For a dozen years, small-space dwellers have had a daily dose of inspiration–Apartment Therapy. The website lists its mission (helping people make their homes more "beautiful, organized and healthy") and its goal (improving homes while reducing "reliance on stuff"), plus a "What We Believe" section, where the website lists four tenants to which I'll add my humble belief vote:
Since my daughter introduced me to the site, I've been hooked. Apartment Therapy advocates nothing more passionately than intentional living. What makes you feel good? What suits the way you want to live in the world? I love the pieces on color, the tips for organizing, the DIY features and, naturally, the small space highlights. And did I mention the photography? Wide-angle, light-splashed, perfectly framed images of a thousand places I'd happily live.
After countless hours of drifting and clicking my way through the site over the past year, one day I noticed the "submit a story" link on the site. So, maybe, just maybe, if I could interest Apartment Therapy in our tiny house, they'd send a photographer out to our wee abode to take "real" pictures of the space. Late one night, I jotted down a few thoughts, attached a few pictures and submitted my "story."
I didn't hear anything for a couple weeks. Then I got an email that our story would be published a few days later. What? I couldn't remember what I'd written. I didn't know what pictures I'd attached. That Saturday a piece came out, and I was relieved to follow the link to see that what I'd written made sense and the pictures I'd sent did justice to the house. The piece was headlined "A Small, Solar-Powered House in the Blue Ridge Mountains." (That made me wish I'd included a picture of our solar panels!)
I'd still love to have an Apartment Therapy photographer show up on our doorstep to take professional shots of our little place. That hasn't happened, but I have enjoyed communicating with the people who have asked questions in the comment section. They've helped me think about our tiny house with new perspective. (I try not to focus on the double responses that show up from me; when my first responses didn't load for a few days, I wrote a second round of replies—only to have both rounds of comments post the next day!)
So, thanks, Apartment Therapy, for all the inspiration...and for including us in your intentional-living discussion.
- A calm, healthy, beautiful home is a necessary foundation for happiness and success in the world.
- Creating this home doesn't require large amounts of money or space. It requires inspiration, connection to resources and motivation to do something about it.
- The basic elements of good home design can be learned and achieved by all.
- Simplicity and luxury are not mutually exclusive.
Since my daughter introduced me to the site, I've been hooked. Apartment Therapy advocates nothing more passionately than intentional living. What makes you feel good? What suits the way you want to live in the world? I love the pieces on color, the tips for organizing, the DIY features and, naturally, the small space highlights. And did I mention the photography? Wide-angle, light-splashed, perfectly framed images of a thousand places I'd happily live.
After countless hours of drifting and clicking my way through the site over the past year, one day I noticed the "submit a story" link on the site. So, maybe, just maybe, if I could interest Apartment Therapy in our tiny house, they'd send a photographer out to our wee abode to take "real" pictures of the space. Late one night, I jotted down a few thoughts, attached a few pictures and submitted my "story."
I didn't hear anything for a couple weeks. Then I got an email that our story would be published a few days later. What? I couldn't remember what I'd written. I didn't know what pictures I'd attached. That Saturday a piece came out, and I was relieved to follow the link to see that what I'd written made sense and the pictures I'd sent did justice to the house. The piece was headlined "A Small, Solar-Powered House in the Blue Ridge Mountains." (That made me wish I'd included a picture of our solar panels!)
I'd still love to have an Apartment Therapy photographer show up on our doorstep to take professional shots of our little place. That hasn't happened, but I have enjoyed communicating with the people who have asked questions in the comment section. They've helped me think about our tiny house with new perspective. (I try not to focus on the double responses that show up from me; when my first responses didn't load for a few days, I wrote a second round of replies—only to have both rounds of comments post the next day!)
So, thanks, Apartment Therapy, for all the inspiration...and for including us in your intentional-living discussion.