Apartment Therapy Archive: Jan 2017

Name: Farida Location: IJburg — Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 968 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; owned A twenty-minute ride by streetcar will take you from the bustling Amsterdam center to IJburg, a cluster of six artificial islands in the IJ lake. Surrounded by water, it feels like being on an island holiday. Even though it’s still a part of the Amsterdam-Oost (Amsterdam East) borough!

The kitchen is first and foremost a functional space, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also be unforgettable. These twelve kitchens each have a single element that sets them apart from the ordinary — one eye-catching design feature that makes these spaces totally unique. Above: The rest of this kitchen from Design by Us is pretty minimal and well-behaved, but then there’s that gold island.

The apron-front, or farmhouse, sink has been a popular fixture in all kinds of kitchens for some time now, and with the rise in popularity of kitchens that mix traditional and modern elements, it feels more appropriate than ever. If you’re considering adding one of these big beauties to your space, here’s everything you need to know. Searching for a farmhouse sink? See all of our best picks here.

One of the perks of having a mother who was very into both garage sales and interior design was growing up in a house filled with wacky old design books from the 1960s and ’70s. In their pages, I was exposed to many strange and wonderful things, not least among them supergraphics, the crazy stripes and arcs and rainbows that covered every surface of a room, irrespective of walls or floors or furniture.

Scrolling through Instagram is a fun little escape from the everyday. While we love looking at beautiful things, the habit can be dangerous for our wallets. You’re just double tapping along and out of the blue pops up something cute that you just HAVE. TO. HAVE. And I know I’m not alone in my Insta-shopping guilty pleasures. Check out the things we have actually bought because we saw them on the ‘gram.

Having grown up in an old farmhouse miles from… well, anything, I know firsthand how unfortunate it can be when your car breaks down or you get stranded with no one nearby to lend a hand. My only saving grace has been that I live somewhere warm enough to walk the miles that stood between my car and civilization. If I lived in a colder state, I’d probably already be a goner. So whether you keep your ride spotless or your floorboards double as storage receptacles (holla!

While everyone was ogling at the new PS 2017 collection that debuted last week, IKEA also released another line, a collaboration with fashion designer Kit Neale. SPRIDD is full of bright colors and bold patterns, and is inspired by youth culture and music. The SPRIDD collection features pieces that are lightweight and meant for an on-the-go lifestyle—think dorm living and music festivals.

Tiffany and Alan’s Austin bungalow is chic and playful, inspired by Tiffany’s background in fashion and the couple’s travels. Most impressive is that the couple has only been in the space for nine months. You can easily get this warm, beautiful look in your home using the links below. Shop the style!

(Image credit: Lauren Kolyn) From Kitchn → 4 Ways to Get Your Fire Fix Without a Fireplace

After my roommate moved out and took almost everything (save many candle stubs and decorative dish rags), I was left table-less. And since there’s nothing more depressing than eating a microwaved dinner in bed, hunting down an appropriate kitchen table became my number one priority. The point of this sad tale is that for something as important as eating and entertaining, you need to find the right dining setup. ASAP.

Caroline Biggs is one of six people tracking their resolutions with Apartment Therapy in real time. You can read her earlier installments here and here. According to a recent study, there are a whopping 2.3 billion active social media users worldwide. That’s nearly one-third of the entire human population that, per another staggering study, spends around an hour of every day on Facebook alone.

When you’re on the hunt for affordable art, some of the best sources to scout are the galleries and thrift stores right in your neighborhood. But if you don’t live near a thriving art scene, or just prefer armchair shopping to gallery hopping, these online photo-focused print shops make buying art a snap. Why photography? As a general rule, inexpensive, yet high-quality photography prints tend to be easier to find than affordable, masterful paintings.

From Apartment Therapy → Need to Find Some Extra Money this Month?

Kacie’s kitchen lacked personality, especially this corner nook which she found drab and dingy. Armed with paint and plywood, she and her husband created a bright, cheerful spot for family dinners and game night with friends. From Kacie: My husband and I were excited about the size and footprint of the kitchen in our first home, but were less thrilled about the orange oak-y style.

Last week, we introduced a new series in which we put cult classic beauty products to the test to find out whether they’re worth the hype. First, we set our gaze on the best-selling Maybelline Great Lash mascara; now, we’re tackling Baby Foot, an exfoliating peel for the feet made internet famous thanks to the many shudder-inflicting photos of molting skin posted by users.

(Image credit: Faith Durand) From Kitchn → 7 Things You Can Clean with Salt

Sarah likes a visually interesting home, as shown by the eight patterns in her living room. “I like each room to have pops of color and pattern to keep things fun and eclectic as you move from room to room,” writes Sarah. “I like to mix and match patterns so they relate, but also contrast for visual interest.” Sarah shared her pointers for mixing patterns in her fearless living room.

I’ve always been a huge fan of pink and green together, and the current trend towards more somber, desaturated colors has put a fresh new spin on this classic combo. Hunter green and dusty pink are beautiful on their own, of course, but they’re even better together. This kitchen from Little Greene pairs a pink that’s just a wee bit bubble gummy with a dark green (and an oak worktop) that balances it out nicely.

We’re still mourning the loss of an icon. Mary Tyler Moore turned the world on with her smile, as did the Minneapolis Victorian that served as her apartment’s exterior on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The Queen Anne home that’s been on and off the market is currently for sale, and at quite the price reduction. While Mary Richards’ sweet apartment was a set on a soundstage, the interior of the Kenwood home is impressive in its own right—and just a little bit bigger.

Buying a home is a big financial (and life!) step, and if you’ve never done it before, it can feel overwhelming. Diving straight into the murky waters of mortgage rates and median home prices can be scary, so doing a few little steps can help you rack up some easy wins and put you in a positive homebuyer headspace. Here are four super simple tasks that you can easily check off your list.

Sarah has executed the perfect mix of traditional, rustic, Chinoiserie, and mid-century styles in her family’s Massachusetts home. With easy-to-source furniture and decor you can shop Sarah’s style and achieve this bright mix of styles, too!

A few coats of nail lacquer can polish off your personal style, but aside from adorning your fingers, nail polish can actually come in really handy around the house. You probably already know that a little dab of clear polish can stop a run in a pair of stockings, but did you know it can fix broken tile and keep screws from coming loose?

Lately we’ve been seeing a trend towards more textured, storied finishes in the home, things that look like they’ve been there for years, whether made from reclaimed materials or new materials made to look old. Terracotta tile, with its beautiful texture and intriguing color variation, fits the bill perfectly. And it comes in all kind of finishes and shapes — not just earth tones and squares or hexagons. Here are 24 of our favorite terracotta tiles. 1.

(Image credit: Maria Siriano) From Kitchn → Discover the Most Popular Recipe from the Decade You Were Born In

All Mondays are tough, with the last Monday of January even more so. Who can remember those resolutions we made weeks ago or even what warm weather feels like? Don’t allow the mundane routine of start of the week get to you; let your imagination run wild as you browse the Apartment Therapy Marketplace. Scoring one of these new listings is a surefire way to make your Monday just marvelous. Swedish Westnofa Leather Chair Statement chairs like this one don’t come around every day.

Candace Bryan is one of six people tracking their resolutions with Apartment Therapy in real time. You can read her earlier installments here and here. Three weeks into my month-long no-coffee challenge, something unimaginably horrific happened: I drank a latte. OK, so it wasn’t the end of the world. But it did mark the end of my total caffeine abstinence. Since then, I have begun to regularly drink coffee again. Oops! However, I don’t see my challenge as a failure.

When I first met my husband and would visit him at his apartment, it felt like I was hanging out in a college dorm room. He was very neat and tidy and everything had its place (thank goodness), but we were surrounded by “Kill Bill” movie posters and the bedspread reminded me of Zack Morris’ from “Saved By The Bell” circa 1992. When we decided to move in together, I wondered how this worked.

Name: Alee Ruggieri Location: Greenwich Village — New York City Size: Roughly 200 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years Alee Ruggieri is a film director, editor, writer and photographer living in New York City’s bustling Greenwich Village. The neighborhood is filled with things to see and do; coffee shops, restaurants, vintage clothing stores and more.

Planning on updating your home, garden, or life this year and looking for some inspiration? Well, these forthcoming books—with their extensive tips, helpful lists and dreamy photos—can help you get where you want to go. 1. My Zero-Waste Kitchen: Easy Ways to Eat Waste Free (DK Books; February 7) You’re probably already all about reducing, reusing and recycling.

(Image credit: Lauren Kodiak) From Kitchn → 5 Ways to Make Your House Smell Amazing

My apartment is a whopping 500 square feet. Alone, it feels just right. With people over, my place transforms into a cramped box, making it difficult for me to feel comfortable in for a few hours, let alone longer. So when I see spaces smaller than mine sustaining two people, I want to know how it works. I asked Kyle and Alex, who share a 450 square foot San Francisco home in style, how they pull it off.

You deserve to treat yourself, especially on your birthday. And you don't have to spend all your money to do it—here's how to celebrate all day for (mostly) free.

There’s an episode of Sex and the City called “A Woman’s Right to Shoes.” In it, Carrie Bradshaw announces her marriage to herself and registers for a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes (I know it sounds quite ridiculous, but it makes sense in the context of the story, I promise). I wasn’t married when it first aired—but I remember thinking what a genius idea it was.

One man’s trash is another man’s tiny house. With $800, the scenic boulders of Florence, Arizona and a whole lot of vision, Jamie and Brad Bigelow purchased a dumpster in hopes of turning it into a 176-square-foot vacation home. “Our family goes out there a lot so we wanted a little house as a base that we could stay at,” Jamie told TODAY Home. “We just love going out there and stargazing.

Eating “better” can look like a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To some it might mean scrapping the frozen dinners and replacing them with white meats and veggies. To others it might mean going for all organic, or cutting out processed sugars. Then others might be changing their diet for health reasons or to try meal plans suggested by doctors.

Matt and Amanda’s Pasadena home doesn’t have one specific style. But they think that if the Kennedys went camping, this is how it would look: craftsman elements, mid-century furniture mixed with rustic accents, and even a little bit of glam. Combined, those elements create a cozy home the couple can enjoy in their quiet, tree-lined neighborhood. Shop the style below!

This week, Reddit was shook when one user shared a cautionary tale of accidental fire at their home. Not by an unattended candle, or a frayed wire, or even unventilated electronics—but by a doorknob.

Name: Jenny, Glen, Stella (cat), Harley (cat) Location: Lake Worth, Florida Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Jenny, lead floral designer at Port + Palm Co., calls this charming 1950s-era house in Florida home. Only three miles from the ocean and two miles from downtown, it’s enviable for its proximity to the beach, but it’s also retained much of its original character. Not every room in Jenny’s home is “done.

Many areas of the country have been seeing unseasonably warm weather this year, but most forecasters agree that it’s not yet time to hang up our coats. So use this comparatively mild weather like a snooze button for winterizing your home-away-from-home. If you haven’t prepped your car for winter yet, now is the time to get it done. Winter is here. The extreme temperatures and other environmental factors can wear your car down faster than you can say “Is it Spring yet?

If your resolution this year was to workout and stick with it, then kudos to you! Trying to lead a healthier lifestyle is a wonderful idea, never a cliché. But even if you invested in some cute riding shorts and have your new dumbbells at the ready by your dining room table, you might already be feeling those tell-tale signs of giving up.

Name: Soffia Gardarsdottir Location: Alftanes, Iceland Size: 1991 square feet Years lived in: 9 years, owned Floral designer and interior stylist Soffia Gardarsdottir likes to mix it up. Often. We first got a peek at her inspiring Icelandic home in her house call two years ago…but it’s already evolved a lot since. It’s a stylishly designed home, but it’s also comfortable, which is important for a family of four (five with dog, Storm).

We’re undoubtedly fans of Rebecca Atwood around here. The Brooklyn-based textile designer known for her organic patterns and artisanal design process just launched a new collection of one-of-a-kind quilts, and they’re selling out fast. Each of the eight quilts are handmade and compiled from various leftover pieces of fabric from Rebecca’s studio.

Linus (of Peanuts fame) happily lugged around his crinkled blue blanket for familiarity, and now the modern-day nomad has designer Gerardo Osio’s Nomadic Life — an assortment of Japanese-inspired items to help them pack up and recreate the comforts of home, wherever they choose to travel.