Our TeamNancy Mitchell

Nancy Mitchell

    About Me

    As a former Senior Writer at Apartment Therapy, Nancy split her time among looking at beautiful pictures, writing about design, and photographing stylish apartments in and around NYC.

    Latest Stories

    10 Sleeper Sofas Under $500 We Love
    Here at Apartment Therapy, we’re all about helping you find the perfect furniture, especially when it comes to sofas. We’ve already covered the best sofas under $500, but did you know that you can also get a nice sleeper sofa for under $500? We know it sounds too good to be true, but it turns out it is true — and you won’t even have to sacrifice on looks, either.
    Sarah Lyon
    Jun 28, 2026
    20 Best Sleeper Sofas for Small Spaces, According to Editors
    The small-space sleepers you (and your guests) will love.
    Nicole Lund
    May 28, 2026
    17 Smart Book Storage Ideas for Small Spaces
    Small-space-dwelling bibliophiles everywhere, rejoice!
    Nancy Mitchell
    Apr 7, 2026
    20 Ways to Squeeze Extra Storage Out of a Small Closet
    Living in a little apartment can have its own special joys, but small closets aren't one of them.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Dec 11, 2025
    20 Headboard Alternatives That Use Clever Design to Anchor Your Bed
    Is it really necessary? These designs prove not.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Oct 15, 2025
    The Best Budget-Friendly Farmhouse Sinks for Your Kitchen
    There’s a sink for every budget.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Jul 22, 2025
    The Rise and Fall of the Once-Beloved Sunken Living Room
    For a while, it was all the rage to step down into your living space — until, all of a sudden, it wasn't.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Jan 13, 2025
    9 Brilliant Fixes for Your Kitchen's Most Annoying Feature
    You've definitely complained about this feature before.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Sep 25, 2024
    11 Large Indoor Trees for Everyone from Beginners to Green Thumbs
    Make a big, bold statement in your home.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Sep 1, 2024
    Everything You Need to Know About Complementary Colors
    Did you know that there's actually scientific evidence supporting the idea that certain colors look good together?
    Lauren Wicks
    Mar 25, 2024
    31 Bathroom Tile Design Ideas
    Because tile really makes the room.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Feb 2, 2024
    19 Brilliant Bathroom Wall Storage Ideas
    We've got solutions.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Jan 30, 2024
    A Quartet of Little Paris Apartments that Prove that Less is More
    Since Europeans have mastered the art of living small and Parisians are some of the most stylish people in the world, it stands to reason that Paris would be a bountiful source for small space inspiration. And it is. Hardly a week goes by where I don’t find another impossibly beautiful tiny space, chock full of clever and elegant solutions for living well with less. Here are four of my favorites. Want to see more of these spaces? Click the links in the descriptions!
    Nancy Mitchell
    Oct 4, 2023
    10 Things You Didn’t Know You Needed in Your Dream Backyard
    A backyard is like a blank slate: a little tiny plot of land all your own, to deal with however you please (with perhaps a little input from your homeowners’ association). What will you do with your own little estate? Here are 10 ways to make the very most of your backyard — innovative (and maybe even a little crazy) features you never knew you needed. 1. A swimming pool that looks like a pond. → Learn more about natural pools here. 2.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Oct 4, 2023
    DIY Furniture for Small Spaces That’s Flexible & Functional
    We love to write about clever, multitasking furniture designs for small spaces, but the downside to a lot of these pieces is that they come with hefty price tags. If, like a lot of people, you’re living in a small space and have a similarly small budget, the good news is that there are a lot of DIYs out there for hardworking, flexible furniture that you can make yourself. Here are 11 of our favorites. Above, a custom table created for this tiny beach house seen at VT Wonen.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Oct 4, 2023
    15 Rattan Accent Chairs Sure to Bring a Casual, Cool Vibe to Your Living Space
    Shopping
    Elevate your space today.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Aug 12, 2023
    These Small Backyard Pools Show How to Make a Splash in the Tiniest Spaces
    You don't have to have a big backyard to fit in a pool—and if you do have a big backyard, the pool doesn't have to take up the entire thing.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Aug 1, 2023
    9 Alcove Beds: The Perfect Space-Saving Solution for Small Bedrooms
    We dream of dozing away in one of these charming, tucked-away sleeping spots.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Jun 7, 2023
    The IKEA Product That’s a Closet Secret Weapon
    We probably all dream of having a Carrie Bradshaw-style custom closet. But those things are expensive. Really, really expensive. As an alternative, there’s a trusty IKEA product that will give you the look of custom shelving, for a fraction of the price. You may have already guessed what it is. The product is called Billy: the world’s most versatile bookcase, and it turns out, makes for some pretty great storage closet as well.
    Nancy Mitchell
    May 26, 2023
    Move Over Paris: The World’s Most Beautiful Homes are in Italy
    Warning/workspace/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/atmedia-cloudinary-image-block/atmedia-cloudinary-image-block.php82 I have long had a bit of an obsession with Paris apartments, but now I have a new love: Italian palazzos. Besides high ceilings and gorgeous detailing, they also have a certain storied look, the beauty and character that age can bring to a grand building. Here are four Italian apartments that are not quite like any apartments you’ve seen before.
    Nancy Mitchell
    May 1, 2023
    The One Simple Trick That Makes Small Spaces Feel Much, Much Bigger
    “Less is more” is a time-honored design mantra, and anyone who’s ever staged a house for the market can tell you that having less furniture in a space will make it feel much bigger. But this can be easy to forget when you’re living in a small apartment.
    Nancy Mitchell
    May 1, 2023
    20 Beautiful Rooms with Beni Ourain Rugs
    Warning/workspace/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/atmedia-cloudinary-image-block/atmedia-cloudinary-image-block.php82 The first time I ever saw a Beni Ourain rug was in this house tour, here on Apartment Therapy. I saved the picture in Evernote with the caption: NEED THIS RUG. Then suddenly I started seeing Beni Ourain rugs all over the place. I started to wonder if I really liked them, or just thought I did because I saw them everywhere.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Apr 27, 2023
    6 Things to Paint Black Today
    There’s a reason black is a classic: it’s dark, it’s beautiful, it matches with almost everything. And it’s a great way to add a little contrast, drama and depth to an interior that needs a little extra pizazz. Here are six weekend painting projects that will add a little bit of black — and a whole lot of style — to your home.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Apr 7, 2023
    Clever Ways to Use Curtain Hardware That Have Nothing to Do With Windows
    Here are seven clever uses for those rods, brackets, and finials—that have nothing to do with windows.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Mar 29, 2023
    Creative Ways to Rethink Your Living Room Layout
    Could your living room use a bit of a shakeup?
    Nancy Mitchell
    Mar 29, 2023
    IKEA to the Rescue: 8 Products Cleverly Repurposed as Shoe Storage
    One of the beauties of IKEA products is that their simple design also makes them endlessly versatile.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Mar 29, 2023
    8 Stylish Solutions for Your Totally Icky Rental Bathroom
    Gross bathroom got you down? Here are a few ways to make it all better.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Mar 29, 2023
    ’80s Bathrooms So Good, We Hope No One Ever Remodels Them
    The quintessential '80s bathroom: If sunken tubs, wall-to-wall carpeting, and bathrooms the size of a loft apartment sound good to you, you'll find plenty to love here.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Mar 28, 2023
    Ingenious Ways to Get the Backyard of Your Dreams on a Budget
    You may have plenty of ideas for the backyard of your dreams, but those infinity pools and sunken fire pits and outdoor kitchens — well, they cost money. We’ve got some ideas for budget ways to get the features you crave, so you can enjoy your outdoor space without spending a ton of cash. If you dream of: A backyard swimming pool… Try: A stock tank pool, like this one (above) from Tractor Supply.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Mar 28, 2023
    12 Clever Small Space Ideas to Steal from IKEA
    These Swedes know small spaces.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Jan 14, 2023
    Everything You Need to Know About Decorating with Aubergine
    It's like blush's moody, worldly, more sophisticated cousin...and we can't get enough.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Jan 11, 2023
    How Did People Survive Before Air Conditioning?
    Probably everyone has had this thought at least once a summer, while sweating through their clothes: how did people survive before air conditioning?
    Nancy Mitchell
    Jan 2, 2023
    5 Things You Should Know About Living in a Studio Apartment (From Someone Who Has Done It)
    A year and a half ago I moved from Houston, Texas to New York, New York, and from a 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom townhouse to a 250-square-foot studio. And you know what? I love my new space, and my new city, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a bit of an adjustment to live in a studio apartment.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Jan 2, 2023
    15 Ways to Make a Big Bedroom Feel Cozy
    Here at Apartment Therapy, we spend a lot of time talking about small spaces: small space storage, small space furniture, you get it. We’ve written a lot about how to deal with a small bedroom, but what if you have the opposite problem: a big bedroom?A giant, cavernous space can be just as much of a design challenge as a tiny, cramped one. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some ideas (and beautiful inspiration photos) for making your big bedroom feel cozy.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Nov 10, 2022
    The Lazy Person’s Guide to a Happy Home: Tips for People Who (Really) Hate Cleaning
    I’m always a little ashamed to admit this, but I hate to clean. I really hate it. I mean, there are so many more interesting things I could be doing. And the annoying thing is that when you clean something, it just gets dirty all over again. Cleaning is a horrible, boring, thankless task, but you know what’s worse than cleaning? Stressing out all the time because your house is filthy. What’s a lazy woman to do?
    Nancy Mitchell
    Nov 7, 2022
    Love or Hate: Readers Weigh in on the Most Controversial Trends
    Six trends Apartment Therapy readers love, or hate, or love to hate.
    Nancy Mitchell
    Nov 3, 2022