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

Best Kids Parties: Wild Wonders — My Party

Dabney Frake — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Name: Noah, 7
Location: Springville, UT

My son Noah just turned 7 and he had such a fun party. I heard a couple of months ago about a company called Wild Wonders here in Utah that you can hire to bring animals to your party. Noah loves animals and was beyond thrilled.

DIY Cardboard Ships to Sail the Seas — Ikat Bag

Mari Richards — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

Everyone knows cardboard DIY projects are at the top of the stylish crafter's list of favorite projects. I have quite a collection gathered on Pinterest, just waiting for the right moment and the right box. These cardboard ships are a perfect rainy afternoon activity!

Google Glass Shows Us the World From a 2-Year-Old's Perspective

Gregory Han — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Categorize this video as "pretty darn cute". Tech blogger, Chris Angelini, was readying a Tom's Hardware post about his thoughts about Google Glass when his inquisitive 2-year-old son wanted to know what all the hubbub was all about (alongside a request for some juice). Father equips son with Google's life's moment capturing device, giving us a short glimpse of what it's like to be 2 years old all over again...

Maxwell & Ursula's Light Rental Reno: The Cabinets — Renovation Diary

Maxwell Ryan — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Name: Maxwell & Ursula
Type of Project: Light renovation of a rental apt
Location: Soho, NYC
Type of building: Two bedroom apartment

I had a big unsolved issue for this project, which was how to get a compact bed into Ursula's room along with all the storage she and I needed in both of our rooms for clothing, etc. Then I ran into George Evageliou again after posting about his company back in 2007. He was literally in our offices dropping off his new cards, when I asked if he'd come take a look at this apartment. Within thirty minutes he'd convinced me to rip out all the old, funky closets and work with him to install cabinets in both rooms, one of which would carry Ursula's bed. That's when the fun began.

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.

Captain Kangaroo Auction: Own a Piece of Children's TV History

Jason Loper — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

If you spent any time watching children's programming between the late 1950's and the early 1980's, you're probably quite familiar with Captain Kangaroo. When the show's creator and star, Bob Keeshan, died in 2004, some items from the show were donated to The Smithsonian. Now more than 500 pieces of memorabilia are being auctioned off, giving us all a chance to revel in nostalgia firsthand.

Alternatives to Big Toy Space-Suckers

Alison Gerber — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

When space is limited, toys need to be too. Wait...is this really true? No, not if you're space savvy: big toys can be replaced with small toys that are just as fun and do the exact same job. Here are a few small space alternatives to popular big toy items:

5 Tips for Living Without a Washer/Dryer

Alison Gerber — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

There's a debate that is always going on among the Moms of my building: if you could choose just one upgrade for your apartment, would you get a washer/dryer or a dishwasher? For me, the dishwasher wins every time. Life goes on just fine without a washer/dryer. Here is how we do it:

Landscape Dinner Set — Family Find

Carrie McBride — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Landscape Dinner Set

• $42
• My Sweet Muffin

This set makes me think of summer camp dining halls with a designer twist. Playful and smile-inducing. Designed by Barcelona-based DOIY.

Jack, Finn & Rowan's "Undone" Room — My Room

Carrie McBride — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:45:00 GMT

Name: Jack (7), Finn (4) & Rowan (2)
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado

My hope was to make the little fellas a whimsical childish "undone" room that they could grow in and share memories in. I love listening to them giggle and talk at night from outside their door.

New Parenthood: Learning Along The Way — Adventures of a New Parent

Alysha Findley — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Are you a new parent or on the way to becoming one? Are you thinking about starting a family down the road? or are you already an experienced parent with a thriving family of your own?

The Week's Top Family Posts — May 13-17, 2013

Carrie McBride — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Love Yourself by Lim Heng Swee — On The Wall

Carrie McBride — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT

Love Yourself by Lim Heng Swee

Previous On the Wall print

Best Kids Parties: Mermaid — My Party

Dabney Frake — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Name: Cameron, 3
Location: Washington, DC

We love to have big special birthday parties in our house — we so enjoy having family and friends all together to celebrate. The kids always pick the theme and then help plan the party. I wasn't at all surprised when Cameron asked for a purple mermaid princess party — those are all of her favorite things!

Rowan's All in the Family Nursery — My Room

Carrie McBride — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Name: Rowan (3 months)
Location: Hyrum, Utah

My ideas for this nursery have been in the back of my mind ever since I got married, almost 10 years ago. I collected vintage games and toys from family and friends and put them together with a few newer and modern elements to create a fun, colorful vintage nursery.

Before & After: Closet Turned Nursery

Carrie McBride — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

Some parents worry that their baby's closet is too small, but what if all you have for a nursery IS a closet? Kari has been inspired by all the small nurseries we've shown in the past and wanted to share her own small space baby project: her closet turned nursery.

Try Gardening! — What To Do This Weekend

Dabney Frake — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Wheeee! Spring is here, so let's get to it. These five activities will get your kids interested in puttering around plants, both indoors and out.

Sponge Grass House from Spoonful
Garden Plant Markers from Alex Ngyuen Portraits
Stepping Stones from Skip to My Lou
Decorated Planters from Fiskars
DIY Bird Bath from Princess and The Frog

(Images: as linked above)

Party Fun: DIY Mini Piñatas

Dabney Frake — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

By now you know I'm immersed in all things related to children's parties. This week, whilst searching for other things, I came across some DIY projects to share. I'm not doing a piñata for my niece Lu's birthday, but I sure do love these miniature ones...

Ängsspira Bedding — Family Find

Carrie McBride — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Ängsspira Bedding

• $39.99 (twin), $49.99 (full)
• IKEA

This elk is a very modern take on the woodland theme. It's striking, fresh and the use of black offsets the kiddie feel that primary colors can sometimes have.

Best Kids Parties: Korean Dol — My Party

Dabney Frake — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Name: Ellington, 1

Location: Charlotte, NC

Having never attended a Korean 1st birthday (Dol), I was shocked to find out how many people would be invited to this celebration. I would compare the guest list to that of a wedding instead of just a few close friends and family, as most Americans would celebrate. With the amount of people that were to attend, we had to be a little creative and stretch every dollar so we wouldn't bust our budget.

Unique & Extraordinary Treehouses

Séverine Baron — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Every kid dreams about a treehouse. I still dream about one myself. If you are lucky to live in the country with a big garden or land, then it might be a dream that can become true if you're handy.

Clever Photo Pregnancy Announcements

Beth Callaghan — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

When it's time to let people know you've got a bun in the oven, what's the best way to do it? Recently we've seen a trend in photo announcements that get posted on blogs or Facebook pages to reveal to the world that a baby is on the way.

Jack's Barn Wall Woodland Nursery — My Room

Carrie McBride — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Name: Jack (1)
Location: Rochester, Minnesota

Woodland was my inspiration for my son's room. I wanted it to be fun, versatile and non-traditional.

Small Space Inspiration: Bunk Beds & Lofts

Kim R. McCormick — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

The only time I've ever slept in a bunk bed was at summer camp, and I loved it. While most of us aren't sleeping away in cabins, everyone can use space-saving furniture. For kids, lofted and bunk beds are a great option.

Modernist Style: The Bølling and Vedel Birds

Mari Richards — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Modernist style is everywhere! And why not, it's a gorgeous era of design - with so many classic that deserve to be revisited and made enduring parts of our home. Unlike some fads or trends, this is one that will weather well in my house.

Wee Wonderfuls: Roman Shades, Ceramic Light & Kartell Table — The Thursday Scavenger

Dabney Frake — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:30:00 GMT

Room decor for the smaller set.

Brookfield, IL: Red Children's Chairs - $49
Chatham, NJ: Custom Monkey Shades - $376
Manhattan, CA: Ceramic Flush Mount Light - $125
Pacific Palisades, CA: Iron Canopy Bed - $1100
Hialeah, FL: Kartell Side Table - $50