Apartment Therapy Archive: Nov 2011

Name: Heather Taylor (Gallery Co-Owner & Lifestyle Blogger) and Alex de Cordoba (Gallery Co-Owner & Social Media Consultant)Location: Spaulding Square – Hollywood, CaliforniaSize: 1600 square feetYears lived in: 3 years Heather and Alex embrace all the character that their home embodies. They love their wood paneling in the bathroom and definitely appreciate the generous windows that allow for natural light.

When Meg’s sister had a baby boy, she knew she wanted to give her new nephew a special present to welcome him into the family. She found a dresser on Craigslist desperately in need of a makeover and saw the potential for the perfect gift. Though many would agree with her husband’s assessment that it was only good for firewood, Meg had a vision of what a little paint could do.

Lots of us have dreamed of designing fantasy kitchens with all the bells and whistles. Then our actual budgets deliver a brutal reality check. That’s the case with this “before,” which belongs to a house that was bought to be fixed up and flipped. The owners couldn’t spend a lot of money, so they made up for it with smart shopping and a barrel of elbow grease.

image:60cbe11a3f63c01299a1254e5c9ad707ebb24f9b w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" Furnishing and decorating a new home can be a lot of work. Whether you know newlyweds, new homeowners, or simply a new roomate, we’ve compiled a great list of unique green gifts to make a new house feel like home.TOP ROW1 Custom Return Address Stamp, $35-85 from Primele (Etsy): The perfect way to celebrate a new address.

Name: Alex and Wendy and their adorable pets, Lulu and MelLocation: Alexandria, VirginiaSize: 2,000 square feetYears lived in: 9 Situated just off the main street in the historic district of Old Town Alexandria, Alex and Wendy’s home is the epitome of the classic elegance that defines the city’s character.

Tackling the smallest projects in my home always seem to create the most happiness. Sure giving a room a new coat of paint is exciting, but most of us live with some silly repair need for far too long, so when it’s finally fixed, it’s like this marvelous miracle. So today, I’d like to talk about the area under your sink. Did you know it could make you happy? Oh it totally can.

BEFOREJenny had long wanted a chair to sit in as she gives her girls their baths, and with $4.50, paint, and elbow grease she transformed a sad seat and vanity into something that stylishly fit the bill. AFTERJenny of Little Green Notebook picked up the vanity for free from an auction house that wasn’t able to sell it in its beat-up condition. Jenny realized midway through that it wasn’t worth refinishing the wood, and she refreshed the vanity with her Dremel and a coat of paint.

Out of all of the options available for mounting your flat-screen television, you’ve decided to save space and go for above-the-fireplace placement. Good move! Or is it? (dun-dun-dunnnnnn…) Is the heat from your fireplace doing damage to your TV? Could your mounting decision end up voiding your warranty?Sorry for the eleven-o’-clock news-y intro, but this is critical info for anyone who cares about their gear. Want to know if fireplace placement is safe for your gear?

Q: Help! I am also looking for a way to shred fabric. I tried the paper cutter (didn’t work), rotary cutter (too slow and exhausted arm), and scissors (too slow, it actually contributed to my ‘tennis elbow’ problem.) I use all the scraps and old clothes for stuffing pet beds for an animal shelter. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.Asked by Mary AnnEditor: Suggestions for Mary Ann?Got a good question you’d like answered?

Name: Beth and Brian JonesLocation: Costa Mesa, CaliforniaSize: 1,350 square feetYears lived in: 1 — Rent (interiors were originally designed by JR Walz) Style blogger Beth Jones and her husband Brian live in an unassuming multi unit condo in Costa Mesa. By “unassuming” I simply mean that from the outside you would never know that this creative eclectic interior exists in there. They have exposed raw wood beamed ceilings with plenty of vintage charm and a huge open patio space.

It’s officially time to deck the halls. I have very clear memories of my mother hanging wreaths on our kitchen cabinets. Coincidentally, I also have memories of small wreaths falling in my cereal bowl more than once. If she would have seen this trick, I might have been more fortunate.Over at the blog Lemonade, the Timmons family has a handy trick for hanging items over doors.

This basement makeover, submitted to us by Re-Nest reader Sarah of cafe + dish, shows just how transformative a few coats of white paint can be. As she writes: “Living in Boston, space is at a premium. The studio is in a “garden-level” part of the basement, so I used lots of white paint to brighten the space. What once was a very dark and dingy corner of a basement is now one of my favorite spaces…”“The renovation took about a week combined to complete.

I’ve been known to drive around my neighborhood in autumn and snag bags of leaves off the curb. Why? Because there are so many ways to use them in the garden! I add dry leaves to compost, use them in my chickens’ run as bedding, mulch with them and more. Here are 5 great reasons why you should leave your leaves in the garden.Chicken Bedding. My hens love nothing more than scratching around in a nice thick layer of leaves.

As I tried to squeeze my bulky dining room chairs around our Thanksgiving table to accommodate a gaggle of toddlers and tweens, I remembered why I always wanted a bench at the dining room table…Optimizing horizontal space (no chair arms means more space for actual bodies) is not the only reason a bench makes practical and aesthetic sense in the dining room. For smaller rooms, a bench takes up much less vertical space; and it can be easily tucked under the table.

Name: Mara Roszak and Alex PolilloLocation: Silver Lake – Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 1400 square feetYears lived in: 2 1/2 years Taking the leap and purchasing your very first home can be very nerve-racking. Mara did her homework and looked for the perfect place for a number of years without any luck.

If you’re in need of more storage and space in your child’s room, check this out. It’s a loft bed and closet all in one.Mom Saara designed and built this stylish small space solution. A series of built-in cabinets supports a loft bed up on top. We love the storage arrangement for each cabinet – hanging clothes, pull-out drawers for folded items, and an open storage cabinet for toys and large items. Oh, and don’t forget the ladder to get up and down from bed.

Name: Holly, Ryan and their son AugustLocation: Portland, OregonSize: 1200 sq ftYears lived in: 5 Holly is one of Portland’s most celebrated fashion designers. After photographing the sweet shop she co-owns, I had a hunch that the qualities I found in her clothing line—romance, inspiration from past eras and subtle palette—would be echoed in her home. I hunched right! Join me for a tour of a mellow, beautiful home. Holly and Ryan have a great touch in their home.

Name: Stella (6)Location: Alamo Square neighborhood, San FranciscoRoom Size: 10′ x 16′ (160 s.f.), not including closet We have featured shared rooms before but they usually focus on how two or three siblings occupy one space. An example which we do not see as much is a shared space between a parent and a child. This is exactly what Tiffanie did in her San Francisco apartment, where every square foot counts.

The season is here for cozying up to crackling fires. For those of you who are burning wood, check out these useful tips on how to get a clean and efficient burn from your firewood. As a wise innkeeper in rural Pennsylvania once said to me, while stoking a fire like she was mad at it, “Romances should smolder – firewood should burn.” Word.I recently came across a great in-depth article in Mother Earth News on using cleaner, more efficient firewood.

Name: KirstynLocation: Pacific Heights — San Francisco, CaliforniaSize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 2 — rented Kirstyn’s apartment is the quintessential San Francisco home, chock full of the impeccable architectural details we go crazy for. Each element, from the built-ins, to the molding, to the hardware, has been restored and finished with care.

A colorful bouquet of flowers is like therapy, it instantly puts a smile on my face. But purchasing weekly arrangements is a habit I can’t afford to sustain. Fall produce provides a great alternative to your standard floral centerpiece with the benefit of a longer life. Check out this roundup of tabletop decor that embraces

Name: Kay McGowan of Mohr & McPherson and A Curated WorldLocation: Somerville, MassachusettsSize: 1500 square feetYears lived in: 4 — rented When it comes to eclectic furnishings and housewares from around the world, Mohr & McPherson is a Boston institution. One of the forces behind that institution is Kay McGowan, the general manager for the past 15 years. This woman knows her imports.

Ever since I was little my mother has been plotting a makeover for the giant floor to ceiling brick fireplace in their living room. She doesn’t want to paint it or cover it up. So when I came across this interesting staining technique it seemed like a great alternative. I know many deal with the same issue and this might be a great alternative for you as well!We checked in over at Ask Anna Moseley and she’s been painting her brick.

Your guests will be arriving any minute. The candles are lit, the bubbly is chilled, the coolest music anyone has ever heard is playing at the perfect volume, the flower arrangements are lush and modern, and the flower water is subtly, insidiously stinking up the entire apartment…Stinky Flower Water (STW) happens to the best of us. It happens so slowly, so subtly, that it may be undetectable to those that co-habitate with the flowers in questions.

Napkin rings are the jewelry of the holiday table, the finishing touch that can really pull everything together. Whether your setting is rustic or glam, modern or crafty, here are 10 napkin rings for every table… • Read the full post at Apartment Therapy

Name: Freelance writer/director Michael Holbrook Moss, his youngest daughter, Adrian, little dog Peanut and lab Zoe.Location: Barton Hills — Austin, TexasSize: 1950 square feetYears lived in: 14 — owned With cool blues music pouring out of a stereo from a gorgeous wall of built-in cabinets and surrounded by vintage furniture finds, we immediately felt at home in the house of talented writer and director Michael Moss.

The tagline for Julia’s blog and furniture design business is “from ugly ducklings to beautiful swans”, an accurate description for the transformation she achieved with this battered Craigslist find. Purchased from a family that just didn’t have the space to hang onto grandma’s dresser any longer, this piece was crying out for a little TLC.

Name: Bradley DuncanLocation: Echo Park – Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 500 square feetYears lived in: 1 year When Bradley moved from Chicago to Los Angeles he looked at multiple apartments and rentals. Nothing felt like home until he finally agreed to look at a newly renovated duplex in Echo Park. The home dates back to some of the first houses in Echo Park and is made from concrete. The space was small, but had original architectural features that sold him on the rental.

This long, dark hallway was not being helped by the saltillo tile, ugly light fixture, and dark trim. But after stripping away all those dated features in the hallway, it’s now a lighter, brighter, and more welcoming space…We saw this snazzy before and after over on To the Moon and Back — a great little blog documenting a home’s transformation. This project is a true testament to the power of simple changes.

Home renovation gifts probably seem a little dull, but trust me – the person on the receiving end will thank you! Tackling a project with sustainability in mind is easier when you have the right tools and gear for the job – check out our list of tried and true gift options after the jump!While some of these items may not appear “green” at first glance, a big part of responsible renovating is protecting personal health and buying quality tools that will last.

After yet another day where we had to take a break to help soothe our aching backs we knew it was time to take a deeper look at how we work. As folks that primarily work from home, we can be found doing our jobs from the couch, kitchen table, or our tiny home office. Surprisingly, or not, we’ve found that the back pain increases when we work from our home office, which means that we’ve got a bit of a problem and we’re pretty sure it’s the chair.

Name: Klemens Affandy and Robert DelaneyLocation: Grange Park— Toronto, CanadaSize: 1250 square feet; 2 bedroom + denYears lived in: 4 — owned While Klemens and Robert’s 15th floor condo offers stunning views of the surrounding neighborhood and Toronto’s downtown, it’s their interior that really shines. This bright and spacious space embeds tranquil Eastern elements within a modern, urban envelope.

Name: Lucas Wren (18 months)Location: Berkeley, CaliforniaRoom Size: ~150 sq. ft. When you’ve got 150 square feet and no closet to work with, decorating your child’s room poses special challenges. Lisa Jackson found solutions to these issues with a fantastic blend of high end pieces and affordable design.

I have an adorable big black lab. While I love him very much he sheds like it’s his job. In my quest to live a sustainable lifestyle without a lot of waste I have been on a search for the perfect swiffer replacement. Swiffer dusters keep my house dog hair free and a sustainable option is pretty much the holy grail. Luckily I have found a perfect replacement.MitsuyoDay offers washable fleece Swiffer Duster pads on Etsy.

Winter has settled in, and it’s time for hot cocoa, good books and snuggling up in our favorite reading nooks. There is nothing better than finding that perfect cozy blanket to wrap yourself in as the days grow colder.Finding the perfect blanket can be difficult, especially if you’re not familiar with the fundamentals of heat retaining properties of certain materials. Some fabrics are warmer than others, but knitting is also important in determining warmth.

If you’re like me and have company coming for the holiday season, or just need a little fall cleaning before closing up the house officially for Winter, then there are all sorts of tasks on your to-do list that you don’t normally tackle. For instance, cleaning your ceiling and moldings. Here’s how to do it the easy way so you don’t end up with a mouth full of yuck.

Last weekend I unearthed my old View-Master and a ziploc bag full of reels. It was so fun to see my son discover images from my childhood in 3D, and the only thing that could be more special would be images from his own childhood. This kit makes it possible.Using a digital camera and Photoshop, users can create custom reels that fit a standard View-Master.

When it comes to color, I’m a middle of the road person. While I admire people who go for the gusto with four walls of bright, bold color, I’m more in tune with moderated uses. Accent walls deliver a robust dose of color with less work, more flexibility and require slightly less color confidence. In other words, they’re perfect for lazy, timid, commitment phobes like me.

Of course the top thing to do with a Nintendo Entertainment System is to play it, but what if you have a non-working system that you just can’t bear to throw away? Enter this post which will show you ten different things you can do with your old NES, many of which make great gifts for that retro gamer in your life.10 Things to do With an Old NES Turn it Into a Clock Follow the instructions from the Mavrinac website to turn your NES into an alarm clock.

Name: Bess and PeterLocation: South Park — San Francisco, CaliforniaSize: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year and 2 months — rented Not many couples have the pleasure of walking by the place they got married every time they leave their apartment door, but for Peter and Bess, this is indeed the case. Their apartment building faces tree-covered South Park, where they were married just a month after moving in.

Bar carts are making a huge comeback and we’re 100% on board with that. Entertaining doesn’t always involve booze; but typically when we do break out the bottles, bar carts make it a little easier. • Read the full post at Apartment Therapy

When Cynthia picked up the server above at auction, it was completely covered in that creamy yellow paint; she was so eager to begin the redo, she didn’t even take true before pics! Though not a fan of the paint treatment, Cynthia loved the lines of this little server and price tag of $20 was hard to pass up.

Just because their housing is temporary doesn’t mean Jessica wasn’t enthusiastic to create a beautiful room for her daughter. She shares: My husband and I live at Hanscom Air Force Base in standard base housing that’s about 60 years old. Just imagine primer white walls and beautiful old wooden floors. As soon as we found out we were expecting our first child, my mind started running wild with all of the decorating possibilities for the nursery.

There’s nothing particularly wrong with this wicker chair. It’s got a nice shape and nice legs. It’s just so…brown. But not for long!Oh, spray paint, is there nothing you can’t do? This chair is so pretty now! Kendra from Sweet Magnolia Way has been working on a big girl room for her daughter so she pulled this forgotten brown chair up from the basement and gave it new life with a few coats of spray paint.

Name: Caitlin WyldeLocation: Echo Park – Los Angeles, CaliforniaSize: 1500 square feetYears lived in: 13 years I fell in love with Caitlin’s home immediately as I walked through the red and white striped entryway. With her collection of vintage finds from New England and ship decor I felt like I was on vacation in the East Coast.Caitlin’s place is filled with her collections and her own art.

Name: Leif Oliver, 16 monthsLocation: Natchez, MississippiRoom Size: 176 sq. ft. When Vicki Eastland’s family moved from an ultra-modern townhouse to a 100-year-old cottage, there was some serious redecorating to do. Vicki met the challenge head on, though, and after scouring flea markets and vintage shops on Etsy, she’s managed to design a room for her 16-month-old son Leif that combines a Victorian aesthetic with modern sensibility.

Want to add some color to your bookcase but are a afraid of making a long term commitment? You can experiment with as bold a color you like with this simple, temporary foam board trick.That’s right. Foam board. Cut the foam board to fit in the back of the case and paint it any color you want. Hey, paint each side differently and switch it up twice a year if you like. If you have a bookcase with no back, even easier, tack the painted foam board to the whole backside.

We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our home this year, for the first time. My family hasn’t got a traditional dining style beyond simply gathering together, so I’m busy contemplating the logistics of such an event in our home! Do we have a sit down dinner? Or go buffet style?I recently helped put on a baby shower for a close friend, and we opted for a buffet style event.