apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

On a white/blue/yellow kick, eh?

carpet tiles in a kitchen?

I loved how she cited Crate & Barrel as a "budget" resource.

While C&B is certainly NOT high-end, MANY clients with whom I work find C&B to be out of bounds, budget-wise.

And also, to make the budget, Ms. Moore gave the client one of the highest end pieces as a gift.

I pretty much hated this apartment.

Domino has crashed and burned this year.

Did the windows get wider in the second photo or is that a wide-angle lens I spy?

Come on, if the redesign is so superior let it stand on its own merits. Don't use camera trickery to make it look more spacious.

OMG, Kaye, you're right . . . I didn't notice that at all.

I now hate this apartment just that much more.

i bet the noguchi paper floor lamp was "budget" friendly too :(

The second photo is shot from a different angle - not camera trickery.

I think this place looks great. - Very inspiring use of color and vintage, modern and organic design.

I have FLOR tiles in my kitchen and they are great. Easy to wash or simply swap out.

I liked this apt - not a fan of yellow but I thought the mix of high and "low" was good, and there were some interesting ideas for a small space. I also liked the living room overhead light which isn't pictured here - it was different and simple. I'm sure carpet tiles in a kitchen are great if you don't cook very much!

Mirror from BDDW for about 2,500. High...Low

i'm also not a big fan of yellow but i like how it's used here.
and i love the blue-ish grey tones she used, i think the apartment has a very serene atmosphere.

@ the poster who mentioned the noguchi lamp, i think parts of the decor were staged for the photoshoot, when you click through the photos on the domino site you see that in the same spot of the noguchi lamp there is the black kulla lamp from ikea.

I love the curtains, but I would never put carpet in a kitchen. Unless you never cook.

I love that couch -- anyone have an idea of who makes it? Is it a Crate and Barrel?

She needs to stick with her day job.

Birdy...I totally agree Domino has been way off the mark this year. Seriously, the May issue featuring facinating pages such as "superhero chic" and "household tips from the superrich" pushed me over the edge. I just cancelled my subscription after being with them since the beginning.

In terms of the design of this apt...I have issues. JM stated she had a budget of $15,000 in which to work but then she said she gave some of the high end pieces as "gifts"...don't try to sell me that it's a design on a "budget" because it's not.

BTW Khakigrl...yes the couch is Crate and barrel...

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=8110&f=25868&q=rochelle&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

I didn't mind this house. A little too matchy matchy here and there but I imagine that over time some things will be swapped in and out, making this a little more bearable. I love the coffee table, but the suggested "similar" one at urban outfitters? not so much.

Wow, a lot of hate!

Why I liked this feature was because it sings the praises of (and shows) the power of "the finishing touch" which many people just assume is unnecessary icing.

I liked it. I just commented on the budget because I am frequently frustrated by my own clients' budgets.

As far as having a few "splurge pieces" I am all for it, and would gladly talk a client into a Malm dresser to get another killer piece.

Btw, on the BDW mirror, they noted that they tried to get the knock-off piece but it was discontinued.

And if Flor tiles can be used in a GARAGE they can be used in a kitchen.

And the only piece the article mentions JM as gifting was the chair with the Flokati on it.

I didn't really mind this piece or this issue at all. I'll deal with the superhero chic if that means no more Day In the Life columns or Muse Marian. I wonder if there was an overhaul?

If anything, I'm kind of bummed that their colors have gone pretty darn blah and wimpy as of late. I actually kind of welcome the bruise colors.

Here! Here! Partick(the other one)

The budget is neither here nor there. Its all subjective. I've had a client spend that whole budget on a single piece. Besides isn't this why this site and so many others like it exist. The High High High end users and products give the average consumer something to base their purchases and ideas around and Visa Versa.
While there are something's about this project that im not keen on, I think its done very well on a grand scale. her sense of proportion, use of texture and continuity are great. Regardless of budget

Stick to her day job... ? Have you seen any of the films she has acted in recently ? I think maybe she should continue with decorating.

I don't understand why a stylist can't decorate her own place? That seems backwards to me.

Obsessing about this apartment since my issue of Domino arrived. The set-up of the bedroom is identical to mine (at least from the angle shown). This design has inspired me, big time, to try to recreate the feel of this bedroom (minus the yellow curtains :)

I've been with Domino from the beginning too, and while there have been a few misses here lately, I still love it. I eagerly await it's arrival each month.

since when does anything at BDDW cost only $2,500?

ridge--

She is a clothing stylist. I know plenty of people who can pull an outfit together and yet have totally crappy apartments.

And if this had been submitted as House Tour or Smallest Coolest entry, or a post-cure look, the reaction would be VERY different.

"Ooooh, where did you get the pigeon prints??? Etsy???"

Then someone would wonder if driftwood on the radiator was a fire hazard. ;)

And another thing I liked about this feature was that Ms. Moore, unlike many decorators, was willing to keep-- and base a full range of decisions upon-- the client's existing rug.

I actually have The Captains mirror from BDDW. That's the price. I am also all for a few showcase pieces. It's amazing how high- low blend/balance. One great mirror over an old piece or even Ikea is more inspiring than all high end selections or all Ikea.

Yeah, I got that Patrick ... but sorry, I wouldn't take clothing styling advice from someone with a "crappy" apartment. But hey, that's just me.

Wow. Uh, I guess everyone here has better taste than Julianne Moore. Good for you.
Personally, this is one of the few apartments in Domino that really inspired me--it's not overly girly, and the mix of pieces (high, low, whatever) with individual character is well-balanced with the overall look of the rooms.

Jeez guys. The AT community as a whole seems pretty bitchy about actresses crossing over into design. Get over yourselves, I thought the apartment was lovely. As patrick (the other one) said, if this was a readers house everyone would think it was amazing. I love it, and I especially love that its not twee. I hate twee. So, so much.

thought it was an interesting take, although I don't care for blue and yellow... personally, I loved the rumpled white bed (looks like linen -- at least, that is what I am going with here...) -- much sexier than the blue bedspread (which strikes me as rather uptight)...

I just want that coffee table, so of course there's no source for it and it's probably vintage. BOO.

Also, I think the after looks a *heck* of a lot better than the before. And the online feature (I haven't seen the print version) didn't seem like it was presenting this as a super-budget makeover. It just pointed out the mix of items.

The only thing that bothers me about this type of story is the cheating via the "gift." I remember reading a Met Home story where the professional decorator mother "gifted" her son with some major items that were sitting in storage. Of course, none of that counted against the budget.

People read these stories for inspiration, but they also are looking for information. Stories like this should help people set appropriate expectations for cost, but instead they end up being misled by a splashy headline and some highly suspect accounting. It does a disservice to all parties involved.

RichardinLA--
I thought they were pretty upfront about costs, but it just proves, I suppose, that "budget" is super-duper relative, which was the only point of my very first comment in this thread.

Ridge--
You assume all aspects of one visual career are interchangeable to another, and I've not always found that to be the case, especially since those two careers are 3-d and 2-d, basically. I used to work in department store display, and I could not dress a mannequin to save my life. But I could do kick-ass tabletop and furniture vignettes. And my house is pretty nice, if I do say so myself.

Jennifer--
Cover line on the print version sez:" Julianne Moore Decorates on a Budget!" But I guess that could mean any kind of budget, as long as you stick to it!

I'm not bitching about this being too high-end, btw. Just wish I had clients who thought this level of cost was "budget"! I lost a client lately because she thought West Elm too high-end!!! But she hadn't purchased a stick of furniture in over eight years...

I really like it. Accomplished, with lots of character. I don't know if the sources cited are affordable or not, if something is inherited or thrift shop score, but I always find inspiration in spaces such as these. I don't ever intend to replicate them, and I have always, without exception, been able to find an affordable alternative to even the most expensive items. After all, it's all about creativity and resourcefulness.

Patrick (the other one)
Feel for you.
Hope you land clients with a large line of credit.

Patrick (the other one)-

I totally agree. Being on budget is relative! I love you read your comments. Keep 'em coming :-)

X- JuliaL

zimtzucker--

But the Noguchi has not gone far... it is in the foreground of the shot.

right angle and JuliaL--
Thanks! Made my day.

Birdy -- I completely agree about Domino.

okay....glad i'm not the only that was mystified about why were subjected to the "superrich" angle on a story that was just about being an organized, gracious host.

Q: Does anyone know where I could get a chair like the "Scandia Nett" (with the sheepskin on it) that won't cost $2,000?

Get on Julianne's Christmas list.

She already bought me a Poul Kjærholm chaise on Valentine's Day -- I don't want to push it.

What is the deal with Domino lately? It seems that almost every issue this year has to have some celebrity on the cover. Do they really feel the need to bring celebrities in to sell magazines?

I like it. I think it's a big improvement and I like the color choices, esp. the sofa color and the blue-gray walls. The "budget" doesn't bother me. I think that most people wouldn't buy all of it at once. If you acquire it gradually, you could end up with something like this without feeling like you broke the bank.

suzy8track--

Celebs on covers do indeed spike sales on newsstands.

Ironic a stylist needed her client to decorate her home...

I gotcha Patrick, but I respectfully disagree. I do think they're interchangeable.

Incidentally, I'm not even objecting to the feature ... I actually like Julianne Moore, and think it's kind that she decorated the place. I once stood in line behind her at Toys R Us at Christmastime, while she very very patiently waited 20 minutes(!) for the salespeople to find a price on a teddy bear she was buying. At one point she even put down all of her shopping bags and crawled into the giant pile of stuffed animals to dig around for the missing tag herself so they could wait on the rest of us in line.

P.S. And P(too), you DO have a nice place. ;-)