Newton, MA Guest Room Redo

1. Hagalund sofa bed, Ikea; 2. Threshold Natural Core Solid Window Panel, Target; 3.  Blåst finial, Ikea; 4.  Benjamin Moore Gray Owl wall paint; 5.  Assorted throw pillows, Target; 6.  Hemnes chest of drawers, Ikea; 7.  Global Views Nugget Bud Vase, Horchow; 8.  Threshold Iron Wire Table, Target; 9.  Threshold Hand-woven Wool Tie-dye rug, Target

I've been working to help some good friends of mine reorganize and redecorate their condo in Newton, MA.  They've been living there for quite a few years and while there is plenty of room in the condo, they have begun to feel like the space is closing in on them.  To help them reclaim their home and sanity I'm helping them rethink the way each room is used and select furniture that better fits each space.  We're also adding lots of new organizational solutions and a clean, refreshing, gender-neutral color palette.

One of the first rooms we've tackled is the main guest room.  This room functions on a day-to-day basis as the husband's dressing room, serving as a guest room on occasion.  Since it's a secondary space we're keeping things budget-conscious and sourcing lots of Ikea and Target items (see key furnishings and accessories above).  Ikea is a great source if you remember to keep things neutral.  Focus on texture rather than color and keep the lines of the furniture simple.  You can get really great basics at Ikea, like neutral linen window panels and wool or natural fiber rugs, at prices that you truly just cannot find anywhere else.  Just make sure you use the shopping list/check stock features on their website before you go into the store, and get an ice cream cone on the way out to make it bearable!

Here are some before shots of the room.  They are weird panoramas but you get the idea.  Stay tuned for final project photos!

before

before

Website Update! Project Reveal!

Our newly updated website is now live and shows photos of our project in Astoria, Queens.  Please have a look!

www.aliveandkickingdesign.com

Apartment Challenge :: Replacing Sofa Legs :: part 1

Our sofa with its current wood block legs

I decided to jump on this project now, since it should be an easy one to tackle.  I am going to change out our sofa legs because I am tired of the standard wood block Ikea legs.  I want something a bit more sophisticated, and am planning on a tapered, midcentury-style leg, about the same height as the existing ones, and in a darker wood tone so that they stand out less visually.  Please kindly ignore the artwork hanging situation in the above photo.  That is my next project.

I found this helpful and inspiring article on the blog Honey Badger Home.  Love the name of the blog, and love the honey badger.  They went a step further than just replacing the legs and tufted the cushions for an even more midcentury look.  I am cool with the untufted cushions though.  Ours are getting pretty slouchy from over two years of use, but I like it that way.  Nice and casual.

Anyway.  I didn't really want to mess with Home Depot (have you been to an urban Home Depot?) and tools and metric/english conversions, so I just kept looking and looking and eventually found Uncle Bob's Workshop, who makes sofa legs that are explicitly billed as replacements for the Ikea Karlstad sofa.  You can order them in a variety of woods and finishes (or unfinished), and even with brass feet.  Here are some pics from their website:

A sofa with Uncle Bob's Workshop replacement sofa legs

A shot of just the sofa legs

I went ahead and ordered twelve replacement walnut legs for our sofa and ottoman and cannot wait for them to arrive.  Since I am picky about things, I emailed first to see how to get a matte finish (I'm thinking a glossy finish will reflect more light and draw more attention to the legs, plus I just personally prefer wood that has a more natural looking finish) and also to see if I can have them sent without the white protective pads on the bottom.  I plan to add my own, slightly smaller, black felt pads so that they won't be visible.  Uncle Bob emailed me back almost immediately with answers that were helpful, which was excellent.

I may try taping and dipping the feet in a gold metallic paint to get the brass feet look, or I might just leave them as is.  We shall see.  Check back soon for pics that show the replacement legs!

On a separate but somewhat related note, I sometimes am looking around at beautiful furniture and wanting to splurge on a really gorgeous sofa (or custom design one), but then something like this happens and I realize that this old Ikea thang with its washable, zip-off covers is really just perfect for us:

Oopsy! Did I do that?

Instant Attraction: Study in the Home of Carlos Aparicio

This serene study is from the Home of Carlos Aparicio, as featured in Elle Decor December 2012 in the article Miami International.  This clean, white interior is kept from beng too sterile by the addition of warm, brown wood and leather elements and soft surfaces, especially that shaggy midcentury Swedish rug.  I really, really love that wrought-iron chair.  It is by Marc Du Plantier.

Lots more photos of this interior can be found at Elle Decor.  Photographs by Richard Powers.

Nate Berkus Home Office Makeover

Loved this one-day home office makeover by Nate Berkus in House Beautiful May 2012.  Perfect balance of masculine and feminine.  Love that 70's sofa!

Image from House Beautiful.  Interior Design by Nate Berkus.  Photo by Björn Wallander.

Jayson Home Sofas and Chairs

Flipping through the Jayson Home catalog reminded me of what lovely upholstered sofas and chairs they have.  I think what appeals to me is that they all seem to have a story behind them.  They feel approachable, inviting, classic, and lived-in.  Makes me want to curl up with a book.

Above: Theodore Sofa.  Image from www.jaysonhome.com.

Below: Kempton Sofa.  Image from the catalog, via www.ifthelampshadefits.blogspot.com.  Clarke Chair.  Image from www.jaysonhome.com.

And just for fun, how about this gold-plated wishbone they have on offer?  Why not?  Gold Wishbone, image from www.jaysonhome.com.

Sourcing: Sofas

Extrasoft sofa by Piero Lissoni for Living Divani.  Image from http://www.livingdivani.it/

I recently wondered what the difference was between a sofa and a couch.  To me it seems that the terms are used interchangeably, but I assume that at one point there must have been a difference.  I figured that couch must relate somehow to coucher in French, but I had no clue about sofa.  Looking up the etymology of each word I found the following (from http://www.etymonline.com):

sofa 

1620s, "raised section of a floor, covered with carpets and cushions," from Turk. sofa, from Arabic suffah "bench." Meaning "long stuffed seat for reclining" is recorded from 1717.

couch (n.) 

mid-14c., from O.Fr. couche (12c.) "a bed, lair," from coucher "to lie down," from L. collocare (see couch (v.)). Traditionally, a couch has the head end only raised, and only half a back; a sofa has both ends raised and a full back; a settee is like a sofa but may be without arms; an ottoman has neither back nor arms, nor has a divan, the distinctive feature of which is that it goes against a wall. Couch potato first recorded 1979.

Pretty interesting to see how these words have evolved to the present day, where they essentially mean the same thing.  Whatever you want to call it, there's no denying that the sofa makes or breaks a living room.  Having a comfy place to curl up and watch a movie or read a book is vital for a comfortable home.  I love the Extrasoft by Piero Lissoni (above).  All of the blocks are separate pieces and can be moved around and reconfigured any way you like.

More comfy and stylish sofas after the jump...

 Sofa and side table from Donghia Salone del Mobile Collection 2011.

Snuggle, nap, entertain, read a book.  The Rolf Benz PLURA sofa seems to adapt for anything.

Suita sofa.  Vitra.  Antonio Citterio