apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

This is a really basic question, but having no DIY skills I have to ask....

Can anyone provide guidance on how to paint natural steel/stainless steel furniture? I want to get the slim console at Room and Board due to small space restrictions, but I need some color. Any ideas? What kind of paint, do I need to prime, etc.?

Or places to go to to have it done? Autobody shop? Any recommendations in Hoboken/Jersey City? Thanks!

I also have a paint question, but unfortunately don't have an answer for yours, turtleesq.

My Q: Is it possible to paint wood-veneered furniture? Is it easy to back away the fake-wood-looking veneer top sheet (for lack of a better term)? I don't own/have access to an electric sander... but i imagine the wood underneath the horrible fake wood veneer coating would be rough enough to paint directly? Anyone have experience with this?
Thanks in advance!!

turtleesq, your best option is probably to have the piece powder coated -- you should be able to find a provider in the yellow pages.

sarahjam, just to be clear, are you talking about painting wood veneer (which is a thin layer of real wood), or do you want to paint plastic laminate? The process is different depending on what the material is that you want to paint.

sarahjam,

You can paint the laminate. Don't peel it away--you're likely to be left with particle board or cheap plywood. Just sand it by hand lightly, prime it, then paint it. Use a foam roller or brush, or other low-nap roller to get a smooth finish.

pick up a copy of the latest do-it-yourself mag. it's all about painting things like laminate, etc.

Random question: any idea on where I can get a nice corner bookcase? So far I've only found Ikea's Billy...

Any insider's tips on catching the fireworks in NYC?

Hey Anna and Shawn - I wasn't sure that you could paint the plastic laminate top layer, so I thought you had to strip it away to paint the cheap wood underneath. But now I see stripping's not necessary, which is great! So thanks for your tip, Shawn! What kind of paint would you recommend? Is there anyway spray paint could work? I am constantly moving around from rental to rental and have to deal with cheap furniture alot, so I'm looking for quick and dirty solutions that LOOK great but may not BE great- ie may not stand the test of time (and that's ok for my purposes). Thanks!!

For that metal furniture, autobody paint shops are fantastic if you can afford them. It literally cost me $250 to have the MAACO in Astoria paint the built-in hamper that I unscrewed out of the wall and brought over to them, but I love it SOOOOOOOOO much now.

sarahjam, I've never tried it, but spray paint would probably work. Just be sure to prime first. Luckily, you can also buy spray can primer.

Hi there

I have my heart set on buying an Alphaville Mies 2 Seater Lounge Bench in black but I'm at a loss to where to purchase it from. I have read all the horror stories on this site about some on-line stores selling this brand of furniture and I'm hoping someone can suggest a reputable supplier to purchase it from.

(I also have read all of the discussions about buying reproductions vs the authentic product but my budget doesn't extend to the real thing).

Thank you so muich in advance for any advice you can pass on.

Has anyone tried the towels from West Elm? What do you think about softness, durability, color-fastness, absorbency?

What are the plans to make the slideshows on AT accessible again? I can't see the pictures, and I've seen reports from others with the same problem.

Any recommendations for clothes dryers that can be installed in a co-op apt's kitchen? We have only 110 power, but it should be possible to install an outside vent for the dryer. I'm looking for something that can be installed under the counter. Any comments on these two options I've found online: the SPD1200 Summit Compact Vented Electric Dryer and the Malber TD700/110 110 Volt 24" Space Saver, 15 Pound Tumble Dryer? We'd be pioneers in our building, so I'll need a good plan to present to the co-op board, and there isn't much of a market for this kind of appliance in DC.

I would love everyone's opinion:

Is it okay to mix dark brown wood and oak wood in one room?

Do you prefer a patterned duvet with solid pillows or a solid duvet with patterned pillows (I LOVE Inhabit's pillows!)

I just moved into a small studio (14.5" x 18") and I'm pretty much working with a clean slate and searching for my inspiration. My goal is to have my studio completed by the end of next week, but I don't have ANY ideas!


What would you do with a space like this? I'm willing to part with anything/everything and re-buy within a modest budget.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/mfantusy/apt003.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/mfantusy/apt004.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/mfantusy/apt002.jpg

whoa it's me

Yes, you can mix woods. As one of my favourite designers says, "Are all the trees in the forest the same?" I think the only caveat would be to not mix red based and yellow based finishes, such as mahogany and yelllow oak.

As for mixing patterns on the bed, my suggestion would be to keep the bed in a solid colour in your small space, and add punch with great pillows. Unless, of course, you want the bed to be the centre of attention. ; )

art -

For July 4th, at least, the fireworks tend to be around 34th Street or so on the East River, so... if you can find someone who lives on a high floor somewhere in view of that, it will help.

Thanks Curtis.

That may be a challenge.

I will be staying in Soho for the weekend so I must find some interesting things to do (other than eat at many restaurants).

I would like to check out the Chelsea or Essex markets but not sure if they would be open during a holiday weekend.

i have two tempurpedic pillows. the problem i have is i can never find a pillow case to fit it properly. Regualr pillow cases look all shabby on it. Any ideas on where i can get pillowcases that will provide a good fit?

Does anyone have the Celeste rug from Crate and Barrel (http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1287&f=12886) or know someone who does? I just got rid of a cheap flokati rug because it shed worse than my cats... I love shag rugs and I have a better budget for decorating my new place, so I can get something that's better quality. Does anyone know if the Celeste shag rug sheds? I can deal with a little bit, but I don't want to have to vacuum every day.

Storm, it would be really easy to make regular pillow cases smaller. Anyone with a sewing machine and basic sewing skills (or a very patient hand sewer) could cut them down for you. I'd mark the dimensions you need and talk to a tailor or a drycleaner who does alterations. If you completely strike out there, try an upholsterer. Based on pants hemming rates, I think it would be $8 to $15 per pillowcase but I bet you could talk someone into doing a pair for less than $20.

It's a sad commentary on my life how important it is that AT gets the slide show mechanism fixed. Or that someone tells me how to adjust my computer so I don't have to see ads but get to see the home tour slide shows. Take pity on me AT!

EllieMae,
I feel your pain. It aggravates me also!!!!

janbrady, I have new towels from West Elm. They're only a month or so old so I can't speak to durability but I am enjoying their softness. They also do a great job at drying (an important factor in a towel).

DC folks: does anyone have any good recommendations for art framing shops? I live in Adams Morgan and would love to go to one of the shops here, but only if they have a good ratio of fair pricing and good craftsmanship. I've never had something professionally framed before, but I have a piece of actual art for a change and I want to splurge and do it justice in a nice frame.

I join the frustrated crowd who can't see the slideshow - at least on Windows/IE. I can see it just fine on my Mac/Firefox at home. I'm also frustrated at the lack of any kind of substantive response on this. AT, ANYONE HOME?

J-fer Rose,

A few years ago, a friend of mine in the arts recommended this place in Tenleytown (near Metro), and it was really great, well worth the schlepp over there:

Washington Framers' Workroom
http://www.framersworkroomdc.com/FW-Flash.swf

They are really good at helping you select the framing materials, at framing, and also at helping you with on-site DIY framing, if you choose that option. Their work is beautiful.

I'll take a shot at posting another DC-specific question: Anyone know good kitchen contractors? We have a large kitchen space, and a (reasonable, but) small budget. Any suggestions for clean and modern on a budget beyond IKEA?

janbrady, I've had a couple of different sets of West Elm towels for more than a year and they have been more than satisfactory, soft, durable and holding their color. I can't say the same for a rather expense set I purchased at Macy's about the same time which immediately lost color and started to show pulled loops.

Floor plan tool on Lifehacker today:

http://lifehacker.com/397155/planningwiz-maps-your-floor-plan

I have a door dillemma:

We ordered these hot doorhandles from the UK, only to find out the diameter of handles there is smaller than here. Our door's hole is too big. We either need a new door, or some way to attache the handle to the large hole.

Does anyone have recommendations for a trusty handyman, or locksmith that would be able to address this issue?

thanks!!!!

J-Fer Rose,

I second the rec on Framers' Workroom. I am very fussy about frames and mats--my parents used to own a framing shop--and they have a great selection of moldings as well as helpful staff. The DIY option can save you a bit of $, too.