Den of hell The NY Times has a great article about condo lobbies and how developers are upping the ante with high-end art, soaring ceilings, and in once case, 26 foot long fireplaces (which one unimpressed observer likened to a "den of hell").

(Photo courtesy of Robert Caplan for the NY Times)

"Twenty-six feet of roaring flames run along one wall, a deconstructed fireplace whose orange embers dance behind a blue-hued sheet of glass. Enormous plasma television screens stare down from stark white walls. Geometric furniture sits surrounded by a bubbling moat that circumnavigates the space."

In terms of Seattle condo lobbies, I've been pretty impressed with Cristalla's lobby (subtle water feature, fire place and winding staircase), 1521's (nice, and artsy with Northwestern touches), and Mosler's (giant book shelves, tall ceiling, fire place).