The pieces may be somewhat "affordable," but having 30 people working in your home at the same time is a luxury. Please do not overlook the cost of labor when stating that a reno is affordable.

Atlanta? She was in Nashville.

kvdesigns,
Thanks - post is corrected. The apartment is in Nashville, the stylist is based in Atlanta.

Yeah, not realistic...more like crazy! But she can afford it! More power to her.

@dcirene --

Having 30 people work on your home at one time costs the same as having 30 people coming in and out over the course of 6 months - The billable hours are the same.

@bepsf

I'm sure Gwyneth paid a premium for having them there on time and in a rush.

This, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, and HGTV's Design Star are the main reasons interior design clients have such ABSURD expectations about how long stuff take.

*takes*

I sort of appalled at the fact that this much money is spent on someone to "use" while they are spending some time in a particular city. Maybe I read it wrong, but isn't this a waste? Sure it's nice looking, but doesn't a hotel suite, which she can totally afford, make more sense than this?

Laura
http://www.justalittlebit.net

@bepsf: I'm with KVdesigns on this one. If they're like our contractors, they charge more for rush jobs because their employees have to work overtime (given the short period of time, I'm fairly certain that was the case here) which drives up the cost of construction, not to mention shortened lead times for procuring materials. And if there are too many trades on a project at once, they tend to jack up the prices anyways, just because it's more difficult to coordinate work and having to work around each other.

How long was she in Nashville? Seems like a lot of effort and money (borrowing art, redoing a kitchen, custom monogrammed pillows for the kids...) for a temporary home. Especially for the "indie film budget" she references-- i.e. it sounds like the production picked up the bill for this one.

Maybe a little "make do" spirit would do this family some good! It's not like an electric stove is equivalent to living in the car.

I don't think Gwenyth can comprehend, or ever had to concern herself with a "real life budget."

How long was she in Nashville for? Do celebrities often get homes/apartments renovated like this?

What a silly post. Nothing is impossible when you can afford it.

Let's discard the discerning tone, please. Yes, 90% of us won't ever have the chance to buy furniture pieces which cost more than $1000 each piece AND redo a house in 10 days. It doesn't mean Gwenyth Paltrow is a pretentious person who can't comprehend a "real life budget." Spending money in this fashion IS her real life! Let's just appreciate the beauty of the design of the home and the selection of furniture. I personally think that there should be a little more color on the walls (like maybe the kitchen cabinet wall), but it really is a great place. Good work!

I'm with @grafxnerd. Kudos to the designers/workers, but this seems extremely unnecessary and excessive for a temporary living space. It also seems a bit rude to expect all of these people to bend over backwards/work 18 days without leaving for lunch to meet some arbitrary deadline because she doesn't feel like staying in a 5 star hotel for a couple weeks or actually buying a place that was ALREADY "livable". But obvs, GOOP's definition of livable is quite different than most, being that planet earth is what we live on, not something that revolves around us...

I'm not a fan of Ms. Paltrow, but I'm sure all those contractors and workers in Nashville were grateful for the work. If she chooses to spend money to make a beautiful space (which I assume, was sold later), what exactly is the problem? Should she hoard the money instead?

On the other hand, the designers and workers got paid. They were probably happy for the work.

If rich people owe anything to the rest of us, it is to pay all of their taxes, spend recklessly, and donate as much as they possibly can.

Cities compete to get films by offering big tax breaks and other incentives because filming costs a fortune and lots of money will be spentin the city. Like this reno.

I've lived or worked in several spaces undergoing renovation. Usually skilled professionals of different trades (electricians, plumbers, heating/cooling, carpenters) prefer to stagger their schedules so that they can work separately. The notable exception is when the economy is bad, in which case finishing the job quickly becomes the priority so that they are available if more work becomes available.

In the mid 80s when my parents were building a home, it was completed in record time because of a construction slump that year -- so fast, in fact, that they had to send back their selected bathtub when the carpenters finished installing drywall ahead of schedule and the tub wouldn't fit through the doors. Measure twice, cut once, right? ;)

"On the other hand, the designers and workers got paid. They were probably happy for the work."

Indeed - with so many folks in the construction field unemployed nowadays, it likely wasn't too terribly difficult to find folks who wanted work...
...and as far as gathering materials in a tight timeframe - I'm not seeing anything that's not big-box, in-stock or quick-ship.

It certainly makes alot of economic sense for her to redo a place that could very likely be sold at a profit - better than expecting a small film production company to spend big funds on long-term hotel accommodations for her, her family and her personal staff. Were I in her position, I'd likely do the same.

that is a great space, and it is encouraging that a lot of the furnishings are reasonably priced.

i dont have any problems with her redoing this space as just a temporary living space. she has the money to do it, and she is probably helping a lot of contractors who could use the work right now.

From what I read on a different website regarding her GOOP post on her renovated loft in Nashville, she relocated to there temporarily for 6 weeks ( for the shooting of a film). It is excessive spending and she's obviously not grounded and it cost a fortune. Nonetheless, it's a GORGEOUS SPACE! Totally incredible! Not here to judge her pretentiousness and sense of good taste.

One poster has commented that this project does not mean Gwyneth is pretentious. I think it means exactly that. This project was conceived and completed because she clearly does not feel that she could live, EVEN TEMPORARILY, in a space that does not meet her specific requirements for a luxurious accomodation. There are undoubtedly numerous furnished homes or hotel suites that could have easily sufficed. And yes, it provided employment, but imagine the resources used on this project. Maybe there will be a redeeming event after her temporary stay is over. Sell it all and donate to a cause.

There's nothing more "pretentious" than people being holier-than-thou and questioning how other people choose to spend their own money.

For the budget, this place seems a little...banal? Maybe it will come alive once it has been lived in for a few months?

besides everything said here, i do also like the space. it surely inviting and warm with lots of different textures. the only thing i don't like is the big chalk wall right next to the kids' bed. inhaling chalk is just not appealing.

@djs I hear you. But it's not just that she chose to spend her money on renovating her temporary home that I find pretentious, it's mostly the fact that she demanded it be done in 10 days. In the designer's post, she seemed to continually reiterate the fact that it was a 30 day job and nearly impossible, but they struggled to make it happen. Why?

*Correction 3 months, not 30 days.

If you really want to aggravate yourselves, you should be asking why actors get paid more than doctors. Or teachers. Or firefighters. That's the real issue.

Complaining about how someone spends her own money, however, is just silly. She provided a lot of jobs for a lot of people in a miserable economy. Kudos for that.

As for the decor, it's just okay (IMO). But she created a home for her kids, and that's nice. Hey, if she can afford to do it, why not? And it's not like anyone is tearing the place down when she's done with it. It was just a raw industrial space. Now it's residential real estate. Where's the harm, people?

Wow! People certainly are passionate about other people's money. "Pretentious". Jealous? I think life is too short to "make do" when it's not necessary. Besides, what 's the difference between our having the time and inclination to discuss decorating our homes in an economy where people are losing their homes, and Gwyneth buying and renovating an additional home altogether? It's all vanity. We do it, because we can, and so does she. I don't think that because I must scrimp and save for every aquisition that everyone should have to. As a matter of fact, if I could afford to get both of my bathrooms re-tiled at once, I WOULD DO SO WITH ABANDON! :o)

Again, I think that she didn't spend her own money, it sounds to me like the film production paid for the place ("With a very limited independent film–scale budget..."). That's the way something like this would normally go. I'm not sure if that makes it worse or better...

Just because you CAN spend money on something doesn't mean you should.

Actually I think there's a real-life example to be learned in this and that's that, well organized, renovation in shorter order IS possible. It doesn't mean that they didn't pay a premium, to have some aspects of the project done on time, but I doubt they paid that premium for the entire project. I've been toying with doing this as a real business, shorter turnaround renovations, but there are enough pitfalls (not lack of desire for tradesman to work some odd hours but noise issues in certain neighborhoods and developments) that had me step back from the concept and rethink it.

Well, I don't care if someone more famous than me or more rich than me has more many than me to spend of furnishing a temporary living space. That's all just water under the bridge.

But, ahem, my first thought when I saw the living room picture was, "okay, here's the before, now where's the after?" Then I realized it was the after!! I would just like to think that someone more famous and rich than me would put together a living space that looks a little more, oh I don't know, "done." This is very boring for so much cash (that I don't have and that I don't care about, mind you. See above).

Correction: money.

I still don't consider a $1000 couch affordable.

I bristle at the thought of spending $500 on one piece of furniture.

Maybe I'm cheaper than I thought!

Where do you find couches for $500???

And how many have you owned?

If anything, this proves how much the furnishings industry has changed... "8 to 12 weeks" used to be the stock answer.

"I still don't consider a $1000 couch affordable."

That's not something I'd be bragging about...

I'm a regular Goop reader, and I was wondering the same thing - is this what celebrities do? Must be nice! Surely it's lavish and a bit wasteful to rip out the kitchen and bathroom, but they were "builder's grade." It'll certainly it'll add to the property value to have the upgrades. Why are so many quick to judge? If you worked for extended periods of time away from home and had the money, why not? These beautiful pieces surely won't go to the trash! I do feel bad for the workers to have put in so much time... but I'm sure they were handsomely paid for their services if they worked overtime.

Not nearly impossible and boring but if its a temporary like a excutive apartment rental then its better than most.

""8 to 12 weeks" used to be the stock answer."

Indeed - It's amazing what one can now find from certain High-end manufacurers in their "Quick Ship" selections.

I really do not understand how that coffee table costs so much.

I have the same kitchen stools though, and they are amazing, and a seriously good deal.

@Patrick -- Secondhand

@bepsf -- who was bragging?

Edit: I've gotten 2 Mitchell Gold for Restoration Hardware couches from Craigslist. One was $175, one was $200, and they've been terrific.

HCVMama--

The point of those two questions was the answer to the second question.

Btw, this happens more often than one would think.

I know for a fact Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor did this same thing while shooting a movie in NYC.

@Patrick -- My answer mentioned 2 instances of inexpensive-but-quality couch purchases. So there's your answer.

@TheoJ -- I am one of the poors, and my house is still beautiful! Take that, Gwyneth!
And what a shame about the lame commentary; I usually enjoy Patrick's posts (although bepsf almost always has something snarky to say).

All that money.

And it's so blah.

Why do people get so bent out of shape over folks being judgmental? I think criticizing other people's lifestyles is a great thing so long as I, you, we are criticizing our own while we are at it.

Yes, it helps provide jobs to people in a town when Ms. Superstar shows up demanding posh digs on a tight time line. In fact, it is sort of full circle. She is providing yet another enviable lifestyle for the average American to emulate, try to reconstruct on a smaller scale through buying more crap they cannot afford, going further into debt, crashing our economy, and yes making more people unemployed. Bravo to us all. The circle of life.

Thorndale,

I'm a bit ........ speechless. You go from "it helps provide jobs" to "crashing our economy" within one paragraph. Are you saying that "average Americans" are so stupid and mindless that they will go in blind pursuit of "crap they cannot afford," simply because they've been exposed to an "enviable lifestyle"??????????

Wow.

That was amazingly insulting to a lot of people.

Never, ever, in a billion-trillion years would this happen in real life. Ah Gwyneth! If only we had more in common than a given name.

@TheoJ

You have pretty much forced me into participating, something I did not want to do on this site. Your last post is just much too harsh and charged. Opinions are just that; some are specifically personally helpful, some not so much. Biased by personal preference, of course, sometime. Take or leave them without calling names. Get it? Without calling names. Neither parties hardly needs my defense but your post is definitely of the offense.

@EllenKim

TheoJ was trying to defend me from the surprisingly acrid replies to my very mild post. I got into the name-calling a bit myself, and I'm sorry if it made your experience here less than pleasant.

I'm happy that this is a forum for design advice and opinions and I think that the diversity of those opinions is terrific.

Happy Summer, everyone!

@HCVMama

I may or not have also come to your defense at some point but do not see the value nor the the kinship of the *old queens* reference. It's over the top, completely out of line.

I think inappropriate humor is hilarious! But I agree that it was too personal.

Jane, you ignorant slut...

Done. Peace out.

@patrick (the other one) - New, quality, sofas for under $1K are indeed possible - I just bought a brand new Mitchell Gold sofa for $550 - I think I managed to get this one on the cusp of a design change (and a very much down economy for furniture makers) but savvy shoppers who are patient do find quality pieces at decent prices for new merchandise. I'd thought this was a floor model but when it arrived the movers said they'd picked it up directly from the factory and it was brand new (independent movers unattached to MG).

Though clearly, in this instance, Gwyneth and her designer can't afford the luxury of patience... LOL.

This is absolutely appalling. The mention of a "limited budget" (and AT's mention of a real-life budget -- what? Am a little dismayed...) with a $3,000 bed and two $250 light fixtures hanging above it was too much for me. 16-18 hour shifts to make it suitable for The Queen? How can she honestly post such banter without being tremendously embarrassed? Goop, a newsletter for The Hamptons. Please.

Could people Puh-LEZE stop hating on the girl?? Or ANY fab celeb with a gorgeous home, beautiful kids, and an ungodly amount of money at their dispense. Do you actually know her to be able to label her and make assumptions about her character? I am not a "Goop" follower, but my mother occasionally will forward me an entry and I've always enjoyed the content. As I've also enjoyed seeing the inside of her beautiful homes (and think it's great she would share.) I think people forget how insanely insecure it makes you sound (& most likely are) to bash people who have more of what you'd like in your life. Perhaps you don't like a piece and think she paid waaay too much for it, but wouldn't we all love the means to pay waaay too much for something we love? Or to hire people to do things that take away from our precious family time? I WOULD! Stop acting "too cool for school" with reverse snobbery...it's so NOT a good look for anyone.

Team Gwyneth--good for her!