Newsletters

Janel Laban

    How To Create Your Own (Quick but Powerful!) Style Profile
    Congrats, you’ve made it to the second half of the Cure, which means that you’ve got one week and lots of sorting down! Your closet and drawers should be less crowded and hopefully you have a stronger sense of what clothing has and hasn’t been working for you, which is half the battle. Today, we’ll focus on a little assessment and introspection, so we can take a bit of a breather before we dive into rebuilding.
    Janel Laban
    Oct 3, 2023
    How to Hang Framed Artwork Without Using Nails
    Old plaster walls, new strict landlord, dorm room rules — there are plenty of reasons you might need to hang framed artwork without the use of nails. What are some good ways to get the job done? Look no further than our smart commenters – the hive mind comes through once again!The Most Popular Reader Tip:• From lwarecki If the artwork isn’t too heavy, you could try 3M Command picture hanging strips. And they don’t damage the wall when removing!
    Janel Laban
    Mar 30, 2023
    Definitely Not the Sexiest Time You’ll Spend in the Bedroom This Year
    One of the best moments of the Cure is when that oh-so-virtuous feeling when you’ve just completed a big weekend assignment kicks in and you can relax, just basking in the glow of your job well done. This weekend, we’re moving into the bedroom for a deep clean. It’s one of those jobs – like the first weekend’s floor assignment – that sounds (and is) very unsexy but has a powerful effect on the space (and you!) once you’ve done it.
    Janel Laban
    Nov 14, 2022
    The 6 Stages of Emotion While Doing a January Cure Assignment
    One of the very best parts of the Cure each January are the comment threads. This year is definitely no exception; you are all really creating a community and it’s super fun. Just check out this comment by Dulcibella from today’s assignment for a perfect example of how the Curers are making a little humor go a long way to help move the cleaning and organizing along: 1) Optimism – Day #5 What a great assignment!
    Janel Laban
    Nov 3, 2022
    Tips for Hanging a Flat Screen TV Over a Fireplace
    We know that folks are pretty divided over the concept of a flatscreen over the fireplace — there are concerns about the aesthetics of this location, as well as proper viewing angles and the impact heat may have on your tv performance. But, let’s say you have decided that it is the way to go for your room and are now facing the second part of the equation — how to place it just right.
    Janel Laban
    Oct 25, 2022
    12 Steps to Deep Clean the Bedroom
    We’ve mentioned a bedroom cleanup before as a good weekend project, but since we are planning to do it ourselves tomorrow, we put together a checklist (that always seems to make the job go faster for us). After “cleansing” our closet, we think we can definitely knock out a bedroom deep clean in a few hours. These 12 simple steps will get your bedroom clean and comfy in no time!
    Janel Laban
    Oct 17, 2022
    How To Host a Successful Super Bowl Party: A Countdown Checklist
    If you are hosting a party this Sunday, you may be pretending that it’s all about the outcome of the battle between Patriots and Seahawks. But, everyone knows that the real reason for any party is for everyone to have a good time and the best way to make that happen is to be a relaxed and happy host. If you want your Superbowl shindig to be a success, the time between now and Sunday evening is key.
    Janel Laban
    Oct 14, 2022
    100 Ideas & Inspirations for Small Spaces
    We’re powering along during our celebration of small spaces this month. For those of us who can’t get enough of the topic, here’s a group of posts from our archives presenting a nice round number (100!) of ideas and inspirations. These are time-tested, proven-popular posts that are sure to have something for everyone… dig in, dive deep and bookmark for the best results!
    Janel Laban
    Oct 12, 2022
    We’re Hiring: House Tour Contributors
    Love the Apartment Therapy Tours? Want to join our team and share stylish spaces from your part of the world? Apartment Therapy is putting out a special call for Tour Contributors! If you’ve got strong photography skills, an excellent eye for style and are inspired by wonderfully designed homes and the people who live in them, read on. This is a paid, freelance position (minimum 2 tour posts per month to start, more openings possible).
    Janel Laban
    Oct 12, 2022
    Calculating Optimum Distance from Sofa to TV
    In our previous apartment, the distance that we placed the sofa from the TV was essentially a nonissue — there was really only one spot where the placement of the screen worked, and it dictated the overall size of the TV. The sofa just went across from it, utilizing as much space as was available, no more and no less. But now, in our new place, everything is negotiable.
    Janel Laban
    Oct 3, 2022
    Is “Goodbye, Things” the New “Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”?
    Marie Kondo is more than a household name. She’s crossed over to the next level and has become a verb for those of us who write, think and obsess about all things home. Yes, “KonMari-ing” and “Kondoizing” are things now. We need our socks to spark joy if we are going to keep them around; why should we settle for anything less?
    Janel Laban
    Jul 18, 2020
    5 Simple, Safe & Surprising Metal Cleaners
    Inspired by the folks who described their own homemade cleansers in our green cleaner comment thread yesterday, we remembered this list of simple and safe homemade metal cleaners in Real Simple Cleaning, and pulled it off the shelf this morning to take a look. Perfect for keeping your kitchen or bath faucets shining bright without chemicals!1. Ketchup brightens copper. According to Real Simple Cleaning, the acetic acid in ketchup dissolves the oxide tarnish that makes copper look cloudy.2.
    Janel Laban
    Jul 17, 2020
    Anthropologie’s Black Friday Sale: Our Picks for the Best Deals
    NOTE: We’re updating our gallery today, Cyber Monday, to reflect the latest deals. Welcome to the unofficial-official start to holiday shopping. Whether you decide to brave the stores in person or stick to deal hunting online, Black Friday through Cyber Monday are prime days for savings. Anthropologie is going all in with 30% off just about everything in store and online (including sale items) today.
    Janel Laban
    Jul 17, 2020
    West Elm’s Black Friday Sale: Our Picks for the Best Deals
    NOTE: We’re updating our gallery today, Cyber Monday, to reflect the latest deals. Amazon Target Wayfair Home Depot Anthropologie IKEA …and for our Anti-Black Friday shoppers, a roundup of great gift ideas you can feel good about from Etsy!
    Janel Laban
    Jul 17, 2020
    Less Mess & Stress: Getting Your Paperwork & Files Organized
    Paper! This is a big one for lots of us and it’s one area where clutter not only causes mess, but can actually cost you money and time. Keeping on top of bills and being able to find important documents when you need them reduces the possibility of mishaps like late fees and getting a routine set streamlines the paperwork process. So, let’s think about this assignment as a investment – clear it out, set it up and permanently reap the rewards of less stress!
    Janel Laban
    Jul 17, 2020
    Clear Out & Help Out: A Big List of the Best Donation Centers for All Your Stuff
    Professional Organizer Amelia Meena helps clients get their homes in order and, as we all know, that often involves getting rid of things no longer needed. To help us all out as we work to declutter our homes (one less thing to think about!), I asked her to share her list of great places to donate; because if you’re clearing out, you just may be able to help out as well.
    Janel Laban
    Jul 17, 2020
    A Better Kitchen By Sunday Evening
    The kitchen: a hardworking room of the home, one that gets cluttery and grimy quick. Getting it clean and organized can seem daunting, but don’t let that stop you from getting started! This weekend, aim for a healthy, realistic mix of time spent, energy expended and expectations and, rather than unattainable perfection, set your sights on getting this tough room to a better place before Monday. The upside to the challenge?
    Janel Laban
    Jul 17, 2020
    What NOT To Do: A Pro Reveals the Top 3 Mistakes Homeowners Make When Planning a Project
    Jean Lauer is the brains behind The Sweeten, a super successful “matchmaking” service that pairs NYC homeowners with the professionals who can help them make their home into the place of their dreams. So, in other words, she’s seen it all when it comes to what makes a project go smoothly or, well, not-so-much. Here are her top three things to NOT do when planning your renovation—give them a read to help keep your expectations (and sanity!
    Janel Laban
    Jul 16, 2020
    The Stress Free Plan: How To Clean House for a Party
    Hosting a holiday party is a great motivator to do a good cleaning, but there is no reason to stress out and try to do everything at the last minute.
    Janel Laban
    Jul 16, 2020
    How To Really Enjoy a Day Off
    A day off is a gift and in today’s hard-working world, a thing to be savored. For some of us, that means a recuperating and revitalizing opportunity — a day without any goals beyond recharging batteries. For others, the idea of an “extra” day to accomplish a home-based goal, whether crafting, cleaning, decorating or renovating is simply too good to let pass by.
    Janel Laban
    Jul 15, 2020
    Day 6: Let’s Learn About Color
    Day 6: Thursday, August 8 Assignment: Learn About Color After working with Maxwell for many years, I can attest to the fact that he is a gifted teacher. The skills he learned in his former profession as a Waldorf instructor carry over to his design work and he’s able to make concepts that can seem complex or intimidating understandable.
    Janel Laban
    Apr 14, 2020
    Sectional or Sofa?
    One of the big decisions when considering living room seating is the choice between a sectional and a sofa. Size, comfort, and aesthetics all come in to play. And, while it’s always going to come down to individual style and the room dimensions, the wonderful Apartment Therapy readers have had some words of wisdom to impart (as always!) on the topic.
    Janel Laban
    Apr 14, 2020
    Jessica’s Unbelievably Chic (and Colorful!) Edinburgh Flat
    Name: Jessica Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK I live in a 2 bedroom Georgian flat in Edinburgh, built around 1890. The flat is 1200 square feet and I completely renovated and refurbished it in 2013 so that I could have it exactly the way I wanted it.
    Janel Laban
    Mar 25, 2020
    Day 1: Complete the Style Cure Interview
    Day 1: Thursday, August 1 Assignment: Complete the Style Cure interview Welcome to the start of the Style Cure! This is the first day of our inaugural month-long group decorating project. Step-by-step, day-by-day, we’ll work together to makeover a room in each of our homes. Whether you choose your living room, bedroom, kitchen, entryway or bath, by the end of the month it will have a fresh, renewed look for you to show off and enjoy.
    Janel Laban
    Mar 12, 2020
    125 DIY Ideas for the 3-Day Weekend
    It’s turned into a bit of a Labor Day tradition around here – we send you off on this pre-long-weekend Friday with a BIG list of ideas to inspire you to get a little creative during your bit of extra downtime ahead. This year we’ve expanded the list to a whopping 125 possibilities; our goal is to find something for everyone! Poof! A Pouf!
    Janel Laban
    Mar 11, 2020
    Day 18: Lock in Your Furniture Layout
    Day 18: Monday, August 26 Assignment: Work on your furniture placement only – no accessories, artwork or decor yet! Congratulations to everyone on making it to the last leg of the Style Cure, with an extra round of applause for everyone who tackled the big paint job this past weekend.
    Janel Laban
    Mar 11, 2020
    10 Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Three
    The 10th Annual Small Cool contest has entered the free-for-all voting stage – every single one of our 189 entries are live and accepting thumbs up votes. Here’s a look at 10 fun-to-see homes from the past week to get you started but be sure to check out all the wonderful homes on our “All Entries” page to help send ALL of your favorites on to the next round!
    Janel Laban
    Feb 21, 2020
    10 Must-See Small Cool Spaces: Week Three
    Here we are, rounding the corner just before the home stretch. We’ve shared over 130 small cool homes with you so far and still have a few more days of new entries to come. Here are 10 entries that caught the eye of voters this past week; check them (and ALL of the competitors who are looking for votes) out and enjoy the supersized dose of small space inspiration and ideas.
    Janel Laban
    Feb 21, 2020
    12 Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week One
    We’ve seen 25 homes so far in our 11th Annual (!) Small Cool contest and it’s already a memorable year. These homes all have square footage under 1000 square feet but miles of style to spare. Today, we’ve got a look back at some standouts from Week One, along with a link to ALL the entries so far. Dive in, peek inside these stylish small, cool homes and give all your favorites a vote to help them move on to the next round. (And if you haven’t entered yet, do that too!).
    Janel Laban
    Feb 21, 2020
    Small Cool: The Finalists!
    The ballots are in! Our talented (and lovely!) judges, Amy Preiser (Senior Digital Editor at Hearst Design Group for Elle Decor, House Beautiful and Veranda), and Patrick J. Hamilton (Designer, and our first ever Small Cool contest winner), voted on your choices for the top 5 homes in each of our divisions. After counting their votes and (triple!) checking my tallies, I’m excited to share the division winners and finalists for the smallest coolest home of 2014.
    Janel Laban
    Feb 21, 2020
    The “Maisie Toot Camper Turned Glamper” Makeover
    Project by: Julie and Laura Location: New York State Without further ado, another inspiring camper transformation! Take it away, Julie and Laura: We are identical twin sisters, are both registered nurses, both married, and we are mothers to three little boys collectively. Ever since we were teenagers and we watched the cult classic The Long Long Trailer with Lucille Ball, we have dreamed of having a little camper turned glamper to call and make our own.
    Janel Laban
    Dec 19, 2019
    The “Rustic Hunting Cabin to Cozy Family Home” Makeover
    Project by: Stella and family Location: Quebec, Canada Do you ever dream of a simpler life? Living with your family somewhere quiet, close to nature, maybe next to a pond, with a farmers market close by to visit on the weekend? Here’s the story of one family who made that dream a reality, one DIY challenge at a time.
    Janel Laban
    Dec 19, 2019
    The “Sorta Scary to Sweetly Stylish” Camper Makeover
    Project by: Meg Location: Colorado If this project doesn’t convince you that just about any sow’s ear can be turned into a silk purse than I don’t know what will. This funky old, water damaged, faux woodgrain and formica-filled caravan is now a super sweet spot to hang out in. To top it off, he transformation was quick and the budget was lowlowlow. The perfect makeover!
    Janel Laban
    Dec 19, 2019
    The “Pop of Pink to Stylishly Simple” Breakfast Nook Makeover
    Project by: Christina of andchristina Location: Philadelphia, PA Last year my boyfriend (now fiance 🙂 and I bought our first house (a rowhome in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia) and we’ve spent the last few months transforming the first floor, mainly the kitchen (check it out here!), and also building this breakfast nook in the main living area.
    Janel Laban
    Dec 19, 2019
    The “Decor Refresh That’s So Powerful, It Looks Like a Renovation” Kitchen Makeover
    Every so often, someone sends in a project that 100% reaffirms my belief in the power of paint along with good diy and decorating skills. This is one of them. Take it away (and OMG, amazing job!
    Janel Laban
    Dec 19, 2019
    The “Tiny Trailer to Cozy Cabin Conversion” Makeover
    Project by: Erin’s Mom and Dad Location: Wilamette Valley, Oregon My parents live in a small rural town in Oregon Willamette Valley. My younger brother and his wife live nearby, but my sisters and I are all spread across the country. We try to visit as often as we can, but it’s quite a journey with little ones, so we manage to make one trip a year.
    Janel Laban
    Dec 19, 2019