The Latest: May 2017

In London, which has the dubious distinction of being one of the world’s most expensive cities, two designers set out to transform what might be the city’s smallest house into a shipshape, efficient little cocoon. The space, a former mini-cab office, may be only 13 square meters (140 square feet), but it manages to pack in all the essentials…and then some.

Happy May everyone! I thought I’d take this moment to remind you (for your sake and for your mother’s) that Mother’s Day is just around the corner. It will quickly be followed by that deluge of events that all seem to hit us at once this time of year… birthdays, weddings, showers (baby and bridal), graduations, you name it. Luckily back at the NY NOW show in February, I came across the lovely folks behind Inklings Greeting Cards.

Having the blues isn’t always a bad thing. Just look at these awesome interiors. From Picasso’s Blue Period and Yves Klein’s invention of International Klein Blue to the modern-day fascination with indigo-dyed shibori fabrics and a revived appreciation for Chinese ginger jars, blue has proven to be a classic color that will never go out of style.

You might not think chemists, crayons, and Emily Henderson have anything in common, except maybe the set up to the world’s most random joke. But yet, they do. The HGTV designer and blogger has partnered with Crayola to help announce their newest color, which is inspired by a pretty cool scientific discovery. In 2009, chemist Mas Subramanian and his team at Oregon State University discovered a vibrant new pigment (the first new blue in 200 years!) called YInMn (pronounced yin-min) Blue.

I’m here to sing the praises of the humble desk chair. As much as a clean and clear surface is an essential part of a workspace, you could argue that the right seating is what can really make or break your 9 to 5. For those of us who even occasionally work at home, desk chairs can be a kind of Goldilocks situation: if they’re too soft and unsupportive you’ll probably end up nodding off, and overly stiff models mean restless legs and sore backs.

Twice a year, the design set converge on High Point, North Carolina, with a mission: to check out all the new furniture and decor (though mostly furniture) that’s being released in the American market in the coming year. Last week, for the spring 2017 market, I made that trip to NC along with Apartment Therapy’s Executive Editor, Janel Laban.

When it comes to developing ways to upgrade common thrift store finds, we’ve witnessed items that have seen better days go from drab to fab with a little bit of ingenuity and elbow grease. Now, a ton of those refurbished products have found a home in this Swedish mall that is filled with upcycled goods. Located an hour and a half outside of Stockholm in the city of Eskilstuna, ReTuna Återbruksgalleria, or ReTuna Recycling Galleria, is the ultimate haven for thrifters.

If you’re a creative type who’s ever dreamed of having a little spot to escape from distractions, or just a person who occasionally craves solitude and the embrace of nature, you’ll love this little writer’s cabin on an island in the Puget Sound. The house is walled by glass on three sides, opening it up to the surrounding wilderness, but it also has oversize shutters that can be opened and closed, turning it into a tiny little cocoon of a home.

It’s almost summer and if you’re currently blenderless, you’re missing out on some seasonal sips like smoothies, milkshakes, and the boozy craze of summer 2016 (and probably 2017, if we’re being honest), frosé. If you’re new to blender ownership, there’s not much sense in going from zero to Vitamix (unless you have a few spare Benjamins burning a hole in your pocket).

Say what you will about odd finds for the home but I tend to gravitate to them. In my living room hangs a 5-foot marquee letter Y — an impulse purchase from Marketplace. It comes with a fun story: it was once used in a Korean beer commercial featuring Psy of Gangnam Style-fame. Unusual finds—big and small—can add a special something to your space to make it stand apart. It’s why I’m constantly checking Reuse America Vintage Warehouse’s Marketplace corner.

Showering, shaving, putting on makeup, removing makeup, brushing teeth, trimming beards—we spend a lot of our days in the bathroom. With all that time spent there, it should be a place where you feel comfortable and happy. It’s a room that should reflect your personality and aesthetic, but when two people share the same bathroom, it might be hard to keep them both happy if they have opposing styles.