leith's Profile

Like I'm going to put in my contact information in the link. Lame.

How do you use this room, and what other lighting is there?

One inexpensive option would be to replace the fixture with a simple bulb covered by a paper lantern. This would give you ambient light without making you look into a bulb. Pearl River has various shapes for these. http://pearlriver.com/v2/sub_lanterns.html

Something similar but more upscale would be a saucer pendant, like the Nelson Bubble Lamp: http://www.ylighting.com/bub-saucer.html You can find something like this on eBay pretty easily.

You might also consider a celling light that has a diffuser, such as the Sonneman Puri Surface Mount Ceiling Light. There are various styles.

Finally, maybe a fixture that shines light up and bounces it off the ceiling? The suspension lights that come to mind are pricey, but your local lighting store might have some options.

Finally this is a cool brass pendant fixture for only $64: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=23603251

Love the herringbone floors. Fiona - they also sell the 4 x 24 - see http://www.buytile.com/home.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17_90&products_id=11842&szid=81

I feel your pain. I have something very similar, except in yellow. Even the tub, toilet and sink.

I replaced the vanity with something contemporary (and white) which hangs from the wall, and really opens up the space. Many vintage baths like this use pedestal sinks, which depending on your storage needs, might or might not work for you, but would fit the retro bath look. If it's not an option to replace it right away, you might consider some Bakelite handles to replace what's there.

If you could lose the wall cabinet near the toilet, that would help too.

A simple shower curtain can replace the shower doors. Black and white accessories would be a safe bet.

Forget about the wing chair - I love the desk in #7. But it doesn't look like they sell it anymore. Not that I had any place to put it...

I inherited a wing chair and it is very comfortable, but weighs about 187 pounds, so would not be so good in front of a desk.

This place seems to have polarized many people. The very clean, contemporary look seems "stark and impersonal" to some, and a little piece of heaven to others. It also seems to make some people defensive, as in, yeah, what I couldn't do with a boatload of money....or they must be the kind of people that stash the kids in the garden shed.

They've created an environment that works for them - I don't think of it as a reflection on me, my bank account or my parenting.

I think you can find some detail of interest in any environment, and learn something, even if it's that it's not for you.

The ceiling vault in the living room is pretty sexy.

I have had laminate countertops - in a pattern of gray speckles, sort of mimicking a granite pattern - for 15 years. They have been great, don't show dirt, haven't stained. But... someone put something very hot down next to the stove and popped the laminate. Can't match it at this point.

So I am trying to decide whether to replace the countertop just on the stove side with something more heat resistant. Except for this problem, I would have been happy with these long-term.

The gel matt and the indoor/outdoor rugs both seem like good suggestions. I do have an oriental rug in my kitchen, with a pad underneath, and it really doesn't show dirt. I think the pattern/colors you choose make a big difference, so this could work for you as well.

I'd be careful with something cotton since I find the edges tend to roll up and you don't want to fly across the kitchen while holding a hot dish.

I inherited an unusual barrel back wing chair from my mother. It has sentimental value because I think it came from my grandmother's thrift store.

It is probably from the turn of the century. But it is surprisingly comfortable. Low to the ground. Room to curl up. Upholstery absolutely in tatters. It's great!

celt-grrrl - that's exactly what I remembered - the Paris apartment. It was much funkier.