Modern glass-walled house with wooden accents, pool, and patio chairs on a lawn.
This House Has a Sunken Living Room at Pool Level
We’ve found the perfect place to watch the Olympic swimming events. Here is an Australian home with a sunken living room that’s right at water level. The pool, designed by Melbourne company OFTB, further blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor living—like when being inside is just too far away from the water. An acrylic panel separates the pool from the sunken living room, and is giving us clear glass tub vibes.
Apr 30, 2019
A 350-Square-Foot NYC Studio Honestly Feels Much Bigger
Name: Sarah and Dan Location: Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4.5 years Sarah and Dan live in a beautifully preserved brownstone apartment in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. The pre-war space features an abundance of architectural charm, like high ceilings, a floral ceiling medallion, and a gorgeous fireplace. The couple describes their style as modern and minimal, but above all, they value comfort.
Apr 30, 2019
An Artist’s Cozy, Textile-Rich Apartment in Chicago
Every ounce of artist Hillery's place is dripping in warmth. There are stacks of cozy blankets to curl into and Mali the dog appears perpetually huggable.
Apr 30, 2019
Make a Splash With a DIY Wallpaper Backsplash
If you love a good backsplash and want to bring some DIY flair to your kitchen but are a little tile averse, Claire has a fun solution for you! Skill Level: Moderate Time Required: 2-3 Hours Project Cost: $150-$200 Harlequin Wallpaper – Palmetto Demoiselle about 1/3 roll Wallpaper adhesive 5.5mm thick hardwood ply cut to size of backsplash (can be done in store) 4mm toughened low iron glass which we got cut to size at the store.
Apr 30, 2019
A Creative Couple’s 400-Square-Foot Handmade Home in Clinton Hill
Name: Tomoko and Michael Yates and cat Mochi Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, New York Size: About 400 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years, renting Tomoko and Michael met in Austin (in fact, you might remember the Austin house tour we did of his old apartment), but moved into their Clinton Hill apartment about three and a half years ago. The couple, respectively from Japan and Texas, describe their home’s style as simple and cozy.
Apr 30, 2019
Chaplin Slept Here: A Vintage Studio Apartment with Hollywood History
Name: Catherine Masi Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Designer Catherine Masi’s small studio apartment is in the historic Eastside of Downtown Santa Barbara. The area is beautiful and full of history — and so is the building she lives in.
Apr 30, 2019
Crafting a Serene and Relaxing Space in Moscow
Project by: Anna Location: Moscow, Russia This apartment is located in the center of Moscow – only a five minute walk from the Red Square and Kremlin. It is located in a historic building and its surface is 65 square meters/700 square feet. My clients were a young couple – they travel a lot and wanted me to recreate a mixture of French and Scandinavian looks.
Apr 30, 2019
Is Your Apartment Relationship-Ready? 5 Ways to Make Sure
You may be ready for a relationship, but what about your apartment? If dating is on your mind more than ever, it may be a good time to make some home improvements. You don’t need to do much to turn your home into a date-friendly abode; a few simple changes can make a huge difference. From bedding upgrades to organizational changes, here’s how to make your apartment more relationship-ready.
Apr 30, 2019
Desert Vibes in a Jewelry Designer’s Oakland Apartment
Name: Cheyenne Cannon Location: West Oakland — Oakland, California Size: ~250 square feet (part of a 2-story, 4-bedroom house) Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Though Cheyenne doesn’t get to claim an entire apartment to herself, her small workspace and bedroom provide the bright light, privacy and inspiration she needs. She lucked out when the private second floor bedroom opened up.
Apr 30, 2019
A One-Size-Fits-All DIY Project That’ll Keep Your Kitchen Drawer Organized Forever
We all know that the kitchen tool drawer can get messy fast. Housing everything from uni-tasking gadgets to everyday workhorses like cooking spoons, it’s easy for them to become a tangled jumble. And since we all have different items and drawers, there’s no one organizational solution that will work for everyone. Or is there? The answer is to build your own drawer inserts. You can customize them to fit both your exact drawer dimensions and your specific needs.
Apr 30, 2019
A Bright Montreal Home Bursting With Cheery Spring Colors
Name: Elyse Location: Ville-Marie — Montreal Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 6 months Elyse’s apartment is a museum of small objects that are decorative rather than strictly functional. In fact, she calls it her “tchotchke heaven.” The bright light pouring in through big windows and the clean white walls prove to be the perfect gallery for her collection.
Apr 30, 2019
DIY Moss Wreath
This gorgeous wreath perfectly straddles summer and fall, and is super easy to make. Set aside one hour and you can have earthy and welcoming door decor! Skill Level: Easy Time Required: 1 hour Project Cost: $25-30 (if you already have a glue gun) From Caitlin: An inspiring DIY wreath project you can enjoy anytime of year from the photographer and stylist, Caitlin Atkinson, and author of Plant Craft: 30 Projects that Add Natural Style to your Home.
Apr 30, 2019
A Swoon-Worthy San Francisco Home with Killer Views
Name: Leo and Daniel Location: Dolores Heights — San Francisco, California Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2.5 years Leo and Daniel consider themselves fortunate to live in a stunning, spacious San Francisco apartment overlooking the city’s skyline. Daniel’s parents own the building, so he and his sister (who lives in the unit above the couple) got first dibs.
Apr 30, 2019
Tour the Sophisticated (But Still Fun) Office of BLND PR
What makes a space one where you want to create? Does color have something to do with it? Does art play a role? Everything—from the furniture to the colors used to the accessories—has to blend together to create just the right mix when a space needs to be a work space. Laurel & Wolf reached out to us to share the office of BLND PR, designed by Luca Pepitone. It’s a flirty, casual space that strikes just the right balance of energizing and calming.
Apr 30, 2019
“More is More” in a Vintage, Luxe 1920s Queensland Cottage
Name: Jesse Roebuck and Alastair Emmett Location: Ipswich, Queensland Years Lived In: 1, owned Jesse and Alastair made the move from an inner-city Art Deco apartment to Ipswich when they purchased their first home. They found a beautiful “Queenslander” style cottage, and quickly made the house a home in just under a year. Choosing a house with character and charm was just the first step of this vintage luxe home.
Apr 30, 2019
Affordable Quality: 9 Top-Rated Blenders Under $200
A good rule of thumb for home purchases is the following: if you use something regularly (at least weekly, especially if it’s daily!), you should always buy quality. A dirt-cheap blender (or even one that you might have “borrowed” from your parent’s garage) is almost guaranteed to leave you frustrated with leaky pitchers and clumpy drinks. Say “No more!
Apr 30, 2019
A Cookie Cutter Apartment Goes Romantic & Cozy
Name: Christina and Matt Location: Novi, Michigan Size: 720 square feet Years lived in: 3 years Just married, these newlyweds are both in creative fields: Christina is a talented wedding photographer and Matt is a copywriter. Their creativity is on full display in their apartment, like Christina’s photographs, which are sprinkled around each room. They also got creative to transform a plain, cookie cutter space into a bright, airy, romantic home.
Apr 30, 2019
A Couple Decorates for the First Time in an Amsterdam Apartment
Name: Tim and Ren Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands Size: 1076 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2 years When you enter Ren and Tim’s light-filled Amsterdam apartment, you can physically feel yourself relax as the hustle and bustle of city life is shed at the door. Part Nordic, part mid-century, their apartment boasts clean, simple lines and minimalist aesthetics.
Apr 30, 2019
A Small, Eclectic Edwardian Cottage in London
Name: Maaike Mekking and Michael Aveling (and Alma, Rosa) Location: Sydenham, London Size: 758 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned Art director/Photographer Maaike Mekking and her husband Michael Aveling live in this cute little Edwardian cottage in South East London with their two young daughters Alma and Rosa.
Apr 30, 2019
Two Architects Share a Jungle-Inspired Home in Wine Country
Name: Austin Carrier, Alex Mutter-Rottmayer, and their dog Ziggy Location: Sonoma, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Austin and Alex say their apartment is like the scene in Alice in Wonderland in which the Mad Hatter is calling for people to change seats. It’s very likely that the couple’s wine country apartment is already styled completely different than how it looked during this house tour.
Apr 30, 2019
A Designer’s Dramatic Mural-Filled California Home
Name: Jared Frank Location: Casa Larissa in Silverlake, Los Angeles Size: 1000 square foot apartment Years lived in: 7 years, renting Jared Frank is the interior designer behind Topsy Design, and floats between New York and Los Angeles transforming residential and commercial spaces. He chanced upon Casa Larissa — a one-of-a-kind apartment— when attending an estate sale. The previous tenant, fresco artist Lance Klemm, used the space as his canvas.
Apr 30, 2019
A Creative Couple Embraces the Slow Life in Michigan
Name: Debbie and Devin Location: Lansing, Michigan Size: Approximately 1600 square feet (including the studio space in the attic) Years lived in: 3.5 years, renting Debbie and Devin met on the East Coast before moving to Chicago, where we toured their apartment and first saw this creative couple’s home style. From photography, to jewelry making to music, their Chicago home displayed their handiwork, and so does their current home in Michigan.
Apr 30, 2019
A Young Family’s Monochromatic Hong Kong Home
Name: YC Chen, Kennie and Jami Location: Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong Size: 1,020 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years, owned YC Chen is the Creative Director and founder of hoo, an interior design company in Hong Kong. YC and his wife Kennie moved into this two-bedroom apartment in Pok Fu Lam over two years ago with their son Jami, who was a toddler at the time. The most important thing for them was to create a space that is totally stylish and child-friendly.
Apr 30, 2019
A World-Traveling Editor & Content Director’s Eclectic Brooklyn Home
Name: Nathan Lump and Charles Runnette Location: Park Slope — Brooklyn, NY Size: 900 square feet plus terrace Years lived in: 1 year, 2 months, owned Where does Travel + Leisure magazine’s editor-in-chief Nathan Lump live when he’s not combing the world to find fabulous far-flung locales? In an airy, comfy Park Slope apartment he recently renovated with his husband Charles Runnette, a fellow killer content creator who works at the Mustache Agency (and a traveler, too).
Apr 30, 2019
An Organic Modern Nashville Carriage House
Name: Erin Walsh Location: East Nashville — Nashville, TN Size: 724 square feet Years lived in: 4 months, renting “It’s not easy mastering the art of being minimal and warm, but I think Erin’s East Nashville rental apartment does it. And even more impressive, she did it in just four months! This is a tour greatest hit, but I think it’s worth another look.
Apr 30, 2019
A Mini “Modern Bohemian” Philadelphia Apartment
A lot fits into this 550 square foot Philly rental: a drool-worthy fireplace, brick walls, hip furniture and tons of plants.
Apr 30, 2019
Practical Minimalism in an Austin Family Home
Name: Ruth Snell Location: Austin, Texas Size: 1,300 square feet Years lived in: Owned 6 years Ruth Snell and her family have lived in their bright, 1300 square foot home for almost six years. As you enter her organized entryway, you wouldn’t guess that controlling family clutter is her biggest challenge. Ruth’s best advice for a tidy home? Practice picking up daily, have a place for everything, and keep baskets around to collect items that need to go back to their homes.
Apr 30, 2019
A Crafty Designer’s Vibrant DIYed Apartment
Name: Teri Clar and Patrick Choquette, plus their dog, Nami Location: Arlington, Virginia Size: 925 square feet Years lived in: 3.5 years, Rented (1 of them including Patrick!) Ombre bedroom accent walls in Crushed Velvet and a moody, modern den in Hale Navy? Check and check. Welcome to the home of interior designer and business owner Teri Clar. Teri resides in in Arlington, Virginia with her fiancé, Patrick and their dog, Nami.
Apr 30, 2019
A Vintage-Loving Fashion Designer’s Retro Townhouse
Name: Paula-Jane Buckland, son Rocket (9 years old) and Dixon Location: Coburg North — Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Size: 3229 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting Paula-Jane and her son Rocket moved to Melbourne from Adelaide about four years ago.
Apr 30, 2019
Family Heirlooms, Modern Art and a Little Glam in Barcelona
Name: Anne, Christian and dog Watson Location: Sant Gervasi – Barcelona, Spain Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented Anne was studying in Amsterdam when she fell in love with her now husband Christian. When he asked her to move to Barcelona, she didn’t hesitate. But finding the perfect apartment didn’t come easy for the couple, who first squeezed themselves into a tiny rental while waiting for the right property.
Apr 30, 2019
A Modern & Traditional Mix in Michigan
Name: Salma and her husband Naghi Location: Farmington Hills, Michigan Size: 2,250 square feet Years lived in: 4 years Blending the new with the old and taking advantage of every vertical space in her house for displaying artwork, Salma, an interior designer, has created a colorful attention-grabbing home. “Our house was built in 1967, before it was built, the whole subdivision was a farming community. The land the house sits on was once a cow farm!
Apr 30, 2019
Rookie Renovators Nail it on the First Try
Name: Kelly and Colton Jarisch, baby Silas, and Shiner. Location: Tarrytown — Austin, Texas Size: 1,530 square feet Years lived in: Owned a little over 2.5 years Kelly and Colton’s small cottage home just west of downtown Austin is a case study for renovations done right. Their reno began as a series of DIY projects to remove the previous owner’s design decisions, but Kelly and Colton soon found themselves in the midst of a whole house renovation — for the first time.
Apr 30, 2019
A Modern & Rustic Family Home in Michigan
Name: Lauren Wilson Location: Farmington Hills, Michigan Size: 1,850 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned Interior designer — and mom to three kids — Lauren Wilson says it’s hard to believe that she’s been in her family home for five years. When she moved in, she envisioned an open space that she and her husband could create and build on their own. However, the space was anything but the open-concept she dreamed about.
Apr 30, 2019
A Beautiful Bohemian Blend in a Providence Rental
Name: Courtney Webster and Brandon Aguiar Location: Providence, Rhode Island Size: 950 square feet Years Lived In: 1.5 years, rent Courtney Webster (who’s behind the lifestyle blog jeune amour) and her artist husband Brandon Aguiar fell in love with this Providence apartment’s 15-foot high white walls, giant loft windows, exposed brick and the open living space.
Apr 30, 2019
Remarkable Remodel: An Industrial Modern Loft in Nashville
Name: Philip, Amanda, Jasper and Boogers the cat Location: Downtown Nashville, Tenneessee Size: 1,400 Square Feet Years lived in: Own- 3 Years Constructed in the 1800s and the oldest building on the block, it was love at first sight when Philip, Amanda and Jasper moved to Nashville about three years ago. The Knoxville natives wanted all the perks of downtown living: the luxury of walking to work or to restaurants and stores, just steps away from their front door.
Apr 30, 2019
A “Laid-Back Glamorous” San Francisco Studio
Name: Kym Pesola Location: Lower Pacific Heights — San Francisco, California Size: 400 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting “I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a real dining table and more space, but it’s actually cozy to gather around on the floor and the sofa when friends come to visit.” In one sentence, media relations manager Kym Pesola sums up big pros and cons of studio apartment living: the intimacy it can offer and the lack of space.
Apr 30, 2019
A Modern Dutch Home with a Hint of Country
Name: Franca, Thom, and their dogs Herman and Truusje Location: Nuenen, The Netherlands Size: 1,775 square feet (including the third/attic floor, not shown) Years lived in: 23 years, owned The town of Nuenen in the south of the Netherlands may have a familiar ring to art lovers. It’s where Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh lived for a couple of years in the period when he created his famous “The Potato Eaters.
Apr 30, 2019
An Industrial Modern Plant-Filled Brooklyn Home
Name: Kota Kobayashi Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, New York Size: 575 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2.5 years Kota’s grandfather’s life hobby was Bonsai, the Japanese art of growing trees in containers. From him, Kota’s mother got a passion for gardening. Not surprisingly, Kota has a love of plants, as well. “The fondness for the green is in my blood. I could not help myself but to be surrounded by plants.
Apr 30, 2019
Plant & Desert Magic in a Renovated Joshua Tree House
Name: Lindsay Hollinger, kitty Hewson Location: Joshua Tree, California Size: 1236 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, Owned Walking into Lindsay’s home is like walking into a desert landscape of whites and cacti and hues that just make you feel good. Lindsay felt these same good vibes when she first visited the desert, deciding to make it her home. The dreamy desert look came naturally once she moved in and began to decorate.
Apr 30, 2019
A Colorful, “Scandinavian Modern” Home in Michigan
Name: Soogee, husband Tae and their three kids Location: Okemos, Michigan Size: 2376 square feet (including the basement) Years lived in: 3 years Soogee wears a lot of hats. The mom of three kids, she also helps her husband run a couple of family businesses. The couple are also avid foodies, and they enjoy making delicious Asian- and European-inspired cakes and pastries. She’s also a decorator and realtor!
Apr 30, 2019
Best Curtains for a Sliding Door?
Q: My husband and I recently moved into a new apartment, and we are trying to figure out window treatments for our living room. We have a sliding door out to our balcony and a window next to it. The sliding door is not centered to the wall which drives me a little crazy. We currently have white wood blinds in the small window, but what should we do about the sliding door?
Apr 30, 2019
A “Jonathan Adler Meets Justina Blakeney” Style Fort Worth House
Name: Shauna Glenn and Jeff Jones Location: Fort Worth, Texas Size: 4,111 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned If Alice (of Wonderland) had a house in the 21st century, this is what it would look like. With each room drenched in bright colors and bold patterns, you can’t help but feel happy walking around this home. Shauna and Jeff have picked up items from their travels around the world, adding statement pieces to each room to give them character.
Apr 30, 2019
A Blogger’s Easygoing “House Homemade”
Name: Joel and Jessica Nickerson and their two daughters Location: Denton, Texas Size: 2,000 square feet Years Lived In: 8 years, owned Jessica has filled each room of her home with unique finds, DIY elements, and vintage pieces to create a warm and welcoming environment. On her blog, House Homemade, she shares her passion for creating a cozy home and demonstrates how to recreate her favorite DIY pieces.
Apr 30, 2019
A 500-Square-Foot Boho Chic San Francisco Studio
Name: Mallory Guraya Location: The Marina — San Francisco, California Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting For over a year, Mallory has called this adorable little studio in the hip Marina neighborhood her home. The broadcast producer was born and raised in California and has East Indian roots. Her style gravitates toward bold colors, rustic trinkets, and dhurrie rugs, while adding touches of the Golden State through beach accents like seashells.
Apr 30, 2019
Color & Vintage Finds are “The Cure” for this Shared St. Louis Home
Name: Christine Knapp and Brooke Osecki Location: Maplewood — St. Louis, Missouri Size: 1,100 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1.5 years Most university students facing a three-month lease in a summer sublet would barely bother tacking a poster to the wall. Not Christine Knapp. I have never known her to live in a place more than a week without thoughtfully making it her own, even if it meant working within a student budget.
Apr 30, 2019
A “Western Modern Glam” Apartment in L.A.
Name: Raquel Lynn and Adam Korbesmeyer (plus Mango the Pomeranian ) Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Originally from Ohio (and after a short stint in New York), Raquel and her husband Adam found their way to Los Angeles two years ago. Situated in Silver Lake, this recently renovated apartment is in a great location, but the couple needed this space to be more than just a home base for exploring Los Angeles.
Apr 30, 2019
A Timeless, Eclectic Oakland Apartment Full of Family Heirlooms
Name: Elle Ruhstaller and Alex Ristevski Location: Piedmont Avenue — Oakland, California Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting Elle can’t really pinpoint a specific style for the Oakland apartment she shares with her partner Alex. “It’s a mash-up of what I like most from many different eras,” she said of her apartment’s decor.
Apr 30, 2019
5 Epic Road Trip Maps That Tackle a Lifetime of Sightseeing in One Go
Road tripping is a laidback way to see a lot of places you might not get to otherwise. But if you’re the type who prefers to be extremely thorough, here are five routes that pack a lifetime of traveling into one trip. UPenn senior data scientist Randy Olson has determined the most efficient path to hit up every national park in the lower 48. That’s 47 parks in total. The trip can be accomplished in about two months if you’re not dilly dallying.
Apr 30, 2019