apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

so clean.. get it out of my face! no really, i love it :)

is that a huge cat tree?

Yay! Best floor plan award too.

I love it. May I ask where you bought the white/wood shelves? Thanks

I really like this. It isn't quite my style but I really appreciate it. The owners did a nice job! I like that cat climber thingamabob. I have been wondering how good it is before buying though. So how good is it?

P.S. That cat looks almost exactly like mine.

i like the cat tree!

wheres the sofa bed from? is it comfy?

Nice, but a little cold for my tastes.

A very nice layout of the place and of the furniture too, however, I do find it a bit sparse and a bit too spare.

I like how you kept to a white pallet with splashes of color, a great idea but the kitchen in particular seems to be just there. It does not look like some cooks in there for all we see is a plastic wire basket, dish rack? and an unusual knife block and that's it, the kitchen just looks plain as day to me. Just putting some of the items like cooking utensils in a jug by the stove if anything will help wonders there. I see little to no books, music software or anything like that, no desk anything to pay bills at or what have you to lend a personal touch to the space. Just an entertainment area, a dinning area and a sleeping area and that's it.

Cool stuff there but lacks personality IMO.

Uh oh. OK, here goes. I see what you're trying to do. I really really do, but this space just doesn't pull it off. The art gallery still life minimalist aesthetic is one of the absolute toughest to pull off and this one falls short. EVERYTHING looks staged for a product photoshoot. You know the ones..they are cheeky and clever and try to outsmart us. But I'm not outsmarted here. I just feel cold and it looks like a robot lives here. I mean, do you REALLY sit in that chair next to the helment? Do you even USE your kitchen? Aesthetics rarely trumps functionality and this is the perfect example of why.

That cat tree is from Ikea, and I've been curious about it, too. Is it sturdy? Does your (very cute little) cat use it?

Minimalism usually isn't my thing at all, but there were some neat little touches, like the cat tree and the little light next to the couch that I liked.

Gah- unfortunately I agree with DesignGod, the photos just seem a little artificial. The kitchen seems unused and the living room looks like something out of a catalog, and not in a good way. If that is your style thats fine, but to me it almost doesn't look real.

The cat tree is from IKEA: BASTIS BLOND.

i thought the first picture quite promising, but when i saw the second and third, i knew this lacked passion, like a holiday apartment in a strange town rented from an agency. lack of heartbeat, signs of a life lived loving.

and i don't 'get' the kitchen style, when you're going for a contemporary modern look, why bring in the thirties wood style?

I like that white, black & pink cat. Nice accent.

Doesn't look to me like anyone lives there but some very fortunate cats :)

i don't think it looks staged, and i think a nice minimalist feel is achieved, but i agree that the kitchen makes it feel empty and unused - but i think the apt overall is very liveable

I'm the owner! So excited to see these feedback. Here are some answers/responses:
Cat Tree: Ikea, you guessed it! Yes my cats go up and down the trees a million times. I screwed it into the wall so it doesn't wobble much. They also take naps on it when checking out birdies outside.
Sofa: DWR. Very comfy and can change into 3 positions. Good for guest sleeping over or group of people jumping up and down watching games.

I know many people think that the pictures look like no one lives there. The idea of minimalist is so different from others because it is very simple and has almost no decorations. My place is small therefore 1. I don't have that much stuff and 2. They are all hiding in the cabinets and drawers rather than sitting outside.

and PS: I cook almost everyday and I'm very good at it, haha!

Love the view!

Does anyone actually live here? (Is the coverlet on the bed rumpled just for effect?) Doesn't look like the furniture actually goes together. The pale blue against the brightly colored coverlet doesn't make a connection. There's so little else in the apartment that there's nothing to say. Even minimalist apartments say something about the occupants--unless the only occupant is the cat. In that case, he's done a great job.

Love the floor plan! It's the first one I've seen that has the cats actually built into it.

It looks cold.

I like the placement of furniture, and love some of the pieces, but the space lacks any personality or signs of life.

I really like it! I am a big fan of not having "stuff" out. Everything I own is behind doors, in cupboards or closets too. Well done!

Am I an idiot? Is that an alternative spelling of "balcony" that I have never seen before? :) Really cute place... totally not my style... but if it works for you, fantastic! I'd need slippers, for sure... those floors look chilly (but so clean!). I like the bunny on the dish drainer.

I adore the floor plan--so clever. I really like this, and even though it isn't my style, I don't think it looks like a showroom. I could see living with this very easily.

I like this entry because it seems to be well laid out and the furniture and objects are very edited, purposeful yet carefully picked out to show some personality. I tend towards the 'warm' side with more decoration, textiles and color but I didn't find this entry cold at all. I totally imagined using that chair to sit down, take of my helmet and shoes and then pet the cat. I think the minimalism is pulled off well (maybe not perfectly but that's so rare outside of a museum) and I imagine that the view takes center stage.

I want to see some art on the walls... too chilly for me, but I appreciate the aesthetic.

I also love the floor plan. :)

I am not a minimalist-lover, and I am perplexed about where your stuff is (do you have huge closets somewhere?), but I really like this entry. I think it has a sense of humor and looks quite big for such a small space.

I have that same cat tree! I love the idea of it; I've found in practice that its shelves aren't optimal. They need to be spread apart horizontally, particularly for small cats. This probably isn't an issue for normal-sized cats, who can just hop from one ledge to another rather than having to leap. However, my teensy cat will use it sometimes (especially if there might be treats involved).

I also have the same voodoo knife thingy, except mine is in silver...yay for us! I like your place but wish you had more art on the walls.

I think the kitchen is kind of stiff, I suppose for juxtaposition with the stabby guy knife rack. "you have cool stuff". You do have cool stuff, and yeah, you don't pull off the minimalism quite effortlessly. It looks forced but not in the austere or simple-living way, it looks kind of materialism, just not a lot of it, to draw attention to the stuff.

Great view, but that's just lucky.

Since Im not a cat person, I totally appreciate that your cat tree isnt one of the usual dirty, carpet things people put in the front window, eegads! I had no idea that was a cat tree till I read the other post. I like your place a lot, its super cool.

Wow, I admire your sense of keeping it very minimal...I could never do that in a thousand years. I just think it needs something to make it feel a little warmer...I got cold just looking at the photos!

Funny I have the Twilight sofa (in dark gray) and an Arco lamp over it too...

Not really my style, but I love that you've accomplished minimalism with more than a touch of whimsy. It doesn't hurt that your cat is so (tiny!) and adorable...

What's the story with the shelves in the entry? I really like them!

I like how everything is set up, but the flooring is making it seem cold to me. If there was some nice hardwood flooring I think this place would look awesome.

Super cool. The kitchen is a bit sparse for my liking, but I love to finally see someone using that Ex knife set.

JPT represent. My parents live there. Love your place. A very interesting juxtaposition from my parents' place. Love your kittehs too.

it is wonderful, yet a little stark for my personal taste, but really, it is perfectly executed!

Again I'm the owner and I can't stop checking what people think about this entry. Some more response:
Storage- Yes I have lots of closets in the entrance area and 99% of my stuffs are stored in there now.
Shelves: "Wonder Wall" shelves are from Blu Dot, lots of fun to assemble them (origami design).
Rocker- I brush and snuggle with my cats on the rocker. It is also the place when they are bad and get "time-out".
Cold floor solution- I stripped the hard wood floor and tile the entire place again for the same reason of being unify. I enjoy walking bare foot on them during summer, in winter I have slippers to keep the toes warm, yay!

Thanks so much for people who understand my hard work and philosophy.
P.S. again, to KTG, the great view isn't just lucky. I bought place specifically because I'm sold by the view.

I wish I could live this minimally. My boyfriend could but I'm a bit of a clutter spreader. I can't help it. I actually really like the colours in the first shot- blue and orange look really good together in my opinion. The blu-dot chair is cool- Sometimes chairs aren't always for sitting people! I am notorious for using one as a bag drop and plan on having one at my new front door for that very purpose. I agree the kitchen doesn't have the "minimal uber expensive lalala" look but i appreciate the 'cleanness' of the flat front cabinets and minimal crap on the counter. Perhaps a cool faucet down the road? like this maybe?

The light and the view are wonderful, and I think they're very much a part of the design. I love the minimal aesthetic here, but with rich choices in color and texture. Very good mix and the apartment feels very livable and inviting as a result.

I must know where that bed came from!

At first I was like "Yay JP!" then I was like "oh...that part of JP".

The first picture had a lot of promise and warmth that vanished from most of the living space photos. And the little stabbed man knife holder freaked me out. I would have nightmares every single night. To repeat what others have said it just didnt come totally together.

like what others said - a little stark and doesn't at all seem lived in or set up to live, but rather set up to look like a magazine and impress. but i still like it. despite the fact that it looks like DWR or designpublic threw up on your place. : )

but i think i just like the items and they are stuck in the place.

oh and nice job with the floor plan and i think the guy getting stabbed by the knives is really funny!

to whoever asked, the shelves are blu dot i think.

I am heartened to see that not everyone is jumping up and down doing cartwheels at every minimalist apartment. This one struck me as sterile and not lived in, especially the kitchen which looks like a shot from a real estate agent's catalog (only without the odd flower arrangement here and there to warm it up).

I'm sure it's a nice space to live in though I'm guessing that it takes a lot of maintenance to dutifully keep everything that resembles actual residence in the place out of sight.

I love the cat though. :-)

a little sparse for me, but i love that floorplan!

I have to say, I've got the same sofa from DWR and I love it. We have it in the study/guest room, and nine times out of ten, I fall asleep on it while reading. It opens up into a bed slightly smaller than a king and is super comfortable.

funny...just because a person cleans their house and puts all their stuff away somewhere suddenly their house is "cold" and "unlived-in." Its a way of living just like any other. If I were entering my place in a contest and posting pics on the net, I'd put my mail, dishes, and laundry away too. The whole point of minimalism is to celebrate the space, not the decorations and distractions we so easliy clutter our lives with. I think its a great balance between pure minimal and a livable space that doesn't look like a medical lab. It shows lots of personality without needing nicknacks and curios to do it. Nice job!!

I like the knife holder in the kitchen.

Very cool!

I. Friggin'. Love. It.

This is the sort of place where I feel like I've learned something after seeing it. I love how stark it looks, and yet, it looks great.

My last apartment didn't have a single white wall, so I used white as an accent with my stuff. You've done the exact opposite, and the effect is far more dramatic. The colors of your bed and rocker POP! And the minimalist approach makes the space look huge.

Very bold. Very daring. Very super-cool!

Very nice. This is probably the best truly minimalist apartment in the contest this year so far. Even more impressive is that while minimal it is still feminine. Wish I could keep my place up to the same standard.

Take that, clutter-decorators!

The cat gets my vote! ;-)

Bhavna

A very nice unit, indeed but the kitties deserve a much better piece than the IKEA unit. Check out the very modern pieces at http://www.trendycat.com.

They offer a range of products from scratching posts, trees and towers to litter box concealers. Expensive, but designed to last a lifetime.

Hi there. I see you have Frigidaire appliances in your kitchen. I think? I love the way they look and the EasyCare Stainless Steel. Well, I'm about to buy that whole suite. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Again I'm the owner! Thanks again for all the critics. I truly appreciate davew, Rob in PDX and OndreJ's feedback. Yes minimalist is different but thank you so much to point out that “it is also just another simply daily life style”. I'm very happy about your comments!

And BSmeltz- Yes my appliances are Frigidaire Professional Series--super low maintenance and high quality, I highly recommend it! I got them at http://www.ajmadison.com/
If you are thinking about getting more than 3 appliances at a time they often has huge rebate that others cannot beat. The white glove delivery service is great!

Oh yeah, thanks you all for loving and trying to get my cats even more spoiled. I adopted them to celebrate new life in my new condo.
The mommy is Mambo and the little boy is Kitoto. Both of them are still very young that's why they are very small. They are very sweet little brats.

Clean...Minimal. Fantastic. Always been a fan of cool white floors. If that is the ikea bed and bench, it surprisingly looks great together.

Yikes! The knife holder is a bit macabre! Other than that... cool and well done for living so minimal and tidily.

I've been eyeballing the twilight DWR sofa for a while (though don't remember it coming in this lovely blue)...how comfortable is it to sit up on, etc. I'm concerned if some of my older, unfit friends would get enough back support. Also, I'm a bit concerned about my own middle-aged back.

Didn't anyone notice the BUNNY in the DISHRACK??? That is so cool, I must know where it is from. Where is it from? Please tell. I actually *love* the tile, I think it looks cold (in a good way) and FRESH--very south-american style. Everything is tiled down there. So easy to clean too! Must be better with cats. It's not my style necessarily, and it's out of my price range but I think it has personality -- razor edge style, so to speak. I don't like that voodoo man though, it freaks me out.

The minimalism is refreshing, and the layout is great.

BUNNY DISHRACK. I could not wait, I googled it. http://www.vandashop.com/product.php?xProd=1408&navlock=1 Listen, the empty dishrack is the bane of my existence (though I didn't realize until just now) and it is a STROKE OF bleeping genius that someone has made it a sculptural objet d'art. I am in love.

Hi I'm the owner again! Seems like most of the people are horrified by the knife rack? Well, it's called "The Ex" AND it comes with super high quality stainless steel knives. Very good reviews by lots of owner online.

I think by knowning its name, everyone would smile (evilly).

And thanks for juliaonhamilton noticing the bunny dish rack. It was once featured on AT and I bought 2 right away, perfect gift for a friend and myself.

I love the look of the bed. Is it comfortable?

It looks like an ad shoot set without the Marc Jacobs models. So, in that way, it is exquisitely sharp and fashionable and trendy...and also terribly boring at the same time.

Love this apartment. I love minimalism and I appreciate the clean lines. My apartment is all white, cold, and I also don't have much "stuff" - it's all hidden in cabinets.
Fabulous apartment. Love the knife block :)

ur cats, lol. i love this space.

Love the clean-lined style you've chosen.

You have lots of empty wall space, yet most of your art is leaning off the floor.
Makes it look you just moved in, I think.
Try hanging it?!

OK, it is cool and it is minimalistic.

But I always have the same question on my mind, when I see a place like there: where is your stuff? Like kitchen utensils (save for knifes). Like books. Like anything that makes it YOUR space....

This minimalist chic is a bit eclectic...love the huge cat tree!

Where did you get the dining table? :)

I'm not a fan of minimalism either; usually it just makes me cranky and I have the same questions other people asked -- where do you put your stuff? How does it look when you're not taking photos of it?

But for some reason, I enjoyed this place, especially the first picture with both warm colors and blue against the white. It looked light and feminine and had a sense of humor, not dour and spartan (my usual feeling about white minimal spaces). I think it must be mostly the colors, plus the cat tree looks like a big, whimsical sculpture. I felt a personality there, not deadness. (No doubt the kitties helped -- they are maximal chic!)

I like the kitchen. My first thought was, "Thank god it isn't white!" (I flunked modernism.) I didn't even notice the bunny dishrack until someone pointed it out above -- thanks!

I also love Uma's comments in this column -- you really know how to look at the positive and respond with humor. I believe this apartment really does show your personality!

I like it....

Like your kitties as well....

What size bike do you ride?