apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I wish I could see more of the couch.

Where are those bookcases from? I like the nook you made for the desk.

absolutley love this space- clean and light without having the emptiness of other spaces, def seems lived in.
beautiful !

I so love this. Definitely one of my favorites. Can't wait to see more. How do you make your furniture?

I think I've seen this kind of bookshelf, but THIS looks like about the way to use them that I could ever imagine, and it really makes something magically light out of walls of books, which are generally considered to be very heavy.

What would probably be fun if you were a similar flavor of crazy as me, would be to get a WHOLE lot of translucent vellum and make book covers out of it for every single book, which would give them all a similar finish, which would almost be like giving them a "varnish" so-to-speak. You'd still be able to read their titles, but it would be kind of like looking at them through non-glare glass or something.

Simple, functional, effective.

Very, very nice and good to see Cambridge represented.

Sorry. Meant to say, "...looks like about the BEST way to use them..."

The shelving looks like cubits from DWR (http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=8254). Very nice use of them.

Scarymuppet, I'm pretty sure the bookcases are these from Design Within Reach, but maybe the owner can confirm.....

http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=8254

I love your space and saw it before I believe on decor8? I was inspired by the DWR shelves and purchased them shortly after I viewed your place. It was a good choice because it doesn't make the foyer/desk area looked blocked out from the living area. But makes it it's own space without defining it with a rug. It also allows light to flow through nicely and keeping the area bright where it would normally become dark had I gone with wood.
Thanks for sharing your space and for the inspiration.

Love the office 'nook' idea as well as your choices in furniture. Great balance between classic designs and DYI ingenuity!

I think this is about the fourth website/blog I've seen this apartment on; very well done.

Bryan's bathroom is really cool too.

The space is beautiful, and you've done wonderfully with the furniture and spatial accents.

My one quibble is the lack of color on the walls. The bare walls and fine decor lend too much bottom heaviness. Some art would do wonders and really push the space to perfection.

the three Z-bars become a kind of abstract sculpture.

Light, clean and functional. Perhaps a bit of color?

Other than that nice, real nice.

I'm with CuRoi - it's sterile and lifeless. If that's the goal then that's fine, but an infusion of color would make this pop.

Sterile? With all those books & rugs and the art behind the bed? Allow me to quote Inigo Montoya: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." Seriously, I've seen someone use the word sterile for just about every apartment that's CLEAN. Spare, maybe. But sterile, not so much.

Bryan's apartment has recently been featured on the Design*Sponge blog and in the Boston Globe. You can probably Google and get the answers to most of your questions.

I really wish I could ban the word "pop" when talking about design. It's is in the same category as "yummo". Fingernails on blackboard...

I really like how the bookcases were used to break up the room into compartments while keeping it airy. Some art on the wall behind the table would make me happy.

regards,
trillium

And I didn't see anywhere in curoi's post that said "sterile" to begin with.

That end-of-table wall *is* a nice opportunity for a piece of art, though.

Really great zoning without construction. Really great inspiration to renters.

Love the light and airy design.

I'm going to Design Sponge to hopefully see more photos.

I'd love to see some colorful art on the wall...maybe in birch/white frames to tie them in with the rest of the place.

I love the shelves, but for what they are, they are mind-blowingly expensive.

Oh this is one of my favorites so far!
Especially since I'm a MA native. =D

Very, very nice. Could use a little art work on the walls.

Great space - I am sure living AND working in the same 400SF was not easy to plan for, but you have created something functional and lovely. Yes, the bookcases are great - I love that you can grab a book from bed or from the living space side.

I really like the use of the cubits. I bet they diffuse light into the desk and sleep area very nicely.

Art I have a pile of photos from dear friend, Gregory Carafelli already framed that I would love to post. The problem is that I live in a sort of modernist bunker building with CMU (concrete) walls so it's very difficult to put anything into the walls without making a permanent mark. (For what it's worth the kitchen is painted bright red and I did put up one wall of wallpaper). There was also an ostrich for a while.

Shelves are from DWR, yes. Luckily I didn't have to pay for them as they were part of a negotiated payment for design work that I did for a client.

More photos can be found on flickr including this shot of the bathroom.

clean, peaceful space. you just helped to make my decision to purchase the cubits to use as a bed-side table.

Just caught the rest of your photos on flickr. Looks like you gave the place a much needed revitalisation!

That bent plywood endtable by the couch is a nifty little piece that I keep meaning to pick up.

More More More! I must see More of this place.

This is great. So many simple but beautiful pieces. Who makes the sling chair? and the plywood table by the couch? Those geodesic looking chairs are great too.

relaxing.

I think the plywood table is the same one at Room and Board for around $150.

Martha- The faceted chairs are by Konstantin Grcic, Sling chair is by Blu Dot, and the plywood side table I got at Abodeon in my neighborhood.

Universal mod- I use one of the left over cubits as a bedside table and it works great.

Gorgeous light.

I'll say it again... I do not like it when entrants post pictures elsewhere when there is a first-round limit of three photos.

I'm with p2 on this point - it just doesn't seem fair. If there is a 3 photo limit, there should be an explicit rule against posting any more.

I never looked at the photo situation that way before. I guess I forgot that this is actually a contest and people are really competing here. I would have to agree, even though I think there should be more than 3 photos allowed, as long as only three are allowed, there should not be links to more until after the competion.

Hrmm, didn't think about the three photo rule either. Doesn't seem like I can edit my previous comment to remove the link though... maybe one of the AT admins can do so for me. Fair enough.

Oh so very nice. Light, airy. I love the way the bookcases are used. Those two grey(?) chairs are wonderful.

I find it difficult to form an opinion when we get multiple views of the same space--Maybe the photo requirement should say " three photos of three DIFFERENT spaces/rooms"...

I agree with LouLou...wish I could see more of the space

I dunno. I don't like the way the bookcases block the flow of natural light to the bed.

I have the same bookshelves at home, and I love them--although they are definitely expensive for plastic. Mine are Cubitec, though, not Cubits (different prices, different and non-interchangeable parts). I have leftover shelving if anyone is interested--enough for a 2x1 unit. Is there a forum somewhere where Cubits/Cubitec owners can pool leftover parts?

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Very Cool!

Lots of light, very airy feeling.

And of course, the bookshelves act as the epicentre of the space creating a dramatic focal point.


My Vote: Stellar! Insta-Finalist!

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Next contest round, AT will have to make an explicit rule about linking to photos elsewhere. Some entrants did so early on, with no official response. So it's not clear why other entrants should restrain themselves. (For the record, though, I'd rather they would.)

And please, please, AT - Next round, please allow more than three photos! Five seems like the perfect number.

(and I really wish next year's contest would preclude entries already published... and to me, that would include other blogs...)

Yes, I second that Patrick (two).

I just wrote on the LA #19 thread that AT might consider the total cubic feet of a space, as well.

Cambridge HOLLA! Love it. It's clean and neat and simple, what a small space should be. And I like that you're able to make use of all the books as a divider, rather than stacking them along the wall.

Looks a little bit like office adapted for sleeping

I adore your use of books...but...this place does feel a little like an ode to Cubits. I wish you'd posted some different pictures in the entry (I haven't not looking your additional pics because I am all about fairness :-)).

Argh. Edit function, please please please.

"I haven't looked"--> rather than "not looking" because I realize that voting is over and I can look at any darn thing I want to.

were you inspired by that house in clockwork orange?