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Help! According to my contractor, I need a 24" deep refrigerator. Why are they so damn expensive??? Can anyone suggest a source in either the city, Brooklyn or Queens? I would prefer a freezer on the bottom, but don't want to blow my kitchen reno budget.

Thanks.

A while ago there were raves for a store on Coney Island Ave. in Brooklyn whose name escapes me at the moment. And there's always Sears (Kings Plaza mall in Brooklyn).

Contractor asked what colors to paint walls of our office re-do.

Wooden panels are light beech color, Wall-to-wall rug is dark grey. Sofa is black. Have ordered Herman Miller desk pods that have white canopy thing above each pod. Automatic rolling blinds are off-white. Desk chairs are black. Prefer modern, open look.

Conference room and office kitchen are see-through with glass walls and doors.

What color do you suggest the walls be painted?

Hey Lori,

What your contractor is advising you to get is what's more commonly known as a "counter-depth" refrigerator. They are becoming more and more available, and your average Sears, Best Buy, etc will have at least 5 or 6 stock models. Every major manufacturer makes them. They cost a bit more than regular depth, but they look built-in at a fraction of a built-in cost. Click my name for pics of my counter-depth GE that you can get at sears.

BTW my parents have on in their kitchen, freezer on the top w/icemaker, doorwater and all that but also GE, that was $1200. Mine was more b/c of stainless steel, side by side, something about custom chill, etc. They are more money because the compressor and all that have to be compacted to fit into the smaller depth.

Thanks Joey. I've seen the term counter-depth as well as cabinet-depth, but they can be up to 28" including handle. Avanti makes a 24" deep model, but seems more like a dorm fridge. I will take your suggestion and check out Sears.

I'm willing to wager that the 28" is what he means. I only say that because if it really was 24", your fridge would be more shallow than the countertop. Even sub-sero, viking, etc (the true built-in ones) are going to have a 2-3" handle projection. It's a much nicer look too. Home Depot/Lowes probably carries them too, but I've been a die-hard Sears fan for their service (at least in the Boston area).

Good to know. Thanks!

Just wanted to mention thanks to Miranda for the following post in the previous OT:
A while ago in an OT I mentioned a book called SMALL SPACES, GOOD IDEAS (my name is the Amazon link) and said I'd say more about it later. I only wanted to make note of this book because I think a lot of AT ppl would like it. There are no apartments of more than 1000 sq feet in it, and plenty are in the 400-700 range. I think the smallest is around 100. Some are concept apartments that you've already seen - they've been featured here briefly, like that one that is the room with the revolving cylinder in the corner that's meant to "repurpose" the main room, and that other one where the wooden dining table and its seats are hydraulically-raised from the surface of the floor when needed. But there are a lot of others, many in Europe. Worth a look if you live in Tinyland USA (or Tinyland Elsewhere).

Posted by miranda at 03/03/06 6:15 AM

Link was:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060833378/002-7529804-8104065

I thought I had that book but I don't. I love these kinds of books so will be ordering it.

The one I was thinking about came up in this thread:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/112805/good-questions/good-questions-a-bed-that-goes-up-to-the-ceiling-005167

I did buy the book "Living Large in Small Spaces: Expressing Personal Style in 100 to 1,000 Square Feet" mentioned by MS in that thread and it is also very good. It is quite thick so has lots of small apts with the aforementioned apt with the bed that lowers from the ceiling. I also recommend this one. You can get a lot of good ideas for small spaces from this one.

hey Lori
search the AT archives here for Conserv or Summit,
or just 'fridge'
that's the 7' tall 24" x 24'" midrange model. Less than a subzero, better than avanti or LG

I really like mine.

There is a big jump in price btw "counter-depth" and "built-in". The diff btw a 28" fridge and a 24" one. Make sure you need to get the 24" and not the 28-29"

Hey, I just ran across this post on SF Craigslist; this company called Modern Economy says they have sample sales in SF and LA for designers like Dwell, Dwellbaby, Amenity, Variegated, Emma Gardner, inhabit, etc. Has anyone ever heard of this company before?

Here's the excerpt from their ad:

Welcome to Modern Economy, the exclusive sample sale company for design enthusiasts. At our sales you'll find your favorite modern, independent designers' samples, overstock, and post-season wares. Best of all, at prices 30%-70% off retail--it truly makes buying modern more affordable.

May 2006 Sample Sale:
The next sample sale will be held in San Francisco. The exact date, time, and venue will be announced in April 2006 via email to individuals on our mailing list.

Future Events:
We plan to have sales in San Francisco and Los Angeles in 2006. Want us to come to your city in 2007? Nominate your city now by joining the mailing list!

http://www.modeconomy.com/

Jamie Pup: I LOVE "Living Large in Small Spaces: Expressing Personal Style in 100 to 1,000 Square Feet." Whenever I get bummed out about my tiny home I take it out to remind myself about the endless possibilities of the imagination.

Maxwell: One name that I don't think came up during the interview-suggestion discussion was Marianne whats-her-name, who does the great column in the NYT Home section. I think she is great but I have never seen anything about her!

Sorry for the late thought.

Jennifer -
Maxwell did interview her live and in person at a little symposium thing at the Modern show at the Armory a few months ago, though.

JP-
I'm so glad yopu brought up Small Spaces Good Ideas. I just oredered from Amazon on Monday (alot cheaper than it was @ BN). The book is great and very inspiring. And hey, I don't even live in a small space. It's definitely a must have for any design library.

hey book shoppers
try Powells.com
new and used AND it's a good bricks and mortar store that made the leap to internet retailing

plus their site is great - author interviews, links to award lists, no evil monolith of retailing . . .

I just saw this on Craigslist:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/crg/138658777.html

If any of you who are entering the smallest apt. contest and need someone to take photos, this may be of interest to you.

Recently, I got some counter stools for my kitchen counter (the one I plan to tile with my elaborate "cap". The stools face away from the living room and the windows (because the kitchen is raised 4-6 inches above the living room for some reason). So now we look at the wall opposite the windows. Which is ugly.

I am planning to move the fridge so as to open up the space on that wall. I saw some art on art.com that I liked yesterday, but it's framed. Part of the reason I wanted to hang framed art is to cover up part of the FUSE BOX on that wall.

Then this morning, I thought to myself, "gee, what would be connected to a fuse box? Giant electrical wires?"

So what do you all think? Forget the framed art? Paint the whole wall ? Just get a poster?

I wanted the fame because the sink will be right next to the poster.

The other thing is, I own a studfinder, but it DOESN'T work on my walls. I think they might be plaster. I know they are not drywall from having hung a picture in my bedroom. They sort of crumble when you try to screw a drywall anchor into them.

Correction: I wanted the FRAME because the sink will splash on the poster, I am sure. Fame I don't ever need.

But I don't want to electrocute myself trying to hang framed art around/near the fuse box.

I also don't want to have to look at the fuse box while I am eating...

sarajane,

go ahead and cover the fuse box - they ugly!

if there's anything you like that could have a magnet or two attached to the back, it's a handy way to cover a fuse box.

my pal had a painting on tin, which suggested the magnet idea . . . it's great and removable (hers just swings open with the fuse box door.)

A friend of mine has a big ole fusebox in her hallway, and there's lots of other art in there, so I took a piano hinge and attached it to the back of one of the stretcher bars of one of her paintings and I attached some adhesive-backed strips of magnet sheets to the back of the other side, and put some more magnet strips onto that part of the wall.

The satisfying click that happens when you close this "door" that completely covers that fusebox is makes her STILL show it off to new visitors like a kid with a new toy.

Thanks Curtis! I will try to find the interview. I think she has a true "HYGTFAJ" (a la Ready Made, sort of) and as much as I would like to resent her awesome position in life I just respect her discriminating taste too much to wish her ill.

Phew, that was wayyy too long a sentence.

Not design but fun - who's going to watch the Oscars on Sunday and why? The fashion, to see who gets the statues or to see Jon Stewart?

My goodness! Magnets! Why didn't I think of that? Thanks guido and Curtis. Yesterday I was just looking at our standard grey box thinking I would have to paint it and try and make it as invisible as possible but magnets on the back of a picture is the perfect solution!

Jennifer and supershopper, glad to find other fans of that book. I also have Living Big in Small Apartments by James Grayson Trulove, and Compact Living by Jane Graining, but keep going back to Living Large in Small Spaces. Living Big has the more sleek, modern type of apartments I like but there are more ideas in Living Large. I can't really remember what Compact Living is like though.

Well, the way I did the one for my friend was... the box was (let's say) 11 x 14, but the painting is like 24" x 36" or so, so the painting-cum-door is WAY bigger than the box it's covering. I MAY be able to find photographs of it. If so, I may post them on my flickr thing. So, in this case, I actually glued AND nailed the strips of magnetic sheets onto the wall itself out where the edge came into contact with the wall.

She loves how sort of James Bond it is having it behind there, kind of like a wall safe.

Magnets-ingenious.
BTW, thanks Guido for bringing up Powells.com again and again as an alternative to Amazon- I finally bookmarked it. I've been to Powells-what a great store. I love supporting the little(r) guy and giving some competition to the big guy(s).

BAck to counter depth appliances.
We got an undercounter, counter depth summit freezer for our new place because I knew the fridge they provided (36" wide subzero 650) did not have enough freezer capacity for us having had one before so we basically double our freezer capacity. I got the freezer installed in an alcove around the corner from the kitchen (basically behind the fridge but round the corner) next to our home office that is hidden by huge sliding doors - photos can be provided if anyone is interested.

We got it from Krupps Kitchen and Bath on 18th and 5th and they were pretty good. They get mized reviews though, mainly to do with not picking up the phone and I did get one day where they were so busy that they put me on hold for over 5 minutes but after hanging up and trying again I got through to the sales person handling my already placed order. I was returning her call to arrange delivery.
Reviews of Krups aggregated here:
http://tinyurl.com/r9wpj

Can't complain about the freezer. It is the frost free one and it does its job. The size was the real issue and it worked out fine.
Summit website here:
http://www.summitappliance.com

AT has recommened appliance retailers in the past and I think Gringers gets good mention.

Who would I need to consult if I need someone to pull my home together? I have very nice furniture in all rooms, but need accessories, paint color and original art. I can't seem to do this on my own. Is this a job for an interior designer or are they only interested in jobs needing furniture? Any recs in NYC/Westchester?

Well, maybe it wasn't over 5 mins but it seemed like a loooong time.

JR how about uncommon abode that I mentioned in the ikea kitchen thread?

Anne, I'm going to be watching the Oscars til the bitter end at 2 in the morning or whenever they'll finish. For all 3 reasons you mentioned. But, now in the midst of the reign of the Hollywood stylist, it's rare to have someone who looks truly horrible or breathtakingly beautiful. Although I'm still a little scared of Uma Thurman in her Swiss Miss dress a couple of years back.

I got "Living Large in Small Spaces" for Christmas and love it. Most of the solutions are way beyond my price range, but it definately helped me finally accept that I should get a murphy bed. The funny thing is that by the end of the book, say 700+ square feet, I would dismissively think "Pshh. You think you live in a small space?"

In general, I find most "small space" books are for suburbanites who think 1200 s.f. is small. I have especially had this problem with "small kitchen" books. I'll definately check out some of those mentioned above. Any other suggestions?

Jamie Pup,
Cannot find post you are referring to. Help me out here! Thanks.

Hey JR, go to this link and do CTRL F (windows) or AppleKey F (Mac) and search for Abode. That's where Jenny mentions her business but there is also a link to her site at the start of the thread so you could contact her through her website.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/011806/house-tours/the-inside-out-jenny-and-cloves-laish-studio-005919

avocado - I know what you mean. Most "small spaces" are in suburbia and small to them is 1300 sq. ft.

There's a book that starts with REALLY small - like 150 sq. ft. and goes up from there. It's a small, thick paperback book. Most if not all the spaces are urban, a lot here in NYC. Does anyone know what book I'm talking about? I thought I had it but in going thru my bookshelves I don't. Now that I realize I don't have it I'll have to go to the store and find it. THAT'S the book for creative small spaces.

anne,
I think the book you are describing is the "Living Large in Small Spaces". It starts with a dorm room that is either 100 or 150 square feet. The guy had covered his desk in tin foil to make the desk look more high-tech.

Is that it? I just looked it up on Amazon and the cover doesn't look familiar. I'll go to B&N and hunt it down and let you know.

Anne,
Click on my name for the link to "Living Large in Small Spaces: Expressing Personal Style in 100 to 1000 Square Feet". ISBN: 0810991055.
I work for BN.com, can you tell?)

Regarding the 24" refrigerator, I feel your pain. I had the exact same problem, and no the "counter depth" ones simply won't work! After racking our brains we came up with the following solution that worked perfectly:

Cut out the drywall and studs behind just the fridge, install a header so the cabinets above are still supported by studs, and then pop your refrigerator back another 4"! Worked like a charm in our case. Our contractor even re-sited the electrical outlet to a recessed position on the side of the cutout so everything fit perfectly.

Hi - I'm still new to AT and does the open thread mean you can ask anything?
I'm interested in finding out if anyone has any experience or knowledge about silk duvets. I've been told (by a salesperson) that they can be warmer than down? True? Not true? - the type of duvet they were selling has long strands of silk (washed and combed) that are sewn quiltlike into a duvet. Any ideas?
My down duvet is bleeding these tiny delicate underfeathers (down obviously) and it's turning my apartment into a dust bunny retirement home - I can't keep up with the vacuuming and swiffering + I wear alot of black. Help Please!!

Hi to all:
So many of you responded to my query about doing a reno in my bathroom without doing a reno. Thanks so much to all of you; I am indebted and have a great many ideas to consider now.

Once I make some decisions and get started, I'll write you about it. Perhaps my own experiments will help others.

Again, thank you.

tanya, a perfect AT question. I don't have an answer, but who sells these duvets?

Hi Pixie - I found the product at the interior design show (toronto). It seems they do most of their business on-line - the sales person just couldn't stop raving - maybe a little too much - Here's the link:

http://www.selectmarketing.com/inc/sdetail/89

I've not really heard much about silk bedding period, and the web site is a little amaturish (check out the scary winter hood mannequins on the home page). Any thoughts?
Thanks,

tanya, that's quite an interesting assortment of stuff they sell. I personally would be wary of plunking down the cost of a silk comforter from this site. But, I think silk comforters do sound really luxurius. Here's something from wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_comforter

DC craislist alert!

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/fur/138696867.html

And, per recent thread:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/hsh/138950671.html

Thanks Pixie! I'll avoid the sketchy web page and look for a store on the ground. Wikipaedia rules!!

Tanya

Thanks for the greeting AT! I was a loyal Curbed.com reader while selling one apartment and buying another, and am now in the next stage with AT ;-).

Tanya, I went on a tour of a silk comforter factory in China a couple years ago (don't ask) and what they claimed is that the silk comforters are warm in winter, cool in summer, less bulky than down and definitely less prone to shedding problems. Obviously the source was biased, but I did get to feel one and it did seem lighter weight than down, and after you see the construction - it's basically a big tangled mat of silk fibers - the non-shedding part does make sense.

My dad said these kinds of comforters were also very typical when he grew up in China and were very durable and warm, so check them out! Note that even in Shanghai these comforters were NOT cheap however.

On another front, just wanted to say that after catching them on AT last week, I bought the electric blue space-age ottomans from Craigslist. I did a rush job recovering them on Saturday (to be ready in time for an Oscar party), and now they're covered in brown corduroy. Construction is very sturdy and I'm very pleased, it's been very hard for me to find something I like and these were the perfect size/shape/period, although eventually I want a professional reupholster.

BREAKING NEWS:
AT, SmallestCoolest, Maxwell, and Patrick (the other one) are featured in the week's Newsweek (3/16).

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11675835/site/newsweek/

(Does this mean our beloved AT is mainstream now?)

Gentlemen, congratulations!! This is The Little Site That Could.

...except it's not quite so little these days. ;)

Aacck - I posted with too much haste and too little caffeine: the actual cover date is March 13th, not 16th.

Thanks eeeck - if you could stand the tour (love to know the story behind that one) I think I'll give it a go. Now, just got to save up the dough....

cheers,
tanya

jr--

Sorry so late to the game on this, but anne from this site would most likely be able to assist on a job like that.

And if she won't, I will!!

I found this great web site that has all sorts of info about silk comforters/ silk duvets - they really are as great as everyone is saying: http://silkcomforter.info - check it out if you want to learn all about them. When it comes time to purchase, they recommend http://bluestonehome.com or http://kumikookoon.com