A Historic Denver Bungalow Survives Fire & Neglect to be Lovingly Restored
Name: Jay Location: Montclair — Denver, Colorado The basics: 5 years, owned | 2,000 square feet Jay’s 110 year old bungalow has quite the history. Once a modest house amongst flashier homes, it has weathered different misfortunes and poor design choices to land in Jay’s hands. Jay and his partner are investing time, love and labor into restoring the home to its former glory.
Apr 26, 2017
Before & After: When Life Gives You Lemons, Use Them On Your $12 Thrift Store Desk
Mary found a very handsome but somewhat worn desk outside of a thrift store. After snatching it up for less than it costs to buy Lemonade on iTunes, she took it home and restored it to its former glory. From Mary: I had been looking for a small desk for my computer for some time, and since I knew it would be in the family room I wanted it to look nice and not look like an office space.
Apr 26, 2017
Turning Two Small NYC Apartments into One Sleek Modern Home
Project by: Ines Ensal of Studio Esnal Location: Gramercy Park — New York, New York Location! Location! Location! Ines Ensal’s clients got New-York-real-estate-lucky when they snatched up two spaces by Gramercy Park in Manhattan. Charged with combining a studio and a one bedroom into one larger, cohesive unit, Ensal took a clean and modern approach, maximizing another precious New York resource, natural light.
Apr 25, 2017
A Built-from-Scratch Vacation Home for Three Families
Name: Janna, her husband and two other families Location: Mohave Valley, Arizona The Basics: Around 3 months, owned 2,400 square feet Building a house from scratch is tough. Building a house from scratch that is going to eventually be the vacation home of three families is extra tough. Janna’s vacation home manages to blend style, function, fun and enough space for a whole host of people.
Apr 25, 2017
A Teeny Tiny (200 Square Foot!) Sunshine-y Studio in Rio
Name: Iná Location: Copacabana — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil The basics: 2 + years renting | 200 square feet Iná’s small studio is so open and bright, it looks much more expansive than its small footprint would lead you to believe. Yellow pops out against crisp white, while plants add some earthiness. Tell us a little about your home and the people who live there: My home is a tiny, 200 square foot studio apartment. Although it is very small, it has everything I actually need.
Apr 24, 2017
Before & After: A Blend of New and Old Style in a California Bungalow
Project by: Karen Nepacena of Destination Eichler Location: San Leandro, California Karen was tasked with opening up the kitchen and dining area of a 1940s bungalow. The space had a ton of natural light that was going to waste in the current layout, so she tore down some walls and gave the space a whole new look that still honored the character of the home.
Apr 21, 2017
A Whimsical West Hollywood Home
Name: Will, Florent and Dolly, a Mini Holland Lop bunny Location: West Hollywood, California The basics: 10 months renting Will and Florent’s Hollywood abode is full of small, unexpected moments of delight (spot the bunny!) and fantastic found pieces that give the space a welcoming feel. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I live here with my boyfriend, Florent, and our Mini Holland Lop bunny, Dolly.
Apr 21, 2017
A ’50s Ranch Home That Battles the Seattle Weather with Pops of Color and Warm Touches
Name: Stephen and Bobby, their son Cole and beta fish Riley Location: Beacon Hill/Georgetown — Seattle, Washington The basics: 7 years owned | 1,200 square feet and 800 square feet Airbnb Stephen and Bobby’s home is designed to beat the Seattle winter blahs while making the most of the city’s gorgeous summer. A mix of texture and color help create a cozy, mid-century modern oasis in the Emerald City.
Apr 20, 2017
Before & After: Good Golly This Galley Got Gorgeous
Erika’s kitchen was dark, drab and crowded. Even though she couldn’t make any major changes to the layout, she was able to give the kitchen a bright and stylish new look that created the sense of oodles more space. From Erika: The original kitchen of our 1950s split level house in the Oakland Hills was remodeled by the previous owner to simply sell the house.
Apr 19, 2017
A Pretty in Pink English Home With “Palm Springs Vibes”
Name: Kate & Joff Reid Location: Southsea, England The basics: 2 years, Rented | 580 square feet Kate and Joff’s Southsea home is cute but not precious, curated but not staged, pink but not aggressively pink. Basically, they’ve mastered the art of balancing personality, fun and design all in one adorable space.
Apr 19, 2017
A Dramatic, Dark and Unapologetically “Pretentious” (His Word, Not Ours) Apartment
Name: James and two cats, Otis and Faisca Location: Ridgewood — Queens, New York The basics: 4 years renting | 650 square feet James’ moody glam apartment is a visual feast. There are so many little treasures tucked in next to bold pieces, all against dreamily dark walls.
Apr 18, 2017
A Scandinavian-Inspired Small Space in Vancouver
Name: Angela & James Location: Westend — Vancouver, Canada The Basics: Rented for 1.5 years |580 square feet Angela and James settled into their first shared apartment in Vancouver and set to putting their design skills to good use. A designer and an architect, their home is carefully thought out and balances minimalism and warmth to great effect.
Apr 17, 2017
Before & After: A Completely Colorful Home Office Makeover
Alycia just launched her own business and found herself in need of a dedicated at-home workspace. Surprisingly enough, building a budding empire didn’t leave much time for setting up a new space. Enter, the best friend! Alycia’s bestie put together a work from home space that is bright and bubbly and totally her. From Alycia: I live in a one-bedroom apartment, and due to my busy schedule and having just launched my own business, I don’t use my dining room much.
Apr 17, 2017
Before & After: A Room With a View (and Some Unsightly Cabinets)
Lizzie’s upstairs bedroom came with a great view and some not so great cabinets. She’s a renter, so removing them was out of the question, but she found a creative way to make the space work for her. From Lizzie: We had two slightly tatty built-in cabinets either side of a Velux window. They didn’t look great, and the space in the middle was wasted. It became a catch-all for junk. Because the home is rented, though, we couldn’t make any permanent changes.
Apr 15, 2017
Form & Function Stylishly Blend in this Miracle Mile Home in LA
Name: RJ and Francis, 2 Dogs, 2 Fish, 1 Tortoise Location: Miracle Mile — Los Angeles, California The Basics: Rented for 3 years | 1,250 square feet RJ and Francis’s home is classic L.A. cool. They’ve managed to blend their styles without (too much) argument and even uncovered a surprise space!
Apr 14, 2017
Before & After: Forgotten IKEA Drawers Get a Vintage-Inspired Makeover
Our good pal Claire took an old IKEA standby, unfinished drawers, and turned them into a bright and charming accent piece. Drawing inspiration from her love of travel, she gave the piece an antique-inspired, worldly makeover. From Claire: When you buy something in unfinished wood from IKEA the idea is you finish it at home to suit your decor. Well this IKEA mini drawers set had been sitting in the back of my craft cupboard for 10 years waiting to be finished.
Apr 14, 2017
A Globe-Trotting Couple Settles Down in Singapore
Name: Sara Location: Singapore The basics: Rented for 2 years We got a glimpse of Sara and Nick three years ago when they were in Cambridge and now the globe-trotting couple has landed in Singapore. Two years in they are focused on creating a home that feels like them. Tell us a little about your home and the people who live there: We moved to Singapore from Cambridge (check out our first home tour on Apartment Therapy) and into faculty housing.
Apr 13, 2017
Before & After: A Modern Rustic Upgrade for a Mobile Home
Mobile homes are small spaces that come with their own particular set of challenges. Tracey upgraded her living room and bathroom for a fresh new look and some added much-needed functionality. From Tracey: Our mobile home needed updating. The living room was a metallic damask wallpaper. In the bathroom there was an old tub and shower with a chevron wallpaper. For the living room, I just hung strips of 3/8 plywood I had cut at the store.
Apr 13, 2017
Before & After: A Basic Brooklyn Kitchen Goes Mediterranean
Fani’s Brooklyn kitchen looked like many a New York rental kitchen, small and kind of generic. One day she had enough of her brown kitchen and decided to take matters into her own hands, bringing color, texture and life to her Park Slope space. From Fani: My small Brooklyn kitchen had outdated old cabinets with lots of wear and tear. The style and color of the cabinets didn’t match the mid-century modern style of the apartment.
Apr 12, 2017
A Seattle Cottage, Lovingly Christened “Gay Gardens”
Name: Matthew & Joanna the Chihuahua Location: West Seattle — Seattle, Washington The basics: Rented for 1 year | 1,000 square feet Matthew’s cottage was run down and overrun with ivy when he first purchased it and he turned it into a boldly bright beaut of a home. An impressive mix of upcycling, thrifting and plant-parenthood, “gay gardens” is chock full of vibrant and interesting pieces.
Apr 11, 2017
Before & After: A Standard Issue Bathroom Gets a (Super Special) New Look
Project by: Jen and Eric Alden of Rara Avis Design Location: Rose Park Historic Neighborhood – Long Beach, California Jen and Eric’s bathroom, while not a total eyesore, was in need of some major updating. Being visual people with a practical bent, they decided that they wanted a bathroom that could stand up to water. Like, almost every inch of it. Coupled with some lucky vintage finds, their tile transformation makes for a pretty impressive overhaul.
Apr 11, 2017
A Cozy “Hodgepodge” in a Manhattan Brownstone
Name: Madeline Location: Upper West Side — New York, New York Madeline and Michael have blended their respective styles to make a cozy and comfortable home in a charming brownstone. From Madeline: It’s a cozy little place on the fifth floor of a walk-up converted brownstone on what we think is the most beautiful street in New York.
Apr 10, 2017
Before & After: Hard-Won Homeownership, Infuriating Contractors & a Dream Kitchen
When Kristen and her husband became homeowners they decided to shoot for the stars and attempt to complete their renovations before move in day. Unfortunately fate (aka their contractor) got in the way and they had to move in while finishing up their projects. Luckily Kristen kept things in perspective and when all was said and done she had a stunning kitchen to show for it. From Kristen: Owning a home is something my husband Shawn and I have been wanting and working toward for years.
Apr 10, 2017
Feel Free to Daydream About Moving into This Apartment for the Rest of the Day
Name: Anouska Location: Dulwich — London, United Kingdom Anouska, an interior designer, and her partner have taken the already good bones of a nineteenth century English terrace house and truly made them sing. The perfectly balanced use of bold colors, beautiful furniture and charming accents give the home a bright sophisticated look.
Apr 7, 2017
Before & After: 70 Square Feet + $750 Dollars = 1 Amazing Bedroom
Tricia was faced with a herculean (ok not really, but pretty difficult) task of maximizing a small space with sloped ceilings and outdated features. The result is cozy, crisp and stylish. Tricia: Before we got started on giving our smallest bedroom in the house a makeover, the walls were an odd shade of pistachio green and the flat part of the ceiling was covered in popcorn texture. The biggest obstacle in making the 100 square foot room livable was the awkward floor plan.
Apr 6, 2017
Making a NYC Studio Work (with the Help of a Murphy Bed)
Name: Eileen and Walter the golden retriever Location: Upper East Side — New York, New York The basics: 5.5 years, rented We love the charming and approachable functionality of Eileen’s apartment. Fitting a busy life AND a golden retriever into a New York studio is no easy feat, and Eileen manages to do it with style. Tell Us a Little About Yourself: I’m a native New Yorker who had lived in the diaspora (Boston & DC) for 10 years before returning to NYC.
Apr 6, 2017
A Modern Kitchen For a 250-Year-Old English Cottage
Project by: Tamsin Allen of Fawn Interiors Location: Hampshire, United Kingdom Tamsin Allen was charged with adding a modern industrial look to a cottage, without losing any of the 250-year-old antique charm. She completely removed the kitchen and started from scratch to create a functional and beautiful space perfectly catered to her clients needs. From Tamsin: Our first project for this thatched cottage (approximate age: 250 years old) was a challenging one.
Apr 5, 2017
Setting Up a Home in a Once Abandoned Building
Name: Julie Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma In 2012, we bought a basically abandoned three story brick building through our family real estate company. Over the next three years, we (along with a team of professionals) renovated the building while doing everything we could to preserve its character. The end result is 24 apartments that combine the charm of 100+ year-old brick walls with the warmth of solid oak cabinets and hand-built custom finishes.
Apr 4, 2017
An Interior Design Student’s Bright Brooklyn Apartment
Name: Kate Location: Brooklyn Heights — Brooklyn, New York I live in a two bedroom, pre-war federal-style townhouse in Brooklyn Heights, as one of four owners in the building. I moved here four years ago from a studio in Gramercy to get more space, but mostly because I love the sense of history in both the apartment (it’s got thick moldings and an old marble fireplace), and the neighborhood. For me, walking through the streets on a Saturday is an exciting activity in itself.
Apr 3, 2017
Before & After: A Beat Up Dresser Gets Chic Scandi Style
Dana became the proud owner of a very large, worn down dresser because she knew with a little love and guidance, it could really be something. Who knew that sanding, painting and hand crafting some leather straps really turned this situation around (Dana knew). From Dana: I bought this dresser for $40 from a man who likely picked it up off a curb. It was really heavy and I could tell that it had good bones but had no idea what was under the several layers of stubborn brown paint.
Apr 2, 2017
Wall to Wall Art, Plants & Vintage Goodness in a Quirky Cool DC Apartment
Name: Georgiana Location: Adams Morgan/Dupont Circle — Washington, D.C. I live on the 7th floor of a building built in 1923 in Adams Morgan/Dupont Circle neighborhood (I can never tell which it is), there are definitely some quirks to such an old building, the elevator for example is terrifying – a fair-weather metal box that is not built for anyone that has an aversion to elevators that may or may not work.
Mar 31, 2017
Before & After: A Ranch House Kitchen Gets The Blues (In the Best Way Possible)
Project by: Ariela Najman of Stripe Design Services Location: Santa Cruz, California Interior designer, Ariela Najman, was tasked with adding some light and breezy style to her client’s California ranch house. Along with other smart upgrades, she added a calming and eye-catching blue in the kitchen giving it a timeless look with a twist. From Ariela: Stripe Design Services was approached in 2016 by a local couple wanting a makeover for their kitchen, dining room and living room.
Mar 31, 2017
More than Just Politics: A DC Couple Designs their Home Together
Name: Kelsey Location: Washington, D.C. Sara and I moved in together almost two years ago. I had lived in shared houses ever since college and was thrilled to create a home with Sara where we could welcome our friends and family and offer a little calm in the storm of D.C. Our home is filled with vintage pieces and IKEA finds that we have upgraded with modern details like knobs and pulls from Rejuvenation and Anthropologie.
Mar 30, 2017
Before and After: An Ottoman Overhaul for Under $65
When Addison spotted a piece she’d been lusting after at a thrift store, she knew she had to have it. After snatching up the large ottoman of her dreams, she decided to put her extra cash towards spiffing it up a bit. I got this square ottoman for $20 from a thrift store. This ottoman was still structurally sound but need new fabric. Other ottomans this size can go for upwards of $500 so I was super happy to find this for so cheap at a thrift store! The ottoman is 37 inches by 37 inches.
Mar 30, 2017
A Pinterest Producer and Her 45 Plants Share a San Fran Apartment
Name: Jess Location: Duboce — San Francisco, California I moved into this one bedroom almost four years ago and shared it with my best friend. It’s only 500 square feet, so by the time that I took over the space fully, I was ready to make it my own. My style is very bright, bohemian and eclectic. I’m a story producer at Pinterest so I love having things around me that tie back to stories, like a place or trip.
Mar 29, 2017
A Portland Triplex Full of Original Details and Fajita the Beta Fish
Name: Cherie Location: Portland, Oregon Myself, my boyfriend Nick, and our three cats Charlie, Sue, and Gigi (yes 3 cats, I know we’re crazy), plus our beta fish Fajita live in our one-bedroom apartment in the Laurelhurst neighborhood. We’ve been here for over four years now and it truly feels like home. Our neighborhood is the best; we’re two blocks away from Laurelhurst park and can walk to all our favorite restaurants and bars.
Mar 28, 2017
Before and After: A Stylish Desk Rescued for the “Price of Two Coffees”
Ilsa spotted this mid-century modern beauty in a charity shop and knew she could make it sing. After some initial fear that she couldn’t push through all of the wear and tear that poor Bruno the desk had suffered through over the years, she was able to sand and strip away the grime and stains and reveal a glowing and beautiful piece of furniture. Three cheers for Ilsa for her good eye and all of her hard work!
Mar 28, 2017
From “Jersey Boys” to New Jersey: An Actor Sets Up a Home in Style
Name: Tommaso Location: Union City, New Jersey Ok, so I live in my one bedroom apartment with my “son in a dog suit”, Harley, (he really calls the shots around here.) I’ve lived in Union City for about a year. It is the next city North from Jersey City. I recently finished the broadway show “Jersey Boys” and before that I was on tour for a few years, so once I bought this place, I was really ready to fill it up with all the ideas running around in my head.
Mar 27, 2017
A 19th Century Farmhouse With Nods to Japan
Name: Eric and Lori Location: North High Shoals, Georgia Eric and Lori’s Georgia farmhouse is filled with so much color and texture but stops short of overloading you with whimsy. Each room has its own distinct personality, and we’d happily set up shop in any of them! From Eric: Our home was built around 1898 in North High Shoals, GA just a stone’s throw from the Apalachee River.
Mar 24, 2017
Before & After: DIY Moxie (& YouTube Videos!) Help an Outdated Kitchen Get a Much Needed Upgrade
Chrissie’s kitchen in her historic Victorian home was dark, cramped and sans-dishwasher. After living with the kitchen for a bit Chrissie, her husband, and her helpful brother revamped the space almost entirely themselves. From Chrissie: We bought our 1870 Victorian in Salem, Massachusetts in October, 2010. We purchased it from a lovely family who had owned the house for more than 40 years. It hadn’t been updated in many years so we spent a month updating it. Thank you, Chrissie!
Mar 24, 2017
An Antique Dealer’s Eclectic and Thrifted Oklahoma Home
Name: Brittini Location: Elk City, Oklahoma Brittini’s house is so full of cool antiques and thrifted finds, you have to pay very close attention to figure out that her home is “newer” because it’s so filled with trendy personality. From Brittini: Our home is occupied by me, my husband, our wild 18-month-old daughter, and our four 4-legged compadres. We live in a small town in Western Oklahoma, in our 1,300 square foot brick home.
Mar 23, 2017
Pops of Green and Family Heirlooms Make This Texas Apartment Feel Like Home
Name: Tamera Location: Falconhead, Bee Cave – Texas Tamera’s apartment is filled with lights and plants and a super dreamy door. It also serves as a great space for Tamera to build and foster relationships within her apartment community. From Tamera: We love our two-bedroom, two-bath, 1,137 square foot apartment right outside of Austin, Texas.
Mar 22, 2017
Before & After: Come for the Old Parrot Wallpaper, Stay for the Charming Makeover
Well, this sure is something. We strongly suggest you hit the zoom on the wallpaper…we’ll wait. Now that that’s out of the way, Sophie’s bathroom was dark and crowded but after smartly adjusting the layout and changing basically everything about the “before” room, she now has a light and adorable space. From Sophie: When we bought this house, seven years ago, we felt in love with its potential. Its layout and location are fantastic.
Mar 22, 2017
A Rental Complex Apartment Goes Beyond Cookie Cutter
Name: Elizabeth Location: Orange County, California Elizabeth shares her stylish Orange County home with her boyfriend. A perfect blend of their styles, the space is designed to be a chill and and inviting spot, perfect for hosting. From Elizabeth: Welcome to our sunny Orange County apartment! We have just over 1,000 square feet and live in a pretty standard apartment complex. There are about 50 other units and we chose to live in close proximity to my boyfriend Jared’s workplace.
Mar 21, 2017
Before & After: So Brave, So Good! Purple Reigns in a NYC Kitchen
Krista made some pretty stunning lemonade out of old-kitchen-laminate-lemons. She decided to double down on the purple color scheme and the results are crazy impressive. From Krista: My guiding principles when I realized, that, yes, I really had just bought my own NYC co-op, were no white or stainless steel in the kitchen. I succeeded for the most part, though compromises quickly became the name of the game.
Mar 21, 2017
An Art Historian’s New York Apartment Filled With “Bookish Warmth”
Name: Elyse Location: New York, New York Elyse and her husband have added a considerable amount of character to their 830 square foot rental. With a strong paint choice, smartly mixed styles and pops of green, their place may be short on the historic elements they loved in their former home but it’s long on charm.
Mar 20, 2017
Before & After: Who Says White Paint Can’t Work Wonders?
Adie’s office space in her new house was in a room with great light and of a good size, but something just wasn’t right. After some big fixes before moving in, Adie and her husband focused on giving the room a DIY makeover. From Adie: When we purchased our home, one of the bedrooms was being used as an office. It had green walls and shelves everywhere. The floors were in rough shape, but the room has great natural light and is quite spacious.
Mar 20, 2017
Looking Past the “Disaster” to Unlock the Loveliness of this Chicago Beauty
Name: Bridget Location: Lakeview — Chicago, Illinois Once Upon a Time in the Land of Chicago, a young woman named Bridget followed a magical road (Craigslist) to a big, yet unloved castle (a one-bedroom). She took one look at the space that many had overlooked and knew that with a little love care, and deep-clean magic she and the apartment could live happily ever after. From Bridget: Welcome to my vintage 750 square foot apartment in the Lakeview neighborhood in Chicago.
Mar 17, 2017