Your reading list of books with “What to Expect” in their titles made it sound so easy. Your favorite mommyblogger — and you never expected to have a favorite mommyblogger — has somehow figured everything out. Your friends have reassured you that you’re doing fine, but it didn’t feel fine when you were wiping pureed sweet potatoes off your toddler’s face, off the walls and…wait, it’s on the dog too? “You have no idea.
charset="utf-8" src="https://d30bopbxapq94k.cloudfront.net/js/curalate-widget-client-all-v3.min.js" type="text/javascript"> Just because you have pets or kids, or are, frankly, a total klutz, doesn’t mean you can’t have nice things. The first secret of styling high-traffic areas is durable, easy-to-clean items. The second is that those items can be just as chic as their more delicate counterparts. We refreshed a living room using items completely sourced from Overstock.
Planning a wedding is a big undertaking—building your wedding website shouldn’t be. While you’re choosing color schemes and floral arrangements, let someone else handle the details of, well, telling your guests the details. Enter Zola. They make it easy, with one place to plan everything wedding-related — including your wedding website. Start by choosing a (free!
The mattress-in-a-box maestro Tuft & Needle is celebrating its sixth anniversary by giving away one mattress for every day in August. The contest is open through September 1. Then, on September 4, they’ll randomly choose 31 entrants and send them a free mattress—in any size! (Get the full terms and conditions download on their giveaway page.
Where were you when you realized you were too old for crappy furniture? Was it during a dinner party when a guest sat down and the chair collapsed? Or standing in the street as the moving truck drove off and you realized you had zero attachment to anything inside? We all know how to find furniture that’s inexpensive and not really made to last; it’s also easy to find pieces that are lovely and elegant with price tags beyond your wildest dreams.
By August, the sparkle of our spring cleaning efforts can start to fade like even the best spray tan. But the summer is often too hot—and too busy—to tackle a deep clean. Welcome to late-summer cleaning: By looking around your place and identifying a few low-key chores, you can prolong that summer shine without breaking a sweat. Aniko Levai, the blogger behind Place of My Taste, invited us into her home to share some little tasks that won’t ruin the season’s lazy vibes.
Jenni of I Spy DIY is all about rolling up her sleeves and turning that DIY home into a permanent address—and she’s got a whole house to prove it. When she got a tip on a Milwaukee fixer-upper (emphasis on the “fixer”), Jenni had never bought a house before. And this one had a complicated story: Now owned by the city, its buyer would need to pass a proposal process and demonstrate a commitment to the neighborhood.
There are two parts to every home renovation: There’s the fun part, where showroom salespeople treat you like royalty and Pinterest becomes your part-time job. But there’s also the practical part, which is mostly consumed with creating a budget and paying the bills. As much as we love a mood board, today we’re going to look at determining a project’s budget and financing.
Almost every homeowner has a renovation project in mind, but the big question is: When should I do it? Sometimes, it makes sense to save up and put it off. But in certain cases, it would behoove you to do it sooner. These are the medium and big-ticket projects that, yes, will add value when it’s time to resell, but are also improvements you want to enjoy for yourself.
In today’s economy, it’s downright normal to have a home mortgage, some student loans, and even a bit of credit card debt. But what should you be doing to protect yourself and make the most of your money? Sure a small amount of debt is normally fine, but sometimes if you don’t take control of it, it could have control over you. Here’s a well-kept secret: Once you start borrowing money, it can be challenging to dig yourself out of the hole.
There’s no shortage of advice out there for getting a restful night’s sleep, from setting the thermostat just so to banishing screens from the bedroom. But we often overlook a huge factor, not just in a good night’s sleep but in a healthful day too: lighting. The right light does wonders for wellness (just ask your plants), but we’re often bombarded with harsh rays, from the glare of our devices to the unflattering fluorescents at the office.
Vacuums do a simple job, but shopping for them can seem anything but. Do you have pets? What about hardwood? Have you ever thought about carpet pile? The variations can seem confusing—but shop the right way, and you only have to think about them once. We’ve broken down some of the characteristics of your home that’ll help you find the right forever vacuum and make shopping for it a clean sweep.
Our outdoor M.O. takes its cues from the Parisian sidewalk bistros of our dreams: sit, relax, repeat. Whether you’re working with a spacious yard or a tiny balcony, your outdoor space should be as stylish as the indoor space you’ve worked so hard on. That means investing in furniture that you actually want to sit on (read: not those scratchy plastic chaises at the home-improvement store).
Our three favorite words? Pop of color. It’s a phrase that works in just about every space, but it’s especially helpful in the teeniest homes. Here, color can simultaneously define different areas in the home while providing the illusion of depth and light. Case in point: Shaina and Michael’s tiny house. While every inch of their 400 square feet works hard, the MVP may well be their workspace area.
We’re endlessly inspired by the Hommeboys (aka Austin Carrier and Alex Mutter-Rottmayer) and their creative design DIYs. Their Sonoma, CA, home is the definition of #stylegoals, packed to the brim with texture, pattern, and color. Now, that is.
If you’ve ever ended a Fixer Upper binge convinced you can definitely make over your kitchen and shiplap your bedroom this weekend, then you know that renovations are rarely what they seem. Whether you’re calling in contractors or just refreshing paint, there are perennial pitfalls that cost time, money, and frustration. These common mistakes could cost you—or you could read on and avoid them now. (We suggest option B.
Name: Shaina and Michael, and Keiko Location: Stanardsville, VA Size: 400 square feet When Shaina and Michael decided to downsize, they knew the perfect tiny house to call home: the darling property that was originally built to house Shaina’s grandfather’s medical practice! The couple edited their possessions down to the essentials (beloved local art, items with emotional resonance, family heirlooms) and said hello to simpler living.
Often it just takes one item to make a space really sing, and seating is one of our favorite ways to accomplish this. The right chair offers so many design solutions: Color and functionality, plus a healthy dose of whatever your personal style is, whether it’s mid-century or boho or something else. Need a little inspo? Take a cue from these Instagram influencers who took statement seating from the modern design pros at Industry West and personalized it for their own homes.
If there’s one thing the many diverse homes of our House Tours have in common, it’s that they all have interesting, unique art and accessories. It’s what gives these homes a style you can’t find anywhere else. It’s what makes them not just beautiful, but personal to the people who live in them. It’s what makes them theirs.
Who says neutral has to mean white or beige? We say it’s 100% possible for a color to work quietly in the background and still be, you know, a color. That’s the whole point of our New Neutrals Project, where we gave some lucky readers a neutral paint makeover. The results are anything but boring and we all learned how much a little bit of color would help. Today we visit Leah, who took on the challenge to transform her condo’s living room into a soothing space.
There’s a misguided perception that neutrals are boring. But with a whole spectrum of “new” neutrals—light blues, greens, and pinks touched by gray and tan—people are finding exciting new alternatives to whites, beiges, and other conventional neutral colors. So which new neutral is right for your space? Tell us a little bit about your home and we’ll find a gorgeous color palette perfect for you.
There’s a misguided perception that neutrals are boring. But with a whole spectrum of “new” neutrals—light blues, greens, and pinks touched by gray and tan—people are finding exciting new alternatives to whites, beiges, and other conventional neutral colors. So which new neutral is right for your space? Tell us a little bit about your home and we’ll find a gorgeous color palette perfect for you.
There’s a misguided perception that neutrals are boring. But with a whole spectrum of “new” neutrals—light blues, greens, and pinks touched by gray and tan—people are finding exciting new alternatives to whites, beiges, and other conventional neutral colors. So which new neutral is right for your space? Tell us a little bit about your home and we’ll find a gorgeous color palette perfect for you.
Have you ever looked at a photo of a perfectly styled room and thought, Looks great, but I’d like to see you try that in my apartment? Small spaces can present big challenges, but they’re easier to solve than you think. Here are five ways to maximize your square footage in style. You live in an apartment, not a dollhouse: Choose furniture that’s proportional to the space instead of just grabbing all the smallest pieces you can find.
Neutrals will never go out of style, but lately we’ve been seeing them take on a new sophistication. More and more, we’re seeing classic neutrals show up with deeper tints—shades a little more exciting than ecru or bone—and people are really leaning into those colors that fall somewhere in the middle of two other colors.
Think neutrals can only be white, grey or beige? Not so! It turns out that lots of you are using unexpected shades—like muted pinks, oranges, yellows, and even greens—as stage-setting neutrals in your spaces. Which inspired us to investigate further. In today’s edition of our New Neutrals Project , we visit Melina, a reader who was a little incredulous that adding pigment to a neutral would work out in her favor. Melina, founder of 5th Floor Walkup, lives in a small studio.
Mid-century modern is the Coco Chanel of design—timeless and trend-proof—but that doesn’t mean it can’t take an update. Right now, we’re loving looks that bring the Eames era into the 21st century. Think simple lines and sleek shapes that complement modern life. With the right pieces, you can turn mid-century modern into modern mid-century—a 2.0 take that you can make your own.
Prize: BISSELL CrossWave® Pet Pro All-In-One Multi-Surface Cleaner From: BISSELL Value: $299.99 Long walks, snuggles on the couch, cheerful greetings at the end of the day: Our pets bring an endless amount of joy to our lives (and sometimes constitute our most committed relationships). But they can also bring an equally endless amount of cleanup, from the fur balls on the carpet to the muddy paw prints by the front door.
Plush textures and plantspiration are everywhere this spring. Throw in a little rattan and you’ve got yourself a very cool, very now take on a boho chic bedroom. All of this is in Target’s just-released collection called Opalhouse, which takes us on a globetrotting journey without leaving our home.
At first we wanted to report that cognac leather is making a comeback, but then we realized it never went away. Which is the whole point of leather. It’s durable, reliable, always looks great, and like a great pair of jeans, only gets better with use. That balance—between real life and real style—is one that Industry West nails.
I first started using Trello a couple years ago. It’s a project management app (for desktop and mobile), but it’s way more visual and fun to use than any others I’ve seen. Once it got all my work projects together, I quickly realized it could be useful for way more: all my home project planning, to-do lists…really anything I find myself writing down or pinning or bookmarking or emailing to myself or group-texting about. Which is to say, everything. And it’s free!
Prize: A customized Sleeper Sofa from American Leather (your choice of finishes!) From: American Leather Value: $4,999 Even if you only read fashion magazines in airport gift shops, you’ve seen those “Day to Night” photo spreads that show you how to turn what you wore to the office this morning into an elegant ensemble for after-dark.
Will Taylor, the color-obsessed designer behind one of our favorite blogs, Bright.Bazaar, knows potential when he sees it. So when he and his husband, Toby, snapped up the property that would become their airy beach retreat in Bellport, NY, they already had a clear vision of the “make-you-smile style” renovations that would turn the house into their dream home.
Name: Will Taylor and Toby Taylor-Willis Location: Bellport, NY Size: 1500 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned If you’ve spent any time (or, like us, endless time) browsing the colorful design blog Bright.Bazaar, you know that Will Taylor’s signature “make-you-smile style” does exactly that.
Forget interior design pros and forget interior design shows, because nothing can help you prepare for living in a small space like playing Tetris. If you spent your formative years trying to organize an increasingly frantic number of squares, rectangles and…whatever that Z-shaped thing was, then you’re ready to figure out how to arrange your life within the walls of a small home.
If you own a pet, you know the issue: How can I have all the cuddles in the world without my home feeling like a kennel? Pets add a lot of little challenges to good housekeeping, but they’re undeniably worth it, fur balls and all. Fortunately, we have some smart solutions to help you keep your space clean and your design fresh. Because no one should sacrifice snuggles for style. Not every aspect of pet ownership is ready for Instagram (we’re looking at you, gross chew toys).
It’s not that Rikki Snyder is a perfectionist; she just has an eye trained to see what makes spaces beautiful. As an interiors photographer, she spots all the little dust bunnies, paw prints and crumbs the rest of us overlook. “You might not realize it when you’re living in your own space day to day,” she says, “but when I come in with my camera, everything shows up!
The award-winning Aladdin on Broadway brings the adventure of Disney’s classic film to a whole new world. (Sorry, too easy!) Which got us thinking…What would Jasmine, Aladdin and all the other characters’ digs look like in real life? With a little help from our library of House Tours we came up with a few ideas… Design Personality: Modern Desert Rustic We start in the desert. Not the Seven Deserts outside Agrabah, but the Mojave Desert in CA.
We love a good kitchen reno: the Pinterest boards, the paint samples, the Instagram feeds full of possibilities. But it’s easy to get so hung up on your dream look that you forget you’re making it a reality—and reality means looking past the finishes. There are two words you need to think about before starting your next renovation, and they’re not subway tile. So, let’s talk about universal design.
At Apartment Therapy, we are constantly talking to top influencers and style experts about the biggest trends in home design. But often the best ideas of all come from you – our readers, who have made this site what it is today. That’s why we’re recruiting a panel of new “tastemakers” who can be our go-to insiders for sponsored opportunities.
The just-so rumpled sheets, the perfectly plump pillows, the A+ color mixing: Is anyone else’s Instagram feed full of the dreamiest beds ever? Before you get too jealous, know that these beds did not wake up like this. (Except for Queen Bey’s. Her bed is obviously perfect at all times.) No, these beds were just styled by folks who know how to turn sleep into chic. Good news: So do we.
The right rug can make all the difference in a room—but which rug is the right one? High-pile, low-pile, kilim, shag: The options are endless, and that’s not always a good thing. If you’re not sure which look says “you” most, trust the stars to shed a little astrological light on the situation. Just remember that your rug and floor will show signs of age quickly if you don’t use a rug pad.
This year at Apartment Therapy, we expanded our growing offices into a new space. As project manager for the job, I oversaw everything from getting the lease signed to getting the gas turned on in our new studio kitchen. My very last step was to find and order the window treatments. A minor detail, I thought, until we started working in shadeless offices. Turns out, it’s anything but.
You’d think holiday travel would be somewhat enjoyable since it’s the last step before the celebrating begins. As we all know, it isn’t. You may have no control over an overpacked flight grid, but putting a little thought into your own self-care will minimize as much of the frazzle as you can. We’ve thought through a few unexpected carry-on items that will ensure you arrive healthy, refreshed, and ready to enjoy the season.
Cooking is all about digging in and getting your hands dirty. Some ingredients in particular (often the best) are particularly good for dirty hands. Chocolate, tomatoes, and red wine are hazards to be sure, but what are you gonna do? Not eat them? Here are five of our most delicious messy recipes, and a few tips for cleaning up after them so you can eat with abandon. This soup is comfort food at its best — rich, creamy, and the perfect deep red-orange.
Let’s say you had Cher’s closet from Clueless, but not just for clothes: for all your stuff. Think how much that would change your whole year. Your holiday motif, for example, could become the fully realized dreamscape you imagined if you had an endless amount of storage space, right? This is exactly what Closetbox offers: all the extra storage space you need, plus all the heavy lifting.
Bar carts may be the stars of the evening, but mornings deserve our attention too. If you’re a coffee drinker, you’re probably making at least a cup a day, so why not set up a stylish space to make your morning ritual a little smoother? It only takes a shelf or cart, some mugs, a coffee maker and, of course, your favorite brew. The secret to styling a hard-working coffee cart? Levels.
Even the littlest gifts can be thoughtful and memorable. Take Tile, the tiny Bluetooth tracker that makes it easy to find everything that matters. It’s a great gift for anyone who ever loses anything (i.e., all of us). You attach it to the thing you’ll misplace (before you misplace it); then when it’s lost, use your phone to either make Tile ring or to locate it in the app. So really, gifting someone a Tile is like gifting them the thing they won’t have to replace later.
Call it the drugstore tax: When you stock up on anything from toothpaste to shampoo, you’re not just paying for what’s inside — you’re also paying for the packaging, the brand names that are on it, and the store you’re buying it from. The more steps in the chain, the steeper the price. Public Goods delivers quality bathroom products made of healthy ingredients in just two steps: their factories, then you.
Prize: A gift card for $4,500 to spend on HauteLook From: HauteLook Value: $4,500 What are you doing most mornings at 8 a.m.? If it’s not exactly the woodland-creatures-dressing-you routine you’d like, allow us to present a happier alternative. Every morning at 8 a.m. Pacific, HauteLook launches a new round of flash sales that will save you up to 75 percent on top fashion brands, beauty products, and home goods.
You and your travel mug spend every commute together, so it’s very appropriate you two complement each other’s styles. These three DIY projects give a ho-hum mug a little sophistication. We’ll be marbleizing, monogramming, and leather-stitching our way to a much cuter morning. Oh, and did we mention these make great gifts, especially alongside a bag of delicious ground coffee?
No matter how cute your storage solutions are, sometimes you look around your space and all you see is…stuff. A science project that’s taken over the kitchen table, mail that you’re definitely going to sort soon, stacks of clothes that are barely letting your closet door close — sometimes you don’t just want to organize these things, you want to make them invisible. Good news: You can.
Friendsgiving brings together two of the best things in life — food and friends — while leaving out one of the, er, more challenging (weird holiday family dynamics). When you celebrate Thanksgiving with the family you create yourself, you can do things up the way you want. Skip the cornucopias and go for easy-to-install decorations, along with a Command™ Brand toolkit that lets you get everything up (or down) in just a few minutes with no damage to walls.
