apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Has anyone received a link to the AT v2.0 beta-site?

Nope. Looking forward to it though.

I don't know if anyone else is having this problem, but the World Market ads cover up the posts and there doesn't seem to be a way to close them. It's been like this for me for the past few days. Hopefully there's a way to fix. thanks

I tried to send an e-mail, but the ad covered up the Submit button...

Even the editors don't have the link to the Beta site yet...I am sure it will be sent as soon as it is ready.

I need to soundproof a small wall between two rooms and I'm on a budget (and renting). I've found something called Quiet Barrier and it seems like its meant to go inside the wall BUT - does anyone have experience with hanging it over the wall?

I'm thinking I can then cover it up with a wall of curtains.

Also - what's the best way to sound proof a door (that is never used, so condeming it is a possibility)

meenasyaz,

here's a link to recent discussion on soundproofing:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/good-questions/good-questions-where-can-i-find-a-soundproofing-kit-035284

I learned quite a bit about this subject. A lot of the products/methods can be pretty pricey.

If the door you are planning to condemn is out of sight, maybe you could cover with some egg carton foam?

can anyone point me towards some cool online stores/sites for unique or unusual gifts, home decor/accessories, etc - i'm looking for stores similar to uncommongoods.com for gifts and unicahome.com for home stuff.

(i do not celebrate christmas, but this year i'm being forced to...so i find myself in the middle of a gift-giving panic)

brrr.
thx!

kdkaboom, here's a few I can think of...
mossonline.com
momastore.org
conranusa.com
charlesandmarie.com
scandinaviandetails.com
etsy.com
gnr8.biz

kdkaboom,

zippergifts.com
themut.com
tartontheweb.com
wishingfish.com

Manhattan sofa quandary. If you were to get a smaller sized sofa this week, which would it be? We have looked at and considered the Chet from CB2 but are wondering if we can do better for a similar price. What say you all? Thanks

arran,

if it's a pop-up, try using alt F4 to close it.

okay! yes! i haven't been to any of those sites mentioned ('cept etsy, which i just love)

thank you kindly :)

The new site doesn't seem too dramatically different. I guess I was expecting much more.

And yes, I'm talking about the ww2 version, not this one.

Grrr. I was so happy that we were down to two clicks for a couple days. Now it's back to the triple-click-back :(
I hope the new version of AT has fixed this issue.

Vive Terra and Wisteria also come to mind for the Uncommongoods genre, designpublic for home stuff.

DWR also usually adds some "gifty" stuff to their repertoire this time of year, as well. Also, pick up any Chirstmas issue of your favorite shelter mag. They always have a TON of Gift Guides. Also consider gifts of food or drink.

But, about that "forced to celebrate" part... hmmm.

Unrelated... where are the pics of the AT:NY CB2 party???

thanks much, p2! as to being forced to celebrate, they came at me en masse! the compromise was that i didn't have to do thanksgiving this year. i don't celebrate holidays. but Family does not consider that a proper excuse.

Well, I hope you find the fun, beauty and joy of it anyhow.

If there wasn't so much useful info here, I would stop looking. But looking at the new site makes me forgive much of the stuff that I hate. Good job, AT.

May you be very successful, enough to buy yourselves a larger apartment.

Is it possible to cut down an bamboo blind without splitting it or otherwise ruining it? I need a 68" wide blind but the norm seems to be either 60" or 72".

When I think of all the people who have nobody to be with during the holidays and will be all alone it seems strange to hear someone say they're "forced to celebrate" such a joyous time of year (religion aside).

Anne:

AL couple of sites recommend tightly rolling the blinds and then rolling the bundle (instead of sliding) through a table saw. This is supposed to minimize the splintering.

If using a table saw use a very fine toothed blade (a plastic blade works well) and roll the bamboo bundle into the saw. This will help keep the wood from splintering. A fine toothed hacksaw will also work. Make sure to cut off an even amount from each end of the blinds to center the mechanism on the window.
http://www.idosmalljobs.com/cut%20and%20install%20bamboo%20blinds.htm

My first instinct was to treat it like veneered wood; with veneered wood, if you put tape down and cut through the tape, the veneer doesn't chip/splinter... so perhaps this would work for the bamboo... However, I'd try the "rolled" method first. Good luck!

anne, i just don't celebrate holidays. yeah, people are usually very surprised when i say i don't celebrate, or mention how i feel forced to partake. they ask if it's a RELIGIOUS thing hahah - well, sure, it's a NONRELIGIOUS thing.

my sister and i even created a nonholiday that's a nonpressured, nonreligious, nonthemed day to gift-give. we call it atheist gift giving day. it's august 18th.

kdkaboom, I can relate to your non-holiday beliefs. Lately, the pressures and commercialism of the holidays have overshadowed the family togetherness (Charlie Brown was so right). But, many years ago, I decided that between my husband and me, there would be no gift giving for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's Day, Christmas, etc. We only give and receive gifts "for no particular reason" and it is so much more meaningful and special ... I will have to be sure to get him something on August 18th. However, for the rest of the crazy family's gifts, it's off to the stores. Wahhh!

The beta version is very...beta...there are a lot of things that are in the works that still have to be implemented!

I hate that! This guy is posting a "one of a kind" table with many danish/midcentury key words. The thing is Ikea.. and I'm pretty sure it didn't even cost $50 new.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/fur/482592480.html

anastasia, thanks for the advice. I think your thought about taping the edge would work. Now I have to find someone with a table saw. Thanks!

Wow, Laura, you're right. That IS an Ikea table that the guy says he picked up at the "the pasadena rosebowl flea market". Guess he hasn't gone to Ikea much, or he would have recognized it. Wonder if he got taken on it, too.

kdkaboom -

some of my online favorite stores are:

etsy.com
brightandbold.com
wrapables.com

Kdkaboom -- "Forced to celebrate" makes total sense to me. I'd much rather get together with people when it's not an official holiday with mandatory sentiments, and we're delighted to not have to go anywhere for Thanksgiving. (I believe the husband found himself a pick-up hockey match on Tg morning.)

Our Christmas plans with family are falling apart, and I'm increasingly less upset than I really should be.

kdkaboom, to have an un-holiday is still a holiday so what's the point?

I like the new site a lot. The font change alone is a big help.

sd913 - just because people may be atheist, doesn't mean they don't admit to loving each other and wanting to have a day to recognize that - it's just an annual gift-giving day that's fun, but doesn't have heaps of sentimentality or religious or commercial strings attached.
holiday means "holy day", right? so an non-holiday would be just an ordinary day? and she DID say nonholiday, not unholiday... so there's no disrespect to all things holy. i think it's great, and maybe i'll pick my own atheist gift-giving day for me and my friends.

oh yeah, and kdkaboom, all the stores with ads on the right-hand-side of www.designspongeonline.com are good gift shops, and try www.greenergrassdesign.com

ant-honey, I am trying to find store in NYC to carry my new line of smaller (sofa=72") NC-built, Maine-designed sofas. All lifetime warranted, they are mid-range in price but built so well and very deliverable, the lifetime cost of ownership is a great value. Created in 2004 due to the lack of well made, smaller furniture for us to buy at High Point, we are doing very well with the line in Portland, Maine. Someday I hope to see posts in NYC blogs like this, raving about the quality, price, selection, and overall value, all with 2-4 week delivery time.