Shalom's Profile

Of course this happens, when I was a young designer working for an architecture firm, my boss took full credit for every single one of my designs. However, no matter how many great ideas I came up with, no one would have built it or bought it, I had no contacts and no experience, so I looked at it as an opportunity to have my ideas turned into reality, and some of the big name projects I worked on with that firm are still in my portfolio (and still help me get work) though I definitely credit them to the firm.

I did have teachers and critics rip off ideas of mine, but again I don't know where the ethical line is there? I went to Parsons and someone from Bentel and Bentel architects (the people who design Tom Callichio's restaurants) attended our final review as a critic. One year later Craft opened on 19th street and it looks (and is laid out) exactly like my drawings....however, again, I never would have been approached to design a restaurant at that time (obviously, I was a 22 year old college student) nor, if by some miracle offered such a job, would I have been prepared to turn my concept sketches into a build-able plan. I've come to think of it as the ultimate good critique, they liked it and they used some of my ideas, (and I have a great story)

What about butcherblock counters? IKEA sells them very inexpensively and they are very easy to cut and install yourself. Another idea, instead of textiles you could use wallpaper as a jumping off point. You could install it on the backsplash, then have glass cut to cover it, just screw it in. There are great, inexpensive selections for vintage wallpaper on ebay. One other suggestion, which I realize may be down the road, it would be nice to replace the fridge with a counter-depth one that doesn't jut out.

Oh, and one more thing, this company has great curtain selections at very affordable prices:
http://www.halfpricedrapes.com/shop-by-category-signature-printed-cotton-curtains---drapes.html

Good luck and congrats on your new home!

www.homesweetbrooklyn.blogspot.com

Thanks for all the nice comments. The bed is a discontinued BREKKE bed from IKEA that I found on craigslist. I didn't like the drawer fronts so Bowie and I picked out some wallpaper from ebay and I put it over them. LOL Megan...the tiger is mid-pounce, but believe it or not my 3 year old loves this painting. It is by Dylan Bluestone, and actually belongs to my downstairs neighbor but we have it hanging on loan. thanks csc76....looking at the other pics, some of them are so pristine, but this is pretty much how Bs room looks, well when we put away the toys anyway.

LOL you live on my block, love your place....wish my landlord would give me a deal for all the home improvements I have done......oh well. If new yorkers didn't work on their rentals most new yorkers would be stuck with the landlord special! If you want to see my place, various pics at www.homesweetbrooklyn.blogspot.com

So many suggestions and comments, so I'll try to add just two new things. I agree with many others, you should change the cabinets! they look dated, and while more golden wood tones are coming back into style, the heavy grain in these particular cabinets seems overbearing and makes an already long, narrow room, look longer. You could try a lime wax if you wanted to keep the wood, and that would work with the wood rather than against it, directions here: http://www.bozzle.com/id_limingwood.html
Certainly not a quick project, but could do bottom with lime and paint on top.
Also, whether you get stainless, black or white for appliances, I think a counterdepth fridge would do wonders for the line of the kitchen (my vote is for white)

I ran into the same problem and found the Sumo Lounge (at $149 it is much cheaper than the fatboy) It looks the same though and I have sat on both and can detect no difference. My only guess (since they seem to be the same product) is that the fatboy is produced in Europe where as the Sumo is made in Canada. The link is www.sumolounge.com

I live in New York City and don't own a car so the only time I really need a car seat is when I am traveling so we bought this instead of a regular one. I agree that it is not a great stroller, however, as long as you are using it inside, on fairly even ground it works very well.
I have flown with my son many times with this contraption, and it makes the whole process so much easier, not just airport wise. On the other end I don't have to worry about figuring out a carseat from a rental car, or my parents, or friends.....I don't have to lug a seat around, etc, etc.
I could not ask for something any more useful to our lifestyle. I was worried about the high pricetag originally, but it was well worth it.

Years ago I took out a divider in the expedit for a client. I added a piece of birch ply, cut to size to the bottom to add stability (the expedit, like many IKEA products, is hollow in the middle and solid only at key support points) 10 years later the piece still holds his stereo components below and is a bench on top.

I just looked at your revised photos. A few suggestions...

I agree with Sprite about moving the cookbooks.

I also agree with Becky that the first thing you should do is remove all of the side chairs, stools, occasional tables, ottomans, etc. Let the room breath and then start to put stuff back. If you can live with it, add only a few things each day and when the room feels complete stop.

As for practical suggestions.
Put the cabinet you are using as a desk in between the windows. (I know that is where you had it before) I hate to say get something else, but you need some wall mounted shelving or cabinet, put it above the desk and get rid of the metal shelf. Also this is a side note, and I completely understand a need for storage in a small space, but I would use an open desk. 3 reasons: Its more comfortable and it takes up less visual space and you need that site line of empty floor space, last, your chair could then tuck under the desk.

Buy some pretty, but thin, storage boxes for under the sofa. I love the recycled paper ones from Pier 1 (they don't appear in the catalog, just the hamper version http://www.pier1.com/TopMenu/ExploreMerch/Catalog/CatalogUSMainland/tabid/194/Default.aspx
however Pier 1 has a lot of options for this sort of thing and they seem to vibe with your style.)

Hopefully use them to clear some stuff out of the armoire and then put the tv and electronics in to it instead of on top of it.
I would also move the entire unit to the wall that is behind the chair you are sitting in, in the revised photos, if it fits in the nook there, if not, I might consider switching the tv again to one of the cabinets that does fit in the nook.

This of course means that you don't really have room for both chairs, but unless you are entertaining often and in great numbers I would seriously consider getting rid of one of those chairs (even though they are both beautiful!!!) and just pulling in additional seating from the dining room when you need it.

As for the window with the air conditioner. I assume it is not a fire escape access point since the unit is there. I live in NY and in the past have asked landlords to remove these gates. If you have an apartment on a lower floor I can understand where that would be a security risk. If that is impossible is there any other window in the apartment that you could use for air conditioner. You would be surprised how powerful they are in a small space, and I'm sure you would be comfy if it were in an adjacent room.
If both of those options are a no go I would use a leaning mirror instead of the rattan, at least bounce some light into the room.

Speaking of mirrors, (I see a beautiful one in the hallway) I would see if you could add one large one, or even some interesting smaller ones in to the composition above the sofa. Bounce some light and space into the room.

Putting items in front of the doors makes the room automatically feel unplanned. I would pick the narrowest, smallest of your cabinets and put it behind the door on the other side of the door, even if it butts out into the opening.

Finally, I would get a darker rug. Closer in tone to the floor, again just to give you visual continuity across at least one plane of the room.

I hope this post is helpful and not too long, there were a lot of things going on in your room. Your things are beautiful though, you obviously have very good taste, and I'm sure with some tinkering you will be able to work it out.

Its hard to say what the rest of the room looks like, but that corner does look pretty full to me, even if the furniture and existing accessories are sleek and minimalist. I would add something softer at the windows, probably just fabric shades since the sofa is passing in front of one of the windows. I can't tell what the wall color is, but maybe a soft white in the style of a classic roman shade (like these: http://www.smithandnoble.com/sn/product_detail.jsp?prod_oid=251291&nav_cat=-17993&sch_cat=Classic%20Roman%20Fabric%20Shades&view=swatch)
or for a little warmth (even though I know its very done, but it's classic) some bamboo, or matchstick blinds, in a light color like these:http://www.pearlriver.com/v2/FramesCat.asp?iGroup=303
Then add some framed artwork, maybe 3 small prints in a vertical stack on one side of the corner only, I would do it above the back of the sofa...If there is room on the other end of the sofa I would also free the sofa from the corner by just a few inches to give it a little breathing room...then add just a few brightly patterned trendyesque throw pillows, (ive been eyeing the new patterns from thomas paul) 3 maybe with at least one pillow being on the smaller size that draw in some colors from the art.
You could also add a single sheer curtain panel to the window that is free from the sofa, something in acolor close to the wall color, to keep it very simple and neutral, and then swag it back with just a simple grossgrain ribbon even.