Time Out New York  |  October 16-22, 2008
Love the Space You’re In
Lease got you locked into not-so-snazzy digs? You don’t have to live that way. Spruce up your pad with these nonpermanent fixes—none of which will sacrifice your security deposit. By Sophie Donelson

love_the_space_youre_in.jpg

Problem
Uneven, bumpy walls.

Solution
I’m a proselytizer for Benjamin Moore, the cheapest, fastest way to transform a room. So imagine my surprise when even the elegant #2129-40 couldn’t disguise my cruddy living-room walls. The paint was flat; the surface was not. I enlisted Brad Ford, interior designer and founder of the blog Design Therapy, to mask the trouble spots without damaging the apartment. Ford’s usual clients are high-end, but he gamely suggested a budget-friendly plan for me: a salon-style grouping of art, hung with fishing wire from a single rail.

tony_101608.jpg

As the daughter, sister and best friend of artists, I have a veritable gallery of framed art, but Ford thought my collection was too “grandmothery” to make a singular statement. Instead, we fitted those frames with primary-color construction paper, and bought others (Brownstone Treasures, 220 Court St between Baltic and Warren Sts, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn; 718-237-1838, brownstonetreasures.com) to fill with vivid oak tag. “The variety of frames gives it charm, and the paper palette makes it consistent,” he said. Using fishing wire, we connected each artwork to a clip, then hung the clips over a rail , meaning I’ll be able to change the layout and the art itself. “Honestly, if we had more frames, we would have hung them,” Ford said. Sure, come back anytime—I’ve got three more walls.

About Sophie Donelson

I’m a magazine writer and consultant. My stories have appeared in Interior Design, Elle Decor, Departures, and Martha Stewart Living. More details are on the About page.

Selected articles by Sophie Donelson

High Country
House Beautiful, February 2011

Living Large
Martha Stewart Living, September 2010

Gilty Pleasures
Manhattan, July-August 2010

Room Mates
Manhattan, May-June 2010

Oh So L.A. — For Better and For Worse
Globe & Mail (Toronto), May 1, 2010

Sophie Donelson's Flickr feed

» go to my Flickr page

Recent blog posts by Sophie Donelson

October 24, 2011 6:07 PM
Saying It with Flowers

October 16, 2011 7:46 PM
Come and See

July 15, 2011 12:22 PM
Julys I’ve Known and Loved

March 26, 2011 10:05 PM
Under Construction

December 8, 2010 8:23 AM
Holiday Greens

December 2, 2010 2:06 PM
My TV Gig That Never Was: The Unabridged Version

November 29, 2010 10:33 AM
Fowl Play

November 17, 2010 2:12 PM
The Redemption of Herald Square

October 25, 2010 7:46 AM
Shanghai Domestics

September 17, 2010 2:40 PM
Plum TV: Made in the Hamptons

Sophie Donelson's blog archives

October 2011
July 2011
March 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
July 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008

rounded bottom

SITEMAP

Home + Blog
Articles
Services
About + Contact
RSS: Blog
RSS: Articles

RECENT ARTICLES

High Country

Living Large

Gilty Pleasures

RECENT BLOG POSTS

Saying It with Flowers

Come and See

Julys I’ve Known and Loved

TOP BLOG TAGS











BLOG ARCHIVES

October 2011
July 2011
March 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
July 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008

SITE DESIGN

Andrew Hearst