apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We browse through photos of beautiful spaces every day on Apartment Therapy, but when we came across this picture from an Italian fixture and fitting company, we were riveted. This is our dream room. We've always lived in apartments where we have to lug our dirty clothes to a laundromat or dark, scary basement. Having our very own bright, organized laundry room is a persistent fantasy. We're wondering...

Although the photos from Italian bathroom retailer IDEA Group are unruffled catalog images, we found a lot of smart solutions for storage. Their clean-lined configurations for wall-mounted and under-sink storage offer some fresh approaches, whether you're designing an IKEA bathroom or a super swanky space...

Yesterday, Penelope Green's article in the New York Times summed up a phenomenon we've been feeling for a while now. The frustrating battle between cost-cutting and overspending seems to escalate in times of stress. We see it most clearly in the Costco effect: people go into bunker mentality and overstuff their homes with "budget" items that end up costing more because of the bulk...

Designed by Turkish firm Autoban, the suites at the Witt Istanbul incorporate heaps of pattern but not a lot of color. The hotel interiors offer a valuable lesson in decorating with neutrals—the richness of these rooms comes from textural contrast rather than bold color. Mirrored subway tiles are paired with laser-cut wood, minimalist mirrors reflect the bathroom's gray-striped walls, and a tufted leather sofa faces a spindly, sculptural coffee table...

In every apartment we've ever inhabited, we've had a major lack of closet space. We usually make do by finding a nook at the end of the hallway or next to the door where we can fit a hallway rack. As much as we'd like our entryway to remain clean and simple, it usually ends up overloaded, so we were happy to find this photo from Emery & Cie with a fully stocked hallway rack that actually looks good...

In addition to the old standbys (including IKEA and Pearl Art), Pottery Barn is another go-to source on our list of places to buy inexpensive frames. Their frames are made from FSC-certified wood in black, white, mahogany or espresso. Each frame comes with a mat and right now they're 20 percent off...

Looking for a cheap and simple way to decorate your home for the holidays? Garlands are a good bet. They can be made from fabric scraps, cranberries, eucalyptus, paper snowflakes, or just about any pretty thing you can find around the house. Click below for DIY garland ideas and links to projects...

Bold, graphic patterns. Saturated colors. No, it's not wallpaper we're talking about but tile. Italian ceramic manufacturer Iris does a great job of bringing tile out of its bathroom/backsplash niche into the rest of the home. Although these rooms are beyond the reach of most, we found some inspiring ideas in the mix: patterned kitchen walls, modern-meets-traditional dining rooms, and a few great color combos...

We're gearing up for the holiday season, and we know many of you will be hosting dinners and parties. In case you're in need of supplies, but you don't want to spend a lot, we've rounded up a few ideas from AT:Chicago. All of these include ways to stock your pantry with reusable items—no paper or plastic here, just simple and inexpensive ways to set the table...

During our apartment search last spring, we were surprised by the number of small spaces with a major (and easily avoidable) flaw: in almost every tiny bedroom, the door opened into the small room rather than swinging out into the larger space. The area required for the door to swing in significantly reduced the bedroom's footprint and in many cases made it tough to fit a full-sized bed inside. Fortunately, there are a couple of remedies to this common small-space problem...

While we hear a lot about the benefits of eco-friendly flooring like bamboo and cork, earthen floors are more rarely discussed. Floors made from clay and varnished with natural sealants have long been used in adobe homes, but they're not so well-known outside the Southwest. The benefits of earthen floors (including thermal absorption and cheap material/installation costs) make them an interesting option...

If you've got an apartment with low ceilings or a shotgun hallway, you might want to check out the portfolio of Czech architecture firm ADR. Working with low, sometimes narrow spaces they use shelving, floor patterns and furnishings to emphasize the horizontal lines of their interiors. The results are light and airy, with plenty of space for storage...

Lucia's Little Houses is a company specializing in homes between 700 and 2,400 square feet. They don't provide parts or services, just plans and diagrams for 20 different homes, our favorite of which is this 800-square-foot cottage with a loft bed...

We found some very useful information today from This Old House: a roundup of the best space heaters. The list matches up the right heater for the room you need, whether it's a bedroom, living room, sunroom, office, garage, or basement...