I think I know which roommate reads decorating blogs... ;)

those fishes must be dead ... the water is murky..

As they say in design: the fish tank is "having a conversation" with the green lampshade. :)

What paint color did roommate #4 use?

Interesting idea. You can take photos of your own space in the same way. It'll change a lot as you change. If you wish that you had done that, then it's not to late to start.

Haha, inky brushes, I was thinking the same thing...

Ha! What a great archive! I love it.

And the winner is...roommate number 4.

Roommate number 4 looks like a keeper :)

this just confirms my belief that i should, and i must, live alone. 1 out of 4 ends up being a keeper? not shocking, but definitely a risk i'm unwilling to take.

Number 4 goes into the gray bedrooms I love folder.

I'm so into these center peaking curtains, can you tell me what the story is with those?

The pre-roommate version is the best. By far.

I actually like all of these, mostly. I think it's great seeing a before that doesn't make you want to tear your eyes out.

What I find interesting is how different the windows look in these photos. The wall colour on the first photo may be plain, however it reflects the light and complements the trees, almost as if you had two paintings of trees on the wall. Also the floor looks better on the first photo. Roommate's # 4 colour is fabulous but not for this room in my opinion.

It is weird to read people are judging each roommate based just on how they designed their room. It's a bedroom - the only person who has to live in it is who's room it is.

YES. I've lived in ten different apartments in the last eight years and I've always wondered about this. What did the people before me do? How did they use the space? Did they appreciate the unique crack in the wall or hide it?

Oddly enough, my friend sent me a text last night telling me she was at a party at the apartment I just moved out of last summer! She was kind enough to send photos along as well.

I'm the odd person out, #2 appeals to me the most. But I'm getting old, the bed would have to be higher! LOL

Keep roommate #4! Nice room.

I vote for pre-roomate too. Although the last one is the only one that doesn't look like flop house.

Not too many people followed the link, because everyone is saying Roommate #4...when in reality, Jen Chu and Andrea redecorated the room as a surprise for Roommate #4.

I would of liked to see the before picture for roommate #4's bedroom ...

I like that #1 and #4 have a really clearly defined sense of style, while #2 and #3 are sticking with college-dorm chic.

The title of this post had me thinking it was 4 cash-strapped or incredibly frugal roommates sharing a 1-bedroom. I'd love to see how someone manages that (with city rents being so high I'm sure it happens from time to time)!

I like #1. Clearly whoever lived there knew she wouldn't be there that long and (understandably) didn't want to put a lot of time and money into furnishings that might not work elsewhere. Yet it still has some style.

#3 is appalling... but looks like the rooms most 20-somethings have.

engineergirl - I thought the same too at first and would love to see a post on how to get it done. I would bet on seeing a lot of under the bed storage though to allow anyone to have any space at all.

engineergirl - I thought the same too at first and would love to see a post on how to get it done. I would bet on seeing a lot of under the bed storage though to allow anyone to have any space at all.

Roommate #4 is definitely the most imaginative of these people. I'd be interested to hear what her experiences were like living with these various roommates, too! I had a constantly changing set of three roommates, in a four bedroom apartment in Boston, for 12-1/2 years until I finally got a place of my own. Unfortunately, I never thought to take photos of their rooms.