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Small Cool 2009: EricMcFly's Constant Curating
Tiny Division #04

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Name: EricMcFly + 1
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Size: 500 square feet

What is your one favorite element in your small, cool home? Even though the space is small, the apartment is thoughtfully laid out and flooded with southern light. Plus it has all of the amenities you need for living in the city; a walk-in closet, a washer/ dryer, a deep tub, dishwasher and a working fireplace. In NYC these are pure luxuries.

Give EricMcFly 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!
 
 

What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your small home? When we find something terrific that we just have to have, something else usually has to go. It's like a constant curating of things. New treasures come, old ones must go. It's the only way to keep the space clean, clear and beautiful.

Give EricMcFly 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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Comments (64)

absolutely wonderful space

posted by jesscon0202 on April 2nd 2009 at 2:04pm
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agreed -- what a fantastic space!

posted by Caroline K on April 2nd 2009 at 2:06pm
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Beautiful use of light, textures, and space. I would never have guessed that this is 500 SF!

posted by Anna at D16 on April 2nd 2009 at 2:11pm
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Well done!

posted by modernguy on April 2nd 2009 at 2:13pm
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Love the space - looks very well organized. Love the giant floor mirror in the bedroom, but the tiny mirror above the headboard looks too little for the space. Same for the flower picture above the sofa. Overall, though, well done!

posted by girlgoesglobal on April 2nd 2009 at 2:15pm
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My favorite so far. Nice layout.

posted by farmhousemoderne on April 2nd 2009 at 2:15pm
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I love this. It's simple, but not spartan and doesn't suffer from being too clever to be practical or otherwise overdesigned.

posted by coggs on April 2nd 2009 at 2:18pm
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another favorite... wow. clever.

posted by aad on April 2nd 2009 at 2:20pm
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oooooh so many wonderful spaces. this is the best so far.

posted by STYLeyes on April 2nd 2009 at 2:43pm
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I can't believe that is only 500 square feet. It looks huge!

posted by sleeping spot on April 2nd 2009 at 2:46pm
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This is really lovely. I want sources for the coffee table, sectional and leather armchair!

posted by reef1 on April 2nd 2009 at 2:46pm
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Larger images please!! Need to see in detail!!

posted by ilovebc on April 2nd 2009 at 2:48pm
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This is a great space - I love how open it feels! I'm really liking the floor lamp beside the couch - can you tell me where it came from?

posted by marissaf on April 2nd 2009 at 2:49pm
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EricMcFly Can you tell me what color paint you used. The palette is beautifully done.

posted by Minanina on April 2nd 2009 at 2:49pm
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wow! i love it!

posted by erinpeace on April 2nd 2009 at 2:52pm
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I like the place overall. I don't understand a bedroom 8 by 17.
What were they thinking?

posted by FilthyMcNasty on April 2nd 2009 at 2:53pm
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What a lovely home. Strikes just the right balance between being personal without being cluttered. The arrangement of furniture makes the living room seem huge and open.

I like the slightly spartan, but relaxing, vibe in the bedroom. Allows one to focus on sleeping (and other bedroom activities) without distraction.

Well done. Thanks for sharing.

posted by amazonikon on April 2nd 2009 at 2:54pm
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Beautiful! And it looks so big! I am jealous of that bathroom...

Who is the artist for the piece above the fireplace? I love it!

posted by lemonadefish on April 2nd 2009 at 3:15pm
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why are the pics so grainy and small? this place looks amazing, i want to see it more clearly.

filthy: i have a narrow and long bedroom and i find that it's a great use of space how room does one REALLY need on each side of a bed anyway? enough for your body to fit. with a long room, there is way less wasted space. also thousands of homes in brooklyn are 3 windows wide. they can only divide the space between windows, so there is almost always normal sized room, and a very narrow one.

posted by serialsquares on April 2nd 2009 at 3:25pm
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*how much room. (typo)

posted by serialsquares on April 2nd 2009 at 3:26pm
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This is my favorite entry so far. It's well-designed and very liveable. Lovely place.

posted by heather77 on April 2nd 2009 at 3:47pm
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Arc lights of some description are obviously a requirement . . .

posted by ChrisToronto on April 2nd 2009 at 4:19pm
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Serial:

That's Mr. McNasty to you.

Uh, when planning a room why did the architect/space planner think 1 foot or 2 feet at the end of the bed was enough or appropriate? See that's what I don't understand.

People (tenants) do what they have to do when put in situations like that -- it's just unfortunate to be put in situations like that. That's all.

posted by FilthyMcNasty on April 2nd 2009 at 4:19pm
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Unbelievable. A 500 sq ft apartment with a walk in closet? I have 850 sf ft and can barely hang anything in it, much less walk in!

Seriously, this is the first 500 sq ft apartment I ever thought I could live in.

Congrats!

posted by Heather C on April 2nd 2009 at 4:39pm
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Who knew you were such a decorator... Your boyfriend must be rubbing off on you! :)

posted by ilataN on April 2nd 2009 at 4:57pm
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It's shiny-new upscale gorgeous. I'm jealous.

posted by luckypeach on April 2nd 2009 at 4:58pm
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i love the paint color....please, what is it?

posted by sevenmegan on April 2nd 2009 at 5:48pm
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Yeah that grey tone is like.. perfect!

posted by ekoshyun on April 2nd 2009 at 6:01pm
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Didn't I see this place listed for sale on Corcoran or BHS last week?

posted by amt230 on April 2nd 2009 at 6:58pm
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I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your place and design! I'm very inspired. Good luck!

posted by nycbound on April 2nd 2009 at 8:01pm
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That is exactly how edited I'd love my bedroom to be. If only.

posted by Kim on April 2nd 2009 at 9:13pm
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Very nice! Definitely looks larger than 500sf.

posted by suzy8track on April 2nd 2009 at 9:21pm
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I am going to have to agree with some of the comments...the place looks bigger than 500 sqft. Good Job!

posted by desertflower on April 2nd 2009 at 10:58pm
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I really like the living room - the artwork, everything.

posted by bluemonday on April 3rd 2009 at 10:11am
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The red accessories in your kitchen are mind blowing against that dreamy blue backdrop.

Great entry!

posted by marc from vancouver on April 3rd 2009 at 11:53am
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I like the artwork in this apartment.

posted by rhianna on April 3rd 2009 at 1:27pm
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looks very airy and nice. The space looks so big. Actually 500 sqft is not so small when you think of nyc.

posted by dzyn on April 3rd 2009 at 1:37pm
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hands down my favourite! wish the pictures were larger!

posted by shrewt on April 4th 2009 at 10:03am
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fab fab fab. i could live here.

posted by Sylvia K on April 4th 2009 at 5:32pm
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I'm amazed at how much furniture you placed in the living room (considering its size) and it still feels airy and spacious. great job...

posted by saudoso on April 4th 2009 at 5:57pm
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Nice, Can you tell us, where did u bought the lamp near the couch

posted by msrr on April 5th 2009 at 2:21am
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Thank you for sharing your beautifully decorated home with us, Eric. Very relaxed, tasteful, and comfortable, and so visually pleasing. So much wonderful inspiration here.

posted by little in oz on April 5th 2009 at 6:31am
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where in brooklyn is this? any available space in the building?

posted by ss622 on April 5th 2009 at 11:07am
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Thank you everyone for such wonderful comments... Here are the answers to where things came from etc.

The living room wall color is coventry grey, the kitchen is birds egg and the bedroom is tundra- all benjamin moore.

The painting above the fireplace and the collages in the bedroom are by my friend Courtney Booker (www.bookerdesign.net).

The sofa is BoConcept.

The black leather chair is vintage by Milo Boughman.

The coffee table is CB2.

Most everything else is vintage, found at flea markets or shops upstate ny.

And no, there arent any other apts available at the moment, though the others in the building dont look quite like this. It was pretty much a wreck when I bought it 3 years ago.

Thanks all, and keep the votes coming!

posted by ericmcfly on April 5th 2009 at 6:57pm
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ah, and the little lamp next to the sofa is from Room and Board, called the Orbit.

posted by ericmcfly on April 5th 2009 at 6:58pm
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Great furnishings. I like the color scheme.

posted by dkzody on April 6th 2009 at 10:42am
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The light is beautiful in your apartment.

posted by Manuchao on April 6th 2009 at 3:24pm
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nice place...

posted by wampler on April 6th 2009 at 6:46pm
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Wow!

posted by rentbent06 on April 7th 2009 at 9:33am
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Nice what neighborhood was gentrified for this apt. Good luck

posted by accessoryshy on April 7th 2009 at 2:05pm
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Ah, accessoryshy! You took the words right out of my mouth.

This is soooo sterile. It looks like a "model" decorated by the developer to sell it. Doesn't look lived in at all.

posted by kushkush on April 9th 2009 at 2:12pm
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Beautiful and classic

posted by Rz on April 11th 2009 at 12:31am
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Hm, are you sure your place isn't bigger than 500 sq. ft.? It looks about the size of my apartment and mine is above 600 sq. ft. Maybe its the wide angle lens that makes everything look so big.

posted by sylvangirl on April 20th 2009 at 12:23pm
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beautiful, tasteful and classic! Great use of the space. Feels much bigger.

posted by lucy67 on April 20th 2009 at 4:37pm
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this one is going on my inspiration board

posted by videonerdann on April 21st 2009 at 9:12am
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WOW. your place looks huge! i love your bathroom...where did you buy the sink and vanity? i've been looking for one like that. Great inspiration.

posted by joannaindc on April 21st 2009 at 11:54pm
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Heidi ho does great work

posted by mtfois on April 24th 2009 at 9:50am
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Thanks for a true visual treat. If you can do this with 500 sq ft, I can't imagine what you would do with a larger space! Forgive me for yet another "Where is this from ?" question, but I've been hunting for the botanical print above your couch even since it appeared on the cover of ELLE Decor in 2005. Please do tell, and good luck to you in the competition!

posted by abresson on April 24th 2009 at 10:46pm
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Clean fabulous. Aesthetic enhances and enlarges the space. A clear winner.

posted by lmendelis on April 24th 2009 at 10:59pm
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Simply perfect - space, texture, light and comfort - all addressed and well integrated.

posted by BIG SUGA on April 25th 2009 at 7:54am
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there is something wrong with the given floor plan. it shows that you cannot see the bathroom from the living room, but the 2nd picture shows you looking straight into the bathroom from the living room. hmmm. something's off there.

but i love the picture over the couch! :)

posted by vintagedress on April 25th 2009 at 7:33pm
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very Elle decor, either you cleaned up before the photos or your a minimalist. Regardless, this is SOOOO Amazing. It is clean in so many ways. I am impressed.

so inspirational.

posted by buffyfan21 on April 30th 2009 at 7:38pm
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I really love the minimalist style ( I have been trying for years! I am such a packrat!) And the mixture of warm and cool tones, with the blue walls and rich wood furniture (bedroom) and flooring. However, this place looks pretty pricey. The tracklighting, the kitchen appliances and fixtures...it doesn't need much to look beautiful. I have to appreciate the ghetto (for lack of a better word) style apartments where people find creative ways to hide ugly radiators and bad flooring. Poorer people like myself :) have to get creative! Nonetheless, well done!

posted by TGR on May 1st 2009 at 9:54am
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My apartment is about that size, maybe a little smaller. Come over here and work some magic... I dare you!

posted by Fluffy McFlufferson on May 11th 2009 at 6:23pm
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