Design

Couple in a heart-shaped bathtub with bubbles, surrounded by mirrored walls and a chandelier above.
The Rise and Fall of the Heart-Shaped Hot Tub
It’s Valentine’s Day, which means that the two-lobed shape that we somehow recognize as representing a human heart is suddenly everywhere. There are heart-shaped candies, cards, chocolates, even heart-shaped pizzas. And many years ago, one man had the idea of building a heart-shaped hot tub… and a movement was born.
Nancy Mitchell
Feb 14, 2016
10 Things To Know About Your Eames Chair
So you bought an Eames chair because it was cool. It’s okay—so did I. But now when people come over and say, “I like your chair, where did you get that?” it’d be nice to tell them a little more than, “It’s from a designer.” Here are 10 fun facts about your chair that you can throw around at the next cocktail party, because, you know, knowing stuff is also pretty darn cool, too. 1.
Alison Gerber
Feb 3, 2016
Before & After: A Playroom Grows Up
Our living room downstairs was transformed over to a playroom when my babies were little, and the room was a disaster. It was time to make that step and donate a big percentage of my kids’ toys and create a more grownup space in here. I was able to sell the furniture from the room, and that helped me with my budget for the makeover. I wanted to create a comfortable living room with lots of textures, layers and personality.
Nora Taylor
Dec 8, 2015
Caryn’s House of Boys (With Plenty of Pink)
Name: Caryn Location: Santa Cruz, California In 2005, my husband and I bought a very small 1000 square foot house in Santa Cruz, California to raise our growing family. Proximity to the ocean and a great elementary school trumped our desire for square footage! Our little Santa Cruz bungalow had no unique architecture, so I viewed it as a blank canvas.
Nora Taylor
Dec 6, 2015
Meg’s Memphis-Inspired ’80s Apartment
Name: Meg Location: Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois Last year my boyfriend and I scored a Memphis Design Group exhibit poster at a garage sale down the street for $7. I’d been wanting to do an ’80s apartment for ages, but never pulled the trigger (I was getting my design fix through my blog). Neal was on board and began to make a copy of our favorite Memphis pendant lamp, “The Santa Fe” by Matteo Thun, out of balsa wood and an IKEA lamp cord. Thanks, Meg!
Nora Taylor
Dec 2, 2015
Style Recipe: Mix IKEA & Vintage for the Perfect Dining Room
There’s no one-size fits all recipe for a room, of course. But if you’re stuck trying to get that luxe-y, lived-in look in your dining room on an affordable budget, can we suggest one of our favorite combinations? The dining room is the perfect place to play with furniture because there are no time constraints on getting it “finished.” Start with what you have (a table and 4-ish chairs, maybe?
Taryn Williford
Oct 22, 2015
5 Things People (Almost Always) Forget When Designing Their Living Room
There’s the picking out of the sofa. Choosing chairs. Deciding on a credenza. Arguing over where the television should go. There’s waffling over rug color and size. And there’s considering whether you should paint or wallpaper. But there are also a handful of things to think about that most people tend to forget when first setting up their living room. How does one come up with the optimum number of seats for a living room?
Adrienne Breaux
Aug 27, 2015
The Pro Designer Trick That Makes Homes Feel Cozy & Cohesive
When you’re feeling like the rooms of your home are design islands — lovely spaces by themselves but not necessarily connected to the architecture of your home or the entire home itself — you might want to try out this trick in the designer’s toolbox. This idea of echoing elements is NOT putting two of the same pieces of something in two different rooms. It’s not having carbon copies of the same art adorning walls in all your rooms.
Adrienne Breaux
Jul 24, 2015
Why ‘Busy’ Isn’t Always Bad: Living Room Lessons
We talk a lot about streamlining. Minimizing. Cutting back. Paring down. And we really think that’s good. But it’s not always best (for you or your style). Sometimes “busy” decor, rooms bursting with things you love and that inspire you, is the right choice for your home. Take a page from these “busy” living rooms to learn lessons on how to make a full, exciting living room work for your style, without overwhelming everyone who spends time in it.
Adrienne Breaux
Jun 15, 2015
Why Modern Cities Are So Ugly…and What We Can Do to Fix Them
We tend to think of beauty as being mostly subjective. But if you were to ask a random sampling of 100 people what the most beautiful cities in the world are, you’d probably get a lot of very similar answers. A lot of people might name San Francisco, or Paris, or Prague. But you probably wouldn’t garner a lot of votes for Frankfurt, Germany, or Houston, Texas. What makes certain cities more beautiful than others? And why is it that newer cities often tend to be the ugliest of all?
Nancy Mitchell
Apr 22, 2015
The 4 Qualities of All Successful Cities
I studied architecture in college but somehow managed to avoid reading that seminal work of city planning, Jane Jacobs’ Death and Life of Great American Cities. Until I moved to NYC, and a friend challenged me to read it for an impromptu book club, and I started taking Jane with me on the subway and suddenly the secrets of this great city, and of all great cities, were laid bare before my eyes.
Nancy Mitchell
Apr 13, 2015
UK Style: 5 Particularly British Design Lessons I’ve Learned
I’ve been living in London for nearly a decade now, having moved here from Canada as a bright-eyed university graduate, in search of tea and adventure. Through my friendships and work as an interior designer (not to mention my work for Apartment Therapy— I love a good House Tour snoop), I’ve been lucky enough to have been invited into countless English homes over the years, from Cornwall to Yorkshire and nearly every county in between.
Eleanor Büsing
Feb 19, 2015
‘Jolie Laide’ and the Very French Art of Appreciating Imperfection
It’s funny how sometimes a phrase can change its meaning as you change your mindset. That is, its definition and significance remain the same and suddenly you realize that you’re the one who has come to better understand it. Such was the case recently when I was reminded of a French term I learned and thought I understood long ago: jolie laide.
Jennifer Hunter
Nov 10, 2014
Garden Design Classics: The Armillary Sphere
Armillary spheres (sometimes referred to as armillary sundials) are a common decorative ornament in many gardens but can most often be spotted in the traditional English garden. Today’s armillary spheres, used as simply a decorative feature instead of a scientific instrument. are primarily fabricated of metal, and have become much more streamlined compared to their ancient counterparts. So what exactly is an armillary sphere, you might wonder?
Kimber Watson
Jun 13, 2014
Faye’s Tiny New York Bohemian Studio
Name: Faye Location: New York City, New York My home is decorated very bohemian like. It’s very cozy and tiny! It’s a studio in Manhattan — 200 square feet. Most of my furniture is from Urban Outfitters, the garbage, or hand-me-downs. My favorite item is my rocking chair. I love to read books while sitting on it and I placed it by the window to get natural light while reading. Thanks, Faye! • Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy?
Adrienne Breaux
May 3, 2014
First Look: 12 Favorites from IKEA’s New PS 2014 Collection
The editors in NYC got the chance to go see the new IKEA PS 2014 Collection this morning, and it’s an amazing one. Created by 14 young designers from around the globe, its focus is on solutions for small space living – in IKEA’s words “to live more simply and do more with the space you have”.
Janel Laban
Mar 13, 2014
A Creative Collective In Atwater Village
Names: Bri Emery of Design Love Fest, Brian Morrow + Jonathan Lynch of Sharkpig, Steve Pappin of Son Of A Shark Pig, Max Wanger of Max Wanger Photo, Michael Antonia of The Flashdance & Yeah! Rentals and Emma Robertson of EmmaDimeLocation: Atwater Village — Los Angeles, CAWorkspace Type: Loft StudioYears worked in: 1 year When you gather up seven awesome creatives to share an office space, you will surely have a colorful, eclectic, fun atmosphere.
Bethany Nauert
Apr 4, 2012
At the Office With Tommy Chambers
Name:Tommy Chambers InteriorsLocation: West Hollywood, CaliforniaSize/Room: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: 10 years A couple of weeks ago, we got a peek inside the home of Tommy Chambers, where he puts his skills to personal use in his own abode. Next door to his flat is another apartment which houses his interior design business. Mirroring an identical elongated floor plan, this office is a root of inspiration.
Bethany Nauert
Jan 30, 2012