MY SONS LOFT STYLE APARTMENT

A month ago I drove from Naples Fl to Pittsburgh - which is a almost 1200 miles.  I use to make the trip several times a year but that was over 10 years ago and it would take me 2 days.   I drive because of the dogs - last time I had Toby and Gizzy, but now I have Lila and Wylie and a car full of 'stuff ' for my son.  This time it took me 3 days - the first stop at Hilton Head staying with a girlfriend - the second stop at Blowing Rock staying at a quaint cabin and the third day making it by dinner time.  

HERE'S HOW IT LOOKED BEFORE I GOT THERE!

He's only lived there a few months and his weekend hobby is working on small independent films.  This one is being shot in his apartment the week 'before' I got there.  Note the windows and the furniture placement.

The night I arrived I slept on the sofa listening to the bar traffic across the street that lasted until 3am. 

So as I lay there, pondering on how I'm going to make this place look good, a monster motorcycle rocks by and shakes the walls at 2:30am.  The transformation first starts after my morning coffee with moving the sofa and working from there.  It's facing the wrong direction and I feel once I turn it, I may have a chance... it can't hurt to try. 

Yes, the TV screen is in front of a window, but he's got 10 more of them... and outside that window is a huge street light!  After moving that - every piece of furniture got moved from one side to the other.  

I even made a new sleeping spot for myself in the corner.  Packed in my car was the large lamp and several others, bedding, assorted pillows, and misc. accessories.   

I can't go anywhere without frequenting at least one thrift or antique shop... and I was lucky enough to drive by one to find a few treasures. 

We can't drill into the brick - it's a rental - so we found a place for a nail that would center the mirror.  Think it cost me $40. 

This workman's wooden box with a great rope handle cost $40 and it's displaying his own collection of bottles. 

We got the bar stools off Craig's list and were lucky enough to fit all 4 in the car.  

In the same shop I found this baby crib spring for about $25 and with paperclips I displayed his postcards collection from around the world.  Funny what you find when you search the drawers. 

Another find was this metal box that will house his 'stuff' on the coffee table. 

HOW I MADE THE CURTAINS

There are 11 windows!  Long and narrow - and this is a rental he may only live in for the next year.  But it get's a lot of afternoon sun and during the winter will get cold so he asked for my help.  While searching Pinterest I found a solution.

Painter's Canvas Drop Cloths.  I had to launder them twice to get the smell out.  There's probably some sort of protective coating on them, but surprisingly, they were very soft afterwards.  

I started with a $3 - 1/2" rod from Big Lots - but when I put them up they were bowing in the middle.  They were too weak for the 36" spread I needed.  For $5 I found these at Walmart.  I needed the 5/8" diameter to hold the weight.  Unfortunately, I had already bought the 11 thinner rods, so this was an additional investment I was donating to him. 

empty window

At Big Lots I found a  the rings - a bag of 10 vs 7 for maybe $5.  

I positioned the rings 10" apart and 10" down from the top.  The drop cloth is too long for the window so this worked out well. 

I then folded the extra yardage over the rod.  

When they are placed at the top - you won't be able to see the blind's hardware - and the curtains will have a gathered effect. 

To fold up the side and let the light in - we added a removable hook to the wall half way up and another ring to hold it there. 

For one set of curtains:

drop cloth:  $12

curtain rod: $5

7 rings: $3.75

about $20.75 each x 11 windows = $228.25

I wish during my time there I had picked up on some large area rugs to protect the wooden floors.  As a past landlord myself - I had floors ruined to the tune of $4000 by tenants and their furniture, shoes and dogs destroying them because they were inexpensive laminates. 

My work is done this trip, now if he can only keep it clean.