Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time

Catch It While You Can: Home Made - A New York Design Week Show Home

Janel Laban — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:00:00 GMT

I just got a tip about a fantastic hidden gem of a NYC design week experience. Held in a home in Nolita, this not-your-usual show home is open just one more day...

Velvet Chair by Jonathan Adler — ICFF 2013

Nancy Mitchell — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:20:00 GMT

Velvet (and gold!) chair by Jonathan Adler.

Light Brackets by Alex Allen Studio — ICFF 2013

Nancy Mitchell — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:15:00 GMT

Light brackets by Alex Allen studio light your shelves and hold them up at the same time. (Plus the cords come in fun colors.)

Stefan's 31st Floor Perch — Small Cool Contest

Gregory Han — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:00:00 GMT

Like this Small Cool 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below!

Name:: Stefan
Location:: Seattle, WA
Square Feet:: 650
Division:: Little
What I Love About My Small Home:: By far my favorite feature in my home is the wall of glass. Sunlight in Seattle is often rare during the winter months, and I love that the wall of glass combined with my units 10 ft. high ceiling allows light to flood my open plan living area. From my perch on the 31st floor I can see so many of Seattle’s iconic features: the Space Needle and the Pacific Science Center Arches, the Seattle Center Monorail, ferries gliding across Puget Sound, sunsets over the Olympic Mountains, and the ever changing cityscape. My bedroom, on the other hand, is tucked into the back of my unit, and is a warm cozy place during the cold winter months. I also love the mix of vintage accessories that I’ve collected over the years styled against the modern clean lines of my furniture and unit. This mix helps in softening the “edge” that is often associated with a modern home, and gives the space a warm, welcoming feel.

10 Picnic-Ready Salads to Eat Outside

Cambria Bold — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:15:00 GMT

Food just tastes better outside, doesn't it? With Memorial Day next week, we feel the outdoor eating season is officially open. Here are ten of our favorite seasonal salads to pack up and take on a picnic.

• 10 Picnic-Ready Salads to Eat Outside
The Kitchn

Benjamin's Lush Green View — Small Cool Contest

Gregory Han — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT

Like this Small Cool 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below!

Name:: Benjamin YC
Location:: Singapore Singapore
Square Feet:: 549
Division:: International
What I Love About My Small Home:: Generous bay windows that let in the sun with a view of lush greenery, the local tropical bird population, and an occasional small fruit bat at night, while I curl up with a book and hot chocolate. My tiny, but functional, kitchen(ette) which is easy to clean up, but has the capacity to handle (modestly-sized) dinner parties. And the sunken marble bath - a touch of real luxury - that cleverly makes full use of the limited bathroom space, and lets me soak the stress away after a long day.

Branch Chandelier by Lindsey Adelman for The Future Perfect — ICFF 2013

Nancy Mitchell — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:30:00 GMT

Branch chandelier by Lindsey Adelman for The Future Perfect.

Pro DIY Project: David Stark's Paper Flowering Spring Branches

Janel Laban — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:30:00 GMT

To get ready for summer entertaining season, this month we're sharing a mini-series of pro tips and projects from our guest blogger, party planner extraordinaire and designer David Stark. This week, his instructions for a beautiful take on flowering spring branches, usable year-round.

Last week we officially launched our new book The Art of the Party at the chic temple of style, Bergdorf Goodman. To celebrate the launch, we also created a series of hand-made art pieces (called Paper Tales) exclusively for the store, inspired by paper sculptural pieces that are both featured in our book and have proven so popular that our we are often asked for them to be available outside party environments.

Pro DIY Project: David Stark's Paper Flowering Spring Branches

Janel Laban — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:30:00 GMT

Alexandra's Cozy Little Cave — Small Cool Contest

Gregory Han — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:30:00 GMT

Like this Small Cool 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below!

Name:: Alexandra
Location:: New York, NY
Square Feet:: 254
Division:: Teeny-Tiny
What I Love About My Small Home:: Winters make the place a cozy little cave, and summers without AC give us a reason to spend more time outdoors. Plus, we never have to walk further than three steps to find what we need!

Beatriz's Fun & Functional Workspace — Creative Workspace Tour

Bethany Nauert — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Name: Beatriz Macias of Mid Mod Mom
Location: Mission Viejo, Orange County CA
Size: 120 square feet
Years lived in: 10 years, but only used as an office for 2 years.

Beatriz has the great advantage of working from home in this converted office space. Once a bedroom, she redid the floors in cork and transformed the closet to a work bench for her vintage goods and artwork. With amazing taste in design and her everyday hunt for vintage finds, I love how bright and "no fuss" this workspace is.

Beatriz's Fun and Functional Workspace — Home Office Tour

Bethany Nauert — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Name: Beatriz Macias of Mid Mod Mom
Location: Mission Viejo, Orange County CA
Size: 120 square feet
Years lived in: 10 years, but only used as an office for 2 years.

Stereo Console by Symbol Audio — ICFF 2013

Nancy Mitchell — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:40:00 GMT

The elegant new stereo console by Symbol Audio connects to a record player or Bluetooth-enabled device. Plus there's a place to store your records!

Quirky Midcentury-Style Chair by Yinka Ilori — ICFF 2013

Nancy Mitchell — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:35:00 GMT

A midcentury-inspired chair, with a little twist. By UK designer Yinka Ilori.

Wilsonart Chair by Katie Lee — ICFF 2013

Nancy Mitchell — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:30:00 GMT

Spotted at the Wilsonart booth: this chair by University of Oregon student Katie Lee, covered with tiny pieces of laminate attached to canvas.

Guess the Decade: Lofted Sitting Room - The Answer

Dabney Frake — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:15:00 GMT

This one, in my opinion, was a bit of a stumper, but a good number of you got it right anyway...

Click here to guess first - then jump below for the answer!

Lauren's Best Solution — Small Cool Contest

Gregory Han — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:30:00 GMT

Like this Small Cool 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below!

Name:: Lauren
Location:: New York, NY
Square Feet:: 340
Division:: Teeny-Tiny
What I Love About My Small Home:: Living in a tiny apartment with randomly angled walls and sloped floors is such a uniquely New York experience. Other than that, I instantly adored the large front window that looks out to the street.

Small Cool Lessons: Discovering Small Space Design Ideas That Really Work

Carolyn Purnell — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

Small Cool 2013 is well underway, and we've seen some really innovative space solutions so far. I've been so inspired by all these small homes that I've even begun visiting the archive to get more ideas. Here are some of my favorite small space tricks, drawn from last year's Small Cool entries.

Yamini's Love at First Sight — Small Cool Contest

Gregory Han — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:15:00 GMT

Like this Small Cool 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below!

Name:: Yamini
Location:: Boston, MA
Square Feet:: 485
Division:: Tiny
What I Love About My Small Home:: I remember falling in love with this apartment almost instantly as I walked through the doors. It was the windows really: four big windows letting in swathes of gorgeous afternoon sun light. In fact, my favorite thing to do really is to sit under my counter and look at the apartment, taking in the play of light on my turquoise walls. I love that despite being such a small apartment, there’s a proportional division of space between the kitchen, living area, and bedroom without making it look too closed off. It’s also rather quirky in that the walls are uneven and the ceiling is a little crooked, which though made structural changes really difficult, makes it that much more unique. Yet its biggest selling point is really the location. I’m within walking distance to downtown, close to Whole Foods and a whole bunch of restaurants and coffee shops, the cinema and art museum, all whilst surrounded by a whole lot of green!

DIY Idea: Wallpapered Stairs — Sarah Moore Vintage

Linda Ly — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

If you're looking to dress up your stairs a bit, there's painting, tiling, or... wallpapering! Take a cue from UK designer Sarah Moore (of the online shop Sarah Moore Vintage) who used subtly different patterns of paper to cover the risers of her stairs.

Steal This Look: Wallpapered Stairs — Sarah Moore Vintage

Linda Ly — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Moving In Together: What Do You Do With The Ex-Boyfriend/Girlfriend Box?

Tess Wilson — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

I was first introduced to the concept of the ex-boyfriend (or girlfriend) box by the one and only Lorelai Gilmore. She advised her daughter Rory to throw all the mementos from her just-ended relationship into a box. That way, Rory wouldn't have to look at them, but someday, when she was old and grey, she could go through all her old boyfriend boxes and think, "My, what an interesting life I've had." Does that work in real-life, or just in Stars Hollow?

Hollyanne's Home for Three — Small Cool Contest

Gregory Han — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:30:00 GMT

Like this Small Cool 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below!

Name:: Hollyanne
Location:: San Francisco, CA
Square Feet:: 765
Division:: Little
What I Love About My Small Home:: We LOVE the big windows that let in lots of natural light, and the built-ins in the the kitchen are gorgeous. We fell in love at first sight. We also love the French doors leading into every room.

Getting Away: Tips For Renting a Vacation House with Kids

Carrie McBride — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Sometimes vacations are about traveling to new places and exploring new cultures. And sometimes they're about relaxing, kicking back and spending time together as a family. One of the best ways to do this, especially for families with kids, is to rent a house in a lovely location. My family has been lucky enough to tag along on a few of these vacations with extended family over the past few years and this year we took the plunge and rented a place ourselves. Here are some tips for what to look for in a kid-friendly rental.

Inspiration for Sandra and Justin's Kitchen — Renovation Diary

Guest — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Name: Sandra & Justin
Type of Project: Kitchen remodel
Location: Arlington, Texas
Type of building: Single-family home, 2,450 square feet

The Renovation Diaries are a new collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style. See all of our Reno Diaries here.

Last week we introduced you to Sandra and Justin's kitchen remodel. They're taking on the cramped and outdated kitchen in their Texas home and transforming it into a beautiful, open space that's perfect for gatherings of family and friends. In this post, they're sharing some of their inspiration for the project.