apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Daryl- Please don't get a futon. They are just so ubiquitous and unattractive. (Sorry everybody who has one. I know they serve a needed purpose.) I can't vouch for comfort but why don't you check out Jennifer Convertibles? And stick to your guns on Manhattan if you feel strongly about it. I wanted Manhattan but went to Brooklyn for space when I first moved here and couldn't get over it. I love Brooklyn now and would definitely consider moving back, but there's nothing like being in Manhattan your first year if you can swing it.

Also, if you think you might leave the sofa open some, you might try upgrading the mattress by adding a quality mattress cover and feather bed to the top of it, as well as really good sheets and pillows. For me, feeling the texture of the sofabed mattress through the sheets has been one of the biggest drags of sleeping on one. Garnet Hill has very nice mattress accessories.

And Maxwell - we hear you and love you!

Darlyn, I live in Virginia not NYC, so I don't know if this will be of help to you. About 3 years ago I purchased a sofabed from Hamilton Sofa Gallery in Vienna, VA. It was manufactured by Sealy and had a premium mattress with a feature that has come in really handy. The top of the mattress inflates with an Aero electric pump. It is super comfortable. I was told that folks in NYC studios used this sofa as their main bed. The styling is pretty innocuous and it is covered in ultrasuede. It still looks brand new. They still make this sofabed and I am about to give mine to my son whose home flooded in Katrina. I'm going to purchase another one exactly like it in a color that suits my new color scheme. On sale, it runs about $1200 and worth every penny. I would think you could find it somewhere in NYC. Best of luck!

Is it possible to have a watercolor transferred to canvas? I know you can have posters and such transferred, but the heavier watercolor paper is making me doubt that it can be done. (I thought about having it framed but have a preference for art on actual canvas.)

S

where can i find barbara barry style furniture for less? ideally i'd like to find this lamp or something similar:
http://www.kohlerinteriors.com/baker/1_1_5_0_coll_prod.jsp?brand=Baker&coll_id=323350&category=Lighting&prod_id=1954950&prod_num=BBS02PL&index=67&search_key=Baker%21323350%21All+Types

you want a cheaper version of a handblown murano glass lamp? that's a tall order. but while we're at it, I'd love a cheap murano glass chandelier, anyone seen anything on craigslist recently?

S--
I think the transfer process is actually a transfer of a *scan* of the art, not the art itself, so I think a watercolor, too, will work.

And if my assumptions are correct, you still get to keep your watercolor.

I always seem to post in the wrong thread -

Any comments, opinions, views, criticisms on the Rex Lounge chair at DWR ?

http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=8415.

Is it comfortable to sit on, Does it fold easily, does it have a lounge feel - inviting for anyone to sit on ?

Or do you have other recommendations.

Yea! P(too) is back on the site. Everyone has been asking about you recently. Some exotic vacation I hope. Welcome back.

Hi, I just wanted to say thank you for all the comments on Charles P. Rogers yesterday. As was suggested, I think I’ll wait for the big Labor Day sale. Have a great weekend everyone!

L -- are you here in the city b/c i SWEAR i saw almost this exact lamp walking past Levitz on 14th st this morning
i noticed it b/c i spent over a year looking for a two bulbed table lamp and nearly slapped my forehead when i saw this one this morning
(btw, i finally found my dream lamp at, of all places, pottery barn...)

I'm getting ready for my move to NYC, and it seems I can't afford a place big enough for a queen size bed and a dining table (I love to entertain, so the dining table is non-negotiable, and since I'll be renting, the installation of a murphy bed likely isn't an option).

How many of you sleep on a sofa bed full time? What kind of bed do you have? ( I would need something around the $1K price range.) Is it a pain in the a$$ to open and close it every day, or do you just leave it in the bed position until you have company? How does the comfort level compare to a regular bed?

Thanks!

hi ann, you're the best. yes, i'm in nyc.
is levitz on 14th right off irving place?

i believe it. i've managed to find knock off's of all her other lamps in random places including pier 1. crate and barrel seems to have a very close aesthetic overall. none seem to carry a nice slender glass base.

L

Darlyn, have you looked in Brooklyn and Queens? If you are married to the idea of Manhattan, you can definitely have a large space in another borough.

Yay, P2!

S, here's a link to Shelterrific's link to the picture-to-canvas transfer (as P2 said, it's a transfer of a scan of the picture, not the actual picture):

http://tinyurl.com/e8nl7

p2 lives!! :)

Sunshine,
I think at least for my first year in NYC I'd really like to live in Manhattan (specially with the number of hours I know I"ll be working a short commute will be key.. work is on the E/V/6 lex&53 stop). I'll likely be on the Upper East Side or Hell's Kitchen to be close to work.

So another related question, do any of you have murphy beds in rentals? Something that wouldn't have to be installed to the floor?

But really, interested in hearing what everyone's experiences with sofabeds are.. (What I have in mind is something modern and either white/tan/brown.. maybe like the Zen Sofa Sleeper at Eurway).

darlyn - welcome to NYC (soon, anyway). In my experience, futons are much more comfortable than sofa or murphy beds, but are (obviously) less refined looking. but you probably knew that already!

does anyone else remember seeing the murphy bed on "my two dads" and being amazed by it? as a kid in the chicago 'burbs, it seemed like the most ingenious thing *ever*.

so, i have to vent about something here in the open thread, since my partner has asked me not to blog about it. you may remember that a while back i wrote into AT with a question about pillowtop beds, etc., and ultimately i raved about the deal we got over the internet on a "heavenly bed" from www.sdmattress.com. as a public service announcement, i must retract my enthusiasm for buying a mattress on the internet from a place that accepts only exchanges, for a $150 fee, and sells only one brand of mattress.

you see, the mattress has ended up with too problems. (1) i think it's too soft for me and (2) because the coils on the outer edges are firmer than those on the inner mattress, sleeping near the edge results in a tilty, slidey sleeping experience. i'm reluctant to do an exchange, because we'll end up paying more for anything we get to replace it, without being able to try it or return or exchange it again. so we're kind of stuck, and kicking ourselves for not going with a natural latex mattress. i even offered to negotiate paying a higher, restocking fee to return the mattress for a refund and the folks at sdmattress were like no way, jose. not flexible at all. oh well, can't blame them - their policy is right there on the web.

anyway, i wonder whether getting a new foundation might improve both problems somewhat. maybe getting a platform bed would be the best option, but i have no experience with them. would it correct the too-softness or reduce the difference in feeling between the outer and inner coils?

or maybe we should just cut our losses and try to sell the thing cheaply on craig's list. we could consider the loss a stupidity tax. what do you think, ATers?

has anyone noticed an unusual amount of product placement on the site these days? I'm not talking about suggestions for products as answers to specific questions or slinks or anything obvious like, "this new item, just released, probably of interest to our readers". More like the casual, oh we just happen to have a XXXX new item at home and, oh, what a coincidence, there's an add for the company just to the right.

Jess, I think trying new foundations or whatnot with that mattress will be throwing good money after bad. And, sleep's too important to do badly...so for what it's worth, I say chock up the losses, and craigslist it then buy something in person that you can try out first!

Darlyn, I can't help you with the bed, but you may want to consider Astoria, Jackson Heights or Long Island City if you change your mind about Manhattan. Queens is a really short commute to that stop.

But if you do go with Manhattan (and I understand, when you move here for the first time, you do want to live in Manhattan), good luck with the Murphy bed/sofa issue!

Hey, thanks for the welcome backs!

Had a GREAT week away in Ft. Lauderdale. After a very successful business meeting in Boca: Swimming pool, shopping (two HOT new suits to celebrate the return to a 33 inch waist!!), seeing and making friends, friends in drag (a hilarious drag fundraiser at Alibi in Wilton Manors), friends (old and NEW!) in cowboy hats, friends in leather, tattoo contests (real and temporary), seeing Pixar's Cars, mingling with the "Bears" and "The Boys from Manchester", and, finally, meeting a fine, fine, FINE gentleman from Orlando with eyes the color of a swimming pool in the mid-day sun, plus some other stories to which I've been sworn to secrecy.

An AWESOME time!!!

So, jimkk, is that exotic enough?!

Sarah, if by "ad just to the right," you mean the Google ads, it's not a coincidence, but it's not sinister, either.

Google AdSense has some way of knowing pretty quickly what terms are used on a site. It then matches those terms with ads in its pool of advertisers. So if someone mentions a Wonderful Widget, and Wonderful Widgets advertises with Google AdSense, before long a Wonderful Widgets ad will appear here.

When I was running Google ads on one of my blogs, it was mostly for the entertainment value of seeing what ads would appear.

sarah, if you really want to get creeped out, try using gmail and checking out the ads on the right of your "private" emails.

wende & jamie pup,
thanks for responding. I do know about gmail & the whole google empire, but I really meant the paid ads. One ex.: last week (or maybe early this wk) there was a post about the new countertops in M & SK's apt. & there is also an ad for henrybuilt (the co they're using) on the top of the site. I don't begrudge anyone their income; I just wish it was acknowledged if that's what's going on.

I agree, I found the henrybuilt ad a little convenient after the post detailing their purchase of a henrybuilt kitchen.

It's totally fine to have it, but I would have appreciated a disclaimer stating one way or another if they received anything from Henrybuilt outside ad fees.

You know sarah? My first response that I was going to type to you was that I didn't know what you were talking about (because I read your post carefully and figured you were talking about Maxwell) so could you give details? However, when Wende came in the the adsense thing I figured I must have been wrong.

I saw the Henry built ads first on Landliving.com and then saw them on AT when they first opened their Soho store a few months or weeks ago. So the ad came before the post but I guess that does not prove that there is no sponsorship going on - which I have no problem with, whether it is revealed or not, because Maxwell has always run this site with honest recommendations.

I have a bigger problem with design sponge running for so long without acknowledging that she was paid by the product ppl to feature their stuff until it came out in the NYT piece where other design blogs, including AT, were mentioned. I believe that there is a difference there because her blog is a long stream of products whereas Maxwell's personal purchases have been few and far between.

Give Maxwell and Sarah Kate some ethics credit, would you.

jamie pup, that was not directed at you!

Come to think of it, I find it mildy offensive that some may think that Maxwell would recommend something he did not believe in or would not buy himself had it not been bought for him by a vendor.

Yeah, I figured p2.
Welcome back.
You were indeed missed.
So is guido btw.
I should email her.

A Henrybuilt ad has been there a long time, though, hasn't it? (As has the Treehugger ad) Hell, I'd happily buy a Henrybuilt kitchen, but it's not in my price range. Maxwell is a designer, though, so I would also assume that he gets trade discounts and is willing to spring for something he really likes, because he went into an aesthetic profession.

I really don't think it's any more sinister than that?

Sarah, what Wende is referring to is called "behavioral targeting." Click the link on my name.

No offense intended. My comment was not meant to be a slur on anyone. Being compensated is not mutually exclusive from believing in the product. There is nothing unethical about being compensated for promoting a product that you believe in. I'm inclined to agree with Fiona's hypothesis that there is nothing sinister going on. I guess I'll keep my Fri. afternoon musings to myself or else elaborate more in the future.

Maxwell, sinister? Earlier in the week some were suggesting he was to blame for global warming! ;-)

Yes, p(too) that sounds like an exotic vacation to me.

P2, this site isn't the same without you - glad you're back and have stories to tell.

Yes, where's guido?

I personally don't really notice ads that run along the sides on sites. When they're kind of plunked in the middle of an article(on other sites, not AT), though, it is kind of freaky when the google-type ads are spot-on with the same subject as the article. I think I've been participating on this site for over a year (?) and I too believe that Maxwell manages this site with integrity and feel very comfortable that post/ad matching is not going on. I'm not sure how that would even be done at the rapid clip of a blog, unless it is something like the google ad method.

L
yeah, the one on 14th near irving
i was pretty late for work so i didnt stop and look at the lamp, so i cannot vouch for its quality, but, if you go check it out, let us know!

and now, i have a question about the watercolor/transfer thing
one of the most beautiful things about watercolors is how the paint seeps and moves across the paper
why on earth would you want to lose that and transfer the painting to canvas??
it truly boggles my mind!

darlyn, since we were talking a bit about Chas. Rodgers beds in the last OT I thought I'd post this link to their daybeds. Some come with trundles so you could use the daybed as your sofa during the day and pull out the trundle at night to have a full size bed. Just a thought.

http://charlesprogers.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_14&sort=0a&page=all

Anne,
Thanks for the suggestion, but I need a queen or a double (for 2). ;)

weighing in on the futon/murphy/fold-out question.

i currently sleep on a very small bed which folds up into a chair-and-a-half (the Ikea Lycksele chair, if you were curious). for a long time i folded it back up most of the time, but over the last few months i haven't been. to make a long story much shorter, i used to live in a live/work artist residency, and i folded it up then because i was using the space as both a bedroom and a workspace. now my situation has changed and i don't need so much work space in my bedroom, so i don't always fold up my bed. the bed itself is pretty comfortable, but nothing special.

i know a lot of other people who have futons and fold-outs who find them perfectly comfortable. it's about 50-50 between folder-uppers and leaver-outers, and it seems to depend on how the space is used more than anything else (though the relative anality of the individual is a factor). friends who work from their studio apartment tend to hide away the bed during the day. another friend who just happens to have a futon just because it worked out that way almost never folds it up. it depends on your approach, how often you'll have people over, etc.

i've never known anyone who had a murphy bed. as i'm a keeper-outer with my current fold-up bed, i probably wouldn't get one because i know i'd never get around to packing it away. i do believe there are options for renters -- most new yorkers rent, so i can't imagine the murphy bed companies would be able to stay in business here if they couldn't install them in rentals.

Darlyn, I've lived in the same studio for 30 years and can comment on beds with experience behind me, or is that underneath me?

I had a bed at first-- good for sleeping, bad for livingroom. Got a Jennifer convertible. Good for livingroom, BAD for sleeping! 1) pain in the neck to make every day, also storage of pillows an issue 2) back hurts
And then I had a Murphy bed unit made and installed. I wouldn't reco Gothic Cabinet Craft but I DO reco Murphy as solution. Excellent for living, easy to make, pillows store on end of bed under strap--- A fine solution IMO. Cabinets have nice deep drawers and I had cabinets built above bed and lots of shelves. I really love my Murphy bed unit.

Ok dilema here... I'm about to make a purchase based mostly on aesthetics, not practicality... is that bad?

Well I love the Theatre Sofa in black leather from DWR. It isn't that comfortable- and it will be my main tv/movie/sports watching couch. But the couch is soooooo nice lookin.. grrrr

Anyone have an experience with this couch? Please tell me it actually isn't that bad, and with some comfy pillows is just fine! PLEASE.

I like simple clean lines and a style that will go with classic modern pieces (two black barcelona chairs) as well as traditional items (antique shipping crates used as side tables). So any suggestions for another (more comfy) couch would be great.

Thanks!

I wouldn't fold up a sofabed either, but my choice would be an upholstered bed, possibly a leather sleighbed. Chaises are getting wider so beds in the living are are the next step. You heard it from me first, so I would appreciate the credit.

Domino put my round bulby hooks with my Kukkula shower curtain in this month's issue, so I think the zeitgeist is definitely tapping me.

Welcome back, PToo!

I KNEW Maxwell couldn't be evil.

Hi, P(2),
Great vacation - and congrats. I mean the Presence with the eyes of the color...the color you make them to be.

Just popped in to relate a hello to you from a friend in Montreal (*leeds), as I promised her I will.

BTW I am responsible for global warming....

I actually just got an email tipping me off to the fact that my name might be in jeopardy on this thread.

I love it.

To be totally honest, I started this site because it was fun and helpful and have been woefully bad at making gobs of money out of it and I don't expect that to change too much in the future AND I can assure you there is no paid product placement in these posts. AND if there was it would say it loud and clear.

The interesting thing is that because of blogging I am much more in touch with so many more vendors and much more aware of what is for sale (and what is on sale) that I do tend to patronize the shops i know know about and some do advertise on the site. And when i buy something it is such an exciting event that i will definitely blog it.

But be assured that on the editorial side, i and the others only blog what we like despite getting many emails and calls to induce us to blog certain things. We are beholden to know one and we are simply big fans of many of the shops, people and products that we run into and which you see on the site.

So don't worry about us turning into nefarious capitalists, we leave that to other sites.

But did we say that we ARE responsible for global warming?

Steve, I wouldn't blow DWR kind of money on an uncomfortable sofa. One of the main tenets of 'good design' is that form should follow function, and that a well designed object should both look attractive and be useful. An uninviting sofa is not useful or functional, and thus isn't very good design. Spending that kind of money you should be able to find something that looks nice visually AND feels good to hang out on.

Just because DWR is popular doesn't mean that everything they sell is good or that you HAVE to get your couch there. I've looked at the couches in the DWR catalogue, and they don't necessarily seem worlds better, in an aesthetic sense, than any other modern-design couches out there.

Thanks for the comment! Your right, i need to get this stupid couch out of my head...

I'm not a fan of DWR stuff for the most part (though I like a lot of their chairs and lights). But I really fell in love with the simplicity of the theatre sofa in that black leather. It just goes so nicely with my barcelona chairs. And it is one of the few black leather couches I've seen that doesn't look cheap and tacky.

I'm just out of college and putting together a nice collection of furniture from scratch... so investing 3-4 thousand dollars is big deal for me and I'm going CRAZY trying to make up my mind. I'm having nightmares about it.

I guess my problem is that I'm not sure what my syle is completely. I'm was a student in Art and Design... so I appreciate all things that are well designed... but not specificaly any particular style.

Here are the couches I've been looking all- All very different.. kindof.

The Carmichael
http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/prod.do?pfid=557627&grp=RB1690-1&grpType=0&collid=RB1690&collname=Carmichael&dept=RB158

Bryan Sofa
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=931&f=10663&q=Bryan&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

Theatre Sofa
http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=2289

Natuzzi Clark


Orazio Sofa
http://www.m2lcollection.com/orazio.html

Please excuse the typos in that previous post. See... I'm soo annoyed with Sofa shopping I can't even type correctly!!

FYI-
I'm selling a few things on Craig's List right now. I was hoping there would be a Scavenger post today I could get them listed on (HINT, HINT):

There's a great modern liquor cart (could also just be a table on wheels), and some fabulous modern plant pots that are priced at a steal. Some other stuff. Check it out:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/fur/179644942.html



(you can also get a little sneak-peak at our new bamboo floors, and granite kitchen floor. :-)

Steve CC: Check out the Klein sofa in Room and Board too, if you haven't already. It has a similar style to the other ones you are looking at (low back, wide arm rests, modern) and is quite comfortable. I just bought it with the very stealth looking chair...it's fabulous.

L,
Have you considered:
http://www.anthropologie.com/jump.jsp?itemID=11187&itemType=PRODUCT&iSubCat=502&iMainCat=376

Jane-

How are the cushions on the klien? The cushions look a little flimsy in the picture. Hopefully I'll be able to get to a room and board store to check it out before buying.

Steve

Steve CC, if you're just out of college, I'm really impressed that you're sinking any money on real furniture at all! I just recently bought my first "grown up" sofa and I just turned 30! Anyway, I like the Room and Board sofa...don't have any first hand experience with it. But, I'd say if you're having way too difficult a time deciding, maybe you should keep hunting and wait awhile? I definitely vote comfort on sofas...I wanted a sleek sofa, but realized that I needed something comfortable...I haven't regretted it!

hi,

my trusty web coder just passed this on to me. i feel like i've adressed this soo many times, but i guess i'll have to do this until i die.

just to clarify. i was NEVER paid by anyone to write about anything. i was an assistant at a pr firm that consulted with vitra, blu dot, interface fabrics and knolltextiles. if being an assistant makes my site somehow controversial, then people can clearly feel free to hate that.

that said, i haven't worked for that firm for over 8 months now. my own personal purchases, much like maxwell's, are few and far between as i make a living as a freelance writer.

i happened to love design, and studied it in school, way before i started working for a pr agency. if you'd like to contact the company i worked for (the loukin company), my old boss will be happy to tell you that she wrote the new york times to complain that they did not fact check the piece to see if i was paid to promote anyone. i also received an apology from lockhart clarifying that he hadn't written that part of the article and that he hadn't felt that that was true of my site at all. (you can email lockhart as well if you'd like confirmation)

i guess that's all i have to say. people always love to assume the worst of people and i clearly can't change anyone's mind, but i wanted to clarify that i HAVE addressed the article many times over and that all i can do is be honest and say yes, i worked as an assistant at a pr firm but NO, i NEVER and have NEVER taken money for a post and i do not accept gifts or discounts for any editorial coverage. if it still upsets you that i worked in pr for 2 years previously (for a company with 4 clients, clearly that doesn't make up 1/1000 of the goods i write about) then there are plenty of other blogs to read. but really, the whole d*s gets paid to write about things story is so, so old, and rather unsubstantiated.

d*s

my advice would be to take a step back for the time being. you will survive your first couch!

also, if what you like about the Theatre sofa is the quality of the leather, see if you can find out the specifics on what kind of leather they're using, or even get a swatch if it's possible. then look for couches in that type of leather.

also, it might be helpful not to be so tied to black leather. i don't know what your style is, but i think the barcelona chairs would be best set off by something that isn't necessarily leather or black. mixing colors and textures is a beautiful thing that will add complexity to your space and make it look like you didn't buy everything together or put too much thought into it.

Steve CC,

My suggestion, don't buy it on looks alone if you are going to make that much of an investment. It's a beautiful design but I would say to look for something with many of the same features (wide arms, block style) but with a higher back. I think the opoponax offers some great advice above of possibly looking at other textures as well. I also love the low back design but in my mind it is not designed for comfort and if this is going to be your main hang-out/lounge/sport watching spot, that design may not be comfortable.

It may not be sexy to think of it this way but from an ergonomic point of view, look for something that is going to support the lumbar region of your back and that comes up high enough to support your shoulders. If it doesn't support your shoulders you will inevitably find yourself (at least I do) slouching down so that your shoulders and lumbar region are supported and this will put undue stress on other parts of your body.

It's a lot of money you are spending, I think you will be able to find something that is both beautiful in design and comfort. I know this is a really big decision, take your time with it and find something that meets all your needs. : )

Steve CC: I TOTALLY know what you mean re the Klein cushions looking flimsy in their photos. I think it might be a) the angle of the photo and b)a perception issue, since the couch arms are so wide and flat - it makes the cushion look thin. But in real life, the cushions are super comfortable and quite plush...not flimsy at all.

Thanks for all the help! Who knew couch shopping was such an ordeal? I didn't at least.

At this point I think I'm going to go with the Bryan Sofa from crate and barrel in Creme leather. It was just marked down from 3499 to 1999 (You have to call... they are no longer listing it on the website. here it is in brown: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=931&f=10911&q=Bryan+Sofa&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1 )

I was at a Crate and Barrel store this morning and finally got to sit in the couch and it was amazing... the leather is so soft. Plus the design I feel is a little more timeless than the DWR couch I was looking at. Also, the creme color will last me beyond the must-have-black-leather-couch-bachelor phase I seem to be in.

It will offset the black barcelona chairs nicely.

Steve CC, I laughed at your must-have-black-leather-couch-bachelor turn of a phrase. It does seem to be so true for so many guys, but your choice for the sofa seems like a good one. Then you can have your black leather with the Barcelona chairs. ;)

Grace, to be honest, I read that article and didn't even notice that part, but if I had, I would have definitely wondered if it was even true. You always seem to be very straightforward and honest on your site. I don't think either you or Maxwell (whose global warming post was quite entertaining) have "sinister" intentions.

steve cc, looks like a nice choice. enjoy decorating your apartment!

Help! Black leather or brown?

Steve CC, good choice! I like that sofa a lot! I'm currently looking at some cream leather chairs for future potential...I love that look.

ebrown, maybe I missed another post...for what? I think it all depends!

grace, thanks for the clarification on that issue...I love your blog too! (though, honestly, I would like it even if it were paid placements!)

A bench. But also in general. Is black leather just a little too post-adoscent male?

you all do realize that most american media that endorses products either involves paid placements, sponsorships, agreements with advertisers, etc. right?

most products featured in magazines, for instance, are due to some kind of advertiser agreement or paid placement. which is why at least a few times a week someone will mention seeing something in Domino that wasn't ID'ed -- it's something that isn't part of the lines officially being promoted, thus they aren't under any sort of agreement to list product information or where to get it. even in terms of the products you see on TV and in films, specific agreements are made with corporations to feature those products -- anytime you see a logo, it's through a product placement agreement.

so i see nothing wrong with a site like Grace's using similar setups. having taken a look at design*sponge, Grace rarely personally endorses the products and doesn't always say she purchased it or actually owns it. and since Grace is (as far as i'm aware) just an ordinary design-minded person like any of us, it's not like products that appear on her site are somehow implicitly connected with her name. all she's doing is saying, "hey, here's the new Jonathan Adler line. looks pretty cool!" there's nothing unethical about that, even if Jonathan Adler arranged for a mention. it's the same thing as the "Editor's Faves" in any magazine.

the only way it becomes a little bit fuzzy is if the whole site is some kind of stealth marketing campaign. which would be really obvious, because we'd see Grace only ever mentioning products available at West Elm or DWR or whatever -- she seems to talk about an awful lot of stuff, none of which seems to be distributed through the same channels. same if every one of maxwell's kitchen posts plugged henrybuilt. it would quickly be obvious that the whole site was advertiser driven. but it's not -- plenty of posts are not about product at all, and when product is featured, it, like design*sponge is all over the map and even plugs companies that don't ship to the US.

Hey Grace
Please accept my apologies for perpertuating a falsehood. I remember reading the original NYT article (but never re-read it) and then reading your post about it (again never re-reading it) where it did not seem that you were refuting them, getting a correction or anything like that. It *sounded* to me at the time like tacit admission with a fairly glib comment from you that to my thick skull did not clear anything up I guess. I now see I was wrong.

You'll be glad to know (or maybe not) that I am not a hater (as you should be able to see from my defense of Maxwell - and I do see the irony in me castigating others for thinking the worst when I did the same to you - did I say I was sorry for that?) and you did actually achieve something positive in that you correcting my wrong thinking. I would never have been wiser because I never saw any retractions or corrections.

Yep, I knew that opop - but if blogs start doing that then they turn into something else for me. Dare I mention Daily Candy now?

Just found this Pablo 5-drawer media stand at Target. I remember seeing it a while back but fogot all about it. Wish they had it in wenge. This would be perfect behind my sectional. Not crazy about the handles though. Not too crazy about the shipping costs though, effectively doubles the price of the item.

it's not that i'm necessarily in favor of blogs doing it, but i feel like at this point in our current regime of media saturation and corporate penetration, nothing's sacred. it's not particularly shocking to imagine that a blog could be a marketing tool, and for outlets like the new york times to assert that this is somehow a conflict of interest is, well, disingenuous at best. i mean, the new york times House & Home pages directly reflect corporate interest and PR product shilling, and advertising is the newspaper industry's raison d'etre. so to cry foul at the possibility of an independent source having a similar focus is unfair, to say the least.

does it suck that we've gotten to this point? yes. does that make bloggers who are glorified marketing tools somehow evil? not really.

Earlier chris (nyc) wrote:

----------
>
> FYI-
> I'm selling a few things on Craig's List right now. I was hoping
> there would be a Scavenger post today I could get them listed
> on (HINT, HINT):
>
> There's a great modern liquor cart (could also just be a table
> on wheels), and some fabulous modern plant pots that are
> priced at a steal. Some other stuff. Check it out:
>
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/fur/179644942.html
>
> (you can also get a little sneak-peak at our new bamboo
> floors, and granite kitchen floor. :-)
>
----------

Geraldine grabbed the mini-stereo (Anne was too late).

Everything else is still here.

I still hoping something we've posted is worthy of a Scavenger listing.

Oh yes, I am not blind to the fact that this is the direction we are going in but the blogs I read regularly and contribute to are free of this (curbed.com's inexorable metamorphosis notwithstanding - but that is still a great source of info for all nyc RE development related stuff). There are plenty of other blogs that I read that do follow what you are talking about and I see them for what they are.

All I am saying is that there is a difference and I would see it if something changed in a blog. That's it.

BTW, speaking of the NYT, that bastion of unbiased reporting, anyone else have a problem with their constant cheerleading of the Ratner Atlantic Yards development with no reporting of zoning rule obsfucation and cheating, downsides, transport issues etc? Can't have anything to do with Ratner building their HQ could it or their reliance on the RE market players for ad revenue?

Or how about its even more cloying piece on the Dolan family's proposal to move MSG *into* the James Farley Post Office and thereby taking away public space that was originally planned for the Penn station reconstruction? All positive according to the Times.

Ebrown, personally, I don't think black leather ALWAYS has to say skeezy bachelor pad.

Opoponax, I was totally thinking about glossy magazines. I remember once in college going to a luncheon with the editor of a popular beauty/fashion magazine and asking her if that was done. I wasn't even being confrontational...I was just saying something like "hey, I notice sometimes that when I'm reading an article, I see the product being advertised next to it" or "how do you pick the products to be featured." she was SO defensive and vehemently denied that was ever done. Oh please! (Just to be clear, I'm not saying that Maxwell and Grace's denials are ANYTHING like this though!)

On other points, for those interested in "small" space living, here's an article from the Wash. Post about the opposite.

" A young family came recently to Vienna real estate agent Reza Rofougaran with what should have been a simple request: They wanted a small house."

To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/08/AR2006070801072.html?referrer=emailarticle

P2 -
Welcome back and congrats on ALL the above!

Maxwell -
Please continue to rock.

Darlyn -
I LOVE my Murphy Bed. RE: rentals and Murphy beds... they are attached to the floor, and not necessarily the wall, so you might want to have a conversation with a landlord or a super if you're going to do it -- some leases say that anything that's screwed in must stay, but sometimes they never really know that, anyway, so ask yourself that stuff -- not to mention it?

Anyway... the real estate that you get to use for something else (like walking around in) when you have a Murphy bed is VERY wonderful and valuable, and I've had them in my last two co-ops, but I've been part of at least one purchase for a renter to LOVES his, too.

I've told so much more about my Murphy bed past posts here that it's probably better to search the archives than to have me bore the place with repeats of it.