Here’s the Recipe for the Perfect Sofa: Introducing The Maxwell
We’re officially launched! For all of you who are in the market for a sofa and want something fabulously classic, comfortable and well priced, here’s The Maxwell (with special discount just for readers), the first in a whole collection designed in collaboration with Interior Define. Designing this perfect sofa was a process that took nearly a year, but it was worth it.
Maxwell Ryan
May 21, 2016
Top House Slippers: Haflinger, Glerups & Two More
Armor Lux teamed up with Madewell to produce these really nice versions of their classic slipper. With temperatures dropping like they are, a solid pair of house slippers is a great thing to have. I’ve been gifted sheepskin slippers a few times in my life, but they don’t have any structure and quickly become uncomfortable to use every day. We rounded up four sturdy house slipper brands to keep you warm all winter long.
Maxwell Ryan
Feb 23, 2015
Top Butter Keepers: Marble, Cordon Bleu, Lee Daniels & 3 More
Hard butter when you want to spread it on hot piping toast or pancakes, or even when you want to slather it on top of a roast chicken is one of life’s little annoyances. It’s SO wonderful to work with soft butter in the kitchen and butter keepers or butter bells make it easy. This stunning one up top is Melissa Clark’s own and solid marble.
Maxwell Ryan
Feb 10, 2015
Top Romantic Chairs: Tantra, Adela, Esse & Five More
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Allow me to present our favorite Apartment Therapy Valentine’s Day tradition, the sex chair roundup. Introduced in 2001, the Tantra Chair is the best of breed (and I’ve put it below the fold this year), and has the most convincing argument that this thing is truly romantic. Its stated purpose: “The Tantra Chair is a modern chaise designed to enhance the advanced sexual positions of the Kama Sutra.
Maxwell Ryan
Feb 5, 2015
Top Scented Candles: Tatine, Le Labo, Diptyque & Many More
It’s smelly candle season, which means arguments over why these things need to cost so much and love, love, love for coming home at night to a warm friend who turns your ordinary home into a magical scent-scape. I’ve rounded up my own favorite (Le Labo) alongside a group of super popular choices, most of which are soy based and don’t use cheap scents. You can’t make a mistake here.
Maxwell Ryan
Jan 14, 2015
How To Set The Table Properly
I often get my left and right confused, so it’s not surprising that setting a table properly was a complete mystery to me before my years in food service. Working in restaurants drilled into my head how to set a table, and – whether you agree or not – I find it totally useful to this day when I’m quickly wanting to set up a table for a dinner party and have it all look good and organized.
Maxwell Ryan
Jul 21, 2014
Dream a Little Dream: A Film for Your New Year
Dear Readers, Happy New Year! On this pivotal day of our year I thought it would be nice to step back and air something again that is close to my heart and which represents my highest aspirations for the company: helping people to live better on any budget and at any age. While we center on the youthful part of life, the lessons are evergreen. So here it is.
Maxwell Ryan
Jun 2, 2014
How To Be a Great Host: 13 Tips
Between high school and college I went to school in England and stayed often with a family in London. The parents, Tim and Caroline Gladstone, were the kindest and best hosts I’ve ever encountered. Whenever I rang their doorbell, Caroline would greet me, welcome me right in the door with my dirty backpack from the train station or airport, and ask me whether I wanted to eat first or wash up.
Maxwell Ryan
Mar 31, 2014
How To Make Fart Hydrogen Sulphide Gas Smells Go Away
Warning. This is an awkward post. It’s deep winter and many of us are trapped indoors without the flow of fresh air from open windows. I, personally, have become quite conscious lately of daily smelly moments both at home with guests and at work (the elevator is the worst) where I’ve been trapped by someone passing gas or simply wished the bathroom at home would air out quicker. I myself will plead guilty on occasion.
Maxwell Ryan
Feb 10, 2014
William Hanham’s Last Albany Apartment at Piccadilly, London
Name: Ali & William Hanham Location: Albany, London, England Size: Two bedrooms, one bath Years lived in: Since 1811 During my visit to England this past month, I visited William and Ali’s amazing ancestral home in Wimborne and then took a peek at William’s elegant and modest London apartment at Albany.
Maxwell Ryan
Oct 14, 2013
A Visit To Terence Conran’s Old Apartment
During my travels in England and France this month, I was very nicely invited by Terence Conran’s team to meet them all and see their offices at Shad Thames as well as Terence Conran’s old apartment on top. This part of London was largely re-developed with Conran’s help in the early 90’s, and he moved all of his offices here at the same time. He lived here as well until recently. Here’s a little eye candy for you!
Maxwell Ryan
Sep 23, 2013
How to Freeze Your Jeans & “Clean” Them
I recently bought my first pair of “serious” jeans. The reason I know this is because as I was standing at the register about to pay A LOT of money for them, a cool dude who was standing next to me at the register said, “Oh, you’re going to like those.” “Do you have a pair?” I asked him. “Nope,” he said, “But you’re going to like those.” I felt like a first time drug or Ferrari buyer, not a shopper for a new pair of pants.
Maxwell Ryan
Sep 16, 2011
Partner
The Inside Man: James’ Treehouse Bedroom
Name: James OmedoLocation: Atlanta, GeorgiaStyle: Cool, calm bedroom in the trees Say hello to James, the last of five guys that I’m visiting this summer! I’ve teamed up with Valspar Paint to help James redo the bedroom he shares with his wife in Atlanta. James is an art director and a teacher, and he lives in the city with his wife and their soon to be one-year-old son, Elliot.
Maxwell Ryan
Jul 20, 2010
House Tour: Dave’s Surf-themed Loft in Bklyn
Here is Keehnan’s final post! Comment away…Name: Dave D.Location: East Williamsburg/BushwickSize: 1534 sq ft in total-2 floors divded with a wooden stairwell, lower level bedroom-the bedroom is 500 sq ftYears lived in: 8 years since the building’s inception >> Dave, in addition to living downstairs from us, works from home. While he designs tees for his own line and plays a part in other ventures, clearly his first love is surfing.
Maxwell Ryan
Aug 27, 2008
House Tour Boston: Jeanine’s Sun-Filled House
This is from our Boston finalist, Jeanine. Comment away!>> I’m going to get it from you guys, but this House Tour is of my house. Believe me, its not that I think my house is the best I can come up with, but my friend Deborah is out of town, Dorinda has to work, and Camilla says I can’t photograph her house until she does something about the kitchen.>> I’m a Somerville gal who moved to Wellesley last year.
Maxwell Ryan
Apr 2, 2008
Jan Jumpstart Judge: Page Marchese Norman from Martha Stewart
Photo by Christopher BakerName: Page Marchese NormanTitle: Editorial Director of Decorating, Martha Stewart OmnimediaLocation: Brooklyn Heights, NY Introducing our third January Jumpstart Judge from the former state of Blueprint, style director, Page Marchese Norman. She’ll be helping to award our six Ebay prizes to the deserving DIY-ers who braved the possible perils of home projects with us this month on AT.
Maxwell Ryan
Feb 5, 2008
Good Questions: What Color To Paint the Doors When Walls Are White?
Hello AT,After repainting our apartment, my wife and I are trying to figure out what color to paint our interior doors (the doorknobs are going to be stainless steel). The obvious answer is white, but this isn’t going to work.
Maxwell Ryan
Mar 29, 2007
Post from Paris: La Chambre de Bonne
(Welcome to Kristin, Parisian resident, who is testing the waters with us of an AT: Europe and blogging all that’s good in Paris. Let us know what you think!) Betsy and Alon don’t have a guest room in their rented Paris apartment. A few years ago, they invested in two chambres de bonnes (maid’s rooms), tiny spaces that have long languished as storage sheds and makeshift off-campus dorms for college students.
Maxwell Ryan
Mar 21, 2007
WD-40, Who Knew?
We were recently sent this bit of info by our father, who revelled at the opportunity to contribute to the blog. It’s a great little story about the invention of WD-40, which, it turns out, was never intended for lubrication at all and has, as its basic ingredient, nothing other than fish oil!“I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup.
Maxwell Ryan
Jan 30, 2007
The Monkey Hook in the Test Lab
Product: The Monkey Hook picture hanger Designer: A Monkey & A Marketer Price: $11.25/30 hooks (10 original, 10 gorilla grade, 10 flush mount) Rating: Recommend* Like trying to reinvent the mousetrap, a product comes along every now and then that DOES make a significant improvement in an ancient field. The Monkey Hook is one of them. An ingenious and simple design, The Monkey Hook uses one rigid piece of wire to replace the need for a hammer, pin and hook.
Maxwell Ryan
Jan 18, 2007
How To: Make Rice Paper Roller Shades (Guest Post)
Ever thought of making your own shades? If you’d like to know how to make rice paper shades, here’s how I do it. (Watch. Ask Questions. Have confidence. Curse me for making it look so easy…)I love these shades because they’re simple and organic and function well. They glow like Naguchi lamps. They work splendidly for our San Francisco Victorian or Bungalow tall, narrow, double hung windows (38″ wide max, unless you can find wider paper).
Maxwell Ryan
Mar 1, 2006
House Tour: Mott Street Micro Palace Week #3
The waiting game. It’s getting a bit trying over on Mott Street this week, as Amy says that she has entered “that delightful ‘no one shows up when they say they will’ stage of renovation.” The kitchen is halfway in and the adjustable shelving is nearly up.House Tour: Week #2House Tour: Week #1House Tour: BeforeAlso, there is a bit of crisis.
Maxwell Ryan
Feb 9, 2005