Apartment Therapy Archive: Oct 2010

Ceilings are called the fifth wall for a reason. Along with offering ample design opportunity, a fresh coat of ceiling paint can quickly transform the ambience of an entire room. So to inspire your ceiling painting endeavors, we rounded up seven rooms, all from Apartment Therapy home tours, that will make you want to paint your ceiling ASAP. Looking for an unexpected way to modernize a home with old architectural bones and vintage decor vibes?

from top to bottom and left to right Last week we featured Creepy Crawlies and Not So Cuddly Critters found throughout our archive of House Tours. This week we’ve tracked down some slightly spooky and mysterious rooms that although they don’t scream Halloween do have a touch of the dark side to them (and not the Darth Vader kind). Which one is your favorite?

It recently occurred to us that we’ve seen lurking in the backgrounds of some nursery photos a most impressive item. This goose lamp. What a majestically quirky thing! Where can we get one? Our curiosity lead us to Google, which lead us to some cruel internet hype claiming that the original Gladys the Goose lamp, designed by Don Featherstone of Union Products, is out of production. Could it be? No! We have to have one! Hearts racing, palms sweating, we dove deeper into our Google search.

Recently, a phone call to a friend who was in the middle watching It’s Complicated led to a long discussion about the gorgeous houses in Nancy Meyers’ movies. Meyers, who also directed The Holiday and Something’s Gotta Give, is almost as renowned for the production design and set decoration on her movies as she is for the movies themselves.

Our digital camera died the other day, and after saying our tearful goodbyes, we started to wonder what we should do with it. Throwing electronic waste in the trash or even our curbside recycling bin is a no-no. Fortunately, we found lots of other ways to recycle a digital camera.• Donate it: If the camera still works, consider giving it to a school, youth program, animal shelter, nature center, or another organization.

I started this guide last year with a bare bones list, and since then, I’ve been collecting resources for loft stairs and ladders. An attic or loft ladder isn’t something one usually shops for, but if you find yourself on the hunt, it can be really difficult to sort through good and bad options. Here are 10 recommended places to start. Arke Arke is a US subsidiary of an Italian company that just recently made their products available in the US through Home Depot and other stores.

Name: Jeremy (and his roommate Ralph)Location: Spanish Harlem — Manhattan, New YorkSize: 875 square feet — 2 bedroom rentalYears lived in: 5 months Jeremy’s home should look familiar to readers — House Call: Jeremy & Ralph’s Bachelor Pad. Visiting Jeremy and his roommate’s home in person confirmed that they are destined for a life of fine living.

There are few souls in the world who have wall-to-wall carpet topping their dream decor list. It’s often the stuff of McMansions and is commonly viewed as the epitome of dated decor, but it’s also the reality for countless American homes. And if you’re a renter, there’s not a whole lot you can do to change it. So how to deal?Before we get started, we need to set a few things straight. Not all wall-to-wall carpet is created equal.

I’ve been compiling a list of the best new wine racks for the past two years, and this year I thought I’d do something a little different and highlight vintage designs (in addition to an expanded list of new and easily available racks). Some of these older pieces are no longer in production and you

Name: Anthony Franco, Clothing Designer and Wardrobe Stylist and Gregory Metcalf, Wardrobe Stylist and Pillow DesignerLocation: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 1,782 square feet — 4 bedrooms & 3 bathroomsYears lived in: 5 years My friend told me about Anthony and Gregory’s home and I welcomed the opportunity to check out a 1912 restored Craftsman home in Silver Lake.

Ah, the joys of aging. Those jarring little moments in life when you learn that what (seems like) recent history for you is ancient history for others. Everything you buy for your home can be plotted on a timeline based on when it was manufactured and affixed with a generational label like “contemporary,” “antique,” “vintage,” or “retro.” An item’s age is a key facet of its value, along with its condition, quality, and relative rarity.

Being a huge fan of visual display in stores and galleries, I make sure to try and always come up with unique display ideas for my own home. Sometimes I have a secret competition with myself to do things for the lowest price possible — this display was no exception!I saw this post a while back and became enamored by the interesting use of pant hangers. I wanted to create the same look without building a structural platform for the hangers.

Jonathan Adler is known for his signature “happy chic” style — it has multiple components that make his rooms so successfully uplifting, one of the major ones being the liberal use of bright and buoyant color.

Since we’ve been living on our own, we’ve been in and out of apartment complexes each year—without a single Trick-or-Treat’er to be seen. The costumed tots usually stick to house-lined streets to meet their candy quota. But if you’ve just moved up from renting an apartment to owning a house, you’ve got a lot to learn about Trick-or-Treating Halloween etiquette.

October is color month here at Ohdeedoh and tots’ utensils are an easy and fun way to add some visual interest at mealtime. Check out some of our favorite flatware, all of it BPA-free. • Read the full post at Ohdeedoh

Recently, Consumer Reports started reviewing induction cooktops alongside electric and gas ranges, while IKEA released their first US model. Welcome to America, induction cooking. Historically, the biggest barriers to buying an induction cooktop were price and accessibility, but as this style of cooking gains momentum, more affordable cooktops are appearing.

Recently, Consumer Reports started reviewing induction cooktops alongside electric and gas ranges, while IKEA released their first US model. Welcome to America, induction cooking. Historically, the biggest barriers to buying an induction cooktop were price and accessibility, but as this style of cooking gains momentum, more affordable cooktops are appearing at Home Depot, Lowe’s, Sears, and the kinds of stores where most Americans shop for appliances.

Marie-Antoinette is best known for being detested, for so perfectly representing the sins of the French ancien régime that she was beheaded. But she is also famous for her role as Neo-Classical tastemaker. In her public and private interiors as well as the portraits she commissioned, we can see a palette of colors fit for a queen.

When I first used FaceTime on the iPhone I knew it was only a matter of time before Apple would bring this to the Mac. I thought they would naturally add it to iChat, which is already pre-installed on most Macs. However Apple chose to release a stand alone app just for FaceTime. While there are plenty of ways to video chat, FaceTime feels a bit more like a personal video call rather than your average video chat. 5 interesting things about FaceTime, after the jump.1. Aspect ratio.

While we’re on the subject of color and bedrooms, how about some ideas for turning up the volume without spending too much. Bedding is one of those things that you can find on sale at any time of the year, makes a big impact, and is easy to change when you’re ready for something new. Here are 10 places to look when you’re shopping. Target They’re everywhere, they’re affordable, and they’ve revolutionized the concept of designer labels for the masses.

Name: CarolineLocation: Columbia Heights — Washington, DCSize: 475 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 years — rented Studio apartments are tricky in their own right, and studios where the only windows are on one wall are even more so. Add in renter’s white walls, precarious plaster, and a lilliputian kitchen and you’ve got yourself what could easily become a design disaster.

When skies are gray in Seattle (and they quite often are) the best colors for the home are definitely ones that look best in filtered light. We know that variations in light (both direct and reflective light) affect the appearance of color. The hot tropical sun of the Caribbean is perfect for highly-saturated colors. The high altitude and red earth of the American Southwest are a complement to warm hues. And highly filtered light, with overcast skies, call for muted tones.

When you’re a renter reading a design blog, it can be frustrating to see so many gorgeous pendants and sconces that aren’t available to you (unless your landlord is cool with you hiring an electrician to hard-wire a light fixture, and most aren’t). There are, however, several plug-in options for walls and ceilings… here are 10. West Elm: Although their selection tends to favor hard-wired pendants and sconces, they always have a few chic and affordable plug-ins.

I’ve finally come to the conclusion that not all doormats are created equal. While the $10 coir doormat from Target seemed like a good idea at the time, the cheap price tag should have also clued me into the kind of quality I’d be getting.

As someone who’s obsessed with citrus fruit, I can’t imagine not having fresh satsumas or Washington navels during the holidays. The scent of the blossoms alone will instantly put me in a good mood. For those in less ideal citrus climates, you need not feel left out! You can grow the dwarf varieties of these trees indoors and reap the benefits by following a few simple steps: 1. Buy the right tree.

Name: Jessica & Scott O’BrienLocation: Robertson / Pico area — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 750 square feetYears lived in: 3 years — rented From my own experience, moving in with your significant other can be tricky, especially if your decorating tastes are not aligned (we’re polar opposites). But what I absolutely loved about Scott and Jessica’s home is how they seamlessly managed to display one another’s interests through the decor.

Cradle-to-Cradle certification has become a gold standard for us in terms of meaningful and effective green accreditations. Thankfully, major product categories are being transformed due to C2C design requirements. Task chairs are one such example!

I’m a bit of a sucker for bowls. They’re just so versatile! I have a few around my house: on my entryway table (for loose change and keys), on my bathroom cabinet (for jewelry and bobby pins), on my nightstand (for glasses and ear plugs). So it’s not surprising these colorful bowls made from sustainable

Name: JaimeLocation: Wicker Park — Chicago, ILSize: 1400 square feetYears lived in: 3.5 — Owned Jaime, an esthetician at the much-lauded Maxine Salon, is the enviable type of person who’s innately stylish and who seems to get along with just about everyone. Her casually glamorous, jewel-hued Wicker Park home reflects both these aspects of her personality.

Name: Lisa & Dan and their 2 childrenLocation: Bedford, New HampshireSize: 6,200 square feet (including a small in-law apartment not pictured)Years lived in: 10 — owned Lisa and Dan moved into this outstanding farmhouse 10 years ago after living in a modern home made mostly of glass. It is clear from the first few steps inside that there is no shortage of modern amenities here — but when Lisa re-designed and re-structured this home, she did so with a reverence for the past.

Sometimes people think of decorating as a choice between two extremes – blah neutral and wild color. The truth is that most colors can work as neutrals by using more sedate tones. Yellow is one of the colors that does this extremely well.When there are more attention-seeking colors in a space, yellow can easily bring some life to the neutral areas without immediately drawing the eye in. Yellow also compliments many other colors quite nicely.

The small pillows that came with my sofa upon purchase didn’t really accent anything as their name might suggest. I wanted something a little brighter and jazzier. Instead of keeping those pillows shoved in the back corner of the linen closet, try putting them to use with one of these 5 ideas:1. Remove The Covers: By removing the pillow covers, you can switch them out to be any color, pattern or style you want. It seems obvious, but is an easy one to forget.2.

We adore a fancy play kitchen but sometimes simple is best. When we stumbled upon this little play kitchen, we were completely drawn in. • Read the full post at Ohdeedoh

Q: Can I use house plants to improve my home’s indoor air quality? There is data and research on the value of outdoor plantings and the positive effect on air quality through natural transpiration. It would seem that the same would be true of indoor plants, if well maintained, both in terms of overall humidity levels, and in terms of potential CO2 reduction and biofiltration.Sent by TomEditor: Here’s what our friends at Green Home Guide have to say.

Q: I need tips on how to clean my area rug from within my NYC apartment. While I vacuum regularly, and blot clean any spills, my entire rug has become quite dingy over the past year; it’s especially noticeable on the lighter parts. Living in a small NYC apartment, it gets quite a bit of traffic.

Name: Douglas McClellan and Matthew LeeLocation: Lakeview — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 900 square feetYears lived in: 2 months — rented When Douglas and Matthew were looking for their first apartment together, they knew it had to be amazing. As design fanatics, they wanted a home that had enough architectural appeal without sacrificing size or location.

When we asked about whether or not you’d pay for on-the-go charging, we got an answer we weren’t expecting: Why pay for public charging stations when there’s an Apple Store nearby? With their trendy music and endless array of devices and programs, the Apple Store is becoming a cyber cafe for their biggest fans.The Apple Store. You know, the chain of retail stores operated by the computer giant? They’re stores. That exist primarily to sell things, right?

Textiles are a fast and easy way to update a table, and there’s a lot of good stuff out there—particularly if you love modern and contemporary design. From simple Scandinavian patterns to organic cotton tablecloths to spun vinyl placemats, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite designers, stores, and distributors in the field. Here’s how to find them. Crate and Barrel This chain store has a reputation for providing quality tabletop at affordable prices.

Although having a drawer designated for silverware seems like a standard thing in most households, it really isn’t. The more unique spaces we see coming into the market—converted warehouses, fire stations, churches —nothing is standard! Here are 5 ways to store your silverware, not in a drawer, just in case you feel like mixing it up a little.1. Vase or Glassware: Although they make specific crocks to hold cutlery, you can use any shape or size of glass vase or bowl even.

What better way to liven up the kitchen than with a pop of color decorating the fridge? This can come in the form of a new retro fridge or older classic appliance; a patterned decal or DIY chalkboard paint job. My grandmother still has a mustard yellow refrigerator from the 70’s — beautifully maintained I

Name: Sarah, Jon and Mega the CatLocation: Noble Square — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 950 square feetYears lived in: 5 — rented Sarah & Jon hit the jackpot when they rented this gem 5 years ago. They’ve been lucky enough to have a great landlord that has allowed them to build a bedroom in their basement as well as make a few slight modifications to their space. This couple thoroughly believes in investing time and love into a space, and it shows!

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) How can you sneak vegetables past a picky eater? Is it healthy to have a vegetarian baby? What are some tips for surviving grocery shopping with kids? These are a few of the most popular questions and topics on Parent Earth, a new website devoted to “Videos about Food for Families.”

No, ghoulish not goulash! Some families go all out with decorating and others flex their Halloween muscles in the kitchen. Whether you’re planning a party or just want to surprise your family at home, here are five spooky dishes to serve up this time of year. • Read the full post at Ohdeedoh

I really like these chairs — traditional French bistro chairs. They’re the sort of thing you fall in love with when visiting France and vow to yourself that you’ll have them one day in your kitchen — but you never follow through. Why? Because, they are expensive and REALLY hard to find. Let us help you.Over the past five years, I’ve found a number of sources. They range from the expensive original to the affordable knock-off.

Cambria has recently mentioned her affinity for bowls in the home and I have to wholeheartedly agree. They’re perfect for use all around your space, not just for a bowl of cereal! Here are a few suggestions on how to get more from your bowls:Now admittedly the bowls in the photo above aren’t the greenest of nature but they still convey the point we’re looking to illustrate below. See where else you can put them to use (besides your tool chest) from the tips below!1.

Even though I worked for what seems like a million years in the world of retail, there are a few things I gleaned from my days and nights spent wearing the “May I help you?” uniform. I can hang a ridiculous amount of shirts in a very short period of time and there isn’t a towel on earth I can’t make appear more fluffy than it really is!Materials1 towel, any size, shape, color or thickness 1.