apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I really like the new colors and the red lamps are terrific.
Bek

Redo is overly symmetrical. Lose the cheap lamps- sticking up onto the photos; and that ridiculous "spray light" thing in the center, so teenage... Not offensively bad taste, just misguided.

Huge improvement. Congratulations!

I like it! Where at those shelves from?

Also, is that a rug on carpet? It looks good, makes me really want to try it in my apartment.

ugh, IKEA....

maybe its just the natural sunlight in the first picture but, I think I liked the "before" better...

I find the after to be over symmetrical as well

IKEA is dandy. Having the ability to easily and affordably reconfigure or add on is fun and a responsible use of resources.

Thanks for showing what simple paint and fresh arrangement can do. I think it's cute.

Then again, since I owned the same "ridiculous teenage spray light," and that IKEA duvet cover, I must also be "misguided" and full of "ugh."

(Hope you will smiiiiiile at the critics, Jim.)

I love IKEA, too. Lots of their furnishings melt into the background and allow you to show off unique treasures - such as a handmade bedspread and book or art collections. Their pieces are affordable and modern and give cash-strapped young people, like I am, a place to start. I think Jim did a great job!

I kinda liked the "before" better, but the "after" looks nice. And what is all this hostility toward IKEA? You have to start somewhere as a broke 20-something person (this is my personal category) and to assume that everyone just has money to blow on "expensive" pieces is just nieve. Great job and long live IKEA!!

It does seem less bulky than before, though I kind of liked the units painted black better. I agree that two lamps is overkill here, and the spray thingy (what is that thing anyway) needs to go. A plant or vase of flowers or something organic and less square would balance things out a little.

I like the white and it looks like it might work better with the other furnishings in the room (hard to tell though). But it is way too symetrical and that spray lamp needs to go.

The speakers are also too close together (since there is a TV in the room, why not put the speakers on either side of the TV and use them for improved sound when watching TV or DVDs?). Though those look like they may be Bose 201 or 301 speakers so it is probably not worth the effort . . . .

I like both the before and after, but I'm with swag, I don't like the lamps

I made little white cotton slipcovers for my black speakers - it makes them less overpowering visually.

I like both before and after; although I have recently started leanig towards white furniture. The first picture was obviously shot during the day and the second is lit for night time. I have a feeling it would look much different in natural light (as does most room settings). I like the tall lamps, I just think the pictures should be hung higher on the wall.
Asymetrical or symetrical? Its a matter of personal preference. I think both arrangements work in this case. Also, why didn't anyone mind the spray thing when it was in the first picture?

Wow! What a difference that white paint makes. Whatever one thinks of the design, it reminds us of the power of paint. Would like to see less red---although, maybe there's more red in the room.

I like the before better.... but would have painted the one unit white and left everything else the same.

I don't understand why people have to be so negative. Different doesn't always mean bad, guys! I think it's a huge improvement, whether I would do it in my own home or not doesn't really matter.
I'd like some of these commenters to put their own homes up here for critique. Maybe if there were images attached to all of our comments people would think twice on what they write ;)

Both in my mind work fine but I can see how the before can get old, especially since there is a lot of black there and nothing to augment it at night (no lamps) and using 2 of those shelving units to spread things out was a wise thing, and painting them white to help lighten them a bit is also a good thing since there seems to be little space between them and the foot of the bed to begin with.

Yes, a bit symitrical, but I like it and I find it perfectly OK to have the lamps come in front of the pictures a little, adds layers to the vignette although I'd get rid of the fiber optic lamp thing for a plant to add a little green and the red works very well here - especially if there is red elsewhere in the room.

Good job!

Nice job. Would like to see a day-time pick with the red lights on. Somehow pictures of interiors always look best with day light.

My apologies, Jim; I've revisited this post a few times and think my previous comments were a bit harsh; the before was o.k. and feels lived in and real, albeit dark (in a 1st apt or dorm room sort of way) and I think the redo is better but seems a little bit overly "staged". Still fresh and light- specifically referring to the point of the post- the dark to light transformation of the bookshelves. Whatever about my comments on your lamps and "spray light", use what you like- thats all that matters...

Except for the lamps, the "after" is much better than the "before". Black furniture looks dusty about nine seconds after it's dusted.

Even on a budget, I'd bet you can find more suitable lighting for the new space.

The white looks so nice and clean.

Thanks for all the comments...good and bad. I'm not overly sensitive. I decorate for me and me only and I love my bedroom. Some people like it, some don't and that's cool...if we all had the exact same design ideas, websites and blogs like this one would not exist and it would be a boring world. And I love my "spray light thing." It's a fun piece and it was a gift from a friend. I like a little bit of cheeky ticky tacky whim in my surroundings because I'm not a very serious person.