apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Looks cozy but could use a little more color.

I don't know; I'm really into this minimalist statement.

Well, it's certainly the smallest. Or is it the biggest?

the great and powerful oz

Do these people really live this cleanly?

I think they could use some art and a curtain over their closet!

Are you sure this is the right square footage???
:)

i'm digging the bed and the dresser, especially the vanity stool. Who/what/where on the bedside lamps??

I'm delighted to see these comments come up again! Here's what I tried to say after comments stopped working on this one:

We're just cracking ourselves up.

But about this specific apartment... it's very nice--I like the fruit crate labels in the kitchen and the church pew--but in general the colors are too neutral for it to count as cool for me.

Love it. Great use of limited space.

Wondering...is that a really small dog, or a very big cat?

tres jolie!
LOVE all the wood - EXCELLENT use of a pew
and the, er, animal theme
including the cat, who looks like a wolverine or at least some kind of hybrid dog

the old phone cracked me up

you so don't need DWR credit!
but I *am* longing for another layer
as p2 would say

a note on objet spotting

that's at least the third eames splint
anybody keeping track
of those danish yellow cooking pots?

i like the mix of woods in your space, which you've obviously worked on. i also love the splash of color in the kitchen scale. the wood and occasional color make an all white space a little warmer. but (sorry!) i think the chuch pew overwhelms the room, not in a good way.

dig the huge animal on the bed, tho!

Love that vanity! And the pink phone! Love the sign above the dining nook. I don't mind the lack of color, a lot of the furniture has great form and really does harmonize and work well together. Great place!

There should be a special category for rental apartments- this is the best one so far, by a long shot, but it might get eclipsed by condo-owners who have been able to do major renovations. Great work, guys!

I love this space. Very warm and welcoming (though I don't think the pew is very inviting - it can't be comfortable to sit on.
Where did you get the thing in the kitchen that holds the pot lids?

That is a massive pussy on that bed.

Nice apartment.

LOVE IT! Great look and let's keep in mind, this is a rental which limits what tenants are able to do (and want to do for something they don't own).
Love the pew! Gives it such character and all the different wood looks great. Yellow scale in the kitchen is so cool.
Of course, the huge animal(wolf/cat/dog?) on the bed is by far the best accent. Great job guys.

Let them eat Cake!!

I like that little portal you have to the kitchen
kind of like having your own Diner.

Really like the yellow kitchen scale and how you picked up the color with the cooking pot. (So do you end up leaving the pot on top of the stove on a permanent basis?)

Second sighting of the cool butterfly vanity stool. Can't remember which other entry had it too.

Was one of you born in the year of the ram, or perhaps a taurus? Or are animal photos on bedroom wall a salute to farm life (back home?)
I like the bedroom photo display.

Opening photo didn't do your place justice b/c of monochrome palette, but rest of photos showed your personal touches very nicely.

That vanity is beautiful, I've always wanted a dressing area like that with a big fluffy white brush for powder. Love it.

Is that your work area by the windows? I like how you used the high table and chair, really nice. While I also would like to see a bit more color, I really like the neutral palate here as well and love the colors you have used in your kitchen. There is a great store in nyack where I bet you could find a cool vintage sign for your kitchen, it's called gene green, or green gene, something like that, it's on the main road.

I would love to see a question like, "so what would you do with your DWR credit?" asked of the finalists. I know, it's kind of cheesy, but i feel like in this apartment and others I've sort of fantasized about that and it would be great to see what these contestants have planned. Maybe there can just be a follow-up so we can see what new item the DWR credit brought into their home.

Love the yellow Dansk!

Love the gorgeous blue kitty! Mine is identical (from what I can see in the photo, at least.) I suspect that it's not that the kitty is so big, but that the coat is so, so fluffy and stands out from the body.

I wish I could go home and give mine a hug.

Okay, so I just noticed... is that a red food wrap holder on your kitchen wall? I love those things, and they seem to be coming back (I have an old one in chrome).

I like it, but wouldn't mind seeing a bit more colour. I like the built-in area with the books and computers, and the way you didn't 'force' the fireplace into a central piece of the room, allowing 3 rooms in the small space.

Bonus points for the pretty cat. :)

Love the way you're storing your pot lids. Where did you get that shelf/holder thing?

great apartment! what is the brand of that amazing enamel cast iron pot on the stove top - i've seen them from time to time (on cooking shows) and just love the look of them

This place is incredible. I've actually been here and you wouldn't believe it, but in the living/dining area, we actually fit 7 people for dinner! Great use of space, I love the look of the exposed brick wall in the "office" area. I think the minimalist strategy works great in this small space. Too much more color would really overwhelm it.

Love the wood, the wit, and how this spells home.

i kinda love that they have pictures of barnyard animals in the bedroom.

Well, first of all, this apartment is right up my alley and I love it. I think they have done such a wonderful job of taking what could be a pretty standard rental apartment and making it really special.

I really wouldn't classify this as MINIMALIST (?). I mean any apartment weighing in at 420 square feet that manages to pull off a fully furnished living room, office, dining area, and bed room has got a lot of furniture for minimal. And there are all sorts of lovely accesories.

I also wouldn't say that this needs color. I has a lot of color.... yes those colors are primarily browns and earthtones.... but those are colors darn it!

Good job guys, I love it!

Now for my REAL comments---it's so funny that those comments from the blank submission the other night came up for this one...ah, technology!!

I LOVE the vanity, the cake lettering (which, I am going to modify and STEAL as an idea), and how you have created distinct areas in your small living room--something I cannot do as successfully as I'd like. This apartment is very appealing to me. Not into the pew, though--and I think I'd like to see something different with the fireplace (because, I'd like one...and don't have one...and...), but I'm always intrigued to see rentals with white walls, having one myself (an issue I still haven't adequately dealt with...)

Ooh, your cat looks very fierce.

And I love the pairing of the butterfly stool with the glam vanity--great example of harmonizing periods/styles.

I'm guessing your landlord doesn't allow painting?

Too much furniture in such a small space for me. Do you really need 13 places to sit.

All these entries with cats make me wish I liked cats so I could get one...

I count 15, sans bed.

And I love it.

Outstanding!

i love it! i especially love the goat, too cool!
and to whomever said too much seating... pshaw!
you can never have too many places to have your friends sit down when they come over!

I takes sheer BRAVERY to put a picture of a pig and a cow over one's bed. ;)

Um, what's with the livestock theme? Not a bad thing.. just interesting choice!

And good god, how rich would Charles and Ray be if alive today?!?!

Comfortable, with interesting objects. Yes, you do need lots of places to sit!

I like that there are four distinct zones here, including an office area, rather than one big multifunctional space.

o DUR!
Christine DC, thanks for explaining the comments thing to the rest of us.

comments 1 - 4 were made to a blank entry,
making them much funnier

the pot is Dansk
WHY is that everywhere, in yellow only
and by everywhere, include 'in the trash'
where my pal picked up the paella size
super jolie!

Nothing to do with this entry in particular, but the Eames plywood chair is becoming a cliche (in the Fark.com sense -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fark#Farkisms_and_clich.C3.A9s ).

make that comments 1 - 6

I really like all the quirky things going on in this apartment---the goat, the stuff on the walls, everything in the kitchen (I also want to know where the pot lid holder came from)---the place has personality, and it's cheerful.

And where can I find that butterfly stool?

Butterfly stool at Highborw Furniture, Design Public, and Circa50.com, to name but a few.

Oh, and DWR!

HighBROW

thanks!

The style of this place really reflects their personality. The animal theme is really unique.
Great job in making the most out of your small space. And I am sure the church pew is great coversation piece.

DC Yellow Dansk Alert:

The guy on the south side of the Sunday Eastern Market flea market who has all kitchen stuff has that very pot for sale. I suppose there is a size range, and I'm not sure where this one would fit. I believe it's 10", tops.

I'm holding out for red (to match my pitcher)or turquoise.

i like it, but i would use the pew as a bookshelf or console table rather than seating. (or a spare bed for a very tall, thin guest.) i think it could use a couple more splashes of color--maybe some art, or even some fresh flowers. but, very warm and inviting, and witty. (cake! goats!)

i am totally gobsmacked by that beast. i had an 18-pound, 18-inch-tall maine coon in college, but this thing looks like he could eat my kitty for lunch! i bet you can hear him purring down the block. :)

Lovely place. I'd think it would look heavy with so much wood, and the brown bedding, but it really works. You've done a great job. It's hard to imagine that it's a rental, and only 420 sq ft!

Your cat looks like a twin of mine, and gets the same kind of comments that mine gets. (It always amazes me what people will say about your animals.) But, really and truly, your cat is gorgeous.

The more I look at this apartment, the more I wish you would re-do mine for me. . .

OOOOOOOOH!

1st 4 comments.... I get it......

I don't think of this as minimalist at all. They've got books, a television, flowers in vases, stuff on surfaces, stuff on walls, plants in the window. And I love it all!

As for the tidiness - would any one of you submit photos of your place with unfolded laundry heaped on your bed? dishes stacked up in your sink? Maybe Apt Therapy needs to do a candid-camera reality show follow up to all of these neatnik submissions just to assuage any insecurities that the rest of us have about our slovenly lifestyles.

Ann, I am with you -- I love that goat!! What is its story? Jonathan Adler would totally approve.

Nice looking and very cozy. Could use more color on the walls instead of having all white walls.

This is a really nice place. The comments about the cat are too funny. I had to take a closer look to see if it was a dog or cat too. I would appreciate hearing your insights, or anyone else's, regarding tips for picking and mixing wood tones. I've decided to get rid of everything and start over. I don't want to have the same wood tone throughout but I'm a little lost about how to coordinate.

Yup. Minimalist was a joke (as were the first 5 comments), because this thread first appeared a couple days ago, blank.

Wow am I confused. I see 59 comments beginning on March 21st for an entry posted on the 24th.

As for the entry - wow again. I love it. I agree with Jen's comment. Of course people will tidy up their places before snapping photos. But then again, some people just are that tidy. I am. (it's like a sickness I tell ya! I can't help myself!)

This entry is beautiful. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but, I love the white walls because they contrast so strongly with the dark wood. And the bookshelf. And the BRICK!

And come on now. Who doesn't love cake?

As for needing color on the walls - They may rent and it may not be an option.

But seriously, you have to love a space with a ceramic goat

JenPDX, Rob, et al....the minimalist/clean/etc comments were JOKE postings made a few days ago to a COMPLETELY BLANK entry. I think we all thought it was a joke...and started making jokey comments, and then it was taken down...then voila! they appear here...I was making the same comments I'd seen at numerous other entries...because I thought it was funny. (and it was, but not in the context of this place!)

Hi Melanie & Doug,

We're interested in your space & would love to talk to you about our HGTV show, "Small Space, Big Style". Would you be able to email us at smallspaces@brainbox.tv so we can get in touch with you?

thanks!
Sage (and yes, I'm stalking this contest!)

Love your pink bedroom phone.

Great pew idea, do feel feel compelled to sit, then stand, sit, then stand when they use it? :)

Butterfly vanity stool is a great.

Love your coffee table and stool - rustic chic.

Is that a sofa or two very unique chairs? Great curves.

What is on your wall between the bedroom and the kitchen? I like it.

BTW - Can't you guys see, the cat rents the space, the people living there merely take care of his needs. :)

Holly

I am coveting that white goat. He's lower maintenance than the one I have. Really admire the clean look with loads of warmth, wit and comfort.

I love this apartment! it is so sunny and warm. bold colors would overwhelm the space, the inhabitants clearly know they needed the wood and cushions to appear light. They truly "inhabit" the space - it's comfortable and functional.

the kitty is so sleek, and is a nice gray element in the warm colors.

The woods are very inviting and bring a sense of nature to this urban setting. The clean look is fresh without being over the top. I like the sense of collected objects that have personal appeal and meaning.

Bob Morley is not a Maine Coon, wolverine or a dog. But, the speculation has amused us all morning.

HeÂ’s a knock-off Blue Russian cat around 14 pounds. We asked him to channel Barry White for this photo, and, maybe that didnÂ’t work for some of you. Maybe this wasnÂ’t his good side? Maybe it was a fat day? Big is beautiful, ok?

Give him his moment.

(Other answers to come later...)

I think the lack of color definitely sets of the nicely chosen furnishings! I think if you had chosen to use bright, bold colors (as some ignoramuses have said you should) you would discover that your 420sf (BOMA usable, right? :) would feel more like 200sf instead of the 600sf that it feels like with the light walls and smaller-scaled furniture. Great job! Love the brick... is it real or did you fake it? Doug... don't lie to me! Good Luck! Happy Birthday Mel ~d

Christine (DC) - I second that, especially about the vanity and the pew. My biggest beef with it-its seat is much higher than the rest of the seating group. If the intention was to emphasize the pompous formality of it, for a comic effect (and that might be, judging by owners' descriprtion above)-then it works; just...I wouldn't want to be a late guest with my only seating choice on that pew...


I like the layout ("T"-shaped traffic pattern is very space-effective), love the complementing woods and the wit and humor of the space. And I appreciate shelves for plants inside window frames (is it glass?), gives the place this serene, quiet feeling.

*guido, about the cast-iron casserole:you'll laugh, but 2 days ago I got an e-mail from an acquintance in Israel, asking me for advice where to look for enameled cast-iron pot for pilaf? - and I attached a page with this exact casserole in reply!

Melanie/Doug: I am blown away by the natural touches, and the irony of rusty farm implements in an urban walkup. The goat, old pew, and farm references make me so happy! What delicious irony -- devoting space to the church pew where no one sits.

I'd like to see something more compelling between the LR windows (possibly outsider art, or a Jacob Lawrence?), and a different piece over the fireplace. Will you drop a few hints as to your sources? Do you nab things at country auctions? If so, you must have restored them expertly, because your pieces gleam. Too bad the bed had to be squeezed up against that wall... Anyway, insta-finalist vote from me. I think you two would be great fun, I'd love to meet your friends in this home... This home says to me that you two are intelligent & wry, and have broad horizons.

It's like Deja vu all over again from the time my ex-girlfriend Melanie and I were living with our knock-off Russian blue cat....

Your apartment looks great, though I think it could use a few punches of color, even if you don't want to color the walls.

Lovely use of space.

Beautiful. I love the photos in the bedroom, the vanity, the kitchen scale...in fact, I love it all. And I think the white walls do, in fact, work here. It's soothing and relaxing, the kind of place that would be so lovely to come home to. Bravo!

Interesting choice (in a good way) to have a bistro table near the pass-through instead of the expected stools. Hope you are using it for lovely little romantic dinners... and lighting a candle everytime you do!!

Again, an "outstanding" space, the best of this contest IMO! I also love the plants at the window and wonder did you install plexiglass shelving for the plants? So happy to learn HGTV is interested in your apt -- enough said!!!

Now I'm really jealous I can't cat-sit for you! But glad I got the privilege of seeing Nest West before it became all famous and everything. The pics look great. And from having seen it myself, I can vouch that it's a very well-though-out, understated and tastfully decorated space!

I cannot believe the square footage is that low...incredible use of space! Love the look and feel...no question who takes the CAKE! Don't move until I get to drive up to see in person. And, look forward to seeing more on HGTV...

Mmmm. Cake.

Thanks for all of the comments - it gives us a lot to think about.

Dansk cookware we inherited from Grandma Dot and we use it.

The lid holder – that’s a speed rail and you can get them at most kitchen supply stores. We have another one that you can’t see that holds the essential booze.

The livestock theme – well, y'all, Melanie *is* a Texan. But we really just lust for a country house and a farm. She took those photos.

Melanie is an Aries.

“Randolph” is a goat mannequin.

We canÂ’t paint, but that has never stopped us. It is refreshing to have clean walls.

We technically have 17 seats. Some we sit in. Others are used just like any other surface. We do use the pew. Our sinner friends fight to sit on it because they claim that it gives the butt a warm tingly feeling. Non-sinners find it handy – it’s like Saturday night dinner party church. But other than that, it’s no more or less comfortable than any other bench.

All the wood “gleams” because of Liquid Gold furniture polish. Our sources: flea markets, Good Eye, curbs, family, stores. Some things we bought, some things we got for a steal and at least one thing we stole (ah, college).

Is this a walk-up? How long is that church pew, 9-10 feet? I can't imagine how they got that thing up any stairs, around corners, and into the apartment!

Poor cat, I hope he doesn't know how to read. I think he's adorable.

If I had this space, this is exactly how I would arrange it, so you get points for being like me. We also have the yellow Dansk pot, a wedding gift from an aunt. And the cat looks like our late, great Pongo except Pongo was an all-white.

I like the way you've combined practical with whimsical, without it seeming cluttered.

And I think the idea of a follow-up would be great.

My blue has a crush on your blue.

I just want to know what's up with all the goats...that a lot of ram going on in there.

I think it's the shade of white that's the problem. A warmer white would set off the wood better without the chilly feeling. But I love all of the furniture, and I adore your kitty! My late, lamented Fathead was the same size and so much fun to squish.

This is really nice. I love all of the wood furniture. The space looks cozy and livable, unlike many of the "high design" entries that rank so high (I don't think i'd even feel like sitting down and having tea in any of those places). Nice.

melanie & doug -
beautiful place, please disregard my first comment. it seems to editors posted this entry to the hompage before they filled it out with content.

this content has pushed me over the edge - i have to find one of the eames splints i have wanted for so long.

Love the kitchen. I think it's full of great, low-cost solutions to small spaces.

wonderful! i love all the dark wood, but the interesting thing to me is how nicely combined it is with metal. i don't find it cold at all, the wood gives it the warmth it needs.

I thorougly enjoyed all the cat comments/info. He's smaller than I thought on first viewing. What a nice beastie. The rest of the place seems very comfortable and well laid out. Highest mark1

Absolutely beautiful. Love the way you have incorporated all of the vintage things with modern pieces. And the subtle use of colors is very nice.

Wow, a little place! Glad to see that you have incorporated family pieces with modern ones.

Guido-
Funny that you've been counting the Eames splits as well. When I noticed the first one, I thought they were the people that outbid me for one on Ebay a few months back that Pique (a store in chicago) had for sale. But then I saw a second and now a third. Are there anymore out there?

that's an awful lot of living space to devote to something which makes fun of your parents' parlor. have you no books?

I love the big Blue Russian kitty! Fat cats are the best. I love the CAKE sign and the church pew, and with the goat, your apartment just looks pulled together.
However, maybe a seat cushion on the church pew would help the comfort level? Hours of sitting in those pews must be kind of hard on the behind. ( Parents are ministers).

Okay, places like this have me wondering, and I have to ask - where did you put the litter box??

Nice place. I especially like your kitchen table.

My compliments to you both. It is a beautiful apartment, tastefully decorated, and immaculate. If I were one of the judges, I would give you first place. Congratulations.

Aboe - good question. I'd be curious to know what other people do. We keep the pan in the bath tub and move it out when we shower. This works fine, he doesn't track a lot of litter. Two things we do to battle the litter: We use Swheat Scoop cat litter because it doesn't make a lot of dust and doesn't smell fruity. And, we vacuum a lot using a regular vacuum and the Dirt Devil stick vac (a Dust Buster on a stick).

We have toyed with the idea of training him to use a contraption like the Cat Seat (catseat.com) or CitiKitty (citikitty.com) but I don't know...

Actually I happen to know these people and they really DO live this clean! Besides, it's a photo shoot.... don't tell me you wouldn't scrub YOUR apartment for something like this!

It's beautiful, even if you aren't too into the minimalist look, because of the way it's put together. They used the space well, and that's got to be hard to do with 420 sq. feet!!!!

This apartment may be small, but it is exceptionally lovely and has captured my heart, not unlike Gary Coleman, star of NBC's "Diff'rent Strokes."

Big fan of the indirect/direct lighting on the bedframe - smart. Makes that **wild beast** look nice and comfy (yikes). Aside from the antique table lamp on the vanity, the rest of the lighting is existing, recessed?

I think you have plenty of color here. And anything but white walls would make 420 sf feel smaller. We ruined our small basement (sorry - 'garden level') apartment by going for a 'brick' red.

Love it. Nicely done.

WOW. I saw this place empty with them! This should be inspiration to all! Particularly renters! What a fabulous job done with the space!! Are you sure about the sq footage?

hi nest west... i'm in love with your bed - so simple! might i ask where it came from?

Jess –
Thanks.

That’s “vintage” Ikea, circa June 1998, and we plucked it from the room set-up that was designed for a teenage girl. It’s the only thing remaining from a short-lived (but very intense) period when we acquired a truckload of stuff to furnish a 250 sq. ft studio in DC.

Ikea doesn't make it anymore, but they have a similar full-size bed called “Heimdal.” Crate and Barrel used to make a bed that looked similar but it had square corners instead of rounded.

I agree with the person who said this could use some color on the walls. Maybe just one wall. Your apt. the wit and the cheek to pull off a more dramatic color scheme.

The white walls are like a prudish relative glaring down on all the fun-spiritness below.

Just think how cool this place would look with some color. CAKE sign is a great touch, but the best accessory of all is the fabulous feline! He/she (?) gets my vote.

This was by far the most amusing thread of the contest - poor little kitty! I love the CAKE sign and the scale in the kitchen. great place, great wit!

Which wall would you paint? Our walls are so broken up that it would be hard to pick one.

thx.

Yous are brilliant! A long way from the first DC space. Once over my envy of the real brick and windows on three sides, I can clearly see you two at home. Thanks for the tour.

You asked about color in Open Thread 179 and I put in some ideas. But I came back over here to view the home pictures, and I really LIKE the neutral colors throughout. It's very calming and peaceful, and would be TOO busy if, for instance, everything in there had bright colors. On walls, furnishings, area rugs.

I have some ideas about the space, which may or may not work. I don't know the exact measurements. Over at BHG.com (Better Homes and Gardens) there is a tool called "Arrange A Room" that will allow you to input your room dimensions and then choose from a variety of furnishings to move about effortlessly to try out any ideas. Obviously they don't HAVE church pews as usual decor, so you simply adjust the measurements of any sofa item to be narrow and long, you can adjust ALL the measurements of the furnishings to closely duplicate your items. I mean, I might not know that the strange looking sofa is actually a church pew, but YOU would know and that's what matters.

Move the pew so it looks out the windows, lines up with the side of the brick wall, sort of. That will now be your "dark furnishing" area, by the windows. The dark chair stays back there too.

Move the corner chairs over towards the white wall where the pew was, so they are more lined up with the entertainment area.

The corner chairs will be almost backed up against the pew.

Scoot the dining area over nearer the corner chairs, creating a free passageway from the front door straight back.

By the way, the pew is huge. It really is. You love it? Do you use it? Have you thought of playing around with it? It COULD be cut down in size. A good woodworker could remove one end, cut the length down to any size you want, and reattach the end. That gives you a less hefty piece that doesn't take up so much space, physically or visually.

AND, I hate to waste anything, why not have some cool chromed legs attached to the piece that is cut off? It can become a chair. A bookcase. A little higher, add wheels, change angle, and it's a rolling workstation that could be used with a laptop, slip into the kitchen to hold a cookbook or items to prep, roll over by the window for a potting area for your plants, or become the perch kitty has always dreamed of.

You have a lot of seating in there. How many people do you seat daily? I mean, this isn't a restaurant or movie theater. If you frequently entertain many people, you HAVE to have that much seating.

That's something I mentioned before that I would like to have seen as part of the contest. People explaining WHY they have what they have in their home. Some folks didn't have dining sets. I don't either. That was NOT a priority. I don't cook a lot anymore, and I don't have anyone to dine over, so what's the point of using that space when it could be used for something more useful...say...heaps of laundry.

You don't have to have anything you don't need. You don't have to follow the rules...like it says you have a one-bedroom. There are no enforcement officials that will send over some decor SWAT team, bash in your door and come through your windows if you decided you wanted your bed against the wall where the pew is...and move all the electronics into the 'bedroom' area.

If you LOVE cooking and serving friends food, there's NO law that says you can't have additional cabinets in the 'living room' area to hold additional pots and pans, and have a prep center set up outside the kitchen with extra kitchen appliances like blenders and choppers and mixers and slicers and mystery tools.

You can have a huge dining set, with extra comfy chairs, and not have a 'living room' at all.

I think that viewing all these fabulous entries has sometimes confused me. Because I'm looking at each one from my OWN perspective. I'm thinking "get that big pew out of there" and "whatcha got a dining set there for?" and "get a nice small bed". The latter just won't work for you, with two people, eh?

People who love color and paint their homes in colors, they look at it from "get more color" perspective. I have TWO CHAIRS. I don't even NEED two chairs. There's me. And cats seem to claim whichever chair I intended on sitting on, so I don't get to sit where I want anyway (does your cat do that too?). You'd look in my place and say "Where are all the people supposed to sit?" and I'd say "What people?"

Did you ever tell us where the CAKE sign came from? Is it letters and you decided to spell out cake? And when we all show up, knowing there will be plenty of places to sit, will you serve us cake? mmmmmm.

Say, what would you think about using green as an accent...more of an OLIVE green...and use something like these on the wall (they'd go with what I can see of the print by the computer area):
http://tinyurl.com/gnoja

Dear Andree,

Thanks so much for your comments. It’s the kind of analysis that we had hoped to get out of the contest (in addition to some $$ for a new lamp – not in finals, bummer). It helps to have someone who doesn’t know us, our space or our stuff look at it and think about how it could be different. And it has been good for us to concentrate on our space.

The pew stays. It was the first piece of furniture that we bought as a couple and it has too much sentimental value. Plus, it’s gorgeous and we do use it (for butts when we have dinner parties, we used it as a bookshelf at one point) and people think it’s hysterical. We do agree that the size is unruly and have actually planned for a long time to cut it down and piece it back together – both to make it more manageable and to make it a bit sturdier. We’ve not found the right person to do it. So much of apartment living is imagining how you would use the stuff in the future if you have 200 more sq. ft., right? We can’t ditch the pew – it has a future in a future dining room.

We chose this apartment because it had a big ol’ stove and a nice big dishwasher with a ton of cabinet space. We cook and drink a lot (it’s part of work for me) so it is nice to have a table rather than the standard breakfast bar stools that someone would normally use in that space. I totally admit that it is awkward to have that café table and two chairs there as you come in (and the concentration of Eames makes us look like crazed groupies). We sacrificed a larger bedroom (that’s a full size bed crammed in there) and living area for a good kitchen with this apartment.

The letters that spell cake were part of some old outdoor building signage that landed in Good Eye’s bargain basket. We stood in the store for 30 minutes trying to figure out what we could spell that made sense. We settled on cake because we thought it was funny and I bake. We have planned on having them stripped and dipped in glossy yellow paint to match the scale – but, like the pew, it’s a project in process.
WeÂ’ve put our place in Cad and tried moving stuff around. But I will try your way and see how that looks.

Thanks again.

Say, you might be able to use that pew for dining now, check out this picture and alter the decor to suit your needs:
http://tinyurl.com/o8ayh

What if the pew was placed in front of the windows, facing in, and a longish table placed in front of that. Then you can scoot your dining chairs (and any other chairs) around the dining table.

Like they did in the above photo, they don't all have to match, but some kind of similar colorations would be nice. I REALLY like the color of the cushion on the chair next to the bedroom door. Third picture down, to the right of the door.

You've got this autumnal thing going on in there that I like. Bark browns, golden and red leaves, stone black. I can almost catch a whiff of that cool air with it's many scents.

Which leads me to the olive or moss greens.

Geez, it only took a half hour to find this one:
http://tinyurl.com/rdzld

Okay, I'm not suggesting you paint the walls that color. LOL! What I wanted you to see was that they used smaller rectangular pillows on benches at the dining table that seats eight.

No need to have any sort of custom pad made to make the pew more comfortable. AND, you can add some color by using a series of pillows on which to sit upon. Like the color of the pillow I mentioned.

If you had the kind of table that could easily be pushed back against the pew when not in use, you save your space. You could still use a larger dining table for daily things.

You could move the computer desk by the window over to where the cafe set is now, and have the grand dining area near the windows. Where you can enjoy your view. Because, really, when you're watching TV, you don't want to be next to the windows, with glare, so the TV can stay where it is.

Having the desk where the cafe set is, means you can probably tuck it under the counter (I have bookcases under my counter) and use the chair for either living room purposes or desk purposes.

There are even "transformer" tables...IKEA has one, I think, that goes from being a coffee table to a dining table. And it would be right there by the pew.

Or something like this:
http://www.wisteria.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=W926

It's folded depth is only 17.5 inches. That kind of thing could be great as another multipurpose item. A console table. A desk. A sofa table (goes behind your chairs). A tiny dining table folded, just enough for a couple plates. Open it up and it's...uh...bigger.

I don't know the width of the niche under the counter, I think I said that several times already. But if you had one of those little tables that served as a desk and one that served as a dining table, you could seat...what...eight people if you unfolded them both, used all your chairs and the pew. That's pretty cool to have as an option, with you liking to cook and drink.

Folded, it and it's two chairs might scoot right under the counter.

NestWest -

Dam! I thought you'd make finals (East Coast wasTIGHT). I'm more of a color person, but in terms of neutrals, I love your space, the goat and kitchen pops of color. Plus, I'm a fellow Texan!

I almost gave you a shout out in my final fav, but edited b/c I was sure you'd get the glory as a finalist.

For me, your space is way better than the other neutral apt, 'Lucy's Love Shack' - which I don't get at all. Just my thinkin.

But, in then end it's fun to show off places - just remember that. The heightened competitive vibe in what I think should be a low key, amatuer thing, is a little exhaustive. I had nooooo idea what I was getting into.

But all the good comments are real, so soak those in.

Yee haw.

There are many levels at which this contest can be viewed. Winning a prize isn't the only one.

Getting your own apartment together in such a way that you enjoy it, and it's a small space, that's one good thing.

I bet there was a whole lot of cleaning and fussing over details before the pictures were taken, and that's another good thing...because you have the pictures as reference and you KNOW your space can look great...if you pick up the socks and do the laundry...which I haven't gotten around to doing and my space wouldn't look like any of the spaces here if I did.

Some constructive criticism has resulted. Hints, tips, ideas, things that may not have been considered unless someone else came along and saw the pictures. Use the ideas or not, it's still a gift from a stranger.

And there is the wonderful gift that all the entrants have given us...the viewers. Hints, tips, and ideas...that we can SEE for ourselves in another's home. Furniture arrangements, color combinations, storage options, created decor from old letters or closet doors or paint chips.

That's FUN stuff and certainly is enjoyable to view.

The more pictures and styles and shapes we have to view, the better prepared we will be if ever faced with a similar challenge.

I have an older book called "Metropolitan Home: Renovation Style" that I LOVE. It's from 1988. Yes, there's a converted an old gas station made into a home. Which is incredible and has me eyeing old gas stations on street corners. A bowling alley. They left the wood lanes in, and filled in the area between with something else. There's even a narrow townhouse that has a similar angled loft to one of our entrants.

What I've suggested elsewhere, is that I'd LOVE to see an AT book with the contestants featured. ALL the contestants. This year and last year. Notes on sources. How-to's, etc. So that the entries can continue to be an inspiration for years to come.

Yes, YEARS to come. This book is almost 20 years old. And yet you'd never guess that from the pictures. Many of the items are still available or similar to items available.

You've got to admit, prize or no prize, that all these things add up to a lot. And who knows? There's next year.

But, please, how about a different or additional sponsor? DWR (DOOR-Design Out Of Reach) is too expensive. Yes, I have mailed them several times about that too. LOL!

$2,500 at DWR buys very little. $2,500 at IKEA would buy everything in the store. Say, I wonder if IKEA gift cards are good for the 50 cent hot dogs. By golly, winning a contest then would mean I would be able to eat for the rest of my life. Yeah, then I would definitely be very testy about not winning.

Does IKEA have flat-pack modular homes yet? They have everything else to go in the home. Wish they'd snap it up so I could simply assemble my own home with one of those S-shaped hex drivers that come with the furniture.

Well, thanks fellow Texas entrant. That's very nice!

I do think the fun component in this is the MTV Cribs aspect where you can gawk at other spaces and learn a little. And the value is that it forced us to really think about our space (finally framing those photos I took, cleaning out some old stuff from my vanity...) You know the 8-step cure in short time.

And we got a laugh out of the cat commentss.

But I do agree with you Andree that the collaborative learning/sharing design process is minimized by the Competition.

BUT - on to the dining room idea - I think you must be in our head. We've been evaluating the usefulness of the desk and the desire to have back our old patio where we had a nice big dining area. And I don't know if we need an office since I do not work at home anymore -- we use it now because we have it.

But we dropped your idea into the plan and it works. I think I would probably build a bookshelf under that 8 inch deep space under the breakfast bar and ditch the desk and desk chair totally. We have a laptop so we can use it at the dining table if needed. Corrall all the chairs around the table and maybe lose one more chair in the room. It's something for us to think about, for sure.

Thanks for the idea.

Cool! I think you're the only person here who actually reads and ENJOYS my long posts and ideas. Ooops. I almost put in some letters...uh, but I've seen others use emoticons/smilies, so... :D

I'm pretty good at looking over space and figuring out what will fit where, since I'm in a small space too.

You folks seem to be the kind that center around the dining table. And you don't have a big enough space to do that just yet. Well, the space is there for the taking, you just have to take it.

There's a reason why I suggested two smaller tables that could be pushed back together and collapsed. When they are unfolded, and pulled out, they can also be pulled slightly apart. Yes. Which means the center of the pew is accessible.

You can then adjust the tables to the number of guests...a couple guest, just pull out the tables so they are together, meeting in the middle. Each guest can easily get in and out of the space. Add in a third guest to sit on the pew, and they have a hard time getting out. That's when the tables can be split with enough room to allow passage.

And, if it's just the two of you, you can still have one side set up with computer and paperwork while using the other side as dining. Even that small space, that separate table inches away, it's on a separate table...you're not dining where you're working. Evil work table on that side, romantic dining table on this side.

I tried to play with your photos before and kept coming up with errors, but I'll try again. Still getting the feel of this operating system.

I tried some greens on the walls and they just didn't look right.

The thing I'll probably try to do, since I'm still fascinated with the flat panels of fabric at IKEA, would be to cover the wall with the TV. Yeah, I've been covering everyone's stuff, much to their dismay and they all hate me.

My mom brought up a funny thing, she has her outside picnic table much the same way I'm thinking of arranging your dining room. One side would have a lovely window view. The other side would be looking at...yup...the wall. The TV wall to be precise.

Looking at the TV wall is fine if you're watching TV. But that wall will be the background to your heads.

I always wondered why I thought the taller guys were dreamier...when I'm relatively short. I figured it was similar to the Halo Effect...all I ever saw behind their heads were clouds, blue sky, the sun, the moon, the stars. And what did they see as my background? The dirt, the asphalt, the mud puddles.

Don't let this happen in your dining area. Ooops, almost put those letters in again. ;)

Well, I tried some fabrics and they just didn't look right, because I don't know how to 'adjust' them for your room lighting. They end up looking practically radioactive.

But I did go ahead in the process and edit out the pew, which would be over in new dining area by the window (cool to have a NEW area in the apartment you're already living in, eh?). I didn't move the furniture over to be in front of the TV (like I could do that anyway). But you can SEE how much lighter it looks on that side of the room.

And having the pew by the window will make that area look deeper, with the brickwork being there...and yet it has oodles of natural light.

I edit out the old pictures I'd done for other people, and I can't believe there are people still going over there to look at nothing (I did put up a "thanks" sign I made so there was something to see).

I'm not leaving them up. The last couple, nobody even said anything about. Why leave them up?

Anyway, check out your new living room (oops, Ieft the table and chairs in there).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/96179754@N00/

As usual, it's ROUGH, but it's something to check out before moving all the furniture around and deciding you really don't like the arrangement after all. Dang...those letters I keep wanting to put in here. :(

Melanie, I hope you're still checking in here...

Thought of another idea (and all you folks who don't like my long posts, don't read this)

You loved this apartment because of it's kitchen...we could add a bit more "kitchenesque" to the niche under the counter.

Hakari and Jill have a rolling bar. Shauna has a console bar.

Your niche is deeper on the right side than on the left. And if the furniture for the entertainment center were moved over, there would be plenty of room to bypass something that stood out as far or farther. After all, the dining table by the counter currently stands out quite a bit, so it won't take up a lot more space...

To use cabinets or other KITCHEN related items right in that niche. The niche is tied to the kitchen, with it's open pass-through, so it's not at all like placing a kitchen item in the middle of the living room.

I'm going to guess that space is about 3 1/2 to 4' wide? And maybe up to a foot deep would work. There are a gazillion little carts and prep centers that will fit in those approximate dimensions without totally jutting and blocking the entry, here's one at IKEA (just to get your mind thinking in that direction):
http://tinyurl.com/f5wkq

No, it' doesn't really go with your decor, but it serves a purpose in that it can store a great deal of lovely wines. BUT, having a couple wheels and a top surface means you can employ it for other uses.

All you need is a power source, and you now have an extra prep center, for chopping, slicing, grinding, blending, etc. And you aren't in the way of another person working in the kitchen proper. Good for making big meals or complex menus that require multiple steps to be performed at practically the same time.

There are carts and cabinets that have all drawers, doors, just shelves. Look around your kitchen and see what you might be able to move to a different location as a group. Like "all wine supplies" or "all holiday pots/pans" (like the giant turkey roaster that you USE, but only a couple times a year).

Wall cabinets don't stick out as much as base cabinets. Jenny and Clove have the IKEA glass front cabinets in their kitchen, and look how lovely they are lit up! I think they ARE art, lit up, with misty images and colors. You can do the same for the niche, like with this:
http://tinyurl.com/fbhwn

Yeah, below the counter. Extra storage for all kinds of goodies. Or simply used as ART with lighting and colorful items inside.

Next, you can not just have a sudden part that sticks out, you can use this angled corner thingie:
http://tinyurl.com/lyp2b

The shorter side should fit right in the niche on the left, and then expand the space to accommodate the wider items that are a foot deep.

Here's same thing, but longer:
http://tinyurl.com/e5zl8

Play around with the finishes there too. Depending on the width of the space, then you can add stuff like this to the deeper end of the niche:
http://tinyurl.com/j8b6m

Now it becomes "fun with math" in that you get to measure your space and start looking for things that may hopefully fit well into that space. Or use the pictures of various items online for inspiration and build your own that perfectly fits, out of the materials YOU want.

Don't forget to browse other areas. Much like Vince used parts of various storage systems to create his own room divider, you can create something too.

Bathroom storage, stainless, not very deep:
http://tinyurl.com/ewubb

Coffee tables, narrow ones. Shoe storage. This funky trio of wood nesting tables that will provide a stairway for your kitty to access the counter:
http://tinyurl.com/g2r4h

Fun things about that wood trio. The smallest one is great for accessing things just a bit out of reach. Could be used as an ottoman to put your feet up after a long day. The second one can be used to sit on, or as another coffee table if needed. The largest one again could be a desk...or prep area for kitchen or catch-all for incoming/outgoing mail.

They wedge together, and look okay together. They're solid wood so they could be refinished or painted in your choice of colors.

Plug in some measurements into your program and see if anything fits! I really enjoy doing this. Even if everyone else hates me for long posts.

As with the other places that I've annoyed people, if you're the one who is interested, the posts aren't long enough. If you're not interested, any post is too long.

It's my feeling that you can't have too many ideas or pictures or links, like the ones I'm posting here, apply to YOU, Melanie. Not necessarily all the other folks, as they don't HAVE your space.

You don't have to do ANYTHING with the ideas. Because they are ONLY ideas. You can use them now. Or not. But once you've SEEN those ideas, they are in your mind, stored away, and they can be used in the future. If desired.

You have to have seen the ideas in order to pull them up in your mind. Otherwise, they don't exist.

I moved the furniture over and moved out the dining chairs and table. I also cut one of your chairs in half. Oops. Sorry about that.

See Mels6
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96179754@N00/

its perfect - Just a little more color