apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm not a fan of the pretend-third-person. It might be more annoying than the "royal we." Nice apartment, though!

More! House tour! I've always been intrigued by railroad flats.

Great looking space, so far.

"a respect for the empty space."

Well put, and something I'm currently experiencing myself. Nice to see it put into words. Lovely place.

Not a very well-written piece (sorry!), but the apartment is lovely.

Who cares if it's a well-written piece?

I care if what I read is well written. It's not just about pretty pics. This piece is poorly written.

OMG I hadn't ever see those chairs yet! They look so beautiful. Does anyone know is they are signed by some famous designer?

If you are talking about the dining chairs, homedesignlover, they are from Ikea
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/90087249

Errrr, ljbaroudi, this is a test piece for a potential AT blogger. I do believe that the perfect applicant should combine photographic ability with clever verbage. Do you really just look at the pictures? My English major heart is breaking here!

Anyway. This space is like a breath of fresh air- well done. I think the next piece that Aaron and Kat need to acquire is a set of opaque white drawers for under the desk. This would eliminate a slight bit of visual clutter and stay consistent with the crisp modern feel of the apartment.

I'd like to see more of this home, which bodes well for the applicant's design abilities. Also, the pictures are good. The writing, however, was hit-or-miss. Some of the wording is lovely, but there are a few clunky sentences and she used the dreaded passive voice.

I think this is a very well written piece, thoughtful and informative with some nice phrasing.

And I really like the wooden dining table with the white chairs.

However I think the armchair and mirror-on-a-stand setup is very ungainly and uninviting. If the two items of furniture were just swapped around it would work much better (though the tall lamp and probably the things on the wall would have to be rethought).

3 small, and I mean SMALL concerns:
1) the books stacked on the radiator. IMO, books (like DVD/CDs) should not be used as decoration. In this case they distract compared to the streamlined look of the rest of the place.
2) the curtain in the bedroom does not have any common element with the rest of the room other than being white. I would prefer a simple wood or bamboo shade. Simplicity is needed and appreciated in this beautiful and serene apartment.
3) the two plants in their growing containers on the lattice. I don't see the need to place anything on this piece as it does distract.

I have stopped reading the text that accompanies pics unless there is a great interest in a piece or technique employed. I don't get the need to go into the owner's life or attempt to 'set the scene' if the design is properly executed and done with love.
One small thing that does break my attention when looking at ALL bedrooms or even baths...and I know I am being somewhat overcritical here, but bear with me...
when photos are taken of the bed, I love when the bed is 100% perfectly made up. Meaning no wrinkles, the pillows lined up, blankets are evenly placed, etc. With the towel situation, same thing. Fold them perfectly and align with other towels on the bar.
I know, I know, these are things only an OCD person would notice, but it just bothers me!! LOL sorry.

Overall. I really do LOVE the serene feeling I get when looking at the pics. It is rare that pic of a home does this to me, but it is nice to experience...so GREAT JOB Aaron and Kat!!!

One small, perhaps ignorant question that a person who has been in the renovation/design business for 25 years should know.....what is a 'railroad apartment'?

Really lovely apartment! I agree with some of the comments about the writing. It is generally a good idea to alternate shorter and longer sentences. I tend to read things out loud and if it doesn't sound good, it's not going to read well.

Lovely space, Kat, and I think the photographs give it a really warm and inviting vibe. I do agree that the fake third person is a bit grating. And Kat, if you're reading this, where's your dining table from?

Hi all - cheers to the notes and pointers; it's great to hear feedback from AT readers!

buca45: A railroad apartment is a series of rooms connecting to each other in a line, similar in design to a railway car. It's a common layout in New York apartments, particularly in brownstones.

michpc: The teak dining room table is from a mid-century modern and vintage furnishing store in DUMBO called Baxter & Liebchen. You can find similar tables in other antique stores throughout the city - I located several before I went with this particular piece, due to the price and prime condition.

looks like the apartment 'combines' more 'ikea' furniture than 'danish' furniture... also, these photographs leave me wanting more, but not in a good way: context and cohesion are completely absent.... though i assume it is difficult to shoot in a railroad.

lastly, buca45: a railroad means basically that one room, or more, is connected via an adjoining room.. instead of a hall. its the urban version of a shotgun house.

@shockthebourgeois:
How do you know this is a test piece to become an AT blogger? From what I gather, it looks like just another house call submission. Either way, not everyone is an English major, and the italics tip readers off to the fact that the blurb wasn't written by a writer for AT.

@Writing critics:
I'd rather applaud the writer for the attempt rather than condemning their post for some awkward wording.

It is a lovely apartment. I particularly like the exposed brick!

@shockthebourgeois,

Ah! I see, New York Blogger search as well as House Call submission. I still applaud the effort--it's clear the writer put a lot of thought into the description.

I agree with most that the space evokes a feeling of serenity however I also agree with workweek. I'm not left wanting more. While tidy, the space is lacking inspiration. I don't see anything interesting or different. It's a bit boring and expected. I was intrigued by the map collection but then learned they were from a boutique (they were probably already framed and displayed as presented in their home). How about framing a few key album covers from their vinyl collection to show their taste, a bit of personality and color?

How do you finish the dining room table to keep it so beautiful?

I love the gold shams. Does anyone know where they're from?