Interior Design

Shopping and sourcing tips for decorating and renovating ahead!

See how the home went from a mess to a masterpiece.

There’s small and then there is narrow. A narrow bedroom can be difficult to work with as this space traditionally calls for multiple pieces of furniture, such as nightstands on both sides of a bed and a dresser or armoire that may be difficult to squeeze in comfortably. This shape of room can also be difficult to work with design-wise as extra-long walls on two sides can feel endless and may lack visual interest.

Mumi Mihanovich, the creative director of fashion label Jazmin Chebar, used her work in fashion as inspiration for the bold Argentinian apartment she shares with her family. "For example, I was inspired to choose the colors of the carpet in the living room by a woolen scarf I loved," she says.

There are myriad ways to decorate with this popular color, whether you love Scandinavian design or consider yourself a maximalist.

Have a design or home decor lover on your list? Then your shopping inspiration for that person (or people!) starts here.

Form meets function in this gorgeous family home.

And this is what they said!

Some of these might come as a surprise.

You'll love these designer-approved picks.

But it's seriously stylish!

When Katelyn Sailor and her husband, Kyle, decided to try living in New York City a year ago, they arrived with only their clothes, a bed, kitchen items, and some basic decor. 

The entire home is full of historic architectural details, from original herringbone wood floors, original dog-bone tiles in the bathroom, mirrored cabinet in the kitchen, gorgeous crown moldings on the walls, and the high ceilings, which Jessica says make the studio feel spacious.

And the prettiest robin's egg blue paint color.

According to Interior designers!

According to design pros.

Alexandra Bennett, who was previously the owner of the Minneapolis-based contemporary quilt studio, Louise Gray, hired Victoria Sass, founder of the interiors firm Prospect Refuge Studio, to update their single-family house in Minneapolis.

Plus, one thing it taught me not to do.

Here's what to keep your eyes peeled for on your next trip, near or far.

According to designers!

I went to a designer and content creator conference, and got the scoop on the best thing you can do for your home with $100.

There were several fake plants sprinkled around Apartment Therapy's Small/Cool NYC event that look so good, I bet you can't tell just by looking at them! And the best part, these fake-but-real-looking plants can be purchased online, so you can snag a few for your own home.

Beachy yet sophisticated!

Designers agree that double-duty items and clever repurposing are your small-space best friends.

Thanks to a punchy palette and artistic touches.

Amanda Holden, also known as "Dumpster.Doggy" on Instagram, is an entrepreneur, educator, and the founder of Invested Development. She aims to answer the question: “How do I teach dusty investing topics without making my students want to stick needles into their eyeballs?”

Vintage seller and interior stylist Carly Sioux is the owner and founder of NO ERA Design, specializing in vintage interiors. And her rental house in New Orleans is both her home and studio.

From free online offerings to custom consultations.

Interior designer Beth Diana Smith considers herself an eclectic maximalist. "I love several design styles so I love to combine them into an eclectic mix. And as a maximalist, I follow a more is more philosophy, however even in maximalism editing is still important."

It's the perfect happy medium for a young family.

When interior designer and artist Sophia E. Aguiñaga realized she'd be moving out of her Oakland rental apartment, she took the opportunity to pare down and refresh the home's style. She re-homed almost everything and used minimalism, ease, and traveling light as a style guide.

Some of the most popular looks of the last year may be on their way out in the next.

Interior and set designer Amy Exton shares this colorful, vintage-filled home with her dog, Presley.

When Julia Drye and her husband moved into their 1830s home, it was a blank slate, flipped by previous owners several years before. And out of necessity, Julia tackled the home's makeover on a budget.

Anastasia Casey, the founder of boutique creative agency IDCO Studio, says her goal for designing spaces is for them to "feel collected and elevated, with each piece telling a story."

Shelley V. Worrell is the founder of caribBEING and led the initiative to designate the Little Caribbean neighborhood. She shares this beautiful Brownstone home in Brooklyn with her husband, Janluk Stanislas (a filmmaker and a co-founder of caribBEING).

Becca Crawford, who works at textiles and decor brand St. Frank, fell for the high ceilings and charming pre-war details of this Brooklyn Brownstone; it's the perfect canvas for her enviable collection of gorgeous textiles.

This cute white stucco house that was built in 1939 with really unique Spanish-style architectural features has been layered with calming neutrals to create a cozy and chic home.

Ph.D. candidate and creative entrepreneur Taylor Evans and her partner have incorporated color and pattern into their small rental apartment. "It feels playful, yet sophisticated, and I think it reflects our personalities," she writes.  

The wall-to-wall exposed brick is the star of this small home, and Fredd has filled the rest of the space with books, plants, and music.

Sade and William's house was built in 1837 and had been well maintained when they bought it three years ago; they've added their personality through a little cosmetic work, including paint and refinishing the floors.

With plans for a larger gut reno in the future, Katrina and her family to still wanted to make their old, shabby home look good for them NOW. Using smaller, high-impact but low-budget ideas helped transform the space from blah to “I really want to hang out here."

This bungalow required a complete gut job, and aspiring designer Rita Melkonian designed the new floor plan from scratch to fit her family perfectly.

Navajo/Diné knitwear designer Jennifer Berg founded Native Knitter, and she designs and sells knitting patterns from her beautiful house in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which she shares with her husband, two kids, two dogs, and a tortoise.

Liz S. and her daughter Olivia share this Pittsburgh rental apartment that's filled with a beautiful yet budget mix of decor from thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace, along with a few splurges like Panton chairs.

Sam Melton is a seller of vintage furniture and his renovated home was originally built for his great-grandparents in the 1960s.

Musician and art collector Brad Walsh lives in a snowy part of Ohio, so he says he likes to "propagate a perpetual spring indoors."

As soon as photographer Colleen O’Toole saw this rental apartment's gorgeous stained glass, clawfoot tub, and original hardwood floors, she fell in love with the place!

Originally from Taiwan, Kathy Hao-Hsuan Chang, moved to Norway 3.5 years ago, and fell in love with Scandinavian style design. "It is minimalistic, but still with very beautiful things to look at."

Actor Charles Busch believes a home is a visual autobiography. And his NYC apartment's style is best summed up as: 19th century Parisian bordello mixed with the Golden Age Hollywood.

There's an Op Art entryway. A Memphis Milano bathroom. Tons of rare tropical plants. And much of the design was DIYed on a budget!

Laura is a pro at designing and optimizing small spaces, and lives in this condo located in a 1909 Victorian building. And a clever dog crate camouflaging idea is just ONE of the great ideas you'll find in her home.

This building has all the authentic features of a traditional Georgian house: huge windows, tiny rooms, wooden floors, and fireplaces in all rooms.

This home's white, teal, and orange color palette mirrors the nature surrounding it.

Lizzie Gill, a mixed media artist, and her husband remodeled this 1990s-era, run-down barn. It's now their full-time home, a studio apartment and art studio.

Because Natalie Wong's condo in Los Angeles' Koreatown neighborhood was built in the 1930s, her interiors were heavily inspired by the Hollywood Regency era.

Plus, their hopes for the future.

It's not just the entryway (which was turned into a cozy and much more functional spot) that got a refresh... every room was updated without breaking the bank.

The period charm in Danielle's Upper East Side apartment is a dream: original hardwood floors, exposed white brick, a painted tile backsplash in the kitchen, and a wood burning fireplace.

Holistic nutritionist Dave Coast shares a 1920s classic Venice bungalow with his partner, George, and their dog, Stanley.