apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm thinking of buying the CB2 duplex sofa (linked below). Anyone have any opinionson /experience with this sofa before I drop any cash?

http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=102&f=3038

Can someone point me to a website or please tell me what the recycling program in Chicago is? I am in the city and it appears there are no recycling options. Does the city just do a horrible job of communicating or is there no program in place? Thank you.

http://www.chicagorecycling.org/index.php

Chicago does a horrible job of recycling, but type Chicago and recycle into a search engine and it comes up fast.

Does anyone have a good Chicago resource for stone repair? I have a problem with mold in my marble shower where the wall meets the shower floor (I think the mold is growing in the caulk). In a different location, the grout needs to be repaired - it is cracking and crumbling away. I have attempted myself but I have been horribly unsuccessful at removing the mold without damaging the marble. I have accepted that a professional is needed!

Depends what kind of building you live in, and take your recycling to a drop-off place if you can, but there is the city's blue bag program:

http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalDeptCategoryAction.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@0364643010.1182206833@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccccaddlelgmflecefecelldffhdfgn.0&deptCategoryOID=-536890018&contentType=COC_EDITORIAL&topChannelName=Dept&entityName=Streets and Sanitation&deptMainCategoryOID=-536890017

Does anyone have good suggestions for shelf paper? I don't particulary like that stretchy bumpy kind that I've seen at Target, etc., and am having trouble finding alternatives.

Meg B. if you find a good stone repair person please post the contact info. I am in the market for one as well!

Alright, I just splurged on this bedding: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&id=69306&parentid=SLEEP_BEDDING_DUVETS&pushId=SLEEP_BEDDING_DUVETS&popId=SLEEP_BEDDING&sortProperties=&navCount=16&navAction=poppushpush&color=one. I need sheets now to go with my fabulous bedding, but I refuse to get boring sheets.

Since I did splurge on the bedding that I love, I've got a bit of a tighter budget for the sheets. Any suggestions on cute but cheap sheets?

BetsyFine - Depending what shelves you are covering (kitchen, closet, drawers?), you may consider using regular decorative paper. I covered all my shelves in my closet with this paper (http://www.italianpapers.com/product_info.php?products_id=245), using double-stick tape to adhere. I found this at Blick Art Supplies, and used the permanent double-stick tape (don't even bother with the temporary/removable table, it doesn't hold anything).

Of course there are lots of other craft and card shops (Paper Source, Paper Doll) in Chicago that carry other brands and designs to your liking. If you need it for shelves that may get wet then this probably isn't your solution, but it has done a great job of making my closet more appealing and covering up the horrendous sticky paper that has probably been on there since the 70s... I rent so the option of removing that wasn't there. The paper has been a nice, semi-permanent solution.

Meg B., it sounds like what you need isn't so much stone repair (unless your stone is cracked or broken as well as having grout and caulk issues) as it is the services of a good tile installer. A tile installer experienced with stone tiles should be able to evaluate your grout issue to determine why it's crumbling and either replace it or recommend a more serious repair--for instance if it looks like your tile wasn't installed properly and/or if moisture is getting to the wall behind the tile.

(If you do have stone damage, our building has used Sungloss Marble to repair stone in our foyers, and they've been good to work with: http://www.sungloss.com/)

Caulk getting mildew is pretty much a fact of caulk life, but if your shower is marble you're right that your options for getting rid of it are limited, since you can't use bleach, ammonia, or anything acidic (really anything except very mild pH-neutral soal like Ivory liquid) on marble without damaging the stone. Usually the bead of silicone caulk around the bottom of a shower can be pulled out and just redone once in a while. Annually is good. But when you get someone in for the grout, they might be able to suggest some alternatives that are better.

Ann Sacks Tile (in the Merchandise Mart, first floor) has a list of recommended tile installers--I'd get that from them and then call around to find someone who has a lot of experience with stone tile.

Thanks Diana! I will look into Sungloss for the crumbling grout and some cracked tiles in our entry.

I actually took one more go around at removing and replacing the moldy caulk. With a lot more sweat and tears, I have fixed the problem which involved exacto knives and a lot of patience. But I did it without damaging the marble. It looks so much better!

Nicole - I had contacted two resources before deciding to tackle myself: Stone Care Services and Case Handyman. SCS came out and estimated the recaulking of the shower (they wouldn't touch the grout issue) - $225. Case Handyman is just that - a handyman. They are great for small little projects but do not provide any advice or solution to problems - at $225 for a two hour minimum.

Meg,
Congratulations on re-caulking your moldy shower. I am a nut about this and do it every year because I want my caulk to be perfectly white. I find a little heat helps to soften the caulk - I use my hair dryer and blow warm air on the area before I start digging. Another alternative would be to use one of those steam cleaners to heat the area you are trying to remove--I found this worked famously in my bathroom. The only problem with the steam cleaners is they can also remove paint because of the extreme heat.

Alice! love you. That's fantastic advice. I could have used it the other night! I will definitely keep this in mind next year when I need to recaulk. Thanks for the tip.

Inspired by all the recent "green" posts, I just proposed to our condo association the idea of adding a rain barrel and a compost bin.

Any tips on what to look for when buying either? Recommendations for brands/models?

Also, a few of the neighbors are concerned about the compost attracting rodents. Is this really a common problem or just a misconception? If it is a problem what are some ways to prevent unwanted critters?

i'm going to make some curtains out of some marimekko shower curtains from crate and barrel. any good ideas on how to deal with the shower curtain ring holes?

i plan on using clip rings to hang the panels, but i don't know that clipping through the holes is a fabulous idea. my mom suggested sort of pleating them to hide the holes. thoughts? they'll never be pulled shut, they are more for decoration and framing out the windows more.

Chicagores07,

There could be a few issues that will come up. If the compost bin starts to smell bad that will be a huge problem. Residents may complain that they have this stinky barrel. They may not see any benefit to it being there. Do you have a lot of landscaping around the building that could benefit from compost? I've been meaning to look into organizations that may actually pick up your compost bin and then take it to an area where they have a huge compost pile comprised of compost from other pick-ups. This way the building does not have to provide maintenance for the compost, all they have to do is provide a container--or maybe the aforementioned organization would even provide a container.

The main problem with the rain barrel I could see is that it will breed mosquitos if they are allowed to get in there freely. I would think you'd have to find something that is specifically designed with this in mind. Especially in a city where West Nile Virus turns up every summer. I'd be interested in hearing about your progress with your efforts.

My weekend project is not nearly as earth moving as this is, installing my shades from the Shade Store.

Hi Art,

Thanks for responding. That's a pretty cool idea about the community compost. Our neighborhood is actually in the process of building up a community garden a block away, so perhaps I could get in touch w/ their gardening committee and see if something could be arranged. Transporting the material could be a big hurdle, though, if they don't means of picking it up.

Good point about the mosquitos. I've seen at least one model that has some kind of protective covering against bugs. And looks like others let you hook up the barrel directly to a rain spout, so the standing water isn't open to the elements (and bugs). I haven't seen any in person yet, though, so still not 100% sure how they work. But I will keep this in mind as I continue my search.

Thanks!

There are actually a lot of rain barrels designed to be completely tight (including a screen) so to avoid bugs and such. Your downspout would connect directly to the rain barrel, which in theory would be tight. Essentially they work by gravity, with rain running directly into the barrel. A spigot is installed at the bottom of the barrel, and then connect your hose, or let water into a watering can, and it's really as simple as that. If you set the barrel up off of the ground it will help with the pressure.

Of course there are more complex systems using water cisterns, pumps and drip irrigation, but I don't think that's what you're looking for.

You may have to figure out the size of your roof to find the size of the barrel that will be required. If the barrel is too small, it's not a big deal, some systems come with an overflow tube to discharge excess water.

I don't have any specific links on hand, but Google it and you should be able to find something.

While downspouts are being discussed, anyone interested in replacing theirs for something that looks way better check out http://rainchains.com/

we keep our outdoors in the backyard with plenty of lime. the smell was very strong for the first few days, but it didn't last. now there isn't any smell. the compost that seems to be working the best thus far is the one with only yard work waste such as mowed grass, clipped branches, etc.

http://rainreserve.com/
Check out the link above, they make mosquito proof rainbarrels out of reused food grade barrels. I saw them in use last weekend, they seem like a good, affordable product.

This is a little late for Meg, but I just found the link to this article on how to caulk your tub or shower on Charles & Hudson: How to Caulk or Recaulk a Bathtub or Shower Enclosure. It's something I'm planning to do this summer, so I thought I'd post it for others who haven't gotten around to it yet.

(Meg, I did notice that he recommends letting the shower enclosure dry out for an extended period of time before recaulking, if there's been a repeated mildew problem.)

Saturday we had a yard sale and sold off a ton of junk that we don't want to bring with us when we move next month. Then at the very end of the day when we were packing up someone right under our noses reached over my balcony and stole my Ipod that we were listening to during the day. I am so very disappointed.

I'm installing these great Wall Flats from Inhabit in my dining room.

http://www.bobbyberkhome.com/product/wall-coverings/2859/inhabit-bedding-seesaw-wall-flats.html

Sorry to hear that Sisero. Hopefully you can get a new one and it will be better than your old one. And life has a way of dealing with people who steal things and ruin other people's days.

Chicagores,

I just learned about this place from my aunt this weekend. I don't know if you have a car or if this relates to your efforts but there is a place called Heritage Farms off of Route 38 in the Geneva/Elburn area which grows organic produce. I just made some spring garlic and onion soup with their produce that my aunt gave me. They have a program where you can bring a container of compostible material and in return fill your container with their finished compost. Sounds like a fair trade to me. Don't know much more about the place other than it's name. I'm going to get more info this week.

Anyone have an LG washer/dryer combo? I started to install an electric washer/dryer in my condo, but due to plumbing/venting issues, am thinking I make backtrack on the whole thing and get an LG combo.

My question is, I already have the water hookups for the washer, so can I hook the LG up directly to this, and not have to connect to the sink every time I use it?