apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm sorry, but I really don't like the new design at all. I'm baffled by all the raves. I've given it awhile now and I just find that I don't want to visit the site at all anymore. When I'm on it I get visually overwhelmed by all the small text on the left and the ads on the right. It looks so much more generic and commercial that I'm really surprised. I think it's the top of the home page that's the worst. It's less jarring as you scroll down and have less random filler. There are WAY too many colors, all of that small font squashed on the left...between the orange, fuschia, peach, and turquoise...hell you might as well have pop-ups given how un-visually calming it is. It might as well be the website for Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I understand that ads are necessary, but other sites seem to include them with better results. If AT counsels to control what ads are displayed on our kitchen dish soap containers, it's pretty hypocritical to display ugly and irrelevant ads on the AT site. Can they at least be design/home related ads? I can't focus on anything when I land on the site now, and won't even attempt to find something specific on the site (for instance, it used to be really easy to access products/stores from the site). I'm saying this because I love what you guys do. Really, if this website were a living room, could you honestly say it was successful and welcoming? I say it's time to purge and pick a couple of strong colors. Some strong image or block of color to ground the eye? I rarely comment, but I thought it was worth the effort this time. I'll be sorry to be weaned of my AT addiction.

Hey any DC folks out there....do you have any recs for a carpet place? I would like to get custom sized area rugs made. I hate to cover up my hardwood floors but I can't stand the echo and hearing my downstairs neighbor! Thanks!

I second the comments from mirnada (above). I think the redesign is a train wreck.

Hello, everyone. I am new to this site (although I read it on a daily, continuous basis). This is my first question, although i'm sure there will be more. :-) Does anyone know where I might be able to find a tulip table in a natural or light-colored wood or dark cherry/mahogany? I don't have a lot of money to spend, so I'm looking for something in the Ikea price range. I love this table, but I'm afraid the white will be too glaring in my autumn-colored kitchen:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40063632

I live in north San Diego county, California, so if my fellow San Diegans know of an actual store that sells this, I'd appreciate it as well.

Or, if anyone knows how I could adapt the table above (Docksta from Ikea): attach a light-colored wood tabletop, etc., I'd also appreciate any advice.

Thank you very much!

I keep thinking I'm going to get used to the new design but I hate it. It's too busy, stuff all over the screen. All the links! Man, enough. Get to the basics and worry about all those links later. I want to be able to look at the recommendations of products and services and they have yet to show up. I find this site to be less viable than it used to be. I rarely look at it anymore.