Managing Housework When You’re Sick
I’ve been sick for less than 24 hours, and already my apartment is trashed. What will this place look like by the time I’m well? I have a few tricks for how to cope, but really I’d love to hear your advice • Housework When You’re Sick Apartment Therapy
Jul 25, 2012
5 Places You Should Be Using Recessed Electrical Outlets in Your Home
Just like suitcases with wheels, recessed power outlets are one of those “I can’t believe it wasn’t around ’til now” inventions. But even if you know they exist, you might not know how to use them. Here are five places around any home, apartment or loft where you should install this space-saving electrical hardware.Recessed outlet hardware has a faceplate that is set deeper into the wall than a regular outlet.
Jul 23, 2012
Travel Tip: Put a Phone Number On Your Kid
A few months ago, I took my youngest to an amusement park with a large group of friends and their moms. As we all gathered at the front entrance with a gaggle of 5 – 7 year olds, I noticed one mom writing her cell number on her child’s arm. Brilliant idea! For kids who aren’t ready to remember a phone number, it’s a simple way to keep an emergency number visible in case she gets lost.
Jul 23, 2012
White Walls & Wood Open Shelving
One of my very favorite looks in the kitchen is white walls and wood open shelving. This timeless combination is clean and modern but still warm and natural. • White Walls & Wood Shelving Apartment Therapy
Jul 23, 2012
A Roundup of Food Tents
I lived in Australia for several years and attended many a picnic or BBQ. At every outdoor meal, food was covered with mesh domes or tents to keep the pesky flies away. • Food Tent Roundup Apartment Therapy
Jul 20, 2012
Tips For Successful House Swaps
If you’re new to home exchanges, this summer might be the perfect time to give it a shot. Here are some tips to help get you started. • Tips for House Swaps Apartment Therapy
Jul 20, 2012
11 Ways To Make Routines Work For You
It took me a long time to realize that routines are freeing. When you know what has to be done and in what order, your mind performs the tasks automatically, freeing you to mull over more important things. • Make Routines Work Apartment Therapy
Jul 19, 2012
Why Do We Stop Liking Something Once It Becomes Popular?
I’m constantly seeing decor darlings that are now routinely dissed. Why? Because they’re “everywhere” or because we’re “so sick of seeing them.” • When Designs Are Popular Apartment Therapy
Jul 19, 2012
DIY Idea: Turn Old Chairs Into A Bench
Before you ditch those beat-up dining chairs with the broken seats, consider turning them into a bench! Here are four great examples… • Turn Old Chairs Into A Bench Apartment Therapy
Jul 18, 2012
A 127 sq. foot “Tiny House”
Christopher always wanted to own a home in the mountains but never realized how near the possibility was until he started reading about the “Tiny House Movement”. • A 127 sq. foot “Tiny House” Apartment Therapy
Jul 18, 2012
Make the Most of Summer
Summer is in full swing. It’ll be gone before you know it, so don’t let it pass you by without taking full advantage of all of its little treasures. Here are 20 posts to help you make the most of it. • Make the Most of Summer Apartment Therapy
Jul 17, 2012
What’s Your DIY Personality?
What type of DIY planner are you? I’ve seen some people go to extremes, while others just “throw something together” — beautifully I might add. Here are some of the design types I’ve encountered. • What’s Your DIY Personality? Apartment Therapy
Jul 17, 2012
Stores with Great Blogs
Designers and retailers are embracing blogging — some are jumping on the DIY bandwagon while others use their blog as a venue for showing off new designs and providing design inspiration. Here are some of our favorite retail blogs this year… • Stores with Great Blogs Apartment Therapy
Jul 16, 2012
SnapDot Turns Any Photo Into Stipple Style Illustration
Love that Wall Street Journal stipple-style illustration? The results are not exactly as beautiful as Kevin Sprouls fine illustrations, but the SnapDot app does a decent facsimile using stippling algorithm to convert any photo into a stipple drawing, even color! SnapDot gives your iPhone the ability to draw professionally with the ideal fine art format: dots!
Jul 16, 2012
Keep Bugs Out of Your Food
Tips for keeping away bugs and other pests from your food while dining outdoors are always welcome. I recently came across an easy DIY idea using things you probably already have at home. • Keep Bugs Out of Food Apartment Therapy
Jul 16, 2012
Before & After: Adding Color and Texture to a Concrete Patio
Cindy and her husband loved the outdoor possibilities offered by their large patio, but didn’t love the boring grey expanse of concrete. With this shady spot offering a respite from soaring temperatures, Cindy knew she had to turn it into a more colorful, welcoming space for her family.After using a power washer to clean the patio furniture, she painted the metal chairs with brown spray paint to create some needed contrast.
Jul 13, 2012
Travel Guide Roundup
Whether you’re planning your far away vacation or your summer stay-cation, these guides will help you get from point A to point B and find some unique haunts along the way. • Travel Guide Roundup Apartment Therapy
Jul 13, 2012
Sharing Your Home on the Internet
Why are we compelled to invite thousands of strangers into our homes? And why do we feel so strongly about others’ homes, folks that we’ve never met and likely never will? • Sharing on the Internet Apartment Therapy
Jul 13, 2012
256GB of Hard Drive Space: Is it Enough?
If you’re considering purchasing a new Macbook that features SSD storage, you may be wondering if the standard 256GB space is going to cut it. I’ve crunched some numbers to help you determine if it’s enough for you. • Is 256GB Enough? Apartment Therapy
Jul 12, 2012
Before & After: From Crummy To Fabulous Faux Bois Concrete Floors
What happens when carpet isn’t an option and your hardwood flooring has been discontinued? Well, if you’re Mandi Grubler, you head to the hardware store and come home with a few cans of paint. See how she schooled this concrete floor into submission.Mandi is always willing to roll up her sleeves and test the DIY waters for the rest of us. This time around, she’s painting the concrete floor in her daughter’s room.
Jul 12, 2012
Merging Styles in Whitley Heights, LA
Kristina and Tyler have been slowly merging styles in their Spanish-style house in the Whitley Heights area of LA. They call their style: “fun/eclectic/colorful, clean and modern.” • Merging Styles in LA Apartment Therapy
Jul 12, 2012
Best Tips for Packing Lightly
Whether you’re trying to avoid checked bag fees or heavy lifting, packing lightly doesn’t have to be difficult. Especially in summer, a few tips can help you limit your luggage. • Tips for Packing Lightly Apartment Therapy
Jul 11, 2012
Before & After: Updated Bamboo Etageres
When Mel first saw this pair of bamboo shelving units in her Habitat for Humanity store, she passed them by without purchasing. She then spent the rest of the night worrying that someone else would have snapped them up; thankfully they were still at the store when she returned the following day. With their glass shelves and ornate lines, Mel just knew these pieces were perfect for a makeover.
Jul 11, 2012
Make Life Saner with 15 Crazy Tricks
While some of the things I’m suggesting might sound insane or perhaps a little (okay, a lot) OCD, they’re tricks that work, and hey, isn’t that really the bottom line? • Make Lifer Saner Apartment Therapy
Jul 11, 2012
10 Places to Shop for “Happy Modern” Products
Happy modern style takes the best of mid-century and modern design and adds a liberal dollop of color and personality. Check out our list of 10 of happy modern resources along with a slideshow of our favorite products. • “Happy Modern” Sources Apartment Therapy
Jul 10, 2012
10 Simple DIY Wall Ideas
Even if you think you don’t have an artistic bone if your body you can still create some pretty beautiful pieces with a little creativity and the some basic materials. Here are 10 wall art ideas from simple enough that anyone can do. • 10 Simple DIY Wall Ideas Apartment Therapy
Jul 10, 2012
How Would You Spend a Day with a Decorator?
What if you won a free day with a decorator of your choosing? How would you use the time? Shopping? Sketching layouts? Big picture or single project? I know what mine would be: choosing rugs, paint colors, fabrics and lighting. • Spend a Day with a Decorator Apartment Therapy
Jul 9, 2012
Before & After: Urban Outfitters Inspired Nightstands
Meagan, of the blog Craft Habit, recently acquired a pair of hand-me-down Ikea nightstands, but really had her heart set on the GiGi nightstand from Urban Outfitters that, at $150 a piece, was out of her price range. So, set on having more minty fresh goods in her house, she transformed the IKEA pieces into such a good match, we’d be hard-pressed to decide which version we like better.
Jul 9, 2012
Joshua’s Vintage Daydream
Name: Joshua Alvarenga (and his cat Valentino)Location: Hollywood – Los Angeles, CASize: 700 square feetYears lived in: 1 year – rented One of my favorite things about a home is when the owner brings out the best in the architecture and original design of the structure. Joshua has collected furniture and personal treasures that are wonderful and cozy but that also allow us to enjoy the Spanish style of the building itself.
Jul 9, 2012
How To Kill Weed Seeds in the Garden
Here’s another gardening video from our friend Ben Gould. In this one, he gives us a one minute tip for killing weed seeds. • How To Kill Weed Seeds Apartment Therapy
Jul 9, 2012
Tips For Choosing Wall Colors
I’ve seen more people agonize over the perfect wall color than the perfect sofa. It’s harder to visualize, and that’s scary. Here are a few things to keep in mind to ease the process. • Choosing Wall Color Apartment Therapy
Jul 6, 2012
Before & After: A Tin-Foiled Nightstand
Silver metallic furniture pieces have been on the scene for a while now and don’t seem to be heading out anytime soon. Mandi wanted to try her hand at creating one without a trusty silver spray can in hand but using a common kitchen goods instead. See what she pulled off after the jump…At first I was skeptical, but by the end of her tutorial I was thoroughly impressed. She didn’t just glue on some tin foil and call it a day (which probably wouldn’t do the trick).
Jul 6, 2012
Before & After: Old-School Desk Gets a Makeover
Holly readily admits that organization isn’t her strong point, so she certainly sympathized with her client’s desire to find a “mommy desk” to help her get organized as her eldest started kindergarten. Holly found this vintage teacher’s desk, solidly built though marked by years of doodling and dings. With strong bones but in desperate need of a refinish, this desk was the perfect candidate for a makeover.
Jul 6, 2012
Sandbox Repurposed as Planter Box
The sandbox had a great run, but the kids were losing interest just as Dana’s daughter Lucy developed an interest in gardening. The answer was to repurpose it as a planter box. • Sandbox Turned Planter Box Apartment Therapy
Jul 6, 2012
Source List for American Made Furnishings
What better time than around the 4th of July to update our list of home furnishings manufactured in the United States. We’ve divided our list into furniture, decor and appliances. • American Made Furnishings Apartment Therapy
Jul 5, 2012
Quality or Style: Which Trumps Which?
When faced with the question of whether I prefer quality or style in my furniture, the answer is wholeheartedly, “Both.” But sometimes you can’t have it both ways. • Quality or Style? Apartment Therapy
Jul 3, 2012
10 Reasons I Love Living in a Small Town
Sometimes small-town life can get you down. Everyone’s going to West Elm, or Anthropologie, or heck — even Target, and you can only dream about being close enough to one of those stores to be able to casually drop by. Well, I’m here to remind you of ten reasons why living in a small town can really rock.1. Trendy design is hard to find.
Jul 3, 2012
Mark’s Delicious West Village Home
One of the suggestions to renters I hear most frequently is to treat your rental like a home and put in the effort to make it yours. This home is a perfect example of that advice at work. • Mark’s Delicious Home Apartment Therapy
Jul 3, 2012
10 Summertime Drinking Tubs
I love drink tubs. They’re functional because they keep several drinks cool at once, but so awesome because they put your drinks on display rather than hiding them away in a cooler. • 10 Drinking Tubs Apartment Therapy
Jul 2, 2012
Rooms Photographed From Above
It’s all about your perspective. Menno Aden used this concept to create Room Portraits, a series of aerial photos of everyday spaces that look extraordinary when seen from above. • Rooms From Above Apartment Therapy
Jul 2, 2012
Small Home Changes For A Big Impact
While remodeling certainly changes your life, it’s not always an option. But there are small changes you can make that will have a big difference in how you feel about your home. • Small Home Changes Apartment Therapy
Jun 29, 2012
Playlist For the Fourth of July
Growing up, my family hosted annual (and epic) 4th of July BBQs. This year I’ve decided to share some of my favorite music for the 4th which can add a bit of pep to any shindig. • Playlist for the 4th of July Apartment Therapy
Jun 29, 2012
4th of July Style: Red, White & Blue BBQ
If you’re thinking about having a cookout this Independence Day, don’t let your good taste end with the food and drinks. There are tons of great outdoor wares to make your BBQ patriotic and stylish. • Red, White & Blue BBQ Apartment Therapy
Jun 28, 2012
Ten Things You Can Clean In A Minute
Usually the dirtiest things in my home are the ones I forget about completely and, thus, never clean. Luckily, that’s easy to fix; if you have ten minutes, you can get these ten chores done today. • 10 Things To Clean Apartment Therapy
Jun 28, 2012
Before & After: Restoring a Dilapidated Deck
When Elizabeth and her husband bought their house six years ago, the inspector told them the deck stairs should be replaced within the year. Every year they would add the deck stairs to their to-do list, and every year they somehow failed to get to that project. Until this year that is- after watching the deck stairs shudder when the family pet ran down them, Elizabeth decided the time had come to reclaim their outside space.
Jun 27, 2012
Lynne’s Outdoor Kitchen
Lynne wrote in to share her outdoor kitchen with us, made from stone from an old barn foundation she discovered on her property. Read on to learn more about her creative re-use of found materials. • Lynne’s Outdoor Kitchen Apartment Therapy
Jun 27, 2012
Three Surfaces You May Need To Seal
I’m a sporadically responsible homeowner, but things like using sealant never occur to me. To keep your home looking good, here’s a mini-list of surfaces you just might want to seal. • 3 Surfaces to Seal Apartment Therapy
Jun 26, 2012
Design “Allergies” You Can’t Digest
When I walk into a room, there are certain things that trigger great discomfort on a visceral level. What are the things you find in people’s homes that you simply can’t digest, no matter how hard you try? • Design “Allergies” Apartment Therapy
Jun 26, 2012