apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Happy New Year! I like to wish everyone at Apartment Therapy and online readers a wonderful and blessed New Year. I also like to mention that I received the newest addition of Pottery Barn winter 2006 catalog. It's pretty awesome. Great tips on how to decorate small spaces, bright ideas on how to make your home look serene, and ready for the spring, just remember change is always good. Good luck and look forward to new ideas in the New Year.

I had a chance last night to finally go thru the latest issue of Met Home. The one with proclamations of great ideas for small spaces. With each page I was thinking "um, maybe the next feature will be about small spaces." No luck. What they consider small spaces look like mansions to all of us.

The creativity and passion of ATers far outweighs what Met Home can muster up when dealing with small spaces. I'd love to see them do an issue of nothing but 135 sq. ft., 360 sq. ft., 245 sq. ft. homes. We'd beat 'em, hands down!

oh, I just had to let everyone know that I found some fabulous bamboo fiber sheets at Target last night... I picked up the pillowcases just to try them out before investing in the set, and they are fantastic. 300 thread count, super soft, and great soft colors (off white, light blue, soft brown, a beautiful buttery yellow). The queen sheet set was only like 50 bucks. I will definitely be going back for the full set soon. God, I really sound like an ad for Target right now..!

the fabric is made completely of bamboo??
innnnteresting

aquarabbit and anyone else interested: Target.com has a whole selection of bamboo-fiber blankets in delectable colors - just wanted to mention this since they apparently available only online.

Blankets are bound in silk charmeuse - YUM.

Click my name for a link.

And here's a link to the sheets aquarabbit mentioned:

http://www.target.com/gp/search.html/ref=/601-9714756-9365700?%5Fencoding=UTF8&index=target&field-browse=3151061&field-keywords=bamboo%2Bsheets

They are 60% bamboo / 40% cotton.

I've been staying out of Target since I've been trying to save pennies... but I may well have to go visit to see if I can find the sheets. I at least want to touch them!

And all the lovely/lively spring merchandise is coming soon - more financial temptation!

Aaaack.

For some reason Target doesn't have the yellow sheets on the website... and I am oddly drawn to that color, even though it totally would not match my house. Maybe yellow is the new orange?

They also, strangely, they come packaged in a little drawstring pouch made out of the same material. I'm not quite sure what to do with my little pillowcase pouch!

I have the Bed Bath and Beyond Bamboo sheets that are actually 100% bamboo and they are wonderful! The thread count is lower than the Target set, but I still find them super soft and comfortable. They have gotten better and better with wash and wear.

Link is in the URL for my name.

p.s. if you want to save pennies - check out Crate & Barrel's OUTLET section today! They are just giving away the holiday stuff! I have two sets of 12 candle holders and 10 coasters and all that is just TWO DOLLARS!

it's madness!

(of course, i won't be able to put away my holiday stuff until it gets here...but so what?!)

Aquarabbit quoth: "Maybe yellow is the new orange?"

Maybe yellow is the antidote to the gray and wet outside our windows? The yellow shade of the blanket just leaped out at me, and I'm ordinarily more a beige sort of girl.

There must be something you can store in your pillow pouch... I hang bags from hangers in my closet and use them to keep shoes that only go with one garment attached to the garment.

I got a fabric bag with a set of pajamas... I tossed it in my suitcase so I always have a laundry bag when traveling.

does anyone know (anywhere in the US) that has "believable" faux brick or flagstone panels?

fiberglass, heavier vacuforms, plastic...

I saw some place in canada online a while ago..but failed to bookmark it. plus their minumums were more than I needed...

maybe someone knows a theatre supply or scenery place?

thanks!

(BTW- west elm has gone yellow fever...)

Design on a Dime showed a scenic supply place on a past epsiode for faux panels like you describe.

Umm, anyone else having serious AT withdrawal? I didn't even know I was addicted, but "best of 2005" posts are not turning out to be a sufficient dosage...

i am missing it to.... and i am off work all week, so i have a LOOOOT of online time.....
Good news is that the new Living Etc. is out. Get the to Barnes and Nobel... I actually audibly gasp while looking through that damn magazine.

I got my new Livingetc and wanted to holler. I loooooove that magazine. However, I have also been stalking the book stores for the new Domino. Oh Jeeze. someone help me. It was great. Its like an American version of Livingetc. Just heaven. did anyone else see the new Domino?

I will renovate my kitchen in 2006.

Any thoughts on where I can find a little old man (or cute younger one) to make cabinets out of actual wood? I'm going for a very traditional look: wood cabinets painted in glossy oil paint.

Or is it the law in 2006 to buy Ikea cabinets?

I am at work, but feel like the only one here today... the hallways *and* the internet are both so quiet. Too bad I can't bring my cat to the office to keep me company!

Since I only started posting in mid summer I'm going back and reading the posts before that. I've been posting comments to old posts but at least I'm getting my addiction fed.

Either more quiet or less would suit me fine today. The people I need responses from are on vacation -- they're too quiet. The husband is working at home (i.e., 5 feet from me), so my day is punctuated by loud discussions about computer issues.

Bringing the cat to work doesn't help. My two spent all of yesterday banging their heads into my hand so that it was impossible to read or type.

Ah wende - head butts! I love that (unless I'm trying to work on the computer or reading).

Husband 5 ft. away? Now I know why I never got married. I always said that if I ever got married (never gonna happen) he'd have to have his own place.

This cracked me up!!!:

I think knowing your neighbors has a lot to do with individual personality. I lived in a townhome once for three years, and then my sister took it over from me. Not even three weeks later, she told me, "Doug and Patty are getting a divorce!" I said, "Who the hell are Doug and Patty?"

Posted by patrick (the other one) at 05/10/05 2:35 PM

Hey, here's a question -----
What's everyone doing tomorrow night????

1) does anyone ever wonder if there are folks who are working for pottery barn/crate and barrel/some-other-store that are commenting on AT? the first comment in this thread is just so... Pretty Marketing Speak. i'm spooked. have i been hanging out with too many marketing people and getting all paranoid? on the other hand, i'm down with the tips on bamboo sheets and the like.

2) anne, i'm not in the mood to rage much this year so i'm having some friends over, lighting a fire, cooking a huge pot of soup and playing games. at midnight we'll go outside to light sparklers and act like idiots. woo!

I'm going to have dinner with friends in Tribeca, and then probably just watch the ball drop on TV. Nothing huge.

Anne, I think the answer to tomorrow night is "as little as possible." I want to walk somewhere dopey and touristy tomorrow, like Chinatown, and then it's time to curl up with a book.

Kyra, if I worked for PB or similar, I'd be darn tempted to flog my wares here. Someone has to have tried it at *some* point in the site's life.

Anne, I do not work for Pottery Barn. I just wanted to share my thrill for the new winter catalog with everyone..Have a wonderful New Year!!

Tomorrow: making dinner for 10 friends (roast pork loin w/red wine and cherries for the meaters, roasted butternut squash lasange for the vegs).
Tonight: still at work, dammit! Its 5;30 and I'm a long way from leaving.

I work at the animal shelter tomorrow morning and Sunday morning so I'll be staying in and going to bed early. I always think "gee, just 3 blocks away there are millions of people partying and I'm comfy and quiet at home." Is life passing me by?

Reese--
One of the reasons I love AT is because it's where people can share unabashed love for things like the perfect grout or the new Pottery Barn catalog.Your post made me dig mine out form the mail, and yes, it is a lovely start to the new year (even though it's still 2005).

form = from

Hey AT, did anyone see the sale Williams Sonoma Home is having? Their Chelsea Wingchair in antiqued white leather is on sale for nearly 50% off!!!

http://www.wshome.com/cat/index.cfm?nv=nav_ecatalog&rfx_page=104&bnrid=3231024&cm_ven=kana&cm_cat=EDM&cm_pla=winter_sale&cm_ite=online_exclusives

I have always coveted this chair, but don't wingchairs beg to be ordered in pairs? I can't decide if I should order one or two?

pdx--
I think that chair can stand on its own, but if you have the space and budget for two, I say go for it. That's a nice price, and maybe it's the season, but I am loving all things "modern wing chair" right now.

Did someone say they were having AT withdrawal? I'm not alone? Whew...

I've only been "here" at AT for a few months. In the midst of finalizing a jewelry line for my new business, dealing with a spousal death, a major employment change, moving, in-laws in disagreement, a niece I want to cover in wax and roll off a mountain, all within a short time span, I have found that AT levels me out. Yoga, walking, all of it great and working for a long time but apparently, AT does it.

I have friends, the Queen of Cats, talent, a great attitude toward life, joy, good health and am stable, and somehow, as crazy as this might sound, reading and posting on AT has provided me with great fun and has helped put things in perspective. I've always been interested in design but had begun to think many people in that field were shallow - hey, you know some of them yourself - plus, I've lived in LA, once in West Hollywood for 4 years, and now I'm back in NY to stay. I've met every type of human and done everything creative for a living (murals, faux, sculpt, law firms being the exception, endless...).

Patrick (the other one) is soooo right: One of the reasons I love AT is because it's where people can share unabashed love for things like the perfect grout or the new Pottery Barn catalog.

It's attention to detail. I love this. It makes what could be ordinary, wonderful. Its sans politics, sans sexuality, sans economics. We all have something to say and apparently I'm long winded occasionally (sorry, had real coffee today)...

AT reminds me that this is all fun, that we all have great passions about our environments and strong opinions about quality and style and that taking care of "home" is really a true art.

I just rushed home after buying some gemstones and then a crock pot, yup, a crock pot, and a rug, and a small table for my dining area and I now my budget is crying but I feel great. I wanted to see what was up at AT. So, now I'm a happy addict and I can't wait until the crew comes back and we're all up and running.

But bamboo sheets? How does that work?

New Year's Eve? I'm happily staying home alone regardless of an invite, making something with lamb, opening a bottle of wine, reading a friend's screenplay and relaxing. I'm starting a new year and so is my apartment.

Happy New Year and thank you all for being a good place to be.

jmarieb--
Um, without sexuality?!? I have not been doing my job! ;)

And there is a joke about bamboo sheets and "morning wood" but I'M not going to make it.. ;)

Reese, just for the record it wasn't me that said anything about Pottery Barn.

jmarieb - that was a great post. You've been thru an incredible year! And you survived it!!

Even though I've only been posting since mid summer I feel just as addicted and I think it's because of your reasons; no politics, no dilatants (did I spell that right?), just open opinions. I hope all of us have a wonderful 2006. I could use a good year.

Unrelated, but does anyone in NYC know of a portrait/headshot photographer?

P(too),
Thanks for your comments...I just placed my order for one wingchair. I figured I'll see how just one looks. I'm so excited! And like everyone's been saying - I am thankful to be able to share my excitement with others on this site who get excited by such things!

I have two unrelated questions:

Where can I buy dhurrie rugs (blue/white striped ala the Diane Keaton/Somethings Gotta Give hamptons house)?

If I buy an "Olympic Queen" mattress (66 inches), will I ever find sheets to fit?

The photographer that did all my headshots (when I was in acting) is terrific. It's been a while so I don't know his contact info but I'll look it up and get back to you in a day or 2.

p(too)... I'm a big fan of this woman I ran across a while back on Flickr; not sure about headshots, but her portraits are *amazing* to say the least.

http://www.jamiegoodridge.com/

Helpless--
Try either Williams Sonoma Home, or the Amagansett collection at ABC Carpet & Home.

Patrick, is this portrait for your book jacket??

Kidding - I *kid*.

Actually, though, if you wrote a book I would buy it.

I have a couple of things I plan to do this weekend. One is to find a copy of Living Etc. and the other I will do as soon as I finish this post:

I need to add My Architect to my Netflix queue.

Has anyone else here seen it? I have, and I want to see it again. It's about the life of Louis Kahn, written and directed by his only - and secret - son. I highly recommend it.

I also want to second/third/fourth the extension of thanks to my fellow AT addicts. I don't know if I will ever have a chance to meet any of you, but some of you I feel I do know through your vivacious words on the page. Even jmarieb, whom I applaud!

This has been a long year for me, one that started off by losing my job that I loved, then almost seven months of unemployment. No job/no money issues. Stalker ex. Putting my beloved dog to sleep. Starting new job that is stressful but fabulous. However, AT has been here from start to finish and some of my most relaxed times have been spent poring over links and posts and comments and old threads and emailing people I've met through the site. AT inspires me. AT educates me. And to paraphrase Jack Nicholson, "It makes me want to be a better housekeeper."

Thanks to all of you. Here's to a glorious 2006!

omg. way to end the year. my brand new mitchell gold sectional just arrived and guess what? the long end didn't fit around a corner in my apartment. now i'm spending an extra $375 to have people come in and take apart my beautiful new sofa (luckily it's slipcovered so whatever they do will be covered up) and put it back together. they're drilling away right behind me -- i can't watch!

OH!!!

I would be remiss if I did not post the following programming note. Patrick's episode of Small Space Big Style is scheduled to air this Sunday, New Year's Day, at 3 pm ET/PT... 2 pm Central.

HGTV doesn't list another air date beyond this, so I am planning to commandeer a TV set at my folks' New Year's Day.

Sincerely,
P(too)'s Unoffical Publicist :)

We are spending New Year's Day with the parents, who have satellite TV, so I can finally see p(too)'s SSBS!

my wishes for a happy new year to all. I'm pretty happy to kiss 2005 goodbye as well. The community here is kind, helpful, and very funny - abright spot in a crappy year. Thanks for answering all my questions.

An AT-worthy apt. in 2006! ok, maybe by 2007.

my husband and i are hosting a party at the apartment we just moved into five weeks ago today! talk about stressful...we've decided to keep several small boxes that have yet to be unpacked out so as to show we just moved. i think it makes me feel better, my little security blanket of sorts.

simple stuff: lots of appetizers, a simple buffet dinner of roasted chicken and grilled filet mignon, two different salads, and some good bread from the mazzola bakery in carroll gardens. (and lots of bubbly!)

wishing you all a very happy new year! i look forward to checking this site each day (well, sometimes several times a day, i'm slightly obsessed) and thank you for making me smile. : )

I am also hosting a new years party i finaly found the right sectional for my house and it was delivered today, talk about cutting it close. i was searching everywhere for like 3 months, and finally found a store that has unique modern furniture! Happy new year!

http://www.comfortinstylefurniture.com/

Oh guys,
This is the most heart-warming thread ever. Can you imagine what an "outsider" to the AT culture would think if they stumbled upon an interior decorating blog with long chat threads devoted to the adoration of Pottery Barn catalogues and the transformational properties that a creative online community can have on a life in flux!??!??!

You know what? I can imagine what they would think and I don't care! I am an AT junky, I too have had an amazingly crazy year (after 5 years of a long distance relationship, I sold everything I owned and moved away from my beloved New York, my collection of Mid century splendor, my Career and my job to be with my guy and start a new Career working for an interior design company….in Frankfurt) and I have definitely used it as an escape.

God bless all of you grout crazy people. Have a lovely New Years and I look forward to another year filled with Apartment Therapy.

Ps- I think I have worked up the courage to send some apartment pics of my work in progress to the site.... I am going to take the Christmas tree down first and wait for a sunny morning.

I love this thread too!!!

Special thanks to Maxwell, the editors of LivingEtc, the Jon Stewart Show, the New Yorker, HGTV (even the crappy stuff), designsponge, my dogs and everything else that made this awful year bearable.

Here's to clean, lovely living that suit your style and budget (well, sort of) with happiness and good health in the new year.

On Tuesday, I will go back to being my grumpy, judgemental sloppy self.

Oh and P2, I do enjoy your bawdy jokes. Keep them up (now, now!) in 2006.

Jennifer

Bamboo can be spun into a silky polymer-y thing, kinda like modal, which is made out of tree fibers. I've seen yarn made that way that was soft and shiny. I have to check for the bamboo sheets next time I'm at Target...

Most "small spaces" advice turns out to be so disappointing. I flipped through a stack of magazines that promised to turn my 4x4 bathroom into a palace, and the small bathrooms feature was all about the best layout for about baths that are 6x10, with a 6x6 powder room thrown in for good measure. Grrr. I know we can't all have 30x30 bathooms, but a bathroom isn't "small" just because you can't fit a jacuzzi in it.

Mary, when we browse McMansions for entertainment, I routinely calculate how much larger the master-suite bath is than our bathroom and kitchen combined, as well as how readily it will convert so the place can become a boarding house.

This last calculation is not out-of-line, as many mini-Mansions in the 'burbs *are* becoming unofficial multi-family residences because one family can't make the mortgage payments alone.

We consider our apartment bathroom huge because it's large enough to hold the cats' litter box.

wende, that's priceless. I've been touring the hospital lottery houses in our area - last one was 9000 square feet - and wondering where the servants' quarters are. (yeah, I know, they live out.) I've had entire apts smaller than the luxe laundry rooms in these places. The luxe laundry room is a very weird phenomenon - I'd send my laundry out. But utility and luxury have combined in some strange ways over the past ten years.

re: Pottery Barn catalogs - I was going down the stairs from a friend's apt with my husband and one of our friends. This friend is a guy's guy, the kind of person who watches football in his underwear and bathrobe. And both men looked at the new PB catalog at the front door and said, "OOOOOOOOOOOOO - Pottery Barn." And that's why I'll always have a soft spot for Pottery Barn.

Mary, I had a 4x4 bathroom that I ADORED - my favourite out of all the bathrooms I've lived with. It had a half-door, leaving room for a small sink, toilet and very large tub. The tub's faucet was on the side, so that two people could actually lean back in the tub with magazines and morning coffee on the weekends. And on Sunday mornings, gospel music from the church next door came through the open window. It wasn't a palace, and the fixtures were pink (ok by me, but lots of people don't like them), but I sure loved that bathroom...

*sigh.* Different city now, different life, and a very crappy bathroom that needs serious work. And no gospel music, needless to say.

P2 - I love your bawdy jokes also. I look for your comments.
(I promise no more long posts - must be the season).....

As I said in my post at the very top, I would love to see Met Home do an entire mag. of just small spaces. Not "small" spaces but SMALL spaces. I wonder how they'd handle a 4x4 bathroom or a bedroom the size of a walk-in closet. I'm really starting to think that we are more talented than the magazine editors (who probably live in a classic six).

Why am I going to cry? AT's seen me through a lot this year too--in-law and post partum issues, etc. Nobody else got my excitement at my recently acquired Tord Boontje garland light and Jonathan Adler (ornament size) menagerie at my New Years/Chanuka party. Thanks!

I just took a look at this site:
http://newyorkcitypets.com/

and saw my little Lucy's picture on it!! She's the last one, the cute little cat with the black nose. I know it's not design related but I just had to share it. I certainly never expected that. What a nice surprise!

What a fine cat!

Does it make it design-related if I admire the table she's under?

Thanks wende. Actually, it's not a table but a chair. I tried to attach it here and don't know if it'll work since I've not been able to figure out the simplest of things like sharing a photo but we'll see.

Yep, figures. As much time I spend trying to share photos to the web I still don't know how it's done.

If what I'm trying works, I'll tell you how I did it.

Okay, here's an easy way to share photos using Flickr.

1. Go to http://www.flickr.com

2. Create an account if you don't have one; log in if you do.

3. Follow their instructions to upload a photo from your computer.

4. Once the photo is completely uploaded and saved, click on it.

5. When a new URL appears in your browser's address bar, select and copy it.

6. Paste the URL into the URL box of the reply form here, then proceed as normal.

That should put the link in your name. I'd never used Flickr before, but I gather that Photobucket has become passe.

Thanks wende! Let's see if this works.

In looking at Housing Works windows
http://www.housingworksauctions.com/lot.cfm?lotID=5775
I see the exact chair that's on my balcony that I've been trying all afternoon to post. The price in the auction is way over what I paid for mine, which was about $45. I like the chair though.

There were postings here where a couple people were in search of the swiveling Murphy bed featured on an SSBS episode (the apartment was in Miami); the bed spun with shelves and storage on the other side. Did anyone ever find more info? Thanks!

Yes, I did get some info on that bed. It was made by Dennis Wedlick Architect, LLC and is exported from Europe. His publicist emailed me the following stores where you might find the bed.
Lisa


DESIGN & COMFORT
380 WEST BROADWAY
10012 NEW YORK, NY
PHONE 212/334 1000

DESIGN & COMFORT
440 PARK AVENUE SOUTH
NEW YORK , NY
PHONE 212/679 9088

MOBELFORM
1855 GRIFFING ROAD - SUITE B 408
33004 DANIA, FLORIDA
PHONE 954/9227234
FAX 954/9255019

LINEA
13601 BISCAYNE BOULEVARD
NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FL 33181
PHONE 305/945 3024
FAX 305/945 3048
e-mail linea@bellsouth.net

RESOURCE FURNITURE
545 MADISON AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10022
PHONE 212 7532039
FAX 212/7539628
e-mail sspett@resourcefurniture.com

WALMER GROUP
16241 NW 48 AVENUE
MIAMI, FLORIDA 33014
PHONE 305/6238188
FAX 305/6238818
E-MAI CI@WALMERUSA.COM

SHOOMINE'
8 PARK PLAZA
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02116
phone 617/2272021
fax 617/2272007
e-mail contact@shoomine'.com

Anyone going to Vegas to Geek-Out at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show)?

I want to see what's going on with Digital Home. We could have an AT conclave to praise the good and mock the bad. Any takers?

Anne:

Lucy's a cutie! I think she qualifies as design just because she makes the place beautiful.

A(the first)in D:

My condolences re: your sweet dog. All loss sucks. Hang in there. Things always get better. Laugh alot. Buy lipstick and furniture, and never go out without dark sunglasses - nice Hollywood style. People think you know something you're keeping secret and they find you mysterious. Works for me, especially with the long hair. This is proof I'm bi-coastal. Can't get rid of the sunglasses, but hey, no one's perfect. :)

Re: P(too's)apartment on Small Space: I watched it again. I think I've seen every airing of it. I am in love with this place. It is my idea of clean, functional, classic. The first showing of it was my inspiration to throw out every trivial thing I own (except the workshop and the Cat). I'm nearly done and have a list of projects, some of which I've already begun. 'Tis a new year coming. Your luck will change for the better.

LB:

Thank you so much for the info on the swiveling Murphy bed!!

SE

I have found a source for the dhurries. I have seen a couple of versions of these in Domino and Vogue magazine from Maharaja Dhurries. They make made-to-order versions in all sizes and colors, mainly stripes. They can do the Chevron I think in a large size. At http://www.indiandhurries.com or http://www.maharajatent.com.