Before & After: Updating “The Room With the Food”
We didn’t necessarily love this kitchen. My parents built the house in 1999, but the kitchen had a random, generic feeling to it. Oh sure, Mom dressed it up and tried to make it her own, but it just never felt right to her. We just started calling it “the room with the food” since we knew we could do better for her kitchen-wise. After my dad passed away from a long illness, my husband and I wanted to make their home as comfortable as she liked and exactly as she wanted it.
Apr 20, 2016
Takeaway Tips for a Sure-Fire (& Stylish) Craft Area
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the tornado of craft supplies that has taken over a room (or perhaps your whole home), you might need to employ smarter storage tools to keep your supplies in check. This craft room features several clever ideas that could be used in your home—no matter if you have an entire room or just a small area.
Apr 20, 2016
Here’s When You Should Start Your Garden
Although we often think of spring as a good time to prep and plant a garden, you can actually start planning well before the snow melts, and continue planting all the way until the first freeze in fall.
Apr 20, 2016
Style Lessons from Today’s Small Cool Entries (& Don’t Forget to Enter & Vote!)
Every home has something to teach and each small home in the Small Cool contest holds lessons and tricks for living well while living small. Here’s some wisdom from today’s entries → (above) A lofted bed with tons of storage makes Helene Louise’s small apartment work. And, it was a DIY project so she could customize it to her exact needs. A bench makes so much sense in a small home because you can move it around to suit your needs. Extra dinner guests?
Apr 19, 2016
7 Things You 100% Don’t Need to Pack (So Take It Out of Your Bag Right Now)
Raise your hand if you have a problem packing light. Ok, yeah, so… everybody ought to run down this brief un-packing list before their next trip. Your goal might be making more room in the suitcase, but the real advantage to learning to pack light is ensuring a stress-free journey every step of the way. Less stuff equals less weight to carry, fewer things to keep track of, and fewer choices to make when you get dressed in the morning.
Apr 19, 2016
Summer’s “Creative Little Haven” In Toronto
Name: Summer Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada My creative little haven. This is a rental apartment in the core of downtown Toronto, just a few blocks from Dundas Square. I chose the location due to the short walking distance to work and the great outside space (for my dog). I’ve always been interested in interior decorating but I never wanted my home to feel like a magazine. I treasure comfort and livability. You can see my personality in every inch of my space.
Apr 19, 2016
Catch Up With The Kitchn’s Spring Refresh
(Image credit: Sarah Coffey) From The Kitchn → The Kitchn’s Spring Refresh Day 1: Clean Your Counters, Clear Your Mind
Apr 19, 2016
A Quick History of the Annual Chore-Fest We’ve Come to Know as Spring Cleaning
Spring is here! All over the Northern Hemisphere there are telltale signs that spring has sprung: Trees are showing their first green of the year; flowers are appearing in our neighborhood gardens, rooftops, and window sills; and across the lands if you listen carefully you can hear the whirring of vacuum cleaners and the beating of dust from a thousand hallway runners. Yes, for many of us with the season of new life comes the annual chore-fest we’ve come to know as Spring Cleaning.
Apr 19, 2016
How Do You Like Your Contrast? Low- and High-Contrast Rooms to Learn From
There are so many design elements that we look at, either consciously or unconsciously, when decorating our homes. Proportion, balance, color, texture—they all come out to play. One factor in particular that’s been on my mind lately (perhaps due to those monochrome Scandi interiors we all love to pin) is contrast. Specifically, the amount of contrast between light and dark in a space and how to pull it off.
Apr 19, 2016
Before & After: Textiles To the Rescue
Callie’s new take on Carrie’s inherited chair may have you looking twice at your aunt’s old living room set. Through a perfect mix of good bones, some incredible fabric and collaboration between friends, this chair really came back to life. From Callie: I’m an Austin textile designer and painter (and my treehouse home was on Apartment Therapy a couple years ago).
Apr 19, 2016
A Simple Trick for the Perfect Poached Egg (Julia Child Approved)
(Image credit: Kelli Foster) From The Kitchn → Julia Child’s Simple Trick for Perfect Poached Eggs Every Time
Apr 19, 2016
Meghan’s “Cozy Library Meets Sentimental” South Carolina Rental
Name: Meghan Location: Charleston, South Carolina This is the first place that we’ve lived that has truly felt like “home.” When we first moved in, we vowed to shape this space as a retreat from the outside world. We have filled every corner with things that we love; every piece has a story or connection outside of itself.
Apr 18, 2016
Before & After: A Bold & Bright Rental Kitchen Upgrade
If you’re a color loving renter, contact paper is your best friend. Medina went all out adding color and pattern to her rental kitchen in a security deposit friendly manner. From Medina: I really went all out with the makeover. It is a rented apartment, but that didn’t stop me from decorating and injecting some color into it. The floor is wallpapered which I have a tutorial for on my blog. The cabinets were changed by adding contact racing stripes (all renter friendly).
Apr 17, 2016
Before & After: A “Florida Beach House” in Canada
Project by: Ana Braunstajn Interior Design Location: London, Ontario, Canada This is a 1960s four level, side-split home that was very much out of date. The project encompassed two stories, and everything was to be updated, from the ceiling fixtures all the way to the baseboards. The idea here was to bring this out of date house into 2015. I started this project in January 2015. Inspiration: I would call this style “Florida beach house.
Apr 16, 2016
Before & After: A Cabinet is Saved by the Bell
I’m always amazed by people who are able to see the potential in somewhat ordinary pieces of furniture. This cabinet had been put out to pasture by a local school and Naomi snatched it up knowing it could be something beautiful. From Naomi: When I salvaged this old cabinet from the nurse’s office of a local school that was about to be demolished, it was gross – dirty, rusty, and covered with some strange gunk.
Apr 16, 2016
5 Important Scandinavian Breakfast Lessons
(Image credit: Maria Siriano of Sift & Whisk) From The Kitchn → 5 Breakfast Lessons I Learned from Scandinavia
Apr 16, 2016
Before & After: Faith Follows Her Heart
Sometimes, you’ve just got to follow your design loving heart. Faith found a lovely antique credenza, but it didn’t seem quite right for her. She stopped fighting her instincts and now has an adorable piece of furniture that she loves. From Faith: I purchased this gorgeous dining set on craigslist for a song and while functionally it was a fit for my space, stylistically it wasn’t working.
Apr 15, 2016
Are Meal Kits Really That Much More Expensive Than Groceries?
(Image credit: Kelli Foster) From The Kitchn → Meal Kits vs. Groceries: A Dollar-to-Dollar Investigation
Apr 15, 2016
An “Unexpected and Confident” Oakland Loft
Project by: Jacqueline Palmer Location: Oakland, California With exposed beams, a spiral staircase and 1,200 square feet Jacqueline had a pretty fantastic starting point. She was able to mix really well chosen pieces of different styles to create a home that is welcoming and stylish.
Apr 14, 2016
From Lost Socks to Dirty Dishwashers: DIY Solutions for Problems We’ve All Got
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had shampoo explode in your luggage. Or if you’ve ever had a really unnecessary spat with your spouse about loading dirty dishes into a clean dishwasher. See? These things are totally universal problems that we all face. And that means, yes, somebody’s already thought of the perfect solution. Solution: This case from Lovely Indeed, made from a Tic Tac container.
Apr 14, 2016
The Kitchn Recipe: Fermented Asparagus Pickles
(Image credit: Quentin Bacon) From The Kitchn → How To Make Fermented Asparagus Pickles
Apr 14, 2016
10 Weird Items You Should Put in Your Fridge
If I were ever to receive a visit from a Victorian-era time traveler, the first thing I’d show them is the refrigerator. It’s a modern miracle that we can keep milk from turning for nearly a month, but what you might not know is that your fridge and freezer can do so much more. If you have the room to spare, try dropping a few of these non-food items in your fridge or freezer.
Apr 14, 2016
Masterful Mixing: Real Rooms that Ace Multiple Wood Finishes
Mixing wood tones is rightfully considered a design challenge, but it really can be done beautifully. Use this post as a visual guide to examples of spaces where different wood finishes look spectacular together. Jump below to see rooms that absolutely ace the look… Rich furniture tones that match each other work well with a lighter color wood floor.
Apr 14, 2016
Before & After: Historic Hallway Update
Christina had been pretty faithful to the character of her old Victorian home while adding her own style. There was a lot going on in the original hallway and she made some smart design choices to transform the space without losing a sense of the home’s charm. From Christina: One of the last pieces of our fixer upper 1902 Victorian was our hallway and entry. We have worked hard to preserve the original wood floors, structure, and character (original copper hardware!) in this space.
Apr 14, 2016
10 Smart Tips to Help You Drink More Water
Staying well-hydrated gives you energy, promotes healthy weight, and helps clear your complexion. So why is it so hard to stay on track?
Apr 14, 2016
Get it Right: Real Life Examples of Well-Hung Light Fixtures
It can be hard to know whether you should center a hanging fixture in the room or over a piece of furniture. And of course, knowing how low it should hang is key. In this post: 12 bold rooms—bedrooms, living rooms and more—that are winning at the whole hanging light fixture thing.
Apr 13, 2016
Get the Look: Mix and Matching in the Dining Room
I’m such a big fan of eclectic style—which is really just a nicer way of saying mixing things up. I mean, who can just pick one style anyway? Pulling together an eclectic look comes naturally to some but can be tricky for others. The dining room is a great space to start mixing things up because there are so many different elements layered in one look, and you can really have some fun with the dynamic between the table and the chairs.
Apr 13, 2016
How To Make Perfectly Crumbly & Cakey Homemade Apricot Newtons
(Image credit: Maria Siriano) From The Kitchn → Recipe: Homemade Apricot Newtons
Apr 13, 2016
Little Life Savers: Clever IKEA Hacks for Small Spaces
We love good IKEA hacks and even more so when they solve small space problems.
Apr 13, 2016
7 Ways to Upgrade IKEA Picture Frames
Want to give those plain old IKEA frames a little extra bit of pizazz? Of course you do! Here are seven creative (and very inexpensive!) ways to dress them up using paint, tape, and a variety of creative techniques. Above: All it takes is a little spray paint to add gold corners, and a little touch of glam, to a RIBBA frame. DIY from Repolished.
Apr 13, 2016
Before & After: A “Generic Hardware Store” Kitchen Sizes Down & Opens Up
Oh, Scandinavian design. It truly is a small space inspiration. After Eric saw it first hand he came back revitalized and ready to rennovate. From Eric: I bought a small condo in 2001 when I was a student. I was a single dad and going back to university was a crazy move. But it was cheaper to buy than to rent so I went for it. When I walked into this 1923 building that had just been turned into condominiums, I thought “what is this place…?
Apr 13, 2016
Keep Your Hands off These 10 Items in Someone Else’s Home
When I’m a guest in someone’s home, I always follow a specific rule. Unless I ask or am invited to mess with these 10 things, they always stay off-limits.
Apr 13, 2016
How To Disinfect That Dish Brush
(Image credit: Erika Tracy) From The Kitchn → How To Clean and Disinfect a Dish Brush
Apr 13, 2016
A How-To For Homemade Herbal Baby Powder
(Image credit: Quentin Bacon) From The Kitchn → An Easy Recipe for Homemade Herbal Baby Powder
Apr 12, 2016
Is It My Imagination, Or Is My Rent Really High?
If the concept of rent being no more than 30% of your take-home (after tax) pay seems about as realistic as purple unicorns, you might be wondering why rent is so high anyway. In 2015, 11.8 million U.S. households spent half or more of their income on rent, and this figure is projected to increase, according to the Enterprise Resource Center and the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.
Apr 12, 2016
Before & After: Super Smart Storage Makeover
It is so easy to fall into our home routines. In no time our placeholder basket becomes our throw-everything-here-I-promise-I’ll-get-to-it-later basket. Jane got herself out a storage rut with some simple and smart choices. From Jane: One of my favorite unexpected parts of the IKEA Home Tour renovation was my entryway! Unexpected because I didn’t think there was a solution for my small nonexistent entryway that was a complete mess.
Apr 12, 2016
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Prize: A Custom Gallery Wall Total Value: $1000 From: Framebridge Have a few… or a hundred frame-worthy photos saved on your phone? Yeah, us too. From maps and vintage photographs to art prints and Instagrams, we’re all guilty of saving things that should already be hung on our walls. Framebridge is the simplest way to get great custom frames at a seriously reasonable price.
Apr 12, 2016
Upgrade Kitchen Cabinets with This Easy Painted Pattern
Not everyone has the DIY skills (or energy or time) to paint elaborate patterns. Thankfully there’s a paint pattern trending, and it’s easy to do, can be done in any color, and helps both beautify and conceal.
Apr 12, 2016
30 Recipes Every 30 Year Old Should Master
(Image credit: Leela Cyd) From The Kitchn → 30 Recipes You Should Know By the Age of 30
Apr 12, 2016
Real Life Design: Homes with Serious Mid-Century Style
Whether you lived through it (and loved it) the first time around or fell in love with it when Mad Men brought it back, the truth is that mid-century modern design elements have transcended trend and become a classic look that many people use in their decor, in doses big and small. This post isn’t about mixing in MCM details with your existing decor to achieve an eclectic look.
Apr 11, 2016
Are You Roasting Your Radishes? You Should Be
(Image credit: Faith Durand) From The Kitchn → Roasted Radishes Are the Vegetable That’s Missing from Your Life
Apr 11, 2016
Small Space Expanding Ideas to Steal from a 300-Square-Foot Studio
It’s almost unbelievable that this studio apartment is only 300 square feet; it looks so much bigger. You can tell this is a home that feels airy—not cluttered in the slightest. Even more impressive? Two people live here. Here’s the scoop on why this small space does such a good job of looking spacious… First of all, Joe and Keith’s Oakland apartment has tall ceilings and massive windows that let lots of natural light in.
Apr 11, 2016
9 Ways to Add a Little Color to Unexpected Places
Nothing perks up a home faster than a little color — and some of the most fun spots to add color are the ones you’d least expect. These nine painting projects will definitely put a smile on your face.
Apr 11, 2016