By the Book: Dining In

So I'm still flipping through my 1968 BH&G Decorating Book. I just can't get enough! Last time I was all about technicolor living rooms and this time I'm madly in love with this bold dining room. The table and chairs, the lighting, the credenza, the paneling, the art; it's all great! Even the checkerboard floor, which is normally reserved for casual kitchens and diners, seems perfectly at home here. Major swoon!

Image via Better Homes & Gardens Decorating Book, 1968

By the Book: 1968 BH&G Technicolor Livingrooms

I'm kind of addicted to vintage decorating & woodworking books. I've amassed quite a collection and am always on the lookout for more. They're not just a look back into the past, they're also full of amazing inspiration for modern decorating, especially if your taste leans towards retro modern or MCM like mine. Just look at the cover to the left...nix the green carpeting (and the green paneling if you're so inclined) and you've got a gorgeous modern room.

Since I can't possibly use all these awesome ideas in my apartment, I've decided to stop being selfish and share them with you! Every week I'll post some of my favorite pictures from a one of my books. Currently, I'm stuck on the Better Homes & Gardens Decorating Book from 1968 so don't be surprised if all the pictures come from here the next few weeks! Out of all the books I have, this one has the largest amount of great pictures. It was a birthday present from Leilani of the Thriftaholic blog. It's nice to have awesome vintage-loving friends who will buy you retro goodies :)

All images via Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book, 1968

I like the geometric prints on the rug and wall tapestry. I wish I could see what is in the lower right corner. Looks like some kind of platter with a tribal print.

This is one of my favorite rooms. The multi-colored pillows, blue rug, worn wood floors, and art on the walls are amazing. Oh, and look at those colorful bowls on the coffee table. I'm not a fan of the arm or rocking chairs, but other than that I'll take it!

Till next week...

New In the Shop: Family Fun

This week's shop updates are all about kids and family. From durable furniture built to withstand family dinners and cozy movie nights to toys that inspire the imagination to notebooks that bring out the kid in us all.

Don't forget, blog readers get 10% off their first order using the handy dandy code you see in the sidebar. Just enter BLOG10 at checkout.

And as always, there's tons more handmade and vintage on the website and even more available in our Chicago studio.

1. Fence art by iamhome (various colors and sizes available); 2. 3-String Guitars by Loog (3 styles); 3. Custom Mid Century Coffee Table (available in 5 colors); 4. Plastic Vintage Insects; 5. Buckstaff Library Chairs, Set of 4; 6. Creatures by Mr. Sogs (many colors and style available); 7. Blank Notebooks by My Zoetrope; 8. Jalopies by Tree Hopper Toys (3 styles); 9. Metal Storage Cabinet from Swell Machine (2 sizes)

The Weekender: The Lori Wall Bed

Watch out Moddi. There's another Murphy bed on the block from Lori Wall Beds. A reader who was attempting to build a Moddi Murphy bed actually told me about the Lori. The Lori is a stylish bed with many options that easily transforms into a functional storage area when folded. Like the Moddi, plans for the Lori Wall Bed can be bought and downloaded for a small fee, however Lori takes it one step forward by also offering the bed already completed! To see more, take a peak a the video below:

The Lori has SO many awesome features. Here are a few of my favorites:

• The Lori DOESN'T NEED A LIFTING MECHANISM!!!!! Since this is where most problems building the Moddi occur, skipping this step with the Lori will make your life 10x easier. Instead of a lifting mechanism, the Lori uses the rounded edges of its base to simply rock up into position (don't worry, it's only 50lbs). Once up, there are two latches at the top to keep the bed in place. SO EASY!!
• There's a nightstand above the bed and storage on the outside. Yep. When the bed is folded, the base forms into 2 shelves (on the middle, one at the top) for you to store knick-knacks, mail, etc. When it's time to go to sleep, there's a shelf on the inside of the bed frame that folds down and acts like a nightstand to hold your cell phone, night light, and favorite book. Ingenious! While I love the look of the Moddi, it's not functional when folded up and you don't get the extra nightstand.
• An important part: easy customization! Don't get me wrong, the Moddi is a great looking bed, however it limits you in a lot of ways. For the outside, you end up with the Lack grid. It's not horrible, but if it doesn't exactly blend in with your style, you're stuck. The Lori is made of plywood and can be stained or painted any colors you like. You could do all sorts of things with the shelving to help it stand out or blend in. The fact that the bed looks like an actual bed when in use is an added bonus. I would play with the dimensions a little to allow room for under cabinet lights to add mood/accent lighting. You can also hang art on the outside of the bed when in the up position or above the nightstand when the bed is down. Plywood is strong enough that if you were using the bed in a studio apartment, you could easily mount a medium sized flatscreen to the outside for when company comes and then move it inside when it's time to go to sleep. You could also add bookcases around the bed to give it a built-in look. My mind is already whirling with more customization ideas...

All images via Lori Wall Beds Myspace. Yep, Myspace.

• Want a queen? Finally you CAN have a queen wall bed. Not only does Lori offer queen sizes, but they also have both vertical and horizontal plans for sizes from XL twin to queen.
• It's sturdy. Now I've never seen a Lori or a Moddi in person, but a lot of you have emailed to say that the Moddi isn't a bed you would use on a nightly basis because of fear that the mechanisms would malfunction or the base would give out. Lori's strong base design provides plenty of support for nightly sleeping.
• Lori will help you out! The reader who told me about the Lori said he emailed her for help and she quickly got back to him. There's also a discussion board on the site for you to post questions and show your bed.

 The Moddi (image via Moddi)

Like the Moddi, you'll spend anywhere from $150-$300 building the bed. It really depends on the types of wood you use and how much customization you use. The one place where Moddi has the upper hand is in price when it comes to the plans; Moddi's plans are only $7.95 while Lori charges $18. Still, the Lori appears to be SUPER easy to build so your frustration level will be down which makes the extra $10 worth it!

So what will you choose? The Moddi or the Lori?

Our 3rd Birthday - Slicing and Dicing with Mako!!

It's been 3 long years since Apartment 528 first opened its virtual doors and started selling online. Back then, we were just a rinky dink website that I created over my honeymoon vacation. I was relaxing in my backyard sipping lemonade and oogling my gorgeous ring. In between blogging about our wedding and looking through pictures from the big day, I wrestled up a few amazing designers who were willing to take a risk on a fledgling store and managed to get everything launched a few days later. It wasn't the best site and I didn't quite know what I was doing, but thanks to our designers and some great press, we were able to make a pretty good go of it in Boston.

Bags, greeting cards, and prints by David Paul Seymour, our very first designer!

Now, three years later, we've continued to grow here in Chicago. From our backyard launch to our new studio in Chicago, we can't wait to see what's next for Apartment 528.

Apple

To celebrate our big 0-3 (two digits are cooler than one!), we're adding a new roster of designers to our team all month long, starting today with Mako Cutting Boards. Woodworker Drew McBee makes each cutting board by hand in his Ohio woodshop. The rich maple is expertly molded into quirky shapes and built to last for years or cutting.

Cow

Pig

Each hardwood cutting board is equally perfect for cutting limes at the bar, dicing carrots for dinner, or serving bread and cheese at your next party. My favorite's the whale...so cute! Grab a few as gifts for weddings and housewarmings or start your Christmas shopping early. Just don't forget to keep one for yourself :)

Whale

>>SHOP MAKO NOW