Apartment Therapy Archive: Nov 2012

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) A cranberry mostarda is an Italian condiment that is exactly what it sounds like — pureed cranberries with mustard and ‘ahhh.’ And the best thing is making it is easier than you might think. • Make Cranberry Mostarda The Kitchn

Child: Malcolm (4)Location: Oakville, OntarioRoom size: 10′ x 12′ Canadian designer, painter, and blogger Christine Dovey is constantly on a quest for the perfect score for her nearly perfect home. Yet she keeps perfection just out of reach, because what will she do when she’s done? Oh, perhaps she will take care of her three (soon to be four!) children. There’s that, too.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Whether they are students, new parents, or friends with demanding jobs, you probably have a few loved ones who would appreciate the gift of healthy, homemade, energy-dense snacks that are easy to eat on the go. • Homemade Energy Bars The Kitchn

If you prefer a Manhattan to a margarita, then this is the table for you: stylish but restrained, classic shapes and plenty of organic elements to create the sultry vibe every cocktail party needs. • Organic Cocktail Table Apartment Therapy

The internet is full of fascinating things. While doing a little research for my roundup of modern nativity scenes, I came across this nativity scene made of LEGO and just had to share it with you.Leo, a member of the science faculty at the University of Amsterdam, created these figures back in 2000.

Nintendo’s recently released next generation entertainment console, the Wii U, is an interesting device. At the center of the new console is a wild hybrid controller/tablet which brings touch and touch gestures to the traditional console experience.It’s a cool concept, although in many ways it’s one that’s very familiar. The iPad, the iPhone and Android tablets abound, and most of us are already enjoying some form of touch screen gaming.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) What do you do if you have an “awful” old kitchen with a low popcorn ceiling and no surface space? If you’re Kitchn reader Faith, you knock out a wall between the bedroom and dining room and build a new kitchen! • Kitchen Before & After The Kitchn

One of the biggest mistakes I see in home decorating and decluttering is that people often make purchasing and design decisions based on aspirations (the kind of life you want to lead; the kind of person you aspire to be) — not reality. So, before you spend a ton of money and time decorating, face the facts. Distinguish between who you are — your real life habits, your idiosyncrasies — vs. who you WANT to be.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) What is so great about subscription gifts is that they’re curated to include unusual blends and rare inclusions that the average customer often won’t have access to. Our favorites this year span the range from music to salumi… • Foodie Gift Subscriptions The Kitchn

Faced with a toasty warm but terribly dry apartment this winter, I went in search of old fashioned radiator humidifiers. Surprisingly, there are relatively few on the market these days – especially in the States. What was once commonplace has been replaced by standalone humidifiers that run on electricity. If you’re feeling old school or you won’t want to commit space to a separate small appliance, try one of these radiator humidifiers.

Today’s One Minute Tip comes from Maggie Battista, with her favorite idea for a holiday hostess gift: The Sparkling Jam Cocktail. • Jam Cocktail Kit Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Making herb-infused honey has become a favorite way to use leftover sprigs of thyme, a handful of wild mint found while foraging, or the buds of an edible flower bouquet. And if you start now, there’s plenty of time to make them for holiday gifts, too. • DIY Herb-Infused Honey

With the flurry of people going in and out of your home this holiday season, attractive cloth napkins keep mouths clean and the mood festive. This array of geometric patterned napkins will be useful all year long providing years of use and enjoyment. • Geometric Cloth Napkins Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) While I’ve always considered myself a chocolate cake over fruit pie person (I’m a diehard chocoholic, what can I say!), a slice of Sarah’s apple sour cream streusel just about converted me… • Portland’s Pacific Pie Co. The Kitchn

This NYC apartment kitchen got the job done. But there were a few things about it that irked — the L-shaped layout blocked part of the window, and there wasn’t a lot of storage space. The appliances were outdated, and the laminate cabinets had seen better days. Plus, the whole room just felt, well… little. What to do?Can you believe it’s the same room? Architect Nalina Moses removed the sink cabinet that was blocking access to the lower part of the window.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Let’s talk caramels. The candy kind. The chewy, melt-in-your-mouth, deeply sweet, and insanely addictive kind. These make some of the best gifts ever, so grab a bag of sugar and your candy thermometer, folks! We’re making caramels today. • How To Make Caramels The Kitchn

A bottle of wine is a good go-to gift for the holidays, but wrapping it can be a challenge. In hopes of upping my wrapping game this year I sought out some clever tutorials. • 5 Ways to Wrap Wine Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) The coziness of this drink begins as soon as you set the ingredients to simmer on the stove and the scent of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves wafts through the kitchen. • Cranberry Apple Cider The Kitchn

One of the biggest challenges of small space living is entertaining. After a few years of failed attempts, this year I’ve discovered a happy style recipe for low-stress, large gathering entertaining. • Entertaining in a Small Home Apartment Therapy

Q: How do I go about selling the entire contents of my house? I am downsizing to a condo of 1200 square feet from a home of about triple that. Are there professionals who do this… do I have all the furniture delivered to an auction house? I have no idea. Can anyone help with this? Keep in mind some of the furniture is very expensive and high end.Sent by NatalieEditor: Leave your suggestions for Natalie in the comments — thanks!• Got a question?

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) If you’re looking for some inspiration for edible gifts, then we’ve got you covered. Here are 15 of our all-time most popular homemade gifts, from the best chai mix, to homemade doggie treats, to granola, to beer and pretzel marshmallows. (Yes!) • 15 Delicious Gift Ideas The Kitchn

Play kitchens are one of the most popular big holiday gifts for toddlers and preschoolers, but if you think your kids might have more of an entrepreneurial bent than a domestic one, a play store may be in order. They’re a great source of open-ended, imaginative play and will be the focus of any play dates you host. Although they can be quite simple to make, I’d suggest you get started planning now.

The Cravers purchased the home just over four years ago and have worked hard to bring back its original charm. The previous owner had laid carpet, whitewashed the walls, and created a large master bedroom by combining two smaller rooms. Luckily, Chris was able to obtain the original plans for the house, and started the process of putting all the pieces back together.

That lever on the bottom of your adjustable task chair at your desk? Despite what your childish intuitions will tell you, it’s not just for pranks. Take a moment to step away from your chair and make this one easy adjustment to improve your workspace ergonomics.According to the American Chiropractic Association, giving your chair the proper height adjustment can spare you from a load of problems.

Having a big party at home? Here are some good reasons to hire a bartender to serve drinks as well as tips for hiring one. Then you can really relax and enjoy visiting with your guests. • Tips for Hiring a Bartender Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Holiday gifting is in the air. This year, we’re making more gifts than buying and starting early to avoid the accompanying stress. First up: customized tea blends for family and friends! • Homemade Tea Blends The Kitchn

This season, Patrón is finding out what makes us happiest with the Holiday Happiness Experiment. Answer a few questions and you could win a holiday cocktail party for you and your friends, sponsored by Patrón! • Win a Patrón Cocktail Party Apartment Therapy

One of the biggest challenges of small space living is entertaining. For a family of five, our 1700 sq ft house is more than enough on a daily basis, but add in twenty dinner guests, and we’re bursting at the seams. After a few years of failed attempts, this year I’ve discovered a happy style recipe for low-stress, large gathering entertaining.

Q: I have a problem that is proving rather difficult to solve. We just moved into a great apartment with a large living room and we need a sleeper sofa! The problem is that the hallway/landing/door are all VERY narrow — the door is standard height, but 28″ wide, and the landing is only about 2.5′ square……Aside from the struggle of winding an assembled (and heavy!) sleeper sofa around the 4 flights of stairs, it has proven impossible to get one through the door.

Burlap is a humble material that when treated right can add natural, textural detail to your tabletop. Here are five burlap-based projects that won’t take up much of your time or money. • DIY Burlap Tabletop Apartment Therapy

And now for a post-holiday dose of most-unwelcome reality: plans are afoot in San Francisco to create a few hundred micro-apartments, for residents who want to live alone but can’t afford the average studio price of $2,075/month. Remember when I said the alleged average of $1,905/month for a 2-bedroom in San Francisco sounded crazy low? Try $1,500/month for a 0-bedroom…SF Gate has the full scoop, including renderings and floorplans of the micro-apartments.

After buying presents, food for the holiday meal, and a tree, there isn’t always much left over for extras. This year we’re trying to save money in my household – and have some fun – by making a lot of our own ornaments and decorations, but still want a modern look. Here are fifteen DIY ornaments that fit the bill:1. Winter Wonderland Ornament: Craftberry Bush2. Felt Ball Garland: My Sparkle3. DIY ‘Confetti System’ Ornaments: A Lovely Lark4.

Name: Jennifer, Paul and SheaLocation: Boston, MassachusettsSize: 840 square feetYears lived in: 3 years; Rented When I met Jennifer Allen of Market Home she was selling her housewares at the South End Open Market. A set of pristine Kartel ghost chairs, a cast iron antler candleholder and a curvy vintage settee were among the goods that made me stop and take notice.

It was a hot pink curtain that started the ball rolling on Jae’s guest room makeover. She kept the furniture, painted the walls and tackled a DIY headboard to give this room a fresh, mature update.Jae tells us: I really wanted to add fuchsia curtains somewhere in our home. I decided on the guest room and that sparked a domino effect of other changes. I like the idea of letting the fabrics and accessories shine with color so I painted the walls white.

The self-cleaning feature on an oven is great. It uses high temperatures to burn off leftovers from baking, and can also make a mean pizza. But there’s certain times you don’t want to go near it. Like, hmmm… right now.Although you might be in clean mode and getting ready to host and feed friends and family this Thanksgiving, resist the urge to run your oven’s self-cleaning cycle.

Setting the table for holiday get togethers is easier and more fun when you have flatware that catches the eye and is a pleasure to dine with. Here are some examples of styles that suit table decor both colorful and modern or classic and elegant. • Exceptional Flatware Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) We really like the idea of big dinner parties, be it hosting Thanksgiving or inviting friends for Saturday dinner. But we’ve found that the only way to both save our sanity and have a good time is to make a Big Bad Master Prep List. • How To Party Prep List

We get it. As the holiday season rolls on, it can feel like we’re all supposed to be diving into a constant stream of parties, big happy family dinners, and loads of presents. Well, it’s been my experience that some years the holidays are busy and exciting, but some years they’re not. Some years they’re bittersweet and some years they’re incredibly difficult.

You get a text message that company is dropping by and they’re only 10 blocks away. Don’t panic. Take a deep breath, now panic and check out these 5 tips for making your house appear clean in a flash. That’s right, I said appear. Who has time to really clean in 10 blocks? 1. Clean the Three T’s: Toilets, Tabletops, the Television. What? The television? Yup!

Nothing throws the mojo of a party off faster than a crazy, stressed-out hostess. So wherever you find yourself at the 30 minute mark, drop everything else and do these five things. • 5 Things 30 Min. Before Party Apartment Therapy

One way to set a stunning holiday table is with accents of silver and gold. Look no further than these glittering picks from one of our favorite sources for all things vintage, Etsy. • Silver & Gold Vintage Tabletop Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Cranberry sauce is one of the easiest and most forgiving Thanksgiving dishes to make from scratch. Here are a few recipes to get you started, from a traditional spiced sauce to Canal House’s port-infused take on the usual canned jelly. • 7 Cranberry Sauce Recipes The Kitchn

You’ve decorated. You’ve cleaned the whole house. You’ve cooked up delicious gourmet foods and compiled a well-stocked bar. You’ve got a killer theme, and you’ve invited the most interesting people you know. You’ve spent weeks preparing for this party — but what you do in the last 30 minutes before it starts could be just as important as everything that has come before. Here are five things you don’t want to forget.

Name: Christi Finley and her pup Lilly and a roommate (not pictured) Location: Bouldin Creek, Austin, TexasSize: 675 square feetYears lived in: Rented, 1.5 years Living in a small space doesn’t mean it has to be boring, as evidenced by the home of creative and crafty apartment dweller Christi. The South Austin home she shares with her roommate and her incredibly photogenic pup Lilly is packed with color, pattern, texture and style.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) It has become something of a tradition for us to talk about salad right now, days before the Thanksgiving holiday. Yes, Thanksgiving is a literal feast of heavy, delicious foods, but we think that a good salad is also essential. • 15 Fresh Thanksgiving Salads The Kitchn

While the turkey is important, table setting is equally important in telling the story of Thanksgiving. I thought I’d troll around and collect some really awesome tabletop inspiration to share with you. • Table Setting Inspiration Apartment Therapy

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Having too little turkey can be a total disaster. Do you know how to choose the right amount of turkey to feed your Thanksgiving Day guests? Here’s the rule of thumb: • How Much Turkey Per Person? The Kitchn

With Thanksgiving this week, the start of the holiday dinner party season is officially upon us. To help,’ve rounded up 20 of our best tabletop shopping guides – from budget dinnerware to modern table linens. • Tabletop Shopping Guides Apartment Therapy