Apartment Therapy Archive: Apr 2015

Name: Sarah Location: Petersham, England I am a Fashion Editor and live with my boyfriend and five year old twins in a little three bedroomed cottage in Petersham, Richmond, just outside London. It’s small, but super-cosy and homely. We have a little front garden, and a tiny courtyard garden at the back (one of the smallest gardens I’ve ever seen!). I love cushions, rugs, lamps, pictures and generally lots of ‘cosy clutter’. My style is a bit mix and match I suppose.

There’s nothing that can freshen up your space or brighten your day like a bouquet of flowers. The only downside to these lovelies is that we wish they would last longer. We’ve all heard of different tips and tricks to help our flowers stay fresh as long as possible, and I thought I would put some of the common options to the test. Keep reading to see the results and the big winner!

Want to sail through the day clobbering stress and come back home renewed and ready to tackle the next day? You might just need to start your day off in the right way. How? By creating, and regularly using, your own personal, customized “wake up happier” spot to ensure that every day gets its best start yet. So start by identifying what it is that would make your mornings just a little bit better and your day feel like it already got the best start. Eating better?

Name: Paula Benson and Paul West Location: Islington; London, UK Years lived in: 8 years; Owned We first got a glimpse of Paula and Paul’s flat in their House Call not long after the completion of a project to turn their old bedroom into a great work/life balance studio. Since then the graphic designer couple have been busy attacking another major project on the upper floor.

Cement and encaustic tiles are everywhere these days, but they are also not cheap. I’ve noticed a few homes that capture the look of patterned floors with entirely different materials, which let you get that handmade, old world look for a lot less. Here are five inspirational spaces with gorgeous tile, and suggestions for similar, but more affordable, alternatives.

Are you a first time homeowner? Yay you! Congrats. Now, here’s how to prevent some common pitfalls so you can keep your home just as kickass amazing as it feels right now (or even better!). Don’t make these mistakes! Just because you saw certain rooms as bedroom and other rooms as offices when you toured the house, doesn’t mean you have to keep the same layout that the old owners chose.

If you’re ready to shack up with your significant other, you need to hear this first. This move should strengthen your relationship, not force you to fight all the time. Try these tips to keep you working as a team, not against each other. Whaaa? That’s right. If you like vintage and your mate loves modern, compromising on all chinoiserie will make exactly no one happy (that’s an extreme example but you get the idea).

Iris wanted to better enjoy her balcony, but it took time to furnish on a budget. She ended up with a stylish space worth waiting for: From Iris: Ever since moving to sunny California from the Windy City of Chicago, I’ve always wanted to create a space in my apartment balcony to enjoy the beautiful weather and views outside. I wanted a sanctuary where my boyfriend and I can kick our feet up and relax with a glass of wine.

(Image credit: Emma Christensen) From The Kitchn → How To Make 2-Ingredient Banana Pancakes

(Image credit: Emma Christensen) From The Kitchn → Brew Your First Batch of Beer in The Kitchn’s Beer School!

Name: Ashley Gerou & Emily Drake Location: Lakeview; Chicago, Illinois Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 3 years; rented Cousins Ashley and Emily grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and attended college in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. After graduating from separate schools, they moved to Chicago. Now they rent a condo together in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. The ladies’ personalities shine in their own rooms.

Yep, these things will require you to spend some cash up front but won’t it be worth it when your house sells faster and for more money? Try these three tiered ideas that let you invest a little or a lot. This is the minimum you can do to make sure both the inside and outside of your home are sparkling clean and pretty. It’s your first, best way to tell your potential buyer that this is somewhere they want to be.

Paige’s ’80s kitchen needed to time travel a few decades forward. Now, hardly any wisp of the past remains; say goodbye to the cabinets, appliances, floors, counters, and even a wall. This kitchen transformation is truly stunning! From Paige: Last August we set out to destroy our ’80s nightmare of a kitchen and replace it with something fresh and unique.

Shortly after I moved in with my partner, I did a bunch of laundry and basked in the joy of an empty hamper…only to have him come home and fill it to the brim with one day’s-worth of work clothes.

It’s not uncommon to work on every room in your home before you get to your bedroom since it’s a room guests often don’t see. This was the case with Autumn and Justin whose Michigan home we toured last year. They felt great about the rest of their home, but really wanted a “grown up” master bedroom. Seems like they saved the best for last… Ta da! Lighter, brighter and with a soothing, calm vibe.

(Image credit: Faith Durand) From The Kitchn → The Kitchn Cookbook Wins a James Beard Award!

A while back we showed you a Brooklyn apartment where a family of three lives in 675 square feet. Today we’re taking it to the next level, with a family of four who lives in an even smaller 640 square foot home. Here’s how they do it. Hint: there are lots and lots of built ins.

IKEA products have proven their value time and time again — useful not just in the way they were originally designed, but in the endless ways people have adapted them in multiple contexts. IKEA’s KVARTAL ceiling mounted curtain tracks pop up everywhere, and give us plenty of ideas for installing them throughout the home. 1. Above, Emily Henderson used the system in lieu of a regular shower curtain rod in the Country Living Home of the Year. 2.

There are plenty of bicycle baskets on the market that are both affordable and attractive, but if you’re a “ride or DIY” type —this project is for you. It’s easy, super affordable, and the best part: your look will be one of a kind! I usually retreat to flea markets or thrift shops when shopping for baskets because they are really easy to find, but for this project I wanted to be able to provide my source just in case you wanted the same basket.

Some days I feel like I’m on auto-pilot: wake up (“time to make the donuts…“), drop off the kids, go to work, pick up the kids, make dinner, put the kids to bed, work a bit more, go to bed. Repeat.

One of our favorite things about IKEA is the ingenious upgrades these simple designs inspire. You might never guess, if you saw them in person, that the bookshelves above began their life humbly flatpacked into a cardboard box. But they did! Here are seven different DIY projects that began with basics from that Swedish retailer, and ended with pieces that would be at home in the poshest of interiors. Above: Super-snazzy built-in Billys from The Makerista.

When you hear the word “cabin,” what does it conjure? Wood, trees, taxidermy, leather? Going through our tour archives, I noticed that we’ve featured many a cabin here on Apartment Therapy, and while some of them adhere to the usual expectations for a cabin, many of them offer unexpected takes on rustic decor. TOP ROW: 1. Nancy, Ethan, Ohle’s 1903 Cabin in the Country 2. David Bethany’s Abode in the Woods 3. Keith Rebecca’s Cabin of Worldly Delights 4.

Name: Jessica Bowers – founder of West Village Life Location: West Village, NYC Size: 1 Bedroom/1 Bath Years lived in: Under 1 year; Rent Nestled on a charming street in the West Village, lives Jessica, founder and author of the popular Instagram @WestVillageLife, an account that shares the many charms of this historic neighborhood with its nearly 30K followers. It’s no surprise that her eye for detail and style extends into her personal space as well as her photography.

Dear Alice, I do not like dealing with dogs! I’m not deeply cynophobic and I don’t blame the individual animals, however, a friend in another city was recently attacked by a dog and I now feel prompted to address my own discomfort. I am more of an indoor cat person and, while I don’t begrudge people having the pet of their choice, many of these pets seem to spend the majority of the day outside and I feel surrounded while on my own property or on my walk to work.

With over 400 stores worldwide, the US is set to welcome the first Tiger store from Denmark next month in New York City. Dubbed “Flying Tiger Copenhagen”, the goods are an eclectic mishmash of home goods, gifts, toys and, in the true sense of the word, miscellaneous. The price point? Super low. Most goods are $5-15. The style? Colorful and modern. Imagine Muji’s flamboyant younger sister. Or Urban Outfitters’ love child with Target’s Dollar Spot.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From The Kitchn → 10 Fresh Ideas for Herb Gardens in the Kitchen

For the first time in my life I went to Mexico for a week last month. I know many of you have probably been to Mexico before me and that there are many, many amazing places to discover, but I just wanted to give a shout out to a few wonderful things that I discovered that will draw me back, not just to Sayulita, but to Mexico. It’s an amazing and near country. What are your Mexico loves??

During an incredible visit last week to the White House (for a sneak peek at the new Obama state china service), I swung by the kitchen and snapped all the photos I could manage while hearing about the upcoming State Dinner from the two talented women who are in charge of all things culinary for the Obamas. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the kitchen of most famous family in the nation (which was much more compact than expected!

For years IKEA has been working hard at creating furniture designs that are cheap to produce, easy to assemble, and will pack neatly into a cardboard box. Now they’re putting that ingenuity to work designing for some of the people who need it most: displaced persons living in refugee camps around the world.

Just like you, we Apartment Therapy editors are always bringing new stuff into our homes. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it turns out to be a waste of money and once in a while, we hit the jackpot. So what have we bought that just knocked it outta the park? We’ll tell you.

Every morning, I delay making my bed by a good few hours because my cat moves from my head (where he prefers sleeping) to curling up in the direct middle of my bed after I get up — and I don’t have the heart to move him. I like to think since I pay the rent that this apartment is MY home, but sometimes, it feels like this is more like my cat’s home, and he’s just letting me live in it! Read on for a few signs you might be in the same boat.

A vintage cart from a friend came with a challenge that Monica readily accepted: try to make it modern. See how she did after the jump! From Monica: A good friend of mine passed along an old, brassy, rickety cart with the challenge to revamp it and modernize it. We immediately agreed it would make an awesome bar cart for my new Milwaukee apartment! Challenge accepted. I started by removing the trays and setting them aside. I spent a nice day outside with gloves, a cloth and a can of Brasso.

Name: Simran Winkelstern Location: West Hollywood; Los Angeles, California Size: 750 square feet- 1 bedroom + 1 bath Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rent Simran’s home is a one bedroom in a gorgeous triplex right in West Hollywood, filled with welcoming charm. She’s placed plenty of importance on comfort and livability, but her design talent and personal style are what bring this space to life. Simran believes that, when designing a home, you need to consider both practicality and style.

If you’ve ever thought, “what was I thinking when I picked out that color?” while staring at your kitchen mixer, this DIY might just be for you. For around $10 you can repaint to freshen up or completely change the look of your mixer —a pretty sweet alternative to shelling out a few hundred bucks for a new machine!

(Image credit: Kristin Appenbrink) From The Kitchn → 5 Reasons Why I Collect (and Actually Use!) Vintage Kitchen Tools

Last Thursday, Apartment Therapy had the honor of being one of just a handful of sites to get the very first look at the brand new, about-to-be-unveiled Obama State China Service place settings with the simply wonderful FLOTUS herself, Michelle Obama (and, yes, I can confirm that she’s as amazing in person as you imagine she is!). The new china service is all good things: beautiful, smart, meaningful and modern.

I know you’ve heard this advice from magazines and fashion blogs: wear nice underwear to boost your confidence and do something lovely just for you (unless, you know, it’s for someone else, too. Win win!). I’m not gonna tell you the state of my undies right now, but here’s what I do at home that gives me the exact same feeling. I know, UGH.

Name: Nancy Mitchell Location: Galleria Area; Houston, Texas Size: Townhouse; 990 square feet Years lived in: 5 years; Owned Hi, I’m Nancy, and I’m a writer here at Apartment Therapy. Now I live in New York, but not so long ago I lived in a little (for Texas, anyway) house in Houston. So this tour, with photos that I took right before I moved, is a bit of a walk down memory lane for me. I hope you enjoy it. The very first time I walked into this house I knew it was the right one.

Name: Natacha Location: Berkeley, California I am a part-time designer (furniture, ceramist and interior), and I just moved in with my long-time boyfriend Joshua, who is currently studying at UC Berkeley. We met in San Francisco, while I was in school in France and when I moved back to the Bay we decided to move to Berkeley. We found this lovely small apartment right by the campus. It’s a landmark building, built in 1902 (which means it lived through tough earthquakes!

Want to be rolling around in creative inspiration on the regular at home? You need only put effort into cultivating creativity with your decor choices. Yes, a little thought into how you arrange your home and what you put in it can affect how creative you feel as you live in it — and we’ve got some tips that could help you design a space that boosts your creative levels high. Pick out furniture that can take a beating. That you can dance on. Put coffee cups on without a coaster.

Jill purchased a foreclosure last year, and her first project was fixing up the kitchen which had seen better days. This casita said adios to laminate, honey cabinets, and fire-starting stove! From Jill: I bought this casita in August of last year. It was a foreclosure and a fixer-upper – and it had apparently not been cleaned, much less updated, in what appeared to be a long time. My first priority was improving the horrible kitchen.

Have you been following our advice for carving out storage space in unused spots? In small spaces, this storage search can be key to creating a space that functions well. From finding space under a bed or a sofa to using storage containers on shelves and above cabinets, if you’ve got storage containers that are visible, these four rules to stick to will ensure that your rooms look stylish, not over-stuffed.