Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with decor

Best cure for a cold bed?

JoannaC — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:46:42 -0800

Best cure for a cold bed? I hate getting into a cold bed. Usually body heat warms it up after 15 minutes or so, but getting into it just is depressing and miserable. I have tried extra blankets, I have tried sealing the windows, I am just not sure what else to do. I used to think it was because I lived in a basement, but now I have moved and about a week ago, when we had our first snow, I started feeling the cold bed again. I even tried putting a space heater in, but the problem is not the temperature of the room, it's the temperature of the bed! So, flannel sheets? Electric blankets? What's the best next step here? Frugal options preferred. I just want to climb into a warm bed at night...

Please tell me about the coziest, softest, and most comfortable things in your home.

lalex — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:55:58 -0800

Please tell me about the coziest, softest, and most comfortable things in your home. After a recent luxury hotel stay, I'd like to make my apartment more comfortable...the kind of place with a sofa that's easy to curl up and nap on, an appealing reading nook, a bed that's ridiculously inviting after a long day.

To that end, please recommend your favorite comfortable home items. I'm looking for great throw pillows, blankets, bedding, really anything that makes you look forward to coming home.

Help me modernize this old space

pilibeen — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:56:06 -0800

How can I introduce some color in my very brown apartment - AND - can you recommend some cheap sources for cool/hip furnishings & paintings? I'm moving into a new place soon with hardwood floors in the living room & bed room, and wood paneling all around. It's very, very brown and drab.

I'm looking for ways to introduce some color into the space, and make it feel less like my grandparent's home and more like one of a 25 year old.

Since painting isn't an option - I'm assuming my only choices are furniture, paintings, lamps, plants, and other decorative items. Unfortunately I'm completely clueless and don't know where to begin looking for (reasonably) affordable furniture and paintings. The selection at the local thrift store and most yard sales seem to just match the current decor I'm trying to get away from.

Just browsing Apartment Therapy - I really like this guy's setup.

Not into the super modern - but I like the funky, hip, vintage stuff which I'm guessing is probably the only feel I could pull off anyway, given what I'm working with.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions....

If I had a hammer...

Pomo — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:36:44 -0800

Where can I buy a hammered-silver, round mirror for a Christmas gift? I know this is rather specific, but I have Googled, EBayed, and Etsied my heart out and checked every home decor store in town.

The mirror should be fairly large (to fill the space above a mantel), round, and of course by "silver" I mean silver-coloured not the actual metal. I want that hammered look as shown on this
piece of jewelry, only in a mirror frame.

Ideally, I'd rather not spend more than $200, and would need to source it in British Columbia, Washington State, or online.

Name This Aesthetic

CitrusFreak12 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:04:07 -0800

Is there a name or term for the aesthetic these blogs contain? I've realized that there is a definite theme and aesthetic quality in a lot of the blogs I read. But when trying to relate this to a friend yesterday, I realized I can't seem to figure out what it is or even quite how to describe it.

It bothers me even more because this aesthetic is very similar to things I('d like to) wear, things I collect, how I decorate areas in my room, etc, which is likely why I read them in the first place.

It's not just the vintage stuff, but that is a large part. There's a lot of overlap between them in modern things as well, and I think this combination of the two is rather important.

So what's the name for this aesthetic, and how can I describe/define it? And as a side question, are there blogs/resources where I can find more of the same?

The blogs are as follows:
A Continuous Lean
The Material Review (a tumblr blog by the same guy who does A Continuous Lean)
A Time to Get
Cold Splinters
Secret Forts
Yimmys Yayo (Consider this one NSFW, for the most part. All photos, and a higher concentration of nudity as of late. But the aesthetic is still there though, perhaps to a lesser extent than those linked above)

I can handle the output.

2or3whiskeysodas — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:35:24 -0800

Seeking free/cheap print-quality stuff online with which to decorate our new home! I have access to several high-end printers, including an oversize inkjet plotter. We need crap to hang on our walls. What, O Hive Mind, are your favorite online resources for free, cheap, legal, high-resolution drawings/photos/illustrations? Got any good Flickr pools? Illustration blogs? What?

Our tastes include, but are not limited to, the typical design-y, crafty, homemade stuff all the kids seem to be into these days. Honestly, anything's worth considering at this point as long as it's lovely. Thanks!

Help fill a law office in Chicago with tacky items

parakeetdog — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 22:02:32 -0800

Where can I buy tacky office decorations in Chicago? Where can I go to find tacky office decorations that would be appropriate for a law office? I’m looking to spend no more than $400 or so on various office decorations. I would like to get a few ugly items.

Specific things I’m looking for –
Ugly desk lamp - I like this giraffe lamp giraffe lamp for instance, but obviously don’t want to spend almost $400 for just one lamp.

Amusing artwork – For example, I am highly amused by paintings painted by elephants. Obviously, elephant art is not going to be found in Chicago, but I’m looking for goofy artwork in general. It could be a photograph, painting, etc.

Tacky items to put on a desk – The sillier the better. I like chattering teeth for instance.

Does anyone know of a store that sells ugly/tacky items in Chicago? It could be an antique store, but I’m not looking for a “high end” type place. It could be a thrift store, but preferably one that specializes in objects and not clothes.

Pet-proof privacy, does it exist?

anderjen — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:15:29 -0800

Decor-challenged homeowner seeks pet-proof window coverings. Please share your experiences and recommendations. We've got six living room windows that are currently covered in cheapo aluminum blinds. Whenever we leave the house, our dog and cat like to watch us go, which is incredibly cute and all, but they shove their faces through the closed blinds to do so, and consquently the bottom six inches of the blinds are completely bent and mashed to hell.

We're finally getting around to upgrading them, and need something that provides privacy but won't be trashed by their strong heads and muzzles, the dog's in particular.

I'm 100% clueless about window treatments (hence the crappy blinds). What's our best bet? Links to pictures or specific products would be awesome.

Preferences and/or irritating limitations:
- Ideally, I'd like to be able to lower them all the way, as it feels safer when we're not home (we live on a corner with a lot of foot traffic), but if I have to leave them up a few inches to prevent damage, I'm willing to do so.
- Would prefer to avoid curtains unless they're super minimalist and can be laundered easily. (Our house is tiny, and they seem too heavy and overwhelming otherwise).
- String-free or cord-free would be a huge bonus.

Three of them all situated in the same frame, directly face the street, and look like this. The other three are on the sides of the house, are single windows, and a bit longer, like the two you see here.

Any ideas?

Thanks, hive!

Help me find Things to furnish an apartment

Dormant Gorilla — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:11:17 -0800

Need some ideas for home furnishing/design blogs... So, after 6+ years of sharing places with roommates, I am about to finally have my own place, and it's a frankly massive one-bedroom. Awesome, yes...but I have no Things with which to fill it. I require Things! Lamps, curtains, dishes, and various and sundry other accoutrements.

Can anyone recommend good design blogs? The most important thing would be that they have extensive links to where Things can actually be bought, and that said Things are actually affordable (ie, not $90 for a damn shower curtain). Ideas are great, but I really need links to the actual products, instead of just "this is some conceptual couch/bed/stereo/bird feeder that some guy mocked up in Sweden and it will never actually go on the market and if it does, you cannot in any way afford it".
Stylewise, I'm thinking of things like Apartment Therapy , Decor8 and Emma's .

Oh PS, I am aware of Etsy but it's so vast that I'd need blog entries about individual designers so I could go look at their stuff...I'd rather not click through 800 pages tagged "curtains".

Thanks!

Best office ever?

1f2frfbf — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:44:44 -0800

What office accessories can you not live without? I have finally become important enough to have my own office, now I need to accessorize it. I'm an all-purpose creative type (video, graphic design, etc) in a very conservative field (health care). My computer stuff, a chair and a desk will be provided, but I have a blank slate as far as anything else. I'm already planning on getting a giant white board, but what else will I need/want? I'm looking for anything from the useful to the fun.

Keep in mind: 1) I'll paying for it myself, and 2) I can't do anything too crazy.

(sort of previ ously)

Four legs good, two legs bad.

B-squared — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:07:24 -0800

I am looking for a kitchen mascot: a cast iron pig with a cute face. Help me find one to purchase. This one would be perfect.

Nemo-cize my house!

atchafalaya — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 08:51:29 -0800

How can I turn my house into Nemo's lair? I want my home to become an undersea retreat.

I've seen pictures of Farallon, and this office and a few other things, but I need more.

I know, steampunk is tired, but I just can't resist Jules Verne-style decor. Plus I work under the water.

Any suggestions?

Should I make a glass ceiling?

TedW — Sun, 24 May 2009 07:26:27 -0800

What should I do with a bunch of glass shelves that I came across? Yesterday I stopped by a store that was winding down its going out of business sale, and I noticed a stack of tempered glass shelving from the display cases. I asked about it and they said "take them, we are just going to throw them in the trash when we close for good in about an hour". That was too good to resist, so I loaded up my trunk with about half the shelves they had stacked up only to get home and find my wife doesn't care for glass shelves (they show up too much dust). So I now have about 30 glass shelves of varying lengths and widths and would like suggestions on what to do with them. Ideas that involve cutting, drilling, or smashing them are perfectly acceptable; for example, a couple of them got chipped on the way home and the nice conchoidal fractures made me think that some of them could be sacrificed for me to teach myself knapping. A few of them may actually end up as shelves, but what are some other suggestions?

Help me hang my posters please

serazin — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:37:02 -0800

I have a large and beloved collection of People's History posters. Last year I had them mounted on thin foamcore (thinness illustrated here), thinking that would lengthen their lives, but I cannot keep them on my walls. So far I've tried two systems: 1) I put small nails above and below the posters, holding them in place between the nails. When the weather changed, almost all the posters shrunk or warped a bit, and dramatically fell from the walls. Next, I tried 2) these circles that spike into the foam (like these), and they still inexplicably just fall off the wall, leaving the spikes attached to the wall.

So, what's the best, affordable way to attach these fairly lightweight posters, without excessively scarring my rented walls?

Thanks!

A (padded) room of one's own

casarkos — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:31:23 -0800

Help me figure out a solution for textured rental walls? I've recently moved into a new apartment, of the sort whose rental contract requires that you leave it in exactly the same condition as when you moved in. All the walls (and 9' ceilings) in this place are pale dull yellow and totally covered in popcorn texturing, which I thought I could live with when I signed the lease, but now I'm starting to think it will drive me nuts (not to mention I tend to bump into walls, and these walls bump back. Ow.)

Putting up wallpaper isn't going to hide the texture, and will make a huge mess when I have to tear it down when I move out. Chipping off the popcorn and repainting is also going to be more of a mess than I want to deal with, and I'm also hearing things about toxic dust particles in the stuff, and I refuse to have to put it back up when I leave. Basically I don't want to do anything to the walls that will cost major money to undo.

So right now I'm thinking about using some heavier fabric to cover at least the living room and bedroom walls, maybe tacking up some crown molding along the ceiling to hold up the edges and cutting and hemming holes for switchplates and such. Is this feasible? What type of fabrics would work with this? I've never done upholstery or drapery besides putting up curtains, but I can sew decently.

Or do you have a better idea?

DIY websites for Fixing your Condo

matthelm — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:52:46 -0800

I just bought a condo and am looking for websites that are dedicated to doing DIY things to improve your home ranging from doing cheap/green projects, cool home gadgets, to major remodeling jobs... There is a site that I kind of view and is a good example of what i am looking for and that site is: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la Any and all ideas are welcome!!!!

Help me create my Wall of Maps!

pollex — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:20:16 -0800

I need ideas for creating my wall of maps. I have a collection of maps (the bulk are tourist-type maps from my travels, but many kinds are represented in my collection). I'd like to make a big wall of maps. When I was in college, I made one just using pushpins and it was OK, but I'm interested in finding a method or design that might be a bit more elegant before I put 100 pin holes in the wall in my new apartment.

Here's a picture of the beginnings of the dorm wall, for reference.

Seattle style in an NYC Apartment?

lorrer — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:38:34 -0800

Help my NYC apartment feel more like a Seattle home. I'm still in the process of furnishing my apartment - a year after moving in. I don't have a whole lot of time to spend, and I've realized after many attempts at decorating that I like a natural/outdoorsy/relaxed feel, but not particularly rustic and not at all "country." Naturally, I'm from the Pacific Northwest. I feel in tune with homes along the lines of the ones pictured here. But, I left the Seattle area well before furnishing a home was remotely a consideration, and have no idea where to look for ideas on how to make a space that I can feel connected with (other than the magazine I linked to, which I just found via random google searching). I'm living in Brooklyn and have trees outside all of my windows, which helps, but I still miss the misty days, miss the theme of oversized (by comparison) windows and nature-grounded art, and miss the constant nice smell of greenery and fresh rain that I enjoyed growing up.

I'd like any resources on home decor or design that will help give my NYC apartment the natural feel of a home in the San Juans, or, failing that, the East Side :). Any tips for magazines, websites, or promising stores in NYC or non-time-intensive projects I could do would be fantastic. I'd also love any recommendations for indoor plants that are easy maintenance and would give off a pleasant evergreen smell, or otherwise help make the apartment smell earthy/plantlike (not like flowers or cooking herbs).

Where can I find the "recycled bag" fabric used by grocery stores?

mikepop — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:58:47 -0800

Where can I find the fabric/material several grocery chains are using to make cheap reusable bags these days? Is it as cheap as it appears? Several grocery store chains in this area have been offering reusable shopping bags for 99 cents or less. The material used is recycled plastics and ranges from very plasticy (example) to somewhat woven fabric-like (example).

I'd like to de-beige the walls of my work cube on the cheap, but haven't been able to find anywhere to buy the material in bulk, and am unsure of what the proper search terms are. Assuming I can find it in bulk, will it be as cheap as it seems to be? Or are the stores getting some sort of massive volume discount? I'm willing to just wait for a design I like and buy 10 bags and cut them up, but I imagine starting with bolts of fabric will be easier/look better.

Help me find a very simple maple or oak bar stool.

valannc — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:04:48 -0800

Shopping filter: Seeking a very simple maple or oak bar stool, about 30" high, with a square or rectangular top. Preferably solid wood, but good quality composite material is ok. Must have flat top... we plan to use it as a bedside table. This stool at target.com is the perfect shape and size, but the wrong color. I need a warm-toned maple, oak, ash. I've already looked at many retail sites... ikea, overstock, pottery bran, west elm. Any suggestions? We would prefer to order within the U.S. to save on shipping.

Nesting for cheapskates

libraryhead — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:36:24 -0800

How can I have a nice house when I have such a hard time paying money for furniture? My husband and I are both 37. We bought our first house two years ago and are about to have a second child. The house is furnished with a mix of Ikea/Target/West Elm cheap stuff and college-era castoffs, none in great condition. I would happily freecycle nearly everything we have and start over.

We recently received a windfall of about $10,000. Both of us would like to use some of this money to improve our living space, but I'm finding myself paralyzed. Obviously it's not enough to redo the entire house (7 rooms), and I don't want to simply replace all the junk we have now with different junk.

We're also having trouble reaching consensus, especially when it comes to seating. His priority is comfort and durability; I'm much more aesthetically motivated, although I want comfort and quality, too. There are a lot of designs I can't stand and would really make me unhappy if I had to look at them every day.

We both agree that we want to mostly avoid the big box stores if we can, for environmental and social/economic justice reasons. His inclination is to go to the local furniture chain whose quality is one step up from from assemble-it-yourself places. I'd rather troll Craigslist looking for higher-quality used pieces. They often need work, however (I still haven't reupholstered that chair in the office...), and the whole process of buying and getting them home can be a huge hassle. Even though we could afford it, for some reason I can't quite bring myself to pay, say, $2500 for a bed from a higher-quality maker, even though we seem to have no problem shelling out that much for computer and media equipment every few years.

To top it off, I often experience buyer's remorse, and even stuff we paid a decent amount for doesn't get treated too well and ends up looking shabby. (Admittedly, the cat, the dog, and the toddler have something to do with that.)

I guess my question is: With a limited, though not insignificant, amount of money available, how do we prioritize what's worth buying 1) new/high-quality/custom, 2) used/high-quality, and 3) new/cheaper? (I don't see the point of buying used particleboard bookshelves -- leave something for the college students.) How can I get past my block that decent furniture is actually worth paying real money for? We need, among other things, a bed frame and clothes storage; living room seating and storage; rugs, lighting, art, and side tables.

Help me pimp my new guest house!

miss lynnster — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:52:19 -0800

Inspire me! Where are your absolute favorite places to find incredible, unique interior and outdoor decorating treasures and bargains in Los Angeles (or online)? I'm looking for cool stuff to fill/cover walls, floors, windows, garden, patio, home office... you name it! I LOVE finding bargains so the Rose Bowl and PCC swap meets are already on the list, as are other places... but I'd like to hear where you find YOUR inspirations! I'm dumping most of my old furnishings and will be designing my new living space *almost* from scratch. I tend to be drawn to things that are cool vintage or have slightly ethnic (asian, european, middle eastern) influences. When I'm done, without going broke I want this new place to feel like a really comfortable sanctuary where people love hanging out. :)

What are some cool sites for ethnic decor?

hazyspring — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:58:55 -0800

I am looking for sites that specialize in atypical (not chinese or japanese) ethnic decor, furniture and/or art. Think: Turkish, Moroccan, or Indian home decor. I've found a ton of sites focusing on East Asian decor, but not very many other options. I know it's all over the map, but I've just been looking for some places that I can find individual pieces.

Help me find "mid-century dark brown" paint

Artifice_Eternity — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:25:14 -0800

I'm a fan of mid-century modern design. We've just bought an apartment in a building from that era (1961), and want to furnish it appropriately. We've got some vintage stuff we've collected over the years, and have bought some new stuff from Ikea and elsewhere that fits the bill. I'm also planning to build or modify some simple items (shelves, an entertainment center) in mid-century style -- and here's where I've run into a major problem: I can't seem to find paint in that very dark, almost-black brown that is so characteristic of the period. Any suggestions? I've looked at the paint chips on offer from half a dozen different manufacturers, at various hardware stores, and nothing quite captured it. As this blogger (who faced the same dilemma) put it, "I was hoping for a slightly darker, more bitter brown, something that really embodied the color 'expresso' [sic]".

It does seem to me that "mid-century dark brown" has a "bitter" quality to it -- undertones of black and green, perhaps? -- that make it very different from even the darkest brown colors of paint I've seen on offer these days (which tend to be orangey).

With the growing interest in this style, I'm surprised this kind of color is not more widely available. Can anyone recommend a specific brand and color of paint that fits the bill? Or does anyone have experience mixing other paint colors to get something like this?

cute diy boat decor, plz.

cior — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:52:18 -0800

I'd like to do some interior design/cozying to my sailboat's interior. Before charging off with a sewing machine and some rubber cement, I thought it might be good to seek some advice. Got any? Here are two photos of my current interior.

I really want to warm the place up a bit, make things comfortable and homey. At the same time, whatever I do needs to stand up to moisture and general boat skank. I've started by sanding down and coating the cabinets with teak oil, but don't know where next to go.

Any experiences to share? Any mods to avoid? I've been looking at CRAFT magazine and a few other sources, but not getting very far in terms of practical ideas that would work on a boat. I've also asked some sailing friends, but haven't gotten a lot of helpful advice -- their boats are either too new or nice to make an equation with my shabby environs.