lookingupatleaves's Profile

The Denyse Schmidt quilts are $110 - $250 PER SQUARE FOOT. In other words, a queen size quilt, which is about 86" by 93", costs about SIX GRAND. Six thousand. $6000.00

Slight difference.

Who did the painting that's hanging in the stairwell? It's fantastic. Please tell us the name of the artist!

Very French, very Cote Ouest!

I think it's fabulous-looking -- though since plenty of Colonial-style houses are charcoal with white trim, hardly a revolutionary concept -- but would hold off on making any pronouncements about energy usage until I could look at detailed studies about excess heat in summer vs. passive solar benefits in winter. Remember also that deciduous shade trees, other landscaping choices, and even size and placement of windows can make a huge difference. Dark neutrals are actually good choices when it comes to garden design. As Thomas Hobbs points out, designing a planting for a white house is like gardening around a big old refrigerator.

Before Miele #1 I spent ages vacuuming cat hair out of my sofa and area rugs with a crappy little vacuum. With Miele #1, all clean in way less time and, due to being really deeply clean, stayed that way much longer. Miele #1 is still going strong at my brother's new house. Miele #2 is a Best Parkett model (we currently live in Europe; yes they are relatively less expensive here -- and you should see all the other cool stuff at the Miele showroom!) and this apartment has never been cleaner. Meanwhile, my mom has had the same Miele for 10 years now and it's still working perfectly. My only regret . . . when we move back this one won't run on 120V current!

Very, very cute place . . . how exciting to be moving in and starting fresh! I love the gray and agree that you should move in first. I think your camel sofa would look great with some charcoal gray pillows. The floor, too, is in excellent shape (look at that shine!) and reads very warm, so orange/ persimmon may make a perfect accent color. You could try it out with a decorative bowl of oranges to start. proceed slowly . . . you will thank yourself!

Whatever color you go with (I favor the orange and red suggestions), remember that it's absolutely crucial to start with a good primer. I have painted dark cabinets white and highly recommend Zinsser 1-2-3. It's a big job so it's important to do it right! I also recommend using a small sponge roller, rather than a brush, because the paint will level better resulting in a more professional finish. Good luck!

bepsf, sara -- yeah, or that quaint, old-fashioned device called the Yellow Pages. It's not as though San Francisco is exactly short of shopping opportunities, including one of the better-known fabric stores in the country. (That would be Britex, for those without access to phone, internet, or other reality interface device.)

Frankly, some of the question-posters here (not singling anyone out) don't seem to be regular AT readers; they remind me of those kids in high school who were always begging to copy other people's homework.

It's absolutely gorgeous, but wouldn't it be a little . . . *bright*? I live in a (rented) place with white walls and a white floor and apart from being hard to keep looking clean, some mornings the light feels like it's drilling into the back of my brain. And it's not all lacquered like this!

Predictable. I'm sure a lot of thought went into this but unfortunately the thought was probably mostly predicated on the idea that Domino is the ultimate arbiter of "good taste." It's well-executed but bland and impersonal.