apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time


Small Cool 2009: Dahlush's Textured Home
Tiny Division #35

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Who Lives Here: Dahlush
Location: Kips Bay, New York City
Size: 415 square feet

What is your one favorite element in your small, cool home? Most elements in my home are multi-functional. The doors can be set to reveal various scenes, plus from either side I love to see the light come through. The chairs in the living room swivel and as with all the furniture, are light enough to be moved around for other configurations; the table opens to seat up to 8. Even the back splash has other abilities — the copper works as a mirror, so when cooking I can see people, or watch the TV.

Give Dahlush a THUMBS UP if you think this home belongs in the finals!
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What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your small home? Originally there was a bathtub in the kitchen and a "water closet", so rethinking the space was my biggest challenge. Wanting to wake up with sun meant moving the bedroom by the windows. The doors allow the sun to fill the rest of the apartment, something solid walls would have prevented. To give some cohesion to the space I then repeated the use of translucent panes in the kitchen doors and even in the upholstery on the couch, (well just the pane motif). Balancing the dark aspects — the brick, the mahogany and wood floors — with the right colors became the biggest challenge. Having an architect as a friend whom I could bounce ideas off was crucial and a tai chi teacher who is an amazing carpenter was the key.

Give Dahlush a THUMBS UP if you think this home belongs in the finals!
Thumbs Up Voting is only activated for 48 Hours — so don't delay!


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Want more Small Cool? Check out all the entries on our contest page.

Comments (52)

wow! you did an amazing job.

posted by michu25 on April 14th 2009 at 12:08pm
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great use of color, i love the doors and the warm wood

posted by Lady J on April 14th 2009 at 12:10pm
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Amazing! I love it, especially your bedside tables and lamps! :)

posted by mabaihua on April 14th 2009 at 12:10pm
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This is very beautiful, I love your furniture and colors through out. One room is soothing, serene and the other has some heat.
As far as the space this is why consulting or sharing ideas with an architect can really benefit in the use of space. This is so smart, love it. I would give five thumbs up if I could.

posted by LoriSF on April 14th 2009 at 12:11pm
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gorgeous...

posted by Bridget212323 on April 14th 2009 at 12:11pm
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Love the under-floor storage!

posted by Kimno on April 14th 2009 at 12:12pm
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Lovely.

posted by EChaz on April 14th 2009 at 12:20pm
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Great use of nuetral colors and texture.

posted by AriannaKarlisse on April 14th 2009 at 12:32pm
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love the use of color and all the wood; and it looks like a very cozy and comfortable place to live.

posted by blushingbe on April 14th 2009 at 12:41pm
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I love some of your decor elements - the pendant lights by the bed, the metallic pouffe... so many gorgeous things!

posted by EC on April 14th 2009 at 12:55pm
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looks very west coast! in a good way :)

love it!

posted by k in ditmas on April 14th 2009 at 1:00pm
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ohhh, the pyramid shelves next to your desk are beautiful!! where did you find those?

i love the warm feeling of the whole place...and what a gorgeous kitchen!

posted by joyfulgirl on April 14th 2009 at 1:01pm
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This is spectacular! It looks beautifully designed, yet still warm and comfortable-amazing!!

posted by saraannsmith on April 14th 2009 at 1:06pm
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This looks so very warm and inviting.
I love the wood.

posted by gordon on April 14th 2009 at 1:12pm
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lovely - so warm and cozy. i love the colors, the metallics, and all the textures. would you mind sharing where your bedding is from?

posted by bakema on April 14th 2009 at 1:15pm
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ohhhhh! I love it!

posted by LKmen on April 14th 2009 at 1:21pm
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Very nice! Especially love the bedroom with the soft lighting.

posted by suzy8track on April 14th 2009 at 1:31pm
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YES! YES! YES!

posted by IroquoisCasual on April 14th 2009 at 1:37pm
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This is mind-boggling. This is exactly the kind of thing that makes it worthwhile to check in to see what's happening in this contest. This really does embody the ideal beautifully.

posted by Curtis on April 14th 2009 at 1:43pm
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wow this apartment is awesome!
very interesting and colorful

posted by tdeb on April 14th 2009 at 2:26pm
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This is easily my favorite "Small Cool" of all. I crave this space.

posted by laurajdt on April 14th 2009 at 2:35pm
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I love the capiz doors! We had capiz doors and windows in my house in the philippines when I was growing up.

posted by sasha12514 on April 14th 2009 at 2:35pm
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spectacular, yes, winner !!

posted by orangered on April 14th 2009 at 3:14pm
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Lovely textures and colors. Luxurious with a tiny footprint. My sort of aesthetic.

posted by eonta on April 14th 2009 at 3:24pm
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So warm and homey, but definitely not frumpy!

posted by amandaPlease on April 14th 2009 at 3:30pm
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This is gorgeous. I would love to hang out in this delicious space!

posted by theheadchef on April 14th 2009 at 3:56pm
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You MUST win this. Your apartment is amazing!

posted by laudienh on April 14th 2009 at 3:57pm
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All the custom woodwork has truly made your home stand out above most others. I also love your chairs and ottoman and really.....everything else.

posted by baileyb on April 14th 2009 at 4:29pm
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That shiny ottoman is incredible!! I've seen similar pouffes at a shop here in Edinburgh, you can get them online at bohemiadesign.co.uk... they're sustainably made as well, which is a plus!

posted by koalrus on April 14th 2009 at 4:48pm
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so lovely.

posted by yolio on April 14th 2009 at 5:04pm
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This is absolutely gorgeous. Not only a brilliant use of a tiny space, but beautiful furnishings and colors throughout.

posted by missannethrope on April 14th 2009 at 5:25pm
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With the screens, the bedroom colors, the natural materials and exposed brick, your place looks like it's located in a far-off land and not New York, and I mean that as a compliment. It's so warm and welcoming. Beautifully done, and I love that you figured out "under desk" storage even.

posted by Elizabeth II on April 14th 2009 at 5:26pm
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The bedroom is my favorite part of the apartment, where did you get the lamps from.

posted by absOsteele on April 14th 2009 at 7:03pm
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Simply beautiful.

posted by misohungry on April 14th 2009 at 7:05pm
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This is the only entry whose photos I looked at multiple times. Each scene shows no sign of being in a tiny dwelling. I'm really impressed.

posted by brittanykate on April 14th 2009 at 7:28pm
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good lord, those really ARE capiz panels!
where did you get them?

posted by karmabum on April 14th 2009 at 8:04pm
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Yay textures.

posted by Elizcrtv on April 14th 2009 at 9:01pm
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What a peaceful, welcoming home! Excellent use of space.

posted by MooJu on April 14th 2009 at 9:07pm
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Lovely!

posted by olga on April 14th 2009 at 9:53pm
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Wow, now this is a beautiful, cozy space you could really get comfy and have some sexy fun in! ;) And love the red pyramid shelf and the art on the bedroom walls—brilliant! Makes my place look like a cell at Rikers...

posted by ninasphere on April 14th 2009 at 10:07pm
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The most notable thing about this place is that I can't look at anything and say, "Yep, I've seen one of those before." Everything looks unique. Obviously everything can't be unique, so the effect is all the more impressive.

Very cool.

posted by Blandwagon on April 14th 2009 at 10:19pm
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Interesting. Looks very 'period', but not slavishly so-- like the apartment of a NYC bohemian, circa 1965. The built-in floor storage is a great trick that one doesn't see used much, any more.

posted by shirley-temple-of-doom on April 14th 2009 at 11:04pm
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bedside lammps are dreamy...

posted by STYLeyes on April 15th 2009 at 11:56am
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It's the Transformer home! Love to put it up on weirdos.tv

posted by WeirdosTV on April 15th 2009 at 12:04pm
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very very very NICE !

posted by grace_m on April 15th 2009 at 10:34pm
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perfectly fab...you can feel the attention to the the tiny loving details so originally chosen and created for the space..perfection in the most pleasurable eye filling way!

posted by Lori1957 on April 16th 2009 at 1:12am
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Extremely divi divine... the colours in the bedroom, the flow of all textures and the amazing details that makes this tiny space a luscious retreat not only for the mind, but to the senses... Sophisticaded yet comfortable!

His Divine Grace
Miguel Casafont-Broutin

posted by casafont on April 16th 2009 at 10:10am
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De verdad que te quedó precioso, ¡ojalá ganés la votación, pues es uno de los mejores!

posted by casafont on April 16th 2009 at 10:12am
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Hi,

I've been looking for plug in pendant lamps like that. Where did you get yours?

Very pretty!

posted by nparsee on April 16th 2009 at 1:24pm
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I love this one... elegant, peaceful and tiny... pretty amazing feat...

posted by alej in bali on April 16th 2009 at 8:27pm
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Damn validation is seriously addictive! Thanks for such warm comments. At this point, I'm just so delighted at the responses and happy I finally took photos.
So some answers- the lamps I ebay'ed, one at a time so it took a while to find the match, they're actually a little bit different from each other.
The screens are from Tucker Robbins, as is the headboard (a charpoy which I cut the legs off of) and are indeed capiz and mahogany from the Phillippines.
The textiles are my designs, a line of home furnishings I produced under the label of FIG or antiques from India.
Ah and the orange triangle book shelf is from CB2 and the gold metallic pouf is from Sheherazade (downtown on Orchard St.) AND he's having a sale right now!!
Thanks again for all the great commentary, it's a pleasure to have others interested in one's obsession!

posted by dahlush on April 17th 2009 at 12:17pm
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smart and warm nest! great !

posted by tapioca on April 28th 2009 at 2:15am
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