Annie’s Earthy Nest In Echo Park
Name: Annie RocchioLocation: Echo ParkSize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 10 months We were thrilled to find out that Annie lived in our backyard of Echo Park (making this House Tour right around the corner). As we strolled up to her complex, we instantly felt like we were in Palm Springs, 1962. Thanks to the management company that owns Annie’s building, they overhauled it, taking it back in time (but in the best way possible).
Apr 2, 2010
Joni and Eric’s Home Of Family Treasures
Name: Joni and Eric (with daughters Elsa, 7 and Ava, 4)Location: Bellevue, WashingtonSize: 2,800 square feetYears lived in: 3 years As a professional stylist Joni effortlessly blends her love of vintage pieces with her other cherished objects: her family. Homeowners Joni and Eric designed a home where family comes first. It is a place where creativity and style naturally share space to create a warm and welcoming environment.
Apr 1, 2010
Juhi, Jayant and Aksh’s Beautiful Bangalore
Name: Juhi, Jayant and Aksh PrabhuLocation: Bangalore, IndiaSize: 1,400 square feetYears Lived In: 5 months When Juhi sent us photos of her family’s recently renovated home in Bangalore, asking us if we wanted to feature it as a house tour, we jumped on it! We’ve found the homes we’ve featured from India to be especially beautiful in their use of vivid colour and this one is no exception.
Mar 26, 2010
Making the Move: When Do You Start Packing?
Earlier this week we shared our future plans to move to a new apartment, starting with removing art from the walls as a symbolic first step of transitioning from one space to another. But upon coming home, Emily noted, “We still have over a month to move…no need to start packing already!” Was this a case of pre-packing-elation?My reply was simply, “It’s never to early to start packing.
Mar 25, 2010
The Do’s and Dont’s Of Porch Lights
In the same way a few well-placed lamps can revitalize a room, neighborhoods get a face lift when given the proper lighting. A well-lit, bright street is far more more welcoming than a dark row of creaky houses—but does that make it safer? Is it mother-nature-friendly? Should you leave your porch light on all night? DON’T leave the light on all night. It’s not green. DO set any overnight nights to a 1/2 power dimmer setting.
Mar 25, 2010
Philip & Leong’s Live / Work City Space
Name: Philip Leeming & Leong Ong of FallsLocation: East VillageSize: under 600 square feetYears lived in: 9 years — rented The apartment that Philip and Leong call home during the week is in the heart of the East Village — just east of Astor Place on Saint Marks. In addition to being their weekday home, the apartment functions as hub of the couple’s fashion line Falls — it functions as their design studio but also hosts meetings, photo shoots and model castings.
Mar 24, 2010
Trish’s North Portland Nest
Name: Trish Grantham (along with Pablo the dog and Georgia & Arlo the cats)Location: Portland, OregonSize: 900 Sq FtYears lived in: One Month (yep, ONE MONTH!) Portland artist, Trish Grantham lives on the ground floor of a pretty amazing house in North Portland. Inside her living space, collections abound. Outside is a large fenced backyard that makes the house feel removed from the tightly packed neighborhood it is set in.
Mar 23, 2010
A Dish Rack Roundup for Those Without Dishwashers
If you are lucky enough to have a dishwasher, well, aren’t you spiffy. I, on the other hand, can’t remember the last time a machine did my dishes for me. I guess living in an old San Francisco apartment has its sacrifices. Since some of you undoubtedly share this plight, here’s a roundup of dish racks that should meet a wide ranging set of needs.System Dishrack by simplehuman.
Mar 18, 2010
Lauren’s First Solo Flight
Name: Lauren Location: Upper West Side, Manhattan Size: 800 square feet studio rental converted to a temporary one-bedroom Years lived in: Less than a year After a couple of years of ‘roommating’ in New York City, Lauren leaped out on her own and rented a studio apartment. Fortunately, it was large enough to put up some temporary walls and create a generous looking one-bedroom. Within a couple of months, it looked like it had been lived in for years! Lauren is a talented designer.
Mar 17, 2010
5 Places To Put A Compost Bin In A Small Kitchen
Many of us are all for composting, even if we don’t have a lick of outdoor space to call our own. Some have the luxury of slightly larger kitchens or cabinet space, but others are doing good if they can open their oven and refrigerator doors at the same time. If your kitchen feels a little small, here are five places to place a compost bin!
Mar 17, 2010
Jay & Melissa’s Neutral Mid-Century Reno
Name: Jay & MelissaLocation: Manchester, New HampshireSize: 1,250 square feetYears lived in: Owned – 6 yearsWho else lives there: Dogs Brady and Cali and Cats Mama, Tony, and Pepper Jay and Melissa made an offer on this two family on Manchester’s South side six years ago only to find out through Melissa’s mom that the home had been built by her grandfather in 1950.
Mar 16, 2010
5 Places To Put A Compost Bin In A Small Kitchen
Many of us are all for composting, even if we don’t have a lick of outdoor space to call our own. Some have the luxury of slightly larger kitchens of cabinet space, but others are doing good if they can open their oven and refrigerator doors at the same time. If your kitchen feels a little small, here’s 5 places to place a compost bin and a few of our favorite resources for making it happen!1.
Mar 16, 2010
Johnny & Stacie’s Super Sweet Loft
Name: Johnny & Stacie SlocumLocation: St. Paul, MinnesotaSize: 1300 square feetYears lived in: 2.5 You may remember Johnny and Stacie’s loft from a house call that we published in January. We were thrilled when they agreed to share some more photos of their converted warehouse space with us. It simply is a home that makes us happy – cheerful, sunny and special – we’re glad to take a longer look.
Mar 12, 2010
Jenika and Robert’s 1944 Bungalow Renovation
Name: Jenika and RobertLocation: Westchester, CaliforniaSize: 1,000 square feetYears lived in: 2 months Jenika and her boyfriend, Robert, had been living in Los Angeles for 4 years and desperately wanted to have a house of their own. Knowing how expensive real estate is in Los Angeles, they knew that they would have to find a great fixer. Jenika and Robert, with the help of her parents, purchased a small home in Westchester that needed a lot of work.
Mar 12, 2010
Hollister & Porter’s Williamsburg Safari
Name: Hollister Hovey & Porter HoveyLocation: Williamsburg, BrooklynSize: 1,400 square feetYears lived in: rented, 4½: years A few misconceptions about the Hoveys. They are not big-game hunters from the 1930’s. They are sisters from Kansas City with the given names Hollister and Porter. They are not taxidermists. Hollister works in PR and Porter for a management consulting firm. They are not hoarders. They are collectors of awesomeness.
Mar 10, 2010
Ta Da! Turning Brass Into Silver
Although we’ve been hearing rumours that brass and bronze are back, many of us still prefer the clean cool look of silver. But, what if you fall in love with a bronze something? Now what? We found this tip that will turn your brass object into silver faster than you can say Abracadabra!According to this post we found on new blog The Modness (and Madness) of 9251, all it takes is a can of KleanStrip KS-3 Premium stripper.
Mar 10, 2010
Emily and Meeko’s Sunny First Apartment
Name: Emily Baker & Meeko MendezLocation: North Beach, San FranciscoSize: 850 square feetYears lived in: almost 1 year Emily and Meeko, just married last October, moved into their first apartment together in North Beach about a year ago. As exciting as that was, combining lives, stuff and styles into a small apartment proved to be challenging as both were moving from much larger spaces they shared with roommates.
Mar 4, 2010
Julie’s Jubilant Loft
Name: Julie Simonson & Wilbur (6-month-old chocolate cockapoo puppy)Location: Old City — Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaSize: 1,223 square feetYears lived in: 2½ Julie is a Philadelphia Native. She moved to Los Angeles for several years and has vacationed in Vermont for much of her life. She eventually returned back to the city of brotherly love, bringing with her treasures from around the country that help make this loft Julie’s Jubilant Loft.
Mar 4, 2010
How Do I Remove Water Stains from a Poster Print?
Q: Maybe someone can help me with this tragedy? This is my beloved Superflat exhibit print poster. Eight years ago I got it mounted, but when I moved to NY I didn’t ship it out and stored it in my parents’ basement. Now I’ve moved back and discovered they had a flood one year and this poor print got some water damage. Is there any way I can remove the stains without damaging the print? I was thinking of a Mr.
Mar 4, 2010
How to Clean Scuff Marks from TrafficMaster Allure?
Q: We have TrafficMaster Dimensions Allure flooring installed in a bathroom. We have some scuff marks and some dulling in some areas. What do you recommend in caring for this type floor? Is there a particular cleaner? Can you use wax of any kind. We are happy with the flooring but need your advice on the questions above.Sent by RobertEditor – We’re going to first quote the Allure owner manual to advise you to never use a wax on the TrafficMaster surface.
Mar 3, 2010
Alison & Jeff’s Happening Home
Name: Alison & Jeff AllenLocation: Minneapolis, MinnesotaSize: Rental House, 1,200 Square FeetYears lived in: 1 year, 4 months We’ve seen a great number of homes over the years. Some big, some small, some round and some without walls. This home nestled in the northern nook of the Midwest is one that instantly feels like home and oozes family and comfort while still feeling fresh in their retro, Mid-Century stylings.
Feb 26, 2010
Stefanie & Luke’s Brooklyn Limestone
Name: Stefanie & Luke (Mr. & Mrs. Limestone)Location: Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn Size: 1,800 square feetYears lived in: 3 years You may be familiar with Brooklyn Limestone, the blog penned by Stefanie documenting her adventures in renovation and decoration. She has incredible picture tutorials of the crafty projects she does herself, and thorough photographic evidence of the complete transformation her home has made from beginning to end.
Feb 24, 2010
Adorn, Rather Than Hide Your Cables!
Normally we offer a variety of options or techniques to hide the eyesore of cable/wire clutter. But what if you’ve got an awkwardly positioned outlet and a cable or wire is just something you have to live with? Instead of hiding it, why not make it something more visually amusing/pleasant, as shown here with this adornment by PA-Design.The design also reminds us of Shunsuke Umiyama’s vine inspired Midori AC Adaptor.
Feb 24, 2010
Emily & Nate’s Cozy Cocoon
Name: Emily & NateLocation: Jamaica Plain, MassachusettsSize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 1½ years – rented As an avid fan, Emily (a graphic designer) knows her Apartment Therapy stuff. Within minutes of walking through her door, Emily tells me that she’s pretty sure that the layout of her place is exactly the same as another house tour I recently posted. And funny enough, this other tour was also home to a Nate.
Feb 23, 2010
Ann & Dabney’s Splendid Blended Storefront Conversion
(Welcome to Ann & Dabney from St. Louis, a tag team of bloggers trying out for a place as Apartment Therapy House Tour Contributors. Enjoy their work!)Name: Ann & Dabney Location: St. Louis, MissouriSize: 3700 square feet (including home & workspace)Years lived in: 6 months When we were looking to move to Saint Louis, we looked at a lot of houses in the city, but it was in an old butcher shop turned hardware store turned office that we found our perfect renovation project.
Feb 22, 2010
Before & After: Marie’s Budget Bathroom Makeover
We recently came across this inexpensive bathroom makeover on our Apartment Therapy SF flickr Pool. Marie and her husband Aaron moved into their Menlo Park apartment about a year and a half ago. While their initial decorating tended toward neutral colors and traditional furnishings, Marie felt a need to brighten things up by making her bathroom a bit fresher and younger. See Marie’s less than $50 makeover after the jump.
Feb 22, 2010
The Brick House
Name: Morgan, Jeremy, Iggy Pup Location: Hemet, California Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: 2 years There’s the common adage of taking lemons and making lemonade. We think Morgan and Jeremy have taken their situation a step further (their living situation “a careful balance between want and need”), squeezing out champagne from their modest, post-war Hemet home.
Feb 19, 2010
Stefan’s Inspired & Eclectic Studio
Name: Stefan of ArchitectDesignLocation: Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington DCSize: studio 475 square foot studio, ownedYears lived in: 2½ years Most people may think that being a collector of beautiful things is incompatible with dwelling in a studio apartment, but Stefan shows that big style can exist in small spaces.
Feb 18, 2010
Don’t Forget To Label Your Fuse Box
It doesn’t matter what you call it, fuse box, breaker box, circuit breaker box, all that matters is that it’s labeled. It doesn’t matter if you rent or own, when the power goes out, or diy projects are in progress, it’s best to be prepared.We’ve spent many an hour yelling back and forth across the house while trying to find the right breaker to turn off, “How about now?” ….”No!”Does that sound familiar?
Feb 17, 2010
Vanessa’s New Oakland Digs
Name: Vanessa JeschkeLocation: Lake Merritt, Oakland, CASize: 1,000 square feet, 2 bedroomYears lived in: 3.5 months We discovered the home of Apartment Therapy reader Vanessa on flickr, and approached her about doing a house tour. Her clean aesthetic with careful attention to detail and cheerful vignettes throughout her home called out to us immediately. She was in the process of moving when we spoke to her in November, and promised to let us in once she was settled.
Feb 11, 2010
Stephen & Todd’s Fantastic Mr. Farmhouse
Name: Stephen Ellwood and Todd CarrLocation: Cornwallville, New YorkSize: 1,600 square feetYears lived in: 1½ To Stephen and Todd this 1900 fieldstone farmhouse is not a labor of love — it’s just pure love. Sure they have doors that lead to nowhere, but they also have a wood burning stove, an outdoor tub and a barn for a pottery studio. Not to mention an incredibly cute Brussels Griffon named Vernon.
Feb 10, 2010
Michael & Danijela’s Modern Minimal Milwaukee Home
(Welcome to Elizabeth from Milwaukee, one of the bloggers trying out for a place on the Apartment Therapy editorial team as a House Tour Contributor. Enjoy her work!)Name: Michael & DanijelaLocation: Milwaukee, WisconsinSize: 1300 square feetYears lived in: 2.5 Newlyweds Michael and Danijela still seem a little surprised by their home and location. Young, design-loving, tech-savvy, Eurocentric professionals, they might seem more at home in a hip, downtown warehouse convert.
Feb 8, 2010
Erik & Smith’s Historic Hideaway
(Welcome to Smith from Chicago, one of the bloggers trying out for a place on the Apartment Therapy editorial team as a House Tour Contributor. Enjoy her work – comments welcome!
Feb 5, 2010
105 Year-Old Converted Barn On Bainbridge Island
Name: Stephen and Katie Sloan (plus Peter, Anna, and Evi) Location: Bainbridge Island, WAProperty Type: Converted Dairy Barn Size: 2400 square feet (3 bedrooms, 2 bath)Years lived in: 5 Resting on half an acre of pastoral countryside on beautiful Bainbridge Island is a distinctively charming home that was once a dairy barn. Originally constructed in 1905 and converted in 1980, this home beautifully integrates original rustic elements with comfortable modern touches.
Feb 4, 2010
Hunter’s First Home: An Exercise in DIY
Name: Hunter TerritoLocation: Baton Rouge, LouisianaSize: 1,100 Square FeetYears lived in: 5 Months Hunter purchased his first home in September of 2009. For two months, he spent nights and weekends scraping, painting, sanding, refinishing and more. Featured as a House Call — Hunter’s Dramatic DIY — in November, we were so impressed we asked if he would be interested in a full House Tour— and Hunter threw a party.
Feb 4, 2010
Aerogel Becomes Affordable as a Home Insulator
Dr. Peter Tsou of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory once said, “you could take a two- or three-bedroom house, insulate it with aerogel, and you could heat the house with a candle. But eventually the house would become too hot.” So why haven’t we all been spraying our buildings with the stuff? Unfortunately, for the past 75 years aerogel has been way too expensive, but that’s all about to change.
Feb 4, 2010
4 Homemade Clamp Ideas
If you are taking on some small projects around the house but don’t necessarily have a shop full of tools, it might come in handy to have a few alternatives if you find yourself in need of clamps.Clamps can be useful for holding things in place while your hands are busy with other parts of a project. They’re also handy when you’re gluing something that needs to be held together for an extended period while the glue sets up.
Feb 3, 2010
Christine & Vijay’s Charming Urban Farmhouse
Name: Christine & Vijay ChitnisLocation: Providence, Rhode IslandSize: 1,684 square feet, 3 bedroomsYears lived in: 1 The home of Providence writer, blogger, crafter and Fall Colors finalist, Christine Chitnis and her husband, Vijay, does resemble a typical New England farmhouse: it’s over 100 years old and their fridge is filled with eggs freshly laid by the chickens that roam their backyard — the only thing missing is the rural setting.
Feb 2, 2010
James’ Bernal Heights Re-Make/Re-Model
Name: James NestorLocation: Bernal Heights, San Francisco, CASize: 930 square feetYears lived in: 2.5 years, owned We were elated that James Nestor agreed to do a house tour of his amazing home. Initially, he seemed surprised that we’d want to showcase his diminutive, but unique Bernal Heights digs, but we were able to detect the deserved pride he has for his place, a house that he transformed from an unlivable dump into an inviting, visually-appealing, and space-efficient home.
Feb 2, 2010
Amy & Stephane’s Minimalism Meets Hoarding
(Welcome to Abby from Toronto, one of the bloggers trying out for a place on the Apartment Therapy editorial team as a House Tour Contributor. Enjoy her work – comments welcome!
Feb 1, 2010
Mary’s Childhood Bedroom
Name: MaryLocation: Louisville, Kentucky I am a Freshman in college. My parents announced this fall that they were selling the home that my siblings and I had grown up in. I took the news very hard. I had a very special room that was built for me when I was little. As a little kid, I never stayed in my bed.
Jan 28, 2010
The Alice Cooper Loft
Name: Lori DennisLocation: Los Angeles, California   Size: 1,000 square feetYears lived in: Recently renovated We’re taking a bit of a de-tour today from our usual type of house tour we present.
Jan 27, 2010
Chris & Heather’s Happy, Hippy Haven
Name: Chris & HeatherLocation: Acton, MassachusettsSize: 2,700 square feetYears lived in: 4 I first met Heather and Chris when they contacted me for a fresh eye to help them pull together their playful family room. The moment I entered their house I had two thoughts: This is absolutely a future Apartment Therapy House Tour, AND this woman is so talented at design, I can’t imagine how I’m going to be a value added here.
Jan 26, 2010
Jenny and Cristina’s Rustic Modern Apartment
Name: Jenny Rinzler and Cristina EspinosaLocation: Mission Dolores, San FranciscoSize: 1,000 square feetYears lived in: Cristina for 8 1/2 years, Jenny for 5 years (they had roommates until 3 years ago) It’s one thing to make a home out of your rental. It’s another to make a home out of your 100+ year old rental with poor wiring and insulation. Now that the years of roommates are over, Jenny and Cristina finally have their charming abode to themselves and have made it their own.
Jan 26, 2010
Nellie’s New Old Home
Name: NellieLocation: West VillageSize: 500 square feet, 2-bedroomYears lived in: 11 years After 10 years of tolerating its propensity to accumulate clutter and never seem to have room for anything, Nellie wanted her home to change, noticeably. She got in touch with Azadeh and Kermit, made her style known, expressed her desire for a coat closet, and an open kitchen, among many other things, and then moved to a sublet in Brooklyn for six months.
Jan 25, 2010
George and Sara’s Logan Square Lookout
Name: George and Sara AyeLocation: Logan Square, ChicagoSize: 1300 square feetYears lived in: 1.5 George and Sara are a very creative Chicago couple. He is a creative director and she is a design researcher. In addition to their full-time work, they teach design innovation at the School of the Art Institute, and run a small travel apparel company called Hubwear. Whew! We love it when people are passionate about design.
Jan 25, 2010
Karthik’s Trip Down Memory Lane
Name: Karthik V.Location: Bangalore, IndiaSize: 1,420 square feetYears lived in: 4 months We’ve had a healthy number of house tours on Apartment Therapy from a surprising number of readers from India willing to open their doors to share with readers on the other side of the globe, and we’re happy to return again to Bangalore to a home filled with “surprises around every corner”.
Jan 22, 2010
Samuel’s Glamorous Collector’s Paradise
Name: Samuel Barrett GenthnerLocation: Duboce Triangle/Mint Hill, San FranciscoSize: 2 bedrooms, 1500 square feetYears lived in: Almost 3 years If you’ve ever stepped foot inside Monument, the fabulous vintage and antiques shop in the Mission co-owned by Samuel Barrett Genthner, you won’t be surprised by the impeccable, interesting style that defines his home.
Jan 21, 2010