am i the only one failing to see how this is considered an office? looks like a den to me.

I like it a lot, but...wait, office?

For somebody whose work never involves reading or writing, I guess.

way too dark or dim to do any kind of work in there. it may be good for napping or scotch-drinking, however. feels very old boys club to me.

Pretty, for sure.
But, unless the "Room Description" is wrong-
I'd have to agree with the other comments-
HOW IN THE HELL CAN THIS ROOM FUNCTION AS AN OFFICE?

No Desk.
No Storage.
No Computer.
No Phone,No Fax.
No Task Lighting.
No counter space to layout projects.
Isn't Design supposed to be about Problem Solving?

Grasscloth? I haven't seen that in years.

Maybe it is the office of a counselor? Psch?

I would fall to sleep if I worked there. I agree, very good old boys club feel.

Great living room. Office? Not so.

I'm with the other pragmatists on this one. The only thing missing to do work is a George Jetson console of buttons to do the work. Does it come out of the ceiling like George's? (It's the only way I can fathom working in here in the year 2007.)

Yes, where is the new technology that this supposedly takes advantage of? Is there a pop-up desk or hidden computer? All I see work related is a yellow pad and pen on the straight-backed armless couch. I have to read and use the computer a lot for work, and I can do that in a living room setting but I would be very uncomfortable in this "office."

THIS DESIGN FAILS miserably at the intended function of the room. It shows some creative talent, but filling a room with over-priced furniture, etc. does not make for good design, nor does it follow within the parameters of the stated purpose of the room.

A great designer is able to take in to account what the intended function of the room is all about; interpret that function; and then simultaneously inject that function with great design.

Levine's “design” does not do that; it only focuses on the superficial not the substantive reason for the existence of the room itself. Typical of Levine work.

I wholeheartedly agree with everything “CMSchmidt,” “Nattles,” and “ManofSteel” stated.

If I were the client and I was presented with a rendering of a den-like setting, I would move on to the next “designer.” It is evident from this room that Levine obviously is not capable of thinking about good design from the [paying] client’s perspective, but only his own narcissistic viewpoint.

Not to mention, it is clear LEVINE IS ONLY A MERE INTERIOR DECORATOR who obviously has never worked in a real office setting.

A great designer listens to his client, then interprets the client’s needs through great design. For a designer to interject his/ her own personal taste onto a client--- a sad trademark of Levine’s--- is POOR DESIGN (and not even good design).

In short, this is NOT an office. In my humble opinion, Levine get a grade of F… and his “show has been cancelled.”

BTW: I once, unfortunately, was acquainted with Doug Levine through a mutual friend. He’s a total prig and irritatingly arrogant (for no discernable reason other than he’s a complete narcissist). This “office” “design” is so typical of Doug. He can only think from his narcissistic perspective of what good design is all about (lots of tacky gold accents and "bling bling").

Levine has always thought that because a client spends $20,000 on one of his sofas or $10,000 on a side table that the client has good taste (and that IS about what he cahrges, too).

The price of things should have virtually nothing to do with great design. Sorry, Levine, you missed that class at Harrington’s Interior Decorating School.

What’s more, Levine’s “designs” are only semi-creative RE-interpretations of PRE-EXISTING designs. Basically, anyone with a modicum of good taste can do what he does. Levine plagiarizes others’ designs all the time--- HE IS NOT ORIGINAL at all.

Holly Hunt was right to give him the boot.

office?
maybe this is the casting couch / interview room?

I am in love with this man's work...and he's pretty cute too!
I love the bedroom that was featured on here a few days ago as well-wish I could visit the Dream Home and see for myself!In an age when most people work on a laptop with no paper files and wireless connections,why couldn't this be an office,I think I could manage to spend some time in here!!

As for the oh so negative comments on here from some obviously bitter 'non designer', what the hell!! some of those comments were a bit too personal and way beyond mere design critique! The sight is called Apartment Therapy, not Free Therapy...

This seems like an interesting issue. A beautiful room, but like many have stated it seems to go against the norm of what one thinks of an office. As long as he was meeting the client's need I was successful. The client may have been some one in need of an anti office. For my own style I would want this to be my den, what a great room to indulge in a great read.

btw ChgoRnrrr, what IS originality in design, we all plagiarize, we all take and recreate..there are some out there who may push boundaries way beyond what others are doing and are termed 'visionaries' but ,trust me, they still take inspiration and idea from other sources...the Romans stole from the Greeks, the Greeks from the Etruscans etc etc....what a great designer does is understand trends,and where to use or not use them, and most importantly understands the client-sometimes 'cutting edge' just doesn't cut it!!

I choose my friends on the basis of their character & personality, not their success or their talent, and if I were hiring a designer, I'd make my choice based on his or her ability, not on what the local gossip mill has to say about them, regardless of whether or not said gossip may be true. Frank Lloyd Wright was a tyrant & one of the nicest women I know designs rooms that are way too sugary for me. Talent & synchronicty of taste are what count.

As far as copying goes, everybody copies--intentionally or unintentionally, in greater or lesser degree--somebody or something, whether it's another designer or a beautiful room or one's own earlier work. Originality is fine but it's hardly a prerequisite for great art, however you define that word. J.S. Bach wrote a boatload of glorious music, most of it in the exactly the same style that everybody around him had already been using for years. So what that he didn't come up with anything revolutionary, any exciting new musical forms? Like Mies says "You can't invent a new architecture every Monday morning." And as far as that form-follows-function thing goes, somebody else said "One of the functions is to please the client." If, in this case, the "client" is Douglas Levine himself, well, what's the problem?

True, this doesn't look like any "office" that I could ever--or would want to--to work in, but then, he didn't ask me what I wanted, and besides, it's a good-looking room anyway. If it happens, in its sober tones & regular, calm plan, to remind me of another good-looking room from 6O years ago--one that also probably didn't exist in the real world--well, I guess I don't see that as a problem, either. At any rate, I'm looking forward to seeing this room for real next Thursday. Regards, Magnaverde.
Steven Dohanos rendering for the American Brewing Council, 1948

I have it! It is an office for the person who has retired and wants to make a point of it every day. He or she can entertain all the others "still toiling" at the daily grind and call them from "the office"! Inviting them over to pick something up at "the office" could induce a lot of envy. I think I do want this office when I retire!

Office?!?!?!?!
I'm sorry, but he got to be kidding.

Looks like our cigar and pipe club.

Love it. Aren't most home "offices" just places where we play on the computer?

But, what do I know? I gave away my home office years ago. One computer in my life is P L E N T Y.

I think C Martins is on to the truth about this room. The secretary is outside typing and answering the phones while the boss entertains in a smoking jacket.

Wow, a lot of people getting worked up about an 'imaginary office'... it's a showroom to benefit cancer research, people... not a real house...

Besides, I'm with Kurt, I dream of my home office without a computer.

You people have got to be kidding. This is a great design by a wonderful designer who knows more than the people who probably furnish there homes with items from your local Wal-Mart store. First of all in a day where laptops are what people use for business why do you need a desk. Why would you need a filing cabinet? Don't you store everything on the computer. It's called a paperless environment. This is a HOME OFFICE not the local State of Illinois buildings. This room was done with class and style and if you think it does not have either one then maybe you need to look around and your own home office if you have one. If you have a problem with someone charging $20,000.00 for a fine peice of furniture then keep on buying your furniture where you got it from. I would much rather furnish my home with Levine's designs than the $500.00 sofa that you people have that has no style at all. As a matter of fact I do have some of his peices and you know something "everyone loves them"

And for all the comments from chgorunr.. you have no class. You have no room to talk about someone that you had only met once. Maybe you should look into the mirror you seem to have the attitude problem. I have personally known Douglas Levine all my life and it makes me sick to hear this because you dont know him at all. I have watched him work hard to get to where he is. As mentioned before this is a home office not a State of Illinois office building. Seems to me that you are jealous and and just upset that you haven't made it as far as he has!

And about Holly Hunt giving him the boot.... you have no clue what you are talking about. There was no boot going on there. You need to check your resourses from where you got that from!

Thank you to all of you who had positive things to say! And least you know what good taste it.

I think the room Doug designed is truly beautiful. This was a design he created for the "DREAM HOME" it was meant to be a fantasy room/Dream room. He was not asked by a paying client to come up with a functional room for some specific needs!!

Some of these people really need to get a grip! Clearly there are some personal issues out there, maybe a little or a lot of jealousy.

I saw this room in person the night of the Dream Home opening. This room was my favorite of the whole house and I would hire Doug in a heart beat. Bravo Doug, job well done!

P.S.By the way, Doug's use of Holly Hunt fabric's on the upholstered furniture was great. Holly Hunt never gave Doug
"The boot". She is a very dear friend of his and also his fan. So much so she carries Dougs designs in her showroom in Miami.

I do not know a lot about "design" but I do know a lot about working in an office since I am a CPA working as a consultant for many of my corporate clients. Initially, I was taken back just a little since I did not see any desk however, I do understand and like the design concept. These days, I normally do not use desk alot since I am on my laptop most of the time, anyway. I spend many hours in Starbucks (which I love , by the way) working with my laptop, and this design gives an impression of an upscale Starbucks - comfortable, cozy, relaxing. The table can be used as impromtu desk if I needed one to write a note or something.