ihateketchup's Profile

This may sound nerdy but I shop all year long. I constantly send myself emails of ideas I have even in the middle of spring. This way, when it gets closer, I have not only an idea but something really special. I don't have any kids of my own but I have a brother and sister who are 5 and 7 so shopping for them is really fun. I also shop for family and friend and not always the same ones every year. Even if someone isn't going to get something for me I always consider my friends around the holidays. My boyfriend is probably the toughest because I have too many ideas! I always love a good surprise, something handmade, and accomplishing all of that on a small budget can be tough. Etsy.com, Thinkgeek.com and Uncrate.com are great options for him and my other male friends in my opinion. I agree that I wait til two weeks or so before to start my wrapping. I like to do it with classic Holiday music on and I HATE that it comes on earlier and earlier each year!

Completely in love.

hi!

So--we have this exact same situation at our house. Our solution cost about $8 at Ikea and we get compliments on it everytime someone new comes over!

We took the wall mount pole (shown here http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70022782 ) and mounted it upside down on the top of the opening, bought a pack of "S" hooks and hung out pots and pans from it. I'm at work now or I'd take a picture for you. But if I remember I will and send it your way!
You could also hang plants or even two picture frames back to back and put some fun art or photographs in there!
Good luck!

Whoops! cmarriott beat me to the punch! At least that's 2 votes in the right direction!

Paint: I would absolutely embrace color. I'm not saying dump out a box of crayolas, but please...anything but decorator's white. I would try to think of the space in terms of its elevations--even if they are curved. Rich taupe's, or creamy warm slate or charcoal grays could really be dramatic. Although in some spaces, painting a room a dark color can "make it feel small"--you definitely don't need to worry about that in your home. You have ceiling heights and skylights dumping natural light unlike many other homes out there--add some artificial lighting here and there and viola! I love the idea of the color of the walls spilling up onto the ceiling above. For the bedroom areas, maybe you consider doing a pale shade (not pastel) throughout--walls and ceiling--and then a focal wall. Either with a darker shade of paint or with textiles or a massive headboard.

For the floors, I absolutely agree with your gut reaction to go with dark floors. I'm personally a fan of carpet or large area rugs in private spaces (bedrooms), which I would all keep the same and neutral.

For all the millwork in your space, I would definitely consider stripping it and restaining it dark. You could consider painting or lining the inside cavities or shelves in wallpaper to add a bit of drama. If you choose to paint, I would either use the same wall color as what surrounds it, or something fun and punchy. Take the advice of your accessories and paint it something that would make them pop--black could be stunning and you could add inexpensive undermount lighting to make them feel special.

For the kitchen, I would also refinish the existing cabinetry. I would also change out the hardware to something more streamlined and simple--there are a lot of internet resources out there with inexpensive options a lot nicer than Home Depot. I would also switch out the countertops and appliances as your budget allows. You don't need to do everything at once but you also don't want to live in a construction zone.

For furniture, I've listed some more-budget friendly resources to help you out. Good Luck! Post photos when you're done!

www.gumps.com
www.wisteria.com
www.rejuvenation.com
www.restorationhardware.com
www.mcguirefurniture.com (they have great sales!)

When we moved into our 5 bedroom, 3 story rowhome rental in November, we rented a carpet cleaner (Rug Dr.) from the local supermarket and spent the first three days cleaning and scrubbing every square inch of the place. We opened all the windows gave everything a thorough wipe down with bleach and the like. I'm not severely allergic to pet dander, but the cleaning definitely made an impact. We also painted all the walls (with zero VOC paints). I think it's pretty unlikely that the landlord will remove and replace the carpets, so if the place is worth it, then you'll do what you have to do!

Here's a link that should help!

http://www.designaddict.com/design_addict/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread_show_one/thread_id/524/

since you'll only be there a few months, I would definitely keep your spending to a minimum...take 10-15 of your favorite photos and hang them from clothes pins on a string across your window or near the door....keep the throw blanket grammy knitted you over the back of a chair for those brisk nights...keep it tactile and colorful! get a few indoor potted plants (Ikea is great for this) that fill your space with life and give you something to maintain. I definitely DO NOT recommend getting a pet, since it sounds like you'll be busy enough as it is and the space is cramped--you likely wont have time to train and house break an animal while going to school and doing an internship. Goldfish, maybe--but you'll feel way less guilty if a plant dies!

How is this not a finalist?!