That Other Smallest Coolest contest

I have been keeping up with the highest scores (the finalists), and the occupations of the entrants are interior designers or architects. Their apartments are not the average person's apartment.

I hope when the judges look at the viewer-selected finalists and read the comments that they will finally accept that there should be two contests. One for the professionals and one for the rest of us non-designers. How unfair having the typical American compete with New York interior designers on who has the coolest apartment?

This year, at least three of entries have already been featured on television, in the New York Times, or in another shelter magazine. I'm just saying.

Now onto my favorites and the finalists I would pick for the non-professional contest.

My renter does not work in the interior design industry


Laura’s Fresh Start Santa Monica Studio Semi-Finalist! 2nd Place Winner!!
Lee’s Small Smart Space


Eric and Lauren's Reborn Bungalow Semi-Finalist!
Anderson's Love Eat Party (seen at top) Semi-Finalist!


Becky and Chris's Nice To Come Home To Semi-Finalist!
Randi's Post Loft Sophistication


Delight's Cozy Nest for Three Semi-Finalist!

Smallest, Coolest Apartment!

I almost forgot!

When I started this blog last year some of my first posts were about the Smallest Coolest Apartment contest at Apartment Therapy. Though I've been checking in everyday and voting I forgot to mention it here. Right now they are still in the first part of the contest. Each AT location; New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angelos (why no cities in the Midwest or the South?) show forty entries.

This year the contest is a bit of a mess because it looks like two completely different contests. First there is this contest:

My owner works in the interior design/architecture industry.

1) There are the entries that look like the pages of Dwell, but only the homes that are all angles, up lights, with minimal furniture that looks like it would hurt. They are clean, sterile in design, white in color, and show few personal items.

Victor & Soeun's Romantic Loft Semi-Finalist * Kelly & Gregory's - Lil' Italy * Jawrite's Light Box

2) These entries look too "done". They are full of trendy furniture and the IN electrical gadgets. They may even have important furniture with names like Eames, Bertoia, Eileen Gray, etc. Now before you say anything, I love these pieces and they are classics for a good reason. However, in these cases, they jump out at you from the room giving the impression that they are there only because they have "names" or because the Jones' already have them. Even though they may showcase artwork, use luxurious fabrics, and have vibrant color, these do not feel like real homes.

Lex & Lynn's Modern Haven * Michael and Mindy's Urban Modern Semi-Finalist * Giuseppe's Fantastic Illusion * Sarah's Modern Glam Palace

3) Then, there are the small few that were able to take those ideas above and combine them with personality, wit, and comfort. These are sophisticated and beautiful places where you can still have fun.

#12 Manuel's Houston Cottage (seen above) * Marlene & Todd's Love Nest * Aad's Homage to His Old Dwelling


Next post: That other contest.

Apartment 2007, Not Ready for Primetime

Apartment 2003

I have not finished the changes on my place. I think I'll take it easy until the second week of May when the semester is over. However, I want to show something, so here are pictures of my last apartment in Arlington.

I loved this apartment. It was huge, the other half of this room was the dining room. I had a fair size bedroom but best of all...I had 4 closets; 1 entry hall closet, 1 linen closet, 1 hallway closet, and one bedroom closet, all the same size.

So. Much. Storage.

The light was incredible too. The living room/dining room had four windows, the bedroom had two. Both the kitchen and bathroom had windows. Except for the bedroom window and a privacy shade in the bathroom, I rarely used the blinds. My apartment was on the third floor of my building and all the other buildings only had two stories.



Here are my bedside cabinet and coffee table right after I refinished them. I was so proud of the job.

What am I so afraid of?

After a year of SHELTER I am now on the brink of really making a difference in my apartment.

Why has it taken me this long? I really don't know.

What has held me back?

• not enough motivation?
• minimal outside encouragement?
• couldn't commit to spending the money?
• couldn't make up my mind?

Perhaps it was a fear that I would no longer have excuses for why I don't entertain?

Perhaps "decorate it and they will come" actually won't happen? It will be me in a prettier room.

Perhaps when this is finally "done" I will have to figure out who I want to be when I "grow up?"

Stay tuned...

Curvy Colorful Lamps

Montgomery Ward Asian Gourd Lamp $150 NO


Pottery Barn Alexis $139 NO


Garnet Hill Whitney $128 NO

For the past year I have been really attracted to these types of curvy lamps, both the gourd and teardrop shape. However, everywhere I look they are so expensive OR not exactly what I'm looking for. The one that I should have bought, well, I waited too long and lost out. I am SO regretting that now.


JCPenney Colette $69 (in Red and White only)


LampsPlus Ginger Jar $70

Lighting by Gregory $62

Target Crackle Glaze $60

A Touch of Blue

The bedroom has been painted!!!!

I thought it would never happened. I kept postponing over and over. My father came up this weekend on the train and we attempted to finish as many of my unfinished home projects as we could. However only the room was actually completed.


But......

• I did make a pilot hole where I was going to put up the kitchen divider. We found out that my drill and a metal screw could not penetrate the wall. I will have to make a few more holes to determine if I can install the hardware there.

• I have all of the materials for the wall shelves, 14 beautiful pieces of 1" x 8" x 24" birch that has to be sanded and sealed. These shelves will flank the living room's French doors and eliminate the need for at least one of the IKEA ROBIN bookshelves. I still love the bookshelves but I need something taller in order to draw the eye higher up the wall and take advantage of my near-13 ft ceilings. Therefore I have 28(!) brackets to attach first.

• My father also helped me with my picture mounting. Since he is taller, he hung one piece high on each wall. This way, I can plan my picture arrangement and not have to guess which picture to anchor the others around. So now I can say that my Swingers movie poster is no longer leaning against the wall atop my buffet but is now hanging two thirds up the wall and really helps in visually pulling down the ceiling.

**Pictures are coming, computer is temporarily in the living room and pictures have not been downloaded.

Great crafty books for the do-it-yourselfer

Decorating Easy: Create a Simple, Comfortable Home with Pure Style - Jane Cumberbatch
Romantic Home Sewing: Cottage-Style Projects to Stitch for the Home - Christina Strutt
Simple Sewing with a French Twist: An Illustrated Guide to Sewing Clothes and Home Accessories with Style - Celine Dupuy
Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing: Patterns and How-To for 24 Fresh and Easy Projects - Lotta Jansdotter
Creating Vintage Style: Stylish Ideas & Step-by-step Projects - Lucinda Ganderton

Book covers link to Booksamillion.com where you can compare prices and get the best deals.

Book titles link to Amazon.com

Author names link to their personal sites, except for Lucinda Ganderton. I could not find any additional information.

My new rugs!

They arrived today from Crate & Barrel.

If I could, I would.

65" Lenox $849 Room & Board

69" Camden $899 Crate & Barrel

74" Vandyke $849 Eurway






73" Bantam $1,400 DWR
(In my dreams.)

Mourning for the Lamont rug

Lamont rug, $10-$125

When looking for a living room rug, I looked at possible contenders.

One, the Lamont from Crate & Barrel has been around for as long as I can remember. A good 100% cotton rug that would be produced each season in the colors of their new home accessories collection.

Don't you remember? They would come out with new cutting boards, mixing bowls, table cloths, napkins and utensils in shades of currant, boysenberry, quince, and kiwi (or whatever colors were hot that season.) The Lamont would be produced in each of these colors and they would usually produce another rug that included all of the colors, similar to this one.

Monaco rug, $20-$200

For some reason Crate & Barrel is discontinuing the Lamont rug. Why, I have no idea. It has been their most accessible rug, a 5'x7' was only $60 and a 8'x10' could be bought for $125 . Note: Through their Outlet, some colors are now available for much less.

A few days before I ordered the "Earth and Sky" rug in my last post, I ordered two 2'x3' rugs, the Lamont in yellow and one of the Monaco. I wanted to see if they might work in a larger size as my living room rug. Of course, they weren't what I really wanted so I eventually ordered the E&S one. However, I ordered them in the smaller size so that if they did not work out I could still keep them, one for my landing strip and the other for my bedside.