apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

You pulled this style off really well, but I feel sorry for the man of the house. :( Does he at least have his own room to escape to?

This was such a great slideshow for so many reasons, but most of it, Alicia clearly has 'history' in this home. It's not a boxed lunch that she ran out and purchased in a matter of months. You can tell she's been collecting for a long, long time and I love that. The result is a home that feels very warm and cherished.

My favorites:

#7 (beautiful colors and lovely chest of drawers) #8 (love the mix of contemporary and vintage white ceramics beneath that beautiful mirror)
#12 (fun! happy!)
#16 (great mobile and goodies)
#24 (great wall color, adorable little dresses, and I just love the dog on the ottoman in the bedroom)
#38 (love the canopy ceilings, my mother is the queen of canopy in the home, so this image just made me smile.)

Alicia needs her own book, she is clearly talented enough to take her home and ideas to Chronicle Books or some publisher - I'd pick up a copy!

:)

Holly

I like what she has don with it and that it contains so many beautiful things that she loves.

But as a man, I have to say that I could never live with any of that. I would lose my mind.

Keisha, that is funny. I think Alicia's place is beautiful and was wondering what my husband would think of it. It IS pretty, but I don't think my husband would like so many feminine details and accessories. Maybe if he had a "man room".

Holly - I would totally buy this too (if it were a book :)

Alicia - I enjoyed your real menagerie (dog and cats) sprinkled throughout your photos. It just isn't home without 'em!

I like it all a lot, but my favorite part is what her friends say.

Sorry - this is why some of us guys choose to stay single.

Cute if you're a chick or gay, not tolerable if you're a regular guy.

Your home is fabulous! It's got real style and depth. I would love to come over and poke around. Real men can handle pink =) I know because my bedroom used to be painted fuschia and my husband liked it.

Cute, charming, sweet. Reminds me of one of those little cottages that I love going to for tea. Love the backyard best.

Er, a man lives here? I'm a chick and I would never do this to a guy. Where does hubby keep his MAN things? I see no sign of him in this house.

Alicia, I love your place, and have a couple questions if you check in:

* what is the floral/vine detail on the fireplace, was it in place or did you add it yourself, and if you added it what's it comprised of?

* I love the saturated color in your studio, have been considering something similar myself (more blue/green) in my own studio, and just wonder if having such saturated color affects your perception of colors when you're making something? (just trying to decide if I should keep my walls neutral or go all-out like you did)

Love the dog, adorable, what a great model.

Alicia-

Your DIY backyard is inspiring. (I keep meaning to get started on my backyard.)

Alicia, lovely place and you clearly have a sense of your own style.

Keith, believe me, most gay men do not live like this.

I am envious of Alicia's clear vision and beautiful home. Her craft room is still my favorite.

And for all of the naysayers, her husband not only lives in this beautiful home, he cooks in it too. Click on my name for his journey in Superbowl eggroll assembly.

This is pretty much my dream house. I just love it!

Thanks for visiting our place -- I know it doesn't appeal to everyone, but the hub says, "It all beats the hell out of how I was living before." So, you know -- that's encouragement. (And we do have a few Andy-spaces that were submitted to AT, but they didn't make it into the tour.) Rucy, the fireplace has a bunch of plaster roses all over it. I saw it on the Christopher Lowell show a long time ago -- you pour plaster into rose and leaf candy molds to make them. I did that, then hot glued them onto the bricks. Which is a really bad idea because I don't think they're ever coming off. Ever. (Someone once told me how I could get them off but I forgot what they said.) Then I piped plaster vines and stuff to connect it all, and then painted over it. It's kind of hard to tell what they are unless you're really close; from far away it kind of looks like someone threw globs of toilet paper at the thing. I think on the show they were actually doing this on a wall that had a bunch of cracks that they couldn't get rid of. They painted it all creamy white and it was really pretty.

As far as the studio color goes -- yes, it probably does interfere, but I'm not super picky. It definitely interferes with trying to photograph any other colors in there -- and the blue on film reads much more vibrant and saturated than it does in real life. In real life it's actually got kind of a warm underglow or something -- like there's a lot of yellow in there; but in photos it always feels really intense, and it's hard to get more subtle colors to read properly around it.

ANYhoo, thanks guys!

Not my style at all, but it's beautifully done. It would be a great photo shoot for Country Living or Country Home. Every part of it is thoughtfully done and you can see that Alicia put her heart into every bit of it. I loved the pix of the pets, too!

i loved the sewing room when it was in the contest and i love the rest of the house as well. although it is way too girly for my style, i still really like it.
the diy backyard IS inspiring. one of these years i need to redo mine!

Alicia, I can't thank you enough for the detailed response, that really helps, thank you!

I loved the contrasting pix of your husband's hangout (with the dog outside looking utterly perplexed by the lack of pink, *g*, just kidding).

I enjoyed your home tour very much,

Thanks again!

It's been my experience that most men will put up with any amount of charming feminine decor if they are kept well fed, well bedded, well entertained, and above all, well loved.

I suspect Alicia's man considers himself quite lucky on all counts.

I think Carol's pretty much on the right track. I understand why guys who read this blog would have the reaction. But there are a lot of guys who truly could care less what a place looks like. And there are a few men I've know back in Texas who's wives have decorated their homes with even more pink and florals, but they adore their homes, and aren't afraid to admit it. They're a little old fashioned in that they adore their wives and feel that the home should reflect the woman. But by god, the garage is theirs.

Yuck!! I consider myself pretty much a girly-girl but this is neauseating - doesn't look like adults live her but a bunch of 10 to 14 yr old girls, too much frill and fou-fou.

Your home is charming! While its not my style it sure looks bright and a happy place to be in. My apt right now resembles a cave so I love all the light and white in it. Btw, I really like the black Cuckoo clock in the dining room.