apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I had no idea you were pregnant! CONGRATULATIONS!!! This is going to be an exciting time for all of us as we keep up with your reno. Can't wait to see the final results.

Wow! Congrats! Good luck with the renovation and everything!

I've always wondered how you lived in 250 sqft

and i am very impressed!

Yea! Another Virgo! The world needs them, otherwise nothing would get done.

mazel tov! can't wait to see your reno as well.

So far so great; looking forward to seeing the finished work.

Congratulations!

Y'all are crazy, but good luck.

what does SKGR stand for?

congratulations! and your space is lovely.

SKGR = Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan, Maxwell's other half and Editor of The Kitchen.

Well I really wish you guys luck and I do not mean that in a negative fashion but having survived infanthood recently I don't know if I could have done it in 250 sq. feet!! We have 850 and it seemed small at times.

What I love about New Yorkers is that we CAN live in 250 sq. feet, and live WELL. Congratulations on the newcomer. I think the place has a lot of great potential. Please do tell, with what have you lined the floor of your bedroom...tatami mats or something else?

what are you going to do when the baby gets bigger? Like Toddler, then Kindergarten - I'm assuming you'll sell after the rennovation move to a place with at least 2 bedrooms?

One other thing as you approach this renovation if you have not already done this - you need to get your apartment tested for lead paint. The home tests are not really accurate. Since you plan to renovate ask your contractor to do it. I wouldn't really trust any "documentation" you may have received from your landlord or person you bought the apt. from if it is a coop/condo.

Congratulations. I think you can do it. The baby's not going to care about square footage. S/he just needs peace and affection to be happy and flourish!

I wonder whether you are doing this to prove that you can. I'm not saying it's not possible, but I question your motivation since I suspect that you could probably afford a bigger place. Where will you go when the baby is wailing and you need just a couple of minutes alone while the other is watching the child? Where will you have time just for yourselves while the baby is sleeping? At the kitchen table? I don't want to be a wet blanket but I think your sanity is really worth more than proving that 250 sq. feet is fine for a three person family.

Also - JJ, do you have children? Children need a lot of things in addition to peace and affection (and I'm not sure how much peace the baby will get with two adults within 250 sq. feet at all times). They need limits and structure and parents who are as well rested as possible.

Congrats! (can't remember if I said it earlier!) How exciting and brave of you to blog your renovation. Your pictures show a really nice use of lighting - especially in that frosted cabinet.

If you're looking for a good home for that fabulous old kitchen sink, I'd be happy to cart it over here to use on Thompson St. (seriously!)

I'm not saying I'd be able to do it, but tons of space is not needed for kids. Most people in this country feel they need it, but it's not needed. My mother's family had 13 kids and when my grandfather and grandmother were starting out, they lived above my great-grandparents. Probably quite a few kids already at this point in 2 rooms. I'm not saying this is ideal, or that I'd do it, but I'm saying it's possible. I frankly find all the accoutrements people feel they need for kids ridiculous...past a certain point. Shower lists have gotten nuts. I guess it's a reflection of the times, but my point is if you truly feel you can live in less space and have a life philosophy about it, or about simple living, it's entirely possible.

Congrats! I have one of those Ikea moon-shaped lights if you want it (you recommended I get one, but I ended up not needing it.) I'm in the hood if you want it...and I've got a lot of other you-only-need-it-for-two-months-and-then-it-gets stored-in-the-basement-stuff, too

(and I've been feeling like 1600sf is not enough...but then I also have a hyper doggie)

Congrats and best wishes!
And more power to you. I have trouble managing to live in my studio and I am but one person with a dog and cat. So I cannot imagine another adult and a child in here.
A child seems to need accoutrements (stroller and toys etc.) and it will be a challenge to work it all out. I look forward to seeing how you do it.
(And for a bit of humor--- check out the episode of Absolutely Fabulous --"New Best Friends" wherein Eddie's minimalist friends come to visit, baby in tow. Very funny.)

Fabulous, you guys! I am so happy to hear you're staying in your place with the new baby. Being responsible for a new little person is change enough without a household move added in. As if you don't already know this, but the only 'baby gear', besides clothes and diapers, you really need for a good long time is a sling or other carrier. And of course SKGR's breasts. :) The rest of it really does practically go straight to the basement... As for registering, how about someplace like Heifer International?

Congratulations on the impending new arrival!

While all the other toddlers are resisting going to bed in their own bed, in their own room, yours will be begging Mommy and Daddy to please, PLEASE buy a bigger apartment with a separate bedroom. I'm not being sarcastic -- I think you have a hilariously effective solution to all the usual developmental problems with separation anxiety and will probably have a very easy toddler stage, with minimal whining for adult attention.

hey, I'd been wondering if you guys would be moving (after I read somewhere here that SKGR was preggers and in Domino - I think - that your apt. is 250 squares).

I did it with a baby in slightly under 500, which must sound luxurious to you, but it was in a far less interesting city.

I have a very rambunctious 2 year old now, and I do have to say that we would have outgrown the old place - but then, I also work from home. One of those (child or work) would have to give. (Somedays it feels like they're both slipping out of my grasp.)

Sleeping arrangements are verrrry contentious - that's about my only warning.

And send your laundry out, of course, but you probably already do that.

Don't you have a second place out of town as well? (the one you were painting yellow.) That will make things easier.

Anyway, I'm now in 800 square feet with my second baby due Sept. 12. Still no washing machine, but I now have the hookups, so soon, my pretties, soon.

Looking forward to seeing what you manage to do! Should give me lots to think about!

btw, you can't get away from the baby crying unless you live in a very large house. That noise penetrates. Get outside, is my advice - with the baby. It often calms them down. For that, all you need is a good walkable neighbourhood.

Congratulations. Bugger the renovation - do we get to pick the name? Why are there so many Savannahs but no Paddocks; Apples but no Oranges; Parises but no Bundenoons?

Really folks, I doubt they are planning to stay there until it graduates from college.

If you got out more & met a few babies (not babes), you'd know they aren't self-propelled for about the first 10 months. And the amount of stuff reflects adult perceptions, not infant need.

So SKGR & Max can renovate, which will test their relationship & prepare them for parenthood (so many tradesmen have the emotional range of an infant), and think about moving only if the kid can't carry its own stroller up the stairs.

hi,
congrats and please take tons of care and vitamins.

I am a mother and and a design consultant. i run an online store www.notjustbeautiful.com. concern for children and beautiful homes is my passion.

i have tons of stuff that looks groovy and that does not tire your eyes after a while at my online store. great eco-friendly toys for kids too. have a look and see if you like some of the stuff we have. i would love to be a part of a start-up family home!

thank you

Sonali

Congratulations! I think it's amazing that the two of you managed to live so happily in 250 sq. feet, so I'm sure if anyone can make it in that space with a baby, you guys can. I also agree with Christine in DC that the number of things we buy babies now is sort of mind-boggling, and second Deb in Oz's suggestion that we name the infant via a voting contest. ;)

Excited to see the renovation blog since I will beginning one about the time you will be finishing.

Congrats!

You'll do great. I had a very sweet couple living next door and they didn't move from their equally large/small apartment until their boy was four years old and he was about to have a little sister. He was always happy and laughing, so I think it's more about the parents than the square feet involved. I, too, think you will move one day, but it's no hurry.

your place looks great! i love the bed on the floor--so cozy. but won't mama have trouble getting out of that bed when she's 8 months along?

WooHoo!!!!!! Congrats SK & Maxwell!!!!!

good luck! (w/ the baby... and the renovation- looks great! ;-)

-k

Congratulations! I look forward to reading about your progress with the apartment, I'm sure your space solutions will be inspiring!

Congratulations!

I think it's great that you are sharing this renovation with us. Thanks.

That is fantastic news! I am due Sep. 25th. I have decided to turn my dining alcove into an extra bedroom for the baby. I am even using the contractor that was recommended on your site, Mario Lopez, to build some walls and a few other renovations. Even though we have a 950 sq.ft apt., there still doesn't seem to be enough room to comfortably accomodate us. It doesn't help that my fiancee got this atrocious new 42" tv to boot.

Congratulations you guys!

Hey, you guys have the same apartment we do, except ours tilts.

We're also renovating over the next few months, only not for the same reason.

Congratulations on soon to be three! I love the concept of storage as the Shakers do -- hang as much as possible up off the wall using strips of wood with multiple posts. Love the simplicity and think it's quite attractive when colorful items are hung in that fashion. Getting as much as possible off the floor will make a big difference and allow baby plenty of space for crawling.

I love the photo of the kitchen! I've been very curious about how a food writer operates in so small a space.

What wonderful news. Make sure mom to be is out if they use noxious solvents or glues she might inhale and pass on to the baby.

jhdincal, I mentioned that before too. Here's one of a gazillion articles out there:
http://topics-az.parenthood.com/articles.html?article_id=9200

Exerpt:
"Wherever a baby or mom-to-be will breathe, the emission of chemicals can be harmful.
So when is the best time to apply fresh paint or install new carpet or furniture? Ideally it is before you even start a family. If this is not possible, it is important to take precautions. A pregnant mom should not paint or be involved with any designing project that will potentially expose her to toxins."

The 9 Month Cure should have started long before pregnancy. ;) And before conception. And before that. Although, I don't think anyone listens to that stuff, because kids are being born all over the place and seem to be okay. My mom smoked and had an occasional drink when she was pregnant with me, and other than the extra ears and the third eye, I seem to be fine.

It's not just opening the windows in the afternoon either, they suggest airing out the home for SEVERAL DAYS TO A FEW WEEKS. Oh yes. It's true.

It took me awhile to figure out that SKGR didn't have to do with Skater Girl, some mysterious girl who was crazy into skateboarding.

And I'll never understand hyphenating names. It's a paternal culture. They're both men's names. Ryan was Maxwell's father's last name, and his grandfather's name, and so on. If Gillingham was Sara Kate's maiden name, it was her father's name, and his father's name, and so on. Even her mother's maiden name is her mother's father's name. Women have no last name of their own.

Best thing I ever saw was a couple who chose some melodic last name for themselves. As a new entity. Their name was something along the lines of "Summer Rainshower". Something that happened on their wedding day. Very cool.

Sort of like the names here, the English meanings, not the actual Native names:
http://www.bchealth.com/services/birthcenter/nativeambabynames.shtml

And don't be picking out a cool Native name, it offends:
http://spot.colorado.edu/~koontz/faq/names.htm

It took me forever to find this article but here is a couple that also started to raise a child in about 250sqft:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F05E1D61430F936A15750C0A9629C8B63

Wende, when you talk about separation anxiety, are you talking about sleep training your baby (after the stage where they need to be fed during the night) by letting them cry and resisting that irresistable urge to pick them up to comfort them? Because I do see an issue there in such tight quarters if you don't do the sleep training when they are babies because when they are toddlers they will simply climb out of their bed/crib and wake you up at all hours. At that point it is basically a lost cause.

Which leads me to the biggest issue I see here and that is the parents' sanity. The small space is less of an issue for a baby than it is for the parents. You absolutely need you own space sometimes and even the best parent in the world can be driven crazy in such small quarters. MGR's and SKGR's other home will certainly help here.

I remembered this thread from the park slope forum on brooklynian where ppl were ragging on the entitled park slope parents saying things like, if they were a parent they would never let their kids scream their heads off in a restaraunt or they would never impose on anyone else by taking their kid to a restaraunt, they would carry all their kids in slings because they hated strollers etc. Well, citizen jane summed up the unpredictability of children (despite your best intentions) pretty succintly here:
http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=679&start=129

After all that, I do wish you all the best again guys and if anyone can do it, it's you two!
Oh and don't move to Park Slope ;p

The first night I walked into my partner's 250 square foot apartment (downtown NYC), I thought, how can anyone live in such a small space. The place was packed with tables, shelves, stools, chairs, a queen sized bed, dressers, books, LPs (too many things to list here) and a fish tank. After several visits to the place I began to notice the “bones” of the apartment. It had been built over 100 years ago, had 9.5 foot ceilings, great molding, and received nice morning light from the east. I decided to move in.
After spending a few weeks in the space I helped my partner purge 80% of the contents. To my surprise I had to stop him from purging everything. He felt such relief once the process of “letting go” started.
Next was my plan to create a comfortable living space. I started with the purchase of a Murphy Bed. By taking the bed out of the “Living Room” this freed up the room to be, well, a living room. The Kitchen I have to admit was the biggest challenge. I had to figure out how to place a refrigerator, stove, sink and cabinets in a space no larger than the trunk of a small car. After lots of planning and heating words the kitchen was completed. Thick white “statuary” marble countertops and backsplash, a round sink, gas cooktop burners and an under-the-counter refrigerator/freezer. I treated the apartment like a small theater. The living room and kitchen were to be the main stage. I then created a “behind the scenes” area. This is where all the mechanics of the apartment either happened or were kept. Constructed a large closet along 1/3 of a wall and installing floor-to-ceiling doors, this became the “behind the scenes” area. It contains a large wardrobe, a Murphy bed and a utility closet. When all the doors are closed it gives the sense of a clean long empty wall. So, when one enters the apartment all you see is a kitchen, dining room and a large living room. I’m not sure where or how I got this idea but it works really well. If you’d like I can email a photo.
This renovation happened about 10 years ago and the place still looks and feels great. Recently I purchased a 750 square foot apartment in the village. I had the place gutted and applied some of the lessons l learned from the 250 square foot renovation. The new apartment is fantastic, but I have to admit I prefer the smaller one. There’s something about the functionality and efficiency that makes the smaller apartment feel more intimate and precious.
Enjoy your renovation. Let me know if you need any help, I’d enjoy the challenge.

Jamie Pup, that thread about PS parents cracked me up. I am a parent and we don't live in PS but nearby and I do have to say that PS parents are a breed apart of any other parent in the city.

However, I am sure that Maxwell and Sara Kate will not be taking up the sidewalk with a huge stroller! Knowing Maxwell he will invent an inspector gadget type stroller that folds up into an envelope size and unfolds into a deluxe full sized crib!

My parents (each of them) grew up in a very crowded (yes, there are more out there than NYC!!) Asian metropolis with more than 4 siblings each in a studio. They all lived there until each of them went to college (and even then, my parents didn't get out until they got married and went to the States. Their other siblings left when they got married.

Space is all about perception. Peace of mind is not when the world around you is empty, calm, and at peace, but when even in the midst of chaos and noise you can feel peace.

That is something for all of us to strive towards.

Congratulations, Maxwell and Sarah Kate. I am sure your love for this child will be overflowing in any space...

Ooh, how exciting! I don't know which I'm more looking forward to...the new babe or the renovation!

Congratulations, you two!!

Jamie Pup, yes, I think sleep training is what I'm talking about. If I remember correctly -- and all my info here is second-hand or book-learning -- sleep training was a Dr. Spock invention of the Post WWII years, and there's now some questioning of whether it's necessary or healthy.

From embarrassing family stories, I'm fairly sure that my parents did not do sleep training with me and that I accepted the own-bed, own-room deal very, very readily because I'd had so much parental attention that I wanted to be alone!

So much depends on the specific baby...

What about space occupancy limits? I think babies under a year old aren't considered a "person" yet, so that gives them a year after the baby is born to find another place.

There's a ton of discussion on residential zoning laws, that it's unfair to the poor (who can't afford anything without going in on a place with a dozen other people). And is prejudiced against cultures that prefer large familial units, wherein the grandparents, parents, and children stay together. Or extended families of cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.

Oh, sure, it was fine when everyone lived together in "Dynasty" at the Carrington mansion. But stuff all those people into a two-bedroom in some areas and it becomes illegal.

Single family homes, neighbors complain about the increased foot and vehicle traffic, that the home isn't "meant" to house that many people.

Apartments, especially with limited or out-dated utilities cannot really HANDLE large numbers of people. Even if people are comfortable living 15 to a 250 sq ft apartment, the plumbing can't handle it. The water can't handle it. And the residents may be paying a portion of utilities that is not fairly distributed by usage, such as the RUBS system or set fees.

That means every other dweller that lives one to an apartment is paying MORE for someone else's usage. Not fair. There's no incentive for the multiple person family to conserve if everyone else is picking up the tab.

In some areas, two people would be too many people in a 250 sq ft space. Uh, like it might say "take the number of square feet and divide by 200 and round to the nearest whole number to get the legal number of occupants per space in multiple family housing with more than three units." Doesn't take a math whiz to figure out that number would be ONE. That's a real example, but I don't remember where I was to see it.

From a financial standpoint, I say cram all the people who can live together happily into one space. From a downstairs neighbor standpoint, ONE person who stomps around is too many people. ;)

Wende - I think you are a little confused about sleep training. Yes some children develop good sleep habits on their own, but sleeping well (called good sleep "hygiene") is a skill that is usually taught/enforced by the parents. Since sleep training went out of fashion children up to teenagers are sleep deprived as demonstrated by many studies (I'll be happy to provide links if you want). Advocates of sleep training (and I am one of them, having practiced it with my son who started sleeping straight through the night at 3 months) feel that parents who co sleep and who keep their kids up late/take their kids to all activities so naps and bedtimes aren't consistent/etc. are not doing their kids any favors.

That's what concerns me about this arrangement, I don't see an opportunity for consistent, peaceful, quiet sleep for the baby, especially at night.

OK, between this and all the nonsense that went on the Baby Ayden nursery thread, could we all just please agree that there is more than one correct way to raise a child?

hey blues, I'm surprised at that post.
I don't see anything controversal that has been posted yet. Are you trying to stop something from happening before it starts? I did not read the other thread so maybe that one escalated into some kind of flame war.

Nah, no flame war, just the usual tiresome, "she sent this in, so she must have expected me to say it sucks." I'm just a little weary of the other thread, I guess, which overinterpreted decorating style as evidence of repressive parenting. Sorry to drag it over here.

And I'm well aware that people get flak for raising their kids in tiny spaces. Not from everyone, for sure - hey, this thread is mostly congratulatory. Guess I was just feeling a bit sensitive about the idea that the coming baby will have nowhere healthy to sleep.

Oh *that* thread. I knew that was going to get all the rude ppl out of the woodwork but I've noticed a certain mischeviousnous about Maxwell and his decision to post such pics. The Camelot one comes to mind.

Thanks for the explanation.

And Matilda, I wouldn't mind seeing those links please.

There was an article in the New York Observer about the fetishizing of childhood by the happily childless Simon Doonan that should be interesting to this crowd.
oonan&s_dispstring=simon%20doonan&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no

As I've been told, my grandfather spent his Arkansas childhood in a "shack"- seven children in all, dirt floors, no interior plumbing (outhouse, and a hand-pump in the front yard), no electricity, and a wood burning stove for heat and cooking.

It can be done with less.
More power to you.

Maxwell:

The kitchen will be AWESOME! Can't wait to see the final product! (And which rocker you get!).

As for having children in a 250 ft2 apartment, my cousin lived with her husband and son in a small studio apartment (in Europe) for many years; it can definately be done. You will prove that it can be done elegantly at that!

And I wouldn't stress about sleep -- our daughter slept through the night (i.e., 8 hours) by 4 WEEKS. We didn't co-sleep or sleep train; her sleep patterns developed naturally, and have turned out just fine (btw: when she was a babe, her bassinet was in our room at night, and she slept soundly). Each baby is different of course (I am sure our 2nd, due Nov 1st, will not share the same sleep habits as the first!), and will need something different from their parents.