apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm decorating a nursery - hurray! - and I'm looking for an old fashion looking wallpaper with birds on branches and maybe big peonies. More English, than Chinese. The perfect paper was in the background today of the dining section of the paper at the restaurant at Bergdorfs.

It's a tiny room, but even so I can't afford the $500+ a roll I sometimes see. Anyone have a good resource for wallpaper?

http://www.wallpaperinstaller.com/links.html

This has a ton of links to manufacturers and their websites.

The design*sponge blog also seems to have a lot of posts on wallpaper - you might search that site.

Good luck...

funny you mention peonies because i saw a tetsubin (for 600!!!) decorated with peonies at the asian art museum and ever since i have been just oppressed with desire for something in a peony pattern. peony stencil! peony lampshades! peony painting! peony everything! i went to pearl river mart but nothing grabbed me.

what is a good place (besides the strand) for used art books, i was thinking of trying to find some peonyesque pictures and making a collage.

rasil,
"oppressed with desire"--love it!

Hi all,
I'm still looking for a few more opinions on IKEA leather and how it holds up under use. Hubby & I are considering one of their leather couches. We got burned by Maurice Villency - spent lots of money on a beautiful leather sofa and, in less than two years, we started seeing holes developing. Soon after, that cushion had a huge tear in it (and it's the middle cushion, which is odd since we usually sit on either side of it). I guess part of the problem is our bad habit of sitting on the sofa for everything, but I still don't think it should've worn out so quickly! The saleslady obviously lied about it being full-grain and durable. She said, "Oh, it will still look great 20 years from now." Ugh, it looks like total crap so we keep the gigantic rip covered with a throw. We have to have leather because of the cat (won't claw it), and we're resolving to always eat dinner at the table instead of on the couch. Maybe we're just too hard on our furniture but I like being able to put my feet up without worry.

Anyway, so the choice is either to spend more money (that we don't have) on a better quality leather couch that will last, or spend less on one that will be just good enough for the next few years (IKEA). I still don't want to get burned, even if we spent "just" $800 on a couch (which is still a chunk o'change) - and I refuse to go into debt for furniture. That's why I'm hoping to get some more opinions on IKEA's leather quality. Thanks, everyone!

Longtime Lurker: we looked into papering the nursery as well (and ultimately decided against it …I am vetting a thesis that sugary-sweet nurseries generate WEAKNESS). Call this company – they are a bunch of crackers but they are obsessed with vintage era wallpapers, originals and reproductions and can put you in touch with an affordable reproduction company. I know exactly what you are looking for and these are the people to help you find it. By the way, the Chinese-British style you are alluding to is called “Chinoise”:

http://www.historicwallpapering.com/links.htm

Diane, it's highly treated leather, period. it's never going to feel like buttery italian soft leather because it's not. it's what it is, affordable and fairly durable furniture. it's not for 20 years. it's for 5 years, and if you treat it like crap it will show. it depends which product, by the way, there are separate manufacturing sites in china and the quality difference is palpable in my view.

dIANE:

We bought a black leather sofa from IKEA - our first couch - 6.5 years back. It was called 'Iggesund' or some IKEA-esque permutation thereof and cost $699. It served us well for the first 3 years and then the seat cushions started becoming limp and I could feel the spring poking my behind between the cushions (it is a three seat cushion deal).

I chose leather because I thought it can be cleaned easily, won't absorb food smells and won't look 'tired' soon; this did prove to be true. However, it is COLD to sit on in the winter months and since it's black, I am not seeing the patina a well made brown leather couch will develop over time. But black, I have discovered, is a classy neutral and I have been able to do much color-wise in the rest of the room. Maybe just not black leather.

Unwilling to toss it out so soon, I sewed a long seat cushion with foam and quilt padding and slipcovered that seat cushion and set it on the couch. That's what we sit on these days but it too is becoming squishy and slides around - not ideal.

In short, my IKEA leather sofa (no kids, no pets, well taken care of) lasted in prime condition for at most 3 years.

Good luck with your decision and let us know what came to pass!

LOngtime Lurker, google vintage wallpaper and there are quite alot of sites. I like to look at patterns. There is a store in NY called Secondhand Rose that I hope to visit someday.

Hello everyone, sorry to break in with an off-topic question, but I learned this tip here on AT and then I forgot :-(

How can I give people links to the New York Times that don't "age out" after 7 days? Wasn't there a way to do this before?

I wanted to send a friend some recipe and decor links and can't figure out how to do it!

Hi, Chris -- I love, love, love The New York Times Link Generator at http://nytimes.blogspace.com/genlink. You can cut-and-paste URLs in there, and you get a non-expiring link. I also have their bookmarklet in my browser so I can just click that and auto-generate links.

NB: Some NYT content won't work with this, but about 90% does.

Thank you Lisa - never knew about that!

Chris -
Methinx there's no way, actually. But seriously, I think that if you're going to do a "screen grab" or whatever that you can save, there's this software that Broderbund makes that does it.

I've been tempted, but I just keep not feeling like shelling out the $19 or so they want for it when they send me the spam about it.

But yeah, the Times wants you to pay them for things that are over a week old. That makes me crazy, and it actually makes some of the archives of THIS site not as fun as they could be, because some of the threads point to some of that kind of Times links.

For NYT articles, I go to their printer-friendly format and then save it as a file. I think there's a full-text option for their email option.

Curtis,

There is a great product for capturing web pages. It used to be made my a company called onfolio, but now is part of the windows live toolbar. It is great for capturing website when you are doing research. I use it for both work and play.

It is an add in to the windows live toolbar and thus is free. It used to be much better because it worked with firefox and wasn't a microsoft controlled product, but it should still work for what you want.

Does DWR have a "sale"? I remember that this time last year, they had something along the lines of a buy-more-save-more promotion.

alvin, starting this weekend DWR has a 10% off sale. it's one of the few sales of the year. i don't see it on their website but it's on the back of the latest catalog.


the last time i think it was XX% (not sure how much it was) if you spent over $1000.

wow, i guess everyone is left in an a state of exhaustion after the 'discussion' yesterday. i hope that's not the case, i hope everyone is just braving the snow for a burger or concrete at shake shack.

Has CB2 always carried FLOR tiles or is that new? Just checked out the website and saw them listed. Anyone know if they actually carry them in the store or do you have to order them like DWR?

I have a big 25 cubes-book shelf from IKEA.
but my little one just started crawling and I would like to install doors on the first three rows.. What would be the best way going about doing it?

I thought about getting rid of it, but we have just too many books..

Jeremy, go to florcatalog.com and click on retail dealers: there is not just one.

Also, there is design tool there which you can use to play with color/texture combinations and do various calculations.

Thanks for your advice about the NYTimes. I find it so annyoing that I can't link people into their archive to read the articles I link too. I'm a subscriber so I can access the archive, but those who aren't subscribers won't be able to see the recipes/articles I'm talking about.

Seems to me like all the traffic bloggers send them could be worth providing free "deep links"?

Longtime Lurker, how funny--I saw that times article and thought the same thing--must have that wallpaper. I lay down for a while and it passed. Unlike you, I don't have a nursery to decorate, and I have sworn a great oath that once I've finished painting my living room, I will go back to painting paintings for a while. good luck with the whole project!

A few days ago I asked about Loft Laws in NYC and now I have more specific questions. I would be so happy if any of you could shed some light

I want to know how Loft Laws help tennants. Also, what do I need to do as a tennant to insure that I am protected under Loft Laws (is there any paperwork I need to have filed, etc.) I think that's it for now.

Thanks!

Question re wallpaper for the connoiseurs:

Hey guys who know so much about wallpaper:

I've been thinking a long time about making some sort of large painting/hanging/something for my living room and have thought of putting wallpaper on some sort of backing.

Through one of the links above, I found a paper I like, "La Foret d'Ardennes" at http://aldiament.com/collection_02.asp. I like the paper, but not the price ($6,500!!!).

Does anyone have any suggestions for me, and also, does anyone know how I might do some sort of large piece of art with wallpaper; that is, what sort of backing I ought to use and how to put it up against the wall?

Thanks much.

Diane-
I had an Ikea leather chaise 2 years ago-Kramfords line. While i was happy with the shape of the chaise and the easy clean up with dog hair-just blow, the leather was always cold and did not hold up well. Once my dog jumped up and scratched the leather which would be fine but it was not a normal scratch. The scratch revealed a clear layer of some sort that was over the leather that now was broken and grew with time. I have no idea what the layer is but if this is the direction you are looking get a style that does not have this.

deb

terry, clearly i am more sophisticated than you, since the one i feel trembly about is 8500!

http://aldiament.com/collection_24.asp

*dabs brow*

Hey Rasil:
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your choice and it would be mine if it were more green than blue.

How can we get this look on a budget?

terry, i wish i knew! i actually don't think wallpaper would suit my apt but i would love that pattern in diaphanous curtains, or those chair cushiosn with ties, or towels...

*pours cold water over my own head*

actually, i have an idea. you know those wooden breakfast trays? if you pasted the underside with the wallpaper, you could easily hang it, and it would be a nice firm surface. it would also be a way of making the pattern look more contemporary, because that way of mounting art so it looks "frameless" is trendy days (what is it called? i see it in galleries).

Small/Cool Question!

Have the finalists been notified that they should get their entries ready for the next round?

I don't expect to make the finals, but I can't help being curious. It would seem odd to have all hundred plus entries get ready for the next round if most won't make it. And it seems to me that based on the judges honorable mention picks, it's anybody's guess who will make the finals.

Thoughts?

Thanks for all the links. I'm sure I'll find something somewhere in here. (and a weak child? so much the better!)

I once had a single roll of wallpaper I loved from my childhood home that I used on a folding screen. Just wallpapered it onto boards cut to size with a solid color on the opposite side if you don't have enough and ribbon/trim around the edge. Very easy and quite pretty!

Deborah, Deepa, and Jeremy:

I stopped by the North Ave. CB2 today (my son and I went on the way home from school -it's only a few blocks from home) and here's the report-

Baseline Bed: as you already knew, it's not on display. But both the cityblock and the midnight beds are and both have metal frames, so I checked them out. They are both very nicely finished along the edges and at the corners. The corners on the models I saw are actually almost rounded, very smooth. Not painful looking. I spoke to a salesperson about the baseline and she told me that it has similarly finished, smooth corners. As an additional FYI: The coatings are varied on all three, but both the city block (very glossy) and the midnight (very matte) had very consistent, nice quality to the coating on the metal. I inquired and the salesperson said that the baseline coating is just in between the gloss of the cityblock and the matte of the midnight. Sounds nice.

Bisect dresser: Ok, looks good. Feels and looks sturdy. Edges and corners are finished well. My only concern was the ease of the drawer slides. Everything was working fine (I tried the drawers on every bisect piece in the shop!), but they just feel a bit wimpy. Nothing broken, nothing horrible to report, and if you like the style, the price is right. Overall impression is nice, just a little concern on the slides.

Peekaboo tables: I love these. My friend has had the console since last September or so, which she uses as her desk and loves it. The actual thickness is approx. 3/8". They do not feel rickety. Scratches: The floor models look good. Now, that said, there are fine scratches on all the acrylic tops, which the salesperson said happens immediately upon use. But they are fine scratches, nothing that is unexpected. No gouges, or deep scratches or clouding of the clarity. I think these are great.

Flor: Jeremy, on yesterday's open thread I said I'd go to CB2 for Deborah and Deepa's questions -and as I was about to post this I saw your question about the flor tiles. CB2 has sold them for quite a while now, and they do have them in the store (at the North ave. location, anyway).

Ok good luck to all with your decisions!

I know we're supposed to avoid the Rick Santorum enterprises, but... Urban Outfitters has this amazing embossed tin table I just spied today at their Burbank store. My jaw literally dropped.

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=22329&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=336&iSubCat=713&iProductID=22329

The store also had this great black beaded chandelier with black crystals. Very cool. (Unfortunately, it isn't up on their website.)

can someone enlighten me - why is urban outfitters evil?

Wow, Janel, that's quite a review! Now I'm interested in the lucite console...

(never mind, i googled it; got it)

I wondered about that too, Rob. I think it says somewhere that they've been notified...but...wait...uh...from the rules:
======
Judges have from April 1st through the morning of April 4th to evaluate the reader's choices and determine a top 5 from the West Coast and a top 5 from the East Coast.

These top 10 finalists have from April 4th through April 6th to refine their profile and to send in new and better pictures if they so desire.
======

So I'm guessing our finalists know who they are and are running around their space taking pictures and beginning panic mode.

Minh,

Thanks for the heads up on the DWR sale. I stopped by this afternoon and finally ordered my dining room chairs. They took my order and will wait until Friday to enter it in order for me to get the 10% off.

I asked and there is no minimum order amount to get the discount. The back cover says something like "...save on over 1,000 items..." which could have been why you thought there was a minimum. Either way, I won't argue 10% off.

that urban outfitters aluminum table looks like something found at every handicraft store in india. uo is swarthy too! does that leave dwr as the albino cousin?

rasil. Good call. I think that's why I like the table. I've been on the hunt on a similarly-styled low coffee table, but the best price I found at a local Indian import shop was--wait for it--$875! So, $120 seemed like a sweat deal to me for the side table.

just an fyi about flor "tiles." we have a bunch at work that we used to create an area rug in a not so highly trafficked area... well someone decided to clean some of the tiles and i'm not sure what they used, but i'm guessing laundry soap, and the color completely left the tiles. they look like they've been bleached, and they look bad.

Terry, re: wallpaper.

You can frame anything flat. Let me say that again. You can frame anything flat. This means pricey wallpaper. This means funky wrapping paper. This means designer fabric.

You'll see a lot of fabric stretched on canvases, but you can still do it in frames and have a similar, more finished look:
http://www.southernliving.com/southern/homes/decorating/article/0,13676,517857,00.html

If that link doesn't work, try this one just to the image:
http://i.timeinc.net/southern/images/homes_ss/decorating/517857/living_room.jpg

You might even be able to get that expensive wallpaper, in a sample, and frame that. Or see if they have larger pieces, remnants or something around that you could buy or get free.

Another thing I've seen with wallpaper is simply adhering it to wood, and putting a couple coats of poly on top. You choose the wood. You choose the stain. The wood backing itself forms a "frame" for your wallpaper.

This can be used on any unfinished wood (or finished, for that matter), like on the top of nightstands, or creating a custom headboard.

Chinoiserie is available in more affordable wallpaper, but whether it'll give the look you're after... well, it all depends where your threshold for "close enough" is.

A few "nicer but not requiring a trust fund" lines with chinoiserie:

Thibaut
http://www.thibautdesign.com/

Brunschwig & Fils
http://www.brunschwig.com/

F. Schumacher
http://www.fschumacher.com/

Pierre Deux
http://www.pierredeux.com/

Alternatively, you could try tracking down a museum poster that shows the genuine wallpaper you really want, and that has the exhibit info on a convenient bottom strip where it can be cut off before framing.

Off-topic -- to dezinemag junkie,

I just happened to see the comment you posted to me on one of the contest entry threads, so I'm sorry for the delay in responding!

Yes, my BF used to work for Draft. Did you work with him? I'll tell him you said hello.

My sofa is the Charles sectional by B&B Italia. I love it!

Kathryn

Enrique, there are similar (but slightly more expensive) tables at Novica.com. This site facilitates sales btw. the maker and the buyer. And "dog" Santorum doesn't get a dime.


http://www.novica.com/region/india/tables/index.cfm?rID=15&scid=686

Awesome, ebrown! Thanks for the tip!

Wallpaper. Use the search category "birds" at American Wallpaper. I'm not paying $8,500 for a 12' section of wallpaper. Similar colors here for $38.18 for two rolls.
http://www.decoratetoday.com/products/wallpaper/product_detail.asp?ptn=DZ0C919&gensearchby=1&si=9

There's also this one:
http://www.decoratetoday.com/products/wallpaper/product_detail.asp?ptn=DZ51319&gensearchby=1&si=9

And this one:
http://www.decoratetoday.com/products/wallpaper/product_detail.asp?ptn=DZA21BA8&gensearchby=1&si=9

I went through all 17 pages (15 papers per page) looking at the bird ones. The above were the closest to the one in Terry's second link. I did look as some things already that Wende posted, but didn't see anything similar in colors/styles.

At least you could wallpaper the room and afford to eat...

I dunno. You all are soooo much better off than I am. LOL!

Oh, yeah, the above post was for the first poster, Longtime Lurker.

Enrique!!!

They have that exact table (lots of them) at a store in my neighborhood, Jackson Heights. In fact, I have two of them, but the low kind, acting as a "coffee table." Each of mine was $75. Yours is around $100-$125 I think. I can stop by and check the price (and email you a pic/measurements). I am sure the owner will take an order over the phone and ship it to you. Let me know and I can help coordinate it.

Andree, Wende, Rasil, all:

Thanks, thanks, thanks. Rasil, do you want to try the wallpaper idea with me? We can buy a remnant (or even contact paper), do a test, and put our heads together to get a great finished product!

Andree's ideas seem to work with your cutting board idea and my own...well, maybe a piece of plywood?...idea.

Interested? tgraves12@yahoo.com

A couple of days ago someone was asking about compact kitchens. Tonight I found this in a Living Etc. (May 2003). It's manufactured by Driade and called "Pantos Chef". Googling brought it up on Linea's website:
http://www.linea-inc.com/categories/kitchen/pantos.html

There's no mention of price by Linea, but in Living Etc. it was 6,000 British pounds. Sounds hefty but it includes sink, cooktop, fridge and dishwasher. Of course, this is European and may be near impossible to find here, but might be worth a try.

I remember seeing similar ultra-compact ultra-gorgeous kitchenettes in the BHV store in Paris. I also remember sobbing with dismay because I couldn't fit one in my suitcase. My own kitchenette is slowly dying - two burners broken and a missing freezer door.

Peonies...

Dried peonies:
http://www.vermontdriedpeonies.com/p-gall.html

461 art prints in the Peony gallery:
http://www.art.com/asp/display-asp/_/ID--4102/Peony.asp

Good source for flowers is a flower catalog. I did a trunk in Jackson and Perkins roses (alas, it's faded and it's time to be redone).

Well, for crying out loud, my links don't take anyone anywhere, other than to the main page of the site. How incredibly annoying. Click on "Wallpaper" then the second area is "Search by design and color", unclick the border, and use the pop-up "Design List" for "Birds" to find the three papers I found that were bird/floral in similar colorways to that in the expensive link.

Lisa Quinn used to do a segment on Evening Magazine with the IKEA $500.00 makeover. There were tons of pics on the site until she switched to World Market as a sponsor, and lost my interest. I used those pictures to show people ideas.

This is her book:
http://www.lisaquinninc.com/book.htm

One of the very ideas is what we're talking about...with the plywood. Seriously. She used a wallpaper (think "Jackson Pollack Splat style) and used either black or deep brown painted plywood. Huge pieces of wood, maybe 4'x3', with the wallpaper centered. Each wood/wallpaper combo was used on either side of a fireplace, and made a HUGE improvement to the looks of the room.

You wouldn't believe what she can do with Burger King crowns either. I swear, a few of those crowns painted, and she put them in a window and insta-Morocco! Yeah, that's right, Burger King is a decor source now.

So while you're out there looking for the AT book in stores, see if they have that one and glance through it. I don't know if it's worth the price or if all the pictures are the same thing I used to get for free on the other site.

I want pictures I can show other people online. Which is why I like this site and it's contest. I can show those pictures and ideas to others.

I'm back. Rasil, you can also try Instant Stencils, see my old post here:
http://dgroups.bhg.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?msg=5595.4&nav=messages&webtag=bhgdecorating

You have to click on the little pictures in the post to see the actual picture that I made for the person.

When I lost my (one of my other) hard drives, I lost all my pictures I'd done for people. And the software is SO OLD that it just doesn't want to install right on this computer. I don't know why. Well, it's old. LOL!

Here's where Lisa and I went nuts (I call us the DeCoRaTiNg LuNaTiCs, LOL) with someone's home:
http://dgroups.bhg.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?msg=5595.4&nav=messages&webtag=bhgdecorating

It's a lot of fun. I have to try to find another old paint program to fiddle with pictures. I'm just dying to try out the really warm Armstrong colors on Rob's apartmequarium. Not that he wants me to, I just want to do it.

Here's a whole bunch of the same layout in a kitchen, with the colors changed:
http://dgroups.bhg.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?nav=messages&tsn=1&tid=1369&webtag=kitchenbath

That's one you can try out at home yourselves, the link to the Scene 7 area is in that thread.

Another one that is chock full of ideas on living in small spaces:
http://dgroups.bhg.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?nav=messages&tsn=1&tid=5611&webtag=bhgdecorating

Like the bed that is also a table. LOL!

Anyway, that'll give you something to do and browse and play with.

Andree,

I got those links to work. That second one is darn close to what I want. Hmmm. Thanks!

Thanks also to Wende ..

Andree:
Thanks so much for the plywood idea. Exactly what I was thinking of. I'm delighted to know it will work.

Lori 2: Now you're talkin'! I like that price. And what you've described is more what I'm looking for: 1 or 2 low tables to be used as a coffee table to place in front of an Indian daybed. I'm still in the midst of deciding whether to switch out the low opium tables I currently have, but always appreciate a good resource! No need to head over to the shop and measure, etc., but would love to get the name and number of the shop... Like I said above, my local Indian import shop charges several hundred dollars for a similar piece. Thanks!

Enrique,

I can email you a pick of my living room with the tables...

you can email me at lori.two@gmail.com

Longtime Lurker, I just retried my own links, and they don't work if I have them open in a new window, but work fine if I just click on them. Whew. The first two papers were on the first two pages in the "birds" section (providing they load in the same order) but the last one was wayyyyy back.

The whole point of me using all the time I have to help you find things is so you don't have to use your time to refind them. LOL!

I'm so glad that it might work for you. I'm sure it would make for a beautiful nursery wallpaper and it would be wonderful to grow up in a perfect garden that never needs watering, the flowers are always in bloom, and the birds never poop on your bed.

Terry, I am the queen of links, and spend all my time browsing. There's always something I can find that might give you ideas. Okay, the wallpaper could be mounted or framed, and placed on an easel or propped...look here:
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/SlippingIntoTheSeason_02082002.xml&psrc=dg052

I love that pair of pictures...because there are a lot of people that rent...and can't paint or change the window treatment or the flooring.

White walls, white window treatment, wood floors. But it's certainly not a bland pair of rooms. It doesn't have to be your style of furniture, you just need the IDEA of seeing colors and being able to change those colors seasonally.

You use your created wallpaper art on a floor easel. Even if you don't have a sewing machine, you can probably sew a bit, and make your own pillow covers from prehemmed napkins:
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/pillows_onehourpillow_09252002.xml&psrc=dg052

The button one would probably be the easiest, and instead of buttonholes, attach ribbon or cording loops.

Combine that idea with IKEA throw pillows, where you can buy different covers for the same size of pillow.

Then choose the covers and fabric napkins to coordinate with the wallpaper you've framed or mounted on wood.

There are some great fabrics too, that I just couldn't afford to have in pillows. But all you need is a piece for that frame, and then add in less expensive accessories to highlight and complement the expensive piece.

And, you've actually saved money for other things, you didn't spend money on paint, or fuss over window treatments. Use that money to make the most impact in your space.

Check out this trio of ideas in the same room, same sofa, same chairs:
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/12354.xml&psrc=dg052

Look at the picture over the fireplace in the Sophisticated Modern picture...that picture is a lot like the "splat" wallpaper looked like from a distance on the wood background.

Remember also, if you're using wood, wallpaper (you can also adhere an art print) and an easel, you get a bonus. TWO SIDES. Oh yes. It can't get any easier to change the look, the colors, the art by flipping it over.