I don't think that "internalized "means what you think it does. Of course, someone's apartment is personal and how one regards it is subjective. Most people live in buildings that have little, if any, exterior ornamentation.

But why should a cold, bland Post-Modern exterior limit your choice of decor inside?

Are those pictures from Central Park West? Around the 70s perhaps? I know I've seen that black railing...

Yeah, I'm a geek =}

Using the exterior as a reference or jumping off point (or continuation) for design choices is a great idea. It's entirely up to the individual to decide how they want to interpret and use what they see. This could mean contrasting or complementing the design elements outside. It can also mean letting it dictate every design element or something much more subtle, such as a single piece of art.

When I'm choosing a new apartment, the exterior DOES factor into my decision. I have to at least like the exterior, if not love it. After all, I do see it every day as I come and go.

For me that translates into something that has a bit of a cottagey look to it.

Views out the windows are also important to me.

Seeing the sky is better than any building facade.

I was just thinking the other day that it would be neat to do an exterior/interior series on AT. I'm sure some of the most amazing apartments we've seen on AT are in buildings that really aren't that great from the outside. The contrast can be interesting, especially when people have modern interiors that fit with very old exteriors.

I'm thrilled that my landlord is finally painting the outside of our two-family house (in SF). The outside looks so shabby that guests are always startled when they see the nicely renovated interior. Then again, that first moment of surprise is cool, in a way. It's like they've stumbled upon something unexpectedly pleasant.

it is still an individual choice as to how we feather our nests. i always walk past a loft building in chelsea that one loft, as i can see from the street had traditional drapes and decor, and thought it was an odd juxtaposition. as for me if i lived in a richard mier building on perry street it would be a minimal and understated interior for me, to let the architecture speak.

The railing is around the Dakota (72-73 on CPW). Does this make me and uber-geek?

I just want to die from shame with our interior hallways. They are ghastly. The carpet, when new, looked like it was filthy, just one of those industrial strength puke-inducing color and pattern combinations that could not possibly look good under any circumstances.

Add to it some of the most repulsive door colors known to man. We once had a nice, neutral beige. Then they decided to try out every bad shade of green...pond scum green, mold green, snot green, alien green.

Then they must have gotten deal on squash yellow. The outside the building is done is squash...squash green, squash yellow, squash deeper yellow, squash orange. At least it's kind of cheery. But on the doors?

After adding on a cheap traditional style door molding on the top? That pops off whenever people bump into it with a big thing moving in and out. Some people have used the top of the molding to leave their empty beverage bottles on the way out. OMG!

By the time I get to my apartment, I am cranky. The color is THAT BAD. The carpet is THAT BAD.

I want to scream in their face "ARE YOU COLOR BLIND OR JUST STUPID?"

Nobody likes the yellow doors. NOBODY.

The color and carpet is enough so that if I had been moving here NOW, I would not have moved in. Seriously.

When I moved in, we had white walls, beige doors and TURQUOISE carpet with jewel color dots, sort of. Or maybe it was more teal. It was happy.

I would think readers of Apartment Therapy are aware and do look at the exterior of their building... strange to assume otherwise!