Apartment Therapy Archive: Mar 2018

Sunday is both Easter and April Fools Day (this also serves as your reminder not to believe anything you see on the internet this weekend). So before you plan your weekend shopping, be sure to check that stores will be open. We’ve rounded up a short list of national retailers that are closed for the holiday. Yes, you’ll have to bulk up some other time. Costco observes the Easter holiday. Yep, this Walmart-owned warehouse store is also closed.

With celebs often buying one another’s homes, sometimes the world of celebrity real estate can feel like one big episode of Trading Spaces. Such is the case when it comes to the recent sale of Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo’s home. The Maroon 5 frontman and star of The Voice and his model wife have just sold their sprawling LA ranch — which registers at just over over 7,000 square feet — to fellow musician John Mayer for $13.5 million.

Apparently, catching a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis isn’t the easiest exploratory feat to check off your travel bucket list. But one surefire way of increasing the odds of witnessing the shimmery cosmic phenomenon up close and in person is to spend a few nights in the Panorama Glass Lodge, a family-owned seaside retreat in Iceland that grants guests full access to remote relaxation and plenty of aurora-viewing opportunities throughout the duration of their stay.

If spending more time on self-care, being active, and being outdoors is headlining your life goals right now, then you’re going to love this tiny home that fits mountains of fitness-loving amenities into a mere 250 square feet.

Every once in a while we come across disappointing bits of information about some of our childhood favorites. I’m sorry to say, today is one of those days. According to TIME, a study published in the journal Biofilms and Microbiomes showed that the rubber duckies that have kept kiddos entertained during bath time for generations hoard “potentially pathogenic bacteria.

In the modern world, there are a lot of things we take for granted—like electrical and plumbing systems. You turn the tap, water comes out. You flip a switch, the lights come on. But imagine, for a moment, that you’re building a vacation house in a location where you don’t have any of that. Is it possible to build a comfortable home completely off the grid? Turns out, it is.

You might know Kate Walsh from her roles on Shondaland series staples Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice, but did you know she has her own fragrance line? Called Boyfriend, the scent has recently expanded to candles, and we chatted with the star about her home projects, embracing coziness, and how she prefers to relax. This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Adults: You might find some gems here for your own rooms, too.

Anyone who has downsized before knows that the process can be daunting. What do you keep and what no longer fits into your life? How do you make your smaller home function as you need it? Will you ever feel comfortable again? And if you’re downsizing because all of your assets have been repossessed by the government since your business manager never filed your taxes and ran off with your money, well, that can make the process even more difficult.

Great news for the overworked people in New York City — you may finally be legally free from taking the office home. On March 22nd, Brooklyn city council member Rafael Espinal proposed the “Disconnect From Work” bill. The bill would make it illegal for businesses to contact employees via email or instant messenger after work hours (with an exception for those with unconventional circumstances, such as on-call employees).

Judging by some of the most creatively upcycled properties on the market, the prospect of going to church and staying there has become increasingly popular. Following in the footsteps of several former houses of worship that are now stylish homes, this converted church on the outskirts of Amsterdam is up for sale, and much like its similarly renovated counterparts, the residence is absolutely fabulous. The two-story Dutch dwelling is located at Singelstraat 26 in Muiden.

Easter catch you off guard this year? Don’t panic. You can still pull together a beautiful basket, on a budget, on your way home from work tonight. Have $15 and an extra 15 minutes? Head to your local drugstore and you’ve got this. We hit up our local CVS and built two different baskets: one for a younger kiddo, and one for the older set. Both check off all the appropriate bunny-themed boxes, and are filled with fun and colorful items — not to mention the all-important candy.

Sorry in advance: I’m about to use the word millennial a whole bunch. Our good researchin’ pals over at RentCafe set out to see if the often talked about phenomena of millennials spending a crazy amount of their income on rent is true. By analyzing census data they found that we (hi, old millennial here) weren’t just crying crocodile tears into our avocado toast (har har har)— millennials are paying significantly more in rent than boomers were at their age.

Sitting on twelve acres of pristine Western prairie, this upcycled tiny house is really two salvaged shipping containers — combining one Montana architect’s wanderlust, sustainable vision, and homesickness into a modern Western retreat that he calls a “stargazer’s dream.

Don’t want to shell out $60-$120 on a Costco membership, but do want to take advantage of the club’s low prices? Well, you’re in luck, because these five retailers helpfully offer price-matching to us lowly non-members. Read on for all the details. There are reminders for each of the retailers below, but it warrants emphasis: be sure to read the fine print for any price-matching policy you come accross.

Name: Ellen and Jace Krause Location: SE Portland, Oregon Size: 2,600 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, owned Ellen and Jace’s sweeping mid-century ranch home in Southeast Portland is vintage in the most authentic way it can be—it’s filled with actual hand-me-down pieces that have been saved from a bunch of different family members!

Whether you’re begrudgingly committed to still using snail mail or consider yourself an avid stamp collector, here’s a reason to skedaddle down to your local post office ASAP: The United States Postal Service recently released a Mister Rogers postage stamp in honor of TV’s most lovable neighbor.

Like Honeycomb cereal, America’s big, yeah yeah yeah. (It’s not small, no no no.) But a new survey shows that maybe we’re finally ready to embrace smaller living — or at least the idea of it. More than half of Americans (53%) polled by the National Association of Home Builders said they were at least willing to consider living in a tiny home, defined as less than 600 square feet.

Whether you’re unwinding after a long day at work or gearing up for a romantic night in, very few things can set the mood like lighting some candles. “It’s an easy and cost-effective way to transform your environment into something special,” says David Seth Moltz, co-founder of fragrance and candle company D.S. & Durga. In 2015, the U.S. retail sales of candles—not including accessories like hurricanes, matchboxes, and wick trimmers—were an estimated $3.

Name: Cory Everett, Dina Sankari Everett, and son Julian Location: Gramercy — New York City Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned After living for 10 years in a 375-square-foot studio on the Lower East Side, we finally decided it was time to move to a bigger space (which was any space with more than one room).

Cleaning house is fresh on everyone’s mind this time of year, and if you’re anything like me, you’ve got a long list of things you’d like to get done before patio weather breezes in. I’m here to tell you: It’s OK if you don’t finish everything on your list. The goal with Spring Cleaning isn’t a perfectly spotless home.

Finland was ranked the happiest country in the world this year, and no wonder! First there’s Kalsarikannit, the fine Finnish art of drinking alone at home in your underwear, and now there’s this extremely cool hotel situation. You can now take in the awe-inspiring majesty of the Northern Lights from the comfort of your own tiny hotel room.

When my in-laws came over for Thanksgiving, we had a wonderful time together. Nothing like a visit from grandparents and three fun uncles to keep the kids happy and entertained while I prepared our feast. I was surprised, then, when our ’round-the-table conversation was devoid of the effervescent conversation I’m used to with my own (Italian) side of the family. I became acutely aware of the silence and then the inordinately loud sound of forks tinkling on plates.

If you consider yourself a fan of comedy, no doubt the garage turned recording studio of this cozy Spanish-style bungalow tucked into the hills of Highland Park will be as familiar to you as the back of your hand. And WTF, it could actually now be yours.

Great ideas are often hiding in plain sight, in places you don’t expect to find them. Take cult beauty purveyor Glossier’s pop-up at Rhea’s Cafe in San Francisco. If you follow the brand on Instagram, you’ve likely seen photos of the blush-and-green restaurant takeover. While some might be smitten by the retro-mod styling vibes or the rows of cosmetics and skincare, there’s something else of note we’re borrowing for our own vanity. Let’s take a look.

A fiber artist and a suit designer downsized from a three-bedroom house to a one-bedroom condo in a downtown Portland high-rise.

Greetings sports fans, let’s fill out a bracket! Just kidding. I mean, yes let’s fill out a bracket, but one about House Hunters instead. Before March and all of its madness is over, we wanted an opportunity to argue amongst ourselves, talk about HGTV for an endless amount of time and defend our choices for our final four. The internet has been abuzz with alternative brackets, and we thought the HGTV crowd deserved their own.

There’s nothing quite so satisfying as growing your own food—and nothing quite so frustrating as being a would-be gardener with a too-small outdoor space. I have known this pain myself, so I was particularly intrigued when Dabney, our Projects Editor, told me about Square Foot Gardening, a very efficient technique for growing things you can eat. Could this be the perfect way to grow a lot of veggies in just a little bit of space?

Obviously, there are set number of standard fixtures that you’ll find in your bathroom—you’ve got your toilet, your sink, faucets, and shower-slash-tub (if it’s not a powder room)—but when you’re not in control of what those look like (say, you’re a renter or not in any place financially to undergo a renovation), it might feel like your design destiny is bleak.

Earlier this month I saw a property for sale that was so swoon-worthy I wrote a rom com about it. Not to be outdone, Sotheby’s International Realty posted this gorgeous Maine estate and once again I’ve found myself with a property muse of the highest caliber. Morning- EXT. Islesboro, Maine. RECENTLY DIVORCED WOMAN IN HER EARLY FIFTIES is sipping a cup of coffee on the porch of her new property.

This dining room—with its hardwood floors, elegant molding, fantastic ceiling medallion, nice wall color, and tons of windows—is more enviable than pretty much any room I’ve ever rented, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved upon. Ooh, it’s so fancy now! The new removable wallpaper is absolutely perfect with the wall paint and it adds a ton of graphic interest while still reflecting lots of light.

Tiny houses are charming, and a great way to simplify and streamline your life—but the tradeoff, for many tiny house designs, is having to struggle up a ladder at night to reach your tiny peaked loft bedroom. Forget where you are in the morning, and you may just whack your head on the tiny adorable roof of your tiny adorable home. But the Escher, a creation of New Frontier Tiny Homes, takes a different approach: it has a bedroom you’d actually want to wake up in.

No matter how often I “clean” my bathroom, it always feels like there’s a mess hiding in the shadows. An undercurrent of disorganization. A collection of clutter just out of sight. It probably feels that way because although I try to keep my cabinets and drawers tidy…I haven’t really expended that much effort, just kind of tossing my stuff into random drawers. Who has time for anything more? Thankfully you don’t actually have to have more time than that.

The Passover Seder is one of the most important meals that Jewish people eat all year, and there is no arguing that the symbolism and ritual associated with the dinner is far more meaningful than the décor. That said, given that family and friends use the first two nights of the eight-day holiday to gather around the table, it would be nice if that table looked beautiful.

Dust, as we somewhat euphemistically know it, is a pretty disturbing amalgamation of pet dander, dirt, soot, hair, pollen, dust mite feces, and other tiny particles that get in our breathing zones and relentlessly coat every surface in our homes. Probably because dust is so pervasive, dusting is one of our most dreaded—and, therefore, often most neglected—chores. Here are some dos and don’ts that should take some sting out of the task.

Name: Ottoline de Vries, Michiel van Soest, and children Caroline (10) and Tom (8) Location: North London, UK Size: 1938 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting Ottoline de Vries founded the London-based Dutch design company (named Ottoline) in 2010, growing it into a prominent purveyor of fabulously patterned homegoods like wallpaper, furniture, lampshades, throw pillows and art.

There’s something eternally appealing about a treehouse, isn’t there? As we get older, actual houses amongst the trees edge out the old school climb a ladder in your backyard version. This gorgeous house in Montana puts a new twist on treehouse living, with four trees growing through it, two on the deck and two in the living area. The two story cabin is tucked away in the woods near Glacier National Park.

One of the most important kitchen design decisions you’ll make, both for looks and functionality, is the layout. You have a few options—the tried and true U shape, or the elegant and functional galley shape. But if you love entertaining, and love the look of an open kitchen, there’s another kind of kitchen layout that’s worth a look: the L shape. An L-shaped kitchen has just two runs of cabinetry, arranged at right angles to each other. (The name pretty much says it all.

Etsy, the online marketplace for unique, vintage and homemade goods, is currently doing something else that, for now, is also one-of-a-kind. While sellers always have the option to list their goods at a discount, Etsy is currently hosting its first site-wide sale. Called World Of Etsy, the event runs through Thursday, March 29. That means you have just under two days to find your next “Where’d you get that?” item for less.

It’s hard to believe Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding is just two months away. The amount of work that goes into preparing for a royal wedding is staggering, and people around the world are working frantically right now to make sure their parts of the big day go off without a hitch. Just one of the many jobs that someone needed to do was to design and produce the official royal commemorative china.

I like to think I’m a pretty savvy Amazon shopper. I regularly surf for Lightning Deals and take full advantage of Subscribe & Save and no-rush shipping discounts. So I’m a little shocked I didn’t know about this well-kept secret sooner. Have you heard about Amazon Trade-In? Amazon’s Trade-In program lets you turn in used items in exchange for Amazon gift cards and discounts.

It’s official—Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez have taken the next step in the merging of their lives and families with the purchase of their new NYC pad in Midtown. According to the Wall Street Journal, the power couple bought in 432 Park Avenue, currently the world’s tallest residential tower.

West Elm’s boho-chic summer collection of furniture and accessories will have you throwing impromptu garden parties in no time (even if it’s just a backyard-less fantasy). The globally-inspired, itching-to-be-Instagrammed looks include rugs in modern ikat patterns, eye-catching woven seating, and a plethora of modern outdoor furnishings.

Name: Joost Janszen and Martijn Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands Size: 861 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned When Joost and Martijn checked out this apartment three years ago, they fell for the bright living area with its lovely canal view. It’s the perfect backdrop for the colorful interior, filled with their own creations and beautiful vintage finds.

Can you believe? Today is Jonathan Van Ness’ birthday, and the Queer Eye star turned 31 with an incredible gift from none other than his momma. Aside from the show being renewed for a second season, the star got quite the impressive birthday gift. Jonathan shared on Instagram Stories last night that his mom, a talented quilter, had made him one of her creations.

Don't let these happen on your watch.