Turn down the lights
Turn up the music
Let's just be together tonight

-Neil Diamond

Turn your lights down low
And pull your window curtain
Oh let jah moon come shining in

-Bob Marley

Take it from Bob and Neil, lighting is essential when creating the right mood at your party.

In previous posts on Party Architecture, we covered Density, or having the right number of people in your space for the type of party; and Structure, or arranging your apartment so guests can mix and move. A third tenet, lighting, complements density and structure and, over the course of an evening, subtly signals where the party is heading. More

Last night two friends threw their first party since they finished renovating. Everyone was impressed by the colors, the windows, and the furniture. But the party itself felt a little blocked.

Why?

While the density was about right for the sophisticated air, they hadn't set the place up for a party. People were trying to talk across the big, blocky (no doubt fashionable) living room furniture.

I found myself wedged between a column and a couch, and later boxed in a corner wishing I smoked so I could escape outside. I didn't know where the bar was!

The party had bad structure… More

Ever been to this type of party?

You're invited for 9.

You walk in at 10:30.

But you're still early.

A few people are sitting around the living room. Others are leaning against the wall. You find the host in the kitchen pouring a drink for someone under the bright, fluorescent light. A plate of crudites sits on top of a stereo playing a blah rock mix. Someone is already saying their goodbyes… More

After!

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Back in March, we teamed up with Jeni Aron, aka The Clutter Cowgirl, to give away three hours of her time to one of our readers: 3 Hrs of Organizing with The Clutter Cowgirl. Out of 83 people, Kelly R. was our winner. Jeni visited her, wrangled her apartment into shape and the rest is history. This is the very happy story...

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(Hello again to Julie, trying out from Minneapolis for a spot on the AT: Chicago team. Enjoy the house tour she put together - comments are welcome!)

Name: David & Kirki
Location: Minneapolis
Size: 2300 sq. ft.
Lived In: 5 years

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What’s the age of your décor? Mine clings to 29. But this 2 parents/kids/cats household lives like grownups and still remembers who they were in the day. Friends hang as easily as kid art. Mementoes represent sans kitsch. Sure, there’s the influence of recent good tastemakers. But having shot more crannies than slideshows allow, we can say there’s more David, Kirki & co. than the ghost of Martha past.

Lesson: never take yourself or your kitchen table too seriously. And ditch that old college print in the spare room.
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Name: Matt and Amber Mills
Location: Independence, Mo
Size: 3 bedroom, 1900 sqft.

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When Kansas City based artists Matt and Amber Mills were deciding where to live, they came across the same dilemma most of us do. Should they live downtown in the ultra hip urban areas closer to where they work? Pros: Great places to eat, not of the chain variety...Cons: Paying for parking and no where to walk the dogs. Or should they live near family out closer to the suburbs and have a daily commute like most people in our metro? Pros: Stones throw from family and good schools... Cons: Packed full of big box stores and fast food. More

(Hello again to Maya from Cincinnati, who is trying out for a spot on AT:Chicago team. Enjoy the tour she put together - comments are welcome!)

Name: Mason
Location: Brighton, Cincinnati, OH
Rent or own: in the process of buying
Size: gallery: 1000 sq. feet, loft: 1000 sq. feet
Lived in: 3 years

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Mason is an artist, art collector, and gallery owner who lives above Synthetica, his gallery in the Brighton area of Cincinnati. Like his neighborhood, Mason's home is a bit rough around the edges and constantly evolving, deftly combining vintage with new, scavenged with hand-crafted. We especially love the "custom window treatments" made of locally scavenged windows. More

(Hello again to Maya from Cincinnati. She is one of the bloggers trying out for a spot on the AT:Chicago team. Her first post is here and comments are welcome!)

With three locations in Cincinnati, Fabulous Frames & Art is a good choice for custom-framing and limited-edition prints, but what really makes it special is its extensive inventory of prints by the late Charley Harper. More

(Hello again to Sarah from Kansas City, one of the four bloggers trying out for a spot on the AT: Chicago editorial team. Her first post is here. Comments are welcome!)

How long have you been pining over that lamp, or ceramic squirrel statue in the design blogs? Too long? Does it seem out of reach? Well get off the couch and put those sad mopey eyes away. Summer is here, garage sales and tag sales are in abundance and you can whip up some unique furnishings for your home... for less than $3! One man's flying ceramic duck figurine is another man's treasure... really!
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(Hello again to Rachel from St. Louis, trying out for a spot on the AT:Chicago editorial team. Her first post is here. Comments welcome.)

Recently we received a gift of several vintage bud vases from a friend. These lovely little vessels have been a wonderful addition to our home and have got us thinking about the many pros of the bud vase... More