apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I find this color scheme really depressing, personally. Maybe it's the lighting in the photos? The lack of natural light (despite huge windows all over the place) is making for a very office building waiting area kind of feeling. Everything looks like the exact same shades of brown, taupe, cream, and blue. Perhaps with some daylight and without the harsh flash the space is more inviting...

I like the graphic wall, but sadly these pictures are just not of a high enough quality to even figure out what the colors are.

God this is a horrible, horrible room. HOW CAN YOU SCREW UP THE light blue & chocolate brown COMBINATION! Somehow you managed. God awful. And even worse, in PLAIN DAYLIGHT you managed to darken this into an 80s comeback, over-decorated, definitely-non-boutique-hotel, UGLY room. Shame on you.

Aside from the graphic wall, I see a lot of white.

DJluckyonline--
Grow up, calm down and use some tact.

That comment is really an embarrassment to the Apartment Therapy community. Vinnike99, I'm sorry you shared something you've put a lot of energy into, that you're rightfully very proud of, and had to see that response.

I thinks it's the lighting/camera that's making the picture and colours not appealing...

I can't believe you posted this on Apt. Therapy. Really? This is an awful use of color: funeral home mauve in mass-quantities? furniture reminiscent of early 90's suburban hell? You're joking, right?

I'm sure this room is nice, but the quality of the photographs are not doing the room justice. It's really difficult to tell what colors this contestant used - to me, the main walls look light purple/eggplant, but that probably is not the case. I do like the blocked wall, though.

Yeah, I like the color-blocked wall as well, just not in this room. It totally does not fit the style.

Yikes! I guess this goes to show that not all entries can be 'finalists'

Color blocked wall is nice. Rethink the matching dishware curtain treatment and throw pillows by finding color that compliments brown, blue, taupe,etc.

I have a feeling that this room looks nicer in person than it does in the photographs.
Djluckyonline, that was incredibly harsh. Whether you like the style or not, this is someone's home.

I'm really shocked to read such rude comments. Vinnike99 has invited you into his/her home! It's one thing to give constructive criticism, it's another thing to be completely disrespectful and tasteless. What would someone say about your treasured living? While everyone is entitle to his/her own opinion, please voice it in a polite and courteous manner. Vinnike99- I think the wall graphic is inspiring. Well done!

The apartment is not my cup of tea, but it is clearly a thoughtfully and artfully arranged space. It definitely has a distinct personality to it.

People should be less snotty in their comments. It's a shame. But don't let it get you down. They're the ones who have to live with themselves and their vitriol.

This house looks quite nice. It just suffers from too little light. The cohesiveness of palette is great (love the valance over the vertical blinds) and seeing that the whole scheme comes from the dishes is an interesting surprise.

I don't see this entry as horrible at all, though the photos certainly are...however, the rooms could use some improvement. I think your space would be much more sophisticated if you used less fussy window treatments....I'm thinking very plain, tailored linen in white or matching your wall color....with same treatments for both spaces. Replace your sofa with a boxy brown velvet or leather and add some bold patterned pillows/textiles in in the blue & green. I'm thinking a sofa with lines like this one
http://tinyurl.com/36bwtx
http://tinyurl.com/2348oh

with pillows like this
http://tinyurl.com/2k9rpu
http://tinyurl.com/2vnswt
http://tinyurl.com/2lby59

I like how your painting marries the square, blocky wall treatment with the curvaceous chairs. I think a few little changes and some better photos would make a world of difference.

Too matchy-matchy with the dishes IMO.

This scares me because I wonder what my house would look like online. Would it get completely blasted?

There are some great elements here - the colorblocked wall, the dining room fixture, the stemware and those beautiful candlesticks, for example - that are really hurt by the quality of the images. It's very hard, especially on my laptop's already color-challenged LCD, to figure out exactly what colors are represented. I do think this is a solid foundation to what could be an amazing room, with just a little tweaking. Airier window treatments, some color on the sofa, a few solid pieces to break up the too-close match of the dinnerware, an accent color that keeps the blue/brown combo from getting flat over a long expanse of space like this one (try an orangey coral or even more of the green from your chargers). Keep going with it. Every great space is a work in progress. If we were ever really "done" with a space, we wouldn't visit sites like this. :)

Too matchy matchy for my taste. I like that you've been inspired by the dishes but perhaps it has gone a bit too far.

The color block wall is really cool but it doesn't seem to go with the style of everything else. The art on this wall also gets lost.

Thank you for sharing you space!

I can tell you put a lot of effort into this space. I love the paint and the dining set. To me, next steps would be to get rid of the vertical blinds, and to add a little variety in the colors- slightly different tones or shades, so that everything doesn't match so perfectly (and instead, just complement each other). Maybe start with some nice throw pillows for the couch and some long curtains on the window that currently has the blinds.

Labchick, I Submitted a photo in the pass and seeing it online helped me solve the problem myself. Now, when I am in question about decorations in a room I take a picture of it. Viewing it on the camera and good lighting helps.

You were thinkin' it... yeah, but you said it...

I think I know why this is so offensive for so many people. There are only three colors here: The chocolate brown is nice. The light blue is nice. But that mauve-ish, beige-ish third color is just awful. And it's everywhere- on the sofa, the chairs, the walls, the floor, etc. And in a dark apartment with low ceilings, it's even more oppressive. You get points for the neat tiled paint job in the dining area, but the rest is just meh.

The grid on the wall creates such a fabulous focal point.

Unfortunately, the strong statement it makes only renders the rest of your space as less than stellar.

Perhaps you can use that wall as your jumping off point, to break out of your comfort zone and be more adventurous in your choices?
Good luck!

The vertical blinds and curtains are a major detraction from the room and look very dated.

I love the colors used here! But I also agree that there seems to be too much matching going on...the dishes, the window treatments, even the dining room chairs. But I do the same thing--it's hard to show restraint when you find colors you like or find merchandise that matches what you already have... I believe this place just needs a little editing and it would be great! I really love the grid!

True, it is probably a great place in real life, the pictures are dark and slapping the colors in the face. And true also, if only that mauvish color were white, the brown and blue would come out much fresher and brighter. And about Djluckyonline: you sure are lucky to be online, because I do not believe you would talk that way to people in their face. At least not to me.

When is this contest going to end? . I am sure this goes over in Easton, PA but now around here babes. Invest in some hardwood floors and get rid of those curtains. they are atrocious and get rid of the matching dining sets as well. While you are at it get rid of the globe, your couch, your dining room chairs, the light fixtures and while you are at it get rid of yourselves. End this contest NOW!

Come on people, I understand and respect that your instinct is to be nice, but at least be realistic about the space. You're all really stretching looking for the "good" here. Yes, there are individual elements that could be very nice in isolation (the color block wall, the dining set, even the dishes). The mauve/dusty rose paint color, however, is decidedly unattractive, as are the light fixture over the table and the over-stuffed sofa.

The biggest problems however are: a) the color, b) the valances/vertical blinds; and c) the matchy-matchy soulless decortaor "art." Change these features, and this room would be quite nice and cozy. Still not to my taste, but not nearly as controversial or eyebrow raising as it is in its current state. In fact, I think Vinnike99 has a nice sense of style. Somewhat more formal and classic than we typically see on Apt. Therapy, but by no means is it ghastly. It just could use some fine-tuning. (BTW, I bet Vinnike99 loves Candace Olsen's Divine Design -she likes/uses similar ideas)

No, I'm not being a snob or harsh. I'm trying to be objective. ScottB, Laura, Patrick et al need to sit down and grab their smelling salts. They clearly have a case of the vapors!

I think this room is ugly.

I appreciate the effort, but not liking much in the space. The graphic on the wall is contemporary and great, but it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the space which feels traditional.

And as a general statement... I wish vertical blinds could be banned from the planet. They were a crime against good taste in the 80s, and have only gotten worse over time.

Vinnike99, djluckyonline is always an ass. I think either he(she) is 13 years old, a wannabe designer who never made it in the real world, or just enjoys getting a rise out of people. Lonelyyodeler et al aren't any better.

Thank you for sharing your home. I can tell you put a lot of thought and work into it, and I appreciate you graciously sharing it with all of us.

yup, such rudeness and insensitivity is expected in high school and college-age boards, not here! guess i'm naive to think the majority of us frequent this site to give tips, ask advice, and generally support each others' design efforts.. not denigrate anyone! SHEESH!

This has got to be the worst I have viewed so far. So sorry for your taste.

LonelyYodeller,

How can you not see the difference in your first comment (offensive) and your second one, not offensive? Please read over your posts before you submit comments.

While this entry is very thoughtfully put together (and some of the individual pieces are quite nice), I think it would benefit from a few items that break out of the very strict colour scheme you have going.

If this post is real... I think it's interesting that this is sort of a Donald Trump-esque, American McMansion interpretation on a budget. I honestly feel like this is someone- maybe a foreign person- who has aspired to a certain American style that signifies wealth. I'm giving vinnike99 the benefit of the doubt, but how you can you blame someone when we have a culture of horrible taste? Just watch an episode of MTV Cribs-it's a McMansion-fest of really bad taste that includes a weird mix of fake-European Vegas style decor (and those are Americans with bad taste, not foreigners!). And there are plenty of hotels in America that really do look like vinnike99's place- right down to the mauve paint.

That said, vinnike99 will have to accept the criticism because clearly they have a very different aesthetic than ATers. It's kind of a lost cause in this forum. However, the most significant improvement this person can make is to paint the walls white.

While I don't like all of the apartments shown in AT, I do respect that everyone has their own style. I feel badly for those who submit photos of their homes and are then ridiculed so rudely as I have seen lately. Frankly, I'm enjoying AT less and less because of it.

I find the comments of so many of the commentators here depressing. And quite frankly, I don't understand it. Other entries have had far less sophisticated use of color and not garnered such vitriol. And in past contests, these kind of browns made it to the finals. Oh well. Maybe it's because of the furniture? ...This entry is rather commanding. It makes a clear-headed color statement.
Vinnike99, you should just ignore the unduly negative comments here.

This is well done. You have talent, as well as knowing what to do with color and scale. Rather than bashing a room because its style doesn't fit their personal taste, I wish more people would learn to see the technical elements at work in each photo. I would guess that most would go for something a bit more neutral and "safe"...something that would not produce any kind of strong reaction whatsoever. The bold among us, however, love this. It takes a high level of ability to successfully pull off any kind of retro/period room, and this space shines. Reminds me of something the wonderful Lee Snijders would do. Great composition!

After a more thorough reading, I'm appalled by so many of the comments here. If you have nothing but an opinion that is not backed by any knowledge of art or design and only by the need to stroke your own ego, you should not be commenting here. The definition of taste, according to Webster, is "individual preference". It is personal, and cannot be judged. Don't discourage talented, employable decorators and designers because of your own insecurities. Let's see where you live...are you game? I'd bet not.

"Great spirits have often encountered violent opposition from weak minds." -Albert Einstein

as long as you you like it and are proud of what you've done, that's what matters right?

although I appreciate the colour combo (i will wear brown and light blue) I have neither the guts nor a bright enough house to try it at home. that much said, i think this space is not bad at all, the wall is lovely, and must have been time consuming to do, maybe the room is a little to crowded for my taste, and i'd have gone for simpler curtains.
just one last thing, i have to get on the bandwagon of all those who find some comments unnecessarily offensive.
one can state one's opinion without being rude. it takes guts to let a whole network of people into one's house, and be ready to listen to people's judgement, but we ain't no Renzo Piano here, so maybe we should be a little more humble in our statements!

looks like it was decorated in 1999.

I'm sorry you've shared your space and are getting so many negative comments--thanks for sharing it with us. I do think the photos are probably not showing it off at its best, which is a shame, but a bigger shame is everyone's snarkiness.

As an entrant to the sf fall colors contest, I also had trouble photographing my place to look as good as it does in person. I like your color choices (and I don't mind that it all matches...I kind of like that). This contest is about color, not style of house/furnishings, and your color is great. So is your decor, even if it isn't my style.

I think you can see the negative comments as confirmation that you've done something bold, and you should be proud of that. People don't generally have strong reactions to what is bland.

Anyone who surprised by the negative comments on here has obviously never been to the AT website before. I'm not condoning blatant rudeness, but neither am I surprised.

Here's why this entry is getting such flak:

1)The photos are awful. Any one of them could have been helped immensely if the blinds had been opened. Also there are 5 photos of essentially the same space.

2)Everything in the space is deliberately matched to everything else. Rather than form a cohesive whole this feels disturbingly unnatural - like a stage set. There is NOTHING surprising about it. It compels us to reject it because:

3) ...there is no personality showing. The artwork is bland, all of the furniture is new and matched. There is none of the quirkiness you'd expect in a well lived in house. Imagine meeting a person who was as perfectly matched as this house...you'd think they were a robot.

DJluckyonline was an abused child.

Modfan,
That was actually a helpful, well-distilled, explanation. Thanks.

Once again, a single room! This is really unattractive (though, could be the photography), and looks like a second-rate West Elm room. The basic idea is good, but the execution and details (couch, decorative pieces) really fall short.

I think he/she made his/her effort to show us a nice room, plz have more consideration with your words.....I kinda of think that maybe was the quality of the photography and light....
Thanks for showing us your room.=)

I think a lot of you have just demonstrated how incredibly insecure and fearful you are.

I repeat my earlier point, this room is objectively unattractive. Read the comments: the positive reviews use words like "bold," and "brave" and are all heavily caveated. The color is really, really bad and the furniture is disturbingly matchy-matchy. The art is bland and institutional, even the much praised color-blocking clashes with the rest of the space (the "bold" color blocking is too casual for the formal mood of the dining table and the symetrical accessories.).

Man, there are a lot of cry-babies on this site. You people need to toughen up some. Vinniek99 posted pics in a public forum and reasonably should have anticipted commentary. To get all worked up and upset about the resulting commentary would be childish. Unbelievable, are you adults or are you all 9 y.o. and afraid of being teased or picked on by the school bully? My goodness garacious, you silly lambs.

Since this is a place to write my thoughts:

If someone posts photographs on the Internet, they are succeptible to criticism. Different strokes, right? If people don't like what they see, they are entitled to their opinions. That's what the voting mechanism is for. If we all agreed, there would be no reason to vote.

However, blatant rudeness is not necessary on EITHER end of the spectrum. The ankle-biting that ruins so many forums on the Web is enough to reduce even the most mature individual to a bickering child. Alas, such laughable behavior is abundant where people don't fear identity exposure. While it would be nice to retaliate with some kind of comeback, the best thing to do is not fuel the situation by reducing arguments to their childish level.

Okay, that's my two cents.

While the furniture is not my taste, I like the color-blocked wall and I think it's useful in that it shows you can update a room with color if you can't afford to replace your furniture all at once. I think it would be more cohesive if the window treatments which are on the same wall are identical, and prefer the curtains to the vertical blinds with the ruffly valence.

Thanks to all of you for your comments. I had never visited AT until I saw the ad for the contest. I regret not realizing I could show more than one room. I don't think they are as controversial though. Here's what I want you to know:

1. I learned a lot. Never enter a contest the day before it ends. I'm not a photographer. My digital camera is broke, I had to use a throw away which meant taking 100's of pics wasn't possible. I knew the pics were terrible when I got the disc back. Most were dark, blurry or washed out from too much light. So I chose the best 5 and sent them in.

2. The other wall color is not mauve. It's actually the color of chocolate milk or chocolate ice cream.

3. I realized things were too matchy matchy when I first made the drapes, painted the wall, etc. but I was having fun creating stuff.

In the real world, most of us can't afford to scrap things that don't work and replace them immediately. Perfection can take some time and $.

After that response, I think Vinnieke99 deserves to be nominated for sainthood.

I agree with all of the posters stating that the immense amount of rude, cruel, hiding-behind their computers, hate the world and themselves and their lives people so they project via design contest boards on AT and God knows where else. You people are idiots and even more so when you actually try to justify being such ***holes. I'd love to meet you all in a brightly lit alley.
Take-care and have fun rotting in hell, b/c if you don't change that is where you all will go. :)BTW to the person who posted the photos, good job, not my style, but that's beside the point, and I know exactly what you mean about not having enough money to have the luxury to scrap things when they might not have worked-out as we wished or having to work with what we have, those people who made those comments have either never lived in reality financially and are snobs (which I can't even fathom how someone could be that way, but there are tons of them, like I said before have fun rotting in hell!). So, I give you props for going to such hard-work creating the space as well as taking the photos. I really do. Take-care, and keep it up. :)

We all know photography can make or break a representation. I'm curious as to how the room looks in person...

I do agree with an earlier post on changing the window treatments and couch. I think a tufted velvet or leather couch would give the room an old Hollywood Glam look (that I personally really like). And silver chargers on the table.

Like the artwork above the buffet.

I love your chairs! I love the color scheme...although it is a bit overdone for my taste. The block walls are pretty cool and the dishes and window treatments aren't bad in and of themselves...but in a room that is somewhat simple, I wouldn't make everything match so much. Overall, I'd say your furnishings are the true stars of these photos. Did you intend your dining room lighting fixture to resemble the chairs? It's done really well.