# New Apartment



## jam (May 8, 2002)

Just put a deposit down on my first property yesterday, a nice 2 bed luxury apartment in north leeds and now I have the arduous task of kitting the place out with furniture etc. Gonna be weird moving in on my own and leaving my folks after 24 years but I'm really looking forward to it!

What I was after, if anyone knows of one, is a website where I can view some pics of peoples lounges/sitting rooms/bedrooms so I can get some ideas of how to do mine out. Or alternatively suggestions of good websites with dining room furniture/lounge furniture/settees that I can have a look at. Price isn't really an issue as I have plenty saved up to do the place out so I'd like to steer away from Ikea crap and go for something a bit more upmarket.

I complete on the 22nd December and move in on the 7th of January so I don't have long to get the wheels in motion!

Thanks in advance

James


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## stgeorgex997 (Feb 25, 2004)

Habitat have some good average priced stuff. Looks quite good I've got their Sir Alfred chair and nod off in it p*ssed fairly regularly...

That's as in touch with my feminine side as you'll get :roll:


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## Lisa. (May 7, 2002)

www.oceanuk.com

Design For Contemporary Living


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## jimfew (Mar 5, 2004)

Hi James,

If you want chic:-

http://www.nuovofiore.co.uk/

Some of this stuff is stunning.

Jim.


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## kelm1979 (Dec 2, 2004)

http://www.hiddenart.com/shop-open-studios-2004

http://www.houseandgardenaddresses.co.u ... pliers.htm

http://www.eco-furniture.co.uk/

Hope these help?
I've brought my first house a few years back and got a few nice peices from John Lewis......give me a shout if you need a hand


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## QuackingPlums (Mar 10, 2004)

Heals do a fabulous range of contemporary (and traditional) furniture, including the entire Ligne Roset range.

http://www.ligne-roset-city.co.uk/ is the site for their main store in London, but they're worldwide and will have stores elsewhere.

I think Heals also do a range from Huelsta (german company) whose UK website is here: http://www.hulstastudio.com/.

There's a worldwide website at www.hulsta.com but it seems to have stopped working... for me at least.

I bought all my large items from these two places and I can't fault the quality or customer service, and it's certainly a bit more upmarket than Ikea...


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

I know you've already discounted IKEA for furniture, but I wouldn't rule it out of the equation altogether. What it's best at, in my opinion, is the accessories.

Unless you really have got more money than sense that is.


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## Gworks (Jan 20, 2003)

Just outta curiousity, how much are apartments going for up there? The ones I have been looking at around my area are hitting the Â£230k+ mark for a 1/2 bedroom!  Fortunate for me the old lady has left the gaff in my hands and moved onto France!


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## Widget (May 7, 2002)

Congratulations [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Take a look at www.habitat.co.uk

They have a range of solid oak furtniture which looks great (Radius IIRC). Wouldn't like to be the one moving that in though


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## jonhaff (May 20, 2002)

yer in the St Albans area 2 bed flat going for 275/310 !!! outragous....


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## jam (May 8, 2002)

Thanks for all the replies so far guys n gals, some very helpful sites there!

Cheers

James


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

jonhaff said:


> yer in the St Albans area 2 bed flat going for 275/310 !!! outragous....


That is why prices are coming down now.

In Ipswich with this money you buy a 5 bedroom detached house with double garage.


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## r1 (Oct 31, 2002)

vlastan said:


> jonhaff said:
> 
> 
> > yer in the St Albans area 2 bed flat going for 275/310 !!! outragous....
> ...


They don't seem to be in St Albans...


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## r1 (Oct 31, 2002)

BTW how many taps? :wink:


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

If a new bed is on the shopping list, you could do a LOT worse than www.squeakfree.co.uk - or retailers which sell their stuff.

I've just chucked a bed like the photo attached into my master bedroom, along with matching cabinets, and it looks superb. May dominate a small room or one with a low ceiling (the head end is 6ft tall) but if you've got a room to accommodate it, its amazing.










I have some Ikea stuff in the house too. Sofas from DFS are excellent, and there is everything from old fashioned to contemporary there. I looked all over, but couldn't find anything I liked more than the DFS ranges. Delivered in 10 weeks, too.

www.thecotswoldco.co.uk have some really nice pieces. I'm after some of the solid oak tables to finish off my lounge.

Venetian blinds seem to be "in", and I can actually recommend Ikea for those, unless you have strange window sizes. The ~Â£20-Â£30 wooden blinds in Ikea are VERY similar to the ~Â£80-Â£100 blinds found elsewhere - even down to using the same fixings. Big metal poles and eyelet curtains seem to be quite modern looking too - with browns and creams definately doing the rounds...

Some nice sites selling decent beanbag furniture too - which is pretty funky stuff.

The best way to look "modern" is not to clutter. Clean lines. Mix wood with glass, metal and whites.

If you need some "art", check out Doug Hyde works. The LTD edition prints are usually around Â£300-Â£600 and (IMHO) are a great touch. Mackenzie Thorpe or Rosina Wachmeister stuff is nice too (and some of the only pieces to make it from my old house into the new one!)


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

Is this bed long enough for you Tim?

I have a chunky metal bed too. It is great as it is very stable and doesn't squeak after several years of abuse.


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## fire_storm (Jun 10, 2003)

Congratulation James,

I got a lot of the furniture for my flat from Bo Concept http://www.boconcept.co.uk/ other stuff came from ocean and habitat as suggested by a few other people.

Euan


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## damo (May 7, 2002)

If you're based in Leeds, try Christopher Pratts on Regent St

http://www.cpratts.co.uk

They are one of the biggest furniture stores in the UK, and have a really good selection of modern furniture. Last time I was there there was a Murcielago and a 996 GT2 in the car-park so you're in good company!


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

vlastan said:


> Is this bed long enough for you Tim?
> 
> I have a chunky metal bed too. It is great as it is very stable and doesn't squeak after several years of *self* abuse.


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

vlastan said:


> Is this bed long enough for you Tim?
> 
> I have a chunky metal bed too. It is great as it is very stable and doesn't squeak after several years of abuse.


Hi Nick.

Short of getting a custom made (or Queen Size) bed, its the best I can do (King Size). I can touch both the head and foot boards at the same time, but the same would be true of any King Size bed...

Being tall does have some downsides


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

jampott said:


> vlastan said:
> 
> 
> > Is this bed long enough for you Tim?
> ...


Yes I understand what you mean. I have a king size bed too and including the posts it is 2 meters 20 cm long. I can fit in it just fine, but when I was shopping around to buy a house I really struggled to find a long enough bedroom to fit it in.

My next bed will have to be a Queen Size as I prefer more space. The standard double size beds are simply a joke and imposible to sleep two people on one of them.


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## QuackingPlums (Mar 10, 2004)

jampott said:


> Short of getting a custom made (or Queen Size) bed, its the best I can do (King Size). I can touch both the head and foot boards at the same time, but the same would be true of any King Size bed...
> 
> Being tall does have some downsides


Heh - I thought I'd hit the jackpot when I found these German-made beds. Mine is something like 240x230, and since I'm only about 5'10", I can sleep in any direction I like (when the missus isn't around - boy, does she hog the covers! ) without any extremities hanging off the edges.

HOWEVER, having a large bed has its drawbacks. I can't find quilts large enough for both me and the other half, and when I can, I can't find covers that fit the quilt, which makes everything bunch up and look funny. 
All my so-called King Size fitted sheets are about 10cm too small, and I'm hopeless at folding hospital corners into flat sheets, and to top it off, I live in an apartment in Docklands so you can imagine how small my rooms are - the bed leaves a thin 12" sliver of floor all the way around for me to walk... I'm so gonna have to put it in storage and buy a smaller bed when I sell up, as this one makes my bedroom look miniscule! :roll:


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## kelm1979 (Dec 2, 2004)

> Hi Nick.
> 
> Short of getting a custom made (or Queen Size) bed, its the best I can do (King Size). I can touch both the head and foot boards at the same time, but the same would be true of any King Size bed...
> 
> Being tall does have some downsides


  So being a short ar*e at 5Ft 4in does have it's advantages afterall!!!


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

kelm1979 said:


> > Hi Nick.
> >
> > Short of getting a custom made (or Queen Size) bed, its the best I can do (King Size). I can touch both the head and foot boards at the same time, but the same would be true of any King Size bed...
> >
> ...


For a girl, maybe... but a 5'4" bloke would be a total nightmare (sorry Snaxo!)


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## snaxo (May 31, 2002)

5'5" Thanks Tim. That inch counts for a lot - LOL 

Picture Studio is a good place for limited edition prints as well - check out Paul Horton, Alexander Millar, Rolf Harris, Cecil Rice, Laurence Coulson, Nel Whatmore etc - as well as the aforementioned Mckenzie Thorpe and Doug Hyde.

Choose wisely and the prints are actually an investment (certainly the case for Harris, Thorpe & Cecil Rice for example, at present.)

http://www.thepicturestudio.co.uk/

Damian


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## digimeisTTer (Apr 27, 2004)

James you could try

www.mymissus.co.uk

very pricey though :lol: :lol:


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## Lisa. (May 7, 2002)

kelm1979 said:


> > Hi Nick.
> >
> > Short of getting a custom made (or Queen Size) bed, its the best I can do (King Size). I can touch both the head and foot boards at the same time, but the same would be true of any King Size bed...
> >
> ...


Quite! Short men and taller women just look wrong. A small and petite woman with a big strapping man looking after her IS the way it is meant to be.


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## Lisa. (May 7, 2002)

I think Kell should post his artwork on here.

Barcode Art from tester pots...I thought it was brilliant and so simple ( until i tried to do it myself  )


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## Steve_Mc (May 6, 2002)

For the scandi look have a look at

http://www.skandium.com/

For art try

http://www.britart.com


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

snaxo said:


> 5'5" Thanks Tim. That inch counts for a lot - LOL
> 
> Picture Studio is a good place for limited edition prints as well - check out Paul Horton, Alexander Millar, Rolf Harris, Cecil Rice, Laurence Coulson, Nel Whatmore etc - as well as the aforementioned Mckenzie Thorpe and Doug Hyde.
> 
> ...


I'm going to get a Doug Hyde (maybe more than 1) for my lounge, I think...

I have Mackenzie Thorpe's "Herbert" and the matching pair "Angela" - Herbert is a blue eyed Dalmatian, and Angela is a very similar looking cat.

Framed in a really cool way (2 layers of glass, no backboard and no mount, with a really really simple thin frame) so the picture looks like it is mounted on a mounting board exactly the same colour as the wall it sits against...

Unfortunately, my Mackenzie Thorpes are "posters" rather than "prints" (would have loved proper ltd prints) but I love them all the same.

I like the Paul Horton stuff too, and the some of the Govinder stuff. I simply don't have enough walls to put things.

Doug Hyde had an open day at my local gallery a few weeks ago, so they were replete with his work. Even have a few originals there which (considering the prints are Â£400-Â£500) are pretty reasonable (at about Â£4k-Â£5k)

Rosina Wachtmeister isn't to everyone's tastes. She generally has either cats or musical instruments as her subject material, and uses either blues or autumnal browns as well as gold or silver foils as part of the design. Was very strange to be sitting in the Marriott in Egypt and seeing her pictures there... 

Kell's stuff is very good, though


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## snaxo (May 31, 2002)

barely_legal said:


> kelm1979 said:
> 
> 
> > > Hi Nick.
> ...


My other half is 5'8" and isn't 100% comfortable with being taller than me but gets on with it 

However, one of my colleagues at work is 5'8" and his missus is 6'4"  
I have to say the wedding photo's are quite amusing... :lol:

(Sorry Jam - not very on topic!)

Damian


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

barely_legal said:


> I think Kell should post his artwork on here.
> 
> Barcode Art from tester pots...I thought it was brilliant and so simple ( until i tried to do it myself  )


Aw, thanks Lisa.

We did one as a pressie for someone last year as they liked ours so much.


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## jam (May 8, 2002)

Thanks everyone, you've come up with some crackers there.

Damo - was going to go down to Pratts on Saturday to have a look anyway, so I'll see what I can see

All I have to do now is trawl those sites!

I can see this is going to be stressful but very satisfying if I can pull it off properly!

Still hasn't actually sunk in yet

Thanks to people for their congrats too 

Cheers

James


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## fire_storm (Jun 10, 2003)

I have a couple of Jonathon Shaw originals, some of his prints are available through the picture studio web site. Really like his stuff, but might not appeal to everyone.


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## TTurbo (Jul 5, 2002)

Congrats on the new place.

If you're looking to see some nice furniture locally, one of the best places I've found is in Batley, top 2 floors of Red Brick Mill on Bradford Road (just past the Frontier).

Whereabouts in North Leeds is the apartment?


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## jam (May 8, 2002)

Oh yeah I forgot about that place, I'll go have a look at the weekend, cheers mate.

You have a pm


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## jdn (Aug 26, 2002)

barely_legal said:


> Quite! Short men and taller women just look wrong. A small and petite woman with a big strapping man looking after her IS the way it is meant to be.


Off topic I know - but like this?










What does she see in the billionaire??


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## Hannibal (Dec 1, 2003)

Forget all of those suggestions....

All you need is one of these...









One of these...









(it's a plasma screen, not an SLR  )

A couple of these...










And a...









And when you get hungry you can go and pick up some...










Hope I've been of some help! :lol:

H


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