Saturday, September 23, 2006

more bang for your buck...

So, I'm slowly adding little things that make my place a nicer place to be. Cheap solutions to make things feel and function at a much higher quality. This first item I added was from Ikea( of course). They are the Rationell door bumpers. You know how when you close your cabinet doors you get this somewhat harsh bump sound? These are your solution. You can get a set of 6 for $10. See the protruding stem on the end of the grey structure? That catches your door before it slams shut. And, slowly closes your door silently. I have to say that it is one of the best buys I've made yet. Super cheap with wonderful effect! What more can you ask for?


My second item was cabinet handles. I was going to go with rods to match my oven, but I couldn't find the right length. And, I needed a way to open my cabinets. So, my solution, low profile Grip handles that attach from behind so that they do not leave holes on the front of my doors in case I want to add in the future. For the more visible handles, the ones located on the base cabinets under my sink, I attached them a little farther back to give the front an even lower profile of an appearance. These handles were again a product of Ikea. At $3 for a set of 2, you can't really do any better. I might go with the pricier rods in the future, but these will do just fine for now.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

1st stove meal!

First food item cooked on my stove. Ramen noodles!! And, in my new Ikea bowls. Part of a set of 18 for...... near free. Anyway, Ramen noodles!! One pork flavored. While the other was beef. YUM, haven't had home made Ramen noodles in the longest time. Mmmmmm.......

Friday, September 15, 2006

that's me!

Finally, after nine months, the management company of my building put my name tag up. Small, but in a way, it makes it feel a little more "yours". Now, I just have to wait for them to change my name on the buzzer at the front door...

a touch of Ikea...

So, we've been taking a lot of trips out to Ikea. They've just got the right products at the right price. I thought I'd show a few items to show how they would look in a actual home. Here, I have the Grundtal wall storage system install above my tiny counter. I needed raised storage in order to give the counter a cleaner feel. I'm actually the most thrilled about the dish rack. It folds up when not in use. Very very useful in a mini kitchen. :)Here is the Lyngby rug. I looked around for a bit for a rug that would work. I was iffy about many rugs. Once I saw this rug, it clicked. It's nice and soft. And, it has a soft bottom side as well, which is good for the floors. And, in the background, you see the Lack shelf on its side with the legs. Yes, I will be cleaning the wires up behind my "entertainment center". :)
This is my temperary dining set that my sister donated to me. I actually like it a lot. It has a small tea house feel. I wish I could find two more of those stools. They're actually a older Ikea item, but they are not offered anymore. The table is actually a Lack table. Side table, I think. But, it works well as my kitchen table. Simple and clean lines. Nice!!

Thursday, September 07, 2006

2nd dish!

Aaaaand my second dish iiiiissssss...... curly fries. Haha. The GE oven with Advantium technology didn't do such a great job this time. It required three extra additional added cook times. The foil might have made a difference. And, in the end, it wasn't as hot as we'd like it. It was still good, but not as good as deep frying the little things. Maybe, that's the difference between baking fries and deep frying fries? Anyway, they are a nice golden brown, aren't they?

Friday, September 01, 2006

and accessories...

So, this is one of my first pieces I purchased for my place..... well, first piece beyond all the appliances, cabinets, TV, etc. So, this is a Lack shelf from Ikea. They also suggested using it as a TV shelf on its side. So, I decided to add Capita legs to raise the shelf off the ground a bit and to give it that "not a Lack shelf on its side" look. One thing did worry me tho. When I was predrilling the screw holes, the shelf walls felt very hollow. I'm hoping that it will hold my entertainment system without crumbling under the weight. Perhaps I'll add two more support legs.....