apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

In my tiny kitchen, under the counter and next to the sink is a false drawer. I'd like to put a drawer in there but i'm not sure what is the simplest way to go about it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

OK, I don't know if this belongs in an open thread, but - - HELP! There are so many folks here with so much knowledge, I figure it's worth a shot.

We are in the process of restoring the lobby of our art deco building, and are in desperate need of a good electrician/lighting person. I have been looking through the yellow pages to no avail; also, the folks I contacted who were listed as “good electricians” on the AT site either did not want the job, did not return calls, or simply had had their numbers disconnected. What we need is the following:

1. We have six corner-mounted wall sconces, original to the building; all need to be re-fitted to accept modern, readily available bulbs, as the bulbs they currently use are a) extremely expensive and b) in the process of being phased out by many manufactureres.

2. Two of the fixtures appear not to be working at all, so we need to know if they are fixable or dead beyond repair; OR if the problem is in the underlying wiring supplying the electricity.

3. One fixture was lost by the managing agent (don't ask, long story), and we need someone to fabricate JUST the metal base (extremely simple design, nothing intricate at all).

Since I'm the idiot who volunteered to head up this project, I'd be extremely grateful for any leads anyone could supply.

Thanks in advance!

pphillipp--
Since one of the items on your list is a refabrication of a vintage piece, try Urban Archaeology...
urbanarchaeology.com/custom/fixtures1.html

They may also have some sources for the rest of your To Do list.

Hey, other than slogging through the flower district, does anyone have any preferred sources for large, architectural houseplants? I am looking for an indoor-compatible large spiky tall-ish palm, with a contemporay Egyptian/desert feel.

thanks, ptoo!

P(too), I know you have a Home Depot in Manhattan, but I don't know if yours has a (Lawn and) Garden department.

Here in Texas, Home Depot is a good source for large, inexpensive, handsome houseplants.

Just trying to help from a bazillion states away; I suspect your store doesn't offer much that's green and frond-y, but I thought I'd offer up the suggestion.

Jason, I think The Container Store sells a kit that will convert a fake drawer front to usable storage space. However, I couldn't find it anywhere on their site. (The website doesn't show everything they sell in the stores.) You might want to contact customer service via phone or email

www.containerstore.com/contactus/index.jhtml

and ask whether this is still available.

I found a link to two other kits for sale here

www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?offerings_id=58&sid=AF872
www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?offerings_id=10466&sid=AF872

The site has pictures of the finished projects so you can visualize what I mean. I'm not familiar with Rockler, but perhaps someone else here is.

Note that both of these options from TCS/Rockler that I mentioned only add a tray behind the drawerfront, not a full, box-shaped drawer.

For that, I'd suggest going on Craigslist and posting an ad explaining what you'd like done and asking for bids/estimates. I think it would be a fairly straightforward project for someone with an intermediate knowledge of woodworking and the right tools.

Good luck!

Okay, I'm compelled to post another link I found while researching Jason's question about his drawers.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

This site has all kinds of interesting kitchen hardware and accessories for upgrading and convenience-customizing one's pantries and drawers and cabinets. There's even wire mesh and textured glass and aluminum frames for creating your own custom cabinet door fronts. (I bet that would be fun to use for updating/restyling thrift-shop/Craigslist pieces of furniture, too.)

www.woodworking-shop-tools.com/hobbystore/cabinet-hardware-kitchen.shtml

I'm getting all sorts of kitchen enhancement ideas and it makes me feel all sorts of crafty. Too bad I try to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible! I'm more of a handywoman than a chef.

Pphillipp....all the best old hardware and electrical shops are down in the Bowery, run by Hebrew maniacs who seem to know *everything*. Offhand, I can't remember the names of the shops, but I recall being able to source many out of date and rare parts for lighting and hardware replacement parts. You WILL be able to find what you need. Just go down there and ask around.

Hebrew Maniacs - wasn't that Natalie Merchant's old band? (Oh my god, I'm SO old)

Thanks, Justin!

question for gardeners: where can i find good gardening accessories (and knowledgeable sales people)? specifically, I'm looking for something for my black-eyed susan vines to grow up. i have something that's for tomatoes now from chelsea garden center and it's not really working. i also don't really know anything about gardening so knowledgeable staff is more important to me right now than price...
oh, i'm in new york (yes, i have a terrace).

pphilipp -
When I bought a Late Deco chandelier (for my dining area) on eBay, the Seller recommended that it be re-wired, since all the wiring was original and old, so I remembered seeing something in the window of a hardware storee that said, "We re-wire lamps" so I went back there and asked them if they did chandeliers, and they said yes.

I can't remember how much it cost, but anyway, I think it's called Lexington Hardware. It's on Lexington a block or two up from Bloomingdale's on that same side of the street.

Curtis, thanks!

I almost think it was about $100 or so, but there were like 5 sockets in it. I had him do another one that only need 1 socket, and I think it was like $20 or so. I really can't remember.

I can't remember the guy's name now, but he was great, and they'll obviously know.

By the way, I asked HIM for the name of an electrician to install the thing, and the guy whose name he gave me never showed up, and didn't call to say he was running late, and never did return my calls wondering where he was.

So, I went on Craig's List, got somebody, and he did fine; then I recommended that guy to another friend and he did fine; then I recommended him to yet another friend and it turned out very, very badly.

For plants, I'm sad to say, I've had my best luck outside of NYC. Rent/borrow a car and think of it as a day trip... The Home Depot at the Palisades mall (in NY, but on the NJ side of the Tappan Zee Bridge) has a nice garden dept, much better than I've seen in NYC.
As for a really good nursery, when I vist my sister in Katonah there is a great plant place, which unfortunately I forget where exactly.... generally the nicer the town the better the gardening supplies.

Renegade Craft Fair at McCarren Park in Brooklyn June 25-26

I saw something about this on an e-newsletter (through www.naughtysecretaryclub.com) and am just curious if anyone has gone before or will be going to this? I'm stuck out in the Pacific NW and am always curious about events like this. Right now, the east coast might as well be another planet with my pathetic budget. Sigh...

I'm purchasing a mobile home which is long & narrow- 16' by 60' and I'm looking for decorating ideas for the whole residence. Any ideas where I could get a really good book on this subject. I haven't been able to find anything during my searches. Any ideas

Hi JJ--
I sent you an email re your mobile home question. I have questions for you too.

T.

Two questions for anyone who can help--

1. This summer is getting ferocious and I want to put an additional A/C unit in. Unfortunately, there is no dedicated heavy-duty refrigerator/A/C unit type socket near the window in which I want to install the A/C unit. Is it possible to plug an air conditioner into a normal socket?

2. I need a cheapo way to put doors on my bookcases, as the dust entering my living room is getting worse. The bookcases are 15-year-old Door Store units (30" wide) and I don't expect to use them for more than another 2 to 3 years (God help me, I'm waiting to buy a place and have real bookcases built). Any ideas? I have NO carpentry skills whatsoever, but I am handy with a drill.

Thanks so much to anyone who replies.

cristy--
Have you tried the folks at Smith & Hawken in SoHo?
Also, in mid-town(ish) near/southwest of The Plaza, there is some sort of Horticultural Society, that has a store. Should be a good source of info.

Anne--
The Home Depot idea is a good one. I am also in NJ often, and there are a wealth of nurseries, but I still find houseplants (especially "modern" ones) to be in short supply. I just need to suck it up and head to the Flower District, I suppose.

Any good sources in Manhattan for installing a slate in small (4 x 8) patch of kitchen floor?

(I also want to hear back from some people who have posted for help with apartments here in the past, to hear about their progress... Did Alberto ruin his Victorian shell in the quest for a Wallpaper-tragic interior? Did DC Doug ever achieve a vintage-meets-modern, UK-inspired sitting room/crash pad? How is Cedric doing on his refurnish plan? And what color are Marlon's walls, heading into summer? Inquiring minds want to know!!)

Terry,
You should be able to find an AC that will plug into a normal 110v receptacle.

p(too),
4'x8'? Sounds like a good small DIY project! If you screw it up, you won't have much invested...

Terry, as Jon B said, there are many AC units that work off normal 110V outlets. The max BTU you will get is just under 14000. Basically, anything under the high 13000 BTU range will be a 110V unit. You prolly won't need the largest one if this is an additional unit which is a good thing because chances are, depending on how many other appliances you have plugged into that particular circuit, an AC unit that size could trip the circuit breaker whenever the compressor kicks in. The smaller unit are much less likely to.

Terry -

I saw someone put doors on a ready-made book case the other day on SOME show; and I can't remember what they did. But I whink it might have been something like:

Making a little door frame for each door with 4 pieces of wood and screwing them together, and

* it seems like there might have been a cafe curtain rod between them at the top and bottom and then stretched cafe curtains between them, OR...

* maybe they stretched some screen wire across the whole thing, OR...

* maybe they used the kind of metal sheets that have holes in them, that are sometimes used for radiators covers, OR...

* maybe they used the tin they use for tin ceilings

* maybe they used inexpensive beadboard, which comes in 4' x 8' panels, but which Home Depot can cut for you into exact sizes.

* maybe they used louvered shutters, but I'm not sure those come in 15" width, which you could check and see, but those puppies are kind of hard to paint.

Actually, if you're feeling kind of arty, you can buy stretcher bars from Pearl Paint, and either stretch canvas and paint something interesting (or neutral) and hinge THAT to it, or stretch some kind of fabric you like to it, and nail some very inexpensive lath the outsides of it, just to have a finished edge.

Sorry you asked yet?

ON AIR CONDITIONERS

John B and Jamie Pup--

Thanks for the advice. I shall search now that I feel more certain.

FYI--Sharp makes great A/Cs that are quite silent and will turn on and off when a certain temperature is reached. I highly recommend them.

ON DOORS FOR READY-MADE BOOKCASES

Curtis--
Thanks for the advice. I'm going to digest it and figure out how to do this. Perhaps I can get someone to make the door frames for me. The beadboard idea is very good, I think. I don't have your (considerable) art skills, or I'd absolutely try that route.

Thanks so much for the advice. I think I can probably get a super around here to build the frames.

To JJ re MOBILE HOMES

JJ-- I tried to send you an email but it didn't go through. Would you email me? I have some info that might be useful to you and also would like to pick your brain a bit, if that's amenable to you.

Jon B--
I soooooooo want instant gratification. And for soemone else to move the gas stove...