azr2005's Profile

Cute loveseat--love the yellow. Would have preferred at least one photo of the kitchen, or of the bathroom, or even of the closet area (rather than 5 photos of the same one room). Also found it distracting that the desk chair suddenly changed from an ergonomic computer chair to an eames shell. That said, the light really is lovely.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I love receiving $200 host gifts. Thanks for the practical gift guide, AT! Just in time to send this link to all my friends before my holiday party next week.

What if the ropes were attached to the floor? I think that could help make it look cleaner, plus a little sturdier.

Levelor: it's pretty simple if you use the right type of proxy.

That said, I really doubt that most of the people here would go to such lengths. Besides a few of the more rabid commenters, the contest has seemed to be pretty friendly.

Also, I like how different the vibes of this year's division finalists are from last year's winners. Keeps things interesting.

My one suggestion: can we bring back to playoff system next year? I thought that was a lot more fun! And, for those who freely favorite many different apartments (and why shouldn't they?), it gives them an opportunity later on to really decide which apartments they'd prefer. Plus, just a month after March Madness, who isn't missing the fun of a bracket?

this isn't quite as bright, but might be worth looking at: http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=356387&CategoryID=35730&LinkType=#fn=sp%3D1%26spc%3D152

MANHATTAN NEST! I also didn't know just how small your place was. Happy to see the oriental rug is back in the living room. And it looks like you found a new top for that tulip-ish table (I promise I don't slavishly follow your site). Love it

Really like this, Sandy. I actually think the bedroom is my favorite part. Also, I think you're one of the few people who has figured out how to use empty frames on the wall in just the right way...and I really like that it's consistent from the dressing area to the bedroom. Only thing I don't love honestly is the leather bench in the dressing area--it seems just too dark and puffy to fit with everything else. Just curious--what is it like to have friends over? Do you just keep them in the kitchen area?

The bedroom, with the curtains functioning both to hide your clothes and create a sort of canopy around the bed, is genius. Incredibly beautiful and inviting.

Thanks again for the nice and helpful comments! To respond to some of the new questions and suggestions I saw:

@NYKate: What’s nice about the bookshelf is its depth (there’s space for two rows of books). In the cubes next to the head of the bed, I have books or files on the front side (living room side), but I left the backsides (bed side) empty for a “nightstand.” In one, there’s my reading lamp and space for my cell phone; in another, there’s space for books and papers; another holds a picture frame and has space for a glass or two.

@IvoryOrange: Luckily most of my schoolbooks are on the living room side of the bookshelf. I do have double rows of books in the cubes closer to the foot of the bed (one row facing out to the living room, the other towards the bed), but I tried to keep the cubes at the head of the bed free of “school stuff” on the bedside and instead open for a “nightstand space.”

@robertspeg: I completely agree with you about the art above the sofa. The next thing I do with this space will definitely be finding something else to put up there. Oh, and about switching the coffee table and tv stand, I actually need to be able to open the lid of the coffee table (it’s where I keep extra towels and linens).

@siska: Thanks for the suggestion about the sofa—I’ll definitely give it a try. I’m a little worried about centering the sofa on the wall because I’d either have to shift the rug over too (and I don’t want it too near the fridge and kitchen because of cooking messes), or I’d have to have the sofa half on/half off the rug. Maybe if I cheat it over, but not quite centered on the wall it’ll work. About the island, are you talking about the wall where the stools currently are, or the wall where the large photo print is?

@kmk355: You’re right, I hadn’t even noticed the drooping. The worst part of it: that actually was the most expensive curtain rod in my apartment. I’m anxious about a tension rod (I don’t want to put pressure on the bookshelf and encourage it to topple), but I totally agree that whatever new rod I get should run from the wall to the frame of the expedit (instead of on top). I think a simple barrel bracket would do it.

Thank you everyone for the comments! Just to answer the few questions I saw:

@wbruner: My bed frame has wheels that lock in place. To make the bed, I just roll the bed out of the nook, fix my sheets, and then push it back in and lock the wheels.

@religio: I store a few pairs of shoes, some clothes, my keyboard, and keyboard stand under my bed. The nook off of the living room was originally designed as a closet area, and it holds most of my clothes, shoes, laundry baskets, luggage, purses, bags, and misc. like candles/light bulbs/etc. Most of that is set behind those yellow curtains (there’s a hanging bar, and two rows of shelves with baskets to keep it tidy), and the rest is in the dresser and storage tower. I tried to make it feel like an extension of the living room, and when I have a lot of people are over, the trunk that I use as a coffee table/linen storage can be moved over into that doorway to serve as extra seating.

@pz: The curtains are actually just one inch back from the edge of the bookshelf and even with the end of the bed. I tuck the curtains back and to the sides of the bed during the day after I make my bed, and I just pull them forward to the foot of the bed at night to create an enclosed, cozy space.

@Allegra M: That’s not a bad idea at all. I had considered it when I first moved in—especially because I was considering the expedit with the tv space in the center—but I ended up wanting the tv in a spot where it could also be seen from the kitchen as I prepared food. Also, I’m one of those people who actually really likes a small sleeping space (I think of this as a slightly more adult version of a tent over my bed).