Is it just us, or has this holiday season felt extremely short? If you're worried you've run out of time to turn your home into a holiday wonderland, look no further.

Sarah Lyon

Dec 20, 2019

You've Probably Been Smelling Candles Wrong—Here's How to Do it the Right Way

You're welcome.

Danielle Blundell

Dec 17, 2019

18 Uses for White Vinegar, Your Favorite Pantry Staple

You can put this household workhorse to use in every room of your home.

Rena Behar

Dec 15, 2019

6 Upgrades to Turn Your Kitchen Island into an Island Getaway

These ideas will take your kitchen to the next level.

Sarah Lyon

Dec 14, 2019

How to Fake a Department Store-Worthy Christmas Tree With Thrift Store Finds

Upcycling never looked so chic.

Megan Baker Detloff

Dec 13, 2019

Before and After: This Charming DIY Home Office Goes Fabulously Un-Gray

Bring on the color!

Megan Baker Detloff

Dec 6, 2019

One Easy Way to Score Free Holiday Decorations (and How to Use Them)

Check decorating off your list (and then check it twice, because this is THAT simple).

Megan Baker Detloff

Dec 3, 2019

Before and After: $1000 Rental Kitchen With One Luxe-Looking IKEA Hack

You won't even believe it's the same kitchen.

Megan Baker Detloff

Dec 1, 2019

8 Things Every Bathroom Should Have, According to Amazon Reviewers

They're all under $50!

Sholeen Damarwala

Nov 27, 2019

Before and After: A Cute IKEA Hack That Will Make You Want Dino Knobs

Jeff Goldblum would go wild for these adorable little made-over nightstands.

Megan Baker Detloff

Nov 24, 2019

Before and After: DIY Guest Bedroom Features a Super Clever IKEA Hack

This guest bedroom has tons of charm (and your new favorite IKEA hack).

Alison Goldman

Nov 8, 2019

Before and After: A Genius Hack to Make Thrifted Pots Look Way Pricier

These planters only look $$$.

Megan Baker Detloff

Oct 28, 2019

Small and Organized Danish Remodeled Apartment Tour

Blogger and journalist Caroline Sølver renovated this entire Denmark apartment herself, with the help of friends and family.

Apartment Therapy Submissions

Oct 27, 2019

This Portable Charging Station Solves One of My Most Annoying Problems—and It’s Under $15

Allow us to introduce you to The Couchlet.

Jaclyn Turner

Sep 13, 2019

This Inexpensive Material Is Your Key to a Stylish Decor Hack

The half-moon dowel is more or less having a moment.

Laura Lambert

Sep 12, 2019

Before and After: A California Cabin Becomes the Sweet Destination It Always Had the Potential to Be

As soon as Hope Mendes and her husband saw their Cobb, California, cabin, they knew it was the place they'd been searching for.

Alison Goldman

Sep 4, 2019

Very Cool Ways to Hack Galvanized Stock Tanks & Troughs

Galvanized stock tanks and troughs are essentially huge tubs which can be turned into or reused as any number of things. Depending on the context, they can read modern, industrial, or farmhouse. Learn all the ways you can hack them and create something spectacular and useful for your home. Bathroom Tubs: Jayme used a large round tank as a bathtub in her in warm and inviting modernist home in Philadelphia.

Dabney Frake

Aug 21, 2019

9 Useful Ways to Use Up Food Coloring Outside of the Kitchen

Here are nine useful or fun ways to use your food coloring and bring the rainbow to projects outside of the kitchen.

Shifrah Combiths

Aug 8, 2019

How To Make a Fruit Fly Trap To Get Rid of Fruit Flies

We’ve all experienced it at one point: fruit flies, first a few then an infestation surrounding your fruit bowl. They’re pesky little critters, but we’ve found the best way to rid your kitchen of them. Here are our quick instructions for making a fruit fly trap with just a few simple materials. Vinegar, fruit or wine (apple cider vinegar works especially well) Glass or jar Sheet of paper Tape Find a suitable glass or jar.

Ashley Poskin

Jun 5, 2019

How To Clean a Rug With Snow

Antique and handwoven rugs are breathtaking but can be tricky to clean. Stay away from chemical detergents by using nature’s cleanser, snow! Snowvember is upon us here in the midwest and I’m trying to make the most of it. After hearing about the magical cleaning powers of snow, I laced up boots, grabbed a recently purchased hand-woven rug and headed outside.

Ashley Poskin

Jun 5, 2019

#2: ELVARLI Storage System

IKEA says: Whether for a walk-in wardrobe, hallway solution or a business, ELVARLI storage system provides open storage that’s easy to get just right, while looking nice. ELVARLI storage system is the result of some innovative development at IKEA to create flexible, beautiful and lightweight storage. ELVARLI storage system is elegantly designed with attention to small details like seamless joints and invisible fittings.

Dabney Frake

Jun 5, 2019

#9: BARKABODA Wood Countertop

IKEA’s description: The herringbone pattern has a beautifully pleasing geometry to the eye. In BARKABODA countertop the pattern in dark brown wood adds true elegance to the kitchen. The countertop is made durable with a layer of solid wood that covers a particleboard core. This technique not only gives a genuine expression of solid wood, but is a good environmental choice as it’s resource-efficient.

Dabney Frake

Jun 5, 2019

How To Choose the Right Size Lamp Shade

Whether you’re buying something new or updating the old, pairing a new shade with a lamp can be tricky. We’ve got a few tips for you to keep in mind while you shop for that perfect shade. Measuring tape Lamp Remember these five things: The bottom edge of the lampshade should fall midway on the neck of the lamp. You don’t want the socket or the switch to be visible. When shade shopping, the shade size refers to the width across the bottom of the shade.

Ashley Poskin

May 21, 2019

How To “Custom” Frame Odd Sized Images

We have looked into framing many an odd sized image, and more often than not a custom framing job really breaks the bank. Here is a little tutorial on “custom” framing your own images for far less than a professional framer. standard frame, larger than your image paint (if desired) custom cut mat acid-free artist’s tape acid-free paper 1. Select and paint your frame. We chose a frame in raw wood (saved a few bucks there) and opted to paint it matte green with acrylic paint.

Jessica Tata

May 21, 2019

Quick Tip #2: How To Cover Up Scratches on Wooden Furniture

Every well-run home is teeming with tricks and shortcuts to keep it humming along. We’re sharing our best quick tips — for cleaning, organizing and repairing stuff at home — to save you time and money. Click through for today’s helpful hint, and links to tons more… Use a WALNUT! Just rub a shelled walnut on the damaged area, and watch in amazement as the dings, scrapes and scratches all begin to darken and disappear.

Molly Anderson

May 21, 2019

How To Clean Your Jeans Without Water (In the Freezer!)

Here’s an oldy but a goody that’s even more relevant now as MORE people are doing it… I recently bought my first pair of “serious” jeans. The reason I know this is because as I was standing at the register about to pay A LOT of money for them, a cool dude who was standing next to me at the register said, “Oh, you’re going to like those.” “Do you have a pair?” I asked him.

Maxwell Ryan

May 21, 2019

How To Clean a Power Outlet

This is slightly embarrassing but my power outlets are…grodie. Doesn’t it look like it’s crying out? It would be one thing if it was hidden behind the sofa but this is in plain view above the stove. However with a little elbow grease (about the amount of a Smurf) it’s clean, clean, clean.ToolsQ-tips Formula 409ScrewdriverRazor Blade (if you have excess caulking to remove) 1. Shut your power off.2. Remove the power plate cover.

Geoff Bentz

May 21, 2019

How To Prevent & Get Rid Of Pantry Moths

Pantry moth infestations are most frustrating. At the same time, I am committed to using natural, non-toxic, and mostly no-kill methods to deal with pantry moths. Here are the methods we recommend to get rid of them and effectively prevent further infestation. If you suspect you have pantry moths, first inspect everything in your pantry. Although moths tend to infest flours and grains, you should also check dried fruit, candy, pet food, etc.

Emily Han

May 21, 2019

How To Build an Interior Window

Contemporary homes are built with open floor plans, great rooms, and high ceilings — a result of current tastes, as well as programmatic and structural changes in residential architecture. Unlike homes from the mid-century and prior, the contemporary home incorporates the previously private kitchen into the public living space and capitalizes on longer span beams to create rooms that flow together.

Julia Brooke Hustwit

May 8, 2019

How To Remove Paint From Textured Glass

While renovating our bathroom, we got an annoying amount of paint on the window. The glass is textured so even though we had prepped the window with painters tape it still leaked [we were also a bit clumsy in other places]. The textured glass meant a razor blade wasn’t very effective so we got creative!Materials:Razor BladeNail Polish RemoverMicrofiber ClothCotton TipsGlass Cleaner 1. Scrape as much paint off the glass as you can with the razor blade.2.

Jenny Butler

May 8, 2019

How To Swap Out a Pendant Light

We just moved into a new place and even though we’re renting, we wanted to swap out the pendant above the dining table for a nice upgrade we can take with us when we go. I was going to call an electrician until a friend mentioned that I ought to be able to handle it myself. So I did, and was a lot simpler than I expected!Materials:ScrewdriverWirecutters/strippers (or if you’re handy, a pair of scissors) 1. Turn off Electricity!2.

Laure Joliet

May 8, 2019

How To Remove Jar Labels and Odors

We reuse jars and bottles everywhere in the home – to store bulk grains, dish soap, buttons, nails, you name it. Removing the sticky labels and any odors (most often from foods like tomatoes, pickles, and garlic) from the jars is a mundane yet satisfying task. Here’s how we do it.MaterialsHot waterDish soapSponge or steel woolVegetable oil or peanut butter (optional)Sunshine (optional)Vinegar (optional)Baking soda (optional) ToolsHair dryer (optional) To remove labels1.

Emily Han

May 8, 2019

How To Swap a Two-Prong for a Three-Prong Outlet

It’s rare to find two-prong outlets in homes these days. Landlords and home owners have slowly switched over to three-prong outlets as more and more devices and appliances need them to power up. Occasionally though, you move into a place that doesn’t have a three-prong outlet where you need one, so how do you remedy the situation? You switch out your two-prong for a three-prong, but there’s a lot to consider before you start rewiring your apartment.

Sonia Zjawinski

May 8, 2019

How To Extend the Life of Your Cut Flowers

Fresh flowers are a fleeting pleasure no matter how you slice it, but we think they bring so much life and color to a room that they’re absolutely worth the effort and expense. A few simple tricks borrowed from the pros will help you keep flowers around a good long while. So go ahead, buy yourself a Valentine bouquet!

Susie Nadler

May 8, 2019

Before & After: From Basic Benno To Mod McCobb

There are 1,000 different ways to hack furniture from IKEA — although this transformation is so extreme you won’t even recognize it. This ho-hum piece has gone Mid-Century!Inspired by Mid-Century pieces from Paul McCobb, this basic IKEA entertainment stand was given a makeover.With the addition of sliding front panels and retro-style feet stained to match, this piece is anything but basic anymore.

Sarah Rae Smith

May 6, 2019

Before & After: IKEA LACK Space Age TV Stand

Is there anything more ubiquitous than the IKEA LACK series? I remember it being amongst my first purchases coming out of college, thanks to its neutral-modern design and affordable price. It’s no surprise it remains popular to this day for the same reason. Here’s an example of someone taking a me-too LACK and converting it into a me-only TV stand… I searched and searched for a TV table I could live with, and finally came across this cool Jetson-esque one at Logue Studio.

Gregory Han

May 5, 2019

Before & After: IKEA CD Storage Racks Turned Into Gadget Display

Not only does this IKEA Hacker project by Huib von Essen reuse and refresh three discontinued IKEA BOALT CD racks, but the solution even incorporates 15 clear empty CD cases as transparent shelves for displaying small items (on a related note, CD racks installed horizontally also work great as toy shelving/display) …and you know you’ve got at least a few of those empty cases laying around somewhere.

Gregory Han

May 5, 2019

A Fence Made from IKEA Beds

Every time I think I’ve seen the most creative hack of an IKEA product, someone comes around with something new that completely blows my mind. Normally a table turns into another kind of table, or a dresser becomes a bar, but I never thought I’d see the day someone managed to turn a series of IKEA beds into a stylish iron fence. Meike at IKEA Hackers said she had wanted to get a new iron fence, but iron fences can get really expensive.

Elizabeth Licata

May 5, 2019

Transform the IKEA Stockholm Lamp into a Sputnik-Style Chandelier

I’ve been trying to hack an IKEA chandelier into a serviceable, modern, Sputnik-style chandelier for over a year now. Successful IKEA chandelier hack tutorials abound on the Internet, but mine has been been pretty slow going between the spray paint, origami, and the fact that I ordered completely the wrong size chandelier. But apparently a really good IKEA Sputnik is easier than I ever thought. Over at IKEA Hackers, Caissie St.

Elizabeth Licata

May 5, 2019

Before & After: IKEA Lack Coffee Table to Upholstered Ottoman

We’ve seen IKEA coffee tables customized dozens of different ways. They can be retextured, studded, and even given heavy marble tops. But this hack takes it in a different direction and turns one coffee table into an upholstered ottoman. Over at IKEA Hackers, Marynell from Amusing MJ showed how she turned an IKEA Lack coffee table into an upholstered ottoman like the ones she liked from West Elm with some 5” foam batting from JoAnn’s and some upholstery fabric.

Elizabeth Licata

May 5, 2019

IKEA Drawer Unit to DIY Designer Desk

Some IKEA hacks go so far beyond a simple IKEA transformation that they should be considered custom furniture with IKEA elements. In some of those cases (like this one!) the results are exceptional. IKEA Hackers user colsey blew my fragile little mind with this custom writing desk inspired by the Cavour desk by Carlo Mollino. It took some work, but considering that the original desk would cost $14,000, the work was well worth it.

Elizabeth Licata

May 5, 2019

IKEA Recycling Bin to DIY Top-Entry Litter Box

The first time I saw a top-entry litter box, I wondered where it had been all my life. That top-oriented entrance hole looked like it would cut down dramatically on my cat tracking litter out of the box on her paws and eliminate accidental out-of-the-box spraying. Unfortunately, that kind of litter box can be expensive. But now someone has figured out a way to make one with a simple IKEA hack.

Elizabeth Licata

May 5, 2019

Before & After: IKEA Hack Renders KURA Bed Unrecognizable…and Amazing

IKEA’s KURA bed is meant to be flexible — the structure is reversible and the mattress can either be put on the bottom or on top as a loft bed. But even IKEA couldn’t have anticipated the changes that Gisela made to it, in this really nice hack… Gisela built up the structure of the bed (which she calls “The Little Forest House) then wrapped it entirely in a sheath of wood veneered MDF, making it both sleek and sturdy.

Dabney Frake

May 4, 2019

Before & After: IKEA + LEGO Lamp

There’s always room for LEGO, and over at Ikea Hackers, user Sooze made her BRAN lamp a lot more fun, just by popping the top off the lamp and filling it with flame-colored orange and yellow LEGO pieces. There’s always room for LEGO, and over at Ikea Hackers, user Sooze made her BRAN lamp a lot more fun, just by popping the top off the lamp and filling it with flame-colored orange and yellow LEGO pieces.

Elizabeth Licata

May 4, 2019

Before & After: IKEA Norden Table To Portable Dressmaking Station

For anyone who sews, a good table for cutting fabric is the Holy Grail of craft supplies. But it often seems basically impossible to find something tall enough to stand at and cut fabric that is not wildly expensive and fits in an apartment or sewing room. Ikea’s Norden dining table is almost a perfect sewing table right out of the box. The table is 31.

Elizabeth Licata

May 4, 2019

25 Masterful Ways to Hack 1 IKEA Dresser

Call them hacks, or makeovers, or just plain paint jobs, but these 25 DIY projects show you just what’s possible with IKEA’s TARVA dresser. It’s an unfinished wood blank slate, waiting for your personal stamp of style. Check out these ideas and finished projects, and try one yourself this weekend.

Dabney Frake

May 4, 2019

Brilliant Ways to Use Drawer Pulls & Handles You’ve Never Thought Of

The options are endless.

Dabney Frake

May 4, 2019

Insanely Creative Things People Have Made from IKEA Bed Slats

What can you make from IKEA’s most utilitarian offering, you ask? Well what can’t you make? The SULTAN LADE bed slats are a $10 take home add-on that make IKEA’s platform beds feasible without a boxspring, but they’re also simply just a bunch of raw pieces of lumber stapled together to a polyester cord.

Taryn Williford

May 3, 2019

Ta-Da! Give Basic Wire Baskets a Colorful Makeover

When it comes to taming my ever-growing collection of stuff, there’s really nothing simpler or more useful than a wire basket. To be honest, I have five (is that too many??) in my bedroom alone. And while I love how functional they are for stashing everything from notebooks to ribbons, they can start to feel a little utilitarian.

Katie Holdefehr

May 3, 2019

Buh-Bye Cable Box: Sneaky Ways to Hide All Evidence of Electronics

There should be a medical or scientific term for that visceral aversion to seeing cords and ugly electronic boxes (something on par with trypophobia for example). Getting rid of them is an endless quest as fraught with difficulty as getting tickets to see Hamilton with Lin-Manual Miranda in the lead role. Figure out how to cover up those unattractive bits— and improve the look of your home in the meantime —and you’ve truly mastered the art of organization and storage.

Dabney Frake

May 3, 2019

The Home Depot Tool Rental Secret That Can Save You Money

Certain tools and equipment are expensive. Like, really expensive. I think it’s safe to say that absolutely no one on the planet wants to actually buy an industrial carpet cleaner for thousands of dollars, for example, let alone find a place to store it when they’re done. Unless you use these types of things all the time, it doesn’t make any sense to own them outright, which is why we’re thankful for temporary rentals.

Dabney Frake

May 3, 2019

Can You Spot the Hack? The VALJE Shelving Flip

I spy with my little eye another IKEA hack done right. If you scored high on the Spot the IKEA Quiz, I have no doubt you’ll be able to spot this IKEA piece turned high-end Scandinavian home decor. This project, along with many like it, further proves how a simple change in perspective can dramatically alter the success of a space.

Amelia Lawrence

May 3, 2019

This Kitchen Appliance Hack Can Save You Thousands

If you’ve ever had your eye on a super fancy 60″ stove from companies like Viking or Wolf, you know just how expensive they are. These kitchen ranges are fantastic features for serious cooks, but an extra large one can cost beaucoup de bucks — we are talking over $10,000 for that single appliance alone. So when I saw this genius workaround, which gives you most (if not all) of the features, without the higher price tag, I really wanted to share.

Dabney Frake

May 3, 2019

A Hard-Core IKEA Hack for a Rental Bathroom Makeover

IKEA’s IVAR collection is a very versatile system, with different ways to configure storage, and made of unfinished wood that’s a virtual blank slate for paint. But, in a recent makeover project, the big question became: could it become the centerpiece of an inexpensive rental bathroom makeover? Erika’s bathroom suffered from a distinct lack of style, so I wanted to start with a great vanity in a fun color. One of my first thoughts, when on a strict budget, is usually IKEA.

Dabney Frake

May 3, 2019

The One Thing You Need To Know Before You Install an IKEA Bathroom Sink

IKEA’s instructions are in(famous), with their illustrated diagrams, lack of words, and the oddly bulbous “IKEA man.” For the most part, with some head scratching, you can figure them out. But, as we discovered in our recent bathroom makeover, when it comes to installing a sink, the Swedish retailer left out one major detail, which is essential to the job. Read this before you shut your water off and get to work.

Dabney Frake

May 3, 2019

What Hacking Teaches IKEAHackers’ Jules Yap About Life

These days, I prefer weekdays to weekends when it comes to my IKEA trips. Why, you ask? Well, as if it isn’t obvious, it means less crowds and more leisurely wandering the aisles, sans pressure. What am I looking for exactly? Maybe I have a simple list of items I need for a closet makeover, but then I spot a serving bowl that would make a perfect pendant light. Or I go in for some picture frames then can’t help but notice a kitchen cart that would be the perfect bar cart.

Amelia Lawrence

May 3, 2019

Get The Vintage Schoolhouse Lighting Look You Love, For Less

As much as we love schoolhouse-style lighting, it isn’t always the best idea to buy something truly vintage and hope it works. There are stores — such as Schoolhouse Electric or Barn Light Electric — who sell absolutely beautiful fixtures in this style, but they are often out of financial reach. To help you stay on budget, and get the look you want, we’ve rounded up some of the best lighting options out there, all well under $100.

Dabney Frake

May 3, 2019

Before and After: A Quick $15 Rental Kitchen Cabinet Lighting Hack

This project is a great example of how a few dollars and a few minutes can make a dramatic change in your home—and your mood. As Anne described her situation, “Cooking and baking make me happy, but seeing my workspace sulking in the shadows was putting a damper on my spirit.” Let’s see her cheap, quick, renter-friendly, and reversible solution to the baking blues! So much better!

Tess Wilson

May 3, 2019

Check Out This Empty Candle Jar Hack, Courtesy of Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski

We can’t get enough of the touching reboot of Queer Eye that debuted in February, courtesy of Netflix. If you’ve already binged all eight episodes of season one, hoping the Fab 5 will magically show up on your doorstep ready to make you over from head to toe while instantly becoming your new BFFs, well, that probably isn’t in the cards. But following the fellows on Instagram is a close second, because they offer up style tips, motivational mantras, and smart hacks all the same.

Tara Bellucci

May 3, 2019

5 Simple Hacks That Make Flowers Look More Expensive

Flower arranging is lost on me. No matter how much time I spend trying to make bouquets look good, I usually wind up just plopping the flowers in a vase and calling it a day. So I love simple, quick ways to raise my flower game, even a little bit. Learn these five basic hacks and get the best arrangements of your life. Letting leaves rot in water is one of the best ways to bring your flowers down.

Dabney Frake

May 3, 2019

Why You Should Put Clear Tape On Your Flower Vases

There’s a big difference between jamming a bunch of flowers in a vase, and creating a gorgeous arrangement that looks like it was done by a pro. Thankfully that difference isn’t necessarily measured in dollars, effort, or even skill. All it takes is something you probably have sitting in your kitchen drawer: clear cellophane tape. Here’s the secret. Use basic clear tape to create a grid over the top of your vase.

Dabney Frake

May 3, 2019

3 Simple Ways to Make Flowers Last Much Longer

If you’ve ever done the January Cure, you know how much we at Apartment Therapy love flowers. Put simply, cut flowers are beautiful, add life, and help humidify the air. They are a small, healthy gift to give your home, and a great way to instantly refresh your space, for very little money. Here are a few tips for making them last. Flowers really only need a couple of things to stay happy, and clean water is one of the big ones.

Dabney Frake

May 3, 2019