Decorating by Room

Name: Rafael Location: Amsterdam Room Size: 36 square feet Take a peek into Rafael’s darling little sanctuary where he spends countless winks! Sofia, his mother, did an excellent job using muted and natural colors with a pop of blue and delicate touches around the room. She took time choosing items that were personal (including vintage pieces that her husband used growing up) and practical.

Name: Jack (3) Location: Dallas, TX Room Size: 11′ x 12′ How do you blend a modern aesthetic with the wild spirit of a romping, play-in-the-dirt three-year-old boy? Just ask Ginny Chase of Chasing Sunshine. She artfully created a clean, modern black and white bedroom for her son Jack without losing any of the playfulness or fun that comes along with being three – no small feat as a renter.

Name: Eden Location: Richmond, Virginia Room Size: 7′ x 9′ The moment I walked into this nursery, I wanted to plop down on the rocking chair and hang out in there all afternoon! Laura did a great job making a small space feel both cozy and bright, and attributes a lot of that coziness to the fact that most of the items in the nursery are gifted from friends and family who wanted to be a part of baby Eden’s life.

Recently I came across the image above of small bunk beds in the shared bedroom of 4-year-old twins and realized I’d never seen mini bunks like this. They are the same size as a toddler bed (i.e. the size of a crib mattress) and offer a stop-gap solution for parents looking to eke out another year or two in their current space. First, a word about safety: Although these beds are sized for toddlers—i.e.

Name: Judah (4) & Layla (3) Location: Senoia, Georgia Room Size: 110 sq ft Judah and Layla’s shared space is about the same size as my daughter’s small nursery (albeit a bit taller), so I was amazed with how their mother Keight was able to make the space serve so many different functions. It’s a bedroom, a playroom, an arts and crafts space, and a general hangout.

Name: Ruby Location: Valley Village, CA Room Size: 12′ x 12′ Ruby’s nursery had me at hello. From the glamorous chandelier to the pattern play throughout the space, it isn’t your typical baby room by any stretch of the imagination. Even though the space looks very high-end, I love that Ruby’s mom Rachelle was able to save some money by searching sites like Craigslist and Etsy for budget-friendly versions of the pricier pieces that she loved.

Name: Wyatt (6 Months) Location: Tustin, California Room Size: 10×12 ft While I’m not usually a fan of primary-colored nurseries, I was absolutely smitten from the moment I stumbled across this happy space that Whitney Johnson created for her baby boy, Wyatt. By starting with a black and white base and adding small pops of primary colors throughout the space, she kept the room feeling colorful and happy without making it feel too saturated or busy.

Name: Johnny (3.5) and Freddie (7) Location: Mt Eliza, Victoria, Australia Room Size: 12′ x 10′ I tend to think of myself as an “eclectic” person when it comes to decor – mainly meaning that I can’t settle on a particular style. I love the clean lines and fresh colors of modern spaces but at the same time am drawn to the warmth and coziness of a more rustic design.

Even though most agree that IKEA designs are already pretty great (for the price especially), that doesn’t stop creative people from putting their own spin on the products. Lighting in particular is fun to tweak, and a good way to add extra personality to your child’s room. Here are ten really great projects to inspire you… TOP ROW 1. A Mr. Moon lamp hacked from a FADO, inspired by a print by Martin Krusche, from Mommo Designs. Nieves de TokyoMASKROS IKEA Hackers 4.

Wouldn’t you have loved to create little worlds on the walls with magnets, or draw tiny characters all over your bedroom when you were a kid? If you have a creative child that leaves you scrubbing walls with a bucket and sponge—let the creativity fly! These five interactive wallpapers for kids let parents breathe easier and get kids’ creative juices flowing. 1. My personal favorite: Sian Zeng Interactive Magnetic Wallpaper for kids from Just Kids Wallpaper, $540 AUD.

Name: Oscar (5) Location: Den Bosch, the Netherlands Room Size: 3.5 x 3.5 meters I’m not sure if it was the bright yellow bed, the wall of beautiful books, or the fabulous wallpaper, but it was love at first sight when I laid eyes on Oscar’s room. I’ve always been drawn to spaces that combine both vintage and modern pieces, and I absolutely adore both bright white spaces and those filled with bold colors. This room is the perfect union of all of those elements.

Is there anything more enviable about a Scandinavian kids room than their amazing mix of bright and bold textiles? Of course there isn’t, just look at those quilts! Ready for some new bedding? Here are some Scandi-style sources to brighten up your little one’s room: 1. For Scandi-style on a budget, look no further than IKEA. Remember their cheaper pieces can always be paired with more expensive Scandinavian linens. This duvet cover and pillowcase is just $29.99. 2.

Reversible and versatile, the IKEA Kura bed is shaping up to be a firm favorite of Scandi-style and budget-loving parents the world over. Its low profile means its perfect for small spaces and younger kids. But…is it possible you could make the Kura sleep two? Here are examples of some families who have done exactly that.

At first glance, the bedroom seems the least important room in the home, in terms of lighting. After all, we’re not really working in there much (unless it doubles as an office), and the primary goal of the space is to support sleep— which requires an intentional lack of light.

As with the kitchen, the bathroom is a “work room,” and therefore one of the most important spaces in the home to get lighting right. They also tend to be smaller than all the other rooms in our home, and don’t have as many (or as large) windows. Careful consideration of the General, Task and Accent lighting we add to this room will pay dividends in how the area functions and feels.

The bedroom is a great place to make an impact…with oversize art. Fewer windows and, often, a tendency to leave the walls blank is an opportunity to add a focal point with one big, grand piece of art. Top Row 1. A colorful, abstract painting brings focus to the center of this vibrant bedroom. Real Living magazine featuring Andrew O’Brien artwork (available here) 2. A monochromatic room is punctuated with an ironic canvas. Tamara Magel Home on Houzz 3.

In this post on easy-to-live-with paint colors, a number of you asked for a post on paint colors that go with wood trim. Ask, and you will receive! Here’s a roundup of some successful colors from our House Tours that allow wood trim to shine. When it comes to wood trim, neutrals are an easy choice, but as some of these rooms from our house tours show, having wood trim doesn’t mean that you have to be a shrinking violet. Bold colors can work just as well! TOP ROW: 1.

Name: Nina James Location: Johannesburg, South Africa When I first came across this South African nursery, I was dying to know who made the adorable little house bed. I was certainly very surprised to learn that the bed is actually going to become a crib and is a DIY project created by Nina James’ talented parents! It’s definitely the focal point of this unique, modern nursery, but the rest of the space is full of wonderful little surprises as well.

When I started Apartment Therapy as a design service in NYC in 2001, I quickly noticed that if I helped someone to improve their home, but their refrigerator was empty, progress halted. In other words, no matter how lovely I was able to get a home to look, if my clients didn’t come home to cook and eat, everything got cold and dusty.

One of the many things you can do to transform your kitchen is to change your countertops. If completely replacing them isn’t an option for you right now, updating your existing laminate with countertop coating is a great way to achieve a new, fresh look without breaking the bank. Countertop paint is great for homeowners and renters alike.

Name: George (1) Location: Los Angeles, California Room Size: 11′ x 12′ There’s really nothing more magical than childhood, so it seems quite fitting when I come across a child’s room that feels more like a wonderland than a simple spot to sleep. Maybe it’s the twinkle lights or perhaps it’s the unicorn, but there’s something about this sweet nursery that is just so dreamy. How would you describe the look and feel of this room?

I’m always interested in what the kids these days are doing in their dorm rooms. Yes, I realize that statement makes me sound like a geriatric. But seriously, were there ever so many dorm-dedicated brands and options ten—even five—years ago? I look at Instagram, lookbooks and big box circulars longingly. But you know what? There are some great storage ideas and products for the rest of us disguised in all that college ‘ish. Ya feel?

Name: Jasper (7) Location: Sydney, Australia Room Size: 3m x 3.2m I always admire when a kid’s room is reflective of his interests, but still manages to be stylish. That’s one thing I’ve always struggled with reconciling — throwing Elsa and Anna all over the place and painting the room Barney purple just isn’t my idea of fun. Luckily I think my daughter and I have struck a good balance, and I bet the same can be said of Jasper and his mom, Simone.

Name: Finn (12) Location: Sydney, Australia Room Size: 4m x 3m I’ve been talking a lot lately about creating kids’ spaces that make both the grown ups and the kids happy, and Finn’s room may be the perfect example of just such space. Mom Simone worked together with her twelve-year-old son to create a space that is reflective of his personality and interests.

Are you thinking about remodeling your kitchen? Here are 15 clever details you might want to consider adding. They’re all elegant solutions that make life in the kitchen just a little bit easier, and we wouldn’t blame you one bit if you want them all. Built-in, pull out cutting boards. From Residence Magazine via Nordicspace. Even better, a pull-out cutting board right about the trash bin, to make sweeping away scraps super-easy. By Gary Wafford.

Name: Archer Location: Los Angeles, California We bought our house when I was 8 weeks pregnant with Archer. Since then, we’ve completed a full gut renovation on the house, including new flooring and walling off a second doorway in Archer’s room. While those renovations were being completed, I had lots of time to come up with a plan for this room!

Name: Victor ( 3) Location: Norfolk, Virginia Not too long ago I was planning a nursery. But as every parent knows, time flies by and soon enough you find yourself planning the kids college education instead. Sigh… When we moved to our current house I was about 5 months pregnant. It was such a special time with the expectation of the new addition to our family of four plus our new house.

Name: Pie (10 months) Location: South Park — Charlotte, North Carolina Our juxtaposition of a room happens to be the most valuable square footage in our home: the playroom/office combo. It seems nonsensical, but for us, it’s perfect. Pie’s playroom is where we spend the biggest chunk of our days. I am a blogger, so I “work” from home. In reality blogging is more fun than work—my blog is a place where I go to feel creative and inspired.

There’s something really decadent about a pretty chandelier in a small powder room. It makes the bathroom look less like a bathroom, somehow, and a little more like a place where you’d want to spend a bunch of time reading and drinking and soaking away the day. Your tub might just become your favorite place in the house.

What’s even better than going to the library? Having your very own library at home. Here are nine beautiful at-home library spaces, to haunt your Pinterest board and your wildest dreams. Above: a gorgeous library space in a Spanish home from Architectural Digest. Here’s a slightly more modest but no less inspiring space from Domino. A book-lined living room from Casa Vogue. A cozy reading space from Planete Deco.

Name: G and J ( 4 & 2) Location: Toronto, Canada After living in our home for the last two years, we’ve slowly started renovating each space to suit our needs. For our two boys, however, I couldn’t figure out what to do with their space. So it remained with builder grade paint and a few train posters on the wall. As it was time for my youngest to transition out of his crib and into a bed, I knew it was time to finally give their room the makeover that it deserved.

Name: Opal ( 4 years old) Location: Anchorage, Alaska Despite being one of the nicest rooms in our house, for years this space was our dysfunctional office and dumping ground. We really wanted a play space on the ground floor so that our daughter could still be close to us while we’re cooking or folding laundry, and also to prevent the creep of toys into the main living areas.

Open kitchen shelving is a charming little minx. She’ll talk you into bringing her home, swaying you with the promise of beautiful displays of glassware and ceramics. “It’s bohemian and cool,” she’ll say. But after too long, she gets comfortable and starts to look, well, messy. The secret to keeping the spark alive in your open-shelf romance? Working hard every day to make sure that your shelves and the things on them are well-styled.

Creativity is knowing how to hide your sources. In this case, you’re turning to our smart and stylish house tour homes for guidance on how to style a chic and serene bedroom. Take these tips home to create a space you’re proud to show off (and if you want to tell your friends where you got the idea, that’s fine too). Above: A great way to style a bed in front of a window is to create a visual arc from the floor all the way up to the end of the curtain rod.

The floor usually isn’t the design element that first grabs your attention in a kitchen, but these rooms are the exception. Bold, busy patterned floors mix with a variety of decor styles in these examples. What they all have in common? They totally steal the show! Shown above: Bold blue and white floors grab your attention the moment you walk into the kitchen of Anne & Steve’s Relaxed, Eclectic & Casual Home in Cape Town.

Once considered an ultra-modern decor choice, waterfall counters are popping up in a variety of kitchen styles these days. They add a sleek, minimal look to any kitchen design while helping to hide appliances and protect wood cabinets. They’re often easier to clean. And’ if you really love your counter material, you can you can show it off more of it when you pick waterfall style.

Above: A bland, unused corner of a living room. Below: A colorful, dreamy reading nook you could get cozy in for hours reading your favorite novel. Yes —this mini-makeover of a living room’s unused corner turned reading nook is totally intended for kids. But that’s not stopping me from getting inspiration for my own dreamy book nook.

Extremely tiny bedrooms—like, not much bigger than the bed small—can be a challenge to decorate and arrange when you want to have a room that functions well and looks good. But Lisa Tilse of the blog We Are Scout made some smart and stylish decisions in her teenage daughter Roxy’s tiny bedroom. From Lisa of We Are Scout: The room is TINY! It measures 6.5 x 8.75 feet—which is just enough space for a double bed to fit across.

Half the fun of flipping through the glossy pages of a furniture catalog is fantasizing about the bed, sofa or chair living in your own home. But it can be tough to envision the design in your space when your home’s style doesn’t quite match the impeccably styled look on the page. So abandon the catalog and check out these gorgeous real-life homes. This contemporary dining chair is sleek, shapely, easy-to-clean and most importantly…versatile!

Now that Melissa Joan Hart is starring in a Clarissa Explains it All reboot for Nickelodeon, we’re feeling a little nostalgic. If you grew up admiring her funky DIY bedroom and imitating Daria’s sardonic wit (much to your parents’ chagrin), then these iconic TV bedrooms likely inspired your teenage dream room.

For as long as they’ve been transmitted through your television, family TV sitcoms have revolved around the living room. A look back at those memorable sets reveals a time capsule of interior design. For instance, One glance at Full House’s light blue gingham sofa brings back a wave of late ’80s/early ’90s nostalgia (hold the stirrup pants, please!).

Do the impeccably-styled beds in home decor showrooms and magazines make you want to give up on ever making your own bed again, conceding that no real person could ever achieve such perfection on a regular basis? Not only am I asking for a friend, but I have pertinent eye candy, direct from our very own house tours, that prove otherwise. Here are 10 times that real life home owners made their actual beds like bosses.

I work from home as a freelance writer/editor in a room that once was my formal dining room, which I transitioned into an office, as I wasn’t content with sitting at my kitchen island on my laptop for hours on end every day. The room is jam-packed with furniture that didn’t quite work anywhere else in my home. That printed floral chair I bought for a corner of my bedroom that didn’t really fit? It’s in my office.

Many aspects of a rental home are transformable, yet the rental bathroom tends to be a ‘you-get-what-you-get-and-you-don’t-get-upset’ zone because there typically isn’t a lot of literal or metaphorical wiggle room. But even with less-than-ideal rental bathrooms, and even when living with roommates or significant others—we can still elevate the style and add functional beauty. Check out 10 rental bathrooms from our house tours that do this in spades.

Name: Marra (Newborn) Location: Fort Meyers, Florida The nursery was designed to flow with the existing decor in our master bedroom since we are sharing a space with our little girl. We live in a two-bedroom townhouse and often have guests so we wanted to keep our guest room for hosting. We needed to find a way to create a kid friendly space that still had a sophistication to work in an adult space as well. We also wanted to forgo a crib and follow a Montessori nursery style with a floor bed.

Sometimes the bedroom is the last space in the home that gets the love when it comes to decorating because we’re not even awake to enjoy it right? Wrong! It should be your sanctuary, a place to unwind and relax at the end of the day. This boho-glam bedroom will definitely do the trick. See how you can get this look on any budget. This beautiful bedroom designed by Ave Styles is full of interesting textures and patterns that are a little unexpected but work so well together.

If we saw these while scrolling through Instagram, we'd be quick to double tap.

The Golden Girls' Miami Beach home is everything we love (hate?) about '80s decor. Here, we break down the elements that forever implanted this TV set into our nostalgic hearts.

Designers and amateur decorators always say that bedrooms are the spaces that get neglected most. After all, they’re never really on display when you have people over the way your kitchen, dining room and living room are, unless we’re talking overnight guests. But when space is tight, you must become strategic about your sleeping situations. Because you just might be sleeping where you entertain or entertaining where you sleep.

Styling in home decor is – honestly – very subjective. What works for one person’s design aesthetic and lifestyle may not come even remotely close to what someone else might prefer. However, study a slew of shelter magazines, Instagram accounts and top-pinned images (some you’ve likely saved yourself), and you’ll start to see some similarities, which begin to unlock the secrets to fool-proof styling, no matter what the individual aesthetic.

Those who are constantly tinkering with their home decor will know that the poor, poor bedroom is often left for last. Hidden behind doors, it’s easy to put off giving this space the attention it needs, but I promise, it doesn’t take much to get it in tip-top, show-off-to-guests shape.

The entry in your home is a lot of things: it’s the first taste of sweet freedom when returning from a hard day’s work; it’s your landing zone for odds and ends like keys, mail and dog leashes; it’s where you do your “Did I remember everything?” check before heading out the door. Oh yeah, and the foyer is the only space that absolutely every guest sees of your abode, no matter how far you let them venture in.

The way you make your bed up can say a lot about your decor style. Like to keep it simple and no-fuss? Neatly stack the pillows you sleep on, smooth out your linens and turn down your top sheet and bedspread. You’re done. However, if you prefer something with a little more decoration, we’ve created six simple set ups you can copy at home in your own bedroom. Check them out! A quick note on the bed size.

There’s a problem frequently encountered by designers of very small houses, which is that beds are very nice to have while sleeping, but, even when you’re not sleeping, they take up a lot of space. Our caveman ancestors, presumably, solved this problem by having beds that rolled up when not in use: more recently, designers of so-called “tiny houses” have gotten around this by lofting beds up high, with living space below.

Ahh, back to school. The heady smells of crisp notebook paper and waxy crayons are in the air, which means it’s time to figure out where your kiddos’ lunch will be served out of when it’s time to put those pencils down and beeline toward the cafeteria. Here, we rounded up 12 top-rated picks for kids of all ages, from of-the-moment-but-really-useful bento boxes to easy-to-carry top-handle bags.

Project by: Alana Chernecki of Brillante Location: East St. Paul, Manitoba, Canada Alana, a school teacher turned designer, blended both of her realms of knowledge in creating a playroom for her daughters. A mix of style and pedagogy, the space is designed to foster creativity and imaginative play, while still looking sleek and age-appropriate.

When I make pie, I use my grandmother’s pastry blender and rolling pin, but one thing she did not pass down was her cast iron skillet slick with a history of family feasts. Instead, I received my cast iron pan five years ago—a new Lodge pan, fresh with the factory seasoning. Even with a factory fresh seasoning, the surface never felt smooth; it always had a pebbly texture. I’ve worked with enough cast iron pans that I knew the pan was supposed to be slick enough to fry an egg.

You’ve heard it before: kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. And while kitchens and baths are great neither is actually Joanna Gaines’ favorite room in a home to make over. So which room is it? The Fixer Upper star and queen of shabby-chic recently dished to Apartment Therapy that she much prefers designing nurseries.

Since Amazon’s comedy hit “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” dropped at the end of last year, all anyone can talk about is the enviable costumes and the quick-witted writing. And now that the show scooped up two major Golden Globes on Sunday—best actress in a comedy series or musical and best TV series, comedy—the 8-episode first season, which is already renewed for a second, is sure to get plenty of new fans.

This stunner of a modern home seamlessly blends indoors and out with a sleek elegance that delights and surprises. Architect David Guerra designed this concrete and glass oasis for clients in Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil. Located on a hillside with stunning views, the ground floor of the home is designed with sliding glass doors to create a sense of unity with nature.

Picking office furniture is generally a no frills, utilitarian endeavor. Grab some desks, chairs, file cabinets, conference tables and call it a day. Whoever was in charge of that task for the New York Times, though, decided to spice up the workspace with some modern pieces—so modern, in fact, that they’re baffling the staff.

Ever since Lucy Ricardo accidentally baked the world’s biggest loaf of bread on a 1952 episode of I Love Lucy, kitchens have been at the center of virtually every TV family’s story. In honor of TV’s love affair with the kitchen, HomeAdvisor, the marketplace that connects homeowners to home improvement pros, has carefully rendered the floor plans of some of your favorite TV hearts of the home.

It was a gray Friday afternoon, but Studio—a café and restaurant tucked inside the recently opened Freehand New York—felt alive. I was sitting across from the person who helped to create that vibe through a surprising vehicle—plants. They filled the corners, shelves, and the area between the tables, bringing each space very much to life. And, it turns out, the man responsible for their being is also behind the plants at a host of New York City’s hottest restaurants.

It’s the end of the day, and you crawl beneath the sheets next to your significant other with a *certain* expectation (cue bedroom eyes). Then, something happens — and, spoiler alert, it’s not sex. You get distracted. Or your partner does. Long story short? The only things going down in that bedroom are libidos. If your bedroom is more fizzle than sizzle lately, it might be time to re-examine the source.

When Robert and Samantha Garlow of Shedsistance designed and built their tiny home in the woods of Yakima, Washington, they created a super cool small space with an impressive amount of room for all of their outdoor gear. Fast forward a few months and they have to make room for another form of adventure: parenthood. The couple spent about $30,000 building the 24-foot long, eight-foot-six-inch-wide, 13-foot-five-inch-tall home.

Fake a larger room through the magic of paint, people!

The coming of age movie is a Hollywood staple, which often depicts a young woman whose story is defined by a romantic relationship. Part of what made this past year’s Lady Bird so special is that its subtle telling of a teenage female experience—from tenuous mother/daughter relationships to shifting friendship dynamics—relied on Lady Bird’s personal growth as the main storytelling device. Its actors have received plenty of accolades ahead of Sunday night’s Oscars.

Bye bye, bad track lighting.

Kitchen islands are not really polarizing—if you have the room, you probably want one. But bathroom islands? Now there's something new to covet.

By now, you already know that Melissa Joan Hart and company are in talks to reboot Nickelodeon’s 90s hit, Clarissa Explains It All. As the Hollywood Reporter said of the project, the new show would see former star Melissa Joan Hart reprise her role as Clarissa Darling, but this time, she’d play the mom of the family. How very Girl Meets World of them!

A proper laundry room is a fabulous thing to have, but this one had a few issues: indoor vinyl siding, various holes, and so much brown, brown, brown. Laundry is tedious enough already — if you have a chance to make the experience more pleasant, take it.

New Girl’s L.A. misfit friends are returning for their final season on Tuesday, April 10. [Spoilers ahead] The ending last season was tough because we didn’t know if we were saying goodbye forever or see ya later. Nick and Jess were kissing, Schmidt and Cece got pregnant, Winston is…Winston. It didn’t leave me totally satiated, but I wasn’t mad either. It was just kind of ‘eh’. Lucky for us, the team gets one more shot to wrap it up the way they want.