Green Living | Apartment Therapy

Here Comes Summer: How to Keep Your Cool No Matter How Hot it Gets Reader Intelligence Report

Janel Laban — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400

Here it comes, the season everyone longs for during the darker, colder months of the year. Life at home slows down a bit and there isn't much to stress about during the generally lazy, hazy days, except for when the high temps really kick in. If your home doesn't have AC (or you are choosing to leave it off as much as possible) you can feel stuck, especially when it comes to getting a restful nights sleep. More

What Does LEED Platinum Look Like? Green Architect

Rachel Wray Thompson — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:30:00 -0400

When it comes to green buildings, most people think of either sleek, super modern architecture, or weird, organic forms. For the past three years I worked on a LEED Platinum home that was specifically designed to blend into its surroundings. Located in an older north suburb of Chicago, the house was surrounded by hundred-year old buildings, and this project, while using modern technology and building techniques, fits right in. More

Plant a Mobile Herb Garden in a Wagon

Angie Cho — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:30:00 -0400

If you've had a simmering interest in gardening but have been hesitant because of low light conditions at home, try a mobile garden in a wagon. Maximizing sun exposure on plants is easy with a wagon garden, where you can effortlessly pull your garden seasonally to the areas in your home with the most sunlight, inside or out. Growing herbs and vegetables is a fun and eco-friendly way to supplement your trips to local farmer's market or grocery store. More

In the Kitchen & Beyond: New Uses for Pie Safes

Jason Loper — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:30:00 -0400

The name may conjure images of a pie being kept under lock and key from Yogi Bear, but pie safes were once a practical staple in most kitchens. These little boxes are still quite charming - and there's no reason to keep them in the kitchen. Here are 5 pie safes, along with new ways to use them throughout the home. More

Obsession: White Enamel Housewares

Kate Legere — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:00:00 -0400

Not only are all these tools display worthy, porcelain enamel is made from glass and steel, making it durable and food safe. Its non-porous, smooth surface is easy to clean and extremely hygienic. What's not to like? More

Beekeeping Basics: Installing a Package

Richard Popovic — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:30:00 -0400

The moment has finally arrived! Your bee yard is set up and your hive bodies are ready. A gleaming white bee suit is awaiting its first use. You have picked up a package of bees from your local bee shop or beekeeper's club, nervously glancing at the backseat on the ride home, making sure none have escaped. There it is, sitting on your lawn, or in your garden, or on your roof. 10,000 worker bees and a queen. Now what? More

Before & After: Dresser Makeunder Curbly

Rachel Wray Thompson — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:30:00 -0400

Most of the time when we feature a furniture makeover, it's been transformed by applying something new to the surface — paint, fabric, paneling, etc. But designer William Dohman shows us that a really impressive project is when a vintage piece has been restored to its former glory. More

Before & After: Vintage Airstream Trailer "Runaround Sue" Gets an Eco-Rehab

Julia Brenner — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:00:00 -0400

This is the story of Runaround Sue, the name given to a 1961 Airstream Safari that was lovingly renovated by Prairie Construction. The vintage trailer's original beauty was carefully restored while making it leaner (more efficient) and greener. This time of year already makes me long to head out for the open roads, and now I'm filled with daydreams of spending the summer traversing the country in Runaround Sue. More

Regina & Hardy's Jack + Jill Heyday Home House Tour

Marcia Prentice — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:30:00 -0400

Name: Regina O'Brien: Set Decorator and Production Designer and
Hardy Wronske: Principal Heyday Partnership
Location: Happy Valley, Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, California
Size: 1700 square feet
Years lived in: 6 years

Regina and Hardy live in this fun place called Happy Valley. It is just past downtown Los Angeles and is perched up on a small hill. Since Hardy's firm, Heyday Partnership, specializes in affordable architecture, his own home is an example of his work. Both lots were purchased for an incredibly low price and he was very frugal with the cost of building the two homes. Regina and Hardy live in the "Jill" of the Jack + Jill and another design enthusiast lives in the "Jack."

Street Seats by Bade Stageberg Cox

Kate Legere — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:00:00 -0400

The saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure" definitely applies to this recent furniture project developed by Bade Stageberg Cox. They gathered 50 found chairs from the streets of New York, then repaired them and painted them taxi cab yellow. Each chair is stamped on the bottom with the date and location from which it was recovered. More