apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

As we await the results of the smallest, coolest contest, could we have some follow up on the I've got art contest? What did the winners add to their collections? How are you Rainbow Brooke?

Maxwell, funny to see your reference to Captain Haddock. For a while "Bachy Bouzouk" was one of my favorite insults.

Did Shauna's new pictures arrive?

Does anyone have experience with Graham and Green? http://www.grahamandgreen.co.uk/

too bad maxwell didn't let us know, but he was avail for a live chat today at washingtonpost.com, see the transcript here

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/04/12/DI2006041201895.html

Contest-wise...

I'd love to hear some more Final-Finalist predictions... and to hear which entries people were disappointed didn't make it this far.

In not SO particular an order, my tops of the finalists are:
James & Margaret
Jenny & Clove
Hakarl & Jili
Wayne
Gideon & Tracy
Rob
and
David & Im

The ones I was disappointed not to see make it this far:
James' Try This at Home
Marc's Eminent Domain
David's Work in Progress (great use of furniture to create "rooms")
John & Tup
and
David's Creative

oooh, I was disappointed that David's WIP didn't make it to the finals. I scoured the archives to try to find the earlier post of his place, but I was unsuccessful. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

thanks.

Thanks Minh. I would not have seen this posting without your guidance. Too bad we couldn't participate.

Minh: if I were Maxwell, I wouldn't let you miserable ingrates know of my Washington Post chat, either. Most of you people have zero decorum on these sites, and you PROBABLY would have RUINED it!!!

If I had to choose ONE (as opposed to 7 like Patrick...)my choice would be James/Margaret.

High style but so liveable.

As for my fav entries where I also like a timeshare, but didn't make the finals:

West Coast - Grant's WeHo Charmer
West Coast - Ryan's San Luis Obispo Studio

It's funny that my runner-ups look nothing like my finalist pick!

Hi minh,

I just read the transcript. It was very interesting and actually learned some new things. Thanks for posting the link!

Whatever Jonathan...

Jonathan as the voice of Miss Manners, AT made my day.

Where do I place the little fork again?

My fav is Wayne's diagonal conversion. I also love:

David and Im's one space
Gideon and Tracey's pocketknife
Jenny and Clove's L.A.ish pad

I can't believe James' try this at home didn't make it.

(c'mon, folks... this may be the place to rally the judges to your favorite finalists!!!)

I almost forgot to add James and Margaret's entry. Also faaaabulous!

JenPDX--
There ARE four top slots... who would your next three finalists be?!?

I am a lurker in need of help and this is totally unrelated to everything else ... but i need help finding an extra long sofa. I have a very awkward shaped long living room and I need a long sofa to anchor it ... any suggestions?

PLEASE!!!

Thanks

Thanks p(too) & Original Blues,
Re: My "work in progress"
It was never posted on the site previously; just had a link to my Flickr site. (click my name to see some old pics)
Coming this fall on a TV set near you - you can see my place on SSBS.

I already made my pitch for Greg and Em's Silverlake Sanctuary in their finalist thread.

If the judges veer toward the pros I favor Gideon & Tracey's Pocketknife and James and Margaret's Iconic Studio.

To be continued.

bklynmoone--
We promise not to hate you for your large living room. ;)

I'd go to ABC Carpet, the Mitchell Gold section. I am pretty sure they do sofas by the foot... and I think Baker (showroom in TriBeCa) does custom lengths as well.

Other than that, check Room & Board or Storehouse.

I'd recommend a sectional construction, though, to make sure you can get it in the door once it's built. Perhaps a left and a right section of a sectional sofa?

Good luck!

Congratulations David n DC. Well deserved! I too was wowed by your space.

Now *among* those deemed worthy, my picks:

Jenny and Clove
David and Im
Jane and Darko
Gideon and Tracy
Lucy
Rob
Hakarl and Jili
James and Margaret

I could wittle this down further, but only if you forced me to.

touche, patrick.

Okay, based on liveability and appeal to me RIGHT NOW:
1. James/Margaret
2. Darko/Jane
3. David/Im
4. Greg/Em

But I really really wish Rob would get a prize because I think DWR stuff would go the furthest in his space and he'd be a real contender for me. He needs more "layers" as someone on this site might say. ;)

My absolute favorites, and I thought all were really good, were:

Harkarl and Jili
Wayne
Jane and Darko
Rob
Shawna
James and Margaret

How can the judges choose?

BTW, I actually agree with Johnathan. People have gotten SO worked up about the rules, etc, in this contest that I'm sure someone would pop up in the chat to try to berate him. (Not that those chats aren't moderated, but still...)

If you feel that strongly, then you should really be having your own contest on your own site, imo.

How could I forget, in the top 4: Jane & Darko's Cozy Thicket

Kudos to all the finalists and the rest of the contestants. I was also sorry that David's Work in Progress and James's Try This at Home did not make the finals; both were superb. For the winners, my picks would be:

Shauna, unless the second batch of pictures arrives and ruins the show. Her living room picture alone should win her a prize. Add in the bedroom mural she did herself and the best design motto, and we have a winner!
Greg & Em
Hakarl and Jili
Rob

Thanks to all the contestants for sharing their homes; I enjoyed looking at them all, exhausting as it became at times, and learned something from many of them.

hey, thanks, David. I found your place pretty inspiring. Mine's a rental, so I probably won't end up imitating your kitchen or bathroom, sadly. But you have the boy version of the apartment that I want a young family version of. (Acheiving this is going to be tricky.)

thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Amd I'll second DL above. I love being able to see all these different places, maybe especially the ones that I can't imagine as my own, because they're either very cluttered or very spare. I find the cluttered ones generally charming and the spare ones keep me on my toes. I love the diversity - you never get this from a design magazine, because the editorial voice keeps things more consistent.

so thanks, everyone.

As Patrick(the other one) said, there are FOUR slots. It's hard taking people off a list with so many GREAT entries.

My four, in order, from first to fourth:
1. Shauna
2. Jane and Darko
3. Hakari and Jili
4. Rob

All built their homes over time, using old and new, found/kept and store-bought, creating a home that is spectacular. Each home gives an insight into the person who lives there.

Each fits it's space, makes the best use of it's space, and even changes the space from what is put in there...without PHYSICALLY changing the space...as in new construction.

These entries also appear to be "complete" or "completed" in that they don't lack anything. They don't need anything. And I have no idea what they'd do with their DWR items, but I'm sure they'd have some fun figuring that out.

I hope they will consider posting updated photos with their new additions from DWR in place.

Being curious about the process they all went through for the contest, I'd love to see a Post-Contest-Interview. Maxwell could create a questionnaire for the winners?

The abundance of groovy sleeping lofts in the contest look a little different to me after reading this Sunday's NYTimes Real Estate section
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/16/realestate/16cov.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

It's an investigative piece, about bloated developments
that cheat the rules of sq footage etc by putting in "storage" areas that turn out to be bedrooms and baths. I didn't realize licensed architects were on the honor system in NYC to make their plans up to code.

more info:
http://brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2006/04/the_past_starts.ht

Here's my top four (tough decision!)

Absolute top choice by far: Wayne's Diagonal Conversion.
Next: David & Im's OneSpace

The next two, in no particular order:
Jenny & Clove's LAish Pad
Jane & Darko's Cozy Thicket

Another side bar question:

Is there a rule of thumb for the size of overhead lights in a room? I know there is for chandeliers, is it the same for say a drum shade?

Thanks in advance!

Guido, maybe it's just my browser, but the first one wouldn't load at all, and the second one has the link cutting off the last part of the address...I added the ending "ml" to the second link to get the second article.

I figured out that DOB is Department of Building. What does FAR mean?

I tried the link directly from Brownstoner to NYT, and it still didn't load. Maybe it's really busy. I'll try later.

Very interesting stuff. Thanks!

I'd go with these four, and I'm not all that committed to the order:
1. Shauna
2. Jane & Darko
3. Jenni & Clove
4. Rob

My reasoning's pretty much the same as Andree's, except that I have no problem with new construction for those that can do it -- it's nice to be able to gut and rebuild, but there's no guarantee that it'll be done well. (Hmmm... if my reasoning is closest to Andree's, maybe there is such a thing as San Francisco style yet...)

Nothing I hate made finals, though, so I'm not all that up in arms about how it comes out.

Questions for everyone.

Especially contestants, whether they are in the finals or not.

For these questions, assume that you each have the money and connections in order to do exactly what I'm asking about. Thanks.

Would you have replaced all of your furniture in your home/apartment in the time period between your original entry photos and the photos submitted for the final entry?

I don't mean necessarily on a permanent basis, or that you actually purchased all new items. You might have borrowed from friends, rented from stores, etc.

Would you have hired a professional photographer to take photos? Or something similar, like called upon a friend who is also a professional photographer to do the photos.

Would you have hired another professional that deals with interior design or has a vast supply of decorative objects that could be used in your home to put it in a more favorable light? Again, or something similar, like that friend we all seem to have that has an unquestionably good eye and has great stuff, and they'd be willing to play around in our place to change the appearance of the apartment and put it in a more favorable or more likely to win position.

These are things that appear to have been done in Wayne's Diagonal Conversion. I don't think that's right. Any apartment could be fantastic with changing out everything that wasn't nailed down, with just the right accessories, and a professional photographer's eye.

Yup, would love to see more professionally done places, but as monthly or weekly features...and not part of any contest. I propose that all future contests be limited to non-professionals that feature "regular" people and their solutions.

I also propose that there be an ongoing series of GREAT apartments like all the ones featured in this contest, on a weekly or monthly basis, to continue to provide fabulous ideas for the rest of us.

Thanks for your time and any participation. :)

Here are my favorites:

Jane & Darko
Hakarl & Jili
Greg & Em

Thanks to everyone for sharing, it has been fun!

Andree--
In last year's contest, I had professional pics done (some; I did some myself), because I wasn't sure how far I'd get, and wanted some SERIOUS, permanent record of the end result, since it was pretty hard-fought to get there. Also, wanted to potentially use the shots to drum up some business at some point. So I (personally) don't think professional shots are evil.

Also in last year's contest, all finalists were shot by the same pro photographer, which I think really helped even out the field. But I realize that wasn't an option with a national field.

But between round one and round two last year, there was indeed further clean up and some styling going on. Which I think was everyone's right to do.

Hey, even in Miss America, they save the killer gowns for the last round. :)

Wende! I actually found the book! After a 45 minute call to Borders customer service, which then resulted in an email to their General Manager and District Manager, there was ONE BOOK in the store the other day. I called, had them hold it, and picked it up. I also got a nice discount on the book, which helped.

I now have an email I need to reply to, that came from the local store manager. He said that the two books that were in stock actually sold the day I was in...except that I was in on one day, came by a few days later, and they were still showing as being in stock...and called several days after that and they STILL weren't on the shelf. Hmmm.

I also went over the reason they need to order MORE books... because of the discussion going on here.

Thanks for your help previously in trying to find a book for me!

For what it's worth, Wayne's apartment ("guest house"...whatever) was recently featured in Chicago Magazine's Home issue. The photos from the magazine (one would assume they were professionally styled and photograhed) are the same ones that you see in his final entry.

Personally, it doesn't matter to me, but it answers your question, Andree.

Wayne is an architect, right? If he did have professional pictures done (which is not against the rules, as far as I know) couldn't it be because he'd like to get assignments based on his fabulous work?

Wayne, did you have a bad breakup with Andree or something? ;)

Can I just point out that we have no idea how new or old Wayne's original set of photographs may have been? He may have taken them when the place was first built, and who knows when that was.

And if Maxwell were to start disqualifying people based on their expertise, well, where would you draw the line? Artists, set designers, graphic designers, photographers' stylists, anyone in a "visual" field? And what about the people who have more or less money? is that fair? I think the amateurs have stood up to the pros very well in this contest. I don't know why you're picking on poor Wayne, Andree.

Maybe what Maxwell should reconsider is the fancy prize thing. It seems to stir up a lot of bad feelings.

Not to mention, "more styled shots" don't always bode well with a crowd that clamours for "lived in."

So, some would say the slicker shots, were it still open to voting, might hurt his chances. Ya never know.

But yes, point made, Andree.

Didn't Wayne mention that he is also a photographer?

Personally, I don't care. These same questions have come up since the second contest AT ran, forever ago -- I think the first time someone felt that an entry was "cheating" was on Aida's kitchen since the homeowners were architects who'd redone the place... I feel that the best entries are the ones that show a good combination of personality and style. Complaining that a entrant or finalist has cheated because they're a designer or found a good photographer is like complaining that your barber has good hair or your doctor is in good health. All of these homes are the homes of real people, and unlike those over-styled photos you find in some home mags, we've seen a range of personalities [and clutter]...

You know, I don't think we've had a "help!" contest in a while... That messy closet contest was a lot of fun, and it seemed like it stirred up fewer bad feelings. Then again, fewer people were on the blog at that point...

Fiona, very funny! Although I'd be writing from the hospital.

I don't think (AND THIS IS A PERSONAL OPINION) that a non-professional contest should be used to drum up business. As mentioned in a previous thread, there ARE contests for professionals.

Pit them against each other, show me lots of professional styles and photos. I can buy that at newsstands too. Magazines.

What I REALLY want to see (ME, just ME, an opinion) are homes done by regular people. Not that there's any one kind of "regular person".

I want to see innovative solutions and creations. I want to get ideas from what they've done and perhaps incorporate the ideas in my own home. I want these things to be on a level I can potentially DO.

I'm a renter, I can't reconstruct my place. I'm not financially well to do, so I can't toss out everything and buy or rent new.

My picks were based on my needs. People that pulled together a cohesive decor, often on a shoestring budget, using a combination of old and new, assembled over time.

People that knew where to be thrifty and knew where to invest money on other items. People that could look at free fabric, free mirrors, free poster, etc, and could see pear green chairs, a wardrobe, a bedroom accent mural.

I know it would be nice if the contest had nice short rules, like most folks wish I had nice short posts. Contests end up with 14 pages of rules to address who can and can't enter.

so maybe we'll end up with "photographs must be taken by the resident" and "contestant must reside in the home in which the photos were taken" and "entrants must enter either the amateur or the professional category" and "photographs may not have been published previously, photos become the property of Apartment Therapy, and may not be used without the express written consent of AT."

Anyone know how the professional contests are run? I'll see if I can find one of those long rules page, unless someone has something they can post handy.

Thanks again.

I'd have professional photos taken if I were entering a contest seriously. Stands to reason, really.

And everyone starts with different advantages. Sure, money and expertise don't hurt, but what about architectural features that make a place intrinsically more charming than a 1980s box? (Note that architectural charm does not automatically come with money or ownership.)

And I rather like seeing the shoestring rentals up against the architects. I know, I know - there's a strong anti-professional feeling running through the comments on the entries that suggests the professionals may well not have the upper hand. I don't share the antipathy towards the pros. However, it does seem that many unprofessional entries have a freshness that is lacking in some of the professional entries. There's nothing like the new and unexpected for interesting the eye, and so I think that lack of professional experience can be an advantage.

As posted above, it's the mix on AT that I like. I'd hate to see it develop more consistency. Only professionals, and it becomes just another design magazine (love those, but AT offers something distinctive). Only amateurs on shoestring budgets, and it becomes self-consciously alternative.

Long live the mix! (though I wouldn't be averse to an occasional contest such as "Look at How Fabulous My Kitchen Became on Less Than $2000." Or maybe "How I Made My Rented 1980s Box Beautiful." OK, it's pretty late. Just free associating here.)

But I do prefer good photography. Look at poor finalist #13, who is now suffering from ill-conceived shots, so much so that everyone is convinced that the only reason it looked good in the first place was clever photography. No one seems to consider the inverse: the reason it looks so uninspired now is quite possibly just because of poor photography. (In all honesty, I wouldn't have picked it as a finalist, but it certainly looks much more interesting in its original set of photos than it does now.)

Andree, I didn't mean drum up business here. I meant for his work, and he could have used them here as well. However, it's not worth arguing about.

I just find it fascinating how we are all trying to make the rules fit our own idea of how the contest should be, instead of how the contest actually is stated.

Tied for 4th with Jane & Darko--Rob.

Original Blues! That's a sterling example! You said: "Look at poor finalist #13, who is now suffering from ill-conceived shots, so much so that everyone is convinced that the only reason it looked good in the first place was clever photography. No one seems to consider the inverse: the reason it looks so uninspired now is quite possibly just because of poor photography."

I never even thought about that, but it makes perfect sense. And it's a little late in the game to go back through the photos before the contest is over, but I'll try to go through several that I didn't like and see if I'm being fooled into thinking the spaces aren't as nice as they really are...because of the photography.

OHHHH, Fiona, I get it! Use both for the same purpose! I see! My practical self says "Most excellent idea, Fiona!" (with a Wayne's World character voice).

And, you're right Fiona, we ARE reading the rules and interpreting them differently. I'm reading them from what I think they mean, and adding in the way I want them to be. I'm sucha maroon!

I had one of those epiphanies (or maybe it was gas) while in the bathroom earlier. What I think I want to see are things that are just above/beyond my abilities. Or my finances. Or my skills. Make sense?

I have a few very basic skills, not many tools, great imagination. I want to see things that will feed that imagination and encourage me to learn more about using found objects, for instance. Seeing how others used them.

It is WAY beyond me, in skills and finances and being a renter, to be able to do any tearing out, reinstalling, building on. It is way beyond me to cut sheet metal and weld together a table, like the one at David and Im's. But it's not completely beyond me to gather up some materials from IKEA and put together some kind of neat wall like Vince's. Well, I still couldn't screw into the ceiling (it's concrete).

I want to stretch and grow and learn and improve.

There is a way to combine both, that is without a formal contest. Just ask, beg, plead, suggest that folks send in all their great homes and apartments. All the time. Select a new one, each week, and since weekends seem to be slow, load that puppy Saturday morning.

We can comment and talk about the space. It doesn't have to be finished either. Ever get "stuck"??? Get to a certain point and not know which direction to go in? There's another potential category and thread, sort of like the Good Questions thread. "Help me, I'm stuck" thread. Which I'd love because then they'd really want suggestions and links and I could doodle all day on Painter with their pictures. Woo hoo!

And those pictures probably wouldn't be done by professionals. And maybe there wouldn't be any professionals entrants if there isn't a prize.

Then, a surprise. At the end of the year or whenever Maxwell or some sponsor is in a really good mood, one or more of those people get a prize. An unannounced, unadvertised prize.

It might have to do with the photos or someone who came to the "Help me, I'm stuck" and got ideas, used them and posted "after" photos. And yet in the after photo, they need a lamp, or table, or maybe nice wall art. So maybe "We Be Lamps" or "Tables and Transmissions" or "Art Walter's Wall Art" sees it and wants to donate a gift certificate.

It's a gift, not a prize, I guess. It's not a competition. There could be a nifty certificate suitable for framing that says "Apartment Therapy, Weekly Featured Home, Week 37".

Eh. too long of a post again. Too many ideas.

Aha! I knew it! Wayne's Diagonal is Deadly! Before the picture (linked below) this is what happened. Hunky guy in girly-man bell-bottom jammie pants with crotch-enhancing thong overlay (aka The Man Flap) crawls around in bed on the mezzanine trying to get his cup of water.

While stretching out to reach the water, The Man Flap binds in a most unmanly manner, causing a most unmanly yelp, followed by a cartoonish "aaiiieeeeeeee" as he plummets to the rug and sofa below.

The picture was taken at that fraction of a second before full body impact was realized.

There is no after picture, other than the morgue ones, and that's also why the white sofa was replaced with a dusty violet one. And why it needed yet another coat of paint and new household objects.

http://tinyurl.com/zwtro

Ptoo, you say you wanted to drum up business? What do you do?

I think you finally figured out what it is you really want Andree. After having voiced your opinion on how you think this particular competition should have been run and what kind of enries you wanted to see, you realized that all it takes is for ppl like you or me to send in their pictures - before and after preferably. Nothing to do with this competition.

I asked if anyone wanted to see progress pics of my bathroom remodel (no pros involved except the contractor and the cabinet maker - I "designed" and chose everything) but no one answered. You even posted quite a lot in that particular thread. I guess you hadn't figured out that maybe you did want to see pics of other ppls' places outside of the competition.

I also have, on video so I will have to transfer when I get time, pics of a kitchen I re-did for my sister in law in a rental for around $200 including the u-haul rental to get me to Home Depot in Brooklyn. The difference was quite substantial for such little cost. I decided not to ask about whether ppl wanted to see that because no one said they wanted to see the other stuff.

BTW, I'm not complaining. I am simply aware that ppl were concerned about Jonathan taking over threads with his remodel pics and that he should start his own site so I wanted to ask ppls' opinions first. I just acted - or rather did not act on the lack of opinions.

Jamie pup,

I'd like to see both sets of remodels. I have always been so impressed with the work you've done.

I must have missed your post, but I have to admit that I have been skimming lately, because half the posts are complaints about the contest in some way.

Right. It's my fault.

you ass.

Yeppers.
You know it's always your fault J - even when it isn't :p

jp-I'd like to see both of these. I too have been totally impressed by your work. I'm especially intrigued by the $200 re-do. Why don't you submit them as separate features rather than in a general thread? That way, we can find them again too.

Fiona,
I too have been doing a lot of skimming and skipovers.

Jamie pup - I too would be interested in your $200 kitchen re-do. I agree that it should go in as a submission for it's own thread, I'd like to be able to revisit something like that.

I think it would be cool to see some other remodels, or a contest like "living with the unending renovation" etc.

But yeah, I'm not having fun with monopolized threads, long running complaints about the contest, or the excessive bitchiness I've seen here lately.

bklynmoone - have you thought about a piece like the west elm sectionals? they come in individual pieces, so you can build them up as you need to...

JP, I definitely want to see your work! The more detailed process shots, the better.

JP -- $200 kitchen remodel? Bring it on! The bathroom in progress, too. Please!

(If a thread seems to have gone down the road of being dominated, I stop reading it, so I'm sure I've missed a lot lately... but my blood pressure stays in a safe range.)

wende-I agree-I really don't understand why people want to monopolize threads, day after day. It just means I read them less.

jp - I would love to see your photos, and no one answered my graham & green question either, but I'll just take that as no one had anything worthwhile to add. or my mostly lurker status rates me a nonentity, but i hope not.

To respond to your previous request for interest , a flickr stream; edited -not the full on hundreds but maybe the 30 on the project with the most impact to start?

Looks like people just didn't see your offer, jamie pup. me too, me too! I'd love to see anything you've been up to. One of the difficulties with the open thread format is that it's very easy to miss something.

Such as the graham & green question. Now, since I don't even know who or what that is, I'm obviously no help. But if I had seen that it was a languishing question, zurie, I promise I would have said, "hey - it seems that I'm no help!" But usually I wait to see if someone does have something to say, and by the time it's too late, it's a dead thread.

Possibly this one is dead now, and I'm wasting precious time typing things that no one will see.

Ah -

All that and you had a link, too. Still don't know anything, but thanks for passing the site along at least, zurie.

zurie - ATers love lurkers who come forth--welcome! I've had many a question pass into the shadows either because no one had a response or I hit a dead thread.

Zurie, I'm a newbie on AT I guess I am or perhaps just a lurker, but I had a question that didn't get answered the first time around. I reposted my question in the thread the next day and someone did respond and gave me helpful advice.

So, I would suggest that you repost your question again and hopefully you'll get some feedback.

ren--
Currently an ad agency Creative Director (trained as a Graphic Designer, also love the copy side of things). But looking to get more "interiors focused." Have done some small-scale consultations that I've enjoyed tremendously. Toying with going back to school for it.

But, dream job: working at/for a shelter mag. Or being Mayer Rus. :)

jp--

You SOOOO don't have to ask to show your home work here!!! Puh-lease!!

And, um, since it seems the "thread monopolizing bar" has been raised (lowered?) *rather* high these days, you are soooo nowhere near that threshhold. :)

But I think your work is too good to be lost in an open thread via Flickr. Maxwell, if you're listening, JP needs some airtime!!

If for no other reason, to PROVE that certain "civilians" can give the highest-paid architect or pro designer a SERIOUS run for the money... I STILL lust after your old bathroom. And I usually reserve that amount of lust for Chris Meloni.

Yeah, jamie pup has a great eye, and a good mind to figure out what works. I like the idea of having his own thread or something. The idea of threads that we can actually come back to easily is sounding better and better.

Can someone tell me where I can find a mirror like Shauna has above her sofa? The round one. thanks

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