SF Cribs: The places behind the clothes - Page 99

I work at home and have a pretty crappy view out of my window, but too much sun comes in through the window so I have to put up heavy curtains. So if even I had an awesome view, it seems I wouldn't be able to enjoy it unless at dusk or evening.

Where are you serving time?

Last year, 2 months 'home' was a village service station in Hunan Province

Anyone else unsure if MikeDT is a troll?

A very good question indeed. I will say though that my current accommodation is rather more salubrious, a reasonable 2 room apartment on the 6th floor(no lift), even had a recent lick of paint, NO disused 'Sinopec' petrol and diesel pumps in the kitchen, and best of all running water(in the evenings) instead of having to go to a hand-pumped well.

..

Crosspost from my apartment thread/update: I'm loving the new place; it's a 1939 building in a far more radical modernist/international style, and built to higher standards - there's polished oak floors, a big fireplace, a balcony, a bedroom for the offspring, and far, far better kindergartens and schools around than this area offers. The area we left is a just-now-gentrifying, old working-class part of town, and schools, parking, quiet at night etc. isn't the priority for the students, hipsters and bohemians moving in around there. It was perfect for us before we started having kids, though. The new place also has its original 1939 lift with burled birch veneer and "Long live the King!" WWII graffiti intact inside, and the old-fashioned type of expanding/hinged grid metal inner doors (very film noir, I feel). Here's a few photos of the new place, it's from the sales brochure, so none of the furniture and stuff is ours, although some very nice pieces, I have to admit. A couple of days ago, I discovered that its local nickname is "the battleship". Noice, I like a house with a nickname. 1939 and 1950s photos: The penthouse flat was originally built as a place-in-town for Wagner soprano Kirsten Flagstad, but this fell through, presumably because of her...wartime troubles. The top flat was then bought by Gudmund "Gubbe" Brundtland, cabinet minister and father of later prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, who grew up there. Today's situation - it's built on a wedge-shaped plot, so it has a sort of flat-iron shape: Living-room: I'm planning on placing the corner sofa around the fireplace, and having the diinner-table by the window/balcony, like the previous occupants. That huge cabinet/shelf thing has left, and will be replaced by something lower. "Nursery": Thankfully, the previous owners were very good with uncovering and recreating original features, they managed to get all the correct door-handles, and kept the original teakwood window frames and sills. They're taking a couple of very period-correct lamps with them, which is of course a pity, but quite understandable. Bedroom, I don't really like the new floors in the nursery and bedroom, as they don't match the original floors in the living-room and hall, but whatever: Bathroom: The kitchen will be upgraded somewhat, I'm considering having the cabinet doors lacquered white, and I want a stainless steel sheet between the upper and lower cabinets on the left: Balcony and view: And plan: It's still tiny, it's actually exactly the same size as the one we sold, but the plan is far, far better for us, with a kid in the picture.

May not be a fan of the way the outside structure looks but I adore the fireplace. Really out there.

Thanks! Yeah, I guess the exterior's an acquired taste. Better pic of the fireplace: I also like how the previous owners kept the original ceiling mouldings; it's supposedly the only place left in the building. Here's another flat, 2nd floor in the building, for sale now. It was bought by a commercial developer a few months ago, and refurbished completely. Gorgeous, and much bigger than ours, but a bit generic-looking, I think.

Nice place. I would leave the kitchen cabinets alone as they bring some warmth to the apt. Update the backsplash, counters and sink if you wish.

Good luck.

lefty

I would also leave the cabinets along, and just add white subway tile as a backsplash. I don't like when kitchens start feeling too commercial.

+1 on leaving the cabinets. Is that a drain in the bathroom floor? If so, what's the purpose of that?

Wet room? I miss those. lefty

Congrats on the new pad, lucky strike. I like the teak window frames quite a bit. The ceiling moulding is interesting. I wouldn't expect it with the rest of the building's style.

What's the exterior clad in? Looks like green terrazzo. Pretty cool. Is the bathroom floor original? What material is it? Fwiw, I'm in favor of doing the white kitchen.