apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I can't WAIT to see the entries! Color is so subjective, too, so no doubt the reactions will be really interesting. I'm hoping that some gorgeous but subtle uses of color will hold their own, since I think (imho) color solutions need not always hit you over the head with intensity to count...

what an adorable website. just found off of nyc bloggers. am excited about my new find!

So when do the first entries go up?

i agree wholeheartedly w/ p(too)'s remark about subtlety w/ color, that color doesn't have to hit you over the head w/ intensity in order to be effective. sometimes i think people who must've been color-starved for too long then go to the other extreme & practically assault the viewer w/ COLOR! COLOR! COLOR! (i'm thinking here about walls & ceilings in particular.) maybe i'm too sensitive or something, but sometimes rooms like this make me feel anxious or uneasy somehow, even if the color being used is theoretically supposed to have a positive effect on mood.

The contest calls for "2 color resources."
Er--can anyone clue me in? What exactly does this mean ?

Just guessing, but... paint stores? Places where you have purchased items that introduce color in your home? An online resource for simulating wall paint colors in a room? Favorite books about color? Museums or stores or florists or nurseries you go to to get color inspiration? Fashion or interior designers you admire for their innovative use of color?

Ditto on the color resources thing.

Do rooms have to be wham-o bright colors to qualify, or does any good creative use of color count? Can I play if my house isn't decked out in avocado and tangerine? ...I'm finishing up a pink-and-cocoa room that's coming together nicely, and I *love* the colors in it - but I don't know if anyone has ever used the word "bold" to describe the colors of melted strawberry ice cream and chocolate frosting.

I was so excited to hear about this contest when it was announced in late September because I was getting ready to move into my new place and was working on painting it. I'm a big fan of using lots of color, which if you could see my place, you'd understand. I know the colors are definitely not for everyone because they are quite bright, but I love them. I just moved in 2 weekends ago though and there is no way I'll have the place in shape to take pictures and display it by the deadline for this contest. I've been reading this site for a long time and even though I live in Atlanta, I have used this site for many great ideas since I'm living in an intown loft admist all the suburban sprawl and their McMansions. I am still going to really enjoy seeing the submissions even though I won't be able to have mine presentable in time to enter it. I might be able to actually unpack all the boxes in time, but some of the centerpiece ideas have yet to be found or built yet so it is definitely lacking currently.

So anyway, thank you for a great website and resource and I can't wait to see other uses of color.

Well, it does SOUND like they really want the brightest, boldest room in the country; I don't see synonyms for subtlety anywhere in the manifesto of the contest.

Suzanne, since they're only asking for pictures of one room, what's the chances that you could just get ONE room ready? Make the rest of your place temporarily look like the wreck of the Hespress during that time. We'll never know!

i think that the truly lovely, memorable use of color in apartments that i've seen on this website are the ones like p(too)'s re-do (with its chocolates and textures), or the red piece of art in brandon's brick apartment in the SCA contest, so i hope we see subtle rather than in-your-face like, um, a particularly vibrant green room that was shown here and on "small space, big style."

although i did love that wonderful tangerine kitchen. . .

so, bring it on, k!

if I finish painting the trim in time, I'll throw in a pic of the Ice Cream Room (as we started referring to it as soon as we came home with the chocolate Ultrasuede today)! There's nothing subtle about that pink, that's for sure. I just didn't know if there was a specific palette in mind... I would think that anything non-neutral would count (or really that even a spectacular use of color in a neutral space would count, or that neutrals in a colorful space could count.)

I ask because there's a definite color theme going on at CB2 when I visit the stores here in Chicago - they're definitely a different color vibe!

Aloha Ya'll,

I agree with Suzanne of Atlanta. I always loved visiting that Virginia Highlands area. Great city! It couldn't be a better time to discover this site. We're soon to complete purchase of our first studio condo and I'm going to need all the wisdom, tips, strategies, creativity and color advice you guys can pitch.

As we approach the time to start decorating our little abode on the bay, I hope to document and share the process. Thank you Apartment Therapy, wonderful site. I will be watching for those colorful entries!

T., (aka Cooking Cajun)

CB2 may be the (generous)sponsor, but the voting's in the hands of the (AT) people!!!

I wonder if T is short of petit, meaning small. That's the nickname that my grandfather went by in South Louisiana.