Apartment Therapy Archive: Mar 2011

Name: Greg, Brian and their dog Mr. BiggsLocation: Mission District — San Francisco, CaliforniaSize: 1,100 square feetYears lived in: 5 — owned Furthering the line of luxury and comfort, Greg and Brian provide choice accommodations for everyone in their home, not just themselves.

I recently bought a set of five cheap lamps from a big box store. The price was right, but I wasn’t loving the tapered shades. Purchase five new drum shades? Not on my budget. Then it hit me. A tapered shade is pretty much half a drum shade, isn’t it? Chop off the top ring, extend the spokes, flip it upside down, and for 3 bucks plus the cost of fabric, you have a drum shade!

Closets are often the spaces that get neglected in even the most stylish and organized of homes. As I get ready to start my spring cleaning, I’m pulling some inspiration from Sara’s coat closet transformation.After seeing what Sara over at Russet Street Reno did with paint and an old vegetable bin, I’m not surprised to see that she was able to transform her coat closet from plain to cute with a just a little color.

I love to watch the evolution of people’s spaces. As soon as you remodel or paint one thing you begin to think about what you would have done differently and what you can do next. Katy from Mom and Her Drill has documented her kitchen as she painted it, and repainted it over time. Without any major renovations she had changed up her kitchen in a sustainable way more than once. Check it out after the jump.Immediately after moving in Katy knew she needed to make a change.

Art Nouveau is the name for the artistic movement that started in Europe around 1890 and lasted until around 1910. It took on many different characteristics in different places, and some of the most famous designers from the era have disparate styles, including Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona, Josef Hoffmann in Vienna and Carlo Bugatti in Italy. What these designers had in common was an interest in finding a new artistic vocabulary that could best express the modern world.

The elegant lines of George Nelson’s Case Study bed have ensured its place as a modern classic, with many clean-lined successors also on the market. One big plus of these beds is their versatility — they look sculptural when adorned only with minimal bedding, but are also a good canvas for artsy, bright bedding. As these bedrooms show, as long as you don’t cover up their shape, Case Study beds look good in almost any bedroom.

Since the 1980s, people have been declaring that the LP is dead, yet DJs and vinylphiles have kept it alive all these years. Cool album art, quality sound, and cheap prices on vintage records are all reasons for holding onto your LPs, but the big drawback is the hulking amount of space they consume. If you’re dedicated to preserving your record collection in tact, there are some good storage options at all price points — here are eight.

Name: Corina Kramer ( and her three kitties: Mojo, Mr. Pants & Snuggles)Location: Thai Town / Los Feliz — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 600 square feetYears lived in: 8 months — rent Corina — an Emmy award winning hair and makeup artist — lives in a quintessential Spanish casita which she first shared in a House Call: Corina’s Starlet Bungalow.

Designer: Lisa ZadorLocation: West Village, ManhattanSize: 400 square foot, two-bedroomYears Lived In:: 20 Lisa has grown into the person she is today — over the past 20 years — in the same apartment. While it started out as a cramped share amongst college friends, replete with milk crates and plywood desks, it started to mature when Lisa took over the lease.

When you think of the global-import aesthetic, you might automatically imagine bamboo windchimes at World Market or faux Kuba cloth pillows at Pier 1, but not all import stores are mega-chains. There are plenty of small, independently owned shops that specialize in vintage and contemporary pieces from foreign countries, often collected during the shopkeeper’s own travels.

When you don’t have a large kitchen or enough space for all of your appliances, it’s time to get creative. You’ll have to find space where you can salvage it, optimize your kitchen for maximum efficiency, so that it works, looks good, and still doesn’t feel cramped. The placement is also important, since you don’t want the washer and dryer column towering over your dinner table.

Name: Toni and Rick SturtzLocation: Neillsville, WisconsinYears lived in: 8 years, owned Toni and Rick Sturtz live in a cozy stone farmhouse nestled between a restored prairie and miles of towering fir and birch trees. They see themselves as stewards of the farmstead—caretakers of their 120-year-old home and the natural resources that surround it. As they carefully adapt their home to modern living, they make changes with sustainability in mind.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) After I made this crazy hot pink Valentine’s confection, one of the comments on the strawberry milk required for the cake was, “Why not make your own?” Now that was a great idea! Creamy, smooth and straight from the diner of my dreams, a glass of chilled, pink, and homemade strawberry

Name:Bradley & Jonya and 15-month-old Julian GreyLocation: Beaverton, Oregon When Bradley and Jonya Streeper found a midcentury Rummer for sale just outside Portland, they left their loft in San Francisco and headed for the Pacific Northwest. Both have backgrounds in the arts—Bradley as a gilder and painter, Jonya in art history—and knew that the house, a developer’s knockoff of an iconic Eichler, would perfectly showcase their revolving collection of furniture and artwork.

Name: Saule & Chris and their three young childrenLocation: Frederick, MarylandSize: 2,800 square feet — 4 bedroomsYears lived in: 9 — owned (and still changing it every day) My first thought on walking through Saule’s door was, “how on earth does this stylish woman keep her house looking this perfect with three young kids and a busy career?” She and Chris have mastered the art of balancing interesting and unique accents with durable, practical materials.

Closet envy usually involves admiring another woman’s shoe collection, but I’ve never been into shoes. I am, however, into clever uses for small spaces and it’s been on my mind lately as I look to create a spot at home for my my bedroom-less, playroom-less son to call his own.

Used as a rental for years, Gregg Olsen, the owner of this 1960 split-level in Boulder, CO had a vision to add a second story to his home. When that plan promised to cost $100,000 – $150,000 more than he had budgeted, a change of plans was in order. The new concept included energy efficiency and modern design elements.Mr. Olsen hired VaST Architecture to realize the extensive renovation on his home.

Q: Our dishwasher is broken and we don’t want to replace it so we’re removing it entirely. But now we are left with a big hole in the lower cabinets and don’t have the funds to have a custom cabinet made to match the others. The flooring where the dishwasher was is layers of old linoleum and not the tile that is in the rest of the space. So how to fill the hole without it looking ridiculous?Sent by EllenEditor: Let Ellen know what you would do in the comments – thanks!

As far as we can tell, 2011 is the year of online shopping… at least for hopefuls that are diving into the ever more crowded pool of members-only flash sale sites like Gilt, One Kings Lane, and Eziba. Here are five focused on home decor, all of which celebrated their launches in the past few months (or have yet to launch). Joss & Main: Parent company CSN Stores launched Joss & Main in January 2011.

Out of all the cool houseplants, useful herbs, and indoor trees available, grass isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when you’re looking to fill your indoor spaces with living greenery. But even though this type of plant is usually related to backyards and landscaping, grass makes for a great indoor container garden option that can be both decorative and useful and is quite easy to grow.

Ever wonder what a kitchen made from almost entirely recycled materials would look like? Design team, WhyDesign, cooked up just that using flea market finds and deconstructed goods. Take glimpse at their creation, and find out how they did it! • Read the full post at Re-Nest

Name: Marlous Snijder & Pim Van de VisLocation: Veenendaal, The NetherlandsSize: 1,600 square feetYears lived in: 6 months — owned Apartment Therapy is in dire need of some more international house tours and I’m determined to change that. What better home to start with than a bright, sunny dwelling in The Netherlands? Marlous & Pim have styled their home with perfection. This Dutch couple’s home needs to be shared with the world!

This family may not have a big entryway but they have a wide staircase which they turned into a mudroom of sorts with tons of storage for every family member. See how great it looks now:Even seeing other people get organized makes me feel good. I imagine these cubbies will fill up a lot more over time and not look quite as pretty, but what a great way to maximize this space along the stairs.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Freezing food is a great way to conserve and plan for easy dinners, however, it doesn’t make for a spontaneous cooking experience. Read on for a few tips that take defrosting beyond waiting hours and nuking it in the microwave. Read the full post at: The Kitchn

So much of the successful end result of design projects depends on the ability to take risks and think “outside the box” when in the planning stages. Being able to consider the idea of making one big shift opens up many possibilities. This was the case with the story of the redesign of the entrance and facade single family home in Chicago…… featured in the current issue of Chicago Home + Garden.

A sunny kitchen in a sunny home in the Netherlands! • Read the full post at Apartment Therapy

Remember that kid’s show, Blues Clues that was popular in the late ’90s? Well, the host, Steve Burns, or ‘Steve’ as you would know him from the show, just worked with Mesh Architectures to build a beautiful new 2,100 square foot bachelor pad. Built on an old wood shop in Brooklyn, his new house integrates some really exciting examples of creative re-use.

Q: I recently moved into a studio apartment and I have this closet door that opens into the main room and also the hallway that I would like to “camouflage” it since I only need to access it from the hallway. Since the only layout I’ve found that works best means putting my bed in front of this door, it has become and eye sore.

Name: Philip Sumner and Leona LaurieLocation: Downtown — Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 2,000 square feet (800 square foot addition is in the works)Years lived in: 7 months — rent Philip and Leona have put their stamp on this converted garment district loft. Within seven short months they have built and defined rooms, installed wood paneling throughout, added wood floors upstairs, painted the walls and re-built the staircase (three times to get it right).

A bed is a big purchase, and you want to make sure it’s something you’ll keep for years to come. If you’re someone whose tastes fluctuate between traditional and modern styles, look for a bed that can adapt as your decor changes. Here are 10 places to start. Plantation: This Los Angeles showroom sells unique custom beds. Priced to spec, they’re as modern or as traditional as you decide to make them.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) A friend informed us recently that cupcakes in a jar are the hot thing right now. They’ve been seen on The Today Show and in O Magazine. Really, we said. We haven’t even seen these things. What are they? Cupcakes in a jar, it turns out, are like the illicit love

As I’ve mentioned before, I currently don’t own a dust pan or brush simply because I haven’t wanted to buy a cheap plastic one. But there have been multiple occasions recently (when my dehydrator fell over and smashed my buckwheat cereal into little smithereens all over the floor, for example) when a dust ban and broom/brush would have been very handy.

image:a1b9dbac900965d6029baa712df3edb5cf15ddf4 w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" There’s no need for a dryer with these creative and space-saving drying racks! Hang them inside or outside, over the tub or over the backyard, lower them from the ceiling or mount them on the wall. There are options sure to fit any space.

Name: Benjamin CottrellLocation: South Loop — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 900 square feetYears lived in: 3 years — rented When Benjamin handed me his business card I noticed that the title under his name says Life Stylist. Well if Benjamin can make my life feel as stylish and lux as his home, I’m sold! The first thing I noticed when I walked into Benjamin’s one bedroom apartment was the fabric wall.

I’m embarrassed to say that aside from changing the sheets, washing the mattress cover, and giving it the occasional flip, I haven’t put much thought into the care of my mattress. However, Real Simple’s April feature on spring cleaning shortcuts made me reconsider my neglectful approach to the most used piece of furniture in the house.

Those plastic mats that sit under desks aren’t exactly attractive, nor are they earth friendly. They are needed, however, because static electricity isn’t your friend in home office or craft environments. (Plus, rolling a chair on carpet can pretty much suck it.) For an eco-friendly option, check out this prettier and less expensive plywood version instead!Our friends at Ucreate tipped us off to this fun project happening over at Sugar Bee Crafts.

While we’re not sure exactly why anyone would need a retractable kitchen island, it certainly is cool that it’s possible. And even cooler for you iPhone users out there is that the mechanism for such an island can be controlled by your mobile device. Yup, there’s an app for that. • Read the full post

Q: I have two glass inserts for picture frames that I have leftover from making a hanging jewelry organizer, and I don’t know what to do with them. In my area, they are not taken at the recycling center. I have a 8×10 and a 11×14. Any ideas on other projects to make with them?Asked by BethEditor: Suggestions for Beth?Got a good question you’d like answered? Email us and we’ll see if the Re-nest editors or our readers can help you out. Photos are always appreciated!

“In Windsor chairs, the seat is made of one piece of solid wood, and the back spindles are separate from the legs.”CLASSIC • American Windsor | Marlow Side Chair – $299 at Crate & Barrel • Budget Windsor | Salt Chair – $98 at DWR • Peacock Windsor | Original 1947 Peacock Windsor Chair by Hans J.

I love delicate porcelain. What I don’t love are the moments right after you accidentally chip one of your prized possessions. But before writing them off completely, I thought I’d see if there was anyway I could salvage my beauties. While I realize they will never be 100% perfect again, my attempt at salvaging them

Name: Chris PaulsenLocation: New York, New YorkSize: 280 square feetYears lived in: 4 — rented Nestled between Gramercy and Murray Hill, in one of those nebulous neighborhoods of Manhattan, lives Chris Paulsen, a former model with a propensity for modern design. As I first met him in the doorway of his little apartment to conduct our House Tour that day, I couldn’t help but blurt out my first question, “Where exactly am I?

So, I was super excited about my shag rug I found on sale. I brought it home and unrolled it with glee. My toddler ran across it exclaiming “Nice rug!” and I agreed. One week later the shedding hadn’t diminished but I decided it was only due to first time use…I vacuumed it a few times and dismissed the shedding as a temporary set back. Fast forward, one year later. What the heck? The rug sheds more than a life-size wooly mammoth!I scanned the internet for help.

As part of the process of setting up and organizing our new home office, we’ve learned a lot about how to light the room. Proper lighting makes a huge difference in productivity, energy and mood. Here’s a primer with the tips and tricks we’ve learned along the way, along with some images of the lighting in action and tips for cubicle dwellers. When setting up an office area, you’ll want it to be pleasant, functional and free from distraction.

We’ve seen lots of creative DIY shoe storage on Apartment Therapy, but if you prefer to shop for readymade solutions, here are 12 good options. Six are on the high end (inspiration for a project, perhaps?) and six clock in under the $100 mark. Unica Home The Shoe Box by Kristalia is a universal wall cabinet. The inside can be customized with the shelves of your choosing, and it can be mounted horizontally or vertically on the wall.

Spring is officially in season, and so are those home improvement projects we have been shying away from all year. After writing about removing tough wallpaper with warm water and dish soap, one of our readers, Rachel, asked how to take texture off of a wall. So here it is in all of its messy glory.First things first, this is one dirty and somewhat challenging job but if the texture has to go then let’s try to make it as eco-friendly as possible.

image:00922a3bfad954864f30028648e511dbfa01c0df w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" That ball of neon yellow goop, otherwise known as Cyber Clean, is probably the best keyboard cleaning tool out there. It not only gets rid of dust and crumbs, but germs too. But if you’re trying to tighten your bootstraps and stick to a budget, there are plenty of cheap alternatives. How cheap?

The KOR water bottles, which first launched their ONE bottle in 2008, showcased two new lines last week, the Delta and the Vida. Like the ONE bottle, the Delta is also made of Eastman Tritan, a BPA-free co-polyester material, but the Delta is lighter, and the cap and the spout come apart which makes for

Faced with two sets of mismatched cabinets in her otherwise dreamy kitchen, Alana decided to paint the lower deck of cabinetry to complement the upper deck. After a lengthy color selection process, Alana dived into the project and the results are gorgeous!The upper deck cabinets in Alana’s kitchen are the vintage windowpane variety that were original to her bungalow — but the lower cabinets are all new.