DIY: Projects Made with Felt!
Felt is another obsession of mine. Not only do I love the aesthetic but also 100% wool felt is water-resistant, and environmentally friendly, and incredibly durable. Did you know that wool felt was one of the world’s first textiles? Yep, goes back to 1500 BC possibly before, when people realized the potential of sheep’s fleece. The earliest forms were found in Central Asia where felt was used for shelter, flooring, and clothing. There’s a little history lesson for you.
Anywho, I am a sucker for the charcoal gray but felt comes in any color imaginable. The following are some of my favorite applications of felt…All of which you can do yourself!
Felt Headboard
Check out this subtle yet effective transformation of this headboard using industrial charcoal grey felt. Simple DIY instructions here.
After Before
Felt Pillows Photo from Boston Globe
Love a simple felt pillow and have been seeing the sprout up an many retail stores but you can make them yourself quite simply. To make you own, click here for basic instructions from Ehow. Pillows above available for purchase from Filzfelt, a new shop formed by Boston designers Kelly Smith and Traci Roloff. Also check out CB2 for one of my favorites, a wool blend bold stripe pillow in charcoal grey/oat.
Photo from CB2
Mailing Tube Wine rack
I love cute little felt accessories like this. This little wine rack is a great for showing off your wine in a small studio apartment. The components are simple: felt, colored duct tape, and mail tubes…I have so many of these tubes floating around from trace rolls and storing drawings. Click here for instructions on how to make this rack.
via Design Sponge
Felt Rugs
I have been digging the look of felt rugs, since I found this great zippered grey felt rug by Jim Zivic, click here to view. Planning a DIY project myself: I am planning on purchasing several large pieces of wool felt and seaming them together using zippers for a custom look.
Another idea is to purchase the rugs from vendors such as FilzFelt (above photo from Apartment Therapy) and Peace Industry (below left). Not to mention another fave, Flor (below right) where you can create a custom looking rug using Flor tiles.
I think of anything with a custom component as being DIY!
Love the look but just don’t want to spend the time making stuff? Click here for some great places to buy felt products from the Apartment Therapy Marketplace. Here a few to get you started:
Book Box by Etcetera Media and Goods
Don’t try these at home…
Felt Wool Stones by Viva Terra
Soft Stone Pouf by Viva Terra
Lighting by Wo and Wé Collection
Design for Men reader, Olivier Abry has been interested in vintage furnishings, especially lamps for a long time. Abry, who lives in Lyon, France, started creating industrial light fixtures by assembling and restoring vintage objects just three months ago. He now considers himself a “light creator-assembler”, a title I love. After clicking on his site, I realized that the title fits as his talent and attention to detail blew me away. I was also a bit jealous but that’s beside the point. The fixtures are both sleek and functional. His adjustable arm fixtures remind me of the fixtures by Workstead published earlier this summer. And pricing is reasonable despite the exchange rates that may apply. The following are a few favorites.
Vendu Wall Light
Double Potence Adjustable Arm Lamp
Liseuse Reading Light
Cage Potence Wall Light
Not bad for three months. Check out his site, Wo and Wé Collection, by clicking here.
Merci beaucoup Olivier pour la présentation! Votre travail est incroyable et bonne chance avec la collection! My sincere apologies as my french is very rusty.
IMAGES from Wo and Wé Collection
Buying a Used Car
The search for a car has contributed immensely to decline in posts lately, my apologies. However, I am pleased with my purchase and I am loving my “new-to-me” 2009 Volkswagon Rabbit, pictured above. I learned a great deal through this process and thought that I would share with you.
1. Do your research! I am not a huge car person but you must be familiar with the following when purchasing a used car:
- Searching multiple sites, eg. Craigslist, AutoTrader, Cars.com
- Appraising using Kelley’s Blue Book or Edmunds
- Checking the Carfax report
- Getting cars checked out by a mechanic
- Financing (if you plan to get a loan)
- Certified Used Cars
Additionally, I found a lot of information on Edmunds.com to extremely helpful during the search, from articles, to reviews, to car listings, so start there!
2. Know what you want! I decided to purchase a Volkswagen early on as I have always wanted a Jetta or a Golf (a.k.a. Rabbit). Focusing on these models made things easier as I looked for cars through private parties and dealers.
3. Determine a budget and stick to it! As you begin looking at cars, it is surprisingly easy to lose sight of your budget. And especially, don’t let a dealer or anyone lead you astray. If you finance, pay attention to residual value so that you don’t wind up upside down on your loan – or owing more than the car is worth.
4. Take your time! Avoid making decisions on the spot. I found great value in taking a night to think every time I came close to purchasing something.
5. Go with your gut! Buying a used car involves risk so if your gut is telling you something is off – something is off! I was considering purchasing a Jetta (pictured above) at one dealership and the manager was very brash and aggressive, all the while not explaining the fees assessed. I just felt uncomfortable and despite the low price on the car. I just got a real sleezy vibe and started questioning everything. So, I left the dealership. Best thing I could have ever done. Because….
I had a wonderful experience purchasing my car from the first salesperson I saw during my search. We negotiated pricing and I feel that I received a great deal on this car. He was exceptionally knowledgeable and never pressured me to buy. In fact, he followed up with me the day before the shenanigans at the dealership mentioned above. I just had to get back in touch with him because I felt more comfortable working with him.
So special thanks to Charles at Volkswagen Alexandria. DC readers, if you are interested in a new/used VW, give him a shout.
IMAGE CREDITS: 2 from Edmunds
Wall Mounted Cubbies: Pottery Barn vs. CB2
My plan was to use the CB2 Wire 9 Cube Wall Shelf (l) to create a bar in my place. And then, I happened upon the very similar Vintage Metal Wall-Mount Cubby system (r) at Pottery Barn. I immediately had to compare and contrast to determine which to buy.
THE FUNCTIONALITY
Both units have 9 cubbies and are comparable in width and height. So, scale isn’t an issue. However, the Pottery Barn unit is narrower, sized more for DVDs, CDs, and such so it is 6″ deep as opposed to the 8″ for the CB2. Hmm…how many glasses and bottles can I fit on a 6″ shelf I thought.
THE CONSTRUCTION
The Pottery Barn unit appears far more substantial than the CB2 version because of the solid sides and shelves. Both units inclde blackened iron wire.
THE PRICE
Comparable, PB – $100, CB2 – $90
THE DECISION
Pottery Barn, despite being narrower, the unit is far more substantial in appearance and construction. And there will be plenty of space for my glasses and such. Not to worry, if you prefer the CB2 version, the customer reviews are favorable.
THE ALTERNATIVE:
I also love the staggered installation of the above Pottery Barn Wooden Modular Crates as I was also considering something a little less structured.
IMAGE CREDITS: CB2 and Pottery Barn
Burlap Obsession
It’s all about my obsessions lately – I have been really inspired (again) by the many uses for burlap, commonly used for coffee sacks. Perhaps the combination of rugged texture with the bold typography seduces me.
Burlap Bench and Stool (above) via Lavender Hill Studio
Burlap Chairs via Apartment Therapy
Versailles Domed Burlap Backed Chair by Restoration Hardware
Burlap Headboard via Belle Maison
DIY Headboard via Imperfect
Pillows via Tatertots and Jello (l) and Belle Maison (r)
Upcycle Ottoman by Gus Modern. Click here to view previous article
Burlap Tumbler by Starbucks
I am already receiving tons of compliments on mine! Would make a great gift.
Scaffolding Obsession
Surrounded by construction, I have become incredibly inspired by scaffolding. All of sudden, it came to me – scaffolding would be great for creating a bed and perhaps many other pieces of furniture. So I am just inspired…I am considering making a headboard out of scaffolding for my place. The following are some great pieces for inspiration.
Scaffolding Bed above via Design Sponge
Constructed of scaffolding tubes and wood planks by the husband of Marijke Hukema of Restored in Amsterdam
Motel Out of The Blue via Dezeen
Designers Maartje Dros and Francois Lombarts used scaffolding to turn a construction site into a conference area. The project, called Motel Out of The Blue included meeting rooms , lecture hall (pictured above), dining room, library and 50 rooms (above) for visitor accommodation. I particularly love the day bed…I could see that transformed into something really comfy for indoors or outdoors.
Scaffold Board Table via Ryan Frank
Made (exquisitely I might add) out of planks from scaffold
Attaché Case by Ettinger
I have been noticing the resurgence of the attaché case and I love it. There is something about carrying the right one that adds sophistication to the work ensemble. I am coveting the St. James Lid-Over Attaché case by Ettinger of London. The interior lining makes grabbing your computer or documents just a touch more special. And aspects of the case can be customized specifically for you. Check out the Ettinger site for more info by clicking here.
Images courtesy of Ettinger of London
