Posts categorized as DIY

I recently posted about the first apartment, it’s done! Now I want to get into the details. I’ll write about each room, starting with the bathroom. The biggest challenge was the shower. When Jared our architect made the plans, we thought a standing shower would be best – a space saver, right? The base before it was installed. A year later when we searched for glass to fit the base (already in place), we discovered it costs around $2,000 for materials/installation, that’s a lot. We then considered taking the base out […]

​ This weekend the NewlyFED team headed up to Washington Heights, familiar territory for Clare, who spent a year on Fort Washington Avenue. Our guest is Michael Crowley, an amazing pianist and chef who brings the same precision and focus to the kitchen as he does the piano. We’ve known Mike for a few years, about as long as he’s dated Sean, who is Rockaway by birth and lineage but has lived all over the East Coast. Sean’s first cousin is our biffle Beth, and we’ve all had many fun […]

I’m admittedly behind on house updates, here’s the latest. The last post was about the walls going up which was a major milestone. Since then we’ve had the floors sanded/finished and started to paint. The house almost feels normal. Having a cleaner space (no sheetrock dust everywhere) has done wonders for our mental health! We decided a while back to refurbish the 125 year old flooring. The wood is old growth pine, 1″ thick tongue and groove. Matt made dozens of repairs before we hired South Shore Hardwood Floors to start the job. Above you’re seeing the living room into the dining room. The […]

If you dread opening up your sock drawer every morning because the damn thing just won’t budge, watch this.

Ok, so we’re obsessed with wood. It’s natural, beautiful and resistant to damage. Seven months ago we started hoarding unwanted material from a barn in Massachusetts, dumpsters in Far Rockaway and a gutted house in Ridgewood. It’s astonishing the stuff people throw out. We’ve put our collection to use, repairing floor boards, making paneling and adding features throughout the house. Our style inspiration is American Craftsman with a touch of “farmhouse”. We’ve seen exposed beams many times on our trips to Lake George and I’m always charmed by the Adirondack aesthetic. We salvaged the oak beams from an old barn […]

The Tomato Gals love seasonal decoration. The holidays are here – it’s time to adorn the home! Before you run out to Michaels Craft, take a look in your backyard or outside the apartment. You’ll be surprised what you can create with the materials around you. I was upstate recently at John’s cabin and came across this neat book. Using steeplebush branches I started to created a fall wreath. The city is not the Catskills, but you’ll find what you need. Last resort… take a walk to your local NYC Park. […]

We’re excited to participate at the Ridgewood Market this month, selling our unique potted plants. The planting containers vary – we have up-cycled hand-picked finds, decopage recycled cans and handmade wooden planters from reclaimed barn wood (white pine). Look for Spider plants, Coleus, Pothos Vine, and Kalanchoe. All plants are propagated and homegrown with love and care. Check out a sample of our merch!   Sunday, November 23rd 2014 11 AM to 5 PM! – Handmade, Artisan, and Vintage Gifts! – Food, Pastries, Brunch, Alcohol, and Music!!! – Gottscheer Hall!! […]

When I wrote about the patriotic Johnny pumps appearing in Rockaway somehow I missed this one. It brings to mind a kind of patriotism Andy Warhol would have approved of. We’re not sure who is responsible for these paintings. Maybe it’s the Rockaway Civic Association, the RAA, or one very patriotic Rockawayite? Contact us if you have any information about these wonderful public art displays.      

This is the first official “garden” post for our new location in Rockaway, Queens. I’ll post everything from a beach critter I find on the sand to the tomatoes growing in my backyard. Here’s the first post in The Nature Walk series! I discovered this beautiful Grasshopper the other afternoon. He was hanging out on my sunflower. This guy isn’t the only one enjoying these flowers, the bees are buzzing on them all day. In the spring, I ordered the Northeast Wildflower Seed mix which included sunflowers and other seeds that work […]

We have a working toilet, no walls to enclose it but hey, we’re not picky. Things are moving along, here’s the update. (Yes it looks crazy, we know) We hadn’t planned on changing the windows but Maureen found a deal on Craigslist for Andersens that we couldn’t pass up. They’re in great condition. We couldn’t believe someone would throw these out! Another person’s trash… that’s what they say, right? We managed to replace all windows on the first floor. The new ones bring in more light – I’m very happy with […]