where to go from here?

Last week in my Boot Camp class we had the assignment to make a moodboard that reflects what we want our blogs to be like. This is what I wrote as a little description of my board: The inspiration for my blog comes from my love of diy and renovation projects for our home as well as design and architecture in general. I would like to make the things I already like on my blog to stand out more and be more consistent with content as well as style. Also I want to make the overall look more cohesive.

I used only my own photos to create the board, the ones chosen reflect what I like most about this blog. This is mainly where I showcase the projects I do around our house, the occasional diy project as well as exploring the architecture and design around me and taking photos in general. Some of the photos I took just for the board some I pulled from my archives. It is pretty evident that I like whites and greys with a pop of color, mainly orange, here and there. Now I just (ha, ha!) have to pull those things together and incorporate it into the blog. Nothing easier than that right?

Here is last years moodboard I created exactly one year ago as a comparison. Colors, camera and having tools present is consistent. I am already curious about what next years moodboard will look like...

week forty two

Oops, it is already Monday evening. I totally forgot to schedule this post...

The past week was pretty uneventful and I don't have that many exciting photos to share. Mostly I was busy with my BYW Boot Camp class, still enjoying it and bouncing ideas around my head to make this blog more fun to read for you. My biggest problem is my time management and lack of focus lately, I always get sidetracked and then never return to what I was doing. THAT has to change and I know I CAN change it because at work I am very organized so I should be able to translate that into my personal life as well...

Do you see the band-aid aka flesh colored mess below that is the old vinyl covering from the Saarinen chair I found on the street. Next step is to make a pattern and start cutting the new fabric. The wooden seat structure and the molded backrest both got a good scrubbing with a water and bleach solution. You never know where the chair had been and also it smelled a bit musty. Also tried out soaking it in water and vinegar as Erin suggested in the comment section on Santa’s post about the different uses of vinegar. Actually Erin mentioned that using vinegar on a damp cloth can remove musty smells from wood furniture but I felt I needed a bit more power hence the soaking. After everything smelled clean and fresh I let it air dry in the sun. Both chair pieces smell fresh like they have never been neglected. Can’t wait to work on the chair again on Thursday!

Have a great week! xx

NYoy - high line at the west side rail yard

Today would be time for another NJoy post but I want to share photos of my walk on the undeveloped part of the High Line with you, which technically would make it a NYoy post ;)

Last Sunday P and I got the chance to walk along the High Line at the West Side Rail Yards, which runs from West 30^th Street to West 34^th Street and is still in its wild state. The rare chance to experience this part of the High Line before it turns into part of the park was also part of Open House New York and also sponsored by uniqlo.

When standing on this part of the elevated tracks you get a great view of the Hudson River and a peek of the West Side Rail Yards, where Long Island Rail Road trains get stored on their way to and from Penn Station. With 26 acres the West Side Rail Yards is the largest undeveloped property in Manhattan, it belongs to the MTA and they have leased the development rights to a private real estate development company that will build a platform above the yards to create approx. 12 million square feet of residential and commercial space.

I am a big fan of the High Line park and in the summertime I sometimes walk around the park or just hang out and read a book during my lunch hour, as it is within walking distance to where I work. Love to get a glimpse of the untouched wild landscape and the train tracks before it will be turned into a section of the park. I can clearly see how the wild landscape inspired the idea of the High Line and the design that was chosen for it. The Rail Yard section of the park is slated to open in 2014 and although most of the tracks, ballasts and plants will be removed during site remediation the new design idea includes plans for an Interim Walkway that will wind through the existing self-seeded landscape. I have to say I cannot wait for this part of the High Line to open. Fun fact about the High Line is that the last train that ran on it carried a load of frozen turkeys….

Have a great and sunny weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

ohny - park avenue armory

Our last stop on OHNY weekend was the Park Avenue Armory. I recently saw something on TV about it, which made me want to see the space with my own eyes. The show was about the restoration of the interiors and how it now serves as a space for artists. They host art and antique fairs as well. Unfortunately I cannot remember what channel I watched to gather more information about the program, googling didn't help either. My co-worker watched it too but he also can't remember. I think it might have been on PBS...

The Armory was built in 1881 by the National Guard's prestigious Seventh Regiment and served as a military, cultural and social center for the Regiment as well as New York's society of the Gilded Age. The Drill Hall consists of 55,000 square feet (about 5100 square meters) of unobstructed space, making it one of the largest unobstructed spaces in New York. It felt so humungous that I didn't even attempt to walk from one side to the other. Because of the large scale of the space the Royal Shakespeare Company was able to build a replica of their home stage in it for performances in New York or artist Aaron Young have twelve motorcyclists help him create his art. But I have to say I was much more fascinated by the meticulously restored rooms with its beautiful, intricate woodwork and the detailed wallpaper. Absolutely loved the fireplaces! I could picture living in some of the rooms but would choose modern furniture to contrast with the old details but the sheer size of the space would freak me out a bit. I could not stay home alone…

I hope you enjoyed following me around visiting some of New York’s architectural gems and hopefully we will do it again next year! What was your favorite place I visited?

 

 

 

 

getting in shape

Last week on Monday my blogging your way boot camp course started full force and of course I am already lagging behind but that is ok because it does not affect my motivation. The class is taught by Holly Becker from Decorate and she also enlisted the help of two guest teachers, Nicole Balch from Making it Lovely and Jeanette Lunde from By Fryd.  

I did sign up on a whim just shortly before the class started because somewhere along the way I felt lost on what direction my blog should take or if I should just stop writing all together but honestly I enjoy writing this little blog. I hope with your help and the help of Holly, Nicole and Jeanette I will get my mojo back and finally implement the changes I wanted for my blog for a while. I definitely need a push in the right direction. For reasons unknown sometimes I thrive under pressure and now the pressure is on! Hope that my other reaction to pressure does not make an appearance because it is complete paralysis. Not that I don't have enough on my plate already with my upholstery class, planning of a bathroom remodel and life in general. Please bear with me during the "construction" phase. Looking forward to all the changes to come!

What keeps you going when you feel uninspired or just plain lazy?
 

Me sitting at my desk will be something that P will definitely see more often this month but right now it does not look as neat as in the photo, there is paper scattered everywhere...

ohny - grand lodge of masons

I hope you are not fed up with my OHNY coverage yet, I am posting this on my usual days off and have lots of other posts lined up for you...Next stop on my list was the Grand Lodge of Masons in Chelsea. It is a building I pass by every day on my way to work and always wondered what the inside looks like but never got around to checking it out during OHNY weekend. It was the 10th year that the Lodge opened it's doors during the open house weekend and everybody got a commemorative button at sites that had participated every year the weekend has been going on. On our button is a little sketch of the library with the vaulted ceiling and George Washington standing at the end.

On our tour we saw three smaller meeting rooms and a large gathering place. The meeting halls all had different decorating themes but the layout of the furniture remained the same. In every room there was a G above the biggest chair (the seat of the grand marshal?), it stands for geometry. The 19 story building was built in 1910 and in the mid-nineties they hired somebody to bring the beautiful plaster work back to life as it had been painted over numerous times. Now everything is hand painted again in vibrant colors. What a contrast to the white and modern apartments I visited but beautiful in its own way.

What do you think?

 

 

 

 

week forty one

Where did you go week forty one? Didn't you just start?

This past week was filled with lots of  work but also lots of fun. On Tuesday P and I went to see Public Image Ltd and I think I am still deaf on one ear from the concert, as it was so loud but in case of concerts loud is good! On Thursday on my way out the office to grab lunch I stumbled across a homeless chair and because I liked how it looks I dragged it back to the office. I grabbed it just as the garbage truck stopped in front of them. Friday I took it home with me on the train and had P pick me up at the station. Most of my Saturday was spent looking for new tiles and fixtures for our upcoming bathroom and powder room remodel. Some of our tile we picked out was special order and they should arrive this week. Of course I will write about the renovation in more detail soon. Yesterday we had a warm and sunny fall day and P and I spent the day walking the highline and even were able to access the undeveloped part of it that will be opening in 2014...

How was your week/weekend?