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Cambria Bold

Cambria Bold is the Executive Editor of Cubby, and one of Apartment Therapy Media’s first full-time editors from way back when. She was the founding Design and Lifestyle Editor for Kitchn and the Managing Editor for Apartment Therapy’s green living site, Re-Nest (RIP). After a few years offline and then working elsewhere, she’s back to share ideas about design, kids, and family life. It’s helpful that she now has two little kids and lots of thoughts about all those things. She lives with said kids and their father in St. Paul, MN.
    11 Simmer Pot Recipes to Make Your Home Smell Like Fall
    Living
    Make it smell like you’ve been baking all day.
    Cambria Bold
    Aug 31, 2023
    This “Mega-Capacity” Washing Machine and Dryer Alleviated My Laundry Dread
    Shopping
    It actually makes it possible to do laundry for a whole family in just a couple loads — and it has a special cycle to get rid of allergens.
    Cambria Bold
    Mar 30, 2023
    Wondering What to Do with Old Towels and Sheets? Here Are 10 Smart Ideas
    We recently took stock of our linen closet and realized that half of the storage space was taken up by sheet sets and towels that we simply don’t use. Some are very old and worn out, and some just never seem to make it into our weekly linen rotation. Of course, we didn’t want to throw them out, so it got us thinking about recycling options.Use old sheets and blankets to make new ironing board pads and covers, like those featured on A Beautiful Mess.
    Cambria Bold
    Sep 20, 2022
    The 10 Best All-Natural and Organic Mattress Sources
    Buying a new mattress is a big investment, and knowing where to go to find the best options for your health and for the planet—not to mention for a sound night’s sleep— is key.
    Cambria Bold
    Jul 16, 2020
    Famous Writers’ Small Writing Sheds and Off-the-Grid Huts
    When I hear the phrase “writing hut” or “backyard shed” my imagination practically squeals with delight. A small, intimate space furnished with the essentials. Low impact, high inspiration. This is probably why I love going to North Dakota and why I want to pull a Pollan and build my own little house.
    Cambria Bold
    Jul 15, 2020
    Before & After: Upcycled, Vintage, Budget Office Makeover
    BEFOREDreary home office gettin’ you down? Take a cue from one of the lovely ladies of Fig & Sage who, after realizing the paint color on the walls made the office ‘depressing and lifeless’ in winter, transformed the room into… AFTER… a soothing, lavender-hued oasis with a wood door tabletop (salvaged from her basement), IKEA shelves and desk legs, two West Elm Parsons desks (scored for $15 each at an overstock warehouse), and neat, colorful organization.
    Cambria Bold
    Jul 15, 2020
    A Collector’s Tiny 178-Square-Foot Apartment
    We’ve seen our share of small spaces and teeny-tiny homes, but this one just might take the cake. This 178-square-foot apartment in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn belongs to 25-year-old Zach Motl. An avid collector since he was a child, Motl adheres to the “old decorating dictum that says the more stuff you put in a room (albeit artfully arranged stuff), the bigger it seems. More really is more.
    Cambria Bold
    Jul 15, 2020
    11 Non-Toxic Paints To Buy That Are as Safe as They Are Chic
    Paint is one of those products many of us don’t think twice about, except when it comes to color. Once we’ve honed in on the perfect shade, our main priority is getting it up on the walls as soon as possible. While a freshly painted room may seem harmless, there are some chemicals in paint that can be toxic, many of which are grouped into a category called volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
    Cambria Bold
    Apr 10, 2020
    10 (Non-Renovation) Renovation Ideas For Renters
    If you’re a renter, then you’re probably thinking about taking a mental checkout from our October theme (Green Building and Renovating). I can’t renovate. I can’t even paint! you think. Don’t worry, my friend. We have solutions for you, too! We call it the non-renovation renovation— temporary yet effective ways to dramatically change your home without sacrificing your security deposit.
    Cambria Bold
    Mar 11, 2020
    The 25 Best Small Space Living Tips and Inspiration
    We love small spaces. We love them for their lower energy and heating bills and because they force us to edit, organize, and reduce our accumulation of stuff. But most of all, we love them because there seems to be no end to what you can do with them given some creative planning! Here are 25 of the top small space living posts we wrote this year.
    Cambria Bold
    Mar 11, 2020
    The Big List: 49 Smart, Money-Saving Creative Reuse Ideas
    We get excited about stylish, functional, and innovative creative reuse ideas, from the myriad ways you can reuse a jar, to uses for chipped tea cups, antique bread bins, vintage card catalogs, bubble wrap, wallpaper scraps, even old gym floorboards. Here’s a big roundup of some of our favorites… The Many Amazing Ways to Reuse a Jar: • 10 Simple Uses for Spaghetti Jars • Crafty Uses for Baby Food Jars • Don’t Throw Out That Jar!
    Cambria Bold
    Mar 11, 2020
    Families in Small Spaces: How To Do It And Not Go Crazy
    It’s one thing to pare down your belongings and live simply and compactly in a small space of your choosing if you’re just one or two people; it’s quite another thing when you have a family to contend with. As one reader asked us, “How do you simplify? How do you figure out what you need? How do you get a spouse/child on board to simplify? How do you make a small space that has to have stuff in it feel open and inviting?
    Cambria Bold
    Mar 11, 2020
    10 Surprising Uses for Kitchen Items Around the Rest of the House
    Here are the top 10 kitchen things we use to solve problems all over the house.
    Cambria Bold
    Feb 28, 2020
    The Best Portable Space Heaters
    Here’s another way to save energy this winter: try using a portable space heater to heat just the room you’re in, and turn down the thermostat in the other rooms of your house. The New York Times recently tested 10 portable space heaters. Here are the Top 5:Shown above the jump, from left to right:Holmes Ultra Quiet Ceramic Heater ($82.99): At 15-inches high, this model from Holmes produced the hottest air and took only about 20 minutes to warm up the room by 10 degrees.
    Cambria Bold
    Jan 26, 2020
    Before & After: Backyard Studio & Deck
    Corey in Seattle shared his before & after backyard project with us. Jump below to see what it looks like “after” all of the hard work:Corey says: My wife and I live in Seattle, WA. We finished our backyard studio garage 2 years ago and just finished the deck last fall. The plants are starting to come in nicely now, and we can’t wait to enjoy the yard this summer and entertain friends and family. Thanks for sharing, Corey!(Re-edited from a post originally published 06.24.
    Cambria Bold
    Dec 19, 2019
    Matthew and Emma’s Eco Environment
    Name: Matthew and Emma McGregor-MentoLocation: New York, NYSize: 650 sq/ftYears lived in: 6 months When Matthew and Emma bought their 6th floor apartment in the East Village, they knew they wanted it to be filled with natural living things and to convey the sense that “nature was taking the apartment back, like a small plant growing from a crack in the sidewalk.
    Cambria Bold
    Dec 19, 2019
    Shopping for Healthy and Colorful Eco-Friendly Area Rugs
    image:883cf3a76f03eaab148cf82fd2bb7542ff2d6185 w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" “All I want is a rug that doesn’t try to kill me in my sleep.” I read this comment on a message board recently. This poor chap was lamenting all the recent exposés on phthalates, BPA, brominated flame retardants, and other VOCs that tell us how poor and potentially harmful our homes’ indoor air quality has become.
    Cambria Bold
    Dec 4, 2019
    Alternative Non-Stuff Gift Ideas For ‘No Gifts Please’ People
    Last year after Christmas I tried to take two Dutch ovens with me on the plane in my carry-on suitcase. One had been a gift, and the other was a purchase, and I thought that putting them in my carry-on would be the safest way to transport them back to New York. This seemed like a good plan until I tried to go through security……where I discovered that Dutch ovens are considered potential weapons. “You could throw them at another passenger,” the TSA agent told me.
    Cambria Bold
    Nov 22, 2019
    I Was Finally Able to Clean My Greasy Oven Door—and Here’s My Secret Ingredient
    Despite vigorous scrubbing with baking soda and Bon Ami, the spatters wouldn't budge. It took me six months to revisit the problem (I know!), but I finally got the glass on my oven door looking clean and clear.
    Cambria Bold
    Jul 25, 2019
    The Secrets Behind Great Small Spaces
    Everyone has a bit of a different take on small space living: it’s all about purging your stuff. No, it’s all about organizing your stuff. Wait, it’s all about storing your stuff! But one thing is for sure: you know an amazing small space when you see it. Small spaces are king on Re-Nest. Yes, we love them for their lower energy and heating bills, and yes, we love them because they force us to edit, organize, and reduce our accumulation of stuff.
    Cambria Bold
    Jul 1, 2019
    10 Ways to Get Rid of That Awful Smell in Your Kitchen Sink
    Even when we diligently use a sink strainer or garbage disposal, we work our kitchen sink drains hard. Inevitably, food particles, grease, and other not-so-lovely things make their way into the drain and we wake up one morning to a foul smell coming out of the sink. Blech! Now what? Thanks to our readers and my fellow editors, I’ve got 10 ways you can kick that kitchen sink smell to the curb (and keep it from coming back).
    Cambria Bold
    Jun 30, 2019
    16 Eco-Friendly Kitchen Countertops
    We like to keep good green materials resources tucked away for that eventual day when we own a home and are working on a design/renovation. So, here’s a list of some of the best eco-friendly and sustainable kitchen countertops currently on the market.1. Squak Mountain Stone: An alternative to quarried stone, these slabs are made of fly ash, post-industrial crushed glass, and low-carbon cement. Cost $50/sq. ft.
    Cambria Bold
    May 8, 2019
    Before & After: Black and White Stripe Linoleum Floor
    Attention, all you renters out there: this is an easy, affordable, and ultra-stylish way to upgrade your dingy rental floors. We have been meaning to do something like this ourselves for quite some time, and seeing this project by Orlando Soria on Design*Sponge totally got us all jazzed up to copy her.
    Cambria Bold
    May 8, 2019
    A Bathroom That Opens Into The Kitchen: Awkward?
    If you live in an old building or a rental, you’ll understand where we’re coming from: our last apartment’s bathroom opened up directly into the kitchen, as did our apartment before that. In fact, we grew up in a home where the toilet room (just the toilet.. the sink and bathtub were separate) was basically in the dining room, a few feet away from the table…and our guests eating dinner. For anyone entertaining or on a date, this can be veeeerrrrry awkward.
    Cambria Bold
    May 8, 2019
    Bricor 0.5 GPM Ultra Low-Flow Showerheads
    Bricor claims they are the only manufacturer to create a truly “low flow” showerhead without sacrificing water pressure. Their Ultra Max 100 showerhead has only a 0.5 GPM, yet it has the highest performance value rating of any showerhead tested—more than Oxygenics or Delta. See here for Bricor’s assessment of their FIT rating (Flow Impact Intensity)Technically, “low-flow” is anything under 2.5 GPM, so 0.5 GPM is pretty astounding. How does it work?
    Cambria Bold
    May 8, 2019
    The Color Green Is, Ironically, Pretty Toxic
    Anyone even remotely informed about the environment and sustainable design knows that the color green is the go-to visual representation, via branding and packaging, that a product is sustainable, organic, or eco-friendly. But a fascinating article recently in The New York Times points out the cruel fact that most forms of the color green are manufactured in ways that are ecologically irresponsible, and in some cases severely damaging to the environment. How’s that for irony?
    Cambria Bold
    May 8, 2019
    6 Ways to Clean with Olive Oil
    There’s almost nothing we like more than fresh bread dipped in olive oil, and it’s definitely a staple in most of our cooking. But this lovely oil has household uses that reach beyond the kitchen. See how it can help you below the jump:1. Clean your cast-iron pans: Make a scrubbing paste with olive or another vegetable oil and a teaspoon of coarse salt. Scrub it in with a stiff brush, then rinse with hot water.2.
    Cambria Bold
    May 8, 2019
    Before & After: Lisa’s First House, Revamped On a Budget
    Just as the markets started crashing in September of 2008, Lisa Hoffman and her husband bought their first house in Oakland, California. Thankfully, they weren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves, dig in, and do most of the work themselves—all on a very tight budget. The photo above is the sad-looking living room prior to their renovation. (Check out that wallpaper!
    Cambria Bold
    May 7, 2019
    5 Homemade DIY Natural Fabric Softeners
    It should come as no surprise that fabric softeners have a long list of artificial ingredients and chemicals in them. So if you want that cozy, soft feeling without the headache-inducing scent, you can try one of these natural alternatives:1 Baking Soda: Add a 1/2 cup of baking soda to the water in your washer and let it dissolve. Add your clothes.2 Vinegar: Add 3/4 – 1 cup of vinegar to either the wash or the rinse cycle.
    Cambria Bold
    May 7, 2019
    A Visit to Mrs. Meyer’s Headquarters in Minneapolis
    As I shared yesterday, last week I got on a plane and flew to Minneapolis to tour the Mrs. Meyer’s headquarters and meet the fabulous 79-year-old Mrs. Meyer in person.
    Cambria Bold
    May 7, 2019
    Recommend a Nontoxic Waterproof Wood Sealer For Outdoor Windowboxes?
    Q: Can you recommend a nontoxic waterproof wood sealer for my outdoor window boxes? I’m building and planting my own outdoor window boxes this year, and I’m having a hard time finding a nontoxic waterproof wood sealer that won’t poison my plants or the environment, and that doesn’t need to be reapplied every year. Any advice?
    Cambria Bold
    May 7, 2019
    How To Stop Wasting Water While Waiting for Hot Water?
    Q: What is the best solution to stop wasting water while waiting for hot water to reach the kitchen? My kitchen sink and dishwasher are a long way from the hot water heater. What is the best solution to stop wasting water while waiting for hot water to reach the kitchen: a tankless water heater under the kitchen sink, an on-demand recirculating system, or something else?Sent by SandraEditor: Here’s what our friends at Green Home Guide have to say:Answered by Alex Georgiou, Recurve Inc.
    Cambria Bold
    May 7, 2019
    Can I Use House Plants To Improve Indoor Air Quality?
    Q: Can I use house plants to improve my home’s indoor air quality? There is data and research on the value of outdoor plantings and the positive effect on air quality through natural transpiration. It would seem that the same would be true of indoor plants, if well maintained, both in terms of overall humidity levels, and in terms of potential CO2 reduction and biofiltration.Sent by TomEditor: Here’s what our friends at Green Home Guide have to say.
    Cambria Bold
    May 7, 2019
    What’s the Best Green Way to Clean Tarnish Off Antiques?
    Q: As a student in interior design I was taught to use naphtha for cleaning antiques. Now I am more concerned about being green. What is best?Sent by BrendaEditor: Here’s what our friends at Green Home Guide say.Answered by Jennifer Davidson, J. Davidson Design & Consulting Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the metal surface you want to clean.
    Cambria Bold
    May 7, 2019
    Before & After: DIY Sofa Upgrade On the Cheap
    Re-Nest reader Abigail recently sent us her super thrifty sofa upgrade: A hand-me-down from her parents, she’s been living with the sofa for 3 years trying to disguise it with a floral slipcover and lots of pillows.
    Cambria Bold
    May 7, 2019
    Before & After: An Old Door Salvaged and Hung
    BEFOREOld doors can be used for many things, but what about using them as, well, a door? That’s what Adrienne of Dream Book Design did: she found a door on the side of the road (for free!) and, after a bit of sprucing, made it work to fit in her existing laundry room door frame. See the ‘After’ and how she did it below: AFTERAdrienne explains that the door they replaced was a generic particle board Home Depot door that lacked character.
    Cambria Bold
    May 6, 2019