Apartment Therapy Archive: Sep 2016

Name: August & Sara Location: Middlebury, Vermont August and Sara are college seniors who make urban-chic living in the cozy, rural town of Middlebury, Vermont look easy. Nestled in Champlain Valley between the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks, Middlebury College is home to quintessential New England scenery — thousands travel north to admire the spectacular fall foliage each year.

Oh, how I love a good clutch! I have a vintage collection given to me by a friend over the past decade and 50¢ thrift store favorites that I don’t have to worry about treating too gently. So, you’d think I wouldn’t need every single one of these DIY confetti-filled, fringed, tasseled, and pom pom-ed clutches… but I definitely do.

When I wrote recently about How Much Time I Actually Spend Doing Housework, I mentioned offhand that my partner and I operate under the made-up Same Amount Of Free Time System for Division of Labor & Harmonious Living. It’s just one way that we balance our very different schedules along with the demands of taking care of a home. A few commenters asked me to explain how this works—and how it could work for them.

Say what you will about selfies—some people love them, some hate them, and some think they’re an important part of self-care. People have been taking pictures of themselves long before the word “selfie” was added to the dictionary in 2013, and I’m not just talking about the dark days of grainy, over-contrasted, poorly angled Myspace selfies.

Getting together with friends shouldn’t be a fussy affair. If all you have the time and energy to do is send out an email, then offer to host a potluck dinner at your place and get the gang together for a night. Being the potluck host doesn’t let you off the hook completely, but it’s a heck of a lot easier than cooking for a crowd. The first step to a potluck is sending out the (informal) invitations. And the modern way to do that is online.

Name: Jan-Nicolas and Vincent Location: Plateau Mont-Royal — Montréal, Canada Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years As soon as you enter, Jan-Nicolas and Vincent’s home can’t help but leave an impression. The staircase leading up to their third-story flat is painted a bright, happy yellow. This is the first of many elements that bring a warmth and vitality to their 1000 square foot home.

Amanda’s cramped main bathroom was in desperate need of two things: light and space. After patiently waiting for two years, she got to work and created a bright & stylish space. From Amanda: We bought our 1925 Sears Kit home in December of 2014 and have slowly been renovating room by room. We started with the rooms that were deemed “unlivable” by us and let the rest stay as they were. Our upstairs bathroom was one of the rooms we learned to live with for almost two years.

Do you have a love/hate thing with your window A/C unit? Love overfloweth when it’s hell hot in the summer, and then the hate kicks in during winter when it’s nothing but an ugly appliance that lets in cold air. Let yourself get excited when it’s finally time to either: a) remove it from the window entirely; or b) cover that baby and forget about it for awhile. Store or Insulate Your Window Unit: The gaps around air conditioner units cause major energy loss.

When we toured Liz and Josh’s Bohemian Santa Clarita house, it seemed they knew a thing or two about maintaining a balanced life. The energetic couple has built a flourishing family home and successful well-being business while remaining totally chill in the process (seriously, you just want to be friends with them). Their local shop Mascot Aesthetic shares that spiritual-Bohemian ambiance that their house wears so well.

It’s a universally acknowledged truth that babies are cute. Babies in costumes, however, are often so adorable that you just can’t contain yourself. Earlier this year, we collectively squeed over Laura Izumikawa’s sleeping kid who rocks new looks while napping. Now multiply the cute factor by three. The House That Lars Built has been dressing up the 6-month-old triplets of Ali Hynek, founder of bag company Nena & Co and sharing them on Instagram.

(Image credit: Zolssa) shutterstock From Kitchn → What Tea (Yes, Tea!) Taught Me About Love

Anna and Justin’s Boston Victorian home is filled with treasures from the 20th Century, and the juxtaposition is charming as hell. They have amazing Craigslist luck, but if you don’t, now you can shop the style! Candleholder — Similar: Y Living Basket — Similar: Crate & Barrel Rug — Overstock.com Loveseat — Similar: Joybird Blanket — Similar: Overstock.com Wall Hanging — Similar: Overstock.

Tomorrow is the first day of October, and it’s officially time to start thinking about Halloween. If you’re at a loss as to what you’ll be wearing on the spookiest day of the year, Pinterest has plenty of ideas. Here’s what’s trending for this year’s costumes: Everybody loves tacos (and pizza, and cereal). Show your love of food by dressing like it (or even dressing like your favorite dressing).

We’re back with the final portion of style blogger and author Anuschka Rees’ 3-Step Wardrobe Workout (don’t miss step one or two!). And now for the fun part…shopping! Anuschka shares her smart strategies for adding clothes to your closet that you’ll love and actually want to wear. The stage’s all yours, Anuschka: Quick: On a scale of one to 10, how successful are your purchasing decisions? Do you usually love what you buy and wear it for years to come?

Nothing beats the real deal, but when your wallet hasn’t quite caught up to your great taste, there are ways to get the look without going ridiculously over budget. Lookalikes abound, but not everyone is in the “ok with it” camp. For those who are, we offer up the following scenario: The second you win the lotto, you’ll be on board to pony up for the originals, but until that day comes, we might find you lounging on these knock-offs of classic beauties.

(Image credit: Kelli Foster) From Kitchn → 15 Things to Do with All the Apples You’ll Pick This Fall

There are lots of reasons why you might have a too-big or too-bulky piece of furniture in your home. Perhaps it’s an inherited piece you can’t part with. Maybe you need a large piece of furniture for storage. Whatever the case, you don’t have to live with a heavy piece of furniture visually weighing down a room.

Name: Milgy Location: Kochi, Kerala, India This is our home in Kochi, a city in the southern state of Kerala in India. It’s a 1650 square foot newly built apartment. After living in rentals for 11 years, this is the first home we have owned. We love the plentiful light, breeze and sweeping views of the city from the 23rd floor.

Rugs can be shockingly expensive, which makes them a prime candidate for DIYing. If you’re looking for ways to cover your floors in style, without spending a ton of cash, you’re in luck because we’ve rounded up 13 DIY rug projects to suit any decor style. But first: Not sure what your home decor style even is? Take our quiz to find out, and then explore your design personality!

(Image credit: Leela Cyd) From Kitchn → I Tried Eating Lunch Away from My Desk and This Is What Happened

Kendra transformed the ultra-narrow vintage blue bathroom in her South Philly home earlier this year.

Name: Jarret Yoshida Location: Gramercy Park — New York City Size: 600 square feet Jarret had lived in Hong Kong for years when he relocated to a studio apartment near Gramercy Park in Manhattan. An interior designer by trade, he’s inspired by his travels and “the serene essence of contemporary Asian design.” His studio’s color palette is lilac, brown and gray, with metallic accents and a modern sensibility.

You’ve heard the adage: Time is money. But there is no situation where it holds more true than at the grocery store. The Food Marketing Institute estimates that the average shopping trip should take no longer than 30 minutes—and every minute a shopper spends inside the store after the first half hour will cause them to spend around 55¢ to $1 more. So if your end goal is to cut your grocery budget, your first step might actually be to try and cut down your shopping time.

Rooftop weddings are all the rage – and for good reason. Having a rooftop wedding really does take the celebration to a whole new level. What could be cooler than saying “I do” against the skyline of a city special to your hearts? With unforgettable views, photo opps, and plenty of personality, these weddings illustrate why rooftop weddings are truly the tops. All puns aside, there’s something about a rooftop wedding that inspires a refreshing design approach.

As a writer and photographer for Apartment Therapy, Emily Billings knows that readers look to House Tours for inspiration. She was kind enough to provide a glimpse into her Boston apartment—where she lives with her partner Max— and also provides links to most of the items in her beautiful home. Check them out below.

While one-of-a-kind, wood-burning fireplaces bring undeniable warmth to a room, fake fireplaces can bring just as much ambiance – just in different ways. Of course, some faux fireplaces are downright drab, but with the proper DIY skills, the mantel can become the stand-out piece of your living room.

This week, the Wall Street Journal wrote a great piece about classic books we haven’t read, and how to get over the guilt. In it, there’s a poll asking people if they’ve read Pride & Prejudice and, as of this writing, 53% of respondents had not. As someone who’s devoured it and multiple iterations of it at least a dozen times, I audibly gasped.

From Apartment Therapy → Get Off the Internet!

Name: Allison Crawford and pup Pierre Location: Downtown — Austin, Texas Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: Renting 1 month Interior designer Allison Crawford hasn’t been living in this downtown Austin apartment very long, but her style (and the skills to put together so many eclectic pieces) is evident from the very first glimpse of her colorful, vintage-filled home. My Style: My style is vintage eclectic.

Every season has an “it” fashion item. This past summer, it was off-the-shoulder tops. This fall, though, it’s bomber jackets and KanYeezus may very well be to blame for this throwback trend (or so he claims—there’s a first.) We curated 20 of our favorites to help you look da bomb dot com (see what we did there?).

Fall is here and it’s time to get your nest ready! We’ve partnered up with a few of our favorite companies to give you the chance to make your space sparkle. Check out the fabulous prize package below and don’t forget to enter for your chance to win! Prize Includes: $2,500 DesignWithinReach Furniture Gift Certificate Sonos Boost and Playbar Speakers Sony 55″ 4K Ultra HD TV 3-Month Wine Subscription from Wine Awesomeness Enter Here! No purchase necessary.

“Do these go together?” is one of those age-old design questions we never seem to stop asking ourselves. Whether we’re talking color, furniture—or the most mystifying of all, pattern—deciding whether two or more things mesh can be a struggle for us novice designers. To help guide our pattern mash-ups, we’re taking a look at seven rooms that get it right and uncovering the top reason why they work.

When Christina and her husband moved into their historic row home, they waisted no time (seriously, no time) getting to work on renovations. During that time their guest bedroom took a back seat to other spaces and became a storage area. When it came time to get around to the guest bedroom, however, Christina went full force on DIY projects, smart planning and beautiful design choices.

Project by: Luna Grey Interiors LLC Location: Brooklyn, New York Interior design clients come with their own wish-lists and set of challenges, but what happens when the home you’re designing is your own? That’s what interior designer Luna Grey found out when she and her partner decided to make the move to an up-and-coming neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Betsy and Manny bought this 1920s “Kit House” in Savannah after outgrowing their 400 square foot studio apartment in Brooklyn. They remodeled the whole home (while respecting the home’s architectural charm), but the kitchen’s outdated and dilapidated vibes had to go. They ripped the cabinets out, stripping the the kitchen down to the studs. The result is a gorgeous space that fits their personalities and the architecture of the home!

If you’re donning a Dali-inspired Lobster Costume this Halloween, then your sidekick should be something that brings out your best—that’s right—glorious butter. Painting a store-bought poncho makes this costume completely no-sew, and guarantees a perfect fit. Laid-back pooches, like our office dog Zuzu (above), won’t mind getting topped off with a silly butter pat hat. Combined, you two will make a delectable duo.

(Image credit: enSoie) From Kitchn → A Chic French Way to Drink Your Coffee

How good are you at “eyeballing” where art should hang on a wall? You can test your art eyeballing skills with this quiz (before you hammer any holes in your wall!). Below, decide whether the art hanging in the room is too high, too low or just right.

Does your morning routine always include a cup of coffee? What about a caffeine fix to perk you up during that inevitable mid-afternoon slump? How you brew your coffee says a lot about you, whether you’re an instant coffee aficionado or a Keurig connoisseur. Find your preferred brewing method below, and see how you match up… You like to take things slow, and that includes your coffee. Who needs an electric coffee pot when you can brew one very precise cup at a time?

Name: Maria Location: Skedsmokorset, Norway My husband, Roger, and I built this house and moved in three years ago, and we share it with our two young kids and a French Bulldog. Welcome to Scandi Week—Apartment Therapy’s seven-day focus on all-things Scandinavia (often defined as the countries of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway).

Turn a boring bubble bath into your most relaxing soak sesh ever with these tips to set the mood and de-stress.

Name: Natasha Location: Griffintown — Montréal, Canada Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: Owned one year Filled with an abundance of natural light that reflects beautifully on her brightly decorated space, Natasha’s 450 square foot condo feels like anything but the “little city shoebox” she describes it as. Her choice of white walls and light-toned furniture contrast the dark wood floors and cabinets, giving the space a crisp, classic appeal.

Is there anything better than a great conversation? Is there anything more frustrating than not being listened to? If your answer to both these questions is “no,” or if you’ve found that others get frustrated with you for not listening, read on for a ton of tips that will help your chats be far more fun, friendly, and productive.

Few things in the world of design are more polarizing than brightly colored bathroom tile. The bright pink (and yellow, and green, and blue) tile that was so popular in vintage bathrooms has been the curse of homeowners pretty much ever since. But lately, the pendulum has started to swing back in the opposite direction, and a few enterprising (or maybe just cash-strapped) remodelers have made the bold choice to update their bathroom but keep all that delicious tile.

You don’t have to have a green thumb to know that plants can make a world of difference in your decor, but they can do a lot more than just brighten up a dull, lifeless space. Even just a little extra green can have a huge impact on your attitude and your health, especially in your workspace. If you don’t already have a photosynthesizing friend on your desk, here’s why you need one.