I know I sound like a broken record here, constantly soliciting for your votes, but I swear it’ll all be over soon. Because guess what, mothertruckers? We made it to the top of the Apartment Therapy Small Cool Contest semi-finals, and now it’s the FINAL ROUND. This is where the big money happens. And I need you to go vote.
We racked up over 1,400 votes in 12 days in the semi-finals, and I cannot thank you enough for clicking, signing in, signing up, and clicking that little “favorite” button. It means the world to me, really and truly. If you voted in the semi-finals, you need to go vote again in the final round. Need to.
There’s a lot of money at play here. Like, $5,000 a lot. And if you’ve been paying attention to this blog, you know I can make that money work. You won’t be sorry, because you get to watch it happen.
So GIVE ME ALL THE PRIZES. How will I ever feel validated without constant accolades and cash monies?! Think about it.
In case you’re new here, or you found your way here from Apartment Therapy, here’s the best reason I have for you to go vote for me: I fucking deserve it.
Check out this shit. I did that.
Oh what’s that now? I did that too. Oh yes I did.
Hallway sneak peek! Guess who did that? Me. I did. Wait until you see the other part, you’ll crap your pants.
I even renovated this side of my kitchen. Want to see the other side undergo some crazy amazing makeover magic that I have all the plans for and no money to make happen? Well, you can do something about that. Just go over to Apartment Therapy and vote.
Here’s how: If you have an account, hooray! You’re halfway there! Go you! Just click here and vote for “Daniel’s Amazing Bones.”
If you don’t have an account, don’t stress. Just click here and make an account. It take like 2 seconds and they won’t even send you any emails. Win-win.
SO GO VOTE. RIGHT NOW. IT’S GO TIME.
If you need more convincing, let Biggie inspire you.
Voted! And you were winning :-)
I really enjoy your blog but when I saw the finals up I said to myself, “Yo, you really need to look at the other entries and not vote for someone just because.”
And so I did.
And STILL liked your place the best!
May the design force be with you!
Voted, you’re winning by 60 votes. Now finish the Q & A’s from two weeks age ;)
I know, I haven’t forgotten about the Q & A! I have two more posts, they just take foreverrrrrr to write and I needed a break from feeling so completely self-indulgent. They’re coming!
just voted for you again….hope it’s the big one this time! Slainte…as we say in Ireland!
You really deserve this award because, not only do you love your adorable dog (I know, I know, nothing to do with home renovation, but…) but you have a great eye and a real talent for seeing the gold amongst the dross & I check your blog every frakking day to see what you’ve done next.. So, if you win, I think all of us voters deserve weekly posts. Because we know (vaguely) where you live!
Mo’ money –> mo’ content. Science!
Voted as soon as it opened up. I’m feeling all sorts of jittery. You absolutely need to win this thing. Glad my favorite Mekko is a-ok!
Love your blog, love your digs, love your dog. You got my vote. ;)
I voted as soon as I saw the comment in your previous entry mention voting was open. Although I could not endorse votes based purely on popularity – you fucking deserve it. AND, I want to see what you do to finish the kitchen and that takes money.
Voted! And I am officially baffled at how you can literally say, “GIVE ME ALL THE PRIZES” and have it not come off as obnoxious. You are skilled, indeed. :)
I signed up just so I could vote for you! No one is more deserving.
Even though I completely love your style, I decided to check out the other entries just to be sure that, if I weren’t already familiar with your apartment and style, I would still choose you. Guess what?! I would! So I voted for you wholeheartedly. Good luck!
Yes, all joking aside I really do want anyone who votes to vote for the entry that truly speaks most to them, regardless of my tacky pleas!
A no-brainer, I looked at all and stayed objective and STILL thought you were the very very best :)
You begged. Your cursed. I voted. You should win.
I’ve really held off joining Apartment Therapy because I hate how bitchy their commenters get (not even good, funny bitchy…just…ugh. mean.) buuuuut I do want to see what you can do with 5 Gs.
Perhaps Biggie also influenced me. And my sudden gangster-speak.
Make it rain.
pshh AT just needs more friendly commenters. You should join the comments-force and make it rain happiness.
But also, some of them kind of are funny bitchy.
You’re so kickass so I signed up (ew) and voted. I hope you win.
just voted for you, my fellow brooklynite. good luck!
Can’t wait to see what amazing shit you do with the moula! Good luck!
I really hope you win, your place makes the others look all meh.
haha thanks for the memories. I forgot how atrocious that hallway (and paint job were). Just so you know, I voted for you both times (and not because I’ve been a follower of your blog).
To be completely frank, some of the first round apartments might have earned my finals vote over yours, had they made it through (that would just be a personal taste thing though, I love unicorns and you don’t have nearly enough unicorn decor in your apartment) (just kidding, unicorns are stupid).
But of the four finalists, your apartment is hands down, by far my personal fave (and so much cooler than anywhere I’ve lived, despite my hardest efforts).
I’m glad you showed the before and afters here, so everyone coming over from AT can see the hard work you’ve done.
PS – Congrats on how far you’ve made it – don’t you get a new ipad or something? Also, if you win the big cashmoney, please incorporate at least one unicorn-inspired decor element into your space (no, don’t).
Yes, if I’m understanding correctly, I think we won a $500 Apple gift card for being in the finals (which is how much iPads cost, I guess?)!
I’ll keep my eye out for unicorns. Maybe a polite cross-stitched pillow? With a rainbow background?
Oh, hey!
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/fuo/2988696120.html
heh, heh, awesomeness!
also: congrats!
I don’t know if I can vote against chezerbey. They have a cute dog *and* a baby on the way. You guys need to step it up…
We can’t have babies because we don’t have a single uterus between us. Not even Mekko :-(
Lauren and Kyle have done incredible work on their house and I’ve been a big fan of theirs since the beginning, though. A little competition between friends never hurt nobody.
The chezerbey house is fabulous but I couldn’t vote for both of you. To me, your place is more what small/cool is about. Their house is actually over the size limit if you count the basement (which they didn’t)… not that I’m the AT police or anything… oh, why can’t everyone get a trophy?
FINALLY SOME HALLWAY ACTION! Man, those goddamn rectangles gave me nightmares. Voted because you deserve that shiz.
voted again. You deserve to win, inspiration that reaches as far as Bogotá-Colombia!!
I voted! Good luck, you totally deserve to win!
Man, that was one ugly apartment before you got a hold of it. Great job fixing it up and great style.
VOTED and YAY, you’re well in the lead, 777 to the next highest of 511! I can’t wait to see more projects and posts and inspiration :-)
i see a face in your abstract.
and i posted on the wrong post. i was trying to be abstract.
I stumbled over your blog while following links from Apartment Therapy a couple weeks ago. This weekend I inhaled a bunch of your past posts, and I’m amazed and the transformations you’ve made. I can’t wait to see what surprises you still have in store. Best wishes to all 3 of you!
(and yes, I voted for your entry in Small Cool!)
I mean, seriously. You made baseboards for your kitchen. Baseboards. Who else would care that much? I voted early and sadly, can’t vote often.
OMG Daniel, the apartment was hideous (shitty in my terms) but you made it look soooo good. And because of that you got my vote!. I want to see you werk it, lol. You got skillz.
Just read about Mekko. SO GLAD SHE IS OKAY! It makes my day when I see a Mekko update on instagram :). Voting again. I know what it’s like to be low on dosh and I’d really like to see you guys win! Your apartment is amazing. Much love xoxoxoxo
The video prompted me to action and I finally went to Apartment Therapy thinking I had to register to vote. Turns out, I already had an account. Lazy! But I got over that laziness long enough to vote for you because you do fucking deserve it (and $5k is real money). And to comment! Biggie and Daniel, fighting inertia together.
voted and excited to see you’re in the lead!
Sweet. You already get an iPad then! :-) Voted, and forced Mr E to vote. It’s so ace to see you get these acolades. Also, $5000 is surely better than a Homie award ;-)
Done and done. And you’re kicking ass! Here’s to a healthy Mekko and an even more awesome apartment…
Voted and now fingers crossed…I so want to see what you will do with the 5G’s!!
Voted! I should admit that I was looking at your entry a few days ago and thinking, “Wow this apartment looks familiar!” but I couldn’t figure out why. Until I saw the dog, obviously. :)
Voter number 1031 reporting for duty! Good Luck!
(The highest number of votes amongst your competition at this point is 614.)
Voted! And you are doing super well!
I voted for you! Because I love reading your blog and I want to see more content from you! I have no doubt that you got this!!!
1101! anything to keep this blog thriving! :)
you are soooo going to win! :D
I think what I like most about you, other than your marvelousness, is your place doesn’t look like every other place out there. You have your own aesthetic and it shows. WHEN you win it will be well deserved!
Voted! Fingers crossed you win!
Yay! you’re MILES ahead Daniel, 5000 smakaroonies comin’ your way. What’ll you do with it? (after you pay the vet bills of course :)
I read your post about Mekko and almost cried. I had a similar situation with my dog, however we stuck with the bad vet (he was recommended) and he misdiagnosed a tumor as arthritis. When we finally got a new vet, we had everything tested again and the new vet said not only was it was the worst radiograph she had ever seen, our dog had broken her leg where the tumor was because the tumor had eaten so much of the bone. Unfortunately it was too late for our dog.
Oh, I’m so sorry Amanda, what a horrible situation. My personal experience with my vet aside (or lack thereof, really), I’m sure I wouldn’t have made the leap to a different doctor if I hadn’t heard so many things from other sources. I know it’s so, so, so hard to avoid playing the “what-if?” game, though, even if you know logically that you were doing all the right things at the time. I’m just lucky that there was enough evidence to convince me to bail at the last minute, and even more lucky that it even made any difference in the end. I know it could have very easily gone a number of other ways, and has for many people. I’m so sorry about your puppy.
I voted cuz you say fuck a lot…and it’s funny. And yes, I too am always checking this goddamn blog for more updates on the kitchen etc, and if winning the money gets me more posts, then so be it.
Nice, tastefully done – you deserve all the plaudits
I voted and I can’t wait to see what you do with the 5 grand!
You’ve already got more votes than the guy who won last year. Just sayin’.
Amazing job! Seriously. And your captions just win me over.
You have my vote, sir!
Created an account and all just for you. I love your blog and your design sense and your crazy thrifting adventures. And I’m so glad the pup is OK.
I come to your blog faithfully since the beginning but have been too lazy to write. Well I wrote the first time I came here… ages ago! Just want to say that I’m always amazed with all your ideas and home improvements. I’m one of your looong list of fans and always vote for you! I’m glad dog dog dog dog is ok!
I totally voted for you. Why wouldn’t I? Your skills are brilliant. And your bed makeover gave me the strength to make an upholstered headboard for myself (a DIY Colette bed from C&B.) And love that every time I read your blog, I go into my ugly cry laugh because you are hilarious.
Daniel for the win!
I THINK YOU”RE GONNA WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I created an account just to vote for you. I know that you’ll win!!!
I totally voted for you. Good luck!
These before and afters are truly amazing. What you’ve done with this apartment is incredible.
I’ve definitely voted. Your place is so far superior to the others in the finals it’s not even funny.
Dude – done!
I discovered you through the Homie Awards when I voted for one of your competitors. So, although I know you were bummed you didn’t win, you gained a new reader(s) and a better chance for $$ for your awesome design and renovating skills when it really counts. A silver lining to your cloud.
Best of luck
PS – Mekko is a sweetie.
If you win (or should I say WHEN you win) maybe you’ll be able to afford a pot of paint to paint that baseboard in the kitchen ;)
I totally joined, just to vote for you. Because you really truely deserve it. You inspire me so much. Not to create a home like yours (which is ace) but to make, to make do, to get on with it, no excuses (in particular the “but i’m renting” excuse for not making my apartment a home).
Daniel: I think if you win, which you totally will, you should have a section where readers can give you their design problems like on AT and then you suggest things that help the space.
I just moved into my first apartment and I don’t know what to do with my hands and I voted for you. HELP
I (like many others) checked out the other entries, just to be totally sure that I should actually be voting for you and, as it turned out, I loved your place more than any of the others. So I registered my vote only to see that you’re storming ahead!
I believe that $5,000 will be yours, young man. I can’t wait to see what you do with it. You deserve it!
I voted for you and wanted you to win the Homies so you better win the small cool contest! The before and after pictures of your apartment says it all. Good luck!
You totally had me at “mothertruckers” so how could I NOT vote? Saw you’re well in the lead and that makes me happy!
I sooooo hope you win!! Your readers are dying to see you turn that money into transformations that are crazy good!!
Hi Daniel;
I voted. When you win you’re going to buy the Nelson sofa, right?
Have a wonderful day, and good luck!!!
Daniel, you sooo deserve to win! I already forced my partner to vote for you and my sister, too. Can’t wait to see what you are doing with the 5000 bucks…
I voted! Love your blog Daniel. You’re so awesome.
The voting is now closed and they said they are announcing it today. So exciting!! You must be flipping out! Hope you get all the prizes!!
Congratulations!! You deserve every penny.
I just looked over at the contest to see who was ahead and you won! Congrats to you, and to us because now we can see more of you DIY goodness (and Mekko).
Congratulations!!!!
YAY!!! Congrats Daniel. Awesome win(I sound like a prepubescent 80’s valley girl) I’m glad you’re getting the cash and with your skills you won’t have to spend the whole pile to make your apartment even more beautiful…..
congratulations daniel!
Congratulations! You so deserve this.
Well hot damn, Daniel, you and your self-promotion hustling did it! (I voted for you.) Lookin’ forward to seeing that AT prize moolah put to creative DIY use in your Brooklyn Nest. Congrats to you.
I’ve never been this proud of someone I don’t know but you truly have been an inspiration. Congratulations Daniel.
Congrats!!!!! Can’t wait to see what you do next (and more importantly, to see more photos of Mekko!)
CONGRATULATIONS, Daniel!!!!
I’ve been reading for a while but this is my first time commenting. Just wanted to say congrats on the small-cool win–you totally deserve it! Like many others have said, I don’t register for many things, but I got an AT account just to vote for you. Your blog and your home are such an inspiration. Can’t wait to see what you do with the loot money. :) Congrats again!
You fucking deserved it!!! CONGRATULATIONS
CONGRATULATIONS!!! I can’t wait to see what you do with your loot :)
I second Danyelle, I think all of us readers are super, duper proud of you, congratulations to you! A very deserved win.
I hope you are able to put a little of the money away in a cookie jar as emergency funds for Mekko – having dogs all my life, I unfortunatly have to say every time my dog(s) would get sick it was pretty much always unexpected, and always costly. They are of course worth it for how much joy they bring to our lives – but you are a daddy now and it never hurts to be a little prepared for the worst, as much as we don’t want to imagine it. I also want to say that your last post was incredibly touching and I think many dog owners could relate; there is nothing scarier than a sick doggie and nothing sadder than one no longer being a part of our lives.
Back on a lighter note, your home is beautiful and I am so excited to see about the hallway transformation! You really are a super-hero of apartment living.
Have a wonderful, celebratory weekend!
Congratulations Daniel! Can’t wait to see what this let’s you do next!!
i am so thrilled that you won, daniel!!! congratulations!!! it’s much deserved!
Congratulations on your WIN! Awesome work!
Congratulations! Can’t wait to see what you do with the place.
Wheeee! I feel like I won because you won!
You freaking won!!!! Yes!!
CONGRATZ ^^ You deserved it :D
The people have spoken :) Well done
winner winner chicken dinner. a lot of chicken dinners with $5k!!!
Yay!! Can’t wait to see what you do around the apt with all that renovation money!
Congratulations!!!!!
Daniel, do you know that you’ve won? Not a single victorious peep, so far? Come on, kid, we’re all happy for you and celebrating! Join us!
Congratulations Daniel! Well done and well deserved. Enjoy your winnings …!
Have a fantastic time with all that $$$$$ Now you can quit your job and write a book or something. YAY for us all.
YouHou ! You won ! Can’t wait to see what you’ll do with the $$$ ;-)
Congrats Daniel!! I’m so glad you won!! :)) You deserve it so much!! ^^
Woo hoo…you won…now get to the other side of that kitchen!!!
Woot! You won, my friend. All that crapload of registering to vote paid off. Congrats!!!
YOU WON YOU WON YOU WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh Daniel,
I’m so proud of you. Really pleased to be able to share your journey from afar.
Love as always from England!
Mrs E.
I see on the apartment therapy site that you’ve won! congratulations! I think my vote pushed you over the edge.
Well done.
I was just on AP and saw that you won! I got so excited for you! Congrats!
You WON! congratulations!
Hey rockstar, you won Small Cool. Congrats! I found your blog a while back and used your tutorial on hacking the Fjellse to make my own $1300-looking bed. Was pleased to find out you were the winner. Oh and I am so glad your dog is ok!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! WOOOOT!!
Congrats!!!
I voted for you based on that kitchen update alone, and then I saw the credenza at it was locked up. Construction and circular saw hacks in an under 600 space? Rock on. Dude you know how to hack.
congrats daniel. every day that you post on this blog is a day worth living. rock on. can’t wait to see what you do with the loot.
You WON!!!! WOOOO!!! Congratulations! How’s that for the sweet end to a super stressful week! WOW!
Yay! You totally deserved to win! Can’t wait to see what you do with all that loot!!
YAY!!!
Yay! Congrats! I can’t wait to read more postings from you (you promised!!) :) I agree with the commenter above about using the some of those bucks to tuck away for emergency Mekko fund. (Just to be on the safe side). From one proud doggie owner to another— congrats! *high five!*
Congrats!!!
Shit, bro, you won! Congrats!
On behalf of Daniel, I want to thank everyone for all the encouraging words and support. I know he will acknowledge this himself when he can but this is finals week for him so he needs to prioritize and deal with his education too. Believe me, he feels the love, and will write again when his exams are over.
Congrats on winning! Hope exams go well–if you can sit still and study–and then you have time for some more projects :-). Keep up the good work and phenomenal writing. You have a great blog and deserved to win.
Oh, yeah. Forget to let you know I voted (of course).
Wait. You won?! Holy shit that’s freaking fabulous! I’ve been working a new job *sobs* so I’m outta the loop. CONGRATS!
xoxo
where is you kitchen artwork from?
i also refurbished my house, did all the manual work possible being 5-8 months pregnant:)
congrats on beautiful apartment!
The two posters next to the window are from here!