apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I think this bedroom exemplifies why number 1 was "just okay." This has personality; the other was hip generica.

I love the bed. Where did it come from?

Elegant, warm, soothing and spare without being boringly minimal.

Interesting that you think it has personality. I like the dark gray and orange color choices, but it reminds me very much of an (upscale, trendy) hotel--pretty, but rather cold. I would love to vacation here for a weekend in the city, but it does not look like home to me. The other one seemed more recognizably liveable.

I like everything except for that mirror. Im no design expert but to me that mirror sticks out like a sore thumb.

Very Boutique Hotel........

I said I couldn't sleep there because it feels too "cold" to me. I wonder how one could make the room look more inviting--right now it looks too much like a hotel room. Sorry.

Yikes, this is a tough crowd. And you all use "upscale, trendy, boutique hotel" like it's a BAD thing...

(but it would be nice to see another view and/or some detail shots...)

Rich in texture and color and yet simple enough to be a restful retreat.Very nice ideed Chad. Thanks.

Exquisite. Pure inspiration for those of us trying to reconcile our own love of strong color and bold pattern with a partner's appreciation of clean lines and neutral palettes. Who would've thought toile and a platform bed could coexist so beautifully? Thanks.

I think it's lovely -- it's masculine without being hard, and full of lots of little details and personal choices that work nicely together. I think the reason that people feel that the place looks a little cold is that you've chosen to show us the perfect portfolio picture of your place. I'm sure there are days when your bed is not so perfectly made and there are stacks of stuff around the place. I would love it if my bedroom looked like a relaxing boutique hotel rather than a messy fluffy thing with the cat lolling across it.

I would like to see and upclose of the sidetables you created. The pic doesn't do them justice =)I'm not a big fan of the wallpaper...but I love the dark walls and light floor with the warm brown and popping orange and green (and are the lamps red or orange?- maybe it's my monitor. Either way, it looks good). Very nice.

I chose "just okay" because, though beautiful and aesthetically well done, bedrooms must be comfortable. I am somewhat tense imagining sleeping there. But, as the designer said, you must do what makes YOU comfortable.

Definitely better than yesterday... but I'm still not convinced... It could be the photo, but the wall paper seems to clash with the platform... We all learned in the eighties not to mix grays.

The glowing lamps add a certain seduction to the photo... definitely draws you in, and the orange bodies of the lamps scream of passion (in a good way)... they really are beautiful and I'm terribly jealous... The orange splash on the bed makes me smile...

Are those hyacinth on the left? Fantastic choice for flowers anywhere in the house, but especially by the bed... Just a beautiful scent to sleep by. Bringing something natural into the scene also breathes some informality into what for me is a little bit too formal.

I dunno... the dark colors... Black pillows, tables, wall... make me feel like this guy wears a lot of Black, his friends wear a lot of Black, and whoever joins him in bed wears a lot of Black. The NYC hipster design dogma of Black can probably be successful in the bedroom, but I don't know if it works here. What are you trying to prove about design sensibility? You definitely have it, but I don't know if this space says "Slumber, be lazy, snuggle and be warm..." Then tomorrow we can shower and get dressed and put on something black.

If you could add detailed pics of the side tables, that would be very interesting...

This is a very good contest... I'd show my bedroom off if I had one in my 300 SF studio... I don't know if a murphy bed would be worth your while. Looking forward to more!!!

I really like it. It's hard to see from such a small picture. I think it looks comfortable, but then I don't like the overstuffed chintzy stuff that many people probably consider "comfortable." Really liked everything--esp. the Art Deco-y mirror--but wasn't so sure about the toile and the platform. Then again, I can't really see the details. Nice work!

I like the black and white patterned wall paper behind the bed.

I do like this bedroom although it's probably not one I would have in my home. I love the current trend of using toile kind of ironically, if that's the right word. I think it gives the whole room a needed bit of softness and whimsy. So far the leader.

Question for talented Chad--
Is your bedroom exposed to the rest of your loft, or a separate room/area?
The reason I ask-- I think, in evaluating these bedrooms, it's important to keep that in mind, since a bed(room) as part of a living space needs (imho) to be more tailored, looking more like "furniture" and less like "a bed". I also think there is some gender bias towards a more tailored hard edged look in a bedroom. "Ohboy, bet that part is a can of worms...)

Where to begin in response the the posts about my bedroom?!

First, the picture looks very bad and the colors are off. Actually, there are NO greys and the lamps are Red. The wallpaper is Black on white as with the Cerused oak bed (google cerused oak if you don't know what that means). The walls and curtains are a dark,dark brown- Benjamin moore paint #2130-10 "black bean soup".

I am a cabinetmaker and made the bed and side-tables myself, as with most of my furniture in my space. Funny, but i've made more beds for people than anything else. Seems there is a shortage of quality, stylish and affordable beds out there.

To answer the post from Patrick...my space is divided by 4 large sliding doors i made with mahogany frames and frosted plastic. The "bedroom" area is actually 12" higher than the rest of my space. The rest of the space is mostly a muave color on the walls with white moulding accents. I wanted the bedroom area to feel darker and different than the rest of the space but flow with it as well.

Thank you to everyone who responded. It's really exciting to hear everyones comments.

For the record Paul, i don't wear much black and neither does my girlfriend....she got a kick out of that one!

Paul is just cranky today.

ps-- to Chad
Thnaks for the follow-up. That question I posed about separation and having a more tailored look was because I really like the look you have, but it seems people have been slamming tailored cuz it's not "comfy" enough.

Chad,

Patrick is right... I'm all crankers today.

This is really putting the most intimate space of the house on display, so that's to be commended. And those lamps... Beauties.

Besides, I may need your services in the near future.

Thanks for the follow-up.

Yes, Chad, thanks for letting us look at your house. Fwiw, I find the room warmer now that you have explained that the bed is made of wood; I had thought it was upholstered, which for some reason seemed more impersonal (less organic?) to me.

I like this bedroom. Masculine, clean lines, sophisticated. My choice of colors would be different but that's me.

Good job Chad. And if your beds are as affordable as you say, I might be a future client.

black is the predominant colour in my apartment(not the bedroom though, just the stairwell and dressing room) so could well identify with your choice of colour. also loved how the black walls went so well with the toile

This is not my style, but it is well designed. Daring and successful use of colors and textures. It feels like a reflection of the owner's personality, which has to feel soothing at night.

P

ps I also love the lamps.

ps--
Benjamin Moore's "Black bean soup" is an AWESOME color... rich, with lots of other color showing up in it. AND a great color name!

feels like a reconstituted version of an '80's bachelor pad.

See, this is how I'd imagine a tribeca loft bedroom looks like simple, austeere with just a hint of decadence - not necessarily my personal tastes, but it is done well. Love the orange, love black bean soup. Not a huge fan of the mirror - I'd actually go for something a little larger and more odd-shaped, perhaps without so much of a frame. Why did you decide to put the bed in a corner? Just curious.

Chad - I like your space and the choices you've made (though I agree that the mirror doesn't quite fit the room). I have the same burnt orange lamps you have - from Crate & Barrel, right? - so it's interesting to see how different people utilize the same fixtures.

i think your room is one of the better ones on this site. i'm into the whole modern lokk and like what you have done. the only thing i don't really like are the little throw pillows. they're just not my taste