apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I purchased a glossy ceramic lamp with a bulbous shape which I like very much. But, I'm not crazy about the lamp shade that came with it. Are there any conventions on how to choose the right size and shape for a lamp shade? I never realized the variety of lamp shades. I was looking at linen lamp shades to soften the glossy ceramic, but the textures seem so disparate. TIA.

Hi everyone. I'm just starting to design my new kitchen, which I'll be building myself. I'd like to ask your opinion on one small detail - draining boards.

I've had so many draining boards which just don't drain. So my question is: what do you prefer? A separate tray for draining? An integrated sink & draining board combo? A tea towel on the worktop? I just can't decide.

Thanks.

Susie

Susie, I'd recommend a drain board that can go into the sink. My experience with drain boards with tea towel underneath is that the damp towel can harbor bacteria. If you're able to, a seperate smaller sink with a drainrack inside would be great.

A sad note: Hans Wegner has died at the age of 92. Don't recall if this was mentioned earlier, but anyone who recalls are knock-off conversation last year will honor him for his extraordinary abilities to creat icons.

On a different (bedroom-related) note, how does one choose a proper mattress? My husband and I bought one from Ikea that seemed comfortable in the store (and it still does when we lay on it), but we always wake up achy and tired.

So my question is, is there some special way to figure out if a mattress is right for you? We thought ours was, but apparently not.

Also, any mattress recommendations?

anyone have some great links to big graphic fabric sources?

Here is a new question for the group...I am living with a roommate in a rent stabilized apt in Brooklyn; He has lived in the apartment for the last five years and I just moved in two months ago. His name is the only name on the lease and our lease is up in July, but there is a strong possibility that he will be moving to Los Angeles. I would love to stay at the place, but I don't know if I would be able to stay and have a new lease transfered into my name, at the stabilized price, simply because I've been living there already as a roommate? I assume I would need to make some sort of arrangement with the broker/owner beforehand so that everything is "legal"?

Speck,

try to put your name on the lease now while your roommate is still there, so when he leaves you just take his name off.

Speck,
I agree wholeheartedly with Ana. I did this about 10 years ago and it made the situation much easier. I had to pony up half the deposit, pay for a credit check, and fill out a formal agreement with my roommate—and I think they raised the rent (of course)—before they let me onto the lease, but it was worth it.

Good luck!

Does anyone know of any outlets for more chic, colorful slipcovers, preferably at an affordable price? I recently found out I have to move, and managed to find a lovely mostly-furnished one bedroom which I'll be moving into soon. The mostly furnished aspect is great, as I have almost no furniture and really can't afford to be buying a ton of new things myself. However, the couch is rather large with unattractive, ratty fabric. I have to hold onto it though! I'm planning to paint at least one wall a chocolate color, with a blue retro chaise in the room, too, and was thinking about either a punchy cherry color or a chartreusey (but not obnoxiously so) green for slipcover as a color accent. (I was originally planning to do white/cream, but I am going to get a dog, so probably not the best option.) However, everything I've been finding is wholly soccer mom-stereotypical in its color choices. Any ideas? I don't want to spend a lot as I will not be holding onto the couch forever, but a year with an awkward, ugly couch in an otherwise pretty room would drive me insane.

We would welcome any suggestion on how to solve a laminate floor problem. Floors in our condo are Pergo laminate which we had installed after a water damage. A second water damage in the dining area (from a neighbor's leak) forced us to redo the floor and buy some new Pergo Paradigm. Alas, this model was discontinued. But we found same color with same manufacturer Pergo Paradigm PG7312 Ginger Maple. Only problem was, the planks were a bit narrower. Could be done as the dining room is a 9x9 square area. Unfortunately, same neighbors, new water leak, one and a half years later, water damage again in dining room. Can you believe that Pergo has also discontinued the Paradigm PG7312 in such a short time?
But I did not give up the search and found Pergo Everyday Maple II PL1671. Same color. Matches perfectly. Same width. But this time the tongue is thinner and will not 'click' with the groove of the PG7312. Why do they change the standards? So everyone has to redo the whole house again?
My solution to my dilemma is to lay out the dining room (square area 9x9) perpendicular to the living area, divided by a T-molding.
Any other ideas? (Sorry I have no pictures).
Susanne

Olivia-
I just bought a slipcover from JC Penney's of all places on Sunday. They are having a home sale which ends either today or tomorrow. All slipcovers were marked down to $89. They had one by a brand called "Studio" that came in a color called Kiwi that I was very tempted to buy. It also came in gold (which I wound up getting), chocolate, paprika and pewter. The fabric seems pretty nice for a department store slipcover and it has a separate cushion cover for the seat cushions. The design isn't ultra-chic, but it's definitely not "soccer-mom-y" I'm planning on staple-gunning the bottom so that there isn't a skirt and the legs will show which makes it look less like a slip cover. Good Luck!
Elissa

Ana, try these for graphic fabrics (sorry, I'm having trouble make the links work but the addresses are okay):

http://www.contemporarycloth.com

http://store.txtlart.com

Anyone know what kind of chair this is?? I saw one recently at a thrift store.

Picture link in my name:

Deborah: Thanks for the fabric links. Both sites are great. I have been looking for modern, but neutral prints to cover the back of two short Ikea bookcases that I am planning to use to divide the dining room from the living room in my new place. My gray couch will back up on these bookcases, so I was pleased to find many black and white options (that will work nicely with my red accents). And the nice thing with the first link is that you can order 1/2 yards. A little expensive for samples, but worth it, I think. I am very concerned about making sure the color matching is correct. Thanks again.

Deborah- great sources for modern fabrics. Thank you

RE: Mattress suggestion

Sasha,

I looooooooooooooooooooooooooove my Select Comfort mattress (currently known as the Sleep Number Bed). I bought it in 1998. I think I got the mattress for about $1000. At the time, the mattress was a bit pricey for me.

But I was willing to spend that amount on the mattress, because I had a low platform bed frame and knew that I would not have to purchase both the mattress and the "box spring," which would have run me $1500 or so.

BTW: The reason I bought the mattress was because I had difficulty sleeping and kept waking up with an aching back. I found out last year that I have a pinched nerve in my back, and that the hard traditional mattress I prevoiusly had only exacerbated the problem.

I have 1950s tile in my bathroom. The tile is kind of dull.

Can someone recommend an eco-friendly cleaner that would bring a shine back to the floor tiles. I tried vinegar but it didn't really work.

Susanne-

Maybe you should think about trashing the laminate in that area and put in something a little more water durable. Even if you're not paying for it, aren't you finding this whole thing a PITA.

Also, please let me know Where you live so I never , ever purchase in your building.

-Bobby

Deborah, thanks for the links, I think I found what I was looking for!


Mattresses- I just got a Sonno Prima from DWR last year and it was the best purchase I ever made. My aches are gone, it doesn't get hot, and it's the best sleep ever.