To Do List

This likely won't be of much interest to you all, but I thought that it would be good to get everything written down.  Here is my home-related to do list for 2012:

*Replace roof
*Buy and install blinds
*Install electrical outlets in sunroom
*Install electrical outlets in second story
*Replace light switches with dimmer switches
*Fix and install sputnik chandelier
*Replant front garden
*Clean, repair, and paint garden shed
*Patch cracks in drywall/plaster
*Repair water damage in study and second story
*Paint EVERYTHING
*Have basement tile removed
*Build workbench
*Make and install storm windows
*Fix front door window
*Seal basement
*Repaint basement
*Replace basement windows with glass block
*Find room dividers/curtains for basement (to hide workroom and laundry)
*Buy and install washer and dryer
*Level back patio
*Run line for ice-maker
*Replace second story lighting
*Fix/replace drain vent pipe
*Replace toilet seat
*Paint bathtub

I know that I won't get everything done this year, but I'll give it the old college try.

Rugmania 2012

It's time for the final showdown!  After all of your input and no small amount of ruminating, I've narrowed the selection down to two fine, woven competitors.  Two rugs enter, but only one will find its place in the living room.

Note: I plan on getting some Kilim pillows (above) for the sofa as well

In this corner we have the 5x8 hand woven kilim in a black and off-white zig-zag pattern.  It's neutral.  It's modern.  It's gorgeous!  It's only weakness: it might blend in with the taupe/beige walls.

In the other corner we have another 5x8 hand woven kilim, this time in a red, off-white, and black pattern.  This bad boy is a heavy-hitter with a lot of pop and a classic design, but will it's bold colors  leave it exposed to it's more flexible opponent?

Which floor covering will reign supreme?

Let's get ready to ruuuuuuuuu(g)mble!

Is it "Jax" or "Jacks"? Somebody needs to clear this up.

Bill Curry Jax Doorstop

Source: Monkivintage (Etsy)

Ahhh, the jax bookends and doorstops...

I've been looking for a set of these little guys for a while, but the number one rule of thrifting (if you are seeking for something specific, you'll never find it), as always, has held true.

Surely they must be fairly cheap on Ebay or Etsy, right?  I mean it's just a simple painted cast iron form.

WRONG

Reserve price of $250?  $325?!  $375?!!!

They're dreamin'.

One name keeps the price of these items sky-high: George Nelson.

After seeing this attribution, I'd resigned myself to a life without playground game-themed decor.  However, Mr. Modtomic did a great write-up a while back in which he stated that he believed them to be designed by Bill Curry, founder of Design Line, Incorporated, who also happened to design a jax coffee table.

Bill Curry Jax Coffee Table
Source: Modern_Cactus (Ebay)

I did a bit of research on my own and found a number of threads discussing the origin of the jax, but nothing definitive.  That is until now...

Yes, that's Bill Curry and his elusive jax.  It turns out that an old friend (supposedly) of the Curry family started a blog to set the record straight.

"Bill was my father's best friend and when Bill died in 1971 at the age of 43, my father married his wife Jacquelyn.  Together they did their best to keep Design Line, Inc. alive. The 70s weren't kind to a design company so rooted in the 1960s, so they packet up the remaining inventory and called it quits in 1977. Sadly, Jackie died a few years later in 1985.

Now decades later, my father dusted off a box of Bill's work and its contents - photographs, blueprints, sketches realized and unrealized, letters, writings, brochures, and clippings will help me tell you about Bill Curry and Design Line.


And as for setting the record straight, the Jack bookend (cast-iron prototype shown) is often in various locations on the web incorrectly attributed to George Nelson.  Design Line, Inc. produced a 6" 3 lb rough iron casting in 12 colors which sold for $7, the brass were $9 and a slightly larger 9" 9 lb version and also made a large plastic table base Jack."

I know.  I know.  It's a blog and anyone could just make this stuff up, but what motivation would they have to do so?  It seems pretty legit to me, especially given Curry's other designs.

I also found that a number of manufacturers produced unlicensed copies, of which they sold vast quantities.  So perhaps my quarry will one day turn up at a reasonable price.

Until then, I think that we can call this case (almost) solved!

History

It looks like yet another St. Louis landmark is coming down.  After 12 years of neglect, demolition of the historic Avalon theater has begun.  STORY

Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch

Here's to hoping that St. Louisans come to appreciate these architectural and cultural treasures before it's too late.

That rug really tied the room together.

Alright, dear readers, I'm going to be making a few decorating decisions and I, due to my terrible indecisiveness, need your assistance.

First off is rugs.

Here's my living room and dining room as they stand (I still hate those brown Walmart curtains).  It's kinda hard to tell, but the walls are beige/taupe in color, the couch is dark turquise, and the Plycraft is chartreuse.

Now, that living room rug, which is actually just a folded yoga mat, needs to go.  It's a decent enough looking rug placeholder, but the material just isn't made to stand up to heavy foot traffic and it's beginning to pill and wear.

So here's the details:

*Given the roof situation, we are gonna have to do this on the cheap (<$120).  Yeah, I know.  Rugs don't come cheap.  However, Overstock.com has a wonderful selection of modern-looking rugs at unbelievable prices.

*My ideal would be a Navajo/Native American-style woven rug, but that likely isn't going to happen

*I'd like something retro-modern, with bold, but not necessarily bright, colors that go with the overall color scheme (if there actually is a real coherent color scheme, I'm not sure) in the room/house.

*Both patterns and solids are welcomed.

*I'd prefer something very textural like a jute, fiber, or kilim rug

*The rug should be somewhere between 3-5 feet in width and 5-8 feet in length.  Ideal size would be 4x6.

*I'd also like them to go with the kilim pillows that I plan to order.  They come in a variety of colors, but here's a couple examples:

I've also picked out a few (well, not really a few) options:

1. Hand-woven Sindhi Brown Jute Rug (4' x 6') $61.99

2. Hand-woven Sindhi Green Jute Rug (4' x 6') $61.99

3. Hand-woven Sindhi Brown Jute Rug (4' x 6') $74.99

4. Hand-woven Jute Rug (4' x 6') $73.99

5. Hand-woven Natural Fiber Arts Natural/ Rust Fine Sisal Rug (3' x 5') $41.99

6. Hand-woven Jute/ Cotton Multicolor Rug (4' x 6') $74.99

7. Hand-woven Diamond Red Jute Rug (4' x 6') $64.99

8. Hand-woven Kilim Wool Rug (4' x 6') $86.99

9. Hand-woven Kilim Wool Rug (5' x 8') $109.89

10. Hand-woven Kilim Wool Rug (5' x 8') $119.99

11. Handmade Jute Flat-weave Rug (4' x 6') $48.68

Personally, I think that I prefer numbers 7-11 (as if that narrows it down...), but I can't really make up my mind.  There's too many good options.  What do you think?  If you happen to know of any others that'd fit, I'm open to suggestions as well.

Craigslist Sellers

Rule #1 of Craigslist selling: Don't set prices using Ebay listings.

This seller has a dining and bedroom set and has listed each piece individually, with the combined totals coming in at $3985 and $3275, respectively.

I love Brasilia.  I really, really do, and this guy's ads are otherwise OK (multiple clear pictures are a big plus) but those prices are shocking.  Perhaps he's just an eternal optimist, but I have a feeling that he saw the tag on the pieces, Googled the name, saw the crazy figures on Ebay, and set his prices accordingly.

The problem with Ebay is twofold:

*You are viewing the items that HAVEN'T sold.  There is likely a reason for this.  Namely, the price is too high.

*Buyers in the big coastal cities bid up prices on MCM items.  If you don't live in one of those cities, you can forget about getting anywhere near that type of money for your dining room cabinet.  Conversely, you can also get this stuff much cheaper if you are so inclined.

If you're planning to sell, I suggest visiting one of the many MCM shops in the St. Louis area, such as The Future Antiques.  This will give you a baseline for what you can expect, but remember, Craigslist buyers won't be looking to pay retail.

So good luck, Mr. Optimist.  Perhaps somewhere out there there's a buyer desperately searching for a house full of Brasilia and we certainly can't fault you for trying.

New Year

WHAARRRGLEBAARRRGLEWHAARRRGLEBAARRRGLEWHAARRRGLEBAARRRGLE

Thats my best transcription of the noise emanating from my stomach.

In the process of clearing away the raw sewage in the basement, it appears I've picked up a wicked tummy bug.  I don't even want to think how that happened, but the pipes are cleared and this whole mess is over with, which is a huge relief.

In the end, we called a plumber out.  It cost about $70 to rent a pipe snake for the day from Home Depot and this guy did the whole shebang for $125.  The extra $55 saved me a ton of work and potential plumbing damage, so it was definitely worth it.  We got some added amusement/embarassment as well, as the snake came back with a pair of pantyhose wrapped 'round the end.  I'm guessing they belong to the previous owner...

With the pipes de-hosed, the girlfriend and I set to washing away the raw sewage that had seeped in, and this is where I believe my delicate little digestive tract became infested.  We were careful, but obviously not careful enough.  Yuck!

So I spent this wild New Years Eve taking shots...

... of Pepto Bismol and was in bed at around 7 PM.

I did come up with a list of resolutions though.  Here it goes:

1. Blog more - I need to set aside some time to update more frequently, which should be easier with my new camera.
2. Exercise and eat well - I was in tip-top shape this spring, but have let myself go a bit.  Time to get toned and back down to 138 pounds.
3. Take a vacation - I never get a damn vacation.
4. Get to sleep earlier - Lots of rest will make all of these other resolutions much easier.
5. Finish the projects I've started - I've got so much to do that it's a bit overwhelming.

Anyway, I hope you all had a great end to 2011 and good luck in 2012!