Apartment Therapy Archive: Jul 2010

Name: Gregory HanLocation: Silver Lake, CASize: 6′ x 3′ Closet Around this time last year I was happily enjoying working in a newly renovated home office I had designed and optimized for my workflow, furnished and accessorized with small space living in mind. It was a bright, cheery and ample space in an otherwise small studio apartment.And then we moved.

With prices falling on HD video cameras, more and more folks are interested in ways to share their HD videos. Delighted with the crisp images these new cams produce, a large number of consumers are no longer content to simply choose the most popular service and settle for massive degradation of the video quality. The rising demand for high quality video hosting has caused new players to enter the space and old players to step up their game if they want to stay viable.

Now that you know 14 Home Hacks for Your Dishwasher, your helpful appliance might be working overtime. Do you know how to keep it in it’s best shape? For starters, read the manual! Then heed these tips to keep your dishwasher—and your stuff—clean and working.1. WoodYour Pac Man cutting board is going to swell and crack in the dishwasher. The same goes for wooden spoons or chopsticks. 2.

Name: Alisha, Graham & Finley Irwin Location: Fairfax, CA Size: 320 square foot studio cottage with loft Years lived in: newly built guest cottage behind our home Rented or Owned: owned When Alisha and her husband were ready to renovate their tiny guest house they decided on two things: to keep it as low impact and green as possible and to infuse it with their happy, bright, vintage style.

A recent project has us working with a client, helping her set up a home office space. It’s the second level of a large loft where we’ve had to create storage spots for paper and office supplies. And while there are plenty of good looking file cabinets out there, we opted for a combo of open shelving and file boxes for housing paperwork. Portable and quite attractive, these file boxes are a great solution for when you really don’t need a two-drawer filing cabinet.

The word “doily” just sounds old and musty, doesn’t it? In reality, they’re small little works of art that can be found all over at local thrift stores and estate sales. After we mentioned using them as wall art yesterday, we thought a proper roundup was in order to showcase their true modern beauty. Here are 7 ways to put them to use and get them out of the linen closet!

Having spent the better part of every summer at camp as a camper, instructor and planner, I can speak first hand to some very important basics that should be sent with every child. Making sure they’re prepared can yield the best experience possible for them and your own peace of mind.The things you take to camp are all important for different reasons. Some things keep your kids safe, others prepared and a few keep them cool (socially and physically).

Name: Graham Age: 7 weeks Location: Michigan Room size: 10’x10′ At first glance you might not guess that this creative, colorful space is primarily a mix of Ikea and diy projects, but it’s true. Amy and her husband Andy transformed a guest bedroom into a bright, perky, modern space for their newborn son, Graham, and we’re entranced by the results.

I’m in a traveling, outdoor mood, largely because I’m stuck inside an air conditioned office and longing to be outside. To soothe myself, I want to revisit a home we visited last summer — Margaret Roach’s year round retreat in upstate New York. I’ve included new pictures, and I think you’ll get a lot of vicarious pleasure out of this visit. Enjoy!

You might not think you need one. But as soon as the TV screen flashes to darkness and the time on your cable box begins to blink “12:00,” you’re going to wish you’d spent your tax refund on an emergency power generator instead of that cruise to Cancun. The next time you’ve got the extra cash, turn to this online Generator Finder guide to help choose the right one for your needs—even if you live in an apartment.

Yesterday, we touched on two of our favorite character building details in homes — decorative plaster and beadboard. I’d like to add Anaglypta to that list! Its raised designs add subtle texture and detail not seen with typical wallpapers or wall treatments.Anaglypta was invented in the 1880s as an alternative to Lincrusta, a washable but rigid wallcovering. Made of wood pulp and cotton, Anaglypta was of a lighter weight and much more flexible.

Stuck without air conditioning again this season? No problem. While you may think you’re doomed when sweltering temperatures hit, if you have a fan and a freezer, you’ve got yourself a DIY cooling machine.

Seeing as bottled water isn’t doing much to help the environment these days, we set out to find the best water filter solutions to help curb our carbon footprint. Here’s our list of the top 5 water filtration products on the market today. • Read the full post at Unplggd

While getting a coffee syphon or using that old French press that you’ve got somewhere in your kitchen is probably the best way of infusing coffee, there is something quite sexy and appealing about having a nice, good-looking coffee maker or espresso machine in your kitchen. • Read the full post at Unplggd

Name: Sarah and JoshLocation: Somerville, MassachusettsSize: 1800 square feetYears lived in: Only six months! I tend to be a bit Jamaica Plain-centric for my Apartment Therapy house tours. But I finally crossed the river to check out Josh and Sarah’s retro-inspired condo in Somerville. It was worth the trek! I knew it was going to be a fun afternoon when Josh greeted me on the front porch, offering me two delicious cherry tomatoes he’d just picked.

When your trusty keyboard goes kaput, it’s easy to just throw the whole thing in the trash—after you pop off enough letters to spell your name, of course. But did you know there’s way more ways to up-cycle the parts of your keyboard? Under the jump, we’ve rounded up 8 ways to creatively re-use every bit and piece of your “broken” keyboard into something useful—including a wallet, an earring holder and yes, even a name plate.

Ah, a balcony on which to step outside directly from one’s apartment! Anywhere you put it, a balcony can be a wonderful thing. But an escape to a Parisian balcony can hardly be topped! Some elements that many of these have in common that make them so special: cafe furniture, wrought iron detailing, good food in the open air, and fantastic Paris views. Do you, like us, wish to escape to a Paris balcony right about now? Sounds très magnifique! MORE BALCONIES (AND PARIS!

Many rooms just mandate a bed on an angle. Placing it against the walls makes the space feel stale and sticking it straight out into the room might take up all of the available floor space. So when we ran across Jonas’ bedroom from yesterday’s Hollywood Regency Homestead tour, we wanted to make sure to highlight that it can be done and the end result is fabulous!

Even without a coastal view or a sea breeze, you can still have beach house style anywhere anytime. Borrow a few ideas from these inspiration photos and incorporate a nautical influence in your home. Just don’t go overboard.When searching beach house images, we always find whitewashed walls, light filled rooms, and varied natural textures. Color palettes are generally based on the seascape with shades of blue, green, beige and dabs of coral. Fabrics are worn and woods are weathered.

Name: Jonas Location: Brookside, Kansas City, MissouriStyle: Dutch Colonial Years lived in: 4 On the drive to photograph Jonas’ home, I had geared myself up for the “nice but non-creative” that is usually found in neighborhoods of this age. His home resides just south of Kansas City in an area that’s trying to make a shift from old money to new young blood.

If your house is like mine, you often find that you need little storage cubes for stowing all the small stuff. Here’s an illustrated how-to for making your own storage cubes. A set of three or four of these cubes would look great on an open shelf!Materials Oilcloth, cardboard, sewing threadEquipment Sewing machine, scissors and/or rotary cutter, measuring tools1. Cut the four side pieces and one bottom piece of your cube.

After the big to-do we made prepping for our most recent guests, we failed to have a convenient spot for them to house their suitcases in the bedroom. We ended up having to create a make-shift spot on the vanity–but the location was less than desirable.For future house guests, we’re definitely going to pick up a luggage stand (or two). Not only do they fold up to save space, they make items in the suitcase super easy to access.1. Vintage Refugee (Etsy), Vintage Luggage Rack; $302.

Name: NoahAge: 7 weeksLocation: Ponte Vedra Beach, FLRoom Size: 12×10 Noah’s room is a beautiful contrast of cool blue sky tones and warm sunny yellows. His mom, Susan Weinroth, waited to find out if she was having a boy or girl, and designed a room that would work for either. She started with a few pieces handed down from her first son’s nursery, and really made this room a stand-out with sweet, handmade accessories.

Q: I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on sleepers for small city apartments. I am looking for a full size sleeper sofa that is 60″ or less (65″ would probably be my max length). From all my searching online, I’ve only found 3 options … 1) Dream-On Futon’s Love Seat Extension style 2) Innovation Cubed Sofa Bed 3) IKEA PS Line I also found this and contemplated getting 2 chairs that could be pushed together I’ve tested #1 and #2.

Oh no they didn’t! Oh yes, they did! While we fear for the livelihoods of Etsy felt food makers (and the morale of felt food amateurs such as ourselves), Ikea’s new Duktig play food – cute and super affordable – will be very welcome in the kitchens and pantries of toddlers and preschoolers around the

Name: Emily Location: Ukrainian Village, ChicagoSize: 1,000 sfYears lived in: Just over one year When I wrote the post about Emily’s welcoming guest room earlier this month, I knew I had to see the rest of her apartment. Luckily, Emily was willing to have us all over for a House Tour! And just as I expected, the rest of her home is decorated with her cute, light, bright, and mostly DIY shabby chic style.

Name: Raina LeeLocation: Palos Verdes, CaliforniaSize: ∞ 3-car garage Our friend Raina Lee, the publisher of video game sine, 1-Up MegaZine, and the author of karaoke-obsessed, Hit Me WIth Your Best Shot: The Ultimate Guide To Karaoke Domination, has embarked on a dangerous expedition into the great unknown of her parents past: their garage. Excavated and collected pile of old audio/video gear. (Image credit: Apartment Therapy)Vintage calculator.

Artwork hung too high may be the worst thing in the world my biggest design pet peeve. If you’re questioning the height of your artwork, sticking to the principle of “better too low than too high” will probably serve you well. But is there such a thing as too low?Well, that of course depends on who it’s with, where it’s placed, and how that place is used.Visually, I think low hung art can almost always work as long as it’s in a group.

I’ve been using a white fabric curtain liner for a while. I throw it in the wash every six weeks or so and bleach it mercilessly so it stays clean, but lately I’ve noticed that water is making its way out of the shower and onto the floor.I have tried the “mold resistant” plastic liners but they never stand up to their name and it takes longer for a plastic liner to dry which means more moisture in the bathroom.

Earlier this week we were proud to show you the handiwork of Susan over at Freshly Picked and her upholstery transformation. Many of you asked for ideas of where to look in your own home towns and we’re here with answers.Although we can’t cover the entire US, we did our best to tackle a few major cities for you! Know of one we missed? Make sure to add it below!

One of the big decisions when considering living room seating is the choice between a sectional and a sofa. Size, comfort, and aesthetics all come in to play. And, while it’s always going to come down to individual style and the room dimensions, the wonderful Apartment Therapy readers have had some words of wisdom to impart (as always!) on the topic.

If you’ve ever been asked by mall security to put your point-and-shoot camera away, you’ve probably questioned what US law governs photographers and taking pictures. The truth is, there is no single rule to live by as a photographer at any level. Whether you’re a family-historian amateur or a journalistic pro, the question of when you can and cannot take pics is a slippery slope.

If asked to design the perfect world, many would eliminate the presence of the mosquito. We’re sure they serve some purpose on the food chain, but right now, they’re just pissing us off. Every time we turn around we have a new bite! To beat the bite, try a basic bar of soap for quick relief instead of pricey over the counter products.

Some of the expensive dishwashers have these great fronts that seem to blend into the rest of the cabinetry. While if you have the money, you can get yourself one of these, we found found that hacking your own dishwasher a lot cheaper, since the only things you need to buy are some cabinet fronts.

I’ve never been a fan of the bi-fold doors on our bedroom closet. My biggest complaint is that when the doors are open, as you see in the second photo, portions of the closet are almost inaccessible. And with two vain men sharing one small closet, we need all the space we can get! Rather than install new doors I decided to convert these bi-fold doors into swing-out doors.

Michael found a vintage Steelcase bench from the 60s and decided to replace the ripped vinyl upholsery — with Missoni! Michael chose a thoughtful mix of Missoni Kew and Missoni Claremont to totally transform and update the steel bench.Missoni upholstery-weight fabric is not cheap — but it elevated the bench to great heights!After purchasing the Missoni textiles from Amara, Michael hired a local upholsterer to do the magic.

Welcome to Kate from the Pacific Northwest; a blogger trying out for a place on the Apartment Therapy editorial team as a House Tour Contributor. Enjoy her work!Name: JenniferLocation: Rio Dell, CaliforniaSize: 1850 square feetYears lived in: 28 Fondly referred to as Masion Un (which means House One in French), this home seems almost hidden among the lush, overgrown plants, orchard, pond and alluring views all vying for attention over the five acre sprawl.

Some of the expensive dishwashers have these great fronts that seem to blend into the rest of the cabinetry. While if you have the money, you can get yourself one of these, we found found that hacking your own dishwasher a lot cheaper, since the only things you need to buy are some cabinet fronts.You can use any kind of cabinet fronts that you like, but they need to match your current kitchen cabinets. Once you’ve chosen those, it’s time to start hacking!

We’ve talked many times about fleas and bedbugs in the home and both creatures make our skin crawl. As much as we love natural products (especially for use on our pets) there comes a point in time where all we want is our home back and every bug, insect or creepy-crawly dead! Here’s how we did it in our home recently and we hope the method might provide some relief for those who might find themselves in the same situation.

Furnishing a gorgeous home office on a minuscule budget is a challenge. But does IKEA really have to make it even harder by always. having. missing. pieces?! If you live nearby, you know you can take a trip to the As-Is department and grab a few whosits and thingamabobs. But if you live far away, or if you got your “assembly required” desk somewhere else, you can use your phone to call “missing parts” lines.

Your home tech uses electricity. And where there’s electricity, there’s a fire hazard—especially if you’re the type to hold on to tried, true and worn out devices. Speaking of—have you checked your fire extinguisher lately? It might be worn out. Here’s four things to check to know when it’s time to replace it.Now that we’ve taught you how to buy the right fire extinguisher, it’s important to keep it in working order.

George Ramos creates beautiful kitchens and built-ins from reclaimed wood (whenever possible). So when it came time for this cabinet maker to make his own kitchen, it’s only natural that it would be a standout project: cabinets from reclaimed Douglas fir and socially conscious sourced mahogany counters. The results are stunning. • Read the full

Apartment Therapy readers are an amazingly helpful and knowledgeable group – over the years, they have stepped up and provided answers to all sorts of questions about how to do things around the house better, where the best sources are and, of course, what color to paint the walls of your (fill in the blank).

Once upon a time we were happy people, a family that lived harmoniously with a cat. Then we discovered hidden caches of pee: in the hamper, in trash cans, on quilts. Some members of the family wanted to banish said cat from the house, we refused and dedicated ourselves to solving the problem. Our kitty is a female so she wasn’t spraying the walls to mark her territory, she was just unloading her bladder on, normally, piles of soft things.

For most parts of the country, and the world for that matter, summer and fall months mean lots of sunshine. All that sunshine can prove beneficial not only for your vitamin D count and your psyche, but for your home electronics. Here we roundup some of the solar solutions for the home. Kyouei Design’s Mobile Light features a built in solar panel that charges an internal battery during the day, which then powers a bright LED inside at night.

It’s been really hot lately; the sort of hot when dousing yourself with cool water from a garden hose is a great alternative to a pool or ocean (especially if you don’t have access to one of those). Leah recently put together a really nice post on outdoor shower inspiration and tips. Here’s my updated roundup of all the best showers I’ve been able to find. I’ve added a reader recommendation as well as a new fancy design that came in from Europe recently.

Name: Susan Castor Collection “Beach House”Location: Port Aransas, TexasSize:3980 square feet — 6 bedrooms and 5½ bathrooms The Gulf Coast is all over the news these days, but it’s rarely linked with design and decor. Today we’re bringing you news from the Texas Gulf Coast of a lighter, fresher sort. On a recent trip to Port Aransas, we unexpectedly discovered a beautiful custom-built (and eco-friendly) vacation home open for tours at Cinnamon Shore.