apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Thanks to anita, the opoponax, and p(2) for their good wall color suggestions in the previous Open Thread!

I took some pictures of my new apartment yesterday & uploaded them onto Flickr. I need color/decorating advice. I'm looking for a modern, comfortable feel. Please check out the pictures and add some comments/critiques!

TIA!

Grady, P2 will shortly be suggesting that you add a rug to the living room to warm it up.

Pixie: I know, the floors are so bare! We're looking at making an area rug from FLOR pieces. Just working on the design & the funds. Thanks!

Hey All,

In honor of Pet Month, I thought I would share a Pet-Design project my mother did. She took pictures of my (ok, "our") dog, and made them into Andy Warhol-esque images. I think she did this as a gift for my Father (who thinks the dog is a human). The pictures are hanging in their bedroom. In the back you can get a glimpse of the bathroom renovation she just completed - 100% DIY. And it was a huge project.

Was last night's Small Spaces Big Style a repeat? It has the "triangle" space from the "Smallest" contest.

Lori 2, I'm not a huge Warhol fan, but those are great prints - and a great personal touch. And that's a GORGEOUS dog!

Lori 2 - love the pet dog pics!

Lori 2
very cool dog prints.. how'd she do that?

Hi AT! I'm looking for advice decorating my work office-cheaply. It has three walls that are a tan (taupe?) color and one accent wall that is a brickish red. The furniture is blond wood with black metal.

I want to put up some artwork or photos that would go nicely, and maybe some stuff to help me stay organized like a cork or dry erase board.

The problem is I kinda like cool tones and a modern feel, but the office is warm and the overall vibe of the officeplace is earthy-traditionalish kinda-haha If that makes sense. Any ideas,links to cool stuff would but greatly appreciated!!

What chair is that in this photo of an Ilse Crawford interior (site address below or click my name for the link) -

http://www.studioilse.com/interiors/13.html

I thought it might be a B&B Italia piece but wanted to see if somebody here knew before I spent a long time scouring the B&B site.
If anybody knows of some similarly designed chairs I would also be interested in that info. I'm looking around for a new armchair for my living room and like this style - modern but kind of organic, steel legs.
Thanks!

pbphoenix, I'm pretty sure it was not a repeat. The more recent ones don't have a host in front of the camera now and I have only see 2 or 3 of those shows including last night's.

Amazing that Wayne's place was a laundry room before and I see that those of us who questioned its eligibility because it was a supposedly rarely used guest house got it wrong. Wayne should have just called it an apt that a friend lives in as their sole residence. Or something like that.

That 100 sqft of storage space does help reduce the clutter though if his friend is permitted to use it.

That person's place in Hollywood: what was that metallic panel on their wall? Fold up ironing board?

Lori2, your mother is a DIY master (I hope I can I say that)

Lori2,
I said it before and I'll say it again
I LOVE YOUR MOM
(signed)
Not Lori2's Dad

she did that perfect false wall for you, right?

I've been searching for a laundry basket or laundry sorting system that is attractive enough to leave out in our bedroom. I'm looking for something simple but not plastic or wicker. Any suggestions?

P.S. I like the rolling triple hamper from PB but they only ship to the US and I'm in Canada...

S-
This is something I've been stressing over myself for a while. I have one of those chrome triple sorters and it has become my bete noir. The screws tend to get loose so it leans precariously after one or two uses and it's VERY large, plus I am never organized enough to sort it. It seems to get stuck in every crack on the floor and I've just had it. I ordered a wheeled plastic cart from Rubbermaid and it should arrive shortly. If you find another solution, let me know.

pbphoenix--I saw the triangle apartment in SSBS before this week, probably last week. I taped last night's and the schedule showed it as a new one. All the episodes are on HGTV's website and they're numbered. I number them when I tape them and I haven't seen the one they scheduled last night before. When I say last night, it was on at 11:30 pm and I think it first ran last Sunday at 4 pm. You may have caught a rerun because they run different ones at various times.

Hi S,
What style is your bedroom - are you looking for a sorting system that is very simple and modern or do you want a more traditional look?
Target seems to have a few simple 3-compartment linen sorters on their website.

Thanks, Maxwell, for stating your rules. For the record let me reiterate my view that these rules, as put into practice recently, have been applied in too heavy-handed a fashion. The banning of Jonathan, in particular, was done without sufficient cause.

Although there's been very little open support for my views -- and I accept that -- I must point out that several of the more intellectually interesting posters have been silent lately. I can't help feeling they've voted with their feet (or whatever appendage they type with). AT is a diminished site as a result.

But, if them's the rules, them's the rules. I suggest that they be woven into the mission statement on the site so that we're all clear on what AT stands for.

Can you name monikers Concered Citizen?
I'd seriously like to know who they are because I enjoy this site and would hate to see such ppl stop posting.

CC--

I'm sorry, I think its sad you need "rules" to tell you what's appropriate social behavior, decent human interaction or appropriate topics on a website dedicated to the goodness of house and home.

How recently have you started on here? I reiterate that you are making waaaaaaaaaay too much out of a blip in the history of this blog's timeline.

Grady, is it possible to mount your microwave above the stove? You could move the dry-goods jars (which are adorable) closer to the counterspace where you would use them. That way you wouldn't need to worry about a microwave cart which could get in the way of a table big enough for your family.
Definitely get rid of the closet doors you don't use. I would replace them with curtains b/c it covers the clutter, but lazy people (like me) don't have to go through the effort of closing a door.
Looks like the boys need a bunch of hooks on the wall or back of their door, so you won't have to clutter up their bed.
Lastly, focus on blue in the boys' room & get some more color into the rest of the house. Every textile pictured is blue. Pick a fabric (throw pillow/window treatment) for either the living room or kitchen & work out from there.
I know none of this is quite profound, but it's a little tough to give advice w/o a more specific jumping off point.
Good luck!

Okay, let's not turn this thread into another "let's talk about how this blog stifles intellectual discourse" or a "no it doesn't" thread. Breaking my own rule, I will say that I've enjoyed the site more lately when people are talking about design and home, and I consider myself a fairly intelligent person. When posts have been removed, it's usually because they venture into territory that's unnecessary and disruptive of what the site IS about. Unless I've been missing something.

Lori 2--love the dog and the dog prints and the bathroom.

Grady--love that bay window! In the living room, I do feel like the TV's kind of lost on that wall...and so, it kind of sticks out. Maybe a more substantial stand in a deeper color--perhaps integrating your cd storage? What colors are you thinking? Do you have any in mind?

Okay, last post for awhile--but Pixie--to further belabor the beeswax candle point from yesterday, the store Candles off Main in Annapolis, MD has beeswax candles, if you happen to ever go out there (or I should say here as that's where I am at the moment!).They have a Website too. http://www.candlesoffmain.com/

Please, please PLEASE let's just drop this whole "censorship" arguement!!!! It's pretty clear if you are rude and mean, you have to leave the schoolyard. I don't get the constant belaboring.

Grady, I see you've discovered IKEA ;)

S -- we have this Michael Graves triple sorter from Target, and quite like it so far. Seems plenty sturdy, and is somewhat stylish while also inoffensive.

Sorry, click my name for the Target sorter. Bah.

Lori 2,
Great photos of a great place! The Warhol-esque dog prints are so good.
I thought I saw a web link (or DIY kit; or decorating how to, etc.) somewhere that tells you how to do that.
Please post instructions or link for the how-to if you can. I, and our 11-year old puppy send thanks.

CP3 -- I'd think in terms of framing your art and other wall stuff all the same, with very clean-lined frames that pick up one of the cooler and more modern elements of the space. The black or a very plain blond wood would work, but I'd be tempted to choose a silvery metal (chrome? brushed nickel?) for the frames and pick it up again in the desk accessories.

Given a limited budget, that temptation would be moderated by a stroll through a couple of stores with discount frames and cork boards, to see what they have in a price range and size that works for you. (Don't forget that you can always paint the frame of a corkboard, if it's just unfinished wood.) Getting the frames all alike is more important to your cool modern look than the actual color and material.

Christine in DC- thanks for that item - that's very thoughtful to post from way out yonder in Annapolis!

lori2 - i love the dog prints too! I was trying to do something similar with photoshop, but i was failing miserably.
any hints from your mom on how the rest of us could DIY-ourselves?
thanks

Erin T,
I would define my style as more traditional overall. I do like simple lines but enjoy the warmth and coziness that seems to come from more traditional styled pieces.
Matilda,
I will keep you posted on other solutions. (I'm sure they're out there...)
MattS,
I'm in Canada. Unfortunately Target doesn't deliver here. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Hi All,

Thanks so much for the compliments! I will tell my mother.

Guido and Jamie Pup,
Thank you! And yes, Guido, my mother did the false wall, but it was for her bedroom, not mine (she lives in a mid-century house in California, I live in NYC). The wall pics are in another set on my flickr site. The project she did for me was to show me how to build a platform bed (hers is black- you can see it in the wall pics). We did mine in white.

Thanks for the compliments on my doggie too! He is a darling. We got him at a shelter, he had been abandoned. He is also a well traveled dog, as I brought him to live with me in Africa. But after a while he developed a terrible allergic reaction to an infection, and I had to take him to his grandparent’s house (my parents). Now my dad somehow thinks it is his dog. I guess it does make sense, since I don’t get to see my baby too often :(

So here are the steps my mother used to make the pictures (she just made up this idea – didn’t use a website)

1. Found a nice picture of Max with a good headshot
2. Used Photoshop Elements to crop the head out of the picture
3. Erased the background, and inserted a color as the background
4. Printed the pics on photo paper using her ink jet photo printer
5. Went to Kinkos and used the color copier to enlarge and print the images ($1.99 each)
6. Bought frames that she liked, and cut mats to fit with the image

She said she didn’t want the white mats, but at Kinkos they wouldn’t print bigger than about 14x14, and she liked these frames. She said you can go to other places that will enlarge the images even more.

I was planning to put up all of her bathroom renovation pictures. Although she doesn’t have good before pics, and it mostly looks like a big demolition project. Maybe I will post them next week.

Hey guys. I'm thinking about purchasing this cocktail table:
http://www.2modern.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=866

I have two black barcelona chairs that will be in this living room set up. Do you think the steel crossed legs is too matchy-matchy with the legs of the barcelona chairs?


Also, a question regarding cocktail table size:

I have a sectional sofa- chaise and a love seat. the love seat section is 60" wide. What size of a cocktail table should I be looking for. I've seen one I really like... it is 50" long. So if i lined up one edge corresponding to the edge of the sofa, there would only be 10" between the other edge and the chaise portion. Is that enough? Not quite enough to comfortably walk around. Not sure what a good size would be.

S:

I currently use and would recommend a hamper that has a tilt out drawer in front. This means the hamper can also be used as a bed side table, seating, or a side table. I’m not sure exactly what you mean by traditional but the tilt out hampers here fit my idea of traditional and they ship to Canada. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t consider them “simple”.

Let's see if this link works.

Steve CC--

OhmiGOD gorgeous coffe table.
I don't think it's too matchy matchy with the Barcelonas. But I kind of think the metal needs to be exact in both shape and finish for it to work. A near miss will look sort of, well, like a near miss. But that table is too gorgeous to pass up.

And as far as size, alignment, no rule you have to center it, if one end of your arrangement is open, and lsiding it off-center alleviates your problem.

Pixie--

In the delayed reaction department.. HA!

But, um, yes.

P2-
:D

Unless I'm losing it (and with my kitchen renovation at six weeks and counting, it's quite possible), I don't think that the question at the top of the last thread (about "serial renovators," which the Times recently wrote about) ever got answered --- and I was really looking forward to people's reactions. I was interested to read about couples whose relationships are never more satisfying when they're renovating; I always heard that it was th ultimate strain on a relationship. But then, I'm discovering that renovation feels a bit lonely when you're undergoing the process all by yourself. I wonder if the things that are driving me crazy wouldn't loom so large if there was someone else to laugh with me and/or commiserate with me. Not that my friends don't do that ... but at the end of the day, they go home to a nice fridge full of food and I'm still trying to decide where each meal is going to come from. It really kind of takes the "oooo, this is going to be so worth it when it's done" out of the whole thing. Thoughts?

You're right, Jane. No one ever took up serial renovation.

My parents' have never yet lived in a house that was officially "finished." They don't change addresses much, but they sure move walls. It must be fun on some level. The husband and I aren't as capable with DIY, but he's resigned to the reality that we're likely to buy a fixer-upper because I'll have some scheme for getting a deal and redoing it.

I exert my serial rehab gene on the dollhouses. And there *are* houses I've built, gotten bored with, pulled apart, and completely redone.

Aha -- there's an example of the typo phenomenon I mentioned elsewhere. I started to type "my parents' house" and forgot to remove the apostrophe when I changed syntax.

Wende: You may have just put your finger on what separates the kind of people who find renovation exciting from those who find it stressful. You're very "handy." I used to think I was, but I'm discovering, the more I try to do, that I'm not. (Maybe I'm just getting older...) There must be a certain sense of control if you're physically participating in the outcome. I'm quite happy with the decor choices I've made so far, and had fun making those choices way back in April ... but as this whole process unfolds, I'm mostly standing by and feeling helpless as I wait for things to be done (and redone). This is the second kitchen reno I've gone though (and the first, ten years ago, was far worse than this), but I still find the process induces high anxiety rather than exhilaration.

About the serial renovators article, which I just read this AM, I wish the article hadn't focussed so much on the psychology of serial renovators, which the article implied was pathological, but on their creative process and how they decide what they are going to do as they view a dilapidated rathole. It was a very slanted article.

Naaah, I'm not handy myself (I envy Guido her skills!), but I've spent so much time helping my father (who is) or working with engineers on speccing projects that I feel comfortable and in control with contractors. I think you've put a finger on it with the control-vs-helplessness thing.

Wende: Maybe doing the dollhouses lets you wrestle the renovation demons down to manageable size?

Another question: I'm trying to decide whether to do my backsplash in those little irridescent glass tiles, or to use a ceramic "stone-look" tile (4x4) with an accent of three rows of 1x1 tumbled stone tiles in slightly varying but related colors running along about two-thirds of the way up. What do peopl think about those little glass tiles ... are they hard to clean? Are they so trendy that five years from now, people will look at them and say, "Oh, there are those little glass tiles that used to be all the rage a few years ago"?

Oops- Posted this on an old Open Thread...

Anyone know where I can get a more reasonably priced version of this sink at WaterWorks? My name has the URL.

It's the Palladio Washstand, and while it is well designed, it seems to be ridiculously expensive.

Pixie: There seems to be a difference between people who are renovating serial houses (or apartments), and those who keep renovating the same place over and over. The first don't seem unhealthy, although they have a far greater tolerance for chaos and change than I do (not to mention a lot more money). The second seem to be avoiding other things in their lives.

MichelleNCheese: Yipes, that IS ridiculously expensive! Nice, though.

I know some serial renovators. I think Pixie's right on making it pathological--that's stupid. I think it can be like a hobby, too. Why is that weirder than, say, fishing. I have never gone through a renovation myself, so I can't speak to how it would be different with or without someone.

As for doll houses being more manageable--sometimes they're more difficult! Having put siding both on a real house and a dollhouse--I think the real one was easier! :)

Pixie--yeah, avoiding work out here in naptown. I was just in that store, though, and they're in stock. A wee bit pricey, though--$25 for 2 tapers.

Steve CC--love the coffee table! Have you tried laying out some paper cut in the size of the table? I did that with my table (grocery bags taped together) before I bought and found that I didn't need quite as much walking room as I thought.

Christine (in DC): I guess it depends on the scope of the renovation. If it's major, your ENTIRE living quarters are in total upheaval, often for months at a time. There isn't one surface that's clean, one passageway that's unobstructed, one object that's where it's supposed to be. As a hobby, you can fish to your heart's content and still go home to ... a HOME!

:)

Michelle/Jane--
I actually do not think that is terribly expensive for what it is. What are you expecting to pay for a full sink set-up?

So taking the inconvenience out of the equation (if that's possible), when we did our bathroom remodel we had a second bathroom so it was not a hardship in that respect.

What I did find though was that my wife simply wanted to see the thing done, along with other projects that I had started (the bathroom was being done by a contractor), whereas I was very interested in the process itself and seeing incremental progress. I also enjoyed seeing what was behind the sheetrock etc and took lots of photos of that kind of stuff to the bemusement of my wife. I'll admit that maybe that's a bit weird.

BTW, I know women who are more like me in that respect and men that are more like my wife - k?

I still want to make holes in our new place to make cubbies and hidden storage but now that we have children it's not really practical.

Stevecc, great coffee table and I thnk it would go very well with Barcelona chairs without seeming too matchy matchy.

BTW, as per the sales listings on AT, Desiron go on sale for the month of August so it may be worth going direct to them unless 2 modern also pass on the sales price.

I don't know what I was thinking but I ordered a desiron Darin bench in May (which arrived a few days ago so be aware of lead times) without thinking about their summer sale. Very nice piece BTW, extremely well made with very high grade leather.

And wende, you are crazy and funny. I have only just checked out your cure blog.

P2 - I have not seen a sink set up that expensive anywhere besides waterworks, but then again, I knew there stuff would be expensive. Generally I fid inspiration there and purchase elsewhere :)

BTW - The sink seems reasonable, but I don't understand why the base is so expensive!

Regarding laundry hampers...

I haven't seen S respond to your suggestions, but just wanted to comment that we don't have Target stores in Canada, (at least not my part of Canada!). I just checked their website, and they don't ship internationally. Another source bites the dust. Sigh...

Serial renovations-

Growing up we moved A lot. I never really understood this as a child. More recently, I realized that my mother moves because she sees apartments the way that a painter sees a canvas. She ALWAYS (did I say always?) has some home/interior design project going on.

Jamie Pup, my parents can be the example of the reverse of your situation. My father deals with it, but he just wants it to be done. My mother goes ga-ga over the process.

I do think that for some people (my mother) projects such as this are about a creative and artistic process that then becomes a part of your daily life, and happiness. But I do think that some people (as others have mentioned) are doing multiple renovations because they are bored, or feel pressured by society to have the "perfect" place, etc.

For me, I think if there is a real need or compelling reason to renovate, or change things around, then it makes sense. But I think changing whole rooms or re-doing everything frequently is wasteful and not environmentally friendly.

jamie pup:
That's pretty funny ... I guess it equates with the guys being interested in what's under the hood and the woman just wanting the car to drive without making that weird noise already! (Of course, as you point out, there are people who contradict that generalization.)

Lori 2: Regarding apartments as a blank canvas ...I really did love going to a lot of open houses when I was looking for an apartment (aside from the stress of actually having to FIND one I liked and could afford) because it was such fun to imagine what I would do with all the different spaces. But it was purely a fantasy ... I only wanted to go through it once! (But I could sure see how open houses get addictive.)

P (too): Gosh, I don't know ... maybe half of that, if I were really splurging? I agree with Michelle that the sink seems reasonable, but the base is inexplicably expensive. But then, I'm one of those people who's managed to do her entire kitchen, with granite counters and beautiful wood cabinets and hand-cast knobs and stainless steel appliances and new light fixtures, for about $15,000, soup-to-nuts. So shelling out what I spent for my stove and fridge combined just for legs to support a bathroom sink seems a bit steep.

S-

Don't know if this would be suitable for you, but it's kinda neat. I like it because it
has a lid, and it's bamboo.

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2183350&cp=1331610.1331978.1334533&view=all&parentPage=family

Hope this link works.

Janine

Michelle: while I agree that sink is expensive, unfortunately, that is a normal price for such a fixture. You might find a better price, though not terribly reduced, at a place like Fixtureuniverse.com or homeannex.com. I know the issue is really not the sink but the legs. Generally, you can get a wall hung sink for a decent price, but when you add those lovely legs you're talking $$$$. As I am about to move and we are finally purchasing something plumbing has been on my mind, as have fixtures (BTW< thanks jane for the rec.). I have purchased some things from Expo Design and have seen some great prices there, so it could be worth a trip to Paramus to see if they have something for you that works.

Have you considered a salvage yard (there are many upstate)? I know stores like Urban Archeology get both their stock and their inspiration for new items from estates and salvage yards, you might find a nice set of legs that just need a little tlc.

Lastly, Perhaps there is a way you could DIY them with some metal tubing or something? I know you can get some plumbing tubing and elbow joints etc. that look more modern/industrial, but the legs are not sructural, the support is in the wall. Also, in case you are unaware, you can have anything re-plated in nickel (or chrome or gold.....), even plastic screws, I've done it. There are shops in the 30's that will do it for you. Maybe you can find a unique material to craft your own set of legs.

Jane-

That's a good question about the little iridescent tiles. I don't really have an opinion on this one. But I was in Macy's yesterday, in the linens department, and they just opened the Hotel Collection area that they had been renovating. It is a beautiful space, and they used a lot of those tiles. It might be a good place to go check out and walk around in.

Jane, I just saw the question about the glass tiles because of Lori's answer. I share your concern about the possiblity of them looking dated. I have been considering the tinier mosiac tiles for a future backsplash project and have already decided to forego them in my soon to be renovated new bathroom. The reason I decided against them in the bath is that if they become dated, redoing an entire shower and bathroom is very costly (I am thinking about my bottom line, as we don't plan to remain in our soon to be new home forever) at least 4 or 5k if I hire a professional, so I;ve decided to stick with a traditional white subway tile which many walks of life can appreciate as we will ultimately sell this home and some people may not share my taste. Now, the backsplash is a different story, firstly, I can do it myself as these are mosiac tiles (mesh backed, no big thing) and it is a small enough space that if it looks dated someone coming in will see that they can easily re-do it or, if I could re-do it myself. I think, if I knew that this was my forever home, I would not hesitate to use the glass because i truly like it and it makes me feel good when I see it, but since I cannot afford to make choice like this now, I will go with what is more widely acceptable (luckily I love white subway tile, so it was easy for me). I don't know if that helps at all, but I have done a lot of planning with regards to my renovation and this was my thought process.

Lori 2, I love that project and am hoping to give it a try for my father-in-law's Jack Russell Terrier. (he's kind of obsessed with his dog).

Wow, I am really impressed with your Mom's work and renovation. Can you adopt me into your family? Nice job!

Colleen: Very good points.The cost of the glass tiles in my kitchen would be about $500, as opposed to about $350 for the other option I'm considering, so there's not a huge difference in price ... and, as you point out, it's relatively easy to redo the backsplash in a couple years if I get sick of them. (Relatively easy to have someone else do, I mean!)

Lori 2: Thanks for the tip ... I will go check that out!

By the way, homeannex.com is great ... I ordered my Blanco silgranit sink from them ... great price and service!

Thanks for the comments and suggestions to my previous post!

Got a new question: I'm looking for a TV stand/media cabinet along this style (this one is a desk):

http://www.weegohome.com/IMG/ft_april_desk_left.jpg

Any suggestions?

While we're giving out resources, I should update everyone on finding an alternative to Drimmers (after my two-damaged-fridge disaster). I just got my fridge today from Home Sales, and they were great. Phone numbers are 212-513-1513 and 718-241-3272. A friend gave me this information; she said she bought an air conditioner from them years ago. I held my breath as I dialed the number, but they were still in business!

The thing about the serial renovating - wasn't there someone in the article who was ripping stuff out three months after a reno? - is the waste involved.

That is just so wasteful. I hope they did something with the old materials besides sticking them in a dumpster.

Janine,

Thanks for the suggestion. There is a LNT nearby. I will have to take a trip and check the bamboo hamper in person.

S

Kayti,

Thanks for all of your tips. I'm sure the microwave could fit over the stove if I could find something strong enough to hold it up - the cupboards up there aren't very solid.

the opoponax commented on one of the photos that the colors in the afghan would work well in the living room against the blue sofas, so maybe we'll look into that a bit more.

And yes, the boys need somewhere else to hang their raincoats and hoodies!

Christine (the one in DC), the new West Elm catalog came in today, and my girlfriend fell in love with a lot of the espresso colored pieces, so we may try that color for a TV stand/media storage and bookcase. Thanks for the advice!

And thanks to the opoponax for all the comments on the photos themselves!

Grady, I think my brother has an afghan very much like that that a crocheting grandma-like person made. That's all...had to share! I wish I had one in those colors...she made me one in red, pink, and white. Hey, I was like 7 what can I say? :)

Jane,

For large appliances, I would only go with a big-box store. They have the volume to offer better prices, along with better selection, and they have a better chance of being in business a few years down the road if there's a problem. Sorry to sound anti-small business, generally I'm a big cheerleader for small businesses, but for kitchen appliances, I'd recommend P.C. Richard & Sons. We've found that they beat everyone's prices. Our renovation lasted almost a year, and during that time we visited every known appliance store in Manhattan, as well as several in Queens, we found that P.C. Richard had both the best selection and the best prices. As a chain retailer, the service and sales knowledge was inconsistent from store to store and salesperson to salesperson, however we eventually found a salesman we wanted to do business with named Jeffrey Brand. We then went back to him several times over a period of months until we finalized what we wanted and were ready to order. Jeffrey spent hours helping us, never got impatient, was extremely knowledgable about both the features and the short-comings of different models and brands, and in the end gave us a great deal. He has since relocated to their Upper West Side location:

Jeffrey Brand
(212) 579-5200
2372 Broadway

(You can tell him Chris & Holly sent you.)

How are you liking the Eames rocker with a baby around?

I've always wanted one, but I worry about exploring crawlers getting their hands pinched by the runners or toddlers climbing up and capsizing chair and all.

Any issues along those lines?

City-dwelling Mama wrote:
> Any issues along those lines?

I know that wasn't addressed to me, but wouldn't you have those issues with any rocking chair around? I never really thought about it, but both my granfparents had rocking chairs (several each, in fact) and about a dozen grand-children between them. I never got a hand "rockered", I certainly cap-sized a few chairs in my day, rocker or not... but I don't recall any rocker-specific catastrophes.

Colleen - Thank you so much for all the excellent advice! I would love to try some kind of DIY experiment, I'm sure learning to use a blow torch would be very rewarding :)

And to weigh in on the glass tile debate - perhaps find some vintage glass tiles that way you get the best of all worlds!

Michelle: I am so excited that you might try a DIY project for this! You will have to update us on your progress. You might just put that Waterworks sink to shame.

If you decide to get something plated, the place that I used was T & M Plating Co, (212) 967-1110, 357 W 36th St Fl 7, New York, NY 10018. Once they actually plated something while I waited, two metal screws this time, did it gratis, really nice people. There are several such places throughout the city.

To City Dwelling Mamma: I have an Eames Rocker and I love it. my daughter is 18 months and has boundless energy and a need to explore. She is facinated by the rocker and often plays with the runners, it is so lightweigh that she has never hurt herself by running them over her fingers, plus, at that age they really don't get burned twice, you know what I mean? Just this week she realized that she could climb into it, which is very cute. She pulled it over next to our couch climbed up and sat in it just like an adult and watched tv for 20 minutes, while rocking it. She has done this several times since and she did try to stand up in after a little while but she is really good with no, so she listened, but I was suprised by how little it tilted back, she wieghs 25lbs, so maybe it's just her size, but I think it would have stayed upright, however, that test will not be done, so we'll never know. In any event, I'd say it is a very comfortable seat, it looks great and it's safe enough and extremely functional (we rock her to sleep in it most nights).

serial renovators: I am amazed at how well my daughter (Lori2)knows me--I do look at each project as though it is a canvas and I am trying to create a beautiful picture to enjoy each time I view it. I would agree with one point in the article--there is an effort to get it perfect. And that does happen in many cases. Jane--about glass tiles. Living in the Palm Springs area with lots of mid century homes and renovations of them, I see alot of glass tiles and I would caution you against doing too many. A whole bath area or shower is busy looking at least to me.

I want to add a thank you to everyone who commented on my Warhol type dog pictures--it was fun and a great Father's Day gift! If anyone wants to try it I can offer more assistance.

S and Matilda -

Re: attractive laundry hampers.

We have 3 hampers (lights/whites, mediums, and darks) in our bedroom so that we can sort laundry automatically. We have fairly attractrive wicker hampers that we bought at 10,000 Villages (they're all over Canada), but tall, cylindrical baskets with covers are available just about everywhere in all sorts of weaves, colours and finishes. We lined them with heavy canvas laundry hamper liners from Hold Everything (no, not in Canada, but we pick stuff up at a US address). Unfortunately, they no longer carry them. However, I am sure that any good seamstress could whip them up; the trick is to buy the heavy-duty canvas.

They are pretty attractive (although we scoot them into the closet), and really keep things in order.

BTW: regarding plating, just in case anyone is interested, I should clarify, electroplating can be done on most metals, but if it's plastic, wood, etc. they use another technique, either they coat it with a metallic substance that will be conductive then electroplate it or do a finish coat like gilding. just so you know, I didn't want to mislead you and as I recall, it can cost more to plate plastics. Anyway, just wanted to make that clear. =)

MichelleNCheese-

I do think you can find a simiiar sink for cheaper than Waterworks.

I looked on the Simon's Hardware website, and I think there might be a couple of options you might like.

Go to
http://www.simons-hardware.com

bath
sinks
console sinks

What about the "Duravit - Happy D Washbasin 25 1/2" 3 holes w/ Metal Console" ?

Regarding hampers --
there's also Pier 1's new hamper from their recently-released Loft 21 collection where the top "openings function as both aeration devices and lid handles."

Try my name for the link.

jamie pup --

regarding the SSBS episode, I'm not sure what metallic panel you're talking about but I taped it. Was it the "crafty" girl? She said she's a design writer, too. Who is she, anybody?

Lori 2 and Lori2's Mom: Thanks for posting the pics of both the doggie art project and the DYI bathroom reno. "Wow!" to both... You should really consider submitting pics of your Palm Springs home to Jon at the AT-LA site. I'm sure we'd all love to see a more extensive house tour! C'mon Mom, show us kids how it's done...

Pixie--no beeswax candles at Eastern Market! (though if there were, they'd probably have melted today!)

Lori 2 - That is EXACTLY what I've been looking for! The price seems reasonable too, and best of all I have a new term to use in my search "console."

P2 - Thanks for reposting the pics of your place. Truly inspiring!

MichelleNCheese-

Oh, I am so happy you liked it! I also found something on the Home Depot site - but same problem, the URL won't take you to the exact page. Go to sinks and the one I saw which you might like is "American Standard
Standard Collection Metal Leg Set in Polished Chrome." Then you can choose the basin that fits in it.

Christina-
Thanks! I have always wanted a sister, so yes, please join our family! :)

Enrique-
I think my mom should do a house tour too. I especially like the landscaping she designed for the outside of her house. Very cool and very in keeping with the desert environment. So many people in her area have these ridiculous yards that require so much water.

Christine (the one in DC)--thanks for checking at Eastern Market. That is so sweet of you. I will probably order from
http://www.sunbeamcandles.com
or stop at their store when I go by that way in upstate NY (they're in Van Etten), which I sometimes do. That find was the result of a suggestion from Shelby--you were right, those candles are the best. Thanks again to everyone who had suggestions.

Pixie--sounds good. They DID have delicious peaches, though! :)

Lori2/Lori2's mom: I have been working on a similar closet design, taking floor space and adding a hidden storage closet behind our bed. I had planned to use several drywall doors and take only 2 feet of space, basically the whole wall will consist of hidden doors for long term storage, but your design looks more interesting. How many feet wide is it? Are the doors wood panels or drywall? It looks very, very good. Thanks for sharing!

Colleen

The closet is 50" deep and 13 feet long. I like having the 50" as we can walk in and actually store things (like pictures) against the wall. I also have a series of hooks on the back of the wall which gives me more places to hang things--clothes and the ironing board. The doors are 24" hollow core doors from Home Depot. I used piano hinges to attach the doors so they would fade away.

I have some seriously ugly, panelled kitchen doors and would like to find a -removable- and -temporary- way to brighten them up. This means no painting, no restaining.

I was trying to find a temporary contact paper or something to insert in the panels, but I can't seem to find anything of the sort.

Any ideas?

Ivy

Have you thought about using a fabric--you have wonderful fabric stores in NY.

jamie pup --

metallic panel is a heater, but you probably
figured that out by now

i'm looking for some modern plywood furniture, a low media console in particular, similar in style to blu dot (http://www.bludot.com) and/or kerf designs (http://www.kerfdesign.com/), but on a smaller budget. any ideas?

Ivy: What about cutting a panel of attractive wallpaper and attaching it with double-sided sticky tape in the corners or along the edges?

Chris (NYC): Actually, I did most my initial research at P. C. Richard, to see what was out there and what I might like. But their price on this fridge was about $100 more than the other places ... and that was before you added delivery and tax. You're right about the volume they do, but some of the family-owned businesses have been around for over 30 years, and may do better on prices because they don't have showrooms. (They say you need to have a model number ready when you call, but I find they can usually help you make a decision if you're not exactly sure what you want but know your price range and what features are important.) The sales staff at P.C. Richard can be indifferent and lack-luster ... at one location, the guy on duty seemed more interested in a ballgame on TV than answering questions, and at another location, any couples in the store were getting helped right away while I stood around and waited endlessly (another drawback of renovating solo, I've discovered). I'm glad you found a good fellow to work with, though, and I will keep his name on file if I need to get anything else in the way of appliances.

Lori2: I went to Macy's yesterday and saw the Hotel Collection display with the little irridescent glass tiles ... astoundingly beautiful! But I realized that they would nudge my kitchen decor entirely toward sleek and modern, and I would have to go out and replace my canisters and half the stuff I keep on the counters. The tiles in the Macy's display were very tiny and were an opaque, pearlescent white, and with the white grout the effect was probably less busy than I would be getting with the slightly larger, see-through glass tiles in light pink that I was considering. My kitchen is very small and closed-in, and there is considerable pattern in the beautiful granite counters, so I will probably go with the quieter ceramic stone-look tile option, without the border. Thanks everyone, for weighing in!

Jane,

Funny, I'd never thought of that re: wallpaper and double-sticky tape. The only concern I would have with it is getting the tape off the panelling when I went to move out.

However, the 3m tabs that they use for hanging stuff with might just work - stretch and they're done!

Thanks for the tip!

Goo Gone!

Ivy - what about some vinyl decals like those from Blik - or wall bands like these: http://www.twenty2.net
or even order from this french company www.domestic.fr

I bet you could make some ugly panneling look like it's there on purpose... (I might even take my own advice)