apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm first!

I'm starting the Cure this week, but wondering how to get the same community support as when everyone did it the first time around. Do you think people are still reading the original open threads? Should I post questions there?

I still read them! :)

I need an 86" sofa reupholstered. It's the Jasper Sofa from Room & Board. I have my own fabric for the reupholstering job, and I wanted to get some idea of how much having the labor done will run me.

This is the first time I am doing this so I have no idea how much it will cost or who I can have do it. Can anyone help me or recommend someone? I bought the sofa for $250 used since the color I wanted was not available for the sofa new, so there was no need for me to buy it in a color I did not like at $1400.

Can someone help me out....i'm poor (well a not THAT poor) and I've heard that having this done can run way past $100. I hope I didn't make a mistake in buying my dream sofa for the past 3 years. :-(

I meant I heard it can run way past $1000

Reeny,

Here are a couple of other options for lighting.

http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=830&f=2686&viewall=1

and you can still do candles, just get a hurricane candle holder. the tall sides will shield the flame from going out.

http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=585&f=2122&q=hurricane&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1340&f=4861

http://ww1.potterybarn.com/cat/pip.cfm?src=schi1%7Cp1%7Cwhurricane&pkey=sa1s00hurricane&gids=p6857

I need to have some simple curtains sewn. I have the fabric. Can anyone recommend a good seamstress?

Thanks!

I know there is another way to send in a question but I can't find it so I'm posting it here and would love any input. I have a balcony with no light or outlet. And candles blow out pretty easy on the 16th floor. How should I light my balcony. Are there any cool solar lights (I face west so I get all of the afternoon sun). Or any battery powered lamps? I'd love to sit outside and not worry about tripping over my chairs.

Kerry,
Sewing curtains is right about the easiest thing in the word, so any seamstress should be able to get ti done competently unless you're using very delicate fabric. Just use whoever is closest to you.

Reeny,
Sounds like solar lights or rechargeables are the way to go (since anything battery powered would be too expensive if you use your porch a lot).
Here are so rechargeable votive "candles" that come in several colors and are small enough to fit in whatever candle holder you already have:
http://www.norexbuydirect.com/candle.htm
or
http://herrington-catalog.stores.yahoo.net/hs315.html
I haven't seen any solar lights that I really like, but I'll keep an eye out.
Cheers,
Darlyn

Kerry,
I always ask my dry-cleaner for referrals to tailors/seamstresses. As Darlyn said, its a pretty easy process.

Reeny, I think these battery-lamps from pottery barn are very cute:
http://ww1.potterybarn.com/cat/pip.cfm?src=shpclgtoutout%7Crshop%2Fshpclgtoutout%7Crshop%2Fshpclgt%7Crshop%2Fthmaacc%7Ccthmoga%7Cnshop%7Crgift%5Cfthm%2Fshpcacc%7Crshop&pkey=clgtoutout&gids=p6911

Marisa-
Maxwell just did a post about continuing the Cure threads and the next full Cure coming in the fall :

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/at-book/the-cure-congrats-class-of-june-06-009654

I'm currently in the process of decorating (painting, hanging art etc etc) in my garden apartment.

I've come up with kind of a fun bright poppy young look..but the problem is, I keep going back to these sites like Luminaire etc and wishing I could have a sophisticated, stark, grown-up gallery like space. So I just get frustrated.

..problem is of course that I dont own my place and its not some raw loft, so it would look pretty weird with those kind of furnishings in it, and there is only so much you can do without owning...and I just turned 26 so it's not like I have the money at this point in my life to buy a 7k bed, etc.

anyone else get frustrated like this? I think i just want to have a really grown up space, even though I should just be having fun with what I can have and playing with it for now...while im young....

(i think i might have just been venting, sorry!)

RE: the couch, a friend of mine did hers, and it turned out really nicely, but it cost over $600 just for the new upholstery. Not sure what grade she used and if you could get something cheaper. She got a book from a fabric store on how to do it, and made the pattern, cut and sewed everything herself.

Veronica,

Fret not! I feel like you do from time to time. I rent, so I can't do fun color treatments on my walls, which I would love to do. I don't make a ton of money, so I can’t get all the beautiful mid-century modern things that I lust after. But I try to not let it bug me. (Sometimes easier said than done!) I look at my home as a work in progress. I think I will always be working on it, tweaking it, that's part of the fun.

I say have fun building your sleek, sophisticated style if that is the look you want. Don't do what you think you should be doing. Do what you want to do! You'll develop and grow into your own personal style. I bet you that if you follow the style path you love and not the one you think you should be doing, you will have fun!

There a lot of options out there for folks like us who don't have a ton of money. I totally recommend looking into craigslist if you haven't. Sometimes you can find those sleek, modern gems that you love, but can normally not afford for half the price (or even less).

Good luck!

Walter, It's Stephanie, who sold you the couch. How funny.
A friend once recommended an upholsterer to me that she said was very affordable and friendly. It is Jorge's Upholstery at 1634 N. Bosworth. Telephone is: 773.384.4486. You might want to stop by there with a photo of your couch (I'm sure you can just grab one from teh Room & Board site) and see if they can give you a approximate idea of cost. Good luck!

veronica -

don't let the hgtv or glossy interior design magazine mania haunt you.

the deal is you should feel at home for you, of you and for you. it is all about you. don't let the media tell you what you should do.

nice homes are made with a heart, for a heart.

go girl make yourself at home

i know this is gross but...

i'm prtty sure they exist, but i can't remember where to get it... you know how there are drain protectors for kitchen sinks for food doesn't go down the pipes? do they make those for tubs & showers so you don't have to draino them all the time b/c of hair?

mg, they sure do and they're a pretty good investment. you can get them practically anywhere. they have them in the household section at jewel, even. or you can try home depot/menards of course. and they're cheap!

mg-

check out target or your grocery store or the local hardware store, i'm pretty sure Jewel has som. there called catchers or something like that...

Thanks Stephanie.....I'll give them a call when I get back into town.

Thanks again for the sofa!!!

mg, I bought mine at the .99 store. Three to a pack of screens that fit in the drain hole. I've used them for years and can't imagine life without them. I have them in the tub drain, bathroom sink and kitchen sink. They come in several sizes. 3 for a buck - you can't beat that!

reeny - I love shopping my friends over at Vessel in Boston (they do mail order) for their modern battery powered lighting. I love these things!

http://vessel.com/

Holly

Reeny,
This is the perfect place to post such a question!
Did you like anyone's suggestions?

The link at my name goes to the some of the same rechargeable candles, slighty cheaper at Lightology. Shipping is free online, or visit the amazing showroom at 215 W. Chicago Ave. to pick some up. (The website shows they have it in stock.)

Opinions, please! I love the wall color at Epoch Floral on State and Ontario (www.epochfloral.com... Take a Look link)... and am considering painting my apartment the same dark brown chocolate shade. I have a convertible, so I'm thinking about painting the "outside" walls -- far side of bedroom, far opposite side is living room. What do I need to keep in mind to pull it off? My ceilings are standard height (typical new high-rise), and my carpet is typical tan color, and I probably need white accents to balance. Anything else?

Veronica,
I immediately empathized with your post! When I decorated my first apt. 2 years ago I had a very IKEA-heavy theme with youthful (and often DIY) decorative touches which quickly lost their charm. Best tip ever: Salvation Army. There are tons around the city and in the past 2 weeks I've spotted 6 Thonet bentwood chairs, an amazing chrome/bamboo/glass desk, a white leather-topped midcentury coffee table, hairpin leg slat bench, and tons more. I go for the clothing and often spend way too much time drooling over the furniture but I've been able to really update my apt. with things I've found. The one on North Ave. seems to have the best selection (the whole basement is filled with amazingness). I've never seen anything priced over $120 or so, definitely a good resource! Hope this helps.

Marisa,
I dream about painting my walls that chocolate (actually I dream about painting my walls any color period). I think you're on the right track with using white accents, but I also think that using other complementary colors in the accents is important. Of course they depend on the tone of your brown, but I love cool blues (like sky or Tiffany blue) with cool browns, and metallic-y reds, oranges and golds with warm browns.

Veronica, fear not. Keep educating yourself by looking at the highend. Look for possibilities at Craig's List, CB2 and at resale shops. We found a chair with chrome arms-legs for $40 at a resale shop and had the chrome redone by the guy that does bumpers etc for our mechanic and then had the fabric redone. It cost about half what a new chair from a place such as Room and Board would. We could also do it as we saved up for the different parts. Also, look for floor model sales. Enjoy and Keep it FUN!!
Suzanne Caplan

Can anyone who's had first-hand experience w/ the quality, look, and durablility of foldbedding (www.foldbedding.com) comment on its overall value ... pretty pricy- so i'm a bit hesitant

and all orders are custom, so no returns- i'd just like to know what some others have thought who have actually seen them in person-

thanks.

-Kellen