apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

The pouf seems to be a design trend that has some sticking power, but no one is really interested in paying top dollar for the designer version. First, we found a source for cheap Moroccan poufs (many of you felt they looked a little too cheap). Then we found a pattern for a DIY knitted pouf, and now we here's a DIY Moroccan-style pouf! That's a lot of poufs! Do you have a favorite? Or are you all poufed out?

Farm City is the account of Novella Carpenter's efforts to turn a vacant lot next to her apartment in Oakland into an urban farm. Determined to eat sustainable meat and produce, Novella recognizes that the only way she'll be able to afford "the good stuff" is if she raises it herself. So that's what she does. In a very big way. Novella starts with a garden, then a beehive, then chickens, until she's also raising her own Thanksgiving turkeys! The book just came out yesterday, so we asked Novella a few questions about her farm and for her advice for any would-be urban farmer...

Restaurants have been reusing wine bottles as water carafes for some time. While I was on my own escape to Colorado a couple of weeks ago, I discovered a trick that makes the water carafe even more useful...

We learned from our friends at Home Grown Evolution that Home Depot will soon be carrying Farm in a Box from Earth Systems. Farm in the Box is a combined fish tank/planter box with recirculating water system that grows vegetables on top of the box along with fish underneath. Waste from the fish circulates into the planter which provides fertilizer for the plants as well as removing nitrogen and ammonia from the water. The smaller boxes are designed to fit on a balcony, while the larger boxes are suitable to raise edible fish...

Location: Hudson Valley, New York
Size: 3 bedrooms, 1,400 square feet
Years lived in: We’ve lived in the house full-time for about 8 months, but it’s been in my boyfriend’s (Patrick's) family since his grandfather, Harry Cooke, bought it in 1924. He used the proceeds from selling an invention and turned it into a camp for underprivileged city kids.
Who else lives here? My boyfriend Patrick, his sons Harrison and Logan, and Emily, our summer farm apprentice.
>>Enter Hudson Valley Fiber Farm Gallery
After Hudson Valley Fiber Farmer Susan Gibbs, a former CBS News producer, and Patrick Manning started the first ever Yarn CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) on Martha's Vineyard, they expanded to Patrick's family farm in the Hudson Valley. The couple currently goes back and forth from the Vineyard to the Hudson Valley managing their flock of sheep and goats...

Last week, we gave you 10 New Uses for Old Jars. One of our favorite suggestions of the bunch was the candle lanterns — lighting can make any outdoor space seem more special and candles hanging from the trees is certainly a magical look. Willi Galloway from DigginFood offered to show us how it's done...

Jordi Canosa is an amazing interior design photographer, whose work has appeared in European design magazines and advertisements. These outdoor spaces are taken from homes in Italy, France and in Conosa's native Spain. And while these might be fantasy space for most of us, we love the use of natural materials, their rich patina, and the abundant greenery. One image that's getting filed away in the inspiration folder is that outdoor shower! We love a good outdoor shower and that outdoor shower has to be one of the most fantastic ones we've ever seen...

We've posted many times about the cleaning powers of vinegar. Our new favorite book, A Guide to Green Housekeeping, inspired us to buy distilled vinegar by the gallon, and we've begun using it for nearly all our cleaning. So here's our favorite 10 uses for vinegar...

Here's a bit about my recent experience hiving my newly acquired bees. After preparing the hive for its new occupants, I was more than ready to meet the ladies! On a very chilly Easter Sunday, together with my bee partner, we picked up our package of bees from our beekeeping instructor, who had driven all the way to Georgia and back with bee packages for some of the New York City Beekeeping Association members. After watching one package installed in a hiving demonstration in a Manhattan community garden, we drove our package to Brooklyn to introduce the bees to their new hive.

posted originally from: AT:New York

Last weekend we decided to do a project out of our new favorite book, A Guide to Green Housekeeping. We used a wire hanger from the dry cleaner, an old T-shirt, and a ribbon to finish it all off.

About this time last year, I ordered a copy of The Urban Homestead by Los Angeles residents Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen. I wanted to take part in growing or raising some of my own food, but chickens or even dwarf goats are too big to incorporate into our lives. Then I got to the section on beekeeping — this is something New Yorkers could do. You don't need much space and it helps out the planet. To get started, we took a class with the New York City Beekeeper Association in February where we learned about all aspects of beekeeping, and ordered our hive and bees...

Dutch company, LADAK, pairs moving blankets with other materials including recycled sweaters, jeans, even parts of mattresses. The blanket is then further embellished with ribbons, decorative fabrics and lace. Each resulting blanket is completely unique — and gorgeous!

posted originally from: AT:New York

We received an email alerting us to the work of this brilliant uArts Philadelphia student. The Easy Chair, designed by Lorenzo Buffa, is made of salvaged strand bamboo and can be used as a table or as bookcase! We love it! This piece is not yet in production, but we sure hope to see it in stores soon.

posted originally from: AT:New York

We are huge fans of I.D. Magazine, so we were intrigued by their list of New + Notable Green products. From bamboo rugs, to efficiently burning grills, they've rounded up the best in green design...

posted originally from: AT:New York