Be BAMBOO-zled!

Hello All!!

OK, so it has been WAY too long since I last wrote to you all.  I made it through finals, the holidays and now starting my winter semester at school.  The days have been dark and cold here in Chicago and my blogging motivation was depleted.  But, now I am back and will try to keep my thoughts flowing more often!

Since we now are in the deep dark days of winter here in the Midwest and certainly in the Northeast and also because of the tight budget that everyone in the country is on (or should be), it is the time of year to host friends and family over for dinner.  If everyone trades off hosting, it is cheaper than going out and is a great option on a cold Friday or Saturday night. 

I love hosting people for dinner or even just drinks and it is fun to mix things up and use different kinds of serving pieces, wine glasses or in this case flatware. The big trend that you see everywhere in furniture, fabric, accessories etc. is bamboo (or faux bamboo!).  I love Juliska's bamboo flatware as seen below. It is unrealistic for me at this point in my life considering it is $155 per five piece place setting, but it adds texture and interest to casual or fancy tabletops.

 A great alternative for the smaller budget and for people that just want to use something fun, trendy or different is the faux bamboo place settings from Target.  The are only $25 for four five piece place settings (or 20 pc).  My Mother-in-Law Carol was nice enough to get me two sets of the 20 piece place settings for Christmas.  Even though they are not the highest quality of stainless steel, I now have a modern alternative when entertaining and extra flateware when we have a bigger sized party. They are not forever, just for fun for now. Below are some pictures of my faux Target bamboo flatware.

 I think Horchow's web page also has the same bamboo flatware as well at www.horchow.com. 

So, stay warm and out of the cold.  Invite some friends over and enjoy entertaining!

- Katie 

Slip into Something More Neutral

Hello All!

I apologize for the long gap between posts.  We have had a crazy fall, though I am beginning to think that my life in general is just crazy. We have had multiple house guests, a Halloween party, a wedding in Memphis and school projects all before the Holidays even start! Anyway, I will promise to be better.

Lately in my few moments of relaxation, I keep staring at a big fat mistake sitting in my leaving room.  My Crate and Barrel Bayside Sleeper Sofa.  No no, it's not the sofa itself.  I LOVE this sofa.  It has a great contemporary traditional shape and it is SO comfortable. It is great to nap on and snuggle with my Sophie!  I just regret the fabric choice, really really regret it.  I remember ordering the sofa thinking "I need to get something different.  I always make the safe choice.  I need to take a chance!"  WRONG, wrong and wrong.  I picked a white and royal blue stripped fabric. See photo below.

It's fine. I do like it. But now three years later, I want a different look to our new condo and this sofa fabric makes it impossible to do that.  I wish I knew then what I know now: when buying big substantial pieces of furniture, buy classic neutral pieces.  You can add the color, trends, fads and risks in the pillows, throws, accessories etc.

However, I have found a GREAT resolution to my problem: Replacement Slipcover Outlet! The website is http://www.replacementslipcoveroutlet.com.  They have custom slipcovers for sofas from various retailers such as Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and more.  The Bayside slipcover from RSO is $600, and I know the Bayside slipcover directly from Crate is $900 or more.  You potentially could find a local upholsterer to do it for close to $600 (maybe), but with this website you pick your fabric and they send it right to you.  There is no scheduling someone to measure it.  There is no hassle.   

I am going to order my slipcover soon (in a neutral or course) for Christmas, so I will post an update on how I thought the overall process went and what the end result looks like. 

I think this is also a good example of how you really don't have to live with your design mistakes!  There are always options, especially with reupholstering.  Hopefully, a website like Replacement Slipcover Outlet can help make that process easier!  

Stay tuned for my new custom bench I am working on!!

Pull Up a Chair

So, I am NOT here today to tell you about the Acrylic Louis Ghost Chair.  We have ALL seen them in every magazine over the past few years.  And, we ALL know they are great because of the traditional shape of the chair which pairs so wonderfully with the modern acrylic material.  They can be placed anywhere in your home without feeling obtrusive and heavy. They are perfect for extra seating which has really worked out well  for me. Our table seats six, but having the two extra Louis chairs to pull up to the table, has definitely saved us.

They are unfortunately really expensive, like $400 expensive, which can be just frustrating.  I didn't let the price discourage me from figuring out how I could get one.  I dug and sifted through the internet trying to find a place that sells discounted chairs and thankfully I found that place.  It is called Interior Express Outlet www.interiorexpressoutlet.com.

Don't get turned off by some of their heavy leather furniture or big wood pieces.  Once you start going through this website, you will see they have so many great deals on pieces you would find at a place like Design Within Reach.  There have great Molded Retro Chairs for $70. They even have the Molded Retro Rocking chair that Land of Nod has for $375. Interior Express Outlet has it for $95.  They have the Bertoia side chairs for $99, other places have them for $480. They have the Acrylic Nesting tables, that CB2 has for $199, for $95.  They have LEM bar stools for $75 which compared to Design Within Reach has them for $875!  eeck! The list could go on and on.

If you actually go to their warehouse in Bensenville, you will find even BETTER deals because they have many floor samples.  I got my Louis chairs for 2 for $120!  It was awesome.  The drive to Bensenville is a little far from Chicago but I also incorporated a trip to the Schaumburg Ikea. It worked out great!

When I got my chairs at the warehouse, they were floor samples so they had a few scratches on them which is what happens to acrylic furniture. But not to worry, there is this great scratch remover you can find at the Container Store.  It removes scratches very easily, so you can feel OK about buying an acrylic piece on floor sample or clearance because you can clean it up!

That is all for now. Stay tuned for Slipcovers later this week!

The Point

Background on Katie:
- Young-ish female in the middle of earning her associates degree in Interior Design at Harrington College of Design
- Resides in Chicago's Wicker Park in her new and first condo, with her new and first (and only) husband and her new and first (ever) dog Sophie!
- Raised in Massachusetts where she received a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Boston College
- Tried a career in this "Business Management," hence the new degree in Design
- Has a passion for affordable, beautiful and comfortable interior design

So, now that you know a little about me, I have never ever before attempted this blog thing.  Division Street Design will be a journey on many levels. I will not preach about design, but have you, as a reader, ride along with me while I finish design school, attempt to find a job in this industry and economy and decorate my new condo on the smallest budget ever. (Maybe, there will be a few pictures of my new dog Sophie!)  I would be flattered if along they way you got inspired and pocketed some ideas for your own interior!

I should have started this years ago so I might go back in time to show some of the pieces or ideas that have inspired me in the past.  I will, although, try to look forward and update frequently what I have tried, seen and heard at home and throughout Chicago!

Thanks and I will post soon!

Katie