The Latest
2016

The Latest: 2016

Welcome to the hub for accessing all our latest posts! Easily sort through content by date to quickly find what you’re looking for — you’ll never miss out on the latest updates here.
Partner
How to Put Your Home to Work This Summer
Have you ever let your cousin crash at your place for a weekend? Housed a friend for a couple days after a breakup? Given your parents a place to stay for the holidays so they feel more at home? If so, you’re ready to be an Airbnb host. And when you become an Airbnb host, the benefits go beyond the cash. Learning to market your home and welcome travelers will get you some unexpected gains. (And yes, some expected extra cash.
Sponsored Post
Jun 27, 2016
A Small, Solar-Powered House in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Name: Jody Location: Round Hill, Virginia We lived in a 3,500 square-foot house, and owned five other traditional American homes. One day, when looking over finances, we realized we were both working to support our home. The house owned us. At the same time, we’d been questioning our carbon footprint. I “blame” that on the Solar Decathlon.
Nora Taylor
Jun 25, 2016
A Well-Designed Chicago Loft
Name: Mollie Location: West Loop —Chicago, Illinois My husband, Dave, and I have lived in this space for a little over a year. Prior to moving in we did an entire gut rehab of the space. The condo was originally a factory that was later converted to residential condos (imagine maple cabinets and dark granite counter tops).
Nora Taylor
Jun 24, 2016
Art Power GIFS: See How Art Upgrades These Rooms
Many of us understand that adding art to a room can drastically alter its appearance. But there are so many ways you can use art to make a visual impact; making the decision on where to hang can be overwhelming. These room gifs represent common art-hanging questions—I’ve removed the artwork from the walls to show you just how powerful art can be when its used in the right place and at the optimum scale. Seeing is believing!
Adrienne Breaux
Jun 24, 2016
Honey, I Tore Down The House!
Name: Maxwell & Ursula Type of Home: Single-family home built in 1967 Square Footage: 1,800 (Before) Years Lived In: 18 You see that cute house up there? The one I’ve repaired, maintained, painted and decorated for nearly twenty years? I just ripped it down. Want to see? Keep reading… Starting with this post, I’m going to lead you through a year long odyssey that I’ve never been on before: the building of a new house.
Maxwell Ryan
Jun 24, 2016
Partner
Milestone Makeovers: Daniela’s Happily Messy Kitchen
Repainting cabinets can be a tricky, tedious task. You have to sand them and strip them. Then when you go to paint them, the application has to be consistent across the corners and ledges of their molding. Add to that the inevitable conclusion of two young kids with a bowl of spaghetti and the cleanup they imply. These were concerns for Daniela, a new mom in a new house. But then this was precisely why she wanted to refresh her kitchen: to create these new memories.
Sponsored Post
Jun 24, 2016
Meal Minimalism: Eating The Same Thing For Lunch Everyday
(Image credit: Samantha Bolton) From The Kitchn → Why I Eat the Same Thing for Lunch Every Day: Minimalist
Apartment Therapy
Jun 24, 2016
A “Tranquil and Simplified” Minnesota Home
Name: Victoria of Prospect Refuge Studio Location: Fulton Neighborhood —Minneapolis, Minnesota It’s been said that the house is “built like a ship” with a use for every space and nothing extra. This simple 1920s foursquare on the south end of Lake Harriet was ripe for a refresh when Minneapolis designer, and co-owner of Prospect Refuge Studio, bought it in 2014.
Nora Taylor
Jun 23, 2016
5 Soggy-Proof Salad Bases
(Image credit: Christine Han) From The Kitchn → SUNDAY NIGHT SALADS 5 Salad Bases That Last All Week in the Refrigerator
Apartment Therapy
Jun 23, 2016
The “Must Clean” Daily Routine: 5 Quick To-Dos to Keep Your Home Consistently Spic & Span
There’s no big secret to keeping an impeccable home. It just requires diligence. So we put together a five-part plan that targets the areas of your home most likely to collect dirt, grime and clutter. If this list is all you get to do in the day, consider it a major win, and know that you’re making the best of your homekeeping time. Nothing will take over your home faster. Nothing. First, go through today’s mail and shred or toss unneeded mail into trash or recyling bins.
Taryn Williford
Jun 23, 2016
A Tiny Stockholm Apartment Makes the Most of 400 Square Feet
400 square feet may not seem like a lot — but that’s reckoning without the ingenuity of Swedish design. Thanks to a simple but very smart floor plan, this diminutive Swedish apartment makes living small look positively luxurious. It’s located in Stockholm, and was once available for sale (but sadly is no longer) from brokerage firm Husman Hagberg.
Nancy Mitchell
Jun 23, 2016
Before & After: Carriage Seat Dreams
For anyone who is waiting on an elusive piece of dream furniture, let Robin’s carriage seat offer you some hope. She was able to turn her not-totally-perfect-but-close find into a gorgeous manifestation of her entryway bench dreams. From Robin: I have wanted a carriage seat as a house bench forever. Seriously. The one I scored at an auction was not the one I wished for, but it was close enough.
Nora Taylor
Jun 23, 2016
Growing Your Own Basil 101
(Image credit: Jayme Henderson) From The Kitchn → Everything You Need to Know About Growing Basil
Apartment Therapy
Jun 22, 2016
Sharing Is Caring in This Bold Nursery
Name: Max & Mia (2 years and 3 months) Location: Austin, Texas My son Maxwell’s black and white nursery was actually featured on Apartment Therapy when he was born in 2014. When I found out I was expecting another baby just 14 months later, I was excited to update the nursery to welcome our baby girl. We absolutely needed another bed or crib and a larger dresser to make room for two kiddos.
Nora Taylor
Jun 21, 2016
How To Size Up Vegetables Without A Scale
(Image credit: Samantha Bolton) From The Kitchn → Here’s What 1 Pound of Vegetables Looks Like
Apartment Therapy
Jun 21, 2016
Real Life Design: 3 Renters Who Made Lemonade Out of “Lemon” Rental Kitchens & Baths
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” The phrase has a contented history, but the expression boils down to this: lemons are harsh and sour – kind of like the dated rental kitchen you can’t stand to cook in – and lemonade is sweet – like these 3 real rooms that made the best of a bad situation.
Taryn Williford
Jun 21, 2016
Get the Look: A Fashion-Forward Interior Designer’s Own Home
Leirecent full tour of the home Dining table: Gregor Jenkin Benches: Similar – Parsons Bench at Target Bench cushions: custom made by Ashanti Sideboard: made by Recreate, Lei briefed them and they sourced an old sideboard for her which was then remade Glass lamp: @home Pendant lights: Hoi P’loy Rug: Alexander Joles Large pink painting: by Natasha Miller Gutman, who runs Tel Aviv Art Studio.
Janel Laban
Jun 21, 2016
Before & After: A Tiny Townhouse Bathroom Gets an Uptown Makeover
Risa’s bathroom update is such an impressive mix of super sensible (shout out to dark grout!) and totally gorgeous (those fixtures!) in a small space. From Risa: Our small townhouse bathroom (in Philadelphia) was the color of mucus. The kind you see when you have the flu. This bathroom was kind of like having the flu. It made you sick and achy all over just looking at it. No amount of elbow grease could get this thing looking clean.
Nora Taylor
Jun 21, 2016
How To Have Yourself A Slow-Cooked Summer
(Image credit: Diana Yen) From The Kitchn → Your Guide to Slow-Cooking During the Summer
Apartment Therapy
Jun 21, 2016
A “Cozy and Charismatic” Brooklyn Apartment
Name: Mia Location: Bed-Stuy — Brooklyn, New York I live with my boyfriend and our roommate in a charming two-bedroom brownstone in Bed-Stuy. It is a fairly tiny (700 square feet) home, but it is very cozy and charismatic. The boys are from Florida and comically obsessed with orange so that color can be found all over the apartment.
Nora Taylor
Jun 20, 2016
Before & After: A Beige Entryway Gets a Bold Blue “Town & Country Mod” Makeover
M. Pettipoole, an Omaha-based interior decorator, writes: “My clients… own a picturesque Cape Cod Colonial in an established Omaha neighborhood. [They] had already beautifully decorated the rest of their home in a traditional-with-a-twist style befitting the 1939 year of their house. She just wanted my help to make a statement in their entryway— where first impressions are made.” From M.
Adrienne Breaux
Jun 20, 2016
Cheers to the First Day of Summer!
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From The Kitchn → 14 Champagne Cocktails to Cheers the First Day of Summer
Apartment Therapy
Jun 20, 2016
23 Picnic Perfect French-Inspired Recipes
(Image credit: Dana Velden) From The Kitchn → 23 French-Inspired Recipes That You Can Pack for a Picnic
Apartment Therapy
Jun 20, 2016
Gina’s Custom Australian Home
Name: Gina Location: Canberra — Australian Capital Territory, Australia Located in the leafy suburb of Hughes, Canberra, Australia, our newly built architectural home uses contemporary black metal cladding and red brick to connect the house with the more traditional homes in the area. We originally bought the land nine years ago with a small white brick house on the block and made some renovations immediately to make the house liveable.
Nora Taylor
Jun 19, 2016
A First Time Homebuyer’s Fixer-Upper Bungalow
Name: Ana Location: Tacoma, Washington After a long house hunt last year, I bought my first home in early October. It is a 1921 fixer-upper craftsman with good bones that I bought in lieu of having the money to buy a “nicer” place. But after much elbow grease I now have the house I couldn’t afford! I am a special events designer by day and I run an online vintage shop by night. I think my space is unique as it is a showcases of my eclectic worldly style on a budget.
Nora Taylor
Jun 18, 2016
Summery Style: 9 DIY Rope Rug Projects to Try
While winter brings to mind ornate wool rugs and sturdy but plain salt- and snow-soaked doormats, summer rugs can be lighter and more playful. Buy and dye some dollar store clotheslines or recycle your old climbing ropes and get to knitting, crocheting, coiling, or just good old-fashioned gluing. This tutorial requires $16 worth of clothesline rope and some hardcore crochet skills, and the result is totally spa-worthy.
Tess Wilson
Jun 17, 2016
Mid-Year Rental Check-In: 9 Ways to Make Sure You’re Loving Your “Now” Home Enough
It’s time for a congratulatory toast. We’re halfway through the year! It’s a great time to take a style inventory, get some projects done and tackle a really important topic: Am I going to stay in this apartment? If you know you’re going to renew your lease into 2017 (So far away! That doesn’t even look like a real year, does it?), make sure your summer plans include tackling some updates to make your apartment into a home.
Taryn Williford
Jun 17, 2016
Before & After: A “Super Budget $7k Kitchen Remodel”
I am sharing our almost-completely DIY, super budget $7K kitchen remodel, which we started in September, and finally wrapped up just a couple weeks ago. The process was a lesson in patience, as we hated the kitchen upon buying our house, but waited about two and a half years before we had created a plan, emotionally recovered from the bathroom remodel (which was shared here a while back!), and saved up enough dollars.
Nora Taylor
Jun 17, 2016
Partner
Milestone Makeovers: Kathy’s Asthma-Friendly Home Office
Kathy and Peter recently left their 9-to-5 jobs to start a new business: a production company. Their home will become their office, so it needs to be at once a calming, productive space and a lively place to raise their 2.5-year-old daughter. In renovating her new home office, Kathy has to consider that she’ll be spending a lot of time in a space that can’t trigger her asthma.
Sponsored Post
Jun 17, 2016
A Woman, a Snowstorm & a Perfect Apartment
Name: Jess Location: Ravenswood — Chicago, Illinois When I moved to Chicago for a job I looked at a ton of apartments. I had a couple showings on a Sunday I was in town, but Chicago was hit with one of the worst snow storms that day and all the brokers canceled on me but one. I told him I really wanted to see the place and he said if I made my way up to the apartment from the Loop he would be there as well.
Nora Taylor
Jun 16, 2016
Why You Need These 4 Whisks
(Image credit: hchjjl/Shutterstock) From The Kitchn → Why 4 Whisks Are Better than 1
Apartment Therapy
Jun 16, 2016
Divide & Color: How To Use Paint to Separate Small Spaces
In tiny homes where a single room often serves multiple functions, color can separate a space into zones with different functions. If your bedroom is also your office and your living room is also your dining room, try using paint as a visual divider to section off areas—without sacrificing an inch of livable space.
Katie Holdefehr
Jun 16, 2016
A Serene Historic Home in Maine
Name: Danny Location: West End — Portland, Maine My wife and I live on the historic Deering Street in Portland, Maine. The building was built in the mid-1800s and our unit is around 950 square feet. We have 10 foot ceilings and black marble fireplaces in both the living room and bedroom. We recently moved from Wisconsin, where we lived in another mid-1800s home. In January, I started my own design studio and our apartment doubles as my workspace.
Nora Taylor
Jun 15, 2016
Get the Look: A Chic, Sophisticated, Book-Filled European Home
The super cute family above are Esther, Álvaro and Aníbal and they live in Valencia, Spain. They own a fashionable shop called Gnomo and have style to spare, as was proven in their recent house tour. We’ve pulled out some great shoppable photos from the tour, providing you with links to the smart mix of high and low products that fill their home.
Janel Laban
Jun 15, 2016
Space Savers: IKEA Hacks for Small Closets
Teeny tiny closet got you down? After you’ve winnowed your clothes down to the essentials with our Closet Cure (of course), check out these nine clever ways to use IKEA products to squeeze out a little extra storage in your closet. Above: A Grundtal rail and hooks squeeze out storage for a few extra pairs of shoes behind the door in this closet from Maria EMB. The Bygel rail can do the same for heels, as seen on Stylizmo.
Nancy Mitchell
Jun 15, 2016
Before & After: Three Cheers For This Office Chair
Tamara spotted this old office chair that was in surprisingly good shape, so she snatched it up with plans to make it her own. Fast forward three years, throw in a lucky find at the fabric store and you have one gorgeously updated chair. From Tamara: I see these old university office/lobby chairs in Surplus Goods quite often, but the joints are not always in great shape so I usually pass.
Nora Taylor
Jun 15, 2016
Partner
How to Make an Easy Entryway
We ask a lot of the entryway: As a landing strip, it does the double duty of filtering what junk is better kept out of the house (stuff like mud and pocket doodads) while also keeping together everything you need to exit (like keys and umbrella). But that’s only half its job! The entryway is also tasked with making a home’s first and last impressions. That’s a lot to do in a little space! So how do you do it? If you have a large foyer, great!
Sponsored Post
Jun 15, 2016
10 Reader-Approved Bug Busters
(Image credit: Viktorija Reuta) From The Kitchn → 10 Ways to Keep Those Outdoor Bugs Away
Apartment Therapy
Jun 15, 2016
Cluttered is the New Clean: 10 Truths All Messy People Know
“You’re born messy and you die messy, but someplace in between you get bullied into believing that you should be neat and organized,” says writer Jennifer McCartney in her hilarious book, The Joy of Leaving Your Sh*t All Over the Place. Bravely rejecting the KonMari method and other trendy tidy-up plans, McCartney proposes a revolutionary (albeit tongue-in-cheek) system for accepting your own clutter.
Katie Holdefehr
Jun 14, 2016
Moody Walls & Cheeky Wallpaper in a Fun, Sophisticated Brooklyn Home
Name: Elizabeth Location: Brooklyn Heights — Brooklyn, New York I recently moved into this charming (very tiny) two-bedroom apartment in a beautiful pre-war building. This being the largest place I’ve lived in on my own, I was excited by the opportunity to apply all of my favorite decorating styles in one space. From dark, moody walls to cheeky wallpaper, the space reflects my belief that homes can be fun yet sophisticated at the same time.
Adrienne Breaux
Jun 14, 2016
3 Tips for Budget Berry Shopping
(Image credit: Zigzag Mountain Art) shutterstock From The Kitchn → 3 Tips for Buying Berries on a Budget
Apartment Therapy
Jun 14, 2016
Beat Those Bothersome Berry Stains
(Image credit: Linda Xiao) From The Kitchn → The Best Way to Remove Berry Stains
Apartment Therapy
Jun 14, 2016
Renters Rejoice: Stylish Solutions to Your Most Common Design Woes
What do you do when you’re a design lover but your rental is less than inspired? Well, you get creative. We tallied up 7 common nuisances experienced by renters and paired them with stylish solutions so you can get your temporary pad feeling more like home. Design Woe: Generic flooring Stylish Solution: Rugs on rugs on rugs It might seem silly to layer a rug over carpet, but the visual effect of a graphic or colorful floor covering really helps to distinguish a space.
Arlyn Hernandez
Jun 13, 2016
2 People, 3 Cats, 309 Square Feet: A Magical Transforming Hong Kong Apartment
In Hong Kong, one of the most densely packed cities in the world, a young couple presented their architects with a seemingly impossible challenge: designing an apartment that would include a large kitchen, a home theater, a bathroom with a tub, and sleeping spaces for the couple and their overnight guests. The space also had to acommodate the couple’s three cats — and all this in 309 square feet.
Nancy Mitchell
Jun 13, 2016
An Artsy Australian Abode
Name: Silvia Rotundo Location: Yarraville — Victoria. Australia My name is Silvia and I live in a suburb called Yarraville in Victoria, Australia. My home is a post-war brick bungalow that I share with my husband Frank along with our beloved toy poodle Sofia. Two years ago we decided to extend and renovate our home after finding we needed more space prompted by my career change.
Nora Taylor
Jun 13, 2016
10 Minimalist (but Cozy) Kitchens from Real Homes
The Kitchn Editors
Jun 13, 2016
Get to Know Your Oven for Better Baking
(Image credit: Emma Christensen) From The Kitchn → 5 Things to Know About Your Oven for Better Baking
Apartment Therapy
Jun 13, 2016
Before & After: A Bright Kitchen Upgrade
Ahhh the magic of white paint. Roxanne updated and brightened up her kitchen with some gorgeous new additions but kept the original cabinetry and used some really nice paint with great success. From Roxanne: Our small builder grade kitchen was in desperate need of a makeover. I could no longer stand the orange tone wood cabinetry and yellowish countertops. To save money, we kept the existing cabinets, but extended them to the ceiling, making the room feel larger.
Nora Taylor
Jun 13, 2016