apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

the master bath is nice. i like that the tile goes out to the courtyard. do you have shades?

nvm i think the glass is frosted!

when can I move in?

Fantastic! Are your floors plywood?

Great looking house, but I feel as though it's the architecture I'm admiring. (Not seeing much in the way of personal choices -unless, maybe you're the architect?)

In any case, you've got a great crib.

The interior courtyard in itself is very cool. I've always wanted one!

What Shirley said. You have an apartment with interesting bones. But I dont see any decorating so really there is no way to judge if you apartment is small cool.

For 800 square feet it looks enormous!

Er 914 square feet. Still!

Maybe because the courtyard reads as room, but isn't included in the square footage?

Regardless, it still looks bigger than 914.

Looks like a whole house full of decor choices to me. Art on the walls. Furniture on the floor. Maybe you can't see them because the architecture is such a star but they are definitely there.

This is such a beautiful place, it must be such a joy to live and entertain here.

I must admit that as awesome as this place looks, it strikes me as odd that this was submitted as "Small Cool" since the place really doesn't seem small for a family of 3.cat, (tho, definitely cool.) And as SToD said several comments back, a lot of seems to be architectur driven, as opposed to creatively furnished to work around the demanding space issue. There are some beautifully chosen furniture elements tastefully placed, but all in all, it wasn't super creative, especially with regards to the "small" aspect. Once that observation is made, I feel a little let down by this entry.

This is a great apartment. It is an apartment right?
Can you share more info on the building, is it new, who's the architect? Maybe an exterior shot?

I think it's really well designed inside too. It looks like a great place to hang out, and live.

Too cool.

It is my belief that sometimes decorating is done by holding back, by taking away, by choosing to make do with less. This is an approach that is no less valid than adding more things. Both have merit. Maybe what is honest to them is to live minimally.

Just Beautiful!

Looks pricey! I need a trust fund!

This place was in the LA times in January:

http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/home/la-hm-jeevanjee31-2009jan31,0,1038390.story

The couple that lives there are architects who designed the place themselves. I think the place was also featured on a TV show, but I can't remember which one.

$600K $200K in construction = $800K of "small and cool" I guess?

The courtyard OMG the courtyard beautiful

I'm with shirley-temple-of-doom on this one. I think it is the architecture that is so absolutely stunning. I guess that is a big enough compliment since the family living here also designed it. I wish I could find an apartment/condo with a floor plan like that.

love this place.
however, i cannot vote for it because i don't feel that this is an architecture contest.

I remember the LA Times story on this place; very interesting renovation, and very well done. I thought it was great when I read about it then and it is still impressive. The courtyard is fabulous.

Great bones. Nothing about the decor detracts from the architecture. I'd love to see something whimsical/colorful to fun it up a bit. Perhaps a sculpture.

Such a pleasant combination of intimate pockets that articulate the day time area, the space is flowing seamlessly and comfortably yet every functional zone is clear cut and visually distinctive. The whole house is exemplary in optimizing space. Partying there must be terrific...
I get really sad when interior design is reduced to shopping and painting the walls. "Decoration" will never fill in for "design". This competition is about "beautiful, inspiring and ingenious use of small spaces", and that's what this floorplan is. This post was really soothing.

If the Sharmas were merely renting, I'd give this place the thumbs down - the decor is so minimal as to be nearly nonexistant.

However, as the Sharmas are the architects as well as the owners, and therefore responsible for the whole shebang, it gets a big thumbs up. The spaces are clever, the use of materials is novel (like paneling the ceiling) and the lines are very exciting.

Chic, but I'm not voting as it doesn't look like a 'home'.

Wow! Wow!

I am really enjoying the aesthetics, but have to say that with much experience in rendering programs..... this house looks like it could have been created in VIZ or similar.

Such a nice place for your little daughter to grow up. Does she sleep through the night? All the best from a new mom with a 3 mth-old daughter.

@m! the show was Renovation Nation on Planet Green with Steve Thomas.

I'm not getting a warm, comfy feel. Architecturally, it's not for me (design-wise too) but I should stipulate that I like arts and craft/mission interiors circa 1900 so...

Wonderful space, and even moreso because the family living there designed it. Minimal and modern design aesthetic without being clinical, cold, or cliche (I could see a space like this on AT dripping with straight-out-of-Ligne Roset/DWR pieces). I love the choices of patterned rugs which adds depth and enhances the warmth of the room.

Wow

In this case, the architecture IS the decor, so it definitely belongs here, especially since the inhabitants are the architects. For those who question its "small"-ness, AT classified the small category as 900-1200 square feet, so why shouldn't 914 sq. feet for a family of three count?

Definite thumbs up for great use of space, built-ins, architecture.

Gah! Must resist ...voting for competition! Hardddddddddd! Too...Beautiful ...To...Resist!

I like the general bones of the space, very nice however, I find it's overall execution kind of wanting. The space and it's use is fine, but it seemed to have stopped there for the space while it has warm touches of the wood floors and ceilings lacks any other warth or personality. No evidence of the enhabitant's souls living here.

The walls are too white, while the furnishings are nice and all that, the rugs and the few other colors such as the green sofa seem too little. Part of that is how it was photographed, with little interior lighting to bring life to the space, relying on the ouside lighting to do it all and quite frankly, the courtyard is really where this is at for me.

At this is what I read from the images and such here.

Not really my style (except the courtyard, which I love) but I'm giving a big thumbs up to any architect building smaller more energy efficient dwellings. Here's hoping the smaller-cooler architecture is a sustaining trend.

Beautiful home, but does anyone actually live here? It looks extremely and unrealistically staged and I don't see any personality or life for that matter... weird.

do people live here or is this a model unit in a beautifully designed building? where's the decor?

Beautiful minimal space.. sleek lines, using materials honestly with touches of personality...adore the courtyard and would live there in a second. i missed voting, but would have given it a firm thumbs up.

I love this! Yes, a few more "items" or personal "objects" would enhance the live in feel.
Don't understand the other entry won.
This does have a sense of style and cohensiveness that the other completely lacked.

Okay just saw the LA Times pieces. The photos there does more justice to your place. Saw more personalized space. Love the office and the bookcases.
I'm a huge reader and have nearly a thousand books in my library.
Got a better view of a bedroom and the bathroom. OMG, an open air tub in the middle of a bustling city AND no worries about peeping neighbors! Genuis!