sick of Apartment Therapy

June 20, 2013 11:32 AM

I like looking at Apartment Therapy for tours and DIY ideas but it's gone annoying and stale. What are some other decor blogs with fresher content?

Apartment Therapy occasionally features tours of really great homes and fun decor/project ideas, but I'm mostly tired of it. Too much filler, way too many taxidermy deer heads, quirky giant letters hanging on walls, "Keep Calm" posters. It's too self-conscious and twee, and all the same. I need a place for fresh visual inspiration. Quirky is ok, but not if it's been done to death, and aspirational catalog looks are not what I'm looking for either. I want any blogs that feature real homes, small spaces are great, and authentic style. What should I read?

posted by slow graffiti to Home & Garden (14 answers total)

Pinterest? Tons of architectural and interior design boards to follow on there.
posted by Joh at 11:34 AM on June 20, 2013 [3 favorites]

Design*Sponge!
posted by lemerle at 11:37 AM on June 20, 2013 [5 favorites]

I really enjoy Young House Love a lot. They do a lot of projects with budget in mind.

I also do a lot of falling down rabbit holes on pinterest when look through home decor and then follow through to blogs.
posted by Nimmie Amee at 11:37 AM on June 20, 2013 [3 favorites]

Here's a bunch. Some are more frequently updated than others, some don't only cover decor.

Door Sixteen
SF Girl by Bay
Abigail Ahern
Bright Bazaar
Decor Dots
This is...
Manhattan Nest
79 Ideas
From Scandinavia with Love
Emily Henderson
posted by grapesaresour at 11:48 AM on June 20, 2013 [6 favorites]

Seconding Pinterest and Design*Sponge. There are lots of Tumblrs out there looking at architecture and design, too.

Maybe try Houzz? In addition to just browsing images, there are Houzz Tours.
posted by asciident at 11:53 AM on June 20, 2013

If you like Mid-Century Modern, I heartily recommend Retro Renovations. It's all about embracing MCM houses as they were (Save the Pink Bathrooms.)
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:13 PM on June 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

Small Spaces Blog
posted by spaceheater at 12:16 PM on June 20, 2013

I don't like their name, but Remodelista is pretty great. Each week they have a very loose 'theme' and sometimes that theme has no bearing whatsoever on my tastes, so I don't check in until the following week, but that's pretty rare. They do a good job of showing a good spread.
posted by furnace.heart at 1:05 PM on June 20, 2013 [3 favorites]

I found Shoebox Dwelling to be fascinating. Usually about space-saving items, some of which are quirky, with entries on small space living maybe once a week.
posted by curagea at 2:21 PM on June 20, 2013

Design Files? They have an Australian Homes section and publish a new interior shoot every Wednesday.
posted by t0astie at 3:23 PM on June 20, 2013

I like Houzz because there's just so much stuff of all kinds.
posted by heyjude at 3:53 PM on June 20, 2013

Freunde von Freunden is a great site for house tours.
posted by k1ng at 5:23 PM on June 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

Seconding Remodelista, they show spaces that are so well thought out and just ...beautiful that they frequently take my breath away.

Of course those spaces are often god-awful expensive, but so pretty!
posted by leotrotsky at 6:39 AM on June 21, 2013

I know you said you are looking for blogs, but there are many subs on Reddit that might fit your bill. I'd start with /r/RoomPorn and then take a trip through the links on the sidebars to find other relevant subs (of which there are many). Since you are looking for "real homes", you might like /r/AmateurRoomPorn as well, if not more.
posted by mysterpigg at 2:25 PM on June 24, 2013