Styles & Trends

Spoiler alert: The real-life version of Bernard/Arnold’s home in Westworld is for sale, and it happens to be one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most hallowed and historic works of Southern California architecture. The Mayan-style temple built by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1924 almost entirely out of interlocking concrete blocks—also known as The Ennis House—sits on a hillside in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, and just hit the market after a $17 million renovation.

Once upon a time, carpet was considered a luxury for only the wealthy.

Plus, see inside a preserved shelter in New Mexico.

Here's what you need to know.

This defunct government practice impacts everything from where you go to school to clean air.

They're made by woodworker Steve Hadeka.

This enthusiastic online community is helping me get through quarantine.

Grow with FLO (Frederick Law Olmsted).

From house boats, to RVs, to tiny houses, and more, these were some of the most beautiful and unusual homes we toured this year!

According to someone who does.

According to architects.

And you can't tell me otherwise.

Be prepared to do weird stuff.

Meet Abigail McMurray.

According to someone who does.

We all need this right now.

You can own architectural history.

Loft living is the dream, right?

Confused about this real estate term? Consider your questions answered.

It takes trial and error.

Before you pack up your brass fixtures, terrazzo accents, and macrame, take some time to sneak a preview of what real estate experts say are the top home trends we’ll be checking off our lists in 2020.

There are a lot of old world charms that a newly built house will never be able to replicate.

You can employ this architectural strategy in your own home, no matter where you live.

It's time to ditch the word art.

Think of this "good faith" deposit like an engagement ring.

Are we approaching the last stop for subway tiles?

It's not just milk and mascara that goes bad.

As housing prices go up, everyone's learning to slice and dice in order to make the rent.

Plus: the math behind why.

Shag carpet was all the rage in the 1970s. Wallpaper borders and glass bricks were beloved in the 1980s. Along came the blonde wood in the 1990s. And here's what experts say they expect to go out of style next.

While each state has its cosmopolitan areas and scene vacation destinations, the majority of people live not in magazine-ready house, but something small, affordable, and lovely without tons of hassle. Surprisingly, this shakes out to just two home styles across the entire country.

Not only are they incredibly steep, but they're also smushed in between narrow walls and often built at strange angles.

Certain elements of older homes are likely to always be valuable and in demand—regardless of current trends.

Through their architecture, our homes can say so much about our country's collective culture and what makes a house feel like home to its citizens.

Many designers are saying goodbye to the bedroom staple and instead embracing a sort of "open concept dresser" in an ultra-organized closet.

While finding that perfect style that falls somewhere in between model home and cluttered can be a difficult task, a well-appointed living room can pay dividends.

Used liberally by real estate agents, this term does not always mean updated, new, and renovated or evocative of Frank Lloyd Wright or "Mad Men."

Home builders, remodelers, and designers chime in on what current trends are worth investing in for the rest of this year.

Now that McMansions have come and gone, tastes are swinging back toward a more modern, minimal approach and Americans are exploring different home styles across the country.

You know what functional means, and you know what obsolescent means, but what does it mean for you, the home buyer and potential future seller? Here, everything you need to know.

What it means and when you can expect to encounter it during the home-buying process.

You might not think of real estate agents as experts in interior design. But—given the sheer volume of homes they see—they certainly have some valuable insight to offer. They see firsthand how design can be a detriment when selling a home.Many buyers have the ability to look past cosmetic aspects of a house, like design or finishes, and focus on the important things (the bones of the house, the layout, the location, etc.).

When it was time for Apartment Therapy’s managing editor Sarah Yang to apply for college back in 2006, she had a few considerations about where to enroll: “I wanted to move away from home and live in a big city,” she says. Yang, the oldest of two children, grew up in California, just outside of Los Angeles. Though sticking around to try out L.A.

The housing stock in America may be just as varied as the population here, particularly in older areas where people have been building for hundreds of years as waves of settlers brought influence from their native countries. Different styles and trends have prevailed over the years, and of course, no city or region is defined by just one style, but certain geographic areas definitely do have a common thread running through their local architecture and design.

Americans spend an average of $25,800 to remodel a small to mid-sized kitchen, according to the 2018 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study. That’s for a full overhaul including all new cabinetry and appliances; upgrading a larger kitchen (more than 200 square feet) averages $42,000. Those are big numbers, and no doubt most people do their best to trim them down if possible.

A new Helen Mirren movie about a rich heiress who builds a strange mansion is based on real events. While it sounds like the real house it centers around was less about ghost stories than Hollywood makes it out to be, the place is still imposing. Winchester’s trailer shows Sarah Winchester, the widow of rifle magnate William Wirt Winchester, as she builds room after room onto her mansion, trapping inside each of them the ghosts of those who died as a result of her husband’s firearms.

The HGTV Dream is going up—and not just in altitude. According to PEOPLE, the 2019 Dream Home is the priciest one yet—valued at over $2.3 million. And as of Friday, the sweepstakes to win the home is now open. “Imagine a place where the mountains meet the sky, where nature wild and untamed greets you at your doorstep, where every season brings a new adventure.

This could be considered the next best thing to owning an original Frank Lloyd Wright-designed property: a house inspired by the renowned architect’s approach to architecture. The dwelling we’re referencing is a Portland, Oregon home designed by architect Stephen Mayer. Completed in 1957, the residence at 3620 NE Liberty Street pays homage to Wright’s iconic midcentury aesthetic.

It seems that everyone has a different idea of what exactly one is.

If there’s one thing that seems to trend throughout the country’s real estate market for spring, it’s an all-around cooling. America’s hottest markets are seeing a deceleration of what have up until recently been eye-watering appreciation rates. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), home prices for the next 12 months are expected to rise only 2 percent—a slowdown compared to 2018’s 4.8 percent.

American churches were built in bounty in the 1950s as a result of post-war population growth and a national focus on family values—but as time has gone on, more Americans are identifying as “nones” (none-affiliated), forcing these places of community gathering to close, as the cost of upkeep outweighs the number of congregants. Each year, between 6,000 and 10,000 American churches close.

A little over a year ago, Dani Rosenthal was at a crossroads. After spending more than 10 years working for homeware and apparel companies, she was looking to leave city-life and spend more time in Lake Arrowhead, California, where her family had decades-long roots. She loved architecture and historic renovations, and wanted to nurture these interests. After talking to friends and family members, she thought maybe becoming a real estate agent could be a smart next step.

Like just about everyone, I was obsessed with Disney World when I was little. I had never been, but I knew a lot about it. Mainly I knew that it wasn’t in Illinois, where I lived. And while it was in Florida where my Nana and Papa lived, “their Florida” wasn’t the same as “Disney World Florida.” Geography is confusing for a six-year-old! Strangely, I also knew that Disney World was technically its own city.

I’ve got big dreams to own a Craftsman home one day, with a backyard big enough for a barbecue grill, an inflatable pool, and a big dog. But the median asking price for houses in Los Angeles is a hefty $694,200 and there are no signs of an impending cool down. So is that backyard looking more like a balcony and a shared courtyard with neighbors? Is that house realistically… a condo? A condo (short for condominium) is basically an apartment that you own.

Let’s just say you loved the look of “The Brady Bunch” house—we’re talking sunken living room, modular furniture, the works. If that retro vibe talks to you, this is good news: These blast-from-the-past features are now on the major rebound.

The new year is a great time to reevaulate the aesthetics of your home, especially if you want to make some updates with an eye on resale value. While bathrooms and kitchens offer the most opportunities return on investment, bedrooms also offer ample opportunities for beneficial (and relatively easy!) updates—especially if they feature some common features that now scream “dated.

If you appreciate a fine piece of architecture when you see it, then you are likely drawn to Frank Lloyd Wright’s beautiful homes. But here’s a double-take, because this home for sale wasn’t designed by Wright, but rather by his apprentice, E. Fay Jones. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, this 4,300 square foot property is currently listed for almost $1.8 million. This mid-century estate sits on 1.27 acres, complete with four bedrooms and three and a half baths.

When deciding whether to buy a co-op, condo or—gasp!—an entire townhouse, knowing the difference between the three is a good place to start.

Welcome to Scandi Week—Apartment Therapy’s seven-day focus on all-things Scandinavia (often defined as the countries of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway). Sometimes it seems like the whole world is obsessed with trying to copy this corner of the globe, from its timeless style aesthetic to its now-famous coziness rituals. For the next week, we’ll take a look at all of it—cleaning, pop culture, and of course tons of eye-popping design inspiration.

The most famous apartment building in New York City has a history that's almost as legendary as its architecture.

The architecture of a city so often becomes an integral part of its branding and identity. The distinguishing image of Paris is the Eiffel Tower and Haussmann apartments. San Francisco has the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, of course. And New York has lofts, brownstones, impressive skyscrapers like the Empire State Building, and quirky modern residences designed by big names like Zaha Hadid and Bjarke Ingels.

When it comes to architecture, there seems to be endless styles to choose from. Have you ever wondered which type is right for you? Interested in your horoscope? Well, what could be more fun than meshing the two? Here, 12 types of homes and their corresponding star match, for millennials’ sake. The free-spirited, unconventional Aquarius would mesh with a Key West-style home.

With homelessness on the rise in New York City due to government funding cuts, rising rents and stagnating wages, the overburdened shelter system is failing those who need it most. As the government works to figure out how to support the cities homeless, many of whom are working but simply can’t afford the city, individual architecture and design firms are also considering new and inventive ways to provide low-cost or free housing.

With many major cities facing an affordable housing crisis, alternative modes of living have been on the rise. From tiny houses, to van life, to shipping container homes, we’ve seen a host of stories about the creative spaces folks are outfitting in order to live within their means. And while these alternative spaces work for many, there are drawbacks, usually in the form of permits and impermanence.

Swedish siren of the silver screen, Oscar winner, and actual film legend Greta Garbo had one hell of a home. The actor’s former apartment, located in the exclusive Campanile, hit the market in March and recently sold for well above the asking price. Up from the initial asking price of $5.95 million to a whopping $8.5 million, the home went under contract almost as soon as it hit the market, finding the final buyer in December.

Frank Lloyd Wright fanatics everywhere are undoubtedly hoping a buyer who has an appreciation for the famed architect’s expansive legacy – along with a cool nest egg stashed away – will step in and save one of just three FLW structures in Montana from demolition. As Curbed reports, The Lockridge Medical Center in White Fish, Montana will meet a most unpleasant fate unless someone pays the $1.

Adding to the list of celebrity homes we want to live in but have settled for fawning over, actress and comedian Kristen Wiig recently acquired a new piece of real estate in Pasadena. The $2.96 million, 3,425-square-foot home sits on one-third of an acre in the hillside neighborhood of San Rafael, a picturesque post situated above the historic Rose Bowl. Father and son architect duo Kemper Nomland and Kemper Nomland Jr.

There’s a saying that’s always been popular with American homesteaders: “They aren’t making any more land.” While it still holds as modern conventional wisdom, that’s not stopping a handful of innovative city planning pioneers and startup founders around the globe, who are taking their utopian visions of manifest destiny to “the blue frontier” — and using Burning Man as inspiration.

Love ’em or hate ’em, it appears American suburbs are here to stay. But they might look very different 50 or even ten years from now. That’s according to Alan M. Berger, professor of landscape architecture and urban design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who explained his vision for more sustainable suburban development in the New York Times this past weekend.

Actor Edward Norton just purchased an $11.8 million home in Malibu Colony. The beachfront strip of prime Malibu real estate has for decades been a fave among the Hollywood set. Prior to the ‘Fight Club’ actor snapping up this architectural wonder, the home had been listed on and off the market for four years, priced as high as $22 million. The Stevens’ Home, as the residence is called, has five bedrooms and five bathrooms situated over 3,366 square feet.

A piece of prime architectural history is up for sale, and a private island comes with it. Situated on the 11 acre, heart-shaped Petra Island in New York’s Putnam County, luxury real estate concierge Chilton & Chadwick have put the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed property on the market with a $14.92 million price tag.

If you’re thinking of buying a home, you’ve likely given a lot of thought to what style suits you best. Are you drawn to the sleek lines of modern architecture? Or are you a sucker for Craftsman style? If your answer happens to be the modern American ranch, well, you’re certainly not alone—according to a 2016 Trulia study, it’s the most popular pick in 34 states in the U.S.