Modern living room with black doors, gold handles, glass table, white flowers in a gold vase, and books.
Nail the Mixed Metal Look at Home With These 5 Easy-to-Follow Tips
One is silver and the other’s gold…or is it rose gold now? Incorporating metallics into your decor is a great way to elevate your space, but the temptation to replace all of your fixtures every time a new finish “reigns supreme” is hard to avoid. Here are some shining (shimmering, splendid) examples of spaces that masterfully mix metals to help yours stand the test of time.
Oct 9, 2016
Getting Along While Getting It All Done: 7 Fun Ways to Divide Up Roommate Chores
Chores aren’t fun, and unless you’re lucky enough to get along with all your roommates, having the conversation to divide them up might not be easy, either. Good news: Apps can help, and you can add a little variety into your cleaning routine by trying some fun DIY takes on chore charts, and by turning your chores into a bonding activity.
Oct 9, 2016
Before & After: An Unbelievably Chic Rental Kitchen Makeover
An incredible, temporary floor makeover.
Oct 9, 2016
The Art Of Leaving A Party Early Without Ruffling Any Feathers
Say you’re at a soiree with pink champagne cocktails and more guacamole than you know what to do with, and you find yourself yawning between all the mingling. Or maybe you’re standing in front of your bathroom mirror — applying the night’s lipstick — and it dawns on you that getting into a taxi cab and legging it across town is the last thing you want to be doing that night.
Oct 8, 2016
An Apartment in an Old Manhattan Bathtub Factory
Name: Jordana and Bernard Location: South Street Seaport — Manhattan, New York My husband, tuxedo cat and I live in a 100+ year old brick building that was once a bathtub manufacturing company and a sewing factory. Such amazing history and detail line our expansive 1,300 square foot apartment at the South Street Seaport, a historic neighborhood in lower Manhattan.
Oct 7, 2016
An Unexpected Truth: Going to Concerts by Yourself is Actually the Best
Concerts and movies are great group activities, sure, but they don’t have to be group outings. It seems like most people wouldn’t (or at least, haven’t) gone to to a concert or to see a movie by themselves—and if you haven’t, you’re missing out. It may sound weird, but giving myself permission to go to things like that alone was one of the best things I could have ever done for myself.
Oct 7, 2016
The Many Questions I Have About This Viral House: A List
Have you seen this house? It went viral this year after being uploaded to Reddit thread /r/funny back in March. User liquidthc is the one who noticed something strange about this South Carolina home—can you spot it? It initially took me awhile to notice this, despite realizing something was “off.” The comments, both on Reddit and Shareably, offer a host of possible scenarios—some of which I share below—but no definitive answers.
Oct 7, 2016
10 Movies Perfect for Friend Dates
(Image credit: Leela Cyd) From Kitchn → 10 of the Best Movies to Watch on a Date Night In with Friends
Oct 7, 2016
A Comfy & Modern Vegas Home
Name: Victoria Location: Henderson, Nevada I just purchased my first home and I’m a L.A. based fashion designer and turned interior designer. This is my Henderson/Las Vegas home, it’s 3,000 square feet of modern & spacious living. A far cry from my apartment in L.A. I love coming home here so I can just relax and spread out. My favorite room is the master which has a lot of pieces from my favorite shops in L.A. I love my light fixtures I’ve collected from all over.
Oct 6, 2016
Stacy Covered Her Rental Countertop With Contact Paper & This Is What Happened
Stacy’s rental bathroom started out just fine. She had white and grey tile floors, a grey-blue wall color, and a white pedestal sink. The bathroom was tiny, but there was a separate counter and mirror from the sink, with plenty of space to store her products. The only trouble was the green countertops, which made the bathroom feel dark and dingy despite it being light everywhere else.
Oct 6, 2016
Work Through Your Wardrobe by (At Last!) Tackling This To-Do List
Cleaning out your closet is a really big task. There’s a lot to unpack, pun slightly intended, when you determine your wardrobe needs sorting—just deciding to get rid of a few pairs of jeans might send you on a tailspin through everything from sentimental memories to body image issues.
Oct 6, 2016
Before & After: Designing Out the Danger in a 1950s Bathroom
Eek! Nadya’s bathroom not only had some structural issues, but it was also lined with asbestos. In the midst of another renovation, Nadya had to tackle the issue on a budget. From Nadya: Our small post-war house in Brisbane, Australia was built in 1959, and like many similar houses of the era, had an asbestos-lined bathroom. As you can see, it was dingy and awful, and water from the shower was seeping into the wall. The nasty stuff had to go!
Oct 6, 2016
6 Classic Dinnerware Sets That Will Never Go Out of Style
(Image credit: Restoration Hardware) From Kitchn → 6 Dinnerware Sets That Will Outlast Your Design Whims
Oct 6, 2016
Partner
Win: A Beautiful Smart Frame from Aura
Prize: An Aura Frame From: Aura Frames Value: $399 You have hundreds (thousands? tens of thousands?) of pictures on your phone right now. And yet, there they sit in your photos app, a 21st-century shoebox collecting dust in a closet. It’s time to get them out of digital storage and onto an IRL wall. Aura is ready to do that. Now, you may remember digital picture frames being all the rage in the mid-2000s. And you may remember tossing yours out after you used it twice.
Oct 6, 2016
A House Full of Creatives Somewhere “Between Mid Century Modern Meets Bohemia”
Name: Hannah Location: Mount Washington, California A publicist, a painter and an entrepreneur walk into a bar… Well not quite, but we do all live together. In what feels like a treehouse, tucked up in the hills of Mt. Washington. Although we are just about seven minutes away from Downtown LA, there is something about this 1920’s house that makes you feel like you are much further away than you are.
Oct 5, 2016
Two Explorers Pursuing a Life in Chicago with Small Riches & Big Adventures
Globe-traveling, curio-collecting, working professionals by day and co-creators of an animated series by night. They’re building a life together rooted in a love of travel and exploration, fueled by intellectual curiosity and creativity. They’re smart and warm and possess Jedi-level cocktail making skills. Here’s life with Mark and Noelle… Mark and Noelle live in a flat in Chicago’s Avondale/Logan Square neighborhood.
Oct 5, 2016
8 Tips for Hosting a Charitable Dinner Party
(Image credit: Sarah Copeland) From Kitchn → 8 Tips for Hosting a FEED Supper
Oct 5, 2016
It’s Complicated: New Yorkers Weigh In on the Realities of NYC Real Estate
Recently, we shared a study that reported the minimum salary you’d need to buy a home in a bunch of cities—New York included. Unsurprisingly, our readers had a lot to say about the subject. Let’s take a closer look at how New Yorkers are reacting to the real estate market in the Big Apple. The mortgage lender that released the study, HSH.com, concluded that the salary needed to buy in New York was $86,215, based on the median home price of $395,400.
Oct 5, 2016
Knife Sharpening Basics: The Video
(Image credit: Christine Han) From Kitchn → How To Sharpen a Knife: The Video
Oct 5, 2016
Unexpected Items to Look for When Thrift Shopping (& Things to Avoid!)
Never sure what to snatch up when you’re out thrifting? Or what to put back down? With so much STUFF to see (and potentially purchase) when you’re out second-hand shopping, it can be tough to make the best buying decisions. While everyone’s decor needs are different, it never hurts to hear what the experts are always on the hunt for (and what they would never take home).
Oct 5, 2016
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3 Things To Consider When Setting Up a Living Room
From 1-bedroom apartments to larger houses, the living room sets the tone for the rest of the home. It should be calming for ourselves and our housemates, as well as any visitors we invite in; it should be equal parts comfort and style. With the right pieces, like those available at Value City Furniture, our houses become homes. So, what should we consider to truly personalize our main living spaces? Ask yourself some basic questions: Do you enjoy having guests over?
Oct 5, 2016
A Comfy & Cozy Railroad Apartment
Name: Justine Location: Greenpoint — Brooklyn, New York Our apartment is a railroad style apartment. At first, this was difficult to decorate, as we had to decide on small living room or small bedroom. To us, a living room was more important. We chose to live here because we love the neighborhood and fell in love with the old charm in the apartment: beautiful moldings, fireplace, etc.
Oct 4, 2016
5 Helpful Facts to Help You Buy and Maintain Your Cutting Boards
(Image credit: Christine ) From Kitchn → 5 Important Things to Know About Cutting Boards
Oct 4, 2016
Before & After: Gussying Up a Get Away Cabin
Ashley’s one room cabin was in need of some style to make it feel like a spot worth running away to. The changes are pretty impressive (be sure to check out the ceiling) and get super impressive when you find out all of the projects were DIY! From Ashley: We decided to completely gut a small one room cabin. It had quite a bit of water damage and was just completely outdated. We did all the projects ourselves and stuck to a small budget.
Oct 4, 2016
6 Cast Iron Skillet Commandments I Never Break
(Image credit: Elizabeth Stark) From Kitchn → All the Things I Never Do to My Cast Iron Skillet
Oct 4, 2016
Partner
Mindy’s Shoppable House Tour: The Chicest Apartment on TV
Name: Mindy Lahiri Location: New York, New York Closet Space: Doesn’t want to talk about it This bright, playful apartment is home to Mindy Lahiri of Hulu’s The Mindy Project, but it’s no blah set piece. This season, Dr. Lahiri’s spacious 1-bedroom just doubled in size (you watched the Season 4 finale, right?). Packed with stylish details and cool design choices, this apartment is ready for its close-up, and should probably be negotiating for top billing.
Oct 4, 2016
A Warm & Funky Garden Flat
Name: Mizzie Location: Harrow, London We live in a two bedroom two bathroom flat in Harrow. It’s an Edwardian house that has been split into flats and we live on the ground floor, which means we get the garden! This was the first flat I looked at when I first moved to London full time. It was only meant to be for three months and I have been here three years! I live here with my partner, my daughter and our dog. My favorite room is probably the back garden. When I moved in it was dirt.
Oct 3, 2016
DIY Costume in a Snap: Venus Flytrap Fascinator
A lot pretty, a little creepy—this Venus Flytrap Fascinator is exactly the look we’re going for this Halloween. Constructing this headpiece is less work than assembling a head-to-toe costume, but the look is still every bit as eye-catching. Watch the how-to video to see how it all comes together.
Oct 3, 2016
6 Easy Ways to Save $100 This Week
After you’ve tackled the big-picture savings tactics like canceling subscriptions, negotiating insurance premiums to lower rates, and reducing energy consumption, you’ll have to examine your micro-spending in order to squeeze any extra cash out of your budget. Even if you’re in good shape financially, there will come a week where you could use an extra hundred bucks—maybe before a big weekend?—to pad your budget with.
Oct 3, 2016
A Foolproof Method for Finally Slaying Your Paper Clutter Monster
Living small has its disadvantages—and the biggest one just might be how a tiny apartment seems to magnify your mess. If you’re going to be a small-space dweller, you have to be ruthless: sorting through your things on a daily basis, deciding with a swift hand what stays and what goes (and most of it should go). If that daily practice has escaped you for, say, the last several months—It’s OK.
Oct 3, 2016
Thrifting Secrets from Someone Whose Home Looks Like a Million Bucks
Not everything in Jessica and Ryan’s home is from a thrift store, but a large bulk of the furniture and decor is. Their style looks anything but second-hand, however. Not surprising considering Jessica Cook is a vintage seller with her Etsy shop Houseworking. I asked her to share her best thrifting tips, second-hand secrets and hand-me-down hints. You’ll be a thrifting expert in no time! Thrift stores are where I do the bulk of my vintage hunting.
Oct 3, 2016
Teddy Ruxpin Got a Makeover & Is Still Creepy AF
Anyone who grew up in the ’80s remembers Teddy Ruxpin. The talking bear with the cassette tape in his back hit the market in 1985, scared us all with his uncanny valley face and low battery voice, and faded into oblivion for awhile. Until now. In case you need a refresher: MommyandGracieShow got a look at the new Teddy at the Dallas Toy Fair and he’s ripe to terrify a whole new generation. Produced by Wicked Cool Toys, the biggest visual difference is in the eyes.
Oct 3, 2016
Before & After: A New Look for a “Sunburn-Striped” Bathroom
There were some great things that happened, design-wise, in the 70s, but this bathroom was not one of them. Molly and Jonathan had a few projects in mind when they purchased their Ditmas Park one-bedroom, but they knew that the “sunburn-colored” stripes in their bathroom needed to be the first thing to go. The problems with the bathroom went beyond the cosmetic.
Oct 2, 2016
A Charming Apartment that Puts Your College Digs to Shame
Name: August & Sara Location: Middlebury, Vermont August and Sara are college seniors who make urban-chic living in the cozy, rural town of Middlebury, Vermont look easy. Nestled in Champlain Valley between the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks, Middlebury College is home to quintessential New England scenery — thousands travel north to admire the spectacular fall foliage each year.
Sep 30, 2016
How To Achieve Perfect Selfie Lighting at Home
Say what you will about selfies—some people love them, some hate them, and some think they’re an important part of self-care. People have been taking pictures of themselves long before the word “selfie” was added to the dictionary in 2013, and I’m not just talking about the dark days of grainy, over-contrasted, poorly angled Myspace selfies.
Sep 30, 2016
The Casually Successful Host: 5 Secrets for Pulling Off a Modern Potluck
Getting together with friends shouldn’t be a fussy affair. If all you have the time and energy to do is send out an email, then offer to host a potluck dinner at your place and get the gang together for a night. Being the potluck host doesn’t let you off the hook completely, but it’s a heck of a lot easier than cooking for a crowd. The first step to a potluck is sending out the (informal) invitations. And the modern way to do that is online.
Sep 30, 2016
Before & After: A Bathroom Shapes Up With Shiplap
Amanda’s cramped main bathroom was in desperate need of two things: light and space. After patiently waiting for two years, she got to work and created a bright & stylish space. From Amanda: We bought our 1925 Sears Kit home in December of 2014 and have slowly been renovating room by room. We started with the rooms that were deemed “unlivable” by us and let the rest stay as they were. Our upstairs bathroom was one of the rooms we learned to live with for almost two years.
Sep 30, 2016
Self Care Style at Mascot’s Bohemian Boutique
When we toured Liz and Josh’s Bohemian Santa Clarita house, it seemed they knew a thing or two about maintaining a balanced life. The energetic couple has built a flourishing family home and successful well-being business while remaining totally chill in the process (seriously, you just want to be friends with them). Their local shop Mascot Aesthetic shares that spiritual-Bohemian ambiance that their house wears so well.
Sep 30, 2016
Design Doppelgängers: 10 (Nearly Identical) Designer Chair Look-a-Likes You Can Actually Afford
Nothing beats the real deal, but when your wallet hasn’t quite caught up to your great taste, there are ways to get the look without going ridiculously over budget. Lookalikes abound, but not everyone is in the “ok with it” camp. For those who are, we offer up the following scenario: The second you win the lotto, you’ll be on board to pony up for the originals, but until that day comes, we might find you lounging on these knock-offs of classic beauties.
Sep 30, 2016
Lighten Up: A Pair of No-Fail Ways to Make Furniture Look Less Bulky
There are lots of reasons why you might have a too-big or too-bulky piece of furniture in your home. Perhaps it’s an inherited piece you can’t part with. Maybe you need a large piece of furniture for storage. Whatever the case, you don’t have to live with a heavy piece of furniture visually weighing down a room.
Sep 30, 2016
A Well Loved Home for World Travelers
Name: Milgy Location: Kochi, Kerala, India This is our home in Kochi, a city in the southern state of Kerala in India. It’s a 1650 square foot newly built apartment. After living in rentals for 11 years, this is the first home we have owned. We love the plentiful light, breeze and sweeping views of the city from the 23rd floor.
Sep 29, 2016
Before & After: A Bright and Beautiful Guest Bedroom
When Christina and her husband moved into their historic row home, they waisted no time (seriously, no time) getting to work on renovations. During that time their guest bedroom took a back seat to other spaces and became a storage area. When it came time to get around to the guest bedroom, however, Christina went full force on DIY projects, smart planning and beautiful design choices.
Sep 29, 2016
A Gorgeously Dark and Dramatic Family Home in Norway
Name: Maria Location: Skedsmokorset, Norway My husband, Roger, and I built this house and moved in three years ago, and we share it with our two young kids and a French Bulldog. Welcome to Scandi Week—Apartment Therapy’s seven-day focus on all-things Scandinavia (often defined as the countries of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway).
Sep 28, 2016
Before & After: Reviving a Dark & Dated Rental Bathroom
Amy was #blessed with two very crucial elements of a rental makeover success: an apartment with good bones and a generous landlord. She took those gifts and ran with them, turning her bathroom into a totally lovely, stylish and calming sanctuary. From Amy: The first thing I did when I signed my lease was ask my landlord if I could paint the bathroom.
Sep 28, 2016
Win The Halloween Puppy Parade: Cute No-Sew DIY Costumes For Dogs
Start with your pup’s own harness, hoodie or raincoat, and easily transform them into a ridiculously adorable outfit for Halloween — all without a stitch. And hey, want to match your pet? These dog costumes are great on their own, but we’ve even come up with human costumes to match. Together you two will be the hit of the pet parade. A Poncho Becomes . . . A Stick of Butter Above, Zuzu’s yellow raincoat does double duty as packaging for a stick of butter.
Sep 28, 2016
Hear Us Out: 15 Apple Names That Would Work As Baby Names
(Image credit: Tim Chin) From Kitchn → 15 Apple Names That Could Be Baby Names
Sep 28, 2016