(NOTE!!! - These are finalists and were chosen SOLELY on the basis of reader voting (which often surprises), but the winners will be chosen from this pool of 14 - hey, we expanded the pool - by our group of 6 judges (who may also surprise). We urge all nitpickers to please enjoy the true reward of the contest: the diverse and inspirational sharing of color and homes.)
Name: Becca
Location: Merrick, NY
Type: Basement 1-bdrm apt, owned (not by me!)
Go to: Becca's Original Entry
Becca's favorite OTHER entry:
#2 East- Gregg & Joe’s Warm and Modern entry caught my eye from the beginning of the contest, and has remained my favorite ever since! I am a big fan of bringing the outdoors inside and they managed to create a wonderful balance of modern furnishings with a warm, bold, saturated color combination. This is not easy to do…and they went for it!
What do you want to do next in your home, if anything, to improve it?:
I would love larger windows!!! But I am in the basement- so that’s not really an affordable or realistic option.
Since I was fortunate enough to have the chance to design this apartment from scratch, I am pretty satisfied- (I still grin every time I enter the kitchen!) Deciding a layout & a color palette was such a challenge between the lack of funds, space, and light. So, being that I moved in only about 2 months ago there are certain things that I still want to improve on in the future.
1. My “corner office” in the bedroom: Of major importance because I hate clutter & need to be comfortable at the desk. File folders/magazine bins/file boxes, a new mouse pad, a comfy desk chair…expanding on things like that would greatly improve my working conditions (and my attitude while sitting there!) Plus one of my kitchen chairs is currently moonlighting as a desk chair.
2. The far wall at the end of the pool table is begging for a large piece of artwork.
3. I am very much into details, so here are just some things that I have been craving to improve the overall look: a colorful throw blanket on the sofa, dinnerware worthy of being seen (the only plates that I currently own are melamine), and a magazine holder or two.
4. I am also working on making the entry hallway more inviting and useful. A narrow console would provide a much needed resting spot for keys or bags. And I am always struggling when I leave or come in with my hands full…
5. The unfurnished spare room off of the hallway that you can see in my video house tour. I have ideas in the works!
- Rebecca
April- do you know something I don't??!! (haha re: "winning the contest") Anyways, the table/chairs set was from eurway.com The style was called "bistro" but unfortunately it is sold out and discontinued. I am always looking for a great sale and I searched hard to find a table that size. You should still check out their site because they may have something similar. Thanks!
YAY - becca your apartment makes us all want to move into basements!
Congrats Becca! I have liked your kitchen from the start. Nicely done greens in there. It looks very cohesive and inviting. I'd want to cook very colorful dishes :)
Adorable apartment and hostess. Thanks for the tour!
I really liked this entry in the first round, but I cant say its my favorite now. The boldness of the kitchen green isnt carried around the rest of the apartment. I do like your idea of picking a color scheme of something small and expanding it.
Thanks for the tour. You must really like to play pool. It's a very nice apartment. Is it in your parents' house? If you did all that for the owners, how lucky are they!
It's weird, I like it less after seeing the video. Maybe the color was lost a bit in the video quality.
wow. how do you live without any windows? that's so depressing. move out of the basement!
with that said, you did a fantastic job.
This was one of my favorites and I'm so glad to see it here as a finalist! Your kitchen is like my dream kitchen.
I think a lot of people are spooked by such a vibrant green, but it really works here and I also love the little partitions/screens(?) on the side that help make the kitchen its own space. I imagine you need no help from coffee in the morning to wake up - just step into your kitchen.
I really liked the original--but the video was disappointing. Becca is adorable. Her apartment isn't. The lack of windows and hodgepodge of colors is too much. I would never use so many mismatched dark colors in an essentially windowless basement.The pool table is bizarre. If I were a single young lady--I'd rather live in a walkup tenement studio on ave d than a windowless basement 2 bedroom with a pool table in Merrick.
Becca, you did an amazing job on your apartment given space, time, and money. Don't listen to the negativity, some people are just natural born haters.
This is an opinion pole, of that I'm aware but while this may not be everyone's style, some people tend to overlook the artistic talent that went into making this apartment bold and creative.
Kudos, you rock, your apartment is incomparable :)
Love the Dwell bed linens!!! Yey!
Way to go! Great job on the video and I must say that the video does not do the apartment justice. It looks so much better in photos which are a closer representation of what the entire place looks like. I think for a basement apartment, which so many space and lighting restrictions, you did everything possible to make it the best it can be which not many other people had to work with...Be proud of yourself and all of your hardwork you put into it! Take this thing all the way!!!!!!!!!and ignore the haters.
Hey all! Want to clear up something- i do indeed have windows!! (please look at the pics) 2 in the bedrm, 2 in the kitchen area. Just that they are not so big. Oh- and I am not single. But I do love to play pool!!! (And it is a 1-bedroom, not 2).
And thanks to Miz Amanda Jane, Joel, and Janine. The kitchen does perk me up and make me happy, so I am proud of that.
This was my first time ever posting a video- and yes the color quality is not that accurate...esp b/c I had to shoot it during the evening and you all know that I am in a basement ;-) haha But I wanted to share with everyone and so this is it. Thanks, & looking forward to all the feedback...
it's like a pair of khaki capris with a lil' flare at the bottom.
Becca,
I love your apartment. Your artistic talent is so evident as you enter each room in the apartment. I admire your creativity. My favorite room is definitely the kitchen- hands down!
I am having a hard time figuering out if I like this place. One thing I like about it, is the colors or clean and have a good Transition between the colors. I'm just not crazy with all that green.
"are Americans really like this??.."
Here and there, and we can't spell, either.
Hey again,
glad you all love the kitchen and miss it- do not despair, it still exists! ;-) But for the final entry we were instructed to submit 8 additional photos showing color in the home. Any room!
Becca, skillfully executed. It is obvious you have a innate talent to design. Your color choices are bold and really mesh well.
Good job!
Wow- what a beautiful apartment. You managed to take a small space and make it into something warmn and inviting. Each room has its own idenity and makes you want to spend time in each part of the apartment.
I think you did a fantastic job!
-Nicole
This WAS my fav entry; I kept revisiting the site waiting to see if it was selected! But IÂ’d have never known that if I didn't take the plunge and view the video which I stopped a 3rd of the way through.
LOVED the original photos but the videos and additional footage for this AND all the entries loses the appeal of the contest for me. It feels like if you're "slick/interesting" in your video then you stand a better chance. What about those contestants who have a wonderfully exuberant burst of colour in 1 part of their home, but are restrained in the rest? Yes, I know you can opt out of the additional video etc, BUTÂ…
I guess IÂ’m just being crotchety but I just want Becca to win based on her fab original entry!!!
I vote for this one, mainly based on the amazingly kickass kitchen. that's my favorite rom of the entire contest, based on color and style. And not because we share our view on the other favorite entry ;)
Hi Becca. Congradulations on you winning the contest!
Question, where did you get your kitchen table and chairs from?
That would fit perfectly in my small kitchen.
Thanks!
What a wonderful apartment. Wonderful use of color. An awesome kitchen and wonderful living room. Love the red accents. You did a great job.
This entry is inspiring. It is amazing to see what hard work and talent can accomplish! You have inspired me to infuse my space with color. You have achieved balance and have shown that you donÂ’t have to be a lottery winner to do so. Congrats!
Hey Becca!
Your apartment is beyond awesome! I mean, your taste is exquisite. The furniture is great and the colors couldn't be any better. When I finally move...you MUST decorate my place. Good luck! You deserve first place!
I love your apartment SO MUCH that if you move out, I'll move in.
I love the combination of colors. The apartment has the appearance of elegance, however, a feeling of warmth.
Hey Becca. LOL I could have sworn it said something about you winning the contest somewhere. Well thanks for the info anyway. Your place is so cool. I really love your kitchen and the way you were not afraid of color.
Hope you win!
I love the burst of color in the kitchen and the way you infuse the color theme throughout the entire apartment. Your talent is obvious to anyone who sees this and I love that it is economically done! When are you available to do consultant work? Best wishes!
This is my favorite entry by far. LetÂ’s not forget people that this is a contest for usage of color. I think that BeccaÂ’s apartment reflects her excellent understanding of color and lighting. The fact that such bright and cheerful colors can explode from the walls in a basement apartment shows us she know what she doing.
Love the accent wall, and the red flowers on the black table jump of the green wall behind them.
Excellent work.
Thanks Gregg- I hear you ;-) Continue on with your rockin' color combo!
AMAZING! Hands down the best design instincts on this site. You did a fabulous job to make the apartment feel like each room had it's own concept, yet they all flow together so smoothly. The colors are bright and bold. THIS HERE IS THE WINNER! You have a great future ahead of you I am sure. Best of luck in the competition.
This was my favorite entry by far! Becca has an eye for interior design that not many others have! The green kitchen is awesome and would totally brighten up my morning if I woke up to it everyday! Love the pool table! Love the whole apt! It's an amazing space and Becca is super talented!!!!
Becca, Forgot to ask you about your bedroom curtains - they're gorgeous and I'd love to get something like that for my room. What are they made of and where did you get them?! Thanks!
Jessee, check out sheerhabitat.com for the curtains... what an amazing website! I love that they are semi-sheer (i have the georgette fabric) and look different depending on whether it is day or night. Credit goes to the fabulous Andriana for her colorful selection of fabrics & images- check it out! It was the final touch I needed for my bedroom... thanks :-)
And to appease the readers..."I'm bringing kitchen back" ;-)
loved all the support, people!
Rebecca you did a fabulous job! You are the best!
Your basement would make Kermit move out of the pond. You've got a green groove going on - and it's gorgeous!