Name: Rachel Andersen Type of Project: Backyard Patio Renovation Location: Tulsa, OK Type of building: Single-Family Ranch The Renovation Diaries are a collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here. Rachel bought her first house at the young age of 21, and works hard to make it a welcoming place for family and friends.
Name: Rachel Andersen Type of Project: Backyard Patio Renovation Location: Tulsa, OK Type of building: Single-family Ranch The Renovation Diaries are a collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here. Rachel and friends have worked for weeks to pull this backyard space together, not cutting any corners, and doing it all DIY-style.
Name: Rachel Andersen Type of Project: Backyard Patio Renovation Location: Tulsa, OK Type of building: Single-Family Ranch The Renovation Diaries are a collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here. All projects come with lots of good intentions — filled with budgets, plans, and timelines.
When I was growing up in Lafayette, Louisiana, my family took a lot of trips to Mississippi to see my grandparents, and on the way back, I remember, there was this one lavender house, right by the interstate, that always caught my eye. This one pale, pale purple home, in a sea of beiges, seemed almost magical.
For a less intrepid DIY-er the assortment pictured above would be one intimidating pile of rocks. Not so for April. She transformed her courtyard into a relaxing spot, perfect for entertaining. Best of all, it’s super low maintenance so she can spend more time planning parties and less time watering grass! From April: I am in love with the new look of my courtyard area, which was almost all do-it-yourself projects.
Jennifer’s backyard was overgrown and her deck had seen better days. After clearing away a good portion of the growth, she knew her backyard had major potential but she wasn’t entirely sure what to do about the deck. Enter gravel! Friend to both budget and mother nature, this alternative choice helped Jennifer build a gorgeous outdoor space. From Jennifer: Before I purchased my house in late 2007, it had lived a maintenance-free life. The yard was completely overgrown.
It was love at first sight for Elizabeth and her patio. And like any good relationship, they’ve inspired each other, supported each other and brought a little color into each others’ lives. From Elizabeth: When we took the tour of our apartment I didn’t even need to step through the front door before I realized that we we’re going to take it. Simply based on the patio.
Previously I wrote about my bare backyard when it was a wasteland of dog poop, weeds and sorrow. Today I’m showing you my new and improved outdoor space, which is now a low maintenance dream. Two thirds of the new backyard is covered with an expansive composite deck. The other section is a rectangular area of gravel with a firepit: Composite Deck: Probably the most ground-breaking — yet largely unsung — feature of the new and improved backyard is the new platform deck.
There’s nothing quite so satisfying as growing your own food—and nothing quite so frustrating as being a would-be gardener with a too-small outdoor space. I have known this pain myself, so I was particularly intrigued when Dabney, our Projects Editor, told me about Square Foot Gardening, a very efficient technique for growing things you can eat. Could this be the perfect way to grow a lot of veggies in just a little bit of space?
This Bay Area front yard had seen better days, but now it is an urban oasis worthy of major admiration—and envy, especially of their lucky friends who get invitations for sunset cocktails but didn’t have to do any of the actual work. If you happen to have a similar project to tackle, this reader submission has the most thorough process description ever seen in a Before & After post. Everything looks so lush and luxurious!
You might remember Jessica’s petite apartment, which was featured in a House Tour (and video) a couple of years ago. Off the bedroom, through that French door, is a teeny tiny balcony, which she just got around to sprucing up, and it’s so worth a look. This tiny balcony seems like it’s only large enough to hold a bistro table and chairs—or even just one chair perhaps?—but a clever makeover makes room for so much more. Absolutely amazing!
‘Tis the season for partying outdoors. But what to do when you don’t have a proper backyard in which to throw an al fresco bash? Fret not, my patio-deprived friends. There are still plenty of ways to host a stellar summer soiree without an actual backyard. It just takes a little planning and creativity. From picnics at the park to old-school pub-crawls, here are seven ways to throw a stellar summer fete—no backyard necessary.
Even if you don't have a rooftop to use, you'll find garden inspiration from all the ways this couple and their neighbors made use of their shared outdoor space.
By offering travelers easy access to desirable destinations at a more affordable price, homeowners in these areas stand to make a great return on their investment.
Blessed with only enough room for a twin bed? Trying to make a double work for two while you save up for that California king? Buying a bed that’s properly in proportion to your space (or your budget) means you’re usually left wishing there was a little more room to spread out at night. Not all of these strategies will work for your life, and some of them only give you extra space visually.
Name: Beth, Jeff, Ruby, and Fiona Location: Bixby Knolls, Long Beach, California Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 6 years; OwnedSet back off of a quiet street in Bixby Knolls is Beth and Jeff’s lovingly crafted one-story 1920s home, shared with daughters Ruby, 4, and Fiona, 9 months. But it wasn’t always so quaint. When they purchased the home six years ago, it was dilapidated and in desperate need of TLC.
There’s a good chance you’re not experiencing the full internet speeds you’re paying for. A weak wireless connection is often the bottleneck between advertised maximum speeds and the reality of waiting for pages to load and files to download. So what’s the point of paying for all this speed if you can’t take full advantage of it?
Name: Michael MurphyLocation: Brooklyn — New York, New YorkSize: 615 square feetYears lived in: 5 — ownedAs an interior designer, Mike is used to working on high-end projects for which he might source a sofa for $45,000 without blinking an eye. But when it comes to his own home, he intentionally aims for a more relaxed look through a combination of vintage modern furniture pieces and his own personal handiwork.
Name: Dan Bailey Type of Project: Kitchen remodel Location: East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts Type of building: 2nd Floor Condo in a Greek-Revival Row House At times, it may have seemed like the Kitchen Renovation That Would Never End. In fact, Dan had the dubious honor of edging out Christine and Pierre for Longest Renovation Diary Project to Date — but through all the setbacks and pitfalls and I-had-no-idea-this-would-take-so-longs, Dan stayed strong.
Name: Jennie Hoekstra, Luke Hoekstra, Jude (9), Neve (7), Wilder (4), Marmalade (the cat), Miki and Mandu (Australian Zebra Finches), and a flock of semi-retired hens. Location: Kemble — Ontario, Canada Size: 1,665 square feet Years Lived In: 6 months, owned In the spring of 2017 a lovely four-acre lot came up for sale in the rural village where we live. We knew the property well and loved it, but understood that it was on an unmaintained road with no hydro, so building would be tricky.
Plant stylist, interior designer, artist, filmmaker, and author Hilton Carter shows us around his plant-filled industrial jungle loft home in Baltimore.
RuPaul has become a household name and paved the way for countless others to have a voice. The four-time Emmy winner and “Drag Race” star also put his signature stamp on a 1960s home, so if you’re in the market for a $4.999 million dollar mid-century mod pad, it’s also for sale. Don’t let the normal specs—2,400 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths to be exact—lead you to believe it’s anything less than fabulous.
Inside Out: A showcase for those who transform their residences into homes via innovative interventionName: JackLocation: Times SquareSize: 160 sqft. rentalFavorite Element: R2D2 jar Jack is an artist/musician who won the jackpot 5 years ago when he was called off the waitlist for the Times Square Hotel. It is an SRO (single-resident occupancy) run by a great non-profit housing developer called Common Ground.
Most plant parents know that a regular watering schedule is key to keeping your leaf babies thriving. Perhaps you already pump the jams while tackling this important task, but now there’s a soundtrack made specifically for giving your thirsty stems a drink.Created by artist Past Palms, the eponymous EP “is a sonic reflection of yearning for nature in a nature-less place.
You don’t have to wait until the stressful days before a big move to feel that freedom. Here's how to declutter like you're moving without actually doing it.
Name: Misty Adair, husband John, two young sons and dog, LucyLocation: Allandale, Austin, TXSize: 1375 square feetYears lived in: 6 yearsWhen we spotted some photos of Misty’s home in a few of her previous posts here on Apartment Therapy, we knew we needed to get in there for a house tour! A visit to Misty’s house in the Allandale neighborhood doesn’t disappoint.
Name: Peggy Wong of Blue Pool RoadLocation: Downtown Los Angeles, CASize: 800 square feetI met Peggy a couple of months ago at a blogger meet up in Venice. She was introduced to me as a former art director at Martha Stewart and she gave me her card for the company she’s started on her own, Blue Pool Road. When I got home and looked up her work, I was amazed: Light, simple, graphically subdued but in no way boring. Then I saw her house.
Right now, we’re looking at our blank bulletin board. It has one final step (a coat of white spray paint) before its ready to go back in our office. It used to be covered in fabric from IKEA (a busy pattern) but we wanted to go with simpler look for 2009. The previous bits of information on the bulletin board happened to be quite cluttered as well. Everything from inspirational tear-out pages from design magazines to a spare set of car keys were scattered about on our bulletin board.
Anna of Door Sixteen‘s beautiful white floors When we were researching the idea of installing white floors as part of
our kitchen renovation, we couldn’t find an honest report on what it was like living with them. Are they a nightmare to keep clean or is it much the same as a darker coloured floor? Are damages more noticeable? Someone please just give us an opinion other than “they’re pretty!”.
Name: Jennifer Perkins, owner of the Naughty Secretary Club, and her husband Chris Boehk (also Ella the English Mastiff, Georgie the black cat and Lucy the older pup)Location: Austin, Texas Years lived in: 6 years>> When Jennifer Perkins and her husband Chris moved into this South Austin home six years ago, it was clear it had previously been a rental home for college students, featuring bad paint jobs, gross surfaces and evidence of neon signs.
We’ve been enviously reading posts from the Northern Hemisphere about the lead up to summer and meanwhile down here in Australia, we’ve just entered winter. It’s getting really cold and frosty so not much is happening in our garden at the moment.
Indoor plants have seen their fair share of sunken living rooms, mall food courts, and midcentury modern. Let’s take a tour through the houseplant bubbles of yore.
Kristen and Michael’s historic home in Rhode Island is filled with beautiful items featured in Kristen’s shop, as well as treasures they find on their travels. To get this contemporary and travel-inspired look in your home, check out the sources below, which include some of the fabulous items in Kristen’s well-curated shop. charset="utf-8" src="https://d30bopbxapq94k.cloudfront.net/js/curalate-widget-client-all.prod.min.
After buying the house, this couple had a 30-day remodel marathon putting in all new hardwood flooring, painting just about every surface, replacing light fixtures and more.
Name: Anna SpiroLocation: Brisbane, AustraliaSize: 2,370 square feetYears lived in: 1 year, ownedOver the past few weeks we’ve been getting a glimpse into some of Australia’s most exciting interior designers’ homes. This week we take a look at Brisbane based interior designer and blogger Anna Spiro’s home.
Veronica and Pol's flat isn't very big, but it is so well organized and decorated with such great taste that when they tell you they work in design, you believe it!
Feeling daring? Have a paint project planned this weekend and want to find a color that will really get you out of your comfort zone? Painting your walls, architectural elements and furniture bold colors is one of the best ways to add interest and personality in a space, make your home stand out, and make your home look good. We’ve got some gutsy hues from real-life homes to take the fear out of worrying they won’t work (you can see they do!).
The look of the kitchen is changing — already granite countertops and dark wood cabinets are starting to look a little late 90s. If you’re thinking of renovating or building a house (or just like looking!), here are five of the top trends for modern kitchens. And the best part? Some of these are things you can do right now, without spending much money at all. White and WoodIt’s modern, but warm — the best of both worlds.
Name: Charlie and Tommy, working toward their certifications in interior design and architecture, respectively Location: Edgewater; Cleveland, Ohio Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 months; Rented Walking into Charlie and Tommy’s polished-yet-oh-so-cozy Cleveland home, you would never know that this was their first place together, let alone the first “adult” apartment for them both.
Because we’re not living Pinterest boards and no one gets it right 100 percent of the time, I think we all have certain aspects of home decor and housekeeping that we ace, and other aspects that we struggle to get a handle on. I know I do. Here are 10 common issues that may be diminishing your home’s sophistication along with some easy tweaks to help you self-correct. Rumpled sheets look, well, rumpled.
Name: Risa Boyer Leritz, Nick Leritz, their 3-year-old daughter Harper, and two catsLocation: Alameda — Portland, OregonSize: 1720 square feetYears lived in: 2.5 — ownedThe process of buying a house is already tough on the nerves, let alone going into escrow on a serious fixer-upper — sight unseen — in a city almost 1,000 miles away from home.
These self-proclaimed "crazy cat people" joke that their biggest home challenge is "remembering that we don't actually own it." Click for the DIY kitty porch.
Name: Katherine Raz and Jem HiltonLocation: Humboldt Park — Chicago, IllinoisSize: 750 square feetYears lived in: 6 months — rentedThe last time we took a tour of Katherine and Jem’s home they were in a 900 square foot three bedroom apartment in the Albany Park neighborhood. The couple has since downsized to a smaller two bedroom and shifted to the Humboldt Park neighborhood and I followed right behind to get an updated house tour.
