apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We're what, T-minus ten days until the kick-off of the holiday season? If you've got some holiday guests looming on the horizon and have been wondering where you were going to put them all (no, no one likes sleeping on an air mattress) we've rounded up 5 sleeper sofas that look as good folded up as they do folded into a bed. More after the jump!

The holidays are just around the corner, which means that you'll soon be rushing around trying to complete all those unfinished design projects around the house. If any of those projects could utilize cheap and easy hanging hardware, we've got a suggestion for you!

With the holidays fast approaching, you may be feeling anxiety over the sheer number of visitors who could be viewing your home this season. Don’t feel like you’ve got to spend tons of money updating your furniture to create an impact on these holiday guests, why not invest in some wall stickers to update your decor? Vinyl stickers, while certainly not new, have exploded recently, with all sorts of companies creating and selling unique vinyl wall stickers. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite manufacturers to help you find the stickers of your dreams…

While we're normally a tad wary of non-local stores (we're just such huge fans of local business, you see), we had promised to bring you updates on all the new stores opening up in the 2nd Street District of downtown Austin and so were obliged to visit the BoConcept store. Luckily for us and fortunately for Austinites, this hip and modern showroom delighted us in every way! More after the jump...

While visiting the awesome local Austin store Kirk in the 2nd Street District earlier this week, we fell in love with the gorgeous wallpaper we saw displayed on one of their walls. Inquiring after the manufacturer of this paper, we fell even deeper in love with all the other patterns available from this maker! More after the jump...

We talked about new stores that were opening up in the 2nd Street District here in Austin not too long ago, and now we'd like to make good on our promise on showing you one of them: Kirk. While it may not be the deal lover's dream, it'll definitely be heaven for any design lover. Check it out after the jump!

We did a house tour awhile ago of the great modern home of Kim and Paul in South Austin that featured, among a great aesthetic, an awesome glossy yellow central staircase with built-in storage. While the design of the home was from the local architect MJ Neal, the craftsman who made it possible was Joseph Zambarano, and the rest of his work is quite inspiring! More after the jump...

If you liked some of the elements in Jennifer Perkins' house tour earlier today and want to try some design like that for your own space but don't know where to start, consider taking some pages out of one of Jennifer's favorite sources of inspiration...

Name: Jennifer Perkins, owner of the Naughty Secretary Club, and her husband Chris Boehk (also Ella the English Mastiff, Georgie the black cat and Lucy the older pup)
Location: Austin, Texas
Years lived in: 6 years

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When Jennifer Perkins and her husband Chris moved into this South Austin home six years ago, it was clear it had previously been a rental home for college students, featuring bad paint jobs, gross surfaces and evidence of neon signs. Still, Jennifer saw potential in this old home and liked that the house sported two separate living rooms--plenty of space to carry out her visions. Using her imagination, a hefty dose of DIY and her signature style, she's transformed this home into the epitome of Austin cool. If you've ever wanted to know how a family, lots of amazing collections and a ton of style could all fit into one home, this is the house tour for you!

We talk a lot about the subject of how to decorate studio apartments here on AT. Oftentimes, we give tips on how to make up for the fact that you are living in such a small space. But rather than view your teeny space as something negative that you have to design around, why not celebrate the studio! In these tough economic times, thinning down your stuff and your space is a good thing, and we've gathered just a few of the pros of living in a studio apartment...

We brought you a great local Austin resource for fabrics and crafts supplies not too long ago with Fanny's Fabrics. Well, we've got another great Austin fabric resource, full of inspiration and just in time to jump start all your Fall and Winter craft and home projects! More after the jump...

That is the question, isn't it? With so many different faux finish options available today, to faking plaster, gold-leafing and even limed wood, making something look completely different is an option homeowners have in their design arsenal. Walls, furniture, countertops, floors—no surface is completely immune from the possibilities of a faux finish. With the design world's love of an eclectic room, combining faux finished furniture or surfaces with modern pieces is a possibility. But should a method of making things look old be used in modern spaces? You decide!

We've seen before how mirrors can be great tools of design for smaller spaces. Helping to expand rooms, bounce light and even fake windows, mirrors can make great additions to your tiny rooms! We found a local Austin restaurant using mirrors in a fun way. More after the jump...

Last week we brought you some sneaky storage solutions we found in the latest issue of Real Simple Magazine. And while we loved all the ideas featured in the article, what if what you're trying to hide is more than just a mess of personal things? If you are looking for ideas to help protect the valuables in your home, we have some innovative home items. More after the jump!