Style on a Dime
It may have started out as a showcase for clever small-space decorating solutions, but apartmenttherapy.com has grown to be a destination for great home design of all kinds. Now Apartment Therapy Complete + Happy Home by Maxwell Ryan and Janel Laban (Potter Style, 2015) presents a full-circle guide to setting up, living in, and maintaining your ideal place—in print. Here are just of few style-savvy ideas from its pages.
Love the look of patterned tile but can’t afford it right now? Consider stenciling a similar pattern on finished plywood to serve as flooring until your budget allows for the real deal.
Save on Fabric Costs
Looking for an inexpensive slipcover fabric? Try a vintage wool blanket. Good-quality wool that’s been washed and used over the years develops a lovely plush feel—and wears like iron.
Fake High-End Molding
Replicate the look of traditional panel molding on your walls with painter’s tape. Simply tape the desired layout on your wall, paint, then remove the tape. A dark color, like this plum, works best.
Borrow From the Bedroom
Get the cozy look of mismatched sofa cushions—or hide worn spots—with a pillowcase. Just slip one over a seat (or back) cushion, and pin excess fabric as necessary.
Repurpose Something Unexpected
Need over-the-desk storage? Prop a vintage metal bed frame against the wall, and add shelves, file holders, and clips to the springs for a unique salvage-style solution.
Get the Book
Apartment Therapy Complete + Happy Home by Maxwell Ryan and Janel Laban (Potter Style, 2015) is available at independent bookstores and at Amazon.com.