apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I didn't get any sense of an overall view of a room, as pretty much all the images are close ups. I would have liked to see how the furniture was arranged. There was no sense of where the pieces in one photo were to relation to another photo's piece.
Still, I loved all the color and patterns and the use of wall paper. It looks like a young and lively place to live in.
The only thing that made me go "uggghh" was the Keep Calm and Carry on poster.

Aster -- that's probably because the rooms are small. It's hard to take overall shots when you can't stand back far enough.

What an inspired, personal house! I especially love the pink and aqua bedroom with the Tord Boontje pendant.

For even more pictures of this rowhouse, be certain to check out the pictures from their 2008 Color Contest Entry — when you combine both sets of photographs, you get a much better sense of space in this VERY narrow house!

An "ugggghhh" from me too, Aster!

I'm with Aster

Lisa: most cameras are now capable of taking pieced together panorama shots, so the "rooms are small" excuse is no longer a good one for having no overall views of the rooms.

Nothing good or bad about the home itself, I just find house tours that consist of nothing but vignette views very undesirable to look at.

I liked what I saw in the photos, but would have preferred less vignettes and more overall room views. I too live in a narrow row home in Philadelphia, and I would have loved to have seen the furniture arrangement throughout the home.

I checked out the 2008 color contest photos (which prove that you CAN get room views of this house) and, after seeing this, will add my voice to Aster's: the photos taken (chosen?) made this a tour of STUFF rather than a home tour. Wish we had been given the opportunity to see the stuff in more context in what is surely an interesting home.

I enjoyed looking at all the vignettes. So FUN and colorful. Lots of whimsey and creative ideas. I also find your "Seven Deadly Sins" needlepoint pillow quite humorous.

oh, that beautiful wallpaper! It makes me sad that its hiding behind all those picture frames.

I know I'm bending the commenting rules here, but I would like to call for a moratorium on the "Keep Calm" bashing. You're sick of it. We get it. Move on.

First, I love this house. There's so much great stuff, so much whimsy and humor!--and I think the owner and I could be BFFs based on the awesomeness of the stuff.

Second, where did you get the Big Lebowski painting (?)--the don't eff with the Jesus one? I love it. Also love the Downer/Viagra canisters. The Viagra one is tall and skinny. Hee hee. (Yes, I'm a 12 year old.)

Third, I second emmabemma's call for a moritorium on the Keep Calm poster. I'm bored with it. I say a mental "ugh" when I see that poster too. Only because I know that 20 people are going to comment on how much they don't like it.

There is a framed piece in the main (first) photo of some kind of collage. Are those matchbooks?

When I saw this the first time, I had to laugh - last place I lived was a townhome that was barely eleven feet wide on the outside, so smaller on the inside.

I love this house - and its just around the corner from my apartment. I love wandering the neighborhood peeking in at the fabulous design that is so unexpected. Is this a Philadelphia Trinity?

I do want to know where that lime green pineapple lamp came from! It is fantastic, and would look great with my new paint scheme.

Thanks so much to Kristin from Apt Therapy for photographing and writing about my house, and to everyone else for their great comments! It's very flattering.

Aaron is right that you can get a better sense of the layout in the pics I submitted from last year's Fall Colors contest, and there are also many photos on my blog. It's tough to get full room shots, but can be done given enough time to figure it out.

To Black Francine, thanks for the sweet comments! The Big Lebowski painting is by Jude Buffum (www.judebuffum.com), a Philadelphia artist.

To Mo-Mo, yep, the collage is a collection of Japanese matchbooks from the early 70s, collected by my dad when he was in the military.

And finally, I even agree that the Keep Calm poster is a bit passe. Of course, it is only one of about a million pictures hanging around my house. If I had known this particular one was going to be featured so promimently, I would have taken it down for the shoot! ;)

What a disappointing post. I agree with all the other negative comments. Maybe AT should have a new feature called "Pretty Vignettes" or something. I have no idea what I'm looking at here. This home could be one room or twenty--there is nothing to establish the way the space flows together.

One more thing: the only thing I hate more than the KCCO poster is when it's badly matted or framed the way this one is. I cannot stand the type hitting the bottom edge and the top of the crown being cut off.

To Miss Philly19103, thanks so much for the nice words. The house is not a classic Philly trinity... it's a mostly re-built 3-story row house.

The pineapple lamp in the guest bedroom is from K-Mart. It comes in a hideous bronze finish and costs about $25. I repainted it using "Sour Apple" high gloss acrylic spray paint from Lowe's.

Elizabeth, not only do you have a great eye and an awesome house, but you are gracious as well.

And we're neighbors! (I live on Mole Street)

great job, fun and still put together. there were lots of accessories but it didn't seem overwhelming. i love it---great job

I find the use of color and pattern in this place to be so sophisticated. But maybe just because it's my taste, I like things saturated and a little dense. Elizabeth's handle (peacock feathers) makes sense to me now.

I LOVE Elizabeth's home and her bold use of colour & pattern; I definitely get a sense of the type of person she is which is exactly what your home should convey (I believe).

I also love her blog and find it a constant feast for the eyes with various inspiring photographs of interiors and fashion/accessories that are anything but bland and boring.

bravo.

Some very pretty things and wonderful wallpaper. I, too, would have liked to see a more complete view of the whole room and how the accessories fit in with the general scheme.

all vignettes, all the time? Yawn

Love the beautiful wallpaper, bold use of color, fun art collection, and little details of this house tour.

Dislike the abundance of negative and rude commentary that seems to be permeating Apartment Therapy. Anonymity does not need to result in lack of civility and manners.

The use of color and pattern is masterful. Thank you for sharing your home

Love the wonderful use of bold color in this space!I can't imaging feeling anything but happy in there!

Thanks again, everyone. Such nice comments... they really made my day. Kiwi, especially, you're the best.

And to my neighbor on Mole Street, do come visit me at my blog.. I'd love to chat more sometime!

re emmabemma's comment:

You know something is getting old when even the complaining about how its getting old is getting old. heehee :)

I would have liked to see more full room shots of this place too! The vignettes were like a tease! They're really lovely and well done. So much personality and creativity.

Lovely home from what I can see. I too would have loved to have seen more pics that give a sense of the dimensions and layout.

OFF TOPIC:
I think that AT should have a contest called AT Crystal Ball: Predict A Fad. Kind of how color experts try to predict the color palette for the year.

Each year there has been an iconic accessory for the year that cropped up in many many homes featured on AT. This year it was Keep Calm Carry On Posters and cow hide rugs, the year before was antlers and lots of lucite. I cant even remember what it was before that. For the most part it kind of drives me crazy. But it would be entertaining if in January people tried to predict the design fad or piece du jour and by December the person who picked right would win. Of course someone would have to keep a tally House Tours said piece was featured-- but I think it might be fun. Both for the haters and converts for that particular fad.

I meant to write:
Of course someone would have to keep a tally OF THE House Tours said piece was featured IN -- but I think it might be fun.

So much color and texture and fun to look at. Plus, you have excellent taste in wallpaper (particularly the G&B "solitude" pattern!) Really love the way all the colors and objects look together.

What a bunch of stuffy commenters, get over yourselves! I love the home and the vignette shots and love Matte Stephens and all the artwork, even the Keep Calm, it may be overused in a lot of homes (including mine), but no need to bash anyone over it.

Love the chandelier as well with the gray paint, looks like faux antler/or tree branches? Can't tell, not wearing my contacts.

If I never saw another Keep Calm And Carry On poster (or worse, another play on that concept), that would be just fine with me.

Which is sad, because the first 10-20 times I saw it, I thought it was neat. Now it's the ultimate I'm Quirky And Smart And Worldly! Really! I Am! cliche.

I love the wallpaper as well and had thought it was timorous beasties but alas, I can't find it on their site. I'm in the Grad Hospital area as well and am excited to see the involvement of talented designers swarming the area. Can anyone help me on finding out what wallpaper this is?

I take full responsibility for the skull print. http://space1026.com/space.php?action=bio&id=40

The matchbook collage is stunning.

I just love your home and all of the wonderful animal knickknacks. I especially love the camel pitcher and kitty creamer. You have arranged everything so that nothing seems cluttered or overdone, yet you have a lot of things. I would be one of those people, if invited into your home, who would wander around looking and looking and never be bored!

You make me want to unpack the rest of the many boxes of knickknacks that are stored in the basement!