- Name:
- Clara
- Location:
- Boston, MA
- Square Feet:
- 380
- Division:
- Teeny-Tiny
- What I Love About My Small Home:
- What I love most about my apartment is the location. I’m right in the heart of Back Bay on bustling Newbury Street. From here I can easily make my way to anywhere in Boston using Public transportation or by walking. I have lovely city views flanked by the Prudential building to my right and the Hancock building to my left. The Charles River with its beautiful Esplanade is a 5 minute walk away. And on Sunday mornings, when the streets are still quiet, before the shoppers and tourists come out to play, I can hear the church bells ringing in Copley square. Plus it's cozy!
- Biggest Challenge of Living in a Small Space
- It was challenging to adjust to the lack of space going from a 2 bedroom apartment in suburbia to a city studio. The one closet is the smallest I’ve ever seen, so storage was a concern. But with some serious purging and reorganizing I found that you don’t really need to have as much “stuff” around you as you think you do, so I only brought in some treasured items and functional pieces. I was fortunate that a new kitchen with amazing cabinets had been installed just prior to my moving in. I have a lot of kitchen items, but I also use them to store almost EVERYTHING else. Space over the cabinets also becomes useful. Furniture becomes multi-functional. A round table is not only for dining, but is also my desk and make-up area. The TV cabinet holds my TV/DVD’s/DVD player as well as my printer and office supplies. The bookcases have closed cabinet sections which I use to keep off-season shoes and tons of other items. And let’s not forget the miracle under-bed storage containers!
Categories:
Style,
Main,
2012,
Boston,
Small Cool,
Small Spaces
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The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
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A perfect little home. Thanks for sharing.
How do you get to items on the bookshelves behind the couch?
That is quite a kitchen for a studio. Good find!
Love it! I was wondering where you got the TV cabinet!? I don't think it looks cheap at all and you have done a fantastic job with flow in such a small sweet place~
I don't like the fact that there isn't any division of any kind between the bed and the sofa area. But with such a floorplan, I don't know if I would have done it any better.
@AURORAVA - I am guessing she stands on the couch to get the books, or there's just enough space to open the doors.
It's amazing how just the same color pillows and rug can pull a room together. Very nice! I agree it's hard for me to see a bed all day in the general living space but I understand that must be tricky and it looks great.
Did the poppies on the wall come first or last? In either case, they are exactly right. Love the colours everywhere.
I this you have a beautiful studio just as it is. I could move right in and be perfectly at home here. Very well done!
sorry for the typo! should read I think you have.
Sweet little home! I envy you your Boston location -- except perhaps when there's several feet of snow. Great job on creating a cozy, charming place to live.
@PI: Yes, it's an error, but it's a slight one and does not obscure meaning. Why point it out?
Great place! warm and inviting. Good layout that seems to be very livable. Question- where is your sofa from?
It's lovely and all goes together so well. Beautiful bed.
I would have put the bed in that little nook where the book cases are IF they fit, otherwise, you've got my vote.
sorry...if IT fit....
Wow, I can not believe how you made your small apartment look so amazing, it looks so well put together, can I hire you to do my house and office???
I love how you used your space! You managed to really achieve a functional, chic apartment considering the size limitations. There are many interesting pieces in the room, and yet it doesn't feel too crowded...As new owner of a pretty small apartment myself, this gives me hope that I can make mine work!!
love your apartment clarie ;)
Wow, what a kitchen for that space! I have a similarly sized studio, but with a tiny oven and no dishwasher.
Love your place. Many people would kill to be on Newbury St. Your place is the final proof that size really doesn't matter.
I like your kitchen!
I LOVE HOW NEAT AND CLEAN YOUR PLACE IS!!!
I am so jealous. Used to live in Boston and would have loved to live so close to so many great places. Great use of space.
My favorite part of Boston :-). I always wondered though - isn't it a really noisy street to live on? I always pictured my dream street being a block or so off the main drag.
It's lovely and tasteful like its owner.
I was pleastently surprised to feel such a joyous and glorious smile on my face when i looked at the thumbnail of your house. i needed to find out more. so of course i opened the bigger picture and was practically swept off my feet. no i think that couch seems to be a very comfortable and im sure that all your guests that you must be extremely busy entertaing in such a uplifting cozy nook, it seems like a very nice sleeper sofa. i look forward to the day when i too can have such a amazing space of my own and maybe we could even get in touch because you do such beautifull work. have you ever considered becoming an interior designer? i bet you could make millions! wow. i just am speechless.
Awesome kitchen for this size apt, and a great location!
I think the only other option for the sofa/bookshelves would be to put the couch against the windows, or install bookshelves so they fill the length of the nook, push the sofa against them and use the lower shelves for storage, but your sofa looks a little too big to push into that nook. But that's me ... and I have a lot of books.
You've settled for a large living area and picked a beautiful full-sized bed that doesn't need to be hidden. Do your friends hop on the bed to get to the living area? That's what mine would do!
LOVE IT! Well done. May I hire you? Good luck.
Hi Everyone! Just wanted to answer some of your questions: @aurorava I don't keep things that I need for everyday use in the bookshelves. But when I do need something I just pull the couch forward 6 inches and I have full access. @tarainsevenvalleys the TV cabinet was a hand-me-down so not sure where it was purchased or even if it was supposed to be a TV cabinet. @Helanother the poppies came last. Poppies are my favorite flower so when I saw this I knew it was meant to be. @jene the couch is from Bob's furniture. It was part of a set. The loveseat is in storage. To those asking if you can hire me...I am flattered...and yes you can! I am a Redesigner on the side so feel free to contact me. Thank you so much for your comments and votes!
If you are in the Boston area and are interested in my services please check out my business House to Haven Redesign at www.housetohavenredesign.com or contact me at HousetoHavenRedesign@gmail.com. Thanks!
I am so jealous! I wish you were my neighbor.......I would cook for you, bring dinner and wine.......Very well done!
Before I even checked the details, I was like, "That view is exactly the same as the one in my old Boston apartment," and sure enough it was. Yours, of course, is much more nicely decorated.