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Display Name: art is necessary
Member Since: 8/10/11
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Latest Comments...

to ecuadoriana1:

thank you. i also appreciate your smart idea of taking "before and after" photos to show prospective landlords what kind of tenant you are, how much you will care for the space you may rent from them (as shown in how well you keep your current one). i will have to do that, too - before any prospective landlord hears a "paint complaint" from my current landlord!

and that is exactly a question i have asked prospective landlords - "what kind of landlord are you?"! too bad some haven't lived up to their promises or been willing to put them in writing (that should be a big red flag of warning, huh?!?) ...best wishes to anyone looking for their dream-space, myself included!

now back to more compliments about this cute house tour ... :)


Leslie's Mid Century Optimism
House Tour
5/17/12 12:55 PM

nice work! love the colors, the whale wallpaper, the curvy table and the heart you obviously put into your place. and the very adorable raincheck. and that you are wearing orange shoes with your blue outfit. thanks for sharing. :)

i would like to add a comment about the advice that renters not worry about losing our security deposit by painting. i agree that painting makes a huge difference in the look and feel of a place and we all deserve to be happy where we live. however (especially in this stupid economy), every dollar counts and i don't want and can't afford to lose my hard-earned money. also, by painting an apartment we weren't supposed to, tenants also risk losing out on future rentals. where i live it is very common for landlords to ask other landlords "would you rent to this person again?" (something i hope all landlords do to help screen out scary people that no one wants to live by); i'd hate to miss out on a great place because the prospective landlord turned me away after hearing my current landlord report he wouldn't re-rent to me, being mad that i broke the lease agreement by painting. i'd suggest getting written approval from the landlord to paint or make other temporary/permanent changes.

thanks again for the tour.


Leslie's Mid Century Optimism
House Tour
5/17/12 10:46 AM

absolutely yes; the appearance of the common areas does matter!!! it gives clues of what to expect from the landlord/owner/maintenance staff and other tenants.

i looked at an apartment just last night. as soon as i stepped into the lobby of the building i knew that i would not be moving there, no matter how cute the apartment might be. there was an empty juice bottle on the floor outside one apartment and a cup of pop/coffee/? on the stairwell. while thinking that sweet beverages draw bugs (of which i have a strong fear), i could still - maybe - let the bottle and cup pass as being from occasionally lazy neighbors, but then the rental agent didn't even bother to pick up the empties. i also saw poorly labeled mail boxes, an open basket marked for outgoing mail (hardly secure) and a couple of cracks each about three feet long in walls that had been repaired but not painted (to be fair, maybe that was done recently ... but to be realistic, the apartment itself was in shabby condition, with a sloppy paint job and broken window blinds, so i'm thinking those repairs in the walls had been there a while and no one had bothered to re-paint them). i would guess that the walls in the common areas were covered with "oops" paint because, to me, it was an odd/off color - or maybe that's because the lights were very dim. it looked dark and felt depressing and rather oppressive. the carpet felt very sponge-y (gross). also? the person showing me the apartment had set one time to meet, then quickly asked me to delay it by a half-hour so that she wouldn't have to go back to work but could go straight home after showing me the apartment. she arrived late. she told me where my sofa "had" to go in the apartment. and over the phone she told me the rent on that apartment was 615$ a month, then in person twice said the rent was 610$ - while the flyer in the information box out on the lawn indicated the rent was 575$. everyone has the occasional bad day and i guess places can, too - no place is perfect - but i saw too many red flags last night. my search will continue wish me good luck, please. i need it! and good luck to everyone else out there not yet in their dream-homes!

kathy


Apartment Building Common Area Deal Breakers
3/21/12 10:13 AM

how about photos of your loved ones mixed in with things you may collect? or some food-oriented things (antique utensils, framed recipes that you enjoy, kitchen-y art/signs ("eat"), etc) to go with your cookbooks? a small plant or two, perhaps potted in an old cooking pot? (also, there's lots of information on apartment therapy and other sites about ways to arrange stuff on shelves ... "pyramid" design and all that).

basically, i suggest putting on those shelves whatever makes you smile. and enjoy those built-ins; they are lovely!

kathy


What To Put on My Great Built-In Shelves?
Good Questions
3/9/12 4:36 PM

cool place! love the creativity and green attitude shown throughout. agreed; i would not get rid of "bears eat cholos" either!

thanks for the tour of your home.

is the human-hamster wheel fun to use?

and yes, dunklekatze, i do think deirdre looks like that great actress from "gilmore girls" and now on my much-favored show "parenthood".


Greg & Deirdre's Guest House
House Tour
2/15/12 1:05 PM

hey, bernadette ... first of all, best wishes to you and your mother! i know how difficult the search can be for just the right place.

as a renter and someone who works in senior housing (not new york), congratulations on being able to modify the apartment! that sure doesn't happen where i live or work.

having never done any before in my own life, i don't have any specific ideas about moving cupboards and water/electrical stuff to rearrange that kitchen. hopefully you will get lots of usable ideas for that in the comments here.

i have a couple ideas for some cosmetic changes. if i was moving in there, i would paint the walls (of the kitchen and the entire apartment) my very favorite color and then paint all the cupboards to match so they'd blend in a bit more than those brown ones do right now. i'd suggest a light color (for me it would be a soft yellow) to brighten up that tight space and to welcome me home. i'd go with white appliances (not stainless steel or black) for the same reason. since the cupboards are so close to the entry, i would leave the doors on them to help keep contents clean and keep the area visually restful. if that was my place, i'd look for a bench with a back and a deep seat where i could sit while cooking and/or set bags of groceries when i first got home. i'd put it to the left of the apartment door (as seen looking into the kitchen from the living room) and i would find a larger piece of art to go above the bench. some hand towels and other accessories in the kitchen could link to colors used elsewhere in the apartment. throw rugs can - obviously - be a safety hazard for people of all ages, so use with caution (and a security pad underneath)!

do you mind if i also offer some non-decorating ideas? here's a couple, though am sure you are on top of it all since you are seeking help with your mother's potential kitchen (that's good to hear ... and how nice that you and your mother have each other in your lives) and said not to scare you off. said just because i guess it's my nature to want to help and because we've had some situations that were tough on people for making assumptions. read and understand the lease/terms of any rent subsidy, etc, ask about policies for dealing with smoking/noisy neighbors/ bugs/changing locks, see if there are services offered in the building (activities, social worker, contracting with home health care agencies, laundry, etc) and learn what the staff of the apartment building are allowed to do or not do and the hours they are available. tour the place yourself at various times of day(s) and evenings; smell, look and listen. talk with tenants, too. familiarize yourselves with the neighborhood and all it offers (or doesn't) - grocery store, bank, etc. do all those things as if you yourself were renting the place and moreso since it's for your mother. :) and please visit her frequently (said not thinking you'd do otherwise; it's just we see and hear a lot of tough stuff where i work).

anyway, again, best wishes to you and your mother!

k


How To Modernize Senior Housing Kitchen?
Good Questions
2/6/12 4:23 PM

i, too, appreciate the detailed resource list; thank you!

and you have a lovely home. thanks for sharing.


Shannon & Dean Create a Contemporary Farmhouse
House Tour
12/16/11 12:51 PM

wow; that is a beautiful new bathroom!!!! great job. the only thing i'd have to add would be some kind of window covering for privacy, otherwise i could only use that room in pitch-darkness (and it's just too pretty to do that).


Before & After: Contemporary Bathroom Remodel
12/16/11 9:51 AM

hmmm ...

if you like those posters, why not use them as "primary wall art"?

asked by someone who has a big poster of a jimmy buffett album for all to see in my home


Subtle Way To Use Old Posters from My Uni Days?
Good Questions
12/13/11 3:00 PM

that might be the best product name ever! :)


Win This Meringue Chandelier from Lightology!
Holiday Giveaway 2011
12/5/11 12:49 PM

this is a timely post for me. i am in the middle of a huge re-organizing project so my apartment is a mess of boxes full papers to be sorted and filed/shredded, sentimental items to be cherished, clothing and clutter to be donated/recycled and more. it's a huge, awful - but necessary - mess. anyway, as i was sorting through stuff last night, i looked around and silently griped about things i don't like about this place (the awkward layout of the bathroom and the creepy, crepe-y varnish on the dark window trim) and promised myself that i will find a new place to live in 2012. and i will. but by the time i lay down in bed, i was mad at myself. all i could do was think of the many blessings and good things in my apartment and in my life (family and friends who visit because they love me, safety, warmth, cleanliness ...) compared to so many people around the world who have much less or nothing secure and loving at all. may they all be blessed and may i show gratitude for all that i've been given.

thank you.

k


Avoiding Catalog Burn-Out: Love the Space You're In
11/29/11 2:51 PM

oh, could i please go shopping in this home?!? there are so many great pieces! thanks for sharing part of your home with us.

and to dear holhum: thanks for your support of renters! i am one of them, living in a big little city where there are few requirements of landlords and more on tenants. landlords seem to have all the power. plus i currently have a landlord that is, in my opinion, rather lazy (taking months to fix something) and he doesn't seem to care if the fixtures he replaces match the vintage of the building or not so everything's hodge-podge. not in a good way. anyway, thanks to you, holhum!


Kay's Curated Somerville Nest
House Tour
11/21/11 4:19 PM

though it's not very winter-y, the throw in the photo is beautiful!

my first choice, though, would always be to have throws and blankets made by various members of my family. whether knit, crocheted or sewn, those items warm my heart as well as my "tookus". :)


Warm Winter Style: Choosing a Warm Throw Blanket
11/16/11 11:38 AM

are you allowed to remove (and safely store) the cabinet doors while you live there? removing even just the top ones would visually open things up a bit and take away some of that customized-but-not-to-you paint.

on the plus-side, it looks like you've got a lot of great storage and counterspace. enjoy!

i wish you well with your project and new home.

... from someone not yet living in her dream-space either


Cover Rental Cabinets with Contact Paper?
Good Questions
10/26/11 1:11 PM

there's lots of reasons to allow guests to wear shoes in your home: cute shoes, not-so-cute feet, possible odor problems, guests' comfort levels ....

and there are several reasons why someone might prefer that no one wear shoes/boots/flip-flops in their home.

dirt/germs ... this is a non-issue for me, even though i try to keep my place clean and would like to avoid the extra dirt that gets tracked in on shoes. there's an easy remedy for dirt (vacuum after company leaves).

possible damage to wood floors, especially by high heels ... i don't worry about this one either because i like the lived-in look.

noise ... this is the reason i take shoes off at the front door and want (but don't require) my family and friends to do the same. i live in an apartment on the top floor of my building and i try to be as quiet as possible for the family (with a young child) who live in the apartment below mine. i've learned from past experience just how noisy and annoying the sounds of shoes can be on hardwood floors for anyone not living on the top floor. ):(

i keep a basket of fluffy cotton sock-booties by my front door. i buy some whenever i find them sold by the pair in plastic (sorry) packaging - then my guests know that the booties are brand new and clean. if guests do put on the booties instead of shoes, i let them know they can take the booties home with them. and not as a "party favor"; heh. that's as close as i get on this issue. i wouldn't post a sign - though i did see a cute one for just this issue. it read "if you ain't God or george strait, take your boots off". :)


Etiquette at Home: Solutions to The Great Shoe Debate
10/20/11 4:38 PM

love, love, love this - both the art and the idea behind it. great job!


On Pins and Needles: String Art Masterpiece
wisecraft
9/26/11 12:35 PM

very creative. i'd probably love the warmth of the sun on my feet as i sat by the table reading. pets would probably love that window at their heights, too. all that is overshadowed, though, by the thoughts i couldn't get out of my head as to the lack of privacy (especially in a bedroom) and wondering how secure that window would be for someone wanting to break in and do wrong.
sorry ... not for me, but again very creative.


Sharing Space: An Unconventional Window
9/23/11 3:55 PM

to studiostarter:

i have experienced that competitiveness in every setting i've ever worked: retail shops and restaurants, a coffee shop and a bar. in/outpatient mental health units/offices. when i've sought/seek a different kind of freelance work (not graphic design). even when i was a young kid in corn-detassling and babysitting jobs and as a student in the classroom, working on solo or group projects and when applying for scholarships and assistantships. i felt that competition when my doctor and hairdresser each moved office and pushed to keep me on their patient/ customer lists. and do i need to mention the wretched reputations (deserved by a few, certainly not all) of lawyers, commission-based salesclerks and politicians?

i'm not saying all babysitters, doctors, social workers, politicians, lawyers, salesclerks etc. are pushy and competitive. i am saying i have felt it from a few ... and that immature or greedy behavior is not inherent to graphic designers or any other type of worker. we're all just trying to make a few dollars and get by. especially in this stupid economy.

just trying to defend my sister's occupation ...
thank you. :)


Before & After: A Cluttered to Clean Art Studio Overhaul
Amy Sacksteder
9/19/11 3:37 PM

oh, to have a space like the "after"! great job. thanks for sharing.

also, though i don't want to add to the sniping that i sometimes find in a.t. comments, i feel compelled to address someone's earlier comment. my sister is a graphic designer who uses a computer for quite a bit of her work (primarily in advertising). her fingernails are clean. she is not a "nasty primadonna". she is an artist ... one who's won close to 100 awards and is sought out for her work (but she won't tell you that). unfortunately she doesn't get the big bucks for that ... yet.

personalities are not job-specific and there's more than one way to be (as) an artist.


Before & After: A Cluttered to Clean Art Studio Overhaul
Amy Sacksteder
9/19/11 2:24 PM

lovely. another beauty is at "posie gets cozy" blog; search for her ripple blanket.

to minuet42: will this pattern do? hope so.
http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=4511&cps=21191


How To Make a Missoni for Target-Inspired Crochet Blanket
Vickie Howell
9/14/11 11:06 AM