apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Let me know if you end up getting it. I'd love to see pictures!

:)

Say your apartment is in an old building, which apparently sags in the middle so that your apartment is shaped sort of like a half-pipe, and your bed is up against one of the outer walls so that it's at the top of the incline and keeps sliding down towards the other side of the room - what do you do? I've tried those wedge-things you can put under bookshelves and they don't work at all. Neither does a cut-up rug pad. Is there some sort of product out there that keeps things with feet from sliding around? I'm loathe to drill my bed into the floor (hardwood) as if I were living on a cruise ship, but I'm getting close.

I would just try an actual rug, not pieces of a rug pad. It sounds like the bed needs something a little thicker to grab on to, and a rug pad isn't anything but a little sticky foam. Depending how severe the slope is, I would imagine a rug (with a full rug pad underneath) would hold it in place.
If your comforter is long enough to cover these up (for aesthetic reason), you may try a couple cinder blocks in front of the two legs on the side that is against the wall (so the blocks are under the bed, not outside of the bed). A couple of these on the higher end of the slope may help as well.

Have you tried rubber caster cups? I use them under the legs of my armchairs to protect the hardwood floor. They work better than felt pads because they keep the chair from sliding on the wood when you plop down in the chair. You should be able to buy them at any Target, Home Depot, or miscellaneous hardware stores. They're not the most attractive option, but it beats sliding across the room! Good Luck!

what a pain! how about putting shims (those little thin wood wedge things), under the legs at the foot of the bed, between the rug pad and the rug, to further "level" the bed?

I am going to try all these ideas - thanks! I had avoided getting a rug because the bed takes up nearly all of the space in the room. So, thanks again!

Are china cabinets on their way out? I've been searching for a nice, modern glass front cabinet for my dining room and all the usual sources (room & board, crate & barrel, etc) seem to be ditching the cabinet for sideboards. I really like to display my stuff and keep it out of the reach of small sticky fingers, but haven't seen anything out there. Any suggestions? I'd prefer a wood finish and don't need any covered storage, I do have a small sideboard.

Pelicolina - I have noticed the very same thing! It seems long, low storage is more readily available these days.

Have you thought about installing shelves above your sideboard? Ikea has some nice looking shelves. I really like a shelf by Calligaris called Vivre. It is sort of like a small, long cabinet/shelf with sliding glass doors.

My sideboard is tall, 42" and my china collection is really three sets, so I decided a year ago that a true china cabinet would be a better idea than the boxes under my bed. And doors with glass would mean no extra dusting, which I never seem to get around to, anyway. Almost all my furniture is family left-overs and this was going to be my second big purchase. I just can't seem to find anything new that is simple, well-designed and displays its contents.

I'm not really big on the mid-century stuff, but I thought someone here would love this. From Craislist in Milwaukee. http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/fur/296829697.html

My god. The dresser alone is worth the drool piling up on my keyboard. Good find Anthea.

pelicolina, we have a large glass front curio cabinet. If you do a google search for Pulaski Curio 20661 you can find pictures. It is quite large and heavy, but was the most "modern" looking curio we could find. Check it out!

Madison????

Any stores I should check out in Madison? Heading up there for work and would like to see whats cool to check out?

Anyone?

Chris:
For a start to your shopping list...there was a good question on resources in Madison (and Milwaukee) posted last year...here is the link.

On a totally different topic, does anyone know any stores in Chicago to try out organic or "gree" mattresses and pillows? I don't like the idea of ordering these things over a website without at least getting to feel them (the shipping charges for bulky items like this would be hefty).

Thanks!

Could anyone recommend a good upholsterer in the city? I have two stools that I would like to get recovered. Any ideas how much something like that would run? I imagine it would be a fairly easy job.

pelicolina - I ended up getting a glass front bookcase that I use a china cabinet. I found mine at a local store here in Berkeley so I can't give any specific retailers, but you may find something by going that route.

Yeah, I've been looking at bookcases as well as true display cabinets, like the pulaski. I am hoping to find something that has some style to it, not just something simple and plain. I lust for the barbara barry for henredon cabinet, and the longer I wait, maybe I'll actually save enough up for it. Thanks for all the suggestions, it's truly got me thinking.

On a totally unrelated topic: I am hoping someone will solve the bedroom conundrum that's been bugging us for over a year. We have a lovely Shaker chest and tall dresser, both cherry. We need a bed, but can't find anything in the same wood/stain that we like. Our tastes lean toward platform-style beds

Pebblemonk, have you checked Room and Board? Their Anders and Lowry beds are both available in cherry.

Alternatively, rather than trying to match, you could go with something totally different, like a walnut or ebony stain, or an upholstered bed. There's no rule that all the woods in a room have to match!

Also Olivia, regarding an upholsterer, Omar's Upholstery on North Clark was highly recommended to us by the owners of Edgewater Antique Mall. We haven't used them yet but they seem like a quality place.