The Latest: Feb 2013

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Make Your Own Before & After

We’ve been showcasing a lot of Before and Afters here this month, and perhaps it’s inspired you to do a few of your own. You may, however, still have doubts, and may find that you ask yourself “can I really do that?” Well, here are some simple beginner DIY’s that you most definitely can do. Time to make your own Before & After.1. Paint a Globe.Take a globe you already have (preferably one of those 3D topographic ones), or acquire one.

Chris Perez

Feb 18, 2013

Lori & Ken’s Modern Calgary Home

Lori and Ken’s home was featured here on Apartment Therapy in 2009 and four years later, the space is more elegant and creative than ever. As an established photographer and interior designer (Ken has his own investment firm), Lori uses her home as a canvas for her work and ideas. However, these aesthetic changes didn’t happen overnight, says Lori: “It has taken us ten years to get the house we really wanted, as we have to budget and save for every additional piece.

Andie Powers

Feb 18, 2013

Make A Better Lunch At Your Desk!

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Ah, lunch at your desk. Does your daily “break” involve quickly shoving down a sandwich while scanning Facebook and trying to ignore the ringing phone for at least 15 minutes? Here are five tips for making it a little nicer. • Better Lunch At Your Desk The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 18, 2013

Why You Should Bother With Whole Spices

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) There’s no denying the convenience of an already-ground spice, but I’m here to make a case for why you should consider adding a few whole spices to your seasoning line-up. Four words: better flavor, fresher longer. Convinced?! • On Using Whole Spices The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 15, 2013

5 Tips for a Date Night in the Kitchen

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Cooks can be very territorial creatures. This may make for a terrific meal at the end of the night, but it’s not so great for fostering a romantic, let’s-make-and-share-this-food-together vibe. So here are a few simple tips… • 5 Tips For a Date Night in the Kitchen The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 15, 2013

Before & After: Quick and Simple Chair Makeover

A furniture redo doesn’t have to be drastic or especially time-consuming to make a big impact. This lovely chair had a lot of potential, but was a little drab — a few quick fixes made a huge difference!Lisa from All Things Campbell spotted this chair for $20. It had a few minor problems, but she was confident she could fix it up and make it work… and for only twenty bucks, she didn’t have a lot to lose!

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 15, 2013

Good For the Environment and You: Glass Water Bottles

A few years ago I made a concerted effort to stop buying bottled water and instead fill my own bottles. The problem with this is that plastic and metal bottles tend to leach flavor (and who knows what else!) into the water. The solution? Glass water bottles! • Glass Water Bottles Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 15, 2013

Before & After: Brad & Celestyn’s Reclaimed Wood Wall

From Celestyn: This is a pretty great “up-cycle” done by my super talented husband for the front office of our family business, Repla Prints. He broke down old pallets (FREE!!) and aged them by rubbing them with steel wool that had been soaking in apple cider vinegar before putting them onto the wall. He used the ugly existing desk and made an amazing privacy cover around it. The top is 2×6’s glued and clamped together and sanded for a smooth finish.

Tara Bellucci

Feb 15, 2013

Before & After: Jen’s Wood Cut Garden Path

I love this true and honest account of using wood cuts for path making. As a professional I’ve never had the guts to try it because, if what happened on Jen’s first run happened in a client’s garden, well, clearly I would deserve to be fired. So I am grateful that Jen shared the ups and downs of her path project, and am curious as she comes in the the spring how the latest version faired.

Rochelle Greayer

Feb 15, 2013

Before & After: Subway Tile Spruces Up a Brooklyn Kitchen

Ariele had been in her rental apartment for five years, her kitchen was dingy and not properly finished, and she finally decided it was time to do something about it. So she bought white subway tiles and some paint and got to work. • Kitchen Gets Subway Tile Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 15, 2013

Recipe: Salted Dark Chocolate Popcorn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) In short, my feelings about Valentine’s Day are a lot like this popcorn: salty and a little bitter, but impossible to ignore. • Salted Dark Chocolate Popcorn The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 15, 2013

Before & After: A Battered to Bold West Elm Parsons Desk

I just love Cinderella stories involving second-hand furniture. When I saw this blog entry about scoring a $40 Parsons Desk (usually $349) from my dream source, West Elm, and then making it even better–I was excited. A sander and a coat of paint produces a unique piece of accent furniture!Naomi Stein of Design Manifest purchased this West Elm Parsons Desk second-hand with a few scratches and dents and turned it into a hot pink creation all her own.

Andie Powers

Feb 14, 2013

DIY Wooden Coasters

I just ran across this great little DIY for wood coasters that can also be used for wall decor. It is a simple and stylish way to add a little something unique to your table. Follow me to find out more. • How To: Wooden Coasters Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 14, 2013

15 Toys You Can Make with Cardboard

I don’t know about you, but my daughter and I start to go a little stir crazy at this time of year. We try to get out as much as possible, but sometimes with these short, cold days we can’t be out for long. I’ve been keeping my eye out for inexpensive do-it-yourself ways to have a little fun indoors. Here are some fun and budget-friendly cardboard creations that are sure to keep your little ones entertained during those final weeks of Winter: Row One: 1.

Lauren Hufnagl

Feb 14, 2013

Before & After: Aya’s 70s to Serene Guest Bathroom Renovation

This bathroom had not been touched since the 70s, so we thought we’d modernize it a bit. We replaced the old vanity with a double sink IKEA vanity with ample storage. The old faux travertine flooring was removed and new tile was installed. We chose the gray because we wanted a nice, serene color so our guests can feel comfortable while they’re here. We chose the long glass kitchen cabinet doors from IKEA to give the small bathroom an airier feel.

Tara Bellucci

Feb 14, 2013

5 Ways to Use the IKEA VITTSJÖ

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 14, 2013

Faith’s Renovation: Planning The Kitchen

How in the world does one go about planning a kitchen renovation? How do you actually make decisions? Well, I don’t know how other people make these sorts of rather scary decisions — I can only tell you how we did. • Planning Out the Kitchen The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 14, 2013

Space Savers: Utilize Those Corners with Corner Shelving!

We all have corners in our house (lots of them!), but they are often left empty or aren’t used in a creative way. Let’s change that! Follow me for some great ideas… • Clever Corner Shelving Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 13, 2013

Faith’s Kitchen Renovation: The Demolition

Last week I explained the big renovation and kitchen project we took on last year, and I showed you lots of pretty pictures of kitchens that inspired me. But in renovation, before a kitchen gets better, it usually gets worse. Much, much worse. • Faith’s Kitchen Renovation The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 13, 2013

DIY the $50 IKEA VITTSJÖ: 5 Colorful Hacks

For years IKEA’s EXPEDIT has been a ubiquitous storage solution for homes everywhere. But recently the Swedish furnishing giant’s VITTSJÖ has been showing up more and more on my design radar. It doesn’t scream IKEA, and you’d never guess the system starts as low as under $50. The black metal and glass shelving system has a nice industrial quality on its own, but it seems to really shine when it’s given a bright coat of paint.

Rachel Wray Thompson

Feb 13, 2013

Before & After: Plain Brown Headboard Gets a Playful New Look

Tori was on the hunt for a new bed for her youngest daughter — her older daughter had a cool, unique bed, and she wanted to find something just as awesome for the younger one. So she found this plain headboard on Craigslist and gave it a playful new spin.A little paint, some stenciling, and some clever upholstering gave this headboard a totally new look! Now her daughter has a great colorful new bed, customized by her own mom.Thanks, Tori!

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 13, 2013

Before & After: Cristin’s Mod Card Table Makeover

I purchased this 1960’s folding card table and chairs from an estate sale for $20. The table top and seats were covered in avocado vinyl that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since its last party, 40 years ago. The way the table is constructed, the center of the table top is level with the outer rim, therefore I couldn’t substitute tile or mosaic for the vinyl because it wouldn’t be level. The best solution I found was laminating fabric.

Tara Bellucci

Feb 13, 2013

Before & After: Metal Stools Go From Grungy to Glamorous

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 13, 2013

Faith’s Kitchen Renovation: The Inspiration

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Yesterday I showed you the first stages of my home renovation and kitchen plans. Today I am going to take a step back and show you some of the inspiration I had filed away for my someday-future-kitchen… • Faith’s Kitchen Inspiration The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 13, 2013

What Do You Think: Socks for Chairs?

I love the Japanese retail market. If someone can find a way to make a thing more ridiculously cute, they’ll sell it. The latest thing I’ve seen? Little itty bitty chair socks. What the what? • Socks for Chairs Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 12, 2013

What Color Should I Paint My Home Theater Room?

Q – I need help on how to pick the right color for a home theater room. I have heard that it should be black or a neutral gray. Where should I begin?A – Hi John,To recreate a serious home theater resembling an actual cinema (like Scott’s Home Theater above), a darker and flat paint is the right way to go.

Gregory Han

Feb 12, 2013

Faith’s Kitchen Renovation: Project & Plans

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) In the process of dragging an old, problematic house into the 21st century, we lived through the very real clichés of remodeling. Over the next week or two I will show you how it all went and what it looks like now. Want to come along? • Faith’s Kitchen Renovation

Cambria Bold

Feb 12, 2013

Before & After: Metal Lyon Stools Get a Fresh Powder Coat

These Lyon steel drafting stools are straight from the architecture school where I was an undergrad over a decade ago. Rusted and layered with spray paint, they were pretty well-worn even when I was in school. Recently, when the department underwent renovations, a friend picked these up for free when they were discarded during construction. We paid him $5 each for the trouble of scavenging them and then started looking into refinishing.

Regina Yunghans

Feb 12, 2013

Before & After: DIY Mongolian Lamb Stool

Fluffy white Mongolian lamb stools pop up like dandelions in tony dressing rooms and decor magazine spreads, but the prices can be a bit overwhelming for the rest of us. But Nadia, the Paris-dwelling blogger behind Preciously Me, came up with a way to get the look on her own with just an IKEA stool and a fluffy pillow.That’s quite the upgrade, no? Nadia started with an IKEA Marius stool (which seems to be available in black, white, and blue on the U.S.

Elizabeth Licata

Feb 12, 2013

Before & After: Metal Bar Cart Makeover

Angela scored this Cosco bar cart for $3.99 — it was, in her words, “covered in rust, dust, and who knows what else.” Lots of elbow grease and some steel wool prepped the cart for a mid-century modern finish that’s sure to drop some jaws. • Bar Cart Makeover Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 12, 2013

5 More Uses For Your French Press

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Just how many other uses can a French press handle? As it turns out, far more than I realized. • 5 More Uses For Your French Press The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 12, 2013

Before & After: Goodbye, Laminate — Hello, Butcher Block!

When she purchased her home, Lilly liked the neutral tile and cabinets, but that strange splotchy laminate had to go. Check out how she transformed this bachelor kitchen into a cheery country space. • Countertop Upgrade Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 11, 2013

The Kitchn Is Hiring: Kitchen Tour Contributors

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) The Kitchn is looking to hire a few bloggers to seek out, photograph, and write up a monthly Kitchen Tour for us. Think you’re the perfect person for the job? Get all the details here. Deadline to apply is Monday, February 18th! • The Kitchn Is Hiring The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 11, 2013

Before & After: Charlotte’s Craigslist Chairs Get Chevron-ed

I check in with Craig (and his list) on a daily basis, and when I came across a pair of matching wooden arm chairs, I pounced. I talked the seller down to $75 each and brought them home for a facelift. We have a bright red coffee table I had sprayed at an auto detail shop, and I thought these could be a nice complement. A million hours later, all the nail heads and staples were out and I was ready to spray.

Tara Bellucci

Feb 11, 2013

Kate Payne’s Warm East Austin Home

Name: Kate Payne, educator and author of “The Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking”, her documentary photographer wife Jo Ann Santangelo, pup Isobel (and the occasional Airbnb guest, including Husky Ada). Location: East Austin, Texas Size: 1100 square feet Years lived in: Rented almost 1 year We first took note of Kate Payne’s hypnotizing and down-to-earth brand of home style when we covered her cheery and colorful kitchen last year.

Adrienne Breaux

Feb 11, 2013

Before & After: An IKEA Bracket Turned Modern Wall Light Sconce

Some DIYers have a real knack for spotting products at IKEA that were just meant to be something else. In the case of this Before & After, a standard shelving unit gets an entirely new purpose and becomes a beautiful light fixture.The Ikea EKBY Shelf Unit contains two simple brackets and a shelf, but when taken apart, suddenly the brackets have all kinds of new uses. You could make a set of new sconces with one shelving unit with this simple hack.

Elizabeth Giorgi

Feb 11, 2013

Cake Stand Table Lamp

When I first laid eyes upon this cake stand table lamp, I thought it was gorgeous. So warm and playful! Then I learned that to change the light bulb, all you had to do was to remove the dome. So logical, so easy! • Cake Stand Table Lamp Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 11, 2013

Kitchen Tour: Maggie’s “Let’s Eat at Home”

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Food, Maggie believes, whether eaten out or at home, is always more fun and festive when it’s shared with others. And with the kitchen commanding center stage in her home, it’s a gathering place for friends who share Maggie’s love of food. • Kitchen Tour The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 11, 2013

Before & After: Christina’s Tiny Bedroom to Bright Office Plus Guest Room

The second bedroom of our house is only 8 feet wide and 13 feet long. In spite of its size, we still needed it to function as an office/craft room and a guest room that would sleep 2 people. The major projects here were pulling up the carpet and painting the walls light gray and the ceiling blue. Then we found the perfect sofa bed for small spaces and built a wall shelf behind it since there wasn’t room for end tables. The whole transformation cost about $800.

Tara Bellucci

Feb 8, 2013

Cocktail Recipe: The Midwinter Warmer

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) I’m not sure whether it’s the beginning of tax season or the gray Pacific Northwest days we’ve been having lately, but many people I know have been a bit down. For the slog that February can feel like, I have a small solution: The Winter Warmer Cocktail. • The Midwinter Warmer

Cambria Bold

Feb 8, 2013

Dinner Party Games: Fun or Foul?

So what if the holidays are over? Throwing an off-season soiree can rouse your social circle from hibernation. Whether your gathering is big or small, the goal is to make your guests comfortable and happy. Enter the backup plan, AKA: the party game. • Party Games: Yea or Nay? Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 8, 2013

Before & After: A Gloomy Kitchen Gets a Bright New Start

Home renovations can definitely be hard labor, but this kitchen remodel brings a whole new meaning to the phrase. Fran was nine months pregnant during the transformation of this fixer-upper! • Gloomy Kitchen Redo Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 8, 2013

Before & After: Drab Cardboard Boxes Turned Chic Organizational Bins

Emily of Namely Original is a crafty college student who’s never short on clever DIY’s and always excited to share them. This time she’s taken some boxes headed for the landfill and turned them into organizational bins cute enough to put on display.This is certainly one of those crafts that begs the question “Why didn’t I think of this?

Lauren Pavao

Feb 8, 2013

Drawer Storage for Onions, Potatoes, Bread

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) We’ve talked before about the best way to store potatoes, onions, and other root vegetables. If you’ve got the space and wherewithal, it doesn’t get much better than these storage drawers. Deep baskets keep onions and potatoes separate – and neat! • Smart Drawer Storage The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 8, 2013

Make Your Workplace a Little More Like Home

We’re always finding new ways to make your home a lovelier and happier place. Let’s switch it up for a bit and focus on a place where you probably spend as much (maybe even more!) time than you do at home… work. • At Home in the Workplace Apartment Therapy

Sarah Dobbins

Feb 7, 2013

Love Your Kitchen: 10 Small Changes

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Do you ever feel a little deflated when you walk into your kitchen? These 10 small changes are easy upgrades, but they’ll go a long way towards making you feel more organized and uplifted in your kitchen. • 10 Small Kitchen Changes The Kitchn

Cambria Bold

Feb 7, 2013

Scuba’s Open House

Name: Stephen “Scuba” Clark Location: Phoenix, Arizona Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Owned Stephen ‘Scuba’ Clark bought his house five years ago, and in that five years, not a month has gone by that he hasn’t managed to add significant and beautiful upgrades to his home. All of the projects are custom, designed by Scuba, and typically built by his roommate, Jeremy. Scuba’s passion for life and travel is obvious in every corner of his home.

Lindsey Kay Averill

Feb 7, 2013

Before & After: Noelle’s Painted IKEA LACK Hack

LACK hackFrom Noelle: I decided to tackle my own project with my ages old white Ikea Lack coffee table using Cece Caldwell’s paint in Destin Gulf Green. I figured the worst that could happen is that I’d have to head out to Ikea and buy another Lack coffee table if it was a total bust.

Tara Bellucci

Feb 7, 2013