grinsngiggles's Profile

Display Name: grinsngiggles
Member Since: 3/23/11

Latest Comments...

I'd totally use it as a colander - It would make me so happy to use it on a daily basis (I feel like I use one constantly). In a small space, I love it when functional items are gorgeous, since I don't really have room for a lot of decorative things.


Win: Espera Fruit Bowl/Colander Holiday Giveaway
12/7/12 3:22 PM

@rose123 I totally did too! I thought, ok maybe for kids? The stripes and the angle make it look a bit funny. Maybe if they weren't outdoors and it didn't look like they were supposed to be drinking the cocktail...


10 DIY Ideas for the Simple Wood Stump
12/6/12 2:59 PM

I think I'd be wearing bright colors in this seaside abode. The kitchen is super cool - but more as a study on monochromatic texture than a really liveable space. It just feels so cold. Maybe the light is warmer in real life.


Winter White: Home on the Cornish Coast House To Home
11/26/12 12:52 PM

Any advice on hiring a bartender who isn't a friend? We moved here recently so our friend group maxes out at about thirty and they would all be invited, not serving.


Tips for Hiring Party Help: A Bartender
11/26/12 12:48 PM

years ago when I had a brick phone it came with a clear case and I could print out any cover I wanted - you needed special templates with the buttons, etc. I thought I was so cool - glad this is much simpler!


Get Endless Custom Options with One Clear Cell Phone Case
Crafty Endeavor

11/16/12 12:49 AM

I don't know why they didn't show the kitchen - it looks way better than the bed nook.

Gray, silver and pale purple might be what feels like the Golden Girls. That art above the sofa feels a bit 80s

I like the new lighting, the couch, lucite and the kitchen is beautiful (way better than the old tile). The abundance of pillows throws me off.

Also, is that a tv above the bed?


Before & After: Small Space, Big Changes The Sweeten
11/16/12 12:45 AM

Also, this table costs about $975, so not only does it take a lot of patience, but it isn't cheap! He got the Legos from http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3003.


1 IKEA Tosby Frame + 7,176 LEGOs =
A Colorful Dining Table

11/8/12 7:13 PM

It's interesting that the inspiration table has the Legos stacking sideways, so that the bumps aren't sticking up. Cool, but this version is more distinctively Lego.

According to the creator, the glass is not affixed but is very heavy and doesn't slide. "You move the glass before you move the table."


1 IKEA Tosby Frame + 7,176 LEGOs =
A Colorful Dining Table

11/8/12 7:10 PM

It looks like the windows don't slide open very far - but that seemed a risk before as much as after if it wasn't addressed (given the piling up of books and such). I'm not sure how a child would open the heavy lid of the toy box in the first place, but maybe they would barely open it, then pinch under the weight?

I wish that AT editors asked about two things - safety issues in children's rooms and why someone chose to paint wood/not restore a piece of wood furniture. Asking those two things would save a lot of discussion about whether or not people had considered the ramifications of their new decor.

That being said, I love the little bird and I want a whole flock. I also want that vibrant quilt!

Someone asked about the curtain - they're muslin, not canvas dropcloth. They're lighter and sheerer, which I think helps.

I wonder what the lanterns look like when lit?


Before & After: Makeover of a Cozy Nook Design *Sponge
11/7/12 3:03 PM

We have a one bedroom apartment with a combined living and kitchen space. I'm in a PhD program and my husband is applying to a PhD, which means we have little money. We've managed to carve out a dining, living and now a new desk and work space in the main room from an old door and some bar stools. The whole apartment has been furnished with Craigslist and thrift store finds. It's taken time to put it all together, but for less than the price of a new couch, we've done the whole place. I usually work on the couch for my PhD work, but I also paint and craft (or used to when I had the space). I find that I crave that creative time and I'm hoping that devoting a certain amount of time to my art every week will help me be more efficient in the rest of my life. It seems that if I only focus on the PhD, I tend to dream of doing art, but I know that if all I did was paint I would crave time to read and write. I need the balance!

Great article and so motivating.


Using Your Home to Reach Your Dreams
11/3/12 4:04 PM

Our living room evolved into orange and pale blue, with some deep teal because we craigslisted and thrifted, and I happened to find a great chair and a great couch and bought them on impulse. Then I panicked thinking, how am I ever going to make this work? Now I love it. Our walls are bright white (rental) and the colors are happy and light


Color Theory 101: Making Complementary Colors Work for You
10/31/12 3:51 PM

this would be super fun with a variety of muted colors


DIY Idea: Transform a Plain Dresser Stars for Street Lights
10/31/12 11:35 AM

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202029402/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=drop+cloth&storeId=10051#.UH8NsYWQAXx


How To Replicate Anthropologie's Drop Cloth Rug? Good Questions
10/17/12 3:58 PM

I think the side says what the owner should.


Before & After: A Colorful Decoupage Game CabinetBleak 2 Unique
10/11/12 5:13 PM

I tried searching fast soak method and found boil them for 2 minutes, then let cool and soak for 1 hour. Is that the fast soak method?


Cheap, Convenient & Better Than Canned: Freezer Beans
10/2/12 12:59 PM

Not all mattresses are nontoxic and there are health problems associated with them. The chemicals used to make synthetic mattresses flame retardant are known carcinogens. Sure there are plenty of natural toxins, but these are deemed not to be toxic. Wool, foam latex, etc. are known alternatives to make a mattress both comfortable and fire retardant without the toxins of conventional mattresses

Latex is a milky colloid produced by some plants. Natural rubber derives from latex and latex is a natural alternative to chemically produced memory foam mattresses. That is why you have a designation for synthetic latex - if latex were all synthetic, you wouldn't need the qualifier.


Nest Bedding: DIY Mattresses & Organic Bedding Made in the USA Store Profile
10/2/12 12:19 PM

You could paint the island a fun color - bright red or something, and change out the pendant shades.


How To Make Cookie Cutter Condo Kitchen More Modern? Good Questions
9/14/12 5:11 PM

Um...Victorian architecture can refer to a collection of architectural styles popular in the 1800s aka Victorian era and it's at least common in lay terms to speak of Victorian architecture or something looking "Victorian," just as one might say "Gingerbread" or "Painted Ladies." The Queen Anne style was popular until 1910, so this house could be in that vein. Also the woman featured in this piece is named Victoria, which I'm sure contributed to a less-than-perfectly-precise use of the term.

I, too, love the looks of that sink, at least in the pictures. It is, however MASSIVE. I can't tell if you had blocked off the left basin or if it's meant to another work surface like that. Unless it works really well with your new setup, I understand the change. My 1930s apartment has an adorable and very similar sink that can fit barely anything and stains constantly (lots of magic eraser!). I can definitely envision a kitchen built around that sink - just not one that fits your aesthetic.

The placement of the peninsula is clever - I can't tell if it gets in the way of the area behind it, or if there's just a pantry or something back there.

Love that you kept the bathroom window! I'd like to see the vanity, etc - a little limited just seeing the shower/tub and toilet.


Before & After: Updating a Victorian Kitchen (and Bathroom)
9/14/12 5:07 PM

Also, It's not just a problem of bringing bed bugs into the space with furniture, it's that if they happen to come in - with used clothing, whatever - students put up a big fuss about having to give up their pottery barn couch that cost a fortune or their priceless vintage piece. It's about limiting liability and headaches.

Urban Outfitters is really a go-to if you want the floor cushion, layered rug feel. Their stuff is inexpensive and stylish and it's not a tragedy if you have to get rid of something down the line.

I love their brightly colored rugs - the Magical Thinking line is particularly fun this season

They often have floor cushions like these: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=18428151&parentid=A_DEC_PILLOWS

They're pretty comfy - I have another one which is longer and patterned and more of a bed roll, but I don't see it now.

I would get a big tapestry and hang it on the wall, then get some rugs and floor pillows - some poofs and maybe some trays that you can set on top of them for setting drinks, etc. I use my antique silver trays for everything in my apartment and they'd really be handy if you couldn't bring in tables. The idea of using storage bins for seating, covered in fabric, is cleaver, but I'd be sure there was something sturdy inside supporting your weight.

I don't know what the policy is on bringing in lumber, but if you really wanted an elevated seating area, you could just stack pieces of mdf or a few 2x4s together, duct tape , put some fabric over them with floor cushions and you'd have a couch that you can deconstruct - put in a closet, under the bed, or rest the planks against the wall under a tapestry for inspection. Smaller cut pieces could form tables, etc.


Getting Comfy in a Dorm That Doesn't Allow Furniture? Good Questions
9/9/12 12:49 PM

Ruthie,
Your responses are incredibly gracious. These things make me sad on apartment therapy. As soon as I read your comment about the lack of funds I just knew, no matter what was in your home people would feel the need to take issue with the claim, without reading carefully or giving you the benefit of the doubt. That being said, it'a nice to know how you arrived at your collection! Telling everyone to get anthropologie items/giftcards is such a great idea.

It's obvious that your style has evolved to fit each gorgeous new find. The fact that everyone notices the anthro chair should tell you that it makes everyone swoon! So many of these ideas can be incorporated into a small space, too, which I so appreciate. It looks like you had your hand in a lot of refinishing and DIY touches.

Simply splendid!


Ruthie's Really Fantastic Fixer Upper House Call
5/17/12 7:14 AM