apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

beautiful fans.

I'm loving seeing all the innovation in the Small Cool world but OMG, 1500 square feet of beautiful architecture is really cool to look at!

The overidding sense I get is how dedicated you are to your collections and your furniture. It really comes through and makes your home truly your home. Regardless of whether this particular style appeals to me or not, I appreciate your consistency...and the architecture itself is wonderful. One criticism: why are your paintings hung so high? The height detracts from the imagery. I imagine my neck hurting from bending back to look at them.

Wow - that green trim in the den is awesome. And if you're ever looking for a new home for your dining table and chairs... :)

Looking at this I just wonder "man, how could anyone need more than 1500 sq ft?" This is really lovely and I like how open it feels.

This is lovely! You have some fantastic built-in shelving and I love your collection of fans. Very sophisticated.

that home is absolutely stunning!!

Ken has a great collection, but there's something bare about this place. The white (or gray) walls maybe?

Has a distinctly 1966 feeling about it..

It feels a little bit bare to me too, not that I expect everyone to go for 'filling in all the gaps' but it seems like too much space for the occupant / collections, a little TOO curated. As if it's a work in progress, and someday, it will really get there, slowly but surely (or maybe with a bang, if someone else moved in!)

Very nicely done and I to felt that in some areas, a little to spare w/ the lack of artwork or other fun decorations to make a room come to life and part of it non of the rooms look lived in, lights off in many cases, all of that does not help.

But I do agree this may well be a work in progress but what he's done is definitely good in my book.

I was wandering / admiring those old victorians in haight-ashbury (fulton / stanyon technically) and got invited inside by someone renovating -- it looks almost *exactly* like this (same moulding, built-ins) -- and I fell in love! Color me jealous...

Need I say that the mid-century look is wonderful? :)

I can't remember the last time I felt a jealousy this acute.

love lots of your pieces, but man it feels cold :(

A side point, but I like your blinds, which raise rather than lower.. very practical.

love it...

Love the space and the architectural detailing.

Think the mid-century modern furniture looks absolutely all wrong in the space. The space has way too much class for such bland furniture. I look forward to the day when mid-century modern furniture isn't cool anymore.

The fans and the clocks are amazing, as is the architectural detail of the house. I like mid-century, but prefer it mixed in with other pieces for a more eclectic, comfortable look. I like the wall colors.

what type of hanging lamp is that in the living room shot? i have seen the same one a few times and really like it...

A beautiful space. I agree with BB...I want to come in and lower all your artwork, esp. the living room piece. Love your clock collection!

ummmm. no. not my deal at all ...

Like your tiler's recommendation and work. Very unique.

Love the fan collection and the cubby holes. I have one antique fan so far, and your post inspired me to keep an eye out for other interesting fans.

Your place is incredibly neat and free of clutter. Would like to suggest a touch more color and texture and natural materials to warm up your spacious home. Agree with an earlier poster's suggestion to mix your Mid-C furniture with a few pieces of other styles, just to add more visual interest.

Thanks for inviting us in.

love it a lot! ultra hip. two suggestions: a bunch of simple flowers in the living room and a tall succulent plant (circa Palm Springs 1960) in the dining room and it is all set!
well done. simple, spare and stunning.......

Why are lots of these homes described as "curated"? - a curator is simply someone that has "responsibility for the acquisition and care of objects" (from Wikipedia) - surely that applies to EVERYONE!!

A tad plain...however...
I love that it has a distinct mid-century feeling to it without being excessive or adding the cheap (though nice) mid-century modern pieces that are so in right now.

I also adore your collections and how they're displayed, it shows great care and pride in them. Everything is beautiful, my only suggestion would be to add a splash of colour here and there with window treatments or pillows or maybe a rug.

dblitz1--You and me both.

That said, this was a lovely house. A bit cold in places (living and dining room in particular), but, gah, the architecture is stunning and I adored the kitchen.

I like it, but I feel in some places it's a bit too sparse and organized; sort of like visiting a museum. A very stylish and thought out place though. Love the fans!!

I like the furniture and many of the artifacts, but I have to major problems with the place as a whole:

1. The style of the apartment does not fit the furniture. In fact, the two clash severely. The walls and ceilings are too ornate and the carpentry lacks attention to detail in key areas, despite the homeowner's claim to the contrary.

2. It is a waste of space. I am sorry, but there is nothing cute or charming about living alone in a six room apartment. Also, it shows. The general atmosphere of the place is one of coldness and emptiness.

The lamp is a Poulsen ph5 which are still being made. This one in purple and white can only be bought second hand though.

I have four of these and they are beautiful to look at but you can't read by the light of them !

Sorry to double post, but the lamp is white, not purple & white. That will teach me to be sneakily checking AT while working.

I think it's a wonderful apartment. In looking at the pictures I really felt a sense of calm and relaxation was conveyed. Which admittedly is not what I would normally feel with the majority of colors used in the apartment, especially the "gray". If it were me I probably wouldn't furnish the space with mid-century furniture, however Ken is so thorough with the design that the furniture really works nicely with the space. Keep in mind that at the time Mid-century modern furniture developed a lot of people lived in victorian and craftsman homes and this combination would have been common. Ken's efforts here are beautiful.

John H, how about keeping in mind what the modernist movement was a reaction against in the first place?

sweet place! I'd spend all my time in the den too.

Hello everyone - this is the owner here!

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. It is of course a work in progress. I bet everyone here is familiar with this phenonenon: You move into a new place, spend a ton of time and energy fixing it up until it gets to about 85%...and then you somehow never get around to that last 15%. That's kind of where I am.

But to all of you commenting on the neatness and orderliness..listen: the photographer CLEANED IT UP! I do not live like that. I have plenty of clutter!

A good design is never finished. You will always find things to change or to add. That is what makes it so much fun. The retro feel is really enhanced by the unique collections you have on the bookshelves and the fireplace makes an amazing focal point.

Ken,
I would love to learn more about your apartment. I am a location scout in the Bay Area, always looking for great decorating stories for several different national magazines..including Decorating Magazine. Let me know if you may be interested in possibly being published.
Sarah Alba albaworks@gmail.com