I’ve been a fan of AT for the past couple of years. Recently, I picked up Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan’s book Apartment Therapy: the Eight Week Home Cure from the library.

apartment therapy

I read through the book quickly to get a sense of the program, before rolling up my sleeves. The book reminds me of an interview I heard on WBUR with Winnifred Gallagher, author of House Thinking. I loved what Gallagher was saying in the interview, especially the parts where she described the small changes she made in her house. Her book, however (which I have only skimmed in a bookstore), seems to delve more into the historical use and psychology of various rooms in the American home. Gillingham-Ryan seems to have picked up where I wish Gallagher had continued. Instead of giving surface decor tips, he outlined an 8 week program for psychological home renovation.

I suspect most of us really want a clean, comfortable, nurturing home that supports how we live. Much of the dollars spent on decorating is aimed toward that goal. What if we were more strategic in our approach, focusing not on how homes look, but how they function in relation to us? I’m not sure if an 8 week cure will really make a difference, but I’m willing to try it out. Stay tuned.