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2018
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The Latest: Jul 2018

Welcome to the hub for accessing all our latest posts! Easily sort through content by date to quickly find what you’re looking for — you’ll never miss out on the latest updates here.
A Couple Compromises in a Small Clinton Hill Home
Name: Adam LaGreca and Gabriela Gallegos Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, NY Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Adam was coming from a minimalist studio already in the neighborhood. Gabriela was coming from the East Village, where she could walk to her office in Astor Place. They both were tired of packing overnight bags, and after five years of dating, knew it may be time to combine forces.
Minette Hand
Jul 12, 2018
3 Packing Mistakes Professionals See Over and Over
You’ve chosen your moving company and booked the movers, but there’s one thing that still needs to be done before the big day: packing up your belongings. Before you get too excited and begin stuffing your boxes with all your stuff, make sure that you’re setting yourself up for a smooth and efficient move.
Maddy Sims
Jul 11, 2018
Questions We All Ask: Is There a Difference Between a Sofa and Couch?
We found out everything you need to know about your favorite piece of furniture.
Kelsey Mulvey
Jul 11, 2018
Before and After: A One-Week $5K Bathroom Remodel for the Ages
Yes, that’s right: sponge painting! If any of you are old enough to remember when sponge painting (or feather duster painting, ooh-la-la) was the hot new thing, this bathroom is probably bringing back a few flashbacks. While sponge painting is sure to make a comeback any day now, the homeowner was ready for a change—especially from the peeling floors.
Tess Wilson
Jul 11, 2018
How I Aggressively Paid Off Two Mortgages in Only 15 Years
After watching our parents retire and still have to make mortgage payments on a fixed income, my husband and I decided we would do whatever to prevent that for ourselves. So we approached our mortgages with aggressive and out-of-the-box steps that aren’t for everyone, but definitely worked for us.
Amy Barnes
Jul 11, 2018
Partner
Before & After: Paint This Easy DIY Headboard Now
If you can draw a line, you can handle this pattern.
Creative Studio
Jul 11, 2018
Chip & Joanna Gaines Are Selling a Boutique Hotel In Texas
Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines are constantly growing their Magnolia empire, and that means a hefty dose of high-end real estate. But their latest property to hit the market isn’t a single-family home: Instead, the couple’s Magnolia Realty just listed a historic boutique hotel in the small town of Hico for $2.35 million.
Megan Johnson
Jul 10, 2018
From Blank Slate Spec House to Bold Boho Home
Name: Lita Lee, Mike Martin and their four children Location: Edmonton, Alberta Size: 2,550 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Lita Lee claims to be “just a girl who decided to go for it.” And the it she went for was taking a large spec home from a blank slate to a bold, bright home that’s the perfect fit for her family. And in the process, she discovered her passion and talent with interior design, launching Crave Interiors.
Adrienne Breaux
Jul 10, 2018
I Lived With My Mom Until I Could Afford My Own House—Here’s What I Didn’t Realize
I worked two jobs for four long years, coming home at the end of the day to the house I grew up in, saving up some cash for a down payment on a house of my own.
Abby Heugel
Jul 10, 2018
The Cleaning Workhorse You Already Carry in Your Purse
It’s become ubiquitous. Whether it’s a tiny bottle of colored gel clipped to a teens’ backpack, or the more natural version that’s a common diaper bag companion, hand sanitizer is becoming a staple of everyone’s personal bag. Besides its obvious purpose (don’t forget that the CDC still recommends hand-washing as the best line of defense!), you can also bust out your hand sanitizer to accomplish these little cleaning tasks, at home and on the go.
Shifrah Combiths
Jul 10, 2018
The Most Hollywood Thing? Buying a Home from Another Celebrity
Sometimes it feels like everyone in Hollywood knows each other. We see celebrities commenting on each other’s Instagrams as if they’re all members of the same club. (“So-and-so is friends with Chrissy Teigen and Busy Philipps? Who knew!”) And when you put all of those people into the same 50-mile radius, it’s no wonder that their real estate purchases tend to overlap. And when you’ve got many millions to spare, you gotta spend them on something, right?
Megan Johnson
Jul 10, 2018
This 450-Square-Foot Apartment Is Incredibly Bright Despite Being at Basement Level
This basement apartment in the city feels more like a handcrafted cottage, neatly nestled in a hidden forest somewhere in the mountains.
Brian and Nicki Rohloff
Jul 10, 2018
Before and After: This Bathroom Keeps Its Original, Beautiful Tiles
When I first saw these dreamy blue tiles, I held my breath that they would survive this bathroom’s makeover. And when I saw the results? Legitimate gasp! This Before & After is so, so fun and incredibly well done. This is glorious! I would never have thought of that wallpaper with these tiles in a million years; fortunately, Carrie Hayward of Disney Travel Babble has a lot more vision than I do.
Tess Wilson
Jul 10, 2018
Partner
How to Make the Most of Your Outdoor Space…Even If You Have None
Our outdoor M.O. takes its cues from the Parisian sidewalk bistros of our dreams: sit, relax, repeat. Whether you’re working with a spacious yard or a tiny balcony, your outdoor space should be as stylish as the indoor space you’ve worked so hard on. That means investing in furniture that you actually want to sit on (read: not those scratchy plastic chaises at the home-improvement store).
Creative Studio
Jul 10, 2018
A ’70s California Beach House Has the Coolest Girl Boss Corner
Name: Erin Conway, Matt, son Finnegan, daughter Tallula, and dogs Cashew and Stewart Location: Pacific Grove, California Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned We live in the town of Pacific Grove California. A tiny beach town on the central coast. They film Big Little Lies here and in the surrounding areas so we’re kind of a big deal haha! The house is ’70s modern architecture and has loads of quirky angles.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Jul 10, 2018
3 Smart Ways to Do Fewer Dishes This Summer
Welcome to Apartment Therapy’s Chore-Free Summer. Every weekday until July 20, we’re arming you with time-saving shortcuts and hacks that’ll help you work smarter, not harder, when it comes to homekeeping this summer. Because cleaning doesn’t have to be a chore. No other household chore draws as much ire as the dishes. Maybe it’s because they just never. seem. to end.
Taryn Williford
Jul 10, 2018
After a Breakup, a Photographer Starts Fresh in a New Place of Her Own
Name: Breeana (Bree) Dunbar and son Ari Location: Brunswick East — Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Size: 540 square feet Years lived in: 2 months, renting I moved into this apartment after my son’s father and I separated earlier this year. I found the separation absolutely devastating; it feels like a death and in a way it is. It’s the death of your life as you know it, and the death of the future you imagined for your family.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Jul 9, 2018
We’re Calling It: Tiny Greenhouses Are the Next Big Thing in Backyards
Your backyard needs this.
Nancy Mitchell
Jul 9, 2018
A West Hollywood Home Is a Whimsical Explosion of Color
Name: Troy Solomon and Ian Mofford Location: West Hollywood, California Size: 800 square feet Years Lived In: 3 years for Troy, 2 years for Ian, renting I first learned of Troy Solomon (aka ABearNamedTroy) from his Instagram, where his brazen feed strikes a colorful balance between fierce and playful, a strong aesthetic that is reflected in the apartment he shares with fiance Ian Mofford.
Jessica Isaac
Jul 9, 2018
Before and After: Great Ideas for a Builder Grade Bathroom
This ordinary-appearing bathroom was harboring a terrible secret, so a renovation was urgent and 100 percent necessary. And if the finishes just happened to get (majorly) upgraded in the process? So be it… As usual, the Before photo doesn’t tell the whole story—here’s what this bathroom was like before it was gutted: Original floor tiles, missing drawers, and mismatched faucets. This is what our master bathroom looked like when we purchased the home in summer of 2017.
Tess Wilson
Jul 9, 2018
Partner
Before & After: How One Couple Gave Their Home Year-Round Summer Vibes
Our three favorite words? Pop of color. It’s a phrase that works in just about every space, but it’s especially helpful in the teeniest homes. Here, color can simultaneously define different areas in the home while providing the illusion of depth and light. Case in point: Shaina and Michael’s tiny house. While every inch of their 400 square feet works hard, the MVP may well be their workspace area.
Creative Studio
Jul 9, 2018
This Adobe House in Utah Is a Natural Desert Dream Home
Name: Holli Zollinger, my son Lorenzo and two kittens Zizi and Zara. Location: Moab, Utah Size: 729 square feet Years lived in: 5 months, owned My name is Holli and I live in this 729-square-foot desert adobe home with my son Lorenzo and two kittens Zizi and Zara. I’m a full-time working textile/surface designer and artist of 26 years.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Jul 9, 2018
English Cottage Meets American Colonial in a Gorgeous Ohio Home
Name: Megan Miller, my husband Jesse and our two daughters, Navy and June Location: Alliance, Ohio Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: 4.5 years, owned I share my home with my husband Jesse and our two daughters, Navy (3) and June (1). I’m a homebody at heart and spend most of my time at home taking care of our girls, so I wanted it to be a place I truly enjoyed being in. I love antiques and vintage home goods because I feel they bring warmth, charm, and history to a home.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Jul 8, 2018
The Real Use For Pull-Out Cutting Boards Might Actually Surprise You
Think about your mom or grandma’s kitchen, in 2018 they might seem a little bit outdated (if they haven’t been remodeled). Some older kitchens have butter churns, crockery pots, pull-out cutting boards and more. Some things might have gotten replaced over the years, but others have stuck around. Now, the pull-out cutting board your mom used to slice and dice every vegetable imaginable isn’t actually a cutting board. It was created for an entirely different purpose.
Ana Luisa Suarez
Jul 8, 2018
Here’s What Living 2 Blocks from Trader Joe’s Is Really Like
When I moved to Boston for graduate school several years ago, my first apartment was inside a rundown 150-year-old mansion. The plumbing was shoddy, the bathroom reeked of mildew and the furnace liked to quit during snowstorms, but there was one incredible perk: A Trader Joe’s was only two blocks away. The ease of stopping to pick up a bag of yogurt pretzels and a $4 bottle of Chardonnay on my way home from class almost made the leaky roof worth it.
Paige Towers
Jul 8, 2018
7 Powerful Things You Can Do with Just an Ice Cube
Dare we say these hacks are… really cool?
Samantha Zabell
Jul 8, 2018
Before and After: A Terrific $2K ‘Temporary’ Bathroom Remodel
This bathroom was built in the ’30s, redecorated 30 years later… and then used as-is for decades. The new homeowners wanted to give the bathroom a much-needed update without spending a ton, and the results are a delight. First, here’s a tiny bit of backstory: 1931 Craftsman BADLY needed repainting when my then-boyfriend (now husband) purchased the house in 2003… This year we did a “temporary” budget remodel on a TERRIBLE 1960s bathroom remodel.
Tess Wilson
Jul 8, 2018
8 Money-Saving, Life-Changing Things Hidden on the Amazon Website
If you're willing to spend some time digging, you can find some pretty special deals.
Caroline Biggs
Jul 8, 2018
A Soon-to-Be Shop Owner’s Ohio Home Is a Boho Vintage Oasis
Name: Nicola Wilhelm and my rescue cat, Oscar Location: Tremont Neighborhood — Cleveland, Ohio Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting I am a lifelong vintage collector, soon-to-be shop owner (Helm Collective coming to the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland this summer). When I look around my home, I can honestly count the number of pieces that I purchased new on one hand.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Jul 7, 2018
Did You Know These 4 Things Can Affect Your Home’s Value?
From location and lot size to curb appeal and area schools, most people know the most common factors that can affect a home’s property value. However, the list doesn’t quite end there. “Surprisingly, there are many out-of-the-box factors which may not be quite obvious that affect property value either positively or negatively,” says Marlene De Cespedes, director of luxury sales at Douglas Elliman in Miami, Florida.
Chelsea Greenwood
Jul 7, 2018
The 9 Deadly Sins of Bad Paint Jobs, According to a Pro
With so many things that really ought to be done by a professional when it comes to home improvement, the temptation—the need if you don’t have deep pockets—to DIY the simple stuff is totally understandable. And first on that list has got to be painting. All you do is grab a brush and go to work, NBD. Right? Well, it’s true that most anyone can do it. Doing it well, on the other hand? Maybe not so much.
Dana McMahan
Jul 7, 2018
Now That I’m an Adult, I Finally Understand My Mom’s Unfair Rule for Keeping the House Clean
Now, as a 30-something adult, I get it. I have the exact same rule for keeping the bedroom clean at home.
Lisa Freedman
Jul 7, 2018
5 Signs Your Real Estate Agent Really Knows What You’re Looking for
You’ve heard this piece of home-buying advice time and time again: When it comes to buying property, you should work with a qualified real estate agent. While it may be tempting to go it alone, real estate agents do this for a living and their professional expertise can make a difference. However, you’ve probably also heard horror stories about subpar real estate agents who made the home buying process more of a nightmare than a dream.
Kate Streit
Jul 6, 2018
A Brooklyn Townhouse Is Organized and Incredibly Cute
Name: Sunny Shokrae, Ryan Eugene Kelley and Leo Arya Kelley Location: Bedford-Stuyvesant — Brooklyn, NY Size: 1,183 square feet Years lived in: Less than 1 year, owned Sunny and her husband Ryan became homeowners just shy of a year ago. The longtime Williamsburg, Brooklyn, residents needed a change in anticipation of birth of their son Leo. And moving a few miles south to Bedford Stuyvesant offered the growing family more space and freedom in how they style their home.
Melanie Rieders
Jul 6, 2018
Playful or Played Out? Designers Weigh in on Gray and Yellow Decor
Artist Wassily Kandinsky once said, “Color is a power which directly influences the soul.” Yet, finding a color combination that’s cool, modern, sophisticated, and complementary is easier said than done. For years, yellow and gray fit the bill. Easy and unexpected, the two hues were an unstoppable duo for gender neutral nurseries and cheery rooms alike.
Kelsey Mulvey
Jul 6, 2018
A Homebody Claims Decorating’s Hobby, but Her Home Is Professionally Beautiful
Name: Katie Varela, husband and three kids Location: Lake Forest, California Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned My husband, Jon, and I live in this three-bedroom home with our three kids, ages 13, 11, and 9. We moved here a year and a half ago from a neighboring city and a house that was under 1,000 square feet, so this 1,700-square-foot home feels like a mansion to us!
Apartment Therapy Submissions
Jul 6, 2018
Tracy Morgan’s $2 Million New Jersey Home Is For Sale
After acquiring a lavish 21,000-square-foot colonial-style home in Alpine, New Jersey in 2015, Saturday Night Live alum Tracy Morgan is hoping to offload his comparatively modest digs in nearby Cresskill. The Emmy-nominated comedian initially listed his 6-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom-home at $2.248 million but has since dropped the asking price to $1.998 million, which is slightly less than the $2.11 million Morgan paid for it back in 2011, according to Variety.
Kenya Foy
Jul 5, 2018
12 Things Good Neighbors Always Do
In a perfect world, your neighbors would be as lovable as Joey and Chandler, as kooky as Kramer, or as beloved as Fred and Ethel. But, in reality, you don’t have to be BFFs to establish great relationships with the folks living next door or down the hall.
Lesley Kennedy
Jul 5, 2018
This Actress Hand Built Her Own Funky Brooklyn Loft
"If nothing goes together, everything goes together."
Darragh Dandurand
Jul 5, 2018
9 No-Fail Ways to Style Your Coffee Table
A well-styled coffee table can be a game changer for your home. Not only does it offer up a little extra space for stashing stuff, when thoughtfully organized, your coffee table can double as an artful living room centerpiece. To prove our point, we scoured our house tours high and low and rounded up nine of the most beautifully styled coffee tables we could find. From a full-blown bench display to an airy Scandi-style scene, here are some of the chicest ideas for organizing your coffee table.
Caroline Biggs
Jul 5, 2018
Why You Should Sleep With a Sock on Hot Summer Nights
I don’t know about you, but on hot summer nights I don’t want anything remotely close to me, unless it’s the frigid, steady breeze from the AC unit. I’ve been known to draw an invisible boundary line down the center of our bed (not unlike the line that separated my sibling and me in the back of our parents’ car on long trips when we were kids), restricting my husband to “his side” so his body heat stays as far away from me as possible.
Ashley Poskin
Jul 5, 2018
4 Things You Should Never Clean with Baking Soda
From scrubbing pots and pans to deep-cleaning appliances, baking soda is such a great cleaning agent that it’s tempting to want to use it on everything. But even though it’s gentler than some alternatives, baking soda still has some downfalls. Because it’s abrasive, you have to be careful with surfaces that are lightly sealed or that have a finish that can be worn away (the same way you would be careful with scrubbing too hard with a scratchy sponge).
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Jul 5, 2018
7 Ways to Hack Your Way to More Closet Space
Closets come in all shapes and sizes—and often, with not enough storage space. Thankfully, with a little imagination (and research), you can turn your cramped closet into a stylish storage hub, no matter how tiny it may be. To prove our point, we rounded up some of the easiest—and not to mention, affordable—ways to carve out more storage for your wardrobe.
Caroline Biggs
Jul 4, 2018
The Modern Way to Decorate With Terrazzo
It dates all the way back to ancient Egypt.
Marlen Komar
Jul 4, 2018
This Company Will Build a Beach In Your Backyard
If the closest you’ve managed to come to dipping your toe in some salty ocean water this summer is Googling affordable beach resorts or longingly scrolling through photos of celebrities hanging out at their dreamy beach homes, consider kicking those nagging symptoms of beach withdrawal to the curb by investing in your very own backyard swimming pond.
Kenya Foy
Jul 4, 2018
Peek Inside This Gorgeous Treehouse For Adults
When it comes to elevated dwellings, tree houses will always be in style. The universal adoration for these nature-friendly living spaces is undeniable, and designer Antony Gibbon has once again tapped into that appeal with the creation of Inhabit, a sleek treehouse located near the town of Woodstock, New York. Situated on a tract of forest land, Gibbon’s design was inspired by geometric forms.
Kenya Foy
Jul 4, 2018
204 of the Most Beautiful & Inspiring Homes in America
Check out these house tours of America's beautiful and diverse array of home decor styles and people. A healthy and happy home helps you feel and be the best version of yourself.
Adrienne Breaux
Jul 4, 2018
10 Creative Ways You Can Save Money While Moving
You just bought a new home or signed the lease for an apartment you’ve been coveting. Spending your discretionary dollars on a great piece of art or furniture sounds a lot more fun than blowing money on boring moving boxes and tape, right? If only it were that easy: Moving can be a pricey endeavor once you layer in all of the costs associated with professional movers, rented trucks, housing deposits, and miscellaneous fees.
Brittany Anas
Jul 3, 2018