apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Augh. Predictable "southwest". I'm sorry, I just think it's ugly... glad the homeowner enjoys it though.

Not to be a jerk but the first thing I thought of was a kitchy midwest mexican restaurant.

The lighting in the bedroom looks pretty nice though.

yuck.

Not feeling it.

I think this is nice for the setting. I wouldn't want it, but I sure wouldn't mind visiting.

No. I don't dig the south west. Not feeling it.

Personally, I find these colors refreshing after all the primary yellow, lime green, etc. of other entires. Typical Southwest colors only bug me when they're terribly washed out, and the colors here are pretty vibrant. I love the lilac in the first pic, and the coral/turquoise colors in the fourth pic (not to mention the neat perspective and the lighting) are quite nice.

As for suggestions - the bedroom is screaming for some bold artwork (maybe a cool wall sculpture?) and some better window treatments.

Oh no. Just no.

And here I was thinking how the Los Angelenos all use those predictable LA color schemes... bright yellow, celery, orange, and gray, over and over...

Southwestern colors come straight from the local landscape. That pinky-orange is the color of our soil, and the purple is the color of the mountains in late afternoon. While I'm not a collector of SW furniture myself, announcing that the colors of our landscape are innately tacky is pretty unwelcoming for a site that is supposed to represent the entire region.

Love the purple room -- that's not typical SW, either, and is a lot of fun.

The unnecessary rudeness of some of these comments makes me sad.

And, as usual, Wende is the voice of reason.
I think the bedroom photo is lovely. Very soothing.

The picture of the stairs is just lovely.

Sometimes the people and their comments lack so much taste that it's a wonder that they consider themselves arbiters of it.

Whatever happened to grace and restraint?

Perhaps what AT readers need is a cure for their manners.

I would love to live in a place where these colours matched or complemented the landscape! They'd sure look funny in my Pacific Northwest condo, but this place looks lovely, so warm and bright. I particularly like the bedroom.

I'm not a fan of the Southwest style, but I think this is done quite nicely, especially the bedroom.

If my computer screen is rendering it correctly, I'd love to see more of that blue in the stairwell - so pretty. what paint color is it?

I second that - love the blue in the stairwell. What is it?

Susan,

Your second color tip is excellent.

Cat and Olga: Amen!

I think you did a great job in respect to use of color.

No more faux finishes though!

Great job besides that.

What a bunch of snobby, snobby, snobby, elitist bastards. Honestly, I don't believe the truly crappy behavior of some of the posters here.

I understand this whole thing is a "contest" and that by submitting images of one's home to this thing one is inviting certain level of judgment. But judgment and critique are not about insult and disrespect. As urban sophisticates, you all should know a lot better.

Disgraceful.

I'm confused by these comments as well. I thought the contest was about people's use of color, not about which colors they chose or what their style is. Some of the colors here are a little strong for my test, but I think they're combined well. And I really like that shot of the fireplace.

Wow, AT readers can be brutal. Why leave such negative, immature comments? Apartment Therapy definitely leans to the modern style, but it seems if an entry is not decorated in the modern aesthetic a lot of people dismiss it in a mean way, which is unfortunate.

I really love the first photo.

Looks like you have some beautiful tile floors (staircase photo). Lucky you!

The bedroom and stairwell show a really excellent use of colour that works with the lighting. The bedroom looks colourful, but still very relaxing, which is often a tough balance.

Seriously. She's used color well. It's sad people aren't more imaginative and realize there isn't "one color scheme fits all!"

I like the brightly colored ceiling slices between the beams.

Vomit! Sorry, it's disgusting.

Sigh. Okay, so I will take the time to elaborate on what I feel was a concise assessment of the situation. Excuse my perhaps crass quip, but as a design educator I've learned two things. One, don't waste your time on students that don't show potential. And two, be honest. Inflating egos and encouraging mistakes is irresponsible.

With that said, I understand the idea of regional style. In fact, I celebrate it. I find the ubiquitous modern decor that could be in New York as easily as they could be in Barcelona both unimaginative and inappropriate. The problem here is, conceptually, that her vision of the region isn't genuine but cliché.

It's like nachos. Invented on the border to accommodate gringo tourists and served virtually nowhere in Mexico. I mean, that pseudo American Indian lamp? It's literally offensive. Much like Susan's choice of using faux finishes on every surface, the whole home becomes faux. That iron lizard? A ridiculous interpretation of native and historic iconography.

I was raised in the town this house sits, and let me tell you, those played out Kokopelli motifs are reserved for the tourist shops and resented by those who have a better understanding of what's happening in the region.

You know who else is in Tucson? Rick Joy. Is his work regional? You bet. Does he use fake patinas and terrorizing "antiqued" red walls. No. Why? Because the man has taste, restraint, and an *honest* appreciation for the region. This place is a caricature of a culture I've come to love, and a fundamental failure of basic design principles I've committed my life to promoting.

every comment i've seen from snot has been rude and never helpful to the situation. please PLEASE ban this person.

and watch, he/she will probably come back at me like he/she did last time i begged you guys to ban him/her.

that said, i love the colors. personally, i wouldn't have used the faux finishes, but i've seen some here in alabama (there are a lot of spanish inspired stucco houses) and it was surprisingly warm and comforting; very inviting. so it's not for new york - SHE'S NOT IN NEW YORK. i think she did a WONDERFUL job with color. bravo - i hope you abosloutely love it.

whoops los angeles - but you get my point

Really like all your tile (even the crazy purple! It's fun!) and your blue room peeking through there. I really don't see what's so wrong with decorating your house to it's surroundings. When I moved into my 1950's style ranch I suddenly had the compulsion to buy everything and anything mid-century modern. Maybe the house LIKES being decorated in Southwest colors.

People always lose their manners when it comes to the internet. I guess they don't think it's personal since they're typing...it is personal to the homeowner though.

Whatever makes the homeowner happy.

That said, the bathroom put the property into negative equity if there is ever a plan to sell.

I think it's beautiful! The purple and turquoise are soothing and the colorful and original tile work is inspiring. If this competition is about use of color – and that’s what it’s supposed to be – than this is an instant winner. Have you looked at the competition? There’s no contest.

Ok. I must be totally misunderstanding the purpose of this color contest run via blog post and voted on by the community of its readers, including LAY readers.

I was unaware it was a high-stakes, international design forum in which well-trained and experienced designers compete for large cash prizes, commissions, notoriety, fame, etc.

My mistake.

Seriously, though...

The amateur submissions to this contest are not intended to be subjected to expert scrutiny. If those were the conditions of the contest, then hardly anyone of the submissions here would have been sent in, since only a handful of the entries come from people schooled in design theory and practice.

Frankly, I could care less whether a submission offends your (Colin or those similarly minded) learned notions of proper design principles. And because you hail from the same region as one of the entries, does not give you any sort of special arbiter status.

As someone trained in the field of design, you surely recognize that your education enables you to make the assessments that you do. Therefore, you are privileged over many of us--enthusiasts, amateurs, consumers--who come to this site to learn a bit about your field of expertise.

It is unbecoming for those with knowledge to mock and belittle and judge harshly those who don't share the privileges knowledge concedes. It's also immature.

The colors are wonderful. They reflect the tastes of someone who loves and appreciates the splendid desert hues. I especially like the colors chosen for the living areas and one can see how they would change as the sun rises and sets. The contest is about using colors and this entry is a winner. The rude comments reflect an absence of taste of those making them (as well as a distinct lack of civility).

These color choices are stunningly vibrant and fun! It is a relief to see someone use such dramatic, rich colors that work so well together and also carry off the desired desert theme. The bold contrasts between the cool turquoise and purples and the warmer oranges make a fantastic statement. I especially love the painted ceilings between the wood beams- how original!! No guts no glory!!

AT is more than just an "international design forum", it's a legitimate and well-sponsored forum started by a published NYC designer. This competition is for up to $2,500 of, yes, modern furniture. I have been asked to judge and so I have. Simple as that. I don't know what the personal attacks are about...it's just design.

Cult of the expert or cult of the amateur?

This is a wide open forum and therefore when you put your ideas out there, dont expect what comes back to be all honey and milk. People are free to comment however they please - even if it is rude and disrespectful. However...


There are certain fields in which some people have greater expertise, and are much more qualified to make criticism. I believe that they should be done in a polite and constructive manner as in Colin's second posting. Design is one of those fields where the trained expert has a step up on the rest of us. I mean, you wouldnt trust your own diagnosis of an illness over your doctors, would you?

I love the first photo also

purple power!!

Susan has wildly succeeded here in using colours to make emotional statements. I applaude her liberal and inspiring combinations to create an ambiance which pleases her. It pleases me, too. I find it fresh and exciting. Every one of these beautiful hues are found on the Earth or in the sky of the colourful Sonoran Deserts' palett.

Once, I saw a very expensive Mercedes, with, what I thought, was just an awful and drab, pea-soup paint job. "Yecch!", I thought to myself, "who would ever, in their right mind, deface such a wonderful car by painting it 'that' colour!?!"
Then, I realized; that someone was deriving pleasure from it. And, more importantly, who am I to be 'offended' by a cars' colour?
(If one can be offended by the colour of an unknown driver's car, is is really so much different to be offended by the colour of an unknown person's shirt, hair, skin?)

While it is true that a humans' limited perception of a colour', is simply the reflection of light wave frequencies landing on our retinas, it is quite startling how some people can be moved to such degree that they actually go on the attack, based on their limited colour perception!

Understanding this is a contest, I suppose the 'judges' will have their final say, and make their decisions on their
'educated eyes'. Ever wonder if any of them are a little biased to their own tastes, colour preferences, or even the latest fashion trends they are promoting? I kinda wonder if any of them may even be colourblind, and not be aware of it.

Colin- I think you would sound like less of a jerk if you just stuck to your initial comment. Perhaps the time you spend promoting basic design ideas would be better served learning and promoting manners. Really, comments like yours and some of the others ruin the fun of the contest. Just vote long shot and keep the snide comments to your paying students.

WOW! I am impressed! For a person who has always been shy to experiment with color, you are an inspiration. I especially liked your encouraging tip # 1, about how it can always be painted over in white. I doubt that once I take the plunge to paint in colors, that white will ever be an option again. I so like the colors and contrasts and think that it would be a great haven for anyone regardless of the part of the country in which one lives.

Very nice! I have visited Arizona several times and the color schemes used reminds me of the vibrant colors in an Arizona sunset.

Bold, colorful, and beautiful this home has all the ingredients -it is a winner!

Wonderful! I am not seeing the stereotypical southwest that some of the early, extremely rude, insensitive, and demonstrably ignorant louts who posted the early comments claimed.

The colors are certainly in keeping with the landscape as Susan tried successfully to accomplish, but I am also seeing colors that are different than the usual southwest decor. Very refined. While the colors, not all, are bold, overall I am seeing a great deal of subtlety in varying colors from the typical and producing an eye-pleasing result.

Ok in a rush and typing quite quickly. Excuse typos...

I am here to comment on the homes use of COLOR which I find bold and creative, whether or not the style it is displayed in is of taste to me or not. I feel the owner did a good job incorporating the color into the home in a way that feels right in each space and highlights the tone and energy for the home they are creating for themselves. The lavendar is an unexepected soothing color for the bedroom. As AT has discussed before, adults tend to like this color the least and you have succeeded in making it quite appealing.

Susan, thank you for your submission. I think it shows your love and pride of your home to open it up to strangers.

You go! :) I hope you can ignore the negative and embrace the positive responses!

I like the colors she chose, but have to say not crazy about the artwork. I think that's where it teeters uncomfortably on cliche southwest. But a nice gift certificate could help with that.

the bathroom tiles don't go together to me but the rest of the rooms are well color coordinated

Susan, I love it! I think the color of floor tiles and the wall colors go well together. The Mexican tiles are sometimes very hard to make work, if you allow the floor to take all of the color - you have been successful in my eyes.

Oh, I love the bathroom - just because it is funky and because it doesn't seem to be conventional in any way.

I thought about posting photos of my place, but was afraid because I am so new to the AT site that I wouldn't fit in or I wouldn't do it "right" & I can now that there is a right and wrong way for several of you. I'm proud of Susan for posting her photos. I genuinely like the way she has used color in her place.

Kirby

"AT is more than just an "international design forum", it's a legitimate and well-sponsored forum started by a published NYC designer. "

Yeah, started by a published NYC designer WHO IS NOT HERE TO ONLY HELP THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE THE EDUCATION but give the rest of us a shot in the dark...

I stopped at the glass blocks in the bathroom.

Well done, Susan!

I keep coming back to look at the 2nd and 3rd pictures...the sunlight you get in your home is pretty incredible. And enviable!

Susan--ignore those who consider themselves decorating gurus and live with what you love. I envy your tilework---also many skylights. Your color choices seem more attuned to desert landscape and lighting than the pseudo-SW trend from about 25 years ago. Methinks some self-styled critics are still afraid of vibrant color! I would love to walk through your entire house and sense the energy.

While some of the decorations I don't like (too touristy tacky) I do absolutely adore the use of color and the colors chosen.

I grew up in the SW and those colors say 'home' to me.

Perhaps all the people spouting negative comments without giving any constructive feedback should rethink their commenting etiqutte!

I definitely think you're on the right track, Susan, just perhaps in need of a bit more refinement and focus. Kudos to you for going against the iKEA/blue & brown/no-imagination designs cluttering this contest!