Interior Inspirations from My Web Favs: Apartment Therapy

Here it is, post number two in my inspirations from the web blog series. Looking to redesign a specific room or an entire house, or do you just want a few item ideas to spice up your space? Apartment Therapy focuses more on, as the name suggests, cures for the design dilemmas presented with a small space. In 2004, I found only a simple one-page site:

Photo: Internet Archive: Wayback Machine

The site has grown tremendously over the last 6 years!  So aside from good looks
-(does anyone else see the resemblance to Bradley Cooper? )- Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, interior designer and founder of Apartment Therapy, is doing more than one thing right!  

Ahhh ....an entirely different kind of therapy!.  Back to the real subject of this post....

These days he is reporting over 4 million visitors per month!  In just 6 short years, those are some pretty amazing stats!

In 2007 or 8, AT broke off to include 5 blogs:  apartment therapy, the Kitchn, ohdeedoh, unplggd, and re-nest - each covering a major area of the home. So, although they stay true to the "small space" design vision, there are tips and product features that any homeowner can use.

But don't just take my word for it, visit Apartment Therapy to see what its awesomeness is all about!

Photo Source: Apartment Therapy

 To help break down your visit, let me point out what I think makes Apartment Therapy so amazing:

• Frequent Posts. There are so many personal opinions about how often one should post to a blog.  I'm not judging though.. 4 million visitors.. hello, I think the proof is right there.  People are loving the fact that the AT blogging team pushes out content almost as fast as you can get fries at McDonalds. Ok, maybe not that fast, but A LOT...multiple posts per day, sun-up to sun-down! Keep that in mind when you subscribe, you may want to be sure you are not having the updates sent to your email box.  Go RSS!

• Tours. Want to see how other people are designing their houses, both inside and out? Click on the house tours tab and look for unique design ideas you just might fall in love with! 

• Filters. Refine your search to a place a little closer to home with their metro filters - New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, DC and Boston. 

• Sister Sites (Blogs):  As mentioned above, AT defined the focus and navigation more clearly with Kitchn, ohdeedoh, unplggd, and re-nest.  Check it out ~ click on the tabs to see the latest from technology to designs for children that span nursery to teen.  Particularly interesting to me, is the always intriguing green, covering eco technologies, outdoor spaces, landscaping and gardening. 

•  Marketplace.  They say you can't be "all things to all people" and clearly AT knows it but they still manage to keep us on top of what's current with the Marketplace, their newest addition to the ever-growing empire I call AT! 

Apartment Therapy is a perfect site to get lost in when you need to unwind or if you're looking for inspiration.  

Here are a few things I stumbled upon while navigating the site:

Tab = "Boston"

Photo Source: Apartment Therapy

Tab = "House Tours"

Photo Source: Matthew Mau (graphic designer)

Tab = "Children" "Kids' Room Tours"

Photo Source: Ohdeedoh

Take a click on over and check it out for yourself.  I would love to hear your thoughts and what your favorite feature of their site is.

And finally, because having 4 million visitors is not enough, one must publish a book:  Check out Maxwells' Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces.   

 Photo: Apartment Therapy

The premise: " size constraints can actually unlock your design creativity and allow you to focus on what’s essential."  

I agree!  Growing up with 12 siblings, you could say we were tight on space.  I have first-hand knowledge of the necessity to fit all that is required into the space at hand!! 

But go ahead, don't just take my word for it, pick up the book for yourself and see what you think of the creative small-space wonders Maxwell has featured!

Apartment Therapy.... it's where its AT!