Ikea Hacking!

Here's an ingenious A/C cover from IkeaHackers. I've never seen an A/C unit like this outside of a hotel, but if you're one of the unlucky few who has one in your apartment, this is a great solution. For the rest of us, this would make a great entry table or buffet.

To create this cover, Alex used wood flooring, Lack panels, and cabinet legs - all from Ikea. Just goes to show you what a little creativity and a few minutes in the As Is section can get you! Make sure you look at the other hacks Alex has done...he has an awesome loft.

(Images via IkeaHacker)

*Apt528 Tip: Next time your at Ikea, look in the As Is section for discounted items. The products you find there are floor models or returns that just need a little TLC to get them back in shape. Most Ikeas have certain days where you can get an extra 20% off As Is purchases. Check the promotions page for your local store at Ikea.com to find out more.

New Pillows

Bonjour Mon Coussin just added a few more pillows to their line. Check out last year's Spring Re-Style post for more ways to dress up your apartment with pillows.

Spring DIY: Window Film

To kick off the spring season, I've got the first of many Spring DIY's. The topic: windows.

Most rentals come with those cheap white window blinds. Aside from being ugly, they're also a pain to clean. That's why I finally decided to go with window film.

Window film comes in all sorts of decorative designs (stained glass, mosaic, mirrored, etched glass) and is a great alternative to window blinds. It can be purchased from most home improvement stores and runs about $40 for a standard sized window, though you can buy larger value packs if doing multiple windows.


I tried the Light Effects Textured Window Film from Home Depot ($19.97). The film was non-adhesive which means it's super easy to remove when you move out. It was also easy to install. In about 10 minutes, I went from looking at my neighbor's house (above) to having a nicely covered window that goes well with the rest of my room.

To install the window film I needed:

• 2 packs of the 24" x 36" Light Effects window film (non-adhesive) - $40
• 1 spray bottle filled with soapy water - $1
• 1 ruler - already had
• 1 utility knife - already had
• 1 squeegee - included

First you use the ruler and utility knife to cut the film to the size of your window. If you prefer, you can cut the excess film while it's on the window, using the window edge as a ruler...I found this way to be easiest.

Once you clean your windows, spray them with your soapy water solution (below). Remove the protective paper from the back of the film, spray the film with soapy water, and apply to the window. The soapy water allows you to easily move the film until it's in the perfect position.

Once you have the film where you want it, spray the outside with soapy water and use the squeegee to remove the excess water from behind the film. You'll want a rag around to catch the water. After that you're done! It's quite possibly the easiest DIY ever.

The window film lets in sunlight, blocks the view of the neighbor's house, and eliminates the need for window blinds...pretty good if you ask me. It's also easy to remove: peel from the corner, give the window a quick cleaning, reinstall your blinds, and you're done!

UPDATE (3/27/09) - Just found a great post over at Design*Sponge on window films. Check it out for more window ideas!

Thrifty Thursday

Danish Modern Coffee Table

Location: Kirkersville, KY

Price: $65

This week's Thrifty Thursday comes from Kirkersville, KY. It's not the first town that comes to mind when thinking about places to score retro furniture, which is why I was pleasantly surprised to find this mid-century Danish coffee table in mint condition.

For more great Kentucky finds, check out the "Found on Craigslist" section of the sidebar.

My 2nd Bookcase Revamp

More pics of the work we've done around the apartment the past couple of weeks...

BEFORE:

When we first moved in, we removed the wheels we'd added to our Ikea bookcases and painted the shelf backing to match the apartment. The inside was citron green to match the living room...

...and the outside was teal to match the dining room.

Then we got rid of the citron green wall in the living room and replaced it with a richer moss green. That meant we needed to reapaint the bookcase backing to match. We were removing the backing and preparing to paint when we realized we liked the look of the open bookcases.

AFTER:

But, when the bookcases were completely open the room looked messy. So we decided to only leave a few shelves open. I LOVE the outcome! Here's the view from the living room...

And here's the view from the dining room...

Bedroom Pics

Here are a few pics of the work I did in the bedroom with the help of my Point N Paint. As I said in my Point N Paint Review, the paint tool was easy to use and I was finished in no time. Let me know what you think!

My Point and Paint ready to paint my walls Gulf Blue.

I should have done a "before" picture so you could see the room without the blue but you know me, I'm too impatient!


I'm putting a kitchenette area on the other side of the wall. You can see the microwave on the floor! Hopefully that area will be done soon. The bookcase will store the toaster, coffee maker, and food. Now I just need to find baskets.


I love my framed Night Owl cards (hanging up in the 3rd pic) but they weren't doing it for me on this wall. So I went with simple mirrors and finally found a place for my gorgeous peacock lamp. Don't know if I like that shade but hopefully I'll find something soon.

I still have a lot of projects to finish - the kitchenette, finding full-length mirrors for the right side of the blue wall, getting a new lamp shade, etc. - but I'm still excited about the direction the room is going! Hopefully I'll be able to show you pics of the finished kitchenette soon :)

Apt528 Review: The Point N Paint

Point N Paint

$19.99

Available online or over the phone

Apt528 Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Great for DIY-ers looking for an alternative to messy paint rollers. Take your time and be carefull when getting close to edges and ceilings.

The Review

My Point N Paint came last night! Jerome had it all setup on the table when I got home. I can't tell you how excited I was! The Point N Paint comes with a large edger for open spaces and a mini-edger for smaller spaces and painting along trim. You also get several paint pads in both sizes. I signed up for the "free pads for life" deal...why not?!

The mini edger fits into the base of the larger edger when not in use. You can also remove the handle of the unit to add an extension pole (not included) for painting walls or ceilings. After you have the proper pad ready to go, simply pour the paint into the tray and you're ready to go. 10 minutes after walking in the door, I was upstairs painting...that's how easy it was to setup!

The roller in the tray did a good job of applying paint to the pads, which hold a LOT of paint. They claim that the Point N Paint can hold 5 times the amount of paint a regular paint roller does. While I didn't have the patience to compare the two side by side, I can say that the Point N Paint holds at least 3 times more paint. That means less wasted time reloading...I'm all for that.

What WAS bad was how the PNP performed when hooked up to an extension pole. I have vaulted ceilings so a pole was necessary. Going up the wall, there was no problem. It was coming DOWN that was the issue. The part of the edger that attaches to the extension pole swivels 360 degrees which means that instead of making a straight line as it comes down the wall (like the Shur-Line), it swirls down. A little bit of swivel is good, but 360 degrees is way too much. At one point, the PNP started swirling and the tip of it ended up too close to the ceiling. Oy vay!

Thankfully, painting without the extension pole was a lot easier. I detached the pole, put the handle back on, and painted the lower portion of the wall. The only problem I had was with painting along the baseboard trim. Edgers need something to rest against (trim, the wall, the ceiling) in order to create an edge. Our trim tapers off as it gets close to the wall so there's no edge for the PNP to rest against. Still, it did the job and only required a little touchup with a damp towel.

All in all, I'm very happy with my purchase. The Point N Paint was faster than traditional paint rollers, easy to use, and a more affordable alternative to buying rollers, dropcloth, and brushes every time you need to paint. If you're a frequent painter like me, I'd recommend giving it a try.

Night Owl!

I love these cards! The wood grain, the adorable animals, the vintage feel...it's like they were made for me!

Which is why I ended up framing the cards and hanging them in my bedroom instead of sending them out to friends and family...who needs communication anyway!?

Check out the Night Owl Paper Goods website for more unique designs - I've already ordered several more cards! They also have cute totes, notebooks, gift cards, artwork (for under $20!), and even wood-grain wedding invitations. You better believe I'm using Night Owl for MY wedding!

Apt528 Tip: Want to frame a few things on your own? Instead of paying for expensive matt board, get it for free! Many framing shops will give you their scraps for no cost at all.

Corny Bug Jotter $8


Owl Flowering Branch Tote $29

Modern Folksy Blue Bird Postcard $4.95 (on sale)

Thrifty Thursday Review: Thrift Shop of Boston

Thrifty Thursday Review: The Thrift Shop of Boston

I'm a frequent shopper of the Thrift Shop of Boston and figured it was about time I share it with you. Located in the middle of Roslindale Village, the Thrift Shop of Boston is run by the Home for Little Wanderers, a charity organization that provides help and care for at-risk kids.

Pros: It's a small space but they really get a lot in there without it being crowded. Great for vintage items. We've found great cameras for our collection, some dating back to 1918. We were also able to find salt and pepper shakers from the 60's (we'd been looking for the past year!), dressers, records, and household items.

Cons: Not a good place to go if you're looking for more modern decor. Somehow the store hasn't left the 70's, which is great if you're a retro lover like me but not so good when you want something a little more trendy.

Perhaps the best part of the Thrift Shop is that 100% of the money goes straight to the Home for Little Wanderers organization. How can you say no to that!


Thrift Shop of Boston
17 Corinth Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
617-325-5300
Open: Mon- Sat: 9:30 am - 5 pm

Bored with the Dining Room!

I'm bored with my dining room. Big surprise! I thought painting the stripe would liven things up a bit, but I'm still not sold on that idea. Now I'm considering adding another teal wall, and getting rid of the stipe. But before I get started on any projects, I decided to take a look around Flikr for a little inspiration.

I'm not usually a fan of all-white decor but this room just looks so crisp and fresh. (Image Via Me*jo)

Love it! The chandelier is gorgeous and the paint color is a perfect compliment to the starburst wallpaper. (Image Via The 10 Cent Designer)

I really like the wall cutouts. They keep the room open and airy. (Image Via rwfan99)

I don't plan on ditching my chairs anytime soon, still, there's something peaceful, modern, and beautiful about this space. I wish I had an arch like that in my apartment! (Image Via Natala007)