Archive for the ‘before’ Category

Shelving Unit

Friday, September 4th, 2009



The other side of the living room needed something large. A statement piece I think real designers would call it. Well, I fell in love with the bookshelves in the lobby at The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs and thought, “hey, I could build that”.

And I did!

We sold the old wall unit and embarked on the master planning of the new plumbing conduit shelving unit. You know, I don’t even know where to begin with a How To. It took over a week, a lot of frustration (with many changes to the original plan) and about $200.

The unit is 8’8″ wide by roughly 7’6″ tall and 11 1/4″ deep

Here is the supply list:
Plumbing pipe and fittings (all at 1/2″)

Supply list:

Fittings:
18 – 90º Elbows
14 – 3-Way Tees
8 – Base Flanges

Pipe:
6 – 12″
7 – 18″
1 – 32″
3 – 30″ (Custom cut at home depot)
1 – 43″ (Custom cut at home depot)
14 – 8″
4 – 9″ (black gas pipe for the top flange connectors)

Wood Shelves
2 – 1″ x 12″ x 10′ pine planks (cut down to 8′8″)
2 – 1″ x 12″ x 6′ pine planks (cut down to 4′8″)

Minwax Stain
1 – Dark Walnut
1 – Walnut
(Mix 1/2 and 1/2 to get the desired color)

Rustoleum Gloss Spray Paint
3 – Black

Tools
Drill
3/4” Hole saw
Medium grit sandpaper (#120)
Dish soap / water-based degreaser
Ladder or step stool

We drilled holes in the pine planks for the pipe to fit through. We used a 3/4″ round drill bit to allow some wiggle room. Clean all the grease of the pipes (dish soap will do) and spray paint all the pipes black. Then sand and stain the wood.

After that it just all screws together. The hard part was figuring out all the math and prepping everything. The Boy and I assembled it by ourselves pretty quickly and surprisingly easily and then secured it to the wall with some screws through the flanges. That thing is SOLID.

Some in progress installation shots…

I couldn’t resist vignetting it up a bit after it was all installed. I rushed to get it styled up before the sun set.


A super quick and dirty styling job.

Unfortunately the sun set before I finished playing around with it, so of course it’s already styled differently. I will probably need some time to mess around and get everything looking fabulous.

This shelving project is what led me to install those controversial doors on the fireplace bookcases. I knew I wanted a big wall of open shelving in the living room and didn’t want the two areas to compete. I have open shelving in the den, kitchen, dining room and now a whole wall in the living room, so I thought we could sacrifice those bookcases being open – especially since I could never could get them to look right.

Mission C.A.H.L.R.S.P. has been accomplished. Holler!

In progress

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

Well, it’s been awhile (5 months! WTF) since I mentioned the fleshy pink bathroom of ill repute. Progress has been made, but not enough to warrant a full scale reveal.


Before


Progress


Before


Progress


Progress

So to recap:

-Paint! We painted…awhile ago.
-Patched holes/fixed plaster! LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS.
-Replaced cabinet handle hardware (although I’m not in love with it – anyone have a recommendations?)
-Installed an Ikea mirror.
-Fixed the shower plumbing

Still to do:

-Install shower curtain track
-Buy a shower curtain
-Install new lighting
-Install long shelf under mirror
-Hang art
-Paint and fix door (maybe get new door hardware?)
-Figure out where to hang towels (get towel hangers, oh and maybe some nice towels for once)
-Get rug
-Caulk shower (again)
-Buy porcelain plates for electrical outlets and such

So, in conclusion – we will continue to just smash lipstick all over this pig.

Stupid pink bathroom. Pink is my least favorite color, even trumping orange. At least I haven’t terrified you with an in depth tour of the other bathroom

Art

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

The readers spoke and I listened. The art in the dining and living room got the old switch-a-roo.

The mantel vignette in the living room is one of those things that will probably change shortly. It all depends on when I find awesome things, that perfect piece of art or sculpture can be elusive when your thrifty.

While my vintage art collection can be a bit disconcerting to some folks (or squares as I’d like to call them) the right piece of art gives a room a hella lot of charm and loads of quirk. An art collection can speak volumes about its owner and is one of those things that can be sourced and purchased over time and at any budget. Plus art makes a bland space EXPLODE with style.

You really don’t need a ton of cash to start collecting. I’ve never paid over $40 for a piece of art. Most of my collection was picked up at thrift stores (mainly), flea markets, garage sales and occasionally ebay. I also trade art with friends or sometimes make my own – even if it is a knock-off.

When in doubt buy original paintings, not giclee prints (or the bane of my existence) those crappy ink jet prints on canvas. Silkscreens, lithographs (well any printmaking for that matter) and drawings are all fabulous and have a great texture and that rich handmade quality.

Full disclosure; my background, ie. education, employment, ect. is in visual art. That’s probably why I dig modernism and wanna collect, collect, collect – especially when it comes to paintings, furniture, ceramics, blah blah blah. I like art. I like design. I like pretty pretty things. I am an aesthetic junkie and total art whore.

Art really seals the deal when it comes to taking your decor to that next elusive level. Real art (be it vintage, on etsy, or from a real life fancy gallery – hooray galleries!) is pretty easy to find and buy. So NO ONE has an excuse to buy that goddamn Audrey Hepburn fake painting at Ikea.