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Display Name: designsilverlake
Personal URL: http://www.womanfinishhousewomandie.com
Member Since: 3/14/11
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Raise hell with Ikea and make them replace them all til they're perfect. Ikea needs to do a better job of screening their subs and they won't do it unless people make them realize there's a problem. Their countertop prices really aren't cheaper, even with the 20% discount - I shopped around and ended up with a guy I found on craigslist who had good reviews. Way cheaper too.


The World's Ugliest Condo: And Then There Were(n't) Countertops Renovation Diary
5/5/12 12:42 AM

oh man, we must have had the same countertop installers. Mine were pretty bad also, but you must learn from my mistake since maybe you still have time! I didn't like my seams, or my sink cutout and after making a big to do about it, they gave me a discount. At the time, I thought that would make things better. But after living with it for about 4 years now and looking at those darn seams (mine were NOT as bad as yours either), and my sink everyday, I wish I would have passed up on the $ and just had them fix it and do it right...even removing the whole thing and replacing it! Hopefully you haven't paid them completely for the job. Have them redo it and show them the hundreds of pictures of marble where it does have a clean, much thinner, seam. You will be glad you were persistent in the long run. Good luck!


The World's Ugliest Condo: The Final Stretch is Always a Tough One Renovation Diary
5/5/12 12:39 AM

Geez, these comments are so critical. I think this is hilarious. I love the toy-action-pull-the-trigger-light explosion. Come on, that's awesome people!!!! Who cares if it's not our style, as long as she and her hubby like it!


The Heroic Bedroom Makeover Project How To Be A Heroine
4/2/12 8:05 PM

Our family has gone through this dilemna/discussion over and over again when we bought beds for our house, then for a friend's summer home, and then for rental properties that we manage.

Pros for no boxspring:
Sleeker profile, less bulk for moving, only one "piece" that gets wear and tear, no need for bed skirt, I personally like the look better

Cons:
After testing out all the different styles long term (more than just a test in the store), I do think that a boxspring adds a cushier mattress experience. The springs absorb and give a bit of bounce that no quality platform bed can offer. Maybe there is a mattress that costs over $15k that provides this but I've tested everything from the Ikea beds to the W and Heavenly beds and these are my thoughts.

It comes down to what kind of bed you prefer. If you take two of the same mattresses and test them with and without a boxspring, I think the one without the boxspring will be stiffer. But most people won't have an opportunity to do this so maybe ignorance is bliss :)


Do You Own a Box Spring? Reader Survey
4/1/12 11:30 PM

I'm a home flipper and have installed at least 4 kitchens with Ikea cabinets. Lets say I have a love hate relationship with them. I also have them in my own house and have come to love them for their flexibility (even after 8 years!).
I've only used non-Ikea cabinets once (Kraftmaid from Home Depot) and I was happy with those. The were well built, arrived already assembled and were very sturdy. But back to Ikea.

Ikea cabinets are great if you're somewhat handy (save on assembling them yourself), and don't need cabinets built to specific measurements. If you're not handy at all and paying someone to assemble them, I would question doing the Ikea route as the savings would all be lost in labor costs. I've always assembled my own cabinets and they're not difficult. If you can put the Billy bookcase together, you can do kitchen cabinets. They're all the same. My 3 year old son even helped me out :)
The ones in my house and rental unit have all stood up to wear and tear very well. A few areas have gotten scratched but overall I've been very impressed with their durability. I think my door style was called Adel or something like that. Two of our rental units have the light khaki colored doors (now discontinued) and they've held up extremely well. They look brand new!
The drawers have all worked great and the hinges are like the best European ones.

**I should warn you to brace yourself when the Ikea delivery truck comes. If your kitchen is big, you might pass out when you see all the big and small boxes arrive. It's not for the faint of heart. Make sure you have spouse or friends to help. Especially if you have a tall pantry in your layout.

Good luck!


Good Questions: Ikea Kitchen Cabinets? Or Better?
10/21/11 7:49 PM

My husband and I are total vampires and definitely feel for the importance of blocking out that early morning light. This is the hard core way (assuming that picture is your place and it's that type of window*).
To make sure you are blocking out as much light as possible, the curtain rod (and curtain) need to extend about 6-12" past the window on both sides. The more the better. The curtain rod also needs to be mounted several inches above the window. Finally, you'll need to put up a valance of some kind to get the light that will come in from the very top. Depending on the style of your house, you can find a valance that will work. We have a modern house and use valances that are just straight aross. This is how all the hotels do it and we've learned from them! It works!!! Because most curtain rods will sit at least 4" from your wall, without a valance you will always get light seeping in from the top.

*if you have windows that aren't so big, sometimes shades work better than curtains. Either a snug fitting inside mount or an outside mount with plenty of extra room to cover all four sides.

Sorry for the long answer. We are totally passionate about blackout rooms for good sleep!


Proper Installation for Light-Blocking Curtains?
Good Questions

10/17/11 11:42 PM

Two things: darkened shades and EAR PLUGS. The plugs might sound crazy but I swear, they have completely transformed my sleep. I have always been a really light sleeper and any tiny noise wakes me up. My mom and sister are like this also and it's always been so annoying because every little sound disrupts our sleep! But after having kids, I was desperate for some solid sleep and resorted to ear plugs so I could nap.

I prefer the gel ones as they work WAY better than the soft squishy ones. Because it blocks out every sound, I can also fall asleep super quickly. Super quickly and super sound = better sleep for me! yay! I do find that I still need at least 8-9 hours of sleep a night (I think I come from a family of sleepers!) to feel refreshed.

Try the plugs, it will feel weird the first two or three nights because you can feel them in your ears. But you will NOT be disappointed by the quality of sleep you get, promise!!!!!


How To Get a Really Good Night's Sleep
10 Sleep Tips

3/14/11 3:55 PM