apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I am looking for a floating shelf to put up some large framed photoposters. I would like the shelf in white, cleanlined, 5' long if possible with an edge to prevent the pictures from falling off. Easy to attach to drywall too. I have checked the web but all look too clunky-country-ish. Has anybody done this easily with a shelf they really like? I will need it to be ordered online as I am not able to shop NYC local stores. Thanks!

This one from Crate and Barrel is only 4 feet, but has clean lines.

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1153&f=12153

If you're having trouble finding what you wish for, it sounds like the sort of thing you could have make (or make yourself) pretty easily. I seem to recall that someone posted a DIY project for just such a shelf in one of the open threads a couple months back.

Cheesedanish--

A cheapskate idea is a couple of STRIPA shelves from Ikea. They come in white, have a lip that's perfect for holding up frames and don't seem 'country' (at least to me).

My only hesitation is the potential weight of your photoposters. You'd need some hefty wall anchors, or some luck with the placement of your wall studs

Hi,

I've got hardwood floors in my house and they are in pretty bad shape. I'm going to refinish them, but I'm reluctant to have them polyurethaned. I have three dogs and I know that we'll have scratches. Rather, I'm considering having them sanded, stained and waxed. That way, I can just put some wax on the scratches that they are sure to get. Any reasons I shouldn't just go with wax?

Thanks,
Kathleen

Chris (nyc) and Michelle (montreal) - many thanks! Yup, I searched the web and found the DIY tutorial. Also, don't know why I didn't look at IKEA first,probably because I am so afraid of formaldehyde (sp?).I was glad to see the shelves are solid Aspen. The STRIPA shelves can be threaded together and I am hoping that the weight of the pictures will be distributed - 1 picture per shelf? for a total of 3 across the wall.
I appreciate everyone's help

Cheesedanish:

Ikea does not use formaldehyde.

Kathleen,

The only bad thing about waxing hardwood is that it's a pain in the neck to keep up. Instead of mopping after you sweep, you have to put on another coat of wax. It's also definitely not wear-proof. You will, eventually, have treads in your pretty waxed floor, both from your puppies and from people's shoes.

I suggest you do some -very- thorough research and talk to some local experts before you decide to go with the wax.

One other thing about waxed floors is if you use Butcher's Wax (which I think you are supposed to use), you'll have to deal with the fumes which are HORRIBLE and toxic. We have a matte finish poly floor and the scratches don't show us as much as with a gloss finish.

Wouldn't Simple Living require accepting that even sensibly maintained objects get normal signs of wear and tear? (Wabi-sabi, anyone?)

Poly the floor in matte per matilda; accept the scratches as the price of enjoying the dogs.

Cheesedanish:

Oops -- Ikea does use formaldehyde (was thinking of PVC), but adheres to the strictest offgassing regulations in the world (E1).

Thanks. I love the idea of the matte finish. Waxing would be a headache.

Best,
Kathleen

Our cats, who are very active and athletic, have scratched up our wood floors (old growth oregon white oak) much more then we have, but we have contributed some ourselves, it's just part of having wood floors. The good news is that you don't see the scratches unless the sun hits it in a particular spot and you know where to look. We used a resin-based matte "Swedish" finish type. The fumes are nasty and you can't use many of them in the state of California. Prepare to decamp with the pups while it's done. Think of the scratches as "patina".

regards,
trillium

NEED HELP FINDING MID-CENTURY PERIOD STYLE UPHOLSTERY FABRIC.

We're trying to avoid purchasing online, as we want to be able to feel the texture before we purchase.

(I sent this in as a "Good Questions:" candidate, but they already listed by smoked glass and chrome rolling cart as the featured "Scavenger:" item today, so I'm not going to push my luck with a double featured "chris" day at AT.)

This past weekend we purchased a new Sofa at the flea-market (the one in the parking garage on 25th btw. 6th & 7th), a great mid-centry piece, and in good shape, too:

http://www.awardshow.name/temp/sofa.jpg

We plan to re-upholster it in two-tone, as shown in this retouched photo:

http://www.awardshow.name/temp/sofa2tone.jpg

WE WANT TO KNOW IF ANYONE HERE KNOWS A GOOD FABRIC STORE HERE IN MANHATTAN THAT CARRIES A GOOD SELECTION OF MID-CENTURY UPHOLSTERY FABRIC.

Thank you for any help.

Kathleen -
Not only is wax a pain, but it can sort become cloudy and look really, REALLY awful. I did it with cabinets, on the advice of a contractor, and a year later I had to strip the wax with a GREAT DEAL of effort and then poly'd them with a matte finish. Trust me. Go that route. And while you're at it, forget water-based poly. It can peel. Some floor guys try to talk you into it because it is easier to work with. Don't let 'em.

Cheesedanish - You might try the shelving department at The Container Store.

Chris,

Harry Zarin, on the lower Eastside, has an amazing selection of fabrics. They are not cheap but you can find almost anything, ask for Judy.

Susan

Does Harry Zarin carry vintage style mid-century modern upholstery fabrics?

I'm not so much looking for a big store as much as I just need to find one that specilizes in, or has a large selection of a very specialized kind of fabric- upholstery fabric in mid-century modern patterns.

I will look into them. Thank you.

Sharon, the Container Store - Tchotchke Shelf - looks like it might be a good possibility. I would put three of them together- I found out that each one can hold about 50 pounds! Great suggestion, thank you.

Chris,

Regarding Harry Zarins - no. They don't have any vintage fabrics, and they don't have a huge range of mid-c fabrics. I mean, they are a HUGE store (as far as stores in Manhattan go) and so they may have one or two items... but by no means a large selection.

That said, Harry's does specilize in furnishing fabrics and are generally high-end. Better than any other fabric store I can think of in Manhattan for what you're after.

Chris - Have you tried e-bay? I don't know about upholstery fabric but I have seen plenty of original mari-mekko (sp?) and such there.

Is there such a thing as food-safe stain? I have a kitchen table that I'd like to stain the top darker on, but I don't want to do it if it will make it not food safe. For the moment I've used a food-safe oil treatment, but that only darkened it marginally.

Kathleen -
One of my good friends has hardwoods + dog, and she puts baby socks on the dog while in the house. They stay on just as well as expensive dog booties and the dog tolerates it pretty well.

Susan & Jessica,

Thank you for your help. We looked into Ebay, but my wife is concerned about buying without knowing the texture- some upholstery fabrics can be rough almost abrasive.

We live very close to the garment district. I have a feeling we will just cruise 39th, 40th and 41st Streets, stick our head in each fabric store we pass and ask where we should go for this. Surely someone in the hood will carry this, and someone will know where to tell us to go.

Thanks again,
Chris

Allison,
I was reading on an Good Questions thread about using coffee grounds to stain wood floors. Someone linked to a site that had tips for using natural materials (like coffee, grape juice, etc) to dye or stain wood. I'll see if I can root it out...

Allison,
here 'tis.

http://www.woodworking.org/WC/Garchive01/3_27colorants.html

I *heartily* second the rec to visit Harry Zarin downtown, but if you have your heart set on the garment district you might want to check out Mood on E 37th street (link in my sig), since they've recently opened a Home Dec section on the 2nd floor. Be warned: Mood has a great fabrics, but few bargains.

Of note, most fabric stores in midtown limit their stock to clothing fabric.

I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT CRAIG'S LIST-

Given the chance to do it again, I'd just donate everything to charity and take the tax write-off. I've never dealt with so many pain in the ass people. I've had one guy be a no show three times for a set of plant pots. I finally stopped returning his calls and starting taking other offers. I had a second no show on the same plant pots from a woman who wrote me 7 times, swearing she just had to have them, then didn't show up. Today I began to tell people, I'm not holding anything for anybody, first-come-first-serve, and of course people then got offended. Two buyers were going to come for the plant pots- One insisted he wanted them. I told him to be here at 6:30pm when I got home, and they'd be his, but I would not "hold them" if the woman who was now saying she wanted them got there, they'd be hers instead. She was suppose to come by 7:30. The guy did not show up at 6:30. It is now 7:35. I'm waiting to see if the girl shows up or not.

I had an even worse problem, and longer stories with guys wanting to buy my three tool boxes. One who got off the phone with me because he said the cops were following his car. Another guy is supposed to be coming by between 8pm and 11pm. I'm selling them for $20. It's just not worth it.

I've had no shows on the audio/video shelves, on the chrome and glass rolling cart featured in Scavenger today. WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH PEOPLE!?!?!!!!??? Are all people this inconsiderate, or am I the world's biggest jack-ass magnet?

At least a woman came over and bought the little wooden stool... after only one other buyer was a no-show!

Nancy wrote:
> Of note, most fabric stores in midtown
> limit their stock to clothing fabric.

Thanks Nancy. Being the "garment district", that was just what I feared. That's why I wanted to ask around some before we went out looking. So I'll add Mood to the list.

thanks,
Chris

chris(nyc) -- It's not you. It's a ripple in the time-space continuum.

A few months ago, after a string of blessedly easy CL transactions, I tried to sell the old rattan nightstands. Multiple whack jobs and no-shows culminated in the gal who swore she understood my frustration and would POSITIVELY not do a no-show... whose boyfriend never got around to coming over to pick them up.

I swear, I was ready to wave incense over those nightstands and chant, while hopping anti-clockwise on one leg.

chris nyc - i love your new sofa. i can't believe you scored that at a flea market. i was in nyc this weekend, be glad i wasn't there, i would have started a fight to grab that sweet sofa :)

i love the way amy butler covered her sofa in this photo - i know it's different, but i thought you'd like some inspiration for seeing the sofa upholstered in something more dramatic.
but, i love the navy/white idea... PERFECT. I wish I lived in NYC i'd most likely know where to go for fabric - i'm a textile junkie.

scroll down to the second to last photo...

http://decor8.blogspot.com/2006/03/amy-butler.html

holly

regarding craigslist, i posted a few things for a client and people were screwing us around so i just posted a one day only open house. i didn't post the address, i stated only the area of the city, the hours, date, and photos of everything that she was selling. i mentioned in the ad that serious inquries could email me for the exact location. i got about 10 emails (vs. 100,000 that i got when i just posted the items unattached to a one day sale) - each email i replied to with the address and my cell phone number in case they were running late. i told everyone the sale would be from 8-noon on saturday and no early birds because i wouldn't even be home until 8am (it was my clients condo, she was in fiji, i was doing the sale for her so of course, i wasn't going to get there until 8). people showed up right at 8 as i arrived, and 1/2 of everything was gone by 9 am. no one came by between 10-noon so i closed up shop and that was it. a few emailed me the next day asking if this or that was still available and i said yes that i was having a second sale the following weekend (the client would be back by then so she'd actually host this one). again, we did the same thing. the second sale, everything was gone.

i highly advise this method.

holly

ocgrl - that page shows how to make a bunch of "stains" at home, but they don't sound very food-safe to me. Plus, I'd rather buy something than play mad-scientist as I'm sure I'd mess up the recipe and end up with a splotchy rainbow-hued table or something.

Chris,
If you live in the 30s/40s check out Eldridge Textile on 37th between Madison and 5th. They do windows and some upholstery. Also, definitely check out Beckensteins in the 20s (either 20 or 21st between 5th and 6th). They do upholstery and have a lots of choices.

Holly -- thanks for the Craigslist tip! That sounds like a great idea.

rsw,

Thanks. I will definitely check them out.

Holly, thanks, that sounds like a better way to go (RE: Craig's List).

chris (nyc)

you and me both, brother. i've wasted a few precious hours of the past two weekends waiting for seemingly eager and serious buyers...never have i ever felt like anyhing was more of a waste of time than trying to get rid of my decent furniture at low prices.

even before seeing holly's comment, i planned on doing the same..open house for two hours...the end. at least that way, there would be some closure...my super is more than happy to collect/keep anything i cannot sell and move with. so, here is a selfish plug...i will be selling a variety of functional furniture at low prices (willing to bargain) this saturday from 9:00 - 11:00 in chelsea. here is the link to just some of the items....
http://web.mac.com/ibpaulkim/iWeb/barbara/Photos.html
email me at barbara(dot)kwon(at)gmail(dot)com if you are interested in knowing more. i'm also selling this couch i got from white on white a few years ago, that i love, but won't fit in my new place...
http://www.whiteonwhite.com/classic_june06_1.jpg
only mine is cream/khaki wool upholstery on dark wood legs.

just wanted to let you know that i feel your pain. while we are sharing, the only thing more infuriating than perfect strangers not showing up or going through with a purchase, is friends who don't go through with purhcases or bother to pick up free furniture....what is wrong with people. i'm not forcing anything on anyone...everyone piped up asking for certain items, and as i didn't want to sell to friends, i told them to take it, gratis...and even some of them didn't show up.

re: upholstery. i would definitely start at zarin's...while some upholstery may not really be mid-century per se, they definitely have a handful that pass. there is a custom couch/sofa showroom, just west of the NW corner of 22nd and 5th ave....they have books and books of upholstery that you may want to flip through. they are $$$, but very helpful in there.

best of luck.

Re upholstery: went into the always amazing B&J Fabrics, and they told me to go to Harry Zarin and Joe's Fabric (102 Orchard) because there basically isn't any store with upholstery fabric in the garment district. I went into one on 39th, which had some stuff, but nothing too impressive.