The Latest: Jun 2017

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Smart Renovations Transform This Small Brooklyn Apartment into a Functional (and Beautiful) Home

Designer Linda Cava's 525-square-foot Brooklyn apartment is sleek, simple and has just the right amount of Savannah-inspired Southern quirkiness.

Adrienne Breaux

Jun 22, 2017

Before & After: A Flea Market Find Loses Some Paint & Finds Some Character

John spotted this coffee table at a flea market, and knew that even though it had seen better days, it was still a solid piece of furniture. Without a particular plan in mind, he decided to sand down the top and was handsomely rewarded for his curiousity! From John: I purchased this coffee table at a flea market about a year ago for $100. It came in this rustic, dry-brushed grey color. The hardware was outdated and dull. But the piece itself was solid and the drawers were pristine.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 22, 2017

Partner

Weekend Upgrade: Jenna’s Blah-to-Spa Shower Upgrade

With a full-time job, two kids, two huge dogs and a baby on the way, it’s an understatement to say that Jenna’s got a lot going on. She and her husband have renovated their home a little at a time. Their combination guest/kids’ bathroom isn’t bad, but it’s “tired,” to use Jenna’s words. As they prep for one more family member, the gray shower could use a colorful update, and a little tidying.

Creative Studio

Jun 22, 2017

Homebuyer Beware: Misleading Real Estate Photography Tricks

An online listing for a house is a lot like an online dating profile. You wouldn’t ever lie — better to set honest expectations — but you sure as hell are going to make your situation look as good as possible. That means flattering angles, ruthless editing and, yep, maybe a little Photoshop. If you’re browsing home listings to find your dream home, here are a few things to be wary of when it comes to real estate photography.

Sarah Landrum

Jun 21, 2017

A Chic French Apartment With a Vintage Vibe

Name: Clemence, her partner and their cat Location: Saint Mandé, France The basics: 3 years, rented | 45 square meters (485 square feet) Clemence’s apartment mixes clean lines with leafy plants, black and white with pops of yellow. She also makes the most of the space, dividing it into areas designated for work and play. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My boyfriend, my cat and I have lived in this apartment since 2014.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 21, 2017

How to Store Necklaces & Other Jewelry: 14 Creative Ideas

These creative ideas—some to buy, some to DIY—will look great stored away or on display for all your favorite pieces.

Melissa Epifano

Jun 21, 2017

Partner

Weekend Upgrade: Jenna’s Organized & Energized Bathroom Cabinets

Most people have too many products in the bathroom, but Jenna has a good excuse. Actually…two good excuses, with a third on the way. When you’re a parent, at some point your bathroom will be overtaken by baby shampoo, tub toys, and washcloths, combs, barrettes, and cutesy toothbrushes, lotions and ointments and Band-Aids in every color. The list goes on. As Jenna and her husband prep for the arrival of their third child, they need to find ways to maximize the space in their bathroom.

Creative Studio

Jun 21, 2017

Before & After: Putting Some Pretty on a Porch

Kayla and Kyle’s porch felt like a missed opportunity. Dark, outdated and very much not their style, they weren’t spending a ton of time out there. Kayla finally had enough and set out to punch up the porch, turning it into a perfect spot for relaxing or hosting. From Kayla: My husband, Kyle, and I moved into his childhood home almost three years ago when his parents moved to the country.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 21, 2017

How Long Should You Really Use Your Kitchen Sponge?

(Image credit: KPG Payless2) shutterstock From Kitchn → How Long Should You Use Your Kitchen Sponge? null

Apartment Therapy

Jun 21, 2017

A High-Contrast Color Combo Trend for the Bedroom

There’s a color combination I’ve been seeing pop up in bedroom after bedroom recently. From transitional to eclectic to bohemian style, it seems to be the kind of combo that works with any decor look. And considering one half of the pair is very popular (like, the most popular), it’s not surprising that the trend is starting to swing in this direction.

Adrienne Breaux

Jun 21, 2017

Think NYC Real Estate is Scary? This City Might Be Worse

Lately, social media is abuzz with Toronto’s insane real estate offerings: undesirable homes (in serious need of renovation and lacking ordinary amenities) selling at unbelievably high prices. Properties lacking everything from parking spaces to proper bathrooms have been selling at double and triple the asking price—with no signs of the area’s inflated costs slowing down anytime soon.

Caroline Biggs

Jun 20, 2017

How Long Should You Really Use Your Kitchen Sponge?

(Image credit: KPG Payless2) shutterstock From Kitchn → How Long Should You Use Your Kitchen Sponge?

Apartment Therapy

Jun 20, 2017

Before & After: A Bathroom Suffering from “Green Fever” Gets a Makeover

That sure is some green, isn’t it? Anna, of Interiors by Popov, wanted to bring her client’s very verdant powder room into modern times with a sleek and sophisticated upgrade. She upgraded the room from top to bottom, without a hint of green. From Anna: The powder room we were called to tackle had a severe case of “green fever”. Emerald green floor, neon green walls and an outdated oak framed vanity were the original finishes from 1984.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 20, 2017

A Sunny 1,200-Square-Foot 2-Bedroom in a Former Brooklyn Church

If you have a love for older homes, but a desire for modern amenities this apartment could be the perfect compromise. This former church and school in a landmarked district of Brooklyn was converted to condos in 2005. Arrive home to a beautiful, historic brick exterior and then enjoy all the modern comforts of home.

Carrie McBride

Jun 20, 2017

Your Total Beginner’s Guide to Successful Indoor Gardening

(Image credit: Shannon Douglas) From Kitchn → The Total Beginner’s Guide to Successful Indoor Gardening null

Apartment Therapy

Jun 20, 2017

8 DIY Ways to Upgrade Ceiling Lights

There's even one trick that gives you a whole new look for free.

Brie Dyas

Jun 20, 2017

Before & After: Miles of Style in a First “Grown Up” Apartment

After Josie helped her client, Lisa, move into her Prospect Heights apartment she tackled the task of figuring out a look and layout for the space that would meet the needs and wants of her client. The space needed to be multi-functional, work with the somewhat unconventional window alcove and inject some style into the space.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 19, 2017

30+ Shortcuts & Strategies to Get Your Home Cleaner Faster

Raise your hand if you wish you could clean your home faster, but you just don’t know how to make it work. (I’m raising my hand along with you, if you couldn’t tell). The good news: Housecleaning pros, former messy people and the like all weighed in on Reddit with their best speedy—but effective—cleaning tips. Below are some of the best methods and tricks from the thread that might help you reduce your cleaning time and clean more effectively.

Brittney Morgan

Jun 19, 2017

Before & After: We Survived Our First (Mostly) DIY Kitchen Reno

Michelle and her husband bought their house with the anticipation of putting in some serious work on the kitchen. What they didn’t expect was a handful of undisclosed damages and, as first time renovators, just how much time a kitchen reno can take. But they survived! Smarter, saavier and with a much better kitchen. From Michelle: We spent almost a year looking at houses before we came across our current home.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 19, 2017

Partner

Make Space for Makeup: DIY This Home Beauty Bar

Barring maybe a home spa, vanities are the ultimate beauty lover’s luxury. Thanks to Command’s Damage-Free Hanging Solutions, even those of us with tiny apartments can make space for one. Using just a desk, stool, and a few damage-free, wall-mounted designs, we created a modern beauty bar with an Instagrammable rainbow of colors. Installed in an afternoon, this little niche will make you happy every morning.

Creative Studio

Jun 19, 2017

How to Pick the Best Carton of Strawberries

(Image credit: Linda Xiao) From Kitchn → Here’s How to Pick the Best Carton of Strawberries null

Apartment Therapy

Jun 19, 2017

A Kitchen Storage Trend That’s a Fresh Update on Floating Open Shelving

If you’re itching to kick your standard closed cabinets to the curb to update the look of your kitchen, you may be considering the controversial open shelf. But before you add a bunch of bespoke floating wooden shelves to your kitchen, consider this in-between look that’s a little less expected. It just might be the thing you’re looking for to add some organized, yet visually interesting storage to your cooking space.

Adrienne Breaux

Jun 19, 2017

A 2-Minute Post-Shower Routine to Get (and Keep!) Your Bathroom Ultra Clean

With the combination of dampness, soap scum, and grout and grooves, the place where we get ourselves clean isn’t always the cleanest place itself. However, having a few of the right tools in place makes it easy to create a do-it-now cleaning habit so you can keep the bathroom fresh perpetually. Use Fabric Shower Curtain Liners: Soap scum is any bathroom-cleaner’s nemesis. Getting it out of plastic shower curtains is impossible and, frankly, not worth the time even trying.

Shifrah Combiths

Jun 19, 2017

Before & After: A Sister Steps in From Across the Country to Give This Kitchen a New Look

Jillian is not only a talented designer, she’s also an insanely generous sibling. She helped her sister and her fiancé tackle their kitchen renovation long distance. That’s love. From Jillian: My sister and her fiancé purchased their first home in the Fells Point neighborhood of Baltimore late last year — a traditional brick rowhome.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 18, 2017

Before & After: Doubling the Storage Space in a NYC Kitchen

When Jessica and her husband, David, moved from Westchester to New York City for work, they were lucky to find a spacious apartment in Hudson Heights with a breathtaking view of the Hudson river and the George Washington Bridge. One thing about the apartment that wasn’t so great: the kitchen. It was in decent shape, but its layout — a single row of cabinets and appliances, arranged along a single wall — left a lot to be desired when it came to counter space and storage.

Nancy Mitchell

Jun 18, 2017

Why Decluttering is Worth It: 6 Reasons You’ll Love Living with Less

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of getting into a decluttering groove, of riding the high of letting go of things, of piling the back of the car high with bulging bags bound for anywhere but the over-full garage. But that’s not the end of it. Once the excitement subsides, you’re left with a space that has, well, space and you’ll begin enjoying the benefits of a life with less.

Shifrah Combiths

Jun 18, 2017

Before & After: Embracing Minimalism in a Tiny Bedroom

"I moved to San Francisco with a couple of suitcases and found a room that barely fit a bed and didn't have a closet."

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 18, 2017

Don’t Be a Wallflower: Why You Should Consider “Floating” Your Bed

What if...you didn't put your bed on a wall at all?

Nancy Mitchell

Jun 18, 2017

A Beaut of a Beachside Australian Bungalow

Name: Nicole and her family Location: Austinmer, Australia The basics: 1 year, rented Nicole describes Austinmer as, “a hidden coastal village tucked between the mountains and the seas only an hour south of Sydney.” If that doesn’t get you packing your bags, Nicole’s breezy bungalow will have you hoping on a plane.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 17, 2017

Major Clutter Buster: A Clever Way to Conceal Lots of Ugly Stuff

While our dream homes are clutter-free sanctuaries that would make Marie Kondo proud, our real homes are where we store our mismatched bedding sets, bulk paper towels from Costco, and Backstreet Boys CDs from circa 1999. To keep all of this mess out of sight and give the illusion of an organized home, try one of our favorite DIY clutter concealers. Curtains, roller shades, no-sew table skirts—these are the easiest ways to keep the chaos under wraps.

Katie Holdefehr

Jun 17, 2017

Home Offices So Beautiful, Work Will Never Feel Like a Chore

It’s not just how you work, but also where you work that’s important. Here at Apartment Therapy, we understand the influence that your physical environment can have on your state of mind, and that’s particularly true for the place where you work—whether that work is writing, or catching up on business, or just composing a few emails.

Nancy Mitchell

Jun 17, 2017

Partner

5 Light and Airy Furniture Pieces for a Year-Round Summer Feel

We are leaning way into the joy of trading rain boots for flip-flops and sweaters for tank tops. So into it, that we want to keep those cheerful, flirty vibes going all year long. Structube’s summer collection captures that spirit exactly, with pieces that are airy and nonchalant and won’t break the bank. Here are some of favorite finds… 1. This Pretty-In-Pink Loveseat, $399 Peonies, coral, a summer sunset…nothing says summer like pink.

Tim Minerd

Jun 17, 2017

A Bold, Contemporary and Cozy Brooklyn Brownstone

Name: Talia Location: Bedford-Stuyvesant — Brooklyn, New York The basics: 1 year, owned | 1,350 square feet After living in the smaller unit for a few year, Talia and her son moved down into the larger unit of their Brooklyn brownstone. Super bright and kid (and cat) friendly, the space feels stylish yet unintimidating. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: Our apartment is on the garden and parlor floor of an old Brooklyn Brownstone.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 16, 2017

Smart Cleaning Advice That Only Messy People Could Give

If you’re a messy person looking to making cleaning and organizing a little less painful—and, you know, incorporate it into your regular routine—who better to get advice from than people who face the same challenges and have found ways to make it work? We asked self-admitted messy people to share their shortcuts and what helps them (along with combing through a few super helpful Reddit threads—this one and this one, to be exact).

Brittney Morgan

Jun 16, 2017

The Fundamentals of Space Planning Your Bedroom

So you just moved in (that, or you’re itching to move some things around in your existing home). Now what? I don’t know about you, but I’m always so excited at the prospects of a blank canvas floor plan, until I actually have to start making decisions on where to put everything. I start questioning everything! Is my rug the right size? Should my sofa go against the wall or float in the room? Do my nightstands have to match?

Cara Gibbs

Jun 16, 2017

Before & After: A Bland Bedroom Gets a Breezy New Look

"I love how light and airy it feels which was a goal. I love the bright and happy splashes of colors in the accessories."

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 16, 2017

10 Drawer Hacks That Will Change the Way You Organize Your Entire Wardrobe

Rethinking the way you use your drawers—along with a little help from some clever products and DIYs like these—can make your dresser totally manageable.

Brittney Morgan

Jun 16, 2017

Don’t Let Bloodsuckers Keep You Inside: Our Best Mosquito Repellent Strategies

I live in Florida and I know very well how bugs can ruin both special outdoor events and perfectly ordinary daily moments. Just last week our s’mores summer kickoff was cut short by suuuuuper pesky gnats that insisted on hovering near our eyelashes and noses and we’ve endured more than one car ride with mosquitoes buzzing around in the van while my daughter screams in fear of being eaten alive (they do seem to feast on her especially, poor thing).

Shifrah Combiths

Jun 16, 2017

A Colorful, Cultivated and Comfortable Family Home

Name: Courtney and her family Location: Ross, California The basics: 7 years, owned (recently sold) | 2,800 square feet Courtney decorated her home with usability in mind, which you might not immediately guess given how stunning it is. Beautifully thought out, the space balances curated style with a life with children and all that entails. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: This was our family home for seven years.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 15, 2017

Inside Hilary Swank’s Former $12 Million West Village Townhouse

This gorgeous and swanky townhouse on Charles Street in the West Village happens to have a Hollywood connection. Can you guess? (Okay, it was previously owned by Hilary Swank.) Just down the road from Bon Jovi’s $17 million duplex, 33 Charles might not have posh amenities and celebrity neighbors, but it does have a little bit more West Village charm.

Tara Bellucci

Jun 15, 2017

The Small Safety Risk Too Many People Are Taking at Home: Some Quick Facts About Home Burglaries

Many homeowners will tell you that securing their home is a top priority, however, that doesn’t mean home invasions aren’t a very real threat for Americans. According to a new survey by Eyewitness Surveillance—a commercial surveillance company based in Maryland—a burglary occurs every 13 seconds in the United States, resulting in a startling 2.5 million home intrusions reported every year.

Caroline Biggs

Jun 15, 2017

Before & After: A Dramatic Living Room Makeover Three Years in the Making

Lauren’s living room was dark and dated, and distinctly not her style. She gave renovating the space the old college try when she first moved in, but with other spaces in the home needing her energy and attention she wasn’t able to fully finish it. Enter one of the most valuable tools available to DIYers everywhere — a good friend. From Lauren: When we bought the house, the living room was dark and, to put it frankly, “depressing.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Jun 15, 2017

Partner

Ariel and Dillon’s “Newlybed” Bedroom

After five years of long-distance, New Yorkers Ariel and Dillon are co-habitating for the first time. The couple is always on the move, whether they’re shopping Brooklyn farmers’ markets on the weekends or escaping the city for slow weekends on the Jersey Shore. And life is about to get even more hectic: They’re moving!