Retail Therapy

Truth time: I really hate fabric bathmats. They get wet, and moldy, and they never fail to soak your socks when you walk into the room after someone has just showered. Not realizing that there was a better option, I continued to replace one mildewy, formerly-fluffy mat after the next. Until one day, I went to the Turkish baths and spotted my solution sitting in front of the aromatherapy room: the wooden slated mat. It dried quickly, excess water could drip through, it smelled like fresh cedar.

Let’s play a game. In the spirit of F#@K, Marry, Kill—I’m bringing you three finds from the Apartment Therapy Marketplace you won’t get anywhere else. See what’s worthy of blowing your budget and what deals are so good that it’s almost criminal. Splurge Blush is so hot right now and these dining chairs have glam appeal. The scallop fan backs and heavy brass material are worth the price tag.

The reclaimed wood look is still trending and rightfully so. Not only is it a more environmentally-friendly option, but each piece comes with an interesting history. Plus, if you get a water mark or a scratch, it just adds more character. The Apartment Therapy Classifieds is full of reclaimed wood tables to peruse at your leisure. However if you’re looking for the best, these sellers are making some truly special tables.

Emily Waldman‘s Austin house is full of treasures—vintage and antique gems she’s scoured from many different places. As a true treasure hunter, Goodwills and Craiglist prove to be fertile decor hunting ground for her, as well. Below, in her own words, Emily shares some of her top tips for vintage treasure hunting. At thrift shops I am happy to pay $3 for a vase, since most thrift stores benefit nonprofits.

It happened by accident, really. When Mante and Alex first fell in love with Mid-century furniture, they had no intention of opening their own shop—MCMBKNY. Having grown weary of the wasteful culture plaguing interior decor, they began looking for vintage pieces with quality craftsmanship. “Most of the things that are produced today have very temporary lifespan,” said Mante.

I know we’ve just come off the busiest shopping season of the year, but you wouldn’t be alone in buying something for yourself today. Dubbed “Holiday hangover day,” retailers have started to see an uptick in purchases on that first day back from vacation. And it makes sense—people have gift cards to spend, resolutions to uphold (new workout clothes totally make going to the gym easier), and unfulfilled wish lists to tick off.

With a new year upon us, most people are looking to get their lives downsized and organized. And if you’re anything like me, chances are your clothing (and bedroom storage in general) are going to be a big priority. So while checking the Apartment Therapy Marketplace for the best new deals of the week, I stumbled upon our solution to this universal problem: the highboy. If clean design and optimal storage had a baby, it would be the highboy.

The presents may be unwrapped, but some of the best deals are just starting. The last week of the year is a time when retailers want to clear their inventory for new merchandise, and we reap the benefits. We gathered the best after-Christmas sales from around the internet and put them all right here, for your bargain hunting convenience.

Let’s start by getting one thing out of the way: this is very painful for me. As a lifelong, tried-and-true, loyal devotee to the cult of Basically Only Accenting With Black, it’s understandably hard for me to accept that another shade could be taking its place. But the design world has spoken, and navy is expected to leave its mark on 2017 in a big way. And wouldn’t you know it, I’ve warmed up to the look.

Loyalists to the Apartment Therapy Marketplace know that tons of great new stuff is added every day. But since we live in a busy world, you might not get the chance to check for new listings as much as you’d like. That’s where I come in. I spend a good amount of time digging through the latest uploads each day, and am more than happy to spread the love when it comes to great deals.

Lars Noah Balderskilde has plenty to celebrate this month. It’s the six month anniversary of opening Lanoba, his successful shop specializing in Danish Mid-Century Modern furniture. The recent New York transplant had been living abroad but moved to the city to start a new adventure. Lars followed his passion for design by bringing authentic Danish goods—particularly Mid-Century style to America. After all, Denmark is one of the spots where the movement really hit its peak.

Sleepwear is a many-splendored thing. On top of being a great last-minute gift idea, a solid set of pajamas is guaranteed to keep you (and your loved ones) comfy and warm all winter long. Luckily, the Internet likes jammies just as much as we do, and while most loungewear on the market deserves some time to shine, we thought it would be fun to focus on two of our current faves: adult onesies and matching family sets.

We’ve shared thrift shopping tips before, like How to Leave a Thrift Store and Love What You Bought, Unexpected Items to Look for When Thrift Shopping, The Art of Getting the Best Deal When You Thrift Shop and even Thrifting Secrets from Someone Whose Home Looks Like a Million Bucks. But before you head off to your next shopping trip, listen to this one last piece of advice from master thrifter Tavia (of A Lovely Minneapolis Home Full of Thrifted Buys & Frugal Finds).

As footwear goes, it’s safe to say that Heelys are basically The Flintstones of futuristic shoes (sorry, but roller shoes are so last decade). While we would just as soon continue wearing shoes strictly for coverage, orthopedic comfort and simple style, the tech-heavy trend of futuristic shoes is so intriguing, it’s difficult to ignore. From Marty McFly to ones that warm your toes, here are nine shoes that have paved the path toward the future of footwear.

I love a roll of cheap-and-chic craft paper as much as the next budget-conscious gift giver, but sometimes, you just have to pull out the good stuff. When you’re in the market for paper so pretty (or punny) it risks out-shining the gift (or out-laughing the gag gift), these seven sources have you covered. This family-run print shop in Wyckoff, New Jersey, has been producing beautifully patterned gift wrap and stationery since 1974.

Tavia’s inviting home doesn’t sport any one specific style, and yet it perfectly shows off her personality. It’s full of well-made furniture and quirky accessories. It’s the kind of space you’d instantly be comfortable in. Her home is impressive for all the reasons listed above, but it’s also admirable because Tavia didn’t spend a ton of money. She crafted this warm, lived-in home thanks to the frugal powers of thrifting.

Now that the holiday season is upon us, we’re making our shopping lists. Some of us even have an idea of what we want to get our loved ones (or ourselves), and here’s one way we save: by adding items to our shopping carts now, and then checking the prices on Black Friday. It doesn’t always result in a lower price, but sometimes it does.

I saw this ladder for the second time when I was at IDS West in Vancouver back in September and it just had such a great look to it — I knew it would be the perfect fit for my Daily Find. We reached out to Hasegawa Ladders to see a sample, and they sent us two of their Lucano 3-step Ladders to test out. Watch the video above and read on to see why these ladders are a must-have for your home!

It’s a specific list of product types that rule Black Friday: TVs and computers (basically, consumer electronics in general), toys and clothing. Though we cannot deny there are really great deals to be had at the expected big box stores, there are plenty of other unexpected shopping categories that are often overlooked. Here are five you should consider scooping up! According to Dealnews.

Have you ever looked back through your purchase history on Amazon? While mine is a mix of household necessities and the Ghosts of Christmas and Birthdays Past, there are some real head scratchers in there, too. I knew I couldn’t be the only one, so I asked some brave coworkers to dig through their Amazon account and share one of their weirder buys.

In the early 2000s, Pier One Imports was the epitome of worldly sophistication for me, what with its exotic wood furniture, beaded throw pillows and Buddha statues galore. When I redecorated my post-collegiate bedroom, I hit up the store for unique international treasures. “Why yes, these ruffled dupioni silk throw pillows are from the foreign land of Kissimmee, Florida.” Fast forward a decade, and I’ve discovered a new local mecca for global goods: World Market.

Emily Schildt, co-founder of Thing of Wonder, lives in 400 square feet in Brooklyn. But beyond the challenge of living in a small space, she also has to tackle the challenge of living in just one room. Not only is her Fort Greene studio apartment lovely, it’s also highly functional…for her! As an avid entertainer, she’s chosen a furniture layout that works for how she lives — which in her case means the unusual choice of placing her bed right near the front door.

If you’ve always wished your apartment had a charming exposed brick wall, or a luxe slab of marble, or an entire kitchen of patterned Moroccan tile—your dream just came true. Recently, more and more wallpaper companies are producing designs that imitate these highly-coveted materials, so you can get the look without remodeling. At first glance, no one will guess these aren’t the real deal.

Beauty fans, it’s the most wonderful time of the year—Sephora’s VIB sale. If you’re a VIB or VIB Rouge member of the retailer’s Beauty Insider rewards program, you get 20% off your entire purchase for a few days this month. Here’s what we’re adding to our shopping carts. Through today, November 7, VIB Rouge members can save using code 20ROUGE, while VIB sale dates are November 11-14 with code 20VIB.

Whether you self-identify as a “miniac” or not, there is something so impressive about the work of Jon Almeda of Almeda Pottery. Not only are his pieces gorgeous, but they’re also not much larger than pocket change. A photo posted by JON ALMEDA (@almedapottery) on Oct 31, 2016 at 5:20pm PDT src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.

I’m a self-professed candle connoisseur: At any given hour, I could have three or four going in my living room. I wholeheartedly believe they can set the tone for the season and make any space feel instantly homey. I may live in South Florida, far, far away from changing leaves and apple picking, but gosh darnit, if I have anything to do with it, my apartment is going to smell like a cinnamon-spiced pumpkin apple pie baking in a orchard once autumn rolls in.

Direct to consumer goods has been the trending model for everything from sweaters to mattresses to luggage, eliminating the middleman and saving the customer money. Morgans debuted last year offering a subscription box for high quality toiletries that did just that. And while $8 for natural shampoo is a good deal, the price could be lower—like $1.96, the actual cost to make the product.

HOLY COW! The Cubs broke a 108-year curse and won the World Series and the city of Chicago is reeling. Be you a die-hard supporter, bandwagon fan or Bill Murray, you’re probably still celebrating this momentous occasion. Or perhaps you’re a Chicago native who doesn’t really care about sports, but is breathing a sigh of relief at how easy your holiday shopping just got (hi mom). Turns out there’s a Cubs logo on just about anything, and here are some choice selects.

It can be easy to get caught up in the thrill of thrifting. Finding items that make you laugh. That you can’t believe are so cheap! There have been more than a few time that while at the cash register I have looked down at arms full of objects I absolutely do not need. If you’d like to avoid buyer’s remorse the next time you survey your second-hand haul, try out some of these tips, shared by someone who knows a thing or two about thrifting.

If you’ve ever wanted to try out a new fancy beauty product but paying full price makes you cringe, Amazon’s got you covered. The retailer is offering 20% off one luxury beauty buy, today only. Brands include Blinc, Stila, Lorac, Jouer, Elizabeth Arden, Cargo, Jane Iredale, Essie, Butter London, OPI, Korres, theBalm, and more.

Behold: one home shopping guide to rule them all.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time the last two years shopping for affordable, attractive ceiling lights for two successive houses…and it’s rough out there. However, these 10 pendants, many of them available for well under $100, prove that it’s actually possible to shed light without shedding too many dollars. The marble trend is still going strong, right? I love that this light plays with that classic material, folding it upon itself and making it sheer and lighter than air.

The banana leaves are gently fluttering, as if a light breeze just picked up. It’s rather soothing, especially considering that I’m inside at Apartment Therapy HQ, and the plant is digital art. Today, Electric Objects launches EO2, their second generation digital frame, as well as Art Club, a service that brings museum-curated and original commissioned pieces into your home, so you can change art as easily as you change a song.

I recently faced the dilemma of finding a pretty rug for my living room that didn’t cost a fortune. As I scoured the web, I found many had way too many shades of brown to count or resembled something thrown over a fence at a roadside sale. But I persevered and have handpicked a selection of pretty and affordable area rugs (all around 5′ x 8′) that won’t break the bank.

From stamped leather totes to engraved copper desk sets, the old-fashioned monogram is finally going modern. Put a personal spin on it by designing your own (don’t worry, our definitive monogram guide If you’re looking for a keep-forever bedding set, this is it. New Orleans-based Leontine Linens lets you customize every aspect of their linens, from the fabric, to the color of the thread, to the design of each hand-sewn monogram.

One of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to customize a rental kitchen (and, of course, any piece of furniture) is to change the cabinet handles. Choose a pull that reflects your home decor style (not sure what yours is? Take the quiz to find out), then swap them in for the dingy/generic knobs that came with your apartment. As long as you change them back before move-out day, this mini makeover is 100% landlord-approved. Lusso Knob at Anthropologie, $12.

This week, H&M debuted the lookbook for their next big fashion collab—this time, with KENZO. The French fashion house is known for their flashy and splashy use of pattern, and their looks for H&M are no different. Here are five outfits that go from quiet riot to loud and proud on the pattern meter. The collection doesn’t launch until November, but if it’s anything like 2015’s Balmain collab, we can expect these pieces to sell out quickly. 1.

Some things are just better as a pair, an infamous duo of sorts, whether it be person or thing: Tom and Jerry, peanut butter and jelly, door and knob, and to drive this article’s point home, end table and sofa. The yin to each other’s yangs, the end table and sofa are a complementary furnishing that go hand and hand in any home. Lucky for you, if you’re in search of the perfect mate to your sofa (or bed!

Halloween is just three weeks away ::insert excited cheers here::, which means it’s time to string up your zombie-eyed crow garland, scatter those pumpkins and get your spook on. If you need a little guidance on where to turn to buy some really great decor (because who doesn’t need a crow-footed candy bowl?), we rounded up five of our favorite shops for All Hallows’ Eve here.

Target’s latest collaboration looks like it’s straight from a magazine—because it is. Modern by Dwell Magazine is a 120-piece collection, launching late December. This collection is more minimal and modern than Target’s usual partnerships; they conducted a survey where more than half of respondents expressed a strong interest in integrating modern design into their homes, according to Co.Design.

A few twists of the wrist, and these gorgeous finials will be adorning curtain rods, lamps, bed posts and furniture. Adding a decorative finial is the quickest fix we know for rooms that lack character—and the chic, totally un-fussy options on the market today mean they amp up any decor style. Consider this the cherry on top of a well-designed room.

Mirrors do so much with so little: a flat plane of glass increases light, adds the illusion of more space, and provides intriguing reflections and perspectives. And that’s just a plain mirror—add flowers, wires, starbursts, and lights, and you’ve got something really special. The only problem is, these room heavy hitters can pack both a decorative and budget punch, so to ease the search for a wallet-friendly find, we picked our 10 favorites under $100.

Not everything in Jessica and Ryan’s home is from a thrift store, but a large bulk of the furniture and decor is. Their style looks anything but second-hand, however. Not surprising considering Jessica Cook is a vintage seller with her Etsy shop Houseworking. I asked her to share her best thrifting tips, second-hand secrets and hand-me-down hints. You’ll be a thrifting expert in no time! Thrift stores are where I do the bulk of my vintage hunting.

Nothing beats the real deal, but when your wallet hasn’t quite caught up to your great taste, there are ways to get the look without going ridiculously over budget. Lookalikes abound, but not everyone is in the “ok with it” camp. For those who are, we offer up the following scenario: The second you win the lotto, you’ll be on board to pony up for the originals, but until that day comes, we might find you lounging on these knock-offs of classic beauties.

There are lots of reasons why you might have a too-big or too-bulky piece of furniture in your home. Perhaps it’s an inherited piece you can’t part with. Maybe you need a large piece of furniture for storage. Whatever the case, you don’t have to live with a heavy piece of furniture visually weighing down a room.

The living room of an eclectic collector is like a treasure trove. Quirky accents mingle with modern seating and a classic Warren Platner coffee table, while throw pillows of all prints and textures play nice on a vintage sofa. The telltale sign of this look is that you can’t quite put your finger on the style of the room, and that’s what makes it so special. 1. Indigo 3 Light Drum Chandelier, $318.64 from Wayfair 2. Infant Ikat Robe VI from Uzbekistan in Lucite Frame, $895 from St.

Looking to save some dollars? It’s currently West Elm’s Friends + Family event and everything is 20% off, including markdowns. We scoured the site and here’s what we’re loving, especially at a serious discount. The Esme sofa is a new addition, and we’re loving its rounded, tailored look to add style to a small space. The diamond rug is one of our favorites from the Commune collaboration.

Coco Chanel famously said that “a girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” The classic glam bedroom is both and since your sleeping quarters should be your palace, it only seems fit that you appoint it like it is. To fashion a fashionista-approved boudoir, don’t be afraid to mix metals (yes, brass and chrome can play nice together) get wild with prints and invite in some moody art. 1. Trophy by Ashley Woodson Bailey, priced from $123.58 from Citizen Atelier 2.

Nobody likes a sad, empty sofa. A cushion or two (or five!) is always welcome for snuggling into, and the aesthetic boost your room gets from the extra textures and patterns is the icing on the cake. While there are many different ways to create an eye-pleasing cushion arrangement (and with practice, you can knock ’em all out of the park), here are a few simple tips that I use regularly when styling my clients’ homes.

It may be hard to switch gears from summer while your tan is still fierce, but there’s a good chance that fall is actually right around the corner (after all, first comes back-to-school commercials, then comes sweaters). It’s totally ok, because autumn is that sweet spot between summer and winter where the sun still shines, yet it’s chilly enough for plenty of sweat-free cuddling.

With an emphasis on neutral colors and natural materials, the warm industrial bathroom feels sophisticated. To make sure the space is more cozy than cold, choose warm gray tones, add some rough-hewn wood accents, and mix in personal touches, such as art. Finish the room with one—or all 12!—of the hand-picked accessories that follow. 1. Pipework Toilet Paper Holder, $78 from Anthropologie 2. Gray Cement Bath Set, priced from $15 from Zara Home 3.

Part of the undeniable charm of warm industrial style is that it seamlessly blends modern and vintage finds—and pieces that are both shiny and a little rough around the edges can feel equally at home. To get the look in your living room, play around with a range of textures, but unify the space with a mostly neutral color palette. We’ve already done the hard part for you and scoured the web for the best industrial-inspired finds—all you need to do is click “Shop.

Antique and vintage rugs were once reserved just for your grandmother’s house, but the look is one that has gained tremendous steam in the design world. Floorcoverings from past decades (or centuries) really add character and warmth to even the starkest of modern rooms, though it’s not uncommon for it to be the most expensive item in a space.

I don’t know about you, but when I try to incorporate multiple motifs into a room willy-nilly, things can quickly get a little out of control and the space ultimately lacks cohesion. When it comes to the delicate dance of mixing and matching (or deliberately mismatching) patterns, it’s best to take cues from the pros. As your print-mixing guides, we’ve put together four high and lows inspired by rooms with perfectly blended patterns. First up: the living room.

Did you know that sectionals are the most popular shape of sofa purchased in the USA? Why? Because it’s the ultimate one piece problem solver for any size room, little to big. We made the snappy super cute video above to show you exactly how to do it in a room from 100 to 200 to 300 square feet… starring my new Maxwell Sectional (kudos to Arlyn for helping to script this so beautifully).

A new sofa is a major investment, often involving months of IRL and virtual window shopping, mulling, second guessing, and more mulling. I checked in with a few interior designers (i.e. professional sofa buyers) to ask for their expert advice on what you should consider before starting the sofa-buying process and how to make the task more straightforward. Consider this your ask-yourself-this-first checklist.

Looking to up the drama in your interiors? A go-to for daring designers and decorators, black paint provides an instant jolt and dose of some serious sophistication. And even if you’re not ready to go full-volume with ebony walls, architectural accents like window sills and moldings (and don’t forget furnishings!) can benefit from the deep hue to add intrigue to just about any room.

Blame it on the Scandinavian fascination in the design world, maybe, but white walls have never been more in demand. Peruse your Pinterest boards, and chances are, a great majority of the rooms you’ve pinned have white walls. With so many slight variations in the delicate color, it can be nearly impossible to settle on the right shade, but fear not; we’ve taken the guess work out of the whole process for you. Here are 12 designer-favorite, no-fail white paint colors.