The Latest: 2019

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Family of four sitting on a white stone fireplace ledge, with plants and wall decor in a cozy living room.

A Modern Bohemian KonMari-ed Her Way Into a Dream Home

Name: Jina Javier, her husband Jeff, Lucy, and Leo Location: La Mesa, California Size: 1,285 square feet Years Lived In: 2 years, owned When Jina and Jeff were preparing to move into their La Mesa home in San Diego two years ago, Jina was reading Marie Kondo’s megahit “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” Jina and Jeff were downsizing, moving from a large (but characterless) 2,800 square foot house, into an older home with lots of charm but far less square footage.

Hillary Halter

Mar 21, 2019

100+ Plants and Two Dogs Fill This Interior Designer’s Bright and Peaceful Home

Name: Lindsay Wallstrum (founder of Leaf + Lolo, a full-service interior and plant design firm), husband, 2 dogs, 100+ plants Location: Petaluma, California Size: 2,100 square feet Years lived in: 4.5 years, owned My husband and I bought our home four and a half years ago. We took our time finding the right space for us and our two dogs. After visiting many open houses, I finally wrote down exactly what I wanted in a home.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Mar 21, 2019

All the Bathrooms at Disney World Have One Unusual Thing in Common

Have you ever noticed there's never a bathroom line at Disney World? The magic behind those disappearing bathroom queues is one simple detail.

Shifrah Combiths

Mar 21, 2019

Now You Have a Reason to Resent Word Art

You step out of your car at an open house and walk into what looks like your dream home. It’s perfectly picturesque from the outside, but as soon as you get through the doorway, you see it—there’s a giant “Live Laugh Love” decal stuck onto the living room wall. For legions of prospective homeowners, real estate agents tell us that word art tends to be at the top of the cringe-inducing decor list—and, point blank, word art makes it hard to sell a home.

Megan Johnson

Mar 20, 2019

8 Mistakes You’re Making When It Comes to Organizing Your Freezer

Your freezer is a magical place. It’s a place for pints of ice cream (to devour while binge-watching whatever is new on Netflix); for giant ice cubes (to make adult cocktails); and, most importantly, for nourishing meals (to sustain you when you think your only option is takeout). Obviously, you don’t have to be a wizard in order to take care of this magical place. But you—and your freezer!—will be better off if you know to avoid these common organizing mistakes.

geraldinemcampbell

Mar 20, 2019

50 Ways to Hack the Most Beloved IKEA Products of All Time

At this point, most of us can spot a BILLY bookcase, KALLAX cubby, or LACK table a mile away. Basic and affordable, they’ve been some of the most popular items at IKEA for years, and our first apartments would’ve been bare without them.

Danielle Centoni

Mar 20, 2019

What the Spring Equinox Means for Your Home, According to your Zodiac Sign

Queue the ’90s Enigma and bust out your Swiffer duster pads, astral voyagers. March 20th’s Spring Equinox offers up a sparkly return to innocence, and an opportunity to get fresh and clean both inside and out. Ushering in the cosmic New Year, the spring equinox is a potent portal that takes us from the dark, interior wintry mix of claw-footed bathtubs and down comforters, and into the light bright of rolled-up blinds and new life emerging through the pavement cracks.

Bess Matassa

Mar 20, 2019

Partner

Rule Number 1 of Good Design: There Are No Rules

You don’t have to describe yourself as an artist in your Instagram bio to feel stifled and suffocated by “the rules” for decorating your own place. It’s past time to stop listening to designers and catalogs and retail chains that tell us what we should do, and start doing what we want to do.

Creative Studio

Mar 20, 2019

This Rental Apartment’s Remodel Is Extremely Eclectic and Cool

Interior designer Tal offered the landlord a deal: She'd redecorate the large apartment if they paid half of the renovation investment!

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Mar 20, 2019

Before Warmer Weather Sets In, Here Are 8 Wise Things to Declutter

Channel the energy behind the change in seasons to feel more in sync with your home.

Shifrah Combiths

Mar 20, 2019

Why a Condo Might Actually Be the Answer to My Millennial Home-Buying Woes

I’ve got big dreams to own a Craftsman home one day, with a backyard big enough for a barbecue grill, an inflatable pool, and a big dog. But the median asking price for houses in Los Angeles is a hefty $694,200 and there are no signs of an impending cool down. So is that backyard looking more like a balcony and a shared courtyard with neighbors? Is that house realistically… a condo? A condo (short for condominium) is basically an apartment that you own.

Gina Vaynshteyn

Mar 19, 2019

10 Brilliant Ways to Make Your Tiny Kitchen Look and Feel Much Larger

Try these tips on for size.

Lauren Masur

Mar 19, 2019

A Cozy 500-Square-Foot Home Is Used Efficiently

Name: Amanda and her boyfriend Location: Pacific Heights — San Francisco, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, owned I’m Amanda, an aspiring graphic designer currently attending UC Berkeley Extension’s Professional Program in Graphic Design. I live in Pacific Heights with my boyfriend, John, who works in finance.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Mar 19, 2019

Why We’re Launching a Series Called ‘The New Homesmiths’

It’s our mission to help people feel their most at home—whatever home might look like. The beating heart of that work is visiting real homes every single day across the country (and the world) for moments of inspiration, teaching, and sometimes just pure awe. Every time I edit or read an Apartment Therapy house tour, I’m amazed by the creativity of our community, and how they manage to transform just about any space into one that feels uniquely home.

Laura Schocker

Mar 19, 2019

Is This Ultra-Affordable 3D-Printed Tiny House the Home of the Future?

In a quiet East Austin neighborhood, newly-constructed homes sit side-by-side with the time-weathered structures in need of a fresh coat of paint, homes where overgrown grass reaches out to touch the cracked sidewalks. But, along with the apparent signs of gentrification, there is also something quite unexpected hiding behind a fenced-in backyard: the first permitted 3D-printed house in the world.

Lauren Jones

Mar 19, 2019

Before and After: The Best Part of This Stunning Living Room Redo Is a $5 DIY

Vancouver-based Kristina Steinmetz knows her way around a good DIY. Her site, Ich Designer, is filled with clever and sophisticated home projects and IKEA hacks that have surprisingly humble origins and price tags. We recently featured her re-done mudroom, and her latest living room makeover might be even better. Here’s a wider shot, so you can get more of a sense of the whole room. It was in good shape but definitely needed an update.

Dabney Frake

Mar 19, 2019

The Perfect Morning Habit for Your Enneagram Type

A healthy morning routine can truly set the tone for an amazing life. Starting each morning with intention and thoughtfulness can transform your relationship to the rest of your day. Morning routines have been linked to heightened productivity, lowered stress levels, and more effective time management. Sounds great right?

Sarajane Case

Mar 18, 2019

Goop Just Launched Its First Wallpaper Collab and We’re In Love

Wallpaper has been in and out of style over the last few decades. People might think that wallpaper could never be “in” again but it is making a comeback. Goop has decided to put their hat in the ring for their first-ever wallpaper collaboration. Goop has teamed up with DIY textile brand Tempaper to release a non-toxic, floral wallpaper.

Ana Luisa Suarez

Mar 17, 2019

6 Ways Introverts Want to Be Celebrated This National Introverts Week

Here are some ways to honor the powerful silent types in your life this week—especially if that person is you.

Shifrah Combiths

Mar 17, 2019

Why My Husband Turned Down a Great Coastal Job to Stay in Our ‘Flyover’ City

A few years ago my husband was abruptly laid off. As a freelance writer, I can live anywhere, so when he wasn’t having any initial luck, he expanded his job search from our hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, to the whole country. And some interesting opportunities came up, including one in the Pacific Northwest. We talked about it pretty seriously–how cool would it be to fly off to Bangkok in 16 hours, instead of the literal days it takes to get there from Kentucky?

Dana McMahan

Mar 17, 2019

5 Kitchen-Organizing Ideas to Steal from Savvy Dollar Store Shoppers

It's easy to think you need to spend a lot of money to get a well-organized pantry—but you'd be wrong.

geraldinemcampbell

Mar 17, 2019

A Large Colorado Cabin Cultivates Cozy with Dark Paint Colors

Name: Katie Colleran Location: West Dover, Vermont Size: 3,000 square feet Years lived in: 4 months, owned My husband Tom and I had been toying with the idea of making over a rental house for a while when we stumbled on this 1965 cabin at the foot of Mount Snow in West Dover, Vermont. The house had been sitting vacant for several years when we bought it, and it was full of all kinds of not-so-delightful little treats: two pairs of men’s boxers from the early aughts!

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Mar 17, 2019

There’s One Kind of “Clutter” It’s Okay to Keep

There are so many kinds of clutter: excess items you think you might need someday, clutter you’re so used to having around that you don’t even notice it anymore, piles of paper you have to go through, and things you feel guilty getting rid of because someone gave them to you or you spent good money on them. But there’s one kind of clutter you should never feel bad hanging on to.

Shifrah Combiths

Mar 17, 2019

My Husband Was a Live-In Super. It Opened Our Eyes to a Whole New Side of Renting

When my partner, Devin, got hired on as the on-site manager at our 33-unit apartment building in Seattle, he received a quick demo of the clunky, crash-prone software used to track rent payments, a key to the maintenance closet, a pamphlet from the 1960s explaining how to program the building’s callbox, and a pat on the back from ownership.

Kelly Knickerbocker

Mar 16, 2019

Here’s the Real Difference Between an IRA, 401(k), Roth IRA, and a Roth 401(k)

You’re set to start saving for your future. You already put money aside for retirement every month, but you’re probably already wondering how you should invest it. Which type of retirement savings account is best for you? Should you start a 401(k), an IRA, a Roth 401(k), or a Roth IRA? What even are the differences? What about if your first home is your savings priority right now?

Rebecca Renner

Mar 16, 2019

Before and After: A Random Catchall Room Gets a Storage-Packed IKEA Upgrade

When Kristina moved into her new home, the lackluster office was of little use to the owners—besides being a place to toss mail, or hang art that didn’t fit with the rest of the home. Kristina decided that, if she was going to use a room as a dumping ground, it was going to look as fabulous as the rest of her home. Instead of a hodgepodge of furniture and decor, it’s now a highly functional mudroom, ready to organize all Kristina’s incoming and outgoing things.

Emily Shwake

Mar 16, 2019

Why Brass Trunks Are My Favorite Way to Tie a Room Together

Growing up, we had a few trunks in my house from my mom’s and grandma’s childhood days. They were worn-looking and covered in stickers from summer camp and travels, but they didn’t exactly catch my eye. As I grew older and started decorating my own apartment, I began to spot brass trunks all over Pinterest and fell for them, hard. Unlike the black, weathered trunks we’d had in our basement, these were shiny, glam-looking, and much more my style.

Sarah Lyon

Mar 15, 2019

Shop the Best Looks from Interior Define’s Instagram with This Exclusive Discount for AT Readers

Springtime is the season to make big home changes and invest in larger furniture items—it’s that “out with the old, in with the new” vibe in the air. You don’t need a lot to refresh your space in small, subtle ways, but if you’re ready to commit to a piece of quality furniture, allow us to direct you to Interior Define.

Nicole Lund

Mar 15, 2019

What the Most Successful Airbnb and VRBO Hosts Know About Staging Their Home

So you’ve decided to rent out your pad to earn some extra cash. Depending on where you live, you can stand to make a hefty profit by making your home available for rental through services like Airbnb and VRBO. Before you dive in, though, it’s crucial that you come prepared. There’s more to being a successful host on these popular vacation rental sites than meets the eye, and if you want your property to stand out, presentation is key.

Kate Streit

Mar 15, 2019

A U.K. Home Brilliantly Blends Leopard Print, Kitsch, Color, and Humor

Warning/workspace/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/atmedia-cloudinary-image-block/atmedia-cloudinary-image-block.php82 Name: Siouxsie Crow, husband, and two kids Location: Sussex, United Kingdom Size: 840 square feet Years lived in: 15 months, owned We bought our house in August 2017; it’s number 37 and I was 37 when we moved. It’s our first home, as previously we’ve rented. I live here with my husband Sholto, who is an art director and all-around creative.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Mar 15, 2019

Wallpaper Was the Answer to Maxwell’s Makeover of Two Guest Rooms

I’ve covered kitchen/dining room as well as the entrance/living room, so now we’re going to stroll down the hall on the main floor and visit the two guest rooms down at the other end. There is also a bathroom in between. These rooms sit exactly in the same position as the old house, because I loved the layout. They are easy to get to, but private with their doors at the far end of the hall.

Maxwell Ryan

Mar 14, 2019

Makers Spotlight: The Crafter’s Box

I can’t remember how I first heard about Morgan Spenla and the company she’d started just a few years ago, The Crafter’s Box, but something made me stop, check out the site and call her up to find out what she was doing. What she was doing was building a company in her hometown of San Diego around a personal passion and a professional belief that crafting is a true antidote for our web addled world.

Maxwell Ryan

Mar 14, 2019

These Modern Tiny Houses Offer a ‘Pay As You Live’ Option for Urban Nomads

Thanks to the evolution of residential spaces, the term “house-hopping” has gained an alternate meaning. Case in point: Berlin startup Cabin Spacey’s prefab tiny houses. Singularly known as the Minimal House, the conservatively-sized structures are designed to accommodate so-called “urban nomads” who are in search of instant housing.

Kenya Foy

Mar 14, 2019

This Was the Most Popular Paint Color the Decade You Were Born

Walk into any recently renovated home today and chances are you’ll see a lot of greige—a neutral color that’s the perfect combination of gray and beige. There’s no denying it’s the paint color du jour. It’s funny how, oftentimes, you can instantly pinpoint how modern (or not) a room is just by looking at the color of the walls. Some day our children might look back and wonder why we all plastered our walls in such a boring color!

Brigitt Earley

Mar 14, 2019

How to Improve Your Credit When You Have None

Establishing credit poses a tricky Catch-22: You need credit to get credit. This can prove to be quite a conundrum if you’re trying to rent an apartment, buy a home, or, heck, simply need car insurance but don’t qualify because of a thin credit file.

Brittany Anas

Mar 14, 2019

The Best Online Mortgage Payment Calculators, According to Experts

Whether you’re a serious buyer or daydreaming to pass the time at work, a common part of buying a home is trying to predict your monthly mortgage payments. Is it going to end up being cheaper than your rent? Are you going to need to downsize a bit? You probably want a ballpark number before you call your mortgage lender and hire a real estate agent, so you plug the numbers into an online mortgage payment calculator.

Heather Senison

Mar 14, 2019

Before & After: This $400 Bathroom Redo Has a Genius Way to Cover Textured Walls

Before Ashley put her guest house up on Airbnb, she wanted to give the bathroom a fun update. It was simple and sparse in comparison to the rest of the home, so, even though she was working on a tight budget, she was determined to use her DIY tricks and unique style to make it an exciting space for guests. Ashley carved as much time out of her schedule as she could—during nap times, evenings, and weekends—to work on the bathroom.

Emily Shwake

Mar 14, 2019

Partner

Spring Refresh: 3 Simple Garden Projects That Work in Small Spaces

Despite any residual chill, it is finally spring! Which means that now is the time to prep your garden. In warmer climates, you can start planting right away. In colder zones, start your plants indoors and transplant them outside when the weather warms up. And regardless of where you live, this is a great weekend to get started on some easy DIYs to pot your plants.

Creative Studio

Mar 14, 2019

A Small Boston Studio Apartment Has One of the Best DIY Bedroom Lofts Ever

Name: Graham Gardner, partner Sarah, and dog Murphy Location: Jamaica Plain — Boston, Massachusetts Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting We are Graham and Sarah—both nearly 30, nearly married, and together for nearly eight years. So far, so good. Sarah is the smart one—thoughtful, sometimes shy, always empathetic, and caring.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Mar 14, 2019

It’s Not All Retirees and Disney: 5 Reasons Why I Keep Moving Back to the Southeast U.S.

There is no shortage of things to see and do in the nine states that make up the Southeast (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia). I’ve loved living here for most of my life, and even decided to move back after a grand three-year adventure living in Alaska.

Lauren Ramirez

Mar 13, 2019

25 Easy Tips, Strategies, and Ideas for Small Space Living

As we close out our Small Spaces & Simple Living month here on Re-Nest, we’re rounding up a list of tips and ideas provided by YOU via this post. Everyone has a bit of a different take on coping with small spaces: it’s all about purging your stuff. No, it’s all about organizing your stuff. Wait, it’s all about storing your stuff!

Cambria Bold

Mar 13, 2019

Hot Tip: How To Keep Your Paint Rollers and Brushes Fresh

My fiance and I have spent our last two weekends priming ceilings. It’s hard work, but rewarding. Every night after a few hours’ work, we fastidiously clean out the rollers and brushes, using more water than we’d like—and they’re never up to par the next day. This was our practice until a friend stopped by today and let us in on a painter’s secret.To make the rollers and brushes last much, much longer (and save gallons of water in the meantime!

Amber Byfield

Mar 13, 2019

This $2.95M Home Used to Be a Library and, Wow, I’ve Never Wanted Anything More

A day ago, if you would have asked me about my dream home, I would have said something very vague and mentioned the words “glass,” “mid-century modern,” and maybe even, “Actually, don’t tell anyone but I kind of loved the house Eleanor lived in on ‘The Good Place?'” But that has all changed now that I have become aware of this house in Rockport, Massachusetts, that is now on the market for $2,950,000.

Liz Steelman

Mar 13, 2019

Before & After: A Mini $250 Makeover for That Awkward Space Under the Stairs

The little nook at the bottom of these stairs wasn’t really serving a purpose. The steamer trunk is undeniably cool, but it couldn’t do the heavy lifting of filling out the otherwise blank question mark of a space. Suzanne was transitioning into her new life as founder of a design company and really needed a place to work until she could move into an office. She thought about using the basement, but it was dark and sparse.

Emily Shwake

Mar 13, 2019

6 Stylish Accent Tables You Can Get on Amazon for Less Than $50

Accent tables can do a lot to make a room feel finished, but for such a small piece of your room, they can end up being surprisingly expensive. Fortunately, one of our favorite online retailers, Amazon, offers an impressive assortment of accent tables that are both super stylish and inexpensive. From a pair of nesting end tables to a two-tiered coffee table, here are some of the best accent tables under $50 on Amazon. The only thing better than a sleek and space-savvy end table is two of them.

Caroline Biggs

Mar 13, 2019

Elbow Grease Made This Small 400-Square-Foot Studio Extremely Livable

Name: Jenii Stewart and two cats, Robin Hood and Will Scarlet Location: Uptown — Chicago, Illinois Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, renting I’m a graphic designer and animator and love plants (I’m slowly growing a green thumb), bugs, and my two cats, Robin Hood and Will Scarlet. They both have an excess of personality and it keeps things interesting. Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Mid-century bohemian nerd chic.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Mar 13, 2019

This Instagram Account Wants to Add ‘Cleaning Brand Designer’ to Your Resume

NBD wants to be the next big cleaning brand. But right now, NBD is literally no big deal—because it doesn’t exist yet. If you search this startup cleaning brand’s name, the first page is all unrelated results like one from Urban Dictionary that defines the internet acronym NBD as “no big deal.

Taryn Williford

Mar 13, 2019

Basic Guide to DIY Basket Making

I come across so many beautiful baskets in stores that I forget these items are often handmade. With a little bit of practice and patience, it’s not so hard… as long as you start small. After all, they don’t joke about bird courses as ‘basket weaving’ courses for nothing! I recommend preparing your materials (find local materials, then dry and soak them), then weaving them into small shapes or flat mats.

Emily Smith

Mar 12, 2019