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Vegans Will Love These Inspirational Pinterest Recipe Boards

September 15, 2016 by

Whether you're a vegan or you simply try to cut out meat a few days a week, vegan dining is a great way to improve your health and do some good for the environment. Here are a few inspiring Pinterest boards that are filled with vegan recipes that are sure to get your mouth watering.

Best Vegan Recipes
This Pinterest board is bright, colorful and filled with nutritious meals for every time of day. From hemp seed snack smoothies to grilled veggie fajitas, there's something to inspire every meal.

Vegan Food Lovers
This community Pinterest board features contributions from some of the best vegan food bloggers online. Here, you'll find sweet, frozen snacks, globally inspired lunches and even a variety of different ways to prepare tofu.

Earth Balance's Vegan Recipes
If you're looking for some inspiration for lunch or dinner, this is the board to check out. It features main courses like vegan pot pie, savory Indian curries and lots of veggie-packed soups.

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5 Online Workouts That You Can Do Right in Your Own Apartment

August 18, 2016 by

Looking for a quick, simple workout that you can do right at home? These 5 apartment-friendly exercise routines are perfect for even the smallest spaces.

20 Minute Kettlebell HIIT Circuit Workout
All you need is a kettlebell to complete this high intensity cardio workout — and it only takes 20 minutes out of your day!

The Don't-Wake-the-Neighbors Workout
This workout is broken down into 1- or 2-minute intervals, and because it only uses simple squat variations and floor exercises, it's also quiet enough to do late at night.

Popsugar's 20 Minute Apartment Workout
No space for an elaborate workout at home? No problem! This circuit workout is all you'll need to work out your entire body.

6-Minute Morning Workout Before Shower
Jump start your morning with this quick and simple workout that you can do before you get ready for the day.

Do Yoga With Me
Yoga studio memberships can be pricey, but there's no reason why you can't practice yoga at home. This free website is filled with high quality instructional yoga videos in a vairety of styles, levels and lengths.

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Design a Gallery Wall These Pro Pointers

July 21, 2016 by

A gallery wall can elevate the style of your space and really make a personal statement about your life and style. However, the process takes time, preparation, and patience. Here are some tips to help you build your own gallery wall!

  • Pick out your frames and create diagrams to help play around with some layout ideas.
  • Lay out your frames on your floor before hanging them on your wall to measure everything out.
  • If you find purchasing prints to be too pricey, use your own photography, pictures of family, or restore old photos to place in the frames for a personal touch.
  • You can also hang up empty frames and collect pieces of art over time so you won’t have to splurge on a lot of pieces all at once.
  • Use one large piece to start your collection, then use different sizes and orientation of the pieces to fill space and keep your eyes moving.
  • If you’re going for more of a classic look, use a nine-square grid layout with even space between each frame.
  • Use sturdy frame hangers to protect your walls and your photos against scratches and nicks.

​How To Create A Gallery Wall [Pottery Barn]
How To Create a Gallery Wall on a Budget [Apartment Therapy]​
The Guide To A Well Hung Gallery Wall [Emily Henderson]

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Go For the Green: How to Mount a Staghorn Fern

June 16, 2016 by

Photos, posters, artwork… Some things lend themselves to framing and mounting—but what about houseplants? Epiphytes, like the popular staghorn fern, are perfectly suited to the framing treatment as they draw water and nutrients from the surrounding air (read: no soil required!). Store-bought mounted ferns can be costly, but you can easily create your own at home with a few supplies and a little elbow grease. Here's how:

1) For this project, you'll need a mounting surface, typically a wood board or plaque or a shallow crate. You'll also need clear fishing line, a picture-hanging kit, sphagnum moss, nails, and, of course, a staghorn fern.

2) Lay your mounting surface on a table, then hammer four nails into its front, in the shape of a square.

3) Wet your moss, then wring out extra moisture. Create a moss "bed" for your fern in the area between the four nails. Position your fern upon the moss, then wrap fishing wire around the nails and across the fern to affix it to the board.

For the rest of the tutorial, click though to How To Mount a Staghorn Fern on Apartment Therapy.

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How to Bring a Touch of Home to Your Apartment, Even If You’re Miles Away

May 19, 2016 by

If you recently (or not-so-recently) moved cities, you may want to incorporate decorative items that showcase your hometown pride into your apartment. Whether you're from the next town over or miles away, these online stores offer state- and city-centric items that will show your guests where you come from.

Jelligun
This shop creates pairs of state prints that not only feature your home state, but also your current state. A heart logo marks the city where you're from and the city where you currently live, so you'll always feel like both places are represented in your home.

Covered Bridges
If your style is more rustic, hang a piece of reclaimed wood wall art in the shape of your home state. Each one is customized with your chosen state and the size that you prefer, so you can fill any empty wall with a little piece of home.

TravelSigns
Whether your favorite hometown landmark is your city's baseball field or your alma mater, this Etsy shop creates replica highway signs with the exact number of miles between here and there. You'll also find signs for the highway that leads back to your hometown.

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How to Clean Your Microwave Without Harsh Chemicals

April 21, 2016 by

From reheating leftovers to warming up bowls of canned soup, your microwave sees a whole lot of messes from its various daily tasks. You may think that you need to use a store-bought cleanser to get out those tough, caked-on stains, but if you want to avoid those harsh chemicals, you can actually make your own cleanser at home. Follow these steps for cleaning your microwave in an all-natural way.

  1. Pour one cup of vinegar into a microwave-safe bowl, and then add one cup of hot water and stir the two together.
  2. Place the bowl with its vinegar solution in the center of the microwave and turn it on. Let it run on average power for 10 minutes.
  3. Keep an eye on the bowl and remove it from the microwave when you notice it starting to boil (likely somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes). Note: Be sure to use an oven mitt, as the bowl will be very hot.
  4. Wet a rag with lukewarm water and give the inside a good wipe-down to remove the now-loosened debris inside.
  5. Once all of the debris is steam cleaned away, create a simple solution of lemon juice and water. Dip another rag into the homemade cleanser and give the microwave another wipe-down to freshen things up.

How to Clean Your Microwave Naturally With Just a Lemon [The Kitchn]
How to Clean and Shine Your Microwave Without Cleaner [One Good Thing]
Use a Lemon to Make Cleaning the Microwave Easy [Lifehacker]

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Reduce Neck Cramps and Other Workday Ailments With These Ergonomic Furniture Ideas for Your Home Office

February 18, 2016 by

Do you feel stiff and sore after a long day spent in front of the computer? Even telecommuters struggle with an achy neck and shoulders, but luckily, working from home makes it so that you can set up your workspace in a way that feels comfortable. Here are desk and chair ideas to make your home office more ergonomic.

  • The standing desk. If you start to feel stiff and cramped after 8 hours sitting at your desk, eliminate the sitting entirely with a modern standing desk. These high desks are proven to reduce the user’s risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease, and they also keep you feeling alert and focused.
  • The saddle stool. Instead of slumping forward in your traditional desk chair all day, try switching it up with a saddle-style stool with casters on the bottom. This type of “active seating” encourages the user to sit up straight, improving your posture and allowing for easy movement around the room.
  • The ball chair. You may look a little silly sitting on one of these ball-shaped chairs, but they’ll sure make the workday more fun. Perch on top of the ball and you’ll engage your core while you work.
  • The laptop riser. If you can’t afford to invest in a whole new desk, try adding a simple laptop stand. This raises your laptop up to eye level, eliminating that arch in your neck that leads to cramping and stiffness.

These Active Desk Chairs Want To Transform The Way You Sit [Huffington Post]
Five Health Benefits of Standing Desks [Smithsonian.com]
Ditch Your Office Chair for a New 'Standing Desk' [Wired]

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How to Use Color to Brighten Your Home at 3500 Westlake

January 21, 2016 by

It’s not uncommon for renters to have restrictions when it comes to making changes to the look of the unit; however, there are a number of other ways to brighten up your space without the use of paint. Here are just a few!

  1. Add a pop of color in the kitchen by mixing and matching brightly hued chairs with a neutral table. Paint your existing set in a bright yellow, rich navy blue, or trendy turquoise.
  2. Set out vases of fresh flowers throughout your home for an all-natural burst of color. Think daisies, hydrangeas, and tulips in equally colorful vases.
  3. Top your bed and sofa with a variety of mismatched throw pillows in complementary hues. While they don’t all have to match completely, choosing one color scheme will help you to keep things looking stylish.
  4. Add artwork from local thrift stores and home decor shops housed in painted frames. You can also try a “dipped” look by painting the entire bottom half of the painting and frame in one bright shade.
  5. Add removable wallpaper that you can easily peel off when your lease is up. Use a floral or striped style on one accent wall for a magazine-worthy look.

20 Ways to Add Color to Your Home Without Painting [Brit + Co]
Top 10 Tips for Adding Color to Your Space [HGTV]
7 Ways to Add Color to Your Dining Room [Dwell]

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Update Your Wardrobe by Hosting a Clothing Swap at 3500 Westlake! Here’s How!

January 7, 2016 by

Wondering what to do with all of those clothes that you just don’t wear anymore? Many thrifty fashion lovers nowadays are starting to host clothing swaps, during which groups of friends get together to trade their gently worn clothes, shoes, and even accessories. Do something good for your budget and even for the environment by using these tips to host your own clothing swap at 3500 Westlake!

  1. Decide on the perfect group. Choose a manageable group that you can fit comfortably inside of your home. While you don’t want to go overboard with people, you’ll likely want to invite at least three or four friends to ensure ample swapping opportunities.
  2. Send out detailed invites. Be sure to describe how the swap will work and exactly how many items to bring in your invitation, email, or text message.
  3. Create a comfortable swapping area. Set up an area in your living room or other common space where you can set up chairs, snacks, and other essentials. Designate a spare room as a "changing room."
  4. Take the reins. Since many of your guests have likely never done a swap before, get things started by demonstrating how to browse the clothes and swap for items. You may even want to give people a limit on how many items they can take home.
  5. Bring refreshments. Once the swap is done, keep the mood light by socializing over snacks and drinks.

How to Hold a Fashion Swap Party [WikiHow]
10 Tips for Hosting a Successful Clothing Swap [Woman’s Day]
13 Rules for a Successful Clothing Swap [Oprah]

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How to Decorate Your Holiday Tree for Maximum Impact

December 17, 2015 by

It’s easy to get in a rut when it comes to decorating your tree for the holidays, but if you switch things up to create maximum impact, all it takes is a bit of creativity and a whole lot of festive cheer. Here are a few great ideas for decorating your holiday tree this year.

  • Instead of mixing up red, green and gold ornaments, go for a monochromatic look. Really commit to one specific shade and decorate your entire tree in that color.
  • Create your own unique tree topper by purchasing a wooden letter in your last name’s initial. Cover the whole thing in glitter paint to match the tree, and then attach it by stapling a piece of sturdy fabric to the back and sliding it on to the top of the tree.
  • Keep things simple and minimal all over the surface of the tree in order to the let the tree’s skirt really shine. This often-overlooked part can be dressed up with a luxurious velvet skirt or a homemade version in your choice of wild, fun fabrics.
  • Purchase a dozen small mirrors in gold or silver frames from a thrift store or craft shop and set them all over the tree for a truly unique effect.
  • Decorate your tree with live poinsettias for a dramatic look. Simply cut individual flowers from a poinsettia bush (or purchase silk versions) and evenly space them all over the tree.

How to Decorate a Christmas Tree Elegantly [wikiHow]
40 Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas to Try This Season [HGTV]
How to Decorate a Christmas Tree [Better Homes and Gardens]

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