Our TeamMarni Epstein-Mervis

Marni Epstein-Mervis

About Me

Writer, entrepreneur, historic architecture lover, and corgi owner. Native Seattleite, long-time Angeleno. When she isn't writing for AT, she's running her business, STRUKTR Studios.


Latest Stories

Ava DuVernay Says It’s Time We All Craft Our Own Stories
We’re big fans of multi-hyphenate Ava DuVernay (Director-Writer-Producer). Whether we’re streaming her hit show, Queen Sugar, at home on Hulu, or watching her make history with her film’s Oscar nods, the director of the new movie A Wrinkle In Time is also making a name for herself speaking out on Hollywood sexism and racism in this post-Weinstein and Time’s Up era.
Jul 17, 2020
This Hotel Is Offering Guests An Urban Camping Experience in NYC
“Man, I’ve just gotta get out of the city.” It’s a fairly common phrase uttered by urbanites longing for a taste of the camping experience. Well now you can get the benefits of glamping without having to hop in the car and hit the road. Meet: Camp Arlo, New York hotel Arlo Soho‘s new urban camping experience in the heart of New York City.
Jul 17, 2020
Twenty Tastemakers Give a Palm Springs Home an Eye-Popping Makeover for Modernism Week
Villa Golightly, the 6,500 square foot desert estate of blogger, Instagram influencer, and “unofficial ambassador” of Palm Springs, Kelly Golightly (née Kelly Lee) recently underwent a showstopping redesign.
Jul 17, 2020
An Instagrammer is Reviving Khokhloma, a Near-Extinct Folk Art
From Russia with love…gems, beads, pearls, and a complete and total explosion of color. These studded and sparkling plates, and their insanely intricate embellishment work, are the ultimate in bedazzling. These decorative plates are the handicraft of a Russian artist named Daria.
Jul 15, 2020
The Cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer Got Together & Talked About a Revival
It has been twenty years since Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy Summers first walked the halls of Sunnydale High. Feel like an old yet? Yeah, me too. Well, while I know you’re probably still licking your wounds over Netflix’s April purge of all seven seasons of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the 20th anniversary presents some cheerier news—like a reunion, and a possible revival.
May 3, 2019
Is This The Safest City Bicycle Ever?
There are lots of hazards for urban cyclists out there, but one San Francisco company is looking to make owning and riding a bicycle in the city easier. Have you ever had your bike stolen? You wouldn’t be alone; in fact, in the US, it is estimated that 1.5 million bicycles are stolen every year, according to the National Bike Registry. What about a run-in (or a near run-in) with a car while bicycling?
May 3, 2019
You Can Now Stream Britain’s Most Popular Home Design Show on Netflix
First there was Downown Abbey. Then there was Sherlock. Now you can add another British television import to your list, America. Rejoice, design lovers! Britain’s favorite home design show is on Netflix. Grand Designs, which features wacky and ambitious builds and renovation projects, is one of Britain’s longest running property shows (17 seasons!).
May 3, 2019
Time To Make This San Francisco Clock Tower Home (If You have $6.25 Million)
This new San Francisco listing is billed as “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live and work within San Francisco’s most iconic, historic property,” I know what you’re thinking and no, it’s not that iconic, historic landmark—but this one is pretty fantastic. This one is a historic clock tower penthouse—and it is absolutely amazing. Frankly, given its $6.25 million price tag, it ought to be.
May 3, 2019
Here’s the Net Worth of Your Favorite HGTV Stars
Ever wonder exactly how much your favorite HGTV stars make? What Chip and Joanna Gaines really pull in from reviving a Waco home? Or exactly how much Property Brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott can buy and sell? Well, E! News recently broke down the numbers behind HGTV’s biggest stars—and they’re staggering. Reality television and its home design shows may not be entirely real. The money made by reality TV’s stars, however, sure is.
May 3, 2019
You Can Visit Laura Palmer’s House From Twin Peaks — If You Can Be Cool
A starring turn on television, much like it does for actors, can also make a house famous — or infamous as the case may be. That was what happened to this picturesque Everett, Washington colonial home. The house took center stage on TV’s cult hit Twin Peaks, during its original two-season run from 1990-1991, as the home of the fictional murdered teen Laura Palmer.
May 3, 2019
The New Property Brothers Spin-Off Has A Personal Twist
Is a plaid shirt the only dead give-away sign that helps you tell HGTV’s Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott, apart? Well soon there’ll be another way to differentiate between the TV star twins — a wedding ring.
May 3, 2019
Call Me By Your Name Is Also a Love Story of Italian Interiors
Heading to the movies this holiday season? Well then you should probably be aware that there is some serious travel and house porn hitting an indie movie screen near you. Call Me By Your Name (out in limited release) is a coming-of-age love story set in the Italian countryside during the summer of 1983, and starring Armie Hammer. Hammer plays a 24-year-old research assistant to an art professor who joins the professor and his family at their summer retreat.
May 3, 2019
Here’s What It’s Like Designing Wes Anderson’s Whimsical Worlds
It’s the holiday season which means you can count on getting lost in beautiful and sweeping worlds of some fine holiday fare at the movies. And let’s be honest, there are fewer on-screen worlds more beautiful than those crafted for Wes Anderson films. The filmmaker is known for his colorful, whimsical, and overtly symmetrical aesthetic seen in films like The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Moonrise Kingdom.
May 3, 2019
This is Joanna Gaines’ Favorite Room to Make Over
You’ve heard it before: kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. And while kitchens and baths are great neither is actually Joanna Gaines’ favorite room in a home to make over. So which room is it? The Fixer Upper star and queen of shabby-chic recently dished to Apartment Therapy that she much prefers designing nurseries.
May 3, 2019
Check Out The Floor Plans From Your Favorite TV Kitchens
Ever since Lucy Ricardo accidentally baked the world’s biggest loaf of bread on a 1952 episode of I Love Lucy, kitchens have been at the center of virtually every TV family’s story. In honor of TV’s love affair with the kitchen, HomeAdvisor, the marketplace that connects homeowners to home improvement pros, has carefully rendered the floor plans of some of your favorite TV hearts of the home.
May 3, 2019
Adam Levine Sold His LA Mansion to John Mayer
With celebs often buying one another’s homes, sometimes the world of celebrity real estate can feel like one big episode of Trading Spaces. Such is the case when it comes to the recent sale of Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo’s home. The Maroon 5 frontman and star of The Voice and his model wife have just sold their sprawling LA ranch — which registers at just over over 7,000 square feet — to fellow musician John Mayer for $13.5 million.
May 3, 2019
This ‘Game of Thrones’ Castle Is for Sale
Gosford Castle in Northern Ireland is for sale—or well, at least a hefty portion of it is. A large section of the building, which has been central to the filming of Game of Thrones, is currently entertaining offers above the £500,000 mark, according to its real estate listing. It’s a price that seems like a relative steal given this Scottish castle was recently listed for a staggering $20 million.
May 3, 2019
Paige Davis Talks ‘Trading Spaces’ Season 2 and Her Biggest On-Screen Fail
Earlier this month, TLC’s Trading Spaces announced a casting call for season two of the reboot where the show’s beloved host Paige Davis put the call out to homeowners in the Los Angeles or Charlotte, North Carolina areas. Now, Davis is dishing more on the upcoming season and what goes on when the cameras aren’t rolling.
May 3, 2019
The Property Brothers Have a New Furniture Line Coming to Kohl’s
If multiple television shows and having already achieved status as design TV’s top earners weren’t enough, HGTV’s Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott, still have more ventures up their sleeves. It was announced this week that the Scott brothers will offer an exclusive home decor line at Kohl’s.
May 3, 2019
Airbnb Apartments Are Coming to Orlando in 2018
When you think Disney World you normally think Mickey Mouse, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Epcot Center. Images of Silicon Valley startups don’t usually come to mind. However, tech giant Airbnb’s latest venture in Kissimmee, Florida (which sits about 25 minutes south of Orlando’s Walt Disney World) might just change all that. Airbnb wants to give Disney-bound families and other Orlando-area travelers more options for accommodations.
Apr 30, 2019
Cool Job Perks: Microsoft Built Its Employees a Treehouse
Microsoft has a penchant for building whimsical offices with nods to childhood nostalgia. Just take their Vienna headquarters, for example: it features bright colors and an indoor slide. Now the Seattle-area-based software giant has taken things one step further by constructing a fully functional treehouse on its five hundred acre Redmond, Washington campus. Let’s get one thing straight though, this treehouse is far from the structure seven year-old you helped build in your backyard.
Apr 30, 2019
The Big Ways Big Data Is Driving Design
Big data. It’s the fuel that keeps our app-driven lives running. It keeps our ride-share on the most efficient route home (most of the time). It suggests that item that you totally don’t need but probably really want as you’re online shopping. But what about design? In an industry that’s as personal as design, is big data influencing the way we consume and carry out design? The answer is yes.
Mar 26, 2019
Yes, Marie Kondo Really Wrote a Graphic Novel About Tidying Up
Does reading bring you joy? What about organizing and tidying, do those things bring you joy? Are you able to fold your shirts so that they have the ability stand on their own (spoiler alert: I still struggle with this)? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then brace yourself, because tidying guru Marie Kondo is releasing a new book.
Feb 24, 2019
The Obamas Buy Their DC Rental for $8.1 Million
Wondering what the former President and First Lady have been up to after their much-memed Tropical vacation on Richard Branson’s private island? Well, the answer is house-hunting. Fortunately, for the Obamas, they didn’t have to hunt very far before finding their new dream home. Ok, so “new” might not be entirely the right word. See, the Obamas just purchased the DC-area home they’ve been renting since leaving the White House.
Feb 4, 2019
This Smart Furniture Turns Any Room Into A Walk-In Closet
As someone who lives in just 570 square feet with no closets, I’ve come to know a thing or two about storage; when you don’t have it you deeply appreciate it. Chances are, whether you live in a tiny house, a small apartment in a crowded city, or a dorm room, the same is true for you. You also probably don’t think of a walk-in closet as a realistic amenity ready and waiting to walk into your life at any moment—but well, that’s where you’d be wrong.
Dec 6, 2018
4 Women’s Co-Working Spaces That Deliver on Design
Social clubs, organizations where a city’s most prominent and promising convene and conduct business have traditionally been, well, old boys networks. The past few years has swiftly turned the idea of social clubs on their head, with a staggering number of female-focused community and co-working spaces cropping up nationwide. And many of these spaces are taking an intentional approach to their design. Why?
Nov 12, 2018
Hands Off, This Smart Suitcase Drives Itself
Got big travel plans this summer? Whether you’re taking a staycation or going around the world, the question of the right luggage to bring is always top of mind. I’ll be doing a bit of my own world traveling this summer which means I’ve been up to serious suitcase research. For those flying this summer, we’ve, of course, offered a few of our own top picks for carry-ons, but now there’s a new bag that could very well be a game changer for the luggage industry.
Jun 4, 2018
This Airline Will Pay You To Travel The World
Got a bad case of wanderlust? Maybe you’ve always dreamed of living abroad and wandering the stone streets of a medieval village or taking in the vistas of Iceland’s remote and unspoiled landscapes? Well, now you can live your dream. WOW Air, the Icelandic budget airline, has launched a competition to find the creator for its new Wow Travel Guides.
Apr 27, 2018
These Carts and Armoires Are Actually Tiny Kitchens in Disguise
The trend of tiny living is well, huge. Whether it’s municipalities looking to solve affordable housing crises, or individuals looking to live a simpler life in the woods, tiny homes seem to be the answer to nearly every question these days. Now the tiny living phenomena has inspired equally tiny, yet incredibly functional and beautifully designed, kitchens for modern living.
Apr 27, 2018
HAY’s Latest Collaboration With Sonos Is Music To Our Ears
Danish design brand HAY is no stranger to collaborations. In fact, we’ve seen them release furniture projects for IKEA and a kitchen line for MoMA. Today, you can add another major brand in the home space to HAY’s list of partners: Sonos, maker of wireless speakers and home sound systems. The two brands have partnered to release a new Sonos One smart speaker.
Apr 17, 2018
Emily Henderson Shares Everything You Need To Know About Target’s New Home Decor Collection
Does the seemingly never ending cold weather have you dreaming of warm, exotic locales? Or perhaps you’ve been planning a home decor refresh for the spring? In either case, you’ll probably want to check out Target’s new globally-inspired home line, Opalhouse. The line’s aesthetic takes inspiration from such far-flung locales as Aix-en-Provence, Lisbon, Paris, and Mallorca. The result is a collection full of bold colors, rich textures, and fun prints.
Apr 8, 2018
One City Plans To Combat Affordable Housing With ‘Micro-Estates’
In order to combat its growing affordable housing issue the city of Tempe, Arizona is slated to break ground on a community of relatively low-priced tiny homes on city-owned land next spring. The desert city just outside Phoenix has seen an average rent increase of $200 per month since 2015. The community of 12 “micro-estates,” as the developers are calling them, will sit on approximately an acre of land with each home coming in at 600 square feet.
Apr 6, 2018
Everyone’s Favorite Mid-Century Home Just Got A Redesign
One of the world’s most famous houses – and arguably the world’s most famous modern home – has just gotten a major makeover. Los Angeles’ iconic Stahl House (also known as Case Study House No. 22) with its cantilevered structure, and its sweeping, unobstructed views of Los Angeles was an architectural and engineering feat when it was originally built in 1960 by architect Pierre Koenig.
Mar 26, 2018
Live The Modernism Week Life at West Elm’s Palm Springs Rental
So you might have already heard that West Elm is getting into the hospitality business. That the furniture and home decor store plans to open a slate of boutique hotels starting later this year. But in case you can’t wait for that, you now have the chance to rent West Elm’s recently-unveiled show home from 2018 Palm Springs Modernism Week.
Mar 6, 2018
Kelly Wearstler’s Latest Insta-Worthy Makeover? A Mall
Sure, you’ve probably heard that retail is dead (and malls along with it). And while some abandoned malls are becoming something more, like schools, others like Los Angeles’ Westfield Century City mall are busy revamping themselves for the Instagram set. With a major dose of unique style from designer Kelly Wearstler, Westfield Century City has become a design lover’s dream.
Feb 10, 2018
New Study Says These Are the Top Cities for Interior Design
Today, with Pinterest wishes, Instagram dreams, and no shortage of apps and online decorating services like Hutch, Modsy, and Homepolish to help design the perfect space, interior design has broader appeal and is more accessible than ever. A new study from furniture brand Joybird has done a deep dive to discover exactly which cities are tops when it comes to interior design savviness. Spoiler alert: the top cities are not ones you might initially expect. Washington, D.C.
Jan 26, 2018