apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

"Keep Calm and Carry On".... we never see that around here!

very cool but not all that small :)

I like the industrial & vintage feel of the space. Definitely inspiring. Upon closer look, I see you have a small liking to branches, as do I. I might steel your hanging branch idea...I also noted you have an '8' bag from the reiter8 etsy shop, which I have been contemplating the '8' pillow..overall, I like seeing the ideas I had in mind already implemented somewhere else. good job. nice space.

Very cute, I love all the character you've added to it.

Oooo i like it. I want to see more.

Wow! I am impressed- all that color!

In all honesty, your place probably won't win due to the comparatively large size, but you should DEFINITELY enter the fall color contest. You would totally kick butt there.

I am in LOVE with the pink sofa with the blue accent pieces! Plus I'm very jealous of your brick walls. Impressive, though I do have to agree with earlier comments about it not really being a small space. Compared to some of the other entries, you could get lost in this apartment.

What is up with the "Keep Calm" hate? You could say the same thing about twee bird prints or Moroccan tile rugs. Is that honestly the first (and only) thing you have to say about this space? I find that a bit rude.

What a happy looking home! I love it!

when you realize your tufted sofa has disappeared... it's me that stole it. I think I'm in love.

Small is relative I guess. It's smaller by half than the us average ( of 2340sf in 2002) for single family dwellings. It's the size of my space and I think my place is pretty small.

I like this place- the branches- the color. It's very nice.

I could live in that Kitchen the rest of my life, what an awesome space.

your place is gorgeous, both the bones and the decor. amazing!

many, many, many thumbs up!!

I wish they would put the metric size up as well. I have no idea how big 1150 feet is.

That pink couch... I want it! It just makes such a statement in that photo! I love the color play with the pink couch and the turquoise painted table, lamp and pillow. It really pops! I am very envious that you live a place with such history. Such a find! I also would keep the floors with the original wear in them. Dreamy!

The turquoise really adds life -- love t hat!

I still like the Keep Calm posters.
This place is great! I love all of the pops of bright colors everywhere.

On the subject of the Keep Calm poster, here's a new spin on it:
http://www.20x200.com/art/2009/04/get-excited-and-make-things.html

The turquoise gives such life to this place -- I love it!

love your place! wish you could decorate our house for us!

I like this even better than my apartment, and I have a Playstation.

Seriously though, I do have a Playstation, and it works for me... BUT, your lack of Playstation may just be what has inspired such lush creativity and unabashed colorful decor.

I like it.

My apartment went the route of Twix wrappers on the floor instead of 'traditional design' accents.

Good work.

I love your cat's name :-)

Thumbs up for me! Very nice and unique (with the exception of the Keep Calm poster).

This is about the size of my apartment and I don't feel like I am living in a mansion by any means. I think 1150 is still considered "small" by most people's standards.

Littleinkpot- 1150 sq feet = 107 sq meters

Nice spot. I am jealous. Great light, lots of color.

Also, as someone with a can named Albert Maximus Tuffington III, I appreciate the company you keep.

You know, i haven't posted my place in part because i have a keep calm, and I don't want to deal with the comments. People are catty. And I find it so incredible ironic how unoriginal it has now become to harp on others for "being unoriginal". You just KNOW that people will bring it up.
I guess I should go around my place throwing out everything that has gotten too popular . . . I'm only allowed to like things if it is still considered cool. My mistake.

Oh man, I love this. And I think this might be the first one of the Division 3 spaces I've voted for (mostly because I feel the additional creative challenge of working with a space one third the size of this is what the Small Cool is really about) but I'm really liking this.

I'm sad at the Keep Calm snark-- I intend to keep mine because I still find it as happy-making as I did the first time I saw one. The only thing I do find overly trendy here are the kind of naive thrift store paintings that have swarmed all over the place in the last few years.

Oh, and agree about the colour, too.

I really, really like what you've done with the place. So much color and quirkiness (without getting too precious). I have to agree that the apartment itself seems huge (especially when compared to others in the contest so far); I really envy your high ceilings and beautiful light.

Why is everyone ragging on the Keep Calm poster?... Did you get dumped by someone with that poster or something?

I believe the focus is the spacial use and color (which is magnificent) - not messaging imbued in decor...

Sounds to me like some people have too much 'too cool for school' in them round these parts.

It's huge. (I usually reserve that comment for my dates.) It's very colorful but I object to the fact that Prof. Horace McGillicuddy III is way in the background. He belongs in the front of the picture.

Cats should always be front and center.

uh, BTW, I don't think you'll win either. People with small ones are always JEALOUS of people with big ones. All those people with feelings of inadequacy won't vote for you.

But the fall color suggestion is a good idea!

hope you win! good stuff

Um, it's not jealousy, FilthyMcNasty. It's the point of the contest to ingeniously utilize small spaces to make them functional as well as beautiful. If you have a ton of space, the issue becomes mute.

This space is drop-dead gorgeous, but there's not much need for the kind of creativity needed for, say, an apartment of 300 square feet to make it functional for everyday life.

@erkelbot- I LOL'd at your comment about getting dumped by someone with a Keep Calm poster.

very cool place, bet you have had some great times here with friends and loved ones, and your awesome cat

azaleasmoke, I completely agree. I haven't submitted my place for similar reasons. I just don't need to hear about why I shouldn't win because some readers don't consider it small enough to win although it is slightly smaller than this space.

FilthyMcNasty, I agree there is some degree of jealousy in many of the comments.

FilthyMcNasty, I forgot to mention your last comment just cracked me up.

Ditto on the Keep calm thread, some of us actually love it and bought it long before it was the rage because we liked and needed the message for our sanity. I'm sure I will acquire more in the future that others will enjoy as well and will become popular. I have to say it's sooo weird that folks keep harping on it.

I wish I had those exposed brick walls. Nice space!

L-O-V-E the turquoise table in the living room!

And, for everyone hung up on size (heh), I'm pretty sure that's why there are categories this year.

"This year we're organizing the entries by size, instead of geographic region. With our bracket system, this change allows the smallest homes to compete against homes of a similar size initially - and we've opened our submissions up to include homes that are up to 1,200 square feet. While 1,200 square feet is considered large for a New York City apartment, it is considered small in much of the United States. Because our readership has grown so much over the past year, we wanted to open the contest to all small homes across the country! "

To all those who say this place is huge, and therefore not challenging enough for entry:

There are 2 beings living here - and I'm sure the professor needs his space too. Though it is 1150 sq. ft, space can easily, and distastefully get lost when you over-design and poorly plan out your decor. Good design creates the illusion of space, and makes spaces themselves more livable.

Though it is bigger than some murky basements in the dregs of Manhattan, it is very well designed. Can you use space more effectively? Sure. Can you design more eloquently and respectfully for the 'small space' category? Dubious.

I think it's FAB but I don't have a teeny-tiny one so I'm not JEALOUS!

Best of luck in the contest!

Fantastic apartment!!

Where did all the comments go?

OK, the comments are back. It said 0 comments after several refreshes and I knew there were many....just checking back because I love this home.

i'll trade you 900 sq ft of my space for just your kitchen :)

Absolutely love the kitchen. The exposed bricks and high ceilings are to die for. Yes, I am jealous but not because of the size thing.

You know what's MUCH more predictable than the Keep Calm posters? People flaming the owners for them.

There are lots of cliches on AT, but you can't guarantee that two of the first ten posts will say "urgh, god, the Barcelona chair. Boak!"

Get over it. Or Spaz Out And Run Away.

"keep calm and carry on"
you know what?
that's a dang good message to read every day.
i would buy one for all my friends.

in fact i put one up in my husband's office because his work can be very stressful and it's a great reminder.

if something is good, it might become popular.

the eames chair. found in every elementary school and university classroom. its great. it's way more comfortable than those wooden ones that your butt sticks out of.

nobody complains about the eames chair, so shut it about the poster.


PS. love this apartment. very cool.

What a kaleidoscope of color.

I love it.

*swoon* I love this house. The colors are amazing!

I'd pick this one to win if it wasn't so darn big. There has to be some other contest you could enter to win.

color color color
love love love :)

harbourbridge, i was going to say the same thing about the 'keep calm' snark. :)

So cool, very impressed

wow, this is easily my favorite so far. i love all of the colors.

love it

looks like a happy home

(i'll overlook the keep calm poster just this once)

BROVO! I love everything, but most of all the art.

I can understand rac1234's comment about the "Keep Calm" poster, since it's in the first photo and it almost immediately catches your eye; which is a little disappointing since Matthew, Chloe and Prof. McGillicuddy have some incredible taste in artwork (and decor) and I wish that was a bit more of a focal point (esp. for the first photo).

They've done a really great job bringing together an array of colors w/o making you feel overwhelmed. And while they have great bones to work with, they've managed to work with it and create a fun, yet inviting space. I really like it.

And azaleasmoke and dmstudio, I think you should enter your space(s), I don't think the comments are very snarky, I've seen a lot more positive comments than negative ones. And yes, erkelbot, sometimes, I think I'm a little "too cool for school" and will turn my nose at a home full of MCM furniture and the poster trend of the month :)

But negative comments should be welcomed, as long as they're constructive!!!

Thanks for the encouragement sarrazak. Still I think I'll hold off on entering my place for another contest. I entered the fall colors 2 years ago and there was a house tour done after that on the SF thread so I think it might be a bit too soon to enter it again since relatively little has changed.

It is tough to put yourself out there for criticism, I know because I've been there and came out relatively unscathed but the stress is still there if you are a more private person as I am.

Anyhow, i'm still loving this apt., keep calm poster and all.

I like all the happy colors and how you papered the bottom portion of the dining walls.

there's so mant things I love about your place..

the only little, tiny bit of constructive criticism I have: the dining room; the rug in the dining room is too small. A larger rug, a larger lighting fixture that is lower, some of the furniture pieces taken out & more art added in the dining room (bringing the eye up.. making the high ceilings & the cool artwork the focal point) & maybe the wallpaper in the dining room taken out (if it makes the whole space too busy with added artwork).. a change that would make the dining room seem bigger.

I could go on & on about all the things I love: the colors, the high ceilings, the brick, the floorplan, your taste in art.. so much to love.. and the poster.. love that too. :)

Wow, I really love this bright, colorful space. I am doing my own sort of living room cure, and I just printed out your living room pic for my inspiration file.

I LOVE that blue gray color for your walls. Do you know which company/color it is? Also seriously digging the idea of a brightly painted landing strip table. Now I'm going to keep an eye on craigslist for a similar piece to paint brightly like that!

Seconding CupcakeZombie's comment. McGillicuddy... hahaha

Love the colors here. You're so lucky to have the bare brick walls.

Bedroom looks airy and relaxing - and I LUV the cat in the window! ;-D

sorry I missed the chance to vote for this. I am a happpy hodge podger myself, can imagine enjoying living in this.

That couch is lush.

Love your apartment!!!
After seeing your apartment I look at my own and want to re-vamp the whole thing! Very inspiring!!

OMG, this is sweet. I love the color!

good luck!

isn't the anticipation driving you nuts?

Nice space, but think you overdid it with the Krylon home decor tips.

i can not believe you beat william & william. congrats on the photoshop color enhancement. i'm glad you have lots of friends and family that will vote for you. keep calm. carry on.

I definitely enjoy the color and creativity in this space. Unlike the other spaces, yours displays a sort of universal personality that I feel like everyone can relate to in some way.

'keep calm. carry on.'

linus22, I might extend that very advice to you.

I can see linus22 pacing his apartment now, angrily regretting not taking those photoshop classes he thought he didn't need...

Well linus22, it's unfortunate you came all this way only to hear the design community disagree with your opinion. It's got a bite to it, yes? Enjoy that.

Beautiful place, but it's huge. Better suited for the color competition. Good luck, though!

small and cool? this is humongous, this looks my place look small. but definitely cool. this is a great and colorful place you got, i love the painted brick.

linus22, why the hostility? there's no reason for that! i'm not a friend or family but I voted this apartment all the way through!!

I'm sad this place didn't make it to the end, because I adore it. It's just packed full of personality and color, but it all works and doesn't look like a circus tent. It's clean and ordered while still being so fun and colorful. Love all the unique pieces.

Even though you didn't win, you have an amazing place! Congrats :)

Great place! Good luck :)

This one was the winner in my mind. LOVE it!

Happy to see that you took the risk of going vertical!

Congratulations on your win!

i love this one so much, where did you get your rug, bedside table, lamps, and mirrors? i understand if you don't answer, i just want to know.

Most of our furniture and art are from Goodwill and Salvation Army. Bridgeport is located in one of the wealthiest counties in the country and ironically (and unfortunately) is one of the poorest in the state as well. The thrift stores in the area (and there are a ton) are strewn with great finds. My mom is an avid “junker” and she keeps an eye out for the Dutch Modern furniture Matthew and I like. Our rug is from Le Target. Bought for 50 bucks on sale. Like I said, a lot of the art is second hand, but some is from Etsy (particularly Betsy Walton) and my husband is a wonderful painter. The ceiling height affords us the opportunity to litter the walls with all the art we can get our hands on.

We LOVE our “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster. It greets us happily everyday when we arrive home from a long, hard day of work.

Thank you for all your comments and votes (and not votes if you preferred someone else’s apartment).
We had a great time with the submission.