Congratulations to Patrick! I think the smallcoolparty should be at his apt.

Congratumalations, Patrick! You are fantastic, as anyone who reads your contributions to the suggestions you offer your fellow AT folks here knows.

Seriously, ALL of you guys are really excellent, and I cannot STAND the fact that I'm going to be out of town when that little party is. It would have been great to see you folks in person.

Single file, please!! ;)

(that comment was to Jaon, btw)

I had to leave the building while this was going on - I couldn't concentrate on anything else.

Ditto, Pixie. Now, I can go back to work now...

Damn! I wish I lived over there so I could play match-the-person-to-the-apartment. (Fiona's suggestion, I believe, from a previous thread.) Okay, now I too can finally get back to work.

I will wear zebra just in case, to make it easier in case you make it.

Congrats to everyone who made it to the top five, and congrats to Patrick on his win, and for contributing to the heart-stopping foto-finish. Not since the verdict was read at the OJ trial...

(But isn't the BEST prize the fact that you lucky people get to LIVE in these apartments? Sheesh, time to pick up a paintbrush over here on my end...)

Congrats to all...

"I will wear zebra just in case, to make it easier in case you make it"

...which is NOT the homo-chic-iest thing.

pphillip--
LOL!!!

Now what was that I was saying about the chance to meet the players? C'mon all you haters, I'm sure we would all like to meet you. Bring photos of your own places too and we can all have fun.

My heartfealt congratulations to Patrick. I was regretting not voting for you because I thought again about your place being a rental and how much more difficult that was to make it really stand out so this result was a pleasant surprise.
Looking forward to meeting you (and many others) - assuming you'll be there and I can rsvp in time!

Yay, congrats all.

The great thing about this contest is that we the readers/voters won. We had the chance to see some incredible apartments and get tons of ideas of how to live in small spaces or use small spaces (even MacMansions have odd nooks (no I'm not talking about their owners). Cheers to Patrick who was my 2d choice. And now I get it Robert; you figured out a way to win the coolest prize. Props!

Congratulations Patrick. Enjoy your party.

And pphilipp stop the homo references. Is this some kind of bait to see who is gay and might answer favorably to your advances?

This is Aparment Therapy not a matchmaking site.

chucky - geez!

chucky cheese.

mmmmmm. pizza.

In an effort to avoid a blood bath, I want to say the previous post was a joke. Just trying to poke a little fun at pphilipp for all his homo references. Hope all of you get it and I won't become a pariah on AT.

Honestly, it's neither bait not any type of "flirting"/"advance" - just my sense of humor. But as it's bothering some, I'll not do it in the future.

And re ebrown - "The great thing about this contest is that we the readers/voters won. We had the chance to see some incredible apartments and get tons of ideas of how to live in small spaces or use small spaces" - s/he's right. I'm haven't been this inspired to do something with my space in a long time.

I liked pphillipp's humor =D

Anyway...congrats to all! Wish I lived closer so I could attend =( And I agree with Joan- it SHOULD have been celebrated in the winning apt ;D haha

Where are those 2000+ voters now!!!! the minute it's over, it gets all quiet again [LoL]. People, don't be scared to speak up!

This contest has been a lot of fun, although in the obsessive vein. Congratulations to the winners Patrick, Robert, and Brandon, and again to Hillary and Paul for making it to the top five out of so many who entered. Well done all. Like pphillipp, I too am very inspired by this contest, but, as is true after I watch all those shows on HGTV and Fine Living Network, I feel like I've already done something and will probably take a nap instead.

I think *all* the finalists could offer their expertise for consultations. All this inspiration has to go somewhere...

Now that the contest is over, I hope there are still lots of opportunities to see beautiful, small, realistic yet inspiring apartments!

possible conspiracy theory for patricks comeback...cookie clearing?

Yes. That certainly is one theory.

are we STILL on that one???? =/

MAN... one false mouse-click and this whole lovely little rhapsodic thing just disappeared off my screen! OK, I'll start over, and try again...

Basically, I just wanted to say that I enjoyed seeing new contestants each day, and how great I thought the contest looked, and how I hope the contestants don't need to be hospitalized from having heard all the criticisms that various used comparing each other.

I enjoyed ALL the entrants, as Shirley Temple-ish as that sounds, and I'm grateful to them for letting us sneak in and have a peek into each of their worlds.

And that photographeuse did a fantastic job of giving us a really good sense of touring each space in such a way as to feel as if we were there.

OK, I'll get to see my relatives next week, and that will be nice, but I wish I could be at that party to meet these folks in person!

"photographeuse"! I love it, it's my new favorite word. I also want to thank all the entrants for feeding my AT addiction and for inspiration, and congrats to the finalists and winners.

i think it's a cool word, too, cept i think we've changed his gender. =)

this was very, very, fun. nervewracking, but fun.

i feel like i don't know what to do with myself, now. =(

I've been so busy at work that I kind of missed the whole frenzy (although I did check on the finalists and vote for Patrick (you go boy!)) I will be there with bells on, although I do agree that perhaps some sort of open house/wine and cheese reception at the winning apartment is in order. Or maybe a progressive dinner through all five?

this contest was such a part of my day, i don't know how i'll go back to doing all of my work! hearing about the party makes me miss my homeland (nyc)... can we get an AT satellite group in northern california?

Congrats to all. This has been great fun.

Patrick, I agree with Ruth, there should be some kind of reception at your place, we will gather every week thereafter at one of the finalists' place.

pphilipp, your sense of humor doesn't bother me at all. As stated above, I tried to make a joke. I agree it wasn't as funny as I thought it would be originally. I am neither bothered , insulted or troubled by them.

Congrats to everyone. I so enjoyed having the chance to see so many apartments, and take inspiration from them.

I hope the wondrous photog Lane will be at that party to take pics for all of us who can't make it because we're not in NYC. . .

AT is the greatest. I loved seeing all the spaces and (most of all) all the ideas. I can't wait for the next contest! (Patrick, please be availabe for consultation! $$!)
And sincere thanks to everyone who posted reactions - excellent (and FREE) design consult for those of us who visit this site for inspiration.

And now *I* have to get back to work, too!

I had a great time with the contest and would do it again in a heart beat! I enjoyed the positive and negative feedback and have been inspired to spruce up my lil' santuary =)

After taking the weekend to recover from a nasty "refresh-button hangover," I wanted to thank Max and the AT crew for providing the space-- of both the server AND intellectual varieties-- for this contest. I think the one thing it overwhelmingly proves is that taste is a very personal thing but that passion and ingenuity are quite prevalent in this city of small space living. So many really great spaces! So much inspiration! So much creativity! So much to be proud of. Thanks to all who let us in as guests in their homes.

And so many gems among the entries! (To cite just a few...) Melissa's taste is highly original and really quite gorgeous. Rebecca's gutsy color sense and teamwork with mom are undoutedly the foundation for a long line of fabulous spaces and a great life (ps-- Rebecca-- Shades of Light has some silk magenta curtains that sooo have your name on them!!) Anita is a space planner/problem solver par excellence. Dante has a great and quirky eye, and I hope he continues to find excitment in his own space and throughout the city. Matt & Sharon's space is full of light, life, love and photogenic cats! Cilla's space is warm and exotic in a way that will only continue to charm. FRANK HAS A STYLE AND ZEST THAT IS ONE OF A KIND (not to mention a kick-@ss bathroom). Laura's color commitment and innovation make a tiny space really sing. David & Alex get big-time style AND small-space co-habitation points.

I'll also be really excited to follow how a few really strong contenders continue to shape their homes... Robyn's space no doubt will be a stunner, and that view will be the one with the cacthing up to do!! Sarah's ship's cabin efficiency will only get even ship-shapier as she continues adding her finishing touches and personal flair.

And, finally, Robert, Paul, Brandon and Hillary all have enviable, beautiful spaces that I would GLADLY apartment swap for. And Hillary, if you can keep your lovely sense of order, clarity, and minimalism as Life continues to throw material temptation and never-ending junk mail your way, you will ALWAYS have a winning space.

Whew, that was fun, and has been bottled up for awhile now.

The other thing this demonstrated for me was how different these contests are for the spectator versus participant. Yikes.

Thanks all for the support, the kind words, and some really great and funny exchanges. Looking forward to much more of those! Hey, Maxwell, when does the West Coast Smallest/Coolest contest start?!? ;)

How did the winners/finalists who were in the NYPost fare with that new wrinkle in the contest?