Custom closet on a budget

After we worked away all of last weekend, I know two things for sure: the remodeling of our bedroom will take slightly longer than anticipated, but it honestly couldn't have started off any better. May I introduce to you my brand-new, custom-built closet?

We replaced our previous "solution" to store clothes — which consisted, among other things, of a broomstick clamped to a small bookshelf, sigh... — with this custom closet we built from Ikea's Ivar shelving units and some wood we got cut to size (= the wide shelf at the top that's connecting the three individual shelves).

The latter part wasn't in the original plan and cost us some extra time, but what do you do when Ikea is oversold on some of the parts you desperately need? Right, you curse, you cry, then you improvise. And in this case, it worked out for the better: getting wood cut for the connecting shelf allowed us to use every inch of space we had available, and made the closet much more stable.

We mounted some Vågen curtain rods to hang clothes from, and added organizers, shoe racks, and a couple of ingenious folding hooks. We fit two hampers in there (on casters!), and can easily add additional shelves if we need to.

Eventually, we'll probably hang a curtain in front of it, but for now we like walking into the room and seeing the result of our work. The whole thing cost us around $350 and was done in a day. Which isn't nearly as exciting as the fact that I have my broomstick back, and can fit an ironing board into my new closet!

Thank You cards

I finished an order of Thank You cards last week to match a set of wedding stationery I created for (now newlyweds!) Shefali and Samir in July. The folded cards are blank inside so bride and groom can add a personal note. The design picked up elements from the other stationery items I created for them, like the drawing of the mandap, the traditional canopy under which the Hindu wedding ceremony is held.

Switching tools for the weekend

I finished an order of Thank You cards this week, and spent many an hour scoring, folding and adhering in a world of cream, maroon and gold. I'll post pictures of it next week, but for now I'm putting down ruler and bone folder in exchange for tape measure, paint roller and a slightly different color palette:

After we've been living in this apartment for almost a year now, we're finally going to renovate our bedroom this weekend. We painted the other rooms before or shortly after we moved in, but the bedroom somehow remained in its original, yucky state.

Soon, very soon, my bedroom walls will radiate a warm, yellow glow. Or so I hope. Below are some of the photos I collected over the months for inspiration...

Tic, toc, retro clocks

On a stroll through Oakland's Temescal District last weekend, I came across this lovely red toy rocket car in a storefront (the fabulous Scout Home Hardware). Awesome, no?

Upon a second look, I noticed that right behind it stood what is almost the exact same vintage stove we have in our apartment. Granted, ours isn't in quite as good shape, but still pretty close. I liked the big clock they had hung above it and since I keep missing a clock in our kitchen, I took a quick look around online for some retro wall clocks. Here's my shortlist:

From top left, clockwise (har, har):

1. Retro Kitchen Wall Clock in red and aqua.
2. Cream-colored Wesco Classic Line wall clock with timer.
3. Shiny retro clock made from reclaimed aluminum.
4. Kitchen timer and clock in egg-shaped black housing.
5. Round silver metal retro clock.
6. Flip calendar clock.

Talking of the nostalgic charm of everyday household items: here is a shot of a collection of ironing boards at Bakesale Betty's, where they serve as tables to briefly hold the tray with the most amazing fried chicken sandwich you'll ever have.

Surprise office birthday bash

My friend and former coworker C. is an amazing party planner. For years, she threw the most adorable and custom-themed birthday parties for her colleagues at her job as an office manager. Her sense for party styling is legendary, and yet it's always obvious that the birthday boy or girl's likes and interests are front and center.

Now that it was on me to throw a birthday bash for a colleague at my new job, I channeled my inner C. and organized a small Italian-themed surprise party for my boss, who has a deep passion for everything bella Italia. The green-red-and-white birthday banner was easily crafted from letters I printed on our office printer, and I served up rustic antipasti platters for lunch (easy to prepare the night before and then served on simple white plates).

Rustic antipasti platters:

Cut tomatoes and fresh mozzarella in slices. Serve with fresh basil leaves, good olive oil and a bit of salt.

Peel carrots, cut long ones in half crosswise, then cut lengthwise in ¼” thick pieces. Steam in a pot with little water, minced garlic clove, and a tad of olive oil or butter for about 5 minutes or less. Make sure to not overcook the carrots, they should keep some of their crunch. Drain and let cool. Season with salt and freshly chopped parsley and basil, mix in a couple spoons of olive oil. Let the flavors mingle in the fridge, ideally over night.

Serve with salami, prosciutto, olives, and Ciabatta or a similar kind of rustic bread.