apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Just had my first experience with IKEA cabinets this weekend. Fun! Fun! Fun! I had such a great feeling of accomplishment after snapping everything together, fitting it into place and then polishing it off with a countertop and doors.

I turned a 6' hallway closet into a bar with frosted glass and abstrakt white doors and a 2 1/4" thick limestone countertop. The tricky part was the half of a concrete column right in the middle of the closet. I had to cut the back of the base of the center cabinet to fit the column (the other half of the column is in my bathroom). Then it just took a lot of shims to level the countertop and base cabinets.
The closet was somewhat useless due to the column in the middle so this creates more storage and becomes a focal point for the apartment.

I would highly recommend IKEA's cabinetry for simple storage uses like these. They are very easy to put together and the BLUM hardware is top of the line and easy to isntall as well.
Maybe I can post pictures on AT:Chicago? Countertop still needs to be permanently installed and sealed and I need a backsplash, shelving etc. but the cabinet installation I thought would be interesting.

Does anybody know the name of the company that is building the modern looking condos at (or maybe just around the corner from) Damen and Division?

i can't exactly recall the company's name, but i think it was something goofy like, "case study homes" on division. i believe it's the same developer as the identical condos on both corners (mirroring) division & leavitt.

Dunno if this is the appropriate place for this, but can anyone give me a recommenation of someone to fix a leaking window frame ?

Oh, you mean Ranquist Development? Although I'm not sure that the Case Study are on Division.

http://www.ranquistdevelopment.com/

(their website is SLlllooooowwww)

Can anyone recommend a good replacement window co? We live in an old (1920) condo and none of the windows are the newer vinyl-type windows, they are older, but not too old, metal frame, silde up and down... the bathroom window is broken and I don't know if just any replacement window co. can replace it or if I need a special company. Thanks all! Any recommendations are very much appreciated!

Ranquist has some stuff going up on Division (2154, 2157, and 1711). You might be thinking about the new building that will be going up at 1919 W Crystal. Here are the details on one of those units:
http://www.atproperties.com/01/details.php?LN=6454604&goBack=agentequals145788

I know that the pendant light with the drum shade is pretty played out, but I LOVE this look and want one for my dining room. The problem is that I don't want a plug-in cord, I want to hardwire it to replace our current ugly brass chandelier.

Does anyone know where I can find a hardwired ceiling fixture that is basically a cord or enclosed cord leading down to a socket for a 100W bulb? Loews sells something similar but it only holds a 60W bulb and I think I need more light than that.

I'm thinking that one I find the fixture, finding the perfect white drum shade won't be so hard. I can find a lot of the plug-in sockets, but very little luck with the hardwired variety.

zelda, are you sure you want a 100-watt bulb? That is an awful lot of light for over a dining table, unless it's on a dimmer. I'd get maybe a 40W bulb and supplement with candles for light plus ambiance. :)

As for the drum shade--do those typically just clip onto a bare bulb? I would check that out first before you go too far in your quest for the fixture.

Have you checked out the Chicago Reader this week? I see some familiar places featured in the 'nest issue'-

http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/nestissue/

Tiffany, if it's just the glass that's broken in your window, you need a glazier to replace it. If you can remove the frame that held the broken piece (you can with some kinds of metal-frame windows), the most economical way to get it replaced is to take the frame into a glass place. If that's not possible, a glazier can come out and cut the glass to fit on site. It costs a little more in labor but it could be worth it to you.

If the window frame itself is broken, you probably need to start with your condo board. Unless there's something very unusual about your condo, windows are considered part of the building's exterior, a common element, and their replacement is a common expense. Which is good for you in the sense that you shouldn't have to pay for the new window (at least not directly), but it's also a caution--individual owners don't usually have the authority to replace their own windows. Definitely check your declarations and bylaws, then check with the board before you do too much.