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The Latest: May 3, 2019

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Open ring box with diamond engagement ring among closed boxes on a pink background.
The Pop Culture History of This Controversial Engagement Ring Style
The latest celebrity engagement between Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande solidifies the official comeback of the disputed pear-shaped diamond engagement ring. On June 15, the Saturday Night Live star posted a black-and-white photo on his Instagram account with his hand positioned under Grande’s left hand and on her ring finger sparkled a $93,000 rock. His caption: “u know what you’d dream it be like? it’s better than that.
Marissa Hermanson
May 3, 2019
Here’s How to Ruin The Trendy Brass Fixtures You Just Spent a Fortune On
Filed under things I didn’t know I had to worry about: the fact that the pretty finish on my new kitchen fixtures might not last. When you’re dreaming about a new kitchen, it’s often the jewelry—those gleaming brass fixtures—that imprint on your mind. They certainly did mine. Pinning my little heart out, I began to see patterns in what I liked, and that included modern brass fixtures.
Dana McMahan
May 3, 2019
The “Faceless Bunker” From Fixer Upper Can Be Yours For $1.15 Million
Here’s your chance to snag a piece of Fixer Upper history. Known as the “Faceless Bunker” on season two of the HGTV show, the four bed, three and a half bath home was absolutely transformed by Chip and Joanna Gaines. Now, it’s hit the market for a whopping $1.15 million. Quite a difference from the $349,000 it was last sold for in 2014, according to realtor.com.
Megan Johnson
May 3, 2019
7 Smart Laundry-Organizing Ideas to Steal from IKEA
What is it about laundry? For some reason, a well-designed and organized laundry area can inspire deep wells of envy. That’s certainly how I felt when I saw IKEA’s gallery of gorgeous laundry rooms—maybe it’s because my washer and dryer unhappily occupy a wall in my kitchen, a wall where style and organization is certainly less of a priority. Here are some of IKEA’s ingenious ideas you can steal for your own laundry space.
Carrie Murphy
May 3, 2019
Before and After: We Can’t Get Over This Zero-Budget Makeover
You are currently gazing upon a floor that is not only old linoleum—it is the old linoleum floor of a fish-gutting room. Is there any hope for this room, or is it doomed to be forever haunted by dearly departed stinky fishies? The old, fishy floor has been replaced with a watery blue dream; it’s like a river you can walk on. This stained plywood floor was created by Tanya of Dans le Lakehouse, and I’m in awe of her vision.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
The Best Vintage Travel Trailer Makeovers on Instagram
Instagram is overflowing with renovated vintage trailers: they’re all adorable, and they all have adorable names. Check out the amazing work that’s been done on Sprite, Scamp, Rosie, Rubie Jane, Lula, Lorelai, Peach, and 12 others—most of these homes-on-wheels are at least 40 years old, and they all look better than ever. This minimal beauty is enormous for a trailer, but fairly small for a family of five!
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
5 Storage & Design Hacks Every Stand Mixer Owner Should Know
A stand mixer is a staple of many home cooks’ kitchens—and it can also be an amazing focal point. It’s sculptural! It’s industrial! It comes in so many different colors! On the flip side, a stand mixer can be big and bulky and presents a fair share of other problems you might not have anticipated before you decided to spring for one. But don’t fret—there’s probably a hack for whatever it is that’s ruining your stand mixer state of bliss.
Ayn-Monique Klahre
May 3, 2019
I Hacked My Messy Pantry Using Only Stuff From the Dollar Store
I’m pretty lucky. My rental apartment has a large, cavernous pantry, which is a boon in the kitchen storage department. However, what it has in size, it lacks in efficiency. For all that space, there are only a few shelves (which tend to overflow with canned goods and foodstuffs) and the full-size refrigerator prevents me from adding in more. In an effort to boost my pantry’s usefulness, I headed straight to the dollar store.
Ashley Poskin
May 3, 2019
What HGTV Doesn’t Tell You About Flipping Houses
So you want to make a cool $100,000? Popular HGTV shows lead you to believe the secret to getting rich quick is to start flipping houses. From Chip and Joanna Gaines, to Tarek and Christina El Moussa, there are plenty of everyday people making a name for themselves this way. So a few years ago, after I got married, my husband and I said to ourselves: We could totally do this. He works in construction.
Brigitt Earley
May 3, 2019
The Trader Joe’s Towel Your Kitchen and Bathroom Have Been Missing
We’ve sung the praises of Fouta (a.k.a Turkish Towels, Peshtemal, Hammam) before. They’re lightweight and thin, which is great for folding and storing, but still pretty absorptive. If they’re authentic, the cotton gets softer with every wash. They come in a bunch of shades, perfect for adding a pop of color to any space that needs it.
Danielle Blundell
May 3, 2019
The Best Budget Fixes for Your Really Bad Countertop
Nothing screams ‘Sad Kitchen’ like shoddy old countertops. Okay, a bad floor or rickety old cabinets are probably right up there, but a decades-old, grungy, cracked, and damaged counter can turn an otherwise perfectly decent kitchen into something to cringe over. When my husband and I prepared to put our previous home on the market, our realtor encouraged us to replace the dated laminate counter.
Dana McMahan
May 3, 2019
How I Developed an Obsession with Real Estate Apps
My daily use of real estate apps started off as a justifiable act: my husband, Kumar, and I we were in the market for a house after receiving the news that he’d matched for a gastroenterology fellowship in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At the time, we were living in New York City, paying budget-breaking rent for a tiny apartment. Thus, we figured—why not put our money into a small starter home when we move? We wanted a yard for our two little dogs to run around in.
Paige Towers
May 3, 2019
Try The “Bigger Than a Breadbox” Decluttering Challenge This Weekend
There is endless advice in the world about how best to declutter your home—some of it is helpful, a bit of it is masterful, and much of it is inconsistent. “Keep only the things that spark joy” they tell you… but, I mean, you need to keep your screwdriver and vacuum, no matter how boring or frustrating their utility may be. Point is, the “rules” don’t always work.
Taryn Williford
May 3, 2019
People Are Ditching Their Upper Kitchen Cabinets and I Don’t Think I’m on Board
Upper cabinets are starting to disappear from kitchens, and I’m not sure how to feel about it. It all started with the open-shelving phenomenon, and now, in some cases, it has morphed into this total lack of anything structural above the countertops. On the one hand, it is visually beautiful. You can really go to town with tile—think an uninterrupted, ceiling-high wall of subways or a bold geometric backsplash. But on the other hand, where exactly are you supposed to put your stuff?
Danielle Blundell
May 3, 2019
10 Michaels Money-Saving Tricks You’re Not Taking Advantage Of
You’ve clipped the coupons, you’ve scoured the weekly ads. But if you really want to save on all the bits and bobs at Michaels that fuel your DIY hobbies and home decor dreams, you’ve got to strategize. Here are 10 ways to maximize the savings. By all means clip those Michaels coupons (or better yet, download them on the app), but if you haven’t signed up to get coupons from the company’s competitors you’re missing out.
Danielle Centoni
May 3, 2019
This is Why Your Curtain Liner Likes to Stick to You in the Shower — And How to Stop It
And how to stop it from happening ever again.
Samantha Zabell
May 3, 2019
Does Mouthwash Deserve a Spot in Your Medicine Cabinet? A Dentist Weighs In
You’re just getting home after a long night, or you’re rushing to work in the morning, and you think: A quick rinse with mouthwash will be the same as brushing my teeth. Sound familiar? Unfortunately for you, that logic isn’t quite right. While mouthwash can be a helpful addition to your oral hygiene routine, it should never be a replacement for proper dental care, says Dr.
Samantha Zabell
May 3, 2019
Get the Look: The Incredibles 2 Mid-Century Super Home
It only took 14 years, but we finally have the superhero film we deserve. The hero being mid-century modern design. Picking up right where the first installment left off, the Parr family is on the forefront of the fight to make superheroes legal again. During that process, they are set up in a mid-century design lover’s dream house. And lucky for you, Zillow created a listing so you can really get a sense of the home’s super features.
Anita Shriver
May 3, 2019
Wainscoting Is One of the Easiest Room Details to Get Wrong
Let’s talk about wainscoting. Wainscoting is one of our favorite ways to dress up a boring or unremarkable room, to give it an instant dose of old-world style. But it can also be an easy detail to get wrong. Specifically, a lot of people struggle with how far up the wall the wainscoting should be hung—an important detail that makes a huge difference in the look of the finished application. Here’s what you need to know.
Nancy Mitchell
May 3, 2019
Vintage Travel Trailer Paint Jobs You Won’t Ever Forget
We had so much fun exploring The Best Vintage Travel Trailer Makeovers on Instagram that we’re back with 20 more. This time the focus is on exterior paint jobs, but the adorable trailer names—Sassafras Lou, Delilah, Sprout, Beatrice, Archie, and Mrs. Schmick—are still going strong. Let’s hit the road! These pink scallops are the sweetest, cutest thing ever, and a big change from the original mossy-green stripes.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
A 400-Square-Foot San Francisco Home Was Furnished in Only 3 Months
Name: Prathima Nalluri Location: Nopa (North of Panhandle) — San Francisco, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 9 months, renting I moved into my apartment about nine months ago with not much furniture except my bed and a console table. I know they say take your time to furnish your place but I did it in less than three months (and I don’t regret a single purchase!). I love spending time at home and I wanted to create a space which is airy and cozy at the same time.
Apartment Therapy Submissions
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Kitchen Has a Radically Different Look
Let’s be real: This about-to-be-renovated kitchen is far nicer than any kitchen I’ve ever had, so much so that I kept putting ‘after’ labels on the ‘before’ photos. But now it has a fresh vibe, new appliances, and a radically different look. After all the before/after confusion, I still had to double-check that this was the same view as the top image. It is the same camera angle, but every other thing has been changed.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
5 Dirty Secrets Your Green Thumb Friends Don’t Want You to Know
Though it certainly feels like it when you watch people with the gift of making every plant under their care flourish, no one is born with a green thumb: There are only black thumbs who become green thumbs, and black thumbs who haven’t yet. If you’re in the second category, knowing these dirty little secrets hidden in the closets of your green thumb friends will speed you on your own path to that enviable star plant-parent status.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
Before You Buy Another Plant, Check Your Local Library
Do you dream of fragrant green herbs sprouting on your kitchen windowsill? Cherry tomatoes ripening on the vine just outside your door? If you’ve got a least a little patch of sun on a porch or balcony, you can grow a container garden. But before you head out to buy seeds, you might want to check with your local library to see if you can “check out” a pack or two. Yep, libraries aren’t just for books and movies anymore.
Rebecca Straus
May 3, 2019
Insecticidal Soap Is Our Favorite Solution to Common Plant Pests
Have you ever peeled back the leaves on a bunch of homegrown kale to discover hundreds of scaly little bugs? Those are aphids and the sight of them will make you throw away your kale and order pizza instead. And anyone who’s had a houseplant infested with spider mites will have been tempted to chuck said plant, pot and all, straight out the window. The damage they cause can eventually kill the plant, and the mites spread quickly.
Rebecca Straus
May 3, 2019
The Unsung Perk of Putting Books in Rainbow Order
Along shoes-on-or-off policies and the paper towel/rag debate, few topics are as polarizing as “rainbowtizing” books. People have feelings about their books, and how they are organized on the shelf. Yes, it’s totally a personal preference, with compelling reasons supporting every method. But I have a case to make for rainbow order when it comes to kids’ books. Once I rainbow-ordered my kids’ books, I haven’t looked back.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
7 Instagrams to Follow if You Can’t Stop Looking at Listings
It’s not all puppies and kittens, folks. These days, there’s an Instagram account (and #influencer) for pretty much everything. And that includes real estate. (The word “real estate” alone garners over 15 million hits when entered in the social media app’s search engine). Whether you’re buying, selling, or just like to look, here are a few accounts you might like to add to your feed.
Laurren Welch
May 3, 2019
Before and After: An A+ Answer to Generic HomeGoods Artwork
If, like me, you were hoping that this art hack involved adding enormous sea monsters to this idyllic beach scene, you might be the teensiest bit disappointed, but if you want to see these discount pieces transformed into lovely original abstract paintings, read on! Let’s start with a little backstory: When I came across these pre-framed mass reproduction art pieces at HomeGoods, they were the perfect size for our space but lacked the modern minimal look I was going for.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
Dear Taylor Swift, Let’s Talk About How You Just Discovered Command Tape
Taylor Swift is approaching a milestone birthday this year—the big 3-0. And while she still has a couple of months to go (her birthday is December 13), she penned a piece for ELLE, “30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30,” in advance of the occasion. Turning 30 can be a milestone year that gets you reflecting on the rights and wrongs that have happened within your 10,950 days of life.
Nicoletta Richardson
May 3, 2019
Do You Like Jokes and Crafts? This Punny Video Of Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman Is Sew Good
If you like puns, crafts, and craft-related puns, then we have a pretty great way for you to spend two minutes. In a video to promote their new crafting competition show, Making It, former Parks & Rec costars Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman challenge each other to a DIY-themed pun-off. “Y’all thready for this?” starts Poehler. “Don’t be spoolish,” Offerman dishes.
Tara Bellucci
May 3, 2019
This One Thing Will Make Your Small Bedroom Feel so Much Bigger
By New York City standards, my bedroom is huge, which basically means it’s the size of a walk-in closet in the Midwest. But I’m a card-carrying member of the “fake it till you make it” club, and fortunately, it doesn’t take much to make a small sleep space look bigger. It’s all about fooling the eye and really is as simple as this: Don’t overcrowd your furniture, which should be appropriately-sized for your room in the first place.
Danielle Blundell
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This $46 Wood Dresser Transformation Is Absolutely Stunning
A reader found this old dresser in an alley and knew right away that she’d hit the jackpot. And after hours of scrubbing and sprucing, this dresser is even more beautiful than the day it was built. Here’s how reader Krissy Gilhooly tells the story of this exciting discovery: I found this piece abandoned in the alley behind our house. When I first saw it, I was expecting it to be rickety and have sticky drawers, as most furniture is when it’s thrown away.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
Get Rid of These Things in Your Kitchen Right Now
The kitchen is the biggest workhorse room in almost every household. It’s not only the place where we store our food and prepare our meals, but especially in the age of the open concept home, it’s also a hangout spot and maybe even a homework or work area. With so many things going on in the kitchen, and so many people in and out of it constantly, it’s easy for our kitchens to become cluttered, and fast.
Shifrah Combiths
May 3, 2019
Before and After: Someone Pulled Off a $6K Bathroom Reno in 5 Days
Wow.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
Sharp Objects’ Pristine Victorian Mansion Belies Its Spooky Secrets
If you dig shows and movies like Big Little Lies, Gone Girl, and even Buffy The Vampire Slayer, you need to be watching HBO’s Sharp Objects. The eight-episode miniseries is based on Gillian Flynn’s debut novel and is centered around Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), a St. Louis-based journalist who is sent back to her hometown in the southern part of the state to report on the year-old death of one young girl and the recent disappearance of a second.
Meryl Williams
May 3, 2019
Before and After: A $10K Kitchen That’s Fit for British Royalty
This is a very straightforward, efficient kitchen that looks exactly like at least three kitchens that I’ve been in. But it had a few issues that needed to be remedied (starting with secretly leaking pipes). Reader Ellen McCormick was kind enough to submit her project and give an in-depth description of the challenges this kitchen presented: Before the remodel the kitchen completely lacked character and function.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Stairway Got a Glamorous Makeover
This little stairway landing is so pretty. It’s got hardwood floors, a gracefully placed window worthy of Vermeer, a dramatic work of art, and an intriguing vintage table. Its owner did not feel so positive about the space, however, and saw potential for so much more. Seriously, wow! I love the notion of a stairway accent wall; as you’ll see below, it’s incredibly inviting from below.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Tiny Balcony Is A Precious Piece of Alfresco Heaven
One of our readers found herself in a familiar situation: she had an outdoor space (yay!), but it was basically unusable (boo). After just two weekends of work, this wannabe balcony has been transformed into a tiny, precious piece of alfresco heaven. Reader Abby Robinson was kind enough to submit this project.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
This Redditor Hacked an IKEA Terrarium For His Snake
Ah, the ever-reliable IKEA KALLAX: a timeless, affordable shelving unit that’s available in a variety of sizes and colors and is useful for holding books, records, storage bins, objets d’art, snakes, and so much more. Yes, of course, snakes… I have to say, the wood of the KALLAX looks pretty beautiful with all the organic matter, and the plants and rocks inside are all well chosen and arranged.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Porch Hack Helps Deter Package Thieves
Here’s a story from an intrepid Redditor, who kept getting packages stolen off their porch. Many people can relate: one third of Americans have reported having a package stolen outside their home. So this crafty person turned to a DIY fix. Here’s what this project involved, according to this Redditor: My solution was a lot cheaper and went up in less than an hour! Not permanent, but will do for now.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
Before and After: This Travel Trailer Is a Total Surprise on the Inside
A reader moved into this trailer without realizing how much work it needed, and it’s always so much more difficult to renovate a space when you’re already living in it—especially when your home is essentially one room. It took some serious determination and a bit of boldness, but this trailer is now home sweet home.
Tess Wilson
May 3, 2019
America, You’ve Lost Your Freaking Mind Over Remodeling
There’s something to be said for appreciating the home you have. In a way, I feel lucky to have lived in so many bad apartments in my 20s. It made all the fixer-uppers we looked at while house hunting—the only homes remotely near our price range—a little less off-putting. Is it structurally safe, with a working stove? Wow! There aren’t any rats or strange midwinter mosquito infestations? Super!
Jon Gorey
May 3, 2019
Now’s Your Chance To Live In The Brady Bunch House
Don’t go trying to play ball in this house. For the first time in nearly half a century, one of TV’s most famous homes is back on the market. The home used as the exterior for The Brady Bunch, a 3 bed, 3 bath that supposedly held six kids, two parents, and a housekeeper, is located just north of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley, and is listed by Ernie Carswell of Douglas Elliman for $1.88 million.
Tim Latterner
May 3, 2019
One Sneaky Way to “Reupholster” Your Old Fabric Furniture
No staple guns required.
Dabney Frake
May 3, 2019
Plant Swaps Are the Free Way to Add to Your Collection
Adding a few houseplants is a foolproof way to brighten up your decor while adding a aura of serenity to your space. Unfortunately, houseplants can get pricey, especially for big showstoppers or unusual varieties. Let’s be honest: it’s tough to pull out your credit card when you’re not sure a plant will actually survive your apartment’s environment, or the blunderings of your black thumb. But that doesn’t mean you have to live without indoor greenery.
Rebecca Straus
May 3, 2019
The Best Wizarding Homes In The Harry Potter-verse
Harry Potter was different from other children—magical and muggle—for many reasons: Obviously there’s the whole “destined to defeat the Dark Lord and save the world” thing, but there are some other, less dramatic differences, too. Harry Potter did not look forward to his birthday and he dreaded coming home from school for the summer. Both of these facts make sense when you consider that Harry was (not) celebrating his birthday and living with the Dursleys.
Maggie Fremont
May 3, 2019
7 Shipping Containers Make Up This Modern Home in New Orleans
Kicker and Anne Kalozdi designed and built this house made out of shipping containers... despite having no real experience building a house before!
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2019
7 Things Super Healthy People Do at Home That You Don’t
Being healthy can feel like a chore—you think that you have to cook special food or try trendy fitness classes to achieve any healthy goals. However, when I talked to some really healthy individuals—from the founder of Whole30 to a sleep doctor—none of them brought up any scary superfoods or crazy workout routines. Turns out, being healthy is just about making a few very simple, but very good, choices.
Samantha Zabell
May 3, 2019