apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

That living room is a tad overstuffed--I'd love to see it next year when you've altered it.
Play with scale a bit more. Everything is too bulky--you need to lighten things up here and there....love your pillow and the doorstop. Very cool.

I like the bedroom most. I agree on the living room being overstuffed - some more space and perhaps what remains of the furniture swapped for more open, floating pieces.

Changing the carpeting is probably not possible, but it should be possible to liven it up.

Anyone with a Curious George pillow deserves a super cool vote :)

Yeah, I agree its overstuffed in the living room. I'm a huge board game fanatic and host board game parties on the weekends. Its overstuff for that purpose...comfortability and enough sitting. I should have done some editing.

Overstuffed is an understatement. Where exactly do you fit in amongst it all? There is so much superfluous clutter in here that I, feel claustrophobic just looking at the pictures.

I love the scale of things in this place, especially the artwork. I think it has a very interesting vibe going on and that the big living room fits in with it.

love the monkey pillow

I think this apartment would be harmonious and restful in a place with maybe at least 800 sq ft. As is this person needs less stuff or furniture on a smaller scale.

The bedroom was adorable, and is my favorite room, but I agree with the other posters about the living being overstuffed. It is still a very nice room...just a little too much furnitue. Still gets a cool vote though.

Loved the walkway and bedroom.

You have some nice accessories, but you have waaaaay too much furniture in the living room. Get rid of that matchy-matchy oversized sofa/loveseat/chair and bring in some smaller pieces.

Fun bedroom. You can't go wrong with a monkey and a ukulele.

That livingroom is crammed! and then the wall is empty.

Bedroom: good.
Monkey: good
ukulele: good
cat outside bedroom window: good
Living room: not so good.

Pitch the two chairs and the coffee table.
Keep the loveseat. Find a smaller coffee table.
You're set.

Remember, you get to live in Monterey. Wow.

Weasel Dearest is Mr. Dangerous

phadreus....bitter much?

Rick, you're off to a good start. You're developing a style and have preferences. You also have things you really enjoy, such as the board games.

Sometimes you have to alter the "traditional" uses of a room and ditch the usual furnishings to make up for your interests.

For instance, you'd never think twice about using a spare bedroom as a home office. Or a crafts room. Or a place to store all the stuff you can't store elsewhere.

But people often block that out of their minds when it comes to a "living room". And we have sofas and chairs and ottomans and coffee tables shoved in our faces, and we are told THAT is what belongs in a living room.

But is it?

If you want a great set-up for board games, then set it up for board games.

Idea one:
http://www.bhg.com/app/decoratinggallery/item.jsp?itemid=/templatedata/bhg/dg-room/data/DR_conversationfriendlydining_12102003.xml

Idea two:
http://www.bhg.com/app/decoratinggallery/item.jsp?itemid=/templatedata/bhg/dg-room/data/DR_SimpleDesign_04012005.xml

Idea three:
http://www.bhg.com/app/decoratinggallery/item.jsp?itemid=/templatedata/bhg/dg-room/data/1168613335173.xml

And use something like one of these:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/good-questions/good-questions-convertible-coffee-dining-tables-025053
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/at-email/at-email-best-adjustable-coffee-tables-2008-047433

It will drop down when not game night, and the chairs can be scattered as needed. Bonus, you can also have many people over for dinner and seat them.

While they don't have to be dining chairs, I would HIGHLY recommend ARMLESS chairs. And they don't have to match. You can do it all over time.

You KNOW what you like to do in your living room. You know how many people you want to seat at any one time, and for the people that are not there 24/7, you can use folding chairs. You can use a bench that could be kept at the foot of your bed the rest of the time.

Because if you aren't seating 6 people all the time, why have seating for 6 people...all the time?

I also enjoyed your bedroom decor but was not a big fan of the crowded look of the livingroom.

I don't know what the Doodles thing is. Can you explain?

And since you said you were going to alter the look of the living room, and you stated some of your fav places to browse and shop, I thought I would add in a few ideas for the living room here.

Those chairs that are armless, but could also be lined up like a modular sofa, those might work. You'd want to be sure that they are squares, so there is no gap in the front or back if one end is narrower than the other when/if you pushed them together.

At Target.com, there is this Nora chair that might work, look in the Living Room: Armless chairs section. Several colors.

Looks comfy. A pair on one side and a pair on the other would seat four. The side that one would pass by on the way in through the front door could have somewhat different and more open chairs. There's one at Target called Velvet Chair.

Another option is this one at Overstock for the main comfy chairs:
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Cole-Dark-Brown-Leather-Chair/2502533/product.html

I got a kick out of this Argyle chair:
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/New-Argyle-Occasional-Chair/2038865/product.html

A pattern that has NOT been overdone (yet). These aren't very expensive and you can spend as much as you want.

But they will instantly give you more room, because of the lack of arms. Look at how much space that one chair takes up with JUST it's arms in your living room.

Plus, it's fun to have rearrangeable items. You could make a four-seater sofa out of the modular style and the pair of chairs together for an L-shape.

Multiple styles available in those chairs too. It would totally open up the living area and would give you more room.

Um, this IS the contest right, and not a "Good Question"?

Why, TRUE BLUE, do you assume Rick is interested in makeover tips? My guess is Rick is proud enough, and satisfied enough, with this apartment since he entered it in the contest...

Why, patrick (the other one), do you ask a question without reading the text posted BY the entrant...

"What is your one favorite element in your small, cool home?

Has to be the Doodles Destinations Landmarks, I just purchased. You'll see them in some of the pics I've submitted. I'm going to altar the whole look of the living room, because of them."

I DID ask what the "Doodles" thing was, because I do not know.

And many of the people had suggested that the living area was too crowded. So, if he's planning on redoing something in there, I thought this would be a good time and place to offer ideas/suggestions.

Haven't a lot of people offered ideas and suggestions in just about every single thread for each entry?

I don't see you harping on Weasel Dearest for saying"
"Living room: not so good.

Pitch the two chairs and the coffee table.
Keep the loveseat. Find a smaller coffee table.
You're set."

Or at bepsf for saying:
"but you have waaaaay too much furniture in the living room. Get rid of that matchy-matchy oversized sofa/loveseat/chair and bring in some smaller pieces."

I not only agreed, but did the work of providing links.

Glancing at your profile, sir, leaves no doubt as to why you are here.

My question to you was not about the Doodles at all. Your Doodles question was fine.

My comment to you was about your extensive item-by-item "helpful hints" which, since this is a contest, I'm not sure is the point of the post.

"Glancing at my profile, sir, leaves no doubt as to why you are here." Pray, tell.

And if you had been a member longer than just this March, you would indeed see that yes, I have "harped" on Weasel and bepsf in the past.

And at least Weasel and bepsf are usually fairly succinct.

a

There is just a lot going on.

Feels like there's something missing.

I like this place. It's got personality. I'm kinda tired of cold, stark, & modern.