Gary’s Recently Restored 1925 Houseboat in London
Name: Gary Marshall Location: Poplar Dock Marina, London Size: 92 square meters (or just under 1000 square feet) Years lived in: 3 Months Have you ever dreamed of living on a boat? I know I have. But while it sounds romantic, I’ve always been worried about having to live in a too-cramped space or a home filled with too many “nautical” themes. Gary’s houseboat blows any preconceived notions about a houseboat right out of the water! (Pun very intended.
May 1, 2019
Shauna’s Beach House Bathroom Makeover
Project by: Shauna Location: Naples, Florida Our beach cottage in Naples, Florida was a dated 1960s, 2600 square foot home that was dying for an extreme makeover. In just under three months we gutted the kitchen, master bathroom, guest bathroom, guest bedroom and home exterior. The before and after photos are pretty incredible, especially the kitchen and master bathroom. This is our vacation “getaway” home so we kept that in mind with budget and design choices.
Apr 30, 2019
Erin’s Delightful Closet Makeover
Project by: Erin Location: Atlanta, Georgia Even in her busy family home, Erin managed to carve out a space that is completely her own style, creating the perfect in home mini-retreat. From Erin: As a busy mom of 3 boys, I really craved a space that could just ooze femininity. I thought the closet was the perfect place to go totally glam with the decor.
Apr 30, 2019
DIY Wood Planked Ceiling
I have to admit, I’ve never really thought of the ceiling as something you can DIY. Christina proves that you not only can, you can do it beautifully. And while this project may not be for the DIY-faint of heart, it can definitely provide some inspiration. Skill Level: Moderate Time Required: Weekend Cost: $100 2x4s Tongue and groove wood planks Wood stain Crown molding Saw Build a frame on the wall out of 2x4s. Stain the wood planks ahead of time.
Apr 30, 2019
Meghan’s $10 Bathroom Floor Makeover
Project by: Meghan Location: Charleston, South Carolina Our bathroom floor was disgusting. Like, ten year old faux-wood rental apartment sheet vinyl disgusting. Really, the picture does not do it justice AT ALL. I toyed with the idea of putting down vinyl tiles on top (like I did in our kitchen), but the floor is super uneven and I was worried that the humidity would cause the glue to unstick. So, we made peace with it for a year and a half.
Apr 30, 2019
Christina’s “Fun and Light” DIY Bathroom Makeover
Project by: Christina Location: Jackson, Mississippi We had a small leak in our guest bathroom that required a hole to be knocked in the wall in order to access the pipe. I had (at that time) a wonderful idea to just go ahead and redo the entire bathroom to something a little more fun and light.
Apr 30, 2019
Phil and Bowha’s Open and Airy Family Kitchen
Project by: Phil and Bowha Location: Bakersfield, California This beautiful home is located in the Southern California community of Rosedale, which was historically a country town that was founded as a colony of English farmers back in 1891.
Apr 30, 2019
DIY Kubus Inspired Candleholder
This DIY project is totally impressive if you’re a fan of the Kubus candleholder that inspired it. It’s also pretty impressive even if you’ve never seen a Kubus. For under a day and under $20 you can have a totally gift-able, beautiful candle holder. Skill Level: Easy Time Required: 24 Hours Project Cost: Under $15 From Sara: The first time I saw this candleholder I felt instantly in love with it.
Apr 30, 2019
Charles Bares the Brick of a Brooklyn Home
Project by: Charles Wachtel of CW Property Group Location: Bed Stuy — Brooklyn, New York I am a former entertainment attorney, now on a mission to make clear that a house “flip” does not need to be a four letter word. I treat each renovation as my own home, and to that end, I build spec houses that I hope introduce a level of quality in both the design and the execution that people are generally unaccustomed to seeing in a developer-built renovation.
Apr 30, 2019
DIY Cloud Light
We’re card carrying members of the string light appreciation society and Therese’s fun and inventive DIY is a great way to add another whimsical light source to your home. Skill Level: Easy Time Required: 1 hour Project Cost: Around $10 LED Lighting Chain Metal Wire Hanger Pliers To get the frame for my cloud I bent a metal wire hanger in the cloud shape I wanted. You’ll need some strength and patience to finish this step.
Apr 30, 2019
How To Upgrade Your Vintage Suitcase to a Side Table
I found a gorgeous mustardy yellow vintage suitcase, which I upcycled into a fabulous side table. Not only that, I added extra character to the case with some vintage luggage labels. You can download these vintage luggage labels on my blog for free. This vintage suitcase looks great either as a bedside table or a coffee table. It’s also really useful for storage of stuff like magazines.
Apr 30, 2019
Nada’s Dreamy Bedroom Makeover
Project by: Nada Location: Doha, Qatar I can finally bring to you a long overdue room tour, my own bedroom! I promised awhile back that I would share before and afters from my own home one room at a time, and I’ve already shared Farida’s nursery, my 15 month old daughter, and this is the second room tour that I want to share. My husband and I started looking at the design of the bedroom before our wedding, more than two years ago.
Apr 30, 2019
Make Your Own Crystal Resin Collage Tray
This lovely little tray can do double duty of both helping you organize your space while jazzing it up. It’s also totally customizable, so follow Cassie’s instructions to make it your own! Skill Level: Easy Time Required: 2 hours active time, 24 hours to cure Project Cost: $50 From Cassie: I am in the middle of redecorating my bedroom, and one of the major upgrades I will be adding is a vanity area.
Apr 30, 2019
Carrie’s Moroccan Inspired Los Angeles Patio
Name: Carrie Location: Windsor Square — Los Angeles, California When we first toured our apartment, the patio looked like a prison yard. The paint was dirty and peeling, the floor was inexplicably covered in commercial kitchen mats, and the view was a tangle of power lines looming over the ugly backsides of three neighboring apartment buildings. (And don’t get me started on the flattened toilet boxes one neighbor used for curtains!
Apr 30, 2019
An Easy Way to Spruce Up Your Garbage Can
I have to admit, I’ve never once looked at my trashcan as a design opportunity. Now, thanks to Claire, I’m so ready to bring some pattern to my kitchen. Take it away Claire! From Claire: Over the last few years wallpaper has come back in fashion and there are tons of fantastic designs out there. Wallpaper is not just for walls, you can decorate loads of things with it. As many great design houses produce their own wallpapers it can be cheap way of getting that designer look.
Apr 30, 2019
A Bright and Cheery Farmhouse Kitchen Update For Under $20
Project by: Ashlea Location: Red Deer — Alberta, Canada We purchased a 1940s farmhouse complete with just about original everything. While our little home was big on charm, it was also big on orange, lacquered wood trim, doors, floors and cabinets. Our dated kitchen cabinets were cute, but the swan and fruit basket decals weren’t quite our thing.
Apr 30, 2019
A Kitchen Opens Up for Entertaining
Project by: Rebecca Chan Location: Toronto, Ontario My kitchen used to be a small extension of the main floor, cut off from the rest of the living/dining area. Opening up the wall was our main priority, which would make the whole main floor feel much larger and open concept. We had to move our electrical, main stack and water lines, which ended up taking a whole week to move. This ate up a big chunk of the budget, but it was so worth it to do.
Apr 30, 2019
This Complete Studio Makeover Went From Gut to Gorgeous
Project by: Melissa Location: Upper East Side — New York, New York My girlfriend Melissa and I purchased a small studio apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in October 2015. With a reasonable renovation budget, our goal was to take this fixer-upper, maximize the space and create a home for us for the next few years. Since Melissa loves to cook, and I love to eat, we made the kitchen our main priority. Deciding to tear down the wall that separated the kitchen was a no-brainer.
Apr 30, 2019
Make a Splash With a DIY Wallpaper Backsplash
If you love a good backsplash and want to bring some DIY flair to your kitchen but are a little tile averse, Claire has a fun solution for you! Skill Level: Moderate Time Required: 2-3 Hours Project Cost: $150-$200 Harlequin Wallpaper – Palmetto Demoiselle about 1/3 roll Wallpaper adhesive 5.5mm thick hardwood ply cut to size of backsplash (can be done in store) 4mm toughened low iron glass which we got cut to size at the store.
Apr 30, 2019
Crafting a Serene and Relaxing Space in Moscow
Project by: Anna Location: Moscow, Russia This apartment is located in the center of Moscow – only a five minute walk from the Red Square and Kremlin. It is located in a historic building and its surface is 65 square meters/700 square feet. My clients were a young couple – they travel a lot and wanted me to recreate a mixture of French and Scandinavian looks.
Apr 30, 2019
DIY Moss Wreath
This gorgeous wreath perfectly straddles summer and fall, and is super easy to make. Set aside one hour and you can have earthy and welcoming door decor! Skill Level: Easy Time Required: 1 hour Project Cost: $25-30 (if you already have a glue gun) From Caitlin: An inspiring DIY wreath project you can enjoy anytime of year from the photographer and stylist, Caitlin Atkinson, and author of Plant Craft: 30 Projects that Add Natural Style to your Home.
Apr 30, 2019
This IKEA Dictionary Tells You What Each Product Name Means
In the world of IKEA tropes, “IKEA is a death trap to couples” reigns supreme. But coming in at a close second is “I (a non-Swedish speaking individual) am somewhat flummoxed by the name of this bowl.” IKEA product names have long since been a source of delight, confusion and humor for many IKEA fans. Lucky for us, a brave man has put together the ultimate IKEA dictionary.
Apr 30, 2019
Inspiring Quotes From Famous Women About Decorating Their Homes
Hat queen Diane Keaton recently released an interior decorating book, The House That Pinterest Built, after years of quietly flipping houses (and releasing her own wine). Keaton isn’t alone in her passion for design, and The Cut has rounded up quotes from 25 powerhouse women on their love for interior decorating. It wouldn’t be a female-centric story about design without an appearance from dream home enchantress Nancy Meyers.
Apr 30, 2019
An Easy & Adorable DIY Valentine’s Paper Garland
Perhaps Valentine’s Day isn’t your thing. Totally cool. Maybe Valentine’s Day chocolate (and only the chocolate) is your thing. I so hear you. But if you’re thinking of decorating your space for a romantic night in or looking for a fun activity for a Galentine’s Day party, Helena’s easy and adorable garland is a fast and fun way to get in the Valentine’s Day spirit.
Apr 6, 2019
How to Turn Your IKEA Trofast Into a LEGO Holder
Maybe it’s the capital letters, but LEGO and IKEA seem like a match made in DIY heaven. Thanks to Stéphanie you can hack your way to an adorable and inexpensive LEGO holder.
Apr 6, 2019
Real Estate Rom Com: History Loves Company in Savannah
In honor of love, February, and gorgeous real estate, I put together another Real Estate Rom Com featuring this stunning home on Sotheby’s International Realty. A crowd bustles down Whitaker street, weaving in and out of Forsyth Park. It’s the annual historic house walk and as a winner of the Historic Savannah Foundation Preservation Award, 611 is a must see for any historic house enthusiast.
Feb 22, 2019
Three Kids Share One Masterfully Organized Montreal Bedroom
Name: Lily, Oli, and Chloé ( 5, 4, 2) Location: Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, Montreal — Canada Years ago, we shared our Lily and Oli’s shared room here on Apartment Therapy. Since then, we’ve added our third child, our daughter Chloé to the room. Now that we are officially crib-free, and still happily using one bedroom for our three little ones, I thought it was time to share the many changes we’ve made.
Feb 20, 2019
Lee’s Multiple Stage Kitchen Makeover
Project by: Lee Location: Mequon, Wisconsin We moved into our house in 2004. At that time, the house was like a time capsule of early-70s design, so we promptly gutted the kitchen and family room. Eleven years later, I decided it was time for another update … but with the big money we sank into it a decade ago, I wanted to do it all myself this time, as inexpensively as possible. In 2004, we spent around $20,000 on our gut re-do.
Feb 20, 2019
Maya’s Master Suite of Dreams
Name & Location: Maya in Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York My Favorite Room: Master Bedroom Suite Specs: 700 square feet The master bedroom floor of our 1903 Brooklyn townhouse was really choppy and awkward with lots of unusable space. There was a very small bathroom, a tiny bedroom (which I basically used as a closet) and a master bedroom with a series of weirdly laid out closets and a random bathroom vanity thrown in the middle.
Feb 20, 2019
Alex’s Cottage Kitchen Makeover
Project by: Alex Location: German Village — Columbus, Ohio My girlfriend and I recently purchased a 1885 brick cottage in the German Village neighborhood of Columbus, OH. While the house had great bones and needed nothing major, it was very outdated and needed a lot of cosmetic work. We renovated the entire first floor, including drywalling all of the walls and ceilings, refinishing the original old growth pine floors, and redoing the entire kitchen and layout.
Feb 20, 2019
Kaylee’s Polished Living Room
Name & Location: Kaylee in South Jordan, Utah My Favorite Room: Living Room Specs: 200 Square Feet My husband and I bought our first home about a year after we got married and immediately set to work on updating the living room (it’s the first thing people see when they walk through the door). The entire house was dark tan when we moved in, including the trim, so just updating the paint made a huge difference!
Feb 20, 2019
Kari’s “Stylish Yet Kid Friendly” Family Room
Name & Location: Kari in Dallas, Texas My Favorite Room: Family Room Specs: 275 Square Feet My husband Ryan and I moved into our home two months ago. We always talked about buying a fixer-upper and making it our own. Then, something crazy happened. We had kids. Between the toddler tantrums and an angelic newborn, a fixer-upper no longer seemed fun. Priorities, y’all. So instead we found a move-in ready home and fell in love instantly!
Feb 20, 2019
From Meet Cute to Marriage: Falling in Love in the Living Room
Name & Location: Courtney in Midtown — Tulsa, Oklahoma My Favorite Room: Living Room Specs: 180 Square Feet This room is special to my husband and me because it is where we met! Since then, we got married, I moved in and a lot of things changed! Just about every detail of the room has our special touch on it making it a place where we love to spend time. I reupholstered and changed the shape of our couch with a beautiful grey fabric from West Elm to make it a little more modern.
Feb 20, 2019
Virginia & Garrett’s Modern, Eclectic Treasure Trove in Florida
Name: Virginia and Garrett Cortese Location: Maitland, Florida Size: 817 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, Rented Virginia and Garrett’s lakeside home is a treasure trove of fine art, travel souvenirs, family heirlooms, lush greenery, and their own art—Garrett is a photographer, while Virginia is a graphic designer who dabbles in painting. Their apartment is wonderfully, as Virginia describes it, “modern but eclectic.
Feb 20, 2019
Lianna’s Lovely Milwaukee Loft
Name: Lianna Utley Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Size: 900 Square Feet Years lived in: 5 years We first got to see a peek of Lianna’s lovely Milwaukee loft in her house call. Now with a longer look, it’s obvious this home is a great mix of contrasts: rough brick and flirty florals; open loft space but cozy seating arrangements.
Feb 20, 2019
Melissa & Jake’s Cozy Cole Valley Rental
Name: Melissa (“Mel”) Nichols, Jake Durrett and Apple the adorable dachshund Location: Cole Valley/Upper Haight — San Francisco, California Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; rented Jake and Melissa have lived in four apartments together over the last seven years. But they love this apartment so much—located in a neighborhood close to Haight street, Golden Gate Park and tons of great food—they almost can’t see themselves living anywhere else!
Feb 20, 2019
Kristine’s Bright & Beautiful (Salmon-Pink!) Sacramento Rental
Name: Kristine Renee Location: Sacramento, California Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5; rental You don’t have to step foot into Kristine’s Sacramento apartment to see how bright and breezy the whole space feels. The natural light bounces off white furniture and accessories. Rustic design details mingle with flirty patterns and family treasures.
Feb 20, 2019
Sarah’s Textile-Filled Chicago Apartment
Name: Sarah Location: Ukrainian Village — Chicago, Illinois My apartment is an 800 square foot coach house in Ukranian Village. It took a lot of scrubbing and painting to bring it up to my standards, but was worth it for the location. I went from a studio to a 1.5 bedroom and was able to furnish it pretty quickly with the help of my mom, auctions and Craigslist. The living room is the best looking, but I spend most of my time in the large kitchen and cozy bedroom.
Feb 20, 2019
Sara’s Living & Dining Room Full of “Nordic Simplicity”
Name & Location: Sara in The village Skærbæk outside Fredericia, Denmark My Favorite Room: Living/Dining Room Specs: 431 Square Feet What I love most about our living room is the way that the sun falls in through the large window-doors, creating figures on the floor. I also like that it can hold the whole family with friends over. Typically my husband and son sit in the sofa, while my daughter dances or jumps around on the floor, and I sit with my laptop at the dining table.
Feb 20, 2019
Casey’s DIY Guest Room
Project by: Casey Location: Chicago, Illinois My husband and I purchased a condo in Chicago nine months ago, and we’ve slowly been working to transform every inch of the 1,200 square foot space. Determined to broaden my DIY skills and try out some new power tools. I vowed to makeover our guest room all by myself. I started by DIY’ing a wood wall treatment to create an accent behind the bed.
Feb 20, 2019
Lizeth’s Corner Office
Name & Location: Lizeth in San Diego, California My Favorite Room: Mini Home Office Specs: 300 square feet, rented My home style has evolved to a mix of modern furniture with organic and eclectic decor elements. Since we rent an apartment and do not have the luxury of an extra room for an office, I wanted to incorporate a mini home office into the living room area as organically as possible.
Feb 19, 2019
Cove’s “West Coast Modern” Nursery
Name & Location: Victoria in Dallas, Georgia My Favorite Room: Nursery Specs: 25 square feet, owned Decorating Cove’s nursery was so much fun for us. We knew that we wanted a space that was full of the things that we love with a west coast modern feel. I love white walls and bright spaces, so keeping things simple and minimalistic was also really important. Overall, we are very happy with how it turned out, and I can’t wait to add a little boy and his personality to it as he grows!
Feb 19, 2019
Real Estate Rom Com: Three Sisters and a Stately Victorian
In honor of love, February, and gorgeous real estate, I put together another Real Estate Rom Com featuring this stunning home on Sotheby’s International Realty. A minivan turns a corner and pulls into the driveway of 49 Kingwood Ave. FAMILY FOCUSED SISTER takes a big gulp of her very big coffee as she pushes her even bigger sunglasses to the top of her head. She glances at herself in the rearview mirror, where did the time go? She thinks.
Feb 8, 2019
Jon Hamm’s New York Apartment Comes With Jon Hamm As Your Landlord
The New York apartment of actor Jon Hamm is now available to rent. After recently purchasing a home in California, the Mad Men star decided to rent out the two bedroom, 1,000 square foot penthouse—for $14,995 a month. Recently renovated, it still has plenty of pre-war charm and, most importantly, offers you a connection to Jon Hamm.
Feb 4, 2019
Real Estate Rom Com: Maine Edition
Earlier this month I saw a property for sale that was so swoon-worthy I wrote a rom com about it. Not to be outdone, Sotheby’s International Realty posted this gorgeous Maine estate and once again I’ve found myself with a property muse of the highest caliber. Morning- EXT. Islesboro, Maine. RECENTLY DIVORCED WOMAN IN HER EARLY FIFTIES is sipping a cup of coffee on the porch of her new property.
Mar 29, 2018
These Tiny Apartments Could Be an Affordable Way to Fight Homelessness
With homelessness on the rise in New York City due to government funding cuts, rising rents and stagnating wages, the overburdened shelter system is failing those who need it most. As the government works to figure out how to support the cities homeless, many of whom are working but simply can’t afford the city, individual architecture and design firms are also considering new and inventive ways to provide low-cost or free housing.
Mar 23, 2018
A Scandi Design Inspired Keyboard That’s Music to Your Eyes and Ears
The gulf in sound and aesthetics between an electric keyboard and a grand (or even upright) piano can seem wide and insurmountable to many a piano enthusiast. This new collaboration between Roland and Karimoku offers up not only an upgrade in keyboard technology, but a sleek new look minimalist look. The Roland Kiyola electric piano is available stateside for the first time at the MoMA Design store.
Mar 17, 2018
This Tiny House Builds Up Instead of Out
As small space living gets more and more popular, the tiny houses and micro homes have become sleeker, smarter and well, taller. This skinny micro home was designed by Dutch firm Ana Rocha Architecture and was given the extra appropriate name, The Slim Fit. It looks sort of like a sexy Lincoln Log and offers 538 square feet of living space, spread out across three floors. The exterior is covered Ayous hardwood, which was laid out vertically emphasizing the length of the building.
Mar 11, 2018