Wooden dresser with multiple drawers in a garage, labeled "Before."
Before & After: An Outdated Captain’s Bed Gets a Fresh Update
Madeleine needed both storage and a sleeping option in her small mountain bedroom. She figured that a captain’s bed would solve both dilemmas and after getting super lucky on Craigslist, set about making her find a little more visually pleasing. From Madeleine: When we bought a tiny (600-square-foot) condo in the mountains, we needed to furnish it efficiently both in terms of space and cost.
May 18, 2017
How To Clean Your Microwave Naturally with Just One Lemon
(Image credit: Emma Christensen) From Kitchn → How To Clean Your Microwave Naturally with Just a Lemon null
May 18, 2017
An Elegant Evolution for a Wood-Paneled Basement
See how a creative couple transformed a wood-paneled basement into a warm and cozy library you'd want to curl up in.
May 18, 2017
Before & After: A Little Change Makes a Big Difference in a Small Studio
Sometimes, when you’re dealing with a little space, all it takes is a small change to make a big difference. When Lauren bought her Brooklyn Heights studio, it had just one small closet in the bed nook — but there was a large home office in the living room. The bed rested on a platform with storage underneath, but the storage underneath was only accessible from a trapdoor directly underneath the bed (and who wants to move the whole bed to get to their seasonal storage?).
May 17, 2017
Creatives Carve Out a Home on a School Bus
Name: James & Jen Location: Atlanta, Georgia The basics: Purchased March 2016, completed March 2017 | 125 square feet It still seems a little unreal that people can live on busses without being part of a family band or going on a very intense field trip inside the human body. Not only are James and Jen are living the dream on their rehabbed school bus, they’re slowly winning over the toughest of home critics, their cat.
May 17, 2017
Before & After: Decking Out the Deck on a Budget
Spring has (maybe? hopefully!) sprung and now is the time to get outdoors. Natalie and her boyfriend recently moved in together and found themselves with a spare table that was a little worse for wear. Rather than toss it and buy all new deck furniture, they had the bright idea to give what they had a colorful upgrade and now they have a lovely outdoor space without breaking the bank. This old table had been in storage and was showing its age- stained, chipped and scratched.
May 17, 2017
Here’s What the New HomeGoods Store Is Called & When It’s Opening
Okay, HomeGoods fans, we’re one step closer to shopping at a new home store by the brand. TJX just announced the name of the new store, and when they’ll start opening. Back in February, we reported that TJX, the store’s parent company, had told investors that they were planning to introduce a new home store concept in addition to the ever popular HomeGoods. On Tuesday’s earnings call, TJX CEO Ernie Herrman gave the new store a name: HomeSense.
May 17, 2017
Partner
What Would You Do with Customizable Wallpaper?
It’s a lovely idea to have a dedicated home office to keep work and life things separate. But it’s rarely a reality. What that means is that our “offices” often have to be carved out of another common space like the living room. When that’s the setup, you can make it work by creating a separate space so that “office stuff” has a defined space to live in. Make the space creative and inspiring, and the whole thing will work.
May 17, 2017
Partner
Julie’s Living Room Gets a Global Makeover: The After
A couple weeks ago, we met Julie, Victor, and Teo. The three of them live in an apartment that has great bones — light-filled rooms with beautiful ceiling beams. The problem was that their living room had both nothing and everything. The everything part was courtesy of Teo: His arrival was “the best thing ever,” Julie told us. “It seems like every day we accumulate more things and, in a small space, you really feel it.
May 17, 2017
6 of the Most Gorgeous Kitchen Windows from Around the World
(Image credit: Aimée Mazzenga) From Kitchn → 6 of the Most Gorgeous Kitchen Windows in the World null
May 17, 2017
Former New Yorkers Land in a Beautiful Berlin Apartment (And Learn You Have to BYO Kitchen)
Name: Alana, her partner and cat Location: Berlin, Germany The basics: 9 months, rented | 1,800 square feet Seeking a slower pace and a bit more space, Alana and her partner relocated from New York to Berlin. They found this airy stunner and set about making it the perfect place to work, entertain and relax. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I live with my partner, Adam, and our awesome cat Olive.
May 16, 2017
Before & After: The 2k, Get-With-the-Times Makeover of an Outdated ’80s Kitchen
If you were to make a list of kitchen essentials, it’s fair to say that “working oven” would be close to the top. Erica’s kitchen not only lacked the aforementioned necessity but was also chock full of heavy, dark ’80s design details. Her budget minded revamp helped give the kitchen a new airy look and some needed functionality. When I moved into my 1980s fixer upper home two years ago, one of the first projects was the kitchen.
May 16, 2017
How To DIY an All-Purpose Kitchen Cleaner Using Lemon Peels
(Image credit: Joe Lingeman) From Kitchn → How To Make an All-Purpose Kitchen Cleaner Using Lemon Peels null
May 16, 2017
Before & After: A Closet Catastrophe Is Avoided Thanks to a Smart Small Storage Space Redo
When you’re only working with 366 square feet of living space, chances are your closet’s on the not-big-enough side. Combine the lack of available storage square footage with sharing your studio apartment with your partner and needing to fit in a laundry room, and you’re looking at a potential closet catastrophe if you don’t seriously maximize your space. Thankfully, designer Mary Lee excels at both style and organization.
May 16, 2017
A Cosmo Editor and a Designer (Who Are Also Comedians!) Set Up Home in Williamsburg
Name: Carina and her roommate Claudia Location: Williamsburg — Brooklyn, New York The basics: 11 months, rented | 400 square feet Carina and Claudia’s Williamsburg apartment is colorful, fun and full of secret weirdness. They’ve made their first “Grown Up” apartment functional and pretty without taking the whole thing too seriously.
May 15, 2017
The 7 Types of People Who Should Consider Using Outdoor Rugs Indoors
Rugs can be a royal pain. While they most definitely can pull a room together, deciding on the right one for your space can sometimes tear things apart (i.e. your cleaning routine, your finances, your chill about pets and kids). If you’re on the hunt for a rug that meets all of your indoor needs but doesn’t break the bank, listen up. Using outdoor rugs inside is a great option for a select group of people, and there’s a good chance you might be one of them. You like patterns.
May 15, 2017
How We Saved Thousands (Seriously!) on Appliances for Our First Home
From Apartment Therapy → How We Saved Thousands (Really!
May 15, 2017
Partner
Should I Rent Out My Place While I Go on Vacation?
And if I do, how do I do it right?
May 15, 2017
One of Johnny Depp’s Many LA Penthouses Is for Sale for $2.5 Million
Johnny Depp has quite an interesting real estate portfolio. Specifically, because he owns five penthouses, all in the same building. He put all five on the market in the fall, but this is the first time we’re seeing inside this particular unit. The penthouses are all located in Downtown Los Angeles’ historic Eastern Columbia Lofts. Depp bought his first one back in 2002, and over the years, accumulated five in total.
May 14, 2017
A “Dialogue Between Old and New” in an Updated California Victorian
Name: Ben and his family Location: Alameda, California The basics: 4 years, owned | 1,500 square feet Ben and has family tackled the mammoth undertaking of renovating and updating a Victorian home but found that living in the home during the reno helped them create a space more personally tailored to their needs. Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: We bought the house in 2010, knowing it was in need of a major renovation.
May 12, 2017
A Writer’s Colorful Shotgun Home in NOLA
Name: Anne, her husband Nate, their cat Kitty Fat Pants and dog Delta Burke Location: Irish Channel — New Orleans, Louisiana The basics: Two years, owned | 2,000 square feet Anne, a freelance writer, and her husband Nate relocated to New Orleans after visiting the city and being charmed by all of the people, places and things. Their shotgun-layout home is full of personal touches and fantastic wall treatments.
May 11, 2017
What Really Separates an Expensive Dishwasher from a Cheap One?
(Image credit: Anne Wolfe Postic) From Kitchn → What Separates an Expensive Dishwasher from a Cheap One? null
May 11, 2017
Crafting My Way Calm: My Attempt to Create a 400-Square-Foot Sanctuary
There are a lot of things my friends make fun of me for. In my apartment alone, there’s plenty of fodder: my enormous yarn collection, stacked on a bookshelf directly across from my bed; my hand-embroidered clock, which hangs above the doorway; my small tray of rocks covered in crocheted cotton cozies, which look for all the world as if they are wearing sweaters. “You made SWEATERS for ROCKS?
May 11, 2017
Before & After: A Stunning DIY Kitchen Update for 15k
We recently featured Ashley’s dining room makeover, and now we get to see what kind of magic she’s worked in the kitchen. She unenviably lived through a year and a half long updating process, but the result is pretty stunning. From Ashley: The kitchen had ugly wallpaper, chipped paint on the cabinets, and was closed in. We wanted to open the space up to our dining room to make it feel bigger. We did almost all the work ourselves and it took us about a year and a half.
May 11, 2017
The Long, Low Shelf Is a Designer Trick That Never Fails
When you spend all day, every day, looking at pictures of interiors, you pick up a few tricks. Here’s one of my favorites—something I’ve spotted in a few different interiors, and that always looks great. As an added bonus, it’s cheaper than buying new furniture—and a super easy DIY. The styling secret I’m referring to? A single long, low shelf. (You can also double or triple these up, as suits your needs and the architecture of the space.
May 11, 2017
What It’s Like to Date in 2017, As Explained by Furniture Shopping
Dating can be a weird experience. Meeting people is a challenge, sometimes dates you’re excited for turn out to be duds, and every once in a while you meet someone and it’s love at first sight. Not unlike shopping for the perfect furniture for your home—sometimes you have to search the internet for your dream sofa, and other times you walk into a store and it’s right there waiting for you.
May 11, 2017
Before & After: A Completely New Sofa Phoenix Rises from the Ashes of the Old One
Just going to get this out of the way up front: this project is not a casual, pick it up when you’re bored DIY. This project is a “save yourself thousands” and “put your tools and considerable sewing skills to good use” and definitely a “can’t believe you can actually do that” type of DIY. From Karen: I wanted a new more modern sofa, but the one I loved was $2,100! My slipcovered sofa was stained and sat very low but the frame was still very solid.
May 10, 2017
Why It Works: The Brooklyn Brownstone I’ve Been Crushing On for a Year
For just under a year (as of last June, to be exact), I’ve had a serious crush on the Brooklyn home of Jae and Devin. The architecture alone of their brownstone, with those amazing moldings, ceilings and floors would make any design lover completely and totally jealous obsessed. Their lust-worthy abode is more than just really great bones, however, and I’m going to break down why their combo living room and dining room just plain works.
May 10, 2017
Love at First Sight: An First Time Homeowner’s “Urban Cozy” Condo in Boston
Name: Jenny Location: South Boston, Massachusetts The basics: 2 years, owned | 780 square feet Jenny’s condo is a balance of bright and poppy colors with sleek and sophisticated shapes and textures. After saying yes to the space when it was but a shadow of its current self, she set off to slowly and deliberately make this house her home.
May 10, 2017
JetBlue Might Be the Only Airline That Gets Airplane Food
(Image credit: Eric Salard) From Kitchn → JetBlue May Be the Only Airline That Gets Airplane Food null
May 10, 2017
A Mix of History & Modern Comforts in a Converted Chicago Church
This 3-bedroom duplex is a gem of a find in Chicago—a family-friendly home that is a gorgeous mix of history (the unit is situated in a converted church) and modern comforts. The unit itself is modern and bright without feeling sterile thanks to the abundance of hardwood floors and exposed brick as well as a wood-burning fireplace.
May 10, 2017
Partner
T.V. and Cato’s House Hustle: Crisis Averted
Name: T.V. Carpio, Cato Herring, their daughter and three cats Location: Burbank, CA Size: 2,138 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years It wasn’t until T.V. became pregnant that she and Cato decided to become home owners. At first they assumed they wouldn’t need a real estate agent, thinking they’d find plenty of listings online on their own.
May 10, 2017
Partner
7 Lessons I’ve Learned After Renting My Whole Adult Life
OK, so maybe I haven’t been renting for my whole adult life… yet. But in the 10ish years since I first became an official leaseholder, I’ve moved 13 times, lived in 11 different rentals, and have been to more open houses than I can count. So, older and hopefully wiser, here are the seven things I wish I had known before signing my first lease. If you do one thing, do this.
May 10, 2017
A Peek Inside a 1920s Shanghai Lane House
Name: Miranda Location: Jing An District – Shanghai, China The basics: 2 years, rented | around 700 square feet Miranda’s historic lane home is full of antiques, high ceilings and her traditional Chinese dress collection. The layout of the apartment complex let her get to know her neighbors and build a sense of community.
May 9, 2017
Before & After: A Glammed Up, Totally Temporary Rental Kitchen Upgrade
Raise your hand if you’ve ever lived in a rental. Now raise your hand if you’ve ever lived in a rental with a lackluster kitchen. Underwhelming rental kitchens are about as common as noisy upstairs neighbors, but at least you can make small temporary fixes to brighten up your cooking space (if somebody makes peel-and-stick ‘quiet down and be considerate of others’ please let us know immediately).
May 9, 2017
I Cleaned My Dishwasher with Lemonade Kool-Aid & Here’s How It Went
(Image credit: Lauren Volo) From Kitchn → I Cleaned My Dishwasher with Lemonade Kool-Aid and Here’s How It Went null
May 9, 2017
Before & After: A Mini Studio Kitchen Gets a Gut Remodel
When the lack of storage is a pain, the finishes are extraordinarily plain and you just really don’t love your small kitchen, what do you do? If you’re designer Mary Lee, you rip it all out and DIY yourself a functional, stylish modern mini kitchen. Mary’s tiny 366 square foot Seattle studio apartment — that she shares with her partner and a dog — had me drooling over all the ways she added style and function to such a small space.
May 9, 2017
This 366-Square-Foot Studio Has Some of the Best Small-Space Ideas Ever
Name: Mary Lee, her partner Jacob and her sweet chihuahua Kyley Location: Seattle, Washington Size: 366 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned The amount of blood, sweat and tears in any home remodel is substantial. But can you imagine the amount while making over a 366 square foot studio when you’re still living in it? A space that you share with your partner and a dog? It’s extraordinary, chaotic, and in Mary Lee’s case, ultimately worth it.
May 8, 2017
New Orleans Shotguns for Sale: 5 Affordable & Charming Homes
You might rent an apartment in a big city and you love it, but that doesn’t bar you from imagining yourself in all sorts of alternate timelines. Maybe there’s one where you’re living abroad, one where you’re living in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere, one living on a your own private island — big and small, you’ve entertained thoughts about all of them.
May 8, 2017
Before & After: One Afternoon and $10 for a Vintage-Style Mirror Makeover
Sarah had an idea of the perfect mid-century-style mirror in her mind. So when she spotted something like that mirror, albeit a rusty, over the top version, she snatched it up. Using the classic DIY elixir of elbow grease and spray paint she turned the whole thing around in one well-spent afternoon. I love mid-century design and wanted a vintage starburst mirror for as long as I can remember, but I also didn’t want the price tag that typically goes along with the real deal.
May 8, 2017
5 New York Bartenders Share Their Best Hangover Cures
(Image credit: PrinceOfLove) shutterstock From Kitchn → 5 New York Bartenders Share Their Best Hangover Cures null
May 8, 2017
What it Costs to Live in the World’s Highest Penthouse
Think about it: if you had an unlimited budget and could live anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would your dream home be like? For a little taste of opulence, we looked through listings for apartments and penthouses in Burj Khalifa, which stands at 160 stories, making it the world’s tallest building (maybe in your dreams you’re not afraid of heights either?) located in Downtown Dubai.
May 8, 2017
Would You Live in a Time Capsule Home?
Homeowners dedicated to keeping the design trends of the past alive have taken their love of all things vintage to an entirely different level. Remaining stuck in the past has never been in style, but the increasing number of buyers interested in living in a time capsule home suggests that a change is on the horizon.
May 6, 2017
Before & After: And After Allllllllll You’re My Wooden Wallllllll
Today is gonna be the day that we're gonna put some slats on you.
May 6, 2017
In Living Color: 5 Modern Ways to Decorate Your Home With Blue
Having the blues isn’t always a bad thing. Just look at these awesome interiors. From Picasso’s Blue Period and Yves Klein’s invention of International Klein Blue to the modern-day fascination with indigo-dyed shibori fabrics and a revived appreciation for Chinese ginger jars, blue has proven to be a classic color that will never go out of style.
May 6, 2017
Before and After: An Outdated Living Room Gets an “Artfully Bold” Update
It was on a house hunting visit that Michelle and Alex Gage were first able to see this living room’s possibilities. Though the previous owners’ style was far from the couple’s modern, eclectic taste, the room had been thoughtfully arranged. As Michelle writes “there was a certain warmth and charm to the way the previous owner decorated. We saw that the space had potential.
May 5, 2017