apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We were browsing Topher Delaney's blog, SEAM, when we came across this amazing door inside the Mark Horton Architecture studio located in South Park in San Francisco. What a great way to let natural light in without sacrificing privacy!

We know we're going to take heat for this, but... we did it. We bought the controversial Stockholm desk that was discussed over at AT:Los Angeles. Check it out (and our reasons) after the jump.

At AT, we're big supporters of companies that promote local artists and designers. So, imagine our delight when we found out about Fiveten Studio, a contemporary furnishings and art boutique in the heart of Old Oakland. The shop was started by Alfonso Dominguez and Sean Matthews a few years ago. Fiveten specializes in functional limited edition objects and furniture, most of which were designed and/or manufactured by local designers and artists (and some of Alfonso's pieces as well, he's a trained architect). The space is bright and airy but packs a serious eye candy punch. Run, don't walk... this store is so under the radar and it's oh, so cool. Trust us, you won't be disappointed.

We woke up this morning feeling a little glum. We completely blame it on the weather. Look outside (if you're in San Francisco)! It's so gloomy. Our fixer? Daisies! Take a peek at some colorful (and warm) photos of Daisies after the jump. We hope they put a smile on your face!

It's been over two years since we updated our Rose and Radish shop listing, so we took a trip there last week to give you the scoop on what's happening in one of our favorite Hayes Valley boutiques. First and foremost, it's still absolutely gorgeous. The bouquets are still some of the best we've seen in the city and the porcelain tabletop items were to die for. But our favorite part? They've expanded into the loft upstairs!

Yesterday we were at Rose and Radish and fell in love with these porcelain pieces from Hella Jongerius. We're used to her work being much less contemporary, so it was a real surprise to find out these were by her. The colors! We love.

Quatrine is a vast and lovely furniture store located at the end of Hayes Valley. The showroom boosts an impressive array of stylish upholstered goods that don't sacrifice a single detail. These are the sofas you keep for your lifetime, and then probably pass down to the kids (in short: they're sturdy). And with their completely customizable collections, lifetime warranty, and dedication to replacing the cushions and slipcovers when needed, you can see why we thought you should know about them.

A little bit ago we wrote about some super groovy vinyl bowls that were for sale at Given. A lot of the comments were about making your own vinyl bowl, so we decided to give it a shot. Well, we're hooked. Here's a How To guide so you can get hooked too!

We're always happy to see giant chain stores put some effort forth to up their green inventory. So, imagine how pleasantly surprised we were when we stumbled upon one of Macy's Special Shops, called 'Organic. Live Green'.

Wow. We're HUGE Piero Fornasetti fans. HUGE. We were so happy to find these two chairs at Sultana yesterday. The Ionic capital! The sunburst! We're in love.

With soaring gas prices we wouldn't be surprised if the bike industry is experiencing a major boom. Because of this, we thought we'd offer up some bike storage (all wooden!) solutions so that you don't have to do what we do: just lay your bike against the wall in your entry way (boooring).

A business school doesn't really qualify as an apartment. But honestly? Whatever! Look at that flooring! It's such a rarity to see such large slabs of stone used for flooring, we love it.

Our friend Joel is always pleasantly surprising us with his different ways of using Alvar Aalto's Savoy vase. Granted, it's not the most inexpensive fishbowl we've ever seen, but we can't deny that we think this is an excellent way to use such a classic piece of design. See another example of what Joel uses his Savoy vase for, after the jump!

Last week when we showed you the Stage Floor Lamp from our Sneak Peek at CB2 post we didn't think we'd get so hung up on it. But we did, we're smitten. Now we're on the prowl for similar looking floor lamps, like this Cast Aluminum Spot Light at Sultana.

Yesterday some of the AT:SF team got a sneak peek at the latest items from the new CB2 collection, as they're opening a store here in SF on July 31st.

We're certified Hans Wegner junkies. So imagine our delight when we stumbled upon this Wegner buffet at Monument. Sure, Monument isn't the most inexpensive vintage shop in San Francisco, but they do restore their pieces to absolutely flawless condition. We think it's worth it.

The Solar Decathlon competition (hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy) has come and gone, but we'd thought we'd share an interesting perspective of it with you. Our mother (MY mother!), Deborah Kuchar of Green Alchemy, was the garden designer for Santa Clara University, the school that took 3rd place. Mother dearest wrote a great story about her experiences with the project, and it's a really good read (lots of photos!).

So... here it goes. We're indifferent. Cop out? Maybe. But we honestly just don't have an opinion about these. Do we want them in our home? Probably not. Do we hate them? Nope. Sure, they're silly, but that's never stopped us from liking something before. We found them at Urban Outfitters and just had to share. What do you think? Do you like them? A few more photos after the jump.

Richlite is a great green material that's made primarily of paper purchased from managed forests throughout North America. The paper is treated with resin then pressed and baked to create solid sheets. You can use Richlite for all sorts of different types of applications, but countertops are what it's primarily used for.

Yummmmmy... This late 1940's sofa manufactured by the Los Angeles firm of Brown-Saltman is so gorgeous. We love the curves and all the details, truly a glamorous sofa indeed.

Name: Allie Bruch
Location: San Francisco
Size: 475 sq. ft.
Years lived in: Rented for four years (and some months)

As soon as we walked into Allie's studio we were smitten. So much beautiful color! When she walked us through her space we fell even more in love. Every piece of furniture or decoration has a story, and even though her look is very eclectic, everything works in perfect harmony. The architecture and design elements of the space is already something to be seen. Whether it be the inlay floors or the curved ceilings, there's pockets of detail everywhere. Match that with the gorgeous found objects (turned furniture pieces) and beautiful art (some of which Allie created herself), and we basically found a perfect apartment. Swoon.

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Lately we've been feeling pretty uninspired... and it sucks. Thankfully, a friend sent us this photo and it perked us right up. A vintage billboard as a wallcovering? You bet.

When we were at Inside a few weeks back we absolutely fell in love with this wire chair. We've all seen them before, but the black wire with the brown bikini really worked for us. We think it's a great combination.

We made the mistake of going to our local IKEA over July 4th weekend (crowds galore), but seeing this new sideboard made the trip a little more bearable.