apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Great approach to a studio suite. The lounging in the bedroom is supperb but I guess it's at a very intimal level. If you got Eames, you've got my vote!

regards,

joel maria pirela

I like the variety of Eames chairs, and the fact that you have incorporated so many classic pieces without it feeling like a museum.

I especially admire your ethos - when something is introduced, something must exit. This way, you are surrounded by only things you love. Not always easy to follow, but definitely minimizes the potential for clutter (both material and mental)

Perfectly porportioned to the space and elegantly understated. Want to see more of this space!

Love your ebony chest, is that from big pagoda?

This space is pretty cool. The only thing missing is personality or a homey feeling. It looks like a catalog. I'm dissapointed in the lack of creative spaces compared to last years or the year prior. That being said, this is one of the strongest in this years crop of apt's

I love the division of space in this apartment!

I really do love most of what is in your apartment and the feeling of space... but, where is that hand-me-down/salvage/mistakes - the something gone pear shaped or odd that makes the rest seem that much better and more right in contrast?

Wabi-sabi was the word I was looking for.

I've tended to enjoy these small spaces with mid-century modern furniture sprinkled throughout, but I've gotta say this unit looks a little TOO sterile. Don't get me wrong, I love the furniture and the layout, but there doesn't seem to be any warmth. Would that there were a wall with a bit of color, or a rug on the floor to show that there's some life in these rooms.

Lovely apartment, you have definitely "brought it" in terms of aesthetics.

However, what special challenges were tackled or what innovative solutions were applied to this apartment? Those are two out of the three criteria and I see nothing that you have added or adapted to maximize this space. Sorry.

Not a catalog, but an apartment "staged" for sale...

...my brain and my heart are going different directions on this one.

Brain: I don't see innovative small-space solutions, just a strong resolve not to collect stuff.

Heart: This is so evocative of a certain type of San Francisco lifestyle. Not mine, exactly, but something that evokes the romance of the big city (you're pretty close to downtown, yes?) and San Francisco's particular combination of modern chic with Asian edges.

Shoot a movie here, and I'll buy the DVD.

Mission accomplished, this indeed does look like a hotel room.

It's not working for me. Too on the nose. It needs more you.

Tony G

It's gorgeous. I find warmth in the bare wood floors, the gold painting, the table top, the art here and there. I'm always drawn to "spare" aesthetics, although I don't live that way.

The rule in this contest should be changed. The winner should not be the the place most ATers identify with but the more accomplished one.

In other words, each contestant should submit the objective they were after, how they went about and show the pictures to prove their point.

I aspire to have a place like this well edited, where everything has a purpose, a place and look good. Granted it might not be a very warm and homey place that appeal to most and I personally would make a few changes but I can see what Ian's was going for and I think he did a very good job.

I LOVE it. I like some others too, just haven't commented yet. But I love the clean and the white ones. Even though I love color, I am also all about the white. I like how this one shows you do not need to have a sofa. Great job. Peaceful, beautiful, clean.

Love it, love it, love it. Makes me question why the hell I have a sofa.

LOVE your space, though I do hope you spend your gift certificate on some rugs.

Uncluttered repose. Resplendent. I'd love to be a shoe in Ian's closet.

i love the art.
...mostly b/c it looks like what i paint, but also b/c you've used it to reflect the pieces in the room.

Fantastic. Is that a Chinese wooden sideboard/cabinet in the dining room? If so, love the juxtaposition. While some people seem to think that this is a little bare, I get the feeling that your floors are actually very rich-looking with the shades of oak, and that the lighting is extremely well done. I always find that using halogen spots on whites can be surprisingly warm. Finally, two Eames loungers? How decadent. While I love the chair, I wonder if maybe you should switch one out for another classic chair/recliner. a Mies or Corbusier lounge seems like it might be a good fit. Of course, that might take it too far towards modern-classic furniture showroom, but it might give just the right contrast. Something with some chrome to contrast the wood on the floors, bench and bed, unlike the wooden frame of the Eames. In any case, a worthy contender! I hope to see more photos when you are a finalist.

Your living room and dining table look nice, but I would have preferred to see a picture of your kitchen or bathroom rather than another shot of the table.

Very nice, And two eames chairs are better then none.

When are you having me over?! The black and white simplicity, coupled with the underlying earth and wood tones make this a place where I feel I could get good “clean” rest. Furthermore, it’s inviting and uncluttered so I know that I’d actually enjoy spending the day and evening in this space. The contrast of the delicate curves and sharp angles is a nice thematic touch that I would find conducive to both working and relaxing. Overall, an extremely sophisticated space. Bravo!

Ian,

What bed is that. I like how it is wood and metal and low to the ground.

The place looks great and the painting in the first picture is excellent.

Thanks.

Ian,

This is just fabulous! Extremely chic. Uncluttered and accommodating at the same time. I loved the painting too. The appearance of the place in general is quite soothing to the eyes. I would love to call it home :-) You most definitely have my vote!

Faiza

This is a beautiful home, and I bet it'd be lovely to live in. However, I'm not seeing any innovation, or problems solved - at least not on the basis of the 3 photos and the description. I'd love a closer look at the artwork and the kitchen/bathroom.

An Eames fan; you've got me. I disagree with those who say the space lacks warmth. To my eyes, it's perfect.

Love it, and would love to see more.

LOVE the crisp Black Chinese piece with the dining area. To *me*, it's things like that that keep this from being a "hotel room" or catalog (NEITHER of which, given today's high quality design standards and styling of both, is, or ever SHOULD BE a criticism...).

Seating/bed area falls a *tiny* bit short in style and innovation (Tighter groupings? Some sort of connecting anchor? Embrace the symmetry you seem to be stopping just shy of?), but I'd still come for a sleep over. :)

And the bedroom art is gorgeous. I say get bolder and build more from that piece.

If I see one more Eames chair - I will throw up. So when I saw your first picture, I almost didn't hit the more button. Eames chairs don't necessarily mean a person has style.

However, I am glad I hit the more button, your place is stunningly beautiful. The painting in the first pic is what inspired me to hit more. I adore your place and love your minimalism and simplicity.

I also love the pic over your dining table. That combined with the wooden bowl give the place just the right amount of warmth and contemplation. I could not get your furniture arrangement out of my mind last night as I contemplated my own small place. Great placement.

Hope you win so you can replace those chairs. (oops, sorry, trying to be funny - people are so sensitive on this site it doesn't really go over very well.) But truthfully, I would love to lounge in your place sipping jasmine tea. It's lovely and inspirational.

My "small space" lightbulb also went on while staying in a hotel room :) Your home is beautiful!

I'd like to flesh out the movie idea that wende suggested.

I think it's about a sex therapist collective, which seems pretty San Franciscan in theme to me. Anyway, that is what the first photo said to me.
The Eames fiberglass shell conference area was just a bonus, for their meetings . . .
: )

A sex therapist collective would be exactly right. Their clientele runs heavily toward gay men and opera divas, leading to enormous drama when patients meet... and a good deal of soul-baring happens over cheap Indian food at the neighborhood restaurants, leading to either a gay man or an opera diva having an amazing, earth-changing fling with an East Indian short-order cook. But after that everything is filmed in detached grays, and life goes on, and nobody is hit by a careening Muni bus or an exploding PG&E manhole cover, and they think themselves lucky in this, although their lives remain filmed in gray. And they now eat stir-fried green beans and moo goo gai pan in a different restaurant entirely.

I love it!!! How do I book a stay?

It's beautiful. It's modern and contemporary, sophisticated, well-thought out, peaceful. I love how clean it is without feeling sterile and without feeling that you are trying too hard. I love the white, yet at the same time it feels liveable and warm. It lacks the feeling of a "look, but don't touch" hotel room that some of the other entries conveyed to me.

I love it. What's not to do when one gets home but relax, have a nice meal, read and sleep.

The space is clean without being sterile. It has charm and grace.

Peggy--

And see? It also doesn't mean they *don't*.

Wende--

Exploding manholes in gay films is soooooo heavy-handed. ;)

i love all the breathing space, curves, overall effortless harmony and the low slung lounge, plant and dramatic painting!

This is an exemplary metrosexual bachelor pad. I don't think it's enough to win this competition, but it's got a perfect stuff:space ratio, sufficient personal touches, and overall looks like a great apartment to live in.

Oh for gods sake - love the chairs but even the Eames had paint on the walls.

Modfan,
Oh for gods sake - There is paint on the walls.
Love,
IAN

Yeah I agree it is beautiful and well edited but I am really bothered by all the people who say things like "If you got Eames, you've got my vote!", are there judges in this contest as well as we the voters? I think this place is gorgeous and very well staged, there are personal touches but they are very integrated to the point where I think they actually lend to the hotel-like atmosphere. But I wouldn't vote for it just because of the Eames stuff, it's just furniture, it's what you do with it that matters.

I love the gain something=lose something philosophy.
I hope to learn from you.
I can almost smell the cookies baking..
really.

Oh.. and I love that damned tuffit!

tuffet

what a serene place ! You can feel the energy flowing - I LOVE it. Evelyne

Ian you definitely have a great eye for design, proportion, and quality. Your space feels serene and harmonious.
An uncluttered space promotes an uncluttered mind.
PS. Love the painting - who is the artist???

love the long blue painting.
the rest came straight out of the DWR catalog.
a bit short on creativity - has potential.

Where in the DWR catalog is the balck Chinese chest? Or the drumstools?

Patrick (the other one),
Merci, je vous adore.
The black side board is from BIG PAGODA CO. in SF.

I think " slawterhaus " likes it long.
One persons short is another persons long.

Your place looks very serene and comfortable to me. And, I think the Eames pieces go quite nicely with your aesthetic and fit in quite well.

Bedroom looks beautiful. Knowing how comfortable those loungers are, I wanted to curl up in one with a good book.

But the busy metal legs of the dining chairs distracted me. Perhaps simple chairs of wood or other natural material to match the warmth of the dining table would have made the area less conference room and more of a cozy dining nook.

Floors are gorgeous, but when I saw you're from foggy, chilly SF, my feet got cold just looking at the bare floors. Yes, a couple of deep, colorful rugs in bedroom and dining room would help define separate areas as well as warm up the place.

Excellent start.

you bet i do sammy!

as for patrick (the other one),
ok, the chinese inspired chest and drumstools came from other catalogs, and the rest was chosen from DWR. but remember patrick, this is a design competition, not paint by numbers.

Just because one or more source stocks some or all of the furniture that one may have in their home doesn’t mean that one necessarily purchased these items from a single source, nor that the selection, style, and placement of ones furnishings is less creative or “cool”.
It’s not about where the product comes from, as most of us don’t build our own furnishings. It’s about what we chose to put in our homes and how we live with them. I find it curious that some people have the need to create artificial criteria to test or evaluate the creative worth of art or design. It’s all just words.

i'm sorry pishfingers, neither the chinese chest nor the drumstools qualify as the creative end-all in my opinion. it's one thing to use major catalog pieces as a base for an interior, but the real artists draw the eye away from the familiar and turn it into something completely new and unexpected. we want to be surprised with whatever it takes to throw us off. yes, it's all very tasteful, but it's just plain dull. in this case the catalog was the easy way out which = boring boring boring! mix it up, toss it around the room, even throw in a cheap thrift shop find, but never be safe and the end result will almost always delight our senses. so lighten up! be inspired! we're very lucky to have apartment therapy as our canvas!

slawterhaus. you missed the point. again your defining what you believe qualifies as creativity. a cheap thrift shop item = creativity? don't you see the irony. enough with the perenthetic babble.

When do we get to see your winning entry, slawterhaus? Bet it's bitchin' creative!

And hate to tell you, but Eames can come from thrift shops these days...

It seems like *you* spend too much time with the DWR catalog, since you're so familiar with its ins and outs.

Thanks to all who voted and commented.
This has been fun.
The Eames chair comments are so funny to me. Thanks for the laughs. And thanks to DWR simply for making them available.
I am responsible for the art. Thanks for your positive comments on my work.
Like my great relationship, my aesthetic constantly evolves.
In “my small” the seating area used to be in the dining area... and vice versa. The bed has been in every position.
As I evolve my things revolve.
What fun it is to CHANGE.
I am constantly fluffing my nest.
How boring it would be for me to live in a static environment, with the same things all of my life.
There are so many great designers and designs available. Not to mention all the bits and pieces one acquires just from being here on earth. Granted these are all material things, but all an expression of one’s self at some moment in time. Feathers in your nest if you will.
Enjoy them for a time and pass them on.
IAN

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Stellar !!!

I have no complaints, the design is very sound!

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pishfingers: it's you that's doing all of of the babbling. yes. if you're a broke bastard then do shop at a cheap thrift store. or start sawing. i don't care where the hell you get your inspiration from, just stop wasting our time.

I like the big unframed mirror.