Apartment Therapy Archive: Jan 2018

Greetings, fellow cat people! I’m assuming since you clicked on this article you are, in fact, a cat person (but not that cat person). Our most treasured of sporting events is a mere four days away. That’s right, Kitten Bowl V is right around the corner airing on Sunday, February 4 on The Hallmark Channel. https://www.youtube.

Ed Sheeran and his brand new fiance, hockey star and high school crush Cherry Seaborn, recently purchased an additional three properties surrounding their country home two hours outside of London to create a celebrity compound that villagers have dubbed “Sheeranville.

If you feel like everyone you know is a renter and the concept of homeownership seems like something you only hear about friends of friends of friends doing, perhaps it has to do with your location. RentCafe recently wrote a report on the increase of renters in major US cities, focusing on those where renters now outnumbered home owners. Looking at census data, they were able to see some surprising renter versus owner patterns across the U.S. between 2006-2016.

With a new collection that can only be described as Alice In Wonderland meets the circus meets Hot Topic meets The Babadook meets that one Halloween costume of a CVS receipt, IKEA partnered with fashion activist Bea Akerlund to add a surprising amount of goth drama to your fave affordably priced retailer.

As you’ve probably heard, Big Little Lies is coming back for season 2 and this time it’s got a 21 time Academy Award nominated powerhouse joining the already tour de force cast. [Season one spoilers below.] Meryl Streep will play Perry’s mother who comes to town “concerned for the well-being of her grandchildren following…Perry’s death,” per the casting breakdown.

There’s a new trend sweeping the ‘gram and it’s not a flashy filter. Retailers from all over the globe are starting to use the social media platform to sell their goods, so you can actually shop for stuff while scrolling through their feeds. You’ve probably seen the little white shopping bag icons popping up in the upper right hand corner of some of your favorite retailer’s feeds.

Name: Elizabeth Sutton and her kids Miro and Nora Location: Upper East Side — New York, NY Size: 1,370 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, renting For New York-based artist Elizabeth Sutton, leaving the first home she ever owned was the most difficult part of her divorce. “My ex and I purchased it together a year after we got married and we lived there for five years. It was the first home to both my children.

If you missed out on the recent sale of Grey Gardens, the famous Hamptons estate of Big Edie and Little Edie Beale, you’re in luck. The carriage house is on the market for the first time in 56 years. The five bedroom, four bathroom house sits on 1.1 acres near Georgica Beach and was built in 1896.

So you’ve got a tiny kitchen. Whether it’s in a rental apartment or something to call your own, you might have a foot of counter space, a few kitchen cabinets, and maybe a wall to work with, if you’re lucky. Not a ton of room to get creative, but give us an inch and we’ll give you a mile of small kitchen organization ideas and decorating inspiration. A tiny kitchen doesn’t mean you need to forgo cooking and live off of takeout!

Greetings, fellow klutzes! Take a seat because this news might knock whatever you are precariously holding out of your slippery and uncoordinated hands. Gone are the days of laboring tirelessly over your recent IKEA purchases only to finish and find you somehow still have a bag of nails leftover. We shared the exciting news that IKEA had acquired TaskRabbit back in September, and now we are starting to see the returns on that investment.

What’s the solution to two competing patterns of speckled stone in a kitchen? Sometimes the answer is a third, completely different material…. Argh, it’s like a beautiful jewel box! That pantry on the left is my new favorite room ever. And the unique arrangement of the hanging cabinets—is that middle one an ingeniously disguised range hood?—is so graceful, the marble walls are pure luxury, and that wonderful blue brings out such interesting hues in the marble.

Amazon’s latest corporate office building, The Spheres in Seattle, features 40,000 plants, organic architecture inspired by botanical design, and a “biophilic” environment for both Amazon employees and the general public. And if it works out well, just might have the mega-retailer influencing the design of workplaces everywhere.

Name: Brooke Doyle Location: Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years, renting Prop stylist Brooke Doyle has only recently become reacquainted with all of her stuff. Having moved to different cities often in the past, this three and a half year stay in Chicago is the longest she’s ever lived anywhere.

(Image credit: Cathy Pyle) From Kitchn → 10 Easy Ways to Fill Your Kitchen with Positive Energy null

Someday never happens. If you continue to save your efforts for “someday” — someday I’ll go through my books, someday I’ll scrub the grout — nothing will ever get done. That’s why New Year’s Resolutions are both powerful and precarious. Assigning a kickoff date to your goal makes it concrete.

Whether you’ve got little ones at home or not, this new web series is bound to make you pee your pants. Momsplaining with Kristen Bell is a six episode digital series following the mom of two as she takes viewers on a wild ride through parenthood. “Look, my truth is I didn’t even know I wanted to have kids,” Bell told Ellen DeGeneres, who is helping to produce the series. “I don’t even like anybody else’s kids.

The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has surged past 4.28% this week to its highest point in years, according to CNBC. That’s bad news for home buyers, because even a small rate increase can be enough to push an already difficult-to-afford house completely out of reach. After starting the year around 4.0%, average rates have been steadily creeping higher, with some lenders quoting best rates of 4.5% this week.

Name: Bev Wilson Location: Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Size: 975 square feet Years Lived In: 2.5 years, owned Bev is a lawyer, but has always been interested in interior design and photography. So when it came time to start searching for an apartment to buy, she wanted a space she could really design and customize. She wanted a renovation project. “When I bought my place, it had been used as a rental for over ten years and was not in good shape,” Bev shares.

Though by definition, royals are not like us, they are in fact human, and can also be swayed by siren call of affordably priced Scandinavian furniture. Yes, today we have reports that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have some IKEA pieces taking up residency in Kensington Palace. William and Kate are currently on a Royal visit to Sweden and Norway, and in Stockholm today, they paid a visit to the ArkDes museum.

These days, marble is everywhere. Marble countertops, marble backsplashes, kitchen islands and bathtubs and whole walls covered in marble. But my favorite spot to add marble is a particularly humble one — the kitchen sink. You know that emoji with the hearts for eyes? That emoji is a picture of my face the first time I saw this marble sink. The folks at deVOL, makers of dreamy British kitchens, have recently begun offering a line of dreamy Carrara marble sinks.

Normally news of a van hanging out in a parking lot would be concerning, but in this particular case it’s cause for celebration. Amazon announced today that their Treasure Truck will park its big beautiful self in Whole Foods parking lots across the country. A natural step in the Whole Foods/Amazon marriage, bringing the Treasure Truck program to the grocery store parking lots is kind of genius. The Treasure Truck program has been running for a while, and is basically a daily deal service.

According to scientists, every 18 seconds, somewhere in the world, someone is leaning over to a semi-stranger and stage-whispering “You know, you can make yogurt in your Instant Pot.” It seems like we’re all in agreement that the Instant Pot does everything. It can make tender, juicy roasts; it can make perfectly poached eggs; and, if it had been asked, it would probably have found a way to avoid last weekend’s government shutdown.

If you look forward to busting out Scrabble or Monopoly as often as possible, we have good news. Every night is game night at this board game themed Airbnb in Claremont, Florida, outside of Orlando. Looks like Disney World and Universal Studios aren’t the only central Florida attractions. Dubbed Great Escape Lakeside, the 13 bedroom house sleeps a whopping 43 people and is basically a theme park in its own right. And with each room comes a different theme.

If House Beautiful Editor-in-Chief Sophie Donelson has anything to say about it, we're done with white kitchens.

Name: Helga Stentzel, her husband Kirill and their boys Misha (8) and Timmy (3) Location: West London Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Helga Stentzel, or @made_by_helga as she’s better known on Instagram, lives in London with her husband and their two boys Misha and Timmy. Originally from Russia, Helga came to London to study graphic design at Central Saint Martins a decade ago.

Hey, pals. It pains me to break it to you, but I’ve got some bad news about our new national pastime: binge watching. Yes, it is still more enjoyable than most of the plans you could possibly make during winter, but it—like so many of the other simple joys that make life worth living—can be hazardous to your health if not employed with a certain amount of moderation.

Fluorescent lighting? Dark cubicle? Tiny windowsill? These plants won't just survive, but thrive, where you work.

I’m sure this fireplace makeover is going to be great, but in the meantime, I’m in love with that little sidecar of a fireplace on the left there. It’s so cute! Beyond that adorableness, it’s easy to see why this fireplace got an update. I think this style of stone is beautiful, but it can be hard to fit into many types of decor.

A quick Pinterest search or conversation with a decorator will tell you 2018 is going to be quite the throwback year design-wise. Specifically, the ’70s and ’80s are surging, and two of those decades’ close-cousin decorative motifs—terrazzo and anything Memphis style—are bubbling up to the surface.

Name: Courtney Molyneaux and Christopher Amat Location: Calgary, AB Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting “We spend 90% of our time here, together, so it was important that we were both happy and felt like this was a space we could spend, and would enjoy spending, a lot of time in,” shares interior designer and stylist Courtney Molyneaux.

(Image credit: Syda Production) shutterstock From Kitchn → We Found a Broom-and-Dust-Pan Combo That Actually Works null

We’re in the home stretch! All the heavy lifting and vital lessons are behind us. Both the month and the Cure wrap up tomorrow, so our main focus right now is just settling in to our forever homes and forever selves. Remember when, two weeks ago, I had you strip down your living room to only the essentials?

We’re a month into 2018 and if you’re anything like me, you’re struggling to make your resolutions happen (or even just begin them). Luckily, a little organization can go a long way when you’re trying to get your sh*t together, so it pays to find products that make staying organized a whole lot easier. Case in point: this stylish laundry sorter on sale today at Amazon.

Name: Ashley Petrone, her husband and their three kids Location: Southern California Size: 180 square feet Years Lived In: 9 months, owned Last year, Ashley and her husband sold their five-bedroom house and bought 2.2 acres of land to build a dream home. Instead of renting an apartment while their home is being built, they decided to try sharing an RV! Impressively, it only took them three weeks and $2500 to finish the RV’s renovation.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From Kitchn → The Brilliant Dishwasher Hack for Your Plastic Containers null

If you find yourself daydreaming about selling all of your possessions, downsizing into a trailer or van and just hitting the open road man, you’re probably not alone. If you find yourself held back from that life by a sense of practicality, a mortgage or a love of a particular city, then Camp Weathered might be exactly what you need. An adorable furnished teardrop trailer could be yours for all the mini adventures you desire, without the total lifestyle commitment.

Good news for those planning to buy some blooms for their Valentines this year. Costco has a major deal of 50 (yes, 50!) roses for just a dollar apiece. The deal is for Valentine’s Day preorders of either 50 red roses or half red and half white bouquets, and is only available until February 10th (or while supplies last). If you manage to snag it, shipping and handling is also free, and you can choose a delivery date of February 9th, 13th, or 14th.

Living in a tiny apartment comes with its share of challenges. Such as: how do you create privacy for your sleeping area without breaking up the space? Where do you put all your stuff? And how do you squeeze in storage without turning your tiny apartment into a chaotic mess? In a Paris apartment that measures just 345 square feet, the designer has done all this, and more.

In an effort to meet consumers where they are, IKEA has started testing out furniture rentals and furniture buyback programs. With an eye toward sustainability, rentals and buybacks would allow the furniture giant to recycle and reuse parts, creating an environmentally friendly way to get commitment- phobic consumers through their doors. The company is looking at the buying habits of people in different cities, places where people may be less inclined to invest in setting up a permanent home.

Need an escape? How about a 63.75 acre private island in Scotland? Oh, and lucky you, it’s been uninhabited for over 80 years. Plus, it can be had for a relative steal: they’re entertaining offers over £250,000 (about $350,900). Linga Island is home to sheep and plenty of natural beauty, but no people since 1934.

The biggest fight I ever had with my husband in a public setting was over a TV. We’d decided to put a television in our living room after a few years of hiding the object in our bedroom and were at Target to pick one out. Facing off in the electronics department, we had an epic showdown over whether we’d buy a big, black box, smart TV or the super cute retro-style little Crosley number that would fit in scale and style with the room it was bound for.

It's a teeny, voice-controlled tech lover's dream.

As one of the most intensely-used areas of our homes, bathrooms are popular candidates for remodeling. Though they can recoup a good portion of the costs at resale (usually 56-70%), bathroom renovations tend to be pricey. That’s why it’s important for homeowners to plan their budgets well. Given that more than two-thirds of renovation projects go over-budget, many homeowners could benefit from more thorough, accurate planning. Just how much does it cost to remodel a bathroom?

We feature a lot of amazing kitchen projects, but this kitchen makeover might just have the very best dollars-to-damn ratio yet. It went from oh-so-’70s to totally timeless, thanks to some hard work, tile bravery, and some stickers. So charming! I love the interplay of the hexagonal tiles of the backsplash and the ornately patterned floor tiles. The combination of black, white, grey, and stainless is fresh and modern, while the wood counters add warmth and coziness.

It might be time for white marble to step down from its throne.

Name: Habiba Koroma and her two-year-old son Miles Location: Harlem, New York Size: 630 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting A native New Yorker and an interior designer, Habiba Koroma moved to Harlem from Hell’s Kitchen five years ago. “I fell in love with the vibrancy and soul of the neighborhood, and try to reflect that same energy in my home. I love my spacious and light-filled one-bedroom, which has really grown with me over the years.

The best advice stands the test of time. It’s the kind of insight that can be distilled into few words, passed down from mothers to daughters and between best friends over coffee. And good advice is simple. Almost too simple. “Eat better and move more.” “Treat others how you want to be treated.” And my personal favorite, “clean a little bit each day.” The secret behind your tidiest friend’s home?

One of my favorite new trends in design is the return of color to the kitchen. For the second year running, I’m taking a look at current color trends and predicting what we’ll see in the kitchen in the year to come. Some of these colors you’ll recognize from my 2017 predictions, while others are new to the scene. If you love both color and kitchen design, you’re sure to find something to excite you here. My #1 color prediction for kitchens this year? Green.