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2016
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The Latest: Aug 2016

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A Creatively Curated Portland Apartment With A Stunning View
Name: Monica Location: Cathedral Park — Portland, Oregon My husband and I relocated to Portland this past April from Los Angeles. We’re both from the midwest, and we love the way this city combines all of our favorite aspects of home (family friendliness, slower pace lifestyle, nature, trees, water, swim holes) with everything we loved about living in L.A. (great art, culture, work, amazing food).
Nora Taylor
Aug 18, 2016
Before & After: A Tropical Meets Mid-Century Living Room Redo
Andrew Deming and Rachel Gant of YIELD Design Co. transform a drab 1950s living room into a bright and fresh sanctuary, incorporating their mix of modern and vintage design. The difference is astounding, and truly brings this midcentury home to its fullest potential. “When we bought our house last year, the living room was one of the worst spaces.
Selena Kirchhoff
Aug 18, 2016
15 Surprising Stores Where Students and Teachers Can Score Major Discounts
Most students and teachers can’t help but feel a little sad about the end of summer, at least until it’s time for back-to-school shopping. There’s something thrilling about starting a new school year and taking the opportunity to refresh your life a little. But loading up on new clothes, decor, technology and school supplies can get a little pricey. Actually, really pricey. The good news: Many retailers offer discounts for students and teachers with valid school IDs or .
Jacqueline DeMarco
Aug 18, 2016
Before & After: Adding Some Pretty to the Pantry
Ash was about to put his house on the market, so he took a second look at his kitchen and came up with an ingenious and sophisticated idea for sprucing up his pretty blah pantry situation. From Ash: Simply stated, our pantry was an eyesore. It was a little nook of shelves with old curtains pulled to each side. We were going to put our house on the market soon, and in looking at the competition, we kept seeing very similar houses with beautiful kitchens.
Nora Taylor
Aug 18, 2016
Partner
Your Dream Home Is Officially Real
Home ownership is a goal for many, but when you start listing all the steps involved in transitioning from a rental, maybe renting looks more attractive. But before you give up the dream, get to know Beazer Homes. The company has streamlined the home-ownership process, offering both quick move-in homes and the opportunity for total personalization. Finding your new home should be enjoyable and empowering; by helping you with all the nuts and bolts along the way, Beazer helps keep it that way.
Sponsored Post
Aug 18, 2016
How Common is Your Birthday? This Infographic Will Show You
The Birthday Problem paradox suggests that if you put 23 people into a room, there’s a 50 percent chance that two of them share the same birthday (and that probability jumps to 99 percent chance with just 60 people). The math is based on the assumption that every date out of the 365 days a year is equally likely for a birthday, but apparently that theory is way off.
Taryn Williford
Aug 17, 2016
20 Super Salads for A Packable Power Lunch
(Image credit: Faith Durand) From Kitchn → 20 Salads Worth Packing for Lunch
Apartment Therapy
Aug 17, 2016
Simplicity Meets Parenthood in an Urban-Country UK Bungalow
Name: Ben and Viv Yapp, and their two little sons Covey and Arlo Location: Bristol, UK Size: 1,450 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1.5 years Having been in London for over 10 years, my husband and I finally decided to leave our little flat and moved to the countryside in Bristol.
Viv Yapp
Aug 17, 2016
Where Vintage Reigns Supreme: The Eclectic Office of Dallas’ Flea Style
New does not always trump old. In fact, at Flea Style in Dallas, Texas, it never does. Come take a peek inside owner Brittany Cobb’s warm and inviting office full of well-loved treasures. Name: Brittany Cobb of Flea Style Location: Dallas, Texas Out with the new and in with the old! The transposed popular saying is the core of Brittany Cobb’s Flea Style. Brittany’s childhood was in many ways spent as a business tutorial and foreshadowing of what was to come.
Hannah Toles
Aug 17, 2016
Before & After: Making Over a Mantelpiece
Marisa’s living room was feeling a little dark and dated. She knew the carpet had to go and had her ideal fireplace mantel in mind. With a few trips to the tile store and some help from her dad, Marisa was able to make her mantel dreams come true. From Marisa: When we first moved into our ranch-style home, between the old brown carpet and the dingy brick wall, the open concept layout felt dark and small. While some people love the rustic brick wall, I knew that it wasn’t for me!
Nora Taylor
Aug 17, 2016
7 Reasons It’s Not Too Late for a Summer Vacation
Summer is slowly coming to an end, which means it’s time to get serious about crossing things off your summer bucket list. If you haven’t already taken a summer vacation, make that a top priority. Yes, sunshine-drenched days at the beach and lounging by the pool sipping margaritas are limited, but there’s still plenty of time to plan an epic end-of-summer getaway. Here are seven reasons why now is actually the perfect time to indulge in a delicious summer vacation.
Jessica Estrada
Aug 17, 2016
How to Handle the Bedroom Chair Pile-Up For Good: 5 No-Hanger, No-Fold Options for Casual Clothes Storage
Here are five of our favorite no-hanger, no-fold options for casual clothes storage.
Carrie Bluth
Aug 16, 2016
A Paris Apartment “Full of Joy and Ideas”
Name: Lili & Dwayne Location: Paris, France Dwayne (my husband) and I live in a one bedroom apartment in the North East of Paris, by the park Les Buttes Chaumont. I met Dwayne in New York when I was an intern at the Metropolitan Opera. We lived in Los Angeles together and got married in Lyon, where I still had my student apartment. We are both creatives working in the film industry and last year we decided to live in Paris.
Nora Taylor
Aug 16, 2016
There’s Something Peculiar About This Time of Year, and We’re Here to Walk You Through It
Wondering why birthdays and babies always seem to reach a fever pitch as summer turns to fall? According to data collected by the New York Times, September 16th is the most popular birthday for babies born between 1973 and 1999. Actually, all 10 of the top 10 birthdays fall in September. And August isn’t too far behind in the rankings. → See all the birth date data: How Common is Your Birthday? Why? Your guess is as good as mine.
Taryn Williford
Aug 16, 2016
10 Double-Duty Must-Haves for a Super Organized (and Efficient) Entryway
The foyer is possibly the highest traffic area of your house (that is, if you’re lucky enough to have an actual entryway.) It’s the landing strip for your jacket, bag, shoes, keys, mail, and where you stash anything else you’ll need out in the world. All of this is happening in probably one of the smallest spaces in your home, so you’ll need components that perform double—or even triple and quadruple—duty, like these 10 do to take control of this drop zone.
Tess Wilson
Aug 16, 2016
A Chapel Hill Charmer
Name: Abby & Chris Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina These pictures are from the first home my husband Chris and I shared together in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in a really pretty neighborhood called Glen Lennox. The homes were built in the 1950s, and they are little one story red brick units with lots of beautiful old oak trees and wonderful walking paths. Our unit had a lot of charming old features (beautiful hardwood floors! adorable tiny stove!
Nora Taylor
Aug 15, 2016
5 Plans for Efficiently Organizing Your Home’s Most Cluttered Spot
When it comes to a design-savvy home, a proper entryway is key—pun intended!—to staying organized and prepared to leave the house every day. If you’re lucky enough to have a formal foyer at home, by all means, go buy yourself an entry table or storage bench and bask in all of your front door glory. But if you’re like the rest of us—working with a tight corner or narrow hallway in place of an actual entrance—staying coordinated can be a bit more trying.
Caroline Biggs
Aug 15, 2016
Before & After: Realizing a New Room’s Potential
We’ve been seeing so much really great, eye-catching wallpaper in recent years, that it’s become easy to forget why it had such a bad rap not that long ago. Luckily, Laurène’s pre-trend wallpapered living room is here to remind us. With a super simple paint job and some excellent furniture selection, Laurène was able to maximize the natural light in her space to create a cozy living room/dining area.
Nora Taylor
Aug 15, 2016
Studio Apartments That Don’t Feel like Studios at All (And How They Can Make Your Small Space Better)
Studio living comes with a lot of perks, like saving money on rent and living closer to a city’s urban action. But it comes at a price, too—mainly having to sleep, eat, work and exist, all in one room. Those who use design wisely, however, can manage to make a studio feel…less studio-ish. Here are five studio apartments that do just that—and how they pulled it off.
Adrienne Breaux
Aug 14, 2016
Before & After: A Dated Victorian Living Room Gets a Bright, Elegant Update
Some thought Christina, who runs the blog Christina’s Adventures, was taking on a bit too much when she decided to buy and restore a 1902 Victorian house in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with her husband. Not only was it quite dated and run-down, but they had a very young kid and another on the way! But Christina saw the potential in this house’s bones, and her restoration has created a modern, bright home with a family-friendly, farmhouse feel.
Adrienne Breaux
Aug 13, 2016
A “Tactile and Cozy” Updated Victorian
Name: Anna Location: Tonbridge —Kent, United Kingdom We bought our home four years ago and since then have spent ages totally remodeling it, taking it from dated and chintzy to colourful and modern! The overall building is Victorian and was converted in the 1970s from one large house into a well proportioned front half and a higgledy piggledy back half (which used to be the servants quarters) and which become our home.
Nora Taylor
Aug 12, 2016
Before & After: A Big Change for a Little Bathroom
When we moved into our little 1950’s fixer-upper 2 years ago (you might remember previous progress reports on the kitchen and living room), I thought there was no way I could possibly wash in that grimy, cramped and dysfunctional bathroom. It had no shower, the loudest toilet flush on the planet and extremely temperamental hot water. But we ran out of cash and so it turned out I could live with it. For a really long time.
Lizzie Ford
Aug 12, 2016
10 Tips For Your Best Staycation Ever
(Image credit: Hayley Kessner) From Kitchn → 10 Ways to Make a Staycation Your Best Vacation Ever
Apartment Therapy
Aug 12, 2016
A Perfectly Put Together Prague Apartment
Name: Josef Location: Vrsovice — Prague, Czech Republic Josef, a 34 year old, Czech media professional, purchased this apartment in the hip Prague neighborhood of Vrsovice in 2009 and did little to no renovation, so last year he asked his friend Daniele, a 34 year old Italian interior designer, to help revamp the entire apartment. With a small budget available, they tried to save money on builders and did most of the work themselves apart from electric and plumbing.
Nora Taylor
Aug 11, 2016
Before & After: A Dated Kitchen Gets a Delightful Farmhouse Style Look
Christina of the blog Christina’s Adventures had quite the task before her when it came to tackling this historic Victorian home. Though it’s clear Christina is pleased with how the entire home turned out, the kitchen’s makeover—that they took on themselves!—is her proudest DIY. From Christina: “It was the worst room in the house before, and we transformed it into our favorite room in the whole house!
Adrienne Breaux
Aug 11, 2016
How Artists Live: Incredibly Creative Homes Like Nothing You’ve Seen Before
Some artists make art not just of their canvases, but their entire homes. Today we’re taking a look at 3 incredibly creative homes of artists and designers, which will have you seeing your whole space in a completely different light.
Nancy Mitchell
Aug 10, 2016
Before & After: A Funky Family Bathroom
Lesley took a pretty major bathroom problem and turned it into a wonderful design opportunity. She set about putting the “do” back “mildew” (sorry) and ended up with a gorgeous new bathroom! From Lesley: This is a small family bathroom in our 1950s ranch home. It was pretty dated when we moved in but functional…until the floor started rotting and growing mildew, that is.
Nora Taylor
Aug 10, 2016
A Look Inside Two Beautiful Brazilian Homes
The 2016 summer Olympics were held in Brazil, which for a select few meant traveling to see the games and experience the beauty of that gorgeous tropical country. If you didn’t get to go, through the magic of the internet you can still get a glimpse by taking a virtual tour of these beautiful (and luxurious) homes that blur the lines between indoors and out. Above: A Brutalist masterpiece in São Paulo, the work of Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha.
Nancy Mitchell
Aug 9, 2016
Nordic Inspiration Meets Modernism In a Gorgeous Barcelona Home
Minimal, modern style, a stunning must-see green kitchen, beautiful patterned tile and one cute kid.
Alicia Macias
Aug 9, 2016
Be Bold: Tips for Successfully Incorporating a Kaleidoscope of Colors Into Your Home
Sticking to a limited color palette isn’t the only way to design a home that looks inviting and pulled together. Caroline and Jayden are the colorful couple who live in the cozy Atwater Village home shown here an they saw absolutely no hue limitations when they designed their place.
Jessica Isaac
Aug 9, 2016
Keep Cool With These 10 Trader Joe’s Items Perfect for No-Cook Dinners
(Image credit: Bag: Courtesy of Trader Joe’s) From Kitchn → 10 Things I Buy from Trader Joe’s for No-Cook Dinners
Apartment Therapy
Aug 9, 2016
Before & After: Vintage Tile Is Spared in a Modern Bathroom Makeover
When Alyssa and her husband moved in to their Echo Park home seven years ago, they were happy to see a lot of the original details from the 1940s bungalow intact, like this blue tile in the bathroom. Though the tile was charming, the rest of the bathroom was dark and gloomy. Alyssa was able to give the space a whole new modern look with a just few small changes—and keep the charming vintage tile!
Jessica Isaac
Aug 8, 2016
Before & After: Getting a Living Room Just Right
Dana took her time to truly make her living room reflect the personalities of the folks living there and make the most of a kind of funky layout. From Dana: After years of tweaking, rearranging, shuffling chairs, plants and window treatments, I can honestly say that I’m thrilled with where we’ve landed in our living room. While the kitchen is usually the center of the home figuratively, this living room is literally the center of ours.
Nora Taylor
Aug 8, 2016
Why We Love Picnics
(Image credit: [Stone] Tanglewood picnickers circa 1947. Photo by Erika Stone.) From Kitchn → Our Love Affair with Picnics — The Moveable Feast
Apartment Therapy
Aug 8, 2016
This Small, Dark-Walled Studio Apartment is Proof that Rules are Made to Be Broken
When decorating a small space, the conventional wisdom is to use light colors to make the space seem as large as possible. But when your small space has high ceilings and great lighting, sometimes you can get away with breaking a few rules — and create a studio apartment with all the style of a much larger home. This Swedish — of course it’s Swedish — studio has a separate kitchen, and a rather large, high-ceilinged space that serves as both the living room and bedroom.
Nancy Mitchell
Aug 7, 2016
Before & After: Beautifying a Beat Up $5 Furniture Find
Kristine purchased this beat up bad boy for $5 knowing she could make something out of the mid-century style. After some serious blood, sweat and tears it is now a gorgeous patterned side board. From Kristine: I started with this crappy old sideboard which I picked up for just $5… I bought this baby “site unseen” (after a friend sent me a photo) because I loved the clean mid-century lines and generous proportions. I also really liked the fact it looked so disheveled.
Nora Taylor
Aug 6, 2016
9 Cheap Ways to Make Your Home Better This Weekend
The Kitchn Editors
Aug 5, 2016
Before & After: A Drab Master Bath Turned Modern Retreat
Amanda and Mike’s master bathroom was anything but masterful. When they decided to renovate it, they completely gutted the space from floor to ceiling, moved the toilet so they could fit a luxurious, giant shower and updated the fixtures and surfaces to include elements like marble tiles. The result is a bright modern retreat.
Marisa Vitale
Aug 5, 2016
5 Shibori Tutorials to Try Out This Summer
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From Kitchn → 5 DIY Tutorials to Get into Shibori
Apartment Therapy
Aug 5, 2016
Tiny Kitchen Inspo From This Perfect Swedish Kitchen
(Image credit: Husman Hagberg) From Kitchn → 5 Ideas to Steal from This Tiny Stockholm Kitchen
Apartment Therapy
Aug 4, 2016
Before & After: A Painted Leather Sofa Surprise
I’ve been on the hunt for an affordable brown leather sofa for a while now, and had just about given up when this one turned up on Craigslist. It wasn’t the color I wanted. I was hoping for something a little less Manhattan and a little more Marfa, but for 50 bucks, I figured I could experiment with changing the color. Can you paint a leather sofa? I did! And I’m in love with the results. Let’s take a closer look… And another close up.
Katie Steuernagle
Aug 3, 2016
4 Reasons You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, and How to Fix It
(Image credit: Adrienne Breaux) From Kitchn → Why You Don’t Feel Like Cooking Tonight, and How to Fix It
Apartment Therapy
Aug 3, 2016
Before & After: A Charming DIY Kitchen Update for Under $5k
Inspired by the gray skies of the Pacific Northwest, Nila and her husband Henryk, DIYd their way to a charming, English cottage inspired kitchen. From Nila: As newly graduated Florida transplants to the Pacific Northwest, our money didn’t stretch as far as we had hoped. We purchased a small home, which we’ve named Corner Cottage, because it is a corner house in a fun part of the city with many shops, restaurants and farmers market all within walking distance.
Nora Taylor
Aug 3, 2016
Smart Upgrades That Make Loft Beds Much More Livable
If you’re short on space, lofting your bed is one of the best ways to magically gain square footage. However, sleeping in the sky is not without its challenges—I’m looking at you, late-night ladder navigation. Here are 14 ways to make your loft bed dreamy. The built-in cubby smartly stores extra pillows and blankets—and books, if you’re me. The addition of a bedside outlet is so helpful, allowing for a phone charger, radio, fan, and more.
Tess Wilson
Aug 3, 2016
A Bright, Light & Carefully Crafted Home & Art Studio
Name: Ashley Mary Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Hello! My name is Ashley Mary of @ashleymaryart. I’m a freelance abstract painter and illustrator. I live and work out of a small, older apartment in Minneapolis with white built-ins that is charming as all get-out. I’m a frugal SOB so I pride myself on a finding unique and affordable decor that feels custom to my story and flavor. I want a space to feel above all bright, white and light so I can make colorful/crazy art.
Nora Taylor
Aug 2, 2016
This Is How Much Time I Actually Spend On Housework in a Week
Since moving out to the prairie a few years ago, I’ve had a hard time finding full-time employment. I have, however, taken over our family’s housework almost completely (I do not mow). It seems to take forever because housework is boring, but truthfully, I have no idea how much actual time I contribute to the household each week. So, I decided to find out once and for all how much time I actually spend cooking and cleaning.
Tess Wilson
Aug 2, 2016
Partner
Love Thy Floors: How to Keep Your Hardwood Happy and Healthy
From scooting chairs to high-heeled traffic, having hardwood floors can often mean living in fear of scratches. The truth? Scratches happen. That said, you can keep them to the minimum by switching from defense to offense. We teamed up with Bona® — the final word on cleaning and protecting hardwood floors — to share the only tips you need to keep your boards armored against nicks and knocks. Start outside. No, we’re not telling you to sweep your sidewalk.
Sponsored Post
Aug 2, 2016
11 Delightful & Delicious Hostess Gifts That Won’t Break The Bank
(Image credit: Beekman 1802) From Kitchn → 11 Edible Summer Hostess Gifts Under $30
Apartment Therapy
Aug 2, 2016