NO WAY. I couldn't stand staring at the same things all of the time.

That's ridiculous!

Clearly i'm a New Yorker. My reaction was "eh, pretty small, but totally do-able". I've definitely lived in rooms smaller than 15x10, but i'm not sure i'd want to BUY something like that.

My boyfriend and I currently live in 455 sq feet, which we thought was small. But at least we have different [small] rooms! This space could be manageable for one person with the creative use of a folding screen or two, and wall/ceiling storage. I'm not sure why someone would buy it to live in for more than 2 years -- unless it was to rent it out.

Apparently the 250 sq ft apartments in San Fran (Cubix) went bankrupt... so much for that working out.

We live in about 200 sq. ft. With 2 pit bulls! Totally do-able.

There was a 130 sq ft apartment for sale in Sydney for a year. I was very tempted to buy it, mostly for the challenge. I still sit down with drawing pads designing HOW I would live in it if I had it.

The challenge is huge and the paring down would be cathartic.

You could do it this way:

- Use the 'two twin beds made up with cushions to look like a couch' idea. Daytime, corner sofa. Night-time, double bed. Set-up can be changed by just pushing them together.

- No books, no TV, just a media centre/computer in a nice wall unit. Watch TV on-line, rent dvds, download music, buy an ebook reader and manage your library digitally. All the entertainment you could ask for, on a hard drive.

- Make a DIY closet out of cabinets with doors. Put a tabletop on top of it, and get some high stools. Voila, table for six.

So, put your table/wardrobe as a room divider parallel to the kitchen, put your media centre on one of the walls and arrange your bench/couch/bed opposite. You could totally do it.

My husband and I moved to Korea a month ago and our (free) apartment is about this size. Luckily the paring down happened before we got here, but it's going to be a challenge to make it comfortable. Our current plan is to have our bed on the far side of the room from the door, and use a wardrobe (there's no closet) and a bookcase to divide the space so we can have an eating/living section, too.
The wallpaper, on the other hand, is kind of... well, it's a problem. And the floors.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3490/3866810852_438ec1777e.jpg

We returned from a short trip to Japan recently stayed on real Japanese futons all but 1 of the 8 nights and are wondering if it is possible to buy those in the US, specifically New York. That's certainly one way to make such a small unit work!

WHAT A RIP-OFF!!!!

Someone should buy it and make an art project out of it. Different architects and designers would be invited to have residences where they would transform the space and live in it at the same time culminating in an opening and a series of open studio days.

Totally depends on the location. Those SF condos were in a lousy up and coming area.

Before we were married my husband & I lived on the UWS of NYC in a 9'x12' apartment (not including small bathroom). We were there for 18 months. Most of our "stuff" was in storage in California but we found many great ways of finding spaces for everything. The ceilings were 14' tall though so we could put the bed over the "kitchen" area. He even worked at home! Great memories and I'm glad we did it but don't think I could do it forever =/

It would make a great "vacation" home if anyone had the money these days for something like that =)

Of course I could do it... but I call those dorms, not apartments.

$195,000???? Gee, I only want $150,000 for my 2208 sq ft house on 6 acres which I can't seem find a buyer for. NYC is obviously out of my price range!!

I plan to buy it, then deco it up and win the next small cool contest.

the cubix apartments in sf are only about two blocks from where i work. not exactly a crumby up and coming 'hood, but mostly businesses and already "there". they came available just as the credit/real estate crash was hitting...simply bad timing for what is basically a good idea.

as for this, it's a hotel room with a very big mini bar. probably better suited for somebody who lives in the 'burbs and needs a place in town to crash during the week, or as a vacation type place.

if you could manage living in a place this small full time, god bless you.

Laughable price, but 175sf? No problem with a good floorplan. I've lived quite comfortably having 5 person dinner parties, in 2 different studio apartments that were 173 and 136 sf respectively. In fact, I would have to express a strong preference for the smaller one which had a much better layout.

I forgot to add, my partner grew up in Japan in a 600sf apartment in a family of 4, or about 150 sf each. In the 1970's it was apparently considered quite luxurious in terms of space.

Yes I could but would need storage for 99% of what own.

Needs a PS3 as your entertainment center, a huge LCD TV, a sofa bed, small table, couldnt cook in there it would be unbearable I would prepare cold foods and eat them hot food I would eat out a lot. Acouple of your favorite books clothes, and small garment rail. and a picture for the wall.

Have I forgotten something. A good job so your cream crackered when you get home.

Looks great.

In the advert is states $170 a month for maintenance what is this for some one to act as boss of the building?

@poppasmurf: Not entirely sure what you're asking (punctuation helps in communication), but that's just another $170 that you're shelling out on top of the mortgage payments. It's the equivalent of a homeowners' association fee in newer neighborhoods - payments to take care of the common areas (in this case a yard, stairs, the elevator, etc).

I agree - it would make a great vacation/crash pad, if someone had the money to shell out. Or a great first-time place, but at $175K and a slim chance of re-selling, why not keep renting?

Not only could I do it, but I have done smaller. At least it has a bathroom INSIDE. They are building homes around this size now, too. I think it's cool. People don't need 5,000 sq.ft houses. The planet doesn't need people who think they need 5,000 sq.ft houses.

By non NYC/SanFran/other expensive cities standards, this is not absolute market insanity. My friend pays upwards of 2300 for rent alone in NYC, and her studio is not much bigger than that one. I could see why buying would make sense. Usually, it's the smarter use of money.

Still, I wouldn't buy it. Lol and I couldn't buy it either with all my student loans!

For many months, I lived in a 20ft Toyota RV. They are measured from bumper to bumper, so in actual stand-up room, I had a narrow walkway about 12ft long. The RV was 6ft wide. Queen bed over the cab, wall to wall. Everything built-in: 4-seater table under cabinets, one chair under cabinets, sink and stove under cabinets, Small closet, extremely small bathroom. The bathroom had a shower, but I never used it. Everyday went to the gym instead. For the space, it had a LOT of storage.

What I loved about it, was the light! Windows all around, which keeps one's mental health, well, healthy. I see this apt has 2 small windows, 2 shared walls, and one wall covered in storage. If it would be possible to install a picture window, it would make the space feel bigger, and the tenant feel less claustrophobic.

I like the futon idea, but what about a Murphy bed? In order to use a futon as a couch, you have to fold up (and store) the bedding each day, but a Murphy bed stays made up in the cabinet. A custom design could make a whole wall of storage with a bed in the middle. Bookcase on one side, small closet on the other. Or maybe a fold-down desk with bookcase above.

hmm, that is the same apt as this one: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/cozy_crazy_couple_makes_tight_studio_R15ToNFTaJE3c17zkw4efP
that was linked to apt therapy here:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/real-estate/175-square-feet-micro-studio-in-morningside-heights-new-york-post-103694

And the maintenance is $710, not $170 as noted in the NY post article and in the comments of NY Mag. Maintenance pays for the doorman and upkeep of the building, sometimes heat and electric. Either way the apt therapy readers were grossed out by the prospect of living in this unit.

Don't understand the negative comments on the size. The price is not that bad for Manhattan but the maintenance is a bit on the high side - it should probably be closer to $600 a month.

As to the design ...

LIVING SPACE - I would use 2 West Elm day beds with a coffee table in between them. They look like sofas and sleep like beds. It would create an inviting living and entertaining space. Wicker storage baskets could be placed under the day beds.

KITCHEN - The tall cabinet on the left should be twice as wide so it can be used for clothing. To maximize the counter space the sink should be 50% smaller and the cook-top should be 2 single induction top burners recessed into the counter top side by side towards the back of the counter. I would put in a single "dish drawer" dishwasher below the sink - this would serve as both dishwasher AND storage for glasses, cutlery, and plates for two. When you are done with dinner just put it in the drawer and wash everything. I would swap the cabinet doors for something a bit more glam - perhaps a dark wood The fridge is an eyesore if you need to look at it 24/7 - I would upgrade it to one with an integrated door panel (marvel brand). Changing the granite counter out for black marble would also make it look a bit more elegant. Would also consider adding a mirrored back splash.

Cats - can the litter box be narrower and placed next to the toilet?

In short a place this small needs to look like a small jewelry box. The kitchen needs to look glam and the sleeping arrangement cant be allowed to eat up all the space.

Give yourselves more credit, we could all do it if we had to!

This is the size of my brother's old place in the East Village. He liked it just fine and lived in the unit for three years.

I would rather not.

I am moving into a rental near union square like this 18 X 10 so it's great to see everyone's ideas. Mine has a full kitchen which is on the side of the room, not the edge. Also, thankfully it has a closet.

My apartment in NYC was 10 feet by 17 feet, so a shade smaller than this one. When I first rented it I was traveling all the time for work. It was small enough to keep clean, cheap enough to have expensive habits and I was never pressured to entertain. Then I switched jobs and my boyfriend moved in. My sanctuary turned and bit me in the butt. We could have made it work if we were the types of people who went out and did things. But we're homebodies. So we moved to Jersey.

This place is also a great investment because it's near several colleges so subletting is always an option.

From a financial standpoint, sure... I'd buy it, rent it out, and enjoy the fact that it'd be paid off rather quickly.

Live in it? Not a chance in hell. I mean, if I had absolutely no choice I'm sure I could manage it... anyone could, but would I want to if it wasn't required of me? Never. I'm from NYC, born and raised in a large 2 floor Greenwich Village brownstone. I like NYC, and I liked living there, but I just don't understand the appeal with current prices. I just bought a 900 sq.ft. condo 15 minutes outside of Montreal for about the same price ($165k). My condo fees are $75 a month, so the $600 in maintenance savings pay for both my car AND a train pass (direct from my town to the city center) for work. No way in hell would I give up my space and freedom for what NYC has to offer over Montreal.

Makes no sense.

@williamsweyr - where is your house? i am looking!

I read that this apt sold for 150k to a couple who have a cat. I could never live anywhere that didn't have a tub.

I could and would live in something like this! Love it.

I lived in a tiny efficiency before I was married. It was OK as a rental for one, but I wouldn't buy it.

I agree it would make a nice vacation home though.

That price is ludicrous.

I get what everyone is saying about it being a better living condition than what 99% of people in the world are living in, and I really respect. that.

But, this is New York. The potential buyers are people who have the money to buy a place in the US. So given that set of circumstances, I would way rather live in Brooklyn or Queens in a nice big place than live in this, and save a lot of money while I was at it.

Yes, I COULD do it. But I would rather keep my books and have a place to cook and live in a bigger place. To me, it is not efficient or green to have to eat every meal out. Having this place would just mean getting rid of half my things. Which I could do, but why? I really like having a separate living room from bedroom. Is that too much to ask when talking about expensive US apartments?

<B><I>LOOK!!!</I></B> I think these people bought the place you're talking about here, albeit at a slightly lower (but still ridiculous) price.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/cozy_crazy_couple_makes_tight_studio_R15ToNFTaJE3c17zkw4efP/0

(via http://unclutterer.com/2009/12/09/extreme-minimalist-living/ )

Oops, I see you guys already had it covered.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/real-estate/175-square-feet-micro-studio-in-morningside-heights-new-york-post-103694

This is about the size of my old dorm room, and that was cramped enough with just a twin size bed and no kitchen. Do not like!

Besides, cutting down on material possessions only seems like a noble and liberating thing to do when you don't have any hobbies or play any sports that require the use of equipment. I'm trying to imagine how my bf and I would cram in a snowboard, skiis, skates, rollerblades, hockey equipment, golf clubs, motorcycle gear, and a dreadnought acoustic guitar.

anyone that's lived in a dorm room knows this is do-able from a logistical standpoint (perhaps with a little restraint and editing), but at that price? Insanity.

if you think you can't live there then tthat means you have possesions you do not need!

I'd get rid of the 'kitchen' set up -it is designed for a bigger space. All you need for cooking, storage and refigeration should be able to fit in the corner, one on top of the other. it should also be on the other wall - your futon couch/bed should be against the bathroom wall. A curtain that crosses the room from between the two windows would be nice, to give seperation.

Perfect for a minimalist writer/artist.

If it is in a good location - of-course I could do it. There is so much to do and see in New York, why would you spend so much time inside your apartment anyway? My husband and I once lived in a small cabin with our 8-year old daughter for a year. I didn't even have a full-size kitchen range. I cooked using a a microwave and an electric skillet. We ran an electrical cord from a neighbor's house so we could have access to utilities. Our intent at the time was to live in the country for awhile on a piece of property we had purchased. We wanted to find out if we would like living in the country enough to invest in building a custom home. As it turned out, we didn't like living in an isolated are, we it was a great adventure and we are so glad we did that. Plus, we saved enough money by not having a large mortgage or rent payment for a year that we had a sizeable down payment on a new house in town.

*WANT*

funstraw -- lol I would vote for you!

Letter2Mom -- you obviously have never lived in New York. I had a friend who lived here for a year who didn't have to work, and she did spend a lot of time exploring. Barring tourists, however, when you've had a long day, the last thing you want to do is "do and see." Maybe if I were 19 again and had all the energy and optimism in the world... wah wah...

Places like this aren't for full time living, they are for people who need to stay in the city often enough that they'd prefer their own space than a hotel. They'll be working all day and likely eating out. They don't need the cost and hassle of furnishing and maintaining a full home, just some private space with somewhere to sleep, wash and maybe make breakfast or late dinner now and then.

Anyway, $175K? Bargain! How about $285K for 129 sq ft in London? http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-16619292.html

I live in a city but I don't live a city as expensive or as crammed as NYC. And I've definitely gotten used to the luxury os space. My place is many many times bigger than this, and I always complain about how small it is. Maybe I should be quiet and start to edit down all these worldly possessions that I have accumulated over the years. I think it would make me a little happier to see less around the house anyway.

Bravo to anyone who can live comfortable in this space. You don't need "stuff" to be happy.

Easier than you think:

Try a slightly elevated daybed or futon couch.
Store wardrobe in pull-out baskets under the bed or couch.
To limit wardrobe, recombine several two-piece outfits.

Rather than a table or desk, use your lap.
Replace paper, books, tv, stereo, alarm clock, etc with a handheld computer.

For extra counter space, try a large cutting board over the sink or stove.
A portable stovetop can be stored vertically under a kitchen sink.
Try a collection of one-pot recipes.

Store towels and cosmetic baskets on open shelving over the toilet.

The latest article on this apartment shows a couple using a Queen-sized bed and storing their wardrobe in the kitchen cupboards.

They do not use the fridge, dishes or pans.

They eat out and travel.

For the cat box cupboard:

Replace cupboard doors with a set of small curtains.

Could. Would. We live (two of us) in 420 sq. ft. and have for eight years. We also work from home. It's our only residence and it's full time. We don't eat out (twice daily cooking) and only travel for two weeks out of the year.

We have some empty cupboards. We'd have even more if I could persuade him to get rid of some of his junk. We have loads of space at 210sq. ft. per person. And actually, we could make better use of the space if we wanted - by wall-mounting the TV for example or utilising the space above the kitchen wall cupboards or the doors. We have a dining table (with benches) that doubles up as our desk but it could be half the size if necessary - we only use less than half of it anyway as it seats six.

I would really have to do something about that kitchen though. It's very ugly, and I wouldn't need all that space for a kitchen.