Apartment Therapy Archive: Jul 2015

Sometimes you want to paint your walls a nice color, but sometimes you’re looking for COLOR. These 10 hues from Valspar will kick things up a few dozen notches, even if they’re confined to one little wall. But why limit yourself? Be bold! I never knew until this moment that I needed a glamorously green dining room, preferably including mint green chairs, faux fur, and a pineapple (above). Valspar’s Luscious Green (6010-7) will take care of the walls, at least.

For devotees of mid-century modern style, the mention of Charles and Ray Eames always elicits enthusiasm and zeal. How could it not? The husband and wife pair—known for such pieces as the Molded Plywood Lounge Chair (1946, Lounge Chair (1956), and Tandem Sling Seating (1962)—are two of the most important designers of the twentieth century. Their designs became iconic works being studied, lauded, and often outright copied.

This is a public service announcement: The Halloween stuff is already out at craft stores. And I’m not sure how fall came to have a mascot, but I know that autumn is on its way when I hear people start talking about how much they miss pumpkin spice. While there are still several weeks left to enjoy the summer, it might be a good time to start thinking about the tasks you need to get done before cool weather really sets in.

Chiggers (or red bugs) are tiny little mites that easily escape notice, but leave a lasting legacy in the form of red welts on your skin that will itch for days and drive you nuts. Summer is prime chigger season, so read up on how to deal with them around the house, and what to do if you get bitten. Chiggers love to get you in your body’s tender sweaty spots, namely the undersides of your arms, knees, belly and – yes – your private areas.

Boring bedrooms are a bummer, particularly if you’re hoping to create a relaxing space that also amps you up in the morning and sets you up for a great day. Try out some of the design details in your bedroom — they might be just what your space needs to push into bold territory. Especially in spaces that don’t have a lot of architectural features to speak for, you can pair paint jobs with your own design elements to really create spaces that sing.

Meredith had picked up a floor model of this nightstand years ago, and then forgot about it. When she redid her entry and couldn’t find the perfect table, out came the old cabinet, just waiting for a new look (and a statement color). From Meredith: A few hours over a couple of nights and it was completely transformed for about $40.

It’s not just about which items you choose to decorate your home; it’s also about how you get there. So what kind of decorator are you? Probably one of these. You know your room’s measurements like the back of your hand (but you still have them written down anyway). You currently have 8 small color swatches painted on your wall because you want to see each nearly-identical option in different types of light before you make up your mind.

Dread your upcoming move all you want, but it’s going to happen. Make moving day less painful with this series of clever and easy tips and hacks that are simple, but will make the whole process faster and easier. And then maybe, just maybe, you won’t go insane after packing your 99th box, and will enjoy the first night in your new home.

Name: Cedrick and Sunny Location: Toronto; Ontario, Canada Size: 1350 square feet Years lived in: 9 months; Owned When they first visited this house last fall, Cedrick and Sunny fell in love with its authentic, historical details, from the original wood-burning fireplace and leaded windows to the oak wainscoting and the door knocker.

Why do I have so much stuff? Chances are that at some point in your life, you’ve asked yourself this, especially if you move a lot. Where do all the things come from? And why is it so hard to give them away? I think part of the problem is that stuff isn’t just stuff — we develop complicated relationships and associations with the things we own. Here are five kinds of things that can be especially difficult to part with — and how you can finally let them go.

About to welcome their second child, Bernice and Davison were happy to find an apartment with three bedrooms, so that each kid could have their own space (not always a given in New York City). But they were less excited about the kitchen, a dated space whose awkward layout just really wasn’t working. As you can see from the photos above, the refrigerator was immediately to the left upon entering the kitchen: past that was the sink, tucked awkwardly into a corner.

(Image credit: Kimberley Hasselbrink) From The Kitchn → Cocktail Recipe: Peach Plum Sangria

Whether you’ve got a trusted cleaning routine that keeps your home in tip-top shape or not, there are six things you should never let go uncleaned, not even for a day (barring vacation and illness, of course). Every day, take a few moments to tackle this handful of cleaning tasks — you’ll live in a cleaner home for it! You’ve heard it said before — don’t let those dishes pile up.

This cottage kitchen had a lot to overcome: a less-than-functional layout, old cabinets, dated floors, and popcorn ceilings. Sarah from The Estate of Things gave it a whole new look (and usefulness, too): From Sarah: As is customary for this historic renovation and interior design blog, readers of The Estate of Things joined along in the design process throughout. The designer gathered input on a banquette build, readers weighed in on lighting choices, paint colors and appliances.

The key to cleaning a room quickly is an understanding of which tasks to tackle first and knowing which tools you need before you start (so you don’t have to walk back and forth through your house a million times), as well as possessing a simple list of instructions in the order you need to go in to ensure that not much thinking is required. Below is everything to know in order to quickly clean your bedroom!

Shopping for just the right thing for your home can be a bit of a rush. You’ve searched for so long, and now, at long last, you’ve found it. Your skin is tingly. You hear the faint sound of angel choirs. But wait! Before you buy anything (be it online, at the flea market, at a garage sale, or at a just plain old store), ask yourself these five questions. Will it fit? In shopping, as in relationships, we sometimes like to think that love is all you need.

Show of hands: Who out there was born into a crafty family? Has anyone here been sewing since the age of 12? Which of you are near-expert at flower arranging? Is anyone a pro at abstract painting? Well this post isn’t for you guys. It’s for the rest of us who want to learn how to master a few handy skills to get things done around the house.

In case you missed it, we just announced the release of our biggest and best book ever, Complete + Happy Home. It’s an exclusive, comprehensive guide to decorating and living well at home, so we’re calling it the official “textbook” of Apartment Therapists. We just have one question: Do you have what it takes? Well, you’re here, aren’t you?

You’ve probably heard it a million times: for the best results, test your paint colors in your room to see how they work with the light sources before committing to a full room (or even a full wall) paint job.

Q: Hi there! My husband and I are moving into an apartment and I’ve been searching online endlessly for a practical, affordable, and not-tacky way to make our patio safe for the dog. He’s a chihuahua and he would definitely fit through the railing on the patio. I’d rather not stick him in a “puppy bumper”, chicken wire sounds horribly tacky, and right now we’re talking about a lattice but I’m undecided.

Dear Alice, I live on the first floor of a small apartment building in NYC with a yard and patio area in the back. The front third is a concrete area where we have a grill and table. This area runs right next to our bedroom window and is a pretty small space. The back third is all yard which my landlord promised was all mine, and which I have turned into half a yard and half a garden.

(Image credit: Faith Durand) From The Kitchn → 12 Summery Appetizers That Keep the Oven Off

Elise (who works here at the Apartment Therapy office) is the sweetest, most low-key soon-to-be bride who just happens to have seven bridesmaids scheduled in her wedding next June. She’s doing it right and thinking about her bridesmaids as people, not props. She wants the dreaded dress dance to go as smoothly as possible but it still seems impossible. How should she get everyone clothed and happy? We need your help.

I pondered sharing my Houston house on Apartment Therapy for years before I finally got up the guts to do it, and while I was pondering I would take pictures and evaluate them, critically, to see if my space was good enough. Which means that now, even though I don’t live in that house anymore, I have a whole series of photos that document the evolution of my living room over the course of five years.

After you’ve eked out every bit of storage you can think of, there’s one more spot to consider: that little slip of wall space between studs. The standard distance is around 16″, which is just enough space to add a recessed element that’s highly functional and doesn’t take up room on the floor. And bonus! These are easy home updates you can do yourself. For narrow bedrooms, a side shelf is just wide enough for an alarm clock and other essentials.

Our best picks for breezy outdoor games that can be picked up quick to invite everyone in on the fun.

So you’re a decorating novice and you don’t know a davenport from a sconce? No problem. In fact, you might just be at an advantage. Sometimes having no clue what to do can net you a better final result than more experienced decorators who know and follow all the rules. Here are three big, valuable things you have going for you that others may miss. Amateurs unite! Everything is new for you and that’s a huge advantage when it comes to figuring out your taste.

Forget about stashing your jewelry away in some boring box. Instead, use one of these creative ideas for storing, organizing and displaying all your pretty necklaces, rings, and earrings. These make it easy to grab and go, and add a decorative element to the room. Find something super sculptural, like this ceramic antler from Style Me Pretty (lead photo above), and slip on rings, watches and bracelets. DIY jewelry stands from The Merry Thought.

We can’t all have soaring ceilings like Ashley’s loft above, but we can employ some smart visual tricks to get our squatty walls to look longer. Try these four easy things. Lighter, brighter colors open up a space so white on the ceiling always works to make it seem higher and draw your eye up. Want to get even smarter? Tint your wall color with white until it’s just a shade or two lighter and use it on the ceiling.

If you’re into green cleaning like me, you probably think of vinegar as a magical elixir that will easily and cheaply clean anything in your home. Not quite. Don’t despair, vinegar is still a home care star, but there are a few places where you shouldn’t be using the tangy stuff. Sealed hardwood should only be cleaned with either soap and water or dry dusted to polish them up. Vinegar will erode the sealant and cause your floors to look dingy, not shiny and clean.

This continues a series of posts that examines the way design can bring elegance to even the most seemingly mundane household fixtures. Shower enclosures, it turns out, can be breathtakingly beautiful. So can kitchen and bathroom sinks. And now we’re turning our attention to the humble bathtub. If you thought clawfoot tubs were as good as it gets, you were so, so wrong. (Note: There hasn’t be a piece yet on the world’s most beautiful toilets. But just you wait.

Name: Victoria Mason and Cass Godden (and dog Peggy) Location: Northcote, Victoria, Australia Size: 120 square metres, 2 bedroom, 2 bathrooms Years lived in: 6 years; Owned Victoria Mason is a talented jeweler and artist, her partner Cass Godden is a pastry chef, and together they are also talented DIY-ers. Over the years, they have slowly restored, renovated, ripped out, and added to their inner Melbourne home — often with the help of Cass’ dad.

My kids return to school in just about three weeks and I’m feeling the urge to get things planned out so we’re all situated when the First Day Of School comes. Here’s what I’m doing now to get organized for back-to-school… I had my kids’ immunization and physical forms sent to me from the doctor’s office so they’re all ready to turn in to their schools. I’m assessing the need for school clothes and shoes.

(Image credit: Tessa Huff) From The Kitchn → Recipe: Homemade Marshmallow Fluff

How do our house tour subjects cram such style into such small spaces? Like this! These tours are all between 200 and 500 square feet but they manage to pack a punch. Have your own small space? See how these folks did it and get inspired to take advantage of every inch. Evan’s 295 sq foot Manhattan studio has so many different zones (including an outside space!) it feels much, much bigger.

You’ve probably been hearing a lot about low price Amazon-challenger Jet and wondering if it lives up to the hype, especially if you’re an Amazon Prime member thinking of defecting. I’m not an economist and, frankly, not terrific with numbers, but I do consider myself a savvy shopper and wanted to compare, for myself, the two services. Here’s what I learned after spending some time comparing the two.

This plastic thrift store cactus was covered in sawdust and broken Southwestern dreams. When Naomi and Sage were tasked to turn it into something amazing, weaker competitors would’ve folded under this nearly impossible challenge. The after might just send you on a hunt for horrible Goodwill cacti: Mind. BLOWN. From Naomi: We painstakingly cleaned off the sawdust and glue, and then cut off the base and drilled a hole through the top through which we ran a metal pipe.

If you and your significant other have a similar style for your home, consider yourselves lucky. You’ll never be that couple arguing passionately in the aisles at IKEA over which bedside lamp you’d rather wake up to in the morning.

Feeling like a relaxed home is an unattainable goal? It doesn’t have to be. Let go of the big picture–a totally serene home that’s potentially a 180° from your current lifestyle–and zero in on the little things you can slowly change to create your peaceful place. Looking at rooms that get it right, you start to see the little tricks that style-savvy designers use to give a room tranquility. Here’s how you can get the relaxed look on your own.

Name: Allison + Matt Location: East Village (Alphabet City); New York, New York Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 9 months Allison and Matt moved into this one-bedroom apartment, their first as a couple, nine months ago. Together they’ve created a space that’s a perfect reflection of their roots (he’s from Tennessee, and she’s from Seattle), their mutual love of travel, and their new life together.

You know that gnawing feeling in a room? You’ve bought all your major furniture pieces, hung all your art, added in a few plants but something just isn’t “clicking” into place. The room isn’t feeling like it’s working or quite like how you envisioned. Try one of these ideas if you’ve got a room in design limbo. If you have a room where you still feel like something is “missing,” you might try shopping your space before shopping a store.

Three snoozes, spilt coffee, the eternal problem of what to wear- sound familiar? Mornings never seem to be long enough, relaxing enough, or productive enough. We’ve covered the topic at length before, and you could spend a lifetime of mornings reading up on how to do mornings better, but here are five simple things to try incorporating into your morning routine for improved mental well-being, physical health, and productivity. 1.

There’s something so quintessentially American about an Airstream trailer — it speaks of modern design, and summer, and the freedom of the open road. Maybe that’s why these little guys are enjoying so much popularity as of late. All over the country, enterprising folks are giving new life to these vintage trailers, either as campers or as full-time homes. This airstream, located in the back garden of a Berkeley co-op, serves as a full-time home. Take the full tour on Dwell.

Name: Echo Kao Location: Toy District; Los Angeles, CA Size: 870 square feet Years lived in: 1 years; Owned I knew that Echo was a talented industrial designer, but I was still surprised to learn that every night when she went home she was carefully crafting her own furniture. Her life and her work go hand-in-hand, which is reflected perfectly in the fact that her home has three(!) work spaces for her to spread out in.