Curing Creepy Windows (Day 5 of the January Cure)

The task for day 5 was to pick one project off the list and start doing stuff related to that project. I picked 2 (because I ‘m a rebel). 1 is to clean off the damn fridge. Which I did nothing about. At all. I actually put MORE shit on top of the fridge (because I’m a rebel?). The other thing was to start researching window films to cover our den/office/2^nd bedroom’s window.

We have what must be the most awkward window in the city.  It looks out onto our neighbor’s gated porch. We are the ONLY apartment in the complex that has this feature. And it’s just creepy. It’s creepy to have the neighbors looking in, it’s creepy to be looking out at them on their porch. There is no party that comes out without a creep factor with this window. 

There are blinds up, but we have cats, so they don’t stay closed. And there WERE curtains up but the guest we had in there for a while accidentally broke the incredibly cheap curtain rod and I haven’t replaced it. Because, I am special. Anyway, this window needs to be semi- permanently obscured, because no one in the history of ever needs this view.

Did you know that window film can get really fucking expensive? I mean, I know that ANYTHING can get marked up into oblivion, but seriously, $80 to cover ONE window? This is like that whole $300 wallpaper situation. It makes me want to scream I KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO DESIGN AND PRINT THIS SHIT, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL? And then I remember that the reason I know this is because I’m a designer, so stop being so lazy and design and print it yourself. (That was directed at me, not you. I like you. Probably.) 

But anyway, I found some pre-printed/patterned window films that don’t make me angry and now I just have to choose one (the hubs is being consulted). I kind of want to go for a stained-glass look… except… I know me and I know I’ll get tired of it in like, a nano-second, and then I’ll just leave it there and hate it OR tear it down and not replace it and we’ll be right back here in the “what to do about the window” situation.

Pretty colors... but a good idea?

Which leads us to the translucent varieties. Which are probably better. But I don’t know…. Having a serious Pisces moment. I’ll probably let the hubs tie-break this one. So, once we pick a style, then I just have to measure the windows, buy the film, clean the windows, measure the windows again (measure twice, cut once), cut the film and apply it.

Frankly, if Anthropologie made a painfully expensive version of this stuff, I'd probably buy it.

Maybe I’d better just go clean off the fridge…

Project: Living Room

 

I have a confession. My couch is trying to kill me. I haven’t reported it because, well, it’s a couch, and the police tend to look at you funny when you report things like that. Or look at the phone funny. Whatever, the point is, it makes me sound crazy. BUT I’M NOT. 

This couch, it is the most uncomfortable couch in the world. It’s like the Marquis de Sade was reincarnated as a sleeper sofa. You cannot sit on it for more than an hour without your spine hurting. If you would like to watch a movie, you may do so on the floor in front of the couch,  but not on the couch, because the couch will rearrange your vertebrae. I even tried putting some floor pillows I had on TOP of the cushions on the sofa to make it more comfortable. It just made it messier.

I have, as you may have guessed, been looking for a replacement for some time now, hindered only by

1. a tiny budget and 
2. same tiny budget and 
3. did I mention that sofas  are expensive?

But help in on the way!! My mom went and bought herself a new sofa and loveseat. Guess who gets the old ones?!? (It’ meee!) So I have not one but 2 new couch/sofa/settees/things coming my way and… I still haven’t painted the living room. Oh, and at some point, my husband’s desk came out into the living room, too. It’s a nice desk and I want it there, because it means he’s there, but it does present something of a design challenge. Also, computer towers are ugly. 

Anyway, back to the point, on Saturday, I get new seating! But I don’t know what color the living room should be. I’d like to repaint it Sunday so everything could be nice and new and glorious all at once. 

Hmm… I also need a new lamp (see this post on why we can’t have nice things). Ok, it looks like I’ve got a mission here. Better map it out.

Mission: New Living Room in One Weekend
Budget: $170.00

Target: New sofa
Status:  Requires rental of truck to acquire
Cost: free!

Target: Take Old, Evil Couch to Landfill
Status: Researched.
Cost: $35 (and now I understand why there is so much crap in the alley behind my apartment.)

Target: Rent Truck
Status: Working on it
Cost: $30

Target: Purchase New Ceiling-Mounted Lamp
Status: Still Dicking Around
Cost: up to $45

Target: Have Husband Install Ceiling Lamp
Status: Taken for Granted.
Cost: The love of a good woman. (Well, me.)

Target: Rearrange Furniture
Status: Floor Plan Acquired. Ready for Implementation.
Cost: $0

Target: Paint the room some other color than tarstain ivory.
Status: How long have I been planning this bit? I may just be lying to myself now.
Cost: $60

Ok, got the mission plan! But um….. I don’t know what color to paint my living-room. So…. I made a moodboard-thing to show you what is going in there and maybe you could help me out? 

Obviously, there are a few things in the room I didn't put on here. There' a TV, and a short entertainment center console thing it sits on. There's a coffee table I can't find a photo of anywhere. There's a shoe cubby, and a keyboard, and a couple of guitars on the wall (well, there should be- my brother-in-law seems to have confused "borrowing" and "burglary"). Oh, and a desk and computer chair. But, look, I didn't want to confuse things, so let's just PRETEND that the space will be nice and simple, ok?

And I need to paint the walls a color. Name a color. Seriously. Any color. 

Any. Damn. Color.