Apartment 528

Move over Boring Daybeds...

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:28:00 +0000

Talk about a space saver! The DOC sofa bed from BonBon Trading goes from couch to bunk bed in just a few easy steps. Now you can fit not one, but two guests this thanksgiving. Not to mention, this is way more stylish than a normal daybed!

Prices aren't listed on the website which usually means it's pricey. Maybe the Moddi folks (inventors of the DIY Murphy Bed made from Ikea parts) can come up with a bunk bed design!

Thanks to the ShearYadi blog for tipping me off to this awesome find!

Etsy Shop of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:52:00 +0000

This week's shop: jDuct

The Weekender: Radio Cabinet Help

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:08:00 +0000

A couple weeks ago, Jerome and I hit up a garage sale on our way to Home Depot. At first, it seemed like a bust, until we saw this awesome radio cabinet way in the back. The radio had already been removed and the owners were planning on throwing it out. My mind started racing with ideas for things to do with the cabinet. We bought it for $10.

Now that it's home, we've realized there aren't that many places to put the radio. It only fits in two places, the alcove by the kitchen and the corner of the living room (pictured).

We thought about making it into an entertainment center...the fabric of the old speaker cover allows signals to come through so it'd be perfect for housing our xbox and cable box. Unfortunately the radio cabinet didn't look right under the TV. So now we're back to square one.

We're headed to Home Depot today to buy shelves to put in the cabinet. If you have any ideas of what we could do with it...bookshelves, dry bar, etc...let me know! We need inspiration :)

7 Armoires Under $300

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:17:00 +0000

I was recently asked for places to find affordable armoires for a college student. After hours of searching, I found 7 armoires under $300. They come in all different sizes and colors so there's something for everyone!

Clockwise from top left: Engan Wardrobe (Ikea) $179; Falls Village Armoire (Target) $299; Black 4-Door Wardrobe (Target) $200, Sauder Brookstone Armoire (Walmart) $154; Tolga Organizer (Ikea) $69; Eina Wardrobe (Ikea) $100; CB2 Cadet Cabinet (CB2) $199

Etsy Shop of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:52:00 +0000

This week's shop: Mungo Crafts

The Weekender: Frame It Up

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

This week's Weekender will help you make a frame for the DIY art you made last week.

WARNING: This post is for slackers looking to do things the easy way. If you're making a frame for a non-wood art piece (photographs, prints, fabric, etc), or you just like quality work, you'll want to stop reading immediately and head over to Instructables.com where they'll show you how to make a great frame just like one you'd buy in the store.

There are two ways to make a frame, the easy way and the right way. So far, I've only made a frame the easy way. I was going to make a frame the right way so I could give you step-by-step instructions, but then I got lazy and went the easy way again.

For others wanting to go the easy way, all you need is wood trim, a miter saw/box, a staple gun, and screws.

First buy the trim which can be found in the lumber section of your local hardware store. There are all kinds of trims and mouldings available, depending on the look you're going for and how much you're willing to spend. Read the labels carefully...some trim is sold per foot while others are per piece.

A miter saw is next. It helps you make angled cuts, which is exactly what you need for the corners of your frame. Unless you plan on using a miter saw pretty often, I'd recommend skipping the power saw (you can get a cheap one for about $100 at Home Depot) and going for a hand saw and miter box. I bought this miter saw for $20. Because I don't want to be the one you sue if you cut off your finger, I won't tell you how to use the saw...read the directions that come in the box to make the corners of your frame. Remember to measure carefully as you cut. You'll want to measure from the outside edges of the trim when calculating your length, NOT the inside.

Now you can paint or stain your trim and let it dry. Easy enough!

Here comes the part where I cheat. Instead of buying flat corner brackets to join my frame pieces together, I go the easy route and simply attach the trim directly to my wooden art piece using a staple gun. I then attache a picture hanging bracket to the back of the piece so that it can easily hang on the wall.

I just saved you like 20 steps. You're welcome.

Again, this is only for people looking to cheat and do things the super easy way. As long as the work you do is good, people will never notice (or care) that you cheated!

Garage Sale: Lounging Around

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:55:00 +0000

I heard on the news that snow's already starting to fall in parts of the country. That means the start of cozy nights in while the temperatures outside slowly start to dip. So grab a book, fire up the games, or snuggle in with a nice cup of tea.

Clockwise from top: Atari Game System, $375 (Cozy Studio); Orange Enamelware Mug, $9.50 (Birdie1); Set of 3 Popcorn Bowls, $12 (White2); Nancy Drew Vol. 1 & 2, $18 (Handsome Raven); Popcorn Maker, $19.99 (Nostalgic Treasures); 1970's Handmade Afghan, $19 (Renaissance Professor)

Etsy Shop of the Week: Decoy Lab

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:58:00 +0000

Three weeks ago, I started a feature on the main Apt528 website called "Etsy Shop of the Week." Each week, I highlight a different Etsy shop that I can't live without. Of course I forgot to share these great shops with my awesome blog readers! From now on, I'll post a link to the Shop of the Week page each Monday...now you can be as obsessed with Etsy as I am!

This week's shop, Decoy Lab.

Don't forget to check out past shops Get Ready, Set, Go! and Funky Chicken Design.

Vintage 528

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:24:00 +0000

I'm super excited to announce the opening of Vintage 528, a new section of the Apartment 528 Store. Vintage 528 is your place to go for, well, vintage items! Check back weekly for new additions to the store as I scour New England to find new and exciting pieces.

Wood Veneer Charges - $15

Jonas Roberts Snack Set - $15

Ingrid Snack Set - $15

If you're not into kitchen items, don't worry, other items will be added shortly!

The Weekender: DIY Art

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:38:00 +0000

The Weekender is a new weekly DIY series . Check The Weekender every Saturday for easy, affordable DIY projects.

For renters, wall art can be the difference between living in a boring box and living in a space that's all about you. Especially if your landlord won't let you paint. But good art can be a pricey investment and isn't always worth it if you're someone who moves alot or often likes to change their decor...like me!

Solution: DIY art.

Unfortunately for me, creativity doesn't automatically give you artisitic ability. So I go the easy route with my art by using wood and watered down latex paints. The wood grain adds texture and visual interest so no matter how bad I am at painting, the finished product still looks great! I recommend using plenty of water to help you blend colors. The picture below is my latest creation and final piece to complete my dining room. I did the whole piece in about 10 minutes. Now all that's left is adding a frame.

Don't be afraid to try something new or bring in new materials. I used Ikea accessory hangers to make the piece below. The creative possibilities are endless.

For easy canvas art, try something simple like a splatter print...paint the canvas one color and let dry. Then dip your brush in paint and fling, shake, and splatter accent colors all over the canvas. It's an easy way to get "abstract" art! To save money, hit the thrift store and pickup a few used canvases. For just a few dollars, you can turn an 80's monstrosity into an awesome piece.

Looking for other DIY art ideas?

Hit the Paper Shop - Your local paper or craft store is one of the best places to start when doing DIY art. Browse through the wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, and decorative papers till you find one you like. Throw it in a frame for instant art. To take the art up a knotch, buy a frame with a matt or buy a pre-cut matt that you can add to your frame.

Get Personal - If you know your way around acrylics, watercolors or a camera, try creating your own art to add a truly personal touch.

Stay tuned for next week's Weekender when we make our own frames to finish off our awesome pieces!

Garage Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:33:00 +0000

Thrifty Thursdays have officially ended. Don't worry, I'll still be here to help you find great second hand goods but this time under a weekly post titled Garage Sale.

Garage Sale will run on Fridays and feature finds from Craigslist, Etsy, and Ebay. Enjoy!

Ikea Fusion Dining Set (Boston)
$60

The Fusion set retails for $299 at Ikea, but you can get it here for only $60! The chairs tuck under the table which is perfect for small spaces.

Mustard Yellow Chair (Atlanta)
$20

What a bargain! For just $20 you get a great mustard yellow chair that's perfect for use in a bedroom, home office, or foyer. It seems to be in pretty good condition too.

Mid-Century Dining Set (Boston)
$150

I want this set. I love the vintage dining room furniture I already have but I just can't pass up these chairs...they're gorgeous!

White Leather Sofa (Carrollton, GA)
$300

This sofa is great for any retro-inspired home. Coming in at 8ft long, it's sure to hold all your guests during the holidays. It's in pretty good condition for now but if you have the money (or the skill) you should probably reupholster it when you get a chance.

Boomerang Corner/Coffee Table (Houston)
$50

Corner tables can be awkward when laying out a room but I think this one is worth the trouble! You could even use it as a coffee table if you have the room.

Just a Little Diffraction

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:03:00 +0000

Today is all about Diffraction Fiber, one of the awesome designers you can find in the Apartment 528 Store.

Diffraction Fiber is a master of all things quirky, unique, and incredibly awesome. Need proof? Take a look at some of their products now available in the Apartment 528 Store, including their new coasters that are so fun, your guests will love using them!

Clockwise from top left: New! "DRINK" Coasters - $18; Mix Tape Mousepad - $14.99; Paper Dolls Mousepad - $14.99; New! Punctuation Coasters - $18; Action Pillows - $20 each

As an added bonus, most all of Diffraction Fiber's products are eco-friendly and made with eco-felt which comes from recycled bottles. Pretty neat!

Go to the Store for more products from Diffraction Fiber and others.

The Boston Globe Goes Retro!

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:37:00 +0000

I'm a big fan of Jenn Ski. Her art is so fantastically retro that you feel like you're traveling back in time. Apparently, I'm not Jenn's only fan...her home was recently featured in the Boston Globe! For more pics and a sneak peek into her mid-century abode, head over to Boston.com or check out Jenn's Etsy store.

Wedding Stuff: The Reception

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:40:00 +0000

I've shown you a couple pics from my wedding, now here are a few from our super fun reception. I'm still waiting to get pictures of the food table, our wedding favors, and all that jazz. I'll post them as soon as they're ready.

I used to nanny for Nico (pictured) and little Zach (below). Now they're all grown up and knocking down pins better than all the adults!

Yep, that's me bowling in my super cool red and blue bowling shoes that perfectly matched my dress! I didn't knock down any pins :(

The defiant pins that refused to fall.

Did I mention Jerome and I love bowling?!

We bought a bowling pin from Sacco's for people to sign instead of a guest book. It's such a unique way to remember our wedding. Bonus: it's a truly retro piece that goes great in our apartment!

Jerome and his brother taking a break from being bowling rockstars. Jerome's grandmother later told us that we all sucked at bowling. We know. We know.

We had such a blast bowling and stuffing our face with BBQ and cheesecake that I wanted to make sure I gave props to all the great vendors who made our wedding so special.

Bowling Alley - Sacco's Bowl Haven - Super awesome 1950's bowling alley in Davis Square
Catering - Blue Ribbon BBQ - Even my grandpa who's a BBQ master thought it was good!
Cheesecakes - Montilio's - We got one plain and one turtle. DELICIOUS.
Drinks - Hometown Favorites - In keeping with our retro theme, we had glass bottle pop. You can't find full 12oz. bottles in grocery stores, so we ordered them online. We did Big Red, 7Up, and Orange Crush. They were perfectly packed and came in no time! We got IBC root beer bottles from the grocery store.
Sundae Spoons - Eastern Baker's Supply Co. - My whole family (grandparents, mom, and sisters and my then-fiance) all descended on the Eastern Supply store the day before the wedding, frantically looking for long sundae spoons for our root beer float station. Thank God they had them!
Root Beer Float Cups - Webstaurant Store - The perfect place to find large sundae cups to go at the root beer float station.

RIP Kramfors

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:23:00 +0000

We're here today to mourn the loss of a very important part of my life.

Ikea's Kramfors modular sofa has been discontinued.

The teal color I chose for my Kramfors.

Usually, I'm a "retroist" of sorts. I've slowly gotten rid of all my modern furnishings in favor of only vintage pieces. But the Kramfors was different. It was perfect. No, I never owned the Kramfors. I never had such an honor. But I did dream about the sofa almost everyday. I imagined myself sitting on the sofa, wrapped in it's teal goodness, snuggling in the corner seat. I thought about it's many color choices and how much fun I could have dressing up my Kramfors to match my ever-changing paint colors.

The configuration I wanted: two love seats and a corner chair

About once a month, Jerome and I would go to Ikea and sit on the sectional in different poses, oblivious to the crowds of customers bustling around us. We'd bounce happily from seat to seat, thinking of all the fun parties we would have and how full our Kramfors would be.

I check the Ikea website often just to catch a glimpse of the Kramfors. That's how I discovered that my Kramfors bookmark no longer worked. I googled around forever trying to find what happened to the Kramfors. After finding no info, I called Ikea directly.

As it turns out, the Kramfors fabric series has been discontinued and they no longer carry the full leather version of the sectional. The lady on the phone warned me that there are just two full sectionals left in the state of Massachusetts and that if I want to own the Kramfors, I'd better act fast. To sweeten the deal, she told me that the couch is on sale and I could have the whole sectional - two love seats and a corner seat- for just $1060.

I almost fell over.

Unfortunately, even at that unbelievably awesome price, I can't afford to make such a big purchase right now. So for now, I mourn the loss of my Kramfors and wait for the day one pops up on craigslist.

RIP Kramfors. I'll always think of you.

Time to Get Fixed

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:36:00 +0000

Whether you just moved in or your still in the same apartment, there's always something that needs to be fixed. Sometimes your landlord will take care of it for you, other times, you're on your own.

Thankfully, there are sites like FixItClub.com which offer tips on how to repair virtually ANYTHING! Break your remote control? Fix it club can fix it. Stuffing fall out of your favorite stuffed animal (don't be ashamed, I still have mine too)? Fix it club can get your furry friend up and running in no time. Your roommate's annoying friend drop gum on your carpet? Don't fret...fix it club can unstick anything.

As a renter, this is an invaluable resource for keeping your apartment in tip-top shape and making sure you get your security deposit back at the end of your lease. For owners, this website will be your new best friend for home repairs.

Happy Fixing!

Livin' the ModLife

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:17:00 +0000

I can't stop thinking about ModCloth. I check their website on a weekly basis and eagerly await tweets from @ModCloth everyday. As always, I'm going to share my new obsession with you in hopes that I'll get some of it out of my system and not go broke buying everything from their website.

Clockwise from top: Born-Again Vintage - $24.99; It Takes Two Plate - $7.99; Toast and Boast Water Bottle - $19.99; St. Petersburg Pillow - $27.99; Petit Chat Noir Pen Case - $13.99; Pour Little Owl Pitcher - $13.99; Night Watch Door Mat - $27.99

My thoughts...if you like Urban Outfitters, you'll LOVE ModCloth. It's got the funky vibe of Urban but is 20 times better.

Don't forget to checkout ModCloth's apparel section. They carry super awesome clothes from carefully chosen, talented designers. I would show you pictures but I'm afraid everyone will buy the things I want before me!

Apt528 Reads: Atomic Ranch Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:11:00 +0000

Atomic Ranch Magazine

Subscription Price: $19.98

Apt528 Rating: 6 out of 10

I had such high hopes for this magazine.

As a mid-century lover, I have all the Atomic Ranch books on my Amazon wish list. The houses they feature are simply amazing. When I discovered the Atomic Ranch magazine the other day at Borders, I was simply ecstatic. I couldn't wait to dive into the crisp new pages and read all the exciting articles. I was like a kid in a candy store.

That night, as I read Atomic Ranch, I realized that I liked the magazine less with every page I turned. The articles were full of architect/homeowners with a penchant for name-dropping and the houses were typical and uninspiring. After reading the whole magazine, there was only one article that I wanted to keep for my clip book, and I only liked it because of a couple of the pictures.

What was I expecting from Atomic Ranch? I'm not sure. I guess I was hoping for a mid-century version of Domino with neat house tours, vintage-inspired product finds, city guides showing places with great 50's architecture and funky little antique stores. I wanted something useful, practicle, and inspiring.

My thought, Atomic Ranch should stick to books to avoid becoming boring and monotonous like Dwell. I used to LOVE Dwell until I noticed after a couple of months that every issue seemed to be the same. I get the same been-there-done-that feeling from Atomic Ranch.

On the other hand, Atomic Ranch is a great way to keep up with mid-century collectors, designers, architects, and businesses...I found several great shops and mid-century focused realty agents through the ads.

Overall, Atomic Ranch is a decent magazine but I'd suggest buying it issue-by-issue.

For more books and magazines from Apt528 Reads check out the Apt528 Amazon Book Store.

Hello from Ohio

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:01:00 +0000

So I'm in Ohio visiting my family. I'm only here for a couple of days...I had to renew my license before Monday. I planned on doing a mini house tour of my mom's home, but I forgot my camera cord at home (ridiculous, I know) and the pics I took with my phone just aren't blog worthy. Oh well! In the meantime, enjoy your Sunday...I'll see you Tuesday :)

Wood-Fired Goodness!

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:26:00 +0000

I'm a huge fan of Splatgirl and Boy and the many home building adventures that take place on their Modern in MN blog. They've built and AMAZING home from the ground-up. With the house finished, they decided to build an outdoor wood fired oven. I've been following the oven-building process every step of the way, so I was happy to see that it's finally done. How exciting!

If I knew Splatgirl, I'd be at her house every day for the yummy calzones they cooked up on their new oven. They look scrumptious!

Check out Modern in MN for more great pics and stories about Splatgirl and Boy's AWESOME house.

Canister Dilema

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:47:00 +0000

I need your help! I'm trying to find new canisters for my kitchen. I don't have any pictures of the kitchen (I'll post some tomorrow) but I can tell you the shelves are adorned with retro kitchen appliances and dishes in oranges, reds, and mustard yellow. We have off-white walls with one chocolate brown accent wall.

I spent HOURS searching Etsy last night for the perfect vintage canisters to replace the too-modern glass and stainless canisters we already have. I managed to narrow it down to the two sets below. They're both very different in style but would both go well in our kitchen.

These avocado green canisters may not be anything special, but I love the color. I've been trying to bring more avocado into the kitchen to break up some of the reds and oranges. I like the faux wood tops and lettering on the fronts. For some reason, I just really like these!

But I also LOVE these! They color is awesome and the flecks of missing paint add a little vintage charm. The wood tops are awesome and fit in with the wood bowls I just bought last month. On the other hand, I feel like I've already used orange and red a lot in the kitchen, so adding orange canisters would be overload. But they're SO cute!

Thoughts, opinions? What do YOU think?

Wedding Stuff: The Attire

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:08:00 +0000

I know I've never blogged about clothing on Apt528, but as a lover of all things vintage and awesome, I felt the need to give a big shoutout to 40 South Street in Jamaica Plain for providing the awesome attire for me and the hubby at our retro wedding.

We'd gone into 40 one day while looking at a nearby antique store. We instantly fell in love. When it came time to buy vintage clothes for the wedding, we couldn't think of a better place than 40 South Street. The guy working there that day was completely awesome. He was like a character an 80's movie or something. By the time we left we wanted to invite him to our wedding. Now THAT's good customer service!

I loved my dress! It was a little big but the tailors did an awesome job of taking it in at the sides. To punch up the fun factor, we added red ribbon to the bottom and I opted for fun yellow shoes. At one point, I had a yellow belt too but it just didn't look right. I'm not big into flowers so I literally picked those up the morning of the wedding from Roche Brothers, a nearby grocery store. I threw them away when we got home. Apparently, you're supposed to keep them. I could care less! The ladies on my left and right are my little sisters who served as the bridesmaid and maid of honor.

Jerome (who thinks he's a model) wore an awesome Members Only jacket (not during the ceremony) a white 1970's Lacoste polo, and vintage green slacks. The dry cleaners lost his original polo the day before the wedding, but thankfully 40 had another one! We also had vintage suitcases which we got from Urban Renewals in Brighton. We were the coolest couple around when we arrived at the Liberty Hotel that night in our retro duds!

I know people thought we were crazy for not wearing traditional wedding gear, but it was the perfect choice for us. I wish we could do it again!

Us with the siblings, parents (left), and grandparents (right).

House Industries Typography

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:58:00 +0000

Apartment Therapy Boston recently did a post on typographic prints from House Industries. I loved them so much I had to share them with you. The large 26" x 20" prints (pictured) go for $35/print while the smaller 8.5" x 11"'s are only $18 each. Not bad.

Of course, being super frugal and not ever wanting to spend money on something I could do myself, I'm pretty sure anyone with access to a printer could make great typography prints. Simply pick a letter/number/character and put it in the font and color that you'd like. Print it out and you're done! All you have to pay for is ink for the printer and a few sheets of paper. You could even get large format prints done at Kinko's for around $10.

That said, what do YOU think? Is it worth the money or would you DIY?

Thrifty Thursday: TV Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:37:00 +0000

I'm a HUGE TV junkie which is why I'm so excited for the new TV season to start. Tonight marks the return of fall TV shows like Fringe, The Office, and Bones. To make sure you have everything necessary to maximize your TV viewing experience, check out the Thrifty Thursday: TV Edition.

Wooden TV Salt & Pepper Shakers, $8 (51VC); Avocado Green Sunburst Trays, set of 2, $12 (Tumbleweed Cottage); Mod Yellow RCA TV, $175 (bnagle); Floral TV Trays, $16 (Mod Owl)

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Design Girl) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:27:00 +0000

Apt528 would like to give a big shout out to Keith for winning the Apartment 528 Store Giveaway. Keith chose the orange Cardinal Rectangle Pillow by Joom to go in his mid-century modern living room. I can't wait to see pictures!

Don't forget to check the Apt528 Store for awesome finds under $50!