Apartment Therapy Archive: Oct 2012

Buying colored cabinets (or even painting the ones you have) is not a choice for the faint of heart. But you spend a lot of time in your kitchen — shouldn’t it be a color that makes you happy? • Colorful Kitchens Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) You guys — it’s pumpkin season! Of course, pumpkin has so much more to offer than just pumpkin pie. Take baked pumpkin steel-cut oatmeal, for instance, or soft, cakey pumpkin spice cookies. Are these on your fall menu yet? • 15 Pumpkin Recipes The Kitchn

Did you know that there's actually scientific evidence supporting the idea that certain colors look good together?

Mekenzie was dreaming of the Restoration Hardware Versailles chair for her basement but at almost $2400 it was out of her price range. Like a true DIYer, Mekenzie decided to mock up her own version of the chair using this tiki chair as a base…The first step in Mekenzie’s makeover was applying a custom blended gray paint over the chair’s original finish.

Here’s a hot button topic: are you pro or anti-Barbie? It seems people fall into two camps: those who think girls know better than to believe they should look like a plastic toy, and those who think a doll’s body image and message should reflect a more realistic point of view. With the plethora of recent additions – from Bratz to Monster High – I think the question is even more loaded than ever.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Once a year you’re allowed to delve into the dark, twisted part of your mind and come up with something that’ll scare the bejeesus out of people. These 10 Halloween recipes are sufficiently spooky… • Creepy Halloween Food The Kitchn

All of the composters on this list will fit on the counter or under the kitchen sink. And just like that you’re a friend of the earth! • Best Compost Bins Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) When Los Angeles writer Julie Wolfson purchased her house, the outdated kitchen came with a “hideously ugly” tile floor and a barely functioning oven. Now, thirteen years after moving in, she finally has the kitchen she dreamed about. • Kitchen Before & After The Kitchn

Keeping a compost bin in the kitchen makes it easy and convenient to make good use of your food scraps. Just because you’re in a small space doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have room for a compost bin. All of the composters on this list will fit on the counter or under the kitchen sink. And just like that you’re a friend of the earth!• NatureMill NEO from NatureMill With 2 gallon weekly capacity and automatic mixing, this little unit can be used indoors or out.

Name: Carol and Jeff SayreLocation: Seaview, WashingtonSize: 500 Square FtYears lived in: 12 years — own The Sayre family bought their vacation home in Seaview, Washington twelve years ago. This one bedroom cottage is blocks from the waterfront in a sleepy coastal town just 3 hours south of Seattle. Now spending most of their time up north in the city, the Sayres have opened their home to guests and family friends who need a quiet getaway. Welcome to the Shoebox Inn.

When picking a paint, the hue certainly stands out as the main consideration. But once you’ve got a color, there’s still that pesky question of sheen. The difference between a flat paint and a high-gloss paint is probably clear, but what about the difference between eggshell and satin? And which works better for your needs? Flat: (0 to 10% gloss) Primarily used for wall or ceiling paint, flat finishes don’t reflect light, so they’re perfect for masking wall imperfections.

So you’ve scooped all the slimy, messy insides out of your pumpkins. Whatever you do, save the seeds! Roasted pumpkin seeds are a great fall snack, and a healthy break from all of your Halloween candy. Here are few ideas: • Pumpkin Seed Ideas The Kitchn

East Coasters are stocked up on canned goods and water and waiting out Hurricane Sandy. Consider this my way of sending good thoughts and best wishes to everyone who is at home today. • Homebound with Sandy Apartment Therapy

Low on drawer space in your kitchen? Repurpose a vintage card catalog into a handy kitchen storage piece! The drawers are perfectly sized for flatware and other cooking utensils, and you can even label them so you remember what goes where. Love this idea! • Card Catalog Storage The Kitchn

A big, open space in a home is a nice thing, but sometimes it can be hard to divide the space into useful areas. That’s exactly the problem Bob and Cortney tackled with their clients on Saturday’s Home By Novogratz, and the best part is that we get to see it in Before and After format!I’ve loved before and after transformations ever since Brady Bunch episode 71 where Marcia gave her friend, Molly, a makeover. This Novogratz design was similar.

Name: JaymeLocation: East Kensington – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania This Philadelphia row house rehab was conceived as a showcase for my business, CraftworkHome, a design/build firm specializing in cabinetry and cast concrete. The starting point was an 1880 structure that had seen better days: once surrounded by a thriving textile industry, the neighborhood had slid into disrepair and the building was a blighted drug house for years.

Name: Bill Johnson and Leah Forester Johnson, wife, mother, and blogger Location: Venice – Los Angeles, California Size: 3,300 square feet (main house), 1,000 square feet (man cave) Years lived in: 8 years (approximately 2 years since the remodel) If you’ve ever believed in fate, keep reading: this story is for you. I am not just showing you a beautiful house on the boardwalk in Venice — this home has a special story behind it.

When Terry’s neighbor offered her this piece to redo, she knew she had a challenge on her hands. This sturdy little cabinet had already been altered by a previous owner who removed doors and the bottom to create a mini-desk, adding odd triangular trim pieces for support. Terry knew those pieces had to go if this cabinet was going to get a new lease on life.Terry removed the V-shaped trim and lined the inside of the cabinet with painted bead board.

Do you take your time and hunt down the absolute perfect item for each nook and cranny? Can you live in a semi-finished space? In other words: are you a slow decorator? • Are You a Slow Decorator? Apartment Therapy

Just as your local library displays book covers on tables and sprinkled throughout shelves, parents have adopted this display method to entice their young children to pick up a book and, when they do, to make it easier for them to find specific books visually. Here are seven different ideas for creating such a display in your home:Start with SPICE RACKS: Don’t you love it when the simplest solution is also the cheapest?

Rowen and Wren are a couple with a passion for design and an eye for beautiful products. They’ve been in the field for years and now they are bringing their style to an eponymous online shop. • Rowen & Wren Housewares Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) There is absolutely nothing more disappointing than getting ready for a big baking project and then realizing your yeast has expired. But no longer! Stored in the freezer, our dry yeast will keep for months past that expiration date. • Freeze Dry Yeast The Kitchn

Product: The WoombiePrice: $26-$43.99Rating: Strong Recommend* Many parents have discovered the almost magical calming effect of swaddling their babies. A snug-fitting blanket replicates the comfort of being in the womb while also keeping baby’s flailing hands from waking her. A good swaddle can be hard to accomplish, however, and the hassle of removing and then reswaddling the blanket during middle-of-the-night diaper changes can be frustrating.

image:7453911c8fd7148e7ea10528ba284809762818bf w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" Are you a Mary Blair fan? Best known for her influence in early Disney animation (including concept paintings for some of Disney’s most beloved films like Peter Pan, Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland), her work is marked by vibrant color and sweet, but not immature portrayals of children. She also illustrated five Golden Books which are true treasures.

Name: Justine Fowler, Angus Bennett, and baby OscarLocation: Downtown Toronto, CanadaSize: Approximately 1200 square feetYears lived in: 2.5 years; Owned She’s a fashion professional and he’s a great chef. Together they own one of Toronto’s most popular (and delicious) restaurants. Is it any wonder that their home is also delectable? The stylish and creative pair renovated a 120-year-old downtown home, and the result is simply beautiful.

It’s been argued that blue is an appetite suppressant, but the sight of a navy blue kitchen has the power to make my mouth instantly water. Intimate, sophisticated, crisp, and clean, navy blue is a color at once classic and unexpected. While it’s probably more common to see light and bright kitchens, I’d suggest that it’s time to give these deep, relaxing, cozy blues a try.INSPIRATION ROOMS:1. Little Green Notebook2. Veronica & Keith’s Handmade Chic House Tour3.

Even with all of the push to go paperless some of us still need the services of a printer, and those who do know the agonizing pain of buying expensive refill ink cartridges. Ounce for ounce, ink costs more than champagne. But you can stop bingeing on ink and use these easy strategies to make your inkjet investment last almost twice as long.Change up the font.Smaller, thinner letters equals less ink.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Whether you’re looking for a big baked pasta dish to serve guests or a cozy one-bowl meal of pasta e fagioli, these hearty vegetarian pasta recipes will satisfy your cravings. • Vegetarian Pasta Recipes The Kitchn

Room for Color is in full swing and we’ve seen many kitchens entered and vying for your vote. We’ve rounded them up for easy viewing… • Kitchens in Room for Color Apartment Therapy

We recently bought an air purifier for our home, and we sifted through a lot of different information to find out what’s really the healthiest option. Ultimately, our allergist was the best resource; he offered honest advice on what type to buy and how effective an air purifier really is.HEPA (or high efficiency air particulate absorbing) filters are required by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention to remove at least 99.97 percent of airborne particles.

You hardly ever hear the phrase “a pop of navy.” The color usually makes a smoother entrance, gliding in like James Bond and Audrey Hepburn on a second date. Combined with rich caramel tones in the form of leather and wood, it is elegant and classic, with maybe a slight touch of 70s swank.Here’s what happens with these two colors join forces:1. The straight lines in this dining room, designed by Luis Bustamante, are offset by the luxurious curves of the leather chairs.2.

A few weeks ago, I gathered some supplies and got to work painting this dresser. I photographed the process and kept track of my steps for the benefit of the ugly furniture in all of your lives. • Paint a Wood Dresser Apartment Therapy

Name: Apryl MillerLocation: Upper East Side, New York, New York Once upon a time, I found myself with a very large white box, divided into many other small, white boxes. I, who came from a DIY family, had to take these boxes and make a nest for myself and my young children.Out of my passion for my children and wanting to create a childhood home that was unlike any other, I accomplished my goal. But in the process, what came out of it was the emergence of myself as an artist.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Do you know how easy it is to make pasta at home? Really easy! Here’s a great recipe for a basic egg pasta and a step-by-step guide through the entire process. • How To Make Fresh Pasta The Kitchn

There are three things that separate the good podcasts from the bad: the host, the guests and the quality of the production. All of these podcasts meet these requirements. • Favorite Podcasts Apartment Therapy

Changing your email address can be as complicated as changing your name. So when it comes to email addresses, I subscribe to the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy. I’ve had the same Gmail address since I graduated from college, but I have a friend that swears by changing his main personal email account every other year.The reason? To throw off spam.Once he nears the 20-month mark, it seems like the spam emails to his account become overwhelming.

After your hundredth time climbing up on a swivel chair to reach the top shelf in your closet, you’ll probably decide it’s high time to invest in a step stool or ladder. All of our top picks are not only much sturdier than a chair, but treaded steps and handrails also make them significantly safer. Whether you fold them up and stash them in a closet or choose one attractive enough to leave out on display, these stools are a step in the right direction.

Todd Selby recently celebrated the launch of his second book, Edible Selby, about “the most interesting and creative chefs from around the world.” We attended the showcase and brought back the scoop… • Edible Selby Launch Apartment Therapy

We often hear people complain that they’re no good at thrift store shopping—they have an aversion to dirt, no patience, or just bad luck. The truth is that anyone can be a good thrifter if they keep an open mind. It’s as simple as recognizing when an object needs a good cleaning, a coat of paint, or even just a new context. Here are a few common items to keep an eye out for the next time you’re at the thrift store.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) What do you do when you find yourself with two or more helpers in the kitchen? Do you get distracted or panicked? Take a cue from food television chefs and try the sous chef technique to take control of the situation. • The Sous Chef Technique The Kitchn

I know some of us at Apartment Therapy have strong views on painting wooden furniture, particularly (gasp!) painting it white, but sometimes it’s gotta be done. This bedside table belongs to my flatmate/landlord, left behind by some long-ago tenant. We both agreed that the knotty pine was an eyesore, and that for the benefit of future tenants, giving it a makeover with a lick of white paint was the best thing we could do.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) It happens to the best of us — at least, that’s what I told myself after letting a stainless steel pot boil dry last week. The pot had burned completely dry, turning shades of black, brown, and blue, with a chalky black residue on the interior. Was it salvageable? • Can

With the arrival of autumn comes the entertaining season. Start getting your bar prepped now, starting with a new corkscrew or they make great hostess gifts! • Corkscrews & Wine Openers Apartment Therapy

Instead of whitewashing your floors, why not try a bright color? It’s especially nice in airy, sunny spaces, where the sunlight can shade and change the color throughout the day. • Bold Color on the Floor Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) These pasta and other noodle recipes are meant to be made just after you shrug off your coat, and tossed while you relax back into an evening at home, sipping a glass of wine. This is pasta that brings you home, and feeds you when you need it most. • 15

The tongue-in-cheek musical Avenue Q insists that the Internet is for Porn, and the recent invention of leave-no-tracks Private Browsing Mode seems to support that notion. But even while you’re surfing the web for more innocent activities, private browsing can have some really useful advantages.

The trend of fashionable yet functional tech accessories for gentlemen has long crossed from niche to mainstream, with a whole industry catering to gents looking for more timeless and fashionable options beyond “businessman style” or “geek-functionality”. There’s now a plethora of products made by artisans, craftsman, and boutique companies dedicated to producing accessories designed to age more gracefully than the tech devices they protect or accessorize.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) While I would like to live in a world where I eat homemade soup all the time, the truth is I usually keep a few of those aseptic boxed soups in the pantry. In general, boxed soups aren’t that bad but here are nine little tricks I use to improve their