Anthea rearranged her apartment and created this lovely workspace. What's that beautiful deep wall color?
Stay the course. Instead of linking today, I'm going to jump in and address some questions.
Feeling overwhelmed? The toughest weeks come right in the beginning as you make an adjustment to doing this work and realize how big a job it can be (the kitchen is also a tough room). Don't give up. Empty your Outbox more often if need be and keep your feet moving under you. Here's a survey to see where you all are, and below the jump, I've written in some specific replies...(btw sorry not to get this up earlier. My computer crashed and I had to start over. Almost had a fit ;-).)
• LauraII: is absolutely right. The Cure is a framework and you should use it and tailor it to guide you towards your goal. Move fast or slow, do one room or all the rooms, and fall back on the structure whenever you feel you are getting lost or distracted.
• graphxgrrl: brings up the issue of how to work with the Style Tray, that some others have as well. She puts it well, "the pieces you're finding all have some commonalities that'll help point you in the right direction." You are looking for the DNA of your style and not one room that you want to copy exactly. When you have enough pictures, you should be able to find elements that are recurring, which you can then integrate into your home. Also, when you work first on your Style Tray, you focus your eye and have a better chance at creating a more coherent style than if you started by walking into a store and went shopping.
• Katy: You and your roommate got differing results when "grading" your home. In this case, I would go with the lowest assessment. If one of your is comfortable, but the other is not, then you are Curing to make it comfortable for both of you. Never deny yourself permission to make your home more comfortable.
• Pixie: Our lightboxes are really pretty simple and I copied them from a friend who did the same thing. The key here is simply putting a ceramic outlet inside your cabinets and wiring it to a dimmer and a plug. This can all be done DIY. For bulbs I used the long thin ones so that they stayed up and away from the clothing. Be warned, however, the bulbs - if left on high a lot - heat up the cabinets and will shorten the life of all the elastic in your underwear and bras, etc.... The light is magical however, and shining through the plexiglass doors (from Canal Plastics Center), it disperses darkness and enlarges your feeling of the room.
• Mod*Mom: I really hope you're feeling better. The norovirus sucks eggs (had it twice).
• Mlle Kate: Let it go! Zooza is right, holding on to your stuff to sell it later is just another form of holding on to it. Let it go and don't worry about the money. If someone loves your cast-offs and puts them to good use, that's the best payment in the world.
• Nicole: You HAVE to send us pics of your new Gorilla glued to the floor sofa! We've used that stuff too and been surprised by it's ability to "foam" and "expand" so that it got on everything. It was on our hands for days.
• Candice: I totally know your water filter dilemma. We've done them all (except for the undercounter system). Right now we're back to the Britta pitcher, and it is *fine* but not great. I'd do the undercounter system, but we don't have the room under there and it is labor intensive. However, I would say that if you put in the effort to do it, you'll probably be really happy you did it and wonder why you waited so long. If it really bothers you, then go for the best solution and check it off your list!
Good Quote from Alcemily:
I wish you all had a friend like my friend Gretchen, who is one of those people that can live happily in a studio apartment -- it's beautiful and doesn't feel crowded. She came to my house to give me advice, looked around, and then waved her hand airily towards one corner and said, "It would look really nice if that corner were empty." That corner held at that point a dining table and chairs (loaded with stuff), a small desk (loaded with stuff), the cat's scratching post, etc. So it became my project to empty that corner. And I did. And the room does look a lot better. But it sure helped to have a consultant give me a specific assignment!
So -- be ruthless! Get rid of excess stuff!
This Week's Assignment:
Week Two
Last week you got inspired, this week you go to work. In the Deep Treatment you are going to focus on the kitchen. You will declutter and clean your kitchen from the top down and then cook a meal you actually like! There are other smaller tasks as well, such as filtering your tap water and planning a housewarming, but the kitchen is your target.
In the One Room Workout, you will probably be focusing on another room in your home. At this point, your task is to arrange the room on paper to best meet your needs. Additionally, it is time to take your inspiration and crystallize it into your vision for the project. Remember, once you have a clear port to sail towards, the trip becomes much easier.
Info:The Cure posts will go up twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays (or sometimes Friday or Saturday), allowing for plenty of comment space. We will be pulling comments and pics to the front page post each week and everyone is urged to take pics and post them to this great Flickr pool or simply tag them with "apartmenttherapycure." See our old pics here too.
(The last post is here - all Worksheets are here - The Book Blog is here)
This is my favorite quote of the day: "If it really bothers you, then go for the best solution and check it off your list!"
Sometimes, you just have to get out there and so something that works best of the available options, rather than waiting for an absolutely optimum solution that deals with every possible contingency.
I decided that the most efficient way to reorganize the office storage would involve finishing 7/8ths completed projects (thus freeing up the areas used to store the remaining 1/8th of supplies).
Candice,
To do a really good job, water filters have to push the water through the filter (so passive pitcher systems are not as good/thorough as those connected - either over the counter or under - to your cold water flow.
When I researched this question a few years ago, paying attention to particular problems in New York City water (different water problems arise in the country and other areas, depending on water source), I came up with Aquasana. They have an under-the-counter conversion kit that is NOT AT ALL difficult to install. I think it took me all of 20 minutes (and I am NOT a plumber). In fact, I spent much much more time than that (days, going into months) worrying that it would be too big a job for me to pull off. Even after the box arrived, it sat there ominously while I worried about all the things I might make go wrong by fiddling with stuff under my sink. Anyway, there's NO need to be like that; as I say, it's not hard at all. By the way, in my case, I had a hole in my sink for a water sprayer, and I simply removed that to install the Aquasana water spout in its place. Looks nice. Tastes great.
Oh, and I got the shower filter as well. If you've got good water pressure, it works well (if not, I think it would make your showers too wimpy - the filter decreases the final water pressure, and conserves water, too!). Now I don't worry about breathing in all those VOCs just from showering.
I am going for an office cure this time around. I took pics last night on my cell; that big desk at the end of the set is on its way out, with the small metal cabinet taking its place.
I'll add more pics later next week once I've figured out what to do with the new configuration. In the meantime, I'd love to hear suggestions from fellow ATers.
thx!
Assuming Ive managed to do flickr correctly, this link should go to my one-room remedy room.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7340332@N05/
The room is small and the hall and kitchen are effectively part of it so my one room is three areas and at least half of my one-bedroom apartment. Its a bit of a tunnel, 11 feet wide, 19 feet long, and 13 feet high, with a 10 foot by 10 foot bank of windows at one end and a large kitchen pass-through on the other. That is the pass-through is large, not the kitchen, which is dinky even by New York standards.
I use the room to read a book, have a meal, watch some TV, listen to music. Sometimes Ill have people up for drinks. Less often Ill have one or two close friends over for dinner. As I get older, I find it easier to entertain friends at restaurants.
As for what I have: its the result of some 30 years of accretion and deletion. Im going for something that elegant, eccentric, and enigmatic. A friend of mine refers to it as entering an IQ test he knows hes going to fail. If I were to give the style a name, it might be boho aristo or vest-pocket exotic. That same friend was once entertaining some guests from Europe who were complaining how taste-free American interiors are. He rang me up to bring them over. I have yet to figure out whether that was an insult or a complement.
Im in the middle of rehanging/rearranging various bits and pieces on the walls despite one of my big questions being what color to paint the place. Given the sorts of odd objects on display, a nice coat of fresh white paint might make the place look like a rather smart shop and not a place someone actually lives in. Im also trying to resolve the window treatment question. The rules of the co-op mandate that the blinds stay, although the rule has never been enforced. Even if it were, it wouldnt preclude drapes of some sort.
There are minor questions as well such as does the pillow on the white chair work and probably lots of thing in between that Im forgetting right now. But I suspect that the minimalists among you would rather I ditched the two white taborets and replaced the big chair with one thats less big.
Taking a break from paper wrangling! My biggest ongoing problem... that and ephemera of a sentimental nature.
An office relo, and regaining some crafting overflow from a friend's house have set me back.
I second the request for the name of that GORGEOUS blue paint color!
Back to work... the timer I set for 2.5 hours of clean-up is ticking away!
Good luck to all the Cure-ees!
Wende- I love your quote, and is just what happened to me last cure. I was doing the deep cure when at week four I decided that I could not tolerate my kitchen any longer. For seven years or so the kitchen had been waiting for us to accumulate enough money for a major redo. Naturally, with three children, crisis after crisis always came before renovation plans. During the last cure I decided that enough was enough and cosmetic, superficial work was going to satisfy me until the children are indipendent.
It has taken me longer than I thought, but the end is in sight. I demolished an annoying half wall, removed ugly paneling from the seventies, sanded, patched, plastered and painted. I'm replacing the hardware right now, I have new light fixtures waiting to be installed and I'll be done and happy.
the room i'm mostly working on is my office/dining room. i'm going to make a rather large desk. it's going to be 59" long w/ VIKA INGE legs. i like how airy the legs make the space below the desk seem. so, i don't really want to put my peripherals on the floor (plus it's not goood for them to be near the dust & cats hairs that go flying on the floor. sooooo, do you think there's a nice way to cover a printer/scanner?
JonathanB,
my only comment is that it seems a bit crowded. like maybe there's too much or maybe you could pick a few things to highlight.
JonathanB, you just need to do a deep cleaning. You have a space that fits you and your personality. That's something you can't create in a few weeks.
JohnathanB,
I'd definitely paint the front door something dark - if you're going with the color scheme suggested by Alcemily on your Flickr page, then I'd paint it black.
GZgoingMod aka Geraldine,
It's going to look great once you get the clutter-clearing done. And then I think you might need a little splash of color in a couple (smallish) places, like the colors on you office mascot....
I'll be back in a few days when the WORM pic is gone. :::hurl:::
JonathanB-I left a comment re pillow on the white chair. What is the provenience of the bookcase with the mosaic trim? It is a very interesting piece.
Okay, my kitchen is the cleanest and worst room in the apartment. I have to paint, the cabinets and the walls. I'll post some photos shortly, my camera is charging now. Any one have advise on how to paint cheap fake wood cabinets? If I can get the landlords to approve (which I'm sure I can, I'll let them approve the color), I was going to lightly sand and paint. Now I am thinking of meal I want to cook, grilled salmon, maybe, or chicken pot pie with puff pasty.
Some fantastic comments, thank you all.
Some specific responses:
mg: I've considered getting rid of the two taborets and going for a smaller big chair (or is that an oxymoron?). Curiously I do cull more than I add, but I'm into "visual density", to co-opt Gombrich's happy phrase.
Jerry: a very high complement indeed.
Sea: interesting idea, and one I hadn't thought of. It's also one I could do myself in the course of an afternoon (or less). I look forward to reading Alcemily's suggestion.
Francesca: Egyptian, 19th century. Needs a bit of restoration work, but that's not really relevant.
Had a chance to check my flickr page (and, yes, I probably should have looked there first).
Francesca: I'll look into a larger pillow. Somewhere out there, there must be "the perfect pillow".
Alcemily: My gracious, those posts were long and intense. I'm glad you like the space. The mace is a favorite object of mine as well and I like to make the odd joke that the Moroccan door is the one object in my apartment most likely to be stolen if any of my guests could figure out how to fit it into a back pack. And, yes, the rugs are also Moroccan, from the High Atlas, if I remember correctly. However there is a relationship between Turkish rug designs and Moroccan ones, though it's more apparent in Rabat rugs.
Good point about the candlesticks on the tansu. Painfully good point. No idea why it didn't occur to me. I think they would disappear on the coffee table, but there are other places for them. The lamps in the window are very functional. The apartment isn't just a tunnel; it's a dark tunnel. And, alas, I don't have enough room to store and rotate. On the other hand, I like the idea that no matter how many times a visitor drops by there is always something new to see without my having had to go shopping.
The color scheme you suggested is interesting and I'll test it out later this week. You may be amused to know that the color scheme when I first moved in was black, white, and red.
JonathanB--
What are you looking to change? It seems to suit you, and you have an amazing collection. My only advice as you regroup... regroup tighter, with more air in between groupings. But you are indeed a collector, and any major purge seems at odds with who you are.
I'd paint the entry area (including door and molding if any) a VERY dark color... brown, navy, charcoal...
And if it DIDN'T involve taking everything off the walls, I think your overall look would benefit from a color on the wall. For some reason, I see either a gold or mustard color. For the same reaosn, I'd knock back any white upholstery to a color, dark and jewel toned.
Thanks for sharing.
I had a very productive week, and I have posted some new During the cure photos. I deep cleaned the kitchen, refrig and oven too. I went to the Container Store today and bought a few small plastic container to organize my shelves; on the way home I picked up some beautiful white mums for only 4.99. I am getting addicted to buying flowers weekly; these are my third bunch.
Jonathan B, I love your apartment, your collections are beautiful. I travel a lot and I have started a small collection of treasured objects. My only concern is how to keep collecting and finding space for for everything in my small 1 bedroom apt. I would hate to weed and put things in my outbox.
Tommorrow is my day off from cleaning, I plan to meet a friend for brunch and maybe in the eveining I will make a home cooked meal.
Everyone stay motivated!!!
LynneF: Thank you.
P(2): Thank you as well, though I suspect I'm really just a collector of dust. I like the idea of using a very dark color for the entry area -- a suggestion I assume means not for the kitchen area that's related or the lowered ceiling that links the two. Your suggestions seem to indicate a dark neutral, if I understand correctly. As for the upholstery, I've considered going "all black" (with the exception of the striped chairs) or trying a dark green or intense yellow. Dark jewels tones are something I'll explore sometime during the next week.
I just washed all the dishes and put some away. Also, I went through the very bare cabinets and identified food that can go. Will turn the fridge off overnight to begin defrost. This usually takes at least 24 hours. And will clean it out tomorrow.
Looks like I won't be beaten by the kitchen this time 'round. Thanks guys!
One bag to Goodwill today. Just to get it out of my sight.
I had a busy day. I was cleaning the kitchen almost straight from 8am to 2pm! And of course I'm not done. Tomorrow is another day. I got everything on the counter level and up done. Now I need to do the underneath stuff. I've discovered it's a great weekend to do it -- I have the NCAA Tournament on the TV (well within ear shot of the kitchen) while I clean.
JonathanB:
1)I really like the Victorian (?), inlaid, keyhole, cabinet. (View 2)
2)If someone has a Kimono collection they should include one photo of themselves in one of the Kimonos. We would all enjoy that photo.
3)I often have to "think hard" about buying something new because otherwise my place would become overwhelmed. Do you buy "stuff" as easily, and as quickly, as you did in the past? Or is it more, "Oh, I like it but there's no place to put it."
Tony G.
Doug in DC, I did exactly the same thing here on the West Coast -- cleaned the top "half" of my kitchen while keeping one ear on the tourney. Luckily I'm doing better in the Cure than my Pac10 is doing in the tournament! I also cooked Moroccan chicken tonight and it was yummy.
I plan to finish the kitchen tomorrow. Sure is a big job. It's scary to admit that I'm cleaning things I've never cleaned before (like the top of my free-standing fridge) but feeling great to get rid of months of grime.
LadyJ: awesome that you're conquering the kitchen! We're all in this together, sister!
P(2): "ephemera of a sentimental nature" = thank you for giving beautiful words to my need to keep seemingly useless crap! Currently experiencing inner turmoil about my grandmother's card table and chairs. Guess that's what the Outbox is for, right?
JonathanB, I admire that you seem to have a really strong sense of style. I'm still trying to figure out my style, and I've been really lazy about putting together a style tray. Once I finally do it I'm hoping to put it on Flickr so y'all can help me figure it out!
I'm working on my style tray right now, and so far it's full of random furniture and decorative stuff I'm drawn to rather than whole rooms whose style I like. It seems like it would help me be more cohesive about my style though if I could find some inspiring rooms. So for those of you who said you found rooms for your style trays on Flickr, how did you do that? I'm new to Flickr, so I'd appreciate any advice on where to find some rooms to look at.
JonathanB - I love, love, love your place. It's got such personality. I bet an evening round at your apartment is great fun. (Sorry - nothing else to add other than gushing praise).
Everyone: This weekend I have started to attack my kitchen, too. Yes, I cleared out the kitchen cupboards, but I also cleared out some actual *cupboards*, too. I have had great fun wielding a hammer and chisel and tearing the whole thing apart. No going back now!
mg - what type of printer / scanner is it? And you're thinking of putting it on the desk? Can you post a photo? I can think of a few ways to disguise one, but it really depends on the type of printer and where it is going to go.
Weasel: Thank you. To respond point by point: 1)the cabinet is Egyptian, but since it is from the late 19th century, it could be called Victorian (Victoria died in 1901); 2) as for posing in kimono, as one eminent Victorian almost observed, it is better for people to wonder why I did not pose than why I did; and 3)these days it's more like if I find something I first wait 24 hours to see if I see really want it and then delete two things to make room for it. Comments claiming I don't have the room is more what I would say if I were trying to discourage an annoying sales person.
Lisa: Thank you. If you'll excuse me for being so forward, it sounds less like laziness and more like a fear of commitment. Since your screen name is female, I'll assume you are. There are probably tons of clues about your style in your wardrobe and accessories. A tribal/ethnic art person tends to dress "tribal/ethnic". Sleek and modern clothes are seldom worn by people who like their interiors cluttered and Victorian.
Zooza: Thank you. You may come by for drinks sometime.
Also -- I put "southeast" for the survey, but I imagine some people in the DC area may have put "northeast".
lisa in sacremento: Go 'Hoos!
The ACC hasn't done fantastically, and VCU didn't make it through the second round, but Georgetown and UVA are going strong so far. :)
DC Doug: that's an interesting observation. I would have thought the old Mason-Dixon line would still mark Southeast from Northeast. Obviously, I'm wrong.
thank you for your well wishes maxwell :)
i'm so impressed you can handle this cure on top of all you do + the sleep deprivation of fatherhood.
i love everybody's flickr pictures.
Physically i haven't advanced a lot ( too many dinner invitations these days..), but my planning is going on. I've already got the price quotation from the electrician, which is in my budget, and he'll do everything that i've wanted to be done in my appartment ,like adding some more plugs (?!) as i only have very few in each room ( they didn't seem to need much electric devices in the fifties, when the building was built. Today, i'm redrawing my kitchen plan, according to some modifications which have been discussed with the contractors. And i'll create an excel sheet to keep an accurate record of the price quotations and expenses.
I also phoned to some companies to get a quotation to get rid of the mural closet, but it seems that the swiss economy runs too well at the moment, everybody is building houses so they told me "sorry, we're overbooked, try xyz". Good for economy, bad for me.
While planning the whole thing, and considering that i'll do probably the painting myself, i decided to give a little fresh-up to my bathroom as well by painting the ceiling in white. One of the previous owners has painted it in a petrol blueish color which makes my bathroom very dark. The tiles are white with some colored spots on them, but the overall impression is dark. I posted some pics here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/18145526@N00/sets/72157600004748409/
The electrician will also fix some new lights here and might add one one the ceiling.
So that's the state of things so far.
Zooza, what did you decide for the second chair to upholster?!
JonathanB: I could be wrong. My picking of southeast is clearly below the Mason-Dixon line. I just wouldn't be surprised if someone chose northeast. These days there seems to be more of a northeast/midatlantic/southeast distinction, though.
zooza- this is my printer. http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/util_get_image/11/0,,i=118290&sz=1,00.jpg
yes, i was thinking of putting it on the desk.
i finished my kitchen a few days ago. it wasnt really hard b/c i keep my kitchen clean & im always cooking.
i have a trick for keeping my kitchen clean id like to share. whenever i have to use the microwave to reheat something, i use the timer as a game. it's like a racce to see how fast i can tidy things in the kitchen. unload or load the dishwasher, wipe down the counter. it's actually almost fun.
also, whenever i go to the grocery, i look through my very small fridge & throw out anything that is no longer fresh.
so, since i finished the kitchen early, i started working on the rest of the apt. no deep cleaning just yet, but puttnig things in the proper place, putting away the laundry, & finding a better spot to keep my luggage & massage table (those things are so huge). i mostly did it b/c i'm expecting my mom to visit me this afternoon. she's going to ikea w/ me (she's never been!)
now, all i really have to do is sweep, mop, & attack my bookshelves which are a mess. my cat likes to climb in them & move things.
btw, i added my pics to the cure flicker pool
Whoever organized the survey - how would you feel if NYC and DC and FLA were all lumped together as "East Coast"?
You need more granularity. i.e. Seattle/Portland/SF/LA. Don't lump us pacific NW folks in with Californians... LOL
Jany - I have decided to go for a plain colour at the muted end of the red spectrum and then tone it down even further using paler cushions. I've been collecting swatches like mad, but haven't found the right one yet.
mg - I have devised an ingenious little hidey hole for your printer. What I would do is build a little hutch for it. Imagine a box on it's side with a flap that opens downwards. The back would have holes for cables. Then inside I would have the printer on a little wheeled tray, so it could be pulled out when you needed to scan something. Otherwise, you could just pull down the flap when you needed to print. The box could be painted to match your decor and you could put stationery things on top of it, or it could go on the floor. If that sounds even remotely interesting, let me know and I will do some sketches and upload to flickr.
My own printer lives in a cupboard. A wire comes out to connect it to our wifi hub, but other than that you wouldn't know it is there. (The cat thinks there is a monster living in the cupboard though, because it 'growls' when we print, and he sits at the door looking alarmed every now and again). I'm a big fan of hiding electrical equipment.
Keith - I think there should be an 'elsewhere' option as well. I haven't answered the survey, but might put Midwest as I'm sort of in the middle and near the west coast of England...
and then the Canadians were excluded completely, never mind mixing up montrealers with torontons with vancouverites.
Just to keep track - are we easing (or hurling) into week 3 at this point - anyone?
Just tacked the front hall area and think I've got some landing strip going on - will post ASAP - plus I ordered this:
http://www.moddecor.com/Lights_Up_Meridian_Pendant_Lamp_in_Silk_Shades_p/lt-merdpendslk.htm
for the front hall light - I figured to wow people as soon as they walk in the door (then it's all down hill) SIgh.
I had thought to wait on ordering until the 8 weeks is over, but I have had wish list stuff for so long I feel good about finally making some decisions - and I have a small budget that has been tucked aside...
The kitchen looks good on the outside, but only about 3/4ths of the inside is done.
Dumb question - shouldn't I save the abundance of paper goods that I have? I use them when I host brunches and stuff. It's just so messy to store.
thanks all-
lisa in sacramento: Thanks. I like to think of it as the kimono-of-the-month club myself as well.
Isaspacey: I had considered using shades of taupe myself, but I was tending toward shades with lavender undertones. The pumice color is intriguing and something to test later this week.
Belledame: Thank you and know what you mean. However, I'm hoping a coat of paint in the right color will work just as well.
wow...I think I need some WD-40 for my elbow. Just spent more than an hour scrubbing my stove and the surrounding tiles(didn't even tackle the interior)...Don't know if I ever want to cook on it again.
Yes, I got carried away commenting on JonathanB's pix -- that's because I was having such a good time poring over every last object!
I went to an antique show today and bought six chairs that will work with our present table and are a little bit quirky and we both agreed on, mostly! Very exciting!
kendra.e - you got chairs?!! hooray!! =)
I've got my week 2 progress up on the flickr now. Since my kitchen isn't *terrible* I decided to paint my desk and use the time betweek coats to do some projects and tidy up. My lower right back / hip area is trying to remove itself from my body, but I'm nearly done!
Yes, we will have some chairs that will arrive some day this week. I wish I had taken a picture, but I didn't. I'm not sure how they will actually look, but I'm just glad I got them. It seems totally silly that for 10 years I did not have any kitchen table chairs. I am really trying to concentrate on the Awesome Room, and just get the things we need for other-still-awesome rooms, and move on. Anyhow, I had some internal debate about getting them, they are just old chairs from a sewing factory and they still say 'Singer' on the back. I kept thinking, I could find a junkyard and get these much cheaper, but then I would be like, I have not managed to get to a junkyard in 10 years, and it seems unlikely I would get to one anytime soon.
Anyhow, I will post some pictures when they show up!
That deep purple (blue?) wall color is TRULY gorgeous. So, spill: what color is it? ;)
Kendra -- your chairs sound great.
I won't finish this kitchen today, but it was worth trying to meet the deadline. And I'm still in the Cure. Managed to get a shameful amount of expired eggs out of the fridge. Also, finally moved the Paris cafe picture to the top of the cabinets.
Progress photos will be up in the next couple of days.
"As the man in the stall said to the man waitin', 'Give me time, baby. Give me time.'" - Al Bundy, "Married With Children"
Can't wait to see your new photos, Lady J. Did you manage to get the contact paper off?
Also what was the verdict on your green and creme rug?
I found a picture of our chairs online and uploaded it! Whew! I still like them, that's a relief!
Oh, I didn't even touch that backsplash. Although I think the solution is to hang a piece of foamboard with a nice fabric. Why do I have to do all the work? When I moved in the entire interior of the cabinets was covered in various contact papers. Once I pulled them all off (hard) the reason was clear. Last tenant wasn't insane. The cabinets constantly rain sawdust inside and out. Have to wipe dishes out and periodically wipe down shelves.
No, that part is more long term. This is a cosmetic kitchen project right now.
I ordered the green rug but it has been held up for a couple of weeks. They swear I'll have it this week. I would have preferred jute or cotton. I'm not sure what "woven wool" is like. But I really dig the pattern and color. Admittedly, the brown would be more versatile. We'll see.
Finished the kitchen today. That was a lot of work! Now I'm never ever going to use my kitchen again so it can stay in this pristine condition (only kidding, Maxwell!).
The Outbox grows. Putting stuff there is so liberating. I've been bad about posting new pictures because I actually need to buy a new computer...and I'm trying to hold out for the new Mac OS, whenever that will be. Anyway, I digress...
Jessica: congratulations on painting your desk! You are such a stud(ette). It was all I could do to clean my kitchen this week! P.S. Love your blog!
JonathanB: You caught me with the commitment phobia thing. I think that's why my apartment lacks Heart -- I'm decent at fixing things and keeping it clean and I use my home a lot and all, but I've never had the confidence to make major style choices. Hopefully I'll work through some of that in the next six weeks. Thanks for the tip about looking to my wardrobe for clues.
Oteach: I say if you use the paper goods, keep them.
Doug: Sorry about UVA today :(
Well crap! I was looking at the backsplash and saw the paper was curled up at the far end. Started pulling, it was coming up so easily then suddenly - BAM! - a huge chunk of plaster came up with it. I might as well rip the whole thing off and plaster/sand the whole thing now... Ugh!
Lady J: Oh no! Try some steam to see if it will at least loosen the rest before you start ripping. Think of it this way, if you plaster and sand then you can paint a backsplash with a color you love and it will make you happy and proud of your work every time you look at it.
Lisa: Thanks! How is your kitchen coming? Did you find a way to close your cabinet? Mac usually seems to put out an OS update once a year or so, usually in the spring. The rumors on the interweb seem to say "end of March" but Apple has some kind of special event planned for April 15th, "ahead of the opening of the National Association of Broadcasters trade show exhibit hall." But if you decided to buy a new computer right now, they usually run a rebate program to upgrade to the new OS, if you've bought within X-months. Point being, you should be able to get your new computer real real soon :)
quotes taken from thinksecret.com
I'm waiting for OS X Leopard to ship, too. I want to see if Bootcamp will enable me to run Vista, so I can get rid of my ancient PC laptop, which I hate and which I only need for work with one client (and which takes up precious space in my office). The wait is killing me...
Okay, I went back and did some work, inspired by the group, I took more off the counter. I could use some help with window treatments and an idea to hide the pantry. Thanks.
Hey eveybody,
i just found a contractor to pull down the wall closet in the kitchen!! He'll pass late this afternoon to have a look and for the price quotation. The other company that i called last week and left a message on the answer machine didn't call back, obviously not in need of work..
Oh it's so good to be back! The guy that came to connect my internet access on Thursday morning couldn't get a strong enough signal, so I've been computer-less since I left work on Tuesday afternoon. Another cable guy is coming Wednesday afternoon this week. Hope he can get my modem working!
I accomplished great things, and I didn't accomplish anything. Huh? How's that?? I did an enormous amount of decluttering as I finished moving from the old apartment to the new (I got to a crisis point where the criteria was "Pack or Pitch?") For sentimental ephemera, I managed to just choose my favorite of a group, and say goodbye to the rest. Very cathartic (and hopefully I'll be able to deal with any regrets that come later).
I had planned to be finished the moving out stage by Friday afternoon. In reality, it took me until early Sunday afternoon, and by that time, I was just plunking things in the new place willy-nilly, so I've got a lot of sorting to do.
I'm definitely not on track with the framework of the Cure, however, despite all the decluttering, and working morning, noon, and night. I'll be doing the kitchen this week. A week behind, but that's how it had to be. It'll be so good to get the dishes off the counter and into their new homes!
I'll get to commenting on everybody's progress later, just wanted to say how good it is to be back in touch.
And -- I put "Midwest" in my answer to the survey... hope that covers the Prairie Provinces of Canada as well as the Midwest of the U.S.
Question: Does anyone know of a compact fluorescent bulb or a low energy light bulb that looks good? What about full spectrum lighting?
I have no experience with alternative lighting, but I know I hate traditional fluorescent light. Also, I'm considering trying uplights as the book suggests, but I don't know how to use them. (I've read ahead a bit.)
Congratulations on the move, smallcitybeth! Kitchen is actually a wonderful place to start with unpacking, as the whole project is functional and there's no worry about what vase goes where.
The other modification I'd suggest for movers is that you take a day out of sequence to get the bedroom set up, with nary a box in sight. It really helps to have one peaceful space that demands nothing of you.
I did a lot of "invisible" cleaning in my kitchen this morning (I know, I'm behind). I washed the tops of cupboards and the doors. I haven't ventured to cleaning insides yet, but the outsides were pretty dusty. I also did some cleaning of my utensil jars and some shelves and put on the oven to clean. Nothing really looks any different, but I *know* it's much cleaner. I moved a couple things into the outbox, but again, nothing obvious. I tell myself that each thing counts, even if it's small.
I thought about how I want to re-arrange art for the living room, so I skipped ahead and read about art hanging. 57"?! How tall does Maxwell think people are? 64" is eye-level for me at 5'9".
one of the things on my list to declutter is toiletries (I know, I'm supposed to focus on the kitchen - oops). My problem is that I just can't bring myself to dump perfectly good shampoo/conditioner/lotions/potions/unctions...even if I didn't like it, maybe someone else will. Suggestions?
Jessi- the March domino or maybe it was real simple (I read both this month) has some choices. Unfortunately I'm not home so I don't have the magazines near by.
This week I really made a dent in cleaning and organizing my house without buying anything - just use the space/stuff I have. I'll be posting some progress pics on flickr soon.
Angorian, 57" or 58" on center has been running loose as a recommendation in a bunch of sources, and it initially puzzled me, too. I think it compensates for the common tendency to hang things too high for the furniture.
We definitely hung one picture at 58" on center because that also lined up the top with the tops of the dollhouses that run along a line of cabinetry... Keeping a strong waterline in the room was the right decision, but up close, it's too low for me (I'm 5'11").
amy - unopened stuff could probably go to a food bank or shelter. Opened stuff is probably hard to give away. If you don't like it or use it anyways, you're not making the purchase any more worthwhile by keeping it (since I assume it's guilt over not using it that prevents you from tossing it).
wende: I've always hung stuff at what's "eye-level" for my S.O. (who's 6 ft) and me. I think the idea of having a consistent "waterline" is a good idea, but I'd rather pick one that compensates a bit for our height, since average height is clearly quite a bit shorter.
What have other tall people done?
amy, are you serious? you're thinking of re-gifting used toiletries? to a sister or sister-like friend who always grabs your stuff, fine. otherwise squeeze it out and recycle the bottles.
let it go, sister.
Amy -- Used toiletries have their own equivalent of the "three second" rule.
IF you bought a super-deluxe, hard to find brand,
AND you used only one squirt of product,
AND in no way is a used applicator involved,
THEN you have one week after product failure to offer it to a friend or relative who is sufficiently "close" that you'd borrow their clothes and/or think it was cute if you accidentally dressed alike.
Fail to meet any of those conditions, and you are doomed to throw the remainder OUT.
Once the garbage bag goes down the chute, you'd be surprised how quickly you forget the pain.
I'm a six-footer myself and single pictures or grouping hung at "eye-level" for the average person always looks a bit low for me.
But then I tend to complicate the issue with questions like , is that eye level when you're sitting down or standing up? How does it relate to the height of the ceilings? If you have an eight foot ceiling that might look a bit high even if you are average height. If you have 13 foot ceilings as I do it's going to look low even if you're six foot seven as a friend of mine is. (I should add that he likes to think of himself as two meters tall, but he'll always be five foot nineteen to me.)
I love Angorians comment about "invisible" cleaning. True, cleaning the kitchen isn't necessarily a flashy thing you can show off on Flickr, but having a spotless kitchen feels very luxurious to me. I constantly struggle against my tendency to let things get really dirty. Growing up, my parents valued learning and cultural pursuits, but they did not value a clean house. So we would go to the library several times a week and to the symphony every month, but I never once saw either of them scrub the tub. So as an adult, Ive had to retrain myself into believing that I can have a rich cultural life AND a clean house. I do a decent job at it, but usually things are just clean enough to pass the "visual cleanliness" test. Doing a really deep clean of a space I use a lot, while definitely hard work, turned out to be a really cathartic. Wow, therapy, for sure.
Other notes for folks:
Lady J, what a nightmare! I don't have any words of wisdom except to say I'm pulling for you.
Jessica, thanks for the Mac info! And yes, I got my cupboard closed. :) Such a silly thing. As part of the big kitchen cleanup/reorganization I created a proper space for my crockpot (by removing to the Outbox a roasting pan I have not used in the whole 1.5 years Ive owned it!) so that now said cupboard can close. Phew.
eSusan_MA, a curtain seems like just the solution for hiding your pantry. But I would worry about it being a little too close to the stove. Can fabric be treated with some sort of anti-flame protectant?
smallcitybeth, I admire you for trying to do the move AND the cure! You rock!
Amy--
If your stuff is unused, the Red Cross will always take toiletries. They keep huge stockpiles and use them for disaster relief.
Lorijo--
How did the Martha Stewart oven cleaning go for you? I haven't tried it yet. Did you do just the inside, or did you use it on your drip pans, too? (I can't ever find the right replacement size, and mine are ick!)
About water filters--
I installed a tap-mounted Brita, and so far I really love it. My water tastes great. The filter itself is not the most beautiful addition to my round sink and its lovely goose neck faucet, but luckily in this case, my kitchen sink is literally in a corner behind the fridge, so no one sees it anyway.
Oh, can anyone recommend some inexpensive, good- looking boxes or some type of storage device I can stack on top of my cabinets--I have extra silverware and stuff I need to store up there, since I have exactly one drawer in my kitchen.
I promise to get a camera out and post some pictures soon so you can all see my glue-y floor a-la Gorilla and comment on my apt.
Happy Monday--it's so beautiful here (AL) today!
Nicole - I have some of the IKEA KASSETT boxes for dvds. They're cardboard with metal fittings. I think they look pretty good for the price-point and mine have held up well. The wooden FIRA Mini chest with 3 drawers for $16.99 might be better for cutlery though.
Hi all,
It's so great to see everyone enthusiastically diving into the Cure. It really inspires me!
I have a question... does anyone have recommendations for chalkboard paint? It seems like there are a few brands and I'm not sure which one works the best. Or are they all fairly similar?
About hanging pictures: I usually make sure that pictures are visually connected with whatever furniture they're near, and make the height related to that. It doesn't help if you have a blank wall with no furniture, but I don't have any of those...
On the off chance you read this, person who lives in the South West, has an Apartment Therapy book from the library that was due March 5th and still hasn't brought it back (meanwhile I attempt the cure w/o the book- because we literally can't afford it right now), please return the book. Instead of paying late fees just buy the book and support AT. Thanks!
Hanging Pictures:
57" is eye level (generally) when sitting. Think about having a few close friends over. Do you spend the visit exchanging stories, and eating a fine meal all while standing? Not usually. Most often we're seated comfortably. And the art and pictures surround us to create the atmosphere of the space or make a focal point.
My best friends have hung all their beautiful from around the world at eye level while standing and let me tell you, when I sit in their house I feel like the pieces are looming over me. And when I want to gaze at one of them I feel like I'm looking way up at a movie theater screen from the front row. I don't look for long because it bugs my neck.
If you look at pieces hung in galleries (not necessarily museums) you'll notice most of the pieces are hung quite low.
It seems counter intuitive but lower really is better. It makes a subtle and often unconscious difference.
(Sorry about my ramble; got a line of artists in the family and it's kinda my 'thing')
If this helps explain the reasoning behind 57" then right on.
And remember, it's a good guideline, not a Rule.
:D
Keep going All!
*kiss**kiss*
Eye Level:
I'm especially short and often wonder the same thing. I decided to split the difference between average eye level and my own, so that I'm able to enjoy my own decor, but it doesn't look too silly to tall people. I have short ceilings so it's not a big deal. Personally, I don't like rules - I say do what feels right for you - you're the one who has to live with it - literally ;)
Now that I'm more or less committed to fixing the backsplash: I wanted to use a roll of the blue/green tile-look wallpaper from Graham & Brown to cover back there anyway. Guess that plan's a go.
Late and getting later, but - I put a white particleboard printer/tv/microwave stand on the curb. I've had it for years, and it's never stopped being ugly and a little wobbly.
That alone was worth the cost of the book!
Love Graham & Brown. Can't wait to see pics!
I've just been catching up since I got the book last week. My outbox is the bathtub of the second bathroom. I had several little outboxes all over the house, the goodwill clothes in the bedroom, some giveaway items near the door, and things people left behind when they visited in piles in the guestroom. So just putting that all in one place and starting to get them out of here has been a huge improvement.
I'm wondering if anyone has spotted inspirational photos of apartments in the all beige apartment achitectural complex style? I'm living in one of those places with beige walls and carpets and a sliding glass door in the living room and I'm starting to doubt that this style of apt. can really ever look good.
KathyT: Places to check for inspiring pictures on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/decor8/sets/72157594489549294/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/midcenturyjo/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimhascats/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/eclecticinteriors/
Find a person who has pictures you like and then check out what groups they belong to and which contacts they have. You could keep on going forever.
Hope this helps and sorry I couldn't html my links!! :)
Oops! I guess they linked out automatically. :)
I think I needed a break from my hectic schedule..I'm planning to do some major make over with my house and intend to go for a trip for a while...I'd like to visit those lovely scenery in time...
For now, i have to prepare the things I need for the make over and of course my car for the trip...I've checked out all my auto parts and luckily they were all in excellent condition except for my GMC bug shield which needs some replacement..
But anyway, i find this post very interesting and worthwhile...It gives me new and better things to do...
Thanks a lot..I'll just visit from time to time for some updates...=)
view savage02's profile