apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm having trouble getting into this week too. I know I should be working on it after work, but I feel like I'm too tired to do it. And this weekend is going to be really busy. So good luck jodi, and lisa in sacramento. Hopefully we all manage to get it done!

Is anyone else having trouble with the 80/20 color rule? I mean, where do colored walls fit in? I have yellow walls in my living room and I want to paint my kitchen walls orange. Is that too much color? Does that mean all my furniture and accessories should be neutral? Am I taking this way too literally?

I too am having some problems with the 80/20 rule, and some warm/cool issues. My public spaces all run together but get very different amounts of sunlight. The south side is the living room and is flooded with light-it has an entire wall of southern exposure windows, with windows in the east and west walls too. The north side of my house is the dining room, and it is pitch black dark most of the time-it has 2 windows facing north, but it is DARK. These two rooms are open into each other with the kitchen in the middle. I haven't had my AHA moment yet.
This week will be harder for me to do- I have been sick for a week with a cold now, and have passed it to my entire family. Having a sick 3 yr old makes it difficult to do much, but I will try-I have a big list.
I am putting up some new pics today. Have a great week.

Julie (in N. CA) asked a very good question at the end of the last Cure thread, and I don't want it to get lost there. She's wondering about inspiration for decorating a typical beige apartment with sliding glass doors in the living room -- gee, is a coincidence that I have a typical beige apartment with sliding glass doors, and I picked up on her question? She wonders if such apartments can ever look good. I'm sure hoping they can! I'm working on it, Julie!

Has anyone ever run into any style pics for such an apartment? (Link in my name to the bare bones of the kind of beige apartment I'm talking about, and I think Julie's talking about as well.)

WOW... Just WOW!

I am new to Apartment Therapy (although I have needed it for years). My family (two kids, dh, and I) are in the process of moving from a fairly large townhouse to a much smaller cottage in the downtown are of my in-law's town. We LOVE the details in our new cottage and we're enjoying the decorating and decluttering/down-sizing process immensely.

Thanks for the fabulous site... I'll be a fixture here now!

i bought the book, am dying to do everything (trying to cram it all in) but don't have the money for fresh flowers, for paint, for furniture - i don't have any money to spare. i would like some hints so i can still participate in the cure (in order to rid myself of baggage in the form of clutter and too many clothes) so that the next time around, i can make my place pretty. i'm dying without color on the walls, though. but i also can't decide my taste at all. i like modern, clean, simple, but i like comfy, too. and none of the stuff i have now (every single peice of furniture a hand-me down - no joke) matches/goes together/mixes well but i can't even afford a decent coffee table (current one hideous and bought at a garage sale for 15 dollars). i guess posting pictures of my ugly stuff someone can give me diy ideas to fix it - with the smallest amount of money? it's really starting to be depressing.

I've done some thinking about about the beige-box conundrum (although thankfully I don't have that problem myself anymore).

My take is that you need to be disciplined and restrained in the use of color - not so much in the color values (go shocking pink if you want) but in the number of colors/tones/shades.

Did you see that great NYTIMES slideshow from the HomeGarden section on THE MODERNS? There were a couple of apts that had a very limited palette that included beige or white.

Of course beige-box denizens don't usually come with the resources to take a disciplined approach and usually have a gamut of mismatched possessions.

Elizabeth,
One thing you could do is when you're putting things in your Outbox, figure out how you could sell some of them. Maybe a garage sale or Ebay. Then use any of the money you make from that to indulge in some new items for your home. You probably won't be able to get a lot of things that way, but at least you'll break even.

I've found that even without spending any money, just going through my stuff and cleaning and organizing (and getting rid of a lot of stuff) is really improving my entire quality of life. You might find the same is true for you.

Just posted my embarrassing before pics. Trying to tackle this mess without losing my mind!

The first thing I did was trade my queen sized futon for a small loveseat, and my boyfriend hates it. He's over 6' tall, and I'm under 5'. He liked being able to lay down and watch TV. I feel bad now. I felt like the miniscule space needed a mini couch.

Anyone else having roommate or partner issues slowing down the cure?

Elizabeth - I am in a similar financial position so I am focusing on the cleaning, de-cluttering, and re-organizing aspects of the Cure. You can make a lot of improvement without spending any money.

As suggested, if you can sell some of the items you put in the outbox, you might be able to afford something, even if it's just some flowers. I bought myself flowers this week and I have already had more than $7 enjoyment out of them. It's amazing what a difference they make for me.

If you can find a way to save a bit of money for paint, that is an inexpensive way to make a big difference. Even just one wall painted can have a huge impact. Good quality paint will go farther and be easier to work with so is worth the price difference. I managed to cover a wall (both sides) with 2 coats of paint from 1 quart, which should have only done half that for the wall size, if I followed standard paint calculations. It was Benjamin Moore paint, so that cost me about $16 (CDN).

If you're open to many colour options, go check out what your local paint store has to offer for mismatches. Most paint shops will have already mixed colours that didn't match the chip so the customer didn't want it, and they will sell this paint for MUCH cheaper. There's usually a fairly diverse selection. Make sure that the paint is a suitable finish for your purpose (furniture or wall).

Please post pics of your furniture! Do you have access to a sewing machine?

My chairs arrive sometime on Thursday, and I'll get some pictures up by Friday. I feel like I'm a little bit all over the place with this Cure, but I'm plugging along as best I can and am sure our place will be much better for it in the end.

Jessi, I also have partner issues, but I am sure that mr. kendra.e thinks he does too! We both have ideas on what we want, and sometimes you have to make a decision, like getting some dining chairs, and if they don't work out, guess what? Later you can get different ones! If your roommate/partner/person does not like the little couch, let him go find something he does like maybe, and see if you can agree on it. On the other hand, I have not had chairs for ten years, so you might want to take your advice from someone else.

Anyhow, back to my mess. I was not really home much at all last week and into the weekend, but I feel like I have a grip on things, sorta, and have a bit of list of things the Awesome room needs. I set up a little landing strip area, and then I got rid of some junk, and I have one thing I have got to mail in someplace which made me realize my organizational skills are a bit challenged. I ordered some boxes from container store and began making piles and if my one piece of paper does not show up, at least my other pieces of paper will be in order.

whew!

smallcitybeth - I have lived in a beige-box and I find the problem with them is that they lack the "soul" that an older apartment (with its leaks and creaks) has. They tend to have cheap finishes and fittings to go with the neutral colours and very small proportions (low ceilings being the biggest sin). I think the solution is to give the place the love that was lacking when it was built. With a rental, you may be limited to fairly superficial things. But some ideas that can make a big difference to the bones are lighting fixtures, cabinet hardware, and mouldings.

Today my new stove arrived. The old one's doors wouldn't close properly, and the oven has scorched the sides of the cabinet drawers nearby.... So, my new one is great. Except for one thing.

It won't fit flush with the back wall, like the old stove did. It sticks out about 4". Looks awful, I think!! To fix this problem, it seems the gas pipes sticking out from the wall would need to be shortened. AND the part that needs to be shortened is behind the gas turnoff valve. What to do?

Does anyone have any experience with refitting gas pipes like this? I live in a large apartment building. Would the gas to the whole building have to be turned off, and then would it be a hugely dangerous job anyway? Or, should I live with a stove sticking out 4" from the wall, and 4" from the edge of the counters, and 2" into the doorway right next to it? If so, that would feel like the anti-Cure. I almost want my broken stove back.

Ah, this is so disappointing....

Elizabeth,
Check out Craig's List, they have a free section, you might find someone else's outbox is your treasure. I have a wish list for a few items, but I know that I don't have enough money right now, so I'm keeping them on the wish list while I'm saving money.

Hi all! I did the Cure last year (not at the same time as the blog) and am doing it again, to reclear all the clutter that somehow reappeared. It's better than last time, though!

Here's my question: What takes precedence, the color groups, or "warm/cool"? For example, my kitchen has a color scheme based on some fabric I love- orange and green, mostly. So one's warm, one's cool- where does that leave the room? And aren't we supposed to avoid the combo of warm and cool colors? Help!

sea,
My mom had this problem when her building replaced her old stove- they brought in folks to turn off the gas just to our apartment and they replaced the stiff pipe with a flexible one so that the stove could be pushed back. Check with your building to see if that might work for your situation...

Working on the landing strip tonight, I painted my switch plates to match my wall color. To give some visual height to my hall chest I put out some glass candle sticks I use only for entertaining, why keep them hidden away in a drawer.

The big task this week is to clean the hall closet. I am debating whether or not to get rid of an espresso maker I have boxed up and taking up valuable shelf space. I have had it for years; I rarely use it since I do not have the counter space to keep it out. Part of me wants to keep it for entertaining and something inside says I should sell it on Craigslist to make some money for my cure projects.

Lastly I hope to reframe some old Japanese prints, and hang them by the front door, then my landing strip will be complete. I'll post photos at the end of the week.

LynneF

I just posted some pics of my beige box to give an idea. Those paintings looked so fabulous in our old place with tall ceilings, sheer red curtains, and warm wood floors. Now nothing really works. Any ideas for how to overcome the architecture?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92663696@N00/sets/72157600012681736/

Jessi - we have a loveseat and a large padded ottoman. If you slide the ottoman up to the foot of the loveseat you can pretty much lie down. And if you put a tray or something on top your ottoman can also function as your coffee table.

Sea, can you call a plumber and explain your difficulty? A good one might be able to come in and give you an estimate and you could pass that on to your landlord or something. I'm so sorry your new stove isn't working out, but I think that's not a terrible fix. Even if you do have to turn off gas to the building (how big is your building?) it might be only something like 1/2 hour job. I think it is definitely worth getting figured out because that sounds horrible!

The following is my method for how to clean up a really messy area that is too overwhelming to know where to start. .

1. Get a big box, laundry basket or other container.
2. Put everything from messy place (cupboard, shelf, tabletop, or whatever) in the container. Do not look at, evaluate, or play with anything you come across. Put it directly into the container. This step should take less than 5 minutes.
3. Now that formerly messy place should look tidy and you should feel a sense of accomplishment already. Pause and enjoy the emptiness.
4. Dust or wash area if necessary.
5. Now go through the box, one item at a time.

For each item:
1. Can the item go in your outbox, garbage, or recycling? If so, put it there.
2. Does the item require some attention? (i.e. an action like return or repair) If so, set aside to deal with later. Do not put it back.
3. Does the item belong somewhere else? If so, put it there.
4. Does the item belong here and truly deserve to use up some of this space? If so, put it away neatly. If not, put it in the outbox.

When done, you should have a neat space and perhaps some items from step 2. It is key that you not allow those items requiring action back before you take the action or they will disappear into general mess. Now is the time to make a plan for how/when to deal with them.

I find this works well for me because by clearing everything off, I feel like I've made progress and cleaned it up before I've really had to make any decisions (the hard part). And when trying to get rid of stuff it's often easier to choose to NOT put something back than it is to choose to take something away. Also, if I need to stop part way through for some reason, I can just hide the box full of unsorted stuff, I don't have to put things away or clean up the area ... it is already clean.

CQ in DC,

Thanks a lot - that gives me some hope. I'll ask my building's super. The more I think about this, the more convinced I am that I don't have to live with it the way it is. I guess when the (highly uncommunicative, and speedy) guys installed the stove, and left without even pushing it in as far as it could go (and without a goodbye, which I called out to them as one threw me a smile over his shoulder).... I guess I just thought it was normal. I was excited about the newness of the appliance, and it took me a while to see that it did not really look normal. And now that's all I see when I enter the kitchen, of course.

Oh, and Anne in Reno -

Just saw your encouraging comment. My building is HUGE! But you are right that the job itself would be very very quick - I would say 5-10 minutes with the right tools and enough muscle to untighten the pipe connectors.

I have to be out a lot this week, so I'm not sure when I can get this taken care of. But I hope it's soon, and I'll let you all know what happens.

Does anyone have some good ideas for where I can find a modern looking, orange sofa for a reasonable price?

I've been looking through some of the websites described on the guide, and I love some of the sofas, but they all seem to be upwards of $2000. (Yeeeks!)

This week is a really hard one for me. My entrance is in a room which otherwise wouldn't get cured so it's the whole room for me. At the moment the room really doesn't have much of a purpose. I tend to shy away from it since it's colder, less private and full of coats and shoes- but it feels like such a waste of a fairly large room.

KathyT - orange is a popular colour for modern furnishings so you should be able to find something at just about every price point. Even IKEA has modern looking orange couches. The internals of IKEA's upholstered pieces are often ultra-cheaply made though, so maybe not the best place to actually spend your couch money. But just go looking at store's within your budget and style and you'll probably find something.

KathyT - have you looked at Room & Board? You can customize any of their sofas in any of the fabrics that they carry. I looked through the swatches and they have several orange ones. Check it out - maybe you'll find something that works for you.

Sea - Good luck with your stove!

Angorian - Thanks for the *great* tips! That is fantastic advice!!

Btw Thursday and Sunday I reclaimed $84.48 by returning a curtain, three pillowcases, one throw pillow and price exchanging a lamp that had gone on sale. And there are a couple more things to go.

Jennie - I posted on your pics, but just to consider - that large entry room looks like a nicespace with a ton of potential.

Do you have any fun textiles? I think your table surfaces would benefit from a runner of some type, both to add color to the room, and to soften the style a bit.

Also, have you considered keeping only one of the 2 larger tables? do you need both?

Don't despair - doing this AT process can really make us think, and thinking can lead to those lovely up and downs....there is always an up!

You have a good room to work with - good luck!

LynneF, funny that you should mention an espresso machine - I have one, too, that I rarely use. The thing is, when I want espresso, I want espresso!

Alas, it is one of THREE coffeemakers here, along with a 4-cup drip machine that I use every day, and a 12-cup drip machine. Since I have a dining room that seats 10, the 12-cup drip doesn't really seem unreasonable.

What I may jettison first is an ice-cream maker: I'm lactose-intolerant. This is the week for it since it's in the front closet.

Thanks for people's comments. Just to clarify, I'm actually pretty happy with my new-to-me beige box. Although it doesn't have the character of other places (I still drool over Cathy in MN's place from the Fall Cure), it suits me and my current needs. I'd just like to see some decor inspiration that acknowledges that some of us live in beige boxes, and can't paint or whatever. (And I was mainly wanting to get Julie's question from the end of the last thread to a place where it would be seen on this thread.)

When I go into my new-to-me apartment, it makes me smile, and that's a good feeling. It'll make me smile even more when I get more done, but even in the moving in stages, it makes me happy. (And note, not all beige-box denizens have totally mismatched furniture, etc. Sometimes beige-box is the best choice for one's current circumstances. It's just not the most attractive thing on the block.)

Angorian -- I really liked what you said -- "I think the solution is to give the place the love that was lacking when it was built" -- I think that's the key. Actually, I think that's the key to the Cure itself, no matter what the bones of our apartment may be, we need to give the place some love that may have been lacking in the past. Thanks.

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I have to admit that I was getting a little down because everyone seemed to be at a point in their lives where they could invest in home improvement. I'm very ... I guess relieved (but not that I'm happy for those like me that can't afford pretty things!) that there are others in my same predicament. I do have access to a sewing machine - a very expensive digital one at my mothers house about 15 minutes away. I used it once to sew an 18th century ballgown as a Halloween costume in the 9th grade, but haven't done anything before or since. I am planning on turning my hideous velour (agh!) curtains into shades (via Martha Stewart) so they will fit the oddly shaped windows, but have to wait till the weekend to do so. There is also a table that has some sort of rattan on the bottom of it - inherited again - that I plan to fix - somehow. Tonight I will take pictures - everyone will have to excuse the mess because we did just move in, and had to do it in one day (after knowing about the opening for 3 weeks) so not everything was packed very well, and is thusly all over the floor. I looked at Craiglist for Birmingham but it's nothing compared to ny or la or sf! Most people who are selling things on Craigslist here have absolutely no taste! I don't know how to even explain it!!!! I have been wanting to paint the kitchen and the bathroom, if only just to make me feel better. The landlord took out the beautiful tile that comes in most old buildings in Birmingham and replaced it with that vinyl flooring that is fugly. He put in those fake plasticky-stuff-on-plywood counters and incredibly cheap cabinets which he won't let me replace or paint. So I figured some kind of green color would go well with the tan/white/I-don't-know color plastic floor/countertops. The oven doesn't work - not even if I light it by hand and he doesn't want to buy a new one. It's a very strange situation and I'm trying to figure out if I want to buy my own oven (again, broke) and take it with me or cook only on the stove top. I hate that when I saw the place, it looked awesome, now I can't stand the dark wood molding around all doors, windows, entryways, floorboards, etc (and it's not even dark wood - it's painted dark brown) and I can't paint over them! Even if I could the doors are the same color! I think that decluttering should be my first form of attack and just ignore how much I hate the apartment I thought I would love until I can fix it. But the bathroom and kitchen will get somet paint. At least I'll have those two rooms. Sorry for the long rant. You guys are awesome and I come to this site many times a day for inspiration in not only design but in life.

I noticed another Nicole, so I'm changing to Nicole R.

Elizabeth in AL--

I think I read in another post way back that you were in my city. If so, I recommend the Western on Highland Ave. or the Publix on Greensprings Hwy. for your flowers. Western usually has at least SOMEthing, and the Publix always has different stuff for about 3 bucks a bunch. I usually get mine at Publix. I have one modern vase and a few bud vases that I try to keep stocked. It's amazing how good the plainest flowers can look when you put one or two of them in a really simple vase.

I've recently cleaned out my closet, too and have a couple things that are in decent shape. I'm going to call Zoe's in Forrest Park this afternoon to see if they are accepting consignments right now. It's a good way to make a bit of extra cash. And if you've never shopped there--run there now. It's pretty great. And there's a great jewelery store behind it called Luxe. Go there, too. Yay for shiny things!

Also, my outbox is starting to fill up with a few decorative things that just aren't me anymore. I've got a few nick nacky things and at least one or two prints/posters. If we really do live in the same city, I might have something you want.

What are the rules for posting an email address on this site? Because I could send you my email contact info if you want.

"we have a loveseat and a large padded ottoman. If you slide the ottoman up to the foot of the loveseat you can pretty much lie down. And if you put a tray or something on top your ottoman can also function as your coffee table."

Thanks for this advice - I will try this!

And thank you Angorian for the cleaning tip - I can't wait to get home and tackle one of the many clutter corners in my apartment! I think when you break it down like this it seems doable. My problem is when I take an item that goes 'somewhere else', I see that 'somewhere else' is also a huge mess and I get sidetracked. I have ADD when it comes to cleaning. I just have to focus on one area and forget about the rest, right?

Elizabeth in AL,
I would check to see if there are any tenants rights associations in Birmingham that you can talk to- I'm pretty sure fixing the oven shouldn't be optional for the landlord. You said you can't paint the moulding- have you specifically asked, or does your lease just indicate no painting? I know my lease in DC says that, but the basic rule here is you have to paint it back to white when you leave (unless it is a light color that the building can cover in one coat because they are required to paint between tenants). Can you strip the moulding of all paint? This can be painful and time consuming, but I've done it in my mom's old pre-war apt in DC and the change was unbelievable. The resident manager at the time was so inspired he did the same in his kitchen; you should definitely be able to sell it to the landlord as an improvement to the property.

Do post pics- people here are so helpful and sometimes a new eye is all it takes to help you create something wonderful!

Yes! We do live in the same city! And I L-O-V-E Zoe's and Luxe! I have sold some clothes there, and you really don't get as much as you should on your clothes. I've set up an e-bay seller's account in hopes that I will get more, if not, off to Zoe's I go. Also, you have to be there at the right time with the right person who actually KNOWS that these $200 dollar brand new pants that you've worn once are worth more than 10 bucks to you. I live on the Southside, as well. I would tell you what resto it's near, but who knows what kind of sillies are lookin (not that I don't trust AT, just rather be safe than sorry). I don't know the rules for email addresses on AT. Maybe someone can help out? I shall walk to the Western today and get some fleurs!
And I have asked about painting the molding and he said "nu-uh" (there's even the quart of paint he used to paint it with still in the utility closet with the roller and ..thing the paint goes in??..on top of the can....). I thought I would LOVE the dark molding, but I can't seem to find a way to incorporate the colors I want with it. Like, I've always wanted a chocolate/plum accent wall with gray ..other..walls. Can't do it because it will be nearly exactly the color of the molding!
The problem with the landlord - and I hope he doesn't wander somehow onto this site and think it's me - but he works with me and I thought he was very cool until little things started popping up. Like, we've been waiting 3 weeks for the dishwasher to be installed (got a free one from a friend and he said he'd have his maintenance man install it) and we have SWARMS of carpenter bees on our porch boring holes in the wood and he says "oh it's just the season" (so! I don't like bees! - so I plan to "cure" the porch myself) But in any case, he is a vey nice guy, which is why I end up getting cut short. And since I've only had corporate landlords, I don't really know what all you should expect a private landlord to take care of. any knowledge on the subject?
I may just buy an oven off of craigslist ... I mean if you are renting, is it a law that there should be a working oven in the apartment? or is it understood, but not enforceable? I just really don't know the ettiquette.

elizabeth - You need to find your local tenant's rights association ASAP. If you can't find one, read your city's tenant-landlord act, which will inform you of what they are and aren't allowed to do and what your rights are. There is no difference in responsibility between a corporate and an individual landlord, but professionalism sounds like its lacking in your case.

If the oven is included in the apartment (ie. not just left behind by the last tenant), then the landlord is almost certainly responsible for it to be in working condition.

This may sound stupid, but how do you do that? Do I just google it?

Jessi - For making a dent in clutter, it's best to focus on a single area at a time. Pick a space that you can clean in the time you have available. Even if it's so messy or your time is so short that you can only do a single shelf or drawer. If you can see a result at the end, you're more likely to maintain it and continue than if you do a little bit everywhere and can't see any difference.

If you want to work with your "cleaning ADD", you can play the chain game. Start in one room and pick up an item that belongs somewhere else. Take it to where it belongs and pick up an item in that new place that doesn't belong. See how long you can bop around your apartment before you end up in a place that doesn't have anything that belongs elsewhere. This can be amusing and doesn't create any of the "it gets worse before it gets better" mess that cleaning a single area completely does. But it tends to be less satisfying at the end if you've got some serious clutter because nowhere will look significantly better. I find it's a better trick for maintenance rather than the initial tidy-up.

Elizabeth in AL -
There are times to fight for something and times when it isn't worth the pain, sweat, tears, effort, and general aggravation. Your landlord is a loser. Face it. Invent a reason to leave and do it. Do not pass pass go and do not collect $200. Just leave. The only day you know you have is today - don't waste it by being controlled by someone else.

elizabeth - if you can't find it online (google or your city's website are good places to start), try the phonebook. Call your city (any number will do usually because they can transfer you) and they should be able to help you find out.

Not that I have any money for it at this point, but I'd like to know what I'm saving up for...

Does anyone know where the lamp in this photo is from?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36355274@N00/413429483/

Elizabeth - Try to get some pictures up, because I'm sure that will start to generate some suggestions for you. It's much easier to make recommendations when you can see the space/belongings.

thanks guys. I think I've found it and, apparently, it's a new law "Tenants and Landlord Agreement Law" that was put into effect Jan. 1 of this year. This is wonderful. I will be armed with knowledge of what I will and will not settle for.

A little update from my side:
- by end of this week i should have all the price quotations.
- I've created an excel sheet to sum up everything i need to buy and to control my budget.
- I've taken some shipping cartons from work, one has become my Outbox, the others will be filled up with my kitchen supplies
- this saturday i'll go to IKEA with my floor plan, and shopping list, check if i've not forgotten something and ask for a price quotation for a handyman who'll install the furniture
- working on a "work-to-be-done"-timetable

I've done a certificate in interior architecture (2 years of evening class ), but my kitchen is my first real project.
I find it difficult, though exciting, to plan everything. The most difficult part is coordinating all the work. So far it seems that the plumber has to cut the water and gaz in the kitchen first, then i will have to take the old furniture and appliances out before the closet walls can be taken down. Then, the electrician has to come to fix new outlets and the main electrical supply box ( sorry, i don't know the exact term in english for that), the plumber will prepare pipes for the new sink and washing machine,after that i need to paint the kitchen and will paint at the same time the bathroom ceiling.
I'll have to assemble the furniture (doing it myself in order to keep within the budget), furniture will be installed, plumber and electrician will connect what needs to be connected ( sink, washer, stove ).
Ouff. I would like all this to be finished after three weeks. Does this seem realistic ?!

It's quite a challenge, taking up much time and energy, but i look sooo much forward to have a new, modern kitchen and to cook for friends.

Hi everyone, I am posting a new picture of my front door area. It is impossible to work with and I hate it. I am hoping someone has an idea to help. It is TINY maybe 4 1/2 by 4 1/2. When you open the door for someone you have to get out of the area because 2 people can't stand in that spot at the same time. My closet is cleaned and organized- I painted the inside even. I have a small very rustic desk thing that Mr Lorijo picked up and I am considering setting up a landing strip inside that-good idea???? I'll put up a pic of that too....

Julie (in N. CA),

In response for your request for ideas-

I think your "beige box" could really benefit from some window treatments that are interesting enough to replace the architectural interest that is missing. I wouldn't go all out with floral and florid (unless that is your style!), but something that would emphasize the windows and add some style would help a lot I think. And would help pull everything else into focus. The existing shades are too plain and boxlike. You could put the window treatments over the shades if you like the utility of the shades.

Also an area rug or two would help to break up the sea of beige carpet. In particular the space between your couches is just begging for a rug to tie the area together!

Good Luck!

Anyone else noticing something weird happening with the flickr pool? says theres only one photo in it :(

Meg: I was just noticing that. There were 0 photos in it and then I clicked on the ATCure pool link on the left and it re-added the one I put in.

All the discussions are gone too.

:(

phew - the flickr pool seems to be okay again :) !

elizabeth in AL,

Well it sounds like your situation might be a tad toxic for you, so you might want to decide whether to move or not.

Or go through the cure and work towards loving the apartment! 'Cause it's no fun if you hate your home.

For your (ugly) coffee table- what if you covered it with a piece of cloth? If the cloth goes down to floor level you won't even see the table. Until you can find a replacement.

From the picture I am getting in my head of your walls and trim- what if you painted the walls a camel color? Or a plum. Make it look like you *chose* the dark brown moldings to complement the wall colors you can choose. And then put some punches of color in your accessories (find your accessories that have color and highlight them) to lighten it up a bit. Might work really well with your modern style too.

And my experience with private landlords is yes- know your rights, because they do have to abide by them. But find a way to keep things amicable as well because they care more about their properties (and hopefully you) and can make things pretty miserable if it does become combative... and can make things pretty nice if they do get along with you.

You guys here at AT are SO different from my family and boyfriend! They all told (or strongly implied to) me that I was being far too sensitive about the 4" gap between the back wall and my new stove, and the fact that it sticks out a little into the kitchen doorway, etc. My boyfriend said he hadn't noticed it, and wouldn't even care if it was like that in his apartment (what does that tell you?!), and my mom - without seeing it in person - says it's a problem only if I think it is, strongly suggesting that I should change my thinking and accept it as it is. Oh well, at least my boyfriend thinks I should get it fixed because *I* clearly notice it, and probably won't be able to stop thinking about it whenever I'm in the kitchen.

But, I went ahead anyway - in part because of the encouragement here (not to mention the fact that you seem to sympathize with the fact that there *is* a problem with the stove) - and spoke to the super today about it. And guess what? He knew exactly what I was talking about, explained that the new stove models have changed and so the gas hook up needs to be altered, AND he said that this could be done. He didn't fully believe that this was what my problem really is, however (since how could I know just by looking??), someone would have to come look, and - it's true - he put me off about when that might possibly come to actually happen. But nevertheless, it's amazing! So I have hope that it won't be like this forever. Thanks a lot, everyone!


Elizabeth in AL,

As for your stove problem, like others have said above, I'm nearly positive that the landlord is responsible for all basic appliances (like stoves, refridgerators, and also fixtures like toilets and sinks). In fact, that's how I got my new stove. It's just a basic, not-top-of-the-line model, of course.... but I didn't pay a cent for it. And that's because the landlord is responsible for keeping stoves in good working order, and my old one was unfixable (and burning off the covering on the cabinets nearby!). I live in NY, but I'm pretty sure this is true across the country. Good luck!

I was just reading twergi's cool blog about the Cure, and read the bit about the housewarming. Thought I'd share what I did last Cure, for what it's worth. I have trouble organizing a gathering in my home, not because I don't like entertaining, but because I'm the main caregiver for my elderly parents (ages 94 and almost 86), and I've had to cancel parties because of health problems either of one of them, or of my own, so planning a party is tricky. Instead, for the Fall Cure, I had a Virtual Housewarming -- online, using my Flickr pics. I made an invite, and posted it for the Cure people, and emailed it (with the Flickr url) to some friends and family near and far, and people seemed to like it. I didn't have to do the food prep or cleanup that I would have had with a real party, and I could "invite" people that wouldn't be able to come to a real party. Something for y'all to think about, anyway.

you guys are so right! my plan on the landlord deal is a) have my boyfriend call him to see if his tone changes and b) make a LONG list of what's going wrong as I'm doing the cure and whenever it is they finally come to fix the stove/install dishwasher i will have the list in plain view on the kitchen wall so they can't miss it. if they don't like it either way, i'm gonna have to say "see ya" and cut my losses. I'm posting pictures tonight, so come look!!!! (i hope i get it right, so if anyone wants to post how you are supposed to do it on flickr, i'll be checking when i get home from work!)

Awh, thanks Beth :)

I was having housewarming anxieity for several reasons, including hating people in my space and not really knowing people in LA that either would come or that I would want to have over.
And I have a studio, so it would be like having a party in my bedroom.... weird.

The bottom line is that I pretty much hate entertaining. I've gotten some great suggestions from angorian,zooza and graphxgrrl as well as beth. Is anyone else having this feeling? What's your plan?

"whenever it is they finally come to fix the stove/install dishwasher i will have the list in plain view on the kitchen wall so they can't miss it."

Elizabeth... that's a little passive-aggressive. Why not just give the list of desired fixes to the landlord? If handy-guys are the people installing your stove and dishwasher, they may not be able to make the changes or repairs you want without discussing it with the landlord anyway.

Ditto twergi's comments. I know from experience that squeaky wheels get oil. I suffered in a cold studio through two winters. Finally one of the supers pulled a clasp off the steam pipe in the kitchen and I was too HOT to sleep.

You have to be direct. You have rights in this business transaction. There's nothing personal about working, non dangerous appliances or anything else. Report repairs as you notice them, not in a long list. That aggravates landlords, managers and supers because so much time must be spent on one tenant that others have to be put off. Think of how you'd feel to know some jackass upstairs waited till their ceiling caved in to complain and now you can't get your stuff done till they are taken care of.

Make a call every time you find something. It's only fair to the management and to you.

JG: Thanks for the feedback. I've been thinking about window treatments. The room has 4 completely different sized windows so I don't know what to replace the treatments with. I guess a cloth shade would be OK but it wouldn't hide the horrible vertical blinds or work on the sliding door.

As for the area rug. I have one that I love but my Roomba grabs on to the edges of it. I can't imagine living without the Roomba though so I'm not really ready to put it down again. Does anyone have rug pads they really love for getting a soft area rug to stick to carpet?

My Trader Joe's has daffodils for $1.19! I know they're probably not the freshest flowers on earth but they look great now.

Julie R. (in N. CA),

I am thinking you need sides and tops to your window treatments- rather than shades- to make up for the rather uninteresting window moldings / window edges. What came to mind when I saw your place was something like, (er, quick web search so these aren't perfect!):
This:
http://images.auctions.overstock.com/aimages/d/0/3/227/32271469_0.jpg
Or this, with a clean-lined valance like the other pic:
http://akimages.crossmediaservices.com/dyn_li/110.110.75.0/images_amazon_com/images/P/B000FZVI6U.16._MZZZZZZZ_.jpg
(Those were for style more than color, although the blue could work with your couches).

It looks like you have different height windows, so that might be a challenge. Maybe skip the tiny dining room window, and have the others go to the floor? With the bookcase one just going down behind the bookcase?

If you didn't want to spend a lot for the sliding doors curtains, you could just have them go down the sides without ever closing them, or having enough material to close them!

Well, just some ideas- good luck! :)

Julie: I would take a screwdriver to those vertical blinds and just take them down, if you have someplace to store them neatly so you can put them back up when you move. That way, if you want a roman shade or some kind of other cloth blind, then it can be yours.

I am having style tray confusion. I have two styles that I gravitate towards and which I prefer depends on my mood and I'm not sure how to combine them.

I'd describe them as follows:
1) pretty, vintage, seaside cottage

I tend to prefer unfussy, with lots of white and pale blue, which touches of pink and green, comfy, serene flea-market chic.

2) funky, artsy, eclectic loft

I like industrial touches, bold colours (especially blue and green), clean lines, funky details, and thrift-store cleverness.

Right now I'd describe my apartment's style as mostly IKEA catalogue. :) I can see some commonalities in the two styles I like, but bold vs pale colours is kind of hard to reconcile.

Does anyone else have conflicting style preferences and if so, how do you combine them?

Finally got a few pics in my style tray. I think my tastes run modern but pretty simple -- tufted sofas, tables with clean lines, etc. Link is in my name.

I haven't even started on my week 3 tasks! Oy vey. But I've done some other things like installed a carbon monoxide monitor, changed the battery on my smoke detector, and got a print framed & matted. Not super time consuming tasks, but tasks that had been back-burnered for some time so it feels good to get them done!

Oops, I'm going to be one of those people who gives a list of items to my landlord to fix. 6 items, to be exact. I never realized how many repairs were needed until I started making the list in week 1. And then there were a couple of things that broke right as the Cure was getting started -- I wonder, did that happen to anyone else? Do our apartments somehow sense that we are about to put a lot of work into them so they can finally let it all hang out?

Elizabeth, my two cents: I would put your requests in writing. As a fellow non-confrontational gal (which, I may be jumping to conclusions, but it sounds like you are), I sometimes find it easier to be very direct and unapologetic in writing. I would recommend something simple and straightforward like: "Listed below are the repairs that must be addressed or I will unfortunately have to move elsewhere. Please call me at and let me know the date by which I can expect them to be completed." Bada boom. It's not bitchy, it's just direct. Sometimes when I try to convey a similar sentiment in person, I find myself couching it in too much conciliatory language like, "I know you have a lot of things to take care of, but..." It's something I am working to improve.

Jany - I thnk getting it done in three weeks is possible, but be prepared for things to go wrong! I'm also rebuilding my kitchen during this cure. I hope to get it done by the end of the 8 weeks, but who knows? I'm doing all the work myself, apart from an electrician who is coming to do the wall sockets. I also had someone come and connect my new gas cooker on Monday.

This weekend, I have to learn plumbing. Eek. I'm moving a radiator from one side of the room to the other. All the plumbing manuals I have been reading say that it is important to use a 'deburring tool' on the pipes before connecting them. I bought one via mail order and it arrived this morning and I have no idea how it works. Oh well, I've got a couple of days to figure it out.

I'll upload more pics at the weekend, too. Unless I've flooded the house...

Zooza,
you're couragious doing all by yourself! Isn't there any guy-friend to help you with the big parts sucha s plumbing ? I mean, radiators aren't "light-weight"! I'm looking forward though to see more pics !

Actually, in my head i'm quite prepared to have some bad surprises, and i'll leave a security margin in my budget, too.

lisa in sacramento - i'm having a hard time getting going this week, too. so far, all i've done is buy my weekly flowers. =( hoping to get more done over the weekend. wish me luck!

I'm still doing Week 2. Shocking, but hey. At least I'm not glossing over it. Scrubbed the entire fridge, including the egg cups last night. Only a dirty pot and bowl in the sink.

Lagging, but active.

Lady J: Confession time... I'm still picking up the week 2 pieces too. I need to clean the inside and top of my fridge as well as the inside of some water damaged cabinets. Ew.

How's your backsplash today?

I got my chairs!

I need to get some plastic feet cover for the metal legs, and then they will be good to go. Does anyone know where I can find something like that?

kendra - I love love love your chairs. How did you find them? I'd love to find something similar in Montreal.

Backsplashe = crappy. Will buy plaster, etc. on the weekend.

Angorian - we picked them up at an antique show; but they are from an old sewing factory or something like that I think from the Singer name on them. I wonder if there is a place to buy old school furniture that would have somthing like this.

Andrea and lorijo - I think the 80/20 rule is just for reference - I've seen rules that say there should be three major colors in each room (black and white are colors, too!) and it's something like 60/30/10 with one major color and two accenting colors in varying degrees. For example - my office has green walls, that's the 60%, the rug, curtains and trim are white/beige and that's like 30 percent. The ten percent is all my stuff - it's predominantly dark blue/black. But seriously? It's a book. It can't make you not paint your kitchen orange if you want an orange kitchen. Take it with a grain of salt and don't overwhelm yourself with color, but don't resign yourself to a white kitchen just because your living room is yellow!

And Andrea, maybe if you have a yellow living room and an orange kitchen, that means all your furniture should be RED! Seriously, take it all with a grain of salt and do what you love! It might be nice (not having time to look at pictures right now) in theory, to have a red couch and then some dark brown leather chairs and a dark wood coffee table. That would work with your brights but not overwhelm you. You can bring in more neutrals OR brights in things like pillows, area rugs etc. but don't let rules keep you down!

P.S. I might retract half of that once I have time to look at your pics but it's the spirit that I'm talking about!

Jany - Yes, I do have a husband, but he has a bad back and is also so stressed with work and hates DIY that we have decided that this is my project. He's around for when I need a second pair of hands, but I'm quite enjoying learning to do it all myself, anyway!

Kendra,
those chairs rock! They really are fantastic! Seems they are sewing-machine chairs, from a sewing work-shop/ factory?!
Maybe you can stick felt-stickers under the feet to protect your floors, IKEA has some, and any DIY shop should have, too.

kendra e
those chairs are fantastic-and to find a set-what a score! The caps for the feet are a good idea- I have gotten some before at home depot I think- they are usually in the same location as those little felt things are-

Lady J and Twergi - I'm also catching up on week 2...I've been travelling for the last 3 weeks, so I have to catch up this weekend

whee... my landlord was just here to do repairs and I discussed all the things on our list.

He couldn't figure out our sink drainage problem, so a plumber will probably be called, but at least it's progress. We're also going to investigate separating the office wiring from the bedroom so that our window AC doesn't flip the breaker in the summer and take the computer down. That was the biggie, and I'm glad he's on board with the idea. The wiring for this part of the apartment apparently hasn't been updated since 1920 when it was built. The hot water still comes out SUPER hot, but he checked the gauge and it SAYS the temperature is ok.

Best of all, we got the go-ahead to buy a new bathroom light because the current one overheats and he will pay for it. I always hated the bathroom light because it was 3 spotlights so it created tons of shadows. Any suggestions for a stylish new light? (I've posted pics of the current light and what the sink area looks like to my Flickr cure set).

Triumph! I finally got hold of the tile guy, and pointed out, with his busy schedule, it might be nice if he could do the floor and countertop first and not worry about starting the shower while he's so swamped. He's coming on Saturday and might be able to finish both this weekend!

You know what this potentially means, people? A sink! And a toilet too, with any luck...

kendra.e,

could your chairs be any more rockin'!!?????

anne (in reno)

my favorite color combo: red/orange/hot pink/yellow. it might seem like it would scream 'disco starts in 5 minutes' but the colors are complementary (next to each other on the color wheel) it's the opposite.

let's see how much of my to do list i can get accomplished this weekend...

I finally dug out the camera and posted my pics to the Flickr pool (link in my name below). I have a lot of work to do, but AT has been a true inspiration to me. Heck, I'm culling books for the first time in 10 years all thanks to Maxwell...

So, I could use some help. I have been cleaning out my entry way, boy what a messs. My question is, that for me, I come in the back door every day, so I think that having the landing strip by where I come in everyday is good. The apartment has a front door, where the mail is delivered and where my guests come in from. The front door leads right into what I am using as the dinning room now. So, where to put the landing strip? Front/back all ideas welcome.

Hi eSusan_MA.

I'd say, have 1 1/2 landing strips. Make a fully functional one by the door you use so you can store shoes, bags and such and also immediately sort your mail and packages.

I'd make your front entrance welcoming, too. The brand new Domino has a great article about designing around what your guests need. Maybe a few coat hooks, a door mat and some warm, welcoming lighting at the front entrance would serve nicely.

I'd definitely concentrate your sorting and filtering efforts at the door you use, though.

Happy Friday!

Okay, everybody: A happy ending to one stove 'crisis', the one that was sticking 4" out from the wall and countertop. The plumbers came over bright and early this morning and refitted the gas pipe behind my stove so that it could be moved back flush against the wall. They took exactly NINE minutes, they didn't even turn off the gas supply (!!) - and seemed slightly amused when I opened the windows to make sure the place didn't get too thick with gas - they replaced the teflon pipe-coating that had been INcorrectly applied with an oil-based teflon that wouldn't dry out and cause gas leaks, and... what else? Generally, they were just so nice and it was such a great experience, and my stove is now in its proper place.

Thanks all! The moral here is to ask for what you need - I probably could have lived without this thing fixed if my building super had turned me down, but it's so nice not to have to. And why should I have been the one to limit my options without risking making a simple request. Yay!

eSusan_MA,

I think Nicole R is right - Something like 1 1/2 landings sounds good. Just a tiny little ledge or table by the front door, room enough to set a pile of letters on or a vase of flowers, and then a full-blown landing strip for *everything* at the back-door entryway.

Okay, I'm back. Yesterday I had to leave work due to serious sickness. Must have been a bug.

I know it sounded passive-agressive to just have them on the dry-erase board, but that was not really how I meant it. What I mean is that I have been calling him when I notice things that are breaking and need to be fixed and that's not getting the message across to him. I do realize that I should not wait till the bottom drops out to call him, but he seems to be getting annoyed that I am calling him about things that are not only a problem for me, but for the building as well. So I'm just kind of trying out different ways to approach him to see how he will react best. Not necessarily what I want to deal with, but sometimes you gotta give to get. Lisa in sacramento (where we will be moving once we've saved some money and get jobs that transfer to the university), you are totally right. I'm a pretty easy going person that HATES confrontation. I'm not afraid to do it when it has to be done, but it's still no fun. Especially when I do like the guy, just thinking maybe it wasn't best to have him as a landlord. But that's really what I was going for by having it on the dry-erase board; not just for them to see it in passing, but that way it is documented. I guess when I have the place unpacked (I'm also a little embarrassed to have the place in such disaray when I'm trying to get someone to come install stuff) - which will be by Monday - I'm going to have everything ready for them to fix - most important first (oven, dishwasher)- and going in order of things I am willing to wait on, but I will put a time limit on them. I think that was the problem - that we were familiar enough with eachother that he feels like he can let it slide a lot with me. I think I must have misrepresented myself. But things can only get better, and if they get worse, well I'll just have to break the lease and go on and move.

CQ in DC: your apartment is really lovely. I love the look of all the built-in cabinets in the kitchen and that huge wall of windows in the livingroom. And I love how your belongings reflect the fact that you have traveled (lived?) in so many different places. It gives me such a wonderful sense of your personal style.

It seems like the fact that your belongings have been so carefully selected over the years is going to make it especially difficult for you to pare down. I would challenge you to use the Outbox very freely, with the knowledge that you'll be able to take anything back out after a week.

In any case, I cannot WAIT to see your "during" and "after" pics!

sea: that is awesome (the good kind) news! Congrats!

elizabeth in AL: definitely keep us posted on the repairs situation!

thanks lisa! after looking at the photos, I too cannot wait to see the "during" and "after" shots! I have big plans for the weekend- maybe I'll even reduce the bedroom chaos enough to post some pics from in there...

I have to say, I love this site and my fellow Curees- I know the support and the pics I see here are inspiring me to keep plugging away.

www.bemz.com

I stumbled across this site. Magical! For all you that have an ikea sofa and don't like, here's a cheaper way to get a new look! Or if you are gonna buy a sofa from ikea, you can get a cover from them and it won't look like the same old same old from ikea. Especially for the person asking about the orange couch, they have slip covers!

Is anyone else having ugly-rug issues? I'm trying to find some rugs to break up the terrible grey carpet in my apartment and everything I find is over $300 or fugly as all get out.

I've looked at Ikea (nothing great) CB2 (love the sleepy hollow and bermuda, but trying to keep it around or under $100) and everywhere else. There were some rugs at lowes.com in the juvenile section that were close but a little... well... juvenile.

Any hope for nice modern graphic rugs on a budget?

Jessica,
I've had some good luck with Home Goods (do you have those where you are)? And building 19, which is a MA/NH based chain for rugs. Good luck!

I love the cozy design you've made..It has a touch of comfort when you looked at it...I think this might fit in to my living room, seems like a Russian design to me...Anyway, very artistically done and quite an easy and simple make over.I believe I can make it just how I replaced my GMC bumper bracket ...=)
Thanks a lot...

I have the same problem SEA had several months ago. The new gas range is not flush against the wall and thus sticks out 2-3 inches past the countertop. I live in an 18 story apartment building and it is almost impossible to get the building to shut off the gas. I cannot seem to find a plumber who could do the job the way Sea described it (took 9 minutes, didn't have to turn off gas), maybe if she sees this she can give me the plumber she used.

Thanks.