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July 17

The Latest: Jul 17, 2020

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Spacious living room with high ceilings, eclectic sofas, colorful rugs, and decorative pillows.
This Converted Church in Sweden Answers All Our House Prayers
Two very popular categories of dreamy real estate include 1) homes in Sweden, and 2) converted churches—and this house just happens to be both. Peek inside this stunning property, which is accepting bids above 2,625,000 Swedish Krona, or $323,559 USD. Built in 1889, this former Baptist church is now an open and airy residence in Högsbo, a town 45 minutes outside of the city of Uppsala.
Tara Bellucci
Jul 17, 2020
Bust Out Your Trapper Keepers, A Lisa Frank Movie Is Happening
Your middle school dreams have come true—the intensely rainbow universe of Lisa Frank will be coming to a theater near you. The feature film, which will be a live action/animation hybrid, is currently in development. If it’s anything like classic hybrids Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and Paula Abdul’s Opposites Attract video, count us in.
Tara Bellucci
Jul 17, 2020
Real Life Closet Makeover: Aimée and Jonny’s Shared Catch-All Storage
Closet size: 25.3 square feet How many people use this closet? Two! My husband Jonny and I. How long have you lived in your home? 2 years Your closet in 5 words or less: jam-packed, chaotic, mysterious, lazy, hoarding Aimée and Jonny’s closet is a major multi-tasker. When they first moved into their current home, Jonny had the closet all to himself. A year later, Aimée started sharing it with him.
Aimée Mazzenga
Jul 17, 2020
Real Life Closet Makeover: Katy’s Woefully Unkempt Walk-in
At first this closet was perfect. Then it slowly fell apart over the course of a couple of months.
Dabney Frake
Jul 17, 2020
Real Life Closet Makeover: Melanie & Steven’s Skinniest Closet in the World
Closet size: 4.125 ft² plus a garment rack How many people use this closet? 2 How long have you lived in your home? We moved into this apartment about 8 months ago. It’s gone smoothly for the most part, but I’m definitely messier than Steven. Your closet in 2 words: Cramped and cluttered Can Melanie and Steven’s closet even be called a closet?
Dabney Frake
Jul 17, 2020
Small Bedroom Storage: 10 Over-the-Door Organizers Under $50
An organized home is incredibly gratifying. It allows tasks to get done more smoothly, cleaning completed more quickly, and projects processed more enjoyably. Plus, the tranquility and uncluttered emptiness of an organized home is a beauty all its own. These over-the-door storage products won’t tidy your entire home, but small organization projects are an encouraging way to start!
Angie Cho
Jul 17, 2020
A Real Life Chaotic Closet Gets a Makeover: Esteban & Todd’s Clutter Challenge
Closet size: 24 square feet How many people use this closet? Two. My partner Todd and I share the closet. How long have you lived in your home? Five years Your closet in 5 words or less: Small, narrow, chaotic, cluttered, disorderly. We moved into our Oakland apartment five years ago, and our bedroom closet has been a mess ever since. It’s not the amount of space that’s the problem, but how we use it.
Esteban Cortez
Jul 17, 2020
You’ve Cat to Be Kitten Me: This Arizona House Has Some Purr-culiar Decor
This log cabin style home in the Arizona desert might look unassuming from the outside, but just wait un-tail you see the inside, my furrends. I don’t know how to tell you this, but it’s pawsitively, provocatively plastered in felines. Located in Concho, about two hours east of Flagstaff, the 2,500 square foot two bedroom, one bath home stands out for one glaring reason: Most of the surfaces, including ceilings, walls, floors, and even appliances, are covered in cats.
Tara Bellucci
Jul 17, 2020
An Easy 5-Minute Upgrade for Lazy Home Improvers (and Renters)
Good design is in the details—no matter how small. Today we’re here to shine the light (pun intended) on those white plastic light switch plates that are so commonplace, they’re often overlooked as permanent fixtures. No matter what your style, we promise there’s a wall plate that complements your home design better than the existing smudge-prone standard. All you need is a screwdriver and a few bucks, so start swapping.
Jessica Isaac
Jul 17, 2020
These Are The Hottest Home Colors, According to Pinterest
With the resurgence of ’80s style in the past few years, pastels have been having quite a moment at home. And while light colors will always have a place in our palettes, Pinterest is noticing that some bolder hues have been gaining in popularity recently. In the company’s 2018 Home Report released this week, bolder, deeper shades were gaining traction.
Tara Bellucci
Jul 17, 2020
This Hydroponic Planter Is Like a Fancy Chia Pet
No soil needed.
Kenya Foy
Jul 17, 2020
Ellen’s Design Challenge: Meet Bradley
Name: Bradley L Bowers City: Miami, FL Style: I use the term “future-monk” to describe my style. I avoid decoration and I love to let the purity of materials merge with really funky and exciting shapes & forms. Carpenter paired with: Matt Muenster What are your design strengths? Follow-through; I think it is an underrated quality and one of my greatest assets and strengths. What are your design weaknesses? I am insistent.
Tara Bellucci
Jul 17, 2020
Calling All Wine Lovers: Be One with Your Vino and Stay at This Wine Barrel Hotel
For many wine lovers, an ideal relaxing scenario doesn’t exist without a glass (or two) of vino on deck. Apparently, there’s a new, fancy way to “wine” down, and it takes place inside of a barrel. Trust us when we say it’s a definite upgrade from getting wine drunk on your living room couch.
Kenya Foy
Jul 17, 2020
This 1-Minute Maintenance Tip Will Help Keep Pests and Smells Out of Your Bathroom
Weekend Projects
It'll maintain the seal your plumbing needs to do its job, plus it helps prevent stagnant water from sitting in your faucet or showerhead and breeding bacteria.
Shifrah Combiths
Jul 17, 2020
Real People Share Their Strategy for Downsizing (& It’s Advice Anyone Could Use)
Need to ditch some of your stuff soon because you’re moving to a smaller home? Or have you recently looked around your home and thought “What is all this stuff?” Whatever your motivation for wanting to declutter, you might find some useful inspiration with this advice — all from people who had to downsize their stuff when they moved into their current home.
Adrienne Breaux
Jul 17, 2020
Before & After: Maxwell & Ursula’s Light Rental Reno
Here’s a look back at Maxwell’s renovation of his and Ursula’s new apartment in SoHo. If you missed any of this earlier in the year, you’ll definitely want to take a look — I think you’ll be impressed with how much he was able to achieve in such a short span of time. Here’s another view of the kitchen before, to give you an idea of what we were dealing with.
Nancy Mitchell
Jul 17, 2020
7 Plants You Can Buy on Amazon to Make Your Winter a Little Greener
Fight the winter blues with something green.
Jaclyn Turner
Jul 17, 2020
Add Instant Charm to Your Table with this Bow Napkin
Ready for the most elegant party trick we’ve seen in a long time? Take just one cloth napkin and a pretty napkin ring and turn them into a beautiful bow to top off your table. If you’re hosting a holiday party or a casual get-together, use this bow-shaped accent to dress up each place setting. We’re willing to bet your guests will be begging to know how you made them.
AT Video
Jul 17, 2020
Before & After: Matthew Patrick Smyth at Designer Visions
On the floorplan, it’s listed as “Auxiliary Room,” a vague definition that falls far short of inspiration. What to do with this space, with no windows, no definition, and to be honest, no saving grace? Not to worry. Enter gentleman designer Matthew Patrick Smyth, who manages to turn slightly vague into totally specific. Through the lens of the talented Mr. Smyth, it’s part Kasbah but pure Kismet. And it stole the show at Hearst’s Designer Visions.
Patrick J. Hamilton
Jul 17, 2020
A Safe Non-Toxic Sealant for a Wooden Highchair?
Q: What is a safe, nontoxic sealant for a wooden highchair? We have an old wooden highchair that has a tray with all the finish worn off. The tray had also broken in half where it was seamed together. I glued it together again, but I’d like to refinish it to make it easier to clean. It is in otherwise perfect condition and we want to use it for our grandchildren.
Cambria Bold
Jul 17, 2020
A Remodeled Charleston House Goes from Dilapidated to Delightful
This classic four-square house in Charleston was originally built in 1935 and before getting remodeled, needed a more efficient and open layout, and lots of love.
Minette Hand
Jul 17, 2020
How’s That Working Out? 6 Months Without a Changing Table or Pad
When you ask parents what not to buy for a nursery, a changing table rises to the top of the list. “Official” changing tables don’t repurpose well into non-baby furniture so many parents choose alternatives to traditional changing tables, primarily dressers or desks that are at a comfortable height and deep enough to accommodate a changing pad.
Carrie McBride
Jul 17, 2020
Taylor Swift’s Former NYC Rental Is the Townhouse of Our ‘Wildest Dreams’
Want to live like T Swift? The pop star reportedly rented out this townhouse in the West Village while renovating her Tribeca home last summer. Now, the place is on the market for a cool $19.995 million. Welcome to New York, indeed. Located at 23 Cornelia Street, the townhouse has five bedrooms and five full and two half bathrooms across three floors, totaling 5,500 square feet.
Tara Bellucci
Jul 17, 2020
Before & After: The Year’s Most Creative Transformations
Some of my favorite before & afters are the ones where some intrepid DIYer sees the potential in a piece that everyone else would’ve left on the curb. From a side table turned pet bed to a humble crate turned into a swing, this year’s projects featured plenty of impressive repurposings. Check out some of our favorites. To view the ‘after’ photos, click the links for each project.
Nancy Mitchell
Jul 17, 2020
Less Mess & Stress: Getting Your Paperwork & Files Organized
Paper! This is a big one for lots of us and it’s one area where clutter not only causes mess, but can actually cost you money and time. Keeping on top of bills and being able to find important documents when you need them reduces the possibility of mishaps like late fees and getting a routine set streamlines the paperwork process. So, let’s think about this assignment as a investment – clear it out, set it up and permanently reap the rewards of less stress!
Janel Laban
Jul 17, 2020
Buying a New Refrigerator? Here’s How to Pick The Very Best One
The right appliances have a huge effect on your quality of life. If you’ve ever lived in a home with broken, poorly-designed, or just rundown appliances, and then upgraded, you know what I mean. You go from annoyed every time you grab a beverage from your refrigerator, to really looking forward to opening the door. Since your fridge gets get used many times a day, those interactions really add up.
Rachel Jacks
Jul 17, 2020
5 Greens-and-Candles Table Settings
The Kitchn Editors
Jul 17, 2020
A Stained Glass Cabin in the Woods
Imagine a beautiful retreat that celebrates light, color and nature, all in one. Enter Glass Cabin, a creation handmade by stained glass artist Neile Cooper. New Jersey based artist Neile Cooper had the idea for a little cabin in the woods where she could show off her stained glass craft. The result is Glass Cabin, a small structure in her backyard constructed almost entirely of reclaimed window frames and lumber decorated with her stunning artwork.
Tara Bellucci
Jul 17, 2020
This Uniquely Shaped Tiny Home Comes Fully Assembled
There’s no shortage of stylish tiny homes out there, but many still have some assembly required. This project—aptly titled Mobile Home—comes delivered, already fully assembled. Created by designer Ruzanna Andressa Oganesya, Mobile Home is built on a moving platform that can fit on a freight liner truck bed, and is therefore easily transported to any place you’d want to put a modern, off the grid tiny house.
Tara Bellucci
Jul 17, 2020
Refreshing & Reinventing: Before & After Projects for Kids
Carrie McBride
Jul 17, 2020
This Weekend: Dedicate An Hour To This Dirty Kitchen Zone
It doesn’t matter if you see washing dishes as a necessary evil, or if it’s a meditative time to focus your thoughts while doing routine chores. All of our kitchen sinks need TLC from time to time. It’s where we wash our food and cookware daily, store cleaning products, and where all our dirty messes go down the drain. Scrubbing the sink and organizing underneath isn’t glamorous, but certainly makes your kitchen a more effective and pleasant place to be.
Dabney Frake
Jul 17, 2020
Kids Room Throwdown: Trofast vs Kallax/Expedit
One of the most challenging decisions a parent faces in decorating a kids’ room is storage. Where on earth does one store all their stuff? Two popular options among Apartment Therapy readers are IKEA’s Kallax (originally the Expedit) and Trofast storage systems. But which will work best for your needs? Read on to find out who wins out in the Trofast/Kallax kids room throwdown! As a bench? Winner: Trofast. Sure, the Expedit looks lovely beneath sun-filled windows.
Alison Gerber
Jul 17, 2020
The Psychology & Science of Decorating: Understanding the 5 Ways We Experience a Room
As anyone reading this site knows, design is about a lot more than just having a pretty room. There are many different elements that go into the experience of a space, and they can all have a significant impact on the way that we relate to our surroundings. In Environmental Interiors, authors Mary Jo Weale, James W. Croake, and W. Bruce Weale argue that human beings experience their environments in five ways: Through the senses—sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell.
Carolyn Purnell
Jul 17, 2020
House of Cards Fans, You Can Buy Frank Underwood’s House at Auction
We interrupt your binge of House of Cards season 5 with this important announcement. The house that served as the Underwoods’ home pre-White House is hitting the auction block, and it can be yours. The brick Victorian townhouse is actually located in Baltimore’s Bolton Hill neighborhood, not Washington D.C. The exterior served as the home of Francis and Claire Underwood while Frank was still in the Senate.
Tara Bellucci
Jul 17, 2020
10 of the Best Things You Should Make Instead of Buy
Over the years, we’ve shared a lot of money-saving projects, large and small. If you can make something at home easily and cheaply, why wouldn’t you? Save some cash and flex those DIY muscles with these ten ideas for things to make rather than buy, from the Apartment Therapy and Kitchn archives. Your wallet and your home will thank you. Household cleaners. Ban chemicals from your home once and for all, and save pennies too with these recipes for eco-friendly cleaning products.
Eleanor Büsing
Jul 17, 2020
Clear Out & Help Out: A Big List of the Best Donation Centers for All Your Stuff
Professional Organizer Amelia Meena helps clients get their homes in order and, as we all know, that often involves getting rid of things no longer needed. To help us all out as we work to declutter our homes (one less thing to think about!), I asked her to share her list of great places to donate; because if you’re clearing out, you just may be able to help out as well.
Janel Laban
Jul 17, 2020
Cary Grant’s Former Palm Springs Pad is on The Market
We are big fans of old school glam and Palm Springs vibes around these parts, so when we heard internet rumblings of Cary Grant’s former Palm Springs home going on the market, we were immediately intrigued. The folks at Trulia describe the stunning property as “the last true luxury estate ever to be offered in Palm Springs.
Nora Taylor
Jul 17, 2020
Using a Hair Dryer to Remove Paint and More
Last week we discussed about getting started on wrangling our cords and cables in our home office, a project that required us to get moving on painting the interior before installing the cable channel guides we purchased. And painting we did!
Gregory Han
Jul 17, 2020
Before & After: World’s Ugliest Condo Bathroom
I was sitting around the other day, thinking about pairing gold kitchen cabinet hardware with stainless steel appliances, and I suddenly remembered: I never showed you all any photos of the finished World’s Ugliest Condo bathroom!These photos were taken with an iPhone, but you can still see the what’s what. Enjoy.
Dabney Frake
Jul 17, 2020
This Weekend: Prune & Purify Your Personal Purgatory
If open shelving keeps you honest and un-cluttered, junk drawers are the organizational opposite: a hidden spot where random things are stuck and linger until later used, relocated, thrown out, or recycled. It’s your own personal purgatory and a sanity-saving catchall, so don’t resist it entirely. Just hit the reset button periodically and bring it back under control…and accept that it will fill up again.
Dabney Frake
Jul 17, 2020
One Super Simple Way to Make Your Hanging Planter Look High-End
This fix is cheap, easy, and super luxe-looking.
Erin Johnson
Jul 17, 2020
Design Inspiration: Making the Most of a Bay Window
A window niche is design feature many would welcome. While this naturally lit offshoot of a room appears dreamy and wonderful, it can also be difficult to furnish. Finding a balance between maintaining functionality of the space while also integrating it into the rest of the room can be quite a challenge.Here in San Francisco, Victorians with bay windows can be found at every corner.
Lindsay Tella
Jul 17, 2020
Before & After: Old Fence Posts Transformed With String
It’s been raining buckets throughout much of the Midwest for the better part of the weekend and it seems as though my galoshes have never seen so much use! Although I’ve previously mentioned using a baking sheet as a quick boot tray, check out this DIY that all started as a scrap pile of used fence posts!
Sarah Rae Smith
Jul 17, 2020
Bold Living Room Decor Ideas That Are Easier to Pull Off Than You Realize
No matter what kind of budget you have, what your DIY skill level is or what kind of architecture you’re working with, a boring, blah living room doesn’t have to be anyone’s fate. These bold living room decor ideas don’t just look great, they’re easier to pull off than you realize… You don’t have to have an expensive art collection to fill a wall with framed art.
Adrienne Breaux
Jul 17, 2020
Andi’s Kitchen Renovation: The Big Reveal
Before: The kitchen, although graced with beautiful large windows, left a little something to be desired. After: A new kitchen from the studs inward, including a new Kohler sink and industrial task lighting above the windows for more functionality.From Andi: Possibly the most luxurious thing is the increased square footage (we went from 95 to 170 square feet).
Guest
Jul 17, 2020
Claire & Jeffrey’s Kitchen: The Big Reveal
For all of us who have been following along with Claire and Jeffrey’s renovation, the ultimate moment has finally arrived. That’s right — the kitchen is finally complete, and it’s time for the big reveal. Before: The space viewed from the living room entry. After: Now, the kitchen is wide open, with an uninterrupted view of the window to the backyard.From Claire:We spend all of our free time in this room.
Guest
Jul 17, 2020
Renters Solutions: 7 Real Life Examples of White Walls that Work
Renters everywhere face a common enemy: the dreaded white wall. But should you have walls you cannot paint, fret not! These Apartment Therapy renters work with the white wall, not against it. Granted, we are not all blessed with crown moldings or 15 foot ceilings, but the principles ring true for many a space. The key element is natural light. Jesse’s Modern Bachelor Pad House Tour – Jesse’s space is a veritable tutorial in how to get the most out of a rental.
Elisabeth Wilborn
Jul 17, 2020
Bring the Outdoors in With These Stylish Wood Slice Tables
These wooden tables are the perfect natural refresh for your home design.
Danielle Blundell
Jul 17, 2020