apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Swanky!

Very nice - Modern without resorting to "MCM Greatest Hits" decorative objects and furnishings...

Bromelia, are you serious? That place is beutiful. That is the problem with people now, they don't dress up, their houses look a mess etc. It is nice to be a little classy and have some fashion sense.

the picture on the right of the fireplace ruins any chance this room has for success...unless trendy is the 'hope'. no thanks

I really don't like modern design, but if I did, this would be it. Soothing, with just a bit of color. The fireplace is terrific and the mixture of textures is inviting. Not my taste, but wow!

That is almost perfect. Nice symmetry, good lines, soft palette, Modern but still looks comfortable.
I really like the use of mustard color as an accent these days.

My furniture would look great in there! I also think that the television looks really great without taking away from the fireplace. I think its a great way to do a plasma!

I'm on the hunt for large tile that has the look of aggregate or concrete. This example is probably beyond my budget but I like it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Chicity1126: You obviously don't know Bromelia. If there's one AT reader who is all about luxury and dressing things up- it's her!

Anyway. This doesn't thrill me. I think part of the problem is the Obama-mania, which is a trend that... gives me the creeps, in all honesty! Apart from this, it looks like a very calculated, staged lobby... not so much like a living space.

I do love those little animal things on the table though- what ARE those??

Shockthe something or the other, I don't care for the Obama poster either but the place has luxury from what I can see. Out of the whole place you guys are looking at the darn poster...geez.

When people are coming over to my house, I clean, put magazines in order, straighten out furniture etc. What do you do? What do you think this person did before the photographers got there?

The lamest comments in all these design blogs are the ones that have "staged" and "calculated".... well duh!

I'd honestly much rather see inspiring images of interiors with carefully calculated furniture arrangements that are staged for a photo shoot rather than spaces that have furniture backed up against the fireplace and kids toys & mail everywhere...

...considering that this is a photo from a magazine - Would you really purchase a copy depicting rooms from the latter category rather than the former?

We've taken many photos of our projects and they just don't quite capture the ambiance of the space, the result is very flat and cold.

Generally, I find magazines very uninspiring. I am actually dropping my design magazine subscriptions because I flip through them so quick, and then its coffee table decor for a month. That is why I'm here on this site all the time.

Here we see less of the staged photos and more of the functional living design solutions used by our neighbors and to me, that's inspiring. I can see their faults, and I'm inspired to use their direction and create something of my own. But compared to a published photo shoot, well, its hard to compete against costly perfection. So, yes, I agree this photo is very inspiring. but that's just my take.

If Don Draper lived in this area, this would be his pad.

Perhaps you've all misunderstood my comments:

1. Yep, I commented on the Hope poster. I think it's fair game because it was called out in the spec's, and let's face it- it's pretty prominent. It just doesn't scream "luxury" to me.

2. I too enjoy seeing homes at their neatest and best. I'm with you, bepsf: it's hard to feel inspired by photos that are full of junk. Just because I find this furniture arrangement to be too rigid in its symmetry doesn't mean I'm a slob. Duh.

Anyway- I think that elements of this room are quite handsome, and this person obviously has a very defined style. Good for them. Would I like to come over for a martini? Certainly. Would I feel comfortable curling up in one of those chairs? Nope. To each their own, right?

And for the record: the lamest comments on these design blogs are... nope, I won't go there. Don't want to get myself booted off the site, what with the new rules being posted today.

The first thing that struck me about the room was the "Hope" poster. I have no idea why it can't be part of a luxurious interior. Who makes those hard and fast rules? I myself have wanted to put an Obama poster up in my home. I don't think it's creepy, but inspiring. This is the first place where I've seen it done in a way that welcomes a political piece without it looking strange or unwanted. A beautiful room all-in-all with luxury, a great color palette, and a little bit of politics. I love it!

It has the feel of a lobby to me, too. Sorry!

Very nice. Actually, very very very nice. I disagree with the it-looks-staged comment. My living room is similarly neat. It also helps that I intentionally display very few things, and I have a credenza to stash the "clutter" from view.

However, I did vote for Obama, but I'm really not digging the poster in the room.

Eh, it's okay. Looks like a boutique hotel lobby. As for the Obama poster, I'm not feeling it, it doesn't seem to belong and I voted for him.

This is the penthouse at 156 W Superior. The building is by Miller Hull of Seattle--check out thier website. I went on the AIA Chicago tour a few years ago when they were building out the space. This place cost GOBS of money to build out and furnish. GOBS. The table lamp to the left of the fireplace is $2500 at DWR. How many hours do most of us have to work to buy that thing? Is this relevant right now? Maybe the Obabma poster is...

I'm an architect and I love modern architecture and design but I'd rather see real apartments furnished and lived in by people with design sense and not necessarily just money.

arcgrrl: I hope that the people who have money keep on spending it. That's what keeps this economy rolling. I work for a Seattle home builder, and if it wasn't for people with money, I'd be out of a job. Worse yet, so would carpenters, painters, plumbers, engineers, electrician, laborers, masons... need I go on?

I love it...it says quiet sophistication.

I spy; two MCM classics here, what are they?

so beautiful - and that whole magazine is amazing!

As much as I love modern, too much of it always looks uncomfortable. Sure those chairs are all awesome, but I don't want to sit in a single one.

I will chime in on the NO to the Obama poster. I think it is a cool graphic poster in its own right, but, since it was mentioned in one of the design elements, I am completely against it. For two reasons that maybe don't have anything to do with interior design - but maybe they do. The first one is that only in the extremist societies the current leaders have a place at home - during communism every household had to have a picture of the leader, or a bust. Yuck - the thought of it makes me nauseous. The second one I think it is psychological, politics is the dirtiest business on earth, so why would I bring it in my home to ruin the peace and quiet of my soul (for those of us that home is just that).

Other than that - it is a coold space - a bit too symetric and ridgid, but maybe it reflects the personalities of the owner/s

I don't get the comments about this being symmetrical and rigid. Swing through NormalRoom.com - this is the same setup as so many living rooms.

The couch is in the same spot, except instead of the Cappelini chairs most have a pair of Poang chairs. And instead of an Egg chair most have a barcalounger. And instead of a fireplace most have a TV. And instead of Hope most have an Thomas Kincaid. But other than that - its the same layout!

IMHO, if the Obama poster is a signed-and-numbered limited edition piece, it would be silly not to display it as you would any other expensive work of art. I do get the point about the 1984-ishness of hanging pictures of our fearless leaders, though.

... did Bromelia's latest expectoration get bah-leeted? Now I'm dying to see it. I think maybe this makes me a bad person.