This is the fourth of our 13 finalists. OMG. The videos just keep getting bigger budget!
Name: Jane & Darko
Location: East Village, New York
Size: 645 s/f 5th floor walk-up, full floor
Original Entry: Click Here
1. Who was your favorite entry and why? (other than your own apt.)
"There are many that we really like, but our favorite is Greg & Em's Silverlake Sanctuary. It's the one we could imagine living in, besides our own. As they said so well, the apartment "is a direct extension of our personalities, lifestyle and interests...." That's exactly how we feel. No doubt they look forward to going home every day.
Also, to us, the main purpose of a home is to make you feel happy, safe and inspired. Greg & Em?s use of color and their elegant solutions for displaying and enjoying the things and books they love do all of that perfectly.
And, perhaps most importantly of all, they have a good sense of humor."
2. Why you should be the champ?
"Our apartment exemplifies the idea that small spaces can be both practical and have great character without feeling overwhelmed by stuff. We read, cook, draw, do crafts, work and watch tv (even sometimes while we eat at the dining room table) and don?t have to hide things away afterwards to make the space look better; it?s designed to look its best when we?re really living the way we do.
We?ve used the space to its fullest, fitting every function we could want into 645sf, and don?t feel we lack for anything. We use every room every single day, and are continually happy to be in each of them. In our previous 1300sf rental we had much more stuff (or at least Jane did; Darko, being Swiss, owned only a pocket knife and a watch). After editing to only what we really love everything feels more special and valuable.
We want our apartment to give a sense of discovery and surprise with a little humor thrown in, balanced by a feeling of sanctuary. So far it seems to be working: we?re happy and no one ever wants to leave after a dinner party."
I love this apartment--it has completely inspired me. Often modern gets so tied up in being austere, but this apartment has art and a distinct personality. Seeing the additional photos just illuminated how much this space says about you two. Perfect modern whimsy (only the good connotation, of course). Excellent job. I'm rooting for you!
I adore this apartment. So many of these, I appreciate aesthetically, but would never want to live in them. This one, I want to move it.
The chalkboard cabinets in the kitchen? Swoon.
Hi Guys,
I just love it!! So inspirational to me. I too would feel very cozy and happy in your space. The best of luck to you.
Adorable video! Love the hidden art hung very low behind the chair. In fact, I love the entire mini art concept. I'm inspired too!
What do you store in the card catalog?
I am deeply in love with this apartment. It is a grown-up kids place. I'm inspired by this because I feel it's doable.
Question: did you have someone make the built-in shelving for you? what was this process?
thanks so much! so glad to hear you all like it.
holly, we keep small collections of things in each drawer of the catalog. if you can see the video you can probably see some, but it includes a drawer of old watchfaces, one containing an assortment of things collected on a trip to florida, one full of those tourist-y pens with the sliding attractions scenes inside, one full of old passports, etc.
Angelune, we did have someone build the shelving for us. it's made of 1 inch think MDF, not wood, because it's a lot cheaper and if you are going to paint them afterwards it works perfectly. they did an amazing job; it's the most level, square thing in our apartment now; much straighter than the walls. it did take a while though, since he was being so exact. still, very worth it.
and chocolate fondue, i love the idea of "mini-art", i'm going to think of it that way from now on.
Hi Jane,
Love your apartment. I feel so inspired now to make a few changes to mine.
I have watched your video several time but its so fast and the screen is quite small!
Would you mind explaining what exactly are the small objects/pictures displayed behind the chair in picture 3? TheY look interesting - Thank you.
I completely agree with the judges on this one. It looks like a happy place to live, it's well thought-out, and you have used materials creatively (the wallpaper in the kitchen is just fab!). I am jealous of you for that wonderful card catalog...another casualty of the digital revolution. Where'd you find it? Auction?
...and an A-plus on your choice of lights (all of them). I've wanted that chandelier for a long time.
thanks Karen! and yeah, our video is a little nuts; i made it with a canon elph and no experience with such things, sorry. in any case, the objects behind the chair are what we call the "Cats' Art Show". On the left is a terra cotta lion my brother brought me back from Brazil, and on the right is a terra cotta creature (no idea what it's supposed to be) from Santa Fe. the framed piece is a hand colored print that i bought from an art student selling them on the street in soho; it's of a bunch of hyenas eating a poor zebra. i think his name is Shawn McCreeden? in any case, we wanted to make little vignettes with our art all around the apt, and all these pieces seemed to fit best at the cats' level ;)
and Pat, the catalog is actually a lantern slide catalog from a school (old 2.5"x4" glass slides they used to use before the little plastic ones). we got it at the flea market here in new york many years ago. one drawer still has slides in it, mostly of Franz Schubert and his home. the rest we've filled with tiny collections of things.
This apartment makes my blood boil with jealousy living here in the city. To me it seems like the finest tight rope act where everything has its place for a reason but it exudes such freedom in personality. My childhood bedroom was covered with the forest photography wallpaper and this entry justifies my desire to bring that back.
Congrats!!!!