Category Archives: Interiors

by | 4 June 2012 · 4:49 pm

D.I.Why? Secret Painting Bulletin Board

Dear You,

See this painting? I hope so, it’s right in front of your face.

But guess what? It’s not a painting. It’s a bulletin board. Would you like to know how I made it? Me neither. But I’ll tell you anyway. First, I went to the art supply store where scary artist sales associate helped me find canvas. It costs about $7 a yard. I got mine from Dick Blick.

I used acrylic paint I had leftover from a previous project. It’s a very pretty color of navy blue.

I watered the paint down to give it a tie-dye look. This caused a beautiful watercolor effect, which made me happy.

Now, a word to the wise. Never, under any circumstances, attempt to use this item:

It’s a miter box for a saw that I was trying to use to make a frame. And it’s the hardest thing in the world to use. I tried to use this one, sweating and crying for 45 minutes before I gave up and went over to my friend’s house to have him cut the stupid wood on his chop saw. For the frame of the bulletin board, I used 3/4″ x 3″ pine. And so should you. After cutting the frame I glued the canvas painting onto the bulletin board (which I’d painted blue before in a failed attempt to make it look pretty). I used school glue. Which you can pretty much use for anything.

I mixed the glue with water to thin it down and make an even coat on the bulletin board.

I used wood glue on the back to secure the canvas around the bulletin board.

When everything was dry, I glued the bulletin board into the frame I’d made (I don’t really want to talk about how I made the frame because it’s boring. Basically just screw four pieces of wood together). To attach the frame to the bulletin board I used wood glue, which is incredibly strong even though it smells just like white glue.

Then, I painted the frame white. With flat house paint. I wanted the look to be more matte, so I didn’t use semi-gloss or gloss like I normally would have. Flat paint scuffs up more though, so be ready to maniacally clean if you, too, choose flat paint.

This is what the final product looks like. It’s like a painting, but you can pin things to it. If you’ve ever fantasized about stabbing pins into pieces of art (and who hasn’t?), this is the bulletin board for you. My problem with most bulletin boards is that they are ugly and the cork is a gross color. This bulletin board solves all those problems and then some. So are you sold? Are you making yours yet? Hurry!

Here is the bulletin board with a few things on it. The one I made is actually for a client so the things on it aren’t mine. It still needs much more stuff on it but I thought it would be weird to fill someone else’s bulletin board for them so I left some blank space.

Up close, you can really see how pretty an watery the paint is. Glamour.

And here it is in the office it now calls home.

I hope you all go out and make a bulletin board disguised as a painting now. It’s much more interesting than one that just looks like an ugly old bulletin board.

Love,
Orlando

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15 Comments

Filed under D.I. Why?, Design, Do It Yourself!, Interiors, Uncategorized

by | 30 May 2012 · 4:15 pm

Whut Glamour: Boffo Show House

Dear Diary,

I was delighted to open my email this morning and find some images from the latest Boffo exhibition. Boffo is the culture/arts non-profit started by my close friends Faris and Gregory. Their most recent project is an art/design installation called “Show House” that features the work of dozens art artists and designers, each installed into uninhabited apartments on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The show is open until June 4. So check it out if you’re in New York.

The exhibition space is located at 371 Madison Street and is open from 11 AM to 7 PM daily. More images of the show are available from the website of photographer Evan Joseph.

Love,
Orlando

5 Comments

Filed under Design, Interiors, New York, The Artz

by | 17 May 2012 · 9:36 pm

There’s Something Going On In The Bedroom

Dear My Bedroom,

I hate you. I’m over you. And I need a change. But for some reason all the bedroom inspiration I’m finding is so feminine. Which is weird because guys like to sleep too. Below are some images of bedrooms I like. Please enjoy them.

I love this one. Look how tiny that mirror is? I can’t tell if it’s stupid or amazing.

This grey bedding is fun. I think you can get away with dark colors in a sexy, masculine bedroom…

Gimme. All of it. The flag, the cute rug, the jacket.

Emily designed this one for the show. It’s still one of my favorites.

This is my favorite picture of a bedroom ever. The bedding is from Dwell. I want to smother my face in it.

I hate plywood, but for some reason it works here.

I want a bicycle. Not to ride, but to look at.

This bedroom reminds me of the snotty kids at camp who whisper racist things to each other in the dining hall. I love it though. Is that bad?

So, Bedroom, you are going to be transformed soon. If it’s the last thing I do. And you’re going to like it.

Love,
Orlando

6 Comments

Filed under Interiors

by | 3 April 2012 · 3:53 pm

Hey House, I Want You!

Dear Diary,

I was browsing Sonoma County real estate the other day, as I often do, when I came across my dream home. It’s crazy, it’s asymmetrical, it’s made of redwood, it’s in the middle of the forest. It’s everything I want. It’s located in Healdsburg, California, which is an adorable town in wine country. And the price is right ($292,000 vs. neighboring properties for 6 million). It’s on 3.2 acres, has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and is on a road that my sister-in-law refers to as “the most beautiful road in Sonoma County.” Oh, and it’s a total piece of junk and it’s falling down and disgusting inside, which I guess is why it’s so cheap. But that’s the problem with being a designer. Instead of seeing the gross pile of rubble that stands before us, we hallucinate and see the fantasy house that could be. This happens to Emily and I a lot. We’ll show clients a totally disgusting sofa that needs to be reupholstered and completely remade and to us it looks totally beautiful because we’re seeing the final product. But to everyone else it just looks like a piece of junk fit for a hobo. That’s kind of what’s happening with this house. Everyone I show it to looks at me like I’m crazy, but I know I could make this house into something awesome. Here are some images of the house as is:

That sloping roof. Swoon.

The garage just needs a new door and for that basketball hoop to go away.

This is the living room. Total gut job. Needs new crisp white drywall and perhaps some kind of treatment on the ceiling (I’d do wood slats or something earthy). I’d also extend the windows to the ceiling. Why not, right?

I die for these mid-century California lines. Gimme!

Look at this deck. Oh, the glamorous Northern California parties that could be had out there. Dreams.

When I see the above dilapidated Sonoma County house, I am reminded of this glamorous project by William O’ Brien:

Angles + Light = Love

I think what I love so much is how dramatic the shape is. It warms my heart to imagine living in there.

In conclusion, if you’re sitting around wondering what to do with that extra $292,000 you have lying around, please buy me this house so I can make it into the glamorous woodland abode it deserves to be. In return you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that it wasn’t torn down to build a McMansion in the heart of one of California’s most desirable locales. Yay?

Love,
Orlando

17 Comments

Filed under California, Californiatimez, Exteriors, Interiors, Real Estate, The Golden State

by | 19 March 2012 · 5:07 pm

Sun Day

Dear Diary,
I went grocery shopping yesterday and when I got home I was, like, “HARK! Look at how crazy pretty the light is in my apartment!” And then I was like “I should take some pictures of stuff so I can remember how nice and warm everything looks.” It’s been chilly in Los Angeles (I think the temperature dipped below 68 degrees, BRRRR!). Thus, I was happy to get back to my warm, cozy apartment. Here is what my apartment looked like on Sunny Sunday Sun Day:

That vintage Interview Magazine is one of my favorite things in the world. I just love how giant and 80z glam it is. One day, I’ll be as pretty as Sylvester Stallone on that cover. Dreams…

Love,
Orlando

7 Comments

Filed under Around The Apartment, California, Interiors, The Golden State

by | 2 March 2012 · 9:52 pm

Rugs Not Drugs!

Dear Friends,

I think I have a rug problem. It’s like whenever I’m not on rugs all I can think about is getting more rugs. And then when I’m not on rugs I all I think about is rugs. And then my friends show me their rugs and how they’re using them, I just want to go out and steal/sell bikes so I’ll have more money to spend on rugs. I’m a total rug addict. It started out slow, I put a rug in my living room. But that rug was just the gateway rug, and now I can’t stop. I live in an apartment with cold, hard, bamboo floors that look like this:

Every morning I wake up and my feet hit the cold hard floor and all I can think about is where I can get more rugs. I need a rug dealer.

Wool Cable Rug $809 from Rugs USA (8 x 10)

I want to inject this rug between my toes. Meaning I want to step on it with my bare feet every morning when I wake up…

Nate Berkus Dhurrie Rug. $480 from hsn.com (8 x 10)

Emily has this in her guest bedroom and sometimes I think about stealing it and bringing it home with me. Sometimes being a rug addict compromises one’s virtue.

Jute Boucle Rug $279 from West Elm

This rug is perfect for the cash-strapped rug addict. It’s so cheap and the grey color is very pretty.

It comes in other colors too:

Maui Chunky Loop Rug $479 from Rugs USA (9 x 12)

This is a warm and inviting rug. We recently sold this rug to a client and he loves it. I  bet he’s on that rug right now.

Thom Filicia Jasper Crackle Dune New Zealand. $692 from Overstock.com (8 x 10)

This rug is totally crazy but I love it. Looks kind of like a tribal pattern but modern.

$2,420.99 from Hayneedle.com (8 x 11)

This is like the first one except more felty. And sometimes, you just need a felty rug. Or any kind of rug to protect you from the cold hard world. Being on rugs makes everything feel better.

Woolen Jute Blend Rug $207 from Home Decorators (8 x 11)

This rug brings together two of my favorite ingredients: indigo blue and jute. Mix those together and you get total ecstasy.

Facet Rug $850 from Dwell (8 x 10)

This rug is trippy, but the graphic pattern on it makes it worth the trip.

I’d like to conclude this drug-pun-infused post by letting you know that I don’t do drugs, but I do love to  make fun of them. Ask my friends, I’m a nerd when it comes to that stuff. I used to think it would be fun to look like one of those Calvin Klein heroin models from the 90z but I’m sure if I ever tried drugs my brain would explode instantly and the Jonas Brothers would pop up out of thin air and say “And that’s why we say NO to drugs!” as I lay dying. It would be the best PSA ever. Drugs are bad habit mainly because they kill you and they’re so expensive. So if you want to waste your money on something crazy expensive and addictive, why not let it be rugs? That way your feet will thank you and you wont have to die. YAY!

Love,
Orlando

10 Comments

Filed under Cool Designerz, Design, Interiors, Orlando's Obsession

by | 1 March 2012 · 8:05 am

What I Do When I’m Left Alone (I’m Scared)

Dear Diary,

Do you know what normal people do when they are left alone? They watch movies, make soup, and pet their dogs. I, on the other hand, rearrange my entire apartment on a daily basis. In fact, just yesterday I woke up and realized the that my bedroom needed a little bit of attention. So naturally I spent the next three hours rearranging the top of my dresser (which is ugly, by the way, needs to be lacquered in a hip color but I can’t decided what). Below are the results of my playtime.

Here is what the top of my dresser looked like before:

Here’s what that same surface looked like after I went crazy rearranging it and spray painting that little filing thing gold. To be honest, I have no idea if it’s any better than it was before. But rearranging it made my life feel more meaningful. Which is something I’d talk to my therapist about if I had one.

I love this Yoshitomo Nara toy (on the left). For the most part I tried to stick with aqua, green, white, and gold. You know, because normal all guys have color-coordinated accessories on top of their dressers.

This is a little table I have in my bedroom. It belonged to my great-great-great-great grandmother, who got the wood to make it from George Washington when he cut down that cherry tree. Or something. Anyhonk, this is what it looked like before I changed it:

And here is what it looks like now:

Impressive, right? [Insert cricket noise]

You know, I have to admit that restyling these surfaces made me realize that I like nicknacks a little bit too much. All I want to do all day is stare at beautiful, interesting objects. And books. I’m also obsessed with things like my Whole Earth Catalogue, which I stare at every day while I fantasize about living in the 60s (which by the way I could never do because I hate body hair and flared pants).

Yes, I moved that ceramic spherical sculpture by my friend Suzanne so I could stare at it in the morning. Sometimes I give it a little kiss to let it know how much I care.

So yeah, that’s my thing. Rearranging stuff for hours for no apparent reason. (I’m scared).

Love,
Orlando

11 Comments

Filed under Around The Apartment, Collecting, D.I. Why?, Design, Interiors, Welcome to my home

by | 9 February 2012 · 6:58 pm

Wherefore Art Thou Roman Shade?

Dear Roman Polanski,

I know you’ve been quite controversial recently, and I’m not going to comment on that. What I will comment on is the fact that you share a name with my favorite type of window covering (Roman Shades). And perhaps that counts for something. Actually, no it doesn’t…

Roman Shades are a great alternative to drapery for a few reasons. Firstly, if you’re a dude (or a butch lesbian), they’re way more masculine in appearance than a flowing drape. Having them in your apartment and/or home will make you look way less ladypants than a house full of girly drapery. Not that there’s anything wrong with looking ladypants. I’m wearing women’s jeans right now. Secondly, Romans are more modern. So if you like rectangles and hard edges, a roman shade is probably much more your style. Finally, I like romans because they are practical for spaces where you can’t allow drapery to fall all the way to the floor (i.e. behind a bench or somewhere you’ll be sitting). I’m not a fan of curtains that don’t go to the floor (often called “cafe curtains”).

The only problem I have with Romans is how expensive they are. Making them custom normally costs $250-$500 per window, which makes them totally cost prohibitive for a lot of people. But Emily turned me on to this great resource that I’d like to share with you. Don’t be scared by the name (believe me, I was). It’s a company called Country Curtains. The name might conjure images of someone named Jeb sitting on the front porch playing a ukulele whilst chewing on a piece of straw, but don’t be scared, they actually have some great stuff. Recently we used their Cordless Roman Shades for a client and I’m super happy with how they turned out. Each window cost around $79.50 (the cost is based on window width) so we did the whole project for less than $600 (which isn’t bad because there were seven windows altogether).

Here are some images of the breakfast nook with newly installed Roman Shades:

In addition to the style we ordered, they have some other great options. I like this Woven Cordless Roman Shade. $86.50 – $116.50.

This Ticking Stripe Rolling Shade is adorable, right? I want to put it in my bedroom. We would have used it for our client but there’s already a lot of pinstripe in the house and that would have taken it over the edge. $46.50 – $54.50.

The Woven Shades also come with a border, which I like for a slightly more formal look. $89.50 – $119.50.

This is another image of the style we used for our client. $69.50 – $199.50.

Now that I’ve discovered how cheap these Romans/Roller shades are I kind of want to put them all over my house and/or my body. I love you Romans! Not you, Roman Polanski; you’re totally a weirdo.

Love,
Orlando

5 Comments

Filed under Design, Emily, Interiors

by | 7 February 2012 · 11:10 pm

I Want Something From To Do Something

Dear Furniture & Cabinetry Company To Do Something,

I was at the home of one of my favorite clients today and she told me about you and showed me your stuff and I was instantly in love. I love the clean, modern lines, the playful color, the clever legs. I love the beautiful woods, the generous scale, the masculine shapes. Therefore, To Do Something, you are my favorite discovery of the day. Thank you for existing.

Let’s start with the sexy chairs.

Hay chair! I’m not usually a fan of plywood, but I love how it’s juxtaposed with white lacquer here.

I think good design often means you don’t notice the design at all. This chair is exactly what it’s supposed to be, without any stupid distracting details.

I love the stain on this piece, making it look all cartoony plastic. Like my face.

If I had a record player (which I don’t, because I’m a nerd), I’d name him Herbert and put him in this piece of furniture designed specifically for record players. Luxury.

I’d like to put this pop-y table in my urban loft. If I had one. I hate my life.

The legs on this dining table mean the world to me. How much do you love that gold on the bottom? When, due to the ramifications of Prop 8 being overturned in California, people are allowed to marry goats and inanimate objects, I will most certainly be marrying this table, getting a gold wedding ring to match his gold legs. That sentence was way too long. I’m sorry.

Ugh. Be MINE!

In addition to uberglamourous furniture this company also does uberglamourous custom cabinetry. There is more on their site but I was drawn to the aqua kitchen. Like, duh.

Someday, I will have a house full of this gorgeous cabinetry (who doesn’t love built-in storage?) and each and every one of these pieces of furniture. If that doesn’t happen I’ll hate my life and resent you for it. Yes, you. This is all your fault!

Love,
Orlando

6 Comments

Filed under Cool Designerz, Design, Fun Finds, Interiors

by | · 4:25 pm

Sofa’s Choice

Dear Sophia Loren,

You know, if you were my daughter I would have named you Sofa Loren. I really love a good sofa. I’ve been searching for a new one for quite some time. My old sofa was great. Totally big mid-century piece. But it took up way too much space in my living room because it was 110″ wide. Which I loved but it left no room for side tables, which I believe to be a necessary part of having a sofa if you want to host parties because where else will people put their drinks?

I loved the shape of this sofa. Very clean lines yet still interesting.

Emily and I found this piece for $99 at Goodwill. It was completely disgusting when we found it but we could tell it had potential. It was filthy and it needed new foam and everything, but according to our upholsterer the wooden frame was still very strong. And it’s 80″ so it leaves plenty of room for side tables. The best part about this sofa is that it’s a sofabed, which is a huge thing for me because I live in a one bedroom apartment and I have nowhere for any visitors to sleep. Tears.

Unfortunately the inner bed mechanism had to be replaced, which added $200 to the budget. This is the sofa mid-way through the process, before the new bed mechanism was installed.

This is how dirty it was. <Insert barfing noises>.

And here is the finished product. Yay!

I chose to cover it in a beautiful peacock blue velvet I bought for about $25 a yard (I needed 16 yards). This soft velvet feels like the tender touch of an angel.

The lines of this sofa are very similar to the old one. Sloped arms, tufted back. I love it all.

I accessorized the sofa the same way I did the old one and put it on the same gallery wall. I’m kind of loving it and I can’t wait to have a guest so I can show them the super crazy half-spring/half aerobed mattress I got for it. It’s SOOOOOO comfy I considered sleeping on it instead of my real bed.

In the end, here’s how the cost of the sofabed broke down:

Sofabed: $100
Fabric: $400
New Bed Frame: $200
Upholstery: $600
New Mattress: $300

Total: $1600

So all in all it’s a $1600 sofa. Which isn’t super cheap but is pretty good for a custom sofabed that no one else in the world has. I know I love this new addition to my family. This Valentines Day I’ll be sending it Valentines and asking it to be my mine. I can’t wait!

Love,
Orlando

PS: Stay tuned for pictures of the sofabed styled as a bed. It’s pretty luxe…

20 Comments

Filed under Around The Apartment, Design, Flea Market Finds, Homme Sweet Homme, Interiors