Decorating

Try implementing some of these tips to give your modern dry-walled digs an extra helping of soul.

This week marked IKEA’s Democratic Design Days, the event where the Swedish retailer announces its upcoming collaborations. At the end of the day on Thursday, the company dropped that they’ll be working with Saint Heron, the multidisciplinary cultural hub founded by none other than Solange Knowles.

IKEA is known for simple, staple rugs that can go with just about everything—like the classic black-and-white Stockholm that has graced many a first-apartment floor for under $200. But on Thursday, the retailer announced that they are majorly upping their rug game—with eight new designer collaborations for this year’s IKEA Art Event. The rugs will be available for a limited time in 2019.

My husband has a seriously convenient knack for putting together IKEA furniture. Seriously, sometimes I (half) jokingly suggest he start side hustling as a TaskRabbit for a little extra income. But the thing is that he actually enjoys it—and when I ask him why he says it’s like building LEGOs for grownups. Well, now he might actually be able to build an IKEA LEGO, or something like it.

Target fans rejoice! The Bullseye is launching another new home brand and this time it’s all about getting back to the basics (without sacrificing an ounce of style). We already know and love Target’s other home lines—Opalhouse, Hearth & Hand with Magnolia, Threshold, and Project 62—and their personality-filled aesthetics, but Target has always been known for its basics, so we are beyond excited for the new Made By Design line.

We were so saddened to hear that Kate Spade was found dead by apparent suicide today. Her influence on the world of design and fashion is immeasurable and we will so miss her iconic style. From her handbags to her home goods, Kate brought delight into our lives by approaching simple items with a sense of joy and whimsy.

The thing about design styles is that when they become a ubiqutious trend—like the mid-century modern look or the ’70s style bohemian resurgence this year—is that they take on a life of their own after awhile. What starts as a decor movement anchored in traditions and classic elements can evolve and reshape itself with every home it touches.

The first official day of summer won’t arrive for another few weeks, but as far as we’re concerned the sunny season is already in session. And what better way to ring in three glorious months of carefree fun than with an awesome summer blowout? Many hosts will tell you a well-stocked bar is key for a great party, which is why an outdoor bar cart is one of the best investments you can make this season.

We all love IKEA for its simple, Scandinavian design and reasonable prices, but that versatility and affordability often makes decorating your home painfully ubiquitous. Instead of unearthing a one-of-a-kind piece—and feeling like a total design pro—you end up with the same furniture as your coworker, best friend, old college roommate, and your favorite influencers. Ugh. But just because you (rightfully) love IKEA doesn’t mean your space needs to fall into basic territory.

If you’re anything like me, your Instagram feed over Memorial Day Weekend was filled with FOMO-inducing photos of friends camping out in nature’s splendor across the country—whether shot from the rear windows of a camper van or RV or from within the confines of a glamping resort. ‘Tis the season to rusticate and sleep under the stars, and these tiny glamping pods are the new objet d’envy.

We got the skinny on the polarizing trend.

If you’ve found yourself gravitating towards colors reminiscent of outdoorsy vacations this year, you’re not alone. In their first ever social media study, the Pantone Color Institute quantified our collective wanderlust with the four most popular colors of 2018. In the 2018 Colors of Travel study, conducted by HireInfluence, Pantone analyzed a mix of outdoor adventure and lifestyle travel photos with high engagement from dozens of the top travel influencers in the U.S.

Red and blue is mostly reserved for summer cookouts, Fourth of July table spreads, or kitschy beach houses full of sand and white rattan, but that’s all about to change. Blue and red is the newest design power couple, but you don’t have to have an Americana aesthetic to pull it off in your own home. The reason it’s rising to the top of designers’ portfolios and pinners’ decor boards is because of how versatile it is: the pairing has range.

If you weren’t already hip to German grocery store, Aldi, now’s the time to smarten up. Adored for its super low prices and wide range of products, the discount supermarket chain now boasts over 1,600 stores in the United States—making grocery shopping on the cheap easier than ever. But wait, it gets better. Turns out Aldi sells more than just inexpensive groceries.

Here’s how to make your dishwasher work harder.

Since exotic beach getaways are always high on the priority list (or at least, they should be), here’s a Greek rental house that you’re sure to swoon over. Listed on Glamping Hub, the dreamy ocean-facing tiny house is an hour and a half drive from Thessaloniki on a private beach in Paliouri, Chalkidik, also known as Halkidiki. The exclusive spot promises views of the Aegean Sea and soothing scents of pine.

If you're not completely happy with your home's current look, try implementing these brilliant mirror tricks and you'll be in for a real treat.

Here to help you make the most out of your mobile lifestyle is Santa, Barbara, California-based startup Living Vehicle, an all-aluminum towable trailer. At 212 square feet, the tiny space provides enough leg and sleeping room for six people, plus it’s pet-friendly and comes with a lithium ion-powered solar system that allows it to go completely off-the-grid.

When talking vintage, a fine line surely exists between the vintage item that makes you the envy of your design-eyed friends, and the vintage that makes you question an object’s actual hygienic repercussions on your home. When the conversation becomes about vintage and antique rugs, as most conversations do(!), a whole new myriad of myths, musts and maybes are called into question— questions that are left best to the experts.

That first cup of delicious morning coffee; that afternoon latte; a late night cup of tea [insert long blissfully happy sigh]—arguably the best part of your day, right? It’s those beautiful moments of peace, in the midst of emails and back-to-back meetings, and there’s just you and your caffeine (or decaf) du jour.

Tiny things are cute, right? Puppies, kittens, even babies. When something is little, we all can’t help but coo at it. Just look at how people react to micro pigs! We all squeal. Well, this doesn’t just apply to animals and tiny humans. Apparently, even decor can get the micro treatment and look even better. Nothing stinks more than trying to decorate your space, but you don’t really have any space to decorate.

We turn to our moms for advice on just about anything—how to navigate our careers, deal with relationship issues, recreate our favorite childhood dish… the list goes on and on. As for me, I’ve even been known to ask my mom to help me choose a health insurance and 401(k) plan and I’m 29 years old. The point is, our moms have taught us a lot. In honor of Mother’s Day, we asked designers what their moms taught them about decorating.

If I asked you to imagine something made of denim, I’m guessing you’d probably think of a pair of pants—not a couch. Over the years, this distinctive blue canvas material has become almost synonymous with blue jeans. The idea of using denim in interior decor may seem a bit strange to you—I thought so too, until I saw this striking sofa in actress Denise Vasi’s Los Angeles home and began to wonder: what if?

And here's how to decorate it at home.

It is almost summer, and that means it is almost time for your friends to post pictures of themselves on Instagram, gracefully posed on top of some trendy pool float in some enviable location. Look, the rise of the statement pool float is one of the weirder things about Instagram, but I remember that, as an 8-year-old, I was once very, very excited about a pool float shaped like an alligator, so I have no room to judge.

A quick scroll of Instagram can confirm whether you’re on or off trend, and apparently that includes sussing out the top cities for interior design. Joybird did some extensive hashtag research to compile all of the metropolitan areas in the U.S. that are currently sitting feng shui-perfect and pretty at the top of their style game.

Equal parts charming and eclectic is a most fitting description of this Old Time Caravan from father-son building duo Nick and Aaron Troisi, jointly known as The Unknown Craftsmen. The team constructed the tiny house caravan at the request of a former client who wanted an entirely self-sustaining space. The caravan’s distinct personality shines through in its design features, which include a curved roof, custom woodwork, and round windows.

It’s been 14 years (not a typo, sadly!) since we said goodbye to Monica, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, Rachel, and Ross, and yet there are still a few lingering questions regarding their departure.

*Disclaimer: Although I practiced for five years, I never actually got licensed as an architect. Becoming an architect is actually really hard. You can read all about the requirements right here, and then, the next time you see one of your architect friends, tell them you’re really impressed with what they’ve accomplished. When I was little, I begged my mother for a Barbie Dreamhouse. It was the toy of toys: utterly huge, insanely pricey. I never got one.

I pride myself on the fact that I have never dropped my phone in a toilet or spilled coffee on it. (My poor laptop is another story. RIP, Lisa’s MacBook!) And I tend to do everything in my power to keep up those bragging rights. But as someone who cooks a lot, following recipes (from Kitchn!) on my phone, it’s not always easy to keep my phone safe. Which is where this plastic bag comes in. I oddly got the idea while treating myself to a manicure.

Here at Apartment Therapy, we write about tiny houses a whole lot. Sometimes, I find myself wondering if we’ve reached peak tiny house. Are these adorable little dwellings on wheels just glorified trailer homes? Are they destined for the pages of Craigslist in a few years, once the mania dies down? Or are they a reflection of a cultural shift in the way we look at our homes, where bigger isn’t always better?

The trend of tiny living is well, huge. Whether it’s municipalities looking to solve affordable housing crises, or individuals looking to live a simpler life in the woods, tiny homes seem to be the answer to nearly every question these days. Now the tiny living phenomena has inspired equally tiny, yet incredibly functional and beautifully designed, kitchens for modern living.

Some of you may remember this post I wrote, asking you if I should break down and get one of those ugly-as-sin kitchen mats, even though they offend my eyes. (If you haven’t read it, I’ll wait while you do!) Despite the popular advice to just break down and do it, I’ve been hemming and hawing over the decision for months. And I’m glad, actually. Because I’ve just come across something that is a million times more attractive than the typical kitchen mat.

Ahhh, open shelving. There are some very strong opinions about this kitchen trend. I’m 99% ready to take the leap myself, ditching the looming floor-to-ceiling boxy pantries a previous owner added to our Victorian home. They close in the already small-ish space But it’s a big commitment to move to an everything-on-display kitchen. Sure, they look beautiful on Pinterest, but what’s it really like to live with open shelves?

The multifunctional built-ins are just the beginning.

When we think of storage, it’s usually about hiding our belongings from view. But not everything is meant to be stashed away and out of sight. IKEA’s latest limited edition collection is about showing off your stuff and putting your unique style on display. IKEA teamed up with Los Angeles based fashion designer Chris Stamp of Stampd to create SPÄNST. The collection embodies what it means to organize and display our favorite and most prized possessions.

The latest tiny dwelling from New Frontier Tiny Homes just might inspire you to downsize – and write a few best-selling books in the process. Named the Cornelia after internationally renowned children’s author Cornelia Funke, the tiny house serves a three-in-one purpose as a writing studio, guest house and library. In addition to being comfortable and cozy, the Cornelia also features luxe design elements and amenities, a staple of New Frontier’s tiny homes.

When I saw the pictures of this apartment I immediately knew who the designer was, because only one person could make an apartment this small look this good. Parisian designer Marianne Evennou specializes in turning tiny apartments into tiny, perfect jewel boxes, and this little space, measuring a mere 18 square meters (or 194 square feet) is no exception. When you walk in the apartment’s front door, the first space you enter is the hallway.

Whether you’re watching the latest television reboot or liking the latest retro #TBT on your timeline, nostalgia for the ’90s is at an all time high. While the pop culture love fest for the decade rages on, let’s take a look back at some of the craziest decorating trends that will give any 90s kid a truly rad blast from the past. Maybe the ’90s should have been known as the see-through decade. Transparency was totally in when it came to home decor.

Perhaps you’ve currently got a piece of mudcloth casually draped over the foot of your bed or the edge of your sofa. It’s probably been happily living there, undisturbed, for a couple of years without so much as a second thought. You might be surprised to learn, however, that a new fabric is taking the design world by storm. If you haven’t heard of cactus silk, allow us to introduce you.

No nails, hammers or paint required.

Popular women’s co-working space, The Wing, has officially begun its (highly anticipated) seven-city expansion. The first stop? The historic Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. As a former place of residence for the co-founders, D.C. made a natural fit as the first new location outside New York City limits. “I’ve lived here in D.C.

The incredible thing about super small homes is their genius isn’t limited to their square feet. A space might be tiny, but it can teach you a lot. Constraint sparks creativity, after all. All of these homes are 400 square feet and under…and the folks who live in them have advice to share.

The brightly hued building blocks from our childhood famously known as LEGOs have inspired many a design, from bridges to storage options and even accessories for real-life homes. So it’s not at all shocking to see that this collection of modular plastic blocks from Everblock is perfectly suitable for a grownup’s decorative aesthetic. Now, whether you choose to transform these blocks into a stunning bookshelf, a table or even a customized room divider is totally up to you.

It’s finally springtime, and if you’re an antiques lover like me, that means it’s antique market season. What a glorious feeling to be weeding your way through Brimfield Market or Les Puces de Saint-Ouen and coming across an alluring oil painting of someone 300 years older than you, or pair of Marcel Breuer Wassily Chairs that are just worn-in enough? It’s love at first sight and you have already begun mentally refinancing your mortgage to bring those babies home.

Any way you slice it, 269 square feet is just not a lot of space. But thanks to a clever design, and lots of smart storage solutions, this small Japanese apartment manages to fit in everything that’s needed for living comfortably—and look good doing it. Here’s how. Open shelving can be a nice way to display your stuff, or keep things you need within easy reach, but it’s not always the best choice for small spaces.

Anyone who’s scrolled through Instagram in the past year or so might have spotted someone knees-deep in a pool full of sprinkles. If you’ve thought “what on earth is this magical land where you can swim in millions of rainbow Jimmies?,” here’s the answer: the Museum of Ice Cream. It’s part-playground, part-“museum,” and 100% FOMO inducing.

You know you’re completely satisfied with your humble abode when you drop stacks of cash to have someone create a miniature replica of your house. Apparently, these tiny examples of non-kid-friendly, grown-up decor are perfect to display alongside your other pricey trinkets that are presumably placed out of the reach of tiny, toy-seeking hands. According to Bloomberg, these small scale models have become popular thanks to companies like U.K.-based model maker, Chisel & Mouse.

The folks at IKEA seem to have a knack for making pieces that are incredibly simple and also fit into all different kinds of interiors. They’re like the little black dresses of design. Case in point: the IKEA PS cabinet, which looks like a school locker and a credenza had a baby and somehow, despite its somewhat industrial appearance, is just the right thing for all kinds of spaces. And the best thing? It costs less than $100.

If you’re a card-carrying Costco member, you probably already know the many benefits of the retailer. Of course, buying in bulk can be a huge saver, not to mention they have some exclusive products with cult-followings. But there’s one downside, at least for me, of frequenting the warehouse: FOMO.

When furnishing a small space, it would seem to make sense to pick pieces that are small. After all, you don’t want to overwhelm the room with bulky, oversize furniture. But there’s one big exception: the sofa. In most living rooms, the sofa is the biggest piece of furniture, and the biggest design statement, and a larger sofa (that still fits comfortably in the room, of course) can help to visually expand the boundaries of the space.

Redecorating can be a bit overwhelming. You might get stuck deciding on what style is right for you or even just anxious about how much it’ll all cost. Eventually it can get stressful to the point where it just feels easier to avoid altogether and live with what you’ve got. Which got me chatting recently with a few fellow editors about what a good “budget” price point would be for a quick room refresh.

Whether you’re unwinding after a long day at work or gearing up for a romantic night in, very few things can set the mood like lighting some candles. “It’s an easy and cost-effective way to transform your environment into something special,” says David Seth Moltz, co-founder of fragrance and candle company D.S. & Durga. In 2015, the U.S. retail sales of candles—not including accessories like hurricanes, matchboxes, and wick trimmers—were an estimated $3.

Tiny houses are charming, and a great way to simplify and streamline your life—but the tradeoff, for many tiny house designs, is having to struggle up a ladder at night to reach your tiny peaked loft bedroom. Forget where you are in the morning, and you may just whack your head on the tiny adorable roof of your tiny adorable home. But the Escher, a creation of New Frontier Tiny Homes, takes a different approach: it has a bedroom you’d actually want to wake up in.

You might know Susan Kelechi Watson from her role as Beth from the constant-sob-inducing show This Is Us, or recognize her as Janet, the ex-wife from Louie. But there’s more to Susan than her impeccable acting skills—she also has an amazing Los Angeles apartment that’s chock-full of personality. Her home feels welcoming, airy, and full of color and fun.

A look into the history of a particularly weird old trend.

It’s no secret that we love IKEA here at Apartment Therapy, and regularly write about hacks and beloved products we can’t live without. I’m a huge fan of their everyday basics, and my own home is filled with their wine glasses, dishes, and napkins. I even have a what-is-now-vintage credenza that I’ve owned for almost twenty years and can’t seem to get rid of, even after a couple of moves. But there is one thing that I never buy from IKEA these days.

I can’t imagine I’m alone in this predicament: I tend to flip-flop between being a hot and cold sleeper, as does my S.O., except, we never seem to be on the same page at the same time. We are not sleeping temperature compatible, people, and wow is it a nuisance. When my toes are frozen solid and I can’t seem to cocoon myself enough in my comforter to achieve P.S.T.

One of the world’s most famous houses – and arguably the world’s most famous modern home – has just gotten a major makeover. Los Angeles’ iconic Stahl House (also known as Case Study House No. 22) with its cantilevered structure, and its sweeping, unobstructed views of Los Angeles was an architectural and engineering feat when it was originally built in 1960 by architect Pierre Koenig.

These “truly lovely” yet teeny tiny modular units made from shipping containers, currently sitting on Copenhagen’s harbor front, just might be what the future of sustainable, affordable housing looks like — for students and other young people.

The days of coordinating your TP to your bathroom are over. Here's why.

If you’ve swiped through Tinder (or any dating app really) you know there are as many profile clichés as there are users. The men with fish. The women who “love to laugh.” Those people who mysteriously pose with babies who aren’t their own. But behind every dating cliche is a place these suitors call home. And here’s the thing: we’ve found they can be pretty cliché too.

Have you, too, stood in the linens department, eyes glazed as you try to figure out the best sheets? It doesn’t help that they tend to be folded up and jammed into a plastic container so that you can only feel a tiny corner of them. How are you supposed to know how it will feel on your entire body if only the tip of your finger can brush a sliver of the sheet? Well there’s always thread count, which is what it seems “they” want us to rely on.

So you’ve finally booked that trip to the ethereal island of Iceland. A quick perusal of a “things to do” list lets you know that the otherworldly Nordic country is jam-packed with geological wonders that you certainly don’t want to miss.

Of course, before mid-century modern there was shabby chic, and before that there was that awful oversize Tuscan villa-esque furniture that looked like it was made for giants, but no style has had quite the staying power that mid-century modern has. When I graduated college, in 2005, we were talking about it, and 13 years later, we still are. This, of course, means that people like me are always trying to predict what “the next” MCM is. Is it Italian Modernism? Is it Victoriana?

The color experts at Pantone are always looking ahead to what will be on trend in the future. While 2018’s Color of the Year, Ultra Violet, still holds its reign, that hasn’t stopped the institute from predicting what we’ll see more of in 2019 already. Check out what’s on the horizon for next year, according to Pantone.

Manhattan has notoriously teeny apartments and I’m always fascinated by how people make them work. I mean, you have to be clever to figure out how to fit in a place to sleep, a place to eat, a place to hang out, a place to cook and a place to you know, store all of your stuff, all in about 300 square feet. Even more impressive? When someone figures out how to do it stylishly in about half of that footprint.

The gulf in sound and aesthetics between an electric keyboard and a grand (or even upright) piano can seem wide and insurmountable to many a piano enthusiast. This new collaboration between Roland and Karimoku offers up not only an upgrade in keyboard technology, but a sleek new look minimalist look. The Roland Kiyola electric piano is available stateside for the first time at the MoMA Design store.

It may not feel like it on the East Coast yet, but spring is definitely on its way. And that means spring cleaning won’t be far behind. One little shortcut that doesn’t actually involve a bit of scrubbing or organizing: adding in a plant or two can make any space feel a tiny bit better and brighter. Plus, having fresh colorful flowers around always makes me feel like the weather is friendlier than it actually is.

Although our generation sometimes acts like they invented the Tiny House, the idea has been kicking around essentially since the invention of the house itself, to be periodically rediscovered by people enamored with returning to a simpler existence. In 1845, Henry David Thoreau, who was then 28, began what would be a 2-year experiment in living simply and retreating (well, mostly) from society and its materialistic ills. He moved to the shores of Walden Pond, and built himself a tiny house.

I love maps. Our walls are littered with them; even our shower curtain was a world map for awhile. And one of my favorite pastimes as a kid was dreaming up and then mapping imaginary countries, inspired by the fictitious atlases in books like The Phantom Tollbooth and The Hobbit. So when my wife and I discovered “Jerry’s Map” at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City last month, I was giddy.

As small space living gets more and more popular, the tiny houses and micro homes have become sleeker, smarter and well, taller. This skinny micro home was designed by Dutch firm Ana Rocha Architecture and was given the extra appropriate name, The Slim Fit. It looks sort of like a sexy Lincoln Log and offers 538 square feet of living space, spread out across three floors. The exterior is covered Ayous hardwood, which was laid out vertically emphasizing the length of the building.