Forgotten photos, doodles, blueprints, love letters – it’s quite possible that you’ve dug up plenty of frame-worthy candidates during your recent Spring Cleaning. We think that now is the time to pull these markers of your life out of the shoebox and off of your camera, and into a beautiful custom-made frame. Not sure which frame goes with which mat for that funky piece of art? Consider this your friendly custom framing manual.
As far as domestic chores go, moving is like deep-cleaning the refrigerator, organizing the closets and clearing out the garage in one fell swoop — not a simple task. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be easier. We’re here to help.
This post is the first of a series exploring stories of success selling homes in Seattle. We’re avowed real estate voyeurs at Apartment Therapy. Is there anything more delicious than gawking at beautiful, real-life homes?
More often than not, all you need to take a beat-up bureau, discarded desk, or tired trunk from shabby to chic is a few dollars and a dream. We partnered with Liberty Hardware to give three thrift store finds a DIY furniture facelift using their new collection of fun and modern furniture hardware and accessory pieces sold exclusively at The Home Depot.
Let’s be honest: we could all use a little help in the kitchen, especially if it means saving time. With all the joy that the kitchen brings, it seems that we’re spending more time cleaning, organizing, and searching, than we are nomming. We should all change that. Here are 3 of our favorite time-saving kitchen tricks of the trade. How much time have you spent under your sink hunting through a bucket for that glass cleaner?
We know it’s early, but we’re christening 2015 the year we get everything in its place, from the leaning tower of magazines to the carpet of kids’ toys. And January — aka National Get Organized Month — is a great time to start. Whether you’re whipping your home into shape, moving into new digs, or just looking for some practical tricks, one tool will make life loads easier: the Brother P-Touch label maker.
The miraculous moldable glue known as Sugru is perfect for everything from repairing busted iPhone cables to improving kitchen appliances, and even making the most of any small space by attaching hooks to almost any surface. Previously only available online, you can now get Sugru at Lowe’s nationwide (at the paint counter) – just in time to plan your first project of the year! These 5 simple and ingenious Sugru DIY projects will definitely stick with you in 2015.
With new devices to digitize every corner of the domestic space, there’s never been a better time to help make someone’s home a little smarter with the gift of gadgetry. We’ve rounded up a list of our favorite home tech gadgets for gifting, from connected Crock-Pots to smart power outlets.
There’s a secret formula Maxwell uses when concepting color for a room. It’s called the 80-20 rule and it’s very simple: if you decorate 80% of a room in neutral colors, you can get very colorful with the other 20%. But how can you calculate a “percentage” of a room’s color to put it into practice? For bedrooms, the answer is easy.
Style and comfort don’t often go together – we’re looking at you, stiletto heels, skinny jeans and strapless dresses – but we’re not into settling for one or the other when it comes to the home. When the weather shifts and the cold air starts seeping through the windows, don’t you want your home to have the same comfort you get from your go-to winter boots: the soft sheepskin, the soothing warmth, the never-taking-them-off comfort?
Prize: Reverie Sofa in winner’s choice of fabric From: EQ3 Value: up to $1,799 If you’re a devotee of all things modern, then you probably already know, and love, EQ3. This Canadian brand just opened its second CA location this spring, and just launched eq3.com in the U.S. — but it’s been winning over shoppers since 2001 with its contemporary designs for everyday life. (The Herman Miller selection and in-store Marimekko shops don’t hurt, either.
Heather had the perfect place to feature photos of her two daughters. A bright hallway between the girls’ rooms, it would help define the ‘children’s area’ of their home, while giving it the personalize feel she was looking for. But Heather wasn’t thrilled with the gallery wall she’d created.
Few of us would say our favorite color is white, yet that’s just the hue of so many of our walls — even for those of us free to paint them any color we want! The challenge: finding a color we love and committing. But where do you find color inspiration? The answer: everywhere! Color inspiration is all around us, if we pay attention. Be mindful of what’s right under your nose — if the mood or look of a color strikes you, it just might be the hue for you.
In the dark and despairing days before the internet, embarking on a DIY project meant lots of weekend visits to home supply showrooms in hopes of finding materials that fit both style and budget. Luckily, the building supply chain has evolved for the better, and sites like BuildDirect.com offer a more direct link to manufacturers for big discounts on home renovation supplies. Have you been putting off a project because you’re short on time or money?
Name: Challenge: Boldest Before and Afters: Priya and Jamie They’re so pleased with the color, they’ve already thrown a party to show it off to their friends! An added benefit to warm pink or orange colors? They cast a flattering glow onto everyone in the room. Stay tuned for more Glidden paint Boldest Before and Afters!
Name: Challenge: Boldest Before and Afters: Bonnie Pinterest page Bonnie’s thrilled with the results, and she emailed us to let us know that her boyfriend is, too! Stay tuned for more Glidden paint Boldest Before and Afters!
Welcome to Wilsonart Wednesday! We’ve teamed up with the kitchen experts at Wilsonart to answer our readers’ questions about kitchen renovation. We’ll be posting the answers on Wilsonart Wednesdays all summer long, so ask your questions here and check back in for the answers!– Niki R.The ergonomic rule-of-thumb is that your elbows should be bent at a 45-degree angle when your hands are resting on the countertop.
Welcome to Wilsonart Wednesday! We’ve teamed up with the kitchen experts at Wilsonart to answer our readers’ questions about kitchen renovation. We’ll be posting the answers on Wilsonart Wednesdays all summer long, so ask your questions here and check back in for the answers!– Margaret M.A: We don’t typically recommend laminating over laminate – but you can do it if you’re willing to put some elbow grease into it.
Welcome to Wilsonart Wednesday! We’ve teamed up with the kitchen experts at Wilsonart to answer our readers’ questions about kitchen renovation. We’ll be posting the answers on Wilsonart Wednesdays all summer long, so ask your questions here and check back in for the answers!Q: You know how many countertops have a lip along the back edge that extends a few inches up the wall? Is that necessary? Does it serve some practical purpose?– Cassandra W.
Moving can be overwhelming if you try to do it alone — it’s a task which requires more than one set of hands. That’s what friends are for, right? But even if your friends gladly offer to help, you still need to follow a few rules of thumb to ensure that your friends remain your friends, even after moving day.Enlisting friends to help you move can be wonderful, but be prepared for the fact that it requires more preparation on your part.
One of the more overlooked areas of my clients homes is their outdoor space. If you’re able to create outdoor living spaces (weather permitting) you can virtually add square footage and additional rooms to your home. Add an outdoor room, and watch your living space grow before your very eyes. Who doesn’t like that trick? It’s like adding a 2nd family room or dining room to your home. Here are a few ways to create the perfect outdoor design.
If you’ve missed the recent painting and masking tutorial posts from ScotchBlue™Brand, now is definitely the time to catch-up! From learning How to Easily Update Your Space with ScotchBlue™ Painters Tape to Masking Techniques for Smooth, Medium and Heavy Surfaces, ScotchBlue™Brand posts are your one stop hub for painting and masking how tos. That’s why we’re so excited to share their recent project with you!
In celebration of the new BEHR Premium Plus Ultra® Interior Paint (a paint and primer in one!), BEHR® has launched a boutique, hand-selected palette of 386 colors that provides do-it-yourselfers a canvas to express their tastes and creativity. Whether you’re looking for relaxing, organic-toned neutrals or saturated and vibrant hues, BEHR® has divided the color palette into six different design approaches to help you find your perfect match. Which one are you?
Great Valspar Resources for Painting:Online Color Tool: Explore Valspar’s wide variety of colors.Online Painter: Try out different colors in rooms and find your perfect paint.Apartments can vary so much in size, so knowing how much paint you’re going to need can be tricky. (There is a complicated math formula to help you determine exactly how much you’ll need, but a quick trick is to use Valspar’s Paint Calculator.
Name: James OmedoLocation: Atlanta, GeorgiaStyle: Cool, calm bedroom in the trees Say hello to James, the last of five guys that I’m visiting this summer! I’ve teamed up with
Valspar Paint to help James redo the bedroom he shares with his wife in Atlanta. James is an art director and a teacher, and he lives in the city with his wife and their soon to be one-year-old son, Elliot.
When you’re getting ready to paint your child’s room, a few questions always come to mind: what color should you pick? Is it low or no VOC? How much are you going to need? But you might not always think how easy is it to clean? Children’s rooms are activity dens! Moving, playing, jumping, falling, spilling… you never know what’s going to happen. Sherwin-Williams knows this.
