The Latest
2013

The Latest: 2013

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Quick Tip for Keeping Chopped Fruit From Turning Brown
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From The Kitchn → The Best Way to Keep Chopped Fruit From Turning Brown
Carrie McBride
Sep 23, 2013
Before & After: Ashley’s New Headboard
Ashley’s a DIY fanatic and she had so many ideas that she couldn’t commit to a headboard so she found a clever solution to both her blank wall and her need for variety. A customizable headboard! Smart! Says Ashley, “Now whenever I get an itch for change, I can easily update it with whatever style or trend I love at the time!” Want to steal her look? Ashley shares the whole project at her blog, Sugar & Cloth. Thank you Ashley!
Jennifer Hunter
Sep 20, 2013
Quick & Delicious: Mozzacado Sandwich
(Image credit: Faith Durand) From The Kitchn → Lunch Recipe: Mozzacado Sandwich
Carrie McBride
Sep 20, 2013
Before & After: A Rustic, Reclaimed Tabletop Replacement
Matt and Christian’s IKEA table was still really good at doing table jobs like supporting their food, but not so good at looking pretty while doing it — the pressboard top was beginning to disintegrate. So they came up with an easy and inexpensive way to give it a new life. They headed over to their local scrapyard and picked up some reclaimed 3/4” planks. For variety, they looked specifically for pieces with interesting paint or stain colors.
Jennifer Hunter
Sep 19, 2013
A Warm, Eclectic Kitchen in Chicago
(Image credit: Lucy Hewett) From The Kitchn → Victor & Rajiv’s Colorful, Collected Kitchen (and Garden!)
Carrie McBride
Sep 19, 2013
A Visit to Micro Roasters, Handlebar Coffee
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From the Kitchn → From Bean to Brew: Small Batch Roaster Handlebar Coffee in Santa Barbara
Carrie McBride
Sep 18, 2013
Before & After: John’s Refreshed Exit Sign
Old signage is a familiar sight at salvage shops and flea markets. While most might walk past this dingy exit sign, John was able to give it a bright future in a few hours, for about half of what a new reproduction would cost. From John: Yesterday, I found this great — but beat up — vintage exit sign. Today, I cleaned, sanded and repainted it, replaced the colored filter with clear plastic, and added colored bulbs. My boyfriend attached the (still functional!
Tara Bellucci
Sep 17, 2013
10 Ways to Update & Decorate a Basic Cork Board
While shopping for a bulletin board to hang above my home office desk, I was shocked to discover how much this home office essential can fetch from some decor retailers. And adorned with something special like an ornate frame? Forget it.
Taryn Williford
Sep 17, 2013
Celeste & David’s Modern Pin-up Pad
Name: Home of Celeste Giuliano and David Seidman and photography studio for Celeste Giuliano Photography Location: Philadelphia, PA Size: 2250 sq ft (1000 sq ft living space, 1250 sq ft photography studio) Years Lived In: 7 years; Owned In a rehabbed industrial loft in Overbrook, Celeste and David have taken their home back to the future.
Bridget Pizzo
Sep 17, 2013
Before & After: This Rocker’s More Glam Than Granny
Lizzie described her budget as “less than a shoestring,” so when she found this old rocking chair at a clearance yard, she snatched it up. She sanded the seat, arms and back (taking off several layers of skin along with the peeling varnish) and painted them in a quirky neon turquoise (an unexpectedly and fun choice). Looks like her risk paid off. Lizzie obviously has a history of scoring great deals.
Jennifer Hunter
Sep 17, 2013
A Dreamy Kitchen & Under-the-Stairs Pantry
(Image credit: Shawna’s Glamorous Custom Kitchen, photographed by Gina Bianciello for The Kitchn) From The Kitchn → Shawna’s Glamorous Custom Kitchen
Carrie McBride
Sep 16, 2013
Paint Color Portfolio: Pale Pink Dining Rooms
Pale pink may not be a common color for the dining room, but I absolutely love it in these inspiration rooms. It’s such a calming and demure color that I can’t imagine not having a relaxing meal in a room so delicate. The pale, peachy hues shown above are subtle, yet unexpected enough to be unique. See below for some colors that can help you get this look. Inspiration Rooms: 1. Yvestown flickr (Licensed under Creative Commons) 2. Kishani Perera for Style Me Pretty 3.
Andie Powers
Sep 13, 2013
Darlene and Brian’s Clean, Pure Lines
Names: Darlene Molnar, interior designer, and Brian Haney, VP at Deltek Location: Friendship Heights; Washington, DC Size: 680 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Owned Darlene is the director of design at her eponymous DC-based design studio, and her industry know-how is apparent at home: decisions are deliberate, color and texture dance, style defies square footage.
Natalie Grasso
Sep 13, 2013
Joey’s Stylist To The Stars Digs
Name: Joey Tierney Location: Sherman Oaks, CA Size: 1900 sq ft Years lived in: 6; Owned Joey Tierney’s home perfectly reflects her personal style: chic and modern. As the owner of Haute Street, a fashion styling and consulting business, Joey practices what she preaches, and she has the client list to prove it.
Bridget Pizzo
Sep 13, 2013
Before & After: A Mudroom Goes Miniature
Anu’s family (which includes two small boys and a Golden Retriever) was in desperate need of a mudroom — a place to feed the dog and keep all the muddy boots and winter kid gear — but their small bungalow just didn’t have the space. Wow! Anu transformed that unused nook into a mini mudroom. The floating bench serves as seating as well as a place to stow shoes and dog bowls. Cabinet knobs became coat hooks and each boy/dog in the house even has his own bin.
Jennifer Hunter
Sep 13, 2013
Before & After: Boring Dresser Gets Extra-Special Facelift
Chrissann recently re-did a dresser for her daughter’s room. In its original state, the dresser wasn’t anything special — certainly not an antique — and she wanted something more fun, and brighter than the original boring brown. If you are sick of seeing chalkboard paint everywhere, or hate the dusty mess of the chalk itself, here’s an alternative: try dry erase paint instead.
Dabney Frake
Sep 13, 2013
Before & After: A Funky Fireplace Gets a Facelift
Amanda’s original 70’s monster of a moss rock fireplace didn’t look good or even function. From Amanda: To fix the function, we bought a wood burning insert. For a sleek, updated look we built a frame around the rock, tiled the lower portion, added plywood to the top, trim pieces, and painted it crisp white. Now we adore the clean lines and contrasting colors. See more photos and details at Amanda’s blog, Our Humble Abode. Thank you Amanda!
Jennifer Hunter
Sep 12, 2013
Noah Marion’s Warm, Rich Home
Name: Noah Marion of Noah Marion Quality Goods Location: Travis Heights; Austin, Texas Size: 1250 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented Full of light, warm woods, colorful art, and an enviable collection of timeless and classic accessories arranged into lovely vignettes, Noah Marion’s South Austin home is a lesson in how to collect well-designed objects for a rich, meaningful home without the clutter.
Adrienne Breaux
Sep 11, 2013
Zucchini Overload? 10 Fresh Ideas for Eating It
From The Kitchn → 10 Things To Do With Zucchini When You’ve Lost All Hope
Carrie McBride
Sep 11, 2013
Lindsay and Garrett’s Pursuit of Style
Name: Lindsay Souza, author of the blog The Pursuit of Style, and boyfriend Garrett Location: Capitol Hill; Washington, DC Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented The Capitol Hill apartment that Lindsay shares with her boyfriend looks like a real life manifestation of her popular lifestyle blog, The Pursuit of Style. And indeed, that’s what the apartment has been: a pursuit.
Natalie Grasso
Sep 9, 2013
Whitney’s Live/Work Canal Cottage
Name: Whitney Location: Venice Beach, California Our 450 square-foot live/work Canal Cottage was built in the 1920’s. It was renovated a decade ago with several built-in features, including a queen bed, spacious couch and numerous storage cubbies. It’s a delightfully unique mini-home & yard that we’ve decorated & upgraded on an extremely limited budget. We (and our rescued beagle-foxhound mix) have called this home for 2.
Janel Laban
Sep 9, 2013
Don’t Go Wireless! Wire Chair Roundup
(Image credit: Cambria Bold) From The Kitchn → Wire and Metal Mesh Dining Room Chairs
Carrie McBride
Sep 9, 2013
Keeping It Clean: 5 PG-Rated Comedy Specials On Netflix
Here are five comedy concerts to stream on Netflix where the language is kept clean (the worst it gets is similar to prime time television programming humor), but the laughs are plentiful: 1. Jim Gaffigan’s Mr. Universe Gaffigan has been given the unofficial title of “America’s Cleanest Comedian” and with good reason. He’s wickedly funny, but never wicked.
Elizabeth Giorgi
Sep 6, 2013
An LA Kitchen with a Greenhouse Vibe
(Image credit: Leela Cyd) From The Kitchn → Kitchen Tour: Justina Blakeney’s Jungalow Kitchen
Carrie McBride
Sep 6, 2013
Before & After: Lettie’s No Longer Looks Like Laminate Dresser
Lettie had been on the lookout for both a dresser and a nightstand for a long time when she spotted this lovely piece on Craigslist for an affordable $40. Not only was it the perfect size, but also the perfect height to do double duty as a nightstand! From Lettie: The only downfall was that the body of the dresser was laminate. I read a lot about painting right over laminate and decided to go for it.
Jennifer Hunter
Sep 4, 2013
Jasna’s Art at Home
Name: Jasna Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Jasna sent us an email: We love seeing photos of artists’ homes—they are always inspiring, loaded with art and unique details and offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the people and their habits. Being artists ourselves, we would like to share ours with you! Our apartment does not have any spectacular architectural features and it’s bones are generic, but we made it into pretty sweet hideaway.
Janel Laban
Sep 3, 2013
Before & After: Emily’s Crafty Chair Project
When she came across a stockpile of free castoffs from an antique store (i.e. heaven), Emily, the smart cookie that she is, took full advantage. Want to see her final product? (hint: it’s not two chairs anymore) Surprise! Way to think outside the chair, Emily! Using just the existing frames, some scrap wood and new foam and fabric, she made a custom bench, perfect for her space. See more of her makeover at Emily Grace King. Thank you Emily!
Jennifer Hunter
Sep 3, 2013
Jello Shots: All Grown Up
(Image credit: Faith Durand) From The Kitchn → How To Make Jello Shots for Grown-Ups
Carrie McBride
Aug 30, 2013
Good Question Revisited: A Before & After (Plus One More Question)
Last year, Manisha posed a question to the Apartment Therapy community about how to add some color to her living room. “It needs some oomph,” she said. “Right now everything seems to be grey, white and black.” Armed with your suggestions, Manisha added color in a few strategic places. Want to see what her living room looks like now?
Regina Yunghans
Aug 29, 2013
Before & After: John’s Craigslist Miracle
John had been searching for an Adrian Pearsall style sofa for a long time. As he was scouring Craigslist one day, he came across an ad that simply said, “Vintage Couch – $60.” Luckily, he took a chance and found this amazing (though horribly upholstered) sofa. From John: Because I’d been researching this style of sofa for months, I was pretty sure it wasn’t a real Pearsall, but I didn’t care. I’m not a label whore.
Jennifer Hunter
Aug 28, 2013
Building Community: 5 Great Ways to Meet Your Neighbors
It’s been only a few weeks since I made the big move south to Atlanta and meeting new people and making friends with the neighbors is very high on my list of things to do. I’ve just moved from a city I love, where I had a circle of friends who lived within 5 blocks, so to put it bluntly, I’m having a difficult time adjusting. I’m struggling with making new friends and meeting my neighbors.
Joelle Alcaidinho
Aug 28, 2013
A Modern Mix in Austin
Name: Designer Allison Burke, with architect husband Ryan and hound dog Blue Jay Location: French Place/Cherrywood; Austin, Texas Size: 1600 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years; Owned Allison Burke is a designer with 13 years of experience in high-end residential, small scale commercial and craft-driven interiors. It’s not surprising the home she shares with her architect husband is a modern mix of white walls, pops of color and purposeful accessories.
Adrienne Breaux
Aug 28, 2013
Quick Dinners: Stir Fry Freezer Meals
(Image credit: Emma Christensen) From The Kitchn → How To Make Stir-Fry Freezer Meals
Carrie McBride
Aug 28, 2013
Before & After: Family Room Turned Dream Playroom
One of my favorite home trends is families using their space to suit current needs and desires instead of being hemmed in by traditional floor plans or how a room had always been used. Last week we saw Lindsey turn her family’s formal dining room into a family study and today’s example is a huge family room re-imagined as a dream playroom for two young kids. It’s quite the transformation and is just what this family wanted.
Carrie McBride
Aug 27, 2013
Before & After: Breakfast in Tiffany’s
After 10 years of living with a crumbling kitchen, Judy finally decided enough was enough. Inspired by a certain robin’s egg blue box, she worked with her limited budget to get a Tiffany’s inspired kitchen without the Tiffany’s inspired price. Judy saved some cash by reusing the appliances and flooring and hiring locally in her neighborhood of Queens, NYC. She splurged on marble countertops but still managed to ring in the remodel at about $13,000.
Jennifer Hunter
Aug 27, 2013
Before & After: The Best Little Bungalow on the Block
This 1925 home was intended to be a boxy Spanish bungalow but due to some unfortunate 1980’s additions, the aesthetic was a little lacking and Hunter knew he could help reclaim its original pizazz. Want to see this little house now?Much better!From Hunter: I decided immediately that the home needed to be restored to its intended Spanish style. Most of the homes on the block were this style and I could tell the home was originally built that way.
Jennifer Hunter
Aug 26, 2013
Ara and Chris’ Abbot Kinney Loft
Name: Ara Katz and Chris Ovitz Location: Abbot Kinney Boulevard; Venice, California Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 1 1/2 years Ara and Chris decided to move in together and looked endlessly for a loft, but couldn’t find the right space. They kept coming back to a loft building on Abbot Kinney as the model for their dream home, but every unit was already occupied. Ara constantly kept her eye on the building and after a long wait, a unit was finally available.
Marcia Prentice
Aug 23, 2013
Before & After: Desk Made from an IKEA Bed Base
Drop by IKEA’s as-is section, any thrift store, Goodwill, or yard sale, and you’ll eventually run into one of these wooden slat bed bases.
Gregory Han
Aug 23, 2013
How To Throw an Outdoor Movie Party
(Image credit: Leela Cyd)From The Kitchn→ An Outdoor Movie Party
Carrie McBride
Aug 23, 2013
Before & After: Shaun’s Lovely Living Room
Shaun’s UK home was originally occupied by a dear old lady who was a smoker, so the room was dated and “ciggie stained.”  But he had big plans for this small room.Shaun kept his canvas — the walls and furniture — white in order to let his artwork and  personal items shine even more.
Jennifer Hunter
Aug 22, 2013
An Unexpected Tip To Keep Your Leftover Guacamole Green
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)From The Kitchn → The Best Way To Keep Guacamole Green
Carrie McBride
Aug 22, 2013
Laken’s Dorm Room Redo: Before Photos
Laken is an incoming freshman at Washington University in Saint Louis and, just this Sunday, moved into her new dorm on campus. She was greeted by a very typical sight: commercial grade carpeting, conspicuous vents, and standard issue furniture. The dorms are very nice by all accounts, but it’s always a challenge to transform an impersonal space into a comfortable home for the next nine months.Laken has less than a week to get her room ready before classes begin.
Dabney Frake
Aug 21, 2013
Before & After: A Tame IKEA Tarva Gets a Chic Upgrade
We love a good, simple IKEA hack. In the hands of Sarah of Smitten Studio, this plain pine Tarva got a coat of paint and a little bling. Check out the results:Fresh white, gold legs, and brass knobs add much needed storage and a dash of style in the bedroom of Sarah’s cabin, after the removal of a bunk bed/closet system. Sarah also sawed a couple inches off of the dresser’s legs for a more contemporary proportion. Check out more photos over at Smitten Studio.
Tara Bellucci
Aug 21, 2013
A Live-Work Kitchen for 2 Photographers
(Image credit: Lucy Hewett)From the Kitchn→ Brian and Julia’s Live-Work Loft Kitchen
Carrie McBride
Aug 21, 2013
Walk-Up World: Pros & Cons of Living on the First Floor
When you’re looking for a new apartment you no doubt have a laundry list of what you’re looking for and what you’re not looking for. Some criteria you may be uncompromising about (like the maximum price) but there are always secondary criteria that are more flexible. Which floor the apartment is on likely falls into this category and there are pros and cons for each floor. I live in Brownstone Brooklyn where most apartment buildings are 4 story walkups.
Carrie McBride
Aug 20, 2013
Deidre’s Eclectic, Vintage Designer Digs
Name: Deidre Alexander Location: Wagener Terrace; Charleston, South Carolina Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented I’m not going to lie.
Katie Gard
Aug 20, 2013
Overabundance of Tomatoes? Make Sauce!
(Image credit: Emma Christensen)From The Kitchn →How To Make Basic Tomato Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
Carrie McBride
Aug 20, 2013
Chris + Kenny’s Ojai Rancho Inn
Name: Chris Sewell + Kenny Osehan // Ojai Rancho Inn Location: Ojai, California Size: 18 Rooms + Swimming Pool and Sauna Years lived in: New ownership as of June 12th, 2012 The last time I visited Chris and Kenny was when I photographed their old apartment in Downtown Santa Barbara for their first House Tour. At the time they were running the Presidio Motel on State Street, as well as the Agave Inn.
Bethany Nauert
Aug 19, 2013