Before & After: From Antique Dry Sink into Changing Table
When Tiffany over at Taste{full} Life found this antique dry sink, the wheels started turning and she realized she had the potential for a unique changing table for her imminent new baby. Although she was wary of a “country” aesthetic, a new coat of paint and a few other touches updated this piece into modern farmhouse chic.Tiffany learned some important lessons about painting antiques that she shares in her tutorial at Taste{full} Life.
Jul 16, 2020
How To Avoid “Painter’s Shoulder”
It came as a major blow to my ego that despite twice-weekly yoga sessions and thrice-weekly weightlifting, my left shoulder was defeated by my recent dabbling in wall painting. All this pain, just from painting! Granted, it was 8 solid hours of painting, a few days each week… Still, one doesn’t like to think that a low-impact activity can do such damage to one’s relatively young and decently strong body.
Jul 16, 2020
Weekend Assignment: How To Clean Your Cleaning Tools
We’ve shared before our opinion of the top most common cleaning tools you should keep around. Though these handy items help you maintain a healthy home, are you doing the best job you can do to keep your tools clean and working efficiently? We’ve rounded up the best ways to clean the most common cleaning tools you have around the house. It could be the perfect task for any extra time you’ve got this weekend! Here are a few of the tools we use on a daily basis.
Jul 16, 2020
Beverly Hills Mansion Formerly Owned By Ellen & Portia Hits the Market for $34M
This private, massively gated, historic Beverly Hills mansion has a star-studded list of former residents nearly as long as the credits in an Oceans XX film (including Ellen Degeneres and Kelly Wearstler), and just hit the market for a whopping $34 million. The classic five-bedroom residence was built in the 1950s for Diane and Charles Skouras Jr.
Jul 16, 2020
11 Essential Organizing Products for a Small Bathroom
In the bathroom, space is always at a premium, and that’s esepcially true in a smaller bathroom. If you’re at a loss as to where to store all the necessities in your teeny tiny bathroom, these 11 hardworking products can help. The Componibili is a great piece for adding a little storage anywhere in the house, but it’s especially nice in the bathroom: the doors mean less visual clutter, and the unit can tuck neatly into a corner or under a pedestal sink.
Jul 16, 2020
Raise the Roof: Kids’ Loft Bed Inspiration
When I was in college, my roommate and I got a loft bed system, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Not only did we have lots of floor space to hang out and study, I loved having the privacy and coziness of my own secret bed platform. For small spaces, a loft can be a great way to open up floor space, but even if you don’t feel you need the extra room, a loft can be a great hideaway for a kid.
Jul 16, 2020
5 Tools That’ll Take Your DIY Projects to the Next Level, According to Pros
These pro picks are versatile and affordable.
Jul 16, 2020
Take a Look at Britney Spears’ Former Estate For Sale
The pop star's former home, a sprawling Mediterranean estate in Beverly Hills, has officially hit the market for $6.8 million.
Jul 16, 2020
7 Ways to Have Your Most Successful Garage Sale Ever
Ready to stage the best, most profitable summer yard sale you’ve ever thrown? There are plenty of tricks to make your sale stand out from the other sad, old-shoes-on-a-blanket sales dotting your neighborhood. Here’s how… Anyone with a yard can have a yard sale but we’re going for showmanship here. Are you moving? You, my friend, are having an “Everything-Must-Go Moving Sale.” Selling the extras from your spring cleaning binge with a few friends?
Jul 16, 2020
Polly’s Bold & Colorful Retro Room
Name: Polly Age: 3 Location: Totnes, Devon, UK Room size: 16.4 x 11.4 foot Chances are, you’ve probably seen Jane Foster’s work, and we’ve featured her many times ourselves. Her work whole-heartedly celebrates the bold shapes, patterns and colors from the 60’s and 70’s – one can’t help feel a bit nostaligic when admiring her designs. When it was time to create a space for her daughter Polly, she replicated this passion for vintage and retro design.
Jul 16, 2020
Small Space Living: The 5 Rules to Always-Organized Wall Hooks
Wall hooks and pegboards are incredibly handy organizational tools for home, especially small homes where space is at a premium. But while they make previously unused wall space functional and allow you quick access to daily items, they can be magnets for mess if not kept in check. How do you keep an area full of hanging items looking tidy and attractive? Follow these five rules. 1.
Jul 16, 2020
In the Running for the World’s Most Popular Crib: IKEA’s Sniglar
It doesn’t look like much in its stock photograph, but IKEA’s SNIGLAR crib has been turning up all over the place in our tours lately – everywhere from Sydney, Australia to Pennsylvania, USA. The crib’s airy, simple design and raw wood aesthetic work well with eclectic, modern, Scandinavian, and minimalist decor. Don’t believe us? Click through to those nurseries that feature the one-and-only SNIGLAR. 1. Elke’s Sweet As Honey Space 2.
Jul 16, 2020
Get 25% Off Everything at Urban Outfitters Right Now—Including Last-Minute Gifts
Mariah Carey is officially stuck in our heads.
Jul 16, 2020
What if the “Nesting Instinct” Never Kicks In?
When you’re pregnant you hear a lot of old wives’ tales, maternity myths and “what to expect while expectings”. My first pregnancy was relatively easy and uneventful and the first trimester I spent, like most women, sleepy and tired. So I was really looking forward to the “nesting stage” which is supposed to kick in during the second trimester and peak in the third.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: Kids’ Table & Chair Set
I am quite envious of skilled thrifters; I’m unable to see the potential in a yard sale find or figure out what’s quality and just needs a little repair or TLC. That’s why I love seeing yard sale transformations. I have some hope that if I look at enough, the skills will magically transfer to me. So I’ve been staring at this beautiful kids’ table and chair makeover for a few days. Check out what Lolly Jane did with this well-loved table and chairs.Amazing, right?
Jul 16, 2020
4 Ways to Know When to Replace a Fire Extinguisher
Your home tech uses electricity. And where there’s electricity, there’s a fire hazard—especially if you’re the type to hold on to tried, true and worn out devices. Speaking of—have you checked your fire extinguisher lately? It might be worn out. Here’s four things to check to know when it’s time to replace it.Now that we’ve taught you how to buy the right fire extinguisher, it’s important to keep it in working order.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: IKEA Rast + Salad Bowl to Sleek Bathroom Vanity
Some IKEA hacks go so far above and beyond the standard “coat of paint and new handles” that they somehow become whole new pieces of furniture. This one, for example, started out as the ubiquitous Rast dresser and a salad bowl, and was transformed into an elegant, modern bathroom vanity with plumbing and everything. I for one am impressed.
Jul 16, 2020
Mike & Sandie’s Foyer: The Big Reveal
Name: Mike and Sandie Type of Project: Foyer renovation Location: Saskatoon; Saskatchewan, Canada Type of building: 2 1/2 story single-family home, built in 1919 The Renovation Diaries are a collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: Coffee Sack Upholstered Chair
You have to love a project that not only makes over a sad old chair but also reuses old coffee sacks. This creative re-use project not only features repurposed fabric but also looks great too! Check out the fantastic results after the jump.Many of you have seen similar chairs using grain sacks selling for a pretty penny, this step by step tutorial by Doesn’t Cost the Earth shows you how you can get the look for much less using organic coffee sacks.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: Simple Office Nook Makeover
Sometimes there is just not enough space – or money! With an upcoming wedding and two blending households of avid readers into a one bedroom condo (plus one curious object collector – me), we’ve got books and baubles coming out of our ears. This office area is one of my least favorite places in our home due its lack of light and wall space restrictions, so it was time for a cheap and quick fixer-upper!
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: That Was a What?
Here at Apartment Therapy, we can’t get enough of Before & Afters… it’s always exciting to see something salvaged from the garbage become something lovely and shiny and useful. We salute all you DIYers out there, but we have to say we’re especially impressed with the people who are able to see special potential in a piece — and turn it into something totally different and totally useful.
Jul 16, 2020
This Artist's Colorful House Is filled with Light, Books, Sofas & TONS of Art
Julia Gorman Ioves anything with intense color or pattern, and she loves to throw them all together without any careful placement. It makes for a messy beautiful space!
Jul 16, 2020
Here’s What a List of “Home Goals” Should Look Like
Do you have goals for your home? I think it’s really effective–in all areas of life–to write down your goals and share them with others. And your home should be no exception. Whether you rent or own, whether you plan to be there for seven more months or seven more years (or forever!), you should keep a list of things you’d like to get done for a happy life at home. To get the most out of your list, make it a good mix of goals.
Jul 16, 2020
Chip and Jo Are Expanding Their Magnolia Empire with 6 New Stores
Not even the Texas summer heat can slow down Chip and Joanna Gaines from expanding their Magnolia empire.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: A Newly Modern Austin Bungalow
Just because I’ve come to terms with my home’s imperfections doesn’t mean I don’t obsess over my inspiration boards. The latest addition is this incredible makeover of an Austin bungalow. The owners, Britt and Dan, waited five years to tackle their remodel, and the result is a beautifully modern and calm home awash in white. And yes, I’m jealous much.
Jul 16, 2020
10 Tips To Make Any Small Space (Feel) Bigger
I get asked about how to make small spaces feel bigger all the time and have done numerous interviews going over these points, BUT I’ve never written them down for myself or for you readers here, so here we go. These are my totally evergreen, classic tips, which come from years of practice. Please add your own!
Jul 16, 2020
This $13 Find is My Secret to a Better Looking Dining or Living Room
One item can completely transform a room!
Jul 16, 2020
Host with the Most (House Guests, That Is): How To Find Space For Them All
It can be a challenge to host more people than your guest room can handle. Instead of turning on your No Vacancy light, consider some creative options to offer your friends and family when your guest room is full to capacity. During our first month in Denver, my husband and I hosted 13 people (singles and families) in our 700 square-foot 1 bedroom shotgun. We were always happy to take in our friends but made sure to let them know about the size of our accommodations ahead of time.
Jul 16, 2020
These Might Be the 10 Best IKEA Hacks EVER
Here at Apartment Therapy, we love a good IKEA hack as much as you do. It’s a comforting reminder that there are still places where ingenuity plus elbow grease with a side of using-what-you-got to #makeitwork equals a recipe for success over and over. Check out some of our favorite IKEA hacks and get inspired to find your own new possibilities… 1. Above, Before & After: Molly’s IKEA Rast Turned Campaign Chest 2. Before & After: IKEA Granas Table Gets a Rustic Makeover 3.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: A Year of IKEA Hacks
We can’t resist a good IKEA hack. Of course these pieces are lovely on their own, but this year a few intrepid DIYers managed to take a few basics to the next level. Swedish ingenuity + your ingenuity = some really inspired pieces of furniture. Click the links to see the ‘afters’. (Hint: clicking the links with your mouse wheel will open each link in a new window.) TOP ROW: 1. The IKEA VITTSJÖ: 5 Colorful Hacks 2. Before & After: From IKEA Dining Table to Chic Desk 3.
Jul 16, 2020
Make It Last: How to Update & Repair Vintage Wood Furniture
We’ve all heard the phrase “they don’t make ’em like they used to,” which in my experience, cannot be more true when it comes to quality-made furniture. Dovetailed drawers or burled wood veneer seems to have been replaced by the convenience of assemble-yourself, particle-board furniture. Although these pieces are affordable, the poor construction quality makes them practically disposable.
Jul 16, 2020
These Are the 15 Best Cities to Move to If You Want to Save Money
Consider packing your bags for Oklahoma.
Jul 16, 2020
This $14 Amazon Buy Solves Your Ugly Window Slat Blind Woes
We’re always on the lookout for smart, renter-friendly products that won’t risk your security deposit, and make your space better than the day you moved in. Slatted window blinds are one particular sore spot for a lot of folks: They look generic, have constant problems, and landlords don’t always let you remove them. Well, tenants rejoice, because we found a way to work around those ugly window coverings, and dramatically change the look of your whole room.
Jul 16, 2020
Overwhelmed by Mess? Just Apply the 80/20 Rule to Your House Cleaning
You can turn to this list again and again, regaining control and calming the chaos with as little work as possible.
Jul 16, 2020
A Gorgeous UK Victorian Features Colorful Paint on the Walls and Furniture
Practically all the furniture in this home is secondhand and painted or illustrated on—including the fireplace!
Jul 16, 2020
It’s Sagittarius Season: Here’s Your December Home Horoscope
Bigger, bolder, faster, brighter. December’s cosmic climate sends us speeding into Sagittarius energies, and the zodiac’s megawatt My-Little-Pony invites us to embrace the wild, wide open roads before us. Think voyages of all flavors, dancing ’til the break of dawn, and reinvesting in the radical, luck-be-a-lady faith that life is absolutely on your side. So roll the dice and pack up your rollerboards for flights far beyond the known.
Jul 16, 2020
Does Turning Down the Heat Really Burn More Calories?
In response to my recent post, Trying To Cut Down On Heating Costs? Go Gradually, a commenter wrote, “If I feel a little cold, I just tell myself that I am burning more calories when I am chilly… because that’s true.
Jul 16, 2020
Design Basics: 9 Easy Ways to Add Texture to a Bedroom
Has your bedroom been feeling flat and lifeless? Uninteresting? Too…boring? It might need an infusion of texture — a basic design element every room needs to make it feel rich and like a place worth spending time in. We’ve got nine different and easy ways you can add the feeling of texture to your bedroom. 1. (Pictured above) Plants are a fast and easy way to add mother nature’s texture to your bedroom (plus some lovely and life-affirming green color).
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: Andie’s Bathroom Makeover
Last week, you got to see the updates and tiling work we did in our kitchen. However, we also had a very fun time doing some updates to our bathroom. This before photo (taken quite a bit before we started the project) doesn’t show the vertical angle, but allows you to see the most important elements: the old, dingy, salmon-colored tile, and original toilet and vanity. Fast forward three days (we were on a tight schedule) to our brand new bathroom!
Jul 16, 2020
7 Things You Can Do With Far-Away Friends That Don’t Involve Screens
Some of these ideas might require you to get outside of your comfort zone a little bit, but it will be so worth it.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: Vintage Console TV Converted Into Swank Bar
It’s funny to remember how large, bulky, yet sometimes stylish televisions were before the era of HDTVs took displays from the floor onto our walls. We still remember our childhood 80’s RCA floor console TV taking up about the same amount of room as 40″ HDTV flat panels all lined up. Sometimes you’ll still find one of these wonderful relics of TV’s past in basements, garages or thrift stores, many not in working order.
Jul 16, 2020
A Welcoming Atmosphere: How to Create (or Boost) It In Your Home
Atmosphere is the je ne sais quoi ingredient to interiors. You can’t really put your finger on it and it’s not really something you can buy in a box to add to your home. But it’s the thing that differentiates a great home from just a good one, and it’s the thing that makes guests want to stay and linger in your home as long as possible. How do you get it (or make your existing atmosphere even better)? Well the answer to that isn’t easy.
Jul 16, 2020
10 Tips for Making Winter Wake-Ups Easier
Now that winter’s here, my reluctance to get out of bed in the morning has mounted exponentially. It’s much easier to snuggle deep into the covers when my alarm goes off, and I’m constantly oversleeping when I know that I should get up. In an attempt to curb this bad habit, I’ve compiled some tips for making waking up a bit more manageable. Drinking water as soon as you wake up will help stimulate the body and help you stay awake.
Jul 16, 2020
Meg and Josh’s Mudroom: The Big Reveal
Name: Meg and Josh Type of Project: Mudroom/Breakfast Nook remodel Location: Chinook, Washington Type of building: Single-Family Home, 1,000 square feet For all of you good people who have been following along with Meg and Josh’s mudroom renovation, the big moment has finally come: all the work is complete, and it’s time to take a look at the finished space! From Meg: Any renovation project is special, but there’s something extra special about a DIY renovation project.
Jul 16, 2020
Make it Work: 8 Combination Nursery & Office Shared Spaces
Let’s face it—kids don’t really take up too much space. It’s all of the junk we buy for them that gets in the way! In an effort to downsize and share space, some savvy folks turn to shared offices and nurseries! Mom or Dad can work while the little one snoozes. We’ve scouted out some favorite office and nursery combos to inspire you. Take a look! 1. Teressa and Ryan’s Fresh & Friendly Home 2.
Jul 16, 2020
Before & After: The Year’s Most Dramatic Transformations
For this very last roundup, we’ve combed through all of this year’s Before & After projects (and trust us, there were a lot of good ones) and rounded up the very best ones. The dramatic, inspiring, shocking transformations. The ones where you couldn’t possibly like the before better. Prepare to be amazed — here are 2014’s most dramatic transformations. Click on the slideshow to see the projects.
Jul 16, 2020
Budget Garden Inspiration: 5 Modest and Lovely Courtyards
I’ll admit, when I think of courtyard gardens, I naturally think of sprawling estates with hidden outdoor rooms, bordered by perfectly manicured boxwood hedges boasting a grand urn water fountain. Perhaps I’ve been watching too much Downton Abbey, but courtyards aren’t just unattainable outdoor spaces limited to the wealthy.
Jul 16, 2020