An Artist’s Bold Black & White Hollywood Studio Loft
Name: Kristy Degina Location: Hollywood, California Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 years Kristy is a merchandising manager at Crate & Barrel Beverly Hills who shares her Hollywood studio apartment with two cuddly canine roommates. She’s made the most of her small space by incorporating big, bold statement pieces into a minimal black-and-white color palette.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: Year-Round Spooky Style
Mollie goes all out in her Halloween-ready home in Oakland, and she displays things that most people would find creepy or just plain odd, such as two vampire busts in her living room or ’80s horror films posters. If you’re preparing for a Halloween bash, or if you are inspired by vampires, horror films and all things dark as Mollie is, check out the sources below to add a little bit of spookiness to your home.
Apr 30, 2019
Is it Safe to Keep Oven Mitts on the Oven Door?
Q: Please help me resolve a debate with my beloved boyfriend. He insists that oven mitts cannot be kept on the oven door or anywhere near the stove, as it is a fire hazard.
Apr 30, 2019
Can an Exterminator Legally Take Photos of My Apartment?
Q: I am wondering if it’s unlawful for a pest control company to take photos of a tenant’s residence while they are spraying the apartment. I was informed recently from my landlord that the exterminator takes photos while he sprays, and reports the photos back to the landlord. Is this even legal? I noticed flashes of light while he walks through my unit, but I’ve never actually caught him taking pics. Thanks for your reply.
Apr 30, 2019
A Fearlessly Colorful 100-year-old Family Home in Cleveland
Name: Heidi and Erik Salo of Salo Design and their daughter Frankie Location: Lakewood — Cleveland, Ohio Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Homeowners Heidi and Erik Salo mix periods, styles, textures and colors to get the best possible match, blending retail trends (like a Sputnik dining room chandelier) with personal trends (like thrifted destination plates) and travel items (like from their honeymoon in Thailand).
Apr 30, 2019
A Playful, Imaginative “Desert Ranch” Style Home in Illinois
Name: Steve and Sarah Carter, Emerson, Mercy June and their pup Biscuit Location: Hoffman Estates, Illinois Size: 1,700 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Steve and Sarah Carter have created a space that breathes freedom, imagination, whimsy and truth. The spirit of this home is playful. The walls are adorned with beautiful and curated art collected by Sarah, an artist herself who uses creative work, primarily painting, to advocate for vulnerable women and children globally.
Apr 30, 2019
A Textile Designer’s Contemporary Cape Town Home
Name: Megan and Wayne Smith, sons Luca and Sebastian Location: Newlands — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 440 square meters Years lived in: Owned, 10 years Megan and Wayne purchased this house 10 years ago because of its location and good bones — but it was horribly outdated (the bathroom, for example, originally had a floor-to-ceiling porcelain tiled jungle mural complete with colorful parrots). They had to tackle a few decor disasters right away.
Apr 30, 2019
A Bright, Innovative Modern Toronto Loft
Name: Juliana Ciccarelli Location: Toronto, Canada Size: 715 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Within moments of first entering her loft, Juliana knew this space would be her first home. Conveniently located within a part of the city where she works and plays, Juliana has spent the past two years slowly and consciously designing her home. Undoubtedly, its selling feature is the over-20-foot windows that pour light into the space and offer a view of the city.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: French Country With Modern Whimsical Accents
Julie and David Holdsworth’s magical, French country-style home is filled with beautiful antiques and traditional furniture, but features unexpected accents in almost every room, such as Julie’s beautiful sculptures in the dining room. To get this beautiful style in your home, check out the sources below for inspiration.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: Modern, Minimalist & Earthy
Erin and Tobin’s condo in Rhode Island is a perfect blend of minimal decor and bright, bold colors. The bright yellow backsplash and colorful poster in the kitchen contrast the white, modern IKEA cabinets, and the beautiful yellow lounge chairs in the “record room” add a pop of color to the light and airy room. Check out the sources below to shop some of the items featured in their gorgeous Providence home.
Apr 30, 2019
“Decay on Display” in a Grand Historic New Orleans Home
Name: Timothy Sheehan Location: Treme-Lafitte — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 2,300 square feet (second floor living space) Years lived in: Owned 6.5 years When Tim Sheehan first entered his home in 2010, a hand-scrawled sign that read “KEEP OUT” was taped to the front door. The house, used as a rectory for the church next door, had been abandoned since the congregation held its last service in August 2004, a year before Hurricane Katrina.
Apr 30, 2019
Charles Bares the Brick of a Brooklyn Home
Project by: Charles Wachtel of CW Property Group Location: Bed Stuy — Brooklyn, New York I am a former entertainment attorney, now on a mission to make clear that a house “flip” does not need to be a four letter word. I treat each renovation as my own home, and to that end, I build spec houses that I hope introduce a level of quality in both the design and the execution that people are generally unaccustomed to seeing in a developer-built renovation.
Apr 30, 2019
A Sunny Mix of Old & New in California
Name: Celine and Christian Coly (and their son Damase) Location: East Bay — Dublin, California Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years Celine and Christian’s East Bay apartment is bright, airy, chic. Most importantly, it’s cozy and comfortable for the couple, their 9-year-old son and guests.
Apr 30, 2019
This Chicago Apartment is Like a 1950s Time Capsule
Name: Rose Schreier Location: Rosehill—Chicago, Illinois Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: Rented 6 years Six years ago, Rose was hunting for a cute and affordable vintage apartment in Chicago. When she drove by her current home with a “For Rent” sign outside, she jumped on the opportunity to check it out. She nearly flipped when she saw it: the owner of the property had left the interior virtually untouched since the 1960s.
Apr 30, 2019
A Super Cute Couple Share a Soulful Barcelona Rental
Name: Mireya and Arnau Location: Collblanc — Barcelona, Spain Size: 753 square feet Years lived in: Rented for almost 2 years When a home’s door opens for the first time, it’s always a fantastic moment. When I came Mireya and Arnau’s home, the first to greet me effusively was Gustav, their white cat with one blue and one green eye. As soon as you arrive he either wants to give you kisses on your nose or gently bite your feet.
Apr 30, 2019
A Former London Pub Turned Cozy Home
Name: Sally Morgan-Flower Location: East London Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 3 and a half years This beautifully-restored apartment, brimming with unique historic details, occupies one floor of a converted 1850s pub in the heart of London’s East End. Its renovation is an ongoing labour of love for owners Sally and David, who set out to stay true to the apartment’s original aesthetic yet at the same time create a lived-in home that feels comfortable and not too precious.
Apr 30, 2019
DIY Cloud Light
We’re card carrying members of the string light appreciation society and Therese’s fun and inventive DIY is a great way to add another whimsical light source to your home. Skill Level: Easy Time Required: 1 hour Project Cost: Around $10 LED Lighting Chain Metal Wire Hanger Pliers To get the frame for my cloud I bent a metal wire hanger in the cloud shape I wanted. You’ll need some strength and patience to finish this step.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: Musically Inspired Vintage Style
Rose’s Chicago home is filled with all things vintage, particularly from the 1940s and ’50s. While it’s common to find furniture and decor inspired by those decades, Rose’s home goes all out and features pieces from that point in time. It may be difficult to find some of these unique items for your own home, but you can shop for similar pieces using the links below.
Apr 30, 2019
Collectors’ Retro Home with a Vintage “GE Wonder Kitchen”
Name: Letitia Walker and Whitney Shroyer, two dogs, and about 250 sock monkeys! Location: West Asheville, North Carolina Size: 1,386 square feet Years lived in: Owned 16 This idiosyncratic, hip, little home in West Asheville is owned by Letitia and Whitney — a couple of collectors who love found objects, abstract expressionism art, and music.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: Playful, Modern & Minimal
Carlos’ Puerto Rico apartment is filled with bright, colorful furniture and playful accents, such as video game consoles from his childhood and mustache throw pillows. His sophisticated home—which is 23 stories high with gorgeous views of Puerto Rico’s beaches—doesn’t take itself too seriously. Check out the sources below to shop the style for your own home.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: Modern, Crafty Farmhouse Chic
Dan and Yves’ Chelsea home is modern and artistic, with farmhouse accents, crafty DIYs, and unique art pieces in every room. Some may call it “eclectic” but we call it “farmhouse chic.” Find some of the beautiful pieces featured in their home (or something similar) using the links below.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: “Less is More” Creative Style
As an artist, Antje wanted a home with bright natural light so she could create art. She found that in her open-plan studio, located in the historic Alfama district in Lisbon, Portugal. In the three years she’s been there, she’s filled her home with wonderful antiques and vintage accents, as well as her beautiful art. If you agree that “less is more,” check out some of the links below to shop for similar styles in your home.
Apr 30, 2019
A “Kennedys Go Camping” Restored California Craftsman
Name: Matt Gourley and Amanda Lund Location: Pasadena, California Size: 1340 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1 year Amanda and Matt live in a 1947 bungalow in the San Rafael hills of Pasadena. Although most people think of Los Angeles being more like a concrete jungle, Amanda and Matt found a place to call home on a gorgeous, quiet, tree-lined street with no sidewalks that ends at a lake. Wildlife roams their backyard.
Apr 30, 2019
A Modern, Industrial Detroit Loft in a Renovated 1920s Building
Name: Jesse and Cali Green Location: New Center — Detroit, Michigan Size: 980 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years Jesse and Cali’s apartment building is inspiring, not only because they’ve created a beautiful modern and minimal home without splurging, but because of its deep history in Detroit. The building opened in 1926 as a home to graphic artists working in all of the nearby industries, General Motors in particular.
Apr 30, 2019
A California Craftsman with 70s Cabin Vibes
Name: Jennifer Carolina Tredinnick Location: Piedmont Avenue — Oakland, California Size: 788 square feet Years lived in: Rented 7 years Jen loves all of the natural elements of her home: the plants, the original built-ins, the exposed wood, and the permanent golden hour the stained-glass window creates in the living room. She also lives just a couple of blocks from Oakland’s Piedmont Avenue, a commercial neighborhood where some of her favorite boutiques are located.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: Woodsy Cabin Meets ’70s Vibes
Jen says her Oakland home’s style is like a modern cabin with strong ’70’s vibe. If you love bold patterns, vintage furniture, and lots of plants, you might find the links below useful to incorporate a similar style in your home.
Apr 30, 2019
How To Upgrade Your Vintage Suitcase to a Side Table
I found a gorgeous mustardy yellow vintage suitcase, which I upcycled into a fabulous side table. Not only that, I added extra character to the case with some vintage luggage labels. You can download these vintage luggage labels on my blog for free. This vintage suitcase looks great either as a bedside table or a coffee table. It’s also really useful for storage of stuff like magazines.
Apr 30, 2019
Help! I Can Hear My Neighbors Through the Vent!
Q: I live in a condo with a concrete structure, so the soundproofing is pretty good. Unfortunately, I hear everything that is going on in my upstairs neighbors’ kitchen, through the range hood vent. Whenever I’m in my kitchen at the same time as they are, I turn the range on so I don’t hear them, but it is a little bit annoying and loud in the morning. I’m also wondering if they can hear me from their kitchen… Does it happen to anyone else?
Apr 30, 2019
Will I Be Able to Eliminate Musty Cedar Smell in 1970s Home that I’m Thinking About Buying?
Q: The house we are looking to purchase has a lot of cedar [please see photo below] and it was built in 1975. It just has a lot of that cedar smell, and I was wondering if anyone had an idea on how to remove that? Thank you. -Sent by Sanja Editor: What a gorgeous ceiling! Readers, how can Sanja eliminate the musty cedar odor from this house? Or do you recommend she pass on it because there’s really no solution? • Have a question for our community?
Apr 30, 2019
A Shared “Scandi Hippie Kitsch” Montreal Apartment
Name: Mark Andrew Hamilton and Bergþóra Jónsdóttir Location: Montreal, Canada Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: Rented This Montreal rental is shared by two artists with a great eye for design and finding wonderful treasures in random thrift stores and pop-up flea markets. As housemates, they created a cozy home despite the limitations of the apartment — you’ll notice there’s no living room!
Apr 30, 2019
A Tiny 232-Square-Foot San Francisco Studio Is Bright, Comfy
Name: Cindy Zhang Location: Soma — San Francisco, California Size: 232 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Finding a nice, affordable apartment has become a challenge for anyone moving to San Francisco. When Cindy Zhang moved in 2016 from San Diego, she was super happy to find a cute little studio in the hip neighborhood of Soma.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: A Comfortable, Classic & Rustic Mix
Mimi and Harper’s Nashville home is calm, comfortable, vibrant and eclectic all at once. They achieve this look by mixing traditional pieces with eclectic, rustic accents and art. Use the links below for inspiration to get a similar cozy look in your home.
Apr 30, 2019
The Thanksgiving Host’s Complete Cleaning Checklist: 3 Weeks to Go
Thanksgiving, probably more than any other holiday, is all about the food and warmth of togetherness. If you’re hosting, though, the combination of having overnight guests, getting the house ready for them and for meal preparations, and then doing all the cooking can be overwhelming. Here’s how to plan ahead so you can enjoy the festivities too. By this point, you’re likely to know how many overnight guests you can expect.
Apr 30, 2019
Nada’s Dreamy Bedroom Makeover
Project by: Nada Location: Doha, Qatar I can finally bring to you a long overdue room tour, my own bedroom! I promised awhile back that I would share before and afters from my own home one room at a time, and I’ve already shared Farida’s nursery, my 15 month old daughter, and this is the second room tour that I want to share. My husband and I started looking at the design of the bedroom before our wedding, more than two years ago.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: Historic Meets Modern for a Soothing Blend
James loves antiques and family heirlooms, while Kristen is drawn towards modern styles. The end result of their combined tastes in their Charleston home is “historic meets modern” — vintage accents mixed with items from modern brands like Anthropologie (spot the beautiful leather sofa in the living room). Shop the links below to incorporate a similar style in your home.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: A Harmonious Blend of Traditional, Contemporary & Modern
Kathryn and Emilio’s North Carolina home doesn’t feature one specific style. It showcases a harmonious blend of traditional, contemporary and modern styles that provides the family and their guests with a breath of fresh air. Guests are also delighted to find surprises in every corner if they look close enough, such as the Art Deco floor lamp in the living room or geometric lamps in the bedroom. You can now shop the style using the links below!
Apr 30, 2019
Make Your Own Crystal Resin Collage Tray
This lovely little tray can do double duty of both helping you organize your space while jazzing it up. It’s also totally customizable, so follow Cassie’s instructions to make it your own! Skill Level: Easy Time Required: 2 hours active time, 24 hours to cure Project Cost: $50 From Cassie: I am in the middle of redecorating my bedroom, and one of the major upgrades I will be adding is a vanity area.
Apr 30, 2019
Carrie’s Moroccan Inspired Los Angeles Patio
Name: Carrie Location: Windsor Square — Los Angeles, California When we first toured our apartment, the patio looked like a prison yard. The paint was dirty and peeling, the floor was inexplicably covered in commercial kitchen mats, and the view was a tangle of power lines looming over the ugly backsides of three neighboring apartment buildings. (And don’t get me started on the flattened toilet boxes one neighbor used for curtains!
Apr 30, 2019
Before & After: A Rental Property Adds Curb Appeal (On Your Advice)
It’s been two years since readers gave Laura advice about increasing the curb appeal of her rental property and she’s back with an update. Her plan was to make the lawn healthier and add some shrubs. She was also considering painting the shutters or siding and asked readers to help decide what color might go nicely with the yellow. So, let’s find out how this house looks now and which advice Laura ran with!
Apr 30, 2019
A Sustainable Cozy Modern Home Nestled in the Trees
Name: Maria Rusafova and Jakub Markulis Location: Asheville, North Carolina Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 11 years, own Though Maria and Jakub’s house is situated in a dense neighborhood, it often goes undetected — a mark of success for the architects who designed the house with the goal of integrating the structure as peacefully as possible into the urban forest. In fact, not a single tree on the property was disturbed.
Apr 30, 2019
A Classy, Collected Capitol Hill Row House
Name: Brittany, Christian, and (pup) Ted Location: Hill East — Washington, DC Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Brittany, Christian, and their much-adored German Shepard mix, Ted, live in a classic row house in Washington, DC, just east of the U.S. Capitol. They’ve built an elegant and sophisticated home, lovingly filled with details collected over time.
Apr 30, 2019
A PhD Student’s Perfectly Suited Small Toronto Apartment
Name: Adam Kuhn Location: Little Italy — Toronto, Canada Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: Rented 3 years Finding an apartment in Toronto is no easy feat, so when Adam stumbled upon this gem in Little Italy he was ecstatic and relieved to have finally found a place to call home in the city. One of his favorite things about the neighborhood is the mix of dwellers from renters, owners and families — all folks that say hello to one another on the street.
Apr 30, 2019
A Chic “New Traditional” Austin Bungalow
Name: Tiffany and Alan Goldstein Location: Austin, Texas Size: 1064 square feet Years lived in: Owned for 9 Months Natural light pours in through large windows, warming Tiffany and Alan’s Austin bungalow. Tiffany’s background in fashion and the couple’s traveling adventures have inspired chic yet playful interior design. In just nine months, they have creatively remodeled the home to make their space feel open and airy.
Apr 30, 2019
An Easy Way to Spruce Up Your Garbage Can
I have to admit, I’ve never once looked at my trashcan as a design opportunity. Now, thanks to Claire, I’m so ready to bring some pattern to my kitchen. Take it away Claire! From Claire: Over the last few years wallpaper has come back in fashion and there are tons of fantastic designs out there. Wallpaper is not just for walls, you can decorate loads of things with it. As many great design houses produce their own wallpapers it can be cheap way of getting that designer look.
Apr 30, 2019
Bold Colors & Positive Vibes in a Puerto Rican Guest House
Name: The Dreamcatcher Guesthouse, owned by Sylvia and Stephan Location: Ocean Park — San Juan, Puerto Rico Size: 4,000 square feet Years open: 4 years When my partner and I drove into the gated Ocean Park community, we had to circle the block a couple of times before we found The Dreamcatcher guesthouse, where we were staying during our trip to Puerto Rico. Aside from a bold red fence, its plant-covered facade is non-descript, showcasing only small black letters on a white wall.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: “The Kennedys Go to Camp” Style
Matt and Amanda’s Pasadena home doesn’t have one specific style. But they think that if the Kennedys went camping, this is how it would look: craftsman elements, mid-century furniture mixed with rustic accents, and even a little bit of glam. Combined, those elements create a cozy home the couple can enjoy in their quiet, tree-lined neighborhood. Shop the style below!
Apr 30, 2019
How Can I Keep My Dogs Out of Parts of My Open-Plan Home?
Q: My husband and I are in the process of buying a new home that we’ll be moving into with our two dogs. In our current home we use two stacked tension dog-gates to keep the dogs in our dining area when we want the kitchen or living room to ourselves but we’re not sure what to do in the new house. The new home is an open floor plan and the smallest space we could gate is about 7.5′ across.
Apr 30, 2019
Get the Look: Chic, Glam & Playful
Tiffany and Alan’s Austin bungalow is chic and playful, inspired by Tiffany’s background in fashion and the couple’s travels. Most impressive is that the couple has only been in the space for nine months. You can easily get this warm, beautiful look in your home using the links below. Shop the style!
Apr 30, 2019