It’s been two years since readers gave Laura advice about increasing the curb appeal of her rental property and she’s back with an update. Her plan was to make the lawn healthier and add some shrubs. She was also considering painting the shutters or siding and asked readers to help decide what color might go nicely with the yellow. So, let’s find out how this house looks now and which advice Laura ran with!
Name: Maria Rusafova and Jakub Markulis Location: Asheville, North Carolina Size: 1,400 square feet Years lived in: 11 years, own Though Maria and Jakub’s house is situated in a dense neighborhood, it often goes undetected — a mark of success for the architects who designed the house with the goal of integrating the structure as peacefully as possible into the urban forest. In fact, not a single tree on the property was disturbed.
Name: Brittany, Christian, and (pup) Ted Location: Hill East — Washington, DC Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Brittany, Christian, and their much-adored German Shepard mix, Ted, live in a classic row house in Washington, DC, just east of the U.S. Capitol. They’ve built an elegant and sophisticated home, lovingly filled with details collected over time.
Name: Adam Kuhn Location: Little Italy — Toronto, Canada Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: Rented 3 years Finding an apartment in Toronto is no easy feat, so when Adam stumbled upon this gem in Little Italy he was ecstatic and relieved to have finally found a place to call home in the city. One of his favorite things about the neighborhood is the mix of dwellers from renters, owners and families — all folks that say hello to one another on the street.
Name: Tiffany and Alan Goldstein Location: Austin, Texas Size: 1064 square feet Years lived in: Owned for 9 Months Natural light pours in through large windows, warming Tiffany and Alan’s Austin bungalow. Tiffany’s background in fashion and the couple’s traveling adventures have inspired chic yet playful interior design. In just nine months, they have creatively remodeled the home to make their space feel open and airy.
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.
Name: The Dreamcatcher Guesthouse, owned by Sylvia and Stephan Location: Ocean Park — San Juan, Puerto Rico Size: 4,000 square feet Years open: 4 years When my partner and I drove into the gated Ocean Park community, we had to circle the block a couple of times before we found The Dreamcatcher guesthouse, where we were staying during our trip to Puerto Rico. Aside from a bold red fence, its plant-covered facade is non-descript, showcasing only small black letters on a white wall.
Matt and Amanda’s Pasadena home doesn’t have one specific style. But they think that if the Kennedys went camping, this is how it would look: craftsman elements, mid-century furniture mixed with rustic accents, and even a little bit of glam. Combined, those elements create a cozy home the couple can enjoy in their quiet, tree-lined neighborhood. Shop the style below!
Q: My husband and I are in the process of buying a new home that we’ll be moving into with our two dogs. In our current home we use two stacked tension dog-gates to keep the dogs in our dining area when we want the kitchen or living room to ourselves but we’re not sure what to do in the new house. The new home is an open floor plan and the smallest space we could gate is about 7.5′ across.
Tiffany and Alan’s Austin bungalow is chic and playful, inspired by Tiffany’s background in fashion and the couple’s travels. Most impressive is that the couple has only been in the space for nine months. You can easily get this warm, beautiful look in your home using the links below. Shop the style!
An easy way to dress up any kitchen is to switch out the dated drawer and cabinet pulls. With so many options out there it can be hard to narrow down the search (and it can be easy to spend much more than initially planned). But have you ever thought of making them yourself? Sarah did just that! After painting her rental’s super basic kitchen cabinets a dark moody color (Behr’s Submarine Grey) she installed her DIY leather pulls and took her bland stock kitchen to a whole new level.
Name: Vicki Sleet and Justin Spreckley, with four children aged 17 to 2 months. Location: Muizenberg — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 250 square metres Years lived in: Owned 6 years Interior stylist, journalist and blogger Vicki Sleet is known for her love of DIYs and finding a good bargain. She even has a series on her blog, aptly named Bargain Betty. Naturally, you’ll find evidence of her handiwork and upcycled projects throughout their home.
Hannah and Marc’s vibrant and textured Nashville home showcases modern accents and bold paint colors, and infuses them with traditional elements. The end result is a style they call “Modernized Traditional” — a successful way of mixing contemporary pieces in a traditional space. Check out the links below to shop the style for your home.
Name: Tasha (Granny Tash) and Travis Schultz, Cheeto (Fur child) Location: Falcon Heights, Minnesota Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years Formerly known as “that house” on the block, the one looming there behind an overgrown lawn. Now, Tasha and Travis welcome us into their 1942 home in Falcon Heights, full of vintage charm and its reworked quirks.
Kate and Jennifer’s shared space is equal parts modern and cool, but also classic and romantic. In their 1,000 square foot condo, you’ll find bold colors and clean lines mixed with traditional furniture and accents. Shop the style below to get this sophisticated yet edgy look in your home.
When Pamela, Michael, and their son Max moved into their 1906 historic Portland home, the floors were layered with soot and grime, the ceilings had water damage and rot, and there were literally holes in the floors. The couple did a major renovation, and now, the home shows off beautiful original features plus finishes of their choice. It’s also filled with gorgeous furniture, accents, and art the family loves. Check out the links below to shop some of those pieces.
Name: Vicky and Ross Smith, and daughters Olivia & Florence Location: Guildford, UK Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 3 1/2 years With its pared-back yet warm feel, understated color palette and abundant natural light, this family home in the Southern-English county of Surrey is inspired by many elements of contemporary Scandinavian style.
The Ikea Nolmyra has so much potential. Great lines, perfect scale, cool bent plywood legs. But with that stock gray mesh cover, it’s a like a sexy foot stuck in a dirty running shoe. You can easily upgrade it, though. Just toss a $12 Gurli throw into your Ikea cart, and we’ll show you how to give this cool little lounge chair a whole new look. Gurli throw (or 1.
Name: Sandra Lobos, Juan Carlos Ferrer, and their cat Mimí Location: Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 months It’s a surprise that Sandra and Juan Carlos‘ apartment in Puerto Rico is so minimal, considering the two have such playful, exuberant personalities.
Name: Joe and Kim Klomes, plus their cats Laszlo & Eames Location: Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois Size: 690 square feet Years lived in: Rented 8 months Kim and Joe’s Chicago apartment is inspiring for many reasons, but most importantly, it shows both their personalities and illustrates the true potential of patience and collaboration when decorating a home.
Name: Joana Santamans Location: Eixample — Barcelona, Spain Size: 2,152 square feet Years lived in: Renting for 3 years Church bells ring nearby as I stand in front of Joana’s front door — her home seems like it’s in some small village rather than in the center of Barcelona. An illustrator and painter, Joana established her atelier inside her Barcelona home so she could spend more time with her family while creating her art.
Name: Katia, Chad and their daughter, Milla Location: Observatory — Cape Town, South Africa Size: 1291 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, owned Katia, Chad and their daughter Milla live in a charming Victorian cottage in the heart of Observatory, Cape Town. A wild, overgrown garden greeted me and as I stepped inside, I felt as though I may just be in a French apartment.
Name: Molly Trask and Trevor Price (plus dogs Eleanor Roosevelt and Martha Washington and cat Abigail Adams) Location: Durham, North Carolina Size: 1,040 square feet Years lived in: Renting 1 year Molly writes: “Our home is a 1,040 square foot converted warehouse apartment in the oldest standing building in Durham, NC, an old tobacco town currently undergoing a brilliant revival.
As a renter, building your own built-in bookshelves is out of the question (unless you butter up your landlord, I guess). But you can get kind of close. Here are a handful of storage solutions that, like liquids and cats, will fill any space. And the best part about modular, design-your-own pieces is that they can be reconfigured to work in your next apartment (and every apartment after that!). Boxy modules snap together with small clips, and can be placed on the floor or on top of a stand.
Name: Phoebe, Dylan and Memphis Location: Wye River, Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia Size: 753 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Phoebe, Dylan and their one-year-old son Memphis love escaping city life in Melbourne and driving down the Great Ocean Road to Wye River, relaxing at their Australiana fibro shack they’ve named Ipanema. Wye River is a small coastal town a scenic two and a half hour drive from Melbourne.
Name: Rose and Dan Location: Red Hill — Brisbane, Australia Size: 2368 square feet Years lived in: 12 years This gorgeous worker’s cottage in Brisbane’s inner suburbs is owned by ceramicist and collector, Rose, and her musician husband, Dan. Having lived in this house now for a cozy 12 years, their home is well-loved and decorated with a beautiful and organically grown collection of furniture and decor.
Name: Kendra Gilbert Location: Tower District — Fresno, California Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1 year Kendra’s apartment is in Fresno’s historic Tower District neighborhood, which features some of the area’s most beautiful housing — preserved apartment buildings, craftsmen bungalows, and beautiful mansions.
Name: Helen Levi Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn Size: Less than 1000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2.5 years Editor’s note: We’re re-running this tour because Helen Levi is launching a new dinnerware line on June 14th and we’re excited! Her work is beautiful, earthy and a favorite of mine, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for 2018.
Name: Anna Alfaro Location: Eixample — Barcelona, Spain Size: 807 square feet Years lived in: Owned for 1 year Anna greets me with a hug when I arrive to photograph her home, and the autumn sun fills her house with warm light. It’s such a lovely scene, the house itself seems to hug you. Anna has spoken about how pleased she is with the results of her apartment renovation, and now seeing it in person I can only feel envy!
Q: Hi! I am hoping you can give me some much needed advice. I am renting my first apartment—it’s a two story townhouse—and I think one wall in the foyer would benefit greatly from a really bold, patterned wallpaper (I have no restrictions on what I can do in the unit). There’s just one problem. I have always been told that paint and wallpaper should only end at a corner or some other break in the wall, and this particular wall has no breaks.
Q: My husband and I have just purchased our first house, and we are very excited to finally have a space in our basement to dedicate to music. As a musician, he frequently brings guitars, amps, and other large equipment back and forth to gigs and rehearsals. In the past, he has rented practice spaces, which are always covered in gouges on the walls, corners, and doors—an inevitable cost of musicians constantly hauling large heavy things.
Q: I’m really hoping the Apartment Therapy forum will help me out on this one. My husband and I bought our first house in October, and now that the weather is nice we have turned our sights to the exterior. Landscaping aside, we want to achieve a brand new look on the cheap by repainting the upper purple scalloped siding [see listing photo below].
Name: Carmen Chavarri and Tom Mills Location: Ottawa, Ontario Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years; Rented Carmen Chavarri is one of our fabulous photographers here at Apartment Therapy, and she toured her Ottawa apartment last summer before they moved to the Philippines! “This was our home for only one and a half years, and yet it became such a personal and comfortable space that we find ourselves reminiscing about it every day,” she writes.
This home matches Annie and Rush perfectly: artful, clever, and gracious. Their style is evolving, with nods to Swedish minimalism, MCM, and Norman Rockwell.
Name: Isabel Serna and Juan Franky Location: Hollywood, Florida Size: 1600 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, owned Isabel and Juan share this Florida home with a cute Frenchie dog named Charlie (who, as you’ll be able to tell from the photos, is very much the king of the house).
Name: Aine Donovan and Eloise Jones Location: East London Size: 1200 square feet Years lived in: Owned for less than a year How much can happen in eight months? For this couple in London, Aine Donovan and Eloise Jones, turns out quite a lot. In this short period of time they have bought a house, gutted it, knocked down a few walls, painted every single surface, made beautiful furniture and even built a kitchen from scratch, all whilst being pregnant and preparing for a baby.
Name: Silvia Location: London Size: 710 square feet Years lived in: Owned 1 year For years, Silvia worked with a top minimalist-leaning Italian architect, so when she and her boyfriend bought this two-bedroom apartment in North London a year ago, she knew she “wanted to create a minimal and calm interior, without being too cold.
Name: Victoria, Nikolai and Maya Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 1,230 square feet Years lived in: Owned for 1 year Nikolai and Victoria met during their last year in university and moved around Amsterdam quite a bit until they settled down in this lovely two-floor apartment. After renting five apartments over the last 10 years they felt ready to buy their own place.
Brandon and Morgan, a couple who live in a sweet house in Asheville, North Carolina, decided to make their own curtain rods after discovering how limited the options were at their local hardware stores. They wanted an attractive, simple (and of course, cheap) curtain rod for each of the windows in their home so when Morgan came across copper plumber’s piping, she knew she had found a solution. The project can be done in an under an hour and for under $80 (that’s for 4-5 curtain rods!
Name: Ana Nelson Location: Tacoma, Washington Size: 925 square feet Years lived in: Owned, 1 year Ana grew up working for her family’s event company, and has always loved vintage items, so when she set out to buy her first house, she knew she would be happiest living in a home from another era. At just 25, Ana purchased a small 1920s bungalow, and has spent the past year converting the home from a dark, run-down space into the bright, cheery cottage that it is today.
Name Type of Project Location: Upper Tangletown — Minneapolis, Minnesota Type of building: 1930s Tudor-Style Duplex Erin and Ken finished their total backyard on time, but did they also get the job done on budget? What’s your guess? Did they go over or under? Electrician: $494.46 Design fees: N/A Gas Grill: $288.57 Exterior Backdoor Light: $325.96 Garage Sconces: $192.55 Semi Raised Gardens: $112.75 Screen Door & Hardware: $88.88 Garage Main Door + Hardware: $303.98 A/C Fencing $245.
Name: Morgan Schemel Location: Utrecht, Netherlands Size: 1000 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years My partner and I moved to the Netherlands in January 2015 with two suitcases and some family photos. We had to wait more than four months for the rest of our shipment to arrive and used that between time to explore the local thrift stores and markets for unique pieces to fill our home.
Serena & Lily IKEA FJELLSE Bed (I only had space for a single, but go for the queen!) Molding of your choosing (I used two of these from Home Depot) Set of IKEA VÄSENTLIG Curtain Finials White Spray Paint Set of Table Legs (I used these from Lowe’s) 2 Tee Nuts (make sure the thread size matches your table legs) 24″ Open Cane Webbing Wood Glue Saw Hammer Clamps Staplegun 1. Spray paint all the pieces before you get started. 2.
Name: Jill and Warren Location: Roncesvalles — Toronto Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: Renting 4 months As soon as Jill and Warren stepped into their new loft, they were sold! Moving from a newer condo in the downtown core, this space – with a good story and some history behind it – really appealed to them. Initially from the West End, Jill knew the charm of the neighborhood and has now introduced Warren to a new part of the city.
Amy's only lived here for little over a month, but she's created an eclectic space, filled with unique furniture and accessories from antique stores, estate sales, and her travels.
Central air conditioning can be a lifesaver for keeping our homes cool in the summer months, but the look of the air conditioning units themselves leave much to be desired when it comes to backyard ambience. With our home being a duplex, my husband, Ken, and I had double-trouble air conditioner units located next to our backyard patio, and we needed to find a solution for hiding them in plain sight without interfering with their efficiency.
Name: Danielle and Justin McKim and Great Dane Charlotte Location: Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 1,500 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned Danielle and Justin have a home that could not be more full of their own individual style and personality. Collecting affordable pieces and turning them into magic was once a hobby of Danielle’s that soon became her career as a designer and local storefront owner here in Charlotte.
Name: Margaret Scholley Location: Bangalow, Australia Size: 1453 square feet Years lived in: Owned 7 years Margaret Scholley has been designing residential interiors for over 20 years in Australia, founding Alida & Miller Interior Design, an impressive firm that takes on design and styling projects around the world. In 2013, her daughter Kit (see her house tour!) joined her, and they’re now a mother daughter design duo focusing on interior styling and staging in the Byron Bay hinterland.
Name: Kit Alida Bettison with husband and kids Location: Bangalow, Australia Size: 2368 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Inspired by expansive, light-filled industrial-style New York lofts and the free-wheeling bohemian vibes of the 1970s, this house in Australia is a maximalist’s dream. It’s the home of Kit Alida Bettison and her husband, who have lived in the home for three years, after building it four years ago.
Not exactly known for her minimalist views on decor, Jen's holiday-ready home—and over 100 Christmas trees—is cheery enough to brighten even the biggest Grinch's day!
Everyone loves the look of a vintage refrigerator — especially a colorful model. If you’re really lucky, you bring home a brand new Smeg, or Big Chill for your kitchen. But if you’re a purist, or on a slimmer budget, you make your dream of a colorful vintage refrigerator come true for much, much less by rolling up your sleeves and doin’ it yourself.
With so many amazing outdoor activities during the warm seasons, this all-purpose fabric towel is a handy (and handsome) accessory to keep stashed away in your car or scooter bucket. Impromptu cliff diving excursion? No prob, you’ve got a great towel/cover up. Picnic in the park over your lunch break? Bust out the blanket!
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.
Name: Meghan and Jesse Arlen Location: Mid-Wilshire area — Los Angeles, California Size: 540 square feet Years lived in: Renting 1 year Meghan and Jesse have made their studio apartment feel like a haven of old world charm. They focus on living a waste-free, conscientious lifestyle, and part of this involves buying older things and repurposing as much as they can. They both greatly value authenticity of objects and especially prize the stories behind each thing they own.
Name: Lucas Ortega Navarro Location: Vicente Lopez — Buenos Aires, Argentina Size: 495 square feet Years lived in: Rented, 1 year After living in a much bigger place (where he never felt at ease), Lucas finally found his home a year ago in this one bedroom apartment over an avenue in the Vicente Lopez neighborhood. The furniture that seemed to be floating all over his old apartment now felt at home in this much cozier place.
Name: Jessica, Andrew, and Gus Ullom Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Size: 1,750 square feet, built in 1965 Years lived in: Owned 2 years From the outside, you would definitely expect a cute new family of three to live here. But you might be surprised at the beautiful creativity happening inside! Jessica and her husband Andrew both work with their hands on a daily basis.
Name: Victoria Harrison Location: England, UK Size: 2 bedroom, semi-detatched bungalow Years lived in: 3 years Victoria, the interiors writer, editor and stylist behind Style Made Simple, bought her 1970s English bungalow in 2014. Nestled on what Victoria describes as a “friendly street in a pretty village,” her cozy home is located in the picturesque countryside of England.
Name: Amy and Jed Rogers, dog: Prancy and cat: Barney Location: Austin, Texas Size: 1,600 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2.5 years When my husband, Jed Rogers, and I started our house hunt four years ago we knew our list of “must haves” was going to be tough to find all in one home. What we ended up finding? A 1964 one-story home with good bones and lots of potential in a desirable neighborhood.
Name: Irina Melsom and Hans Askheim (and kids Aleksandra, Markus) Location: Bethnal Green — London, UK Size: 1000 square feet Years Lived In: Owned for 4 years Originally from Norway, artists Irina and Hans have shared this Victorian three-bedroom terrace in East London with their daughter Aleksandra and son Markus for four years.
IKEA’s MELODI pendant lamp is a really great blank slate — there are a million ways to tweak and hack one to make it yours. Weave the plastic shade with natural round reed get a contrasting mix of materials that’s both organic and modern. IKEA MELODI Pendant Lamp Natural Round Reed Scotch Tape Spray Paint (optional) Tools Drill & Bits X-Acto Knife Measuring Tape Pen 1. Wrap the tape measure around the diameter of the lamp and put an odd number of pen marks on the shade.
Name: Kate Sykes Location: Raleigh, North Carolina Size: 840 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2.5 months To find her new apartment, Kate bypassed typical rental search engines and opted to drive around her ideal neighborhood in Raleigh, scouting beautiful facades and “For Rent” signs. That’s how she landed this home just three months ago. How she managed to pull it together so quickly and skillfully speaks to her background in design.
Bottles covered in macramé, or knotted rope, are an old school craft — the result reads either nautical or Bohemian. The netting’s an easy way to add texture and decorative pattern to a surface, and it works particularly well with glass bottles and tall vases. Learn how to do it here, and then start knotting! IKEA 365+ Glass Carafe Twine Scissors 1. Tie a circle of twine around the top of the glass bottle.
Name: Irwin Gueco Location: The General Scott — Washington, DC Size: 495 square feet Years lived in: Rented 6 years / Owned 2 years “Your home should tell your story,” says Irwin. And everywhere you look in his home there is a good story, providing insight into Irwin’s personality. Filled to the brim with carefully selected mementos, artwork and furniture, his home feels like a lovingly curated museum. Which is fitting, because he spends his days at a museum.
Name: Kirsten White, Darcy Killeen and Brydie Killeen Location: Dufferin Grove — Downtown Toronto Size: 2,300 square feet Years lived in: 16 years, owned It took over a decade for Kirsten and Darcy to begin their home renovations — other than a few fresh coats of paint. But when you’re a professional designer (and self-proclaimed perfectionist), “it was all worth the wait to achieve exactly what I had envisioned for the space,” explained Kirsten.
This week Camille is sharing her real life rental challenge and how she transformed her dingy carpeted entryway stairs (with her landlord’s permission!) into something more welcoming, yet still temporary. If you want to see the first post, check out the before photos here. Removing wallpaper can be a terrible task and it’s the last thing anyone wants to deal when they move. This tutorial uses a temporary adhesive that works well for wallpaper in smaller pieces.
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.
making a comeback 9″ x 11″ frame that has an interior depth of at least ¾” and spring-loaded backing clips on the back of the frame. I used this picture frame. 36″ x 12″ piece of black felt 1″ White plastic letters Pencil Scissors Ruler or T-Square Hot glue gun Mitre or circular saw Qty 18 – 3/16″ thick square balsa wood dowels, 24″ long 1.
Name: Roman Anthony Location: Mar Vista — Los Angeles, California Room Size: 12.5′ x 11′ First there were two, Amy and her husband, Corey. You may remember their inspiring Echo Park home. Then baby Marlowe made three. Remember her playful nursery? Now the couple are ready to welcome the newest addition to the family, baby Roman, in a new Mar Vista home. Amy put all of her creative stylist skills to work on decorating his academia-themed nursery.
Name: Farida Location: IJburg — Amsterdam, The Netherlands Size: 968 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; owned A twenty-minute ride by streetcar will take you from the bustling Amsterdam center to IJburg, a cluster of six artificial islands in the IJ lake. Surrounded by water, it feels like being on an island holiday. Even though it’s still a part of the Amsterdam-Oost (Amsterdam East) borough!
Name: Ariene C. Bethea and Daren Z. Bethea II (and Mini) Location: Charlotte, North Carolina Size: 3,100 Square Feet Years lived in: 9 years, owned There are dreamers and there are doers. Ariene Bethea fits into the latter. Ariene brought her dream to life through her designer furnishings storefront, Dressing Rooms Interiors Studio. She has been called a “design maven,” whose arrival is “changing the face of design in the South.
