LJScarpello's Profile

The chapter is from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! I love this person already.

Having interned at Real Life Kitchens & Baths magazine for over two years, I think your list is fantastic. You really seem to have your priorities straight for you, and that parlays into goo advice for other homeowners (though your advice on how it's different for everyone is also applicable). The magazine was all about helping people redo their kitchens (and baths) in a budget-friendly way without it looking like a "budget" kitchen, and all of your points are spot-on to what we often advocated to our readers, as well as what we found out from other homeowners who did similar upgrades!

If I had to pick one that stands out, then it's cabinets. Totally agree with @AmyFaith, if the cabinets are pulling away that's an installation issue. One of the best ways you can save is by using builder-grade cabinets and customizing them, whether it be through custom doors like you or through paint or whatever. Great list!

Super second the cork-as-backsplash tutorial!

Wow, had no idea there were places in the world where you had to pay the broker. When it comes to NYC, I'm not all that surprised. Here in Chicago I met a wonderful broker who helped me get an insane deal on my apartment, and she got an awesome bonus for it, but from the landlord, not me! I think it helped that she saw me as a person, and I really appreciated the hard work she put into a difficult situation for someone she barely knew.

Second that @MNTNGR! Can these people do like a full-scale house? I'm short, it'll work.

These are beautiful; the only issue is that wine crates are becoming increasingly hard to find due to their rising popularity. Maybe if AT stops posting about them I'll be able to snag a few here in Chicago! ;) I did find some from a garage sale not too long ago, along with some vintage Pepsi crates, but for all of the DIY wine crate projects I've dreamed up they're not enough. If anyone knows a good source here in Chi-town, lemme know!

Genius idea using an old mirror for the coffee table-top. I'm gonna need to steal that one.

Having just moved to Chicago from Iowa, I too am struggling to not nitpick over the slow process of decorating my new apartment. I just got my IKEA bookcase and bed frame Saturday! Still need to decoupage my coffee table, get window treatments up, add some DIY art to the walls, get barstools for the breakfast bar and a kitchen table for two--as well as down the line get a better TV for the living room (ENORMOUS ceilings makes my college 32" look tiny).

I've lived in the city a little over the month, though, and I absolutely love my surrounding neighborhoods. I live just on the edge of Wicker Park, which (albeit being a "trendy" neighborhood) is gorgeous--shady, full of old, beautiful houses, and actually brimming with a lot of really nice people, especially young families. I like that it's a unique scene, it reminds me a lot of how you're describing Andersonville, which I'll now have to check out!

Thanks for the great post. :)