The dining room — or in smaller homes, the “dining area” — has become a forgotten, cluttered spot in many homes. With our tables piled with old mail collecting dust, many of us eat our meals in front of Netflix or on the go. But whether you entertain guests or cook meals for one, you deserve a beautiful spot in your home just for enjoying eating a meal.
Want to live permanently on island time, but in the middle of the desert? This two bedroom home in Palm Springs really plays up its tiki culture history. Take a look inside. The 1,289 square foot two bedroom, two bathroom condo is located in Palm Springs’ famed Royal Hawaiian Estates.
If you’ve ever browsed homes for sale, you know that after awhile, they definitely all start to blend together. However, these nine properties are ones that—for better or worse—we’ll never forget. From untouched time capsules to the sets of our favorite childhood sitcoms, these are the listings that made us smile, laugh, and even cringe this year. This Virginia estate has been in the same family since it was built in 1856.
From Apartment Therapy → 10 Beautifully Styled Bar Carts Worth Throwing a Party For A bar cart is more than just a place to store your booze and drink accessories — think of it as a way to show off your sense of style! Here are 10 ways to to outfit and decorate your bar cart!
It’s Design Week in Milan and SMEG and Dolce & Gabbana are back with even more appliances turned art. If you thought the fridges were extra, just wait until you have a hand painted oven and range hood to match. The collection, called Sicily Is My Love, started as an exhibit at Milan Design Week in 2016. The fashion brand enlisted artists to paint traditional imagery on one hundred of the appliance maker’s hugely popular retro style refrigerators.
They may be some of the smallest details in a kitchen, but a change (or addition) of cabinet hardware can totally update a room’s entire look. Available in a disorienting array of finishes, shapes, sizes and materials, the sky’s the limit when it comes to choosing what to adorn your cabinet doors and drawers with. But perhaps you’re not entirely convinced that a few knobs can make a big visual difference in a kitchen? Check out the Photoshopped images below.
I am beyond thrilled with the result of my Style Cure and today I share my “after” photos! We went from a gloomy, unused, unfinished sunroom to a bright, open, and warm lounge area and office. There are so many elements in this new space that make me extremely happy, but just the fact that I can edit the photos for this post while sitting at a real desk in front of cheerful windows is enough to send me over the moon.
As long as the tap turns on, you don’t really think about your water. But you may have a problem that shows up in other ways, and hard water is one you should definitely pay attention to.
When you’re living in a small space, every detail counts. But sometimes those little things — the things that elevate a place from not quite right to effortlessly chic — can be hard to identify. Our first bit of advice? Swap your freestanding bookshelves for wall-mounted shelving. It’s an approach that was recommended by Maxwell in his “Apartment Therapist” column for Better Homes & Gardens.
IKEA is always introducing exciting new products. The downside of this is that they’re always retiring old products. Some of them you may never miss, or never even notice that they’re gone, but the loss of others feels like the loss of an old friend. (Sure, I never did buy a canopy bed from IKEA, but it was nice to know that I could. You know?) A moment of silence, please, for these eight beloved IKEA products, taken from us too soon.
Name: Aaron and Emily Choi Type of Project: Full remodel, including the kitchen and two bathrooms Location: La Jolla, California Type of building: Condo; 1300 square feet Yesterday we got a look at the beautiful results of Emily and Aaron’s condo renovation. Today we’re taking a closer look at one of the more practical aspects of the project: the budget. How did the actual price tag compare with Emily and Aaron’s estimate from before the project began? Read on to find out.
Ultra-thin tablets. The MacBook Air. Everything’s getting smaller and more compact—but somehow we’re still dealing with big and bulky printers. Until Apple releases the Inkjet Air, we’re stuck with finding different ways to store our printers and make them less of an office eyesore.If you think the desk and the floor are the only spots for your big inkjet printer, think again. You can stash your printing gear in a million different places, if you know where to look:1.
Soffia bought two of these tall, imposing pieces at an Icelandic Goodwill—I’ve dubbed them “bookdenzas”—and wanted to lighten them up and give them some personality to use in her son’s bedroom. Here’s what she came up with: Soffia tells us: The tall book case is an old piece of living room furniture that was very popular in Iceland in the 70s and 80s. I bought it for around $40 at a local Goodwill.
We love movies because they offer us an escape from everyday life. A chance to—even just for a moment—pretend that we’re the ones touring the Italian countryside or living lavishly in a beach house in Malibu. But have you ever wondered what the real price tag would be on your fantasy life? Here are 12 homes you might recognize from your favorite movies, and right below them, the dollar amount it would actually take to live there.
Last month we asked how much readers spent buying and installing a new water heater in their home. And you told us! We hope this information gives a basic sense of how much this new appliance costs, and how much you can expect to pay when hiring someone. Keep in mind, this is general and prices most likely vary in cities versus more rural locations, etc…Although this gives you a rough idea, you should always seek multiple quotes for any work done in your home.
The KURA loft bed has earned its cred and its staying power. It’s cheap, ideal for small homes and, as you’ll see in these twenty examples, offers endless opportunities for customization. Paint, wood, fabric: choose your medium and make your KURA your own with a simple color upgrade or a full-on hack. 1. Wood slats cover this KURA to totally transform the look and lend it a tree house feel. (IKEAHackers) 2.
Sure, it would be great to live in a spotless, stainless house that’s magazine-worthy and ready to be photographed at any moment, but nobody really lives that way. (Not even the people whose homes have been photographed.) As anyone who enjoys kids, pets, or parties can attest, saying yes to our messy lives is more fun than being perfect. When you accept that the occasional stain is the price of a full life, a little prep can save a lot of stress.
People love LEGO. They also love Gilmore Girls. Now the two have come together in an idea so pure and beautiful that we can’t help but love it. Behold, a replica Luke’s Diner made from the toy blocks. While we’re waiting for Netflix, the showrunners, and cast to figure out if there will be more episodes of the revival or not, GG fans now have something else to possibly look forward to.
If you ever click on web articles about houseplants (and you’re reading this, so we’ll assume that’s a yes), you’ve probably come across the idea that houseplants purify the air inside your house by sucking up invisible toxins. If you’re thinking that sounds too good to be true, yeah, it kind of is. But it’s not a complete myth either.
Kitchen set-ups often dictate the tone of the moments that make up our home lives—from the kinds of breakfasts grabbed during the morning rush to how often a home-cooked meal makes it to the table. Whether you’re starting afresh in a new place or you’re ready for a re-do of your current space, here’s how to organize a small kitchen so that rather than creating a Pyrex-wrangling, pots-and-pans banging mess out of you, it serves you.
With Valentine’s Day this week, we’ve all got love on the brain. And if you’re sitting in your apartment, lost for words to express how you feel to your loved one, maybe it’s time to figure out your IKEA love language. Do you love your partner like a BEKVAM or a MALM? Take this super scientific, highly romantic quiz to find out. A. Knowing someone is serious about our relationship B. Being one half of an “it” couple C.
It’s Apartment Therapy reader month! Join us every Thursday afternoon for Homebody Happy Hour—it’s your chance to unwind with fellow design fans and unload your thoughts on some fun conversation topics. You can judge my very television-centric living room layout all you want, but I’m not ashamed to say that TV and movies play a huge role in my house.
Succulents are delightful little plants that boast a variety of fun colors, textures, and shapes. They are sometimes said to “thrive on neglect,” and while they definitely don’t require much fussing over, it’s still best to know what they like and what they don’t. Here are our top tips for succulent growing and care. Simply put, succulents are plants that store water in their stems or leaves, which are thick and fleshy.
A lush, green home filled to the brim with plants sounds dreamy. But #plantgoals get much harder when there’s barely enough room for you and your clothes, let alone a decorative plant. Get all the benefits by dialing it back a bit and populating a few strategic spots with some leafy green goodness. And when it starts to warm up, there’s certain houseplants that will thrive outside.
If your weekend calls for a dose of interior eye candy, allow us to alert you to the existence of Home Again. The latest Nancy Meyers produced film with droolworthy sets (including a stellar kitchen, obviously) is in theaters today. The film is produced by Meyers and written and directed by her daughter, Hallie Meyers-Shyer, in effect making it sort of like but not quite your average Meyers rom com.
Is 2016 the year you move from your current apartment to a compact studio? One-room living can be a great way afford living closer to the action in a city — but it comes with challenges. Even more challenges if you’re downsizing to a studio from a larger apartment. Read on for ways in which you can make downsizing a little easier if you’re moving into a studio in the near future. With small studios, come small kitchens.
Do you know what’s in your closet? Like, way in there? Do you ever find two or three of the (nearly or exactly) same clothing items because you didn’t realize you had already bought one? Do you not buy items you really like because you know you already have something — even though you don’t really love it? A closet inventory is more than just a cleverly disguised way to declutter your closet (though it is that, too).
Sometimes you want to paint your walls a nice color, but sometimes you’re looking for COLOR. These 10 hues from Valspar will kick things up a few dozen notches, even if they’re confined to one little wall. But why limit yourself? Be bold! I never knew until this moment that I needed a glamorously green dining room, preferably including mint green chairs, faux fur, and a pineapple (above). Valspar’s Luscious Green (6010-7) will take care of the walls, at least.
So it’s time to stop telling yourself you’re okay with your old countertops, that they’re fiiiiiine, there’s nothing wrong with them, really. Because, truth be told, you just can’t stand to look at them one more minute. Maybe you tried an interim measure, a quick budget fix, but that reached its expiration point. The time has come and you couldn’t be more excited. But, before you get too giddy, there’s some bad news.
Changing one’s workspace from a regular desk to a standing desk can be a big challenge, but I made the switch over a year ago and haven’t looked back. Attractive and affordable standing desks can be hard to find, but this DIY version from IKEA fits the bill nicely.
Short on space and lack a headboard? Pegboard, our favorite kitchen and workshop workhorse, may just be the solution you’ve been looking for. Carmel from Our Fifth House transforms her boy’s bedroom from bland to brilliant with a Union Jack paint job and inexpensive material.Carmel’s 8 year old son needed some easy access storage, so when she planned to DIY a headboard, pegboard won.
If you’re looking for a way to make your hectic life just a little easier, look no further than the mighty slow cooker. There are a ton of options on the market, some bad, some good, some outrageously good, with a myriad of features. Here are 10 of our favorites for every budget. The site of this no-frills slow cooker instantaneously takes me back to my childhood.
It’s March, which means tulips are popping up in stores everywhere. Take advantage of the tulip season, and learn the dos and don’ts for making them last longer and look their best. Plentiful clean water is pretty important to these pretty little flowers. When you’re first arranging them in their vase, re-cut each one so water has the best chance to travel up the stems.
The Los Angeles mansion rapper Tupac Shakur once called home is now on the market for $2.6 million, and includes a relic of his time there. Before his tragic death in 1996, Tupac lived in this Woodland Hills manse with his fiancée, Kidada Jones, the daughter of Quincy Jones.
Small spaces = less cleaning. It’s one of the best benefits of living in a tiny apartment. The only problem is that living small also means less storage space, so you want to streamline your cleaning supplies into a kit that can be easily stowed in a kitchen cabinet or closet.Here’s our basic checklist for everything you need to keep your tiny home clean… Broom, Dustpan, and Mop: These are the basic tools of floor cleaning. We use a small interlocking broom and dustpan.
With the warm season starting, I’ve become obsessed with all things white. So I’ve returned to my rental white walls in the bathroom, which feels so fresh and clean for summer. Check out the results below. I used the same color on the baseboard and moldings so I didn’t need to worry about that clean line of paint as the color changes (the most frustrating part of a painting job to a self-proclaimed lazy perfectionist).
Model and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss and businessman Joshua Kushner have put their stylish Nolita condo at 211 Elizabeth Street on the market just months after getting married. The 2,000 square-foot home designed by acclaimed architecture firm Roman and Williams (who also designed the Ace Hotel New York) is listed for $6.995 million.
Picking a paint color and not sure where to start? If you have a soothing, but not sleepy pale tone in mind, here are some terrific choices all pulled from the Glidden palette and, best of all, featured in real homes. Take a look… Glidden’s Misty Moonstone (#GLN34-01E), above, is as pale as blue can possibly be without just being white with blue undertones. Nearly every time I saw a room painted in a prettily pale Glidden paint, it turned out to be Smooth Stone (50YY 63/041).
No matter which side of the bed you got up on this morning, chances are, you could probably use a little more shut eye. Today is the tenth annual World Sleep Day, an event intended to be a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important sleep related issues. We do our fair share of talking about snoozing around here, so today, we’ve rounded up our best tips for a better night’s sleep. Don’t let your space steal your sleep.
“Before and After” makeovers are such guilty pleasures—what’s more gratifying than fast-forwarding through all the hard work, and just seeing (and getting to comment on) the final result? Throw in a very small budget, and they become especially delicious food for thought. These bathroom projects don’t disappoint. As transformations go, they are pretty incredible for the money. Scroll through, and by all means, enjoy.
Erika’s young and doesn’t spend an arm and a leg on rent. Sure, her bathroom is functional, but all those shades of off-white are a style travesty that could make even the most stalwart of tenants cry beige tears. It’s a rental, so nobody wants to go nuts and spend a lot of money to renovate it, but Erika wanted something a little more fun and befitting her age. So, the goal is to give her an entirely new, bright, amazing bathroom for $500. Think we can do it?
This is what Tara’s kitchen looked like when she moved in this past year. Not too pretty, eh? With her landlord’s approval, we did a light reno that didn’t cost a lot, but made a major difference in both appearance and function. Spending money on a rental isn’t for everyone — but for those of you who love to cook, have a horrible kitchen, and plan to stay put for awhile, then a little investment may well be worth the time and expense.
When you don’t have a large kitchen or enough space for all of your appliances, it’s time to get creative. You’ll have to find space where you can salvage it, optimize your kitchen for maximum efficiency, so that it works, looks good, and still doesn’t feel cramped. The placement is also important, since you don’t want the washer and dryer column towering over your dinner table.
What I don’t love about the chore of spring cleaning is that once the weather gets nice I want to run outside, not be cooped up at home with rubber gloves and a duster. This month, though, is sort of that sweet spot when I can still justify a day indoors before I start to blow off my apartment for greener, sunnier pastures. Here, I try to make the process less of a chore with our roundup of best spring-cleaning tips.
We’re not all #blessed enough to have a home office or a designated space that’s only for working, but if you have the kind of job that lets you work from your apartment, you still need some sort of workspace. Maybe you have a space you can easily transform into a desk on work days, maybe you’re one purchase or DIY project away from having the perfect telecommuting solution, or maybe you need a little help from your neighborhood coffee shop.
Before you even leave your bedroom in the morning, there are a few things you can do to make your day a little better. So tomorrow morning, before you stumble out of the bedroom door to grab coffee or turn on the news, give one of these a try… Jennifer tried it — and wrote about it — and while it seems pretty simple, it’s a great way to start the day on a healthy note. And everyone could use a little hydration.
All this week we’re talking about bathroom renovations, starting with Ashley’s recent remodel, and following up with tons of helpful posts about the process! So you’re thinking of remodeling one of the most necessary rooms in your home – not an easy task to take on! Luckily, there are ways you can prepare to take the pain out of a bathroom remodel. Here are just a few to get you started: When it comes to a remodel, always make sure you have a contingency fund.
Looking for help remembering to clean those “forgotten” areas of the home that have a huge impact on your space looking and feeling clean? Well we’ve got today’s assignment to tackle: Blinds! They’re a common element in many homes that we tend to leave off of our regular cleaning to-do lists. Take an hour (or less!) of time to tackle today.
It’s happened: my five-month-old has started rocking on her hands and knees and I’m well aware of the next logical step — crawling. It’s just about time to start baby-proofing the house. I’ve done it before so it shouldn’t be too difficult, but the one place that we were never able to stylishly address was the fireplace.
It can sometimes be easy to mindlessly move through your home, just going through the motions of your daily routine. Are you just existing in your home? Or are you enjoying your home to its fullest every day? There are a few ideas I’m re-reading these days to help me remember to really live in my home. 1. Laugh in it What really makes you laugh? Is it the latest viral pet video? Watch a bit before you jet off to work. Love stand-up comedy?
When Tiffany over at Taste{full} Life found this antique dry sink, the wheels started turning and she realized she had the potential for a unique changing table for her imminent new baby. Although she was wary of a “country” aesthetic, a new coat of paint and a few other touches updated this piece into modern farmhouse chic.Tiffany learned some important lessons about painting antiques that she shares in her tutorial at Taste{full} Life.
It came as a major blow to my ego that despite twice-weekly yoga sessions and thrice-weekly weightlifting, my left shoulder was defeated by my recent dabbling in wall painting. All this pain, just from painting! Granted, it was 8 solid hours of painting, a few days each week… Still, one doesn’t like to think that a low-impact activity can do such damage to one’s relatively young and decently strong body.
We’ve shared before our opinion of the top most common cleaning tools you should keep around. Though these handy items help you maintain a healthy home, are you doing the best job you can do to keep your tools clean and working efficiently? We’ve rounded up the best ways to clean the most common cleaning tools you have around the house. It could be the perfect task for any extra time you’ve got this weekend! Here are a few of the tools we use on a daily basis.
This private, massively gated, historic Beverly Hills mansion has a star-studded list of former residents nearly as long as the credits in an Oceans XX film (including Ellen Degeneres and Kelly Wearstler), and just hit the market for a whopping $34 million. The classic five-bedroom residence was built in the 1950s for Diane and Charles Skouras Jr.
In the bathroom, space is always at a premium, and that’s esepcially true in a smaller bathroom. If you’re at a loss as to where to store all the necessities in your teeny tiny bathroom, these 11 hardworking products can help. The Componibili is a great piece for adding a little storage anywhere in the house, but it’s especially nice in the bathroom: the doors mean less visual clutter, and the unit can tuck neatly into a corner or under a pedestal sink.
When I was in college, my roommate and I got a loft bed system, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Not only did we have lots of floor space to hang out and study, I loved having the privacy and coziness of my own secret bed platform. For small spaces, a loft can be a great way to open up floor space, but even if you don’t feel you need the extra room, a loft can be a great hideaway for a kid.
Ready to stage the best, most profitable summer yard sale you’ve ever thrown? There are plenty of tricks to make your sale stand out from the other sad, old-shoes-on-a-blanket sales dotting your neighborhood. Here’s how… Anyone with a yard can have a yard sale but we’re going for showmanship here. Are you moving? You, my friend, are having an “Everything-Must-Go Moving Sale.” Selling the extras from your spring cleaning binge with a few friends?
Name: Polly Age: 3 Location: Totnes, Devon, UK Room size: 16.4 x 11.4 foot Chances are, you’ve probably seen Jane Foster’s work, and we’ve featured her many times ourselves. Her work whole-heartedly celebrates the bold shapes, patterns and colors from the 60’s and 70’s – one can’t help feel a bit nostaligic when admiring her designs. When it was time to create a space for her daughter Polly, she replicated this passion for vintage and retro design.
Wall hooks and pegboards are incredibly handy organizational tools for home, especially small homes where space is at a premium. But while they make previously unused wall space functional and allow you quick access to daily items, they can be magnets for mess if not kept in check. How do you keep an area full of hanging items looking tidy and attractive? Follow these five rules. 1.
It doesn’t look like much in its stock photograph, but IKEA’s SNIGLAR crib has been turning up all over the place in our tours lately – everywhere from Sydney, Australia to Pennsylvania, USA. The crib’s airy, simple design and raw wood aesthetic work well with eclectic, modern, Scandinavian, and minimalist decor. Don’t believe us? Click through to those nurseries that feature the one-and-only SNIGLAR. 1. Elke’s Sweet As Honey Space 2.
