apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

At first glance, these desks by Belgian architect Vincent van Duysen seem fairly standard. The beauty is in the details: the joints can be reconfigured to create a workspace for one person, two people, four people, or a freestanding work island. Composed of lacquered panels, fabrics, corian and veneer edges, the material palette of the desk is surprisingly sophisticated on close inspection...

Yes, we know. Another environmental footprint calculator? Unlike more general calculators, this one is tailored to your home and uses the information from your bills to recommend ways to save energy and money. It's the closest thing to a free "home dashboard" we've found, allowing you to track how much energy you waste annually...

For dramatic dining room inspiration, restaurant decor is a good place to start. Restaurants invest lots of time and money into creating the perfect atmosphere for eating and conversation, and (depending on the food and the style of the place) this often involves romantic lighting, dark colors, and opulent details. Click below for a few high-drama Chicago restaurants from our archives...

Not everyone gathers for family dinners at the dining table. Let's face it...many people eat in front of the TV. If we're going to have dinner on the couch, we might as well do it in style. Click below for 10 options, from tray tables to adjustable coffee tables to flip-top furniture...

For those who like to have their papers in plain sight, this post is for you. Vitra proves that the stack-and-pile system can go well with a modern office, particularly if you have a great-looking desk chair. Click below for some inspiring high-end rooms that look good whether or not they're covered in paperwork...

As the decal trend winds down, we're still spotting some innovative applications of peel-and-stick design. One of our recent favorites is this cheap and easy approach to a DIY headboard. As shown in these photos, headboard decals can add some drama to a simple bed or create a focal point behind a plain mattress and box springs...

Black and white are big right now in home decor, and that applies to tabletops, too. With this classic combo, it's easy to mix and match a variety of patterns and still come off looking clean. Because this pairing is so versatile, you can do a dramatic table setting or a simple, spare look depending on your style. Click below for a few ideas...

A little while ago, we wrote about using bold color in the entryway: it's (usually) a small space that can handle some unexpected color, and it's the perfect place to set the tone for the rest of your home. The same idea holds true for pattern. With several examples of wallpapered entryways in their inspiration gallery, we think Duro helps to drive this point home...

Although we often equate luxury with opulent fabrics and lots of bling, places like Spanish resort Son Gener remind us that sometimes luxury is all about understated elegance. The neutral color palette in this 18th century farmhouse-turned-hotel comes from natural materials like stone, jute, cotton, and wood. The hotel describes its interior decor as "nothing in excess, just carefully selected sculptures and sofas, plants, tables and lamps that seem to create a backdrop for the walls and the structure of the building..."

European furniture company Vincent Sheppard specializes in an adaptation of wicker that's been around since the early 1900s: Lloyd Loom weaves, originally made from kraft paper twisted around a steel wire and now constructed from latex-wrapped aluminum frames. Woven in a range of colors that compliment modern decor, this type of weave also stands up to heavy wear. We found several rooms that provide a good jumping-off point if you're looking for contemporary versions of this classic material...

It's no secret that we love Ilse Crawford and her design firm Studioilse, but if we had to choose the best of her work it would probably be her dining rooms. Crafted from humble materials paired with high-end furnishings, these rooms are at once welcoming and a little unexpected. Our all-time favorite is the Club Room at the Wellcome Collection (shown above) for its subdued but striking use of color. Click below for more...

One of the AIA Chicago award winners that we neglected to mention is this amazing home by Wheeler Kearns Architecture that doubles as both residential space and a private art gallery. The design is divided into 2 parts: a loft-like gallery with concrete ceilings and floors and a residential core with a bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen. With plenty of hanging space, this is an avid art collector's dream home...

Downtown Chicago has a reputation for being an open-air "museum" of great architecture, but we also have some incredible houses and apartments tucked away on neighborhood side streets. The AIA tries to bring all Chicago's great buildings (big and small) to our attention through their annual awards. This year, many of the awards went to innovative homes and green buildings. We saw some familiar spaces among the submissions...

Found on Modern Craft, SusyJack* is a contemporary desktop line designed by Manhattan-based Susan Connor. Connor uses 100% post-consumer recycled paper to craft her simple, colorful desk supplies. We especially love the clothespin-style clips and the 2009 calendar...