apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

the livingroom is a bit to "empty" for my taste. Blend and blah.. But I like the bedroom, is that MALM a la Ikea? Also, the small chair in the livingroom i cool....

Why is there nothing on the wall over the credenza? That would drive me completely insane in one day. Truly, different strokes for different folks.

Too sparse indeed. There's no personality to the place...it needs more of you! The white Panton chair is great and what you've chosen all works...but it just doesn't seem to have a personal flair involved. The tv seems a little too dominant, also. It has a lot of potential, just seems unfinished.

I agree, you need a big piece of artwork over the creedenza. Preferably something with color to offset to grays of the room.

Even pillows on the couch. It looks barren.

Is this possibly a wind-up?

why is it against the rules to put the tv right in front of the couch again?

i think the random s chair in the bedroom is odd, it's not really a lounge type chair- do you sit and watch the bed?

can't be a reading area with no table or anything...

I like having a little chair like that in the bedroom. It's perfect for draping jeans and clothes across or for sitting on to put on socks and shoes. So many options.

What I don't like are the vertical blinds. Whoever invented those has a special place in hell waiting for them.

if i had to live in an apt. with carpet (which i have to admit, i would never do) i'd cover it with a large sisal rug.

For a 567 sq ft. apartment, this looks very spacious. I personally like a lot of color in my own home, but I think this is great. It just looks so comfortable... looking at it, I want nothing more than to relax on your couch and listen to classical music... and I'm not even into classical music.

I never liked the "theater" rule that the Apartment Therapy book advises against. My own living room is basically used for my wife and I to watch movies and tv together...as are most people's (I would think). We love to sit together on the couch, right in front of the tv, eating pizza and watching movies. The idea of having my tv anywhere other than right in front of my couch doesn't appeal to me at all.

Times have changed. If people want to sit and socialize, they can sit at a desk and log into a chatroom. :)

I agree with everyone's saying the apartment looks "unfinished." I am a fan of minimalist, but this seems too simple for my tastes.

Also, as an audio aficionado, I can tell you that those speakers in the living room are Martin Logan speakers and they don't come cheap. This dude dropped like $5K on those speakers, which means he is in less need of that DWR gift prize than those contestants who are able to make much more unique use of their small spaces on significantly tighter budgets.

I love all of the above posts. This place is a total bore. "Picture sitting in a really uncomfortable chair and watching the bed, then when you think it can't get any better, imagine watching a really large lame TV – with even larger speakers." Can this place can’t anymore bland. I’m just glad that most called this place was it is – not the thang!

He spent $5k on his speakers, so he doesn't deserve to win? Everyone has their priorities, dude. Maybe he drives a Yugo. Maybe he takes the bus. Maybe they were a gift.

It's a contest, not a charity.

Do you have plans to add some baffles or other things to your walls in the mini concert hall? It seems like all the bare walls would be quite acoustically reflective.

Also, with speakers like that in an apartment like this, do you ever get complaints from your neighbors? Or do you invite them all in for movie night? ;)

One thing I don't get is why a dominant tv in front of the couch breaks "the rules"... especially when it's a nice looking tv.

I could not agree more with JyoJyo. I don't think this is a finalist, but not because of Eric's financial resources. (Honestly, what did it for me is the chair facing the bed--it's a little creepy in a "likes to watch" kind of way.)

Someone help me out. Why are we not allowed to put a tv in front of a sofa?

i think a TV in front of a couch is fine, if its done right...but this isnt really a good example.

The living room works well if it's mainly used as a home theater, but fails as a place to sit and enjoy conversation. People usually want to face each other when conversing, not stare at the A/V set-up (albeit a very nice set-up). The lonely eames chair doesn't cut it. But the owner really enjoys the movies, so it probably suits his needs just fine.

The most interesting thing that I can see are the magazines on the coffee table- they're at an angle!

I understand your love of TV and stereo, however, the set up seems to make it very difficult to get around your apartment. The speakers have to be navigated to get to the balcony and there is hardly any space to walk around the couch. Have you thought of perhaps angling everything on the diagonal or a near-diagonal?

I really like this apartment. It's perfect for someone who really enjoys movies/entertainment, and wants that to be the focus. Why frill everything up with tchotchkes? The lines of the living room are clean, the colors neutral, and the focus of the room is quite clear.

Everything needs to turn 90 degrees. Something about the tv in front of the window bugs me. I don't like the stand it's on either. There's something off about where the pictures on the wall are placed also.Ultimately I think it's a matter of balance 'cause there doesn't seem to be anything ostensibly wrong with the pieces individually, except for that tv stand.

I see a game controller on the couch--maybe the occupant is a serious gamer? A home theater is one think for watching movies in 2-3 hours blocks of time but gaming can take up half of a day so I don't mind the tv in front of the sofa.

The bare walls and the small scale of his artwork would drive me nuts. He should hit up his art buddies for pieces or do some of his own.

i think you've managed to create the space you wanted and you did it with style! it's unconventional in that the tv is in front of the window, the art seems to be on the 'wrong' wall, etc., but it does work! especialllly if movies/music/gaming is your schtick. personally, i'd have the tv on the credenza, but then again i have an aversion to making tvs the center of attention. they are such attention whores. ;) i think the window should be the center, as its bursting with yummy light. i'd also bring all those cool prints you have and make a wonderful montage wall - they do feel so small all by themselves! but yes, yes, yes - overall, i think it's a sleek space and you did a great job!

Yes, let's get off the highhorse about TV's in front of the couch being a no-no. If films, music or even Jerry Springer is your thing then why not design around it?

I personally always wonder when I see a home that is so thoughtfully designed and decorated to the hilt and has only a pinner little t.v. on a shelf.

Is that what you pull down to watch opera when no one is looking? Because you certainly aren't watching any films with any cinematographic value...

THUG FOR LIFE

It's the TV being in front of a window that I find more sinful than having it in front of the sofa. Especially a gynormous TV like that one that is set rather high up off the ground. If it's about the "music", then what's with the massive tube? And even more so given that the window is actually a balcony door leading to a nice sized patio! You've ruined this place's potential.

BTW, for those living in apartments, the Bose Wave II system is the way to go.

This place has lots of positive things going for it, but the ridiculous tv/stereo placement kills it.

I like this room.I think the tv would look really good on top of that credenza, white chair, white vase...

I actually really like the look of this apartment. Clean and simple. Maybe a little more artwork just to liven up the place more.

However, I do agree with everyone who said that the TV's placement in front of the windows seems wrong. I imagine the light coming in from the windows during the day will make TV watching or gaming very glaring and straining on the eyes.

In a world where words like "matching" and "set" are defined by Ikea and Ethan Allen, it's refreshing to see how furniture made of materials that are not identical (gasp!) can still "match".

Notice the consistency throughout the room with the subtle presence of straight edges and lines and how it's surprisingly soothing. The colors do not match exactly (unlike pieces from the MALM series), but somehow manage to complement each other.

It represents a more modern world. It's a silent metaphor for potential organization and a reflection of hope that harmony between "unmatched" colors can exist. Even in a moderately-sized apartment in LA.

I admire your honesty in setting up your apartment to make it convenient for your love of music and movies, and how uncluttered it looks. But the verticals are horrible! They make the place look stark and bare rather than minimalist. I do love that sideboard though, very nice.

I voted finalist because I'd like to see you win a prize. I really admire someone who doesn't fill their apartment full of junk. That said, there are a few things I would change. You really have great bones and a clean asthetic.

Although, of course I am bothered by that TV. Okay, I make the same design "error" and have my TV in front of the sofa too, and I'm not even a TV viewer. I suppose it is naive to pretend that we Americans don't watch TV and that it should not be figured prominently. I once read a french design magazine and their living rooms were all designed around the TV.

So: here's my suggestions. Wish I had photoshop to play with that first pic. What about putting the sofa in front of the TV where the window is and put your TV on the credenza? Believe it or not - it is wonderful to watch TV on an angle, especially sprawled out on the sofa. Also, you can take a nap on Sunday by the window. Also a wonderful experience. What are those monstrous towers on either side of the TV? Lose them and the TV pedestal immediately

On the left of the room you can now put two chairs (hope you win so you can buy two). Your art is cute, but you need one (only one) large piece for behind the chairs. Who is the designer of that small wooden chair? That is by far the ugliest and most uncomfortable chair known to man. I am surprised by its omnipresence. Buy a large bowl, something organic in nature, preferably Vietnamese for your coffee table to put junk in.

That's it. Move: TV and sofa. Lose: towers, pedestal and wood chair. Buy: one large piece of art (or make it yourself)two new chairs and large wooden bowl.

Your bedroom is perfect.

You have a great start here. Keep that restrained hand. Hope you win a prize, and if you do change anything hope you will post the results.

you. have. a. balcony. make. that. part. of. your. living. space. don't. hide. it.

I can't handle it when things like television dominate a room. It's just not my style.

A bit sparse, but I admire you for arranging the space to fit your priorities. A space has to be functional for its occupants above all else. The cradenza is cool.

I'm telling you this is a wind-up. Why would this guy expect to win? He hasn't done anything inventive. This is just to get people all excited and judgmental. It's like he read the manifesto for this site and started laughing Dr. Evil style. Come on!

I like the chairs as art. And the light coming through the enormous speakers makes them look a bit like screens & slightly less like enormous speakers. I'd like to see pix of the A/V room from a seated eye level since that seems to be the way the room is designed to be enjoyed. The low/flush coffee table is interesting & makes me think of a podium where a conductor might stand during a performance. The opera glasses are a nice touch as well.
Good job.

the living room looks like a movie theatre.
PEOPLE should be the focus of a living room, not the television

Ahh... a Rega Planar 3. An Insta-finalist in my book.

And Vinny... friends don't let friends buy Bose.

BTW, for those living in apartments, the Bose Wave II system is the way to go.

The Bose Wave II "system" is an overpriced boom box. Cambridge Soundworks makes a clock radio that's less than half the size, about a quarter the price, and sounds almost as good. I wouldn't use either as a primary listening system, though.

You can get decent performance at a decent price from unobtrusive speakers, but Bose can only manage the unobtrusive part. Look for sub/satellite combos from companies like Energy, NHT, Meridian or Definitive Technology if you actually want a set of speakers that are worth spending that kind of money on.

Eric's Martin Logan speakers are fantastic, and they're good looking for large speakers. Magnepan also makes large planar speakers that are popular with audiophiles and can be completely covered in a variety of fabrics. The larger floorstanding models look like privacy screens or room dividers, while the smaller models can be hinge-mounted to the walls or large entertainment centers, and folded away when not in use. They can be an excellent choice if you want a big speaker but don't want your speakers to dominate your space.

Since Eric clearly values listening to his audio system placement options are somewhat limited. I think his space might look better though if there were something behind the television - maybe a grouping of large, healthy plants.

Oh, and he needs to replace - or at least cover - the vertical blinds with fabric curtains. Not only will they soften the room a bit, they'll also help to tamp down unwanted sound reflections. I'd also recommend soft, tactile artwork on at least one of the walls - some kind of tapestry or other fabric-based work with lots of texture.

This apt. says to me "Sit down, shut up, and stare ahead blankly." It's all very sad and lonely.

"Ummm... yeeeeeah.... Hi Peter, it's Lumberg. Just checking in to see if you were coming to work today. It's not a half-day or anything."

to JyoJyo and Anne in Chicago:

I never said that someone doesn't deserve to win just because they have the scratch to buy fancy speakers (although, I agree with the commenter who said Magnepans are a better choice). What I meant in my comment was that those people who are able to make their place look much nicer than this (which, most of us agree, is not one of the better entries) by scavenging flea markets, thrift stores, estate sales, etc. are much more deserving of the prize since they are able to do much more with way less.

It takes way more creativity to see the aesthetic value in someone else's "junk" than to just merely buy fancy furniture from "The many many furniture stores scattered all around Los Angeles" (to quote the Eric's submission).

this apartment has so many cool pieces but so little real character.

I actually like this room. I think with some adjustments, it could be a vastly improved and a contender.

1) move the stereo equipment into the sideboard and find a different storage solutions for the cds. If you are going to be purely linear, then clear every odd bit out of the line of sight. The audio rack is a big eyesore. It distracts from your great audio/visual setup.

2) Hang the white framed picture over the record player and place something low and long on the right side of the sideboard to balance it out. Maybe a row of bud vases or a series of really nice wood boxes to store your cd's. Buttercup has some nice black satin lacquered boxes that would be perfect for storing cds and dvds. Very simple and functional but they would help continue your very regimented layout.

3) Center the coffee table with the sofa.

You've done a lot of things you are not "supposed" to do (like setting your room up like a movie theater instead of a social room) but honestly, I think that is the way a lot of people use their living room. I think, given the setup, you've done it better than most.

I also don't have any problem with setting up the living room as a kind of media room. Not everyone entertains at home - a lot of people would rather meet with their friends at bars or restaurants. It would be sort of silly to rent a larger apartment than you need and/or purchase a lot of furniture just to support a seldom-used function - like entertaining - you can just as easily outsource.

These days I entertain in my apartment about 3 weekends a month on average, so I'm glad I rented a 1 bedroom apartment with a large living / dining / office area, but I have company far more often than anybody else I know.

If you seldom have guests, it's just stupid to setup your living room so that it's comfortable for guests while ignoring your own needs, especially if space and budgets are limited. Rooms should be functional. If you can find a way to make the form pleasing that's always a plus, but function must come first if you're going to be happy with the results.

I tend to agree with sunspot42. While I don't really like this apartment, I think that it probably works the way Eric wants it to.

Maxwell's point about the relationship of furniture to the TV wasn't that a couch shouldn't face a television set, but that it inhibits conversation if *all* the seating faces the television. In my living room, the sofa faces the TV, but the sofa is the only seating piece that isn't easily moved. Two light occasional chairs face the sofa, more or less, and other light chairs can be moved closer.

However, I never invite guests over to watch TV. If I did, I might need a different configuration. This is a basic problem with small places. In a very large house it would be unexceptional today to have a media room, and if video and audio are very important to you, I see nothing wrong with setting up the living room (if it is the only "living" space) like a media room.

I don't think there is anything wrong with setting up your space just for your own needs but entering this contest is like inviting people over. Now we're in his space and it couldn't be less inviting. You can do anything you want in the privacy of your own home but why enter a contest when you've done so much against the brief? Maybe he should have entered the tech contest instead since his interest is obviously audio visual equipment and not multi-functional design. Aghh.. he's succeeded in winding me up!

ahaah I stopped reading comments when someone suggested to buy a Bose Wave II to an audiophile. come on! please comment on the design, but if you have no clue about sound systems, don't make suggestions on the sound system he should use.

(personally I'd see my Linn Classik in there)

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bask to the design, I like the setup, I just think he should have positionned the same elements in a different way. Especially not putting the tv and speakers in front of the balcony.