apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Hello all,
Just wondering if anyone here has ever bought any of LL Bean's Ultralight line of furniture. If so, what's your opinion? Thanks!

Good morning,
Does anyone know where to get a coffee table with hidden storage like this one (white one near bottom of screen):
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_design_small_space/article/0,1793,HGTV_3382_4198925_02,00.html

or an inexpensive "flitch wood" coffee table? You know, the ones that you can see the shape of the tree? Minimally finished. Minimally priced too.

Thanks!

Laura Kim: I don't know where that came from, but I want one too.

It may be worth calling one of the furniture designer or designer companies at the bottom of the page to see if they created that table.

a flitch wood table:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-1950s-ARTISAN-MADE-NAKASHIMA-TABLE-Walnut-NR_W0QQitemZ6605035674QQcategoryZ63588QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Hi
I want to get a shoe cabinet for my bedroom - probably white. I found one at hold everything that is okay.
http://www.holdeverything.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?partNumber=HE-PROD1127&retainNav=true&parent_category_rn=&cmsrc=SCH&storeId=11001&langId=-1&catalogId=11002&viewSetCode=E&orderId=null&parentId=shoe

But I would prefer on that is longer and shorter.
Any suggestions? I've tried Ikea, container store, jcpenney. nothing.

I've already contacted the owner of the apt. who never responded to my inquiry. I've seen a few that are similar, but not great quality. I've been searching for awhile.

I'm thinking of designing the flitch wood one myself....anyone know any skilled carpenters (that charge reasonable rates) that could put it together for me?

that was custom made, but Ikea makes a similar end table (not coffee table) in a U shape that you can slide together in the same fashion.

New Tenant,
I think this one's cool (linked to my name)..they have a few at this site that are kind of pricey for chip board. (you gave me a fun google activity for midday!:) )

Has everyone here taken this quiz at HGTV?

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_33320,00.html

Hi there, hope everyone is having a good day. For the person who was looking for B & W shower curtains, I just noticed that the C & B online outlet is having a sale and there are two B & W designs. (Click my name for the link)

I just took the HGTV quiz and they got it right. The way described my style is right on the money!

Now - did anyone enter the free HGTV house? I did the past couple of years but then I thought "wait a minute! I'd have to pay taxes on all that stuff. Forget it."

Yup, Anne, I've done so faithfully this go-around. But no idea how I'd pay for the taxes either. It is interesting to note that none of the previous 9 winners have kept the homes... this is probably why.

Anne, It's funny that you mentioned the HGTV Home Giveaway. My hubby told me he recently read or watched an expose' somewhere that out of all the houses (I think it's ten?) HGTV has given away, only two of them are occupied by the winners (or perhaps occupied at all?). No one else could afford the taxes.

Hell, I'd work out a payment plan with the IRS if I could, for this one in Asheville - one of my favorite places!

Just got the April Dwell and breezed through it outside at lunch. (it's almost 80 here, but the temperature's supposed to drop to 35 Friday evening - crazy.)

P(too): I noticed an article entitled Modern Houseplants, and I remembered you were looking for suggestions on those last year.

Also - I had never heard of a 'flitch' table until I saw it listed on this morning's Scavenger, and it was such a cool word that I had to look at the CL listing. Well, lo and behold, there's another instance of the word 'flitch' on page 56. It's rare that I encounter a word that I've never heard before, and flitch has become my new favorite! I just wish I had more reason to use it.

The Limn ad on page 40 is great... though their 10% discount on items identical to DWR merchandise doesn't make the furniture any more "reachable" for me.

Last but not least, I'm really excited that this was the April issue, as opposed to the April/May issue. Dwell has finally gone monthly!... well, mostly.

Cheers, all!

P.S. Bertoia chair update: it will be another few weeks, for any of you interested. The chairs that my company ordered to replace the Bertoias are delayed because the upholstery was recalled by the manufacturer. :P

Another person who HGTV nailed as a modernist/hipster (gawd).


However, I do have a question about TRIMWORK.

When we bought our house, everything was oak oak oak and country with cream and hunter green (blehhhhhh). I painted over all the trim in the main areas of the house with chocolate brown and a deep dark chocolate on the floors. Click my name for pictures (of the whole process - the ones near the middle and one at the end show the total effect) - but I am starting to see a LOT of while paint around. What's the general trim idea...paint it white? Paint it the same as the walls? Match near to the floor color?

Thanks for any feedback!

That decorating style test from the HGTV site was fun! I wasn't surprised at the result, though: "Your style is ECCENTRIC." Nope, not eclectic, but eccentric. This is SO flattering!

Rachel - if you search the archives here, you'll see at least a few discussions about trim. I know I wrote a pretty LONG post within a thread like this, which I can't quite make myself repeat. But I'm not so good with the searches, myself.

Rachel-
I'm a "paint the trim the color of the walls" person. It makes the trim visually disappear.

Thanks Curtis and Jeremy -

I should have thought about the search. *eyerolling* I did find one house in the renovations that has similiar style to my taste and they did white trim.

Ideally, I'd prefer to rip up all the trim, because it's ugly, but my house is not a finely crafted piece of work, it's got gaps and holes all over the place which necessistates a lot of the trim. We'll see. Grrr. Pain in the behind.

The HGTV quiz insists that my taste is "sweet." I knew it wasn't modern, mostly, but good grief.

The quiz declares me "sweet" as well. But it should be modern. Good grief, as well!

Remember, below your "design style" is a recommendation on what kinds of real design types should appeal to you within that style. That's a funny category, though, I can't imagine going around looking for sweet furniture!

I've taken this quiz a number of times and deliberately make different choices (but still within my preferences). Twice it has told me my design style is "Hip" (I feel so NOT HIP, though). It says I would prefer Contemporary, Modern, and Asian - but I don't think so! Contemp & Mod is soo-oo-o NOT me! Asian, a little bit, if not overdone. I consider myself more into Eclectic/Classical/Paris Apartment. Could "Hip" actually be my true self peeking out from a self-limiting belief, maybe? One day it came up with a different answer and at least that one recommended Transitional, which is more me. I wonder which style you get for the Jack Russell Terrior?

Anne, I hope you went back and arranged to take more than four of those chairs!

That HGTV quiz is neat. I came out as "Classic," which is exactly how I see myself. I think I skew more towards clean-lined classic though (when I peeked at the Arts and Crafts examples they showed, I liked them the best rather than more formal Traditional or Transitional styles).

Regarding the HGTV Dream Home contest if you've ever read any of their discussion boards its pretty clear that its generally expected the winner isn't going to be able to live there. It may not be near work or family or any number of variables in addition to the tax issue. The one's I've seen are certainly lovely, but not MY dream house. It seems set up to allow the winner to sell it and have a sizable sum to put toward their own "dream house". Though even 2 million isn't going to buy a lot in NYC!

Rachel -
In a nutshell, my thing on trim is that I like for the trim to be consistent throughout a home, whether it's an apartment or a house. Since we generally think of trim as an architectural element, it's assumed that it's wood, which is neutral and some form of neutrality is good for that. But everyone's neutral is different. White is nice, bright neutral that really shows off wall colors for exact whatever color they are.

But a medium tone version of a warm grey can be a good neutral that looks good with all kinds of mid-tone colors if you wanted to have SOME contrast with the walls, but still have that room-expanding trick of not necessarily having to relentlessly define each room. Janovic's "Crushed Rock" color has been the color that I've painted the trim in the last 4 rental apartments that one particular friend/client of mine has used. At this point, it's what makes each place feel like home to him, AND it pulls together all the kinds of wall colors we likes really well.

And that basically, trim should be painted in a finish that's durable, preferably an oil-based paint like an alkyd or something in a satin sheen, so that it's not TOO shiny but still wipe-able. I find eggshell to be made of rubber, and to be kind of scrubbable, but really absorbent of soot for some reason.

HGTV thinks my style is "hip." I feel so validated. Most of the choices really came down to the lesser of four evils... I can't say that any of my choices represented my actual style.

I just got back from a lunch-time trip to Crate & Barrel... I was surprised at how little I was attracted to, and ended up not buying a thing. My huge gripe about C&B is that they have such lovely lovely couches (my kingdom for the Petrie), but NONE of them come as loveseats! We don't all live in giant mansions. Why can't they make the Petrie or the Brooke in a reasonable, 63 or 65" loveseat? I am really asking for too much here?

I couldn't get that HGTV thing to even open for me. Whahn-wahnnnnnnn.

love that little quiz, thanks for sending it along. i thought for sure when i picked the english garden view over the japanese garden that i was going to be classic or romantic or something like that but received the "hip" profile. as i look around my apartment, the description seemed just about right! fun.

That HGTV quiz is bogus. It said my style is "Sweet"?! What the heck is that about? I do not like Country, Cottage, Tuscan or heirloom rocking chairs thank you very much!

I got Eccentric on the quiz, and I'm fine with that.

And dIANE: yes! I'm getting way more than four Bertoias. I'm really excited about that.

Thanks for the additional info curtis!

Limn at 10% off? Yeah, like that'll help! When they have a 90% sale let me know. Limn is so expensive.

I got "hip" on the quiz. The description of hip was right on so sorry jimkk, I say it's not bogus :)

When the winner gets the HGTV house they also have to pay transfer and closing costs on the house. None of them have been my dream house because who wants to live in those obscure places? And a car in Manhattan? No thanks! I'd sell it just like the rest of the winner, pay the taxes and use the rest for a nice little place in NYC. Keyword - "little". If the winners always sell them HGTV should find out why and then fix the "problem" so that it's worth living there.

On trim, I say that if it's beautiful trim paint it to stand out but if it's plain boring trim paint it the color of the wall so it disappears. If it's ceiling trim paint it the color of the ceiling to make the room look taller.

I've never seen or sat on the LL Bean furniture, but when I was looking for a new couch, I considered it. I liked the small size, the LLB rep, and the delivery.

FWIW, I didn't get it, mainly because, with my first M1-economy-purchase couch, I wanted a hardwood frame and springs, by damn. I almost capitulated with LLB because I didn't think I could afford what I wanted.

I had that style of sleeper sofa (mattress directly on the floor) once (moving sale), by IKEA. Since there are no springs, the seat area ends up sagging. And, no cat-claw-resistant microfiber option.

On some sofa thread here, a guy posted that he had a JC Penney microfiber. He "tested" it in his doctor's waiting room and asked where it came from. I clicked on the link and liked it. I emailed the people at Jacque's about the construction. Its got a hardwood frame and sinuous springs. Not coil. Can't have everything.

I needed something that would be long term.

YMMV, and others, too.

Oh, and the quiz. I've taken it before, and, as I recall, I was "cottage." That's what I have, largely since it's what works with flea market/trash-picked/thrift shop stuff. And small apartments.

Curtis, I don't think the HGTV quiz has a category for paint-your-walls-by-(or-not-by)-number-until -your-eyeballs-fall-out. They'd have to invent a whole new quiz for you. So I don't think you're missing anything. :)

Re: compact, modern, inexpensive TV stands. I recall a few people looking for suggestions on previous threads; and just saw a new piece at IKEA that might work. Lack TV unit - $29.99 - 23 5/8"w x 17 3/4"d x 13 3/4"h - open rectangular shape with no back panel. I only saw it in white, but since it's part of the Lack line, it may soon be available in the other finishes/colors.

For the person looking for outdoor modern patio chairs: IKEA's Jeff folding chair in galvanized steel and polypropylene for $7.99 is a clean-looking and economical option. Comes in black, white and red. (Looks great in white!) Unlike IKEA's other folding chair options, the dimensions of the seat are a bit more generous, making it comfortable for those who have a little more "junk in the trunk". The chair folds down pretty flat, too. http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10103&storeId=12&langId=-1&productId=47125

I got "classic" on the quiz and that's just right. Re the HGTV dream house, I think HGTV builds it as a promo and it is a cost for them. They may very well want to showcase ideas and products attractive to their advertisers. Perhaps the best way to do that is precisely to build in an out-of-the-way part of the country.

If I won it, I'd sell all, pay the taxes, and invest the remainder. Though I might vacation in the house first.

I got "classy," which I guess is kind of me. I once got "hip." I guess it was the golden retriever that got me or something ;)

Aquarabbit, I was thinking the SAME thing about those C&B sofas!!! Are there people in mansions on some fruited plain somewhere buying those positively huge modern-looking sofas?! So frustrating!

The test called my style sweet and I'm far from it, I thought for sure I'd get modern. I wonder what stuck me in that category.

Here's something that I'm just throwing out there: whatever happened to IKEA Red Hook? Did they trash the idea? Has it been delayed? I've been to the website and it tells me nothing. I want my I-Ke-A!

Oh, and I the HGTV quiz just told me my style was "hip", but not much else. I don't feel hip. I feel more like I'll break a hip. All of those adjectives are just too broad for me.

The test told me my style is "hip"

...but it seemed very much geared towards women, so...? Does that mean I'd make a hip woman??

:)

Gah, my problem with the quiz is that I wouldn't choose ANY OF THE ABOVE in most of those cases. Like - the warm-weather vacation destinations? Making me choose between a bunch of crafts when I do ALL of them? All those ugly hats? No dog I'd choose? (Mine is a Sheltie; the next will be either a pug or an italian greyhound.)

Nonetheless, it listed me as "eccentric." That's probably true in its description, but not in the styles that it ties to that description... I particularly hate Southwestern styles. I like the stuff they list under "modern" and "asian" more than the stuff they list under "eclectic" and "mediterranean", too. *sigh*

Just not enough choices! (It's a good thing I don't rely on internet quizzes for my sense of self. ;)