Before & After: From an Outdated Hot Tub Shed to Chic Bedroom Escape
Tricia and Jason banded together to turn a bare bones, former loan office turned hot tub shed into an exceedingly cute guest house. They went slightly over budget, but they managed to turn this entire thing around in five weeks without any outside help! From Tricia and Jason: Our once-dilapidated, unused garden shed sits awkwardly off the side of the house close to our front porch.
Jun 12, 2017
Bye Bye Bad Bathroom: High-Impact Rental Upgrades
There are plenty of changes you can make to your bathroom that will have a big impact — even if you're a renter not an owner.
Jun 12, 2017
The Real Low-Down on Murphy Beds from People Who Use Them Every Night
I know Murphy beds have a reputation for being a smart choice when space is limited. But are they comfy? Are they hard to fold up and down? Do you have to sacrifice comfort for convenience? I decided to ask the best experts on Murphy beds to answer those questions and more: Three people who actually sleep in a Murphy bed every night. Editor Emily Graff lives in a patterned and pretty 550-square-foot Greenwich Village studio.
Jun 12, 2017
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Don’t Tell Anyone, but There’s an Awesome New Source for Vintage Finds Online
You know how you feel about that amazing new restaurant you stumbled across last weekend? The one that you really want to tell all your friends about but also secretly want to keep to yourself so you don’t ever end up having to wait two hours for a brunch table once the secret’s out?
Jun 12, 2017
Huge News: You Might Be Able to Amazon Your IKEA Starting in 2018
That Amazon Prime membership may become even more valuable soon: IKEA just announced that it’s going to start selling its products on websites other than its own beginning in 2018.
Jun 11, 2017
Before & After: An Old Shed is Totally Transformed Into a Chic Blogging Studio
When Charlotte first bought her home it came with a shed that she wasn’t quite sure what to do with. After landing on turning it into a workspace rather than a catch-all, she set about giving the space a major facelift while making sure it could serve as a workable space year-round. From Charlotte: Our historic home in Southport, Connecticut was built in the mid 1800s and has two exterior buildings. One is a large old barn and then this second space was a bit more of a head scratcher.
Jun 11, 2017
A Textile Designer’s Vintage-Modern Home
Name: Mili, her husband and their dog Location: Dallas, Texas The basics: 2 years, owned | 2,300 square feet Mili’s home has a mid-century flair that is perfectly balanced with global finds and accented with gorgeous textiles from her own line. After a kitchen and dining room remodel, the home is now open and inviting. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: It’s a 1979 ranch style home in Dallas, Texas.
Jun 10, 2017
How the World Does Laundry
No matter where you live, laundry is probably a big part of your routine. In fact, according to a new study by Nielsen, globally 67 percent of people said they do laundry at least twice per week, and another 31 percent said they do laundry every day. But despite similarities in how often people around the world clean their clothes, there are some differences in how they do their laundry (if they even do it themselves at all).
Jun 9, 2017
5 Tiny Homes Under $80,000 That Will Totally Make You Want to Downsize
Have you ever dreamed of what it’s like to live in a tiny home? I hadn’t before, because living in a cramped Brooklyn apartment feels challenging enough. But, after combing through listings to see what the tiny house market is like, I feel like I get the tiny homes thing now. These houses are the cutest, plus they seem totally functional in terms of space and storage, and they’re way more affordable than a regular home.
Jun 9, 2017
A Pretty in Pink Freshman Year Dorm Room
Name: Cara, her roommate, 2 suite-mates and 9 plants Location: Baltimore, Maryland The basics: 8 months, rented | 286 square feet At first glance, you would have a hard time sussing out the fact that Cara’s room is actually in a dorm. The bright colors and cute accents are a far cry from the white cinderblock and bunk beds most often associated with freshman year. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: This is my freshman-year dorm room.
Jun 9, 2017
Before & After: A Striking, Hand-Drawn DIY Wall is the Star of a Guest Bedroom Makeover
Nancy’s second bedroom was in need of a little oomph, and oomph it received! With a hand-drawn wall treatment, colors and patterns and incredible furniture finds, the space went full force glam. From Nancy: Before, we used our small second bedroom for storage and to hold our treadmill. It was a complete waste of space, and in NYC that is completely unheard of. It’s a pretty narrow room, but it has good bones with its pre-war moldings and original hardwood floors.
Jun 9, 2017
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3 Easy Ways to Create Your Happy Place at Home
Every home should have a happy place. Whether it’s your reading nook, a meditation room, or a little creativity hub, you deserve a spot that’s devoted to keeping you healthy and joyful in your own home. Even if you’re renting, it’s possible to create a happy place that can move along with you and that makes your rental really feel like the home you want.
Jun 9, 2017
Two East Coasters Share a 380-Square-Feet “Teeny Tiny Casa” in San Fran
Name: Kathryn and her husband Derek Location: San Francisco, California The basics: 9 months, rented | 381 Square Feet Kathryn and Derek not only make this small space work for them, they thrive in it. Choosing to look at their apartment not as a burden but as an opportunity, they’ve embraced living small and all of the ways it can bring them closer together.
Jun 8, 2017
Before & After: A Narrow NYC Kitchen Lightens Up
For years, Jenna and her husband had been wanting to lighten and modernize the narrow kitchen in their Chelsea apartment. Finally, after living there for six years, the impending birth of their daughter gave them the hard deadline they needed to finally take the remodeling plunge. The old kitchen was full of dark, heavy finishes, which sucked all the light out of a very narrow space.
Jun 8, 2017
13 Smart & Stylish Products to Up Your Bathroom Storage
Keeping bathroom ephemera organized—and possibly even attractive—requires constant vigilance, ruthless culling, and the right tools. This baker’s dozen of bins, caddies, shelves, and hooks will keep all of your supplies in order, whether on display for easy access or tucked away for privacy reasons. As seen in Ana and Patrick’s bathroom, above, a storage ladder can provide a ton of attractive storage on a small footprint.
Jun 8, 2017
Before & After: A Rental Living Room Goes Glam
"That feature wall in my living room? IT'S JUST TAPE!"
Jun 8, 2017
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Meaghan and Eric’s Crowded Family Bed
Meaghan and Eric’s family defines busy: Meaghan runs McNamara Design, a firm that specializes in interiors, installations, and furniture upcycling, as well as a daycare. The Maryland couple also has two little ones — with a third on the way in September! Amidst this “organized chaos,” as Meaghan calls it, her and Eric’s master bedroom is an oasis of peace.
Jun 8, 2017
10 Gardens That Will Inspired You to Grow Food in Small Spaces
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From Kitchn → 10 Inspiring Gardens for Growing Food in Small Spaces null
Jun 8, 2017
You Do You: These “Rule Breakers” Prove You Can Use Rooms Any Darn Way You Want
Use a bedroom as a living room? An extra office space as a den? A closet as a bedroom?! Yes—though rooms come with “historical precedent” of how they were used in the past, it doesn’t mean you have to use a space in your home the way it was intended. Not only do you have permission to use your home any damn way you please—it just makes sense to do so. Why not craft a home that functions just the way you need?
Jun 8, 2017
Before & After: An IKEA Hack Adds Style & Storage to a Kids Room
Kids rooms can be a tough nut to crack. They have to combine storage and function with style that can be adaptable to the changing and developing tastes of the young one. Jane decided that they could do more to maximize the space of their daughter’s room and give her a space that was more reflective of who she is. Enter, the IKEA hack! From Jane: Our youngest daughter’s bedroom was relatively small and lacked space for additional furniture for storage.
Jun 7, 2017
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Win: The Dream Bed You Deserve from Au Lit Fine Linens
Win: Your Complete Dream Bed Set From: Au Lit Fine Linens Value: $1,380 There are a lot of debates out there around bed linens. Percale vs. sateen; low thread count vs. high thread count; goose down vs. down-mimicking; Egyptian cotton vs. American cotton… It’s enough to keep you up at night. Au Lit Fine Linens is here to help, and with 35 years of experience changing the way people sleep and improving the quality of their lives, we’re happy to take their word for it.
Jun 7, 2017
5 Famous Architects Who Loved Millennial Pink Before it was Cool
While Millennial Pink might feel like the color story du jour, paint choices ranging from coral to deep fuchsia are far from a recent design phenomenon. Turns out, renown architects ranging from Frank Lloyd Wright in the pre-war years to Ricardo Bofill in the get-weird 60s were huge fans of pink in all its incarnations, swathing some now-historic landmarks in its cheeky hue.
Jun 7, 2017
The Ultimate Fashion Lovers’ Fantasy: Rooms Dedicated Entirely to Clothes & Shoes
What would you do if you had an extra room in your apartment? Save it for a guest room? Transform it into a home office? Make yourself an at-home gym? For these fashion lovers, their extra room is used for storage — of the style variety! These homeowners and renters carved out a fashion-only room for specific reasons.
Jun 7, 2017
30 Plants, One Cat and One Super Cool Person Share a Toronto Apartment
Name: Terra Location: St Clair West, Toronto, Ontario The basics: 8 months, rented | 700 square feet Terra’s apartment is one part plant conservatory, one part friendship coven and one part personal sanctuary. After apartment hopping around Toronto, Terra settled into her new space. Taking root physically and metaphorically, she has filled her apartment with plenty of plants and tons of good vibes.
Jun 6, 2017
The Decluttered Life: Having Less Stuff Gives You More Time
In an effort to streamline their lives, many people seem to be turning a reactionary ship from a habit of consumption to a fascination with minimalism. But the fact that minimalism even exists as a movement bespeaks of our luxury to choose to own less. Not that the ramifications of such a choice aren’t beneficial. Far from it.
Jun 6, 2017
Before & After: From a Blank Slate to a Grown Up Guest Room
"I'm happy to report, we've restored this space to its former glory… and then some."
Jun 6, 2017
One Thing You Need to Know If You’re Considering a Pallet Garden
(Image credit: Susanna Hopler/Irina Vaneeva) shutterstock From Kitchn → The One Thing You Need to Know If You’re Considering a Pallet Garden null
Jun 6, 2017
Before & After: A Drab & Dark Kitchen Turned Mint Green Dream
Diana Marsh spent 11 years living in Brooklyn before returning to her home state of Michigan. After purchasing this Ann Arbor house, she set to renovating it. It had “good bones” but was a bit on the small side and a lot on the dark side. As the owner of a brick and mortar store called Thistle and Bess, Diana’s has a keen eye for crafting creative spaces. Her year-long remodel of this house was no different!
Jun 6, 2017
New Yorkers Share What Downsizing Was Really Like for Them
If you’ve ever moved from one home to another, smaller home, you know the realities of trying to make your new space work and having to get rid of some—or a lot—of your possessions. And in New York, a city known for its expensive-but-tiny apartments, downsizing can be an especially big challenge.
Jun 5, 2017
A Peek Inside a Charming 450 Square Foot Studio in Stamford
Name: Lauren, Tulip the cat and Alfee the rabbit Location: Stamford, Connecticut The basics: 4 months, rented | 450 square feet Lauren’s lovely little studio is bright and calm. Using white to keep things light and airy helps the space feel open, but the personal accents keep the space from feeling impersonal or static.
Jun 5, 2017
This Entire Ghost Town in Connecticut Is For Sale For Under $2 Million
If you’ve been looking for a place to set up your very own Westworld-like theme park (Eastworld?), let us suggest Johnsonville, Connecticut, a small, abandoned mill town in East Haddam that’s now on the market for $1.9 million. Founded in the 1800s, Johnsonville was a thriving place, thanks to the Neptune Twine and Cord Mill and its main product, fishing binding rope.
Jun 5, 2017
Before & After: DIY Stamped Patchwork Patterned Tiles
It’s no secret that we are huge fans of tile. It’s also not a secret that we are huge fans of do-it-yourself projects. So when our two great loves converge, we do a tile-loving-DIY-fan happy dance. Germarie added some oomph to her standard shower by creating her own black and white patchwork tiles. From Germarie: Patchwork tiles are very trendy this year, but retiling a bathroom can be an expensive and messy exercise.
Jun 5, 2017
This Is the Only Way I Was Able to Clean My Greasy Oven Door
(Image credit: Lauren Volo) From Kitchn → The Only Way I Was Able to Clean My Greasy Oven Door null
Jun 5, 2017
A Thoughtfully Styled 500-Square-Foot Montreal Studio
Name: Lauren Location: Montreal — Quebec, Canada The basics: 1.5 years, rented | 500 square feet Lauren struck rental market gold with her Montreal studio. With the high ceilings, moldings and that window the space is full of glamorous antique charm. With a clever layout and personal touches, Lauren has played up all of the best aspects of the space, creating a sun-drenched dream that looks for bigger than its 500 feet.
Jun 4, 2017
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Kate and Sara’s House Hustle: Crisis Averted
Name: Kate and Sara; cats Jaspurr and Blondie; dogs Sophie and Brutus Location: Durham, NC Size: 1,600 square feet For Kate and Sara, finding a home in the super-competitive Durham market was like running a marathon of sprints: They had to be ready to jump on new listings immediately and get offers together fast. How fast? When they finally toured their dream home after a two-month search, the place fetched 40 viewings in 36 hours!
Jun 4, 2017
Before & After: A Garden Shed Turned Cozy Guest Cottage
Project by: Katie Greenhalf of KG Lifestyle & Interiors Ltd Location: London, United Kingdom Normally, sleeping in a shed sounds like some sort of Dickensian punishment, but in this particularl case, it’s a total dream. Katie created the coziest, snuggliest guest room and it totally has us packing our bags for a quick visit! From Katie: The brief was to transform a humble garden shed into a warm and inviting living space.
Jun 3, 2017
Ideas for Adding a Little Extra Seating to Your Small Living Room
Having a small living room can be a bit of a challenge, especially if you love to entertain. How do you fit in seating for all those people and still leave room to move?
Jun 2, 2017
A Bright and Cheery Mobile Home, Purchased From a Baywatch Babe
Name: Anne, her husband and their 4 dogs Location: Paradise Cove — Malibu, California The basics: 2.5 years owned, 1,200 square feet Anne’s home is as cute as it is fun! Designed to weather the elements as well as four dogs, everything is durable and inviting, creating a bright, lived-in feel. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I bought our mobile home two and a half years ago from Pamela Anderson.
Jun 2, 2017
Before & After: A Family-Friendly Room That Makes a Fantastic First Impression
Let's play "spot the recliners".
Jun 2, 2017
The Estates of Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds To Sell Home & Personal Items
The world was shocked by the sudden deaths of actors Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, just one day apart in December. And now, six months later, it was announced that their home and a variety of personal items will be sold and auctioned off. The Beverly Hills property the two shared will hit the market soon, according to Profiles in History auction house. It’s an “original 1928 hacienda-style home on 3.
Jun 2, 2017
The One Kitchen Tool You Really Need in Your Cleaning Arsenal
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From Kitchn → The One Cleaning Tool You Really Need in Your Kitchen null
Jun 2, 2017
Peek Inside an Artist’s Quirky Tower House in the Catskills
Located in the Catskills near Woodstock, New York, there’s a house that’s not your average property. The Tower House has a history as interesting as its interiors, that incorporates both the Muppets and the Grateful Dead. Artist and Long Island native John Kahn built Tower House over a period of 15 years, and it was finally completed in 2002.
Jun 1, 2017
The One Healthy Snack You Should Always Pack When Traveling
(Image credit: Gina Eykemans) From Kitchn → How I Make Sure I Have a Healthy Morning When I’m Traveling null
Jun 1, 2017
The Quote That Finally Changed My Mind on Minimalism
I’ve always had sort of a personal gripe with the minimalist movement. It’s a complicated cluster of feelings, but I can boil down my difficulty with minimalism into three words: I like stuff. I like having just the right glass for every drink (some of them thrifted and handed down through generations). I like collecting trinkets that remind me of people I’ve known, places I’ve been and things I’ve done.
Jun 1, 2017
How to Start a Home Composting System
From Apartment Therapy → How To Start a Home Worm Composting System null
Jun 1, 2017
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The (Actual) Best Purchases You Can Make for a New Home
You’ve just moved. You’re excited! You’ve taken the online quiz to find out if you’re a chesterfield or a mid-century modern. (Turns out you’re a camel back. Twist!) But hold up. At the risk of going too Mom and Dad on you, let’s talk this as a moment to make smart decisions that keep the home in good working order. These purchases are all utilitarian, which sure, are not as fun to think about as furniture and decoration.
Jun 1, 2017
One of the Best Bottles of Wine in the World Is an $8 Rosé from Aldi
(Image credit: Ekaterina_Molchanova) shutterstock From Kitchn → This $8 Rosé from Aldi Is One of the Best Bottles of Wine in the World null
Jun 1, 2017