apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

At first glance I love it... but it looks a lot smaller than 400sqft. Is that a king sized bed?

What's the lovely gray wall color? Is it a darker color behind the bed, or is that just the lighting? Do share!

I also love your bedside table. And the desk and chair look so cool together. The expedit unit feels kind of overwhelming in this space, maybe it's just the angle of the photos. Love the grey walls.

Eclecticism done right! Oh, Manuel, this is fantastic! Your color sense is fab.

i think it's gorgeous, especially the desk and chair! i just don't think a window should ever be covered...unless you live next door to ned flanders ;) at least the light still pours thru the open shelves. you have some wonderful objects that are so nicely displayed. i especially love the birds on the wall, and would also love to know the paint colors. i heart gray!

closest to my style in any of the ATLA postings

LOVE it!

love it!

looks like you are really making do by using a great combo of classic pieces and cheaper options-- you've utilized two of my favorite Ikea shelving units (sorry to call you out!), the white Expedit and the long grey shelves. i love many of the little things that decorate your apartment- the old chandelier, the plants, and yes especially the toolbox...oh, and the paint colors are great!

woudl love to see the space with a different couch (that you get with your winnings from DWR!) and possibly a bit simpler on the art side of things...

overall, it's definately a front-runner for me!

The idea has never crossed my mind to put together two of those Ikea shelves together. Thanks for the inspiration!

Great place, by the way. Full of character without sacrificing the clean, modern look.

Love it!

Great job Manuelito!! You're always doing something to inspire and keep me thinking. Keep it up.

Looks great MN!

Wow is that ever cute. I love the Patton chair with the vintage looking desk! Great juxtaposition. Your room divider is cute too. Although, I think I must have some of your pottery. You have some very interesting pieces.

And who wouldn't love a large banana in their boudoir? Great work. I voted finalist, but as I've said in other entries, you really don't need anything. Your place looks perfect.

I love this one. Great mix of comfy kitsch and god design.

Good design, too. :)

Great job! I also like the pairing of the Patton chair and desk. Love the Eames rocker too!

SINCERELY one of my most favorite so far!
love it!

"The idea has never crossed my mind to put together two of those Ikea shelves together. Thanks for the inspiration!"

i've actually built moving walls out of those shelves by bolting MDF to both sides and casters to the base. its like a storage sandwich.

Yay for Houston (I grew up there)!

I love this place -- might be my favorite so far. Great use of color and awesome mix of modern/antique pieces.

I have two of the same bookshelves in different rooms -- I'm moving them together this weekend -- great idea!

shake it work it love it!

can i come stay the night?

Wow. Love all the white stuff popping off of the colors. Very inspiring. Thanks for reminding me to throw out the bananas I've forgotten in my fridge....

A museum quality transformation! I saw the space before the make-over.

Manuel must be a nice guy, since he seems to have so many supportive friends.

What are you a designer of, Manuel?

It's so nice to see something nice and small in Texas.

Thank you all for the support and comments. I did this all in a matter of a month! Last July I moved from Colorado back to Houston after graduating from school and sold everything that wouldn't fit in my car in order to move back. I lived with parents for about 8 months so I could save some money and finally in March I moved into this little cottage I had been eyeing.( I wanted something small because it is unnecessary for me to have anything larger, plus I use the city as my backyard and it forces me to do things outside of my living area)

These are all pieces I bought pretty much in about a one-month span (exception of books and some art). The Eames Rocker is my pride and joy because I have always dreamed of having one and now as a professional, I have accomplished that small dream. As for paint colors... The gray is "dolphin gray" by BEHR, and the dark brown behind the bed is "Stone Hearth" also by Behr. My kitchen is lime green to play off the gray and brown. I like to keep things interesting because I have a tendency to get bored really fast. The sofa is an antique queen anne style sofa with horrible upholstery...it was an ebay find and is in great condition but I hope to reupholster at some point. I painted the banana to replicate the Andy Warhol Velvet Underground CD cover.

What I do.....I am a designer for a medium sized architecture/design firm in Houston and I design mid-rise and high-rise multi-family condominiums(unit layouts, amenity areas, lobby areas etc). My dream is to do boutique-style restaraunts, retail, and hotels at some point.
I hope I answered some questions and offered a little bit of insight about myself. Again thank you for the comments. They are much appreciated!

Manuel

LOVE IT! I've been trying to get someone in Houston to market themselves as a "small budget" interior designer. Someone to help those of us who hang out at Kuhl Lindscomb all the time and never know what to buy.

Awesome, but I have a difficult time believing you actually live there with a closet that small.

This is seriously awesome. I love it. If I had the skill and resources, this is the kind of space I'd put together.

Where the TV at?

The nice thing about this space is all the windows - you can block one but still retain plenty of light.

I don't have a TV. I use my computer and if there is something I must watch I can download it on Itunes or search for it on youtube.
As for the covered windows...I have to put something up because even if it's 74 degrees outside, with the humidity it will make it feel like 90 plus my landlords live in the house in front of me literally about 15 feet in front of me.

I've been looking at the floor plan, and I can't figure out how you enter the apartment...Do you have to walk on the white rug between the coffee table and the couch, between the table and Eames rocker, or is there enough space behind the rocker?

How do you raise/lower the window covering/clean the window that is behind the large shelving unit?

And is the white Ikea unit stable enough that it won't fall if someone sits "energetically" back on the sofa? Or is it anchored to the floor?

Sometimes I look at the photos on this site, and I wonder about practicality...I know that's pretty boring of me :)

Good design, for me, includes ease of use, and takes traffic flow into account. Most adult humans need a minimum of 24" of width in traffic areas, (about half that between a coffee table and couch where you aren't actually traversing, just sort of sliding in and sitting)

If you don't leave enough room to move comfortably, your place will feel like an obstacle course, even if it looks like a showroom.

Professional photo spreads "cheat" with this all the time and juxtapose pieces for the shoot that don't actually "live" there--They also remove pipes under sinks, and wiring, etc.

But this site is about Real Life apartments, where Real People live, n'est-ce pas?

Fun, bright and eclectic. Love the storage shelves. Love the way you've brought a mix of elements together. The desk is great.

You walk between the sofa and the coffee table when you enter. Yes you walk on the white wool rug to get into my place. Actually 30" would be a much more comfortable dimension if I could do that. As far as maximizing space, I did what I could and squeezed dimensions here and there but the good thing is there are no code officials coming after me in my own residence. If you were to walk into the space today it would look exactly like it does on the photographs. It stays clean for the most part because I am only there after 6 on weekdays and on the weekends. As far as the curtain issue behind the shelf, all I do is pull them up or remove them off their hooks and clean the blinds behind the shelves. This place is definitely livable and very comfortable. The place is as is and there were no professional photographs taken. This is a real life 24 year old designer residence. The one thing that I don't find practical is getting in and out of a closet that is 3' wide by 7' long. Empty of course is fine but when filled with clothes it becomes a 1' foot space and I have to walk sideways into it but at least I have a closet!

No, no no, Manuel--you misunderstand--I wasn't saying that it looks like you had pro photos taken, or were trying to "cheat", or anything else like that :) --I was trying to say that sometimes what looks like it would work (in a photo), actually doesn't.
And I was generalizing--talking about many photos I've seen, here on this site, as well as in photo shoots in other venues.

For me, it's not about codes--it's about comfort. I wouldn't know a code if it looked me in the face :)

Given this, if your space is comfortable for you, then it works for you. I wouldn't have been happy in last year's winner either (One Space) and living so vertically--But that's what makes the world go 'round :)

I love your place.......can my girlfriend and I borrow the couch after a wild night of debauchery????HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Your desk is beeyootiful. And I love your art!

how wonderful it would be to wake up in the morning and see such a cheerful place. the warm feeling it gives would put a smile on anyone's face and get you started off for a wonderful day. loved everything about it !!!!!!!!

looks even better (if you can believe that) in person. such a cozy, unique space and i love the idea that it's part of your motivation to branch outside your living space to do things. the fridge stocked with red stripe and the new new belgium certainly don't hurt! to quote your favorite person and mine, "love it, shake it, work it!" xoxo

i love this. i love the desk your computer is on. may be my favorite...

i like the eclecticism here, it is well done. it feels like i could live there.

Love it and love you! You never seize to amaze me!

Cease...I am a complete moron

Manuel's little cottage and his many friends seem to go together naturally. When I first saw the pictures, they made me feel happy and the place seemed so welcoming--