apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

lovely!

Wow...between the high ceilings and super-large corner window, this 650 sf apartment looks HUGE! You have a great space here. LOVE the turquoise color on the walls!

FABULOUS! Absolutely super cool!

An empty nester leaving the B'more suburbs for NYC and grad school --- super cool! And the apartment ain't too bad either!

The story behind the apartment makes it SuperCool! That window is to die for, and I'm really curious about that large picture on your bedroom wall. Painting?

You are inspiration to us all. Your apartment represents who you were and who you are. Makes for super cool all around!

I love your use of color, your entryway is charming, and I could sit for hours in that sunny yellow chair, in that light-filled corner. And your floor plan was cool!
It looks like a happy place.

I want that yellow chair, by the way.

Lovely and charming are good words. I'm jealous you live in this space by yourself.

Bravo! Thank you.

I must see the lime green room! I must see the large red armoire and I particularily want to see the lines of that sofa. (Just in case you were wondering what we want to see next round!)

love your sheets :) among all the other things!

Love the feeling you have created in your home -- the gorgeous entrance wall, the windows, the mix of pieces. Lovely.

I love that this apartment represents such important events in your life, for me that means even more than great furniture!

this apartment has multiple personality issues.

My absolute favorite so far, by a long shot!
Love your nest!

I love the yellow bed and the color of the walls in the hall. Beautiful, what is it?

The is one of the best uses of country antiques I've seen in NYC. Too often country furniture looks silly next to a view of skyscrapers. You've pared down just right.

Congrats on your new apartment and new life.

I love the acquired-over-time quality of this home, and I covet that fabulous window. Wonderful job.

The combination of the rug, bed and painting is wonderful, also love the entrance way. All the best for your new life!

Absolute homerun. Top 5 for me. Love elements of the pad, like the interior bedroom doors and the great window. But, more importantly, absolutely love what you have done to it. I want to live here or hire you to put your touches on my place. And, I love your story. Kudos and good luck, from a fellow Baltimoron! Way to design your life. (Do we get to hear more of your story if you make it to the next round!!?)

I'm also in the process of paring down so I know what you're going through. Less is more. I love the color combinations. Your apartment is vibrant and alive with energy and so are you. Congratulations on your new space and new life.

Very nice! So down-to-earth & comfortable looking.

Love the nest you have created for yourself. It looks like a lovely refuge.

Normally I do not care for country or Colonial, but I am in awe of the expertise of this person. The paint, the arrangement of furniture, the unexpected contrasts -- it is very pleasing to the eye. And spacious. Also, I like the layout of the apartment, with the kitchen and bathroom in back, the entry on the side, the French doors, the pretty windows, and the many closets. (It's a shame, by the way, that so many buildings in New York have replaced their mid-century iron windows.)

I have no love for country but greatly admire this place and the story behind it. The lady's done a bang-up job of creating the illusion of space and exploiting the virtues of one of those coveted corner-window apartments. Her home is stylish without being superficial.

Good luck!

Wow that window is incredible!

An amazing job on a great space. Your apartment is so warm and welcoming! What a wonderful place to come home to every night. Yours is my favorite so far... good luck!

Wonderful! Your place looks amazing. Definitely a Super Cool Vote!

I'm in awe of your home office/window area. It has just the right mix, and looks super cozy. Also, your entryway is a gorgeous color. :)

This is fantastic----the yellow bed, the turquoise walls, the simple blue sofa, the placement and respect for light, furniture, art and most important self. Andrea has distilled what's most essential, and like eau de vie, presents us with exactly the right spirit.

Love your story and how you are rewriting and reinventing your life. And home. Bravo.

Love your home- so full of character and light! Also: the story behind it. We too are in the process of editing and just keeping what we love (after this we're on our way to the donation centre with a carful!)

Where did you get the office chair from?

This is Classy Country!
Everything is so warm and inviting - Congrats!

Andrea - your home looks warm, welcoming and very full of life and humor. Your courage in pulling up stakes and going to grad school is deeply inspiring.

And I grew up with those plates!!! They were the plates my omi and opa had. (My aunt has them now...) Did you get them in Austria? You must really love them to devote one of your six pictures to them...

Thank you for showing us your home.

I would have liked to have seen the bathroom and the kitchen. I don't care about a close-up of your china.

Absolutely love how you've mixed modern and classic design to create this absolutely warm look. The wall color in every room is perfect. Love the not "cookie cut" feel of this space. Truly personal and creative.

Beautiful place. Agree- would like to have seen bathroom & kitchen. Am sure they're gorgeous based on the rest of your place, but inquiring minds wanna know. It's inspiring that you were able to pare down without getting rid of absolutely everything- you kept what mattered from the past and created a space that is truly yours

Beautiful! Homey but refined.

Absolutely gorgeous

OMG those windows are just fabulous...

Your apartment reminded me why I love parquet (sp?) floors. Love the rich colours. I need to see more - I wish you had given us another room picture instead of the plate close up.
I also downsized from a house to an apartment - I was worried I may regret it - NOT AT ALL!

Fantastic windows! You are so lucky!

Super cool in many ways. And this may be the first time I've seen a yellow bed.

Pretty awesome, full marks.

I'm just wondering: why so little floor covering? I have those floors in my new space, and I'm still pre carpet.

I'm not at all a fan of country style, but you've made a wonderful home for yourself here. So personal and welcoming/restful. Love the windows in your office corner. It would have been nice to see the kitchen (I bet it's great) and bathroom. A very refreshing entry after all of the design-by-numbers places we've been looking at for weeks now.

Best of luck in New York and in grad school!

extremely creative and artistic decor...are you sure you're not secretly an interior designer? your eclectic taste blends everything together, wonderfully...and your painted walls give off an upbeat/cheerful ambience...

and major kudos for your resourceful use of the 650 sf....count your blessings to have found a place in manhattan with such cool windows and interior french doors!

best of luck in your "new" life...

Hello All,

Andrea here. I have been walking on air all day. I had pretty much given up hope of being included, but then I was added as #40 at 11:49 p.m. on the last day, so exciting!

Thank you all so much for your kind comments -- you are making me feel quite wonderful.

Some responses: jenny!, the picture in the bedroom is an original painting by Jen Dunlap, a young NY artist.

MEP, the wall color in the entrance hall is Sunwashed Blue by Ralph Lauren. I got it at Home Depot.

Northernkate: The office chair is from Ikea, but from about 10 years ago.

phaedrus: I understand why you say "multiple personality issues," but I guess I look at it a little differently. A lot of the elements that comprise my place, including my approach as well as my actual possessions, are the culmination of decades of collecting, traveling and making a home.
My tastes have changed and evolved over the years, and so has the look of my stuff, some of which I've had for a long time. But the essence of who I am has remained the same. I really do believe that is why numerous people have commented on a sense that disparate things fit well together here. At least I hope so, anyway!

LaurenT: YES!! My china is Gmundner Keramik from Austria (my mother is Austrian). For those not familiar, this pattern is over 300 years old, and still painted entirely by hand. I just love how something that old can look so contemporary!

VickyA and peacelily: Oh, how I second guessed myself about the photo choices! The contest rules call for a detail shot but I realized too late (after submitting, of course) that I took that too literally. I wish I had shown a more zoomed-out image there, as those plates (and all my serve-ware) live in the former murphy bed alcove and I should have shown that. Oh, well -- what's done is done...

Again, thank you so much for your comments and I will answer any more questions that come up.

Really cool! Very nice colors! Great Huge Windows! I wish I could have that (is the view nice?). Cool place! Just want the contest needed! Good luck!

i'm so surprised to see people call this country and so i looked back at the pics. maybe so. country elements but the overall style didn't say country to me at all. somehow country became cool here!

Beautiful lines... everything flows together in harmony. LOVE LOVE LOVE the bed.

I love it all, and what an inspiring story to go with it! I notice that my parents' house has also been much cooler and smaller since they became empty-nesters :-). There's something really neat about people able to pick through 20 or 30 years worth of collected "stuff," and only save your real favorites. Very jealous of your window, as well, what an incredible feature! And, no offense to anyone, but I am VERY impressed that coming from the suburbs you were comfortable going bold with color, fabulous choices!

Gorgeous, gorgeous...gorgeous! I voted super cool.

WOW! Your color choices are so bold and happy, without being loud or jarring. The paint colors compliment the art work, furniture, and make the window even more fabulous ( if that is possible ). I love the placement of the art on the walls - it looks like a lot of thought and care was put into it.
Your story is inspiring, and so are your decorating skills. I hope you have a fabulous New York experience.

Wow, your place is fantastic. I died when I saw those windows, I wish I could live there. Congrats on the move and grad school. My in-laws recently became empty nesters too and I am trying so hard to get them to move into the city and away from suburbia. Your an inspiration. Thanks for sharing.

You had me - right until we entered the bedroom. (Obviously just a matter of differing tastes). Otherwise, very wonderful design and flow. Great job.

I have that plant stand ... also from Ikea about 10 years ago! I wish my plants got that kind of light, though! Your place is fabulous.

I love your entire apartment, from the entryway to the workspace/reading area to the bedroom. And no - I didn't think you were an undercover interior decorator - (It wouldn't have looked so nice if you were ;-) ) - mainly because decorators and others are often trying to "impress" someone or come up with something way over the edge that in real life would not be livable. You style reflects years of coming to know yourself and your own style, but at the same time shows freshness with the "new life" that you've created for yourself. As a soon to be empty nester - you have given me much inspiration!!!

Thank you for sharing your apartment with us!!

I need help with lighting. I am renovating a bathroom in Switzerland in a minimalistic style: Grey slate tiles (60x30), nice duo symmetrical bath tub (from Kaldewei), a Balena toliet, a Foster handwash sink (from Duravit) and all my bathroom fixtures are Starck Axom. I am going to put a shaving mirror instead of having a mirror on the wall. I can not put lighting on the ceiling. This leaves me an area above the sink. Any ideas? that are not expensive since I am running out of money. I thought maybe a light box, a shelve with lighting in it, something structural. The problem is that it has to be minimalist but at the same time have substance. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Lovely apartment!!

Love the windows. Bet they're freezing in the winter ;-)

Awesome place, awesome personality that shines through in the photos and in your comments.

Not only is this apartment gorgeous, it's a little creepy for me- I have the exact same colour in my hallway, the same vintage chinese elm bench AND the same antique rocker (in bedroom)- which I have never seen anywhere else (mine was found on the curb in Wisconsin).

really didn't get country from this, i cant really see how people are getting that, but whatever....i love this one, it was one of my favorites! by the way, is that the ikea hemnes? if so, hows it working out for you?

love your story, love the yellow bed, love the color choices, love the space.

maugust3: Yes, that is the Hemnes bed from Ikea. I just love it. Nice, solid wood. And I think it's so versatile, too. One of these days I may go all romantic and make some kind of canopy for it...