apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

my bed frame is totally whack. looking for a super heavy duty one. saw this:

The Edge ™ Metal Bed Frame with Rollers

http://www.affordable-beds.com/edge_metal_bed_frame.htm

i can't find reviews, anyone have one and think it's good?

Does anyone know how to clean window fans like this http://www.laskoproducts.com/fans/model_3723.html ? I have two that are totally covered with grey sticky dust. I think its from all the air pollution but its gross. At this point I let it go 2 years too far. Im generally pretty handy but I am always scared to fiddle with things that are elctric. I have tried a stiff brush on all the parts of the fan that I could reach. That dislodged a ton of crud but I want them cleaner before I put them away for the summer. Any tips?

Trumy, you can usually unscrew the screen on a fan (unplug it first) so you can clean it with soap or citrasolve or some other mild solvent.

Those big box fans have teeny short screws in all four corners of the cover, so you can totally remove it and clean it in the bath tub.

I have about 60 records and am in need of storage and/or a display solution. They're currently in a milk-crate. Something more creative and den-friendly would be great.

Any ideas?

here is another round of sonno mattress questions:

they are on sale again and i am thinking of buying one this time. i am still not decided about the level of softness though.

those of you who have the regular prima mattress, did you pick medium or hard and why? would you have chosen a different softness now, that you've used it for some time?

i know i should try one in store, however it seems like lying in a 55-degree air conditioned room for 10 minutes fully clothed wouldn't give me an accurate description anyway.

Thanks Guido.

I'm trying to decide between two sofas.

The Petrie sofa from Crate and Barrel:
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=931&f=6643&q=petrie sofa&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

and the Klein sofa from Room and Board:
http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/product.do?method=get&id=230499

They cost the same. I've sat on the Petrie sofa but there isn't a Room and Board near us. I've ordered stuff from Room and Board and Crate and Barrel before and have been happy with the quality. Does anyone own the Klein sofa or have you sat on it or seen it in person? I've heard great things about the Petrie sofa but not much about the Klein.

Cheers!

SeanG,

I have a 4x4 Ikea Expedit for my records. The squares are the perfect size, and I alternate them between holding records and holding a vase or other display item, so that it doesn't look too crowded. I have 100 records in it with plenty of room to spare.

The neutral saga continues.

As per Wende's suggestion, I searched my BM fan deck for neutrals with red undertones. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I hate them. Most of them are just vile.

I'm stuck. I'm lost. It really does feel like Junior High....and I never want to go back there!

Shawn: Thanks for the suggestion. A 4x4 is too big for me but you've sparked a thought! Thanks!

I have a question for Patrick if he's around:

Patrick, I've been looking at your apartment pics from the Smallest Coolest contest again, and am really impressed with your bathroom. I like the way you have that slim table over the toilet so that it stretches all the way from the sink to the wall. I have a somewhat similar layout in my bathroom and would like to try that same idea, but have been having a hard time finding a table that is narrow enough. Judging from the depth of most toilet tanks, I'm guessing the table in your bathroom is only 8 or 9 inches deep. I didn't see any tables that narrow even in the "slim entryway table" discussions on AT. I realize your table may have been a unique find, or simply not available anymore, but I thought you might have a few suggestions.

Thanks,
Lucy

I considered the Klein sofa from R&B last year, but ended up buying the Metro instead. The Klein is comfortable but the back and arms are very low, just on the edge of being too low for me and I'm only 5'3". It was really the back cushions that were the dealbreaker, as there was no head support at all. The stock fabric is pretty nice though and the seat cushions are comfy and fairly deep, so I guess it depends on how much you plan on lounging/slouching and how much back and head support you require for that.

Liuba- I just bought my Sonno (and it has yet to arrive so I may not be much help). I went to the store and did the obligatory 2 minute, fully clothed lay down, and I decided to go with the firm. The firm seemed to have enough give to it form me and I thought going softer might be a problem because I want some support. A firm Sonno is hardly the same things as a firm coil mattress and had a lot give without sinking into the entire mattress. Well, not in 2 minutes at least. Good luck.

I got a head start on my Cure last night by hanging a new shower curtain. To my surprise, it has a row of pockets across the middle. I'm intrigued, but I have no idea what to put in them...the bathroom has a wall cabinet and I have a cabinet under the sink, so I don't need it for practical storage...What would you put in the pockets?

P.S. Thanks for the welcome!

Alana, the way out of the frustration is to flip through the fan deck and mark the neutrals you do like. If you hate all of them, then you know the neutral plan is not for you, no matter how logical it seems. Sometimes an idea just doesn't work, which is how I accumulated roughly 50 orange paint strips before deciding that an orange wall in the living room will not be happening, no way, no how.

If you end up liking only greenish neutrals, then ask yourself if you're good with a fairly high level of contrast and a relatively "cool" room. You might be, especially if you have the right fabrics. Another possibility is to match one of the colors in something patterned, since you're already happy with those colors.

A third possibility is to switch paint brands. Different brands feature different tones and different approaches to color.

Lisa--
Thanks!
Sadly, that table was custom made at a store (whose name escapes me at the moment...) no longer open here in NYC. It was my first lesson in custom order measuring... perfect at the top, but I did not take into account the slight flare where the wall tile met the floor... that baby is WEDGED in there!

Room and Board has a "slim" series... do any of those work for the space?

Have you considered a wall-hung shelf, instead? Perhaps one of the slabby ones from West Elm?

Hope that was of some help.

reef--
From purely a style perspective, I think the Klein is ultimately more versatile and will feel less dated. I also like that it has less unique legs (in a good way) leaving you way more options for chair selection.

P2 and cindycindy-

Thanks for the advice on sofas guys. I prefer the look of the Klein more than the Petrie but the lack of head support concerns me a bit. I think I'll have to make a trip to one of the stores and try it out for comfort. Thanks!

Thanks for the info Patrick. I did look at the slim series at Room and Board, and found a console table the right size:

http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/product.do?method=get&id=176088&coll=377458&cat=2113609

There's one big problem, however, which is that it has a supporting bar across the bottom of the legs, making it impossible for me to set it over the toilet. Otherwise it's perfect.

I may have to go with a shelf, as you suggest, though I do prefer the look of a table. Either way, I will post pictures when I'm done.

Thanks again for your help :)