Im afraid to look. The intro photos alone have made my heart ache with envy...

I have TOTAL Prentice envy! What a score, Marcia!!!!!

It was worse than I thought, I saved more than half of this to my inspiration folder. Love the lighting, I too think every room could do with a statement light fixture. Really love the boutique hotel feel and I like the styling, however Im jealous that she must have a hell of a storage cupboard where she shoves her "random stuff". Or maybe I just have too much "random stuff". I have an odd urge to go home and declutter now...

I adore the pink bedroom, it's my dream bedroom! The kitchen & dining room are beautiful & perfectly edited! The creative use of space without creating clutter is pretty amazing in those small SF kitchens we all struggle with.
In the living room, both consoles look a little cluttered: maybe try removing the spherical iron sculptures from the wood console, and try smaller/narrower lamps on the white console? (or even remove that console completely and replace with another piece of artwork/or wall shelving if storage is needed?)

So chic! It looks as thought the bedroom opens directlly from the dining room?

Gorgeous home, gorgeous owner.

Wow! I absolutely LOVE your place. I'm green with envy.

Lovely home! The light fixture in the kitchen is terrific! I also love the black stripes in the bathroom. Excellent job Crystal - thanks for sharing!

Wow - amazing place!! I love the tiny lamp in the kitchen behind the sink. Where did you find it??

This is absolutely one of my favorite house tours of all time. I've followed Crystal's journey with Rue Magazine from the beginning and her home boosts just the style I would expect.

That light fixture in the kitchen is amazing.

The blend of styles is amazing.

Love the tiny kitchen lamp, the kitchen shades, all of the wall colors esp. the dark ( Downpipe ) color. The alarm clock in the bedroom is great.

Why does the dining room open onto the bedroom? Shouldn't it be where the living room is now, next to the kitchen?

I love this place so much! I love the mix of feminine soft touches with the masculine industrial elements. The juxtaposition is truly delightfully tantalizing. I love that there is so much variety of palettes between rooms, like the soft pale pink with butter cream frosting window treatments in the bedroom and the more masculine slate grey in the living room, but despite the contrast it is so balanced looking and flows so nicely! The only think I was not crazy about was all of the furniture blocking the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, there is so much against that one wall it looks slightly crowded and interrupts that perfect room to room flow that I love so much in this space!

Other than that love love love, very relaxing space.

So many karate-chop pillows. Now I notice them everywhere!

Obviously super talented. But it just seems too perfect, too 'done'. I want to go through it just funky it up a little.

My thoughts were "eh.." on this place, until I came across those kitchen photos. Then, I went back to the beginning again. Suddenly, I understood the flow of colors. It's quite amazing!!

CRYING at how much I love that Kitchen light fixture. It's design lust and I need this home in my life right now.

Truth be told I didn't think I'd like this as I'm not a HUGE fan of Rue but honestly? It's a pretty sweet little single gals pad. Super charming and cozy. Hated those balls/spheres (whatever) on the dining and living room tables.
Carry on!!

This is a very amazing place! It is one of the tours i really enjoy!

Love the cozy feelingnes and the warm colours! Love the Audrey Hepburn quote too!

To be honest, i think there are way to many mirrors in the room - maybe i saw to many horror movies, but i think it would scare me at night.

Greetings and congratulations from a Belgium fan of apartment therapy!

Wow! Everything that my budget can't afford and then some. I would kill for some more windows ie. more than three and higher ceilings to do magical things with drapery and lighting like Crystal has done with her home. The chaise in the corner between the windows... lovely!

OYYYYYYYYYYYY. Why would a design professional, in the business of showing off gorgeous interiors, NOT live in a lovely, styled, neat home? ESPECIALLY when showing it off publicly. And to MANY, this IS "lived in."

If you think it's too perfect, picture it with your own cats and baby toys all over the floor. Sheez.

And PS, and I am sooooo not the target audience, but THOSE LEGS! Yowza. Lovely!

Loved seeing her space when it appeared in Rue, and still love it to death! (And with added kitchen - yesss!) I adore the charcoal of the living room - it's so warm and rich. Really, just love the entire space. Beautifully done.

Also - could someone explain to me what "lived in" is supposed to look like? Seriously. I don't understand. How is this not lived in? Does "lived in" = having junk strewn all over the place? Is there something wrong with keeping your belonging neat and organised, and tidying up when someone's coming to visit (or in this case, photograph the space). Some people are extremely neat. This is what neat looks like. Neat does not mean un-lived in.
(P.S. Neat freaks, represent!)

I like almost everything about it except the dark color palette. Yeah, yeah, I know she wanted to experiment, blah-blah-blah, but I don't think I could live with the perpetual gloom. I love the light of San Francisco but I suppose that if you have to live with it all of the time, you tend to take it for granted.
So, design-gorgeous.
Color? Not my cup of chai.

Just WOW!

Love the whole thing! But the kitchen light fixture will keep me from sleeping tonight...it's divine!

Crystal, puh-leeze let us know where it came from. Thanks!

I like the way the black window frames look in the light colored rooms.

I love the dark and light contrast found in this tour. Very sophisticated and chic. Great job.

What a house! Loved it. Thedown lamp, someone called in it, in the kitchen...got to have that..Loved it! Great Home!

although my taste tends to be a bit more masculine I admire her use of space. well done!

thank you for sharing, what a wonderful home and tour!

Hmm.. The secret to decor must be mirrors. I like the black and white striped bathroom and the lights in the kitchen.

VERY chic and cozy, but I see no mention of two things I was drooling over: where did the fabulous vintage lamp in the kitchen come from and WHERE can I get those fabulous frosted glass globes on the coffee table?

Wow! I love this! Amazing job!

Good grief, this woman has more style in her little finger than we have in our collected bodies.

The mean, schadenfreudery part of me wants to let a rambunctious 3 year old loose in that living room. 20 seconds should be long enough :-)

Hmph. Obviously very "stylish", but I feel like every single element is straight out of a catalog. Feels oddly impersonal to me.

(I'm obviously not the target-audience here, though because EVERYONE else seems to be completely in love with it!)

Very nice (I especially like the dramatic window treatments and the color schemes in the dining and living rooms and second bathroom), but this can't be the whole house. Surely there are more books, a computer, and maybe a TV somewhere, or some other kind of hobby area. Where are the personal photographs? What does the entryway in a place like this look like?

Found it! The kitchen light is by Kathy Kuo Home for $872. It's a great piece! I was surprised that it wasn't an industrial antique from a salvage yard or Liz's Hardware in L.A. Here's the link:

Accordian Extendable Industrial Modern Billiard Island Light

http://www.kathykuohome.com/Product/Detail/3304?gclid=CIGyjbDJhLECFYsaQgodb30ZcA

BTW, there is a sconce from the same collection:

Industrial Loft Wall Sconce Lamp with Extendable Arm

http://www.kathykuohome.com/Product/Detail/3301

I think she has moxie for climbing up the beanstalk and stealing the finials from the giant's curtain rail. At least that's what my imagination tells me those things you can see in the house tour on her sideboard are.

Q) How do people with no dish drainer dry their dishes?

It's nice enough, but way too over propped - it feels like you'd have to push aside many props in every room whenever you sat down to do anything at all - even read a newspaper. The props reached the point where they were obvious, rather than subtle. It felt like raison d'etre for the house was to be photographed. IMHO of course.

Very pretty and open feeling space.

This is a lovely home. I've never before considered a pink bedroom, but I'm totally rethinking that now. Thanks for providing your paint colors.

Well gosh, the introduction to this tour states that the founder of Rue magazine emailed AT asking to have her home photographed.

And anyone's surprised that the space looks staged? I assume this tour is meant as a kind of advertisement...but, you know what? I really enjoyed seeing how this lady put her space together.

If I thought 100's (1,000's?) of strangers were going to inspect my premises, I'd stage like a fiend, I gotta admit! Maybe I'm just chicken-hearted.

It's a pretty home but for me the furniture and mirrors are too oversized. I do love the kitchen light fixture.

Love the overall look of the space. I too was drooling over the kitchen light.

The color palette works well together; maybe a bit too subdued for my taste. The kitchen is beyond nice (and I have the same stove!).

I love how everything is put together. It's too perfect though. It comes across as fake and impersonal. I'm not asking for toys to be strewn around or for mess. But I hate stuff like antlers with orbs as a center piece. Nothing about this house tells me anything about the person living there. Expect they have good taste. For me that's not enough. I want to believe you live and use your space.

Beautiful. Haven't looked at the house yet though...

EXPLAIN TO ME when you say "more lived in" what that means. Why *not* have orbs as a center piece? How is that "impersonal"? What would make you believe, in photos for a HUGE moment of exposure, that she "really" lives in and uses this space?

I think we need to stop coveting "boutique hotel" living and focus on reality living and being content with what one has. This apartment has some beautiful elements, but this need for "perfection" drives me nuts, as does putting one's shoes on a sofa or bed and white teeth you can see a block away.

Love your contrast from one room to the next. The grays looked lovely and your bedroom is a breath of fresh air! So clutter free - thanks for sharing!

Still waiting for an answer. What would make this look "llived in"? Stacks of mail? The old Domino trick of a pair of high heels (casually/painfully) placed at foot of bed? Cat? Dirty dishes in sink? What would it take?

What kind of "imperfection" would you want to see here?

The comments here are making me very, very sad. WHY NOT have gorgeous, pulled together spaces to aspire to?

Beautiful! I love everything and wish I could live in something this neat and "staged".

What a relief! Gorgeous large elements without a lot of "cute" stuff. Mature, sophisticated design. Personally I am not a fan of "modern" lighting, but I am less a fan of plastic furniture and "collections" of toys and footware as decor, and I don't like to think of the logistics of dusting. However, the shakers can jolt those leaning mirrors and pics, hmmm. San Francisco apartments sometimes have this peculiar room flow. Either it is the unique character of the apartment design or it is a space divided from a larger home or apartment. Her bedroom may originally have been a library, too. It's obviously an older building. In any case, it is lovely. I hope we get to visit again when she completes the work. Don't you all tuck away your "stuff" when company comes? I do :-). Thanks Chrystal for including us.

Lovely home.
Bit pretentious (like in "I am awesome and look at me" sort of way, but I do that all the time. Isn't that what designed obsessed people like us do??).
Beautiful and very well curated.

I find far more pretense in the homes where people are "too cool to care."

Patrick... you're being really obnoxious.

Very lovely but obviously the home of a young person. No bedside table lamp, dark moody bathroom. Nobody who wears readers would be able to see a thing! Hahaha. Thanks for the great photos.

I enjoyed the home, but that was the most pretentious interview I've seen so far for the house tours. Really? Cancel your weekend plans? I've never even heard of Rue magazine..

I love the bedroom walls and light fixture. Does she really live in this apartment? Doesn't look it to me. There is staging and then there is what we are seeing in this house tour.

@Brandy R.... just speaking my mind. And nobody's giving any reasons.

That pink bedroom is just dreamy! Do tell us where you got the little lamp in the kitchen - please?

And you know what, @BradyR, no, no I haven't been.

Ironically, Patrick (The Other One), I think people are hoping for more vignettes, which is usually a source of contention here on AT. I think people are looking for more objets with funny back stories and unique, personal posters or funky throw pillows. Someone made mention of the lack of a dish drain, which does make a place seem "lived in", I suppose. I do agree it feels a bit like a catalog, and I think that may have something to do with the homeowner's decision to decorate whole rooms from the same store. It is lovely, though. Really adult and ladylike. Babe Pauley comes to mind, for some reason, when I look at these photos. I mean that as a compliment.

Patrick, my reasons were deleted. I wrote a very cohesive clinically observant and detailed response and it was deleted within the hour. I will try to highlight my points without inciting the delete wizard....third time's a charm! And hopefully I won't get banned...please don't ban me.

- Most people have plants in every room instead of cut flowers. Indoor plants signify that there is somebody there often enough to care for them. Cut flowers are temporary objects.. But that's just me, I personally think there can never be too many plants!

- As somebody mentioned there are too many props on commonly daily used surfaces (such as table and counter tops). The orbs and antlers on the coffee table. The large spherical things on the dining table that are so large you would have to move them to put a dinner setting down.
People that use these things daily wouldn't even purchase such accessories for those spaces (unless it was specifically for a photo-shoot...which now that I get that it was a photoshoot she requested....reading is fundamental and I failed...doesn't make it insincere or a fake gesture)

To be fair, I didn't realize Rue was a decor magazine, so I can see now how her home would trend towards more design-y than what most of us are used to, so I apologize for criticizing harshly. I really thought this was a standard tour of "look, this is my home and how I live!". I think it's interesting to dissect what makes something "lived in" and I'm glad you asked the question because it caused me to think. It was an immediate reaction I got and I did have to go through and search why I had that feeling.

I think you make some assumptions (like about houseplants) that I don't necessarily agree with,, but thanks (genuinely) for taking the time to answer.

It's also nice that you acknowledged there were a few details of context and background you missed before commenting originally. Context is huge. And the writers write for a specific reason on these tours... I know I do when I do them!!

Oh, and the perfumes and the quotes were sweet touches. More of that. I think it's a good thing to be able to connect with someone through their homes.

I hate to be a buzz-killer but I actually think that quote about being left alone is by Greta Garbo, ironically the actress in that big picture in the living room. I don't know about you but I really hate it when I find a quote that I love and credit it to somebody just to find out that it really belongs to somebody else. I feel so silly. Other than that, lovely home, truly luxurious

I loved it too especially the lights but one small quibble would be about the bed being against the wall when it looks as though there is space to have a smallish bedside cabinet on the wall side.

Wa the quote hand written? There is a colon missing. ....

Sorry, @Rinha, the quote from Great Garbo is, "I want to be alone." from Grand Hotel. This quote is indeed from Audrey Hepburn.

@Bigtab-- Lol, I think you are right!

There's lots to love here, but the light fixture in the kitchen is AMAZING! It suits Crystal well. Unfortunately in my outnumbered by testosterone bodies in my nest, it wouldn't fit well in the kitchen. With my upcoming move-to-end-all-moves, I will look for a workspace where I can incorporate this fabulous fixture into my space. Thanks for sharing!

I like! I like this a whole lot!

Absolutley Perfect!

I think EVERYONE would feel a whole lot better if you gave us a glimpse into the "unfinished" half of your house as well :)

Absolutely Perfect!

Very lovely lady!

Cool Paul

Looks like she took every design trend, and used it as props, but it's boring.

Boring...just like the "cheese plate"...

Very staged, but I still enjoyed it.

Well, heck, I'm envious of Crystal's SF square footage (does she rent or own the space?) AND her legs, but I won't let those sentiments stop me from giving credit where credit is due: the place is beautifully decorated and very well thought out.

Love the light fixtures, the job she did on the kitchen, the mix of darks and lights throughout her home, etc.

Kudos to her for a job well done.

P.S. LADYLISA, you're a genius! How ever did you find the name and source of the kitchen light fixture? (I actually thought the one in Crystal's space was a brass finish, not the nickel finish shown on the Kathy Kuo website, but it's definitely the same design.... )

@BIGTAB, After puzzling over the lack of dish drainer for some time I came to the conclusion that somewhere is a well hidden dishwasher and the sink is just for rinsing veg and crystalware and filling ice cube trays etc.

@Patrick(the other one) and @rinha

Dozens of sources attribute to Greta Garbo the quotation, "I never said, 'I want to be alone.' I only said, 'I want to be let alone.' There is all the difference." First among them is an article by John Bainbridge that was published in Life magazine in 1955. It makes sense given she is expanding on a the line "I want to be alone," repeated twice in the film Grand Hotel and it was certainly how she lived.

I can only find one source that attributes it to Hepburn and it seems likely she was quoting Garbo, as Hepburn was only 26, and a starlet hardly wanting to be let alone, in 1955. Also because the qualifier, "There is all the difference" was left off. Audrey Hepburn DID say, "I only go out to get me a fresh appetite for being alone." That's a rather fine quote about being alone.

Ditto what "Patrick (The Other One)" said in his first "OYYYYY" post. This is the very lovely and sophisticated home of a very elegant woman, designed for the way SHE lives. What I enjoy most about AT is viewing people's homes that have styles unlike my own. I respect the difference. That said, thanks for letting us view your home, Crystal. I envy the kitchen, especially. Fantastic flow of colors. Industrial and feminine. Wishing you many years of happiness in your lovely home.
P.S. I am in my 60s. The places I lived in over the years reflected my life changes. I am an empty-nester living on my own now...gone are the strewn toys of my son, the shared styles of my 2 exes. Might find those toys back again when I am blessed with grandchildren. My places reflect ME, the way I live at a given moment, just as Crystal's place reflects HER.
P.S.S. Oh yeah, those legs of Crystal too!!!

I just pinned the shit out of this house tour!
2 questions: Is there no TV? My living room would look rad too if I didn't have a TV. But then how would I watch Downton Abbey?
Also, is that a twin size bed?

Great house tour!

I love all those dark, almost-black walls. I've considered doing the same to some rooms, but i worry about the heat. Have you found heat to be a problem when opening the windows on the dark rooms?

Stunning apartment and stunning gal. And yes, some of us really do LIVE in a "staged" home. It takes a little effort, that's all.

Ummm, if you dry your dishes and after you wash them and put them away, there is no need for a dish drainer. =)

F&B paints are fabulous. I have used Cornforth White in my own home - it's a great neutral. I like how the colour is taken above the picture rail, all the way to the ceiling, and how the woodwork in the living room is painted in the wall colour rather than picked out in bright white. It looks much more sophisticated like that. The kitchen light is beautiful. I'm not a huge fan of the objects on display, but that's just styling. Nothing to get angry about.

@Designgurrl: if you have to put in a lot of effort, then the home is badly designed.

Amazing!! I love your use of mirrors and color. A very welcoming and elegant home. Thank you for making the trip Marcia, to show us this gorgeous place. PS, I'd like to see what the outside looks like.

@pearlmelon-- She said "a little" effort, I think.

These negative comments are so silly. We see house tours on AT all the time where homes have been styled. If my place was being photographed I would certainly hide my dish drainer! This woman edits an interior design magazine, she surely knows how to style a place.

That said, what a gorgeous home!

Gorgeous home!

Not commenting on this tour specifically, but in answer to the question of what makes a home looked lived in: I am looking around the room I am in right now, and of course if I had a home tour coming, I would neaten up. But things that make this room personal to me

-the stack of books on the side table and floor

- In a room of otherwise nice furniture,the side table is a beat up victorian cream colored job with gold trim (looks very similar to the one getting the tin foil job in another post), I think salvaged from an old hotel that I got for $5 at a thrift store for my very first apartment, that is probably only charming to me and has sentimental value for me as the only thing that has traveled through all my homes all over the country.
-Obviously, I would neaten my desk, but I would leave a few things out: the stack of gardening books and three packets of seeds, the collection of language dictionaries belonging to my husband (the language professor) because they really say something about who we are.
- On top of my tall dresser are a saltware pitcher made in Colonial WIlliamsburg, a gift from my grandmother who lives there, a wooden bowl that was a gift from someone, and a large stick that I took away from my toddler this morning after he hit me with it. Not one item you would find in a store, they don't match or make a charming staged vignette, but all very personal.
-across the foot of my bed is a blanket that I bought when living in Brazil that probably doesn't exactly go with everything, but does too, in a not trying so hard sort of way.
-I would certainly take down the gigantic brightly colored ocean scene bath towel that is being used to block out early morning sunshine since they were out of black out curtains on my last trip to the store. That wouldn't look good in a photo shoot. But it certainly is a current "personal touch" in my space!

Personal means items that weren't just collected for how they look in this particular space. Most of us have moved, and spaces change, and we fit what we had plus some new things into the space. And we throw out some pieces that don't work, but also keep some pieces that don't work, just because.

A more generalized list that makes a space look lived in:
- framed personal photos
-books
-items that tell something about your personality or interests
-Items that tell something about your history
-Items that tell something about your family's history
-Items with sentimental value that don't necessarily go
-mismatched items, items that don't look like they were purchased all at once to go together
-items that look like they get use (kitchens with food items in them, crafts tables full of supplies).
- a few older items, items that look like they have seen better times
- silly, whimsical items that you have because they amuse you, not for their design function

That is what I can come up with off the top of my head.

Ho do you know orb or vase or light fixture weren't purchased on favorite trip to a favorite place, amongst friends, with sentiment fully attached?

Not all sentimental souvenirs look like they were fished from the garbage.

Definitely an all-time favorite home tour. Gorgeous.

Beautiful.....

I had a similar first reaction as Brandy R. - that it feels very "styled" and slightly impersonal - then I read that Crystal had moved in with a blank slate, so everything must be new and it made sense. Nothing really has a patina yet. Everything - every object and gesture - is very considered. Not that I do not appreciate the beauty of the styling...it just feels like a really beautiful boutique hotel and not someplace that I would call home. But I am probably much more casual (and broke) than Crystal and that is okay! I loved looking at this tour just the same. Highlights for me: that kitchen light!; the dramatic colors (dark grey and peach are soooo sexy together); and the black window sashes against creamy white trim.

For I Love Sushi re: dish drainers: I abhor dishracks. They are such visual hogs and more often than not, clutter gatherers. And they get so grubby! So, I use a stainless steel cooling rack that fits perfectly in a stainless steel baking sheet, with a dish towel underneath the rack. That way I can change out the dish towel regularly, throw the sheet and rack in the dishwasher as needed and not have a hulking presence next to my pretty fire clay apron front sink.

Really nicely done. This is my favorite house tour.

A hearty second to the BrandyR from 2 days ago.....Patrick you are obnoxious.

Thanks! I try! (Y'all confuse making a point or defending a point or asking for clarification as obnoxious? Sad for you.)

And condescending... and tiresome

Sorry you feel that way, @RSR. I just get tired of the same "lived in" complaints when someone posts an adult or aspirational space. And honestly, I would really, really love to have that concept explained, which is why I have been tenacious here. I've expressed gratitude to those who have, like @Littlemisssunshine.

I also find it sometimes condescending when people make it seem there is only one road to "lived in" and it can only possibly be paved with photos, books and houseplants.

I've not insulted anyone intentionally, or called anyone names, just disagreed and persisted and asked for clarification when I was unclear. Sorry you find that offensive.

Crystal is a lovely women, as warm and real and personable as they come. Perhaps I'm just getting defensive on her behalf, as well. So shoot me for being loyal to an industry colleague.

I also defend these kinds of interiors because these are often the kind I come across when I am contributing tours. And I like to speak up on their behalf, so that people with similar spaces aren't chased away by the whining and snark.

I'll tell you what makes it looked 'not lived in' to me: those balls on the dining room table and coffee table.

There is not a single surface where one could actually spread out a newspaper or laptop or craft project or heck, even a plate of dinner. They're all taken up by big matching metal urns or glass spheres.

Nobody lives like that.

This is an example of catalog-defined living. New painted furniture like this hides a multitude of sins (poorly made). It is actually a wiser investment to purchase this type of furniture as vintage and work with it as you wish. Younger consumers first apartments are frequently a work in progress - as they should be. General rule of thumb, start out with several good pieces and work towards adding over time. Add personal items which reflect your personal taste and life experiences and weed out as your taste becomes cleaner and more sophisticated. Apartments which reflect your own personal style are ultimately the best, and you are not contributing to the vast amount of waste being created by endless trending in home decor.

@Charlie26 "Nobody lives like that" The house has obviously been styled for the shoot, there's nothing wrong with that. Maybe Crystal does live like that - she is in the design business, after all. If she doesn't spend her time washing up or reading the newspaper, then it's more honest to not have a dish drainer and reading material put there just to satisfy people's idea of 'lived in'. And it's been years since I bought a newspaper.
The thing that don't like is that all of the light fixtures, whilst beautiful, are too big for those lowish ceilings, and they dominate the space. I have made that mistake in my own home, and it's an expensive mistake.

AT, this is getting really ridiculous!

Perfectly valid comments get deleted because they’re just a little critical and their authors don’t feel the need to approve of everything that is posted on the site and yet people like patrick (the other one) are free to be as obnoxious and annoying as they want and to attack everyone who doesn’t agree with them!
Don’t tell me there isn’t a double standard.

At this point, you might as well suppress the comment function (or whatever it’s called) and decree that all the posts show perfect houses or projects that can’t be criticized at all.

@Cecile-T I would prefer it if Crystal responded to some of the comments herself. My favourite tours are the ones where owners explain their choices and rationale. Otherwise, it can seem as if the tour is primarily for the purpose of product placement. At least @Patrick (the other one) does take the trouble to respond.

Reading the comments about the 'staged look' and discussion about what it means to look 'lived in' I wanted to add my two cents.

To me, the lack of signs of practical items for daily use make this tour seem particularly staged. As everything is new and matchy-matchy, this only adds to the feel of staging. We all know the spaces of house tours are somewhat edited or staged just for the sake of the tour, but this ususally leaves some signs where the viewer can 'fill in the blanks' or imagine where a staged item would be placed when (for instance) the dining table were to be used.

Here, there doesn't appear to be any opportunity to place, say, a coffee-maker on the kitchen counter, a light on the bedstand, toiletries in the bathroom, or store enough plates, tableware, etc. for the entertaining Crystal mentions. Maybe the stove is never used, but shelves (especially those holding glasses) placed above a stove would be a pain to keep clean and reach! Lack of any signs of (storage of) clothing and shoes also looks odd to me, for a house tour of such a stylishly dressed woman.

I do appreciate this house tour, just more in a catalogue or luxurious guest house sort of way.

@CÉCILE-T I'm sorry you feel my comments are "attacks."

And I think the responses where people actually elaborate on what they think makes a space look lived in have been really great and interesting (even the ones I don't necessarily agree with) I wish that happened more, with a lot less prodding.

There's a lot of individual elements to love in this tour, but something about it felt "off" to me... before I even read the comments. It seems other people had that reaction too. Maybe it's more sterile and staged than most home tours are, including those from design professionals. And it's odd and off-putting to see such a vehement defense of this nice but not-particularly-interesting home from an AT contributor.

That said, I do love the bathrooms and many of the light fixtures. I also love to see successful uses of F&B's Down Pipe (because I'm not brave enough to paint any rooms in my dark house that color).

PATRICK (THE OTHER ONE)'s comments have been a breath of fresh air. I am so tired of the straw man-y "lived in" shade being tossed on AT. I don't like plants. I like shiny things that sit on top of my table and do nothing but look shiny and make me smile. I like my surfaces clear of most items and I like everything in its place. That's what makes me feel comfortable in my home. That's what "lived in" feels like for me.

We don't have to agree about what "lived in" means. "Lived in" is subjective. Personally, "Lived in" to me means cluttery, dusty and not particularly clean. So there.

And this home is GORGEOUS and fance and I love it.

I am still hoping to find out where to buy the cute little lamp in the kitchen. Maybe Crystal will let us know? Please?

Personally, I feel that this is a 'product' home. Why even have a sense of personal style, or even interior designers, if this cut and paste trend continues? This has been around since Domino - spray paint a problematic surface and it becomes chic. Good wood, as well as design is actually something worthy of aspiring to. Unique objects and knowledge of what one lives with is worthy of aspiring to. As one's sense of personal style and eye develops this becomes more apparent.

Patrick, the tone of your comments seems really confrontational. As I said in my comment, I am not commenting specifically on this apartment (and I think it is kind of rude when people do talk disparagingly about a tour, as these are real people's houses, and I would feel pretty hurt to hear a bunch of people trash my home). You just asked "what do people mean when they say 'lived in'" and we have tried to answer. I think what people are noticing about this apartment, which isn't a criticism of the apartment, is that everything seems new and bought in the same time frame, and very consciously goes together. As time goes by, and the "patina of age" that another poster mentioned builds, this may change. Or maybe not if this is how the owner prefers it. Some people like it one way, some another.

@Ericat-- I wasn't so much defending *this* home as I was reacting to the kind of comments that wear thin for me across the board here on AT when something is indeed not vintage-y and a little more buttoned up, or yes, "styled" (which is used here often like profanity, which I don't really get at all.)

As I explained before, it's a topic of interest to me BECAUSE I contribute Tours... since I have many designer friends, and they are the ones I try to convince to share their work here. I kind of don't want to subject them to this kind of "Where's the dishdrainer? Fail!" kind of comments.

Sorry if I just got sucked in to the negativity.

I'm with The Other Patrick. How can you look into someone's home and say "You're not living in it enough?" Just because she doesn't have a bunch of plastic dinosaurs on a book shelf with a story to go along with it, doesn't mean she doesn't have personality. She CLEARLY states that she likes Serene spaces with classic silhouettes. So why don't all you clutter junkies that have toys and crap everywhere stop with all the hate. This space is beautiful and it bothers you. Tis' all.

I've enjoyed following the 'lived in' debate. Maybe she lives in the other half of the house, and this half is for photo shoots (she is in the design business, after all).

I for one have no problem with the "staged" look. Maybe it's just the designer in me. Kudos on the beautiful home!

Yawn...looks like Pottery Barn on steroids or something, not especially original or inspiring....and she needs to get over herself with the model-like posing in the photos - I don't particularly care what she looks like...that doesn't provide us any insight into the design of the place...same goes with the other people who typically appear in these sets of photos...I thought it was supposed to be about design.

Yawn....looks like Pottery Barn on steroids or something; not particularly original or inspiring. And what's with her model-like posing? I'm not interested in what she looks like, as if that lends some sort of insight into the decorating...same goes for the other people that show up in these sets of photos, although at least many of them tend to look a little more natural...there should be a pets only policy.

I apologize for the repeat of the comment...was not intentional for it to show twice!

I think that part of the problem is that you are dealing with a demographic here on AT which might have difficulty affording or justifying the expense of an entire home of catalog furniture - particularly when many of these first home owners and especially renters in major cities have other priorities. By suggesting otherwise one would have to assume that they are all earning significant incomes. If vintage works for them they ultimately are getting a better buy in terms of resale value as well as quality. They are also living a more sustainable lifestyle. Perhaps the # of comments on this tour speaks volumes of the disconnect here.

I think you hit the nail on the head DESIGN000. We can be critical here because the purpose most of us come here is to get away from what can be accessed merely by walking into a store, looking in a catalog, or opening a decor magazine at the checkout line. I've always felt that AT is a home design blog, not a home decor blog.

It wasn't even really before AT that I was interested in interior design. The word 'interior design' to me brought visions of nice, but vanilla, inoffensive to everyone, and generic. Until I joined AT I realized I was getting interior design mixed up with interior decorating. I really do think alot of AT peeps are more likely to eat up artistic design, rather than interior decorating....no matter how beautiful the decor is, nor how ugly the artistic design is, the design wins in terms of who gets the least level of shade thrown at it.

And there has been plenty have backlash against other styles (vintage/DIY, hollywood regengy, MCM) because of their prevalence in the design blogosphere for the same reason...folks get bored. I think there is a sort of curve of appreciation in design, in which there is a sweet peak of being "ahead of its time" but just enough that it's approachable, which of course brings the demand, causing it to then tip down into the dreaded "trending". And so the cycle continues!

And to think I almost failed economy in H.S. Ha!

*economics...yeah you know what I meant.

I remember looking at a recent tour and the was a slew of negative comments revolving around the home owner failing to conceal a broom that was left in the kitchen and how cluttered everything was because of all of the personal knick knacks.

Damned if you do damned if you don't

Okay, I think people are misapplying the term "lived in" (at least how I see it). To me, lived in merely means a sense of personal history (and yes, the quickest way of achieving this is by copping other people's history...ex. vintage decor). It's hard to make a place feel lived in if the oldest thing in the place was manufactored in 2009 (or looks like it was manufactored in 2009).

Someone offered the reason it doesn't look lived in is because she just moved in with nothing. Are we really saying that people don't have personal items and momentums prior to moving into their first place? Does life not start until you're in a house or nice apartment? I can accept that some people don't like to display their personal items or things that show a timeline of their lives...but I don't accept that they don't have any.

Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such thoughtful comments. I've enjoyed reading each and every one of them!

Just wanted to chime in to answer a few questions: The kitchen light fixture is from H.D. Buttercup in San Francisco, the kitchen mini lamps were picked up at a flea market in Chicago, I don't own a TV, I store my dish drying rack in the pantry when I'm not using it, and I really do live like this :) I'm probably the most organized, clean, and tidy gal you'll ever meet!

Lastly, thank you to Marcia for making the trek out to San Francisco to photograph my home. Marcia - I had so much fun with you that day!

Thanks again everyone. Glad to see that the AT community is such an engaged audience!

Sincerely, Crystal

I hope some people who posted comments earlier willcheck back in to see some of the most recent and especially thoughtful remarks and to read Crystal's gracious response to all the commenters and her answers to some specific questions. I t was thoughtful and nice of her to respond.

Hi Crystal - thanks for explaining. Secret pantry!

Yes Crystal it was good to hear your response, thank you. And I'm glad you turned the critical comments into a positive thing. The most interesting posts here are the ones that cause thoughtful debate and I'm glad you didn't take it to heart as it evolved past you and became a discussion around the question of what "lived in" means and I'm glad you didn't take the comments personally.

Oh, and I am so envious that you really are that neat. I guarantee it would take me a week to make my place, in its current state, presentable enough to be photographed!

Wow. What a post!!! And what a lovely house tour and lady. It is a really interesting debate to see what people consider lived in. I would love to see more posts about it, as it would be good for all of us to understand how others really 'live'. While my aesthetic is wayyyy different (funky modern) I can still appreciate a sleek and sophisticated look, and get ideas from it. And I am actually that clean too, so I totally get that - and I assure you - I 'live' for my house. Another quick thing, while the home may look like it came from a catalog, she actually lists a fair amount of items from the Alameda Flea Market. If you look closely, you can see very real and inexpensive details around the house. It certainly does look perfect, which I am sure is exactly what Chrystal was going for. I just point that out as it is important to remember not to judge a book by its cover.

Well, I'm super late to this debate, but wanted to chime in on the "lived in" conversation for whatever my two cents is worth. For me, lived in doesn't necessarily mean that you have to have a bunch of flea market finds, baby toys, funky collections, or a some semblance of a mess around your home.

But as much we want our homes to look beautiful, I think it's hard for most people to imagine living in a manner where your foremost priority appears to be keeping your home looking like the perfect showroom at all times. Those showroom-type homes don't seem to resonate as much with a lot of readers. Vignettes of beautiful items are great. Deliberation in your decor is great. But, e.g., a room full of coffee and side tables completely covered in perfectly stacked photo books, topped with vases, little dishes or other tchotchkes such that the occupant or guest wouldn't have a place to even temporarily set a drink, or a newspaper (for the luddites in the house)...to many people that just doesn't "feel" like a place that's actually lived in. My big pet peeve in this realm is the home office desk that looks like nothing more than a display surface: a few perfectly stacked books and little boxes, a cute lamp, and a monogrammed cup filled with 40 perfectly sharpened no. 2 pencils (of course that shade of yellow is your accent color). This doesn't convey "lived in" because that desk appears to be nothing more than a visual element.

Then there is the critique of a home looking like a catalogue. To start, I don't think there's anything wrong with thinking that orbs, West Elm vases, or whatever seemingly generic catalogue-esque items are beautiful and wanting them in your home. But I think that problems arise when most everything in a home looks this way. Anyone can spray paint a bunch of framed mirrors and put them on a wall. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't do that if you like how it looks, but I think a place looks more lived in or individualized if there are other element of a more personalized nature to balance out the "that could be anyone's home" elements.

To me this home was a mixed bag. The kitchen felt lived in if a bit overstaged (but I would expect staging from a shelter mag editor). The dining and living rooms felt more generic to me, even though I thought many of elements were gorgeous. The lighting elements did bring personality into the rooms, though. I felt like the bedroom was the most engaging and personal room even though it was as meticulously well kept as the other rooms. Maybe it was because after seeing the exceedingly on-trend rest of the house, the ballerina lightness and elegance of that room was unexpected. I felt (perhaps falsely) that it told me a little something more about the occupant because, even though she made the decor fit with the rest of the home, it was unique enough to suggest that the aesthetic was more personal to her and less dictated by what's in vogue right now.

Ok, that was more like ten cents cast off to the internet void. Oh well.

I can't imagine why anyone sets themselves up for this abuse by offering their home as a house tour on AT.

Seriously there are plenty of people, especially city-dwelling professionals, who don't do crafts at their dining room table.

There are a few things that I don't like which I'm not going to bother mentioning. I'm a recent convert to Farrow and Ball - like buttah - and am working up the nerve to use Middleton Pink. May switch to Pink Ground on the basis of these photos.

Divine.. Dreamy and very stylish.

the haters are jealous! its perfect!