Hmmm, much more colorful art has suddenly appeared in some of these. Ah, the power of the second-round styling opp!

more colorful art has appreared and the eggs are migrating (eeeek). chalk it up to the ghoulish holiday. the rooms all look great. good luck!

Let us not forget suddenly appearing cats! Of course, the right cat can "make" a room.

*suddenly puzzled by lack of marmalade tabbies in orange rooms*

if you're talking about the art in the bathroom, I'm pretty sure kate mentioned it was there and she was going to show it if she advanced. it wasn't shown the first time, but it was there, it wasn't a second round "styling" thing. if it matters...

funnily enough, it makes me like the bathroom less then I did before, maybe my monitor is just not picking up the colors well.

regards,
trillium

Um, who said I was talking about Kate?

(Regardless, I thought your initial defense of her, but then saying you liked it less, to be kinda funny)

If we're going to discuss the painting over Kate's toilet, it's definitely not there in the first round photos. That corner of the room is visible.

Do I care? Speaking as someone who lives to rearrange my furniture, not really. Do I know what p(too) was referring to? Alas, no, though reading his mind would probably be immensely fun. But facts is facts.

This is a response to the above comments about my entry, "Kates Oasis of Light and Color". As part of our final entry we were suppost to take new shots of our rooms. This piece of artwork you see is not new to the room. I actually took it down for the intial photos since I did not have the luxury of showcasing it completely due to picture limits and the other elements I wanted to include. I felt having a small slice of it in one of the initial photos would be weird and distracting. All in all it was a painting that a family member did for me and this time around I was happy to be able to fully include it.

Not only do you have my vote but my children voted for you too Kate! (and without my prompting.) They said "Mom, it looks like it is under the sea"! I said I agree.

All these rooms are nice. I like "kate's oasis" though because I know from redoing my own bathroom how hard it is to intstall tiles and fixtures let alone harmonize all these different elements. Kate your bathroom rocks! To me this is not just the most colorful entry but the one that posesses the most skill in designing.

this contest is SO WEIRD

I predict Kate will go down in flames due to toiletpicturegate...I too like the room a bit less with that piece, and I was a big fan the first round.

Kate, I love, love, love the painting. It makes the space to me. Bathrooms can look so showroomy without such personal items. Does this family member sell his or her art anywhere on-line?

Is it just me, or is anyone else bothered by the fact that the sink in Kate's bathroom appears to have neither a towel nor a towel rack/rod/hook?

I actually liked Kate's Oasis better this go round, because I saw the tiles as creating almost an art piece itself at the back splash rather than dominating the room. Still it was not my favorite of the finalists.

I can only guess the towel bar is on the wall opposite the sink? That painting isn't doing it for me either but it is nice to have something personal in a bathroom. Apart from that I love the room.

Reef

Kate's is a beautiful room, with or without the painting. I'm surprised it is (suddenly) doing so well in the voting, since people (in the run-offs) seemed to be taking the contest criteria of "the boldest, coolest, most colorful room in the USA" so literally.

all the rooms are beautiful- and i've enjoyed seeing the updated photos, although a few shots were better the first round in my opinion. I too was suprised to see Kate's votes (suddenly) doing so well this morning from yesterdays voting direction...

I second the "this contest is so weird" comment. What I find funny is how votes materialize in what seems like no time...is it just me?

I voted for Jon this time because of all the entries, his room seemed like good real-person design with color. Design that doesn't look like "DESIGN" and color that doesn't look like "COLOR." It's a happy room.

to cousin kate we like your room most. my hole class picked it most love you a lot

Kate-you know I will vote for you but I was able to get my office place to vote too this morning. They liked your entry the most. Also somebody pointed out to me that your written words on Why I should win was most to the point. You were like one of the only ones who didn't beg for a vote because you wanted the furniture. I was thinking girl your too humble because although you have this bathroom done you have no furniture hardly in your house.

I want everyone to know Kate sold all her beloved mid century modern furniture to help start up her non profit business which helps low income families have well designed aesthetically beautiful places to live in. She sits on a futon mattress to watch tv and eats off tv tables! Ill stop now since I am probably embarrasing her.
Kate you go girl, you deserve all that is good for what you give back to this world :)

patrick (the other one), notice I said *if* you were talking about it, not that you were. and I don't think being factual is defending anyone, likewise, I don't see critical comments as attacks, just comments! I was just trying to clarify something, and I didn't even think it mattered that much. and I still think it's weird that I liked the room so much better before the painting.

I think most of the rooms showcased did a marvelous job. I haven't voted yet because I'm having trouble choosing. if I were to vote "against" someone, that still leaves 3 other choices!

I hate to sound so left-coasty, but everyone obviously put a lot of thought and effort into these rooms and I can find something to appreciate in every single one. good job everybody...

regards,
trillium

patrick (the other one), notice I said *if* you were talking about it, not that you were. and I don't think being factual is defending anyone, likewise, I don't see critical comments as attacks in need of defense, they're just comments! I was just trying to be part of the conversation, you know, trying to clarify something. and I still think it's weird that I liked the room so much better before the painting.

I think most of the rooms showcased did a marvelous job. I haven't voted yet because I'm having trouble choosing. if I were to vote "against" someone, that still leaves 3 other choices!

I hate to sound so left-coasty, but everyone obviously put a lot of thought and effort into these rooms and I can find something to appreciate in every single one. good job everybody...

regards,
trillium

hmmm.. how embarassing! my post got rejected, I was told to enter another security code, and now I find I've double-posted...sigh... sorry all...I'll go hide now.

regards,
trillium

I hate to be negative, but this contest has dominated this site for the past month... I'm getting bored.

I agree with CS, yes the entries are great, I've gotten some great ideas on what to do and not to do,but ENOUGH already. I'll be back when its over.

Kathryn -- email me when its over!

Hmmm, they all look like hotel rooms to me. Heavy on the Design; Lite on the personality.

C'mon you lot!

Trillium--
Just said I found it funny, is all. Relax.

And to those who have lost patience... give the entrants a break. This is still really important to them. And a contest like this gives the site great exposure and credibility.

the contest has dragged on sooooooo long, the site has lost credibility!

I just wish there were other AT topics to talk about, while we wait for the votes to be tabulated!

katy--
Whining doesn't help get much credibility back.

And, um, hellloo, there are other features and open threads up right now. Jeez. ADD much?

I love the bathroom, but Jon's room just defines the contest for me. It's so...COLORFUL!

I agree, and my earlier comments are totally justified in these new photos. Of course *all* the finalists are amazing... that's why they are the finalists! But Jon's remains the room I'd most like to pick up and move over to my own little house. It's not too "designed" and not too "perfect." It's a room that makes you feel so comfortable and happy. And I get the feeling that Jon wouldn't yell at me if I put a drink on the table sans coaster, or maybe tried to curl my feet up on the couch. Jon, when you are in SF please stop by and tell me what the heck to do with my place!

p2 - NO, but it expresses my frustration with the whole (ridiculous, time consuming, boring) process

My opinion: the process only becomes boring *after* one has voted. Since of course I'm correct about who has the best design, it's merely a dull wait to see if the huddled masses recognize excellence when they see it.

(Yes, I'm being snooty for effect, but flaming me for it would alleviate boredom, for sure.)

woah! where are all these votes coming from? Is it due to the time change. My peeps Tod and Corey Marie have a shot!

Ugh. Will this contest ever be over? I want my favorite website back. I am so sick of seeing these images over and over and over and over again...

Enough!

Do I come off petty if, after reading Laura's comment, interject that this is a design contest, not a pity contest? I'm just thinking that it takes away from the purpose of the contest.

The room should stand on its own merits. My feeling is that the personal histories are great to include in House Tours, but not so much in the contests.

I'm sure every contestant/friend of contestant could come up with a sad or compelling story to influence votes if desired.

Again, I'm just sayin'. I don't want to ruffle feathers, and it would be interesting to see what the rest of you think.

the entrant with the best style in pleading for votes is enrique (although it didn't help his case any). can't he get some soap for that? let's vote.

Am I being terribly naive to find it odd that people have their families, friends, and offices voting for them?

I understand that stuff will go on of course but I actually thought the vote results might speak somewhat to the thoughts and tastes of other AT-devotees.

I did my best to vote for who I thought put together the most compelling entry, given the nature of the contest, and not who I thought most "deserved" furniture (don't we all? Why can't I afford that gorgeous bamboo bed? I even have dogs to sit on it, just like in the photo!)
since such determination is impossible within this forum.

I agree with you Anne. What does futon sitting & selling your midcentury furniture to start a nonprofit business have to do with snappy colors in your bathroom? I know Laura's pulling for her friend but, jeez, she's laying it on thicker than birthday cake frosting. Not appropriate. Reminds me of the whining in the smallest coolest apartment contest "but he had more money to decorate than me" Er, so?

I just want to thank everyone who has supported us so far.

The reason we answered the question "Why we should win" the way we did is because we didn't want to talk badly about any one else's rooms. We're honored to be in a contest with such gorgeous rooms, by people who know far more about decorating than we do. We chose to answer the question as "why we would love to win" instead of "why we are better than X" because we didn't have to say anything negative about anyone else's room.

Even though we're faring well, I wish that the final round had been decided by a panel of judges instead of the "whomever gets the applause." at this point, I guess we're all just trying to win, and when in Rome...

I'd like to say that I have enough dignity to NOT try to scramble votes from anywhere we could get them, but we've been campaigning as well.

Whatever the results are, I have to say that this has been a lot of fun and certainly very interesting.

Btw, aquarabbit: you can put a drink on our table anytime. Hell, spill it on the carpet. that's why it's brown. i know we have.. :)

May the best room win!

hi AT folks-
i just wanted to add my sentiments along with corey Marie, this has been a fun contest and i'ved loved reading all the comments-

however, i too had wished that this last round was voted by a judge or panel of judges instead of this becoming a numbers thing. i also think it would have been nice to see what CB2 thought/thinks, since they are footing the bill for these great prizes- i would think they should have a say?

in any case, humble thanks again for everyone who is/has voted for me and best of luck to the other three finalists-

I am enjoying the contest, and have actually spent far more time on the website during this contest, than I did before it started. If there is nothing new when I log on to check on the voting, then I check out the LA site. I think I will get a lot more work done when the contest is over, but I think it has been very competitive, inspiring, and great fun.

Corey Marie... aren't you sweet..! I would never spill on anything on purpose, but no one has ever accused me of being graceful.

Like I said before, all of these rooms are awesome; people should be voting based on their own personal aesthetic because--of course--style is totally subjective. My little mish-mash of colors can't compete with any of these. And it seems to me that all of the prizes really kick butt, so cheers to all the finalists! I've totally enjoyed this contest :)

I voted for KY and I like what he did with the place. I thought it was a bold color and it was clean and simple which I find helps you focus. I also like the bathroom while Kate worked with a small space she did a lot with it, again it’s simple and uncluttered.

I agree with Anne. I think the "campaigning for your friends" approach is somewhat alienating. I mean, if I volunteer in a leper colony (do any still exist?) and I entered the contest, should people vote for me for that reason?

I would also like for judges to have voted on the final round, because I feel as though this has deteriorated into a campaigning process. The only vote grubbing I enjoyed was Enrique's, since he did it with such style and panache. ;)

Corey Marie,

Funny you said you weren't scrambling for votes, yet you posted a plea on a huge livejournal community today asking for votes as a "wedding present."

I agree that this should have been decided by a panel of judges instead of a contest of who has the most co-workers/internet friends.

Anon -- No, I said that we WERE. I said that I wish it hadn't been that sort of contest, but when in Rome...

$3,000 is a lot money to us, and yeah, we're going to use every resource we have to win.

I have enjoyed the contest as well, but would also like to see this wrapped up as it has gone on too long. The next go round it would be great to have the final judging more of a controlled panel judge type of process.

And hey patrick? Do you happen to know how to submit a "good question"? Thank you.

C--
Click on the "Contribute" button on upper right of the page.

I think the rooms need to stand on their own merits, but people are entitled to send the link out to any and all people they know. Sure, part of that is vote-groveling (heightened in this contest, no doubt, by the sweet and valuable prizes), but part of it is pride. People are rightfully proud to be in this race, and rightfully proud to say hey, look at the cool thing I did.

But I could do without any sob stories to sway the vote. This isn't Extreme Makeover.

Should people find ways to stuff the ballot box? No, but if they do, so what? Chances are people (or friends of people) in all camps are finding ways to do it (with or without the endorsement of the contestants). But chances are, the volume of votes will even such sad behavior out.

And, um, website contests are pretty much primarily intended to create new audiences...

Oh, and just cuz you send the link out to friends, ain't no guarantee they share your taste...

Bethany, katy etal who think the contest has gone on too long, or that it's boring or a waste of time...

Enter the next contest and see if you agree. In the meantime, quit pissing on other people's parades.

Fiona wins today's award for working "leper" into the conversation. That's worth a Crate & Barrel gift certificate alone.

rr wins for referencing birthday cake frosting. Mmmmmm, frosting.

anonymous what lj community might that have been?

"And, um, website contests are pretty much primarily intended to create new audiences...." OK, that's a good point.

Still, although I am usually an AT-lurker, I posted comments (not particularly erudite, but still) about any room for which I voted in the opening round. Reading (most) of what AT readers thought of the rooms kept the contest interesting for me even after I had seen the photos over and over.

I second/third/fouth/whatever that the final round should have been decided by a panel of judges. The person with the largest number of friends/colleagues/hugest family shouldn't win.

Reef

i don't know why people are so shocked that people are campaigning. People this isn't your personal design cabal it's the Internet!

And posting to a livejournal page is totally legitimate advertising/campaigning! (kudos to t and cm for admitting it). Coercing a classroom of 10-year-olds to vote is dubious at best... And of course, actively attempting to vote multiple times (i.e. from every computer at the office) is totally wrong.

Full disclosure, i almost always vote twice. From home and from work. Honestly, I think only a saint wouldn't.

And as people mentioned before: there is no guarantee that your nearest and dearest will vote for you. Okay, your mother will. But your acquaintances and livejournal pals might like someone else's place better.

thank you for your kind words and support, cristy. you put what I think much more eloquently than I could.

I also dare say that the livejournal communities stand to bring more return traffic to AT.com than an elementary school.

and to be fair, the only "official" rules say "only vote once." there are no rules against linking to the site, and as patrick said, i'm sure that's wholey the point.

wow, so THAT's where all the votes are coming from. i now understand, sensei. i'm not sure how fair that practice is. some finalists have been leading, or trailing, by a disproportionate amount overall. so a finalist will get spanked in the competition because they aren't posting internet pleas as opposed to being fairly judged on the contest's criteria? great for all the new visitors to the site, but do they come back? i don't know that voting alone will make someone an AT subscriber (said as a past voter). that said, i do think that entering a contest might make someone a daily visitor (said as a past entrant and now daily visitor). bring out the judges, let's not spank any more finalists.

LOL @ the brown room's votes doubling in 2 hours, give me a break.

RE: Fiona "I mean, if I volunteer in a leper colony (do any still exist?)...."

A: Yes
_________________

I've enjoyed the contest and the length of time to complete it has been fun. Great job AT and to all the entrants. It's been a pleasure to view your work and effort.
_________________

I just can't wait to GET some color in my place so I can enter the future AT contests. Elsewise I would've campaigned for my own place to win because my entry would be called "Why I Need Color" and those are some phat prizes. As soon as its all mine, I'll start to work on my smallest, coolest condo!

Aloha Ya'll!
Cooking Cajun

Aw, c'mon... a little spanking never hurt nobody!
(kellyo... I'm still bitter that your nursery didn't make it. But anywho...)

But, um, (and just imho) I do think the contest entrants should keep a low profile on the discussion threads, unless they are asked a specific question or are faced with a direct frontal assault. And yes, I subscribed to this philosophy in the Smallest, Coolest contest.

Well, to the best of my ability. :)

ick
This contest has turned into a really bad reality show!
I REALLY hate the wedding presents/voting thing. Are there any homosexual contestants I can vote for?

(flame here, now)

And he won it.

Which was kind of no surprise, because the kinds of amazing things he'd been coming up with in response to fellow posters questions had made many of us curious how his place looked. If any of you have time and feel like it, I think you can still find his entry in that contest.

I, personally, wish that as far as a "round of judges" goes... it had been the procedure to decide the semi-finalists, not the winners (and knock out anything that fit the criteria only questionably). I think a lot of us didn't understand the preliminary voting process. As far as these finals... there are various voter-registration systems that are better at restricting online voting. They can't keep someone's friends from coming here just to vote, but they can keep people from voting more than once per email address.

I don't know any of the finalists, but I have my fave and my second-fave, and have told some people I know about this contest, to the effect: here's the link, here's who I like, I think you should vote for them but you can vote for whoever you want. If anything, I think it's been obvious from comments that more than one of the finalists has been getting their friends here to vote. If I were a contestant, I don't know if I would admit to it or not, honestly; an admission could backfire.

(Blogs and communities game any internet contest shamelessly. This is how L. Ron Hubbard's books ended up on... er, I think it was Modern Library's public vote for Top 20 Books of the 20th Century, and also how Mighty Goods recently won some poll as top shopping blog. Each sent the word out. It is what it is.)

The only way you can change that kind of thing is by having a registration-based community where voting tokens go out to all registered users before the contest begins, and you must be logged in to vote. That's not the character or structure of AT. So, to a certain extent, it's the nature of the beast that this kind of loosely-controlled public vote is going to involve an element of popularity. If that is a problem for the operators of a given contest, the only real option is changing how the contest is run.

hey miranda- i totally think you hit it on the head-
you should repost this in the current "open" thread-

Ah, but we expect so much more from those who obsess about drapes.

A panel of judges definitely should have been the final decision maker(s).

And Laura, to quote you:

"Kate-you know I will vote for you...snip... Also somebody pointed out to me that your written words on Why I should win was most to the point. You were like one of the only ones who didn't beg for a vote because you wanted the furniture. I was thinking girl your (sic) too humble because although you have this bathroom done you have no furniture hardly in your house."

"I want everyone to know Kate sold all her beloved mid century modern furniture to help start up her non profit business which helps low income families have well designed aesthetically beautiful places to live in. She sits on a futon mattress to watch tv and eats off tv tables!"

Kate may have not been begging for furniture herself, but if that's not trying to beg and get the sympathy vote, I don't know what is. Please.

Tacky.

I say kudos to Kate for the non-profit thing, I mean it. I hope habitat for humanities goes well, and you help a lot of people.

BUT!!!!!,
"She sits on a futon mattress to watch tv and eats off tv tables!"

Laura, you should advise Kate to spend her limited funds elsewhere rather than renovatiing a side-garage and spending loads on expensive fixtures for the small water closet. My wise grandfather once said "buy real furniture before you renovate side-garage to make another bathroom!"

Kate, I love your bathroom, but your friend Laura really turned me off. ....

wow I am blown away by all the activity going on here at AT. My partner just woke me up and said its getting crazy online-get up.
But to respond to your comments Mark and Amy yes I wish my friend Laura had toned things down a notch. She is just a passionate type and can get on a roll at times. We do have a minimal furniture situation at the moment but we just moved into this new place and because we had to do other reno projects we decided to add the bathroom now rather than later. I have design plans for the other rooms and when time and saved up money comes into play we will decorate.

Also this bathroom was done for under $1500 because I bought all the would be expensive fixtures online at discount sites, ebay, and forth. For example that kohler faucet is about $400 I got it for $90 off ebay. I explained some of the price ranges of the other elements in one of my old posts under my contest entry. Be happy to share these sources with who ever wants them too.

I'm sick of this contest and the "Cry Wolf" endless finals. Can we just elect a winner and move on?

Kate,

That's a great insight that I didn't even consider. Ebay!, besides the beautiful designs ideas coupled with the notion that all this doesn't have to be over-budget is an inspiring combination of information.

Thanks.

The more I read the more I want to find some way to cheat.

PS: I TOTALLY don't get why this is not a FOUR-way horserace.

Actually, let's make it one!

Vote for Ky! Vote for Ky!

Tell your friends, enemies, your vet, your phlebotomist, your co-op boards, your board of directors, your coffee klatsch, your yoga classes and kindergarten classes, your quilting bee, your prayer circles and your crop circles! We can make it happen!! Let's make this a friggin' photo finish! Make these frontrunners EARN their CB2 prizes!!!! Do it!

yea.

SAVE KY...er, uh...TEAM KY... standard "got your back" t-shirts available soon.

Yes. And you only need about 3,000 of them, so... GO!

Not so sure about "Team KY" and/or combining it with "Got your back!" ;)

where can I get one of those t-shirts?

"That's HOTT!"

i don't know the correlation either...i'm kind of blinded by emotion right now.

OH WAIT...now i get it.
double entendre wasn't intended, but is funny.

Well, maybe all that site traffic will result in some kind of enormous success for the site, and all the pearls of widsom that we've all spilled into the archives will be searched and mined and gleaned and looked at and read by the people were forced at gunpoint to vote in the contest, and while they were here, went ahead and looked around and enjoyed it?

And now I'm gonna go fill my glass again, because it's only half-full.

i'd actually be really interested to hear more about kate's non-profit. it sounds like something that could be profiled on AT since it's design-related?

in the meantime, kate, do you have a link to a website?

Oy, again with the non-profit.. can we stick to the issues... bringing KY up from the rear? WAIT...

Ky, quick, start a non-profit! Sell your bike! We need an angle!!!

I've enjoyed this contest! Good to the contestants! I think you all have done a great job in your own ways! I enjoy seeing how other people would see a room!

This contest has been going on forever and I'm now burnt out on anything interesting these apartments had to offer.

I bet you people all crap out before the end of the Olympics, too.

Hmm... maybe there should be a contest for those of us who need more help than these guys do. All of the finalists clearly know what they are doing. What about us, the design challenged? How about the "saddest, most pathetic room in need of a makeover" contest? Maybe these four finalists could pick the winner!

Aquarabbit, I like your thinkin. Haha.

WOW! I just got online for the first time since Friday afternoon... Smokes, this has turned into one hell of a battle royale! It's like we've all turned into a bunch of soccer hooligans--and not necessarily in a bad way. Very interesting indeed... Nice to see the passion many have for this contest. Hopefully many of these first-time visitors will come back and join in the kibbutzing that defines the true core of AT. We're an opinionated bunch, that's for sure. But our bark is always stronger than our bite.

I guess I should go vote now. Hmmm...

Vote for Ky! Close the gap!!!! :)