apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I need some Color Help:

I have been contemplating doing my bedroom pink and would love some advice to keep it looking like the room of a 36 year old married girly-girl and not the room of a child. :)

This is something of the color I want
http://www.flickr.com/photos/capitalcitylaura/237347575/in/photostream/

but I haven't decided on whether to paint the walls pink or another color and add the pink elsewhere.

I want a funky, fun and grown up look. Any suggestions??

note: DH says he doesn't mind me decorating our bedroom pink. :P

I saved this photo from somewhere and now I don't know where. I LOVE this couch and would love to buy something just like it. Does anyone have any ideas of one like it?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2390/1819905870_f56cac1cb5.jpg?v=0

elevenhounds, i've always had a soft spot in my heart for the combinatin of black, white, and (pale) pink. it's like that classic chanel suit dress! grownup girly? maybe do alternating walls in white and pink, and use lots of black and pink accents?

my mom painted a whole room hot pink and i couldn't sit in that room for more than a few minutes without feeling dizzy. it was HOT pink (shiver). that's why i suggest PALE pink :)

Elevenhounds

Design Inc, a Canadian HGTV show, that I'm not sure is shown in the U.S., did a hotel room for Breast Cancer Awareness month that I think shows a beautiful use of pinks. It is not too girly and very modern and fresh. There are many ideas here that are ripe for the picking.

http://designinc.ca/tr/tr.php?id=25&season=02

Elevenhounds, I also second the black and white. Check out this bedroom from the cure pool, I think it could work equally well with pink walls:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigred40/1543348443/in/set-72157594285945152/

Also you might consider chocolate brown as another mature contrasting option.

i love both of those rooms linked to. gaaaawwwwwjuss!

I have decided to be anti-consumerist this holiday season. So I have decided I am making my gifts. I have been collecting cool DIY projects for a while now and I am going to unveil them for the holidays. Problem: I need a really good all purpose craft store in NYC. My first project is going to be those gourds that I saw on Martha Stewart Living http://tinyurl.com/2c359a.

Anyone have recs for a good craft store? Or have any idea of where I can find dried gourds?

trumystique - i have not been to its bricks & mortar location, but their website is amazing www.purlsoho.com
lots of fabric, yarn, supplies, etc.
you can also get the gourd supplies here: www.amishgourds.com/

Feelingpunchy, that couch reminds me of one Macy's has right now. I think it's called the Corona.

Elevenhound's question reminds me of a similar one I had: Do any Top Design watchers know what paint Matt (the winner) painted that little girl's bedroom in that one challenge? It was ultrachic with klieg lights built into the walls. A very pale, almost flesh-tone pink. I think I want to paint my bathroom that color (with grey, black, and white accents) and suspect it would work for Eleven, too.

The "almost flesh-tone pink" made me think of these:

http://modwallsdesignernotes.blogspot.com/2007/07/tattoo-art-in-4-glass-tiles.html

Where can I get high density foam cushions to replace the ones in my couch?

I'm thinking about getting the Kane lamp at CB2 (the one with the brown lampshade), and I'm wondering if it can actually light up an entire room considering the color of the lampshade. I do a lot of reading, and there are almost no overhead lights in my apartment, so it's pretty important to me.

I also like the white Bauhaus floor lamp, but the opaque metal shade leads me to think that it'd be dimmer than the Kane.

I need HELP!

I recently (as in this weekend), repainted my kitchen cabinets. I painted them with an oil-based primer designed to have latex over it.

I believe it was this:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=219791-86-77400&lpage=none

Then I painted two coats. I used blue tape, but am the first to admit I am not a "dainty" painter.

This was the paint I used:

http://www.valsparatlowes.com/pdf/40241%20Series%20Valspar%20Ultra%20Premium%20Interior%20High%20Gloss%20Enamel.pdf

Went to pull up the tape today and about a quarter sized spot peeled up.

Am I destined to redo these cabinets?

elchan,

If you're in NYC, the CB2 store in SoHo is opening tomorrow at 451 Broadway.

Help! I posted recently asking about how much our rent could be raised. It seemed that the consensus is that our landlord can do whatever they want. I've just found out today that they want to renew our lease at a 28% higher rate than it has been previously. Does anyone have any advice for talking them down or negotiating something more reasonable?

JenCoMo -- Did the primer lift off too or just the paint? You should remove the tape while the paint is still wet -- otherwise, it is prone to taking paint with it. You should be able to fill in the hole, assuming the rest of the paint is well-adhered.

If the primer stayed on, lightly sand the endges of the spot to ensure the rest of the paint remains adhered, and just paint over the spot with a small roller. It may require several passes - even more than before - to build up the spot.

If the primer came off as well, I would sand a broader area around the spot, and reprime and repaint the area. I might even reprime and repaint that entire side of the cabinet.

Are you thinking something like this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kshold/613663754/

I really like this.

Love the suggestions and the links are great.

Also, can natural wood work with the pink theme? I have the Malm bed in beech and a mid century dresser which is a bit darker. Most pink rooms I see are mainly white or black furniture.

Munckee, there was an article in Page Six Magazine on October 28, 2007. I cant find the article "Priced Out of New York" anywhere online. Here's a quotation from the article:

Gary Malin, who works with landlords on a regular basis, has advice for people who find themselves in a position like Chris and Jennifer's. "If you've developed a good rappport, most owners wont want you to walk out the door. Lay your cards on the table. Tell them, I pay my rent on time, you've never had a problem with me, and I want to stay here but the increase is a little steep" he suggests. "Do your homework, see other places. Understanding the market will help you".

The article goes on to give the case of man who was notified of a rent increase. With information about cost of other apartments in the neighborhood and what they offered, he was able to counteroffer a smaller rent increase. Try http://www.rentometer.com/ .

Also your question would be a good one to submit to AT: NY. Clearly, you arent the only one going through this. Good luck.

I need some help! My roommate and I recently moved in to our new apartment and we're having a bit of a color crisis. Our living/dining area is one open, large room with a pass through/bar to the kitchen. The kitchen has black floors and counter tops and a black oven with green/gray walls and oak/beech colored cabinets. The bar is topped with a similar wood and is trimmed in white and has white pendent lighting over it. The main room is a very light sand color with brown/beige carpet and white molding. We already have an entertainment unit in Beech from Ikea and our couches are mossy green and tan.

We want to buy a cabinet/hutch for extra storage in the dining area but don't want to spend much money on it. The best deal we could find is on a black hutch. Will it look ok to continue the black from the kitchen (which isn't really visible from the pass through) into the living/dining area? Will it clash too much with the earth tones? Are we trying to be too matchy matchy? We will also be purchasing end tables and bar stools. If we bought those in black would that tie it together? We also have a table and chairs in a dark walnut color that we were planning on repainting, but are undecided about color. This is our first attempt at grown-up decorating so we'd love any advice you can give!

Against a light sand colour and a brown beige carpet, the hutch is going to look massive. If you've lots of space around it, that may not be a problem. Will black make your space look pulled together or dragged down? Black is hard to balance--the end tables and bar stools are a good way to tie it in--again the question is, do you want that much black? Personally, I wouldn't and I've repainted everything black that could be and those things I can't (like an electric piano) or haven't decided if I really can (my poang chair comes to mind) I bemoan and nash my teeth when I look at them. But that's just me.

Elevenhounds-

The pink you first referenced is almost identical to the pink that I used to paint my bedroom walls. I have also tempered it with black and off-white, and for fall/winter am using deep burgundy for the bedding and window treatment. In spring/summer I will revert back to the off-white for the bedding and window. I will say that I do like the way it turned out, but I like it much more in late day/evening than earlier in the day, and am thinking of doing it over in a very slightly deeper shade.......Be sure to look at it in all lighting situations before committing to it! :-)

i am looking for a slipcovered sectional in a modern style. we have a dog and cat, so i would love to be able to take the cover off and machine wash it. anyone know of any?

Brand-eye, how about this:

http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/collection.do?method=get&id=377651&cat=27

or this:

http://www.mgandbw.com/alex3_sc.asp

or this:

http://www.montauksofa.com/

Sorry, Brand-eye. Missed the sectional bit!

Maybe this?

http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/collection.do?method=get&id=378542&cat=118

or this?

http://www.mgandbw.com/alex2_sc_sect.asp

I need color therapy too! I'm about to paint my bedroom, and I'm using my sheets as my inspiration: http://slimages.macys.com/is/image/MCY/products/1/optimized/171531_fpx.tif?bgc=255,255,255&wid=273&qlt=90,0&layer=comp&op_sharpen=0&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.7,1.0,0.5,0&fmt=jpeg

I'm just torn between what color to paint my walls! My building will only let me use Benjamin Moore, and I've got it down to "Misty Lilac" or "Whisper Violet". Help!

Thanks Trumystique. That's exactly what I'm going to have to do when I call today, but like most NY landlords, this lady doesn't seem to give a rat's.... 28% is just obscene, and yet here I am, probably looking for a new apt. in 2 months right after I'd found a roommate and decided to stay. Fun stuff.

Edina Monsoon-

There are notions stores in the garment district (try 37th btwn 7th and 8th, 35th, and 38th/39th at the same) that sell cushions for making cushions and the look like what you are talking about.

Trumystique-

I thought I would share what I am not sure is a well kept secret, but is certainly the secret to my cheap DIY projects. There is both a Michaels and a "suburban style" home depot on the Northern Blvd stop on the V and R trains in queens (it just the R on the weekend cause the V doesnt run). Good look on your admirable Christmas endeavour.

lightenup,

Thanks for the tip. I didn't take the tape off when it was wet. Ugh.

Anyway, I actually scored the edge of the tape with an x-acto knife and it worked perfectly!

And I'll definitely use your tip on the couple of spots that peeled up before.

feelingpunchy - the Cradle Sofa by Baker is very close to what you show. If you're in NYC you can also look at the Benjamin Sofa or the V293-S Sofa at Zarin.
http://store.zarinfabrics.com/store/Sofas-C148.aspx?UserID=1431484&SessionID=YJrFdfE1reXdlzcHK2Xg

Doug - CB2 opens on 11/9 (this Friday)

Anokha - what an odd demand from your landlord (only use B. Moore paint). Just out of curiousity, how would he know if you used Pratt & Lambert or Behr?

I love the show Design Inc.! I wish they still aired it here.

You know, Anne, I'm not sure! But I'm also a little too nervous to find out... I don't mind the restriction on Benjamin Moore, cause there are plenty of choices. Now if I could only figure out which color to use!

Anokha - this may be too dark for you but I love AC-17 (Sea Pine). It changes from slate to blue to gray depending on the light. I've used it for a couple of clients and it's a very calming color for a bedroom. And it will work with your sheets.

binxie. thanks! i like the one from r&b