apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i am having trouble finding frosted self adhesive shelf liner. i can find clear, solid white, and the diamond pattern. i've looked at micheal's, jo-ann, walmart, kmart, target, home depot and grocery stores =( i got this idea from a previous topic from AT, and i know some people posted a few links to different online stores, but they were pretty expensive. i'm look for the "poor college student" price to frost my apartment windows. sorry to have to repeat a topic but i never thought i'd have so much difficulty finding this. thanks in advance.

Holly, IKEA has plain frosted self-adhesive window film. I think it's called "Amorf Frost."

marm, i love you! thanks so much!

also, if you are still thinking contact paper, if i recall correctly the 'clear' Contakt brand contact paper is a bit frosty and would definitely give your windows the right look. i remember having to use it to cover workbooks in elementary school, and the pictures on the front always got sorta fuzzy. other brands, though, may not do that. and i think the Ikea is probably your best bet.

I recently came across this vase (linked below in my name) by Pols Potten in London at Caravan (at Spitalfields Market) and at Selfridges. I am now trying to track one down here in the U.S.

In London, itwas available in both white and black. I have found the white version at anthropoligie, dutch by design, and lekkerhome.com, but I was really hoping for the black. If anyone has seen this vase or has any suggestions, I would be most appreciative.

The other day I was using liquid silver polish. I couple of drops got on the stainless steel kitchen sink and I didn't see them. After a few hours they left stains on the sink. I've tried scouring powder and the Mr. Clean sponge to get them off but no luck. What can I use to remove them?

I couple of drops = A couple of drops.

Just found this link at http://www.bookofjoe.com

http://www.thistothat.com

Gives advice and brands of glue to use to glue anything to anything else

BTW, thank you Pixie for your repeated del.icio.us recomendations (I think it was you). I can't believe I didn't try it sooner!

Hi! I am considering putting down major mullah for the Rutherford bed by Charles P. Rogers in my attempt to infuse protein into my very carb filled (read Ikea) furniture diet. Has anyone had any bad experiences with Charles P. Rogers? Do their beds really last for as long as they claim?

Two questions, one I know covered before.

I bought this sectional from EBPeters: http://www.ebpeters.com/product.php?productid=16145&cat=256&page=1
And now I'm looking for a sofa/console/credenza to put in back of it. Naturally all of the ones I've seen aren't long enough. I've seen consoles 30" and under which is great but any leads on a simple/black/modern one that will run longer?

I've gone through an old thread covering medicine cabinets (I believe the original poster didn't want beveled glass edges). I'm trying to find a contemporary medicine cabinet, simple clean flat lines and in black. Seems impossible.

P2, where did you go?

Ahem (blush) .... so I meant Moolah (i.e. money) and not Mullah (i.e. Mohammedan clergyman) in my previous post.


If only I could spell life would be so much easier :-)

Hey Nisha, I'm sorry I can't tell you anything about the quality of those beds but a search on AT did bring up some past links to a sale that they had at the tail end of August going into labor day so if you can wait until then (with no guarantee of course that the bed you want will be on sale) then you may big up a relative bargain.

I've used Chas. Rogers beds for a couple of clients and there have been no complaints. They were nice to work with as well. And I like their bed linens.

Have used Charles P. Rodgers for clients with much success. I think the quality is quite good. Also, they may have some sort of warranty - I've never looked into that but I believe they manufacture the beds so they are likely to back their product really well.

Also, I'm currently putting together the Udden freestanding ikea kitchen in my loft. Has anyone used this product? I didn't realize I would have to drill to install the faucet. hmm.

Really. I need P2 to come back.

Holly - I'm assuming you need to be able to take the frosting off the glass when you move out, however if not you could use glass etching spray. Look for it at Michael's. With that stuff you can make cool patterns too.

Question for me - How flammable are curtains? Yeah, I'm sure it depends on the fabric, and, yeah, I probably should just keep the curtains away from the heaters, but it would look better if I didn't. So, say I have store bought curtains and baseboard heaters, how worried should I be that the curtains will go up in flames? Any ideas on non-flammable curtains? I was figuring I could make some out of kids pajamas, they're fire retardent, right, kidding.

What did I miss? I'm guessing Jonathan is banned for life after the shut-down post and open-thread hiatus of a few weeks back, but where is everybody? The only "regulars" I recognize are Jamie Pup and Opoponax. Where's Andree? Opoponax, I think you know something. Out with it, ok? Please?

I was too late getting started on the garden this year. The grass and weeds and everything else grew out of control. My mother, who loves to garden, spent countless hours in the garden with me cleaning it up. Her solution was to apply a great deal of mulch, with the idea of planting in the fall. Unfortunately the feral cats in the neighborhood have taken an interest in using the garden as a toilet.

What can I do to get rid of these cats. I'm highly allergic to animals. There are about 1000 flies back there, and I can't even sit out there now.
uuuuggghhh

Well, you could sit out there with a supersoaker and make life unpleasant for the cats. That might take a while to get your point across though. Or, if you have a local catch-spay-release program you could have them come trap in your yard.

db,
I bought the westelm geometric storage unit and put it on its side for a 71" console. That worked quite nicely, especially as its only about 12" deep.

Does anyone have good ideas on how to light paintings unobtrusively? I've bought some gorgeous ones and would love to showcase them properly.

Thanks!

jamie pup - You're welcome and glad it's useful. Yes, I have touted http://del.icio.us/
a number of times here for keeping track of websites and web info and I use it everyday that I'm on a computer. Still loving it. It makes so much more sense than the old bookmark or favorites route (although I use that too for somethings).

anne, have you seen (in person) the charles p. rogers european linen duvet/shams?

yea, i can't do anything permanent to the apt. i want to try the etching stuff though...will have to make up a project for that =) thanks everyone for your help.

i read you can sprinkle a little bit of human hair around your garden to keep critters out of it...maybe it'll work for cats? they have citrus sprays to keep kitty off the furniture, maybe those could work outside too? good luck!

I'm sure this site has been mentioned on AT, but not sure I've ever taken a good look before today--it's fun:

http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/

I miss P2 as well, always enjoy his take on things; seems to be very talented. Come back P2!

do regular readers count? I think ive read almost everything, every day, for far over a year. and I'm still here... hello :)

Sarah, I feel your pain. I had alley cats coming up to me at night when I walked home, and it really freaked me out. I'm not a cat person as it is. Though my aunt "solved" her neighborhood feral cat problem (a problem for her garden too, not to mention her porch furniture), but I think her solution involved some not very PC tactics. The supersoaker might work, but I doubt you want to make a sport out of it. Have you talked to someone at a garden center for advice?

I have a rectangular living room about 114 sq.ft. which at the opposite end turns out to the right to a small space of about 700sq ft. That space is being used as my office and has a small futon lounger for guests. I would like idea for creating a divider of the space from the living room w/o building a wall/doorway. Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks

Hello Alyce : ) I'm impressed that you are able to read so many postings. I'm not able to devote the time, so I'm always on the lookout for postings by a few people who have stood out to me because of the degree to which they are able to visualize rooms, particularly challenging ones, and offer easy solutions and P2 happens to be one of them, so I search his postings out!

anne, try bar keepers friend. you can get it at a grocery store.

I appreciate most people's contributions, but I do miss P2's.

A friend had a similar cat problem. He hooked up a motion sensor system to his sprinkler system. Whenever the cats would come during the night they would get a good soaking.

- Doesn't hurt the cats.
- Waters his plants.

as far as the missing regulars, i'd just chalked it up to the fact that we're in the part of the summer that includes both the end of the fiscal year (thus a busy time for anyone who does anything financial) and the 4th (always a popular time for vacations).

i noticed this happened right around the time the site went down due to traffic, though. maybe we're too big time now?

as far as on-topic stuff, you can use just about anything as a room divider. my current bedroom is actually an alcove off the living room which is divided off with tall bookshelves that act as a wall. there are also all sorts of sliding doors and panels out there which can be installed. fabric is classic as well -- a long dramatic swath of elegant curtain might look really cool in the space. if you're looking for more of a visual divider than a way to actually block off private space, you can get even more creative with couches, credenzas, lower shelves, etc. a great way to seperate different parts of a large space is to use rugs strategically to sort of establish different areas.

DC, if your budget can still take it I would suggest getting a Case Study shelving unit custom-made - they come in approximately a 70" length or a mongo 90" length and provide tons of choice in terms of color, drawer or no drawer, sliding panel, etc.

You can customize your own at modernica.net, and there are cheaper knockoffs available online too. Enjoy!

Alternatives to the super-soaker...

My grandma used mothballs (but I'm not so sure how safe that would be). And a neighbor planted lavender to keep them away.

Frances, if you haven't already, you should look through the Smallest Coolest entries from 05 and 06 to see many examples of creative room dividers. There's one I can't locate, but the bed was under the window and to separate it from the rest of the space, I think they built a low wall (like waist-high) and planted the top with grass. Maybe I dreamed it, but it was cool. So, if you get any natural light in that corner, how about a row of tall plants in containers to separate your alcove?
Good luck exploring!

eeeck, thanks a lot for your suggestion, I just checked it out online and it's a bit over my budget. I had planned on spending about $500 max on it. Almost broke down and bought two identical console tables to place next to each other.

I'll go ahead and look for the cheaper imitations. Thanks again!

I saw John and Tup's studio loft on SSBS today (smallest coolest apartment contest, east entry # 29) and loved it even more. It works for them. The marble on the kitchen counters and the bathroom looked lovely. The way those awesome stairs lead to the head of the bed was pretty neat too...a nice gradual slope on the stairs, nothing too steep.

And guess what, there is no child living there.

greetings all:

i've just returned from a glorious holiday on the west coast and saw the most beautiful gardens in mendacino.

it inspired me for green, however my balcony is a glorified perch (22' W x 10 ft L). I would love to put a few potted trees out there to view from my window --

any suggestions... the balcony faces inside a courtyard receiving southern light.

i look forward to your suggestions -- i need me some green!

best and thanks,
darla

leslie, no - that is another Anne(the 1st one from Dallas) who, now that you mention her, hasn't been present lately. Um, hope she's okay.

My linen pillowcases are falling apart and I should probably invest in the linens at Chas. Rodgers. I like the colors they show online. Right now I have white hemstitched linens that I painted. Too bad they're falling apart but I guess I could do the same with new ones. Thanks for pointing out the collection.

Frances, have you looked at the Sticks divider at Unica.com or the Bubbles screen at cb2? They're very different looks but I like them both and was considering them in my last apt. when I wanted to screen off the computer desk from the bed area. (Instead, I just moved. :) )

Hi, Alyce! You count. :)

Sarah- For the cats you could try planting mint...my cat despises mint and will run from tubes of toothpaste. If you even brush up on mint, you can smell it on the air. Also, I know with rabbits you can make a solution with cayenne pepper and water and spray your plants with it so they won't eat them. Considering how much cats groom themselves - including their paws - maybe that might work. Here's another suggestion - http://www.yardlover.com/products.php?pid=10333 -or- http://www.critter-repellent.com/cat/cat-deterrent.php

Leslie, I've only seen them on the website. However, I love linen bedding. They can be stiff at first but the more you launder them the softer they get. I'll bet the collection at C. Rodgers is wonderful.

a long time regular,
anne

Anne, thanks. I've been tempted by the C. Rogers linens for a long time -- I love linen bedding, but have been spoiled by vintage French sheets that are finally wearing out. I think it's time to just buy some rather than searching the flea markets and then taking them to a seamstress.

(Are you the same Anne who was going to snap up the Bertoia chairs at the company cafeteria? Did you get them?)

Sarah - my grandmother swears by natural methods to keeping animals and bugs away from her gardern. To scare away small animals she has a neighbor walk their dog around the perimeter of the garden "claiming" the garden as its territory. It wears away with time so it has to be repeated periodically.

I don't know if this would be enough to scare cats away, they tend to have a little more spunk than your average groundhog. A local garden center should be able to tell you more.

-good luck-

dc or anyone that care to reply:
I'm considering buying this sectional from Ebpeters but I have second thoughts about buying furniture without trying it out first. Has anyone bought this sofa or tried it out? I've contacted Ebpeters and they have a warehouse in Chicago but I'm in Florida. Appreciate any feedback - thanks!
http://www.ebpeters.com/product.php?productid=16303&cat=268&page=1

Looking to buy any material that is heat resistant / reflective in bulk (something like the reflective auto sun shades you put up). Wanting to cover up windows which get too much heat in the summer and being able to remove it during winter to allow solar heat through. Do not want film coverings because it is not reuseable. Please help! I have contacted auto shops, fabric stores, upholstery stores, etc and no luck! Thanks!

Any idea where I can purchase non-flammable curtains (valances) for my classroom?