Fourth Floor Walk Up

Office Desk: My Man is Talented!

4thfloorwalkup — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:00:38 +0000

Jack’s Desk

It’s time to celebrate! Jack finally finished a project in our new home! The best part about it is that it’s a new piece of furniture that has been designed and crafted all by himself!

Vintage Example

Vintage Danish Desk Example

Since, he loves the simple yet sophisticated lines of Danish furniture design, he pulled images and inspiration of vintage pieces and focused on his favorite attributes. Such as the inset wooden handles, floating top and large side storage panels. The materials also played a large role in the design, the wood is teak and the feet are brushed stainless steel. In order to accommodate the modern necessities of modern computer work, he chose to modify some key elements. The greatest being that the computer tower is hidden behind the shelf/door on the left.

In addition to the design of the desk I thought it was important that the chair was both ergonomic and coordinated with the style of the desk. We found the chair on Lexington Modern for a great price, shipping was also included. To add a little bit of interest above the desk, I’ve hung his attractive artwork, the empty spot on the right has yet to find a fit. As for the other accessories I’ve pulled together an inspiration board to show how everything should come together once I have made all of the appropriate purchases. The idea is to keep the color palette clean and minimal in order to coordinate with the rest of the living room. His desk as readers may not realize is one of the first things you see when you enter the apartment. I must commend him for building a work station that is both handsome and productive!

Books and paper storage

Home Office

Office Accessories

Office Accessories are as follows:

Weekly Planner – Moseskine by Sergey Bakin @ Barnes & Noble
Wall Calendar – Muji
Task Lamp – Pottery Barn
Pencil Holder – Horchow
Mid-back Leather Chair – Lexington Modern
Floral Rug – Anthropologie
Desk Tray – West Elm
Mint Julep Cup – Jamali Garden
Tape Dispenser – Muji
Mouse Pad – Etsy
IPad Stand – Amazon

First Aid Kit

4thfloorwalkup — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:59:13 +0000

We have an addition to our bathroom. It was a great value and fits perfectly next to our medicine cabinet. If you’re looking for a great storage solution to your bandages and other small medical needs this is a must buy. It makes me so happy every time I walk into the bathroom. The first aid box can be purchased [here.] Enjoy!

Kikkerland First Aid Storage Box un-opened

First Aide Storage Box

DIY Upholstery: A Fixed Seat French Chair with Double Welt Cording

4thfloorwalkup — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:24:22 +0000

The Finished Chair

Last weekend I decided to recover the little French chair I purchased at Brimfield [I blogged about that trip here]. The fabric I wanted to cover the chair with was a lucky find from B&J fabrics, a black and white Ikat print. Other than exhibiting the lovely before and after photos I thought this would be a great opportunity to explain how easy it is to reupholster a fixed seat chair, including how to make double welt cording!

A quick heads up before we begin: It would be wise to take a look at the current condition of any chair that is planned for recovery. If the seat is in rough shape ie. moldy or sagging then it should be replaced. Which would include purchasing new foam and batting to re-shape the seat. This is a step that I did not have to take but if it is necessary, I would suggest discussing this is with an experienced amateur or professional, because it may just be best to pay to have the chair repaired and recovered.

Upholstery Tools

The tools necessary to upholster a chair from start to finish are:

A pair of fabric scissors or sheers
Measuring tape – preferably the flexible kind
An upholstery nail remover
Staple gun and staples or nail gun and nails – be safe please!
hot glue gun and extra glue sticks
sewing machine and thread
double welt cording feet are best, but a common zipper foot will work too

Before

The very first thing to do before tearing the chair apart, is to measure the area that will be re-upholstered, so that you will know how much fabric to purchase.

It is important to measure the widest part of the seat – front to back and left to right.
Next you want to measure the side of the chair where the welt cording will be affixed. Because the cording wraps around the entire base of the seat, you’ll need to account for more fabric than expected. Cording should be sewn along the bias, there is more stretch in the weave, it also helps the look of the pattern and how it meets with the seat upholstery. The bias runs diagonally along the pattern, please see the direction of the arrow below. I’ll go more into cording in Part 2.
In my case, I only needed about 2 yards of fabric – Please note: the measuring photos are from after I upholstered the chair, because I originally forgot to document this part. Oops!

It is important to measure before you start

: railroad vs non-railroad fabric Photo credit: Plintz & Chintz

* Once the chair has been measured, you’ll want to figure out how much yardage is needed. Most upholstery fabrics are 54 – 60″wide. Patterns typically run vertically as it is unrolled from the roll. The other style of pattern application is where the fabric runs horizontally or perpendicularly along the roll. When choosing a fabric or figuring out the amount of yardage, you’ll need to consider how the pattern is applied as it may affect the amount of yards you’ll need to do your upholstery.

Now that you’ve figured out how much fabric you’ll need for the project, you want to remove the current fabric. Cording must be removed first, it is very easy to remove as it’s typically only affixed by hot glue. Once the cording is removed, you’ll have to take the fabric off, the first thing you’ll notice depending on the age of the chair is that the fabric is either stapled or nailed onto the frame. In my case, the fabric was mounted with upholstery nails. I used the upholstery nail remover to take each nail out, making sure not to scratch or knock the gold leafed frame.

Remove Old Materials

Once the old fabric is removed you can use the old pieces as a pattern guide as to how you will place your new fabric. You can place both the seat and the cording on top of the new fabric and map out where your cuts will be. Be careful to test that the pattern lines up with chair. For example, I centered one of the shapes in the middle of the front of the seat. I also used the old welt cording to figure out how I could cut the new fabric for the welt cording.

Use old fabric as a pattern to cut new fabric

For the next few steps you will need the staple gun

Now for the best part of the project. Place the fabric on top of the chair and began stapling in the back at the center. From that point move outwards towards the sides of the chair, stapling either side of the center each time. This helps to keep the the patten secured. Move onto each side from there, all the while pulling the fabric taught – but try avoid pulling it too tight. Keep in mind the shape of the seat cushion, if you pull too tightly it will effect the cushion and possibly cause the fabric to tear later. However, if you do not pull the fabric tightly enough, it will loosen over time and all your hard work will have gone to waste. Lastly, staple as closely to the wooden edge as possible, without stapling the finished wooden parts – anywhere between 1/8″ and 3/8″ from the edge is good.

The upholstered chair before cording is applied

Once the fabric is completely stapled on, cleanly cut the excess so that it does not overlap the finished wood. Next upholstery trim should be applied to create a finished border that will cover the unattractive staples. There are several kinds of trim available from nail heads to decorative tapes. I decided for my chair that the best finish would be with double welt cording. Double welt cording is the piping that borders the point at which the fabric and the wood meet on upholstered pieces of furniture. The piping is doubled in thickness in order to cover any unsightly nails or staples.

To apply double welt cording the tool required is a hot glue gun and extra glue sticks

Double welt cording is actually much easier than one would expect. To make it entirely easier, I suggest you use a double welt cording foot – that can be found through Ebay and remember to purchase whichever matches with the brand of your sewing machine. If the plan is to not use such a foot, than the common zipper foot should work as well.

Step by Step How To by: Lauren Gries

With the cording completed you can now finish the chair. Luckily, the cording is easy to apply with hot glue over the staples.

Chair with cording

Below is the chair finished! I think it looks so great in the entryway, it’s also very useful for putting on shoes or working at my desk. The next step is to wallpaper the room!

Voila! The completed chair

Bring Downton Abbey Home: Products to Add a Nod of Edwardian Style

4thfloorwalkup — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:34:28 +0000

The Cast of Downton Abbey

Because I know lots readers spent this Sunday evening watching the Superbowl instead of Downton Abbey (myself included), some of us may be feeling a little empty inside. I know I need my weekly Downton fix but with my native New England team up against my recent hometown New York team, I had to watch – Congrats to the New York Giants by the way!

The Masterpiece classic period drama Downton Abbey on PBS, has captivated many with its soap-opera drama and cast. Aside from the clash between servants and aristocrats, a great reason for the series’ success is the opulent, well-curated set. Many of the scenes are shot on location at Highclere Castle in Hampshire England, and no detail is left unturned. Set in the Edwardian period of England, after the heaviness, clutter and dark colors of Victorian interiors, people wanted something new and cheerful. Edwardian style was a breath of fresh air with decor in fresh, light floral patterns and pastel colors.

In my latest Ideabook for Houzz.com, I pulled together products influenced by the English taste that can be described as worldly and eclectic, gathered from travels around the world and founded on beauty, luxury and class. You can find my entire Ideabook on Houzz [Here] but I wanted to give readers a sneak peek at my favorite pieces. Enjoy!

Lady Mary's Room Inspires a re-creation with both modern and vintage pieces

I absolutely love Lady Mary’s room on the Downton Abbey. The rich wooden canopy bed and the lush textiles create such a visual treat! I was thinking about how great it would be to re-create such a space. Through extensive research I think I found some really great products that could pull together a Lady Mary inspired room.

1. The most prevailent detail in Mary’s bedroom is the wallpaper with it’s vibrant combination of deep red hues and lush blush accents, it emulate her strong and sensual character that the viewers are entranced by. This traditional wallpaper designed by Farrow & Ball (BP 915) [ Visit Store » ] is a close match to the decadent damask in Lady Mary’s room.

2. The curtains and bedding are a strong contrast to the dark walls, coordinating with the lighter parts of the print. At Ethan Allen the Camella Brocade Bedding [ Visit Store » ] is similar to the bedding in Lady Mary’s room, this ensemble with an elegant, traditional design adds an air of classic opulence to almost any bedroom.

3. This reproduction, chippendale-style writing table in Tiger Maple by D.R. Dimes [ Visit Store » ] is a must for Edwardian lifestyle, as it can be used as both a dressing table and a place to scribe letters to loved ones at war.

4. Vanity is an important aspect in the English lifestyle of the Edwardian period. In order to keep up one’s appearance, there must be an equally attractive floor-length mirror. Although mostly hidden behind Lady Mary in the photo above you can see she she has made sure to have a mirror herself. In my search, I found the above 19th Century Cheval Mirror [ Visit Store » ] on 1st Dibs.

5. The last piece for Lady Mary’s room is the Cream Scallop Dome Lamp Shade from Lamps Plus [ Visit Store » ]. It’s the perfect Victorian lamp shade to top off a porcelain base, its voluminous shape and fringe add just the right amount of feminine spirit to this rich space.

There are many more products to tie together a Downton Abbey look in my Houzz Ideabook, from club chairs to tea sets I hope it inspires someone to bring a little Downton Home to them.

Can’t Get Zig Zags Off My Mind: Chevron Stripes

4thfloorwalkup — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:45:06 +0000

Missoni Kew Fabric by Missoni Home

The Chevron pattern seems to be playing out everywhere. It’s zig zagging all over the design world. You’d think we’d be sick of it by now, but we aren’t. I have a feeling that the chevron stripe is here to stay, for at least a little while – I read somewhere that they’re calling it the “skinny jean of design.” You can find this pattern on everything from wallpaper to pillows, and jewelry to Iphone cases. There’s a playfulness in the movement that zig zags create, which must be why it suites so many surfaces.

Photo credits: Rue Magazine, Urban Outfitters Inc. & Decorpad.com

Lonny Magazine, Gabba Gabba Gorgeous, Apartment Therapy, West Elm and Apartment Therapy

The classic black and white stripes are seen most often in interiors. The neutral palette sets the stage for bold pops of color, similar to the images above. When the stripes are in the area rugs, it brings another a level of interest to the foundation of a room. They work in both contemporary and neo-traditional environments as well.

Dog Beds on Etsy.com - Square Beds by: Marth and Ash and Round Bed by: Pet Design

One of my favorite home product elements that come with a chevron pattern, are the numerous pet beds from Etsy.com. I’m thinking about incorporating a little chevron into our home through this venue – I know Rita wants an update to her current bed. The square shaped beds are by Martha and Ash and come in many colors and the round shaped beds are by Pet Design, which also come in assorted colors and prints.

Face Hunter, Etsy.com - Daninotes, Etsy.com - dani notes stationary and Tory Burch Throw

Fashion has taken to the chevron as well. This woman’s pants are so chic with the classic blazer and knit. The monogram Iphone case from Etsy is just so cute (I really want one) and look at that Tory Burch Throw! Anyone else have any opinions on the zig zag? Do you like it, love it, or hate it?

Boston Then & Now

4thfloorwalkup — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:07:34 +0000

Beacon Hill

A few weeks ago Jack and I visited Boston for a quick birthday getaway. In my last post I wrote about the interesting things we saw and did. Now I’d like to finish the re-cap of our trip with a post dedicated to my mother. Judith grew up in Massachusetts and spent much of her young adulthood in Boston. Since I find it interesting to see the homes that my relatives lived in, I asked my mother to write down her list of past residences for us to visit. With that list, Jack and I then took a tour back in time to when Beacon Hill and Commonwealth Ave were not the inaccessibly expensive places to live in this city.

For several years my mother lived on Beacon Hill in a pre-war apartment on Revere Street with her first husband, Bob. Bob Venturi was a talented photographer who documented the city, and his wife. His photographs are beautiful and some of the best I’ve seen of my mother. You can tell they were taken through the lens of a loved one.

Beacon Hill by Bob Venturi

Judith by: Bob Venturi

During my visit I photographed parts of Beacon Hill as well, making a point to stop on Revere street to snap a shot of her old home. Looking at the photos she says not much has changed, accept that the paint has been stripped from the front door back to it’s original wood paneling.

Beacon Hill in 2012

Revere Street in 2012

On another note, there is a special story about this apartment. My mother like me, has a strong interest in interior design and decorating. I now realize & attribute much of this appreciation to her. While she lived on Revere Street, her apartment was featured in a Boston paper – The Record American, describing her uncanny ability to pull together a space with flea market finds and unexpected uses of the often mundane. In this article, about Judy in her twenties you can see a stylish young lady with a knack for decorating. In reading the article many of the items listed come to mind as she still has a lot of them, which includes more than just the family heirlooms, the odd finds as well. I know if she were 20-something today, she would be at the forefront of the DIY blogging community. Cheers to you mom, Judy & now Judith (as she’s “over 40″) for passing on a gift and a passion that I especially appreciate.

Photos from the Article - Record American - Today's Living

If you have any interest, I have copied the verbiage from the article, and written it below:

Hub Apartment A Sunny Abode - Record American 1970

When Bob and Judy Venturi moved into their Beacon Hill apartment two years ago, there still were dirty dishes in the sink and sheets on the beds of the previous occupants.

Today it is a sunny abode which, though located on the third floor of an undeniably shabby building, gives no hint of a less than tidy and picturesque past.

Judy has used enviable ingenuity to combine an interest in antiques with a definite need to economical. Her husband just recently started training for an eventual management position with a Boston bank.

Unlike many young-marrieds who look upon apartment living as temporary only until they can afford a house, the Venturis threw themselves wholeheartedly into stylish redecoration of the place from the moment they moved in.

One wall in the foyer was stripped to a reveal the original brick, and then decorated with three printers’ drawers picked up in a flea market.

Flea markets and Beacon Hill alleys are where Judy did most of her “shopping,” in fact. She constructed posts for the bed out of two-by-fours and covered a fiber-board to turn out a genuine-appearing headboard.

She made curtain rods out of old mop handles and a bamboo stick around which a new rug had been rolled.

An interest in unusual baskets provided the ornamentation for an entire wall. Various shaped baskets, too, may be spotted throughout the apartment, serving as everything from lamp shades to flower pots.

Bob is an amateur photographer. Lovingly framed, many of his pictures adorn the walls of the apartment, along with old tools found in the street and embroidered alphabet.

Certain of the items have followed Judy since childhood. The living room coffee table is really a hope chest given her by her grandfather. The couch in the foyer, known as a “settle,” was built for her by her grandfather in imitation of the hard-backed couch of colonial times.

The apartment is definitely eclectic, yet it all fits together like a colorful jigsaw puzzle. A white bird cage, hanging from the bedroom ceiling, holds a passion plant. In the foyer, a marble bust peers out from an old telephone stand attached to one wall.

“Granted, this isn’t Louisburg Square — it’s actually the ‘wrong’ side of the Hill. But even working with only what you can afford, you can make a place look the way you know it could,” Judy insisted.

That however, is a matter of opinion. Not everyone would the imagination to use an antique “potty seat” as a living room chair or to hang the curved leg of a chair on a wall.

It’s been great for Judy and Bob, though. Judy in fact, hopes to own an antique shop some day.

Article by: Beth Sanders

Sadly, I must mention, that my mother’s husband Bob, passed away from a tragic accident a few years after this was published. Bob’s legacy lives on through the above photos and her stories.

Take a trip to Boston

4thfloorwalkup — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:00:01 +0000

The Rubbish Bin

This weekend we headed to Boston for a short birthday trip. Since my birthday was on January 2nd and most of the museums were still closed from the holidays, we decided to wait until this weekend to celebrate. I booked a room at the Ames Hotel, which is a luxury boutique hotel that opened in 2009 after renovating the historic Ames skyscraper. Usually, we wouldn’t be able to afford such a room, but thanks to Living Social we stayed in the Deluxe One Bedroom Suite (room #303).

Upon entering the room you are presented with a light filled open space. The arched windows are floor-to-ceiling, and the decor of the room is crisp, chic and grand. I especially loved the juxtaposition of the 19th century architectural details with the modern furnishings. Even though I typically am drawn to more traditional spaces, this design of this space provided an opportunity for me to really feel like I was on a vacation. The hotel room in itself would have been a terrific birthday gift in itself. But to make our trip worth while, we took to the streets to visit museums, soak up some history and window shop.

The Living Space

The Bedroom and Bathroom - Loved that Tub!

I gathered a list of places of interest and we weren’t able to see them all but these were a few of my favorites.

The Newly Acquired Chihuly Piece & An American Art Gallery

The Museum of Fine Arts Boston has always been a great destination in Boston. It’s a gorgeous museum with a wonderful collection from all over the world as well as outstanding exhibitions. This weekend we went to the Degas and the Nude exhibition.

Hermes Windows in Boston designed by: Aux Armes

The Hermes in Boston is always a treat because they carry the saddles. There’s nothing like a beautiful saddle and I can only imagine how it must feel to ride with an Hermes. I believe it was retailing for around $6,300.00. They also always have standout window displays.

The Old State House

The Old State House was built in 1713 (!) this building is where Samuel Adams, James Otis, John Hancock, and John Adams debated the future of the British colonies. The Declaration of Independence was proclaimed from the balcony to the citizens of Boston in 1776 and it was the site of what is known as the the Boston Massacre.

Bodega- interior photo credits: kicksonfire.com and thebostonbazaarculture.wordpress.com

The Last stop is Bodega, a men’s urban clothing and shoe boutique. Worth a visit because it’s actually disguised as a New York City style bodega (deli in spanish). When you enter into the front room, also merchandised as an NYC style deli – the miscellaneous items are real that aline the shelves. We actually thought we had the wrong store at until one of the staff members directed us to the soda machine, which slid open to expose the shop.

In addition to the typical touristy stuff, I wanted to revisit my family history and discover my mother’s Boston. Having spent much of her childhood and young adulthood in this city I ventured to the buildings she once called home and photographed some the streets that she herself used to walk. In my next post I’ll describe this part of our trip in more detail.

For more pictures, make sure to check out my Istagrams page, I uploaded a lot pictures over the weekend. Is there anything that I may have missed? Please tell me because I’d love to visit more the next time I go Boston.

So you want to visit New York City? Here’s a guide on what to wear: The Winter Addition

4thfloorwalkup — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:22 +0000

1. Funnel Scarf - Uniqlo 2. Coat- Zara 3. Knit - Uniqlo 4. Dark Skinny Jeans - Uniqlo 5. Lace-up Boots - Nine West 6. Leather Satchel - Zara 7. Driving Gloves - Madewell - Fashionable Looks - Uniqlo

I know I’m a bit late for the height of NYC’s tourist season since Christmas and New Years just passed. The famous tree at Rockerfeller Center will soon be coming down along with the beautiful window displays on Fifth Avenue. Even so, I felt it necessary to write this post because I’ve been seeing a lot of tourist that look either un-chicly comfortable or trying to be chic and very uncomfortable. This post is for anyone who wants to visit the city and feel a little less like an outsider, because whenever I travel I always try to ‘dress like the locals’ or as the saying goes . . ”Do as the Roman’s do.”

For starters the greatest NYC tourist fashion faux pas in my opinion are:

Under dressed girls/women- ie. short shorts, short skirts too thin leggings (no one wants to see through to your underpants)
Crocs even in winter, the worst is when they’re paired with socks!
Lots and lots of fleece
Extremely over sized accessories that included backpacks, camera bags and umbrellas
Ugg boots

*Please note: if anyone is offended by that list, you probably do not have the same fashion taste as me, so don’t keep reading.

Photo credit: The Sartorialist

At the very least I think anyone visiting New York should to do the following when planning their wardrobe, no matter the season:

Wear layers, even on the coldest day many thin layers is the best. You’ll often be going in and out of stores, museums and restaurants and you’ll want to be able to remove some when you’re inside.
Carry a medium to large handbag (ladies) or messenger bag (gentlemen), one with a shoulder strap is best. New Yorkers live and die with their bags, bags are they’re own little vehicles because as a NYer you have to have something that can hold everything that your day will entail. That often includes, along the usual essentials sometimes: make-up for after work happy hours, gym clothes, a camera for inspiration, IPads & Kindles, a pair of flats and maybe the last layer.
Good looking, comfortable shoes – which can include the right heels.
A scarf, because it’s a great addition to any outfit for any season.

If you’re coming here for the winter specifically there are some extra details that I’d like to touch upon. Including the list above there are a few tips that I think will help, and these are pulled from well dressed individuals who have been snapped by the top fashion bloggers, ie. The Sartorialist and Bill Cunningham.

photo credit: Sydney Wasserman

via: The Street Comber

Don’t be afraid to layer even more and the trick is to have a great oversized coat that can cover all of those layers. But, when going big on top, make sure you balance your body out with skinny fit jeans and boots.