apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

well thought out and put together,a sophistcated and comfortable apartment. and thank you for shopping at tekserve i reccomend it to everyone instead of the apple store, for their excellent customer service.

Next year's sponsor? Dr. Scholls

"Man-toes"

I gotta stop giggling over that one, and the snappy(?) lines after his snappy lines...

EXTRA:

(photo: entry/dining)
A long entryway is nice because it’s not like I’m welcoming people into my bedroom—I ask for their coat first.

My comment: Such a polite and gallant man. Unfortunately, he races down to the street with them and sells them on the corner.

(photo: living room from entry hall)
My studio doesnÂ’t feel small because you walk in and your eye goes right out the windows to the view.
I always leave the blinds open.

My comment: Which eye, the left or right? Never good to get an eye stuck in blinds, it's best to leave them open.

(photo: living room from bed alcove)
If you have enough going on in your place, people wonÂ’t notice that you donÂ’t have a bedroom.

My comment: Yeah, all those eyes going out the window drew my attention.

(photo: bed/work alcove)
There is nothing more attractive than a comfortable bed. The kidney-shaped desk fits perfectly in the
corner and makes a great work space with a view that can be a nice distraction.

My comment: I usually have to lie down after being BLINDED as my eyes have gone out of my head. A distraction from work, the blinded people lying in bed, coatless, or the endless series of eye-balls popping out and going through the window?

I've got the sillies again...and I don't even drink!

Too... many... entries (gasp). Can't... keep up.

Wait, it's over?

last entry?! phew. am going to celebrate my oh-so hard work of judging by buying maxwell's book. :P

Source for the cute toes, please.

OK,OK, it's Fri - and it's the last entry!

Wow, the best yet.

I've realy enjoyed the contest. I wonder in future contests if there could be a way to register and then have a feature where you can see on one page a summary of how you voted. That way you coud easily compare your selections with the finalists.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

dont be over yet! ill have to goback to work... :(

where is the couch from? i love it!!!!

Is the couch from Room and Board - I was just there today and it looks like one of their's - also the coffee table.

This is nice! I would kind of like to see some color on the walls, but I like the tulip chairs and the actual tulips.

The lamps on either side of the sofa are outstanding and I always love a flokati.

Very sophisticated.

Hi,

Almost everything's from the flea market on 25th Street. The sofa is from the 60's but is still in pretty nice shape.

hey paul - do i spy not one, but two saarinen tables? ...from the flea market...really?

Great Feet.

However, I feel like there is too much in the living room area. Perhaps get rid of the chair next to the couch?

wow - I'm really impressed you got all this great stuff from flea markets. Those chairs are worth mucho bucks (not to mention being fabulous). great job.

It's true, the saarinen tables are from the flea. In the good ol' days those finds were not uncommon at all.

What a super fab pad and I'm lovin' the views from up top on your perch there, dude. Nice crib.

You rocked it out!

Holly

Hi ms on b,

So funny you should pick up on that. The chair is usually not there and it does look much better without it. I had it in the bathroom for a while, but it just got to be too much of a pain to move constantly. My storage space runneth over. And thank you re. my feet. :)

By the way, and I'm not a foot fetish girl, and I don't want to sound like some sick-o, but you've got some super nice man-feet there. It's hard to find a man with good feet. You're the type seeing sandals on in the summer would be a genuine treat vs. the usual "oh my god HIS TOES! Eek!"

giggle

:)

Holly

paul
I was actually thinking it would be better to have that chair in the bedroom.

Also, did you consider putting the bed against the other wall?

Love that desk! ...and the Mac that's on it.

Where's it from?

Exquisite taste, creative use of color and limited space. A winner!

new tenant,

Good point. But I have this other chair in the bedroom that you can't see, it's really nice. I'm chair crazy. The bed works really well on this wall because the view is killer, especially at night. Thanks for the comments.

The living room is so cool -- that sofa is amazing -- the lines are perfect. The little Saarninen table and chairs work great in that space. I love your place!

Rob,

Desk from the flea market. Mac from Tekserve on 23rd. Thanks!

Paul
i figured that was the reason you put the bed over there - it looks like a great view. Your place looks great.

Ditto nice feet. Yup, love the man feet.

All that white is refreshing and so clean looking. Love the tulip chairs and yes, the tulips.

Wonderful place. And thank God someone has a rug that is bigger than a bandaid.

Spectacular view! What a luxury to have your blinds open all the time and only have to worry about prying telescopes.

I love the 70's graphic mirrors...

This former New Yorker would like to know how much an apartment like that rents for. The windows and having the bed in the alcove makes it feel much roomier than 495 sf.

where's p(too)? we've got toe-sucking, we've got a great rug in the living room... !

but great job paul -- love that it's inviting even though you've got white walls, love your use of art.

Li,

Where do you live now? My rent is stupid expensive, but the going rate I've been told.

Paul

I live in Los Angeles, Silverlake area. Much cheaper than NYC--I'm renting a 1300 sf duplex with fireplace, balcony, washer/dryer and dishwasher for $1950/mo.

Li,

I pay more for my studio apartment. Ugh. How do you like LA?

Paul

Wow, Paul. Beautiful space, but wow.

I love LA, which surprised me. I moved out here thinking I'd stay a couple of years then go back. But it's easy to get used to lower rents, nice weather, nature. And there's a great art/music scene here, though it took me a couple of years to discover it. What sucks: traffic, polluted air and shallow stupid people who live up to the vacuous LA sterotype. That's why I go back to NYC at least twice a year--I need my smartass fix.

Two toes up.

And I think the photos probably don't do the space ample justice.

Paul, my workplace at home screams "freelance" and I'm not even doing it anymore.

Where do you spread out your work?

I love the kidney shaped desk! Paul's place is posh, breathable and cozy!

Banal. I'm getting claustrophobic just looking at the pictures.

See, that's EXACTLY what I said in another area, Vince's...that we need to KNOW why you have the furniture placed in certain ways. If the space had no windows, we'd probably put the bed in that nook with the foot pointing into the living area.

But, you're right, you have a serious view there, and it wouldn't make any sense to have the bed facing any other direction.

Unless you're really shy, and would have the blinds closed all the time and the head of the bed at the windows and a view of the wall.

Eh, some folks would do that.

Yup, I went right for the view and totally missed the golden feet. I want those feet. Like I want Michaelangelo's David's Lips.
http://www.designtoscano.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=5749&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=david

I agree with all the others, those are some feet!

"Heaven Over Hell's Kitchen" is a great name, but I'll betcha that during the finals -- and I believe this entry will be competing in the finals -- everyone will be referring to it as the apt. with the coolest "man toes."

Paul,
Also bet that you had no idea your well-manicured feet would have attracted so much attention. :)
Yes, ATers' level of attention to the smallest detail is truly amazing. (remember the Eiffel Tower sightings?)
As for the compliments on your feet, just chalk them up to our appreciation for fine design. :)

Dear Andree,

Beauty is in the "eye" of the beholder.

Paul

Andree, your just cracking yourself up, hey.

hehehe, Paul, you blind-sided me with that one. By the way, what's the big art over the sofa? I like the colors. But I can't see what it IS!!!

Tash, I'm easily amused, life is far to short not to find even the most common everyday things amusing or awe-inspiring.

Everyone, tickle Tash!

Hi Andree,

The art over the sofa is this gorgeous painting by an artist named Mylo Quam. You can't see it due to the reflection, but it's really an interesting painting. If you want to see it in person, it could be aranged.

Paul

guess they "saved the best for last"? wonderful space, great mix of old and new... love it!

Paul, you're a better man than I...mostly because you are one and I'm not...I truly appreciate the offer. As much as I'd like to see what's in the big art and your yummy man-toes, the "arranged" part would be a little more work than you thought...I'm in San Francisco. LOL!

I have been looking at the chair you said isn't usually in there, and wondered if you'd ever though of a cover?
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/15820.xml&categoryid=/templatedata/bhg/category/data/house_home.xml&page=1&psrc=dg052

In perhaps a groovy retro-inspired fabric:
http://www.reprodepot.com/matchspice.html
http://www.reprodepot.com/lpds.html

Lots of fun things can be done with chairs. I guess in New York there are fabulous things all over the street (the streets are paved not in gold, but in fab furniture). Seeing a chair in a new light via imagination and a little new fabric can make all the difference.

Okay, Paul, what's going on in the big art? It looks like an orgy (after squinting my eyes repeatedly).

Only reference I found to the artist was a series called "Saints and Sinners" and one picture called "Saint Sebastian" that looked more like a man in bondage.

I hope that AT will consider MAKING all the entrants or finalists, this year or next, give it all up...all the sources for the art and what this or that item IS and where it was found, and who made what.

Because there are soooooo many "little things" that really make each apartment interesting. I like your throw pillows. I like your various art items on the walls, even if I can't fully see them.

Like the pleasing shapes of the wall art in the top picture, that appear to be spires (or really skinny gnomes with very tall hats).

The one by the bed that I can't make out, that could be heads, chairs and Chinese characters. LOL!

And the shiny metal thing on the left when you enter the apartment. What's that?

I remember walking into the maintenance office here, and asking what that item standing on the floor was, and was told it was the rusted out pipe from the sauna/spa area. I thought it was sculpture. LOL! I would have had that rusted out pipe in a garden. I think it would look cool. On a pedestal.

There are so many things about each apartment here that I love. I kind of wish AT would do a weekly or monthly "Small Space" feature, so I could examine each one in detail and not be as overwhelmed as I have been with so many all at once.

I feel like a starving child at a Smorgasbord.

Love the space.

"And the shiny metal thing on the left when you enter the apartment. What's that?"
A George Kovacs desk lamp I believe.

Hey Missy,

Thanks for the shout out. Yes,it is a lamp on the side table, but I don't know who designed it.

Paul

Hey Andree,

I did think you were a guy. Thanks for the tip on the upholstery, that chair could use a makeover. The painting is an orgy scene.

That's a LAMP? Oh, that is SOOO coool! Thanks for yet another name to look up online and browse interesting things. This site is great.

Yeah, I kind of thought you thought I was a guy. For some reason. LOL! Hey, talk to my mum about the name business. In France, it's a gal's name. In Germany, it's a guy's name. And the variations of Andree bend gender all over the place.

Good, my eye-squinting was correct. I thought it might be an orgy or one of those food fests...which is also pretty much an orgy...where everyone is lying around eating and feeding each other.

Sorry man-toes.

I thought Andree was a guy, too. Also a member of the Paul Has Attractive Toes (PHAT) club. The apartment feels lofty, somehow, prolly because of the generous light, and the view doesn't hurt, either. The overall look is a little too overstuffed for the space, and I never liked shag rugs or carpeting. I like the bed

If I were mayor of NYC the first thing I'd do is outlaw the use of that parquet style floor (which isn't within Paul's control of course). I do like the sofa--it's a nice color and style.

Sorry--I meant to say I like the bed placement, but the dust ruffle makes it looks cramped. A bed that has longer legs, that shows some floor, would make the space look bigger.

This apartment looks nice, sophisticated and comfortable, but it's bland. I don't see any surprising, funky personal touches. The bed looks like it doesn't fit in the space too well.

Very nice job with very little space. Were you unable to paint the walls? There's an awful lot of white happening in there - why not use that bedspread to add some color? I like the use of the orange/reds through flowers - but that bed is like a giant fluffy white cloud. It's as if it's almost there...

--Kaden

P.S. - what's the chrome thing pointing at the door like a shotgun?

--Kaden

Felicia, he wanted to bed to face the view. my problem is that it's just too much furniture for such a small space. just a couple omissions would make a huge difference.

but on second thought - why omit if you have such nice pieces? Move to a bigger place - don't give me that high rent claptrap - move to Astoria or Brooklyn, nice views there too and more affordable.

Nice feet. He must have big hands.......

But where does the trick sleep?

What's that handbag hanging off the front door? Is it vintage or mid-century?

I admire your ability to create such a livable arrangement in such a teeny space. It does look much larger than it is.

I agree with Rachael about your bed: if you lost the dust ruffle and generally made it look more like the living room, there wouldn't be a disconnect between the two areas. I'd suggest a duvet in a color similar to that of your sofa, and pillow shams similar in fabric to your chairs. You could also replace whatever holds your bed with sofa-type legs.

Again, I'm so impressed with your abilities!

Hi,

The bag is Patagonia. I agree with all the comments about my bed. The dust ruffle looks frumpy, but it allows me to hide all kinds of things under the bed. The additional storage comes in handy. But, I do think a new bed is in order. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Paul

I think if you need the storage under the bed, and you want something that continues the same mid-century feeling as your wonderful sofa (My roommate found almost the exact same one at a flea market too and we LOVED it insanely), go with either the cheap and cheerful MÖRKEDAL Ikea bed with built-in more tailored-looking dust "ruffle" - it's not ruffle-y- (slide storage boxes under there), OR a STRATTON BED from Pottery Barn - it actually has storage cube areas in the base of the bed with rattan baskets (or you can opt for something else in the same size because their rattan is a little..."eh"). The Design "out of reach" Cosimo bed costs more than one-month's rent, comes with two drawers (only one of which you'll be able to use) and you'll stub your shin on it every night in that tight space. DWR is OUT of reach for most people. There. I said it. And I don't care!

Oh, by the way, your feet *are* pretty cool. I like getting part of my body in the way of photos too sometimes... but your feet are nice and clean looking. Good stuff.

Cole,

Thanks for the tips on beds with storage.

Paul: If you're interested in beds with storage, why not try a platform bed with drawers underneath, or perhaps even a captain's bed?

I have a double platform bed I bought sight unseen from 1-800-MATTRESS years ago. It has very roomy drawers underneath and the platform extends over the drawer base so as to lend a feeling of floating.

Ah looooves your place.

My fav! Very cosmopolitan and sophisticated! Love the view- must be gorgeous at night! I want to live here!

Paul,

I think your space is beautifully done. Hits just the right notes.

I found this link when Googling Mylo Quam. I love yours. I have a very large oil of his bought in Woodstock in 1974.

Would love to coorespond about the painting and where you acquired yours.

hey paul
will you be interested in selling that nice painting? let me know

hey paul I just realized I have a signed poster from Mylo Quam with a picture of your painting...