apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I think I like the red/brown mix in here but I'm so confused by the layout it is hard for me to concentrate on the colors. Why is the art hung so high up over the couch? Why is the rug at an odd angle from the sofa?
A little rearranging would have put this into "In Contention" for me. I love those upholstered chairs. Some real curtains vs. the vertical blinds would be helpful too, maybe in the same colors as on the chairs but a different larger scale pattern.

whew!!!!!

what color? i don't like the darker ceilings at all.

I love the Paul Frank Monkey and the side chairs.

That Paul Frank really makes the room wonderful. He's so zany and everything else is not.

This may be petty of me, but my overwhelming hatred of the Paul Frank monkey ruins this for me. Sorry.

I like what you're going for with the rug irregularly placed--but it doesn't work for me, sorry. I really like your furniture and the colors you chose for them; but I think a color other than red could complement them better, especially with the color of the walls as they are. You really do need to get rid of the vertical blinds and put on curtains or another window treatment. And I'm torn with the other commentors over the Paul Frank monkey--I think if the icon was either something more classic or vintage OR if it was just not inflatable(!!!), I could get into it. Inflatable anything makes me think college furniture.

I like the color pallet but I don't feel that the room is really pulled together.
Lowering the artwork and replacing the vertical blinds with drapes would really help.

i love the monkey but...
the room has potential though, i think the colors I'm seeing really are deep red, black, and the warm golds of the chairs and cast on the walls are really really formal. And formal is tricky especially with modern furniture.

I like the furniture colors you've chosen.

The monkey is cool. You probably walk around your place with a permanent smile : )

I really don't think the Monkey is inflatable. He looks like he is mounted to a base.

I love the asian/modern look and red complements that because of the significance of red in Asian cultures. The monkey catches you off guard and probably expresses you rpersonality, which is exactly what your home should reflect. I also agree that there doesn't have to be a formula, hence the skewed rug, but I do feel like it makes you feel a bit off kilter. Overall, creative while livable.

This place is beautifully decorated, especially because the owner made some of the decorations such as the three framed art pieces on the wall. The Paul Frank is not inflatable. It's actually very heavy and a great piece of art. I've been to this condo and felt like I was at in one of those living rooms you would see in a magazine.

This reminds me of every 30 something person's apartment I've been to in LA, who's got their first well paying job, ventured away from IKEA and took their first stab at "decorating." Then neglected things like the awful vertical blinds... AND planted a Paul Frank statue in the living room. What's next? Rubber vomit?

Missy,

You are one of those rude people the regular posters have been complaining about. Are you seriously suggesting that Erin's choices for her decor is comparable with rubber vomit? Come on, really?

Erin, your place looks great and I think it's cool that you have the Paul Frank in your living room. I have a friend that had a small merry-go-round pony in their living room (pole and all) and it looked awesome. In this contest, ignore the rude and embrace the complimentary. Good luck!

Missy, you are so way, way out of line. Have you entered your home in this contest? If so, I would like to take a special look.

Nice couch, table, side tables, lamps.... but somehow haven't mananged to put it all together. Proof that simply buying nice pieces of furniture doesn't mean you will have a nice house, it does take that 'something' to pull it all together.

I suggest taking care of the details such as window dressing that goes with the furniture, art work thats really art instead of thrift shop steals of mountains and getting rid of cheap, dead looking flowers before taking a picture.

Erin ~ Your space is beautiful. I love your furniture and the colors you picked. The only thing I am having a problem with is you have such beautiful pieces of furntiture but forgot your windows. I've never been a fan of vertical blinds and they take away from your space. Also, your art is fine but I think they are hanging too high or maybe it's just the way the picture was taken. Good luck!

I'm also a big fan of the side chairs.. I love the pattern!

Missy's comment might not have been very velvet-gloved and certainly not constructive, but the rest of the posters could stand to be a little more honest here. I think the ratings show that this design needs some reworking and rethinking, so those that voted "no way" could have offered some constructive advice.

You've got a start here and had the good sense to not go overboard with the bold accents of red; however you need to better integrate that lovely choice of deep red with the rest of the apartment's design. Also, I think your missing an opportunity to enhance those red accents with a warm (neutral or earth-toned) color on the walls. You could play around with the furniture arrangement (esp. to hide some of those lamp cords), and might consider replacing the black furniture (it's a bit too contrasting with the rest of your pieces.) And, though the monkey is fun as a design choice he's a bit out of sync with the rest of your place.

Best of luck, and you're free to take or leave any advice; after all it's your home!