apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Kids rooms. I think kids rooms are fine with a theme- it's how my 3 yr old described what he wanted for his room. Once you get over about 10- then I don't think it's a good idea.

I think kids are one thing, but if the term "theme room" is even in your vocabulary, it means you have way too much space.

A theme room can look fine if the theme is mature enough. Obviously, something like a puppy themed room or even a ship themed room can feel a little childish.

I think the Moroccan themed room looks gorgeous and very comfortable. When I decorate my first home I'd like to have a running Indian theme throughout the house. Something warm, a bit colorful but not over the top. I think it would be a bit weird to only have one room decorated a certain theme, or to have rooms decorated completely differently. I like a running theme or feel throughout a house.

I think the first one (from Venice) could easily be inspiration for another room, just without the vintage map wallpaper. Add some matching chairs, tables, art, and I think it would look great. The Morrocan room is a little too vivid for my taste, but if you could give up a whole room in the house to lounge around in, I think it's fine. The nautical theme room is just too much. I've noticed in houses that I personally like each room to have a distinct personality. For me it's like being in a different house, and certainly imparts a different mood to the setting.

No, I don't think it works in a home... reminds me of Extreme Makeover (the Home one) where they setup these outlandish theme rooms ("I want to be a judge!" Here's your own bench and gavel! - "I love going to the beach!" Here's a sandbox and some mollusk!)
I'll leave the thematics to museums.

Unfortunately, I think you can only have themed rooms if you have a themed house. Ie, a Moroccan room in your house... in Morocco.

I really like the Greek island style, but it would look totally, totally weird in my apartment in Manhattan. Very Vegas.

Depends on the theme:

Is it a subtle theme, like a Seaside room with white wainscoting, striped upholstery and seashell prints on the walls? That could be OK.

On the other hand, if it's a Pirate room, with ropes, swords, Jolly Rogers, pewter mugs, treasure chests and hammocks everywhere - That can be a little ridiculous...

I like every room to have a different atmosphere. That way, I can center my activities in whichever room best suits my mood at the time, and it keeps the home's overall mood from feeling too oppressive.

That's not the same as having theme rooms, but it's certainly compatible with theme rooms.

Theme rooms are never ok. never. ever.

Funny I did a search for themed rooms yesterday and the Moroccan picture was one of the first to pop up in google image search!

~walks into the above Nautical Theme Room, and has a seizure...~

<8^(

nausved, I agree. my apartment has no patio or yard, only a stoop out front and a planter box. (which is a stretch, it's supposed to be maintained by the complex's gardener) my roommate loves growing plants, so I've decided to design our bright sunny ceramic tile dining room around a "patio" theme. basically this means we are adding more plants than an indoor room would normally have. my living room has a lot of warm cozy burgundy colors in it, and my bedroom has a frilly black and white mood to it. the kitchen is red (designed around the kitchen aid mixer, of course) and the bathroom is asian-inspired/zen spa.

On the Inner Sanctum espisode of Top Design Kelly Wearstler criticized Lisa and Heather's room saying it looked like a chinese restaurant. But in Michael Smith's book Elements of Style he features a chinoiserie fantasy bedroom with a four-poster pagoda-style bed and virtually every other element in the room bares a Chinese influence. And I think it's fabulous! Done really well theme rooms can be incredible. The trouble is they're rarely done really well.

I love themed rooms. Seriously. Even if I'm the only one who knows the theme. In my last place, my living room was "little old lady's mid-century sun room" theme.

I may like themes more than most, but I think lots of people decorate around a theme without realizing it. I mean, if you bring a bunch of wire baskets and galvanized containers into your loft, you're going for a "farm industrial" look.

BK--thats my look--Urban Farmhouse.

I love the map room, and also those 17th century print rooms. And certainly we see a lot of photos of "tribute to MCM" or "I love Modernica" or "Ray Eames is my BFF" themed rooms right here at AT.