apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Does anyone know if this style of chair has a name, or approximately what year it is from?

http://geocities.com/brantleas/orange_chair.jpg

I am looking for a second one (doesn't have to be in good shape, we'll reupholster it), and it would be helpful to have some keywords to go on.

thanks!

Yay! Decemberists song!

Has anyone bought anything from EQ3? They have a Burbank store, and their site is here: http://eq3.com/cat-eq3/process/locale/en_US/currency/en_US/page/index.html

They have some interesting pieces, but when I see them close up some of them look shoddily constructed--like you ought to be buying it a block a way at Ikea for one-third the price. (Not that there's anything wrong with that...) Does anyone have any experience with them?

Treat yourselves to the tour of Steve Glenn's beautiful home on Core 77. He is doing very exciting, innovative work for sustainable, healthy living. LivingHomes is fantastic.

I've bought furniture from EQ3. I have a small square dining table, a glass desk, and a ultrasuede covered loveseat.

I think the items I bought are all good quality. Only the table and desk had to be assembled, and the loveseat is holding up well considering I have a cat with sharp claws.

Oh, and I got them all for a great deal since the Torrance store was closing. So I think they can be a little overpriced, but my boyfriend bought a sofa after seeing mine. It's pretty comfortable.

Hope that helps some.

Has anyone seen the Mid-Century Sofa from Urban Outfitters in person?:

www.urbanoutfitters.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=28323&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=336&iSubCat=713&iProductID=28323

I've always wanted a Case Study Daybed from Modernica, but the price on this one ($480) is so much more attractive! Only problem is it's always backordered, I don't know if I trust the quality of furniture from UO, and it's hard to get a feel for the finishes just from photos, I'm afraid they might be too cheesey up close. Anyone know?

I have a vintage metal table pedastal that has been painted over by the previous owner. I dream of refinishing it in a polished chrome.
Who does this sort of thing in LA/ the valley?

I've been googling nickel-plated chrome, etc. and I'm finding all sorts of frightening info about hexavalent chromium (hello Erin Brockovich) or I find a giant factories with minimums, or it's auto related.

I feel like I watched an episode of HGTV on this, but it's someting I don't want to do myself -- I have a toddler.

Shanon, for the real deal I think it would be very difficult to do it at home. Ever watch American Chopper or American Hotrod on Discovery / TLC? Those guys always send stuff out to specialty plating companies. I'm sure the same type of company could do your table with ease. Search for metal polishing / plating.

I live in Seattle, so I'm crashing the LA party cuz it's the closest to me. 2 questions: No open thread in SF? And why no AT-Seattle? I know there's gotta be a demand. And how I long for a CL scavenger to call my very own...

Kate and anyone else interested in the MCM sofa at Urban Outfitters,

I saw it and sat on it this weekend at the UO at 3rd St. Prom in Santa Monica and 2 THUMBS UP!!

The material is soft and yummy, a little nubby and feels expensive.

The comfort is good, except that I like a higher back. The seat is a good depth to compensate for the shallower back.

Overall, this seemed like a GREAT buy. I'm not sure what availability is, but I think this product has a very solid feel that you don't get from like pieces at IKEA.

Has anyone ordered a couch from Viesso? (www.viesso.com). I'm interested in the quality of the fabric and construction. I love the idea of being able to almost custom order a couch. Please share your experiences....

Thanks! Cathy

mi. jo, I'm an SFer crashing the LA board, but yes, SF does have open threads, just not as often, I think.

Also, I have a very bad impression of EQ3--the quality looks the same as Ikea, yet not as cute and updated as Ikea. That red black and chrome theme they have goin' on makes me want to give myself papercuts.

Shanon, take it to one of the automotive chrome-plating shops. They won't care that it isn't car or motorcycle related. You can't do it at home.

Shannon - I second going to an automotive place. I've had metal items sandblasted and then painted by going that route before without any problem. And they can get a much better finish than I can.

I stopped by Viesso's showroom on Colorado & Stewart in Santa Monica yesterday. They have a tester couch to go feel all the types of cusions and also a much larger selection of custom fabrics than the website. They just got in a bunch of very cool laser designed wool felt material. You can borrow large swatches to take home. The medium density foam is not much different from the soft. The firm is very very firm. And the goose feathers are divine. They still seem quite reasonably priced as far as custom sofas go. And their small scale is especially attractive to a studio renter like me. They said ordering from the website is the same as ordering from them in the store. Your furniture will still take 3-4 weeks to be delivered. It's $95 in room delivery anywhere in LA or you can save the cash and pick it up yourself from their store. I was tempted to order the 72" couch right away but really need instant gratification. Unfortunately, no floor models are for sale except what's on the website.

RE: MCM sofa at Urban Outfitters

I too saw it in Santa Monica and have a different opinion. It looks kinda saggy honestly. The wood looks cheap too. The back is metal and looks like a futon frame.

So yes, it's too good to be true.

Hi Everyone!
I have a question to ask...
Has anyone had Terminex come out, and if so how was the service. Has anyone had any bad issues after they came?

I am very curious as I have heard horrible stories about people getting sick etc..

Any information would totally help!
Thanks,
Vanessa

Hi all!

I'm coming to L.A. for the first time in July, I'll be staying in Studio City and will have a car, is there anything I MUST do?

I'd like to see Grauman's Chinese Theatre and maybe shop Fred Segal.

any reccomendations would be appreciated!

Can anyone recommend a renter's insurance company for southern California (Santa Monica)?

I'd like to get a policy that includes earthquake coverage.

Thanks

Perhaps a little late now, but I just dropped off a poster (25"x38") to be professionally framed at a place in Pasadena. They are "float" framing it, no mat. The total came out to $240. Am I getting totally ripped or is that fair?

What kind of frame did you get? If you just got a basic, simple museum frame then yes, that is pretty high - especally with no matting.

Balls. My says its 1 1/2" Walnut Ebony. Maybe the cost comes from the float framing, which creates a slight shadow box effect?

Hi Jessica...
i recently took an oddly-sized print into Aaron Brothers in Pasadena to see about framing it. we couldn't find a frame that worked, so the guy suggested using a mat or "floating" it, like you had done. for a custom job he said prices started at $150. that was WAY out of my price range...

so, being the creative DIY girl that i am, i bought a really large wood frame (dunno what kind of wood but it matches my fondness for teak) and took my print and my frame to Paper Source (on Colorado in Old Town Pasadena). they sell AMAZING heavy sheets of decorative paper in all patterns and styles, some bold, subtle, and plain. i bought several options that complimented the print and the frame and tooke them home. i taped the paper to the cardboard backing of the frame, and "floated" the print over the paper. i secured both into the frame and, tadaaa!
frame: $30
paper: $18 (prices run $3.50 - $6)
print: gift
and it looks SO expensive!!

oh, and as far as im aware, "floating" the print over a mat or paper just means that it's on top of it and you can see the edges of the print, its not secured behind a mat or the actual frame. it shouldnt cost any more for that!!

Jessica:

I've gotten several posters float-framed, no mat, really inexpensive frame all for like $40, $50 bucks each. Frame, glass, service, tax, everything.

Yep. You got ripped.

I've got a question of my own: Anyone know of cheap ways to protect the wall around a dart board? We've used styrofoam. It makes the dart holes be less deep than they would be with nothing around it, but it looks horrendous and I'm sure we'll still get fined for the holes. I'm going for cheap; Target sells something made of foam, but meh. And it's black.

Kate, where did you go? I can still get my poster back and take it somewhere else.

For your dartboard can you mount it on some plywood and then attach the plywood to the wall... You'll still have drill holes in the wall but it will look better than tiny dart holes. You can always putty over the holes when you move.

Maybe you could get a thin piece of plywood and paint it an accent color and then place one of those self healing cutting mats over it.

I found some that can be custom cut, do not have the grid lines on them and come in a translucent material. They're pretty well priced.

http://www.cutting-mats.net/custom-mats-nogrid.html

You could try just the cutting mat first and see how if it holds up, but I think you just need something hard behind anything you try so it stops the dart.

KateTheGreat-
Try a large corkboard behind your dartboard. This is what my parents did with our dartboard when we were kids. you could cover the cork with fabric or wallcover to make it interesting.

Dayinla:
Where do you find such a corkboard?

Jessica: I live in Utah. I just took it to my local framing shop. The place is called Bev's. My grandma recommended it to me.

Laura: Good ideas. I'll take a look. Thank you.

Hm... thanks for the recommendation Kate but I don't think I'm going to make it to Utah from LA. I'll just console myself that that accounts for the price difference and vow to LOVE THE HELL out of my poster when it comes back.