apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Claire has it going on.This Loft Is Beautiful. She has such great taste in color's and fabric's is makes the loft shine like a jewel.

I am so in love with the dining room chairs. Can you please reveal the source?

A great apartment overall! Can't help but drool over the kitchen :)

I'm warning you -- don't mention your address, b/c I will show up with my suitcase! I LOVE IT! How lucky are those kids to have such an awesome apartment -- and such funky rooms. Sigh. A beautiful job was done by all involved.

I really like the tall thin mirrors in the window wells.

Wow! It is a truly stellar reno. It's so not my taste that I can't believe I like it so much. I could move right in. I especially love your sons room. What a great home. Okay, back to searching the MLS listings to see if there's anything in my area within my price range that's even half as nice as yours.....

oooh! that IS a nice reno. I love all the indoor windows and the fact that the master bedroom is soundproof. the kids must love the apartment, especially the 'underworld'.
i'd love to see a floor plan, because i have a hard time picturing the layout of the bedrooms.

i'm speechless. what a beatiful place. the dining chairs are to die for. WOW is about the only word coming to mind... not to mention my overwhelming jealousy. Good work!

WOW! Love it all, especially the dining room chairs. How did you laminate them?

Claire-
What is the aqua colored paint that you used in the bathroom?

I love it and have been looking for that color!!
Please let me know.

Thanks!

Which IKEA cabinets are those? They look so sleek and clean...

Wow! What a beautiful, thoughtful space. I love that it is kid-friendly yet feels sophisticated and unique. Some of my favorite ideas from your space: the peg wall in your son's room, the tip on the custom upholstery at C & B, and the mirrors inside the frame of the window!!! That last one is brilliant. I didn't even notice at first, love it! Where did you find those nice slim mirrors? It really expands the space and the view. Lovely!

Our personal styles differ so greatly- but I have to say:

1) Mirrors in the window sills? absolute genius!
2) Those dining room chairs? gorgeous
3) You're kitchen? I am so jealous......it looks like the perfect place to bake!

Oh wow - fabulous on so many levels.

I adore it! Gorgeous and practical. I love the cabinets in the kitchen and the high ceilings throughout. I also love the palette and livingroom and dining room furniture.

Since you use the dining room table as your main table, how do you protect the wood when eating? Or doing homework, etc? I've been leaving all the table pads on my table. Not elegant, but I haven't gotten any scratches. Yet.

Claire,

What is the color orange behind the bookshelves? Is that painted or the original color of the shelves?

Great place. Love the braveness in using color, right up my alley.

Dan

Sorry for the way out of topic. But a quick question - Do you guys have the urge of painting your rooms a different color every 3 months. I do. and I wonder why

Does anybody know what is the best way to print the pictures out and put them in my wish book? (a serious question)

My mouth is watering over the bookcase wall and the framed architecture drawings. Oh mannnnn!

Also, much applause on the suit of armor in your house... it makes the place seem like a manor or something! :)

wow. I'm jealous. Gorgeous! How high are those ceilings? How do you make ikea and west elm look like a million bucks? Why do you have a knight in shining armor? (Is there a Mr. Claire?)
What is 'sorrel'? Is it acrylic like corian?

Is that a suit of armor, or is my cold medicine making me hallucinate? How does one have a suit or armor in their home and make it work so well? I mean, I'll give that there's tons of space, but still.

Okay, after drooling over this apartment (which is larger than the house I plan to build in the country a few years from now- but that's a different post...).
absolutely gorgeous and kid friendly. great place.
as for the fabric on the chairs, I remember reading about a "vinylizing" process that was featured in a great kitchen remodel in Fine Homebuilding a while back. Try this site, or google "vinylizing fabric" to find a few companies that do this, it's a protective coating...

http://www.customlaminations.com/Stain_Repellents.html

Incredible. I think the cubby hole storage area is a great idea and am amazed how much vertical space you still have.

I'm surprised because I find the furnishings OK but leaning towards bland, and Claire's a graphic designer! Maybe it's too much C&B influence? Seems there's also a lack of natural light in some rooms. Why wall in the windows that were in the kitchen and bedroom? Love the suit of armour and the kitchen is nice if not a bit sterile. Overall, clean and neat, but bland.

hi-

thanks so much to all of you for your nice notes! i will sit down and answer tomorrow night (thursday) after work. one quick note to pedro, we didn't WANT to wall in windows in kitchen and bedroom. four days after closing on our apartment we learned that an nyu dorm was going up next door and walling in our 6 lot line windows. i was thrilled with brockschmidt & coleman's solution to turn the former windows into storage where possible and to tile over in other spots. who wants a window you can't open with a brick wall covering it?

until tomorrow...

claire

What grabbed my attention was the lovely display of framed art and objects throughout the apartment. Everything is well balanced in its specific context of space and furniture.

An eye (and fearlessness) for collecting and display of art is one thing that I completely envy.

Nice but nothing special. Maybe its the fact that the owner is an architect and graphic designer. I'm not really all that impressed from the AP submissions from design professionals, generally. Their homes are nice - but they SHOULD be nice. If their homes weren't nice, then something would be wrong. When you day job is desiging homes, its not that impressive seeing them, you know, do their job. (And I say this as someone who regularly hires architects and designers as my day job.)

Personally, I find the well designed homes of laypersons far more satisfying.

this still does not explain why everyone that comes to relax at my studio falls into rem on my couch...
the couch(my bed) is nothing more than the seats from my minivan(repurposed) its not even a permanent solid fixture of my studio.

Claire

You have always had style in everything you do - I have been in your apartment many times and the feeling I always get is warm and comfortable although the pictures show that itis full of high style. You mix modern, classic & fun so well - it's kind of Bergdorf meets Barney's with dashes of Old Navy.

kara with a k - you can right click on the image you like and then click on "save images as". Then save it in a designated file (maybe named "wish book")in my documents. That way you won't need to keep extra "paper", but you may also print out the jpeg file, whenever needed.

I'm glad to see that we got past the unctious genuflecting that saturated the beginning of this thread and started seeing some opinions other than "I'm not worthy." If this blog is not going to be about something other than mutual masturbation (not that there's anything wrong with that) such as, oh, say, constructive criticism, then we need to be a bit more analytical.

I do agree with Dave to a certain extent that expectations can be higher for design professionals, but from the standpoint of criticism, I think every submission ought to be assessed on its own merits. However, I do think the biggest questionnable aspect of this interior is at least in part a function of the owner's profession: The problem with many laypersons' design attempts is poor execution of a perfectly good concept; here, I think we have the reverse.

Not that the concept of bold eclecticism is flawed--not at all--but that the approach here falls flat. Despite a sure and steady hand at selection and placement, a creative eye for juxtaposition, and some bravura touches, the whole appears compromised. In my opinion, this is due to a fundamental strategic timidity.

The primary consequence of this conceptual gap is that the furnishings seem utterly divorced from the setting. I feel like I'm looking at a rental. I suspect that in her attempt to populate the (very generous) space with adventurous, often oversized pieces, she felt the need to keep the backdrop light, spare and open. The result is that it looks like everything's gonna be packed up and shipped off to the next residence in a year. It's telling that the image chosen as the feature photo is the only one that conveys a successful integration, owing to the built-in bookcase. The rest of the setting fails to adopt--or even reference--the courageousness of the decor. Without taking a similarly daring approach to the setting, the result looks like a well-selected and beautifully-organized group of props in storage.

Rascal--

I think part of your problem is that many of the integrating elements that would register very well in person aren't conveyed through photos. The integration is understated and elegant-yet-relaxed, not over-the-top or bold. It is a place that can be dressed up or down but is always comfortable.

For example, the wall behind the bookcases, the very long drapes, the center ottoman, one lampshade, the throw pillows, the rug, and the interior window trim all quietly echo the orangey red (along with other things!) and pull it together, while the blue is more obviously carried by the sofa, two lampshades, the ottoman again, the picture matting, the bookcase frames, and the rug, among other places. Meanwhile, the drop-dead gorgeous china cabinet takes center stage against the back wall, with yellow tones that are also repeated many times.

Overall, the scheme in each room is exactly what I'd expect from a good graphic designer. The purpose of graphic design isn't to go HEY!!!! I'M A GREAT DESIGN!!!! but to do a job so elegantly and powerfully that it's almost invisible. If it's noticed (by someone who isn't a designer), it's probably because it's done badly or strangely. Good graphic design fits its purpose--it doesn't make a statement about the designer.

I love the painted pipes in the boy's bedroom, and I like that both kids have a decent amount of storage, but I am a bit puzzled by the placement of the daughter's stuffed animals so high...unless she's one of those girls who's given stuffed animals but never plays with them.

The only cliche is really in the kitchen, with the uber-trendy all-white (practical for the noww-windowless room) and the (Viking?) range. I haven't a clue why 99% of people people who buy Viking ranges do so, as if they cook for fifty guests on a daily basis. It's like the countertop sinks--all the rage, quite pricy, kind of attractive, but of very limited practical value. I've cooked a 16-dish dinner for 12 with a mincrowave, crockpot, a rice cooker, and a cheap 1980s range, and everything came out on time and I spent less than 20 minutes total in the kitchen while my guests were there, so I can assure anyone that the range isn't necessary for large scale entertaining and won't make the food better. I much prefer having two ovens and a warming area on my stove that what I had before, and I LOVE my convection oven...but even I would hardly ever use SIX burners and and griddle, much less need 32,000 BTU. And stainless steel shows so many finger prints! If you're really cooking that much, it's not going to look pretty during a major endeavor. But the...acrylic?...doors make the room look fresher than the painted wood all-white kitchens that are becoming so ubiquitous.

I saw the two photos above and LOVED them - then I read the comments and couldn't understand why people were saying it was bland - then I clicked through to the slideshow and I have to say I agree - totally boring!! - more courage needed to be shown - it is indeed just like square furniture plonked in a property - this needs more work to be even vaguely outstanding

I do however LOVE that hat lampshade in the girls bedroom - fabulous!

(I can't figure out why anyone would go to all the trouble of building those bedrooms on platforms - sure it gives you storage space but what real use is storage space you have to crawl into? - what can you actually store in there other than suitcases? - maybe it was originally meant to hold kidnap victims or something - its the most bizarre thing I've ever seen!)

Great apartment. Exquisite taste. I love everything EXCEPT the suit of armor. Who gave you that? I can only imagine the dump he lives in.

Question for Claire and others--how do you block light from transom windows when you don't want the morning sun waking you up? We have a transom in the baby's room and I'm convinced if the room stayed dark in the morning, she'd sleep longer. But also want light during the day. Ideas?

this is sort of an interesting house tour. it's really surprising how an apartment that in so many ways doesn't embody what "apartment therapy is about" to me (huge space, very traditional decor, the antithesis of diy) has so many useful solutions for the apartments of us little people. i love the mirrors in the windows, the use of color, lots of books, etc. etc. etc. i'd never in a million years want to live in an apartment like this, but wow!

Please, give us the goods on where you purchased those dining chairs.

i just love it.

i'm not a designer, i don't have an extremely stylish apartment and i can't put my finger on what it is that i love.

but i just want to take off my shoes and putter around the house and stare out the windows with a hot cup of cocoa in my hands.

Interested in the mirrored window sills - do they really help bring light into your apartment? My apartment doesn't get any direct sunlight and I've been contemplating putting mirrors up on opposite walls to draw any light we have in. But this is even better if it works. Do you have a source for the mirrors?

First, I just want to say that while this isn't my style *at all* I do see lots of 'problem solving' approaches, thoughts, etc. And it's inspiring!! It's nice to be inspired by something that's NOT my style.

I'd love to know more about the kitchen/bath countertops - Sorrel? I googled it, and came up with a spinach like plant or a horse, and that doesn't really look like it's made from either of those! :)

So, pretty please, source details in the counters would be AWESOME. And which ikea cabinets did you get?

ALso, I noticed you found the warming drawer to be superfluous - more details - don't use it at all? We have been eyeing a wd for our reno, but now I'm wondering if I can shave that $400-$800 off the kitchen....

Thanks for sharing the house!

Hey Rachel,
I'd like to know what the 'sorrel' counters are too! I also had a dead end google. I'm guessing it's a spelling error. (Harbor Hays was another dead end--the REAL benjamin moore paint color is Harbor Haze!) Can anyone guess the correct homophone for sorrel counters?? Help!

So lovely! I like the bookcases in the living room, the giant ottoman as coffee table, the dining room chairs, and the lamp pictures in the hall in the first couple of pictures.

In fact, your decorating style is pretty much the opposite of what I usually like, but I love your house. The dining room is gorgeous, especially the windows with those beautiful drapes.

I adore the bedrooms, too -- your son's room makes me wish my kids were little, so I could copy it. *g*

That's a great apartment. There are a ton of good ideas here that anyone can use:

The mirrors in the windows (brilliant!)

Building multiple levels to create additional storage space.

Play friendly kid rooms that still look good.

Use of interior windows to bring in light but block sound.

This is all in all a very well designed space. Now get ready for people to hate on it due to it being large, having a relatively subdued color scheme, and the purchase of expensive appliances.

I love the suit of armor, I always wanted one as a kid. I've kicked around various ideas for making a modern version for my own home, something like a tailor's form with a flak jacket, helmet, goggles, etc. But every time I imagine how it would look it doesn't quite work. I think there is potential there, however.

what IS a warming drawer, by the way?

and how is it different from, say, a toaster oven or microwave or a slightly warm oven?

A warming drawer is a lot like a slightly warm oven. It's a drawer where you warm plates.

There are moments when it dawns on me that I'll probably always be working-class at heart, and encountering warming drawers is one such. I have nothing *against* other people having them, but I don't really "get" the need for them, either.

The muted color scheme, I do get; my favorite room is the dining room.

Warming drawers are often built in on ranges (I know I have one on mine). If you elect to go the cooktop + oven route you often don't have a warming drawer, so some "individual" drawers are made by various manufacturers.

They are actually very usefull, I use mine constantly. I can't say I warm too many plates in it, but it's a great place to keep side dishes warm while the main course finishes in the oven. I'm not sure I'd buy a separate one if my range didn't have one, but they do serve a purpose.

My guess the countertop is Surell by Formica. Their answer to the solid surface countertop boom. More info is on their website, but it looks to be similar to Corian and the others.

I use the same color scheme in my home, so I love what she's done color-wise, particularly love the coral silk shade with the brass lamp, the coral back of the bookcases, and the mirrors at the window, but what I like best is it's not over done, subtle, looks un-staged, lived in comfy. I like it a lot.

You win. clean, modern and traditional. Love the place. :]

Thanks Ron!You're brilliant! Surell by Formica-- So obvious-- I can't believe I didn't figure it out.

Congratulations on not equating "loft" with "mid-century modern." I love that you managed to renovate a huge white box into something that isn't just a gallery for sculptural furniture. And I -like- your taste. Antiques aren't necessarily traditional, people - they're just warm and interesting. Very nice.

Surprisingly traditional, given the professional origins of the homeowners (and the apaprent youth of Claire). But more power!

Definitely does NOT read "Crate & Barrel" overload to me (or anywhere near it).

I think more/richer color on the walls somewhere would bridge the gap between the traditional furnishings and the modern envelope.

I couldn't live with that much open storage, but that's just me. Were it me, I'd do doors on all the lower (to chair rail height) bookcases to clean it up a little. And have it relate more to the kitchen.

And my one pet peeve (aside from the play stove in the living room...) is when area rugs don't make it as far as underneath the legs of the sofa... but, yay, you HAVE area rugs!!!

Find it funny that the "coffee table" was chosen to protect kids from sharp edges... but, um, THERE IS A SUIT OF ARMOR IN THE ROOM. Made me laugh.

But CAN'T WAIT to see the apartments of the people here who say this is boring. Sour grapes, much?

P2, can't you see that the suit of armor is also for the children's protection?

In case of invasion by the Moors/Turks/French the children simply need to scury into the armor. Perhaps the smallest child could stand on the older child's shoulders. Then they stomp their way into the kitchen to grab a butcher knife or two. If they are crafty they could duct-tape a cleaver to a broom handle. Instant halberd!

Ah, you can always count on patrick (the other one) for diplomacy, reason, and a little personal insight. The tail of the thread should always be reserved.

Hi-

Thanks so much for your comments. I am going to try my best to answer everyone's questions.

The dining chairs were purchased in Hudson, New York. They are Scandinavian from the 1950s. I don't remember who made the fabric, but the fabric was laminated (before the upholstery) for $100 total from customlaminations.com. I can't emphasize enough how fabulous that lamination process is. That upholstery is now pretty much indestructible.

Unfortunately, I don't remember the names of the aqua color in the bathroom or the burnt orange color in the living room, only that they are both Benjamin Moore.

The Ikea cabinets are the ABSTRAKT line.

The window mirrors were custom and not expensive. You can have those made just about anywhere that cuts glass. They do a wonderful job of bringing in the light and would work well with shaded windows as well.

How do I protect the wood on the dining table? Not well. That table has taken a beating, but with 5 year-old twins there is not much I can do. That table is from the 50s and came with many scratches already. I figure that in another 10 years when the kids are older that I'll have it refinished.

The ceilings in the apartment are 13' high.

How did I combine Ikea and West Elm to look grand? I think both of those companies have great design and if you mix right with more expensive stuff can elevate them. I dress the same way. I like to mix clothing from Target with stuff from Tory Burch. By the way, the large orange and black Indian prints above the couch in the living room are simply oversized color xeroxes! You can do this, too, and thus spend $20 on a piece of art.

The knight is on long-term loan from my ex-husband. He has great taste but no patience for the design process or putting furniture together from Ikea, so, Mo, you're right that he does live in lesser digs around the corner :-) By the way, your comment was hysterical!

There is no Mr. Claire right now. Are you proposing to be? Hey, if I could get a date out of this thing, I'd be thrilled. All attractive, single, straight, unattached, creative, child-friendly men between the ages of 30-50 feel free to apply!

Yes, surrell is made by Formica. My color is Arctic. You can pour boiling water and spill red wine on this stuff, and it will clean up like you wouldn't believe. We did the kitchen in white because of the lack of natural light. Plus, I think white kitchens last in a design sense.

Lydia, I loved your comments about what good design should do. I couldn't agree with you more. It isn't always about screaming. You are right that my daughter's stuffed animals are very high, but they take great advantage of the high ceilings. My daughter loves them because she feels like they look down and protect her. She has a few animals at lower level, but, actually stuffed animals aren't her favorite thing anyway. She mostly loves to do art projects. Also, of course the Viking stove is not a necessity for everyday living but is great for resale.

The platform storage below the bedrooms is amazing. It was there when we bought the apartment. Do you have any idea how expensive it is to rent storage in New York? I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want extra storage. It is the place for holiday ornaments, suitcases, alternate season clothing, odd pieces of furniture. Those aren't the kinds of things you need every day. It is totally worth crawling into the space to have that kind of quick access storage.

You really can't block the light through the transoms. My kids and I all wear eye patches when we sleep!

Yes, the warming drawer is totally superflous. I have used it once. If you are making a lot of different foods, you can maintain heat either moist or dry by using or not using a little bowl with water that fits into the drawer. Again, this is something with good resale potential and probably not much else. When we bought the apartment, I didn't have kids and I do love to cook (I won a national cooking contest in Seventeen Magazine in high school). Now I am a single, working mom and live on Trader Joe's!

Why did I soundproof the bedrooms? Because I am a single mom! No, seriously the kids sleep with their doors open and if I'm home alone, I keep my door open, too.

Do items on the kitchen counters make the kitchen seem cluttered? This is just part of family life. I like waking up and seeing the box of Fruity Cheerios on the counter. Some people on this site seem to think that my apartment is too grand. It isn't. Tables are scratched, hand prints are on the walls, toys are usually strewn on the floor. You can't get upset about that stuff. You do what you can to accommodate your particular chaos (i.e. using wallcovering and flooring in the kids' rooms that can be cleaned with Fantastik) and live your life.

All the best,
Claire

I think this is really lovely--it manages to be sophisticated and "grown-up" in taste, while also being totally warm and comfortable and appropriate for children. It looks lived-in and collected, as opposed to having all been bought at the same time, which is always the hallmark of a truly tasteful homeowner (to me, anyway).

Wow, I can't wait to use the mirrored window sill idea. I'm just wondering if I use the mirror idea on a shaded window, where the mirror would be exposed (not hidden by the curtain), would the mirror be too Queensy?

There are a lot of textures, which keep my untrained eyes interested. But, in the kitchen and bathroom where it seems very modern and sleek do the items on those counters make the area seem cluttered? It's almost as if that space is unforgiving for anything that isn't tucked away. For instance, the microwave.

I'm not sure that I understand the need for sound-proofed bedrooms, unless for an echo. How do you hear, if your kids need you?

I love the hat lamp, the orange-inspirational lamp, the raw silk curtains, the espresso-stained hardwood floors, the exposed-painted pipes, the custom covered C&B chairs, the punches of orange. I like the way the armor introduces the stainless steel in the kitchen. I like that not everything needs to be pricey and that Ikea pieces easily mix in with the rest of the decor.

While many might define the purpose of this blog differently, I find that I like this blog for original decorative thoughts. Certainly Claire's apartment, while not for everyone, pops with many inspirational ideas. In my opinion, a great entry.

Elizabeth, there are many reasons for a soundproof bedroom. I can think of two right off the bat because K. just ran by naked on her way to the shower.

Claire, you are a gracious woman.

I'm not a trained graphic designer, but I did freelance webdesign for a while, and I was very, very irritated by the overpriced designers who HAD a decent but very distinctive and singular look that advertised THEM more than whoever they designed for. So I'm really, really opinionated about what good graphic design should be. :-) I feel the same way about architecture, interior design, and landscaping, which puts me at odds with many of the designers of that sort, though my opinions are more accepted by graphic designers, who are more used to work for a purpose than self-aggrandizement.

If it's for resale, in a place that size, Viking is pretty much what's expected, and it'd be "weird" not to have it. So I understand perfectly why you'd choose it!

I'd hoped the stuffed animals are appreciated for seeing and enjoying but not really a big favorite thing to actively play with--I've known a lot of little girls like that. :-) Yay!

As for the table...yikes! *g* My grandparents' dining room table has made it through 50 years without any scratches, so I think I'll just keep the pads on it for now. I'm in the preschool stage, and it isn't that my son is purposely destructive. It's just that he goes through life like a bull in a china shop. By the time the youngest is 6 or 7, I think we'll be safe. SafeR, at least. (I'll get furniture I love then, not just furniture that can take a beating, too.)

And the overpriced (trained) designers are usually irritated by the untrained freelance webdesigners, devaluing the whole design profession, btw.

I know of a graphic designer in india who has not even passed high school. He is one the best one that I have met. He works as a mail man in one of the IT companies and thus learnt the software. It is interesting that design is something that one posses - education and training is only a way to enhance it.

So all you designers out there - especially the ones who are out there doing it out love and with the soul and still cannot make your ends meet I say hang in there and you will make it. But remember your ROOTs then and then and do a design for people who cannot afford your design.

I like this part of Claire's response:

*******
There is no Mr. Claire right now. Are you proposing to be? Hey, if I could get a date out of this thing, I'd be thrilled. All attractive, single, straight, unattached, creative, child-friendly men between the ages of 30-50 feel free to apply!
*******
Where and how do I apply

hi-

yes, anyone who would like to apply for the "mr. claire" position can do so by sending me a note and photo to housetourgirl@yahoo.com. i was brought up with good manners, so i will always respond no matter what :-)

claire

I love AT: great advice and a possible date for me.

I charged an initial design fee of $250 plus $30 per additional page, extra for script hacking. (Each page had custom graphics with the clients I was working for.) Most websites came to $1000-2000, and I charged $30/hr for updates, versus $5000-15000 that some of my competitors were charging for no more time (they were making $250 an hour, at LEAST!) though they had only one look and couldn't hack a script to save their lives. Funny thing--my designs actually looked good and made sense for my clients, so I got more business because they were so thrilled with my work, not because they paid me to advertise myself.

My rates would have come to an income of about $50k a year, after expenses, if I'd done it fulltime, which is quite reasonable and fair. And I was certainly "making ends meet". If I'd been doing custom programming, actual drawing (I only manipulate images), and/or heavy-duty Flash authoring, I would have charded $50-75/hr...or more, if I had great drawing skills. But I wasn't. The point is, neither were my competitors. They were just working people over for a brand, and I have a problem with that.

Lydia writes:

"I'm not a trained graphic designer, but I did freelance webdesign for a while,"

If I had a nickel for every time I heard some amateur hack say that. Why does everyone with a computer, the ability to put up a website and successfully underprice themselves believe they are graphic designers?

Please keep "hacking script" and filling the net with more pollution so that I can charge top dollar to clients who recognize the value of aesthetically pleasing, strategic and functional design.

Sheesh!

suit of amour 1851.
Saviely Tartakower.

The pictures are beautiful. I would love to get more information on who designed and who BUILT the bookcase in your living room, since custom shelving is expensive, and it can be hard to find good labor. Bookcase: Who built it, and did you really build the shelving right across a window, because I have a similar situation with a window looking out onto a brick wall, and I'm always trying to figure out what to do. Also, which paint color / finish did you use for it? It looks very rich.

Upholstery: Living room ottoman seems to be a point of pride for that room and I can see why. Is it a Crate and Barrel special too, and did you bring in your own fabric to upholster it? It appears to be higher than the seat height on the couches, do you ever find that uncomfortable when you want to put your legs up? Were the couches done using Crate and Barrel custom upholstery? What did you select and what are the pros and cons of your selection?

I couldn't find a good picture of your famous bedroom storage space. Were you referring to the captains beds?

Thanks for sharing your space and information with us!
THANKS!

why should i feel bed...?

why share my space or time with Silverfish; Silverfish require between four months and three years to grow from an egg before they eat the bindings from unread books, sustenance from words, you just cant write this, how whimsical.

give me popsicle and global warming!
this will keep the water bear away from me.

(unless i die on a mossy cushion in a library)

Um. Yeah. Care to put YOUR money where your mouth is? I'm leaving off the sites of my paying clients, but here are a few things I've played with. My goal is to bring the mood of the subject to the site, whatever that mood happens to be.

Latest project (I don't do for-pay work anymore--I'm too busy writing, and I don't need the work anymore): As-yet incomplete mockup for a technothriller writer (just look-and-feel at this point). And I made the book cover mockup, too, BTW. Again, just as a mockup:

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/mockup.gif

Very rough--this site will be full Flash, and the part within the frame will be part of an animated trailer sequence. (SUBTLE Flash for the rest of the site. Not over-the-top, overly conspicuous, and annoying.)


Another, even rougher mockup for look-and-feel, this time for a chick-lit-meets-adventure writer:

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/temppics/lexieevans.gif

The pseudonym won't see the light of day in the near future, so neither will the site.


A still of a 15-minute free design I made back when I was one of the co-hosts of an online critique group:

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/temppics/wrmain.gif


A partial mockup of another quickie design for a homeschooling site:

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/temppics/hsfull.gif


Something I just got an idea about and wanted to try out--this one isn't for anyone. The author name is fictitious, and it's another mockup, which is very, very rough (the colors would need complete reworking if it were ever actually executed, and the shadow is headache inducing), just for the concept:

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/temppics/firstwords.gif


My first project ever, for myself, which, unfortunately, I completed before my writing style changed:

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/


A magazine ad for just me:

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/temppics/rtadwhispers.tif

(I deleted the group ad I made, it seems...)


A bookmark design from a book cover:

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/temppics/bookmarks.png


How about yours, Pedro?

And, BTW, since you don't seem to comprehend, hacking a script is when you take a script that someone else has authored and change it for your own purpose. I also author my own script, but not when I don't have to. :-) Actually, after I married a computer scientist, I mostly got him to do it, since I've only taken a handful of computer programming courses and he's much faster.

Um, Lydia, this seems not the proper venue for you to validate your skills or justify why you are charging lower than market value. (Or why you used to, which makes this whole thing sort of moot anyhow...) What to charge for design is highly subjective (sadly), but don't slam those who can or do charge more. And don't equate "client approval" *automatically* with "good design."

Besides, you keep digging your hole deeper... case in point: "I also author my own script, but not when I don't have to. :-) Actually, after I married a computer scientist, I mostly got him to do it.."

So how much of a cut do you give him for the work he contributes to your projects?!

(ps: Is this the same Lydia who did a "romance character analysis" of my house pics?!? That was sooo cool!)

Um, ion's off the meds again, I think...

Hi there, I would be very interested to know the TOTAL cost of doing this apartment-including Sotheby's drawings, antique furniture, staining the floors, upholstery, curtains, etc. This does not seem like it would be a job someone on a budget could afford to make happen...even on their own!

Nan-

I used two different contractors as I did this project in two stages over 2 years. The one I would recommend is named Greg Lentz. His number is 917.968.3428. He did the bedrooms but his quality is much higher than the contractor who did the bookshelves, who was a bit of a nightmare.

Yes, we did build shelving right across a window. The color in my daughter's room is Benjamin Moore Crowne Hill Yellow semi-gloss.

The ottoman is not from Crate and Barrel but was custom. We used $20/yard fabric from a store on the Lower East Side. This was cheaper than buying a similar piece at ABC carpet. The ottoman is higher than the couches and is 2' away from the couch on one side and 3' away on the other. The intention of the ottoman is less a place to rest your legs (i prefer lying down on the couch!) and more to provide extra seating, a soft alternate to a coffee table for the kids, and a place for the kids to jump. I chose a fabric that has quite a bit of pattern to it to hide any stains (not that I didn't scotchguard as well). It works very well, although I occasionally have to tell guests not to rest glasses of red wine directly on it (!). I do put trays of cheese and crackers and such on top.

The bedroom storage is below the bedroom. There are definitely a couple of pictures in the slideshow.

Louise-

I can't give you a price on the renovation. First, I simply can't because a number of items were gifts (i.e. Sotheby's prints from my parents) and secondly, I just don't think that is appropriate. The point is that I am sharing design ideas (whether or not you like my taste); ideas to save costs (i.e.using enlarged color xeroxes as art and using ikea kitchen but changing the hardware); and ideas to make a kid-friendly apartment. Everyone has different skills they can do to cut costs. Can you sew? I can't, but I have a friend who sewed her own curtains in her apartment. Some people paint their own apartments. Others are willing to refinish their own floors. My dad built two pieces of furniture in my apartment. The point of this for me was not to share finances but to share ideas. All I can tell you is that my design "secrets" make the apartment look like it costs overall more than it did.

Best,
Claire

oops, i meant to say that i did those project in 2 stages over FIVE years.

Claire

Lydia,

OMG! Thanks for proving my point. Your typography skills are very amateur, you rely too much on superfluous, bordering on illegible display type.

One of your examples:

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/temppics/lexieevans.gif

Sorry, but that's horrible. What a terrible typeface!

Your nav bar treatments are dated and the type is unecessarily HUGE. There is no balance evident in much of your web page designs, they are cluttered and confusing.

As evidenced in this example:

http://www.lydiajoyce.com/temppics/firstwords.gif

Lydia, I take my career seriously. I went to an accredited design school and I'm a practicing designer for 15 years. I put a lot of sweat equity into what I do and I get pissed when someone insults hard working, dedicated designers. This isn't a "hobby" for us, this is a living. And we take it seriously. And we take our clients very seriously.

I don't need to show off my work to you, because that would be contradictory to what you said about designers "advertising" themselves. Instead I implore you to investigate the works of these fine practioners of graphic design:

Paul Rand
Tibor Kalman
Paula Scher
Bruce Mau
Margo Chase
Stefan Sagemeister

Just to name a few.

Being an author yourself, you might appreciated this great book:

"All Access: The Making of Thirty Extraordinary Graphic Designers"

fin

i realize this is just contributing to the derailment of this thread (and i have no idea how we even got on the subject), but as a budding (and as yet 'untrained') graphic designer, i thought i'd weigh in.

it's crap like this that makes me really leery of graphic design as a field. seriously people, it takes all kinds of designers out there doing their thing, serving different kinds of customers in different kinds of ways. there's room for everyone at the table here. i don't really see why we have to get our panties in a bunch about it.

there are a lot of people out there who need a website, fast and cheap, bottom line. they may not need someone with extremely specialized training. they may not need the guy who designed the IBM logo or the creative editor of a glossy art journal. they may not need uniquely written scripts. they just need a nice basic website. and there's nothing wrong with those people finding someone they think can meet their needs and paying that person an agreed on lower rate, regardless of the letters behind their name. nobody is going to die or have their business ruined because they hired a designer who doesn't have a degree in graphic design. and more importantly, formally trained designers have very little to worry about in terms of some unschooled brute coming along and undercutting the competition. precisely BECAUSE at higher levels it's not just about knowng the software.

now would both of you promptly get over yourselves and let the rest of us enjoy this fab apartment?

>Your nav bar treatments are dated and the type is unecessarily HUGE.

My navbar treatments are what people who visit those types of sites expect and, honestly, need. Also, static navbars, however uncool, are the ONLY way to have a user-friendly site. You can put them across the top...down either side...even actoss the bottom if you have a portfolio site or something similar that doesn't need to have anything below the fold. Sites without easy navigation are sites that people don't return to The nightmarish sites I link to below from your list of good designers are prime examples of unusable design. One looks kinda cool and would DEFINITELY work well in print...and the other is just a trainwreck.

Personally, I PREFER much smaller type, but much of the audience for most of these sites is over 40, so fonts have to stay large and navigation ultra-intuitive. AT is generally pretty usable, but the bar at the top of AT, for example, would not be readable by a fairly large percentage of users--it's too small to have contrast that low. Many people simply can't see it. Since this ausience is particularly young, it doesn't matter much. But if the site were visited by a decent percent of over-50s, it would.

I am in no way wanting to create something extremely novel or overtly gimmicky. The look should be different, yes, but there can be NO level of confusion or ambiguity for users who are only somewhat comfortable with the internet.

In addition, files must stay SMALL, as many of the target audience is still on dialup. Only now do enough even have a Flash plugin for me to consider using it. The Chase Group's site in particular would have download times that would be a barrier to much of my audience. If I have to wait a blink on my cable modem, I know it's too much for them. (http://www.chasedesigngroup.com/) It's also FULLY Flash, instead of partial Flash, in a popup that robs the user of the use of the back button. Great non-web work, and very attractive site, but it's not practical for my audience. (For their audience, it probably is--if you don't have broadband, you probably have no reason to be interested in their services.)

Also, these sites must be designed to easily accomodate lengthy articles and a LOT of written work because what it is advertising is...WRITTEN. Tha means no cutesie little text boxes tht are 3"x4" and have a scroll bar in the middle of a huge (however gorgeous) background. The focus isn't an image but text itself. The window strategy strategy works great for portfolio or catalog sites, where the images take center stage. But it's a huge pain to read a long excerpt or a behind-the-scenes look at the work.

The work also has to speak to the audience, who is A) the 30-45-year-old Middle America suburban family woman who's married and has a couple of children and a bachelor's degree, B) teens who grew up on My Space and that kind of interaction, and C) 45 and older women who love reading but aren't terribly comfortable with computers. (Yes, all three demographics are largely female because even in genres like technothriller, women outnumber men 3-to-1.) They aren't actually hip, but they like to project themselves onto hip-ish books. The Lexie Evans site is an example. I actually hate the brushy font--I used it as a stand-in for what I wanted because I had it on hand--but the round font and, yes, overused colors are perfect for the goal.

>There is no balance evident in much of your web page designs, they are cluttered and confusing.

Text balances the sites. Because the focus is on A) book covers and then B) writing, there must be space for blurbs, announcements, etc, which take up a large portion of the pages. Mockups are sans text AND sans obvious naviagation (no rollovers since it's a static image) and most are sans book cover. Of course, if you can't visualize where the writing and cover will be, as well as the rollovers, it will confuse you. Take the Geneva Hunt site: Main navigation is across the center of the page for the intro page only, with bookcover and blurb and its associated deep links above, a newsletter signup form, news with deep links, and a deep link to separate themed areas for the kinds of goodies that particularly attract fantasy fans back to sites. In its form with (changeable) text, covers, and working navication, it's incredibly obvious what goes where...and balanced, too. (The interior pages would have a different layout--that would turn nighmarish on every page.)

I am VERY curious as to what you think about this site:

http://www.jessicabenson.com/

And, Pedro, you're a chicken. I complained about designers advertising themselves through their work, by choosing a STYLE that advertised them rather than their clients.

BTW, I googled the designers. Many do cool, neat work utterly irrelevant to online advertising (would look great incorporated into, say, a full-page magazine ad or an interior decoration line or as neat, memorable business logos). They also do work that looks like...their work. Wouldn't ever hire one unless my product matched their style because it's clear that their style comes first.

And then I also ran across stuff like this, also done by one of your designers: http://www.mazmanian.net/main.html. Um, yeah. Look what that design training gets you! My favorite page is this one: http://www.mazmanian.net/cinema.html. LOTS of links scattered around for no real reason (except to make it a nightmare to update...) in a terribly cliched "writerly" font with links to sub-pages with NO information of their own but MORE links to POP UP pdfs. Even better--no internal navigation at all! You have to painstakingly navigate back to the intro page to get to any NEW page not directly under the page you're on, and the entire website is peppered with dead-ends... No, if that's your idea of an attractive OR functional design, I think I'll pass.


And this is the intro page of the last:

http://www.sagmeister.com/

I get a headache within three seconds of looking at it. AND IT MAKES NOSES WHEN YOU CLICK!!!!!! Plus, it leads you to PAGE OF LINKS that isolate you from the navigation (incredibly annoying and very unfriendly). I couldn't even read the pages in the portfolio--the font color was so close to the background color that I had to highlight it to get more contrast, I assume because they designed for THEIR particular monitor and didn't take into account color differences across platforms. And the incredible NUMBER of pages--having to click for every single seperate FAQ.... It's horrific. Their print work is great, but that's actually far, far worse than the designers I was complaining about. They, at least, produce functional designs, even if they are all identical.

I think your ideal website is very different from mine. I'd much, much, MUCH rather surf the AT site than wade through that nonsense. If you thought that those were good, I'm relieved that you think that mine suck, and I'd be insulted if you liked them!

Sigh.

Lydia, I should not have lost my cool. We are at very different ends of the design spectrum. The designers I listed, some of whom are deceased and never involved in the web work, are just broad examples of very influential and highly successful designers.

The fact that you don't even know who at least one of these people are is a sign of ignorance. When you really want to learn the craft, you should begin with the fundamentals of design, and that doesn't involve software and scripting. You learn the principles, from Bauhas to the Swiss grid, to form, function, whimsy, type, balance and colour. And perhaps most importantly, knowing how to critique yourself, to edit (just as a writer), to know what to take out and put in.

For starters, pick up a copy of Communication Arts (commarts.com), Print, or even HOW magazine. They are some of the best mainstream design publications.

Alas, you may be well along in life now, making a great living and not have time to school yourself. But you are obviously motivated to try new things, and have shown a spark for creativity. Just channel that energy into improving your design.

Design transcends mediums. Print, web, it's all about pleasing communications. Everyone appreciates things that look great.

If you look a little closer you'll see that there is a method to the apparent madness of a designer like Stefan Sagemeister. His site is built with whimsy, poking fun at hokey pokey design, with it's oversized buttons and gimmicky sounds. It's purposeful. But it's also incredibly simple to navigate. His work is broad and experimental.

My only recourse here is to point you in the direction of discovering excellent design. It's what has made these designers's so successful.

claire,
just a note to say thank you for sharing your apartment and answering so many questions. you have a beautiful home, seem to have a great attitude towards your children and are very gracious.

gosh, thanks kan. it is my pleasure to help anyone else designing his or her home have a little bit easier time. it has been a treat to be here and i think that i may have started a new apartment therapy addiction!

Lydia is a hack romance novelist and inferior designer subsidized by her family and husband. She would not know the first thing about quality design and anyone who gives her words any weight at all is the worst sort of fool. Lydia your work is mediocre and inferior and someday you may understand that but for now you are just pollution and noise and this includes your idiotic romance novels. It is no accident that a person as grossly untalented as yourself would look at talented people and not have a clue. People like yourself are an insult to people who actually have something good to give to the world and how dare a hack romance novelist like yourself say anything to a real artist of any kind.

After reading this post I have the strangest desire to watch Jawbreaker, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and Mean Girls all in the same sitting...anywho.

CLAIRE: Your home is beautiful and warm! It's wonderful how your kids each have their own space and I love the desk areas in their rooms! I usually don't like offices integrated into living spaces (the desk between the books and dining area), but you have merged function with style effortlessly. 3 questions: Did I miss the TV? Do you have one, where is it? And I truly love your open bookshelves but I must know: Do they get dusty, if so, how dusty and how often do you dust them? Your house is exceptionally clean for having twins, how do you keep it so tidy?

And whoever asked about the budget - knowing this project was done in two stages over five years, it's possible to save your pennies, no matter how much you make, in order get the job done. If you live paycheck to paycheck, copying and framing your own art is a great idea and looks great too. Oprah (yes, I said Oprah) used to frame postcards of famous paintings before she had millions. My husband and I have been saving little amounts for a year in order to redo our crappy,ugly,awful,rusty,molding bathroom. I hope when I post pictures someone will say "How did they do THAT on a budget, it must have cost a fortune!" And I'll never tell :)

hi, samantha-

thanks for the nice note, and i agree with everything you said!

1. i didn't even realize it, but there are no pictures of televisions on the tour. i have two. one is a 10 year old 27" that sits on a special, longer depth shelf on the bookcase wall near the couches. the shelf has decorative brackets to support it as it sticks out from the bookcase about 9". the other tv is a 21" wall-mounted flat-screen just inside the door of my bedroom above the custom black and mirrored drawers.

2. the lower bookcases get dusted once a week and the upper ones get dusted every few weeks (due to laziness not the fact that they get less dusty). the one thing that i really don't like about the shelves is that the original owner built them to have the first shelf come about 6" off the floor with the floor exposed underneath. dust and toys get stuck in there all the time. if i were to redo stage 1 of this project, i would have paid to have had those holes covered over with painted wood. all in all, a wall of bookcases like this is great for storage, especially in NYC.

3. believe me, the house is not always so tidy! i have invested in many storage baskets from the container store (i love that place!) to store toys. the baskets are stored on the bookshelves. my kids now know which toys are stored in which baskets. when prodded, my kids are pretty good about cleaning up and i do help them.

good luck with your bathroom! in the end good taste matters much more than a large budget :-)

Hello Claire,

I really like the artwork of the lamps hanging in your hallway. Are they decoupage? Did you make them yourself or where they purchased? I have a large swatch of black and white damask fabric that I didn't have a use for, but with a little creativity, I'll bet I can create a decoupage picture of a lamp for my bathroom. Thanks for posting the photos of your beautiful home and for inspiring a bit of creativity in all of us.

Sincerely, Juliet Perrault

Who is this Rascal? The discourse has stepped up around here.

I think you did a great job in this amazing space! You improved on an already impressive apartment.

Loves: I love the mirrors in the window bay! That's a great idea, especially if there's only partial sun or something in the view that's so neat ya gotta see it twice. I love the hat-shaped lampshade. Very clever! I love the metal lip on the bottom of the bedroom door, and am wondering if it's possible to do that on all four sides somehow (for my front door, which lets in a lotta apartment-building-draft and hallway-noise). I love that you indulged in those fabrics for the windows. They rock!

Random thought: I wonder if it irks you to see the back of your monitor when dining. I think the odd crawlspace (Alice in Wonderland!) under the bedroom is actually really cool. It's great for the cat (love the kitty condo area), and hey, it's even like a "safe room" that no one knows about, yaknow?

Me, I'd like to see more of the bathroom w/ the chandelier in it. Not my style, but looks very interesting!

All in all, this is a real fine dwelling :)

All of the Inside Outs are repeats lately. Jill, are you having a hard time finding new apts. to showcase? I'll bet there are people here who would love to show off their digs.

Anne,
New Inside Outs come out on Wednesdays. Monday's are always repeats or reviews.

Oh my favourite: eclectic... full of character and personal style! The the way a home should be... Wow!

Thanks Lisa. After 3 yrs. on this site I never noticed the pattern. I just seemed to notice the Inside Out Redux all the time.

Hello Claire,

Your home has a really nice traditional feel but without the "heaviness" that I usually associate with that sort of style. It must be the high ceilings (do you fly remote controlled toys in there? So fun!). I really like the acrylic pockets for photos in your boy's room so he can change the pictures when he wants. One thing, though--the placement of the slipper chairs on either side of the column seems awkward to me. Why did you make that choice, and what do you do when you have guests to sit there? Rearrange the furniture?

Regards,

Mlle Kate

This thread makes for fascinating reading - I know it all happened months ago, but Claire has to tell us if she got any dates after this posting!!! And not to resuscitate the completely irrelevant Lydia/Pedro argument, but after clicking through to Lydia's links I have to say I come down firmly on Pedro's side. . .

This is a huge space with a lot of good elements. I'm also sure that it looks more impressive in person than in photos (though some of the areas have charm that shines through even in the pictures).

One thing I'm curious about though is how much the entire renovation cost. It seems like an awful lot has been done. I'm betting duplicating such an effort would empty my entire savings account.

You had me at the suit of armor. This home is definitely not my style, but I found myself loving it anyway. Great work.

I'm confused. Is this supposed to be an update to her decor? Didn't the reno happen a couple of years ago? Her kids must be in junior high by now.

I liked much of this home then, and still do. I'm wondering what's changed here?

Nice Work Lydia,
Great tips! Decoration is so important when living in a small apartment or by yourself. As a property manager, we always stress strong communication between our residents and our managers, so if something appears like it is taking too much space or needs to be changed, they get in touch with us immediately. We've also given out decoration tips to all of our residents through our weekly

I meant to say :
Nice Work Claire,
Great tips! Decoration is so important when living in a small apartment or by yourself. As a property manager, we always stress strong communication between our residents and our managers, so if something appears like it is taking too much space or needs to be changed, they get in touch with us immediately. We've also given out decoration tips to all of our residents through our weekly Brian's Blog - Helpful Tips for Renters.

Great use of space and storage. I love the kitchen and child's room.

Ok, so this post coupled with the Melaluca thing really makes AT look bad. Strange, creepy MLM thread and now this mile long arguement between two clearly pompous asses. Sorry I could read the whole thing, but from what I could stomach- Lydia/Pedro -You both look like idiots. This is not the place for these exchanges.
Maxwell?? What the...? Can't you edit these things down?
I usually read AT everyday. It looks like I may need to get my design fix elsewhere. This place is going in the toilet.