apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Wow. Classy, classy, classy. This is one of the best yet.

thank you, there's hope.

Super pretty and well curated. Lots of nice colors - love the taupy grey walls. But 700sf for a single person is sort of a luxury - especially in the city. Its hard to blame someone for having a nice pad, but try as I might I couldn't vote more than 'cool'.

Clever use of color. It's well thought out (without being "staged") and shows some personality. Love it!

What a soothing, well-edited space!
I could move right in tomorrow...

I agree with Hasina. The yellow and blue are simple lovely. You prove that well selected color can really make a small space into something wonderful.

One of the best yet, see you in the semi finals! I'd love to see more of your window treaments in the living room- did you make those yourself?

I could live here in a heartbeat. It's got catalog appeal but doesn't lack personality. I'm especially excited to see little personal touches like the painted "twigs".

I love it! Your bedspread is my favorite. And what is that behind the bed? Is that painted or a sculpture of some type?

This doesn't look like anyone lives here at all....

when can i move in? beautiful and the barrel chairs are fantastic.....

i think it's nice, especially the entryway, but i'm not really that pumped over it. it looks like west elm.

Excellent. Cool, young, and modern, yet sophisticated and grown-up, without trying too hard. Looks casually thrown together; and in a good way. I especially like that you were not afraid to use deep color. If you ever bottle your taste, put me down for a case.

Winner!

Are those electrical explosions in your floor plan?

p.s. Nice apartment, ;)

Urban and sophisticated. I'd love to see more, a definite semi-finalist.

It's pretty and the collection of white plates on a yellow wall is lovely, but is it a creative use of small space? So far my favorite is the SS Waverly because even though I don't love the decorating style, he uses every inch of space efficiently.

I love it, very modern and yet very sophisticated and zen. I particularly admire your bedroom and the art piece over your bed. Nice!

Kitchen? Bathroom? Otherwise it's a cool space with great colors and accessories.

Very pretty but I think it is very staged looking. Doesn't look natural and lived in. The colors are beautiful.

I love the Algae over the bed mixed with the coral; I have it on the main wall in my kitchen with some birds (first thing you see when you enter the apartment) so it looks more tree-like. Lovely color blocks of area in your home.

It's too sterile for me... Must every table have a grouping of generic "cool" objects on it?

I don't see any personality or creative use of space.

Li, I completely agree. The SS Waverly is not my style at all but I voted 'super cool' because they are doing what the intention of this contest is all about.

Wow, I really love your bedspread... Can I ask where you got it?

Very tasteful. Like it very much, hope it's a semifinalist~!

It's a nice place, well-appointed. Of course it's staged for the photos; who wouldn't do that? It does seem quite staged, though. I especially find it hilarious that it seems like every horizontal surface is filled with cool vases and other odds-and-ends, although I'd probably be tempted to do the same thing. Of course you'd want to show off your coolest stuff.

Looks too well thought out and lacks personality.

Can you please tell me the color of blue paint used in your living room?

I really like a lot of what is going on here, especially your color schemes. Good job! :)

I tried to admire things about this apartment, which I think things were executed well, really well, but it's fussy and dramatic and in that way, kinda off-putting and museum-like.

This is also not the first time an entrant has used the verb "force" to describe something a small living space does to the inhabitant(s). I try not to attack people's choices of words, but there's such a strictness in that reflection on the process that defies coolness (despite the probability that I have gushed over more than one apartment whose entrant chose the same wording). It's not about editing possessions or having less, because that can and does appeal to me, it's not about working hard on your home or not working hard enough, and descriptions and definitions aren't affecting my votes because I read them after. This is just a trend I've noticed in this contest that happens to apply in this case.

is that algue over your bed? i love that stuff, it's so fun and so versatile

I like the style applied to this place, and the place itself is magnificent, but if you've got room left over for artfully placed ceramic glove moulds in the bedroom and Starck stools in a corridor where no one will ever sit, you've got a luxury of space. It doesn't feel small or restrictively edited at all, which I suppose is to the owner's (renter's) credit. There are many creative choices and lovely things here, but none of them seem to be about innovative use of limited space.

Those stools are outside the bathroom, so it's plausible they're used for waiting in line. I can't fault someone trying to trim out an awkwardly wide space that's not quite a room, actually.

I looked at the floorplan again, and had questions for a couple spaces, the small room with the square at the far wall next to the bedroom and I'm guessing the lower right was a kitchen, or I wasn't sure if it was a Mercedes showroom or a bomb shelter (although that title was already taken in this contest).

I like the way you managed to work around all that molding. Creating colorful accents above, below, within the molding without having to remove it.

It IS a huge apartment compared to others, so you have a lot of room to do things...like walk...without banging your shin into something.

I gave a "cool" for the molding and color.

My "super cool" ratings have been reserved for places so tiny that the host may offer shin guards on entering (because of the square footage)...BUT the space is laid out so well that only a clumsy oaf like me requires them.

I apparently was trying to do some renovation of my own in the bathroom when I practically knocked myself out when my head and the door jamb made bone cracking contact. I need a helmet in my own place, so I definitely need shin guards in other places.

Thanks to David's paint job with molding, I now know EXACTLY what I want to do with any place that has molding. As a matter of fact, I'd be tempted to put up molding, just to have a place to color within the lines.

Imagine being able to change the wall color, but only filling in three or four rectangles and not having to paint the whole huge wall! That IS cool!!!

Am I getting old and soft? Or is this year bringing out kind of a lot of apartments that I'm kind of loving a LOT? This one is just delicious. Discipline = being able to remember what it is that you really want. Or something like that. This looks like they managed to give themselves some visual rules that they're kind of reveling within. I think it's great.

Love those blue chairs with the black side table!

David has done an amazing job with his apartment.

If only he took the same energy towards people and friends, he would be a winner.

I love this and voted "Super Cool", but had the same feeling others did about it felling a bit overly staged. Mind you, it is expected that everyone tidy up and put their best foot forward, but I like to see evidence of a space feeling or being lived in as well...even if it were something like a pair of pajamas casually tossed over the trunk at the foot of the bed (also staged, but evidence of life).

The bedroom is especially awesome - love the "headboard" art and the large framed photos. The color scheme is also very appealing.

Love all the outdoor elements brought indoors. Great colors...well done.

i think those "electrical explosions" are indicative of plant life.

dig the clock at the front entrance, Lakeview Elementary School style.

sfplaybuddy: Everyone has a gift. Some people, it's very visible, like with Olympic athletes. No matter how much training I could have had as a child, absolutely none of it could have given me the sense of balance and lack of nausea to be spinning around, so there would be no ballet, no gymnastics, no ice skating for me.

There are people that are not only gifted in kinesthetics, but can take that gift to the stars. For some people, it's musical ability, or mathematics. Along the lines of Multiple Intelligences.

Not everyone is gifted socially. Not everyone is good with people on a close basis. And it's NOT as if "applying myself" would make it easier or better. Anymore than it would make me into a highly sought after athlete or brilliant composer.

David's gift is perhaps the way he puts his home together. That is how he may express himself to his friends and how he shares what he is all about. And he's sharing it with strangers, here on AT too.

Look at how the furnishings may express who he is. They might not too. But, perhaps his words are sparse, and chosen with accuracy to be appropriate. Unlike me who has a jumble of crap as decor and a jumble of thoughts and ideas (not all of which are total crap). And I spew words all over.

I'm pretty sure we aren't rating David's social calendar. If friends and social lives are supposed to be included in this contest, I'm totally doomed. I can weed out my jumble of crap and get new stuff, but I can't suddenly master social skills that I have never had.

Bedroom is a knock out.

Hi David,
I love it!
I have a question... I have the exact same moulding you have in your bedroom in my dining room. The way you painted it is the look I was going for, but my mouldings kind of blend into the wall and look the same color, rather than standing out like your mouldings. I don't know if it is lighting or if I just chose the wrong colors. Can you tell me the paint colors you used?
Thanks a lot... and good luck!

By the way, just reading through the comments here... it's pretty bad that people are discounting this place because of the size. It's within the contest rules, right? So let it go. Also, of course its staged, but I can definitely see someone living here. Of course he has all his stuff out, why would he hide it away? Perhaps he doesn't have kids/dogs to knock it over. I would showcase my things, wouldn't you? Are the people discounting it because it IS staged the same people complaining about other entries that aren't staged enough? Sheesh.

OK, thats my little rant.
I would love to have this guy come decorate my place!

I agree with Tiffany. All the comments in this contest about someone having a "big" apartment and how much easier it is to decorate those (it isn't) are ridiculous. Also, if it's neat and artistic it may not be staged - just how somebody lives. If it's not neat, then people complain that it's cluttered and messy.

David: fantastic, well-designed apartment.

Hi David,

What color is that in the foyer?

Thx
Kerri

generic.

Thanks everyone for responding so favorably to my place. I really appreciate it! Believe it or not, it looks this tidy most of the time. I am a Virgo neat freak!!

Here are the colors I have used since there have been requests for them:

Foyer - Sherwin Williams - Intellectual Gray (SW7045)
Kitchen - Sherwin Williams Quilt Gold (SW 6696)
Living Room - Sherwin Williams City Scape (SW 7067)

Striking and beautiful--off the charts colours and straight to "super cool"

Hi David, I love your space, especially the vase with the silver branches in the first shot. I'm also a neat freak so I can completely understand how your place may look this way naturally. I was always taught by my mom: Don't put it down, put it away.

(I never thought I'd ever be parroting her words. It only took 20 or so years to understand her wisdom!).

the living room to me is the stand out because it feels more bold and daring than the rest of the rooms. it's breaks away from the staged look that others have commented on and that i also see in other rooms. i really want that flat black basket to be hanging somewhere else -- like in the hall where i find too many small objects. i do love all your colors and the put-togetherness of the place but i want to see more variety in the scale of your objects. and MORE risk-taking!

David David David! GREAT sense of color here and the layers are amazing. This is one of the best uses on contrast that Ihave seen in the entire contest yet. I wish you had shown us even more apartment and I don't know if you get much from that foyer shot, but this is still miles and miles above the rest.

Wow! Thats about all I can say about this place! Fabulous colors. Very classy clean look...Love it!

While this isn't my style at all, I think it is beautifully done. The bedroom is fantastic. The apartment exudes modern urban style, and it is clear that an adult lives here (really tired of seeing stuffed animals, action figures, etc.). Love the coffee table; where is it from?

Good luck; I hope to see more of this place in the finals.

Beautiful display of white faieance; It is a french word.
I botched up the spelling.
So Sorry.

Beauty is beauty regardless of the spelling.

Wow, the sour grapes in some of these comments... just ignore them, David, because your place is really beautiful. I love your color and aesthetic sense. Hardly generic!

I like the yellow wall and the EMPIRE STATE BUILDING. I like your place. It's small and cool.

The living room is beautiful. I have no idea why AT didn't use the couch shot as the first shot for this entry (on this page, I mean), because it's superb.

I'll echo the question about the bedspread (or is it a duvet?) Where is it from?

Hi David
Your place really sits above the others I've looked at lately.
Nice colors and compositions.

Maybe get rid of the rug in the main area and consider paring down the surrounding 'things' somewhat.
Also the whole living room ensemble could be pulled in a foot or 2 onto the rug.
Or get rid of it too and show off those floors, as well as this would enlarge the space.
Nice work overall.

Really nice. I especially like the yellow wall with all the white.

How did you hang those leaf plates?

It's a great apartment, but it doesn't appeal to my personal sense of style. I voted cool. But the most super picture is the bedroom. What is that on the wall and how can I duplicate???

Beautiful apartment... sophisticated and urban, but with a lot of personality. Love those blue chairs in the living room, with just the right table between them. Generally, love the varied collection of occasional tables in different places, the use of color, the art, and the way your collection of white ceramics is featured spilling from room to room - all give the place a personal stamp. One of my faves and I hope we'll see more in the semi-finals. Super cool from me. Good luck!

I alternated between 'wow' and 'eh' when looking at the slideshow. gorgeous use of color, though.

I'm in love with the bedding. Very nice!

A recent entry said the chair in her hallway was for putting on ( and taking off) shoes. So I don't think the stools in the entry are pointless.
I don't get why people say "it looks like no one lives there" - the comment seems to appear whenever some with really refined and specific taste and an ability to live in an orderly fashion shows their home.

I love the Harvest Gold wall!!

I love the creme and colour theme through out the house. I want to take you out to brunch and pick your brain. Everything is so comfortable but stylish at the same time. I love how cohesive your apartment is and how the accessories are numerous without being cluttered. I want a house tour.

Except for the bedroom, I'm not feeling this too much. It looks like sections of different retail showrooms. The white tableau reminds me of the now-closed Alabaster store, formerly in Hayes. I like the blue in the living room, but it seems like someone's idea of how an adult space should be. It looks staged. And not very well... it bugs me that the coffee table and rug seem to be askew in front of the sofa. Love the trainstation clock in the entrance/foyer, and the grey color is nice, but not into the very rigid hanging of the black and white art and frames.
Like the bedroom a lot. Very warm and much more personality than the rest. I see you're going after an adult, glam, more sober Hollywood Regency feel, but some of it seems very staged and retail rather than individual.

great color sense. love the wall details. a tad too merchandised for me...especially since it focuses on some very well composed, but not particularly special objects.

the bed and the baker furniture niche rock.

I absolutely adore your home.

Colors, objets, textures, vignettes - perfection!

I would kill - no, really - for the pair of chairs upholstered in the blue. Your duvet cover is smashing, as well. Yum...

I hope we get to see more of your place in the next round. Bon chance!

Its very gay man chic, but I love it!

I need to know where you got those blue and black barrel chairs!

the bedspread really makes the bedroom, beautiful place!

This apartment is really nice. It is a blend of modern trends but really comfortable as well. I love the use of basic rich colors with some pattern which make the rooms a little unexpected. I also like the mix of unique pieces with more simple pieces in great shapes. Well done! I would live here in a sec!

Not sure if David works as a designer or if this is a hobby but clearly he has got a lot of talent. Someone should offer him a job, he surely could make his clients very happy.

"gay man chic, BUT I love it"????

SO MANY things wrong with that sentence.

gosh that plate design looks really familiar...

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p10114/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C20%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cleaf%20plates&cm%5Fsrc=SCH

are you allowed to copy a catalog and be considered original?

I feel that this is very lovely and well executed. I have to admit, though, that I don't see it as a "small space challenge", no real hurdles to overcome, just a good looking space. I'd rather see this on an AT house tour rather than as a mascot for Small Cool.

For some reason, I like the new photos a LOT more than the original photos. Still, I'm not wowed. Nice individual touches and definitely a lot of thought has gone into this place. But there's something missing.

Glassesgirl - it's Algue by Vitra: http://www.vitra.com/en-lp/home/products/algue/

David - beautiful job all around, wish there was more to see!

P.S. The "exploding bombs" and "peace signs" in the floor plan are nice details! ;)