apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Unplggd reader dmstudio posed this request in yesterday's The Atocha Record Cabinet post: "I would love it if Unplggd could find some stylish record album storage solutions that don't involve buying new furniture. I've looked and keep coming up empty except for some boring and not too stylish storage boxes from the Container Store."

• Read the full post at Unplggd

Despite the name, the Record Cabinet by Atocha isn't just for vinyl junkies. With several configurations offering storage for audio components, DVDs and CDs in various sizes and materials, the tastefully designed cabinet would make a great centerpiece for your audio setup.

• Read the full post at Unplggd

One of the virtues of being a laptop owner is the ability to be a part of the most nomadic of the home tech lifestyles: The desk-less. You can make your kitchen, bedroom or bathroom an instant workspace—but where do you keep your printer?

• Read the full post at Unplggd

All across the Apartment Therapy sites we often try to promote the idea of living with less extraneous items in the home. Unfortunately, for many of us with a bent for home technology, this can be a difficult task with the plethora of home theater components, home office equipment and entertainment items. So we posed this question to Unplggd readers last week: which 3 home tech items are essential for their particular lifestyles and needs…

• Read the full post at Unplggd

Name: Brittany
Location: Portland, Oregon
Type of Home: single family home

Color Inspiration: This might not be a popular way to plan color, but I love themed rooms. Even if nobody else knows what the theme is, I still use it to guide my color and and accessory choices. For this dining room, the theme is 70s Garden Party. These colors made it possible for our family antiques, mid-century pieces, art from friends, and Oregon collection (in the built-in cabinet) to live together.

Polarizing opinions are being voiced about the Gyrofocus hanging fireplace. Some readers call it "elegant" while others have described it as "a cartoon mouth eating fire". Chime in over at Unplggd and tell us what you think...

• Read the full post at Unplggd

Name: Cathy
Location: Portland, Oregon
Type of Home: single family craftsman bungalow

Color Inspiration: Living in the Pacific Northwest, I am always looking for ways to reflect the beauty of the outdoors inside my home. The color scheme for our "green" kitchen is inspired by the deep woods, clear waters, and bright flowers nearby.

Name: Jennifer
Location: Sacramento, California
Type of Home: single family home

Color Inspiration: I purchased the rug years ago because of my attraction to bold colors. I've often regretted the purchase but decided to build around it. Since this rug encompasses a rainbow, I went with a neutral couch, pale yellow on the walls and accent pieces with shades of the same intense hues. There are so many to work with!

With flourishes of ornate furnishings partnered with modern lighting and home office hardware, Fossati and Galli's office project for advertising agency AMÉN incorporate splashes of colour and texture throughou, making for an excellent example of balancing home tech with decor...

• Read the full post at Unplggd

Name: Jeanne
Location: Denver, Colorado
Type of Home: loft

Color Inspiration: Color is so energizing, I surround myself with pieces that I love that connect with my personality. It's a very eclectic mix of Chinese antiques, Vintage Furniture Redesigns and Mid Century Modern Elements. I love this place, it just makes me so happy!

Name: Melanie
Location: Seattle, Washington
Type of Home: single family home

Color Inspiration: This is a difficult question to answer without writing a book. We moved into a 1941 Cape Cod from an urban loft. The style of our new home is so different that my design selections were necessitated by the architecture.

Name: Angela
Location: Portland, Oregon
Type of Home: house

Color Inspiration: A Swedish brunch restaurant in Portland

Sharilyn Wright of lovelydesign was kind enough to take some time out of her busy life as mother and designer to give us a look at her updated studio space (you may remember her from a past tour), with insight about her creative process, her business, and some advice about how to organize a home office…

• Read the full post at Unplggd

Name: J&R
Location: Bellingham, Washington
Type of Home: rental apartment

Color Inspiration: Since we could not paint the walls, we took inspiration from our view of the bay and our love of Hawaiian beaches. The latte-colored walls and parquet floors became the sand, the sectional sofa and bookcases remind us of the water, and the natural light from our picture window ties the room together. Quite by accident, our instruments added an additional Polynesian color and texture with their koa, cedar, and rosewood finishes.