apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Wow! That was a tough decision!!!!

Billy and Kelly were robbed!

That 60's bedroom is just awesome!

Turquiose hands down....come on Vanessa!

WOW...what great company to be with!

Hands down West Coast has great STYLE!!!

Good luck to everyone!

Turquiose - has to win. She is ahead of the rest with using Grey and gold with a pop of red - the detail to color and color relationships make her the best of this very talented group

Definitely, Gari's Sexy Brown Bedroom...Talk about relaxation. THERE IS NO COMPARISON!

Fabulous colors! A room made for a man or a woman.

I just voted in both semi-finals (one is allowed to do that, right?) and I have to say, I think the competition is more exciting on the west coast. And that's not just because I live in Berkeley

it is a tough decision, but not too tough.enrique's is the perfect balance of design elements and the right amount of color. not too much, not too little, juuuuuust riiiight. go bro!

okay... this is tough... but my vote is... for... turquoise... simple... less studied... soothing.... aaahh... okay... now... so how do i vote on the 8th?????

I can't just vote for ONE! This is too hard: the moment I decide on one room another beckons. ARGHHHHHHHHHH!

Exciting stuff! So many choices! Not in a hateful way, but I am a bit surprised that "Reckless Abandon" made it to the semis. It's cool though that we west-coasters have room for non-modern rooms. [rooms rooms rooms]

i am so impressed with jon's room. it's so personal and unique. and VERY west coast.

they're all great...

but gooooooo Karen!

The color combination in Turquoise's Hotel Room translates style, warmth and elegance. I also love the splash of color on the bed with a simple gold/orange pillow. Reminds me of an artsy, boutique-y hotel room in San Fran or NY. I'm going for Turquoise but shout out for everyone who submitted.

This was a really tough choice...! I ultimately chose Jon's because his is the room I'd most like to live in. Lovely!

The west coast contest BLOWS AWAY the east coaster's. I was able to make a quick decision in that one, but I'll have to take some time to think about this one. Good job, all.

I see elements in almost every final entry that I like but after looking at the goals of the contest which were to submit your best use of color and to answer those three questions my heart told me to vote for "Kates Oasis of Color and Light". Her photos show a very well rounded design incorporating multi uses of color and her answers to the questions were inspiring.
annie

I agree with Enrique! Billy was robbed!

It's so wonderful to see such variety. But the sterile and/or packaged feels don't do it for me.

Yeah KAREN!!!!!!!!! It's so very refreshing to see someone who's not afraid to do what they want.

They are all so good! I think I'm still with Turquoise...I agree with you HP!

I'm confused though - you can vote both here and on the pages after you click to view more pics of each submission. Where is everyone supposed to vote? What's the deal???

So I just noticed today that more people are voting for me on my original posting and not voting on this page.
Why is this still acitve?
That is certainly not fair to me and the other contestants since some people are not voting in the correct spaces.
I am a bit disappointed...

Karen's is the only one that looks as if someone actually lives there. It's obviously a reflection of a vibrant, fun loving and COLORFUL person.

Me thinks Billy got robbed too..

Turquoise, yes the voting system should have been better thought through before this thing started. For example there are still ways one can rig the system if one wants to. It is quite easy actually.

Gorgeous rooms, everyone! I'm still stuck on the use of gold and red with gray. Go Turq!

Aargh. I just looked at the West Coast voting tallies this morning, and damn is my room taking a spanking!

C'mon y'all, where my peeps at? Am I destined to be the Susan Lucci of Apartment Therapy? Do you really want to see me wandering down Hollywood Blvd a broken person in a tattered Nolan Miller gown, mascara-and-tear-streaked face, botoxed lips--sadly clutching my still-unused acceptance speech. (Think Norma Desmond as channeled by Courtney Love.) Do you want to see that? Well, do you? Do you?!? Then vote Enrique.

It doesn't matter matter if you like my room the best or not. Didn't we used to matter, you and I? Didn't I buy you chocolates when you were sad? Didn't I make you laugh? Didn't I give you a puppy? No? Well, um, vote for me anyway...

Judging by the rankings, I can kiss goodbye my weeks-long dream of a CB2 Arch Lamp and a set of 8 modern cordials (a steal at $1.50 each). But I can still win a Petal NY Soap and Bath gift set... maybe. Please, don't let me hear the dreaded words "No soap for you!" Vote for Enrique. I will walk your dog, kiss your babies, do your dishes, give you my unused frequent flyer miles, buy you blue diamonds. My fate is in your hands. And I will not go quietly.

[And... scene.]

Voting should only take place on ONE page. It's confusing and I'm sure votes are being lost by voting on the page that doesn't count.
(GO Turquoise!!)

it's hard to make a decision w/ the west coast finalists! so many of them are great. but - how is karen beating gari & enrique and tied w/ turquoise?? what is going on here?? i don't get this contest in so many ways.

Gari's brown bedroom rocks!

I agree with Enrique, Kelly was completely robbed! That surfin' bedroom was inspirational, and a stunning use of color. It was the most pulled together of all the rooms, in my opinion. Theme and color without being overbearing, neat without being stuffy. Pretty much perfect. I'm jealous that I never had such a cool bedroom as a kid. Heck, I'm jealous that I don't have such a cool bedroom now!

The west has a really deep field. I like all of the enteries. Kate's Oasis has my vote though. It takes a challenging pallet of colors and makes it blend in perfect harmoney. Also, its the only bathroom entry I've seen on the website which is unique since we all know how hard it is to make a statement out of a bathroom.

do votes on the 'original' entry page count? as it stands, there are 14 new votes on my original entry page...will these votes be added and count? hmmm....

Kate has a fabulous color sense. The choice of that full-fledged aquamarine as a backdrop for those eye-popping tiles is very effective. The simple but interesting lines of the basin with its blue-edged glass is a nice counterpoint to the teak wood pieces. What an attractive room in a small space!

Gosh, it's kind of like Florida in the 2000 election here, isn't it. This shows that even without chads, people can mess up voting.

I think everyone's room was fabulous, by the way. I'm so bowled over by everyone's style!

Kate uses one color... blue is blue is blue. It's not hard to be creative with blue. Creativity comes with uses multiple colors correctly. Kate's space is nice and soothing, but easy and obvious too.

Really these final ones are so amazing and I am very pleased at the great West Coast turnout, but I have to say that Kate's bathroom/oasis continues to amaze me every time I see the pictures.

I'm sorry...I see the light, but I just don't see any COLOR on "Kate's Oasis of Color and Light"???

So glad to see Kate of San Francisco made the finals. The half bath is truly lovely. Kudos to Kate!
ps. Drop-Smash must have blue/green colorblindness.

It is between Enrique's and Gari's bedrooms, but I have to say that the way the light reflects the brown walls on Gari's Sexy Brown Bedroom almost makes the bed as if it were floating in space. It's just awesome and the bright red chair adds the final touch! Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!

RI

Kate's entry is the best I have seen so far. Such a beautiful space with aqua ocean colors and warm wood accents. But what's amazing to me after reading her answers to the questions people had for her about her space that she did this on such a small budget. She overcame the obstacle of a small space and a small budget yet still produced a well rounded thought out design centered around color. Bravo Girl, you get my vote for that.

You know what Maureen, my eyesight is perfectly fine, thanks. And blue/green happens to be my favorite colors among all. May I remind you that we are all entitled to our own opinions. To me, Kate's is just tooo ordinary and boring. I have seen this too many times; a little played out I might add.
I agree with w/ proofreader,... "blue is blue is blue. Creativity comes with uses of multiple colors correctly."

oh, enrique. "au revoir dignity!" i'm afraid in your state you cannot be trusted with cordials (perhaps by christmas, if you've mellowed out, you'll get a nice surprise under the tree). i do believe you deserve some soap though, not sure what's going on there.

i am suprised by the way the votes have come down, but the process into the finals has acted as a filter and left us with the better examples of colors and trends and photography.

p.s. THANKS LUCY!!!

Love that picture on the wall! Have at it Kate!

Enrique . .
what *kind* of puppy?

you're so funny!
you know your place is fabulous and you don't need no gift certificates!

Andale, Jon!

Any one can color a wall - but to splatter it with such vivid color finds is just fantastic!

Monty

Confession, I am a friend of Kates and she will have my vote regardless. She has great design sense but more importantly she brings great design to the interiors of those who can't afford it. Her non profit business has helped low income individuals and families have a special place to live in. So if you can't decide who to vote for, hopefully this will persuade you. Ok, I'm stepping off the soapbox now. Go, Kate!

I want to vote for Jon!! The website link doesn't have a voting option. What to do? Help!!

Okay guys you are killing me...I just checked my votes right now and earlier today I had 91 and now I have 86?
I dont want to be a tattle tale but this is really lame.

um.. turquoise, you still have 91 votes?

Enrique's is pretty dang dreamy, and he got my vote even before his impassioned pleas.

Speaking of impassioned pleas ... did you West Coast folks know that you can very easily sneak over to the East Coast and vote for me? Yes! It's true!

AND... Curtis likes puppies, too! Vote Curtis.

guido. Kiki and Herb, next show. You and me. How about it? The cost to you? Only your vote... (God, I'm shameless.)

K-K-K-Karen
Beautiful Karen
You're the only one that I-I-I-I adore
When the m-moon shines
Over the cowshed
I'll be waiting at the k-k-k-kitchen door!

S.Y.

i just want to get "down" in enriques room

I'm not saying who I voted for, here. I wanted to cast two votes and couldn't.

I will say that I didn't vote for Kate. I think she has great design sense and it is a lovely bathroom, and what she does in her work is admirable, but I also think that a lot of the votes for it have more to do with the seemingly-expensive fixtures and the great styling of the photos. Similar comments have been made about Ky's apartment in the other group, minus the expensive part. The bathroom is basically monochrome with some neutral wood, so it doesn't really speak to me in terms of "use of color." It DOES speak to me in terms of "seriously pretty bathroom."

has enrique slipped aggie some "spanish fly"?

I am a design student at a University in Rome, Italy. My ideas on design are probably not typical of yours there in the US, as they are strongly influenced by the masters, and informed by the cutting edge leaders of the post-modernist European tradition, and not influenced by what you might call an American aesthetic. After careful consideration of all these finalits, applying the rules of the contest, and after looking with a very critical eye at these desgins, it's fairly easy to see that Kate's Oasis Of Color And Light is an obvious winner.

That 60's bedroom is too bland, there's a few colorful pillows thrown around and a splash of orange in the corner but the overall design is limp and drab, the pictures hung about are just hideous and it just does not meet the standards of excellence.

The brown bedroom is better. It's warm and cozy but the design does not use color imaginatively, the darkness overwhelms the space and leeches out the light, the antithesis of how color should be employed within design.

The luxury hotel style bedroom is beautiful. Beautiful and.....grey. I'm glad it's named as a hotel as that's exactly what it looks like...impersonal, nondescript, elegant, and....just really really grey.

Enrique's bedroom has a great orange wall and that's it. The rest of the room fades away in comparison. That monstrous candle is scary. The biggest mistake here is the photo wall of trees, the monotomy of a static photo this large will make anyone weary after a short time.

I don't belikeve I need to comment on the amusing but otherwise dreadful cabinet of horrors cartoon of a room.

Kate's bathroom is the only one that ememplifies completely successful true design technique. It uses color within the context of design and accomplishes so many things at once. Balance, beauty, simplicity, style, elegance, art, and an understanding of how light and color are integral to a design framework and compliment each other within that framework.

My comments might be harsh toward the others but as design students we are used to extremely critical asessments of our work. Analysis can be ruthless and severe but it's not personal. It's how we learn and evolve as artists.

Kate's work here is the work of someone who understands color, light and design and the myriad relationships they have within a single design concept. This is champion work. I will be watching anxiously for results of winners and will report to my class. Clearly the winner I predict will be Kate.

How full of oneself can a person be????

I don't know who should win. I just know that I LOVE Karen's place and it is not a cartoon! You are comparing an apple to a pineapple (Karen is the pineapple). It's a snazzy, cool space with real flavor.

Yay Karen! Third Place in the contest, First Place in being Colorific.

Antonio. Lei pensa che la candela sia paurosa? Perche? Te stesso spiega... La marca di foto-murale lei stanco? Beve dell'espresso.

Feel free to correct my remedial Italian too. I'm sure my phrasing has got a big mistake or two. Enjoy! Good luck with your evolution. You might want to think about working on your client skills (when you make out of the studio environment).

To translate the best part of Enrique's hilarious comeback: "You think my wall mural is tiring? Drink some espresso..." HA! I knew learning Italian would do me some good SOME day. :)

They are all good, but I am really impressed with Kate's 'Oasis of Color and Light.' It looks just like a spa, who wouldn't want that in their home?! I would love to get some design tips from her!

Color can come in many forms. In this contest I looked at which individual gave the most thought out approach to using color in their space. I also looked at the level of difficulty it might take in producing that result. I find Kate's entry to be the most worthy of my vote because she used color as a tool to open up that small space. Also her choice of tiles added that addtional unexpected incorporation of color. Its easy to throw a bunch of colorful objects together and say thats colorful but it all about finding an overall color story that relies on the perfect hue and tonal values. Her design is bold yet restrained resulting in a beautiful space.

C'mon people, enough with the snark factor. Kudos to everybody who had the wontons to put their private spaces up here for all to see. Let he who lives in a digitally glass house freaking think twice about casting stones, alright?!

I like pineapple.

Karen, I like Karen's,
And I like it so much I can hardly speak -
Spectacularly good, it is anything but meek,
Even if all her artwork *is* hung cheek to cheek.

Sorry, everyone but I left my essay on why I'm the greatest designer in the world at home, so I'll have to save that for later. Grazie Antonio for the laughs! I thought everyone put forth a great effort...I mean, I'm not a design student in Rome or anything, though I have looked at the masters once or twice in my years...ha!

Enrique - I want you to know before this wraps up that I voted for YOU! Orange is my LEAST favorite color, which I why I voted for you - for making me seriously think about injecting that color into my love. You are bold, cheeky, creative, and you will walk out with the REAL prize - and awesome room that wows everyone who sees it.

Aw, Melanie. That's very sweet of you to say. Honestly. Thank you. I had so much fun with this competition. kellyo (my sister-in-law) and I were talking last night about how good-spririted the competition was for the most part. So thanks everyone for the laughs, shows of support, and also the dissenting opinions. It looks like either Kate or Jon will take West Coast honors at this point. I've got to log off shortly to head out of town for a week; So, I won't see the final tally...

But, Kate or Jon: Serve up a platter of Whup-ass to our East Coast rival! Us left-coasters need to stick together. ("Westside!" he bellows as he throws a "Dub" sign in the air.)

friends. Oh, no no, please... That's completely unecessary. But thank you. I apreciate the thought much more! (Logging off for real now.)

good job and congrats Kate.

Antonio--

Perhaps in your esteemed education you'll learn the art of constructve criticism and/or some humility. One can only hope. Unless of course you are prepared to get as good as you give, in which case I look forward to your posting your first projects on AT.

I think the entire batch of West Coasters was very strong, but am mystified why Kelly's Safari didn't make the cut.

proofreader--
"Easy and obvious"? Um, then why did so many other "one color wonders" not really get it quite so right?

the sexy brown bedroom is only known as one word: *P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N*

I feel very fortunate to have been included amongst such a talented group of entries. Everyone brings something unique to this contest.

Jon-your space is hip with the mix of great accessories. Love the yellow foo dogs!

Gari-The brown color gives me the feeling of relaxation yet refinement. Also hands off to your hand.

Turquoise-This room has a decadent vibe. Chic Chica.

Karen-A bold space that says life is a party!

Enrique-Impressive style, very modern organic. Hands down you have the best closet doors I have ever seen period.

I hope to represent the west well. Jon and I will show the east our great California Style :)

I want to thank all who voted for me and who left such encouraging feedback. I am truely humbled by your support for me and my design. I know that I love my room but its nice to see others love it too.

dear antonio,

your study of the masters, and cutting edge knowledge of the leaders of the post-modernist European tradition have really helped you hone your skills of deduction, swaying our untrained american eyes toward an entry THAT WAS ALREADY WINNING BY ALMOST 100 POINTS. after careful consideration of your reviews, i think you're a poor sport (i was lead to that conclusion by what you might call my american aesthetic). lighten up antonio. call back after graduation when you've learned some manners.

P.S. THANKS PATRICK!!!

What is this with the bathroom getting so many votes...something is amiss.Isn't this about bedrooms?

Turquoise...you are right and a spanking to whom ever allowed more than three finalists....

It's a wonderful look that embodies contempary mod. I love the look and its very praticle too.

I want to thank all who voted for me and who left such encouraging feedback. I am truely humbled by your support for me and my design. I know that I love my room but its nice to see others love it too.

Hi everyone

Does anyone know how to get in on the next
contest?
I'd love to enter
please send info to
venihay@hotmail.com
thanks

THATS
VENITA

INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL - AND INVITING
BRAVO KATE