apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I love the layout, esp. the sliding partitions! But the lack of furniture would prevent me from voting for your area. I think the point of the contest is to see how you integrate the items necessary for living (in a home) into a small space. I'd love to see what it looks like after you procure some pieces however.

it's pretty hard to tell without seeing the bedroom/bath . . . you have two more pictures to show us!

a gut reno is exciting
and lovely so far

I really like the sliding wall

The kitchen looks very sleek, the rolling table is a really good idea, and those plexiglass panels are cool, but it is hard to rate this apartment since all the photos are of the same room.

It's a really tough call, though... since some of the places I'd vote for have NO ROOM for $2500 worth of DWR furniture. So then what? (I guess it shouldn't matter)

And while this certainly does, and has an innovative envelope in which to drop it, I agree with Michael W... it feels like voting for an incomplete entry.

The only envelope trouble I am having is sort of the disconnect between period/original detail and the ultra-modern high-concept stuff introduced into it. I think furniture could brige that gap, but again, hard to know exactly how to judge this.

It's really lovely so far. I like the old original details with the light wood floors and I think you've done a really terrific job on your kitchen. I really like the sliding doors, too. It's beautiful. Maybe if this was a reno in progress contest...Based on what I see of your aesthetic decisions so far, I just bet you are going to have a super swell place once you buy those necessary pieces. But at this point, it's hard to vote the slam dunk because it is so incomplete. But good luck. It looks great.

I adore the plywood cabinets in the kitchen and think they integrate well with the fireplace and molding. I don't think they're disconnected at all.

I love the lighting.

Dang high real estate prices...You buy a nice condo and can't afford the furniture to fill it! Nice condo and renovations...but I concur with the no furniture, no stuff problem. I feel like I am looking at a real estate ad. That's the problem with this contest...so many people have such cool stuff, they don't need the $$ from DWR...

The space looks great. Would love to see the bedroom.

Two questions though:
From the plans it looks like the dressing/closet area isn't connected directly to the bedroom. Is that really the case?
Also wondering why not take advantage of the counter extending into the room and have a higher top level for a breakfast bar type set up.

Is this missing a picture? I'd like to see the bedroom.

Does anyone live here yet?

If the credenza is inspirational, I'd like to see it better to see how the idea manifested throughout the space. And since the bed and bath looks as though it is nearly half of the apartment, I think it is essential to see it for judging.

Reminds me ot the writer's Apt in A Clockwork Orange

Patrick2, that was my first thought exactly: the stated purpose sounds marvellous (integration of period detail with contemporary design), but execution doesn't really cut it.

I find plywood tables and the kitchen millwork, especially in light-colored wood, clashing terribly with beautiful architectural details of the fireplace and the curved plaster cove of the ceiling. Although definitely not cheap to produce, they look cheap next to the exist. architecture.
Example: casters on the tables. The size screams for attention-but getting it, has no message to deliver. It would be so much better, scale-wise, to draw attention to the horisontal plane of the table's worksurface, may be even make it curved or use oversized bullnose edge, to play up the cove of the ceiling - and so make casters as inconspicious as possible, the smallest available while still providing the function. Sort of like on my newly aquired Twilight DWR sofa (I can't stop admiring its smart design every night)- tiny hidden casters, only on the back legs, so the front looks solid but the mobile function is still there.

Retail wallwashers/metal cabinet vs. erker: clash.
Clearwater big-scale mirror and (I assume) tall windows vs. semi-transparent plexi panels at the storage area above the door: clash. What's more, even their function suffers: people put their staff in closets to hide it; what's the point of making storage partition transparent?

And so on, so on.

I wouldn't say any of the above if the author wasn't profesionally trained. As is, I think she should've known better.

You're not saying that the dining room table is the same as the two units that sit in front of the kitchen sink/counter? If so, is there an extension over the top to make it full size?

I LOVE what you've done so far. What is the metal unit against the wall by the kitchen?

Am I mistaken or did Dwell feature this apartment once? It looks really familiar.

You may not need to say more, but you do need to show more. How about 2 more photos!

I thought the same thing about the credenza. If it was inspiration, I'd like to see it to draw the connection.

beautiful place settings with no food does not make a dinner party.

Tim, I had the same thought: Looks like a condo I saw in Dwell.

Nice space, though. I like the sliding plexiglas doors. (I've wondered how I could use that in a bathroom remodel for a shower.) The combination of old and new architectual features works well.

This is a good start but we do need more photographs. For some reason, my eye is focuses on the subtle arcs at the union of the wall and ceiling above the fireplace. Is that an original detail? The sliding panels are a sexy solution for keeping the apartment divided yet achieving the ‘light and airy’ feel you want.

I find it interesting that there is much discussion on this site about keeping the floor clear of clutter, yet a blind eye is turned on twenty fixtures hanging down from the ceiling. To me, efficiently maintaining visual clutter on the ceiling is just as important. This is an aggravation of mine in many new/renovated homes.

What would you buy with the prize money?

This looks like a work in progress, but there are a couple of great ideas to take away as inspiration. I love the sliding glass doors instead of a wall for the bedroom. Also intrigued by by the rolling benches/table? How does that work?

I have this fantasy of one day having all my furniture on wheels, so I like the mobility of some of your pieces. This could eveolve into a winner, but not quite there yet. good start though, Meg.

Good start, nice space, but it's sorta like presenting just an outline of a term paper. Assignment is to decorate small apt. in cool/efficient/ beautiful way. Would love to see the finished term paper/project.

LUV, LUV, LUV! The plexi panels between the rooms!

Would love to see the bedroom, and it would be nice with more furniture.

Too bad a $2500 spree at DWR wouldn't go far. Perhaps she could use it to buy a few pillows, or maybe even the leg of a chair.

I still give the place high marks. That plexi wall is just stuck in my head!

Also, if the apartment must be finished / fully stocked to win, why not offer to pay off credit card debt instead of free DWR swag?

Can someone - perhaps Meg herself - identify that fireplace screen for me?

Meg - Thrilled to see Boston being represented again.


Gooooo Boston!

However, I would love to see your bedroom (and bath too!) because what you're showing is so bare. Any chance you could zip some over to AT and see if they'll add them to this post? It's hard to really judge the space without seeing all of it.

BTW - Are you in the Back Bay or South End by any chance?

Holly

Very nice use of architectural elements to control the spread of "stuff". As an artist, available space in which to create is much more important than most "normal" people's nesting requirements - i.e. - furniture. Go ahead, keep your space open.

Brian asked:

"Also, if the apartment must be finished / fully stocked to win, why not offer to pay off credit card debt instead of free DWR swag?"

...'cause Visa's not sponsoring the contest? ;)

Really good call on opening up the kitchen and the plexiglas divider. I like this.

If you win, please buy something squishy to sit on in the living room.

"...'cause Visa's not sponsoring the contest? ;)"

Funny... Could also be because this isn't "What Not to Wear".

Awesome, but please show us the bedroom. I don't mind the lack of furniture. A smallest coolest apt should not be judged by the furniture in it, or lack of.

I feel the improvements made, with style, particularly the plexiglass wall panels outweight lack of a sofa, chair, and coffee table -- love minimalism; agree it would be nice to see either the bathroom or bedroom, but I think she's done a wonderful design job!

Hi Meg -

I, too, love the sliding plexiglass panels!
Would you mind sharing their source and detail at the floor?

I really like the renovation, but agree that for this contest, it would be nice to see how furnishings are integrated.

Maybe there should be a separate Before/After contest?

The sliding walls are good, and I kind of like the wheels on the furniture. Yeah, I think it needs to be furnished, and possibly be re-entered next year once it's done? I wonder if that's even allowed, but I think it should be.

But seriously, a lot of thought and hard work went into this, and I can absolutely see why they would have been eager to have it get seen as soon as possible, because a lot of good stuff has happened in this apartment already.

I agree with many of the previous comments. Any apartment might look good with so little furniture. The challenge is incorporating the elements like a place to sit, a place to sleep.

i was just going to comment on the lack of seating furniture, until i read that IS the reason why you're entering the contest.

it struck my humor. and if the contest was need-based, you'd win.

Meg,

Don't let the negative comments bring you down, you did a wonderful job on the remodel, choice of materials and design. I love the movable wall, how did you do it?

Good luck with comp,
Clair

I love the kitchen and the sliding doors. I, too, want to see more!

I don't feel a lot of personality in this apartment. It feels a little cold. Sorry, just my first impression. I guess that may have to do with my tastes - I like warm colors.

I understand that this entry is still a work in progress and hoping to win the DWR prize in order to add to the space. However, the contest is about the best use of space, design and asthetic, which we can not judge with this nearly empty entry.

I love that you have several things on casters. I think that's such a great plan in a small space. Nice lighting in the kitchen, too!

Nice renovation. I do agree that some more photos are needed to get a sense of the entire space. Especially one of the bedroom.

i like it, but yeah, i think the point is to show how you've dealt with everything you need to live. (that was my objection to a previous entry--so underfurnished as to be unlivable).

but i would love to see the finished thing! it's a great space, and you obviously have good taste.

This is totally beautiful! Great work, GREAT bold blending of old and new. Love the contrast of the original fireplace with new pale wood in the kitchen and pale wood floors. I absolutely love the band of clear plexi in the sandblasted doors, and the way they slide back over the shelves in the adjacent wall. I can't believe people are going on about "where's the furniture?" She's got a bed and a (fabulous, ingenious) table. What more do you need? I think these comments about the place being half-finished are extremely unfair.

I don't see a bed . . .

martha, a view of the bed would be nice. Unless the rug is the bed...I don't think it's unfair to comment on the lack of furniture...there are plenty of entries that accommodated things like sofas, chairs, tables, bookshelves, that were not terribly expensive and made the place seem livable--that's part of the challenge of living in a small space. This place might be efficient, and even aesthetically pleasing--but part of my standards for judging (and I think for many here) is "is it livable" and "does it accommodate all the things in a person's life in a smart way." Meg's done a fab-o job with the structure part of it, but it needs the things that make it a place to live. I think Meg acknowledges that in saying that she wants to get furniture by winning the contest...in a way, she's saying it's unfinished.

Why, you're right, guido! Poor meg, don't you have a bed?

Seriously, you mean you can't tell how cool this place is until you see the couch? Is Meg going to radically de-cool the place by putting in a flowered couch and a china cat collection? I doubt it. (Not that there's anything wrong with either in the right context.)

And Tat's snarkiness really pissed me off.

right then Martha
don't go blaming Tat on the rest of us

Meg could make a sleek clone or an ironic china cat nightmare, who can tell?
: )

good lord,
maybe there's one of those sleek ceramic greyhound dogs
in the bedroom

have you considered that, martha?

martha--
I used to scout houses for a shelter mag, and I can assure you... YES, a beautiful envelope can be ENTIRELY ruined by what happens next.

(I doubt that the case here, but ya never know!!)

To Guido's point, there already IS a huge (ceramic?) pear by the fireplace. :)

*martha, I'm entitled to my opinion-which I backed up with examples and gave my reasons. And if reading someone's educated opinion pisses you off than may be you should undergo anger management, not apartment therapy.

Actually I'was feeling merciful and passed on some other observations Meg and others might find helpful.

Sliding partitions: again, great idea, poor design choices. On the dining table photo you can see both, the window and the partition. Greater consistensy with existing trim would be achieved if the top of the sliding partition aligns with the top of existing window frames. Even better, if some simple trim would delineate the perimeter of the partition opening, it would read as coherent structure.

Lighting above kitchen counter is done right: the fixtures lit the worksurface, they are functional as well as decorative. Metal wallwashers, on the other hand, are decorative (I'm not going into clashing aesthetics for a moment) but not functional: what exactly they are lighting up? I'd understand if Meg had precious collection of fine art displayed on the wall, that required accent lighting- but now all we see is the white-washed wall itself and nothing else. Same story as with the casterson movable tables: scream for attention and no message to tell.

Don't worry, *guido, nobody can mistakenly take you - for me.

patrick(too), That sounds like a fascinating job--like living an apartment therapy contest in the real world. Must have its heartbreaking moments too.

I know a beautiful shell can be ruined by its contents, but since Meg was closely involved in this renovation, I'm assuming her sensibility in furnishing the place will be consistent.

But maybe Meg better send some bedroom photos soon, or we'll all be envisioning a Princess Barbie canopy bed and a My Little Pony coverlet hidden away behind the sandblasted sliding glass doors.

And hey, p2, don't be going off on the pear! I saw your obelisks last year!

Tat, WMYBSALB? You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but your critique is nothing but a series of assertions of your own apparently rather rigid taste, which is clearly not Meg's taste, and while you may claim it is "educated", I have no reason to suppose it is superior to my own. I can see that Meg has both taste and creativity. Also, you're starting to sound obsessive about those casters. Also, you're rude and snarky.

martha, I concur. Tat has been getting on my nerves ever since she brought up her "cultural DNA" on the open thread. But it's useless to argue with someone who is so self-righteous.

I have to apologize for Tat
s/he's been Like This ever since
mama stopped dressing us alike

MIchael W., you say you won't vote for this one - but the idea is to rate each and EVERY ENTRY. Do you give it high marks, medium, or low? We have to vote for all of them, not just the ones we like. Otherwise, the selection of finalists is skewed. Why do so many people think they are just voting for the ones they like? Read Maxwell's guidelines again - to determine finalists, each one needs your rating. I have voted on every single one - just go through the list and let your gut tell you how to rate the entry. All of them!!!

Martha, now I'm envisioning p(too) asking dates, "Would you like to come up and view my obelisks?"

It's a beautiful space so far. She probably won't finish it with cabbage roses and ruffles... but it's logically possible that she might have creative taste in architecture but rather ordinaire notions about furniture and accessories. If so, the finished place would look nice, but it wouldn't be a WOW!

*bubble,scuse me? my "cultural DNA"? thanks, sounds good, I'd never thought of it but now I'll steal it for futire self-introductions.
Just one correction: it's not nature, it's nurture. I'm interior designer by trade, and you could be too!- when you grow up and go through design school critiques, 10 yrs of presentations and endless revisions to give your clients the best for their money.

As to the above apartment - yeah, may be I was a bit harsh, if I was to take the owner as an amateur. But, again (I'm sorry I have to repeat myself, I see it's necessary if I want my words to register) - Meg introduced herself as a trained professional, and if she is- she should've known better.

I still didn't see any factual arguments disputing my points above, only name-calling. Anyone? Something constructive?

Neato. Yessir. Rug could be better.

That's pretty funny, Tat--trash the place and then call for constructive criticism.

However. in the first place, Meg didn't claim to be a professional architect, she said she "worked at an art school". While it's great that you interest yourself in the the language of casters, you might learn to read English as well.

In the second place, you are wrong. The casters say "I am free! I can roll about! I love mobility! I am multipurpose! I do not need to hide or be discreet just because Tat doesn't like me!"

And in the third place, the contrast between the original architecture and the renovation is not a clash but is piquant and interesting; and the pale natural wood does not look cheap. This assertion is quite as factual as your assertion to the contrary.

As for the wall washers, if Meg gets a couch, they are well positioned for reading, and if Meg decides to hang artwork (and I feel I am safe in considering this a distinct possibility for someone who works at an art school), they will be as functional as even a Highly Trained Professional could demand.

Your remark about the sandblasted plexi doors on storage areas is simply absurd, as the point of sandblasting is to give a feeling of lightness and transparency while concealing details.

Finally, while I am thrilled to hear that you, Tat, are the proud owner of a Twilight Sofa from DWR, I do not see that as a sufficient argument for hidden casters on all other pieces of furniture.

And if you're going to lace your comments with arsenical little sneers like "she should've known better" and "I was feeling merciful", you may expect to be called rude.

You lost me, darling *martha, right after "learn English".

Try not choke, I'll be too sad loosing you.

Don't you guys have better things to do?

Hi all -

I like this apartment! I always feel badly for contest entrants when a squabble erupts in the discussion of their entry.

While I agree that the absence of furniture poses problems for the contest, I'm also curious about whether anyone has constructive suggestions for how Meg might meet her goal of blending "the historical details of my Back Bay brownstone with more modern elements." Without furniture, the fireplace is the focal point of the living room, but it's painted the same stark white as the walls. Rather than being blended in with the rest of the renovation, it's as though it's being made to disappear.

What if the fireplace were still white, but the walls were a modern, lofty, office-like blue (meaning a color that would go with the light maple and the glass wall partition)? And then somewhere near the fireplace or possibly on the mantel there were white sculptures or vases that echoed the curves and right angles of the fireplace?

Not sure why, but I had always assumed Tat was a man. Why don't you miserable monkeys leave Tat alone? Tat has always been helpful, which is more than I can say for the rest of you

Jonathan,
I'd be more receptive to your plea if you didn't call me a miserable monkey. But how could you think that someone with a name Tatyana is a man?

My comments are going to make me unpopular, but here goes. I like the apartment and the furniture on castors is excellent. I can see how the tables can be used for various functions.

My criticism of this renovation is as follows:

1. Although normally I'm a big fan of plexiglass, I feel that here it doesn't suit the style of the apartment. I realize it's not mine; but if it were, I would have gone with pocket doors, perhaps like French doors with panes or such.

2. Since this is an artists' studio, I worry about the floors. Unless the kind of art made here does not make a mess, I would have some sort of covering (perhaps removable) for the floor.

3. Spare is fine; but this needs at least one comfortable chair or sofa or futon or something.

4. I would be terrified of making any sort of mess in this place. It's not only the floors, as I mentioned above. It's also the plexi, the spareness, etc. I see a furniture piece for art supplies. What about what is currently in use? Where are the books and reference materials?

5. Like many others who have posted here, I would have liked to have seen the bedroom. I, too, feel this is an incomplete entry.

Sure, Jonathan, it's really helpful to tell meg that her renovation is a mistake from start to finish and she should have known better. But I won't be arguing with darling Tat any more, so your tender sensibilities won't be further wounded, at least by me.

martha--
I think the reactions where people are saying "hard to judge, since it's unfinished" are coming from Meg's own entry notes: "P.S. I know I need furniture...thats why I am entering this contest!"

Just hard to do an apples-to-apples* with this space and those that are more finished... especially since as mentioned, furnishing and accessorizing a small is another level of challenge.

*Or perhaps large pears-to-large pears. ;)

and ps: April's Domino has a spread DEVOTED ENTIRELY to obelisks... between that, and the mention of Maxwell and his new book, Domino is winning me over, one phallic symbol at a time!!
Um, that was an obelisk reference. Not a Maxwell reference.:)

Whoops... "furnishing and accessorizing a small *space* is another level of challenge"

What do you and your guests sit on?

I like the sliding sandblasted plexiglass panels. Who amkes them?

Oh, come on, nobody really lives there. At least nobody with friends. A monk, perhaps.

Hi,

My name is Rupinder Singh. I am the architect, who, along with a colleague helped Meg Young in the gut renovation of her apartment.

Thanks for all of your interesting comments. I would be happy to answer any questions about the sandblasted plexi doors.

Look forward to your questions, comments and opinions.

Rupinder
rs@rupindersinghdesign.com

Damn, that last post was a real thread-killer, eh?

i want see your Accessories for wall closets you have? Immediately if you can, or As soon as possible.
Faithfully
Mohammed Al-Bostami