apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

How small must the room be? I have a fairly large living room (25x30 feet) and it's completely empty - we moved in 3 weeks ago. This is more space then I've ever had and I'm more lost than ever. I don't know where to begin. I'm not complaining, just perplexed. Is this room too large?

Oh, just read the description of the book. Don't think I qualify as I need to buy new furniture to fill a larger space.

There's no way I'm letting her loose in my home!!

Sounds fun! I have the opposite problem...am too minimilist...ha! Will definitely check out her book, tho!

Here is our sad livingroom:
http://picasaweb.google.com/callbob/LivingROOM

With three kids and lack of time, this room can never be finished. We have a small space, and misfortuned furniture. The livingroom is also a challenge for us as it as only 1 corner, the other 3 corners are: entry into the small hallway, entry into the kitchen, and main door entry. So it has been so difficult to figure out where to put what furniture so we haven't bought any (theses here are just hand me downs). So many details such as color scheme, type of furniture, spacing, etc. that need tending to and we feel so very overwhelmed!

Please help, we need a place to sit and function as a family. Any help would be a milestone.

Greetings! Here's my living room/office space*. I'd like Lauri's assistance b/c I really need to downsize with style. This is the first time that I have had all the remains from the various phases of my life in one space. When I moved back to this country a couple years ago, I had to gather many pieces.

My current belongings are a combination of "stuff" that I had in storage at my mother's house, public storage, random bits at friend's houses, and stuff I acquired while living in Japan. It has been a work in progress, but I know that professional help can help me begin the new phase in my journey.

I love my apt, so I glad to share it with you:

http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos4437/3/92/3/86/80/8/880860392306_0_ALB.jpg


*While the desk is a bit messier than it usually is, I enjoy being authentic. So there was no point in cleaning it up just for the pic.

I also meant to say that my picture was taken from my front door. There's a window on the left. The opening on the distant left (with the blue pole) leads to a sun room. I have high ceilings (10ft )

Ooh, I could use some help. I have a very small house and two kids and waaayyy too much stuff. I think I don't know how to let go of the stuff. I don't have a good photo of my living room, but here's a bit. We've actually just replaced that window, but the room needs so much more (or less) that we are doing for it.
In a house this small, we really need to utilize every part, but it just seems that a lot of corners end up being storage dumps.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2057/1821047368_8d49f16e1b_o.jpg

Ohhhh, how I'd love to enter this contest. But I'm pretty sure my husband and son are not ready to get rid of their stuff!

Sounds like fun!

I think perhpas my pictures will speak for themselves. I have such angst about getting my house in order. I clean it and make it looks lovely, but for how long? It would be hard to believe judging by my photos that that is ever possible. But that's the issue, my disorganisation and not periodically clearing items that we're not using have taken a toll. So instead of planning great outdoor weekends, I'm often left to the indoors to try to tame the tiger of disarray.

I picture a nice home, comfortable, lived in, but organized!!! If I could only get somebody to help me get on track, I know that I could be on the road. I'm a good student, but a terrible implementer.

Won't you help me please?

Thanks so much for even considering.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/83906979@N00/sets/72157602846714825/

PS: I would qualify that this is during the "change of season" clothes switch and is even more cluttered. I work pretty much full time, have two children and a dog. Okay, I'll go now because I might be tempted to delete my submission otherwise as I feel rather embarrassed when I look at the photos in public.

My home office is a mess. It's right off the kids playroom, which of course is completely decorated and (mostly) organized, but my little home office is just my space, and it has so much potential (surrounded by floor to ceiling windows looking out over the yard, great light, decent space) but I just haven't made anything of it. I do share it with a 90lb dog, whose dog bed/dog dish take up some space, but that's no excuse for having it look so sad and unfinished given that we've lived here for 2.5 years. I fear if I don't deal with it now, I never will, and as I'm just coming off my 2nd maternity leave and planning to go full time with my own business. I'd LOVE a space that feels organized, coordinated, and warm - somewhere I'd really want to spend as much time in as possible... help me, Lauri!!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=xa9iwkb.2h9w8n6v&x=0&y=-bgvk2f

let's try this again..

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?&conn_speed=1&collid=82528655406.980860392306.1194054311135&mode=fromsite

I've lived in my 420-square-feet or so efficiency since 1986. I have enough stuff for a one-bedroom, but I'm told the place looks "cozy" and "relaxed and coordinated." I would appreciate Lauri's assistance with the main room.

I am fortunate to have a huge window and lots of light. The place has not been painted since I moved in; it is a huge logistical issue with all the stuff, an indoor tree (used to be 2), and two cats. I have heard that there is a painter in the 'hood who does one wall at a time, and that might work.

I work full time and go to grad school. The pics reflect a less orderly home than usual, but they are reality.

I'll need to bring in some items (eventually) that I inherited this year. I'd like to make the most of the window.

Posting "reality" pics is a big leap, but I feel confined and held back by this room. I want my space to fit me, not merely in size. I need change!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/80089711@N00/#photo1865955027

Choose Jean, she REALLY needs this! Did you see the flickr pics? To quote Jonathan Adler, "I'd die if I had to live there!"

Between work, social life, and creative pursuits, I spend little time in my studio rental apartment. Looking at the photos I took for this One Room Makeover giveaway, I can see why! My home is functional but it's mostly depressing and has no personality! And although I'd like to think of myself as a stylish, smart and creative person, none of that is reflected in my home.

For too long I've told myself that I have little money and time to invest in making my home a home, despite subscribing to multiple shelter magazines and visiting sites like Apartment Therapy. In truth, I feel psychologically crippled in making confident and decisive choices regarding my home because it means I have to commit. I think I need some hand-holding and boosting from someone to help me along. And while Lauri seems to focus on downsizing into a smaller space, I think she could really be invaluable in helping me turn a drab abode into something cozy, stylish, chic, and inviting.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/writtenonthebody/sets/72157602935736764/

http://s69.photobucket.com/albums/i63/Redmanswifey/House/?action=view¤t=IMG_5168.jpg

Hi, I am very excited about this contest, because I have somewhat of an idea on where I want to go with this room, but I am stuck with the final details. I need to paint and figure ot what scale of furniture to buy. This is our den and we really want to be able to have a fire and relax with the family for Thanksgiving.Please take a look and help us out. Thank you!

I need help with my place; specifically the LR.

here's a pic of the LR

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gzgoingmod/1516245397/

My room is desperately in need of help, even though I am just coming off of the fantastic, life-altering 8-Week Fall Cure. I pretty much skipped over the living room week tasks because I felt that with little to no cash to spend at the moment, I could make very few changes. But now, after looking at the rest of my apartment and feeling so much better about it all, I am sad that my lifeless, dull, uncomfortable living room was neglected. It looks like I have just moved in, but I have been here with this pathetic arrangement for over 3 years! I am ready to jump in and make serious changes, and I could use all of the help and motivation I can get!

What I’d like to do with the room includes finding a better couch, fixing up the loveseat, getting rid of the “corner ‘o media” that has taken over the room (especially since I rarely use any of it), and creating an atmosphere that is more conducive to both entertaining and hibernating. Right now I feel like this room does neither and it is a waste of wonderful space!

My living room is in a desperate need of a makeover. This space is the only living area in our house. We lack a separate "family" room.

The paint color is a depressing muddy color that offers little contrast with the couches and floors. Although there are sliding glass doors in the room, it's dark and depressing.

This space is intended to be a combined dining/living area. We never put a dining table here, but we would like to.

We are ready to paint and purchase new furniture pieces and accessories: there is a five gallon bucket of primer in the garage ready to be opened. But we don't know where to start.

We would ideally like this room to function better. The couches are in an L - shape, instead of a nice conversation area. Everybody has to sit on the couch together in a big pile when we have guests. I'd like a couple nice chairs available for people that don't want to cozy up on the couch.

I enjoy Lauri Ward's books very much. I own two of her previous titles.

http://flickr.com/photos/84386689@N00/sets/72157602938072536/

foxylou2: pink and orange? they rock!

If I am continually curing and would love a free copy of the book... any chance?

we like living small. we are happy living small. but we are at a point where we are really struggling with squeezing all of our activities into our small space.

we are currently a family of three (two adults, one toddler), soon to expand to a family of four. our living room is the most over-taxed room in our one-bedroom apartment. it is a living room, dining room, office, playroom, and guest room all in one. and we may need to squeeze an infant nursery into one corner when our new arrival comes home - we haven't really worked out a strategy yet! we also have frequent out-of-town guests who we very much want to stay with us, so the guest room function is an important one. we love our apartment and our neighborhood and really would like to stay put. we could really use lauri's help to live smarter in our limited space!

these pictures are of our living room looking its very proudest - cleaned and decorated for our daughter's birthday. it would be more realistic to show it in its usual more chaotic state, but we did not want to shame our poor living room too terribly.

http://flickr.com/photos/7259434@N02/

Eek! I’m at the office and won’t make it home to take new pictures until after the contest ends. Desperate times call for desperate measures… please find some (rather embarrassing) pictures that feature our sad alcove studio in Manhattan.

Dave and I were just married in October and are craving a cozy space to call home. We love the location of our apartment and it’s affordable, but we need help to make our small space more liveable.

Scratched cork floors, a square floor plan, and about 400 square feet need to accommodate my 6’ 5” husband, a miniature schnauzer named Frank and me. Our furnishings consist of hand-me-downs and leftovers from our college dorm rooms.

Within the past couple weeks (after the pictures were taken), we’ve painted the walls a neutral “cream stone”, disposed of the grass green comforter and have purchased shelving from IKEA and a kitchen island from C&B.

Please help us transform our mismatched studio into a functional oasis that two young professionals (and their super cute puppy) can call home!!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=a9rn7gob.3zl5t3ab&x=0&y=-jj83m

Oh dear.

I don't know if it's really possible to do much of anything with this space (our basement "multipurpose room") but I thought I'd let you take a look anyway. I just know that the answer lies somewhere in a major downsizing/purging/energy injecting undertaking but what? where? how?

If Lauri is game, we sure are.

This room currently functions as tv room, family room, guest room and crafts projects area. It used to be open and spacious. It's just filled to the brim now.

You'll find the pic at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leweber/sets/72157602940759078/

Certainly, with a functional and attractive space, our life could be so much better: more peaceful, more productive, more welcoming.

Thanks for looking!

Peace,

I submitted (within the 1st 20 people). How do I get my lovely book?

I really need this--3 cats and two Boys!