The Latest
2019
May
May 09

The Latest: May 9, 2019

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.
How To: Reuse Tin Cans as a Container Garden
Growing up, we were taught that everything can have more than one purpose. One man’s trash is another’s treasure, some would say; we like to think we just concentrated on the “reuse” part of reduce-reuse-recycle. So when we went home earlier in the week, we snapped this photo of one of our mom’s trash-to-treasure successes. Here’s one small, simple project that you can do at home, whether you’ve got a green thumb or not.
Amber Byfield
May 9, 2019
How To: DIY Paint Ceramic Tile
Got a bathroom or kitchen with an outdated colour palette? That burnt umber and avocado green tiling not floating your boat in the kitchen or bathroom any longer? Tiling around kitchen backsplash, floor tiles non-sink countertops, fireplace tiles and wall tiles all can be repainted even if they have a shiny finish (continually and regularly wet tiling require an epoxy formula). You might want to consider repainting those eyesore tiles rather than replacing them.
Gregory Han
May 9, 2019
Tips For Using Communal Laundry Facilities
In our apartment building there are 15 units with roughly 40 people in them. On the main floor there are 2 washers and 1 dryer for everyone to share. Needless to say, laundry is always running around our place (even at 6am, which we have found to be the best time to do ours!) and because of it, there are a few tricks and tips we have picked up to insure our laundry turns out clean and timely. Before heading downstairs to run a load of laundry we always fill our Downy Ball with a bit of vinegar.
Sarah Rae Smith
May 9, 2019
6 Essential Tips for Container Gardening
For many apartment dwellers, growing flowers and veggies inside containers is the only way to have a home garden. And having a home garden is awesome! Spending time in the sun after being trapped at work all day can cheer you up. Growing your own food, herbs, and flowers is rewarding. Getting your hands dirty will make you feel closer to nature. Plus, container gardens can be as small or as big as you want.
Rebecca Straus
May 9, 2019
These New Fitted Sheets Promise To Prevent Waking Up in a Bedding Burrito
Far too many of us have had unfortunate encounters with bed sheets. From searching high and low for soft sheets that don’t pill to finding an affordable high thread count set that doesn’t force you to shell out more money than the actual bed, the sheet struggle is real. But for those of you who are thisclose to sleeping on a bare mattress with a blanket and a pillow, an innovative new bed sheet named Beddingo hopes to put an end to all of your bedding nightmares.
Kenya Foy
May 9, 2019
7 Green Reasons to Use a Bread Machine
You might remember my argument for going back to the basics last year, which is why I fought the idea of a bread machine. But my boyfriend gave me one as a gift and in the last week I’ve been converted. Sure, you can accomplish some of this list by making bread the old-fashioned (or no-knead way), or by purchasing a fresh loaf at your local bakery.
Amber Byfield
May 9, 2019
House Tour: Inside Marc and Lana’s Big Dig House
Name: Marc and LanaLocation: Lexington, MassachusettsYears lived in: Just about two Last fall on a tour of Lexington’s mid-century modern homes, we were lucky enough to see the inside of the famous “Big Dig House” and meet its current owners. We were thrilled that Marc graciously allowed us to come back and take a few photos for you.Living in such an unusual space turns conventional decorating on its ear.
Jeanine Brennan
May 9, 2019
House Tour: Jeanine’s Smooth and Soulful Home
Name: Jeanine Hays Location: San Francisco, CA (North Beach) Size: 900 square foot one bedroom apartment Years lived in: 4 years Jeanine, also known as the voice behind Aphrochic, has been bringing her blend of “modern style with soul” to the blogosphere for years. We’ve been intrigued with the occasional shots of her house that have been featured on the blog, so it was with pleasure that we headed over to North Beach to meet Jeanine and tour her home.
Lily Gahagan
May 9, 2019
Here’s What Really Happens During the Home Appraisal Process
To the uninitiated, the home-buying process may feel like a never-ending cycle of hoops to jump through. But those hoops are there for a reason—there’s a lot of money at stake and so many moving parts between buyer, seller, and lender. The more firewalls prior to closing, the less likely someone’s getting stuck with a bad deal. One of these tedious, but necessary final steps is the home appraisal.
Gina Vaynshteyn
May 9, 2019
How To: Get Rid of Pesky Home Odors
We were going on day six (no, that’s not a typo!) of living with the horrific lingering smell of burnt popcorn. The usual drills of opening the windows, spraying air freshener, and lighting candles seemed to have little lasting effect, so it came time to do some research. Here’s a roundup of the helpful tried and true advice that restored our home’s air quality to breezy good health… 1. Vinegar.
Leah Moss
May 9, 2019
9 Under $25 Amazon Buys Plant Parents Swear By
These are the best things we've bought for our plants.
Dabney Frake
May 9, 2019
The Best Glass Water Bottles
Glass water bottles are not only eco-friendly (as they’re reusable and not made of plastic), but the glass won’t affect flavor or your health. Many glass bottles are made with borosilicate glass, a high-grade glass that’s more durable and heat-resistant than other types of glass, while also being lightweight. But which glass bottles are the best?
Samantha Leal
May 9, 2019
7 Design Tricks That Will Make Your Small Outdoor Space Feel So Much Bigger
Summer will be here before you know it, which means it’s time to schedule some beach trips, stock up on rosé, and get your outdoor space in tip-top condition.We know what you’re thinking: “What outdoor space?
Kelsey Mulvey
May 9, 2019
A Small But Sunny NYC Apartment Was Decorated with Community in Mind
Name: Simone and Mimi McGurl, their cats Jimmie and EZ Location: NoMad (Flatiron) — New York, New York Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting (but 10 years in NYC) Simone and Mimi had moved away to San Francisco for the winter a couple of years ago, with a plan to come back in the spring. After looking at hundreds of apartments online and many in person, she let her lease lapse and figured they’d find something after they took a pause on searching.
Minette Hand
May 9, 2019
Why You Should Never Take Your Shoes Off On an Airplane
Flying (at least for us common folk in economy class) is perhaps one of the least glamorous parts of travel. Fighting for overhead bin space, cramped quarters, and an overall lack of personal space only scratch the surface of plane travel woes.So when we heard that even the ice served in drinks is a no-go (is nothing sacred anymore?!), it got us thinking about what other ways we could be inadvertently introducing germs into our system during air travel.
Abigail Abesamis Demarest
May 9, 2019
House Tour: Marcella’s Miracle Cob House
Name: Marcella de Boom Occupation: ArtistLocation: Cullinan, South AfricaType: Cob houseSize: 970 sq.ft.Years lived in: 9 >> Marcella de Boom is no ordinary woman, she has built her entire home with her own two hands. The inspiration was “creative poverty”, a wild dream of building a home, without spending more than $5000! The dream started to materialize when she met Interior Architect and Cob lover; Dawn McAdam by coincidence.
Liezel Strauss
May 9, 2019
IKEA’s New Collection Will Add Some Much-Needed Calm into Your Home
If nothing excites you more than a brand new IKEA haul, then prepare to empty your wallet now. The Swedish retailer recently announced a new limited collection called TÄNKVÄRD, and it is a feast for the eyes. It’s also got a pretty interesting story behind it, too. According to IKEA, the new line is all about self-care and “bringing beauty and calm to your home.” (I mean, who wouldn’t want that?
Kaitlin Stanford
May 9, 2019
How to Grow 100 Pounds of Potatoes in 4 Square Feet
On many occasions, we’ve been tempted to grow our own potatoes. They’re fairly low maintenance, can be grown in a pot or in the ground, last a fairly long time if stored properly, and can be very nutritious (high in potassium and vitamin C). Here’s more incentive: according to this article, you can grow 100 pounds of potatoes in 4 sq. feet.
Trent Johnson
May 9, 2019
Nursery Tour: Ashley and Family Welcome a Girl
Name: “the newborn baby sister” (that’s what her brothers call her)Age: Coming this week!Location: Oklahoma If you told us this nursery was put together by an interior designer (it wasn’t) we’d be impressed. If you told us this nursery was put together by a mother with three young boys underfoot (it was) we’d be really impressed. If you told us this nursery was put together by a pregnant mother of three boys expecting her first daughter any day now (it was!
Carrie McBride
May 9, 2019
Look! Terraced Herb Garden
We love the geometry and repetition of a terraced garden, and this little set-up, from the home of Susann Larsson of Purple Area, is an ingenious way to bring the look to your small-space deck or balcony garden. It works perfectly for herbs, which will stay small with constant harvesting… Susann’s lovely little garden benefits from the uniformity of the galvanized steel pots.
Susie Nadler
May 9, 2019
Nursery Tour: Phoebe Rose’s Mom-made Room
Name: Phoebe Rose Age: due any day! Location: Ann Arbor, MI >> Like her friends, we’re amazed that mom-to-be Emily made almost everything in her daughter’s nursery: toys, quilts, cross-stitch, burp cloths, chair slip cover, bird mobile…the list goes on! Although not yet lived in, this nursery speaks volumes of love and attention, originality mixed with vintage pieces, and has “Phoebe” creatively written all over it (both literally and figuratively).
Heather Blaha
May 9, 2019
One Good Thing: Corks In Lids
One Good Thing: Corks In Lids
Jun 6, 2024