Apples and Oranges

My new find this weekend: a wood fruit set!

After church on Sunday, we decided to hit Allston to hit up a few of the stores in Allston. Jerome loves the comic book and music stores while I like the thrift stores. We had just come from visiting one of my old roomies when I figured I'd take a quick detour and peek into Urban Renewals. I wasn't really looking to buy anything but figured it would give us a reason to walk a little further and enjoy the air. As we were leaving the store, we saw the fruit set bagged and sitting on a table in the furniture section. No way could I pass that up!

It's a vintage set but in great condition. It took me a little while to polish all the different pieces with all the ridges and grooves, but it looks so cute now! I've been trying to find info on the manufacturer, Rosas, but have come up with nothing. I'm guessing the company's gone now. Either way, I found other similar pieces going for $15-20 PER FRUIT PIECE! I paid $6.28 for the whole thing!

Gotta love thrift stores :)

Red Tag Sale

The Boston Design Center is holding a sample sale. The Center, which is usually trade only, is opening it's doors to the public this weekend. 30 showrooms are participating with items as much as 70% off! Keep in mind that these are DESIGNER items and many of them are pretty expensive. Even with a discount, don't expect to find Ikea prices, though I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few hidden gems.

Boston Design Center

One Design Center Place

Boston, MA 02210

http://www.bostondesign.com/

Saturday and Sunday 10/12-5p

$10 parking

$10 admission

ALL SALES FINAL

Thrifty Thursday: Big City Feel

As it turns out, there are a lot of people who read this blog who are NOT from Boston. I'd hate to leave anyone out so from now on I'm including items from various major cities every Thrifty Thursday. Check the listings below to find awesome retro and mid-century items from New York, LA, Boston, and Chicago.

Lockers: FREE!!!

Location: Sommerville, MA

Though the doors have been painted shut, all it would take is a little elbow grease to get these lockers ready for a big debut. They'd look great as coat storage in a foyer, holding media equipment in a living room, or clothes in the bedroom. Paint them a funky color and get creative!

Couch and Ottomans: $1800

Location: Boston, MA

This couch is in great condition. The owner added new strappings so you don't have to worry about falling through the bottom! Believe me, retro chairs are awesome but retro strappings are never good. I learned that the hard way after sinking in my living room chairs!

Affordable Credenza: $250!!!

Location: Roselle, IL

In my opinion, this is a GREAT price for an authentic retro credenza. I might have to start buying my pieces in Illinois if they're all going to be this affordable! It's two pieces so you could always take off the top if you're not crazy about it and have two seperate buffets.

9-Drawer Dresser: $450

Location: Manhattan, NY

This is a Heywood Wakefield, cherry wood, 9-drawer dresser. The owner says it's from the hard to find Contessa series. I love the whole showroom that's featured in the pic. Perhaps you could work out a deal for everything!

Danish Lounge Chair: $200

Location: Silverlake, CA

This 1950's/60's chair is in perfect condition and features excellent springs. No broken straps here! Even the cushions and fabric are in tact. It looks like there's a nice side table/credenza in the background. I wonder if that's available!

Vanity: $400

Location: Carroll Gardens, NY
This is a unique, gorgeous vanity with a black glass top. You don't see furniture like this anymore. If you're in New York, grab this up ASAP!

Reduce, Reuse, Freecylce

Have something you're looking to get rid of? Freecylce it!


Freecycle.org is a non-profit movement made up of various networks. Once you choose your group (I chose Boston, MA), you're directed to a Yahoo!Groups page to register. From there, you can browse through your network's listings.

While I applaud Freecycle's aim of saving our landfills, I'm not a fan of the online structure. The biggest drawback for me is the lack of pictures. Photos of the item up for grabs are not included with the post. Instead you have to email the member who posted the item and request pics.


If you've ever browsed Craigslist, you've probably run into a few listings where the item sounded great from the title but was anything but when you looked at the pictures. On Freecycle, you may not realize the item's a dud until after you've played email-tag with the owner. Frustrating if you ask me.

Another downfall is the way the listings are setup. Items are posted as messages on the group page. For simplicity's sake, Freecycle asks that when leaving a post, you begin the title either with OFFERED, WANTED, TAKEN, or RECEIVED. The problem is, there's no filter that divides the messages between these catagories; the WANTED postings are right there with the OFFERED postings.

For now, I'll keep using Craigslist's free section when looking for a no-cost way to add to my furniture collection, but I'll definitely keep Freecylce on my radar.

Store Review: Hamilton Hardware

Happy Belated Easter!

Once again, another weekend went by where I didn't do anything around the house. I was going to re-hang my livingroom shelves with new brackets but wasn't in the mood for patching old holes and drilling new ones. Finishing the mirrored faux fireplace in the dining room was also on the list but everytime I go to the hardware store, I forget to pickup the glass cutter. There's trim to be painted and numbers to be stenciled on the hallway barcodes. But, of course, none of that tedius work appealed to me either, so I sat on the couch watching mindless TV instead!

I did manage to do one productive thing. Saturday, Jerome and I finally made the trip around the corner to Hamilton Hardware. It's literally about four blocks from our apartment, but in the eight months we've been here, my legs have never felt like walking that far!

Hamilton's is a small, mom and pop store. The layout is simple so you're not running around for hours trying to find a #8 screw. Even with the store's small size, they manage to have a pretty good selection of the basics you'd need for any home DIY project. If you're looking for something large-scale, Home Depot or Lowe's might be your best bet, though the guys at Hamilton will special order what you need if they don't carry it. Case in point: the table saw they offered to have shipped in for me!

If you're looking to add color to your place, they sell California Paint. It's not my favorite brand, but give it a couple of coats and you're all set.

While we were having a key made and purchasing a refill pack of Swiffer pads, a lively group of people came in. They appeared to be the family of the gentlemen behind the counter. Hugs and hellos went all around. It was cute and made me wish all places were family-run by nice people with great, PERSONAL customer service. In an effort to help out the little guy, I'm definitley going to give Hamilton Hardware my business. I'm also on the lookout for other locally owned shops to frequent.

Tonight I'm going to Ikea.



Hamilton Hardware
259 Bowdoin Street
Dorchester, MA 02122
(617) 825-7340

Thrifty Thursday (On a Friday!)

Gorgeous Danish Teak Credenza

Price: $500

Location: Cambridge, MA

Awesome credenza. Enough said!

Livingroom Set

Price: $1000

Location: Attleboro, MA

For $1000, you can take home the couch, two coordinating chairs, three side/end tables, and a 50's dining set. While I'm not a fan of the dining table and chairs, and the fabric on the couch DEFINITELY needs to go, this is an AWESOME set!! I'd grab it if I didn't already have an orange retro couch in my apartment! Invite me over if you happen to scoop up the couch and chairs...I want to see them!

Gone Fishin'...

...in the toilet. Looking for a new way to display your fishy friends? Why not put them in the bathroom. Thanks to companies like AquaOne Technologies and Aquariass, your favorite water-based pet can hang out on your toilet or on your bathroom sink.

The toilet aquariums, while not my thing, are pretty neat looking, especially when the toilet is flushed. The clear fish tank attaches to a clear toilet tank. When you flush, you get the illusion of the water leaving the fish tank. But don't worry, the fish are safe in their own seperate space.

Not to miss out on the action, Italbrass has designed the Moody Aquarium Sink. I actually kind of like this piece. There are two openings in the top of the sink that can be covered by the included soap dishes for daily use or opened to allow for easy access to the fish. It might be kind of refreshing to see a nice calm mix of greenery and water as you splash your face in the morning.

Aside from goldfish, the tanks are also perfect for any other kind of decor you'd like to showcase. Perhaps you'd like a serene rock garden displayed or a you could turn it into a terrarium with small lizards. Who knows, the sky's the limit!

AquaOne

Fish 'n Flush Toilet

http://www.fishnflush.com/

Aquariuss

Aquarium Toilet

Available at http://www.elsewareinc.com/

Italbrass

Moody Aquarium Sink

Available at http://www.homeclick.com/

Online Updates

So, with the name change (Youz*d is now Apartment 528) comes a new website and a new blog site. Stay tuned for more info. Right now I'm going CRAZY trying to figure this all out, but hopefully I can have things running by next month. Who knew computers were so complicated...

In non-related news, neither The Fighting Illini nor Ohio State made it into the NCAA basketball tournament :( There goes my post on decorating your house in your favorite team colors! Just think, I could have had a scarlet and grey living room (for people not into sports, those are OSU's colors) with traditional Illini headdress (The Illinois mascot is Chief Illiniwek) sprinkled throughout. Oh well, I guess I'll have to make due...

It all goes back to mom!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Youz*d Design is going through some changes. Not only am I restructuring the business, but I'm also making changes to the website and giving Youz*d a new name.

After a LOT of deliberation in which I drove both Jerome and my mother absolutely crazy, I've finally come up with a new name for Youz*d.

Youz*d is now Apartment 528!!

As much as I've loved the name Youz*d, and as clever as I feel for coming up with it, it's getting a little old trying to explain how to pronounce the name. In an effort to not go crazy, I've decided it's easier to just change the name. We came up with several clever names, but I really wanted somethign that would pay homage to my inspiration for design.

That inspiration is my amazing mother! 5.28 happens to be her birthday. Mom started building barbie doll houses and designing clothes when she was a kid. Now she's a designer with her own baby line due this summer. She's taught me everything I know and has always been there to encourage me and listen as I talk about paint colors for an hour. I honestly couldn't ask for better.

Needless to say, I'm SUPER excited about the direction of Apartment 528. There are lots of different parts in the works right now and lots of things to work on, but this fall will be the big launch. I CAN'T WAIT!!

Stay tuned for more news. I'll be unveiling the new website and logo design next month, as well as slowly leaking the details of what's to come.

Thrifty Thursday: The Best (and Biggest) Things are Free

Retro Boomerang Bar: FREE!
This awesome bar is FREE! How can you go wrong with that? Now, I know that most Boston apartments can't accomodate a huge piece like this, but if you have the space, why not! The bar is being "donated" by the Garment District. The only catch is that you have to pick up and move the heavy bar yourself. While you're there, don't forget to check out their funky retro clothing rooms upstairs!

Bamboo Side Chairs (TWO): $40
Cute side chairs perfect for a small apartment sitting area. They're cute as is, but could be even funkier if you gave them a paint treatment in a bold color to match your living space. They come as a set of two making them ideal for a little bistro table or work space.

Orange Ottoman: $45

Modern, fun, bright, and full of personality...everything you could want in an ottoman!

Retro Chair: $30

This happens to be one of my favorite pieces. I've already contacted the seller so good luck getting this chair before me! I don't even know where I'm going to put it, I just love the color! I guess I'll have to repaint some rooms to make it fit :)

Sale!

Now I've got your attention! What is it about the word 'sale' that makes us go weak in the knees? I'll pay gobs of money for something I don't need and would never have bought otherwise, simply becasue there's a sale sign next to it.

In honor of other "Sale Junkies," I've thrown together several clearance and sale items. They range from expensive to cheap so no matter who you are, you can find something you like!

Clockwise from left to right:

Carved Wood Vessles, $29-$49, Pottery Barn; Softaly Leather Loveseat, $399.88, Walmart; Hudson Room Divider, $99, Target; Wood Candles, $8.99-$19.99, Pottery Barn

Kite Chair, $630 (white: $405), Design Within Reach; Mayflower Duvet Set, $20-$25, Walmart; Square Candy Dishes, $14.99-$35.99, Target; Smoke Glasses, $88.20/set of 2, Design Within Reach

Finger Cramps

So, I'm buying a sewing machine. After six hours of trying to sell curtains yesterday, I only managed to sew two hems and came away with an aching back and cramped fingers. It's going to take even longer to finish the rest of the first curtain, nevermind starting the other two.

If you have a sewing machine to recommend, PLEASE DO!! So far the Singer® Inspiration 4205 looks like the best machine. It's supposedly great for beginners and is simple to use. Textiles aren't exactley my forte, so basic is great for me!

I'm also going to enroll in a basic sewing machine class at Jo-Ann Fabrics so I can figure out how to use the silly thing. Hopefully I learn quickly so I can finally have curtains!

Thrifty Thursday: Dashes of Funk

Funky Chair
Looking to add a little funk to your apartment? Check out this chair going for $30 on craigslist. You can easily remove the chair cushion and seat back to update the existing fabric with something new and fun. Looking for a little more pizzaz? Paint the chair a fun color to coordinate with your room and add a bright burst of color.


1970's Bedroom Set: $275

This bedroom set is the perfect way to add a dash of retro inspiration to your bedroom without creating a "themed" room. The clean lines work in a modern setting and the walnut is in great condition. I might end up getting these!

Cream-colored Recliner: $100

This chair came from an estate cleanout. Instead of getting an Ikea Poang chair (like everyone else!), try this alternative for a little style. It even reclines!

Youz*d Reads: Decorating Junk Market Style

Youz*d Reads
Decorating Junk Market Style
By Sue Whitney and Ki Nassauer
$13.57 - Amazon.com

I found a great new book just perfect for Youz*d. Decorating Junk Market Style is full of ideas on ways to turn random items into great pieces. There are wonderful things you'd NEVER dream of, like a candle tray out of a drawer front, a roller skate vase, and a towel rack made from a playpen! Talk about trash to treasure! There are several projects I can't wait to try! In addition to this great book, Amazon has a host of other books on flea market and junk decorating. They come up with some ingenious things...some of the stuff they do is incredible!

Aside from their book, don't forget to check out the Junk Market website where you can buy Junk apparel and find nifty "junk" gifts.


Youz*d News
In case you're wondering why I haven't posted a blog in a few days it's because I was sick...not fun! Lucky for me, the extra time I spent on the couch wasn't all a waste! In going through the first steps of drafting up my business plan, I started thinking about what I REALLY want Youz*d to be and what I REALLY love about interior design. During Law and Order commercial breaks, I was able to come up with a great new direction for Youz*d. I don't want to reveal anything yet, but believe me, Youz*d is getting a revamp!

Not only will Youz*d be "going green" (refurbish, reuse, repurpose!), I'll also be changing my focus, redoing the website (isn't it great to have web designer friends!) and possibly - gasp! - changing the name of Youz*d!!

The final plans won't take full effect until this fall but believe me, it'll be worth it! Perhaps Youz*d will show up in a neighborhood near you!