead, retro-modern lighting of supreme quality with an edgy, industrial and beautifully rugged feel.

Husband and wife team Russell Pinch and Oona Bannon have created a new collection of graceful and iconic pieces for their line, Pinch. From their studio/ showroom in London they design furniture with a timeless quality where all items are made by hand (and to order) and built to last. They believe in using local resources, and employing only the best furniture makers from the UK.

Satin and grosgrain ribbons are one of the best items to have in your cupboard for last minute entertaining and gift "emergencies". A gift wrapped in brown paper (or newspaper) comes alive with the addition of a bold ribbon. They also come to the rescue when a table setting needs color — tie them around the stem of the glass, around the serviettes or even around the back of the chairs.

Origin is the gathering of 300 fine craft makers from around the world. This year's theme, "Basketry", was emphasized with exhibitions & activities highlighting the intricate discipline of contemporary basketry. Works included glassware, knitwear, jewelry and millinery. At Origin you have the fantastic opportunity to meet...