The Latest
2014

The Latest: 2014

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How to Dust as Little as Possible
From Apartment Therapy → How To Avoid Dusting (And Still Live Happily Ever After) Here are 10 tips that will help you spend less time dusting and more time enjoying your time at home!
The Kitchn Editors
Oct 7, 2014
Danielle’s Small & Stylish Urban Cottage
Name: Danielle Bellert Location: Between Wallingford and Fremont; Seattle, Washington Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 4 years; Rented What would you do with 400 square feet of space? If you’re anything like Danielle Bellert, you would style it up adorably and live with intent. Located between the bustling neighborhoods of Wallingford and Fremont in Seattle, this tiny cottage is a one-room wonder, complete with lofted bedroom.
Andie Powers
Oct 7, 2014
Before & After: Boring Stairs Get a Kick of Copper
David told us this project was six months in the making, even through “most of it was procrastination.” We’re glad he finally got around to it because this is one unexpectedly cool stair upgrade. From David: We started with plain, light wood stairs. We wanted a dark, near black color to match our cast iron, gas fireplace on the other side of the room.
Jennifer Hunter
Oct 7, 2014
14 Ways to Improve Your Cooking for Free
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From The Kitchn → 14 Absolutely Free Ways to Improve Your Cooking
Apartment Therapy
Oct 7, 2014
Culinary School Diaries: Top 10 Things I Learned
(Image credit: Ariel Knutson) From The Kitchn → The Top 10 Things I Learned in Culinary School
Apartment Therapy
Oct 6, 2014
Stephanie’s Sunlit Treehouse
Name: Stephanie A. Meyer Location: Lowry Hill; Minneapolis, Minnesota Size: 1800 square feet Years lived in: Just over a year; Rented As a food writer/blogger, photographer, and newly-minted cookbook author (coming this fall!), cooking and sharing food is at the heart of Stephanie A. Meyer’s home.
Tracy Leigh Morgan
Oct 6, 2014
Before & After: Anna’s Blood, Sweat and Tears Craigslist Chair Makeover
Anna’s craigslist chair makeover comes with a warning: “This was my first time ever reupholstering a piece of furniture, and BOY was it a lot more time consuming than I realized!” But worth it, Anna. So so worth it. From Anna: I don’t even know how many hours I put into this chair–not to mention the definite blood, sweat, and even a few tears.
Jennifer Hunter
Oct 6, 2014
The No-Espresso-Machine Method to an At Home Latte
(Image credit: Leela Cyd) From The Kitchn → How To Make a Latte at Home Without an Espresso Machine
Apartment Therapy
Oct 6, 2014
Brice & Ilene’s Chicago Getaway
Name: Brice & Ilene Bloom-Ellis Location: Lincoln Square, Chicago, IL Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; owned Brice and Ilene are two social workers from St. Louis, where they have a home filled with memories of raising a family, many of their favorite objects, and plenty of space. But, finding themselves in Chicago hotels way too often (Brice travels to Chicago regularly for work), these mid-century lovers began exploring real estate on a small scale.
Heather Blaha
Oct 5, 2014
Duffy’s 1930s East Austin Abode
Name: Duffy Stone Location: Austin, Texas This is a red barn-style, 1930s home located in East Austin, Texas. I rent the home and have loved mixing in bright colors and modern found objects into the old bones and architecture of the home. I love the old wood floors and high ceilings that make the small home feel bright and open. There are two large porches I love to hang out on with friends and a hammock pavilion!
Adrienne Breaux
Oct 5, 2014
Before & After: An Outdated Closet Turns Functional Family Entryway
Having a whole closet right by your front door is amazing for storage if you’re a family with kids, but not if that closet comes with big outdated mirrored doors that don’t work well and don’t allow you to see what’s actually in the closet. Jen got to work, transforming this old closet into a very stylish — but most importantly functional — welcoming storage spot for her family. From Jen: This all started because this closet was not working for us.
Adrienne Breaux
Oct 5, 2014
Before & After: A Bulky Dresser Gets Bold & Black
How do you take a plain, bulky cabinet and turn it into a complete show-stopper? If you’re Miruna, you go the opposite of subtle. A few bold materials, an interesting pattern and this dresser gets quite the makeover! From Miruna: I’ve been wanting to use black chalk paint for a while, but could not find the right piece of furniture to stand up to the challenge. When I found this dresser online I was not very sure what to do with it, but I knew I loved it. So I bought it.
Adrienne Breaux
Oct 5, 2014
Before & After: Melissa’s Lightened Living Room Makeover
Melissa’s living room wasn’t bad looking — it had perfectly functional, traditional-styled furniture and a lot of natural light. But it didn’t fit her or her husband’s style. So they worked together to come up with a look that would! From Melissa: My husband (lover of mid-century modern) and myself (a lover of modern, chic style) met in the middle and co-designed our space together.
Adrienne Breaux
Oct 4, 2014
Britain’s Bold, Blended One-Bedroom in Logan Square
Name: Britain Spinney Location: Logan Square, Chicago, Illinois My boyfriend and I live in a one-bedroom apartment in the heart of Logan square that is about 600 square feet. We didn’t have much time to find an apartment and we had been traveling back and forth from Minnesota to find one. We already loved the location of this place and once we learned the building was a converted old hotel, we both decided this was the one!
Adrienne Breaux
Oct 4, 2014
Before & After: A Dream White Kitchen Renovation at Half the Cost
Jordan and her growing family were looking for a home, but knew with San Francisco’s high prices they would probably have to settle for a home that didn’t quite match their dreams. Even though friends warned her of the high prices of renovating, discounts were searched for and they did a lot of work themselves. From Jordan: My husband and I recently bought our first home together in San Francisco. We wanted a large home that had space for our growing family.
Adrienne Breaux
Oct 4, 2014
Before & After: A Dated Fireplace Gets a Chic Stenciled Scandinavian-Inspired Makeover
June’s fireplace had some dated features like fake wood and weird Victorian-esque floral tiles. She would have loved to replace the whole thing with her dream of a wood burning fireplace, but she didn’t have the budget for it right now. So she got creative and made the fireplace over with some paint, stencils and style! From June: I was fed up with my dated fireplace…the fake wood surround and the horrid quasi-Victorian tiles from the 80s made me cringe!
Adrienne Breaux
Oct 4, 2014
Chad’s Tasteful Tennessee Home
Name: Chad James and Josie the Greyhound
 Location: Downtown Nashville, Tennessee Size: 1,200 square feet
 Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Chad James is a Nashville architectural consultant & interior designer with a bit of a reputation. Not the kind of reputation your mother warned you about acquiring, but the kind that lands you some of the most exciting design projects this side of the Mississippi. As the principle of Chad James Group, he’s designed spaces all over the world.
Monique Larroux
Oct 3, 2014
Before & After: A Dumpster Dive Card Catalog Gets Darling
Chelsey found this old card catalogue in the dumpster. She could see how much stripping and sanding work there was to do, so she kept putting off the project. Now that we’ve seen the results, we can’t believe she waited so long. From Chelsey: There were layers of chipping black paint over high gloss stained oak and missing drawer pulls. I scraped, sanded, and added legs.
Jennifer Hunter
Oct 3, 2014
An Eclectic Seaside Cottage Full of Texture & Pattern
Name: Vanessa Faye Wurman and her dogs Solomon and The Dude Location: Jamestown, Rhode Island Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 15 years; owned You don’t even have to enter Vanessa’s home to know that it’s not your typical seaside cottage. Unique bullseye glass details embellish bright green doors and custom-designed bamboo fencing. A horse made of rusty metal tools grazes on the front lawn.
Jacqueline Marque
Oct 3, 2014
Chunky Wool Blankets to Buy or DIY
At the top of my wish list for this fall is a giant chunky knit wool blanket. I keep seeing them on Scandinavian design blogs, and every time I do I take a minute and imagine how wonderful it would feel to be snuggled up underneath a blanket that feels like a giant wool sweater for your entire body. So I’ve hunted down a few sources for these enormous lovelies, and also a few DIYs for those of you brave (and talented!) enough to make your own.
Nancy Mitchell
Oct 2, 2014
10 Ways to Use Your Salad Spinner (Besides Salad)
(Image credit: Christine Gallary) From The Kitchn → 10 Alternative Uses for Your Salad Spinner
Apartment Therapy
Oct 2, 2014
An Artist’s 1963 A-frame Luxe Lodge
Name: Desanka N. Fasiska Location: Hollywood Hills; Los Angeles, California Size: 832 square feet. The property has a lot size of 2,454 square feet. Years Lived In: One; owned. Welcome to Lux Lodge, the inspirational Hollywood Hills home of artist, fashion consultant, and designer, Desanka N. Fasiska. A 1963 A-frame home redesigned by Desanka, it’s filled with her discerning creative touches.
Bridget Pizzo
Oct 2, 2014
Bold Architecture Meets Eclectic Style in a Stunning D.C. Home
Name: Sophia and Sebastian Black Location: Washington DC Size: 3,000 square feet Years lived in: 28 years owned The Blacks have the type of house that engages even the passersby. Sophia and Sebastian built their house in the late eighties on a beautiful and coveted piece of land overlooking a valley; the house itself has as much artfulness as the spaces inside. [Even while I was there for this house tour, two pedestrians happened to stop and tell the homeowners how much they loved the house!
Caitlyn Cartlidge
Oct 2, 2014
Before & After: Sone Pulls a Quick Change on This Vintage Basset Beauty
Sone found this vintage Basset dresser at a magical-sounding place called the Mid-Century Furniture Warehouse. It needed some TLC but she was up for the challenge. From Sone: The original veneer on the top and sides needed a little TLC, but it was the perfect size and the exact statement piece we were looking for. Once we got it home I knew immediately that it needed to be brightened up. However, I didn’t want to cover up all of the walnut, just mask the imperfections.
Jennifer Hunter
Oct 2, 2014
The Smartest Small Space Storage Solutions for Your Kitchen
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From The Kitchn → 7 Smart Food Storage Solutions for Small Kitchens
Apartment Therapy
Oct 2, 2014
Molasses: What You Need to Know
(Image credit: Christine Gallary) From The Kitchn → Everything You Need to Know About Molasses
Apartment Therapy
Oct 1, 2014
How a Little Kitchen in Brooklyn Grew
From Apartment Therapy → Before & After: Watch this Little Kitchen Grow A few minor changes made this small kitchen much more user-friendly!
The Kitchn
Oct 1, 2014
Katie’s Cozy Teeny Tiny Boho Studio
Name: Katie Location: Poncey-Highland — Atlanta, Georgia Size: 300 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented This one goes out to all of you dreamers out there who are temporarily stuck in your tiny rented apartments with not a whole lot of dough to dish out for the finer things in life. A champagne taste on a PBR budget, if you will. But, that didn’t stop Katie from truly making her landlord’s property a home.
Selena Kirchhoff
Oct 1, 2014
Before & After: Chyann’s Gem From The Garbage
Chyann calls herself, “the ultimate garbage lover” so when she found this little gem in the trash she took it home for a little dose of love. From Chyann: Upon closer inspection I saw that it needed a good sanding and a paint job, but otherwise, it had great potential. A few coats of spray paint, a new shelf, and a couple of wine racks later, it was almost unrecognizable! Cheers to finding garbage gems! Thank you Chyann!
Jennifer Hunter
Oct 1, 2014
Color, Your Brain and Grocery Shopping
(Image credit: Michaela Cisney) From The Kitchn → How Color Influences Your Grocery Shopping (And How to Outsmart It!)
Apartment Therapy
Sep 30, 2014
An HGTV Design Star’s Happy Chic Home
Name: Kim & Scott Myles (and Ollie) Location: Los Angeles, CA Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented It’s not an overstatement to say that Kim Myles is happy. The winner of HGTV Design Star won America over with her beautiful designs, and her cheerful, infectious personality. Now on OWN’s Home Made Simple, this design star is making everyone’s home a little happier with her signature colorful and exuberant style.
Monica Wang
Sep 30, 2014
Before & After: A One-In-One-Out Living Room
Diana and her husband love their recently updated kitchen but it made their living room pale in comparison. So these self-proclaimed DIY-ers got to work sprucing up this space on a budget that was based on what the old on-their-way-out items could be sold for… From Diana: My living room is constantly changing but I don’t buy out of my budget. I sell what needs to be gone and with that money I buy the new things I need.
Jennifer Hunter
Sep 30, 2014
Cilantro: Love it or Hate it
(Image credit: Africa Studio) shutterstock From The Kitchn → The Herb You Love or Hate: Cilantro
Apartment Therapy
Sep 30, 2014
Fall is Here: Glazed Apple Fritters
(Image credit: Naomi Robinson) From The Kitchn → Recipe: Glazed Apple Fritters
Apartment Therapy
Sep 29, 2014
Before & After: Shannon’s Boring to (Faux) Brick Wall
There are a select few of lucky folks out there who get to live in authentic converted lofts full of character— and then there’s everyone else. Even if you live in a suburban home, you can still infuse your space with the feeling of wood beams, cement floors and exposed brick walls. It’s true! This amazing transformation by Shannon from AKA Design + Life is proof. She turned this simple space into a brick wall full of character that could pass for any cool downtown coffee shop.
Melissa DiRenzo
Sep 29, 2014
A Brighter Brooklyn Kitchen
From Apartment Therapy → Before & After: A Brooklyn Kitchen Lightens Up This drab, brown kitchen goes through a dramatic renovation and the remodel is spectacular!
The Kitchn
Sep 29, 2014
Before & After: A Temporary $10 Fix Adds Miles of Style
Alicia and her husband are always looking for ways to spruce up their apartment without painting or damaging the walls. This quick solution cost them just 10 bucks and zero wall holes to spackle later. Lovely! We’re making mental notes about this temporary decor. From Alicia: We came up with the idea of adding a vinyl wall above our mantle and love how it turned out! Ten dollars later and zero damage done to the apartment, we love the difference this made to our living room!
Jennifer Hunter
Sep 29, 2014
Partner
Before & After: Family Gallery Wall Goes Glam
Heather had the perfect place to feature photos of her two daughters. A bright hallway between the girls’ rooms, it would help define the ‘children’s area’ of their home, while giving it the personalize feel she was looking for. But Heather wasn’t thrilled with the gallery wall she’d created.
Sponsored Post
Sep 29, 2014
Charlotte’s Sophisticated 300 Square Foot Studio
Name: Charlotte Brown Location: Upper West Side, New York City What I love about my 300 square foot Upper West Side apartment is how it encompasses warmth and is a home where tranquil is infused with curiosity. And I am surrounded by the design and creativity that influence me everyday. My aesthetic was to create a classic home that time travels to the simpler Victorian time period with a modern twist.
Adrienne Breaux
Sep 28, 2014
Before & After: A Brightened Hand-Me-Down & Handmade Bedroom
It’s never easy trying to create a beautiful space that reflects your personality when you don’t have a big budget, but it’s even harder when you’ve got two people’s tastes in the mix. Chelsea and her boyfriend managed to style a bedroom using only DIY projects, hand-me-down furniture and vintage finds that is a combination of both their tastes.
Adrienne Breaux
Sep 28, 2014
10 Common Color Mistakes You Should Stop Making
Color is kind of tough, if we’re being honest. Or more accurately, a lot can go wrong when attempting to use color in your home, even with the best of intentions. Here are 10 of the most common color mistakes at home — and how you can fix them. Without light, color wouldn’t be much to look at. And as much as the right light can make a color sing…it can also make a gray go lavender or a white look dingy.
Adrienne Breaux
Sep 28, 2014
Before & After: A Childhood Dresser Turns into a Modern Media Stand
You know we’re big fans of furniture transformations that look totally different after getting a DIY makeover. This old dresser turned modern media stand is a great example of how a few small changes can make a big impact on the way a furniture piece looks! From Kala: My parents bought me this dresser as part of a bedroom set when I was 15 and I’ve held onto it because of its solid make (its gone through eight+ moves with me!).
Adrienne Breaux
Sep 28, 2014
Christine’s Cute Family Home Filled with DIY Projects and Vintage Finds
Name: Christine Hamilton Location: Dallas, Texas Nearly two years ago our little family moved from a tiny Manhattan apartment to an 1850 square foot 1950s ranch style home in Dallas, Texas. We live in a neighborhood called Lake Highlands and it is filled with lots of young families, which is great for our 3-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son. We renovated the kitchen and living areas a few months after moving in. It was an undertaking, but completely worth it.
Adrienne Breaux
Sep 27, 2014
Before & After: A Pink Storage Space Becomes a Cool & Cozy Spare Bedroom
While renovating an over 100-year-old Victorian sounds like fun, it’s also a lot of work, which is why Lilly and her husband are tackling this home project room by room. They decided to fix this room up so they could use it as a bedroom while they makeover the master bedroom, but they love the finished result so much they might keep sleeping in here! From Lilly: For years my husband and I used this room as a spare bedroom/storage space.
Adrienne Breaux
Sep 27, 2014
Before & After: An Unbelievable (& Adorable) Sofa Save
This sofa has seen better days. Honestly, it takes a lot of vision to think it’s got any potential! Tinca took this sofa home and changed it for the better — plus made it ultra functional for a home that happens to house pretty cute pets. From Tinca: Maybe we found this old sofa on a curb and then dragged it inside or maybe we didn’t. 🙂 But we did decide to give it a complete overhaul. Originally this was a sofa bed you could stretch out.
Adrienne Breaux
Sep 27, 2014
The 10 Commandments of Small Space Living
Is your small space starting to get a bit cramped, a little claustrophobic? Maybe you’re downgrading to a more petite pad and you’re feeling a little freaked. We can help. If you follow these 10 commandments, you’ll be happily living small in no time. Especially in a small space, clutter can completely take over and make your home feel even smaller than it already is. Get it under control and take back your space, no excuses.
Jennifer Hunter
Sep 26, 2014
Keep the Party Rolling With Stylish Bar Carts
(Image credit: Urban Outfitters) From The Kitchn → 11 Handsome Bar Carts That Will Keep the Party Rolling
Apartment Therapy
Sep 26, 2014
8 Inspiring Kitchen Remodels from Around the Web
From Apartment Therapy → Before & After: 8 Kitchen Makeover Projects from Around the Web
The Kitchn
Sep 26, 2014