Kristie’s Thirties Tennessee Treasure
Name: Kristie and familyLocation: Nashville, TennesseeSize/Type: 3000 square foot 1939 4 bedroom Cape CodYears lived in: 8 You may recognize a few of the views of Kristie’s Nashville home from this House Call post that we published last September. The comment thread was filled with requests to see more of this unique, true-to-its-roots house, so we are kicking off the 2010 house tours with a just that – enjoy the longer look!
Jan 4, 2010
What Color Is Your Holiday? Christmas, Hanukkah, & Kwanzaa
With the city festooned in red and green for the holiday season, it seemed like an appropriate time to wonder how these colors came to be associated with Christmas, how blue and white became the official colors of Hanukkah, and what symbolism black, green, and red have during Kwanzaa. The Christmastime significance of the color green is partly related to the evergreen tree, seen as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection and eternal life.
Dec 17, 2009
Michael & Anna’s Rustic Modern Loft
Name: Michael & AnnaLocation: ChicagoSize: 1750 square feetYears lived in: 2 years Michael and Anna (who work in advertising and as a chef, respectively) live in a heavy timber loft in a former garment factory in Bucktown. Their design aesthetic fits right in with the architecture of this historical space, where the huge windows overlook long-overgrown abandoned railroad tracks.
Dec 7, 2009
10 Subscription Gifts that Keep on Givin’
The monthly club is an old-school approach to gift giving that’s usually associated with fruit baskets or popcorn tins, but the Internet has advanced beyond the Harry and David catalog and into the 21st century. Subscription gifts are available now for everything from artwork to movies and, if it’s what you want, you can still sign up for the scented candle of the month club, too. 1) 25 Colored Pencils for 25 Months. That’s 500 pencils! In 500 different colors!
Dec 1, 2009
10 Digital Kitchen Scales We Love
A little over a year ago we extolled the virtues of the kitchen scale. I had, like the author of this post, thought that kitchen scales were something for calorie counters and that I was quite all right baking using my measuring cups. But after reading this post and taking a few pastry classes at
Nov 13, 2009
Melinda & David’s Unique & Artsy Home Revisited
Name: Melinda Gorham, David Charles, Karson and Amelie the poochLocation: Glen Park, San FranciscoSize: Not sure, but it’s a good size for San FranciscoYears lived in: Melinda for 5 years, David for a year, rented Melinda and David invited me into their home for a tryout House Call post. After receiving such a great response, it seemed silly not to take more photographs for a full house tour. Enjoy!
Nov 10, 2009
Heather’s Vintage Granny Chic
Name: Heather Spriggs ThompsonLocation: Nashville, TN Size: 2100 sq. ft.Years Lived In: 3 months in this house (although I have lived in Nashville for 11 years) The vintage stylings of Heather Spriggs Thompson feel like a beautiful echo heard around the internet. She has set the bar high in the mainstream media, when it comes to making vintage pieces not only feel beautiful, but modern and comforting.
Nov 6, 2009
Corey’s Converted Barn
Name: Corey James GashLocation: Orange County, CaliforniaSize: 700 square feet, plus 220 square feetYears lived in: 8 months Corey’s the kind of guy that can figure out how to do almost anything. Not only does he love to figure out creative ways to solve problems, but he’s really good at it. Case in point, he turned a dilapidated barn into a modern home almost completely on his own using skills he already had plus a little help from Google.
Nov 6, 2009
Acido Dorado
Name: Acido DoradoLocation: Joshua Tree, CaliforniaSize: 1,350 square feet About a year ago, we were contacted by architect Robert Stone about a project he had just completed out in Joshua Tree, an unique ebony washed pavilion specifically designed as a vacation destination with a “new desert aesthetic”. He called it Rosa Muerta. But we just remember it as possibly the most unique place we’ve ever stayed in.
Nov 6, 2009
John & Libby’s Kid-Friendly Colonial
Welcome to our new Boston-based blogger, Ronee Saroff!Name: Libby and John Lodge (of John Lodge Architects)Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts Most Boston dwellers are familiar with the pitfalls of living in period houses: small rooms, miniscule closets, and dim lighting. So when product designer Libby and her architect husband John stumbled upon a Cambridge Greek Revival with not one, but two large sunny common rooms, they jumped at it.
Nov 2, 2009
Andrew’s Ingenious Floating Monitor Home Office
Name: Andrew FlynnLocation: Chandler, ArizonaType: Home office When we saw Andrew Flynn’s amazing home office, we knew that we had to do a tech tour of his place. The great DIY features really set this home office apart from all of the rest. A faux-wall to hide cables and wires, a Mission Control center console to hide and store peripherals, and three floating monitors are what makes this home office quite ingenious.
Oct 29, 2009
How To: Get Out Of A Locked Room
While we were working with a client this week at their shop, we pretty much got locked in the bathroom. Yep, definitely a first! The doorknob came loose, wouldn’t catch the door release and 30 minutes and a non-emergency call to the fire department later, we now know some tips for handling this type of crazy situation.1) Try to stay calm. While it is quite a strange feeling to be stuck in a small space, relax and stay calm.
Oct 23, 2009
4 Nightstands Under 12″ Wide
We recently gathered some ideas for 5 Small Nightstands Under $5. The solutions were for small budgets. But what about small spaces? We’re now gathering four more nightstand ideas that will fit into a 12″ wide space next to the bed… Many of us with small bedrooms have just enough space at the bedside to squeeze in and make the bed. What are some nightstand ideas for those slender spaces?
Oct 22, 2009
Quick Tip #17: How to Clean Up Oil Paint Without Turpentine
Every well-run home is teeming with tricks and shortcuts to keep it humming along. We’re sharing our best quick tips — for cleaning, organizing and repairing stuff at home — to save you time and money. Click through for today’s helpful hint, and links to tons more… Use regular DISH SOAP!! It has the ability to be gentle on your paint brushes while removing the sticky, slick paint behind.
Oct 19, 2009
10 Space Saving Wine Racks
As we enter the entertaining season we find ourselves stocking up on bottles. They aren’t all for ourselves, of course. There’s one for the host, a couple for the dinner party, one for that recipe and, well, maybe a couple for us to keep at home.Unless you are purchasing wine that will be stored for a later date, storing bottles in the kitchen or dining room is fine. Instead of shelving them above the fridge (gasp!
Oct 13, 2009
How To: Paint Over a Chalkboard Wall
When we talk chalkboard paint here at Apartment Therapy, there are invariably those who voice that the trend has run its course. Do you agree?…If you do, and if you have the trend painted onto a surface in your own home, here’s how to paint over it: Clean the wall thoroughly and allow to dry fully. Use fine sandpaper to lightly sand the surface of the chalkboard paint. Pay particular attention to the edges, as chalkboard paint may sit higher than the rest of the paint on the wall.
Oct 8, 2009
Houston Hi-Tech in a Small Space
Name: Chris NguyenLocation: Houston, TexasSize: 500 square feetYears lived in: 2 months There’s big and then there’s Houston BIG. In a city known for embodying the idea of gigantic Texan proportions, Chris Nguyen’s extremely modest sized 500 square foot apartment is an anomaly.
Oct 2, 2009
Anne & Nathan’s Northwest Modern Kitchen
Name: Anne & NathanLocation: Bellevue, WA Anne features her own kitchen as part of her tryout. She writes: Our 1976 tri-level boasts light-filled clerestory windows with views across Lake Washington’s largest freshwater wetlands as well as vaulted ceilings with exposed dark wood beams. But when it came to the interior design, this house reflected none of our design aesthetics.
Sep 30, 2009
How To: DIY a Faux Fireplace
Hi! My husband and I just made a faux fireplace on our new loft. The top piece is sustainable salvaged maple from our local re-use shop. We cut it in half (going to make a coffee table out of the other piece) and stained it with a clear coat for protection.
Sep 29, 2009
Valery’s Colorful Mix in a Brooklyn Brownstone
Name: Valery Location: Prospect Heights, Brooklyn NYC Our house is truly a marriage of styles. A duplex in an 1860’s Brooklyn brownstone, we’ve filled it with family heirlooms, antique kilims and textiles, our growing art collection (many by local artists) and vintage finds to create a colorful mix that is 100% us.I think the house is a great example of how spaces grow organically over time — this space is constantly gaining new layers.
Sep 14, 2009
MANSTAD Sectional Sofa Bed & Storage from IKEA
MANSTAD packs a lot of punch — it’s a (1) small scale sectional sofa that’s also a (2) bed and (3) storage. While there are options for sectionals with built in beds, few are this small, this inexpensive and few are designed to take advantage of the full footprint.
Sep 2, 2009
Lisa and Clay’s Artsy and Calm Collaboration
Name: Lisa Congdon and Clay Walsh Location: Mission District, San Francisco Size: 1,000 square feetYears lived in: 6 years Artist and Rare Device store owner Lisa Congdon is no stranger to Apartment Therapy. We’ve featured her art, the products based on her works, her store displays, and even a tour of her house a few years ago.
Aug 25, 2009
How To Make Creamy Ice Cream with Just One Ingredient!
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Yes, that’s right; you heard us. Creamy, soft-serve style ice cream with just one ingredient. No ice cream maker needed, either! What is this one magic ingredient that can be whipped into perfectly rich and silky ice cream, with no additional dairy, sweeteners, or ingredients needed whatsoever? • Read the full
Aug 20, 2009
Rhiannon and Victor’s First “Grown-Up” Home
Name: Rhiannon Smith & Victor Obeck Location: Hayes Valley, San FranciscoSize: 501 square feetYears lived in: Almost 2 years, rented Rhiannon and Victor’s apartment is not what you might expect the home of a couple of college students to look like. But the two of them, who are both transferring into San Francisco State in the fall, decided when they moved into their Hayes Valley Edwardian walk-up that they were going to make it special.
Aug 11, 2009
Jon & Liezel’s New Bloomsbury Home
Name: Jon Hindley & Liezel StraussLocation: Bloomsbury, LondonSize: 980 square feetYears lived in: 5 months With August’s Setting Up Home theme I thought it only appropriate to share my new nest! After 7 years of renting furnished apartments in the UK, Germany and South Africa, it was finally time to end the nomad life (for now!) and take the plunge into permanent residency.
Aug 10, 2009
Adding Height to Bedside Tables?
Q: I recently purchased a set of end tables (see pic) from Craigslist. I want to use them as bed tables, but need to add about 5″ of height. I tried to remove the legs, but they don’t screw off. I would have to saw them off to remove. Any suggestions on adding height to these tables w/o completely demolishing original piece? Thanks! Sent by Michelle(Include a pic of your query and your question gets posted first!
Aug 10, 2009
B, Joe & Rachael’s Eclectic Split-Level
Name: B, Joe & RachaelWhat We’re Into: B: Hold the Onions, Joe: Bookish Us, Rachael: Literature for All of UsLocation: Ukrainian Village, ChicagoSize/Type: Three bedroom, two bath apartmentYears lived in: B: two years. Joe: one year. Rachael: two months. It’s pretty incredible how B, Joe and Rachael (with the help of former roommates Dave and Matt) have transformed their rental apartment into a custom-made home.
Aug 7, 2009
Allison & Paul’s Gem With a View
Name: Allison Amon & Paul Francechi Location: Silver Lake, CaliforniaSize: 2,400 square feet Years lived in: 13, 2 years since remodel Shaded by a row of bushes, the front of the Allison and Paul’s home is on a quiet street in the curvy hills of Silver Lake. Walking through their house is a whole other view since almost the entire other side is full of windows with views overlooking the famed reservoir.
Aug 7, 2009
House Tour: Marie Antoinette’s Petit Trianon
Name: Marie AntoinetteLocation: Versailles, FranceSize: A “small” chateauYears lived in: 1774 – 1792 >> Not your average Apartment Therapy house tour, but one we’ve been looking forward to sharing none the less – our photos of a peek inside one of the more remarkable residences we’ve ever visited; Marie Antoinette’s Petit Trianon.
Aug 3, 2009
Making The Bed: Pillowcase Ends Facing Inside Or Out?
Traveling back to LA last week from our road trip out of town, we took advantage of the hotel’s free newspaper service. We attempted the crossword puzzle, perused the business section and finally, read Dear Abby. In this particular article, a husband writes in wanting Abby to solve a debate between him and the wife. The couple is at odds with pillowcase end placement on their king size bed.
Jul 29, 2009
House Tour: Alex’s Granny Chic
Name: AlexOccupation: owner of dog-walking company Loyal CompanyLocation: U Street Corridor, Washington DCSize: 1,200 square feetLived in: rented for 4 yearsOther Occupants: Louis, a 4-year old Italian greyhound >> Each room of Alex’s shotgun apartment has its own decor theme: the Diane Vreeland-inspired red living room; the green room; the calm bedroom; and the “bruised” hallway. The long, shotgun apartment layout lends itself well to different decor in each room.
Jul 23, 2009
House Tour: Pete & Sandy’s Minimal Farmhouse
Name: Pete and SandyLocation: East Washington, New HampshireSize: 1660 square feet (includes porch)Years lived in: 36 Years; Fully Restored 2006-2008 We first featured Peter and Sandy’s amazing minimal farmhouse last July. Since this quaint New Hampshire town is one of our favorite weekend escapes, we thought it would be a treat to revisit our good friends’ home.
Jul 14, 2009
The Rule for Guests: How Many? How Long?
Summer’s the prime time for visiting friends and for them to visit you. But, as my grandmother used to say when my family would visit her, she was happy to see us come and she was happy to see us go. It wasn’t that she was inhospitable; she loved having us over. It was that she understood the rule of visiting. There’s a rule about how long guests should stay that she often quoted…Fish and guests, she liked to stay, smell after three days.
Jul 14, 2009
Close Up: Adam’s Sleek Basement Office for Two
Name: Adam SelwoodLocation: Melbourne, Australia Now here’s inspiration to clean out that basement or attic and make better use of the space. Adam was kind enough to share his work-in-progress renovation, a DIY conversions of a basement once stuffed to the brim with typical “stuff” into a sleek and multi-use home office for both him and his wife.
Jul 10, 2009
How to Make Your Own Sun Jar and Save Money
You’ve seen the Sun Jar and you love it. The trouble is the price. You can’t just fathom paying $45 for each solar light. You’d be paying almost $500 to light up your garden and your rooms. That just doesn’t make any sense! Thankfully, here at Unplggd, our readers were quick to point out that you can easily assemble your own Sun Jar for a fraction of the cost.We love the Sun Jars, but they are a bit too expensive for what they are worth.
Jul 6, 2009
How to Make a Glass Desk Mouse Friendly
Ever since Ikea made glass desks really affordable, they have been popping around everywhere. We bet that you know quite a few people who have glass desks. Do they like them much? One thing is for sure, if you are using a glass desk as you computer desk, you may hit a problem or two when you try activating your mouse. Modern optical mice work almost anywhere. It’s kind of strange to realize that they don’t work on glass.The thing is that glass desks look so good.
Jun 29, 2009
Partner
Sherwin-Williams: Get a Paint That’s Easy to Clean!
When you’re getting ready to paint your child’s room, a few questions always come to mind: what color should you pick? Is it low or no VOC? How much are you going to need? But you might not always think how easy is it to clean? Children’s rooms are activity dens! Moving, playing, jumping, falling, spilling… you never know what’s going to happen. Sherwin-Williams knows this.
Jun 11, 2009
My Great Outdoors: Art and Chel’s Modern Balcony Kitchen
My balcony is an extension of my kitchen and home. I have experimented with all kinds of furniture arrangement, surfaces and growing over the past two seasons, and this season I am finally satisfied with the layout and look. Chelsea and I (and Porkchop) enjoy our balcony in the warm months by cooking and relaxing
Jun 9, 2009
How To Make Your Own Backyard Bubble Solution
You may think the only thing required for summer bubble fun is buying a few bottles and small plastic wands at the drugstore. While these certainly work, there’s a whole world of bubble recipes that can create longer lasting, bigger, and better bubbles–and often require ingredients you already have in your home. These sturdier formulas can even allow you to DIY wands out of string for truly giant bubbles that will even impress jaded adults.
Jun 2, 2009
House Call: Gregory & Christine’s Custom Chicago Style
www.apartmenttherapy.com chicago house-tours house-callgregory-christines-custom-chicago-style-085583> click thumbnails for larger picsNames: Gregory & ChristineLocation: Chicago Some classic Chicago style arrived in our inbox recently. Here is what Gregory had to say about the home he shares with Christine: Our two bedroom condo in Chicago, IL – full of antique furniture, painted wall murals, and custom built shelves.
May 26, 2009
How To: Cover Your Box Spring
As newlyweds with a clean slate &mdash meaning, an empty, unfurnished apartment &mdash we decided to buy a platform wood bed frame before anything else, but then were left with the question of how to cover the box spring.
May 26, 2009
Top 10 Gifts To Bring to a Summer BBQ
This past weekend, we hosted a barbecue/ping pong tournament at our home to celebrate a birthday in addition to Memorial Day. None of our guests showed up empty-handed either–we have enough beer, booze, and chips for the next barbecue! However, one couple brought over a gift bag full of fun and functional things that we could definitely use over and over again for future summer parties which inspired us to create our own shortlist of barbecue-themed gifts…1.
May 26, 2009
House Tour: Nataniël’s Blank Canvas
Name: Nataniël Location: Irene, Gauteng, South AfricaOccupation: Singer / Author / Food Writer / Entrepreneur / Ambassador of Child Welfare – South AfricaType: HouseSize: 2,300 square feetYears lived in: 4Entering Nataniël’s box is a magical experience, the all-white interior is only the first layer of many dimensions.
May 21, 2009
House Tour: Tom and Justin Gently Shape their Landmark
Name:Tom and JustinLocation: Brooklyn HeightsSize: 1-bdrm, 410 sqft. co-op in a 1918 landmark apartment buildingYears lived in: 6 months >> This is Tom’s first owned home and first renovation. An art dealer, Tom is confident of his tastes and preferences, but never had to think about sink faucets and custom cabinetry configurations before.
May 20, 2009
House Tour: Scott and Marie’s Perfectly Put Together Home
Name: Scott, Marie & Wainwright Profession: Entrepreneur/Journalist/Shiba Inu Location: Castro Owned/Rented: Owned Size: 2600 sq ft Type: 3 bedroom house built in 1900 Years lived in: 5 >> Ever notice how the homes in most decor magazine photo spreads never look like they are inhabited by actual people?
May 19, 2009
BeoSound 9000 Vs Muji CD Player
Are CD players still relevant? When was the last time that you actually used a real CD player, not the combo drive on your laptop? I can’t really remember, but it seems that these devices are still useful, just like old DVD players. A lot of people still have hundreds of CDs and these CDs can be easily played in a standalone CD player, like these ones. Of course, they belong to different markets. One of them is a standalone player that’s been on the market for years.
May 14, 2009
Re(al)view: ZeroWater
We’ve been using a PUR gravity fed pitcher water filter system in our household for several years now, a decision that has weaned us off a bottled water addiction. Yet, there’s always been this sneaking suspicion that the pitcher’s filter system was only doing a halfway decent job of filtering the water, especially compared to the expensive reverse osmosis systems we’ve occasionally pondered investing in.
May 5, 2009
Recycled Beauty: Boylan Soda Bottles as Bud Vases
(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) In Week Three of the Kitchen Cure, part of your assignment was to do something beautiful for your kitchen. Here’s a shot of our dining table over the weekend—not exactly the kitchen, but close. And it uses those recycled soda bottles we’ve been talking about… • Click here to read the
May 5, 2009