apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I really think you have done a beautiful job with your tiny place. It feels warm and personal with a nice amount of colour.

I am really not feeling those plates on the wall. They feel a little "granny" to me. I also am not a fan of the wall color choice. It has that strange hue of snot that bothers me. All of the furniture is pushed against the walls, which creates what I call a "prom" effect. You know, where all the nervous guys just hang out against the walls and don't ask anyone to dance on the dance floor where all the fun is. This space could also benefit from a different furniture layout and artwork with a variety of scales. All small-scaled artwork just overwhelmes a wall and makes small spaces look even smaller.

Nice job Carly - it's a heck of a lot nicer than my college pad, that's for sure!! Sounds like you had some big challenges to work through (existing furniture, budget, etc) but you were able to pull something together that is cute, functional, and reflects your personality.

I think it's really cute, and I love seeing an interesting look pulled together on a tight budget. I agree about the "prom furniture placement, but maybe that's the only way to achieve the functionality you need. And, yes, a couple more large pieces on the wall might help. The floorlamp is killing me, though. It just doesn't work with the rest of your decor! Also, I wish you'd answered the "advantage of small" question.

you are very brave for entering, carly! good for you! a lot of people here are going to be asshats, though :)

i voted you cool, but not super cool. i totally give A's for effort ;)

Carly, ignore some of the more petty comments on here - you've done a great job making your space your space, especially on a limited budget.

Certainly not my style however, it's still a charming place and yes, at less than 300SqFt, it's, shall we say, tiny? :-)

That said, what you did was make do with what came with the space and with what you added to the space. Yes, it's nice that you were able to keep the futon and the bed, unfortunately, the space looks crowded and a tad "over stuffed" IMO. The space where you enter looks claustrophobic to me according to the floor plan. Frankly, in a small space such as this, you in many ways don't have much of a choice but to put everything up against the walls because if you didn't you wouldn't be able to even get around without bumping into stuff.

Otherwise, a great job with the challenges laid out before you in this space. Another thing I do think you may have a bit too much small stuff scattered about on the walls and I will conceed that may be a French thing to do, don't know but it lends a semi busyness to the space if you ask me.

i definitely think this is a lot cooler than anything i had in college (er, which was the "i'm only here temporarily" look of winecrate shelves and magazine cut-outs) although I understand what you are going for, the overall feel is heavy. Everything is more "dark" than "luxe". I suggest grouping the artworks together-- empty wall space is not a bad thing! I love the bathroom.

Carly, it does have a particularly Gallic charm, but I feel like you're trying to fit provincial farmhouse style into the space of a Parisian garret--the space makes me feel slightly claustrophobic. Of course, you feel fine in it, and that's what is important. I'm sure when you get your first place after graduating, it'll be amazing.

i'm afraid this is disney-french, where the waiter serves you coke and a burger, speaks fluent english and doesn't smell of garlic. the french have much better taste than this. what it needs is a visual focal point and lighter colors, with so much going on, those walls could serve as rorschach test. good luck!

Yay for another tiny space!

I have to agree about the tiny plates/artwork making it seem smaller, though... as a fellow (former) art history major, i would suggest perhaps some of your favorites hung up as framed posters (like you did with the parapluie poster)? Its cheap, and easy to stay with the french theme (even well into 20th c. art),and it might make your place look a bit bigger.

Love the colors and the overall vibe. I just don't feel like the dresser and the desk really go. They look more country bumpkin than French. However, I'm also a college student and I know how difficult it is to have EVERYTHING seem to go together when you're strapped for cash.
I think you're headed in a great direction, but it does seem like a LOT of stuff in a small space (that was totally the pot calling the kettle black... but hopefully you'll be able to see my space too!)

The effort shows, and it is a really tiny place, but it could use some editing. I thought a little too eclectic, and not in the intentional way, which is understandable also. I like French stuff too, how come I feel so mean? You put your home on display, full of lovely things (FULL!), and you obviously care more about your home than many people your age, compared to living out of crates, showing off their collection of empty liquor bottles (I still see these around), and waiting until they graduate to put anything on the wall that isn't a poster or possibly a neon bar sign. It just needs a little more time, and some eagle-eye budget sensors to find cool alternatives for some of your things to bring the place all cohesive-like.

While this is not my style, I want to say thanks for being so brave and letting us see your *tiny*tiny* apartment. I am a college student also and totally understand how hard it is to decorate on a budget and have lived in apt that is already partially furnished as well (that is especially difficult when it is not your style).

I would give you an A for effort.

In regards to:

"I was hesitant to enter this contest because most of the entries feature a very modern, minimalist look. Hopefully people will like something different!"

I would like to point out that Ron's Hotel "Sweet" which took 4th place in last years contest was what some would call a "maximalist" style. I think this contest has a love of both the modern minimilist style and more traditional styles. In fact just read the comments of the modern minimalist apartments and you will find people commenting on both sides of the coin.

Check out Ron's Hotel "Sweet" for reference to "something different" done to perfection. Certainly it isn't my style at all, but you have to admit he did an amazing job with his place. [http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/small-cool-2007-entries/east-semifinalist-1-rons-hotel-sweet-022909]

As for your place, I love seeing entries in this size range. This is where you really have to be creative, when you get under the 300sqft zone. This is where things become challenging. I like that you stick to a theme, although I wish there were more cohesiveness and purpose. Overall, good job for a style that I don't really like ;-)

Comme c'est charmante....the dining area has a nice bistro feel to it, and La Joconde pillow on the red velvet couch is a nice francophile touch. Hope some of the constructive comments about wall objects and scale are helpful - the plates in the bathroom look small and lost. Some tweaking here and there would take the charm factor even higher. Good luck with school!

I voted "not my bag", BUT that being said...you have certainly made the most of a very small space. Good job!

I really like that you've made a place that works for you. I think I'd be happy hanging out there, though if was my place I'd probably edit some of the artwork out. Maybe stick all the music in crates under the bed or something. It looks stuffed, but it does look cozy and comfortable and I think you've done a great job with that.

Carly,
Thanks for sharing your space with us! I think that the corner with the books and DVDs on display is adding to the visual clutter- if you covered them up somehow, I think it would be more soothing. I know you experimented with the furniture placement- did you try the futon on the wall with the dresser? I think it would balance the space better if the bed and futon were further apart.
Regardless, much better looking than my college digs ever were so congrats on a space that meets your needs!

It's cute, but way, way too much furniture. Edit some of it out and figure out how some of it could do double-duty (bistro table as table/desk). A drop-leaf table with two chairs would clear up so much room. Also, I'd hide all the DVD/CD cases in decorative boxes under the futon or your bed. With a place that small, you really have to keep it as simple as possible.

Very charming and cozy. Do you actually use the table and chairs because they take up a lot of space.

I'm in agreement that this is a brave effort, but falls short. While you don't have to be a minimalist to live in a tiny (really TINY) space it certainly helps. That being said - you're young and have plenty of time! Swing by the bookstore/library and check out the books Small Apartments/Small Lofts. Many of the spaces aren't considered "small" and the budgets certainly arent either - but it will give you a more real sense of what contemporary French urban living is like - not so Disney as was posted above.

A for effort!

I did post 'not my bag' but that doesn't mean I don't think you did a nice job with the place. It looks like your style throughout and it's cute.

Get rid of some of the furniture. Utilize storage.

I agree that there's too much furniture in here- that rolltop desk is HUGE! I would choose between it and the table & chairs. But I dig the La Boheme vibe you've got going... if you pare down a bit (and hide all those cds/dvds), I think this will work much better. Good start.

Your effort shows, and I commend you for sharing your space with us. It's nice to see a range of places and living styles.

I have to add though that something about this entry really rubs me the wrong way. Comprenez-vous vraiment la culture française?

Way way too many bits and pieces randomly placed on your walls, way too much clutter, way too short curtains, way too little focus/focal points.

wow, you really fit a lot in your small place!

If I was back in my college days, I would be completely impressed with what you have done with the place. I probably would have been jealous. You have everything you need, a place to sit and watch TV, a writing desk, a table to eat and study, your own bathroom and the biggest plus no roommates.

Thanks for sharing your space.

Wow, I think this is the nicest college pad I've ever seen. What a great, cozy atmosphere and a real coherency to the theme. I agree that bigger artwork and storage that covers up some of the clutter might help. But I am really impressed.

If this is whats created by having a modest college student budget I think I need to go to college! I love it! It's just so cute!!!

By the way. don't pay attention to the totally non-constructive nasty comments people seem to be posting on the entries this year. In the end mate, it's your house, and not everyone has the same taste. I like the wall colour it's fab... so what if someone thinks it's a shade of snot colour. :P

For those who complain that pushing the furniture up against the wall creates a "prom" look, you haven't lived in a really small space before. I live in a 250 sq. foot place in Tokyo and you simply cannot be putting your furniture anywhere but up against the walls unless you stick only two pieces in the middle of the room.

I've been following this contest and it seems that all of the "small" places have living rooms bigger than my entire apartment and a lot of luxury with furniture placement because of the copious amounts of space (and built-in storage...that's another thing many of us in tiny places don't get).

This entry was the first one that I felt was "real" and a real person lived in. It's not my style, but at least it looks like some place a person actually hangs out in as opposed to an austere museum piece.

thumbs up. you've done well, and while you likely don't stand a chance against people with larger spaces (and budgets, which while not always but often is a huge deal) i think your place is amazing. i'd totally love coming over :-). and i'm sure your friends love hanging out here (you have a dining desk! a futon! how many college students have a place that not only has one style, but actually manages to be practical?)

rock on.

Am I allowed to comment on my own page?

Just wanted to say to the person that said my rolltop desk is HUGE: it's only 2 1/2 feet wide and the smallest rolltop I've ever seen which is why I snagged it!

And of course: this place is tiny! I pretty much had to put things against the wall.

I knew I didn't have a chance, but I was getting a little bored of seeing the same IKEA furniture over and over again. ;)

Thanks everybody!

This is my favorite little place, Its so cool. It looks all artsy and interesting without the stupid austere, expensive look of the other places that look like no one ever lived in them. I love the color and homey feel. My #1 It's a winner!

Lovely place, you have a good eye for mixing-&-matching. The way you've put things together reflects your personality, which is what a home should show.

I have to admit, I'm impressed that you were able to create such an adorable oasis while being a broke college student. I know when I was a broke college student I had a ton of mismatched furniture (inherited from my parents or found in the trash or at a yard sale) that really looked awful. You have done a really nice job putting together a style that says something about you. I prefer this over some of the other tours because this place reflects your personality, and many of the other tours do not. Well done!

I think Carly has done a great job of maximizing one room to serve multiple purposes. I'm also faced with the challenge of a one-room studio, yet have not figured out how to incorporate much more than a bed and a desk - I'm totally inspired, and isn't that what this contest is all about? Good job.

Good job!

You have the same problem that I do, when you don't have breaks of clear or empty space around your walls, the apartment looks busy and crowded. As you can see in that 2nd picture above, it looks like every piece of your furniture actually touches the one next to it. You might try to break up that bookcase -> CD tower -> dresser -> end table -> record player floor plan. In my apartment, once I built in some wall space around the room it not only looked better I also felt better in it.

This is only my opinion, but give it a try and see how you like it.

p.s. Drew Barrymore has that same record player and I have it in black.

before you all bash the color and such, think back to your own student rentals and dorm spaces. she may not have had any say in the color and mentions that some furniture was already there. it certainly is nicer than anything i lived in at that age.

i'd encourage you to go bigger and go vertical. a taller chest or bookcase would take up the same floor space but store more perhaps making other pieces unnecessary. i'd also group my wall objects closer and edit. these smaller things and photos only have impact together.

i'm not a fan of the "bonjour". kind of like a "hang in there kitty" poster to me, but c'est la vive. if you love, move it to somewhere where it won't accentuate you lower ceiling.

Finally... a place smaller than mine! This is completely not my style (I am definitely on th modern side), but I admire the entry. You have to start somewhere, and I can clearly see that Carly is developing her style. Kudo's for your bravery Carly, and never give up making your home reflect who you are.

I think what would be really great for you to either go to France or at least look at some French house magazines so you can have a better understanding and perhaps be a little less "little house on the prairee" and a lot more French provencale.

It is amazing how much furniture you crammed in there but I find using pieces that work for multiply things to be far cooler.

Carly I think you did an amazing job! Don't listen to all these assholes who obviously have no idea how to use a tape measure....235 sq. feet is nothing. Your ingenuity and imagination make me think that a career in designing and maybe not Art History wouldn't be such a bad idea. Keep up the great work.

To TheoJ:

I've actually been to France twice! The "Petit Chateau" title mostly comes from my place being very, very petit. I know my house doesn't look French, it's just filled with things to remind me of it until I get back there (hopefully I'll be on a plane there immediately after graduation! I can dream, anyway...)!

Thanks again to everyone for their comments! I'm a shoo-in for an Honorable Mention, right?! :)

Thumbs up for entering! What a tiny place, and it's clear you've made a real effort to turn it into a home instead of a little box to live in. That said, I think it'd really help if you grouped the pictures closer to create a larger arrangement (or perhaps put them in large frames with wide mats, in a cream colour maybe?). They look very lonely scattered along the walls like that.

Covered storage for your books and music would help too - I'm not a big fan of hiding your passions away in cupboards, but seeing so many of them makes it look more cluttered than it really is.

This place has a cute B&B-feel to it. But the French theme was too much all over the place for this to be super cool. But it's very You. Don't let this voting get to you.

I LOVE IT!! Finally... a place that looks LIVED IN. You have a lot of personality and you allow it to really shine through in your decor.

I see that you have a mirror near the bird cage. Have you considered using additional mirrors to create the illusion of a larger space? Overall, I think it's impressive what you've done on a college student's budget, and especially in such a compact space. Well done, and good luck with your art history studies!

LOVE IT, too! It reminds me of this really inspired room that one of my best friends in college lived in--where I spent many happy hours chatting and looking around at all the cool stuff on the walls.

I imagine listening to Serge Gainsbourg in here and plotting my after-graduation backpack trip through Europe!

Great job--this shows personality and passion.

It has a lot of personality - definitely reminds me of my rooms in college. Would have loved to see the kitchen area. I felt like we didn't see everything.

The desk is so cute!

Your personality comes through in your comments. You seem like a very nice person.

Thanks, Mr. Dangerous! I'm trying to have a "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" policy. Constructive criticism is good and I'm keeping all of your ideas in the back of my mind, but some people are just plain rude on here sometimes! I'm excited that I got picked to be on here and I have some nice pictures of my place now.

ee2485: The kitchen is a kitchenette of course, and not that exciting. Here's an older picture of it:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2061/2401372948_eb98e2f0fa.jpg
As you can see, I haven't really done anything with it. Maybe I could move my French plates and display them back there since no one seems to like them. How dare they! :P

And...my fave entry so far is East #9: Roxy's Room to Grow. Now that's what I should have done with my place!

I think you made a valiant effort. If this were me, I would try and use the vertical space better, and try to open things up with that - like the corner shelf business. This is about 2000% better than what I lived in during my college years.

I don't mind the plates. I kind of like them. I think you could do better to use that technique of consolidating the wall stuff more on the other wall too.

But think about the feeling of space you could have if you lost a big piece in here. Could you clean off the top of the dresser and lose the side table?

I had the same issues (space and budget) as a college student! I've looked closely at your photos because I think you have a big challenge with 235 sq feet, and you've done a wonderful job!

It looks a bit cluttered. If you are like me (and especially when I was in school) you may be holding on to a lot of things with sentimental value that are taking up valuable space. A tip I got from my mom (one of the greatest designers I know) is to take everything down or put it in a box until you are stripped down to bare walls and your furniture. Then select only the things you love the most and find a place for them. You can store other things (I agree, use the vertical space) and change out things when you want a new look. It's simple, but it made a huge difference for me.

I think all the little things on the wall should be more concentrated, rather than spread out all over the walls. Make a focal point, it will make the space feel larger.

Also, since you obviously value your space and design--think about saving up and splurging on a cool piece like a great chair for your desk or a piece of original art. You'll never regret it!

Cheers to you for entering. I have NEVER commented before on a post, but I think you have serious guts for putting yourself out here for critique by some of the design snobs on here. Congrats and keep creating your space!

"I've actually been to France twice!"

Ce n'est pas évident...

My French is a little rusty, azra, but...

Pourquoi avez-vous besoin d'être s'impoli?

I've always found it strange that when people get on the internet and are given the chance to judge someone, they just go for it! Your comment is unnecessary and negative. I've already explained that my house isn't French, it's just inspired by a love of French things. I own nothing in the toile pattern, I have hardly any art to represent the movements of Impressionism, Realism, Rococo, or the Baroque, and here's a shocker: those silly plates with the French names for various fish on them? I found them in a thrift store and they were made in Japan! Admittedly I'm not being authentic.

When you offer us a house tour, let me know. At least I had the guts to take a chance and enter (and at least I have some manners, even on the weird world of the internet).

PS- Now I feel bad for being all internet-passive-aggressive-y so I'm leaving positive comments on other entries. I fear the wrath of the AT Karma Monster, whatever that may be. I'm also talking to myself via these comments.

as someone who has lived in tiny college apartments before, i definitely agree that sometimes more is better to make it feel home-y and reflect you instead of being sparse. i think people are looking at this as a place to live long-term, when it's clearly a place that works great for you, your budget and where you are in your life- good job!

i'm amazed that u have furniture for every room of a house contained within your one room.

Another thing to consider of the small space/lots of stuff, is that college and grad school is still a transitional time. One may not be able to store most of their belongings at their parent's (s') house for various reasons, or wish to, yet long-term storage is a cost, and paring down to the bare minimum for a temporary situation is silly. If you can fit it all in your apartment, why not. As somewhat of a packrat myself, I am keen to see more examples of people who manage to retain their belongings with a sense of function and style rather than minimalize (although that's fantastic for those of whom can part with things and live that way).

As far as style, as I and a few others have said, this space could still use some editing or usage of the vertical space, and/or possibly one or two alternative items to ones chosen (or more likely defaulted) would change the visible scape of the apartment a little and use what little space there is more efficiently. It's taking a little creativity to the functions of items a little ahead of the aesthetics, and still maintain both, which makes a small space work.

it's super cute, but slightly crowded.

I like the wall color and the sofa and the place does have potential but...

the place is so cluttered I got claustrophobia looking at the pictures. The art seems to be hung haphazardly and way too high. It needs better storage solutions and a more cohesive look.

Carly, it's hard, very hard to open your home for judging by complete strangers. Objects, what dear to your heart could be viewed as hideous, your style and organizing methods could be critiqued... but it's exactly what a contest is all about...and most of us here for learning from each other and learning from each other's mistakes, stealing ideas, getting inspired and entertained, learning something new and getting driven... I have an urge, a motherly impulse to protect you and encourage you as many commentators above. But i have to agree, filling your home with kiosk souvenirs and random french things does not pay a respect to the french culture or create an ambiance.

Hi
I'm not sure why you submitted this entry.
You certainly have a lot of stuff to show off, if that's your angle.
However it's done poorly, mixed up, and without much editing or planning.
I see no innovations, or just plain styling of any substance here.
Sounds harsh?
Let's be honest here.
If you're going to submit an entry, show off why it is worth looking at.

Don't mind me, just ranting like Dennis Miller or something...

First of all, thanks everybody and good luck to all the entries!

I submitted it to take a chance and have some fun. I knew I wouldn't win, but I didn't think weird people on the internet would crap all over it. If it was as bad as you're saying it is, then why would they have accepted my entry? Just to laugh at my expense? Perhaps. But that seems kind of screwed up. Funny, but mostly screwed up.

It's small and functional. Just because it isn't all IKEA-ed out doesn't mean it's not worth looking at. I guess it served its purpose because you got to feel better about yourself by putting someone else down. It just seems odd to waste energy on people you don't even know, you know? Wait...I'm doing that right now.

Comments like these are discouraging. What happened to constructive criticism? Why not make a suggestion instead of insulting me? A bunch of people mentioned the idea of going vertical, and I've been looking into taller storage pieces to swap with the furniture I've had for years and years. Helpful advice! What a concept! :)

Oh well. I tried to have fun and roll with it. Most people were honest and nice. Maybe I'll redecorate when I'm not living paycheck to paycheck and going to school and being stressed out in general. Trying to marry into wealth but it hasn't happened yet.

If you've read this far then you are entitled to a free high five. You should also get off of AT and go outside.