How I Saved $40K in 5 Years for a Down Payment
I purchased a newly constructed three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhome for just under $200,000 in Westminster, Colorado.
Aug 10, 2018
This Dutch Home Will Make You Love Mint Green and Aubergine
Name: Winkie Visser and my husband Edgar Location: Eindhoven, the Netherlands Size: 1,184 square feet Years lived in: 15 years, owned Edgar’s grandpa had worked at Dutch technology company Philips for 43 years when he finally retired. It felt like a whimsical coincidence for him to be living in one of the so-called “Austrian (Philips) houses” some time later. These houses were bought by Philips back in the 1950s to accommodate their employees in an era of housing shortage.
Aug 10, 2018
A 550-Square-Foot Home’s Bedroom Is a Mini Cabin
Name: Sara Blomberg and dog Gus Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn Size: 550 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, renting I live with my puggle, Gus, in this apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. When I looked for an apartment, the first thing on my list was light, lots and lots of light. This apartment faces Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg and I have a corner unit.
Aug 10, 2018
Before and After: These Cabinets Got a Wes Anderson-Inspired Makeover
Here we have a perfectly nice entryway console, adaptable to nearly any style with the right knobs. But its owner had something a bit more special and a lot more specific in mind… This is absolutely delightful and I wish it were available in a dress, or perhaps a dress/shoe combo. Pink and green go so well together, and they both pair wonderfully with gold, so the trio is totally fabulous.
Aug 9, 2018
A Boston Condo Is the Epitome of Serene and Soothing
Name: Annabel Joy, her husband (Kean Duffey), and their French bulldog (Mona) Location: Boston, Massachusetts Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, owned Your eyes don’t deceive you: This is a SECOND house call of the same home. But, it appears that the first post’s headline (A DIY Designer & Chronic Rearranger’s Boston Condo) was particularly appropriate, for Annabel has submitted some more photos and the space already looks pretty different.
Aug 9, 2018
Still Don’t Know Who Shawn Mendes Is? This Real Estate Agent Is Here to Help
At first, the real estate agent page for ​Karen Rayment looks like your standard sales representative page, but scroll down and you'll find she has "Particular Taste" in music.
Aug 8, 2018
This DIYed, Colorful House Is the Complete Opposite of Boring
Name: Tina Bousu and family (including four kids and four dogs!) Location: North Colorado Size: 4,500 square feet Years lived in: 7 years, owned This house is essentially our dream home! We have a large family and had quickly outgrown our starter home and this neighborhood and home were so far out of anything we ever thought we could have. I was half seriously looking at homes in the area for sale and this one came up.
Aug 8, 2018
Before and After: We Love This No-Reno Bedroom Makeover
This bedroom, pre-makeover, was very relatable: an assortment of cozy fabrics in interesting patterns, a jury-rigged reading light, and a bit of fun thanks to the dartboard. Relatable, but not up to the high standards of its resident, who’s been passionate about interior design since childhood. That’s more like it.
Aug 8, 2018
A Flight Attendant Reveals the Easy Trick for First-Class Service in Economy
No matter the journey, in-flight service can vary wildly. In my experience alone, I’ve encountered flight attendants who are delighted to bend over backwards for their passengers and others who are more stern and tight-lipped. But apparently there is an insanely easy tip for getting on any cabin crew’s good side to receive first-class service at your economy seat — and you don’t even have to do any superficial schmoozing.
Aug 8, 2018
The $13 Must-Have Tool to Always Take on Your Apartment Hunt
Apartment viewings kind of make no sense when you think about it. If you live in New York, like I do, an apartment viewing is about a 10-15 minute period in which you’re supposed to ask a couple questions, look around for any big problems, and then leave to see another apartment. Most of the time, since apartments come and go so fast, you only have one meeting to make your decision—or you risk losing it to someone who moved faster.
Aug 8, 2018
A Glam Home Looks High-End, But Was Designed on a Budget
Name: Roel Marius Brouwer, Remy, and their dog Stewie Location: Laren (North Holland province), the Netherlands Size: 861 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Roel might be a legal adviser by day, but his true passion is interiors. His mom sparked this love at a young age by regularly changing things up in his childhood home; through tiny adjustments their interior looked different each season.
Aug 8, 2018
The Surprisingly Useful Find Hiding in Anthropologie
When I think of Anthropologie, I think of fun and riotous color, mixed patterns and lots of layers. A store where more is more and minimalism is a four letter word— and not necessarily a destination for practical items. I do love to occasionally browse all the store’s beautiful things, and ogle their creative store displays, but there’s actually one thing I go there all the time to buy, something that’s useful for everyone.
Aug 8, 2018
4 Big Things to Consider Before You Buy a Flipped House
Like it or not, house flipping is back: Americans flipped more than 200,000 homes in 2017, the most since 2006. But while there’s an understandable appeal to buying a freshly renovated, move-in ready home, there are some things to think about before you buy a flipped house. House flippers do it to make money—enough to make it worth the considerable risk, effort, and upfront investment. The average profit on a flipped house was $66,448 in the third quarter of 2017.
Aug 8, 2018
A 270-Square-Foot Tiny House Turned Inspiring Art Studio
Name: Sue Prue Location: Berkeley, California Size: 270 square feet Years lived in: 3 weeks, owned My boyfriend and I had been talking about moving in together since we met. His home, however, is small—and we needed more space to accommodate all of our things. Since he already owned a house we decided the easiest thing would be to fix up his dilapidated garage in Berkeley. It was during this process (and after finding one too many rats) we decided the garage was ultimately a tear-down.
Aug 8, 2018
This Cozy Catskills Home Is the Modern Cabin of Your Dreams
Name: Andrew Cohen and family Location: Woodstock, New York Size: 2,100 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned This four-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a finished basement and two-car garage on 1.3 acres in New York belongs to Parts and Labor Design co-founder, Andrew Cohen. And it just might be the best mix of modern meet cabin vibes that you’ll ever see.
Aug 7, 2018
7 Unexpected Uses for Basic Elmer’s Glue
You probably already own this.
Aug 7, 2018
5 Things All The Smartest Renters Remember to Do When Looking at an Apartment
​It’s easy to get caught up in square footage or closet space when looking for an apartment, but there are some other less obvious things that are just important to consider.
Aug 7, 2018
A Tiny NYC Rental Goes Bold with Stripes and Florals
Name: Carly Fuller and her boyfriend Martin Location: Hell’s Kitchen — Manhattan, NY Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting There wasn’t much of an opportunity for Carly Fuller to add her own style to this small Hell’s Kitchen rental when she moved in with a roommate, who had already been living there. But when the roommate moved out a year ago, Carly’s boyfriend Martin moved in, and the blank space was ready to be refreshed and filled.
Aug 7, 2018
Before and After: This Dramatic Kitchen Redo Only Cost $800
A common point of discussion regarding renovations is that what we consider to look classic now will inevitably look dated someday—possibly someday soon. This kitchen, renovated less than two decades ago, is getting a much-needed (according to its owner) update. Let’s learn a bit more about what this kitchen was like, because photos never tell the whole story: We fitted our kitchen 18 years ago and, although it’s a classic design, it was starting to look very dated.
Aug 7, 2018
7 Ways to Keep Cool This Summer (Without a Swimming Pool)
Few things make the scorching summer heat more bearable than jumping into a sparkling swimming pool. But what to do when you don’t have access to one? Fret not my sweaty friends, there are still plenty of ways to cool off outside this summer without a proper swimming pool, it just takes a little imagination. From sprinkler balls to water balloons, here are seven H2O-friendly ideas for staying cool this summer—sans the swimming pool.
Aug 7, 2018
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How Do You Find Furniture That’s Made to Last—And Affordable?
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.
Aug 7, 2018
A 450-Square-Foot Backyard Rental Bungalow Is Super Cute
Name: Nikki Darling, my three cats and dog! Location: Highland Park — Los Angeles, California Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 10 years, renting I moved into my home in 2008 to attend Cal Arts. I had lived in New York previously since 2002 where I went to undergrad and stayed afterward. I lived in a punk dump with a rotating list of roommates and pets. I wanted to live alone in my own home. I found this back house with a yard in my budget and haven’t left since.
Aug 7, 2018
The Best Small Space Cleaning Advice—According to People Who Live in Tiny Homes
The logic should make sense: smaller spaces are easier to clean, right? In reality, small spaces, and even tiny houses, come with their own set of cleaning challenges. If you convert a trailer into a tiny house, you can expect plenty of dirt, grass, and leaves to be tracked in—300 square feet likely doesn’t allow for a mudroom. Since every inch is utilized in a tiny house, that means each surface is prone to messes.
Aug 7, 2018
A Dutch Instagram Star’s Cozy Farmhouse Is a Labor of Love
Name: Jellina Detmar, her husband Jan, their children Déjan and Melin Location: Kollum, the Netherlands Size: 2,422 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned It’s hard to believe Jellina and her family moved to this old farmhouse a mere one and a half years ago. The former residents had created a drywall box within the house, concealing many of the home’s beautiful elements like the big wooden beams.
Aug 6, 2018
Plan a Seaside Escape at this Scottish Submarine-Inspired Tiny House
If you’re seeking serenity that only a waterside escape can provide, consider holing up in this charming submarine-inspired tiny home on the Scottish coast. Roderick James Architects applied their experience with building cabins, houseboats and treehouses when designing the stylish seaside pod known as Airship 002. Fashioned from weatherproof heavy duty aluminum and stainless steel components, the Airship 002 sits on a 4-acre plot of land in Drimnin. The 3.
Aug 6, 2018
This Bargain Find Saved Me During the Home Buying Process
To say I was a bit stressed out while hunting for and purchasing my first home would be a gross understatement. You see, I’m a planner. I like to know what to expect in any given situation, and having to trust our real estate agent to guide us through the whole process—without having a road map detailing each step of that process—made me a nervous wreck. There seemed to be so many moving parts that it made my head spin.
Aug 6, 2018
7 Designers Share Their Favorite Paint Colors for a Relaxing Home
At Apartment Therapy, we believe that your home is your sanctuary—and you should treat it as such. After all, where else can you retreat to after a long day at work, bad date, or busy vacation and just relax? But before you KonMari your space or invest in some soft, dreamy sheets for your bedroom, you should decide on your home’s color scheme.
Aug 6, 2018
You’ll Feel Like a Cool Hollywood Celeb in This Spanish-Style Home
The 1920s West Hollywood-adjacent home has been fully updated without losing an ounce of charm. 7212 Willoughby Ave Located in Los Angeles, California $1,099,000 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom When imagining the most picture-perfect home in Los Angeles, this property checks every box. Spanish-style charm? Check. Curved archways? Yep. And a gorgeous outdoor space that brings in loads of natural light? There’s that too. This is a love-at-first-sight kind of home.
Aug 6, 2018
An Incredibly One-of-a-Kind Plant-Filled Brooklyn Loft
Name: Ashley Taylor and Tymer Tilton and their dog Moseby Location: Red Hook, Brooklyn Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Golden accents around this Red Hook loft shimmer in the warm sunlight beaming through a large south-facing window. Healthy green plants cheerfully spread their leaves from corners, tabletops, and even the ceiling. A deep, soothing teal grounds the space.
Aug 6, 2018
Marie Kondo Showed Us How to Pack a Suitcase
Marie Kondo is famous for her KonMari method and bestselling book, “The Life Changing Art of Tidying Up“—both of which promise to help you wrest control of the stuff in your home. But what about when you have to take some of that stuff on the road? We recently invited Kondo into the Apartment Therapy studios to demo her new drawer organizing boxes. And while she was here, we challenged her to take on a few of life’s trickiest organizing conundrums.
Aug 6, 2018
This Extremely Cozy 300-Square-Foot Tiny House Is Home to a Family of 3
They emphasized flow and perception of space over actual square footage, and tried to design the home to perfectly match their lifestyle and habits.
Aug 6, 2018
These Cleaning and Organizing Finds Are $1 or Less at IKEA
Let’s face it: Pretty much everything at IKEA feels like a steal thanks to their perennially super low prices. But that doesn’t mean we still aren’t stoked to discover that the mega-retailer offers a slew of cleaning and organizing items you can take home for just $1. That’s right. A buck. For less than a cup of coffee, you can score an assortment of awesome housekeeping tools that are every bit as stylish as they are inexpensive. Don’t believe us?
Aug 6, 2018
Mamma Mia! Cher Lists Beverly Hills Home
Here we go again! Another celebrity has put one of their homes on the market and this time, it is the iconic Cher. The superstar singer/actress recently was promoting her role in the new film, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, but in classic Cher fashion, she’s been busy multitasking. She is now selling her Beverly Hills compound for a cool $2.499 million. Compared to some celebrities, this is a steal in terms of price. The 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home is 3,089 square feet.
Aug 5, 2018
40+ Plants Fill This Couple’s 500-Square-Foot Studio
Name: Vanessa Combe, my partner Blake, and our cat Marlon Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Apartment hunting in Toronto is a miserable affair. The city gets more expensive every year and the lack of housing—especially affordable housing—means that everyone is fighting tooth and nail for a place to call home.
Aug 5, 2018
Think Your Landlord Is Trying to Get You to Move Out? Do This
Finding an apartment you absolutely adore and want to stay in is a rare and special thing in the rental market today. But, unfortunately, a renter’s desire to stay put isn’t always enough to make it a reality. “With increasing rents, building conversions (to condominium), building sales, and other reasons, landlords look to get tenants out of properties early,” says Mark Hakim, an attorney with SSRGA in New York City.
Aug 5, 2018
These Minuscule Wingless Springtails are Easily Mistaken for Fleas
I’m not typically squeamish when it comes to bugs. Until they get inside my house where they don’t belong, that is. The creepiest are usually those teeny tiny ones—like springtails—that are so hard to see I start getting paranoid that they’re everywhere. Springtails are minuscule wingless bugs found all throughout North America that thrive in dark, damp places.
Aug 5, 2018
5 Staging Moves Real Estate Agents Will Do to Every Home (No Matter How Pretty It Already Is)
Just as you might primp before a first date, it makes sense to glam up your home before introducing it to potential buyers.
Aug 5, 2018
The Surprising Place You Don’t Even Need to Clean
Keeping the kitchen clean is hard work. Every single day, multiple times a day, you spill food across the floors and countertops. You chuck crusty dishes into the sink. You splatter sauce or grease. And the effort of keeping it all spic and span— all that wiping, sweeping, and scrubbing! — can get totally tedious day in and day out.
Aug 5, 2018
7 Smart Ways You Can Repurpose a Hanging Closet Organizer to Tidy Up Any Mess
Okay, I admit it: I’d long written off hanging closet organizers as, well, passé. You know the ones—those lightweight foldable things that you used in your college dorm room for storing shoes and sweaters. But truth be told, once you think outside the box, you’ll discover that these inexpensive space savers are actually great for organizing all kinds of things throughout your home. Don’t believe us?
Aug 5, 2018
This Colorful California Condo Has the Coziest Window Seats
Name: Pratiksha Tandon, husband, and 17-month-old daughter Location: Foster City, California Size: 1,350 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting I am an architect and an interior designer married to a data scientist currently living in the Bay Area, California. We moved to the Bay Area from Connecticut a year ago to be close to family. The thing that made us fall in love with this house were the big gorgeous windows on all three sides with beautiful views of green outside.
Aug 4, 2018
Is This the Most Underrated Apartment Amenity in NYC?
You’ve seen those fancy gizmos in suburban sinks—those garbage disposals that suck down each and every coffee ground or lettuce leaf you don’t need, making it next to unnecessary to make countless runs to your building’s refuse bin. But despite all the modern luxuries of living in New York City, garbage disposals are actually pretty rare.
Aug 4, 2018
7 Trends That Will Be Huge in 2019—According to the IKEA Catalog
The 2019 IKEA Catalog is the gift that just keeps on giving. Beyond serving up tons of eye candy, painting ideas, and new collections, the IKEA catalog is a great place to go for a sneak peek at the home trends that will take the decor world by storm in the coming year. Ahead: A look at a few of our favorite home trends we spotted throughout the catalog. Get ready to see these everywhere in 2019.
Aug 4, 2018
Here’s How You Can Snag Some Vintage Disneyland Memorabilia
Everyone loves Disney, right? It’s been around since we were all kids and we grew up with the movies and TV shows. There’s no denying that The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King are more classic than the older films, like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. You might think you’re a big Disney fan because you love the movies, but anyone who has been to a Disney park knows that park goers are another level of fans.
Aug 4, 2018
7 Celebs With Bigger Houses Than You Can Even Imagine
Most celebrities live in nice houses (once you’ve watched enough episodes of MTV’s “Cribs,” you know not to say “all”). But there are nice houses… and then there are sprawling estates so palatial that you’d get lost on your way to one of the 15 bathrooms. For these seven big names, home is certainly where the heart—as well as the 17-car garage, screening room, and horse farm—is.
Aug 4, 2018
11 Small Space Closet Designs We Can’t Get Enough Of
Having little to no closet space is every renter’s nightmare—if you don’t have a proper place to store your clothes there’s always the fear they will eventually take your bed hostage or end up piled all over the floor. While the possibility of a permanently cluttered bedroom is a real fear, there are plenty of creative and innovative ways that you can carve out extra clothing storage.
Aug 3, 2018
A Bustle Fashion & Beauty Editor’s Small NYC Apartment
Name: Olivia Muenter, her boyfriend Jake, and their dog Winnie Location: Upper East Side, NYC Size: Not sure Years lived in: 1.
Aug 3, 2018
So Your Landlord’s Bad. Does This Mean You Can Break Your Lease?
When living conditions are unacceptable, do you have enough of a legal leg to stand on to break your lease? Turns out it’s all about the fine print.
Aug 3, 2018
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Lazy Late-Summer Cleaning to Make Your Place Shine
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.
Aug 3, 2018