Name: Chris, Master of Public Policy Candidate at Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Size: 390 square feet
Years lived in: 2 months, rented
As a busy grad student, Chris takes a no-nonsense approach to decor. His space is tiny at only 390 square feet, but feels much more spacious because of his take-no-prisoners approach to clutter and excess.
Because of his minimal style, Chris appreciates and is intentional about each item in his home. From the artwork throughout, to the small ladder used as a nightstand, to the fabulous DIY kitchen island, he's not afraid to showcase functionality while keeping a strong sense of personality in his home.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: A good home doesn't require a lot of space. It just needs a well-curated collection - as a Brooklyn friend put in - of whatever you like and need. For me, that's a home with a modest collection of books, plenty of cooking equipment, and space to both relax with and entertain small groups of friends.
Inspiration: European travel, the watercolors my Mom paints of fruit, Apartment Therapy's Small Space Solutions, and the Copenhagen rentals on airbnb.com.
Favorite Element: In the kitchen, the large basin of the presumably-original ceramic sink provides plenty of space for washing sheet pans as well as big pots and pans. This ceramic fixture extends beyond the basin to include a surface for drying dishes, up above the sink, which slopes toward the basin so that water drips into the sink. A dish rack fits nicely on this surface, without needing a tray to catch water. In the bathroom, the delicately small floor tiles and the vintage built-into-the-tile-wall ceramic soap and toothbrush holders feel comfortably classic.
Biggest Challenge: Storing a lot of cooking and baking equipment in a small kitchen with minimal cabinets and just one drawer. Thank goodness for my butcher block storage and a shelf above the sink to hold glasses and plates.
What Friends Say: Your garden apartment really has a garden, and the large window shows it off!
Biggest Embarrassment: Putting up with a leaky air conditioner for a week. Traditional window air conditioners take moisture from the air and drip it out the window, but these units hardly fit into the odd-shaped openings of my windows. So instead, I tried I using a free-standing, portable air conditioner, designed to evaporate water out a hose vented through the window. I think these units usually work fine. But mine was not functioning properly, and was leaking copious amounts of water onto my floor. Still, I tried to put up with it for a week, collecting the water in several ridiculous ways, before I finally replaced the unit.
Proudest DIY: I built my butcher block counter table to fit around a kitchen radiator in my last Chicago apartment, so originally the table didn't have its bottom shelf. Since this apartment doesn't have a radiator, my brother suggested adding a bottom shelf, which has been critical for storage in this small kitchen. The table's base, made of black steel pipes from a hardware store, holds the butcher block surface over two pine shelves, which were cut at local lumber yards and oiled to take away the raw look and ease cleaning.
Biggest Indulgence: Holding out for the right sofa on Craigslist. It didn't cost an incredible amount of money, but it took more time to find than I would care to admit. I also bought two vintage lamps: a desk lamp from Etsy and a floor lamp from Circa Modern.
Best Advice: Consider buying pre-made picture frames, but asking your local framing shop to mat, or at least mount, your art. This costs significantly less than custom framing, but still presents your art well.
Thanks, Chris!
Images: Smith Schwartz
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That apartment doesn't look 390 sq feet.
I would love to know where that white side table came from - any ideas?
Great job! Simple, clean, functional, and pleasant to look at. I admire your ability to keep the clutter away and still be comfortable.
Very clever use of storage and counter space!!
Hmmm... I may need to remeasure my 385 sq foot studio if this is really 390 sq feet.
Very nice! Stylish yet simple. I love the butchers block.
I totally love this! The pictures make it feel very comfortable and spacious, and I'm so impressed with your kitchen space.
Very nice job!
390 sqf and a dining table for six. I'm very impressed. (A couple of shots of the kitchen island would have been enough, though.)
This is charming. I like the bedroom how simple it is. For some reason it makes me think of a bed and breakfast, where I am somewhere on fuss free vacation :)
maybe we could have some more photos of the butcher block cart? ;)
I have a habit of reading comments before actually taking a look at the house tour and all I can say is that, sousa609- thinking of your comment made me laugh as I clicked through the first several pictures! Also, I would love to see a floor-plan because I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that this lovely little place is really under 400sf.
I don't know what you did to the place, but it appeared to be more than 390sqft. =) excellent!!
Why do you need so many espresso pots?
If you have people over for coffee it takes a darn long time to make espresso for a bunch of people with a 1-cup or 3-cup espresso pot :)I only have a six cup pot though, if I'm alone I drink half then and save half for later.. If we have company I make one pot per three people... (No one can make do with just one shot of espresso!)
A little Barkeeper's Friend on the pans and the expresso pot would work wonders.
@omoriala? I have (running to count) 10 coffee makers. Why? I just like them!
Why so many pics of the cart? Cus it's brilliant! It's like a little art installation in the middle of the place! I love it!
As for size, he may be doing actual room size and not counting the hall or bath? I think it's also the angles the pics were taken at.
Nice place!
Cute place, clean and simple. Seems bigger than it is and the butcher block / counter add-on is ingenious. I don't like the little step stool as a bedside table though, it looks like it is just laying around and not as if it belongs there permanently.
Chris has done a wonderful job at showing off his apartment. I should know I manage the community he lives in!!!
such a cute place. being a working professional and a student at myself, i marvel at how organized the place is.
also thanks to AT for not pushing a photo of Chris on the first page :-)
I like your 'style'..feels nice to look at! great job!
I wish we'd had just a few more pictures of the butcher-block island.
Lovely apartment.
I'd be interested in the measurements of what looks like 2 rooms. 390 sf is pretty small but this looks rather spacious.
It's fun to see my place on AT. Thanks for the comments and suggestions. Below are answers to some of the questions…
Here's the floor plan: http://www.wilsonwhitecompany.rentlinx.com/Unit.aspx?UnitID=14405
About the exterior door in the bedroom: it goes out to the back yard. It’s the apartment’s second entry point.
The white bookshelf is Ikea's BESTÅ: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40134050/
Chris
I love the watercolors and the kitchen island. Way to make such a fantastic home while juggling the MPP program at UM - my place didn't look nearly as stylish when I was in A2 doing the same.
loved the way your garden seems to "flow in" your living space. Those plants are to die for, splly that aloe vera. And that trolley rack-- v smart.Plus the kitchen flooring-- nice sense of space division.
That artwork above the sofa-- v nice, perhaps I'd have arranged it differently.perhaps.
Interesting croton in the bedroom- sculpture like.
Splendid work.
love this place, i feel like i need to go declutter my tiny student apartment and get more indoor plants now, right now.
Love the kitchen island!!
Can you come arrange my apartment?
I personally would put a few pillows or a throw on the couch, but that's just my taste.
Great job, and a great place!
This looks spacious because he is really using all of his space. The couch/coffee table area actually looks quite close to the dining table and chairs, but they feel like two different zones to me. Also, the cart is on the wood floor, not the kitchen floor and it seems to extend the kitchen space. Classic AT small space - nice. I love the fruit watercolors too.
If I walked into a gentleman's apartment and it looked like this, I'd swoon. Well done!
I do have two (very small) quibbles: first, the art over the dining room table looks like it's hung a bit too high.
Second -- and this is a tiny, tiny thing -- the orange daisies on the coffee table look like they were unwrapped from their grocery store packaging and plunked in a vase without being trimmed down. Definitely man flowers :)
Cute place, but one or two pictures of the island would be plenty. To me, all those pictures of the same thing indicate there's not really enough here for a tour.
i'm going to agree with the others. is it really 390sf, because it looks much larger?
also, source the shower curtain? I love it!
Wow this looks a lot nicer than my grad student apartment. Jealous of how sunny it is!
I spent two years prepping on that butcher block, and it really is as awesome as it looks. Chris, your place looks lovely! Love the new watercolors, but what happened to your old nightstands? I loved those!
After reading what Chris had to say about his cool sink set-up, I'm sad that there wasn't a good close-up shot of it in the photo gallery. Could've done with one less island shot, and one of this wonderful ceramic sink.
I really love your place, especially your kitchen. Is that a peachy color on the wall? Your plants are beauuuuutiful. :)
dizaammn... that's some high-stylin' livin' for a grad student! nice work! my grad school years sadly resembled that of an undergrad...
I love the butcher block. Love the kitchen and the plants. Perhaps the door by the bed is a door to the outside and the other door is to the hallway in the building. Either way I really like this place.
simple charm i love it. and you can cook too? o wowie!!!
ps- i love the step ladder idea but maybe if you dressed it up a bit,,,, maybe paint it black to match bed? or a bold color?
Lovely home!
I completely forgot that ceramic wall soap dishes existed. A blast from the past!
The reason for the disbelief of 390sqf is because you keep seeing the butcher block pics.
What a lovely and open home. It looks like a well planned and efficient home, but it also seems awarm and inviting.
@Kerriboo, ouch!!
Keriboo, this is the way a person with goals lives - cleanly, simply, with quality - not distracting from what is important - his studies.
I too, miss seeing a configuration of the sink. Also, agree that the pics need some help in spacing (look a little wonky 1940's). And I love that cart. In all, a grad student's good job. I'd love him for a tenant.
At first glance, I also said to myself, that your apartment wasnt 390sf, but once I saw the floorplan it made sense. Chris you did an excellent job maximizing space. And kudos to the photographer.
Great job with such a small space. And, like several other posters, I love the kitchen island.
Kudos to the creativity in such a small space and the minimalist approach. Love the kitchen island, the coffee table, and the sofa! Great job, Chris!
Shows a great use of a small amount of quality stuff that's well positioned. It makes a huge difference to how big the place feels.
Proves to me that I need to do some editing of my home.
OMG grad students and it's not dirty! And also-- it is real nice. Nice job. Fresh flowers and all! Now get back to writing, you kids.
Oy, I covet that kitchen island thing with the pipe legs and butcher block top. Lovely apartment!
As a retired (by heart attack, not by choice) cook, I love the island.. it's Loud!
Fantastic use of greenery.. especially the jade.. you'll never have to buy another..
More people should incorporate plants into apartment design!
In the right hands, small becomes large. Wonderful use of limited space.