apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I have a light brown fabric lampshade that I'd like white. Am I better off spraypainting it or would bleaching it work?

I'm moving into my first NYC apartment this weekend, and I have an etiquette question. I'd like to send out a cute little "We've moved" notecard/picture to my friends, some of whom I've kept in contact with more than others. My concern is that it might be interpreted as a request for a housewarming gift, when it's really not. I just want to send out a cute picture and say hello. Am I wrong in thinking that it might be interpreted this way?

Jaclyn, I say send it. I love receiving fun mail like that and it's a way of providing your new address to friends.

If you don't tell people you've moved, how are they to know your new address? We move regularly but rarely get around to sending change-of-address cards -- and our friends, far from seeing this as a laudable lack of interest in gifts, express frustration that they don't know where to send an Xmas card.

As far as tradition, moving announcements aren't supposed to elicit gifts -- only actually going to a housewarming party potentially puts a gift in play.

Are your friends really the kind of people who assume any social announcement is a secret gift demand? If you think they are and love them anyway, slip the news into your next email or phone call, as they really do need to know where you are.

i agree that a "change of address" is an important card to send and shouldn't make anyone feel uncomfortable. i just did holiday cards from cardstore.com and they were pretty inexpensive and nice quality. welcome to the city!

Thanks for your suggestions! I'm glad to know that I can send a cute card and picture without seeming like I'm just asking for gifts.

jaclyn, better late than never. same advice as everyone else: moving announcements do not tacitly elicit gifts (not that you'd turn down a little sumpin-sumpin!). they are simply a nice way to tell friends that YOU want to keep in touch with them where they can do so.
i respectfully suggest including phone #, even if it's not new, and email address, even if it hasn't changed.
a pic of your new building or hood would personalize it. but maybe i go too far.
hope you love living in ny!

i hope someone answers ana's question! i have a too too white lampshade on a new lamp that i adore. short of buying a new lampshade, i might experiment with an old one by tea dipping. maybe you could experiment with the bleach on an old one as well. my experience with bleach is this, dip in a well diluted solution (i have never dipped a lampshade, only fabrics) for a very short period, like seconds, then rinse rinse rinse with cold water. let it dry and repeat with very short dips until you're happy. and please report back what you find. as will i, if i ever do the tea dipping!

ana,
I think bleaching is the way to go. Spray-painting would make the lampshade opaque, which is less nice.

Use a wet cloth (or sprayer) to dampen the whole thing. Then apply diluted bleach the same way. Wait. Have a wet cloth at the ready to stop the bleaching action when you get the results you're looking for.

While I haven't bleached a lampshade this way, it worked well on part of vintage dress that was all yellowed from storage.

My bedroom is neutral++ right now. Beige walls, brown furniture, hardwood floors, and white trim and doors.

I'd like to finally add some color and was thinking a new duvet cover might be a great way to do it (besides art, of course).

Does anyone have any good suggestions, hopefully with links? I've seen some of the new spring lines and they're all a little too pastel for me, I was almost thinking some like a bight blue or pink to really pop.

Any ideas?
Thanks!

Do you think the water and bleach would destroy the structure of the shade?

Ana,
I wouldn't rule out the possibility that getting the shade wet could affect the shape of it, especially if it's something special (pleated, an irregular shape, etc). That being said, the technique I described about using small amounts of liquid and not soaking the shade through. I'd try testing it in a hidden location (if one exists) first. Good luck.

Mat, if you go to the Products section on AT and look for bedding then click on top 10 bedding you'll find tons of ideas. Designpublic.com is another great source for bold choices.