Update on Studio Design

The apartment has come a long way since you've last seen it. The art above the sofa was painted by her daughter-in-law's mother, who's also giving her a couple more to go in the dining area. The gold mirror that was hung behind the dining table is now in the entry. Click here for more pics.

Still need to:

• frame paintings over sofa
• install art over dining area
• sell small sofa (currently at dining table), replace with bench
• paint wall behind bed (still picking a color)
• buy area rug for entry

What I Did Today: Clothes Closets

(closet #1)

(closet #2)

Since this client is fabulously tall, the shoes on the upper shelf is no problem. Closet #1 has dresses to the left and tops to the right. Closet #2 has black and blue dresses and long dresses. Wanting to keep her bedroom minimal, we put the dressers in the closets.

Clear Acrylic Side Tables

(my first apt, apartmenttherapy.com)

(pbteen.com)

I get asked a lot about my little lucite cubes and they're being sold again at PB Teen (where I originally got them). Unfortunately I didn't use this to clean it so mine are pretty scratched up but I still love them...

How To Tie Your Shoes. No, Seriously

A few days after seeing, a client was saying how she doesn't like wearing her sneakers because the laces almost always eventually come untied. I sent her the link to this video showing how none of us really know how to properly tie our shoes and I thought you'd like to see it too. (in case you're new here, all bolded text are links).

TED is a wonderful resource by the way for exceptional lectures from some of the smartest people in the world ranging a number of topics. Highly recommended....

Cash In Your Loose Change

Ok, so this isn't the most exciting post, but it's a helpful one. A lot of banks do not take rolled coins, why I do not know and the ones that do only take them if you have an account and you must write your account number clearly on each roll. But seriously, who has time for rolling coins?

TD Bank has Penny Arcades (a machine that counts it for you) in most of their branches. If you have an account there, you can use it for no charge, if you do not, they take a 6% off. Click here to find a location near you. There are a number of locations here in NYC.

Coinstar machines are at a ton of grocery stores. Click here to find a locations near you.

The Laundress: Laundry Camp

(may 2007 domino magazine)

(click on image for larger view)

Love the advice above from The Laundress. I've mentioned them before, their products and message are great. Not only that 'dry clean only' doesn't mean you can't hand wash it, but the overall idea of taking care of your things.

I remember as a kid my father teaching me how to polish my shoes, telling me it's important to take care of my things. Such a simple lesson that I never forgot and a lesson that I try to pass on to anyone who will listen! Do you have any hand washing tips you want to share?

Restyled Living/Dining Room

(before)

(after)

(before)

(after)

(click on image for larger view)

You've seen other areas of this apartment, now for the main living/dining space.

We did a major edit and mapped out new homes for everything, but just as important, we made a few decorative changes. The major thing was reorienting the rug. You can see in the 3rd pic the rug came out from behind the sofa as it ran lengthwise from the TV. The lounge chair near the windows wasn't even on the rug; an unconscious message of how the wife hates it. Now the rug runs lengthwise in front of the TV and the husband is happy to finally feel like he's part of the living area :O)

We also:

- switched out the small metal lamps with large green ones

- installed a sconce over lounge chair

- the only purchase: baskets under coffee table for magazines, books, etc

- moved around art and hung art

- re-styled entire room

What I Did Today: Lack Hack

So we didn't lose any shelf space on this Lack bookshelf (which isn't being sold anymore?!) I moved the upper shelf just over the TV. The shelf is held in by small pins that are screwed into the outer frame, they do not rest on the pins, that would be too easy. The outer frame is solid so my installer simply drilled new starter holes (drilling the holes was simple, measuring where to drill the holes not so simple).

This is a progress shot. I need to tack the cables so you cannot see them as you do now.