The Latest: Jan 2016

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Floral upholstered armchair with wooden frame on a hardwood floor, labeled "Before."

Before & After: A Family Hand-Me-Down’s DIY Makeover

I think most of us have had the internal debate over a family hand-me-down. There’s a moment where we teeter on throwing it out because it doesn’t fit in our lives, but feel we should keep it out of a sense of loyalty or nostalgia. Trini made the best of the situation by saving her family’s chair, while updating it to suit her tastes. From Trini: This chair has been in my family for decades. It was passed down to me with blue flowered tapestry fabric.

Nora Taylor

Jan 15, 2016

Alison’s “Eclectic and a Little Rough Around the Edges” Home

Name: Alison Location: Redfern — Sydney, Australia My cozy 49 square meter/ 527 square feet apartment is above a shop on one of the busiest roads in Redfern. I bought the unit in 2012, it was going cheap as the previous owners had done bad makeshift renovations, painted it an awful blue and managed to have about 6 people living in it.

Nora Taylor

Jan 14, 2016

Katie & Patrick’s Renovated Former Foreclosure

Name: Katie Rozycki and Patrick Moore Location: Plaza Midwood — Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 702 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Owned Katie—a private school fundraiser, entrepreneur, and flower crown designer—and her audio engineer/tour manager boyfriend, Patrick Moore, completely overhauled this once-neglected one-bedroom loft in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Hayley Lawrence

Jan 13, 2016

Sara & Rich’s Colorful, Calm & Sunny California Haven

Name: Sara and Rich Combs Location: Marina District — San Francisco, CA Size: 850 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Rented Having collected each piece in their apartment one-by-one over the last six years, Sara and Rich Combs have created a home with a distinctly colorful, eclectic feel. Gravitating towards sleek, Mid-century silhouettes and furniture design, the couple have designed each room to pay homage to the bygone era in its own way, all while maintaining a modern spin.

Ellie Arciaga Lillstrom

Jan 13, 2016

Sarah’s “Modern and Bohemian” Small Space

Name: Sarah Location: St-Henri — Montreal, Canada We wanted to prove that two people can easily live in a 485 square feet space, so we bought a wonderful industrial open loft located in St-Henri neighborhood, Montreal. Our space used to be a cigarette factory in the early 1900s and it was transformed into apartments a few years ago.

Nora Taylor

Jan 12, 2016

Before & After: A Dining Table That’s Worth the Work

This is my latest piece of furniture that I’ve refinished. After doing my last dining room table I was so happy with the results that I chose to forget how much sanding and time had been involved. I think that for people who see the potential in secondhand objects it can be hard to pass up a project. When I saw this dining table with queen anne legs and a pretty scalloped top I had to restore it. The shape was beautiful but the scratches on top and badly scuffed sides needed some work.

Nora Taylor

Jan 12, 2016

Isabel’s Global, 1970s Inspired Apartment

Name: Isabel Location: Mexico City, Mexico I invite you to enter the house of a diplomat! This isn’t the house of Madeleine Albright or a high-brow diplomat, but rather the house of mid-level Foreign Service Officer. Our lives are unique – every three years we move to a different country, into houses we don’t choose. We normally have a weight limit and like other renters, have limits on what we can do to a home. These are photos of our current house in Mexico City.

Nora Taylor

Jan 11, 2016

Cate St Hill’s Serene & Bright Bloomsbury Apartment

Name: Cate and Olivier Location: Bloomsbury —London, UK Size: 725 square feet Years lived in: 8 years; Owned Design writer Cate St Hill’s blog and Instagram feed are filled with beautiful images of effortlessly stylish, minimal-yet-cozy interiors (as well as London recommendations, travel features, and lifestyle pieces).

Cathy Pyle

Jan 11, 2016

10 Ways to Help Your Kitchen Recover From the Busy Holiday Season

(Image credit: Ellie Arciaga Lillstrom) From The Kitchn → 10 Ways to Reset Your Kitchen for the New Year

Apartment Therapy

Jan 11, 2016

Kristen’s “High-Low Mix”

Name: Kristen Location: Nob Hill — Portland, Oregon Located in a cute neighborhood in Northwest Portland’s trendy and walkable Nob Hill, my 1100-square-foot condo is a modern space inspired by my passion for graphic design. As an art director and graphic designer for Nike, I am constantly inspired by my travels around the world, and have peppered my living space with items collected along my journey.

Nora Taylor

Jan 10, 2016

Savannah & Mike’s Colorful, Slightly Edgy Montreal Rental

Name: Savannah Sher and Mike Wynands, Finn the cat, and Nori the dog Location: Verdun — Montreal, Canada Size: Approximately 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 8 months; Rented Mike and Savannah, co-founders of The Quick Green Fox, are Montreal natives who grew up in the island’s west end. When they were searching for a new place earlier this year, an apartment close to downtown was on their wish list, as was a neighborhood with charm and a sense of community.

Lauren Kolyn

Jan 10, 2016

Mara’s First Home of Her Own

Name: Mara Location: Evanston, Illinois I bought my condo in June 2014. I chose Evanston because I wanted to be close to the lake, close to Chicago, and love the character of the older brick buildings. This is my first non-college living space that I can decorate and experiment with completely on my own. I’ve done a lot of updates and made some changes from paint to decor and documented everything on my blog. My style is a mix of mid-century modern and modern glam.

Nora Taylor

Jan 9, 2016

A Tiny 270-Square-Foot Shared London Studio

Name: Dave and Cathy Location: South West London; UK Size: 270 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Editor’s note: This greatest hits tour of a teeny shared studio apartment is cleverly furnished and the commentary from the person who lived in it is hilarious! I always tell people that this studio was both the best and worst place I’ve ever lived.

David Telford

Jan 9, 2016

Melanie Abrantes Designs’ Industrial Jungle Studio in Oakland

Name: Melanie Abrantes Designs Location: Oakland, California Size: 900 square feet Years using space: 1.5 years Melanie Abrantes is a crafty Jane-of-all-trades. With her company, Melanie Abrantes Designs, she specializes in handcrafting a plethora of one-of-a-kind goods, ranging from cork planters to wood bowls and vessels. Her Oakland studio, located in what was a tomato factory at the turn of the 20th century, features exposed brick walls and big, bright windows.

Ellie Arciaga Lillstrom

Jan 8, 2016

Kiana & Steve’s Modern & Relaxed Family House in the Woods

Name: Kiana and Steve and their kids, Mathilda and Milo Location: Chelsea, Quebec Size: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; Owned This beautifully renovated house in the woods is a playful and welcoming space brimming with its owners’ personalities.

Carmen Chavarri

Jan 8, 2016

5 Easy Citrus-Herb Vinaigrettes

(Image credit: Kelli Foster) From The Kitchn → An Easy Template for Citrus Vinaigrette, 5 Ways

Apartment Therapy

Jan 8, 2016

Real-Life Checklist: Creating a Perfect Compact Corner Home Office

Are you looking to carve out a small little spot in a corner of your living room or dining room (or maybe even bedroom) for a work or hobby space? Just a little bit of room that’s all for you to flex your creative muscles? You might find inspiration for what should be in that corner from this beautifully appointed home office set-up.

Adrienne Breaux

Jan 7, 2016

Karen & Gawie’s Artistic Home in South Africa

Name: Gawie and Karen and their children, Mila and Gabriel Location: Cape Town City Bowl, South Africa Size: 600 square meters (6,458 square feet) Years lived in: 5 years; Owned Karen and Gawie share their beautiful two-story home with their two teenage children. Nestled on the slopes of Table Mountain, this magnificent home has a lush garden and incredible views across Cape Town to the sea. Architect Wynand Wilsenach designed their house and Karen took care of the decorating.

Lana Kenney

Jan 7, 2016

Emily & Erica’s Home With a “Warm Industrial Cottage Look”

Name: Emily & Erica Location: Armory District — Providence, Rhode Island Our home is a 1850s gothic revival (circa 1900) in the armory district on the west side of Providence, Rhode Island—an area we love with lots of historic architecture and great food options within walking distance. We live here with our two terrible-adorable dogs, Kevin & Sally.

Nora Taylor

Jan 6, 2016

Shauna & John’s Post Punk Eclectic English Home and Artist’s Studio

Name: John and Shauna Stanton and their daughter, Isla Location: Guildford — Surrey, UK Size: 1,064 square feet Years lived in: 17 years; Owned There’s something fascinating about the homes of artists—I love the way the style and character of their art is expressed in the way they decorate and inhabit their spaces. The home of Guildford-based artist Shauna Stanton and her family is every bit as colorful and quirky as her beautiful, vibrant paintings.

Cathy Pyle

Jan 6, 2016

Lindsey’s Colorful West Hollywood Residence

Name: Lindsey O’Donnell Location: West Hollywood — Los Angeles, California Size: 1,550 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years; Owned If one thing’s for sure, it’s that interior designer Lindsey O’Donnell is not afraid of color. From Blackberry Wine to Midnight Navy to Black, O’Donnell’s paint choices are pretty fearless. Inspired by the bold interiors of designer Mary McDonald, O’Donnell’s lavish lair is anything but modest.

Jessica Isaac

Jan 6, 2016

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7 Reasons To Give Blue Apron A Try Today

(Image credit: Blue Apron) From The Kitchn → 7 Reasons To Give Blue Apron A Try Today