kmk355's Profile

This is what magazines are for! Bonus, they get soggy and then I don't mind throwing them away (otherwise they would hang around forever).

I think the term you're actually looking for is "mise en place."

Works well in professional kitchens, looks great on Pinterest, but I would never do it myself because I don't want to use every bowl in the kitchen!

I think it's fine to put up wallpaper in a rental . . . as long as the place is 100% restored to original condition on the day you move out. Normally, worst-case, if a landlord wasn't satisfied with your efforts, they could keep the deposit. It sounds like that really isn't going to work out here.

So if I were absolutely dying to put up this wallpaper, if none of the other suggestions scratched that itch, I would call a local painter/wallpaperer and ask about removing wallpaper and repainting. Ask how much he would quote to do an A+ job on a wall of that size. Pause to rethink -- would that really be worth it to you? If your heart's still set on it, and your boyfriend agrees, go to his parents (together) and tell them that you will set aside that money (plus some extra!) for restoration when you move out.

If you go that route, it's something you have to do. Even if you're moving out because of an awful breakup, even if his parents were mean to you, that wall has to be back to normal absolutely no matter what. But as long as they could never guess you had wallpaper there, everyone should be happy.

Lately I've noticed Ikea is selling some things that have dainty detail rather than being super streamlined. I'm thinking of the lacy Skurar pots, the side table with silhouetted baroque legs (like the ones from Brocade Home), the antique-finished Levanger mirror (would kill for a silver-framed version). I totally love this trend and I hope Ikea does more of it! I have this kind of luxe/glam/semi-frilly taste, but an Ikea budget, and it's great to see them combining for once.

Where did you get the narrow/shallow file cabinet in the first photo? Ikea's Helmer is similar, but this looks taller. Is there a name for these?

I think it's fair to comment about the goals of a truly kid-friendly/play-friendly space, and whether they're achieved. It could've been phrased a little differently, but I would rather know than not know.

It depends on the age of the kids, but I'm not totally sure about that Ikea Helmer. Cute and convenient, but if little kids are running around, those are some sharp metal corners.

Oh, and if you do decide to paint them, I think hammered copper would be nice. I normally like plain stone/iron, but I understand if that's not an option here. I really really really do not think trying to imitate Foo dogs would be a good idea.

I would love a post on high, but not quite this high, adult beds. The trend for awhile has been very low beds, but to me, nothing feels as luxurious as crawling up into a welcoming bed. Is it just me, or is it almost impossible to find an adult bed with maybe 2-3' of clearance, so the bed itself is roughly around waist height?

Depends on the house, but there aren't a lot of colors I would avoid altogether. Maybe orange. But a deep plummy purple, barn red, rose pink, ocean blue, medium green -- absolutely, why not? As long as it's tasteful rather than neon, I'd love more than just white or tan. I'm pretty sure I've seen all of the above colors within a two-town radius in New England.

Of course there are other caveats: I would make sure any trim didn't clash, I wouldn't use more than two colors on a house, I probably wouldn't do it if my house was 2' from my neighbor's, I wouldn't go pink on a rural house that was designed to fit into nature (but it might look great on a downtown Victorian), etc.

At the same time, I wouldn't be so daring with interior paint. I guess because I'd have to look at it 24/7 and there's a lot more potential for clashing with furniture.

Totally agree with Margaret_M. "The concept is interesting and the pictures are pretty," and similarly shallow comments, are things I could determine myself in 30 seconds; that's not what I'm looking for in a cookbook review.