apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Honesty. Simplicity. Downsizing (or, better, "rightsizing"). A return to financial sanity.

To quote Thoreau:

Our houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather than housed by them.

Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.

Money is not required to buy one necessity of the soul.

That man is rich whose pleasures are the cheapest.

Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.

Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.

And Sir Winston Churchill:

Out of intense complexities, intense simplicities emerge.

Hopefully, much good will eventually emerge from our current world economic crisis. Windwolf

*Designs that embrace our emotional side; designs which reflect the hope and aspirations in the world.
Words such as "Hope", "Love", "Peace", ... embraced in art etc.
Obama kicked off this trend. It might only be temporary, but I see this in many designs on a local level. A generally more relaxed, confident design style -- steering away from cold modernism and the cookie-cutter mid-century style of yesteryears (going backwards in design because of our own insecurity of today and tomorrow). I see this as almost a spiritual movement in optimism, hope and belief. Absolutely Obama has breathed fresh air into all realms of society.

Designs should reflect what we is going on inside and outside ourselves, individually and on a global scale. Trends truly are a reflection of what is going on in the world.

*I hope to see more practical, affordable, eco-compassionate designs to reflect our concern for each other and the environment (the global economy might kick start this trend). Small space styles will be the "it" design. Labels not so much, but more about "how is that green?"

Donating to charity the money you'd normally spend on Christmas cards.

A "no gift" Christmas policy. Or at least only giving gifts that can be used up.

sustainability

I think lace and doilies are set for reinvention.

I'm in love with black doilies now.

From time to time, AT house tours include pics of storage spaces. I would like to see more focus on how we store things and how to beautify storage spaces of everyday objects. Not so much pics of overly designed custom fitted closets, but a look under beds, in garages and attics, under kitchen sinks, in armoires and in kitchen cabinets.

I am definitely hoping for more sustainability, affordability and accessibility in terms of new products. But really, I'd like to see less consumption, and a bigger push to make do with what one already has.

Yes, everything KWorld said. Storing and purging posts are what I fancy.

i'd love to see more small space stuff like storage, but mostly a bit of downsizing & simplifying. & i'm including downsizing the redonk prices. i'd say many of us can't afford dwr. although i love their stuff, i'd like to see less of it on here.

also, i'd REALLY like to see less posts devoted to people who own. this is APARTMENT therapy & it seems to have really drifted away from that focus. i'd like to see some contests just for renters who can't knock down a wall. pretty please with pouting on top? i think it would be very inspiring.

while i'm suggesting, it would also be nice to have some posts for those of us who don't live in huge cities. i just moved out of a city b/c the rent got so high. & now, i'm really feeling the pain of not having access to cool shops, greenhouses, OR EVEN CRAIG!!! thing is, most people live in these out of the way areas. so, i'd like to see more sources for us.

WHO'S WITH ME???

I second mariegael. I recently moved to a not-so-urban area, which lacks an Ikea and has a pretty useless craigslist selection (think "overstuffed"). I'd love to see some ideas for people in those areas.

I'd like to see more focus on art made by the owners/renters.

Please, more posts about collections.

I'm with you, mariegael. And while we're at it, I'd love to finally see an AT section featuring some southern cities. AT Atlanta or Dallas, anyone? I always feel silly and pointless trying to pick my "local" area to submit questions to given that I'd have to drive for two days at least to get there.

ditto mariegael

What I would love, love, love to see is an awareness of the distinction between "design" and "decorating." Design takes into account the structure and architecture of the space and makes that work as part of the whole; "decorating" is simply filling the space with stuff as the sole means to create a style.

Even renters who can't knock down walls (or sometimes even paint) can find minimally-invasive ways to modify the structure to accommodate a specific use or style. No amount of pretty fabric or this-or-that chair will make up for ignorance of the structure of a space. Decorating is only half the equation. A knowledge of architectural principles gets you the rest of the way there.

What mariegael said!

Thoroughly edited posts!

agreed. I would love to see some apartments sourced from national chains such as target, walmart, home depot, lowe's, jcpenny, sears, and pottery barn (or crate and barrel).

i want to see innovative ways to use small spaces, red, items that are beautiful - not just utilitarian

and i'd like to see some of those posts where a question is asked eg, 'how do i sexy up my ugly yellow cupboard' followed up with an after post so we can see what happened. that would be satisfying.

Colour! Particularly bright, warm colour! I am sick to death of neutrals, pastels can be insipid, and cool palettes do nothing for me - let's see some gorgeous, rich oranges and bright, sunny yellows and vibrant, happy pinks!

Travel-inspired decor. Maps, globes, international paraphenalia. I have some gorgeous 50s-70s vintage National Geographic maps - my 1957 world map is stunning!

And, like elspeth said, I'd love to see before-and-after shots of question posts!

I think I'm almost ready to revisit some of the 1980's Laura Ashley cheerful florals, and soft comfortable sofas and chairs again!

I know how crazy would that be!

I'd like to see real paintings and art on walls again!

Just new new things. Not new looks at another old thing. The chalkboard paint is, I think, the given recent example, where although not a technical repeat post, is a complete idea nobody is not aware of. I don't despise the chalkboard paint, but for it to take up more than its fair share of ideas makes it a little stale. We get it, people like to jot stuff down, RIGHT ON THE DOOR. Only this time, it's A CABINET DOOR! And the next time, IT'S THE BACKSPLASH. And then IT'S THE DOOR AGAIN. We have seen the incarnations, we're aware of the paint, we've been given permission to let our imagination run wild. Let's please go to something else.

Let's also improve the Look! feature. A lot of times, it's something really obvious, like a hook, or massively unpopular, like a shoe storage as display. Other posts not under the Look! category also do this. Just because you saw something doesn't mean it's inspiring or useful or a good design idea. Just because somebody did something doesn't make it an attractive solution. On the one hand, you want us to see everything you found, but on the other hand, there's not often any real evidence of discernment between a good new idea implemented in the wild, and an unsightly horror of a bad example. Things made out of trash can be interesting, but it takes a lot of talent to transcend what'll otherwise look like a sculpture of laundry detergent bottles. For a blog all het up about debranding, if I can tell there's a bottle of Tide in that umpteenth chandelier made out of junk, you're not all that consistent. If the chandelier is a plant, you're going the wrong way.

So, yeah, most what I'd like to see is new new things. If you are taking suggestions for new new things to post about in 2009, don't take that thing and cram it down our throats. It's just more helpful and interesting to not see the same dozen or so ideas, and the internet and the world is large. I know you can find other things out there that we just don't see every day (sometimes twice).

The word "I" is also suggested for posts.

I agree with both mariegael and *elspeth!

I would like to see more eclectic spaces, items, colours. Difference is interesting. Even if I wouldn't live in it - I still like to see it! I love when a space is truly a reflection of the person (inside and out.)

I believe we will be seeing more articles about multi-person residences. As more people are forced to take in borders or live with several generations of relatives under the same roof to make ends meet, this will create new design issues. Also, I predict we will see design that is predicated on being helpful and beautiful. ie Elegant bathroom solutions for boomers with bad knees now living with their kids.

Also, if your home is full of people, how do you create sacred and solitary spaces for yourself? I feel we will be seeing lots of little altar spaces in the near future.

AT shows live/work spaces but I predict we will be seeing more as people start entrepreneurial endeavours as a second job. And I love looking at these myself. I always click through to a live/work house tour.

Handmade has been big for awhile but I feel its only going to get bigger. I also think bartering is also going to be a common way of achieving great design on less. And as an artist I frequently barter but I haven't figured out to get the 'essentials' this way. My supermarket doesn't accept paintings as legal tender.

I also want to see more international flavour. I'm not going to be traveling for awhile but I have gypsy feet and I enjoy seeing how people reside around the world. Asia and Scandinavia are good but I'm also curious about South Africa, Brasil, Russia, etc...

Yes, I want more. But I also want less HOT or NOT lists. I feel it encourages bad global behaviour - when an item is popular but then goes out of style creating waste and consumption of more items. I want to have long term relationships with the objects that surround me and not feel judged.

Oh and let have more unicorns. :)

I really enjoy the occasional post, like the recent one on the nifty Greenwich Village studio, spotlighting homes/condos on the market that are feasible for an average-incomed apartment-dweller contemplating his/her first home. Not $2-million-plus, designer-porn perfection palaces (although those can be fun), but conceivably affordable, architecturally cool places just waiting for the right person to bring out their potential and make 'em shine. In sum, real estate we can dream of and plan for, not just fantasize about.

mariegael is right on with the request for more "apartments" featured on "Apartment" Therapy. while i enjoy looking at designer homes now and again, i don't come to this site for that and i've found that i've been feeling depressed after spending a lot of time looking at that kind of content on here because i don't honestly think i can ever achieve that level and i don't ever want to feel like i have to come up with a huge list of stuff i "need" to fill a space or to fill an internal void. let's please return to things that EVERYONE on here can achieve-- repurposing what we already have, the less is more value, clever organizing and artistic tips for any space and any budget.

as far as design goes, i do absolutely love the midcentury styles, though at a certain point it becomes stifling and represents a repressed era. i'd like to see more flair, color, and passion return to design. i want modernized renditions of gothic Victorian and more art nouveau-inspired design! i want to see bold wallpapers, rich saturated colors, furnishing with personality.

For mariegael et. al.:

It's possible to own an apartment. Many are called condos.

Less Eames.
Just the odd house tour without is all I'm asking. OK, they're nice chairs, but seeing the same of anything ALL the time is boring.

peit hein eek. dutch design in general.

studio furniture as opposed to the ridiculous limited edition stuff that hedge fund managers buy to show off to their friends.

more vintage and refurbished furniture in homes. recycled furniture. reserving "new" purchases to heart stopping, jaw dropping, truly inspirational things. in general a return to quality over quantity.

wabi sabi.

smaller homes with larger yards. vegetable and victory gardens.

dinner parties.

Griffin,

yes, but you know what i mean. :P many apartment dwellers can't paint, change cabinets, tile the back-splash, change the lighting, add a shelf, or even call a plumber without management getting involved. for example, my last apt was in a gorgeous victorian. the owner's people did a crap job on the painting & splattered it all over the original wood, but i was not allowed to fix it. issues for people in this situation (probably most of us) aren't on this site too often.

*thank goodness i'm in a place that allows paint this time!

Second a request for a Southern AT; it'd be nice to hear about design sources south of the Sweet Tea Line, yo. Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Memphis, Nashville, Tampa, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Birmingham.... come on, y'all, we don't all decorate with contempo country over-stuffed yuck.

Also second a request for a proofreader! Please!!??

I hope/expect to see: More re-use, recycle, re-design, less $3000 coffee tables. Sorry, furniture artists, but it's time to consider your market.

More floorplans!

Also, take pride in your posts. If a byline has one name, please do not speak in the first person plural.

Some of these "more" suggestions really seem more like veiled criticism of the site. I, for one, am happy with AT, grammatical errors, reposts, and all. It is by no means perfect, but for finding daily inspiration and the occasional solution to a decorating or design problem, not even the pricey shelter magazines can touch it. Clicking through one more post featuring chalkboard paint seems a small price to pay.

As for "more" - I'd love to see more soft minimalism. I am pretty much over the crochet slipcover/blanket/wallhanging/coaster, mismatched frames and dining room chairs, and the truckloads of knick knacks. With all the chaos out there, I am looking for a little visual peace and quiet.

A trend I would love to see:
More compassion.
More consideration...
For one another. For Mother Earth. For all living creatures.
Live **simply**. Live well.

I'd like more ways to decorate using affordably priced objects. I love the idea of doing posts with how to decorate using stuff from major retailers. More posts on re-using what you've got, on downsizing, on objects that can serve more than one purpose. On multi-purpose rooms. And as a parent of a 2 year old with another on the way, I'd love to see more spaces where children reside and families live. More homes of people with budgets and opinions and their own taste, rather than those of people with unlimited budgets and interior designers. I'm also in favor of bringing some AT love to the south, although I'm in Austin and really happy whenever I see our town on here!

All that said, I love Apartment Therapy and think you guys always "get it" more than any of the high-end design magazines out there. Keep up the good work!

I don't think this was mentioned yet, but I hope for AT to take a new look at the way the contests are run and judged. The Fall Colors contest was overall a mess. Good for Jesse to eventually prevail, but the head-to-head eliminated so many worthy contestants very early, leaving us with a high percentage of the headscratchers who were only marginally better than their direct opponent (and not always very clearly), possibly also due to the segregation of the regions until the late rounds. Please learn that splitting things up into regions isn't ideal for this purpose (or most purposes). Not sure what arbitrary process was involved in pairing up opponents. Please think of another gimmick that will make it more fair for contestants with a real talent and more exciting for voters/readers. I would like to see all the really best in the final rounds and make the decision very difficult and the payoff for spectators validated. The last Small Cool contest was run differently and still a relatively mystifying process by which finalists were selected.

Also, this doesn't need to be changed: thank you for adding extra page numbers to navigate instead of dumping us to the archives after the 5th page. The first posts of the day, or a few days of posts to catch up or check for extra comments are no longer pointlessly difficult to look for. Best change of the year!

(I agree with KTG, thank you for the added page numbers! I was thrilled when you started doing that.)

I would love to see more apartment solutions (like many above seem to agree with) and small space solutions.

Love to see a vegan trenda -- "kind design" as they are calling it.
I agree with ktg's comment about the contests and page archives (very annoying!!)
I would also love to see more "home" tours -- as they should be called -- especially of rental apartments.
And make the images LARGER please!!!! (:

I would also love to see:

1. More Floor Plans
2. Rental Designs (I live in a lovely rented semi-urban dwelling, but it's less than a year old, and I have no ability to make any changes other than paint)
3. Attention to detail (especially with regard to spelling, grammar and links that work)
4. Cost consciousness - both the price point, and the effect on society, the environment, etc.
5. Some love for the flyover states. I'm at least 15 hours from any AT city, and lacking both a Trader Joes, Ikea, and my local craigslist features a LOT of Aspen Log furniture and "southwestern" designs on couches.
6. Low Cost Entertaining at Home options/ideas.
7. I too dislike the "hot or not" posts.

And a personal nitpick, I'd love to see tagging that's easier to get through - I had at least three things I was looking for this past week that I *know* I've seen on Apartment Therapy, but couldn't find. I'm not going to recall whether something was a "hot post" - but I will know that I am looking for a media cabinet that was a hack from an Ikea lack shelving unit with perforated screens on the doors. (Ikea, Hacks, Media Units).

Not to say that these are deal breakers, but as smeone who has read AT for at least 2 years, they are just opinions that I've formed. In general I like the site, and my boyfriend has even said that maybe he'll look through the site to show me what designs *he* likes.


Oh, and one last thing - no more sex chairs. That was just....weird.

Definitely more things for renters - cheap renters.
I still have a cardboard box for a coffee table, and a frameless futon for a couch. I laugh at the phrase "Design Within Reach."
More for people out of large cities would be great. AT Seattle would be killer, too. San Fransisco is very far away - and has sunshine to boot.

Trends are for suckas.

I'm a big fan of DIY. I see a lot of interest here in simplifying, using less, spending less, etc., and posts on repurposing things, improving what you have, and that sort of thing fit right in with that. For example, I'm planning on moving soon and I'd like some info on making curtains or revamping the old ones to fit the new windows. In general, I'm interested in low-cost decorating in all its forms--DIY, thrift stores, what have you. I don't have a lot of money and these posts on cool $5000 couches aren't helpful to me. Now, a post on how to mimic the look for cheap is right up my alley!

And if it were up to me, I would ban all posts on wallpaper. It seems like everybody here loves wallpaper, but I just can't stand it.