Furniture Reporter

Park Slopers love ‘em stoop sales! This one will be packed with a variety of great items from clothes and books to bags and bedding. It will definitely be worth the short walk across the street from the Green Market!

Address: 35 Eastern Parkway (corner of Underhill and Eastern Parkway… right across the street from the library and nearby the Green Market and Grand Army plaza).

Map this location

Date: Saturday, June 28th

Time: Noon until dark

The Goods: men’s and women’s gently worn clothes, lots of books (many of them brand new hardcovers), housewares (including kitchen stuff like bowls and plates), some small furniture, some nice unused bags (not designer), bedding and other odds and ends.

“Your time starts now!”

Just 90 minutes.

Within this time, I need to visualize a good design, make isometric, plan and elevation drawings, dimension all the parts and give two cross section views.

I was attending the Entrance Test for a Product Design Course (M.Des.) at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IITB). The question given to all the aspirants was to design a roadside bench for elderly people who rests in between long walks. The design should be attractive, should withstand all weathers and should be stackable for easy transportation.

A lot of images flew in my mind. I tried to remember whether there are any furniture designs that captured my attention before. Any design process, when bound by a time frame, results in a shabby product. But entrance tests need to be bound by time.

After fifteen – twenty rough sketches and 50 minutes, I managed to come up with a design.

The features that I intended to convey were:

Three people can occupy the bench at a time. Only the central person is blessed with a contrivance to sit back and relax. Don’t ask me ‘why?’

The other two ‘extremists’ can sit in any direction. This is best suited for three strangers or enemies who don’t want to face each other but want to share the same platform!

‘Holding holes’ are provided for umbrellas or walking sticks. This feature gives an opportunity for the local administration to start a ‘Lost and Found’ Department in the park that can generate a huge revenue.

After the entrance test, I was interviewed by two gentlemen. They wanted to know the material I chose, how the parts were interconnected and “Are the parts really stackable?” I think they soon found out that here is a person who knows nothing about product design or material properties.

Did I mention that I failed to get the M.Des. admission at IITB?

Design date: 19-June-2008

Off-topic:  While taking a break from unpacking it occurred to me that I’m not going to have room in this apartment for all the junk we’ve accumulated, and that’s despite having gotten rid of a good chunk.  Now that’s not to say it won’t fit in here somewhere because it always does–BUT, I’m so tired of seeing boxes everywhere.  I wish I could finally reside in some place which does not resemble a storage facility, but with the rising energy costs in Alaska I’m afraid this will just have to suffice.  It’s all we could afford and it’s a decent place.

With the latest demise of my “good computer” I’m thinking maybe I should just let HG die once and for all.  Even when/if I get it repaired I might not have time for the zine anymore since I scored a web design job.  Besides, there is the nagging feeling that I should really get on back to my own writing; I miss it, to tell the truth.

So, to write or not to write is the question:  the answer to it still eludes me, however.

I bought a new couch back in October out of total necessity–first time I ever bought a brand new, large piece of furniture.  This apartment entrance is up eight steps and then down fifteen steps and after trying every possible configuration it dawned on me that there was no way in hell that new couch was going to make it inside the apartment:(   It’s just too large.  So, I had BT take it to work where he stored it for a few days and then sold it to a co-worker for one quarter its purchase price.  We’re using an ancient chair I got from a hotel I worked in twelve years ago, a desk chair, and a couple of metal folding chairs for seating, which is unpleasant, to put it mildly.

And, that is just one of the horror stories I have for this latest relocation.  Still and all, life is good.

Welcome to Part 5 of my Top 12! Need some background on what this list is all about? Click here for the original post.

Today, we’re going to talk about Del Sol Furniture by Xandi Mars. Here’s what you need to know:

1) Her stuff is awesome.

2) There’s a ton of it. Really.

3) Xandi is all about the details, and I <3 that about Del Sol.

When you first pop in to the sim, you’ll probably be overwhelmed. It’s an open air market concept, so literally, it’s a sim strewn about with furniture. Just take a deep breath, and start walking around. What you’ll find is that truly the pieces are arranged quite nicely in little vignettes, with coordinating pieces and lovely accessories that complete the room. I love a good vignette, especially with dessert. (badumbum) Del Sol has everything - living rooms, bedrooms, dining, kitchens, patio, bathrooms, curtains, and more. I know you’re going to go see for yourself, so here are just a few of the things that I found to love:

Bohemian Classic Living Room: I love the curvy shapes on the wooden chairs and sofa. Also, you’ll see in this pic how Xandi gives you a rug, some art options, a lamp — this is common in her displays, and really does help when you’re trying to decorate a space.

I have to show you a close up of the texturing on the upholstered sofa. If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know i’m a complete texture junkie and, at the same time, have extreme texture envy. I do OK with my textures — but why can’t I have leather and brocade that looks like this?? *shakes fist at no one in particular*

Weathered Worn Out Sofa: The name says it all. :)

Last picture - because it’s so cute — here’s the attention to detail that I love: a newspaper with reading glasses. Perfect!

Swing by Del Sol and wander around for a while. I guarantee you’ll find at least 7 things that make you go ‘ooh’!

Hello Stranger’s concave form encourages sociability but leaves open the option to sit apart. Used in multiples, Hello Stranger can be used to create interesting layouts that encourage different forms of interaction. Hello Stranger consists of a tough stainless steel frame together with a seat insert available in a variety of materials, from hardwoods to metals and plastics.

Hello Stranger