28 Day Giveaway

UPDATE 7/29/11 - Congrats to Velvetangerine for winning this month's giveaway! Thanks to all who entered...we'll see you again next month!

It's time for our monthly giveaway!  This month, one awesome person will win a $28 gift certificate to the Apartment 528 store!

To enter, browse through the Apt528 Store then:

1. Comment below telling us your favorite product.  Each comment counts as one entry.
2. Tweet us at @apt528 telling us your favorite Apt528 product.  Each tweet counts as 2 entries.
3. Leave a comment on our facebook page telling us your favorite product in the  Apt528 Store.  Each facebook comment counts as 3 entries.

Don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

The contest ends at 11:59pm central time.  A winner will be chosen at random and announced tomorrow morning.  Enter as many times as you want!!  

As an added bonus, take 28% off all vintage items, today only!  Enter VNTG28 at checkout.

Good luck!!

Product Roundup: 28 Couches under $1000

A friend recently asked me for ideas on affordable sofas for her new apartment.  With bed bugs all over the news nowadays, people are a lot more cautious about buying used couches.  Buy buying new usually means spending major mulah.  Not anymore!  I submit to you my favorite couches under $1000.  Not low enough for you?  We have a second set of sofas under $500 including a super cute love seat for less then $200!!  Not only are these sofas wallet-friendly, but they're also stylish enough to fit in with any decor.  Most are available in various fabrics and colors so you can mix and match till your heart's content.

If you need a chair to go with your awesome new sofa, check out last year's product roundup of seating under $100.

Under $1000

Clockwise from top left: 1. LC Leather Sofa, $744 (Overstock.com); 2. Bristol Linen Sofa, $960 (Overstock.com); 3. Parlour Sofa, $999 (CB2); 4. Bolla Carbon Sofa, $999 (CB2); 5. Solace Sofa, $599 (Value City); 6. Draper Sofa, $799 (CB2)

Modern Love Seat, $793 (Overstock.com); Silhouette Sofa, $999 (Crate and Barrel)

1. Abby Sofa, $998 (Chiasso); 2. Baxter Sofa, $699 (West Elm); 3. Lorimer Sofa, $849 (West Elm); 4. Clark Sofa, $899 (West Elm); 5. Tyler Sofa, $999 (Pottery Barn)

Gramercy, $699 (Urban Outfitters)

Under $500

1. Kivik, $499 (Ikea); 2. Trace Microfiber Sleeper Sofa, $470 (Overstock.com); 3. Calypso, $399 (Value City); 4. Karlstad, $499 (Ikea); 5. Sater Leather Sofa, $399 (Ikea); 6. Colette, $499 (Value City)

Cape Sofa, $444 (Overstock.com)

Easton Love Seat, $196 (Overstock.com); Hilton Tufted Curved Love Seat, $299 (Overstock.com)

1. Amara Apartment Sofa, $498 (Chiasso); 2. Metropolitan Sofa, $499 (Target); 3. Nolan Leather Couch, $330 (Target)

Mid Century Sofa, $479 (Urban Outfitters)

Paint by Numbers

We're currently trying to figure out what color to pain the master bedroom.  There are so many awesome colors out there that I can't narrow it down.  Here are some of my favorite color ideas from my Paint by Numbers Pinterest board.  What are your favorite boudoir colors?

Blue and purple.  This is the most peaceful backyard/resort!

Turquoise, orange, purple, and wood.  I know they're headphones (by House of Marley) but the color combo is perfect!

Plum, mustard, navy, brown.  This is such a soft, pretty pallet.  I think I'd leave the blush out...I like deep moody colors.  Jerome will love the navy...he's a typical guy who loves blue!

Orange.  If you pick the right shade, it can be awesome!

Mustard.  I did yellow accent walls in our old master bedroom but never done a full room.  Like orange, you have to get just the right shade for it to look right.  Loving this mustard color.

Charcoal.  Reminds me of our last apartment where we had bright furniture and grey and black walls.  I still have some charcoal paint leftover so this is a STRONG contender, as long as we find a bright, vintage bedspread to keep things light and happy!

You Decide: The Votes Are In!

Last week you voted for which Branch Handmade designs would make it into the Apartment 528 Store.  Thanks to everyone for voting and congrats to DeeDee for winning!  DeeDee, email us by end of day to claim your $10 in store credit.

After tallying your votes, the bicycle pillowcase was our winner!  The towel vote was a lot closer with a tie between the camera and motorcycle tea towels.  Instead of making you choose between two such awesome designs, we're going to carry BOTH in the store!

The new products will be available in just a few weeks.  Until then, head over to the Apt528 store and pre-order yours now, or shop the rest of our awesome Branch Handmade selection.

House Tour: Branch Handmade's Retro Cool California Pad

This week we officially introduced you to Branch Handmade as our Designer of the Month, let you decide which of their new products makes it into the store (VOTE NOW!!!), and picked their brains in our Q&A.  Now it's time to dive a little deeper with a look into the gorgeous California home of Branch Handmade designers Todd and Ashley.

The dining room.  Loving the wood paneling throughout the house.

Have you ever seen anyone make those 80s cabinets look so awesome?!  Loving this kitchen.

If you look between the super cute chairs, you'll see the best little table ever.

Ashley hard at work in the studio.  Like that they added style to the space with the rug.

Their backyard.  Look at the view in the background too.

Catch the full tour of their wonderful home on our facebook page.  Don't forget to bring a bib for all the drool :)


More Branch Handmade:

• You Decide: Vote for your favorite Branch Handmade designs to make it into the store
• 8 Questions with: Ashley and Todd
• SHOP Branch Handmade

8 Questions With: Ashley and Todd of Branch Handmade

You've been snatching up tea towels from Branch Handmade like crazy.  Now it's time to peek into the lives of the creatives behind the brand, Ashley and Todd, our designers of the month!  Don't forget to VOTE in this month's You Decide where you choose which new Branch Handmade products will make it into the Apartment 528 Store.  Each vote qualifies you for a chance to win $10 in store credit!



First, the important things.  Coffee or tea?
Coffee. I need my one cup every morning or the day just doesn't start out right! 

What's the song you can't live without right now?
I’m not the music person in the family. So I’m going to have to differ to Todd on this one- he loves music and usually has something playing in the house at all times…Todd says Ashville Blues, Pete Bernhard

Of all the furniture in your house, what's your favorite piece?
That’s like asking someone which of their kids is their favorite! Most of the furniture in our house is custom made- things that I helped design, choose the fabrics, so just about everything is one of a kind. I would probably say that my favorite piece is our Isamu Noguchi coffee table. I coveted it from afar for years and was so excited when we finally put it in our living room! 

What's your favorite design trend?
I don’t really have a favorite or least favorite design trend. I think trends in general should be used sparingly to accent classic looks. For example buy a really basic neutral sofa and pump it up with trendy pillows or throws that can be changed out as the seasons or trends change. 

What's your LEAST favorite design trend?
See above.

The images you use on your clothing and housewares are super fun and quirky.  How do you come up with the graphics?
Todd and I will usually brain storm ideas for designs or hit flea markets and antique shops for inspiration. We have pages of lists of things we are inspired by, we see, or we think would make a great design.  We will sit and throw them back and forth. We come from different perspectives as far as what would be a successful design and usually the prints that are actually created have to pass the test of what we think will be sellable to our clients and what we think will look good and be interesting. I think our different aesthetics are a major contributing factor to the success of our line.

How did the two of you meet and how did you come up with the name Branch Handmade?
Really you want to know how we met? YES!! Ok you know that story boy meets girl in a bar… in our case that’s true. We met about 10 years ago in a bar in San Francisco’s China town. Working on creative projects together has been a consistent aspect of our relationship and when we launched Branch Handmade it was like all the things that we are good at on our own could be combined for something better. We came up with the name because one of our early designs was the tree silhouette print from a tree in our front yard- I would always admire its amazing branches and so Branch Handmade was born. 

You started with pillowcases and now you carry everything from tea towels to super cute lounge pants.  What's next for Branch Handmade?
Branch Handmade has slowly evolved over the last 4 years. We have some new ventures up our sleeve, new prints and new products on their way- but nothing that we are ready to unveil just yet!

Now that you know a little more about Ashley and the super elusive Todd, head over to the store and shop Branch Handmade!

You Decide: Branch Handmade

As part of our Designer of the Month series, we're asking you to decide which Branch Handmade items will make it into the Apartment 528 Store.  The best part?  One lucky voter will win $10 in Apt528 store credit to spend on anything they want!!

To vote, look at the options below and leave a comment stating which tea towel AND/OR which pillow case you think should end up in the Apartment 528 Store.  You have until Saturday at 11:59p eastern to vote.  Monday I'll announce which designs made it and randomly pick the winner of the $10 store credit.

Pillow Cases - CHOOSE 1

 Tea Towels - CHOOSE 1

Happy voting!

Handmade Designer of the Month: Branch Handmade

This month we're celebrating a fan favorite, Branch Handmade, as our designer of the month!

The brainchild of Ashley and Todd, Branch Handmade started in 2008 with screen-printed pillowcases and has expanded to include housewares and apparel embellished with original images and illustrations from their collection.  Their tea towels have been a hit here at Apartment 528 and soon, you'll also be able to shop their pillowcases totes adorned with the quirky images you can't live without.

All this week we're giving you a chance to decide which Branch Handmade products will make it into the Apartment 528 Store.  Vote now for a chance to win $10 in Apt528 store credit to spend on anything you'd like!  I'd grab the roller skate tea towels if I were you...they're going fast!

YOU DECIDE: Vote which tea towel makes it into the Apt528 Store
SHOP Branch Handmade