apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Cute house! In such a small living room I think I would lose the coffee table, or at least downsize it.

I like her great aunt's sketches, and the fireplace is pretty. Other than that, this just doesn't do it for me. I know there have to be some amazing DC/NOVA/MD house tours to be had!

Is it me, or do all the DC house tour photos look like they were taken with a camera phone?

Yeah aside from the sketches, I'm sorry to say that I can't muster up any enthusiasm about this place. Also, the living room furniture is much too big for the room.

the living room looks really cramped and everything else is a bit boring. the fireplace is pretty though.

Beautiful collection of lamps!

The barrister is competing with the fireplace. They both deserve a little more room around them if possible.

Trash in bathroom wastebasket!

Overall I like this place; however, I agree that the living room is cramped. I live in 300 s.q. and my place looks larger. I'd have one chair and sofa in the living room or two chairs and the ottoman. That way, the books you like to decorate with would show more, along with your gorgeous lamps. The living room is very beige looking. Could you make a drama wall (color) over the fireplace? Although I can't see the colors well, Tiffany's are usually jewel-toned. Maybe pull a color from the lamps or books and tie it in on your drama wall. The cushion on the living room chair is almost the same color as the room and furniture (maybe color here). Instead of all the items on the mantel, perhaps a large mirror (as you have small windows) and a few small items. Sort of looks like that dresser that was featured earlier today with all the "stuff".

It's cute and homely. I quite like it when they have a 'normal person' hour tour instead of the out-of-reach places that are normally featured.

Whoops. Meant to say 'house' tour.

Where is the little round side table next to one of the armchairs in the living room from? I know the square nesting tables are from PB and the mirrored tables from Target, but what about the small round one? Thanks.

I'd like to speak up for all of us living in DC (specifically those living on/near U Street) - I think the place is great, and very cozy. Laura, you've been very creative and I love your soothing palette. Also, I am deeply jealous of your hardwood floors.

I love your drawings and prints, but wonder if you have them too high to really appreciate. But I see your TV is up very high too, so maybe you're just taller than I am.

For a twenty-something (I'm assuming) living in DC, this is a lot nicer than other apartments I've seen, especially for only living here for 7 months. That being said, I think there are tweaks and decorative touches that could help spice it up quite a bit. I would maybe switch the bookcase in the bedroom with the desk, as I think the bookcases are beautiful and would have an even bigger impact together. As others mentioned, some more color would go a long way, and I think pulling out the colors from the lamps is a great idea. It's definitely a good start!

I appreciate that the owner has put a lot of effort into her home and there are a lot of nice touches, but I do agree with those who say there's too much furniture in the living room and it's too large. Also, everything is very beige. One interesting sofa --- maybe an English-arm or pub sofa in an apartment scale, and one interesting arm chair, let's say both in ivory instead of brown-beige if the owner doesn't want to do color, would be enough to lighten things up, and inject a little more life into the living room.

Great, and with your exquisite taste, it's going to become even better!

Instead of a house tour, I would say it was a mouse tour. That's the color of the living room furniture and a description of the design boldness.

Comfortable? Yes, especially for someone in her twenties. Creative, exciting, worthy of publication? No. I will say this: it's very Kansas City. And I mean that in the nicest possible way. I grew up there, comfortably enough. "Antique" shopping is a way of life for the middle-class ladies there.

Not impress at all. DC House Tours continue to be a big disappointment. I will leave it at that!

What gorgeous floors! I'm jealous as well of the bedroom fireplace.

I do think all that matching furniture (I've got two of those couches, btw) is too much for the living room. Is there room for a chair and ottoman in the bedroom? You might think about putting in chairs and an ottoman that don't match the couch exactly.

(In a decade will we look back at all the middle class ladies shopping for mcm at vintage shops or DWR with the same condescension she's getting for not following the trends?)

lots of potential, but again....what is up with the poor quality photographs in the majority of DC house tours?!

do the ATDC bloggers read comments on the house tours they post?! help!

What is it with internet-bestowed anonymity and rudeness on the AT site?

Laura, thanks for sharing pictures of your home. Your Aunt's sketches are fantastic, I think you did a great job refinishing the dresser and I really, really like the combination of the similar-but-different mirrored bedside tables.

Very nice....I like the color palette... classy.

There's something to be said about constructive criticism, and those who feel like sharing their thoughts, more often than not, do have good intentions. And for those who open their doors to the rest of the world to see, should not expect their "internet guests" to praise every design decision they make. Patronizing someone is just a cowards way of insulting them.

With that said, I will agree with what has been said several times already. The furniture is simply way too large for the space. A beautiful fireplace is lost beside that equally beautiful bookcase, maybe consider separating them? And I have serious duvet cover envy. It puts my white sheets to shame!

Thanks for sharing your home Laura.

I think that folks are being a bit harsh on here. Laura did a nice job and put a lot of thought in the arrangement of her home. I do agree with other posters that the furniture in the living room is too big and totally overwhelms the space, but other than that, I liked her home and I feel that it has a lot of potential.

It's so evident that Laura just adores her home. Those sketches are the most beautiful heirlooms to own.

I think it's beautiful. It's cosy, lived-in and real. I think that's far more impressive than a place where the only input the owner has had was to throw $200,000 at a decorator.

While I agree that the idea of seeing a "normal" home is nice, I don't know how well it actually works as a tour in this case. Really, I would have been happier to have seen a little feature on, say, what was done with the candlesticks and the fireplace. That was especially cute and worth a mention.

Not to say her home isn't nice, because it is. But... I dunno, it didn't leave me feeling inspired. It was more like going to your friend's house.

Uh...

I really love all the different lamps. I wish the two lamps in the top picture were swithced on for the photo -- that would make the space seem warmer. Still, cozy and stylish overall.

The sketches by your great great aunt are fantastic!

Laura,

Are you allowed to paint the walls? Right now they're that energy-sucking "apartment white" and don't set off your neutral furnishings at all. I have a feeling yours is the kind of place that looks much better in real life and in natural light. I would ask the landlord if you can paint at least the living room. It would help bring everything together much better.

I love that you have so much respect for the past and cherish the history of your family and your furniture.

I really like what you've done Laura, you have style and an eye for proportion and clearly you've bought or accumulated furniture for the long haul, not just this apartment.

Having said that though I think you should put at least one of your armchairs into storage, both chairs plus the sofa is just too much for that space. I would recommend you store the one closer to the bedroom door, and put the ottoman there instead, which will still give you extra seating if you have people over. I also think you should cover the ottoman with something so that it is a different colour to the sofa and chairs, which will also make the space seem less full of that furniture suite. You can move that round silver table to the side of the sofa so you'll have somewhere to put your coffee.

Your bookshelves are lovely, but the one in the living room looks too high and the one in the bedroom looks too squashed in beside the fireplace. Could you put the shorter one in the living room instead, and put the tall one in the kitchen - it might give it a bit of the character you're yearning for, especially if you won't be using that space for a table.

your bedroom picture was perfect..so cozy and happy..I'm not sure why..but I just loved it..the colors, view, even!..the wooden floor color is gorgeous..I feel very homey and calm looking at your apartment!...

I think Laura's place is just dandy, and agree that folk have been too harsh.

The problem is those choosing the DC tours. Whether it is because of the submissions or a deliberate choice, there has been a similarity that veers towards blandness. They need to be edited more severely.

It is best to show fewer good places than many ordinary ones.

Sorry, but something this bland/uninteresting shouldn't be a house tour; this looks like a "before" rather than an "after". The criticisms of this apartment are valid.

My questions are:

If you like to entertain where is the dinning area?

Are all DC apartments so narrow? Is this a railroad flat?

Needs editing, however, you have some lovely pieces and I do love the simplicity of it. Don't mind the quiet colors, hey whatever gets you through the night! I repeat, it needs editing, barrister so cramped next to the fireplace. It's not so much that some pieces are big is the way they are placed within the space. Maybe a screen or curtain separating the sleeping area from the walk-through.

Still, I think it is nice and the kitchen looks spacious maybe some area lights in it give it a warmer look.

Thanks for the tour.

I think if you are going to put your home out there then you should expect criticsims. I dont think any of the criticisms have been harsh.

"What is it with internet-bestowed anonymity and rudeness on the AT site?"

I have no qualms telling someone in person that I dont find any inspiration in their homes if asked. When you put your home out there, you are asking for feedback.

Truth is a virtue. Rudeness is not. I dont think anyone who posted a "negative" comment has been rude about.

If you dont like, you dont like. And I dont like.

The reason I say the DC House Tours have been disappointing is I compare it to the other Hours Tours from other cities. DC does not inspire or there is no creativity.

It seems the bar is set low for DC. I dont want to see another home that looks like someone just out of college.

I know there are fabulous homes in DC because I've been in them. (and trust me..I've been begging them to submit their homes to AT)

And no they didnt "throw $200,000 at a decorator".

I don't understand why this home was featured. It's fine, and I'm sure she loves her little place, but I don't look at AT tours to see a place that's just average. Like another poster said, this is just like going to any random friends house. The place was boring. That's right, I said it. Boring. I want to be inspired and see what a creative person, regardless of age and income can do with a unique space!

She really needs to get rid of that horrible over-sized furniture warehouse living room set! It's devouring the room! I liked the the fireplace arrangement. Very nice. The place is unique and has potential but she needs to clear out as much clutter as she can do without, and keep everything at an appropriate scale.

Also agree that the photography was disappointing. Lets step it up a notch D.C.

I agree, the barrister is competing with the fireplace. It is beautiful and deserves to be the center of attention.

If I had to work with this space, and this style, I would add color, somewhere, anywhere! It might help to try to complement the color of the matching microfiber livingroom set. The style is not my thing at all, but that doesn't mean it can't look cohesive and good. A deep orange would look good and pick up the cute pillow. The lamps are nice, its true. I think the mirror tables in the bedroom deserve more prominence. The bookshelves, while cool, are too prominent and add to the overstuffed look of the place. They'd be better tucked into corners or areas of wall that fit them better. The arrangement is just clunky.

I like this apartment for having lived in it for only 7 months.
But I have to say that the matchy matchy and oversized furniture in the living room could be improved upon. I would suggest slipcovering that ottoman in a punchy color and maybe use some bright colored throws and pillows on the two chairs to set them apart from the large couch.
Otherwise, I like how homey the apartment looks.

Yeah I sort of feel like we are getting into more Rate My Space type territory instead of being purposeful with presentation of the house tours. DC's (and I'm a DC native) house tours fall far far short compared to the others on this site. Those organizing have sort of set up a bad situation for the poor home owners on display. Laura's house is perfectly nice. Some nice features for sure, and I'm glad it was shared, but it is ordinary (as much as any pad can be ordinary b/c obviously they all are special and unique in their own right). Like others have said, it's just like the pad of some random friend we have. I do want to yack at seeing over and over again uninspired MCM homes where all the owner did was hit the order button at DWR. But overall there have been so many wonderfully interesting and inspiring house tours on this site. DC has pretty much had not one. And wonderful does not mean that a person spent a ton to get the place where it is. It means a small tidal wave of creativity or uniquely amazing architectural bones or an innovative approach to something or a different but strong sense of style that surprisingly works and on and on.

Out of curiosity, how do the DC House Tours people get the homes they display? I feel like they are just using their friends' places and using their small personal network. It might be a good idea for them to connect with the other House Tour people from other cities and see about their methods. Maybe they ask for submissions and pick from those or "advertise" at local design or home goods shops. I know first hand how much creativity is in DC and there are certainly many many MANY place that are super duper neat and interesting just by having awesome historic bones and features. I mean lets give people a sense of this city and how cool it could be to live here with these tours. It's such an old and historic city, with a modern urban hip flair, and lets show it off. Make me want to live there again.

I think most of the complaints of the District house tours are all valid. DC is a transient city and most of the DC house tours featured on AT seem to be either new renters that are either recent grads or people who are early on in their careers. Because of that I’ll cut them some slack. As a District resident, the DC house tours remind me of my previous rental days but I think they do provide some insight or ideas for the many renters living here. My only complaint would be the locations of the DC house tours. They all seem to be from the trendier higher priced NW quadrant neighborhoods. This might explain why they have no financial means for furnishing but does not excuse the lack of creativity.

Question: What is the purpose of the house tour? Is it for the dwellers to show off their decorating skills? To get feedback on their decor? Is it a "rate my space" kind of deal like bmorebent (Baltimore in the house!) mentioned? Is it to inspire others similarly situated? Is it simply to show a variety of different spaces and how the inhabitant used the space?

I ask because my initial reaction to the house tour was like many of the commenters': the space is nice, but rather boring; living room furniture too big and matchy; nothing more impressive than going over a friend's house. But in a sense, it was really refreshing to see a "regular" space. Laura is a health policy analyst. Most of the more impressive, inspiring spaces on AT are created by architects, decorators, or others in a creative field. And not even all of them are above criticism.

Quite frankly, I think Laura's done a bang up job of decorating for a health policy analyst. She likely doesn't have the background to think about her space in the same way designers have been trained. She's going to get her furniture from matchy-matchy furniture stores because that is what she knows. The best thing that Laura did was recognize the unique and precious resource she had in her aunt's art and highlight that in her space. It looks like her apartment is a work in progress, and I think she's got a great start thus far.

What I appreciate most about this 'house tour' is that it is a normal person's house. Someone who has made what they had already work in the best way they could in a space they do not own. That is realistic.
I know this type of apartment and my hunch is that the middle room was meant to be the living room (where the furniture would presumably have a little more room) but that the front room was probably too close to the street and too noisy for a bedroom, so she switched them.
I love the classic feel of her decor, and think she is taking some risks with a couple of sparkly details here and there.
I think that if the point of this blog is to show off the spaces, a little more effort could have been put into photography and staging. Empty the trash for Pete's Sake!! all in all...really refreshing and not overly self-conscious design from a normal person!!
Nice job Laura!

once again: I like the armchair quite a lot; does anybody know what it's called/who the manufacturer is?

regards thanks
fwcom

I think the point of the house tours is just as simple as the name - here's my house, take a tour. It doesn't have to be some revelatory experience. Maybe some of them will have that affect on some people but I don't think there needs to be some huge purpose to it all. It's fun to see other people's houses, especially for the natural voyeurs (me). I don't care if someone's house isn't exactly to my tastes or if it lives up to some arbitrary standard set by a random person on the internet. It's cool that you were willing to open up your house to people on this blog, Laura. I really like your mirrored tables. The apartment looks really narrow so it's interesting to see how you negotiate your belongings into the space. I've encountered a lot of the same issues living in San Francisco. Don't listen to the haters :)

Regard bmorebent's question on how house tours are submitted, I know when I was a finalist for the dc blogger position the first time around, it was very much a question of who in my personal network will do this? Even worse it was who in my person network is available in the 7 days I have been given for this assignment and is willing to clean thier house in time.

I think I read in a couple of the house tours that the owners submitted the place up for coverage. Other than that its probably who is willing to put thier place up for review.

It seems a little catch 22 because some of the more "designed" spaces get criticised for being too big, expensive and not representative of AT's mission, but people who live in small spaces may not be in the position to throw out their perfectly acceptable furniture and buy new furniture that fits the scale of the room better, especially for a rental that is not intended to be permanent.

Trash in bathroom wastebasket!

...I don't know about you, but the wastebasket is where I put my trash too.

I put it there, too, but it's not really something appropriate for a photo shoot that will end up in a major Web publication.

Glad you're tidy, daniny

There is some draw to seeing regular apartments I guess, but come on, this would be a pretty boring site if that's what all the house tours and posts were like. No one would come here. People want ideas, to see what neat things people are doing, all the neat places people are living in, and some visual eye candy. And variety rocks, including in terms of fanciness and costliness. Obviously there is a mix of types of house tours on the site, and that's good, keep that up. But it's pretty clear that DC comes up short almost every time. If it was more of a mix, as with the other cities, maybe people wouldn't complain. See something swanky one day, see something purely architectural the next, see something cheap but uber creative the next, see a novel decorating style the next. But what they have had so far is pretty lame. All run of the mill. Maybe it is the photography and presentation in part, true, but I think the places lack interest. The stories might be need, but we do need some visual interest.

This is by no means a critique of Laura's pad. Her pad is many of our pads. Nice. It's just you don't come away with anything from it.

Upon looking at the house tour again, the damn photography is a main culprit. They did not present her house in an interesting or positive light at all. It could have shown so much nicer. They didn't play up all the nice features at all. Makes it look more of a dud than necessary.

But Laura, get rid of the CDs out and all the picture frames everywhere! Looks too cluttered and takes away from the nice architectural elements you have going on (e.g., the fireplace).

The bedroom is my favorite part. And the wood doors! I really like the bedroom though. The candles in the fireplace - those look really fab. Keep those there!

I challenge AT to send in a real house tour guru to re-take this place. I bet we would all be more positive then!

I don't understand why this is a house tour... Not special enough.

I made an earlier comment on this thread.

The SF AT posted black and white woodblock prints of Kansas City and they were completely wonderful and inspiring and I intend to buy some.

Not a single friend of mine from high school still lives in Kansas City. Why? Because of all of its potential, it was a horribly stifling place.

My father lived in Kansas City for 50 years, and was a photographer, letterpress printer, and canny antiques collector. He did photography for the Nelson Museum and local artists.

His decorating taste was exactly like the taste in this apartment, except he would never have been so indifferent to proportions (I'm talking about the living room), and never went for the uniformity of color and style of the furniture.

This apartment staggeringly reflects the tastes of the 1970s, without the orange that was so in vogue then. I mean the Tiffany glass, the barrister bookcases, and the other "antiques." One of the drawbacks to antique collecting in the region is that the immediate region was only settled after the Civil War. So the "antiques" are necessarily from a particular era, and start to look mind-numbingly similar after you have seen a few.

Laura is on the right tract by owning and reading a lot of books. She is obviously a very intelligent woman. But this apartment is a totally uninspiring blast from an uninspiring past.

I have always liked MCM but didn't realize it could be used by people with modest means. I enjoy seeing its use on this site. OK, maybe it's overdone, but I'm still enjoying it.

The great, wonderful thing about this site is that there is so much freshness and individuality in even the most modest interiors. Shelter magazines show very little but the homes of the rich.

Unfortunately, Laura's home falls below the bar set by the site. Hey, I know my place does too! There's no shame in it if you're not a completely craftsy, creative, neat-freak home decor devotee. I do think a spade should be called a spade. If I had the nerve to put my home on the website, I would steel myself for honest criticism.

I get really sick of the posts that are one sentence equivalents of "great!" "cool!" "awesome!" "I'd so like to live there!" If Laura is a big reader, which I suspect she is, she isn't reading literature that is one dimensional. She's reading books that reflect honest criticism, and the interior life of characters. Many times what is expressed in writing can't be voiced in polite society. That's why writing exists. People who like to look at interiors are entitled, even encouraged to express something a little more than shallow cheers.

It's nice. It's clean. It's an apartment.

I think it would have been better off as one of those "mini-tours" that just show a few elements of an apartment. I like the fireplace, I like the sketches, and I like a few of the furniture pieces. The rest of the apartment, the kitchen, the bathroom, and the inappropriately scaled living room, didn't need to be photographed at all.

Despite my criticism, I do appreciate her simple tastes. Older pieces with a story are always much better that new pieces with no soul.

I've been in this apartment before. Not this exact one, but many, many like it. It looks like the typical apartment of a just finished undergrad or grad who moved to the city and likes the beige pottery barn look, but not the pricetag. Many of my friends had similar decor when in that very same situation.

House tours don't have to be overde$igned nor do they have to be midcentury, but they usually have that extra something that makes it interesting, color, light, furniture arrangement, quirkiness, etc. There are plenty of amazing homes in the DC area they just haven't made an appearance here yet. Fingers crossed that some of them will!

I love the fireplace and the candles in it. Very chic. The sketches and pillows in the living room chairs are nice too.

The rest is a bit average...The bathroom photo leaves something to be desired and the kitchen - I see why it is the biggest embarrassment...there just isn't anything inviting about the kitchen. Maybe it could be dressed up by painting the cabinets or adding some fun accessories - like anything from Orla Kiely's Target line (LOVE that line!). Can you paint the kitchen door? The yellow color makes it look a little dingy - what about a muted green similar to the fireplace? I would also loose the plastic bags hanging in the kitchen. Maybe you could add some planted trailing plants on top of the cupboards - in fun colored pots? I'd put away all the clean dishes right away and get rid of the drying rack on the counter to make more space. You could add fun kitchen towels too (Orla Kiely - Target!!!) What about adding an interesting rug over the kitchen floor?

I personally can't stand mirrored tables or any table with a glass top for that matter, because I hate the sound of clinking glasses when you sent them down on it. I also hate cleaning them and I'm paranoid about them breaking. BUT, this is just my opinion, plenty of other people like them. The glass tables sort of work here, they just aren't something I would pick out for my home.

Overall, I like the decorative accents, but most everything else is pretty average.

can anyone tell me where that round side table in the living room is from? thanks!!

The TV is way too small! Sorry, couldn't resist.

About all the criticism: I probably learned more about decore from the comments on this post than I have from more "designed" spaces.

Love the fireplace in the bedroom! That's a dream come true. Who needs anything else?

The living room is def to crowded and there are to many little knick knacks for my taste, but it is cute and very homey. I love the bedroom fireplace.

This is not the kind of tour that will keep me coming back for more... what's the deal AT DC? There are so many funky up-and-coming neighborhoods - where are those homes?

You know what I think the problem is? DC is incredibly transient. Most of the young people came here purely for jobs and the older people have larger homes and families (and the larger homes are usually criticized). Until you decide you want to stay here and invest (heavily) in a home there's no point in really furnishing or putting that much effort beyond what you happen to have.

I was reading these comments and then started thinking of my friends' homes and realized that even in our late 20s most of use still just use furniture that was free. And when asked why the answer tends to be "well why buy a new couch until I decide where I'm going to permanently land?" I live in the DC area myself and I've always been in awe of other people's apartments- it's just so above and beyond what I'm willing to do right now. And I'm 28.

That is a cute place. Better job that I did with my 650sq ft in DC in my 20s.

Things I like:
1) the bedding
2) the fireplace
3) the color of the sofa

Things I would add:
1) a headboard--you need something to frame your bed, the two pillows are two slight
2) I agree that the furniture set is a bit matchy and overscale for the room--swapping out the ottoman and the sofa or chair eventually or slipcovering might help temporarily
3) put some knobs or pulls on the kitchen cabinets--it will do a world of good and would probably be less than $100--maybe the landlord would reimburse you if you offered to do it?