IKEA Hack: Desk for Two + Järsta Wall Cabinets

 

It's been awhile since my IKEA home office for two hack and though I've put the finishing touches on the desk for two, I'm not quite finished with the room. I've been exploring wall cabinets. I had some time last week between appointments in the IKEA area, so I popped in and as often happens I found the inspiration I was waiting for. I think you're going to *love* it!

Free Kitchen Design Apps to Make Your Designs, Floor Plans, and Mood Boards

An early SketchUp of my kitchen plan

As your kitchen plan comes together and you start speaking with vendors and interviewing contractors, it's helpful to have something to show that's more than a collection of inspirational photos saved to Houzz or Pinterest. Contractors can get overwhelmed by too many photos, so I boil it down to just one inspo photo, my room design (with measurements), and a moodboard—I keep mine on my phone at all times, just a click away in dropbox. It's not difficult to create them, and many of the apps you will need are free. 

Why It's Nearly Impossible to "Flip" in New York City

Photo: RedFin.com

Several years ago a listing for a 900 sq ft two-bedroom in our neighborhood caught my eye. Back in September of that year the same unit on another floor sold for $230k. Why the giant price differential? The latter was a wreck, indeed, as these side-by-side photos show. Fast-forward a few years and a relisting caused a flurry of speculation in the real estate community of the Jackson Heights Life forum. Did someone "flip" that wreck? It brought up a good question: Can you even "flip" in New York? The answer is no, at least, not in the conventional sense.