laalex's Profile

Thanks everyone for the positive comments on my ac unit coverup.

Some of you had some questions so I wanted to briefly answer them here. If anyone wants more specifics on this or some of the other things I have done in my loft, feel free to contact me at alman_1970@yahoo.com.

To the question of what I do for a living: I work professionally as a photographer here in LA but use my loft projects as another creative outlet. The loft is located in the "SB lofts" on the corner of sixth and spring. Lastly, I had never really thought of doing this type of thing for hire since it just a hobby but if someone is interested maybe we could work something out.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone for the positive responses and glad I could contribute to this community.

alex

Since i sent this find in I have enjoyed reading the debate over the ethics of buying a "knock off" piece of furniture.

I am a commercial photographer by trade and am constantly fighting for usage rights and copyright infringement....so I get it.

If i could afford the "classics", maybe I would buy the real thing or maybe I would use the money for something else I deemed more important at the time. Until then, as someone who appreciates the aesthetics of these designs, I will continue to buy what I can afford.

It seems to me (and I am sure I am not the only one) that any modern or "high" design item I see, costs more than my car. Why? High end design doesn't have to be expensive. I have done what I think (as does ikea hacker and apt la) amazing things with items i have found in the as is section at ikea.

If Eames had never designed that chair and instead it was just a new item at target...would it be any less attractive??

All I wanted to do was to let people know about this cool looking chair that isn't like the standard crap you see at office max and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

In the end it is all about what is important to you, the buyer. I spend 9000.00 on a camera body but buy 200.00 chairs from target and build things out of bits form the as is section at ikea. Logical? To me it is but maybe not to you.

If it makes you happy, whether real or not, isn't that all that matters.

Thanks,

alex

Thanks everyone for the nice and encouraging complements on my work in progress!

I will try and clear up any confusion and questions on what I did and will hopefully have updated pics soon.

First, the counter tops are normally 100.00 a piece but found them in the as-section listed at 10.00. I did all the work by myself (Which included carrying each 8ft, 100lb plus piece up 3 flights of stairs! Not a good day. As far as how they are connected, I simply stood them on end and since they are almost 2 inches thick and I have cement floors, I was able to balance them. I then attached them using flat thing metal plates from Home Depot on top and on the inside (bedroom side) to pull them flush with each other since they wouldn't be seen. I put four panels across (the living room side) and then two end pieces to form a "u" shape if you were looking down from above. This gave me a recessed area on the bedroom side to slide in the pax wardrobe units. I attached these to the
new wall to aid in stability. Lastly, i put lights on top for an added touch. The wall does not move but there is a 3 ft opening towards the window side of the loft for an entry way. The door was built with Stolemen shelves found in the as is section and with aluminum strips from HD. The door will be hung on a track with barn door hardware so it will eventually slide.

Hope that helps clear things up and again, thanks for all the complements. It's what keeps this site so great.

P.s.-To Laura, thanks and yes I built the bed a few years ago when I was still in Manhattan beach. (Not fun to move that thing.

alex