Readymade

June 13th, 2008

The Readymade Magazine Blog just featured my Custom Chair Action post.
While I’ve really never thought of myself as a crafty DIY Readymade person, it was nice to get a little internet linkage action.

I checked out their archives in hopes of getting some inspiration for the patio and landscaping and ran across this little feature called Hollywood Squares.

OMG – I love the Papyrus in those minimalist containers. I’m stealing that idea for the side yard…

Gorgeous! I love finished plywood floors and those windows – so jealous. If only my little brick had a touch more mid century Hollywood glam.

Such a nice studio, they used those commercial studs for flooring – brilliant

It seems that all these wonderfully modest mid century homes are remodeled by these young creative architect couples. See:

I guess I need to go get a degree in architecture before I start digging into The Brick House to make it this fabulous. Oh and $35,000 to remodel. Curses!! I can barely scrabble together two grand.

One day, you’ll see, you chipper LA architecture people. I will finish my house and it will look so very rad. And then who will smile in their kitchen in a magazine? ME, thats who. Ha hahahaha ha ha. I’m so jealous.

FILED UNDER: links

2 Comments »

Coverlet

June 11th, 2008

My birthday gift from the Boy was this:

The Sami Hayek coverlet set from Target!

I really like it. Its surprisingly well made and warm. Even though it looks kind of shiny in the photo the fabric is actually really matte and a little lighter. I might look for some white sheets, but I hated it when we had our all white bed in the old loft…

It always looked filthy and unexciting. Plus Iggy’s hairs would get everywhere and little black dog hairs are not flattering on an all white bed. Maybe some sort of dusty yellow sheets might look nice…I love yellow.

We do need to figure out some sort of headboard or bed frame solution. Mainly the issue is the windows flanking the bed. The queen size bed is wider than the space between the windows so either the headboard would have to block some of each window or I can magically fool everyone with some awesome kind of curtain solution. I was also thinking of mounting some sort of double cone lamp in the middle space above the bed for reading light. Like I need another lamp…that would make 5 in our tiny bedroom.

I found this one on Ebay and really like it, but I can wait for something else a bit cheaper. Above is my rendering of where it would be hung and what my fan would look like with pink streamers.

I also bought myself a little gift from H&M:

I’ve been longing for a yellow purse with braided handles…and there it was! I love some H&M, but its such a trek to get to any store its rare I get to check out their latest offerings.

FILED UNDER: bedroom

2 Comments »

Custom chair action

June 10th, 2008

I got this vintage gold mid century chair yesterday and loved its retro shape – especially the flared armrests. I kind of hate the fabric, but don’t have the time or money to reupholster it, and the fabric is in pretty good shape.

Iggy loves it. Every new chair I bring home he claims for a few days and then loses interest.
The bottom skirt kind of gave the chair a seventies vibe I wasn’t digging. It had wonderful mid century peg legs underneath, so I decided to remove the skirt and give the chair a cleaner look.

First I cut off the skirt leaving a few inches of fabric to pull underneath and staple to the bottom frame.

I used an electric staple gun to staple the leftover fabric to the bottom of the chair. It was really easy, just pull it tight and staple.

The legs unscrewed so I pulled them off, cut around the base for the legs and then screwed the legs back on top of the leftover fabric to finish off the corners.

So this is the final result! I like it a lot better and the shape of the chair really stands out now.
Maybe one day I’ll get it reupholstered, but for now $20 and 20 minutes of stapling really worked out well.