apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Is that an American flag as a window curtain? Call me old fashioned but I think that's in poor taste.

The rest of the hotel looks amazing.

I am also stunned (and very disappointed) that the American flag is being used as a drapery in this hotel. Moreover, it's hung in the "mourning" position (blue star field on the right instead of on the left) which makes it especially egregious.

Pshaw! The American flag is merely a symbol, not a sacred idol. British flags are commonly used as a design motif, and so are American flags. I wouldn't drag it on the floor or use it to dry the car, but as a drapery, why not? You can get all constipated over other people's lack of flag worship, or you can just accept that there are varying degrees of respect and all are valid, including the DIS-respect of protesters. (Be more concerned when civil liberties of PEOPLE are constrained!) (Soapbox mode off!)

As SUNNYBLUE points out, the flag is hung wrong and there is flag etiquette we should follow regardless.

I realize this isn't the heart of the matter, but if the flag is hanging in a window, wouldn't it appear with the stars on the left from the POV of everyone except the two people staying in the room?

The U.S. Flag Code cannot possibly list all of the things we should NOT do with the flag, but it does specifically say that the flag should not be used as drapery. See Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 8, (d) of the U.S. Code.

@lmk --- I understand what you are asking, but most people do not choose their window coverings predicated on how they will look from the other side of the window.

Too many people have sacrificed their lives for the nation that the flag symbolized for it to be used as a drapery, of for someone to thoughtlessly dismiss the law with a "why not?"

Wow it's funny what tiny details people find to bitch about - ANYWAY in regards to the London Flats if you haven't already you may want to check out vacation rentals by owner - i have had great luck with them when all else failed.http://www.vrbo.com/ Great Rentals is also good but alot of the same http://www.greatrentals.com/ - this is where I found an old church being used as a vacation home in Woodstock.

I think that our troops fight so that we can remain a free country with the greatest freedoms of all--including the right to do whatever we wish to the flag. No one sacrifces their life for anything as mundane as a flag--but they do sacrifce their lives for the right to burn it, rip it, hang it, or kiss it. That is what America is all about.

StudioStarter - how is an American flag poor taste?
it doesn't look white trashy.
it looks old fashioned mixed with modern.

now i read ALL the comments.
it could be a REAL curtain and not actually a flag. you never know.
if it was such a crime the government would be there arresting everybody who dared think of doing that! ahhahahah ridiculous. who really cares. I agree with SherryBinNH.

The flag IS old fashioned---all the way back to 1777.

@Curlsz---I see you are a new commenter here. If you think today has been bitchy, wait 'til we talk about toilet paper, artificial flowers, and painting brick. Your eyes will roll back in your head.

@pniccole---I believe it is a real flag, and a "coffin" or "casket" flag at that.

The proportion of the stars to the stripes (the diameter of the stars to the width of the stripes) indicate that it is a regulation flag---or an official, government flag. The rows of stars are 8 stars long, and stars are in even rows, which indicate that it is an old 48-star flag, not a 50-star flag whose rows of stars would be offset.

It is longer than an ordinary commercial 3 x 5 ft. flag, and it is longer than a 4 x 6 ft. flag (although the height of the ceiling in this room looks lower than 8 ft.).

To me, it looks like the hoist has been cut off and that it has been hemmed. I think it originally was a 5 x 9.5 ft. casket flag, which traditionally are never flown after they are removed from the casket and folded. (not always, but usually), which accounts for its good condition, which is not faded or tattered.

My guess is that someone found it, and not realizing that it was a casket flag, decided to "repurpose" it. No, it's not a crime, but it's definitely wrong.

Yes new commenter - b/c I normally don't ever comment unless I have something worthwhile to contribute - but in this crew well psh!! In that case - I am offended by this Thompson for Sheriff poster - who is this Thompson and why are they imposing their local beliefs on me - for all we know he could have been the one to hang the flag!! And what is that symbol - some kind of Austin voodoo, we all know how "they" are - oh wait I'm an Austinite - you all know how "we" are.

My parents are in London visiting this week, and we found a nice (cheap) flat for them to rent. It's off the beaten path in North London but close to a Tube stop off of the Piccadilly line and just down the street from an Overground station (highly recommend traveling this way). The one bedroom was spacious and had a full kitchen, washer, and free WiFi. The flats seem to be a developer's folly in the credit crunch that they are renting out until people are ready to buy again. Hope this helps. http://www.activehotels.com/wl/servlet/xmlbrochure/index.do?hotelid=46028&language=en

I do believe that people should have freedom to display the American flag in any way they like, but I still think that using one as a curtain is not only tacky but also insensitive to those people for whom the flag holds great meaning and tradition.

get over the flag thing, people. it's an amazing place with spirit, vision and the perfect combination of high end of chilled out. Isn't patriotism defined by freedom- like the freedom to kick ass with style and gumption?