tenantproof's Profile

I keep duplicates of cleaning supplies in the bathroom under the sink, however another storage ideas for cleaning supplies include an over the door shoe rack over the bathroom door.

We have nothing on the sink counter except the liquid soap container and a sponge making it quick to wipe down. Everyone's products and supplies must be in a drawer or cabinet or carried in an out.

I can do the toilet, swiffer the floor with cloth, wipe the sink mirror and standing mirror in the bathroom.

I can't spray the shower down because all our products are inside, nor can I clean off the shower door gunk, the fabric shower curtains, the plastic curtain or scrub down the sink but its a great start.

Such a hassle, I don't fold anything except wool sweaters, socks, bras and underwear, everything else get's hung up immediately after coming out the dryer.

Thank you for sharing your renovation. You did a great job at a great price point.I know the type of partial overlay cabinets with hinges showing that were in your condo. These have press wood interior shelves that were most likely completely finished. The painting of cabinets takes a great deal of preparation and even then the paint is likely to peel and chip soon after, turning a quick fix into a maintenance nightmare. The choice of taller, frameless full overlay cabinets with European hinges in a white factory finish was a great choice. The decision to remove the soffits and install taller cabinets that meet the ceiling on the range side means no cleaning on top of the cabinets, no junk on top of cabinets and instead more storage behind closed doors. This allowed you to remove the soffit and set of short cabinets on the sink side of the kitchen which I wager cut off the cook from guests in the living room. It probably also caused the cook to do an awkward crouching motion to talk to guests. I think this was a great choice.

I like the classic color scheme of white and grey that never goes out of style. As for those folks thinking it would feel cold isn't the condo in Florida? I like the tile backsplash, the color and pattern are classic, not too busy or trendy. I love it and I think it adds a uniqueness that is not at all generic and will not make it dated in a few years, a very difficult think to do. Congratulation!

The marble is a beautiful but high maintenance choice. I have heard to seal it with eleven coats of sealant then seal it once a year after that and you will be set. Otherwise you will forever be making poultices to take out stains from the marble. A more economical and easier to maintain option would have been to go with Corian or Silestone in a light grey.

The golden knobs don't go with anything in the kitchen and strike a jarring note. A better option for knobs would be a brushed nickel finish in a style that is easier for elderly hands to grasp.

All in all a great job at a great price. Thank you for sharing and I hope you enjoy it for years to come.

I remember being 20 something and visiting a new friends homes for dinner and feeling their places were very grown up . When I visit someone's home I always notice the little touches that I like and think about incorporating them into my home. I am a bit of a home buddy but I don't like to do housework. Therefore, my apartment with my three roommates and two cats is practically furnished. I have an antique dresser in the hallway with extra sheets and pillows all from Target ready for guests to use on our futon in the living room. My dishes don't match, I am too much of a klutz for expensive matching dishes, instead my dishes come from Goodwill. This way I don't worry if a glass, plate or bowl breaks as they often do. I do the household supplies shopping because I don't like running out of things so I make sure we have extras.

I think the renovation looks beautiful and glad you replaced inefficient windows and added insulation.I also love that you enclosed the original porch and added a new porch next to it to converse with the neighborhood. I wonder how much work all the cedar will be. Does Seattle have a termite problem or ant problem. Will your beautiful cedar fade to that ugly gray shade?

A great way to add a pop of color or pattern is to buy a painter's canvas and cover it with paint or with a colorful fabric you pin or staple to the canvas and hang on the wall.

I agree with so many of the posts here especially about claw foot tubs they fell out of favor because they were so hard to clean underneath and around the sides, difficult to get out of without falling and hard to give pets and children baths. I would like to add the following to the list of things I think are trends:wood counters in the kitchen or bathroom, espresso/ black colored wood floors, all white rooms, rooms where all distinguishing architectural elements have been painted one color, poufs, chaise loungers, sun mirrors, animal heads with antlers or just plain antlers whether real, fake, cardboard, ceramic, glass or metal, that stupid Keep Calm Carry On saying, fabrics with birds on them, shag rugs (especially white ones) rugs with different sculptural heights and texture ( a major trip hazard with high heels or for the elderly) stair cases with no railings, raw wood cabinets with no finish to protect the wood, open cabinets, those highly complex cleaning nightmares of mid-century modern "cool" lighting, those vertical book holders that just look like a stack of books, new mid-century modern furniture lines.

I most definitely recommend a leather sofa with rounded arms (no sharp corners to bump in and will show less wear over time) and a tight back (no cushions to be squashed out of shape). It is easy to clean up pet hair, spills and holds up to tons of wear. I had one mid-century modern chair re-upholstered in this beautiful, blue, microfiber and while it is beautiful I hate constantly vacuuming it to get the pet hair off and worry about spills. I wish I had kept the original vinyl on the chair. We have two heavy side tables with only a lamp on them. We also have a large china cabinet that we use as a bookcase to store books and keep anything fragile out of the kids reach. We tend to use the living room for reading and story time. Otherwise we tend to live in the kitchen. We also have doors to each room so its easy to keep kids in the kitchen or living room with me so they are never out of sight. There is no standing or jumping on the furniture and no sharpies, markers or scissors in reach so things look good. This is why I love the not open floor plan of older homes.

You have received so many great tips.I also recommend Apartment Therapy Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces. I also recommend Clutter's Last Stand by Don Aslett. Kids don't need as much clothing as most folks thing because they out grow it so fast. The same goes for toys and books. We have 5 kids books, the remainder we sign out of the library. All the toys, fit in a 3 foot high, 12 inch wide, 11 deep bookcase with room left over. We talk sing songs, dance, draw and arranges artwork on the refrigerator. She "helps' with housework and is never bored.

The good thing about kids sharing a bedroom is that they won't wake you up when they have nightmares. They are also less likely to want to sleep with mom and dad to feel safe when they have a sibling sleeping in the same room with them. You could do twin beds with built in drawers and a bookcase headboard. If they are of the same gender you could do a full size captain's bed with built in drawers underneath, three on each side, and a bookcase headboard. This would provide storage in a compact design eliminating the need for a dresser, nightstand and box spring.

The grownups could also have a queen size Captain's bed version with a bookcase headboard and two lamps. This would make the bedroom feel less cluttered with much easier to maneuver and clean.

In the living room you might want to consider a large, tall wall unit with lots of closed storage to concentrate things that you need and want to keep. Also if you still have room a long low sideboard or a desk. A large area rug, a comfortable couch, a side chair and one or two nightstand with lamps to function as side tables. In the kitchen all you need is a kitchen table, chairs, a booster seat and a high chair.

I recommend a purge of what you aren't using, starting with clothing, shoes, books, accessories, cooking gadgets, gifts you never liked anyway and furniture.

I would add a chocolate brown duvet cover or a light cafe au lait duvet cover with a pillow or pillow shams made with the same fabric as the curtains.