RKtect's Profile

There better be a window if you're going to make a closet into a bedroom. There are building codes for a reason, people!

Try to channel Don Draper, and embrace mid century modern colors and textures. Ditch the shiny pillows, and reupholster the bolster pillows in chocolate brown or charcoal gray velvet. I'd also make the drapes match. Switch out the rug for a rich chocolate brown. Paint the walls a light grayish/smokey blue. Nice find!

Even though it's common practice for NYers to load up their fire escapes as though they're balconies, it's a safety hazard and a violation of building code. If there were a fire in the building and people actually tried to use the fire escape, planters would block the path of egress. I use fire escapes to survey building facades for my job, and at times I was completely unable to pass some of the landings because they were so packed with planters. Please keep this in mind when planting on your fire escape; it should not be used as your personal balcony.

After much research, I decided I couldn't settle on a moving company based on online reviews--there were always a couple of really nasty reviews, even if all the rest were stellar. My friend recommended Shea Movers, and they were fantastic. They gave us an estimate based on how much stuff we had in our apartment and how long they thought it would take to move everything, and they actually came in UNDER budget! It took them less time, and so they charged less! They were fantastic. While they were hauling off the boxes we had already packed, we were frantically packing the last of our stuff (of which there was of course more than we thought). They didn't just stand there and wait for us to scrounge around for newspaper and bubble wrap; they took out their packing paper and helped us wrap up & pack the remaining items. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone in NY.
http://www.sheamoving.com/

I have lived in two tiny apartments in the East Village that were shower only. I was very pleased when I finally moved into an UWS apartment that had a tub.

A tub is not only useful for children (I don't have any), but also for washing dogs. There was a groomer who had a self-wash station in the East Village, but on the UWS, I haven't found that, so it's very convenient to have the tub we have.

That said, if you are decreasing the footprint of the shower in order to increase square footage somewhere else or to add much-needed storage space within the bathroom, then go ahead and make that improvement. Just make sure you're eliminating the tub for practical reasons, not purely aesthetic purposes.

Thank you so much! I'll get pricing from all three of these!

Besides the obvious (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar), you MUST check out the Palace Cistern (Yerebatan Saray). It's an underground cistern that is breath-taking. I had not seen photos of it before going down there, just a recommendation in the guide book. I was shocked once I walked down the stairs. Also, take a cruise up the Bosphorus, and take a tour of Dolmabahce Palace (it means filled garden--the land on which it sits was filled into the water). Many of its finishes are faux finishes in order to keep the weight of the palace down because of its foundation.

If you have any time to go outside of Istanbul, I highly recommend taking a short flight to Cappadocia to see the Fairy Chimneys (google it). We stayed at Traveller's Cave Hotel (much more reasonably priced than the other boutique cave hotels, and the owner was very helpful in setting up some hikes for us) and had a fantastic time.

I do NOT recommend taking any overnight buses while in Turkey if you intend to travel outside of Istanbul. If flying is an option, it's much better!

Our last apartment had bedroom windows on the first floor facing the sidewalk of a NYC street. I looked into window films, and every one I liked was pretty expensive. Instead we used corrugated plastic panels from a craft store. They were way cheaper, and you don't have to worry about sticking them to the window without any bubbles or wrinkles. Just tape them to the window frame and you're done. Obviously, this is not appropriate for every setting (it's tough to cut curves in this type of board, and sometimes taping to the frame is not a practical option), but for straightforward rectangular windows, this was perfect.

Not really sure why a similar look couldn't have been created on an Ikea dresser. You could have sold that beautiful MCM dresser for a couple hundred on Ebay or Craigslist.

This is a pilsner that actually has a very complex, deep flavor! A lot of pilsners are light, one-noters.

Lagunitas always makes good beer, and this is no exception!