AT cure - my attempt: 2006-04-09

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Floor plan

Style Tray: Stickley sideboard

*sigh* I was looking at Stickley furniture and I love this sideboard. I don't know what it is about it, but I do.

I like this photo of it, found on the Stickley web site.

The piece looks well-crafted and still looks pretty clean without swirly decoration. I also really like it in combo with the wall color.

Catalog listing

I am afraid to find out what it costs. I don't know where I'd use it other than to put a tv on it, and that seems to wreck it for me. I'll add it to the living room style tray anyway.

[photo is from Stickley Furniture]

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Before: Bedroom

This room is the most problematic. It's my dumping ground. I clear out the living room for company and anything that doesn't already have its own space gets dumped on the floor in here. I'm going to try a mini one room cure in here while I mainly do the deep cure.

Photo 1: Door
During colder times of the year, I hang coats here. The part of the room you can see from here is where I keep art that hasn't been hung. There's a tube on the floor and a couple unframed prints between the armoire and the wall. For part of the cure I'll finally get them framed.

Photo 2: Bookcase
I used to keep the laundry in the closet, but then I added a lower clothes rod and didn't have the space. The shelving next to the bookcase is supposed to be used horizontally. I had planned on using it somewhere, but it's been there since I moved in. I'd like to display some of the models on top of the bookcase a little better. I have two lamps and thought I could use one on each side table, but for now I only have one table.

Photo 3: Bed
I like the maroon and the hearts, but I'm tired of them and there's not enough color. I'm really not that girly, so the hearts don't really feel like me even though the maroon does. I'm planning to do glacier blue and chocolate brown in here. I figure adding color to the window will help. I'm renting, and I'd like to avoid paint. I'd rather not have to repaint if I can avoid it, and I don't know how long I'll be here.

Photo 4: Armoire + Dumping Area
I don't use the bolster and should probably get rid of it. Here's another set of skis that I use less often. This IKEA armoire is the elephant in the room. I'd really really like to get rid of it but right now I need the extra storage it provides. It's especially useful in getting my suitcase off the floor and out of the way. Reducing storage to allow me to eliminate this is a long term goal. The majority of stuff inside could be stored in a dresser, probably about 3/4 of it. I store scarves on the doors so they don't wrinkle (or take up space).

Photo 5: Dumping Area aka Outbox
More random stuff for my outbox. The box on the left has items to give away, and the other box is most likely going to be given away too. I've been working to make this outbox pile get bigger.

Photo 6: Closet - left side

Photo 7: Closet - right side
I added that extra bar and it's still full... how does that happen? I have two file cabinets stacked in here on the far right, tucked into the alcove of the closet that's usually unreachable. I also keep my robe on a rolled up piece of leftover carpet that has been here since I moved in. I really should put up a hook and get the landlord to take the carpet away.

Before: Bathroom

This is another room I don't plan on doing much with. It could probably use some more color, but I'm ok with it. CA poppies and jasmine on the wall.

Photo 1: Toilet, shower

Photo 2: Sink and mirrors

Before: Hall

Photo 1:

This is what you see if you turn right from the living room, before the tv. I'm been meaning to hang this mirror, but there are a couple things holding me back. I need to hang it at the same height as the circuit breaker, and the mirror isn't wide enough to cover the panel (and the panel isn't centered in the wall). So - what to do? I've thought about hanging fabric over the whole wall, but there's still the issue of how to attach the mirror. Lengthen the hanging wire? I've also thought about getting an artist canvas and adding a cross brace to it. Then I can hang that on the wall and attach the mirror into the cross brace and avoid the circuit breaker entirely. Any ideas?

Photo 2: Hall closet

Sure it looks like it might be organized, but I think it needs to be easier to remove boxes when I need them. The red and yellow tool boxes are especially hard to get out.

Before: Kitchen

Photo 1: Exterior wall side of kitchen

I love all the cabinets in my kitchen, considering this is a rental. I think I have as much space (maybe more) as my parents in their 1800 sqft. The downside is it allows a lot of stuff to be placed in there and forgotten.

Photo 2: U-shape

In here, I think the only things I'd think about doing are put something at the window and reorganize the cabinets.

Photo 3: Kitchen table

I really really like my table and chairs and the photo of Boston up above.

Before: Living Room

These photos were taken after I removed the extension to the desk and stored the drafting table under the bed. Looking counter-clockwise around the room:

Photo 1:

This is what you see when entering my 1-bedroom apartment in northern CA. I know Maxwell says not to see a tv first, but I don't know where else it would work given my existing furniture. I'm not replacing any of it soon - saving up.

I like the green broken glass lamp on the floor, and I know it doesn't work here, but I don't know where to put it.

I think the light hanging from the ceiling would be more fun in a color other than white. I have too many neutrals. I hardly ever use it since it's hard to plug in and the whole room has recessed lighting on a dimmer.

I have to angle the speakers away from the tv, otherwise they cause interference and my tv screen gets some funky colors around the edges. I should probably get speaker stands or move them somewhere else, but where? I've just been ignoring it since sound is still good.

I have more dvds than I have storage for at this time.

Photo 2:

On the bookcase I have tealights, photos, aroma therapy, and a beaver candle. The ottoman hides the wireless router, cable modem, extra tealights, and free weights that are underneath. Ok, it doesn't really hide them, but they're there. The bags are the result of recently cleaning out part of my closet. The opening on the left leads to the kitchen.

The metal poles next to the chair are left over from my taking apart the desk extension last week.

Photo 3:

Here's my desk and love seat. The desk takes up a lot less space since I stored away my drafting board, but now the art isn't centered on anything. I'm not really sure where to move it. The love seat is plaid, so I went with a black slipcover, but it doesn't fit that well, and I've found that it has faded after a few washings. I originally thought I'd do this room in black and red against the beige walls, but the black has faded and maybe it's time for a little change. I like the reds still. I pulled the color out of the japanese print on the wall. There's some green and blue and yellow in there too, but I wouldn't want to overdo the color.

My pink and white desk chair is left over from my childhood. It's comfortable enough for now, but I really don't use it much anymore. I thought about a slipcover, but it would have to be short to avoid getting caught up in the wheels.

Photo 4:

In the winter, I often keep my skis leaning against the wall because I'm constantly taking them down to my car every week. I don't have a place to store them that's accessible enough to put them away each week.

The windows are blah. I don't know why the couch looks purple; it's really black.

I'm planning to put some hooks behind the door for coats and purses. Right now I put my purse on the floor next to the coffee table.

I'd like to clear out all the stuff on the bottom shelf of the coffee table and use it for a couple cushions for floor seating.

The issues in this room are mostly little - finishing touches, moving art around, de-cluttering, and adding some color. I'd like to pull the color from the Japanese print on the wall.

The AT interview

I wrote down my answers to the AT interview, which is supposed to help you determine your style. If anything, I think I'm still where I started. I know that my style is a combination of mission/craftsman and modern. I like warm wood pieces and old world craftsmanship with visible joints and all that. I'm also drawn to clean lines and sleek looking furniture.

My kitchen table is a glass top with funky metal bending legs that kind of make it look like a spider. I wouldn't have guessed that I'd buy a table with a glass top, but I absolutely love it, even years after I bought it. I like Finnish design with wood as a predominant element. The coziest place I know is my parents' cabin, with it's low ceilings, exposed beams, knotty pine walls, wood-burning stove and open plan. There's an intrinsic warmth to it. I don't want my apartment to look like that because it's not appropriate, but I'd like to reproduce the feeling.

Interview:

Actress: Audrey Hepburn, Sandra Oh, Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe on 24)
Actor: Hugh Grant, Bill Murray
Artist: ?
Writer: Neal Stephenson, Bill Bryson, Dave Barry
Music: ska, opera, big band, Harry Chapin, upbeat melodies
Restaurant: always trying new
Automobile: Audi TT roadster, Mini
TV Show: 24, Gray's Anatomy, South Park
Clothing: ?
Style: sophisticated, fun, functional

Where have you lived?
Born: San Jose, CA
Grew up: San Jose, CA
As an adult: college - Boston/Cambridge, MA
now: Mountain View, CA

Role Model:
1: together, consistent, adventurous
2: poised, classy, involved (and goofy)
3: knowing, take charge, places importance on personal interaction

Problem with the apartment: disjointed, unfinished, pieced together

What would the apartment say the problem is? I need color and energy and fun!

What one thing would you like to do more of? finishing touches - hang art, add color, add window treatments?

How would you like your friends to describe your home? comfortable, warm, stylish

====

I answered a bit slowly, which means that I make decisions carefully. Yeah, which is part of the problem... I find it hard to make any decisions at all when it comes to design of my place.

Because I didn't really name an artist or clothing, I'm supposedly less visually inclined. I hope not - I work in the design profession! Well, I tend to go for unknown artists and I don't have one in particular whose work I drool over, so I left it blank. I tend to really like wood block prints and things that are segmented or stylized. It's hard to explain. The image is of a print by Byron Birdsall I got in Alaska that I need to frame as part of the cure. I don't care about designer clothes, so I really don't pay attention.

As for the home quiz, I scored an 11 out of 16. That means my home is 'healthy'. Head is ok, Heart had 2 nos, Breath had one no, and Bones had one no. Basically, I need to make my home beautiful and use it to express my style while decluttering and making repairs in a reasonable amount of time.

Tally ho! :P

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Which cure? and what to change?

I picked up the 'Apartment Therapy' book on Friday, and I've been reading it. There are certain things that I don't think I can do. I don't mean to start off on a negative note, because I'm excited about changing things. Maxwell talks about putting one months rent into improvements, but I'm not looking into buying any furniture right now. And I certainly don't have that much money to throw around. I've got to make do mostly with what I have, and it's not bad. He says that desks and bookcases from IKEA are ok, but everything else should be nicer furniture. Well, that's what I have as IKEA furniture. I also have the chair and ottoman. The tv corner stand and the coffee table aren't IKEA, but they're cheap veneered particle board. I'd like to replace them if I can find something I really like within my budget.

One thing he mentions is that the tv shouldn't be the first thing you see when you enter the room. In my place, I'm not sure where else I could put it with all the other furniture still working. That kind of bothers me, since I've been perfectly happy with the layout of my living room, except for the lack of seating. Given my layout and current furniture, I can live with it. I think I can solve the seating issue by storing large cushions/pillows on the bottom shelf of my coffee table. Also, then you'd have a place to put your feet that's soft instead of an ottoman.

There are two options for the 'cure': deep cure and one room cure. I think I'm going for the deep cure in organization and decluttering, with some extra focus on my bedroom because it really needs to be more comfortable. I really like my bed and mattress, but I think I'm getting sick of the red in there. Right now I have a deep maroon color for the sheets and a white duvet cover with stylized line hearts on it from IKEA. I like the combination, but I'm getting tired of it and would like a little more color. There's not much when the bed is made.

I'm thinking of my favorite color for the bed - a glacier blue (or maybe a bluish periwinkle). That would be the duvet cover and the sheets would be a chocolate brown. That's similar in style to what I have now - light on top and dark sheets underneath. Then, since the blue would be the dominant color on the bed, I'd go from the chocolate colored drapes with light-colored shears over the window.

I think I'll have a photograph of Whistler (Blackcomb Glacier by Greg Griffith) over the bed. If I remember correctly, the copy I have is sepia. Would that look good with the chocolate and 'glacier' in the bedroom? Sounds perfect: Glacier bedroom. I think it's a bit small: maybe 5x14 or 10x30? Maybe the drapes could pull out the sepia color instead. Don't know how I feel about that. I'll have to test out the colors. Looks like I *really* need to get that photograph framed; it's still in the tube mailed to me from Canada.

For the rest of the art, I need to do mockups - make copies of the size of art or include some of their colors and put up on the walls to find the best location for things. I don't think I need any more, but I do need to come with good places for the stuff I have. I might need to add a large piece (that I don't have) to the living room wall.

AT cure - my attempt