too sparse, although some of the items in the home are very nice and kitschy.

the entire area as a whole is great, with lots of character...but the inhabitants have decorated as if their intention is to make it feel lonely and isolated. one single chair here, and table with a single chair there.

did they mean to arrange the furniture in such a way that there is no ability to entertain?

i'm not impressed with this tour.

I am abiding by: If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all.

I love old stone houses, they have so much more character than the new condos! Would love to find something like that here in NJ !

A tasteful use of decor on a very tight budget. Especially like the hand colored map of Baltimore neighborhoods, very beautiful!

I love the little stone houses. They're so cute, and really give a sense of history to the area.

That said, I'd be really uncomfortable with my actual address being shown, no matter how artistically.

I'm with jlcarpe3. Since I have nothing nice to say...

I love that desk. Love, love.

I think it's adorable. As a fellow Marylander, I may have to steal the flag in a cup on the mantle. I've always loved the MD flag, but the pattern's pretty intense.

"I am abiding by: If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all." - No you didn't. You don't get to take credit for having good manners if you actually point out in writing that you are so appalled that you are "not saying anything".

I like the desk, woefully sourceless... :(

If this were my first place after graduating I would be SO happy. You guys are off to a good start...good luck! Thanks for sharing. (Love that red sofa!)

Sorry love the deep brown sofa (red walls). :/

I've been to Baltimore often, and for the city this is really a gem. You DO get the city and the quiet, out-of-the-way feel. As for the not-so-nice comments, feh. Six months in the home and first-time renters? The fun of decorating and making this place home is just beginning.

ps: I had a chair like that many years ago. I was a bit embarrassed about it but it was also free, and darn comfy. :)

why do you hide the fireplaces behind tables?

I LOVE cat and girl. Now you've inspired me to frame one of her prints. Also am a big fan of all of the band/show posters. Weakerthans, dis. plan, fugazi...yes yes yes!

I am a little confused about the arrangement of furniture against the fireplaces. Is there a reason for that?

And re: your biggest embarrassment...get a cat, duh! ;)

While there are a few nice moments, there are thing here I just can't understand. If the fireplaces favorite elements, why is all the furniture seemingly pushed into them? It just seems like very clean student diggs.

Saying "I'm not impressed with this tour" is different than saying "THIS PLACE SUX". Aprilheartsaaron described what they liked and what they didn't like. Jlcarpe3 and whitepeacock weren't offensive either. The point of apartmenttherapy.com is to discuss, not to give the same insincere "great job" again and again and again. Kudos to the honest ones.

The home isn't to my taste either: it feels a little too "studenty" in the lack of picture frames and paint colour. That's personal though.. if the owners love it, all the power to them.

Lots of charm, actually looks as though REAL PEOPLE LIVE HERE. I love it!

I love this stone house. However I am a little disappointed in the decor. Some really cool art but why are you hiding those beautiful fire places especially with the tv and table? Those fireplaces need to be celebrated. A little sparse and poorly laid out for my taste.

Love the read paint it really pops the space nicely!!

curious about that tree "I love you" print on the...dresser? Where's that from? Me likey.

have to agree with the "student digs" comments but kudos for discovering such a gem of a space. Love those stone walls and that shaft in the bathroom - quel find!

I know there students but "Not impressed" with this tour. Its rare for me to make comments but honestly, I don't get it.

I would have at least cut the tabs off the curtain in the first post pic if I had no intention of using them as intended. They could even look like a decorative border if the the curtain was hung better.

Anyhoo, I really admire what they've done in a mere 6 months and wish I had such a large, standalone space. I've been on my own since '93 and have never really decorated my apts due to restrictive leases and little time spent at home.

This cottage looks very lived in and comfy to someone used to little more than a bed, desk 'n chair and bookshelves.

It seems like it's just somebody's house, not a design gem. It does look livable, but I think it would be better served on a blog like Normal Rooms instead of Apartment Therapy.

It must be hard to decorate with three people living together. In this case, a lot of the art is hung too high and there is no sense of balance in the way the rooms are arranged. This tour also has a ton of vignettes, which are annoying when they come at the expense of wide shots of what might be a cool old house (regardless of the decor). Overall, though, I agree with what k2yhe says.

Another tour with mostly closeups or of less interesting features. Wider angles would give us a better feel for the place.

I also wondered why the charming fireplaces were hidden.

The space is wonderful but I'm completely uninspired by the design. Clashing colors, folding tables in front of the fireplace, old cupcake dish towel with cheap edging as a feature? It does look like a comfortable place, just not something I think of as Apartment Therapy worthy.

Some 'design people' can be such snobs.

Thanks for the tour!

My old apartment had a fireplace, and I miss it soo much! So, to see that you have TWO...and they are both hidden, breaks my heart. Even if they are both non-working, I would show them off.
But thats ME, and I don't live there. Thank's for sharing your place.

Oh....forgot to mention I really dig that desk in the bedroom too!!!!

ok...i have to climb back on my fireplace feng shui soap box for a sec. again. The reason the concept of feng shui has been around for centuries is that it is based on a concept that really works. That being said, the main principle around it is based in the movement, flow and balance of energy in a space. One of the biggest forces of energy in any room is that of a fireplace. It represents fire symbolically and since it is a "hole" could either suck up or stagnate energy. The worst thing you could do with the element is to stifle it with a table or worse; electronics (TV etc.). Just looking at the pics, it FEELS wrong. Even when I was a starving student myself and before I understood the concept of feng shui, I intrinsically knew when design and placement felt wrong. I would think that being in this home, you would just feel the wrong-ness of blocking a fireplace. Cute cottage...i think it's inhabitants need to better capitalize on all of it's potential.

Hello fellow Charm City citizens. Don't feel shy. Everybody who live inside B-more limits has at least one cat. =)

I'm sorry but I'm sick of people either saying they don't like it while adding NO constructive criticism/elaboration, or that they love it blindly just to be nice and counteract the negative comments. The reason comments are allowed is to give opinions...I actually enjoy reading what people don't like about a space because usually there are more than a few people that agree. This helps me understand how to better arrange my space to a degree, and it's also interesting to see how many people share my design aesthetic. Similarly, hearing what people do like about an apartment or house does the same job....I really don't see what the big deal is. If I posted my place, I would want honest and hopefully detailed feedback!

This house has some great bones and a lovely vintage look. I like a lot of the art, but would agree that some of it is hung a bit too high for my tastes.

Great start!

You want honest feedback here it is.

The first photo of the tour shows the outside. While I love stone houses I do not love trash cans, cheap platic lawn furniture and leaning fences. It looks trashy. You are having a house tour not showing the outside of a house on an episode of Hoarders. I understand we don't really live in a magazine but I'm hear to look for design ideas, not cheap lawn furniture.

The house numbers are cute. I love the sign.

Stone fireplace in the living room, lovely. Table inside the fireplace with another table in front of that table. Um, really really bad. I feel like Archie Bunker is hiding around the corner with those chairs. While I too was a recipient of hand me down furniture I made it work. I didn't force it with a table cloth on a table practically in front of the fireplace to make it "match".

The kitchen, another TABLE IN THE FIREPLACE. Unless this is a new design fad (I'm not jumping on that wagon) I don't get it.

The artwork is pretty cool as well as sparse. Maybe grouping it together (not in the fireplace) would have a bigger impact instead of sprinkling it around the home.

The backyard looks like a disaster. I mean come on the yellow cafeteria chair with graffiti. Am I missing something?

The rest of the house just looks like a white box with really bad beige carpet.

I love the map above the desk, the desk and the chair. It looks like a great place to work.

Why are we seeing the closets? Are wire hangers making a come back.

All in all the house is probably great. I don't think this is house tour quality. There is no cohesive design. Just random ojects. I don't need to see a close up of someones jewelry box.
And now you know why I was saying nothing. Because there isn't much to say that is nice.\

I know we all don't have big budgets but sometimes grouping like items together (artwork) will make a huge impact. You probably just have the 2 chairs and 2 tables in the living room. Try removing those tables from the fireplaces and facing the chairs toward the fireplace. If you want the TV in the fireplace it can be done with a less awkward result.

@ jlcarpe3 I didn't mean to offend you or anything, but if you announce that you have nothing nice to say you are obviously still insulting the crap out of the space without adding any sort of solution. At least this time you explain yourself and who knows....maybe they will be able to learn and grow as "designers". ;)

tv in the fireplace

i kinda love it :) it's fun.

Even if the fireplaces don't work they should not be hidden like these two are. We can still tell they're there. It looks more like a poor design choice than a way of dealing with the inoperability. The treatment here removes some of the character of the home. I found it ironic that the occupant says the fireplaces are one of the favorite elements of the home. If that's the case, why don't we see them?

I concur with @skellette about the value of detailed comments, including negative ones. I learn from them. That's one of the reasons I like AT. When I see people gush about something that seems mediocre, at best, I wonder what I'm missing. And, as we've seen, money isn't the primary driver of what gets favorable comments. We've seen some very creative work on a budget and less inspiring work on an apparently unlimited budget.

Gorgeous building with character aplenty. I understand the tenants are just starting out but with so many bargins available at charity stores and on web auction sites there is no excuse for ugly stuff. If I can't get nice I go without - it's too offensive to me to have ugly stuff in my sanctuary (my home).
As for the actual arrangement of the ugly stuff - I think we have all agreed that is terrible as well. I don't think these people have any design ability or style at all. The table in the kitchen fireplace! The small artworks stranded on large walls! What a waste of a great place. Move out and let someone who will appreciate it move in.

lots of character and cute accessories (and inhabitants!)... for those who are bothered by this house tour, i think a lot of its problems could be solved simply by rearranging the existing furniture and accessories into groupings- it does seem a little spread out/sparse. but i don't think you need any new stuff, or fancier items, just play with the arrangement and flow and see what you come up with!

Really dull. The setting is gorgeous, the outside shots are slightly more inspirational, but in general, very poor tour.

I'm jealous of the stone house. Reminds me a bit of the townhouse with exposed brick I rented when I was in college.

Does the fireplace work? I noticed the table in front of it.

You've got a good start on things. Everyone above seems to be giving advice, I think it just takes some experimenting with arrangements to figure out what will work.

You live down the street from me! So nice to see a gem like this from Baltimore featured. I'm sure it's challenging arranging the furniture in such tight quarters (hence the necessity of "blocking" the fireplace, people). I think your place is lovely, personal, and original.

cute, i love the first bedroom shown.

Overall, my first impression was, "Hmm, somehow the house seems both cramped and sparse at the same time." But on further consideration, I think they are off to a good start because it seems like they are only buying things that they really love. So, as time goes by, they can replace some of the hand-me-downs with stuff that fits a little better. And I think they need to play with placement of furniture more (I agree that the blocked fireplaces are odd and it definitely contributes to the cramped feeling).

As a fellow Marylander, I love the flags near the red wall and the little flower prints. I am also VERY jealous of the desk and the WPA map! The homey feel is very Baltimore (and I mean that as the highest compliment :-)

Even more disagreeable to me than the decor are the photos themselves - I do not understand why we've been given so many dull vignettes and really poor angles. This will no doubt come off as supremely negative (because it is), but I am totally unimpressed with this contributor, who in her write-up so enthusiastically extolled the virtues and charm of this unique, 150 year old structure and then followed it up with some shots of the inside of the occupants closets, boring bedroom corners and close-ups of hipster artwork. I would have liked to see more of the architectural details and the layout. I think all of us would have.

This tour was a total disappointment for reasons that go well beyond the inhabitants' confounding furniture arrangements.

You were smart to take the place right away, those stone mill houses are hard to come by.

Love your hand-colored in neighborhood map, that's a great idea.

Oh Baltimore...this place is like the rest of the city-so much potential.

its all so wrong

I would take this house in a heartbeat! Such charm in the midst of the city! The "coyotea" picture is a hoot! I'm inspired to rework some of my clutter. Thanks for sharing!

I see this tour as a social commentary piece—kinda a spoof on the whole tour concept. "oh, ya, so you can gussy up your place with $30,000? well here is what we have to work with!"

If my take on this is correct, here is my response: first: we've all been there, shopping for furniture in the dumpster down the street. Second, yes, sometimes design folks can be snob, or even boorish. (so, 'guess you showed them.) Third, yes, home design can be overrated in the grand scheme of things.

On the other hand, if this is meant as a serious tour, I would say this: the botanical print is nice, and I like framed maps as art. I like minimalism, but if not handled with some finesse, even a few pieces can look cluttered and not pulled-together. Also, I do appreciate that in the exterior shots, you cannot control what the other tenants have done. Overall, this would not be a something anyone should strive to replicate.

I really appreciate other tours I've seen here where tenants have done something lovely with very little money. A little imagination goes a long way!

I agree with some of the viewers It is a lovely cottage with interesting features, yet the fireplaces are hidden by the TV and a cheap table, the pictures are hung too high and have nothing to do with each other, the colours are arbitrary, Why would I want to see someones closet? the bones are good the furnishings need a bit of help

I'm sorry, but both the house and the tour are amateur (and not in any good sense of the word). There were a few interesting objects, but that's it.

And the living room arrangement of two chairs, a table, and a table and TV in the fireplace is heartbreaking.

There are many beautiful things that can be done with non-working/decorative fireplaces. Some even covered here:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/heat-cold/decorating-a-nonworking-fireplace-044653

Oh, and here:

http://ifferslittlenest.blogspot.com/2010/05/decorating-nonworking-fireplaces.html

It was disappointing to see such a charming urban setting so unimaginatively "dressed". I assume that the entrance photo involves several houses? And that perhaps the plastic furniture and other detritus belongs to neighbors?
And yes. The fireplaces. I have a friend who has a non-working fireplace in her kitchen and she has hung pots and pans in it - it looks wonderful. Putting a tv in front of one is incomprehensible. Especially if you actually like having one! Even if it doesn't work. I suspect that part of their problem is that the rooms are really tiny but still. You can do a lot with crates, old boards, fabrics, cushions, none of which are expensive, that would do justice to such a unique little urban home. And yes, the photography left a lot to be desired. Perhaps there wasn't much to photograph? Looks very much like a work in progress; learning progress. We all have to start somewhere.

This tour makes me think anybody can get on Apartment Therapy. But it's their first place, and a whole lot better than how I started out! Blessings on your home as it evolves!

Actually, I think you have some really cool stuff here and it's a shame that people got so fixated on a couple of small design "errors" that could easily be fixed. Just a little rearranging of furniture (and new chairs/sofa when you can afford them), and your place could really shine. It's possible that people aren't seeing the potential here because spaces don't always come across in photos as they do in real life. I personally love the entrance, that black door, the entry rug, and the shoe rack. I know it's Baltimore, but it has a scandinavian simplicity to me that I love. I think you've got a great start. Don't worry about the opinions of others unless you find them helpful. Otherwise, they're just opinons from a tiny sampling of people who's intentions are completely unknown.

Oh, I forgot. I'm curious about, and a little smitten with, the lacey looking thing hanging outdoors and draped with twinke lights. Very Anthropology!

i agree it is bad fung shui to place a desk in front of a fireplace (working or not). If not working, put some candles in the fireplace! Can you paint the walls? If you can get permission, paint, paint, paint, to add some interest and warmth to the place. Looks like too much clutter in the kitchen. Needs a lot of help!

Seems like some rooms are missing . . . or something is missing. Would like to see more of the cottage itself, the structure of the rooms and of the exterior.

First of all, I love how it's not fussy! I love how the cupcake towel in the kitchen is lopsided! Yay for unfussiness!

Now, if they could keep that carefree, lighthearted approach and tweak a few things. The bedrooms are depressing. I wonder if there's wood under those carpets. I sanded and varnished a wood floor when I was renting as a student and it's not expensive to do.

I'd pull the tables out from the fireplaces. Fireplaces weren't meant to have furniture inside of them and it gives an awkward feeling to the room, spatially and psychologically.

I like the woven bowl with the "be green" poster behind it in the kitchen. I like all of the yard shots, the rusty mirror in the garden, the strings of lights, the wooden table and chairs. Very simple but lovely. The yellow plastic chair should be moved somewhere else, however.

The bedroom with the gray carpet and the black comforter looks like a dorm room. Could do better on a budget. The photo of the closet (?) with the blue curtain tied with the purple satin ribbon is out of context and kind of made me cringe. Some of the unstudied casualness in this place really works, some is just really off.

Some interesting art, could have more impact if grouped and hung lower. Especially small pieces, they should always be hung on the low side. Lots of potential here. I like that it's so unpolished compared to the other house tours, but there's lots of room for improvement.

This is a joke, right?

It's an OK place by student standards, but nothing to submit for a house tour. That living room is wrong and sad in every way possible. The red paint looks flat and cheap and the furniture is arranged in the worst way possible. The ill-fitting tablecloth actually makes that ugly table look worse. Things are also way too crammed into that side of the living room. Spread it out a bit! And move that out of the fireplace!

The bookcases throughout the house look sloppy and need to be tidied and edited. The artwork throughout the house tends to be too small to make much impact.

The desk in the kitchen fireplace? What is that? Why put it there and not against that wall with the little ledge on it?

The messy entrance hall with all the bags hanging on the wall...there is zero design there. It's just a hall you can see anywhere. Ditto all the shots of the closets. They're just neat and organized, but not noteworthy in terms of design. Wire hangers? Really?

The plastic chairs in the yard and Christmas lights make the house look more low-rent, unfortunately.

I also dislike it when people do things like put typewriters on windowsills. It looks like you bought it solely as a decorative object. It would be like displaying a non-working lamp in the bathtub.

What is with the curtain in picture 28? Why would anyone hang a tabbed curtain like that? It just looks bizarre. That little desk is terrific, though, and demonstrates that whoever bought it has a little taste.

Overall, this was completely unimpressive. I think Auni would have gotten a better reception if this had been submitted as a question (How do I fix up my first apartment on a student's budget?) instead of a house tour.

I returned to the tour because I really want to find things to love about this place. The house itself is wonderful - I'd kill for those thick stone walls and deeeep set windows.

I just noticed that there is a set of fireplace tools on the hearth...you know, next to the TELEVISION. Is this all an elaborate joke?

Not one of my favourites...
Looks like it was just "scunned up"...That being said I found the (N.Geo.) Newfoundland map on the bedroom wall interesting....
I think as these people grow the spaces they inhabit will too...

Tough crowd for the most part. Nice for anyone to open their hearth & home to others. Take what you like & leave the barbs.

I like the lack of professional aesthetics. This is why AT is important. You get it all. If you want perfect BHG or HGTV. you learn from comments, but let's face it we would all give our eye teeth to be interior designers. Don't quit your day jobs, people. Enjoy your space it will grow with your needs,experiences,etc.

I agree -- get a cat for the mice. But remember, cats have to be taught by their moms in order to be mousers. My cats will 'play with it to death.' If your landlord wants to charge extra to have them, give them a few mouse carcasses and negotiate who is serving who! Also, I don't get why the beds are push against the wall when there is room to center the beds and add a night stand, chair or small table to both sides of the bed. Maybe that comes with age and being tired of crawling over somebody to get out of bed or fear of falling out of it while asleep. Good luck. It will come in time!

I now think this is a joke tour, a trick. It is so, so bad.

Auni, I hope you'll heed raken123's advice… some very good suggestions there.

Also, study other "Home Tours" in AT, and online home magazines, for some good decorating ideas. Then in a few months comeback to AT with new pictures!

I would add, you also need some house plants. Go to Home Depot, Target, or someplace that sells indoor plants. Pothos is very easy to grow and can easily be rooted to make more plants. Place plants in window sills, etc., where they will get good light, but not direct sun.
http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/pothos.html

This has got to be a joke.

When I look at this tour, it reminds me of my own apartment abit mine has even more hand-me-downs & roadside finds. Perhaps this tour would've been better suited to a student section or a 'design on a dime' where greater leeway is given for working with what one has already. That said - I agree some rearranging of furnishings is in order as the fireplaces should be a focal point and mismatched furniture can be easily covered with fabric or painted/restained to match.