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March 11

The Latest: Mar 11, 2020

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How To Make a 2 Ingredient Home Electronics Cleaner
If you had the choice between paying $13.00 or $1.50 for the exact same product, I don’t think there would be any hesitation, you’d opt for the cheaper option. That’s what got me inspired to make my very own household cleaner for electronics after my name brand cleaner finally ran out this weekend…It was really my better half who got me wondering about a no-chemical, affordable DIY cleaning solution to replace the more expensive store bought option.
Gregory Han
Mar 11, 2020
Resources & Recommendations: Setting Up Your Own Backyard Cinema
Is there any finer excuse to have friends over than dining together al fresco under the stars? Yes…sending out invites for dinner and a movie, screened in your very own backyard (tip: match the movie to the meal)!
Gregory Han
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Upcycled Fire Truck Lamp
You’ve gotta have some vision to see the potential for an old plastic fire truck to become a special piece of decor. And that’s exactly what Jasmine brought to this toy when when she turned it into a modern, artful lamp.Jasmine from Jasmine Orchard Styling was inspired on a recent trip to Amsterdam by a large industrial crane. When she found a large, well-loved old toy fire truck with a moving ladder, she saw its potential as the foundation for a unique table lamp.
Beth Callaghan
Mar 11, 2020
Color, Chromophobia, and Colonialism: Some Historical Thoughts
Piet Mondrian used reds, yellows, blues, and blacks. Donald Judd’s palette has included green, pink, and orange. Carl Andre relied on the colors of specific materials like wood and metals. And yet somehow, the term “minimalism” today calls to mind an image of a pure, clean, and orderly space with white as the dominant color. Why, despite seeing color everywhere, do we still tend to associate the minimal and the modern with whiteness?
Carolyn Purnell
Mar 11, 2020
These Stylish Prefab Homes Start at 388 Square Feet and $86,000
Modernist company KitHAUS recently debuted a new line of prefab homes.
Kenya Foy
Mar 11, 2020
Party City Will Close 45 Stores This Year, so Stock Up for Your Summer BBQs Now
It appears that the balloon bubble is indeed popping.
Elizabeth Entenman
Mar 11, 2020
5 Apartment Therapy Tips I Use All the Time (and 5 I’ve Had Bookmarked for Years That I’m Just Never Going to Do)
I’m in my fourth year of writing for Apartment Therapy, and I’ve been an Apartment Therapy/The Kitchn reader for even longer. Like all of you longtime folks, I’ve definitely found many tips from our sites that have changed the way I operate, while others that I was so gung-ho on—projects and tips that I was sure I’d get right to work on—have been languishing on the island of I’m-never-going-to-actually-do-this for years.
Julia Brenner
Mar 11, 2020
9 DIY Ways to Make a Chair Look Totally Different
Update the look of any chair in your home to make it look different and make the room the chair lives in look fresh and upgraded, too! Peruse this comprehensive list of nine ways you can make a chair look totally different. If your chair has any cushioning at all, chances are it has some sort of fabric material on it. Give it a new look by upholstering it!
Adrienne Breaux
Mar 11, 2020
7 Outrageous (But Worth It!) Design Ideas for Your Bedroom
Many of us probably have an idea of what will be in anyone’s bedroom. A bed, nightstands, some clothes storage. Maybe a lamp for reading. But sometimes the most amazing bedrooms are the ones with unexpected elements! Consider including some of these (admittedly outrageous, but totally worth the effort) design ideas for your bedroom. You don’t just have to use a plain old table as a nightstand.
Adrienne Breaux
Mar 11, 2020
Budget Basics: 10 Beautiful Champagne Flutes Under $10
If you are the sort of person who aspires to own a large number of champagne flutes, you are probably also the sort of person who enjoys entertaining at home. In that case, you’ll understand that the best glassware is the kind you don’t need to worry about: The kind where, if a friend who has enjoyed a little too much bubbly knocks one off the table, you can just clean it up and good-naturedly assure them it’s not a big deal.
Nancy Mitchell
Mar 11, 2020
RIP Karlstad… Now What?
Q: Hi there, my husband and I were looking for a new couch; after months of scouring the Internet, reading reviews, etc., we settled on the Ikea Karlstad. Turns out it’s being discontinued! I’m really surprised since it’s a bestseller and favorite. Can you point us toward a sectional that is similar? Thanks! -Sent by Eileenteg Editor: Oh, man, what a blow for the affordable-sofa-buying public! I hope IKEA has something even better (and cheaper? and higher-quality?
Tess Wilson
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: The Mural That Will Change Your Mind About Murals
This ruddy red (marsala?) room color is quite nice, but perhaps not entirely suited to its 2-year-old occupant, Vera. Her mother, Petra Probstner, took a big risk and painted murals on all four walls mimicking the urban landscape of Chicago that lay outside the windows. The result is, frankly, breathtaking. Amazing, right?? As you can see in the progress photo below, she taped the mural off and then filled it in with grey, mint green and peachy-pink paint. Thanks for sharing, Petra Probstner!
Carrie McBride
Mar 11, 2020
How To Make a Stencil For a Paint Pattern
Stencils are a fun and economic way to create a pattern or duplicate an image over and over again. They can be used on a vast array of items from rugs, and garden containers, to walls and ceilings. You can purchase them pre-made, but if you’re looking for something one-of-a-kind your best bet is to make it yourself. There are quite a few options when it comes to picking out the material for your plate.
Ashley Poskin
Mar 11, 2020
Into the Woods: 10 Stylish and Rustic Cabins from Our Tours
When you hear the word “cabin,” what does it conjure? Wood, trees, taxidermy, leather? Going through our tour archives, I noticed that we’ve featured many a cabin here on Apartment Therapy, and while some of them adhere to the usual expectations for a cabin, many of them offer unexpected takes on rustic decor. TOP ROW: 1. Nancy, Ethan, Ohle’s 1903 Cabin in the Country 2. David Bethany’s Abode in the Woods 3. Keith Rebecca’s Cabin of Worldly Delights 4.
Carolyn Purnell
Mar 11, 2020
27 Creative Ways to Reuse Plastic Easter Eggs
What do you do with those treat vehicles, post-Easter? Transform the ubiquitous plastic eggs into geodes, jockeys, minions, monsters and so many other adorable creations and awesome critters. Here’s hoping the bunny brings me plenty! FIRST ROW: 1. Mini Bullet Planters by Apartment Therapy 2. Crystal Egg Geodes by Martha Stewart 3. Easter Egg Birdseed Ornaments by Redeem Your Ground 4. Easter Egg Maracas by Kiwi Crate 5. Skull Treat Boxes by Martha Stewart SECOND ROW: 6.
Tess Wilson
Mar 11, 2020
The Commandments of Decorating an All-White Room
Sticking with all-white in an interior space has a lot of advantages. Light and airy, you’ll be left with bright spaces that feel refreshing and peaceful. Those who rent will find solace in being able to work with can’t-paint white walls. Not having a lot of colors in a space allows the people to become the paint that splashes colorfully on your home’s palette. But creating stunning all-white rooms isn’t as easy as simply leaving out the color.
Adrienne Breaux
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Behemoth Dining Room Cabinet
Gary and his wife inherited this piece and hated it. They wrote in to ask readers for advice on how two “unskilled and not creative” types could rehab this behemoth into something they’d be happy to have in their home. A contingent of readers liked it as it was, others said to sell it and many of you had suggestions for how to transform it with paint or stain. So, which readers did they listen to or did they forge their own path?
Carrie McBride
Mar 11, 2020
New Year, New Look: 15 Ways to Revitalize Your Bathroom (That Don’t Involve a Paint Brush)
Looking for fresh ideas for revitalizing the same old bathrooms you have in your home in this new year? This year, it’s all about taking old ideas and translating them in an accessible (read: easy, affordable and quick) way to give your bathroom a fun, fresh look without a ton of work. We’ve got 15 ideas to try out (one at a time or combined with others!). Why stick to just one bathmat?
Adrienne Breaux
Mar 11, 2020
Partner
Find the Perfect Paint Color for Any Wood Trim
Woodwork is a dream detail, but it can be a doozy to work around. With undertones ranging from yellow to red to gray, matching it is no one-size-fits-all task. Consider our Color Search tool, sponsored by Sherwin-Williams, your crystal ball: Will lavender paint look good with my dark wood trim? Is red right for oak crown molding? Let Color Search inspire you! Color Search also offers instant inspiration, with a treasure trove of real-life images.
Sponsored Post
Mar 11, 2020
What To Do on Thanksgiving Day (Besides Eat & Watch Football)
I’ve been known to splay out on the sofa on Thanksgiving Day in my unbuttoned jeans, with a glass of wine in one hand and a plate of food in the other. Guilty as charged. But if you’ve got an acute case of cabin fever, or are itching to do something more productive, there’s much to offer beyond football.
Dabney Frake
Mar 11, 2020
Kim’s Final Reveal: It’s the Little Things
Part of my motivation behind doing the Style Cure this year was to reclaim our main living space. It has been a whirlwind of a year for us and we pack a lot of living into not a lot of square footage. Unfinished projects, leftovers from our wedding and all of the (amazing) gifts from our guests left us with an apartment that felt like it was always almost there, but not quite.
Kim Lucian
Mar 11, 2020
The 7 Best Tips for a Home With a Tiny (Or Nonexistent) Entryway
Do you have a small, dedicated room that you enter into from your front door, that pleasantly greets guests, that houses all the things you need for the day? Yeah me neither. What I do have is a front door that deposits me and my guests directly into my living room and a list of every day items that continually threaten to take over the entire home.
Adrienne Breaux
Mar 11, 2020
A Compendium of Clever, Creative Ways to Set Up a Shared Kids Room
I don’t know about you, but when I think of a shared kids’ bedroom, my mind immediately goes to two twin beds side by side, or maybe bunk beds. (Or if you’re as unlucky as my sister and I were, a shared full bed. We often daydreamed about building a wall right down the middle of the bed!) If you let yourself start to think outside of the box, there are so many creative solutions to a shared kids’ situation. Here are a few of my favorites from our archives: Short on space?
Lauren Hufnagl
Mar 11, 2020
Small Space Sharing: 7 Smart Tips for Squeezing into a Small Home With Someone Else
Whether you’re sharing a studio or seriously small one-bedroom with a partner or making a tiny two bedroom work with a roommate, sharing a small space presents a whole set of stresses beyond just sharing a space. Here’s how to live a little more harmoniously with someone else in an extra small home. 1. Make a furniture plan What we mean to say is, don’t just meld two households full of stuff into one tiny space and just hope that it’ll work.
Adrienne Breaux
Mar 11, 2020
Shared Kids Rooms: Making a Multiple Bed Layout Work
So, you’ve decided your kids are going to share a room which means you have two beds (or a bed + crib) to fit into the room. The size and shape of the room may guide or dictate where you place the beds, but it’s worth taking a look at some different bed layouts to see if they spark inspiration for you. Probably the most traditional layout, this formation has a nice visual symmetry and conveys a sense of each child’s claim to the space being equal.
Carrie McBride
Mar 11, 2020
Clothes Versus Closet: Does Your Home Dictate the Size of Your Wardrobe?
In other words, does the size of your closet determine how many clothes you keep/buy/give away? Does a studio apartment mean having an ultra-efficient capsule wardrobe, or do you just store your sweaters in the oven? I lived in a studio apartment for years and years, and had a reasonable/small closet to work with. I stored my clothes, jackets, and shoes in the closet and my socks, underthings, and workout gear in bins on an overhead shelf.
Tess Wilson
Mar 11, 2020
Bathroom Decorating Ideas: 5 Ways to Make Any Bathroom Feel More Spa-Like
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to get away and treat ourselves to a spa weekend, like every weekend? Well, if that dream is a bit out of your reach for financial or practical reasons (we’re all probably in this boat!), there is still something you can reach for: A more spa-like bathroom that melts the day’s worries away or gets you in the best, relaxed mood to face the day. These six ways are affordable and should work in just about any bathroom (even small or windowless ones!
Adrienne Breaux
Mar 11, 2020
Best Sources for Small Bathroom Renovations
Dehlia’s tiny bathroom is typical of a city apartment: a 4 x 6 foot space that benefited from a functional, small-scale redesign. The floors are slate, the walls are seaglass, and the fixtures are well proportioned for the room. It can be difficult to find small tubs, toilets, and sinks for a bathroom renovation, but combing Dehlia’s source list as well as a few good posts from the Apartment Therapy archives, we’ve found some relevant resources.
Sarah Coffey
Mar 11, 2020
The Secret History of Home Goods: 10 Curious Things About Duvets
When I was growing up our family used blankets and quilts on our beds in the winter so when I was introduced to the concept of a duvet in my twenties it seemed so civilized (and, fancy). You know the basics: a duvet is a fabric sack typically filled with down or feathers, often encased in a removable cover, but if you’re the inquisitive type, these ten tidbits may intrigue you: 1. ‘Duvet’ comes from the French word for ‘down’.
Carrie McBride
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: 8 Bedroom Makeover Projects From Our Archives
The bedroom should be a haven, a place that makes you feel peaceful and happy when you land there at the end of your day. If that’s not the case for you right now, check out these bedroom makeovers and let them inspire you to make your own changes! 1. Kristen’s bedroom evolved over time, and transformed three times since she started working with interior designer, Lindye Galloway. Kristen was frustrated with the layout of her bedroom and was ready to leave the dorm room style behind.
Christine Lu
Mar 11, 2020
Let’s Do This! Fill a Blank Wall in Your Home
Welcome to our very first Apartment Therapy Weekend Project. This weekend, the project is to fill a blank wall in your home with something you’ve been meaning to hang. Read on and join other Apartment Therapy readers as we all work on this simple assignment that’s sure to create a big style boost in just a little bit of time… Start by deciding which blank wall needs filling. Walk around your home – is there a glaringly blank wall crying out for some attention?
Adrienne Breaux
Mar 11, 2020
How To Properly Light a Kitchen
The kitchen: it’s the laboratory of the home, where we “work” to create meals for ourselves and those we live with. Conversely, it’s also often the social hub of the home, where friends gather at parties or even where you might like to hang out solo, just reading a book or listening to the radio. With these dual purposes in mind, it’s often tricky to strike the right lighting balance.
Eleanor Büsing
Mar 11, 2020
A Little Goes a Long Way: A Bold Dose of Hot Pink Around the House
Looking for a very modern way to incorporate a splash of pink in your home? Turn up the temperature and go hot hot pink. Hot bubblegum, hot fuschia, even hot neon pink will work. For doubters, here are twenty examples to prove you wrong: Craving more pink? Try our Color Search tool for more visual inspiration: ROW ONE: 1. Rohde’s “Opportunistic” Design Laboratory 2. Rohde’s “Opportunistic” Design Laboratory 3.
Carrie McBride
Mar 11, 2020
Personal Challenges: 18 Fasts to Improve Your Health, Wealth & Outlook
Lent. No-shave November. By nature, people love to challenge themselves. Changing the routine for a short time gives us a temporary pass to explore another lifestyle — one without meat or with the addition of a lumberjack beard, perhaps. Breaks and fasts can definitely be fun, but they can also teach you a lot about yourself. With a definite expiration date looming on the horizon, people find more willpower to stick to a diet plan or household budget.
Taryn Williford
Mar 11, 2020
Brilliant Bike Storage
You know how, when you have a new interest, it’s suddenly all you can see? Just as a newly-expecting couple might see babies everywhere they look, so it is with me and bikes. I’ve recently decided to buy one, and find myself checking out others’ wheels 24/7 these days.
Eleanor Büsing
Mar 11, 2020
Show Style + Spirit with an Oversized Flag
I’m a huge fan of huge graphic treatments. And as far as patriotism is concerned, more is more. Whether it’s your native country or just a flag from a land you love, get an instant bohemian world traveler vibe at home by working in an oversized flag on the wall. It doesn’t have to be a country, either. A state flag or naval flag works just as well. Or maybe you’re into something historic.
Taryn Williford
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Annette and Gustavo’s Incredible Garage Remodel
Last time I took a visit to Annette and Gustavo’s 100 year old craftsman home in Beachwood Canyon, we were greeted by gorgeous landscaping and one of the coziest family homes I’ve ever seen. Annette is the co-owner of lovely garden shop POTTED in Los Feliz, and her green thumb is all over the family’s recent garage remodel. They gutted the entire 420 square feet and added a fully working kitchen and bathroom, a laundry room, and access to the backyard, complete with a pool.
Bethany Nauert
Mar 11, 2020
Find Your Perfect Paint Color: Inspiration for the Kitchen (with Actual Paint Names)
Hands down the most popular color for kitchen walls is white. But you march to your own drummer, right? Instead of endlessly poring over paint chips, pore over these painted kitchens to see how colors play out in real rooms. And, in case you fall in love with one of the colors, I’ve hooked you up with the paint brand and color name.
Carrie McBride
Mar 11, 2020
Small Space Ally: Stokke Sleepi Crib in 10 Real Rooms
The crib is often one of the first purchases a family makes in preparation for welcoming a child home. Some people don’t sweat it and pick something quickly and without fuss. Others hem and haw…and then hem and haw some more. Personally, I love seeing products in real homes before I buy them. A few months ago we showed you the affordable Sniglar crib in ten real homes and now we’re back with the Stokke Sleepi. The Stokke Sleepi is decidedly not a budget crib.
Carrie McBride
Mar 11, 2020
30 DIY Projects to Spruce Up Your Kid’s Room on a Budget
Sometimes I come across an adorable kid’s room on Pinterest and get the urge to spruce up my girls’ rooms a bit. Unfortunately money is tight these days and spending money on a new lamp or cute print is just not in the budget. That’s when I usually start getting creative and try to come up with projects that I can complete on the cheap.
Lauren Hufnagl
Mar 11, 2020
Before & After: Was Beth Successful in Removing this Painted “O”?
Has this “O” on Beth’s grandma’s coffee table been haunting you, too? If you missed it the first time: Beth wrote in for advice on this hand-me-down table from her grandmother which, unfortunately, passed through a cousin first who emblazoned it with an Ohio State “O” in seemingly indestructible paint. She was desperate for ideas to remove it. Readers encouraged her to sand, sand and then sand some more.
Carrie McBride
Mar 11, 2020
Don’t Throw It Away! 3 Things You Can Do With Your Broken Pots and Planters
Oh no! You’ve been working in your garden or outdoor area and have accidentally broken a pot or planter (or you’ve discovered some broken ones after finally getting in there to survey after a long winter). Don’t throw them away! There are three things you can do with those broken pots and planters to get more use out of them. 1. Turn it on its side If one of your planters or pots suffers only a partial break, consider turning it on its side to create an interesting look.
Adrienne Breaux
Mar 11, 2020
Kitchen Remodel Makeovers: 20 Great Before & After Transformations for Every Budget
A "before & after" bonanza of reader-submitted projects, organized by budget.
Dabney Frake
Mar 11, 2020
Trendy Kids Decor on a Budget: Black-on-White Wall Decals
They’re everywhere! From playrooms to nurseries, we keep seeing black wall decals appearing on kids rooms all over. They are affordable, renter-friendly, versatile and chic. Interested in following suit? Click through for a few tips on how these Moms and Dads used black wall decals with style. 1. First up, go geometric. Not just any black wall decal will do. Stick to a simple geometric shape for a modern look. 2. Use black and white elsewhere in the room.
Alison Gerber
Mar 11, 2020
Real Life Shared Rooms for 3 Kids
Three or more kids in one room is no easy feat, but these parents rose to the task with panache. If you, too, have space constraints, or just desire a little extra bonding time for your children, get inspired by these real life rooms for three. Have you tried having more than two children share a room? How did it work, and would you recommend it? TOP ROW: 1. The Figgle Family’s Cozy First Home 2. Something for Everyone in Parker, Monty, and Elliott’s Room 3.
Elisabeth Wilborn
Mar 11, 2020
Small Spaces with Wonderful Wallpaper
When it comes to design, sometimes you just have to go bold, and small spaces are perfect for giving your imagination free rein. Constraint breeds creativity, and corners, ceilings, closets, nooks, and crannies can all be converted easily into luxurious, dream-like spaces with a bit of verve and paper. Top Row: 1. Patterned hallway in Anna Spiro paper from Adore Home Blog. 2. Wallpapered ceiling in reading area from Caldwell Flake via House of Turquoise. 3.
Carolyn Purnell
Mar 11, 2020
8 Ways to Make a Small Kid’s Room Feel Bigger by Drawing Attention to the Ceiling
Just because you can’t actually make a room bigger, doesn’t mean you can’t trick the eye into making it appear and feel bigger. One of the most effective ways to do this is to draw the eye upward toward the ceiling making the walls seem higher and giving the room an air of expansiveness. Here are eight real-room examples—not all of them are small—but you can apply the ideas to your own small room. Embellish the ceiling.
Carrie McBride
Mar 11, 2020
5 Simple Ways to Make Your Home a Haven
Lately my day job, combined with being almost seven months pregnant, is leaving me pretty tired by 5 p.m. I’ve been thinking more and more about what makes my home a comfortable place to be — something anyone can relate to. Here are some of our best tips for making your home a cozy place that you’re always happy to come home to. 1. Diversify lighting. I’m a proponent of having three points of light in a room.
Kim R. McCormick
Mar 11, 2020