Rachael Grad

Need some drama in your home? Glamorize your bathroom with black walls and accents. We love the intimacy created by these black-painted walls in small bathrooms.INSPIRATION ROOMS:1. Alex’s Granny Chic House Tour2. Black Bathroom in a Tiny Vintage Los Angeles Apartment from Houzz3. Chic Black Bathroom from Canadian House and Home4. On Trend in Europe: Gray & Black for the Bath5. Jenna Lyons’ Brooklyn brownstone via House to HomePAINT COLORS TO GET THIS LOOK:1.

“Obsessed with home decor? You may have self-image problems,” ran a recent headline in The Globe and Mail. The article heavily quotes our very own Apartment Therapy commenters and writer Sarah Dobbins, and claims that women today feel pressured and stressed about home decor to the point that they have self-esteem issues.

image:e28ba0c9f5624b9a9ae1fa0837e30964e29b55e7 w:540 s:"fit" class_name:"mt-image-center" show_pin_button:"true" show_image_credits:"true" I’m on the hunt for a secretary desk that folds up to hide records, office supplies and a laptop. Must be tall, thin and handsome, with plenty of storage space. Modern, clean design preferred.It will be such a relief to move office work out of the kitchen and into its own space. Here are the secretary desk contenders so far:1.

Last week’s post on How to Watch TV in Bed Without Disturbing Your Partner really hit home. Even if you ban TV in the bedroom as we do, debates can still happen over reading late into the night with the light on.We’re looking for options other than sleeping in separate rooms. We love this list of 10 Best Bedlights for Readers, but want a light that doesn’t disturb a sleepy partner. Some options: task lamps, headlamps or book lights? Force your partner to wear an eye mask?

Name: WillLocation: Cabbagetown; Toronto, OntarioSize: 1,300 sq. feetYears lived in: 4.5 years owned We last visited Will’s English Gentry in Cabbagetown in the summer of 2010. While there wasn’t much to improve on since then, Will has moved around furniture, acquired some new accessories and renovated his furnace room. So this tour shows details missed in the first tour and focuses on the small changes that alter the feel of the space.

Name: Mazen El-Abdallah, founder of Mazen StudioLocation: Leslieville, Toronto, OntarioSize: 900 square feetYears lived in: 4 years owned When Mazen bought his townhouse, the space was divided into small rooms. Coming from a loft, Mazen wanted this home to have an open feel. Thanks to Mazen’s renovation and interior design, the house now feels like one big space with the upstairs living room area connected to the downstairs.

Can you guess the most popular color in the entire world? Dulux Paints conducted a survey and found that 42 percent of males and 30 percent of females have the same favorite color. Find out which colors are the world’s favorite and the least liked. The most popular color in the world is blue. The second favorite colors are red and green, followed by orange, brown and purple. Yellow is the least favorite color, preferred by only five percent of people.

An art studio can easily get messy. Over the years, I’ve found that art storage supplies are key to a clean studio. However, art supply stores are not the best source for either art supplies or art supply storage…Depending on your art media (paint, wood, textile, etc.), art supply stores are often much pricier than stores that cater to non-artists.

Drifting through the winding streets of Venice, Italy, slowing down and getting lost, you see domesticated dogs running off-leash. With no cars or other vehicles in the city, the animals run free through the streets, canals, alleys and bridges. Dogs have a long, honored history in Venice…Venice honors Saint Roch and the dog that saved his life by bringing him bread and licking his wounds. Statues and artwork depicting Saint Roch and the dog can be found throughout Venice.

Name: WillLocation: Cabbagetown, Toronto, OntarioSize: 1,300 sq. feetYears lived in: owned for three years Six years ago, Will arrived in Canada from the U.K. with a few suitcases of clothing. Since then, Will has built up his ideal home with personal objects and furniture that combine elements of his homeland and adopted city. His self-described style: “landed gentry with a North American twist.

I loved my IKEA MALM bed with bookshelves that slid neatly into the headboard (shown here). The headboard is a great storage piece for books and bedside items you want to keep within reach but are also easy to hide. Click through for a few more headboards with hidden storage.

Name: Rachael & Cassidy (1-year old Doodle, a Dashchund-Poodle mix)Location: U Street Corridor, Washington, DC Size: 1,025 square feetYears lived in: 2.5 My home is a mini-design lab, where I’ve tried out many of the inspiring ideas shown on Apartment Therapy. I replaced the barn door with sliding bookcases — my version of a secret passageway — and tried out my favorite colors and ideas.

Name: AlexOccupation: owner of dog-walking company Loyal CompanyLocation: U Street Corridor, Washington DCSize: 1,200 square feetLived in: rented for 4 yearsOther Occupants: Louis, a 4-year old Italian greyhound >> Each room of Alex’s shotgun apartment has its own decor theme: the Diane Vreeland-inspired red living room; the green room; the calm bedroom; and the “bruised” hallway. The long, shotgun apartment layout lends itself well to different decor in each room.

Names: Anna and DanOccupation: co-owners of Goodwood DC; Anna is also a co-owner of the interior designer firm “Old School Interiors” Other Occupants: cats Mouse and Doddy (18 and 19 years old)Location: Logan Circle, Washington DCBuilding Type: industrial building built between 1890 and 1911; functioned as an upscale laundry facility whose clients included the White HouseSize: about 2000 sq.ft.

Name: KellyOccupation: self-employed, consults from homeLocation: Adams Morgan, Washington DCSize: about 450 sq.ft.Lived in: rented for 2 years >> found chair.> Kelly combines found objects and store-bought items with her own artwork and finishing touches. None of the furniture in Kelly’s studio cost more than $200. Kelly is not afraid to make bold changes to her decor and furniture and is constantly replacing places and making them over.

AT DC, I moved into an apartment with old bathtub stains that really gross me out. The former resident’s bathmat left dark stains on the bottom of the tub. I love taking baths but wouldn’t be able to relax with those icky stains. I’ve tried various bathroom cleaners and none have gotten rid of the stains. Any ideas? I really miss my bath time!

Name: AdamLocation: Dupont Circle, Washington, DCSize: 625 sq ft condYears lived in: 7 years, ownedResidence Type: condo building designed by architect Harry Wardman in 1916 Adam shares his condo with his two cats, Jonas and Ezekiel (named after the Indigo Girls’ song). Always a neat-freak, Adam had to make some concessions when he adopted his two cats. Adam designed a cat tunnel, which leads the cats from the hall to their litter box in the closet….

The Shift Media Console/Bookcase from Crate & Barrel can be used as a console, bookcase and room divider. It’s a versatile piece because you can place it horizontally or vertically, and stack several pieces on top of one another. More info below the jump…This is part of the Crate & Barrel’s ready-to-assemble line, which means you’ll have to build it yourself. Is that a deal-breaker for you? We like both the teak and black melamine color choices.