apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I think this room will receive more positive feedback if you put up a better, brighter picture. Can you do this?

what if pink is the new beige? what if....

With an aging population, pink might actually become the new beige. A pink or peach background makes aging skin look younger and brighter.

(Not that this is your problem, Lynnea. The idea's great -- pink can work better than yellow to brighten a room -- but my 40-ish eyes can't make out your photo clearly enough to vote. If it's pink with dark brown, way cool.)

Ditto on wanting a better photo!

I looked at this entry fromwork and it appeared dark and dingy, now I'm viewing it at home and it looks much brighter, lighter and fresher, must be the monitor. Good job on making a dark place cheery!!

I'm with Nicola. I've decided that I can't "judge" these entries from work.

I think you've made a very inviting space.

i love the wall color, i wish i could see the lighting more clearly. what is the right lamp, it seems to extend from floor to ceiling?

(perhaps pink makes white people younger, i doubt it would do anything for me.)

I can't enter a better photo or another one. One entry per person! too bad or I would. I love this apartment...despite the not so bright picture. Everything I have in here was pretty much given, found in the garbage or talked down for a very cheap price. I also pay pennies for the place. The lamp is a spring loaded floor to ceiling number that has suction cups. So, not showroom quality, but I am proud none the less to share with you all. Maybe I need some apartment therapy.I hope to get it soon.

Actually, my problem isn't the use or non use of color. It's the pictures themselves. I really can't see the color well enough to judge, because they're a little dark. It leads me to feel that the color is distorted by the light, and that I'm not seeing true representation of it.

Photo is horrendous....I like the idea of brightening up a dark apartment because that's what I have.

Cute! I love pink with brown.

I love the pink. Very girly, very cute. I would suggest lowering the picture above the sofa and it's corresponding shelf by about a foot. This looks like somewhere I would live.

I think this is great use of colour. From what I can see, I love the pink against the dark furniture. Any other colour would have made this place seem a bit stuffy, but the pink has really given this furniture new life and loads of atmosphere. I really like the art deco-looking lamps and the black and white print above the books - very striking. Really wish we could see a better photo, would like to see that picture above the couch in better detail - which I agree should come a bit lower down on the wall. I guess you didn't want people's heads banging against it?

I love the lamps and the table. anything made from near nothing is a winner to me! good use of a small space.

Yeah! Seattle representing! I too wish the pictures were of better quality, but I can see where you are going with the pink/white/brown combo. I think some larger artwork over the sofa and some greenery (there are some ivies that can survive even here) would add some visual interest and show off the pink!

There's something fresh, genuine and cozy about this space. Don't kick me for saying this but it'd deliciuosly "girly" and petite. I'm small and I love the proportions of your furniture and art, and the way you've positioned things. It's got just the right amount of color and "stuff" in it without being cluttered. I feel like I could sit there and truly appreciate every piece in the room.

It's also got a very personal feeling - I don't feel like anything is up there strictly for decoration's sake that you picked up at Target over the weekend. It feels very hand-picked and loved.

The downside is that I might invite myself over for pink cocktails and art chat if I'm ever in town, but I'm a happy drunk. :p

A better photo, sure... but that means "more light"... seeing this, I'm wanting more dark... If I'm being perfectly honest, it makes me feel like I'm inside of a migraine headache. Sorry. Hopefully it makes you happy.

You know what, I don't see pink used well a lot, but this is great. It reminds me of Breakfast at Tiffany's for some reason. The furniture and lights go match the feel of the color, it's very pretty.

I feel bad for all the Seattle entrants... I know that's one of the reasons I'm not entering... it's almost impossible to get a good picture with natural light with the weather/light situation we've got right now!!

I love pink too and decorate a lot with it. Bringing in a bit of an accent color might be a way to make the pink look even better.

I think this is probably a very lovely room, but the pictures are so dark it's hard to see. Are there any windows conected to this room - I think using natural light could do wonders in showing off your room.

i'm so excited to get my book in the mail and start redecorating this space! Thanks for the tips people! the art IS hung too high- which I need to fix right away. I so saw it once someone said something. The art is something my father did in the 70's and I swipped it from him. Love it. It should reach the full greatness that it could be in this space.

My apartment is a real cave. No natural light comes in AND it's seattle in the winter. next steps... work on LIGHTING

I almost hope that those fab comments aren't people I know - about the Breakfast at Tiffany's and pink cocktails. You so get what I'm about here in my space. And yes, everything that I dig up and find is loved!

intentional cheap, cheap decorating live on!

liking that pink. so rosy. I bet the color is lovely in person.

Cute!! Love it!! Kawaii!!!

lynnea, the work is up high but I thought it was intentional :) I kind of like that for some reason. it makes the space feel so...delicate. and airy, maybe? i keep coming back to look at this. i think it's my favorite entry.

Lynnea,
I so love your apartment, don't change too much! The pink is amazing. I love it with the dark, I actually love how it is like a cave. I would love to hybernate there. The lamps are way cool.

Here's my suggestions for what they're worth. You already know to bring the art lower, so I won't harp. Art should be viewed at eye level. I read a great standard (I think on the apartment therapy site) that the middle of your piece should be at or around 57 inches from the floor.

Also, that black cabinet you have your books on is soooo lovely. But,you are doing it a disservice piling your books on it. I love piled books, and in keeping with the cave look, and lowering the site level look, why not pile them up on the floor in a corner? The cabinet really deserves better than to be cluttered. Perhaps you can put some simple white vases on top of the cabinet, they will pop against the white. The last thing I would do is throw in a white furry pillow. I think your lighting problems will be over with a few white pieces and the furry pillow would add some texture. Your place really doesn't need much else.

It's lovely, elegant and restrained.

I get the 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' vibe too, and I don't know you at all. I also can hardly see the apartment in these photos but, I think I like it. I love that pole lamp. I agree with peggy's suggestion about the books. I just saw a really inexpensive version of the DWR Sapian bookcase (which is itself a really inexpensive version of something similar from Conran, I think) Ha, I found it! http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=118&f=702

yeah! i love the suggestions. thanks. vase on that cabinet (i don't have a vase so i can use one!)...yes, white pillow yes! i even like the idea of a bookcase or the floor stacking (they just got taken off the floor:)) . i've been pondering painting that brown cabinet thing, but white accessories might be better. i will certainly use these ideas. if not use them in this moment sometime very, very soon. thanks so much again!

sg (and/or lynnea), I could've sworn I saw a bookcase just like that in the Container Store catalog recently, it was just a little shorter, but probably cheaper than CB2. It had books stacked on it and I couldn't even tell what they were on at first, good idea for stacking books.

And Lynnea, nope I don't know you, so you got the BaT's comment all on your own merit! You've done a really nice job w/ the space.

You don't know me either - your place just makes me wanna drink pink champagne :)

I'm sorry--I was the first to comment & I didn't mention how much I liked the pink in the space. And all the dark contrast ... mmm.

Anyway! Better late than never.

I love the pink/brown/white color story--well done. But, why did you hang the art and shelf above your couch SO HIGH? They need to come down a good 12-18". Maybe could use a little more light, too. :)