Homing - Your Place or Mine?

September 1, 2009

Project Chair uno

Diving headfirst into a furniture project - let's see how this turns out!

He doesn't look too great right now (he's more 1970s than 1870s), and upholstery is going to be a beech for whoever does it. I've decided to stain the trim myself but not do the tricksy fabric part myself. Luckily I just read the book (by "just" I mean three months ago) The Four Hour Workweek, and it empowered me to outsource my life to Craigslist. Through the power of Craig, I found a DIY buddy who's about 1/5 the cost of a professional.

Total projected cost of chair + labor + fabric + stain: $250

Click here to download:

Project_Chair_uno.zip (373 KB)

Posted by Jena

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August 29, 2009

Cool undersea dishware from Z. Gallerie

I wish they had a fourth design. Then it'd be perfect!

Posted by Stephanie Lim

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July 28, 2009

For kicks and giggles

I used to love visiting this one hardware store on Fillmore St in San Francsico that carried a bunch of Fred items: soap scrubbers shaped like radishes, rhinoceros-bonded chopsticks, shot glass ice cube trays, etc. My interests are generally right where novelty and inventiveness intersect. I have been known to skew silly and useless.

I forgot the Fred brand name until it came up today in a search for fun alarm clocks. Then suddenly I was introduced to about ten websites featuring Fred products, all of which I could lose myself in for like an hour:

1. http://www.popdeluxe.net - Great stuff across categories from arty art to Urban Outfitters novelty decor. Represented: Tord Boontje laser cut Tyvek light
2. http://www.spoonsisters.com - A little cheesier. Represented: Food Face™ Plate
3. http://www.patinastores.com - Doesn't stand out in terms of selection, but it's a Minnesota based company so I have to include. Represented: bacon wallet
4. http://www.perpetualkid.com - I feel a little weird about perpetual childhood since MJ died but we have to keep his memory (and Neverland) alive in our hearts somehow. You won't find anything you can really use here. Represented: anti-theft lunch bags

Click here to download:

For_kicks_and_giggles.zip (165 KB)

Posted by Jena

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July 22, 2009

Very cool upcycled chandelier from Laura Pregger Design

I am a sucker for chandeliers made out of old cups. I love it.

via designspongeonline.com

Posted simultaneous to stephanie.posterous.com.

Posted by Stephanie Lim

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July 20, 2009

Forest Canopy Bed

Looks like Anthropologie is now offering its own take on the "tree bed." The original, by Shawn Lovell Metalworks, costs a cool $15,000. Anthro's version costs a mere third of the price, closer to $5500. Still expensive, but slightly more reasonable.

But is it really a suitable substitute for the "real thing"?

via anthropologie.com

Posted by Stephanie Lim

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July 16, 2009

On sale: "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster

SFgirlbybay, one of the many awesome home design blogs that are filling that large Domino-sized hole in my heart, got a mention in NYTimes and is celebrating by offering all her "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters at 20% off. These posters have become rather ubiquitous, kind of like the rabid popularity the "For Like Ever" poster from vllg.com enjoyed a couple years ago.

I like the poster a lot, and the only reason I hesitated was because of its very ubiquity, and also because I'm a bit of an anglo-phobe (maybe a more accurate term is imperialist-phobe). I calmed down a bit after reading the history of the original poster (developed as a propaganda slogan during WWII Britain) here.

At any rate, you can't deny the ingenious, appealing graphic design and the pop of color. My problem is I can't decide which color to get!

You can get a poster for yourself at SFgirlbybay's etsy shop.

Posted simultaneously to stephanie.posterous.com.

Click here to download:

Keep_Calm.zip (621 KB)

Posted by Stephanie Lim

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July 1, 2009

Etsy furniture showpieces

Sometimes I browse Etsy for furniture - not because I would ever buy handmade or vintage furniture online, but because it's so darn unique it gives me a hernia. Like chromalab's furniture for instance. I love this hand-painted Deep Sea Dresser. (This is where my boyfriend Elliott makes a snurff sound and reminds me that I like anything that is brightly colored.)

They also have this peachy end table that reminds me of Twitter's "Fail Whale."

There is something very Minnesotan and not LA at all to this industrial chair from industryLA.

Back again to dressers I found this hand-drawn red and blue Branches Dresser that could beat up any World Market doodad anyday. From zealcrafts.

This St. Germaine Bed by TripoliDesigns is perfect if you think of beds like you think of fruit baskets.

Ah if only.

Click here to download:

Etsy_furniture_showpieces.zip (205 KB)

Posted by Jena

Comments [1]

May 21, 2009

Tube Rage

I was watching a special episode of Clean House ("Clean House: Messiest House in America 2") yesterday, and I became straight-up enraged.

Here is this couple, Phil and Mindy, who live in a landfill. They have about 25 pounds of petrified cat turds underneath their stairs (although they haven't had a cat in a year), a months-old fly trap hanging from the kitchen ceiling, and filth cluttering the only visible snatches of floor. I'm talking fist-sized dust bunnies, empty toilet paper rolls, hair, and TUPPERWARES FULL OF HARD BOILED EGGS. I'm hard to gross out (I'm on the internet a lot) but I could not eat my Cheez-Its as they toured the house.

Then, after 40 minutes of negotiating with Phil and Mindy, who refused to part with 50 plastic tubs of assorted crap, the hosts completely remodeled the house. They even gave them all new carpet, hardwood floors, roman blinds, doors, appliances, and furniture. All the while I am slack-jawed at the unworthiness of Phil and Mindy, who are caught on secret camera saying "It might go back to the way it was." As Phil looks at his gorgeous new bedroom set, he says "I'll have to wash the comforter once a month now." I have never smacked anybody outside of karate class, but I would smack them.

A day later, I'm still sitting here trying to figure out how two sane people can be so horrifying.

In any case it has renewed my interest in organizational devices and cubbies and things. Here are my favorites:

Bright blue earring holder on Etsy: $18
Hand rake wine glass holder on Country Living (DIY idea)
Shoe storage coat rack on Apartment Therapy (DIY idea)
Read&Roll toilet paper holder on eBay as seen on TheAwesomer.com: about $30
Tiered jewelry stand on Etsy: $80 (I'm thinking I can make one that's less frou-frou with candlesticks, dishes, and a hot glue gun. More china ideas I found: http://www.robomargo.com/china.html - some of them are a little more Cookie Jar Culture, but others are cute)
Library card cabinet on eBay: $58

Click here to download:

Tube_Rage.zip (240 KB)

Posted by Jena

Comments [1]

May 2, 2009

Vertical Garden

I saw this a while back ... somewhere? Maybe Google Reader. Anyway I think it's super awesome and a much better idea than the upside-down tomato planters in Skymall.

Someday when I have the green thumb, this is going to happen.

Indoor Vertical Garden

Click here to download:

Vertical_Garden.zip (110 KB)

Posted by Jena

Comments [2]

May 1, 2009

Meet: My blue pumpkin.

My coworker Sangeetha is taking a ceramics class with her husband. She brought all these little pieces he made to work and a bunch of us got to take our pick. This was one of the last ones left (I assume because it's not "useful" like some of the cups and saucers that other people took), but I love it. It is so weird and fantastic, like something out of a Tim Burton film.

It's got a wonderful heft, and I think it will make a nice desk denizen, paperweight, or random objet.

Posted simultaneously to: stephanie.posterous.com