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Small Cool 2009: Gingerpop's Bargain Hunt
Tiny Division #30

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Who Lives There: Gingerpop and Kinsey kitten
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Size: 425 square feet

What is your one favorite element in your small, cool home? My couch is my most recent addition, and I'm absolutely in love with it. After suffering through a year and a half of stiff, boring IKEA "couch-dom", I finally have a beautiful 1940's settee. It was a find, a bargain, and a very welcome addition to my apartment.

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What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your small home?
Working on a college student's budget, I had to learn to pace myself. I really built my apartment. I hunted for bargains, and saved for pieces I really wanted. In doing so I learned to be resourceful, and sort of hunt off the beaten path for finds.


Give Gingerpop a THUMBS UP if you think this home belongs in the finals!
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Do you have a Small Cool Home? Enter Here by April 13th!

Comments (24)

you really did a great job for being on such a tight budget! your bedroom is making me want to snuggle in...so tranquil and calm! did you paint the walls yourself? if so, can you tell me what color you used? i really love it!

posted by shminta on April 13th 2009 at 11:50am
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Great job on a tight budget for sure! Bedroom looks so lush and inviting!

posted by boston brit on April 13th 2009 at 12:00pm
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I love your sofa and it fits that spot beautifully.

posted by Matilde on April 13th 2009 at 12:02pm
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Your bedroom is beautiful! Thumbs up for working with a tight budget!

posted by letteretcher on April 13th 2009 at 12:29pm
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Lovely. I love budget places featured.

posted by jessimarie33 on April 13th 2009 at 1:11pm
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Is that a Malm dressing table? I WANT ONE. Grr. I've been waiting forever one to come up on Craigslist, but they disappear so fast...it's nice to see one "in the wild" ;)

posted by bfootnovellista on April 13th 2009 at 1:16pm
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Love the bedroom!!!!

posted by rhianna on April 13th 2009 at 1:35pm
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Nice desk nook!

posted by ThatGrrl on April 13th 2009 at 1:45pm
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your bedroom looks so peaceful and cozy. well done!

posted by amazonikon on April 13th 2009 at 2:33pm
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This apartment is the epitome of perfection.

posted by fijilove on April 13th 2009 at 2:35pm
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Excellent job on decorating with a tight budget! Your bedroom is gorgeous!

posted by suzy8track on April 13th 2009 at 4:05pm
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I much prefer the budget homes to the really expensive ones. It takes so much more creativity to put together a beautiful home with little money. Good job!

posted by BambiJo on April 13th 2009 at 4:05pm
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i love the white on white on white on white with a little splash of color.. so chic!

i'm a college student as well, and am now fully inspired to create a more sophisticated and glamorous space..

posted by la petite femme on April 13th 2009 at 4:43pm
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The couch is great! I love it... Very understated and elegant. Good job!

posted by teapotrose on April 13th 2009 at 5:24pm
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Where did you get the framed art in your kitchen? I love the yellow design.

posted by Orquidea on April 13th 2009 at 5:40pm
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Indeed nicely done however I'd want larger swaths of color than the varying shades of white. Don't get me wrong, crisp bright whites w/ bold colors would work just as nice here as the more or less monochrome color scheme you have going on.

Lovw how you made the place seem cohesive and comfortable on such a tight budget.

Is the white plastic coated wire chair a place holder chair until something a little better comes along? Otherwise it's a out of place IMO.

posted by ciddyguy on April 13th 2009 at 5:41pm
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Thanks for all the nice compliments!

shminta: The gray color is called "Secret Passage" from Lowes' Valspar brand. The beige is a color from Farrow & Ball called "Elephant's Breath No. 229".

bfootnovellista: Yep, it's a MALM dressing table...I couldn't part with at least some classy Ikea paraphernalia :) I actually got it in the "As Is" department for way cheaper...and, there's nothing wrong with it! Good luck!

Thanks again guys! It really means a lot :)

posted by gingerpop on April 13th 2009 at 5:43pm
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Orquidea: The yellow print is actually decorative paper from Paper Source, put into a wooden frame.

ciddyguy: Isn't that table hideous? I actually just got a nice charcoal gray ottoman to replace it! Bummer that I can't repost pictures. As for the chair, I've been scavenging Craigslist for months, looking for something applicable to replace it with! The colors aren't actually white...I've got a terrible camera that's not doing anything justice. The living room has a cool gray on the side walls, with a warm beige on the wall with the windows (it's also the color in the kitchen and the gray is in the bedroom), although it's all been washed out.

posted by gingerpop on April 13th 2009 at 5:48pm
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That settee is lovely. Good luck in the contest.

posted by Hydra on April 13th 2009 at 11:17pm
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You've done an amazing job on a small budget. It's a very disciplined space.

I agree with jessiemarie33, I am much more interested in the budget places. Anyone can make their apartment look ravishing by writing a decorator a cheque for $500,000 and telling them to knock themselves out.

posted by harbourbridge on April 14th 2009 at 1:09am
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I love your bedroom. It's so serene.

Beautiful.

posted by thebear on April 14th 2009 at 11:55am
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Wow. This is stunning. Great job!
I hope you make it through the competition! Real life apartments aere so much better than designer apartments.
Nice :)

posted by poolside on April 14th 2009 at 1:41pm
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I just love the soft, white bedroom and the tiny office area! You did a great job creating a lovely home!

posted by EmmaMiles on April 15th 2009 at 8:02am
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I am absolutely in love with that settee, do you have a blog where I can see the fabric up close?

posted by dana_c_83 on November 23rd 2009 at 8:29pm
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