apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I live in a basement apartment in DC, renting from my landlord who lives in the house above me. About two weeks ago I started to notice the sound of an animal rustling about above me (I couldn't quite pinpoint the exact location). It sounded not unlike what I would expect if a pet hamster escaped and was roaming about. In the past few days these rustlings have graduated to include the sound of gnawing of hard surfaces. The landlord owns cats so when I contacted him about the sounds I was ignored (literally). Other visitors also claim it's the cats but do cats gnaw? We live in a very high rat population area and the house is very old and hasn't been renovated. Given these circumstances, I was surprised that homeowners would be so blase about such a possibility. But maybe others with actual rat experience have a better clue on whether my instincts are correct or if I'm overreacting (as has been insinuated).

(extra note: I'm not really concerned that whatever it is would make its way into either domicile, esp. since they have cats, but I can't live here listening to a family of rodents grow above my head.)

The sure fire way to know if you have a rodent problem is the evidence of droppings. Once you see those, the landlord can't really ignore it.

i have a question for everyone, as a decorative finisher i'm faced with this often.

do you like your switchplate and outlet covers painted like the wall?

i find myself being asked to paint them far more often than not. i'm fine to paint it and all, but to me, they are hardware, and i generally think hardware should stand on its own. plus, there are some really rocking outlet covers out there.

djgroovyslug--I'd say gnawing is the sure presence of SOMEthing...rat,mouse (even if it sounds loud, it may just be a mouse...they can make an awful lot of noise).

My project--which I'm hoping to do next weekend--is fixing up this set of Ikea Ivar drawers that I found on the street a while ago. They're in my closet, but I am planning on staining them ebony and then putting on some drawer pulls that I got at a Restoration Hardware outlet. I might still keep them in my closet, but at least if I decide to bring them out, they won't be ugly bare pine!

scenicartisan................

i generally don't like the switchplates to match. i've seen this with faux finished walls and to me it's a little too precious for my tastes, like something that doesn't need to be messed with. Like when the chain on a chandelier is covered with one of those fabric pockets, like a scruchie on your chandelier.

i prefer the hardware from room to room to match or harmonize (switchplates, light fixtures, hinges, door knobs.)

scenicartisan, for me i don't want to call attention to outlet covers and so always paint them. as for switchplates, it depends on where they are. if i have something hanging on the wall near a light switch, it might detract, so i would paint it the color of the wall or trim. but if there was a really cool one that fit the decor and be interesting, then i would use it. i guess for me, a switchplate is just like any decorative accessory in a room - sometimes you want them to stand out and sometimes you want them to blend in.

djgroovyslug: Those are definitely rats in your walls / ceilings. Like you said, DC has a huge problem with them and your landlord has a responsibility to make sure he/she rents out a clean apartment:
http://www.dcra.dc.gov/dcra/lib/dcra/new_tenant_flier.pdf

It couldn't be a scratching noise from the cat, could it? My cat has a cardboard scratcher on the floor and it could sound like gnawing if I didn't know what it really was, and heard it through the floor.

As for switchplates, I'm not really a big fan either way. If painting to match the wall, a plain wooden kind is probably best, not the shitty plastic ones that are common. I don't like super-ornate or attention-getting switchplates, either. I think if they show, they should be modest and play minor detail.

Think about an electric wire. Some people choose a brown one that doesn't really hide against the top surface of your furniture and you can still see it on the way to the wall (even if it's only visible if you crawl down and look under), so it's just unobtrusive. Some people put their electric outlets and lamps together and use tape if necessary so there's some illusion of no wire at all, as being unsightly. We'll not discuss the people who just don't try to be neat, with the tangled bundles and swags across the wall. Aside from the powered items themselves, evidence of electricity should be, if not altogether invisible, the last thing you notice.

We're looking for a contractor for our kitchen remodel that has experience with small, urban kitchens. We need to make the most of the space. Any suggestions?

My modest DIY project for the month is to rehouse and reorganize my spices, and I'm trying to decide between amber apothecary-ish jars (these or these) or something else... I've seen the aluminum tins with the magnets, but they just really aren't my aesthetic. what do you use? I'm also considering how to arrange them in an accessible manner, because they will most likely be going into this 8" tall space above my sink:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phuongxpham/2495016720/in/set-72157603892327686/

thanks for the input. :)

Do it yourself Period Panty
Here’s a do it yourself period panty into which ladies can place a re-usable cloth for that time of the month. You will thank yourself at least once a month, your pocketbook will thank you as you pass the feminine products aisle at the drug store , the earth will thank you at trash collection time.
Materials and Cost ~$5 or less per
Panty $2 – free (re-use older ones from the back of your panty drawer)
Hose $1 - free (re-use ones with runs, knee highs, droopy elastic etc)
Needle & Thread .25 – free (from your mending kit)
Absorbent Cloth $3. –free (re-use microfiber, old towels etc)
Instructions:
Cut a 4” length tube from a nylon stocking.
Sew the 4 corners of the nylon tube to the 4 corners of the inside of the panty crotch.
Your panty now has an envelope to hold an absorbent material.
My favorite cloth is a super absorbent felt-like orange cloth I bought from a loud mouthed TV salesman. I have used an orphan tube sock, old towels, and microfiber cloths (next favorite, get from the car washing section of Target, Walmart, CVS).
Cut the orange cloth into strips 6”wide and 23”long.
Fold the orange cloth in half lengthwise. Center fit the strip under the nylon, then fold the hanging out ends back over the nylon tube.
Try it for starters as a backup for a tampon or menstrual cup. Next, try it when you can stay close to a bathroom and other options while you gain confidence.
Prerinse in the sink before washing with your regular laundry.
Smile.

Hi
I have a similar question to pinoa, but we are looking more for a kitchen designer who has expertise in small urban kitchens. We have a great contractor but I think we need more help on the design/making the most of the small space aspects of the project. I'd be very grateful for any suggestions!

djgroovyslug, I would think that if you had rats or mice, the cats upstairs from you would be going wild trying to catch the things! (even if they're in the walls, the I imagine the sounds would attract them). It's hard for me to imagine what the sound of a cat or a rat gnawing would sound like, but my cat does sometimes gnaw on my furniture, so it's not out of the question. But gnaw on something so loudly that you can hear it downstairs? Could it be the sounds of something being dragged short distances across the floor instead? Just a thought. My cat has one heavy toy which thumps very loudly on our (carpeted) floor.

DIY Period Panty:

I would never have thought of sewing the nylons into the panty to make this work. I have tried it with old tee shirt material and relegated it to nighttime use because I could not find a good way to secure it. The nylons will solve that problem!

I have a tiny condo with extremely drafty windows. I sewed my own insulated shade using a fabric called Warm Windows. I have hung it up (and it works beautifully to keep the place cosy). Yesterday, I received the hardware that will allow me to open and close it like a roman shade.
When I have completed the project, I'll post a tutorial on my blog.
Here is a progress post from my blog (I sew).
http://alittlesewing.blogspot.com/2009/01/shade-is-ready-to-hang-but.html

My next idea is to build my own Murphy bed. You can buy the mechanism for a little under $300. HAs anyone else done this successfully?
Thanks!

I am stripping the varnish from a rocking chair and refinishing it. I've also sewn a new cushion for it and matching throw pillows for the couch.

My problem is this: I've stripped most of the varnish off, but can't seem to get off the gunk on the spindles (I guess that's what you'd call them - basically, the back of the rocking chair - long tapered dowels). Is there a tool that anyone would recommend for this? I've got a plastic scraper, and that's worked very well on most of the chair. I'm using Citrusstrip, and would recommend it.

My DIY projects the last few weeks:

1. I gutted old/ugly decorative pillows and used the pillow forms to make new decorative pillows out of cool tea towels. On a few of them I used leftover Ikea curtain scraps for the backing. And one tiny pillow I sewed overlapping grosgrain ribbon onto the front of the Ikea fabric. All three types of pillows came out great and at almost no cost: tea towels 4 x $1.20 each on sale at Tuesday Morning, 1 roll grosgrain ribbon at Michaels = $3.99, pillow forms = free; Ikea curtains = free. Five great pillows for a total of $8.79 tax. Can't beat that.

2. I recovered the seat of an old slipper chair (read: short little rocking chair) with some leftover fabric from the quilt my mother made for our daughter = free.

3. I bought two great 60ies-ish side tables from a second hand store to go with our new Ikea Karlstad couch. I sanded, primed and painted them a lovely and fresh olive green. Total cost: sanding blocks = free; paint = $9.99, 2 cans of spray primer = $9.98, 2 tables for $33.99 at 50% off = $16.99. Total = $53.96.

I'm working on getting photos up on my blog. I've just been too busy doing the actual DIYing to get around to it. It's so fun and refreshing to create awesome and useful things out of almost nothing, especially in this economy! I'm going to keep at it. My list is long and my store of supplies is almost endless.

@greenstacie Some friends of ours used auto body putty/filler to create custom shaped sanding tools when refinishing the molding in their early 1900s house. They molded the putty to the wood they wanted to sand and after the putty dried they folded and shaped their sandpaper to the mold. That might work for you.

For the poster looking for a contractor in DC for the kitchen: I highly recommend ANT Builders. They just gutted and renovated our galley kitchen in DC with wonderful results. They were reasonably priced, finished the job on time, and were very professional. I found them through a co-worker, who found them via Angie's List. You can call Shy or Alex with ANT at (202) 330-7525, and tell them the Behrens' referred you. Good luck.
As for the poster looking for a designer - sorry I can't help you. We did not change the footprint of our kitchen, so it was fairly easy to select cabinets, appliances, etc. since the measurements were already there.

Just read that the fabric store that recently closed on K St - I believe it's called "Exquisite Fabrics" - moved to Georgetown, to the upper level of Georgetown Park on M St, the indoor shopping center.

Thanks, grizzarkhov. I'm going to try a few different things this weekend, and hopefully have good results to share!

Help! I'm trying to track down a rug that was recently discontinued. I've seen it on rugsusa.com, overstock, homedecorators.com and amazon - called, variously, Surya Naya NY-5005, the Allison, or Home Weavers Sao Paulo. There are a bunch of smaller sizes out there, but I'm trying to find the 8x11 in the orange-gray-blue combo (not the red-yellow-blue). Any suggestions on where else to look? Thanks!

PIXIE! THANKS! I was so sad when the K Street fabric store closed, and I wasn't sure if it resurfaced. I will go down there straightaway, thanks to you. Really appreciate the news.

I am looking for someone who can assemble the DIY bed at www.instructables.com/id/Aluminum-Pipe-Bed/ in a double size. In DC, it's hard to find someone who can do this sort of small job for dependable rates.

I found a small amount of mold on some of the baseboards in my apartment this morning. This isn't that surprising because it is a 1930s building with cold walls with little to no insulation and 2000s windows that close in the humidity during the winter. I try to keep the window cracked in the bathroom and I have a dehumidifier I run every few days.

I took some mold and mildew shower cleaner and sprayed down the offending baseboard and plan to scrub and rinse it later tonight. Does anyone have any other ideas for remedying the situation? Also, how can I prevent his from happening again?

i recently bought the dwell studio "hedgerow" duvet cover in saffron. but the background isnt actually white. its some sort of blue-ish off-white. wasnt quite what i was looking for but i still love the design so i want to make it work with my room, which is painted mid-grey with white glossy trim.

issue is that i need to find a bedskirt to match the duvet. anyone have any ideas? i'd ideally like to get on in the saffron color to match but would be cool with the off-white. does dwell sell bedskirts to match anywhere? i can't find any.

much thanks!

Scenic, I'm with carolynapplebee. I like my switchplates to match from room to room. We have all ivory.

As an aside, I got my first issue of Coastal Living today -- the replacement for Cottage Living. HATE IT!!! Not my cup of tea at all. Beaches may look nice, but I've seen too many photos of Outer Banks cottages disintegrating into the encroaching surf. Not to mention hurricanes.

What surprises me is: I got Traditional Home as a replacement for another gone-under magazine. I've never thought of myself as traditional, but I like TH a lot better than Coastal Living.

avianmission - so glad that was helpful.

Phu, if you're still reading this, we did a DIY kind of thing with spices that I really like and which might work for you--we put the spices in clear glass jars, like these, used very small sticky labels that we got at Staples or something to label each one. We just handwrote the labels, but you could do some fancy printing action if that's more your style. (Or you could not label them if you'll remember what they are, but I would forget, so I like the labels.)

To make them all visible we put them on a wooden bleacher-type thing, like this. If you got one that was short enough you could probably fit it in the space above your sink.

I like your apothecary jar idea too except I'd suggest using clear ones so you can see the spices, and because the colors of spices are pretty.

Thanks for the suggestions, Jenny. I wound up going with the apothecary jars, mostly because they'll protect the light sensitive spices and also because they were so affordable... I'm thinking of hand-illustrating some kind of labels for them. that step-bleacher thing looks really handy though, I think I'll look around for one! :)

katedet,
I had the exact same problem, except I found quite a lot of mold behind a dresser once. This past weekend, I found some mold on the windows (from condensation). Key is air circulation--both times, I had stuff covering the area so the air couldn't get to it. Also, I used Damp Rid....which does draw moisture out of the air a bit. I have read making a solution of Borax and water and spraying it on works...I did it, but who knows if it was that that helped! This weekend, i used a bleach solution to clean it up.

DJGroovy: Rustling chewing = squirrels, perhaps? The weather's been so temperate this winter that maybe there are still squirrels trying to find a winter home. (Pretty sure that among the ones a trap-and-release guy got from my place was a pregnant one, or a new mother with young-uns. They will chew through electrical wires, too--maybe this will get the landlord's attention!

Is anyone else creeped out by that DIY period panty thing? I think I'll stick with DIY projects around the house, not feminine hygiene.

this isnt DIY related, but anyone have any experience with ikea mattresses? particularly the foam ones? cant spend much on a new mattress right now but need one badly. heading there tomorrow so a few quick responses are appreciated :) wondering about the quality/comfort over time. thanks!

In the spirit of DIY... can anyone recommend a fabric store in the metro area? I'm looking for a place that has inspiring fabrics, not just the basics. THANKS!

looks like the Room and Board deal for 14th street is off:
http://tinyurl.com/avmpw4

Oh that's such disappointing news about Room and Board. This area really needs a glimpse of their beautiful furniture (in person!) to get people out of the Crate & Barrels. A comment posted to City Paper's article linked to news about R&B laying off about 100 workers, and I guess a bank's rightly going to be concerned. (I could easily bump off half of R&B's NY store without a tear, tho--the staff there's horrible.)

And if city officials keep messing around with the plan for an Apple store in Georgetown, I'm gonna scream. If they build it, tax revenue will come, D.C. leaders!

dcaries: G St Fabrics
http://www.gstreetfabrics.com/

There was previous discussion about fabric stores in DC on another open DC thread, but I don't know which one.

I too am disappointed that Room and Board doesn't have a space in DC yet. I love that they would be somewhere in the hood. But, I also want the eatery, comedy club, yoga studio and dance studio which wanted that building to be there or somewhere in the area - I was so disappointed when that hit the rocks. I suppose they must be in the same financial boat as Room & Board. Anyone heard anything about it?

anyone selling any type of credenza/sideboard?

clist for dc furniture is incredibly horrible.

i'm on U st.

To Catnap:

If you are looking for an architectural designer I have a great person for you. His name is George Wabuge, you can email him at aarchit@mac.com.

My DIY project of the moment is finding mid-century fabric for a daybed I found on Clist for a steal. The fabric on it now is a boring and faded plain brown cotton. I like the chocolate brown but would love some texture, but haven't been able to find something that I like and/or can afford.

closer - I don't know what you want to spend, but, depending on what you're looking for, Millenium always has Mid-C modern credenzas/sideboards:
http://www.millenniumdecorativearts.com/

Also, a couple of other places in the hood are Good Wood at U & 14th and Miss Pixie's (no relation) on 14th St. And there are other places as you walk down 14th.

Anyone know of a place where i can take upholstery lessons? I know how to recover a basic chair but I'd like to learn how to do the more interesting ones.