kathlene's Profile

I wish I knew these were coming out before I got my regular ol' multi-coloured one last year. Ah, a neutral hang-it-all, my dream come true.

Amazing. I love it.

I'm sorry, @Parnassus, but it's actually REALLY easy to paint tile. I've done it in three different apartments in the kitchens, and it makes a world of difference! PS: Tip: try and use a neutral color that won't look strange if it covers both the grout and the tile, like white or grey.

Step One: Tape off the counter and any areas you don't want damaged.
Step Two: Sand the backsplash with an 80 or 90 grit paper to eliminate the sheen and make it easier for the paint to adhere. Use a detail sander or a belt sander rather than by hand if you can. Then wipe the backsplash clean.
Step Three (optional): use a BIN primer, or another highly adherent primer to prepthe surface. Use a very light coat, and yes, it will look atrocious, but you're not finished yet so don't worry. Let it dry
Step Four: Use a highly adhesive semi-gloss paint. High-gloss doesn't adhere as well, and eggshell/matte paints are not durable enough. The best results I've had were oil-based or alkyd, but they have high VOCs so they're not the best for the environment. Do several coats, and if possible, wait 24hrs before you use the sink or do anything with high-moisture/heat - in other words, order pizza and congratulate yourself on an awesome job and a great backsplash!!!

I agree. In the design profession, our work is already undervalued. On a popular design blog like this (one of my favorites!), to show that design and designers deserve compensation for the work that they provide is a powerful message. Please reconsider.

I'm sorry to be a downer, but I must say I thought this tour was basically a tour of a bookshelf, not an apartment. There were a few shots of other things, but one or two shots of the bookshelf will do, thanks. If there aren't enough points of interest to do a full tour, then make it an article on how to style your display areas or something along those lines. Let's keep it interesting, please!

I was doing research about Malaria for a project I'm working on, and I came across and interesting (and effective) way to rid yourself of mosquitos. If you have standing water or a water source on your property that is a breeding ground for mosquitos, take a whole coconut, cut it in half, and place it in the water. Apparently, coconut oil is extremely effective in killing mosquito larvae. The coconut should work for an entire month at keeping mosquito populations under control.

I have to be honest, I feel that this apartment lacks a cohesiveness. I appreciate (and encourage) a less-coordinated look in these apartments, but it is the architectural details, not the interior aesthetic, that make this apartment so amazing. I would like to see more discerning design choices in here, which would realize this apartment's true potential!