apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I completely, absolutely love this, and my very most favorite element is the white ceramic dog in the bathroom, which reminds me a little bit of the one that Joey Tribiani on "Friends" had, but here it looks even more playful and yet impeccably tasteful.

Ron,
What a great job you did on your tour! I LOVE this space. Love the pops of color and all the lamps!

This really is gorgeous. I love the pop of blue against the brown, all of the personal details that give the place character but doesn't look cluttered. Not keen on the "wildlife" in the bathroom, but given that that is my only complaint I consider this to be one truly stellar space. Congratulations Ron; good luck in the voting!

wow, you actually helped me find a look that both me and my husband love. i am so inspired to model our bedroom after your place!

where did you get all your frames? i'm finding that alone is already so expensive.

Ron,

Fantastic job on presenting your tour! Your space is charming, welcoming, eccentric, fun, sophisticated, and very keenly put together. I can totally relate to your "obsessing" over your space, and your "laboratory" concept is very ispiring, a space should never be "finished", it should continually evolve.

Well done!

Your apartment is inspiring! I have been obsessing (and voting) since day one. I printed out your original pictures and scoured the aisles at Homegoods this weekend:) I want this same look for my apt. All your obsessing about your apt. has paid off- it is AMAZING!!

What an inspiring space! I LOVE it! I love the frames, your room looks so full of life, with no un-needed clutter.

YAY! The zebra rug is gone. Now, I shall bake for you.

I love that you are able to have stuff, without making it seem cluttered. There's a lot going on in your space, but it never seems messy or overwhelming. Really well done.

a dear friend ruined your zebra rug. i've been there. twice.

i really admire that you've made your small space incredibly dramatic. most people living in a 300 sf apt would go all white and keep to an open floor plan. you went in the opposite direction and it looks fabulous.

LOVE LOVE LOVE your place.

This is the kind of space I'd love to live in if I didn't have a rambunctious 3 year old (and her possy) to contend with.

Congratulations. Whether or not you win, you get to live here!

You have a lovely space! I love all your lamps - though dread to think what your electricity bill must be! I think that the darker colour for the entrance way was a great decision :)

I love how your TV just feels like another piece of art over the console. Although it is pretty small, it's a heckuva lot better than having a gigantic flat screen be the most prominent feature of the room.

Yep, this place is still gorgeous. (Although I would love to see more turquoise.) Are those mirrors on your kitchen cabinets? If so, brilliant (in more ways than one).

Loved it! Love it still and always will!! Amazing place.

Ron, you did such a great job with your interview. Your place is fantastic. I wish you the best of luck in the contest!

It's kind of a lot of brown for me. Like the kitchen, bathroom, and hallway are all brown. How fun would it be if the kitchen was that teal or the same yellow as the lamp? Although, having said that the whole teal, chocolate, white combo seems a little played at this point. It's very Domino Magazine, two years ago.

love
it
all.

Your home is gorgeous, Ron! And what an eye you have for detail. You must be a designer by trade, no? Oh, and your lamps are yummy. Now I want to go out and buy a dozen of them.

I love it! So elegant, but really fun at the same time.

He's a lamp tramp! Hilarious. So am I!

Go Ron!

gorgeous. i want my desk area to be like that!

From one lamp tramp (hee!) to another . . . I LOVE it!!!! Love, love, love.

I'm so glad you're a semi-finalist!

congratulations! beautiful space and you seemed really natural and relaxed on camera. bravo!

Really great tour of your place, thanks for sharing--still love it!

huntley, don't hate! congratulate!

I love the way it feels so comfortable, i just want to sit down and have a cup of tea and look at everything. I like that it's mascualine but doesnt feel like a bacehlors pad too. Good Luck!

Lamp Tramp? You scamp! Your light-hearted (sorry!) personality really comes through in your decor and your video. I hope you win!

This apartment is gorgeous. So many features I want to steal for my own pad. Would you please mention which chocolatey paints you used?

You've got a great personality, Mister. I love everything about you, your video and your place. Good Luck.

Your apartment is super delicious!!! I love how you tailored it perfectly to fit your needs, like the custom made bulletin boards. I love the pops of color that you add, the turquoise and yellow are perfect!! You made an old hotel room feel like a home! I LOVE your style!

Congratulations, Ron - you've got an amazing place and are an inspiring decorator!

One question - where did you get the lucite coffee tables? Or does anyone know of an inexpensive online source for similar tables?

Thanks and good luck.

The video is amazing. Completely showcases all the effort you've put into your beautiful home. I'm so inspired by what you've done to your small space that I'm giving up my search for a big apartment and finding a smaller space to call home. You're so talented!

Ron has created a space that is at once intimate (cozy, settling, nestling) and fantastic. He combines chocolate, geometrics and light in a way that spells home in the most timeless of ways, and isn't afraid to repurpose and change to constantly improve the space. Both for his New York nest and his onetime aerie across the continent, this deserves major praise!

f you had a lamp shop i would be addicted
(or shop of any kind, what a great shower curtain!)

Hey you, the apt. looks amazing. i love all the lamps and the colors used in the apt.

The dog in the bathroom rocks, and totally love what you did with the white sofa, i cant believe it was pink before...lol.

The video of the apt is also very good, it really does a great job in showcasing the great job you did on the apt.

it turly is an amazing space....goodluck in finals.

LOVE this place, did from the very start. And Ron can "count my lamps" any time!!

(And even though he did a *spectacular* job with the video) I DO NOT LOVE the video element of this phase of the contest... it unlevels the playing field, since not everyone is capable of producing a piece of such polish.

But hopefully our level-headed judges will see past the bumps in the playing field (since winners are decided by judges, not popular vote, right?)

I do like Huntley's idea of taking an accent color and making it a focus color in another room... like that exact same bathroom, but in the teal.

This is very well resolved interior. The use of white as an accent over deep chocolate brown gives the apartment the appearance of being more spacious. The bathroom solution is genious. I can only image the wonderful lighting quality that one mjust experience in such a great space.
This is the best small apartment that I've seen in a loooong time. It is really a HOME.
Congratulations!

Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz

am i nuts, or isn't ron often featured on "small space, big style"?

beautiful apartment, ron!

Ron, your apartment looks AMAZING!!! It doesn't surprise me a bite how talented you are. Your apartment suites your style, personality, creativity and just gorgeous taste.
Best of luck to you! Though I don't think you will need it.
One of your BIGGEST supporter!
C. Chesney

ron! this should go on hgtv. you have a great presence and that carrys through in your video and apartment. can we go flea market shopping?

I think what makes this apartment the winner is a combination of the understated but sophisticated and all of the ingenious solutions which would work in a small or large place. In a word, brilliant.

Ron-


You have a moral duty to make sure as many people as possible see your perfect small space (that goes for you too, judges). Just think how much better the world would be if McMansion enthusiasts everywhere turned away from the cult of gigantica rooms, weirdly vaulted ceilings and shiny commercial light fixtures because you showed them the way to aesthetic salvation. Hallelujah.

By the way, Ron, I LOVE the updates. The new rug is delightful. Who knew such a small thing could alter the mood of the whole room? Thank you, thank you thank you for the video. I was itching to see what the kitchen and bathroom looked like. I knew they would be terrific, and I was not at all disappointed. The lamps and dog in the bathroom are so fun without looking contrived. How did you do that??
Good luck!

Seriously, is this really a 300 sq. foot apartment? that's incredible. i mean, this guy clearly knows what he's doing. if he can do this to a tiny space, i can only imagine what he can do to a huge loft.

ron and his apartment are a perfect example of how a lovingly-appointed space can make your life more joyous every day.

I agree with P2 that very few people could put together a video like this, so it really unlevels the playing field quite a lot, and such a thing as this probably should be reserved as kind of a cherry-on-top kind of celebratory thing AFTER someone has won.

But since I've seen the video anyway, I have to say this guy really does have a lot of presence and I do think he'd be a good TV host/designer person. He should enter that show Design Star.

This contest isn't really about that, but what is IS about is how cool you can make how small a space, and this is about the size of my old apartment, and although I did some pretty great things in it, he takes his space pretty far in several ways, I think.

I LOVE this apartment! Everything fits together so beautifully. The charm and detailing really make it a unique space. I can't believe you've done so much with such a little space. I would have thought it would make a small space even smaller, but you've done the opposite, you've made it a mansion! Great job!

This lamp tramp's space is way cool. Browns and antlers and flea market finds, oh my! Seriously, what a great use of a tiny space...a great inspiration to all of us who dwell in the city in small spaces!

Congratulations!

I love the kitchen. I love chocolate. but should you ask me, i think you still have not found the excact right color for your "hallway". may i recommend vertical stripes. with may-be chocolate brown and turquoise... You can pull it off!

catherine

I love the way the whole apartment just flows together. My favorite part is the dramatic entry with the chandelier.

Just fantastic!

Great space! Congrats. I love the new rug. Where is the shower curtain from?

the shower curtain is from "hold everything". (may it rest in peace. haha)
the chocolate brown color is benjamin moore's "classic brown" 2129-10.
the tan in the hallway is benjamin moore's "davenport tan" HC-76.
the coffee tables are from Kartell they are called the jolly table by paolo rizzatto.

Ron! Congratulations!

I have to say that your video is absolutely fab, and really fun and interesting to watch. I am truly impressed with what you've done to the place. You've got a great eye. You've also got a lot of heart, and that comes through in what you've done to the place. I hope you are hosting a party there to celebrate your achievements thus far.

Bravo,

London Urchin

(ps: thanks for the props!!)

This is exactly how I would love my apartment to look! It's sophisticated yet cozy. I LOVE it! Maybe, I should have Ron come over and redecorate my apartment before he gets too famous and expensive. I love the stripes in the hallway suggestion from Catherine. That could be kind of fun since there isn't too much pattern in the apartment. Keep up the good work Ron!!!

Without a doubt, this is my favorite, and the fact you were able to cram so much stuff into such a small space & still keep a crisp & tailored look to it is amazing. Your restricted palette--and of course, the brown-&-white combination itself--makes me me think of David Hicks at his peak, and of the great John Dickinson's amazing place in San Francisco, with its antlers & paw-footed plaster tables. You should also get an extra prize for making that smoke alarm look good.

Magnaverde

I have the same turquise foo dogs-'brian and luke's post war paradise'-NW semifinalist
I bought mine in Chinatown in Victoria BC for $14.00 two years ago!!!
Very nice place, good luck!!!
BB

G O R G E O U S.

Rob, a very beautiful and striking apartment. For me it is a little too crisp though, a little uncomfortable for putting my feet up. But you have obviously worked very hard. I admire your dedication.

your apartment is BEAUTIFUL, and it should definitely win. i'm in love with the bathroom and the lamps are a great idea. as you say, it's always best to come home to a well lit room.

Ron Marvin, you're a superstar. Who knew that turning a bathroom into a gentleman's lounge could be so cool? Good luck. We're all rooting for you!

Ron your imaginations for decorating is totally amazing!!
beeeutiful job. good luck

This place rocks! You are my favorite "lamp tramp"! Go Ron!

What an awesome apartment Ron! The fact that you use flea market finds to keep the price down is great! You did an amazing job and I'm so proud of you! You are a definite winner in my book!

Ron, I commend you & your cinematographer on the great presentation of your adorable apartment. Gave us an even better view of things, felt like I was there. Everything looks so sophisticated & love the colors. Very homey & surprisingly uncluttered for such a small area. Keep up the good work. Best of luck on future endeavors.

Sher

This is absolutely the best video!!!

In fact, the video and Ron, himself, has made me like this place so much more. I also think Ron needs his own HGTV or BRAVO design show. He has a great personality and the voice for that. Congrats, Ron!

p.s. I usually push for non-pro winners in this contest (you know, the contest as hope for the little guy), but if you won, I could def live with it!

His website states that Ron is an on-air expert on HGTV's “Small Space Big Style”, so that explains it. He still should get his own show though, he can go thrift shopping and show us what he does with his finds; "Shop Thrift with the Lamp Tramp."

ron ,
great job on the video. i can't get enough of your place! and seriously, why don't you have your own show? you are "G L A M O R O U S"!!!!!!!!!
good luck!

I want to book a room at the Hotel Ron! You have a lot of stuff and several separate functional zones, but the overall effect is unified and interesting. The variety of pop patterns and zingy accent colors balance well with the clubby chocolate and white background of the walls and case pieces. Most of all, I am impressed with the deft and giddy juggling act of influences and styles here: Hollywood regency glam, Danish modern muscularity, David Hicks pattern play, Dorothy Draper color contrasts, and even a smidge of Billy Baldwin preppiness all co-habitating happily in one divine space. It all works! Fantastic!

Wow...what a fantastic apartment. Great use of space, color, and decor. Fantastic job Ron. What an impressive apartment you have created!! You should definately win!!!!

Congratulations (and I definitely rated you higher)!

He is as charming, dapper, and "nicely edited" in person as the place-- and his video-- would indicate.

And his charming and cute entourage didn't hurt, either. :)

thank you patrick. and thank you to everyone who supported me and voted for me! i really appreciate all of you comments and feedback! it's nice to know that other people appreciate my look, style and apartment.

Congrats Ron! I love how you mix high looks with low prices, and you make all the West Elm stuff look as rich as possible with the mix of modern and vintage. If I see you shopping the Chelsea store sometime soon (I try not too have too much WE stuff but shopping that place can be addictive just to see what's new), I'll pop a hello. Good job!

Ron,

You are my design hero. I must now confess to using you as my role model for my own tiny SF apratment issues. Good luck. You fully deserve to win-- I've even got people in Canada rooting for you!

Michael

Would have loved to have seen if Ron and Patrick could have actually been in the same room at the same time, or whether a blue-screen Phoebe/Ursula Samantha/Serena effect was employed, because they remind me of each other -- and so do their apartments (albeit with very different architecture), and I mean that in a very, very good way.

By the way, congratulations, Ron! And good on ya, for being such a gentleman; am now picturing you in an ascot and smoking jacket in the HGTV show taped in your own space, that you're bound to star in, while you have various guests on. Like, say... me, for instance.

Beautiful room, a true inspiration.

I am in love with acrylic but find it diffucult to find peices in the shapes that I like. You end tables/coffee tables are perfect. Do you mind sharing where you got them? Thanks!

absolutely fantastic. i'm bookmarking this for future inspiration. really, really well done!

Happy April Fool's Day!
























Now, seriously. It's not fair. His apt was given a spread on Metropolitan Home. I agree, his space is f_cking awesome though. I guess this isn't like the olympics where you can't compete if you're already a pro... blah. CONGRATS.























Woohoo!

So, wait...this was from last year? I'm confused.
I like it alot! But.... I'm just confused.

why are you guys showing this again? to show this year's contestants 'how it's done'? i hope that isn't the motive. i'm not a fan of these flashbacks. let's stay focused on the new entrants!

very very nice! i love brown and turquoise/blue. so elegant.

good job! two thumbs up.

Ron is adorable - and his space is nice too.
Now I don't feel so bad about my lamp obsession - Who knew that there was a term for this?

(Maybe his lamp collection should date my lamp collection?)

Every inch Perfection. Gold standard for what we should see this year.

Actually, I think it IS good, because when people are judging these things, they may need to be reminded about what won before. Maybe that will make them think, "yeah, it's going to need to be that gorgeous" or maybe it will make them decide that this year needs some new level, or new set of criteria based on whatever's happening now. I dunno -- like, say, you really, really care about the most handsome collection of environmentally-friendly things in one home, or whatever.

Interesting to see how things age with time. This just doesn't do it for me now. It seems dark and cluttered. Very good for a presentation, but not for actual living.

Ron is my hero.

Love that bedding

Be still my beating heart.

All the lamps are from fleas? Any other recommendations for finding lamps like these without breaking the budget?

Your bathroom slays me, Ron! Your whole apartment is both sophisticated and happy. And I really love the way your YouTube video lets us see how perfectly you and your home go together.

---No, I can't get over the floor lamp next to the toilet. When I moved in here, I stuck an architectural column out of the way next to the toilet while I unpacked, and it's still there, with an asparagus fern on top of it, because it looks fabulous in that spot. (Not to mention this is perfect for the shedding of the fern's teensy needles all over the toilet seat and floor.) But! Out in my garden I have a gorgeously corroded old metal floor lamp serving as a hurricane-lamp holder. It's coming in,getting rewired, and replacing the column, which is headed for the garden where it belongs. I hope you don't mind being copied!

Your whole place is completely inspiring. Thanks for sharing it with us!

I wish he could design for me. His vision is incredible: crisp, comfortable, and thoughtful. He is also incredibly nice. o.k. I'm practically his love slave but I just find his vision inspiring.

What a stunning apartment!!! If I could afford to hire a designer, I'd have Ron on speed-dial. Instead, I'll settle for plundering his entry for ingenious ideas. I'm off to find a bathroom floor lamp right now!!!!