apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Maybe it's the photo but this color looks muddy and dark. I do love a rich eggplant used with warm wood. The silver tones cheapen it, though. Hope it smells better than it looks.

Too Trading Spaces. And too dark.

I love it, I love it, I love it! Too many people are afraid to use color and I applaud Lesa and Brian for not taking a step back, but rather three steps forward. GREAT look!

This room is delicious. INSTAFINALIST!

UmWellYES! Instafinalist for sure. Nice use of color on the focal wall and the shimmer of silver is just great. Love it. I'd like to see more of this house if you can post more photos.

I love the color choices. The little touches like the candles and leaves really add something special. And how I forget the mirrors? I feel as if I'm in a Tim Burton movie. :)

I love it. Just by looking at these photos makes me feel all homey and comffy even if I am at my cube at work.

Come to my office and do this to my cube!

:)

Gorgeous. Purple is underused in most interior decorating. I like the balance of warm and cool colors. I think a few more small accents in the same lime green as on your couch cushion would really pull the room together.

It's neat and orderly and homey, but not my favorite. I wish those back cream walls were a really light shade of eggplant or light silver/grey to match the fireplace detail. I'm also having a problem with the white (?) blinds against the cream wall, looks kinda rental-ish, but what do I know. Kudos for living with such a bold, emotional color.

Hi Waya:

The kitchen is actually painted in the color you mention. It's to the left of the dining table and, in the Spring and Summer, I have a nice lime and white floral with a beautiful set of placemats that match on the table, and candles in those tones on the mantel. It connects the rooms and looks really fresh. I figured, since this was FALL, I'd show what we do to the room during this season.

Kim and noway:

It was a rainy day when I shot the room, too, which is why the lighting is a bit dark in these. Didn't want to submit any Photoshopped pictures. This is the natural light on a rainy Fall day. The purple color changes dramatically with the light from the windows. We also plan to paint the walls in the dining area a nice pumpkin color. That color really pops against the purple and the limeade color in the kitchen.

noway: What do you mean by "too Trading Spaces"?


Marnie: Here are some more shots of the room and the kitchen. Since these were taken, the pinkish wall has been covered in black and white photos in various sizes, framed in brushed nickel.

http://pics.livejournal.com/malevolencia/gallery/0000csgp

Enjoy.

NOTE TO ALL: The dining area is about to be painted in a Pumpkin Orange color! The kitchen is done in two shade of a pale, creamy Limeade color!

Photos here: http://pics.livejournal.com/malevolencia/gallery/0000csgp

Suspend reality, and see if you can visualize that... ?

Would love to hear your comments on it.

Thanks!

Hi Samantha: We are still working on window treatments. Those blinds are GONE when we finally find the right ones, trust me. ;)

Love this. Very homey and great color coordination.

Instafinalist. Nice job of combining the colors of your furnishings and choosing wall colors. I would like to see more.

I love your color choices.
Just because I may not want to live somewhere or have a design that someone has chosen for their OWN personal home - would be no reason NOT to vote this as an insta-finalist!!!

I, btw - am not saying I would not love this in my home, but I DON'T get the bashing crap from people. Everyone thinks they have to get in their 5seconds by being an A**hole, shame.

Ah - its what Simon Cowell has brought to the 21st century.

Superb job!

I love the use of color to accent the fireplace and the way the plum on the wall and the merlot color of the loveseat compliment each other. The creamy warm walls behind the main room give the whole area a delicious, inviting quality. To me it says "Come curl up on the loveseat and read in front of the fire.." which is perfect for Autumn.

Can someone explain what is meant by "Too Trading Spaces"?

Can I come over and have pumpkin pie with you? Such a wonderful space. This room is the perfect example of Fall color. It's warm, inviting, and just colorful enough. All of the shades work together and create a very opulent room. Bravo!!

Some orange on those back walls would make it perfect. Nice choice. Instafinialst. This room is so great!

Wow, Kim. That was so mature. This room looks yummy to me. The purple, silver, cream and black look great together. Love the honey-colored floors and rustic tables. Lesa nad Brian get my vote for INSTA-FINALIST!

The links to your photos don't seem to work, but I would love to see them!

So happy to see an entry that isn't GREEN again!

I like the purple feature wall, but everything else is kind of blah. By "too Trading Spaces", I think it means generic. Sorry but I kind of agree, its very McLivingRoom to me. Get rid of the blinds. Needs more personality.

The silver framed mirrors on the purple wall add a really elegant, almost gothic feel, to the room.

My kind of decor: warm and inviting!

i think the architecture of these new construction buildings is extremely difficult to work with, but made it look wonderful. the next improvements you're going to make sound great.

i would add a more ornate chandelier to the dining room, to bring out the style of the mirrors and the jeweltones. Maybe black iron with clear crystals?

If possible, I would remove the floor lamp and put another mirror or some artwork on that wall. Good job!

Now this is a fall color entry! Smells like blackberry and pumpkin spices. These colors are wonderful. I can appreciate a homey work in progress and the pumpkin wall color and window treatments will be so pleasing to the eye. I can visualise it and smell the warmth. Mmm. Smells like INSTAFINALIST!

Hi Jennie:

You hit it on the head. The artwork for the wall is right here in front of me waiting to be framed! And yes, the chandelier is circled in a catalog! YAY for home improvements!

Thanks for the input. :)

Very Nightmare Before Christmas. I love your choices here. Makes you feel like collecting leaves. Too many people have lost sight of this contest. I think it is a a perfect Fall Colors Contest entry.

Is this from the set of Friends fro m 15 years ago?

Is this from the set of Friends from 15 years ago?

I dislike 'modern' and 'sterile' rooms because they don't welcome you in. Who wants to throw their feet up on a lacquered, pointy coffee table in a cold room with nothing in it? This cushy coffeehouse thing totally appeals to me. These colors are exactly what should be represented in this contest. Warm, inviting, expressive. Trendy style is not necessarily the way to go for every home or every person. Kudos for your warm and tasteful choices, Lesa and Brian.

I don't think Kim's comment was out of line at all. Just because it's not fluffy and nice "constructive criticism" doesn't mean it isn't valid. I love a nice eggplant paint, in fact my mother's dining room is done elegantly in eggplant, but something rubs me the wrong way with this room. I think the focus is kind of lost; part looks gothic, part looks rustic. Not saying that the two are mutually exclusive, I'm just saying that I don't think that the design was done well. It does look very "Trading Spaces," which is to say, I see showroom furniture, generic light fixtures, and no real personality. Anyone could live here.

I do love the dining room table on it's own, though.

Overall it's not totally unpleasing and does have some strong points that I like, but it looks unfinished. (And if it is unfinished, then maybe Lesa & Brian could have waited until next time.)

Patrick attempts to be cruel but fails. Especially considering that this is a great room with great use of color. The set of Friends is just another example of that.

Strange that these critics are all missing the point. I would not use purple because I am not a fan of it but I really like this room and the colors used in it. I keep seeing this meanness on so many of the comments in this contest. Does everyone forget that this contest is about the use of color and not style or choice of furnishings? Weird.

Hi Peyton:

It is indeed a work in progress, as are so many homes. However, I entered this room for the purposes of gathering unbiased opinions (good and bad) so that what we do will be appealing not only to us, but to our guests. I imagine I will enter again next season to see how that goes. The paint color in the dining area is going to change, artwork will be hung next to the door to the deck, and the window treatments and chandelier are definitely going to change.

I don't take "showroom" as a negative. As for the comment from another poster that I have a generic style, I would have to disagree. There isn't another room posted here that looks like mine. But there are certainly many others that look as though they were cut from the same cloth. Some may call it "dated" but I call it comfort.

Thanks.

"I'll be there for youuuuuu."

So, Lesa, your living room looks like it could have been designed by successful set designers? Sounds like a compliment to me!

I love your home. Well done.

I like it!

I'm sorry but I don't like this at all. And it's not a "Fall" Colors Contest. It's the color contest that takes place in the fall. I interpret the trading spaces comment as sort of trying too hard and taking things too literally (the leaves on the mantelpiece--cause it's FALL--GET IT??) and not executing good design; instead you end up with a MCMansion with a couple of themed accesories. And it's not that I only like minimalist modern rooms, some of my faves in this contest are nothing like that (see Tori's Beach Retreat, Deana & Nadim's Duplex, Emily's Living Room--and that's only for the LA site, not including the other cities where I have countless non-modern favorites)I think regardless of the style chosen, it has to be done well. I am just very annoyed everytime I see these ugly generic rooms on this contest and people defend it as being "better than those modern rooms". Um, live how you want and enjoy your home, but don't submit your tacky crap to a design website that caters to design junkies and try to pass it off as design. Surely there is an HGTV contest somewhere that would make you more comfortable.

Ok. I am ending my rant here.

Xiang, what would color be without style or choice of furnishings? I mean, anyone can use color, right? But it's how well s/he does so within his/her own design. So, no, we can't judge the style per se, but the furnishings are what represent the colors and if the style isn't done well, then I'm not sure that the colors can be.

And I'm definitely not picking on this room at all! It has some potential! For contest purposes, I wish it were finished, though.

Lesa, can you give me examples of "many others that look as though they were cut from the same cloth"? I guess I don't see it because they all have personality and a well-executed design. I mean, this contest is for cb2.com, not the JC Penney Furniture Outlet store. We can't forget who the audience is, here.

This room is not McAnything. It isn't tacky either. I think it's nice. Sheesh people. Calm down and mind your manners already because what you are doing isn't at all helpful or constructive, it is just mean! There are nice colors here and good, cozy design choices. Why the bullying and slamming? What is AT turning into?

Hi Peyton:

Perhaps I am missing the mark in another person's eyes but, like I said, I entered the contest as a learning experience. If you deem my "style" as JCPenney Furniture Outlet then you've already got your ideas. I'm not here to argue against people's opinions or defend my choices.

I simply buy what I like. Whether it's a $5 yard sale item or an $800 antique lamp, if it appeals to me and I feel like it works in a room (MY room) then it comes home with me. I'll re-enter when it's finished, perhaps, but this is what I've got so far.

What I meant by "cut from the same cloth" was that there are several entries that may look as though they were pulled straight from the pages of Domino. To me, that is what "showroom" looks like. Beautiful but untouchable. Sort of like the commercial says: Still life vs. real life. It's just not my style. I like the lived in look. It works for me, my husband, our five kitties, and our dog.

I love the choice of color, the warmth and coziness. Classy and welcoming. I love it.

In Contention. I love the purple wall and fall is my favorite season (though we don't get much of it here in TX) and I'd decorate with fall leaves all year long if I could, so I love yours and the flowers on the table. I think it was a good choice not to paint all the walls that dark purple, it would've been way too dark. But you still have color on the other side with that couch and it really goes well with the purple. From the angle in the first picture though, I think it'd be nice if one of the walls by the tabe was painted a light color, maybe cream or gray or even a sage-y green.

Oh, this is just gorgeous. I love the colours, the furnishings, all of it, it's simply beautiful and *very* autumnal. The candles are a very nice touch. :)

On the whole, it brings to mind pumpkin spices and wine! Deep, rich blackberry pie. Soft, thick sweaters. Lovely!!

Hey Paula P,
You thought I was trying to be cruel? Apparently you didn't grow up with a father who kicked you in the head with and iron boot, or go to art school. Both of which can be extremely cruel. Jsut saying what worked 15 years ago isn't necessarily a good idea now. It isn't fresh. It isn't interesting. And it is about as relevant as an old sitcom re-run.

"Too Trading Spaces. And too dark."

- I couldn't agree more!

What the heck is with the repeated Trading Spaces thing? I don't understand what that means. As for the "Friends" comments, I loved Monica Gellar's apartment and it "works" just as nicely now as it did then. Whatever you guys, this is a home not a revolving window display. I think this is every bit as lovely as any of the other entries.

Insta-finalist my ass!

Great job! Love the color combinations, and purple and warm autumn colors really complement each other!

I saw a post about this room on LiveJournal, and had to come look. I love the purple! But I don't really like the cream color of the back wall with it, although I do agree that a light color will keep it feeling more open. Maybe a very light purple or green?

Not to be rude, but I don't get why this is an insta-finalist. The wall is colorful (although a little too dark for me) and the sofa appears to go with the wall, but...so what?
Where's the punch that makes this room so much different than the bland white walls with the vibrant red sofa? Where's the design?
The mirrors are cool, but to me, this does look like another "McMansion" but with a plum wall in the living room. It's nice, but boring. There should be another vote catagory that says, "Pleasant, but nothing to see here folks."

Lesa, Brian it is perfect. It is warm, comfy, lovely and inviting. the colors are wonderful, I can hardly wait to see the Pumpkin on the wall! Never mind what Adrianne said. I think she got up on the wrong side of the bed. I think bashing like that is of absolutely no use. Anyway, the room is lovely and I can just "see" it in the spring with its companion colors.

I agree 100% with Moira J. above. Insta-finalist.

When I am looking at these images I try to gauge where the major colors are coming from and then take everything else away. With this room all that would be left is a purple wall and a reddish couch both of which don't work well with the tonal quality of the wood floor. So a "no way" for me.

Charlene, black and silver and cream and purple and all the various colors of the floors and furnishings should all count, no? Just sayin'. Looks good to me!

Adrianne, I agree with you 110%. There are a great deal of really great entries in this contest that are not "modern". What makes this a Trading Spaces Mcmansion is its lack of style, not the genre of style. A bunch of leaves does not a well-designed room make.

I love, love, love the purple, the silver, the mirrors, your adorable fireplace. I'm amazed by how well it works with your wine-colored couch, your wood, and all the reddish touches.

The one thing I'm not crazy about is... that RUG! To me it looks a little washed-out, or less in keeping with your other colors. I think it would look fine without it, or, if you were worried about the table scratching your (gorgeous) wood floors, a different color/kind of rug.

A beautiful mix of sleek surfaces and cozy accent pieces that balances the dark, autumnal feeling with large light-providing windows. Fantastic!

Not my personal color choices, but I don't find it as offensive as some of the folks on here. Good grief! Regardless, I think it works though didn't really WOW me to vote insta-finalist. But I like the simplicity and the fact that you didn't completely saturate the house in purple. Looks like a comfortable room.

Kim, Adrienne - You both need Midol. Patrick Kavanaugh - I have no doubt it would work wonders for you, too.

I happen to think its GORGEOUS! Its actually inspired me!

Good Job! Usually people who say such mean things have bad taste anyways.

it's crappy.

I don't get it? Yes, its an unoffensive, comfy room, but what does it have to do with a design contest?

It's so beautiful! I'd let you design any room in my home any day! I adore it.

All that rubbish on the chimney, the sentimental mirrors, the generic non-design of the pieces, i can't see why this should be a finalist at all.

All i see is tacky and tasteless.

I´ve been checking out the entries for the last couple of days. Basically because I have this 4 bedroom rented place in Berlin which I just moved into. The Building is art noveau (1908) with original stucco and rooms 3,30 m hight. Ever cleaned stucco of 100 years of bad paint jobs?. Seeing some of the entries I'm now going to give daring colors a fair chance. Up to now I was leaning towards the "white never wrong" side of interior design. Thank you all for inspiring.
But back to the "comment" part. Since I´m from Germany, I do get the feel that you people go for harmony to much. All this "love it!!!" "Great, can I move in?" "Bravo" for rather dull, boring concepts - like this one. I mean a lot of entries are tidy, warm, inviting (to senior citizens), but DESIGN? NO WAY! And people wanting to come over for a cup of coffee doesn´t win contests. Or Starbucks should be finalist.

Hi Jip:

I see you make no mention of color whatsoever.
Did you post your place? I'd love to see it.



To everyone else who feels the need to come here for the purposes of bashing:

You know what? I think you need a better outlet. I'm all for constructive criticisms and input, but this thread of comments has become pretty childish. Don't come here under the guise that you know anything about "design" if you feel the need to just be a dick. You're not "getting to me" nor are you being clever. You're not helping, nor would anyone take your so-called advice. (And don't point fingers and say that tired line about how people take their chances if they post online. That's weak and it is an even weaker cop out.)

I admire the skill and eye for style that many of these entries are displaying. I am fairly certain my contest entry won't win what with all of the amazing competition here. I didn't come here expecting people to gush over my room. More than anything, I came here to learn, not to feel pity or amusement by all of the insecure, twitchy rants. Sadly, those are the only feelings many of these crass remarks are producing.

I love my home just like it is. "Tacky, tasteless crap" and all. People and animals live here. Not mannequins. There are people in this world who have ideas about what style is and what design means which are wildly different from yours. Deal with it a little more maturely.

:)

No seriously that paint choice was bold and a good choice. Makes the room feel finished.

I won't feed into the rants here because I know the whole contest seems to bent toward drama and the core crowd of know-it-all style nazis. But, it is about colour and this is certainly colour.

So, get a grip everyone. Who flippin' cares if it's not Eames Era/Design Within Reach/Room and Board, or whatever. Certainly this web site can accommodate different tastes and styles?

Are people still coming here to comment and vote on this room? Wow! That really says something. Love it or hate it, this room got people talking. Just like Rachel's Bloody Bathroom. Personally, the more I look at this room, the more I like it. I voted accordingly. People need to get back to the point. Good use of color, Lesa & Brian. Nice job!

Insta-finalist. This room and the colors in it are beautiful!

I love purple. I think the room is very tastefully done!

fantabulous!

"My contest entry was just posted. The haters are already posting like mad. Gotta love that.

BRING IT ON! I'm counting on you to help me out, you guys! Especially the folks who have visited and/or stayed with us and have seen our place in person.

THANK YOU!!!"

http://community.livejournal.com/spookystyle/137662.html

It's unusual to me that you would see those of us who simply dislike the color of this room as "haters" especially since it seems to me that you're extremely ready to start fights in this thread yourself; and that you're exhorting your livejournal cronies to stuff your ballot box, but...

On to my problems with the room.

The color is too dark. A shade lighter would have worked for me, this does not. I also dislike the silver/pewter/nickel accents. Something with a bronze finish, though you may not like the color itself, would have been perfect. Deep rich colors tend to be better offset by bronzes, in my opinion. Then it's all very castle-style. As it is you have this lovely mantle working with the oranges and then the dull black faux pewter above it and it's just jarring.

The white on white wall/window treatment still looks renterish, though I understand why you need it--the room would be pitch black without it.

And the wooden floors are actually too light for this room. If I were you I would rip them up and put something in that was just a tone darker. Maybe a lot darker, actually.

Looking at this photo I feel like it's missing a cornucopia or something. I guess that suits since you say it's supposed to be "Fall" even though we all know what you're really striving for is "grown-up goth". But please--do something with that white wall. At least hang a picture on it or add a lighting fixture or something. It needs help.

The fact that it's a condo with no personality doesn't help you much either.

See, here's the thing. If this is a submission for a "fall colors" contest, I don't think it's a contender at all, because the only thing autumnal about it are the flowers and orange pillar candles you've placed around. While the purple wall and eggplant couch are certainly warm, rich colors (well, the couch is, anyway), they don't on their own make me think "autumn!".

This is probably why people are distractedly discussing the design of the room itself. And that's what I'm going to do as well.

I really like the dining room table and the couch. That said, as the couch is SO dark and rich, there's no need to inundate it with the dark pillows (which is probably why a previous comment called you out as a grown up goth). Why not use lighter pillows and throws, to thus offset and highlight the eggplant? Also, as it's a fall design contest, why not go with rich golds and burnt oranges in said throws and pillows?

I really do not like the shade of purple on that wall; I know from experience that it's difficult to find a good purple paint, but my recommendation is that you keep looking, because it's more Barney than it is eggplant.

To whit, I agree with the people who've said the silver cheapens it - not only does the silver make the paint look garish, but the paint makes the silver look like spraypainted cardboard. Some might say bronze would result in a better effect (also, a more autumny effect, as well). I personally would probably go with frameless mirrors. Or a large unframed photo.

Or I would repaint the wall entirely, perhaps a deep scarlet. Or dark orange.

The coffee table by itself is great, but I don't think it's doing the room any favors because it doesn't go with the floors, or the couch, or the rug beneath it. A nice teak would be better.

And as others have said, the white walls in the dining room have got to go if you're going to for something autumny (unless you ripped up the floors and went with a very dark wood). Deep mustard would look great, particularly if you ditched that purple wall, but the right shade of mustard would probably still look good with the purple - if you ditched the silver framed mirrors.

Also as others have said, get rid of the blinds.

I really like the table, though.

The room as it is is pleasant enough, but it doesn't scream autumn to me. What it does scream is aging goth who is no longer all that into it, but who doesn't yet want to give it up entirely.

Let non-goth colors be your friends. Let them accent the goth colors. It's okay.

Hi "hrmm":

If you think the readers at LiveJournal will be any less forthcoming or honest than the people here, you're mistaken. I don't expect ass kissing from anyone. I asked for "help". There is a difference. Interpret that any way you see fit.

Haters make themselves pretty obvious. People who state their opinion as fact are arrogant. People who come here to be rude are just that, rude. And I'm not "creating" any arguments. That's not why I'm here.

Those with opinions such as yours are welcome. But that's all they are - opinions. Everyone has a different idea of what is tasteful or beautiful. There is a fine line you walk when critiquing the work or style of another person.
Apparently you skimmed over the comments where I said I was planning on color for the walls, artwork is right here waiting for framing, and where I mention that we're still looking for the right window treatments and that the chandelier is being replaced.

I was counting on critiques, but was hoping that this was one of the communities with more constructive things to say without the unneccesary rudeness. I've seen enough of that here and on the other threads to prove it exists.

After getting so many compliments on the rooms throughout my house, I thought I would give this contest a shot. I also entered for the purposes of gathering input from the knowledgeable folks here. As for your comment about missing a cornucopia, apparently your ideas on holiday decorating are wildly different than mine. Those items don't stay up year round, but I figured that would be obvious to anyone with half a brain. I included the photo because of the time of year it happens to be. Think again if you think what I am "striving for" is "grown-up" goth. Pretty presumptuous of you to assume you know that much about me.

That said, I'd love to see photos of your house.

Cheers!

Oh, I wanted to add that I do like what you've done with the mantle, and in reviewing it again, I realize that one big problem with the mirrors, aside from the silver, is their placement. What do we look at? The tall pillar candle? Wait, the mirror next to it? Or maybe the mirror next to THAT? It's all too close. That one mirror is two low, the other is too high, and at least based on the angle of the photo, both are off-center, which is hugely distracting.

One large item above that mantle would do fine. Or three small ones. And not placed so low that they're brushing the mantle display - that's a huge problem.

p.s. Nice personal affront, piper. Calling me an "aging goth" is incredibly nasty, and it completely discounts any credibility you may have had with your "suggestions".

How sad.

Not to split hairs or anything, but I didn't call you an aging goth. I said your room screams that rather than "autumn!" If that doesn't fit you and isn't what you're going for, perhaps you should redesign a bit.

And I'm not sure how that comment invalidates all of my suggestions (why the quotes, by the way?); if they seemed reasonable to you at first blush, then perhaps they are.

You're very defensive for a girl who put her design out there looking for opinions (which you are, by the way, entitled to ignore). If you wanted only ego strokes, you should've specified that, and I would've commented simply on the couch and dining room table.

Lesa,

You are incredibly annoying. Stop sparring with people in the comments, it is not classy and you will not find any other contestant doing it. You submitted your home, people are going to vote and comment on it (as expected)and that's that. This childish self-defense is dumb and if you are so sensitive about comments you should not have submitted it in the first place. Also as to your comment about haters...If you look around the competition, you see that well-designed entries do not get any "haters", they get people that love their room. The "haters" commenting on your tacky room are just stating their opinion, which in this case happens to be dislike.

Hey Lesa,

We all know that people at LJ are more skilled at ass-kissing than practically any place else on earth, so for you to say you don't expect them to be any less forthcoming or honest with you is mildly disingenuous. Especially as I see about three names that I recognize here positively gushing about how fabulous this room is; two who know how to gush and aren't, leading me to assume that they are here solely to kiss your ass; and I'm sure there are many more names that I don't recognize as they're posting under a psuedonym, as am I. You just made yourself look very silly with that LJ post and trying to rationale it away here doesn't really make a case for you. What you're really annoyed about is the fact that someone linked to it.

Back to the room. I gave you a number of suggestions which were all about color. In fact, most of my post was entirely about color. I'm sorry if I skimmed your responses about the wall, but why is the room here if it isn't done yet? I think you'd be wise to go with something harvest orangish-creamy-colored at the very least on those white walls. They are horrendous. And please ditch the silver.

The comment about the cornucopia was sarcasm. I'm sure you knew that.

And the reason I call you a "grown-up goth" is because I know that's what you are. There's no presumption there at all, believe me. Thus, why your room has been decorated this way. And please--the name of your community IS "spookystyle", is it not? I remember when you were talking about making your home into the Haunted Mansion, for goodness' sake! It's hardly rude--there are grown-up goths in the world, you know. But this room screams it just a little too loudly for my tastes. For heaven's sake, I'm not the only person who noticed this either in this thread.

I'll post pictures of my house when it suits one of the competitions, no worries. People are always quite charmed by my home and what my husband and I have done with it.

I had a feeling there were some shenanigans with the poll. I found it very hard to believe that this room was 70% "Insta-finalist". After that livejournal post, it all makes sense.

Lesa - You're claiming that you want help and an honest critique, but then encourage all your friends to come here, stack the poll in your favor and write all these over-the-top positive comments?

I knew something was fishy. Now it all makes sense why such a plain, uninspired room was getting all these raves.
I reiterate, insta-finalist my ass!

AHA! I just knew those insta-votes were not coming from AT readers!! You got a bunch of fellow Trading Spaces afficionados to stuff the ballot box. Well I don't know if that's illegal in the contest or not but, if you haven't noticed, your scheme has failed and you have no chance of being a finalist.

So let me get this straight, NO ONE else here has told a single person about the fact that they entered? I doubt it.

Carry on amongst yourselves. You're the most amusing bunch of hypocrites I've seen in a long time.

Dear Lesa,

NOT well played. You've been on the internet forever, you know how it works. Taking the 'high moral ground' of calling everyone hypocrites after YOU messed up is a joke. Go and lick your wounds somewhere else. Like your locked journal, where all your 'friends' will be sure to comfort you.

This is a purple and white unfinished room. Finish it and come back. Or don't. Maybe you learned your lesson, which is that not everyone in the world is here to kiss your gothy bottom.

Wow.

Don't you have anything better to do? Anything at all? I didn't "mess up" by telling the people I know to come here and support me if they saw fit. Nor am I "wounded".

And, by the way, I know exactly who you are "hrmm". You're not fooling anyone.

Have a nice day. I'm done now.


And to the nice folks at Apartment Therapy, my sincere apologies if advertising your fine website (and my entry here) to other design enthusiasts is against the contest rules. "Hrmm" and the others apparently don't want any newcomers that don't share THEIR expert opinions. Feel free to keep or remove my entry. It's your contest after all. No hard feelings.

1. Openly solicit [positive] input from the intarwebz via a self-serving post in your livejournal.

2. Get self-righteously defensive when people have the stones to express their honest opinions, rather than the ingratiating ass-kissy opinions you have openly solicited and expect.

3. When the negative begins to outweigh the positive and self-righteous attempts to defend yourself don't work, simply proclaim yourself to be "above" it and then run off to whine about all of it in your livejournal (to a carefully-selected private audience who will reaffirm for you how mean and nasty and wrong everyone is).

You'd be well-served, Lesa, to throw the internet playbook away. It doesn't work, it's obvious to anyone who's been online for more than three minutes, and it succeeds only in making you look like a fool.

Whether or not other contestants solicit votes from their friends is immaterial - the point that you seem to be missing is that when you solicit people's dishonesty and then get angry when they're anything less than dishonest, you're going to take some heat for it. The point doesn't really seem to be that you solicited comments and votes - it seems to be, to me, that you cannot seem to accept any of the comments you did not expressly solicit.

It's the unbecoming internet equivalent of "I'm taking my toys and going home, then!"

Instafinalist. This is a great room with warmth and nice color.

By the way, here's how you do it:

http://la.apartmenttherapy.com/la/fall-colors-2006-southwest/19-rachels-bloody-good-bathroom-013569

Notice how Rachel doesn't defend herself? She comments to address a couple of concerns and bows out, taking the bad with the good?

That's not only class, it's self-confidence, and I think you could do with a double helping of both.

Please, do tell me who I am, Lesa. I am waiting to hear it. In fact, please send me an e-mail since you're so certain. I'm waiting.

Also, I do enjoy this comment:

"So let me get this straight, NO ONE else here has told a single person about the fact that they entered? I doubt it."

No, Lesa. Not everyone feels a need to cheat by pushing for votes on their livejournals. Some people--and this may surprise you--just submit their entries, see what people think and take constructive criticism.

What's more, they do it honestly. Unlike yourself. Go home to your sycophants.

Telling a few of your friends of family members is one thing, but soliciting to entire communities is another.

"Hey Everyone,
I entered this contest last week. I believe they are getting ready to post my photos, so I hope everyone who reads this will vote for me as an "instafinalist" :) It sure would be neat to win something."
http://community.livejournal.com/autumn_addicts/

Man. It sucks when you have no control over a site's content, doesn't it, Lesa? No deleting, no editing, no making private. You must feel so helpless.

It sucks especially because all of this could've been avoided if you simply would've kept your mouth shut. If you would've taken the non-"OHMIGAWD IT'S AWESOME" comments and not felt compelled to justify and defend yourself while denigrating and discounting everyone who disagreed with you. I mean, your

Your room could've looked exactly the way it looks and you could've solicited votes from far and wide, and it just would've been some negative comments mixed in with the positive and that would've been that. You may have finaled, you may not have, but either way you wouldn't have egg on your face.

Next time, leave it alone.

And with that, I am going to try very hard to leave it alone as well, lest I seem like a dog worrying a now-dried out bone. I'm making no promises, but I'm going to try.

Good luck to you in the future.

Wow. Just wow. I don't know Lesa, but I don't think she did anything "wrong" here and from reading the replies it seems obvious that someone does know her and that there is some bad blood from the past rearing up. There is nothing wrong with asking for outsiders to come in from other communities. If you don't this one would become stagnant and full of backbiting self-congratulating sycophants. Oh, wait...

Everybody is being childish, piper especially with their snarky comments masked as constructive criticism. You are all a bunch of drama queens, Lesa included, but I still like the design of her submission.

It's refreshing, dark but not overwhelmingly so, and appeals to me for its difference.

As to how I found this site, before anybody gets uppity abd accuses me of being something I am not, it came from Stumbleupon.

I think the purple wall could be a little warmer. I'm afraid it might look sort of "Barney-ish" in sunlight.

The mirrors bother me. I think its the finish as well as the placement. Maybe one large mirror instead? I tend to stick with to groups of one or three.

Like it was suggested, I think a teak table would look great with the sofa.

I like the furniture you have (aside from the coffee table. I like how the black dining table accents that end of the room so the purple isn't too heavy.

Overall its nice but not really insta-finalist material. Great start though.

Gotta agree with Jon about the lack of real advice here, which seemed to be what this contestant was genuinely asking for. Looks like AT made a bad impression on a lot of people. It is never productive to cloud a good thing with all catty remarks and defensive posts in response. I have to side with Lesa on this one though. The room is fine and she didn't ask for piper and hrmm to lay into her like that. You guys could have made a better point by shutting up than with what you did say.

Nice room.
Good use of color and furnishings.
Looks comfortable and liveable.
My vote is in contention.
No drama here.

Please read my first comment. I gave her numerous opinions about color. Which is what this is all about, correct? A Barney purple wall and a white wall seem to be somewhat lacking IMO, and she has since stated that the room isn't finished. Why then was it submitted?

Nice to see her toadies crawling out of the woodwork though!

Lesa was not asking for advice. She thinks she is perfect. There is no need for her to ask for the advice of peons, which is precisely what she thinks of all of you, except for the ones who kissed her ass. If she had wanted advice she wouldn't have gone and solicited over three different livejournals for free votes to win something. Next time, defend someone who deserves it.

And kk, points are not made by 'shutting up', as you so ineloquently put it.

Good night all!

i read all of your lesa bashing comments and talk about the pot calling the kettle black. you are all whiny little a**holes with nothing better to do than rip on people for TRYING. that's all this girl was doing...TRYING. yeah, so what if she has friends who like to help her out? it's more than any of you little whiners can say - who would want to remain friends with negative people like you? if you always have this sour, "holier-than-thou" attitude you'll never get anywhere in life. and quite frankly, you don't deserve to. kudos to lesa for giving it a shot. kudos to her for owning her own place (even if it is JUST a condo which some of you rudely pointed out). kudos to her for having the balls to put up with you idiots in the first place. you all deserve each other. now go hole up in your cookie cutter, pottery barn replicas and reassure yourselves that your house is SO much prettier than hers. i hope karma bites you in the a**.

It's all chaos and nonsense now, but I just wanted to respond to something way back up there: Yes, I consider "black and silver and cream and purple and all the various colors of the floors and furnishings," all perfectly nice on their own, but in terms of execution in this case they just don't work.

hrmm you are such a lowly coward. anyone who knows lesa would never say that she thinks she is perfect. she has never looked down her nose at anyone and she has a huge heart. in your case though, she is absolutely right. i think you have serious problems. i am almost positive i know who you are, and if it is who i think it is, you is one of the biggest freaks on the planet and you will probably never let go of your issues with her. don't you have a life of your own? stop following her around already and get your own life.

We ask you all to be please refrain from making personal attacks and keep the language respectful with all posts. The tone and language in this post is becoming extremely hostile, rather than constructively critical. Let's keep this about design and decor, not about pointing fingers and calling each other anatomical nether regions!

Dear lovers and fighters!

We are a wide open site with a love of interiors and sharing. We have always had a remarkably positive bunch of readers and a tough bunch too, but contests always incite passion and people push the limits. That said, let's get a few things straight:

1. This stage is open voting and ANYONE may vote and campaigning for votes is allowed. Go for it.

2. The finals are voted on by our six judges, so anyone who gets in without real merit simply won't stand a chance.

3. Taste in colors is extremely subjective, so go easy if you don't like it. You don't have to live there.

4. If you really like someone else's place, make sure you vote for them to get them into the finals.

5. Enjoy all the great homes that are being shared here and try your best not to get too hung up on a negative vibe.

6. Trust the site and your fellow readers. The cream always rises to the top.

Best, Maxwell