apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

FAB!!!

Where are the wall vases in the dining room from???

I love the hanging vases - did you get those at Caban in Montreal (where I noticed them a couple of years back) or is there a local source for those?

such a sexy kitchen! holy moly! i am in love with your space...it's very smart, very functional, and super uber fantastically put together. great taste

the kitchen counter! it was worth the indulgence! it's stunning. will it stay shiny like that?

Your place is just beautiful. I wish I had an eye like yours for decorating! Your kitchen and bath are so amazing. Im surprised that you don't have more decor on your walls, but you honestly don't need much when you have other great things to balance it all out.

It does seem very hotel-like. That upholstered cube detracts from the entry hall, though.

Those vases (or at least something similar) are at CB2.

http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=583&f=2906&viewall=1

BEAUTIFUL home... I just can't get over the burnt-out light bulb!

i love this entire apartment. i like how you've incorporated the many buddhas - something bf is very very into and i can't figure out how to do it where i will enjoy it as well (since i am not so into it as he is, but still respectful of it). what i want to know is where did you get that sisal rug? I LOVE it. it is exactly what i want for my bedroom! do tell!

Your apartment is beautiful---what company did you use for the marble counters in the kitchen?

Great job! Now you need to add a bit of color. Other than that, it's beautiful.

Thanks Rob!

Nice tilework in the bathroom.

MrGreen: I wasn't thinking "hotel" about the whole thing, but the desk next to the bed made me think of one!

Frances,

Where is that high chest of drawers from? I love it!

Your flat is so sexy! I wanna date it!!!

This is pretty amazing. You probably never go out, since there aren't that many places you could go and be surrounded by the kind of beauty you have there at home.

This home is simply stunning. My husband and I are in the process of buying an 865 sq. foot home and I've been secretly hesitant that we wouldn't be able to make it look spacious and livable enough to really fit our needs. Your place is an inspiration to us and has gotten me excited about moving in again!

the whole apartment looks like a West Elm catalog.

like the floor tiles in the kitchen though...

What color is that bathroom sink? It's fantastic. So calming yet so energizing!

No no no. where to begin? oh those awful vases in the wall.... I don't like it in the least. Sorry.

Lovely bathroom floor tiles. Ann Sacks?

My two thoughts exactly: Looks like a West Elm catalog, and the wall vases are especially bad. Check out Joshua and Raphael's House Tour on ATLA for some personality and personal-ness!

Beautifully elegant place. I love the simplicity and the clean lines. I also like the restraint, and of course your Buddhas!

I like the kitchen, but I don't like the buddhas or the wall vases.

Well it's beautiful, well laid out with some nice features, but now you just need to insert some splashes of color/personality...the reason it looks like a hotel to so many peeps I think is that it is just too "un-lived in."
There was only one thing that really bugged me - that there are 3 vases with bamboo in them - 1 is nice, but 3 might be a little too much for small a small space...
But I too loved the tiles, the kitchen counter, the bathroom...nice job!

This is so gorgeous I had to take another look. I really love the white breakfast bar. I got very excited because I have the same German pink vase that in pic no. 9. And can you please tell me the source of the white vase in pic no. 10?

Can you really clean your place in under a half hour? Fascinating. For some reason it takes me forever to clean my small place!

I really love the ottoman in the entry way. Do you use that to take off your shoes? And the office is such an inspiration! I think I'm going to be copying that idea!

In line with Buddhist sensibilities, I'd like to offer a few suggestions (that you may not want to take), but it's just that I feel very inspired by your home.

Next to your ottoman: why don't you line up a couple pairs to maybe a half dozen (depending on how much you entertain) of beautiful Chinese slippers? You can find really cute ones for men and women in any Chinatown. Then you won't even need to ask anyone to take off their shoes.

I know ATers will get upset at me - but you should not have the cowhide covering the ottoman. Maybe it's faux. Your place is why too sensitive and thought-provoking to have such a flagrant piece of violence. Also you beau will tell you about the compassion that is represented by the Buddha. The hide and the Buddhas are incongruent.

And, sorry, but I looked several times - but the flower vases really are kind of tacky and don't reflect your restrained hand. I don't see any paintings. If you can afford one, why don't you buy a large painting of a Buddha. You should check out Karen Lilly's paintings. They are exquisite and sumblime, like your place.

http://www.shenspace.com/images/gallery/Buddha/UntitledFrameset-27.htm

Also, she does custom work. You are so pretty perhaps she could reflect your beautiful face in a buddha painting.

Remember, these comments are simply because I feel very inspired by your place.

Great job, thanks for sharing.

I really love this space, and I feel compelled to say that there really are people who fantasize about living in a hotel, just anyway. And there are all kinds of hotels, but if you look like you're living in a VERY plush, VERY luxe, dazzlingly gorgeous spa-like retreat-type hotel, and that's you idea of feeling relaxed and calm and "at home", I say more power to ya, and that's the kind of place this looks like to me.

There are little vignettes that tell us something about the person. It's telling us that they don't like clutter. Or it tells us that they like color, when it's in the apples, themselves, and not in the bowl. Even that kind of fact is fairly personal. I think this place is exquisite, and although there are other kinds of beautiful, too, this is definitely beautiful.

Hmmm. I'm torn. It's a technically beautiful space, but I feel it's WAY over-designed. To me it feels as if everything was purchased all at once, resulting in a very one-note space. It looks like a store display, not a home. My favorite shot was of the pink vase, just for the shot of color! I know their color theme is "neutral", but they made neutral look boring, not soothing.

A comment about the Buddha heads: please, if you are decorating with Buddha heads, make sure they are reproductions and not antiques. The interior design fetish for authentic Buddha heads has resulted in many statues in the countries of origin being beheaded. You can see the sad results of this in the old Thai capital of Ayutthaya, for example, where rows and rows of seated Buddha statues are now headless.

Where did you get the wonderful round mirror in your entryway, right above your landing strip? It's absolutely gorgeous!

Maybe the cowhide came from a cow that they saved from the slaughterhouse and then died of natural causes.

Kind of cool to live in a hotel. Room & turn down service.
The apartment is really nice- although a little self conscious.

I checked the Benjamin Moore website and could not find any of the colors you listed. Are you sure these are the correct color names? I am especially intersted in "Grey Tint". Could you possibly post the color number? That would be helpful.

Job well done. You did a good job in making the home of your dreams. I want your kitchen and bathroom in my apartment :-)

who is "Philip Starck"?

i don't know anyone here in miami who lives like this.

This home feels very self-conscious to me...pretty, but breakable...if that makes sense.

I'd rather see this attempt to represent a Miami aesthetic insetad of the usual pink and turquoise Golden Girls kitsch.

And I'll say it again... TOUGH ROOM. This is a LOVELY home that the homeowners are proud enough of to show off... they are not soliciting advice, they are not entered in a contest... this to me is a case of "If you don't have anything nice to say..."

And if it were the "After" of a Cure, I bet there'd be different feedback.

I love the look. I do agree it feels like a hotel suite...which I like. I always come back from hotels wishing my place felt more together like that.

Plus, no fair because you don't have children ;-)

thanks for the info JDog - i did not know that.

and ptoo you are wonderful.

I think this is the most beautiful home I have ever seen. Pure perfection! I can not imagine seeing another post that will ever surpass this fine sense of aesthetics. At least until the next post, where we will only praise every aspect of that home as well. Yes there is a line of nice-not nice. But Patrick (the other one) if there are no grey areas here, why leave a place for comments? I say this in the nicest way- I am not bothering with this part of A.T. any longer. I am going to enjoy the information part of this site and pretend a comment area does not exist.

My apologies for offending anyone, most of all including the homeowner. Moving forward, I plan to hold my thoughts if they might be construed as less than positive or constructive-- I actually like right angle's idea of ignoring the comments section altogether.

I suppose I thought that if someone had posted their ideas or home here, that they were interested in folks' thoughts-- and naturally, those are going to be varied and diverse-- no matter how objectively nice a place seems to be.

I realize now that those who post their homes do so to share, not to acquire a bunch of unsolicited 'advice' and judgement.

right angle--
Hyperbole, much? C'mon, you know what I mean. But this isn't "Rate My Space."

The comments section could be used to ask the homeowners questions, to find a paint color, to source a piece of funriture, to ask if there was an issue with the building during construction, to ask "why no art?"... etc...

And, yes, there is of course room for "I would have done this differently" but I find it a little sad when people are posting their homes out of sheer pride, and words like "boring" and "ugly" find their way into the feedback.

ccs--
There are people who post because they are seeking advice, but generally not the "Inside Outs" or Home Tours.

I am with you Patrick (the other one)

Given the recent comments, I am a little loathe to post a tidbit of advice, but the creators of this lovely apartment might really enjoy a new book on choosing and buying art that has just come out. The Art of Buying Art by Paige West - a good choice for browsing or borrowing at the library. I recommend it because it might help you personalize the space (if that is at all of interest).

nice place BUT please remove front entrance vase scene - Please hang a lovely art piece there instead and perhaps paint the inside of the wall there a dark black or something. The vase that is there is off balance, colorless and horrid. I also highly suggest full removal of the bud vases on the wall PRONTO I dont even know how to describe how that looks...I also suggest putting in a nice piece of colorful art work there instead and please, please, please lower that gorgeous hanging light fixture above the dining room table...its way too high up...What r U thinking?//also on picture 14...picture those walls in a black color ...stunning.

Oh my goodness. I absolutely love your place. Its so beautiful. I love lots of color but your neutral place is soooo fresh. Wonderful job. I wish i could explain all the wonderful inspiration i get from your place. Nice Nice Job.

find the space to very calming, very relaxing, feels very posh to me. a bit "hotel" but i am a lover of objects so might just be me.

the colour palette is beautiful but much more of a jumping off point for my personal preferences.

love the mixture of textures used throughout.

Love the apartment. Cool, stylish yet also cozy and inviting.
I grew up in Forest Hills and your apartment (structurally) reminds me of my mom's apartment. So lucky that you're co-op board approved reconstruction!
She can't make any changes (not even a free standing wall) because her co-op board is run by bunch of snakes!

Have you ever noticed that the people who post the nastiest non helpful posts never have pics of their own places in their profile?

I have decided not to read the comments section (except in the cure posts )from now on. I don't want the negativity anymore. If a homeowner isn't asking for advice, and I don't like something- I just live by the old rule- If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all.

Is that really the same tint in the entryway/ kitchen and living room? It looks like a bluish grey in the living room, and a sandy color in the kitchen. I realize light sources (and computer monitors) can change the way paint looks, but this much?

I love this apartment, and I'm very happy to see it again. Reading captions of really wonderful tours like this is very good, because it gives one insight into which priorities the person had, and how they figured out how to make them happen.

I wish there could be actual house tours in 3-D live space for some of these, including this one.

It is a lovely apartment.

I just wish there was something unexpected in it.
A few things re-purposed or quirky.
I think that would calm any comments of it being hotel-like.

Great apartment. As to the hotel look....some people love living in hotels. This looks like a relaxing space to me. Folks are critical of the vases and then tell you to get some personality in the space....the vases look like 'personality' to me. Maybe not my choice but if the home owner is happy with them, I will be happy with them too. There are a few people who I will bet are never invited to some one else's home. They remind me of the tv ad matron with a white glove going through some one else's home. Take the white glove with you when you leave!

Very serene. I particularly like the bedroom and bathroom, and all the natural elements - flowers, fruit, bamboo. I also think the office nook is set up well and looks cool. But where do you hang your guests' coats?

Simply Beautiful!

I work at a flower shop and this is the first time I've seen a homeowner creatively utilize those bud vases with the callas! Very impressive......and they look amazing. I love your clean, sharp and modern style.

Your place looks beautiful. I wonder if you can help me find the hide ottoman? Z Gallerie doesn't sell it anymore and none of the sales people knew the name of the company that manufactures it.