apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

By far the best teeny tiny I've seen to date.

I like how you maximized space in the kitchen. Well done.

Absolutely Fabulous!!
The first in the teeny-tiny division that I can actually see that you have everything you need (including a decent sized fridge and a stove!) as well as a beautiful cohesive design vision. You made it so peaceful by picking this palette!
Good thing you don't have a pet though, because you could never keep any of that clean :)

its really a great apartment. the white keeps it looking spacious. i like the rack of books on top of the kitchen. as well as your sofa that looks so comfy!

now that's making the most of your space! Cozy but not cramped - great job!

WOW and in 210 sq. feet!

I love the fact that you have overnight guests in a place that size! Now *that's* hospitality.

Hey, I just read your answers, and now believe even more that you should win this whole thing. Great solution for your broom and mop!!!

My favorite tenny tiny thus far!! You are rockin it, Kevin!!

love your place!
Q about the mao - i commented a while back about how i loved a hot pink mao bust in another tour & was skewered for it - do you get hit w/ a lot criticism for having the image of a dictator in the place of honor in your home?

Beautiful. Very well done.

Great use of lighting!

Nice job, really easy on the eyes with the white, a bit of yellow and natural finishes. Great job in utilizing your space without clutter.

Nice layout, but the style is way too bright for my taste...well done with the small space, though!

The lighting behind your bed is really cool. And yes, the Mao statute is wonderfully quirky! Such great use of space. Thanks for giving us all three layouts of your apartment. Way to plan it all out!

I agree with all of the above. My hands-down favorite for winning the whole thing. This apartment really epitomizes the spirit of AT and "small cool."

loves it! loves it! loves it!

My favorite. It's not only an very efficient use of your tiny space but its beautiful. Exactly what a Smallest Coolest winner should have.

Wow, and room for guests too!

IMPRESSED!!!

Not sure I'd want to wake up with Mao every morning, but I like the bright, airy feeling of this tiny studio.

Wow. I have that sofa--it's huge, but your space doesn't look cramped at all. Well done.

This is so clean, so thoughtful. I adore this space. Is that a chocolate Mao sculpture?? Perhaps the most impressive thing about this post is that the space belongs to a man!

Thumbs up from me! Fantastic!!! Your space is so cute and bright and fresh and tastefully done because you choose one or two focal points and everything else is in white or one accent colour (yellow). I love your Mao statue and they way you've decorated, it really stands out. I LOVE seeing the super-tiny apartments that look better than the 'small' apartments at 1000 sqft.

D-

Although this is a beautiful apartment and I give it a thumbs up, I can't understand why someone would make a statue of a man responsible for so many deaths a focal point in their apartment, even if it is a nice statue. Seems pretty twisted.

Well done. (Although Mao at my bedside might keep me up at night....)

that's an incredible use of space! thumbs way up!

Isn't this quaint. The focal point is a sculpture of a man responsible for the deaths of somewhere between 15 to 70 MILLION people. Talk about architectural interest. So kitsch!

here's to ya, lad!

This is columbia grad student housing, isn't it?? I am moving into this in the fall. I hope my place ends up a tenth as nice as this one.

Nicely done! I LOVE that you have hooks on the back of that big mirror, and may have to try something similar myself.

I presume you eat sitting on the couch, which in such a small space, I can't blame you for.

The hints of color makes this room. For Grad Student Housing, I'm impressed with the condition of the kitchen.

Thumbs up for the stove, Mister. Uh, when my parents come to visit I just put them up in a hotel/motel and I got about 3x your space. You're obviously more gregarious than me. Good for you.

[BTW: during the color contest last fall there was a FIRESTORM over a MAO painting. It was in the home of some guy with two dogs. You might check that out and see what people complained about.]

Good job~!

Love what you did with this space!

please please tell me where you got the comforter?! I am looking for that same style out here in CA, Can't find it anywhere!

amandabull.oc@gmail.com

Awesome apartment. Love how you store your utensils.

WOW. I make my guests sleep on an air mattress! This makes me want to go home and purge purge purge!

This is most impressive! Excellent use of space. I love the idea of different arrangements to maximize the use of space for different situations.

I like the color theme you have going on here. The only thing I am concern about is the fact that your bed is facing a door. It's probably not a concern to you, but in Feng Shui's point of view, it's a big no no. I had run into so many problems after positioning my bed that way in my little studio.

Firstly, let me say that other than the statue, I find the decor and color palette very tranquil. The whole apartment looks light and airy and very clean. I like the light colors and the cozy bed (West Elm sheets?). About the statue...

I've noticed several apartmenttherapy posts featuring iconic images of Mao - it seems to be fairly popular. I would first like apologize if the questions seem confrontational - as someone whose family suffered through the Cultural Revolution, I certainly have no love of Mao and I personally feel that displaying his image is macabre and distasteful, but I also feel that people have a right to do whatever they want with their living space, whatever my opinions. And I am aware that other people may not feel as I do about him. I am simply genuinely curious as to why people think Mao imagery is cool.

Do you celebrate Mao as the father of modern China? Do you feel that, because the Communist Party uses Mao as a sort of icon for China, his image is now divorced/whitewashed from the tragedies of the Cultural Revolution and simply represents modern China? How do you feel about the Chinese Communist Party? Do you think his image as home decor is cool because it's ironic in some way? Do you just think he looks kind of cool and benign, and to hells with any kind of symbolism? Would you feel the same way about a bust of Kim Jong Il, Osama Bin Ladin, or Stalin? Or a replica of the Saddam statue that was toppled in Baghdad?

Impressive use of such a tiny space!

Wow!

Looks great. Very well planned use of space and a beautiful execution of the plan. Looks very comfortable and easy tp live in. Congratulations!

@ lilblackdress:
The bedding looks to be the pin-tuck duvet cover from West Elm. I have it in Clay which is the color of the shams. :)http://www.westelm.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?partNumber=WE-PRODb340&storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&parentId=WE-SH1BEDDUV&retainNav=true&cmsrc=WE-SH1BEDDUV

great idea with the mirrors, makes it feel more spacious and I love the colors! a very smart design, great job!

This is an incredible and inspirational use of space - fantastic job!

Amazing space and I'd give it an enthusiastic thumbs up but for the Mao. He's not too far behind hitler in my book, but too many americans don't know much about him. I certainly didn't knwo about him until I was an adult. OK, I'll quit repeating what's already been well said.

wow- VERY impressed! lots of light- expands the space- and totally feels cozy, charming, yet incredibly open (esp for 210 sf)!

Great space, though I desperately want you to get a Murphy bed!

: )

On another note, I find it absolutely astounding that, somehow, by choosing to have a Mao statue as a decorative object, the space is unworthy and the homeowner is thoughtless.

Good God!!! How self-righteous of some! Really!

i have a feeling your decor wasn't meant to cause so much controversy.. if only a statue was just a statue. perhaps it can someday be replaced with a more friendly figure from your future travels?

nevertheless, it is a very lovely space!

i'm surprised no one has yet asked.. where did you find the flower cut-out curtain (is that even what it is called?) by your bed? i've seen some photographs of it elsewhere, but have yet to find out where it's actually from.. thank you!

another thought (the same i made over the last hot pink mao bust):
mao would roll over in his plexiglass grave if he knew his image was used as an interior design accessory in the home of some urban american grad student. so that's justice isn't it?

Very smart.

And not so smart.

does anyone know where you can purchase a drape, curtain, room divider, etc like the one above? Maybe with a variety of designs?

my parents own a coconut that was carved into the likeness of fidel castro. It's been in the family for years, and is a cheeky (and mostly unnoticed) addition to our florida home.
Hm. I never knew it meant I was a communist.

oh the things you can learn from the self righteous.

On a more relevant, and less annoyed topic: the space is a beaut. coco-castro votes two (nonexistent) thumbs wayyyy up.

I think the thing I am most confused about, and it has no relevance what so ever, but this is Kevin's apt? You sure? I am all about the whites, but umm, this space is overwhelmingly feminine no? I tell you, I am not sure what people are voting on this year, I mean for the love of god a trailor park entry is in the lead right now. I think most people are just intrigued by the thumbs up button and feel compelled to press it. I think i've hit it once (yes one time only) in this entire competition and it was the only one that showed any artistic creativity. Of course her posting had probably the fewest votes. Ironic how we see things differently on here!

Where is the couch from?

Love love love the delicate curtain that separates the bed from the living area. Looks like it could be paper!

Hello everybody! Thanks for the comments and compliments.
To answer a few comments--no--it's not Columbia housing. It's just a studio I found nearby. Lilblackdress--the bedding is from West Elm. The paper cutout room divider is by Tord Boontje—it’s made of Tyvek (same sturdy stuff as FedEx envelopes). You can find bargains on it by googling his name. The sofa is from IKEA and my bed was made at a little shop in Brooklyn that you can find by searching for “storage beds NYC”.

also, would you tell us where you found your sleeper sofa? I'm on the hunt for one, and having concealed storage would be a huge plus!

Thank you also for the concerns and comments regarding my Mao sculpture--I am sympathetic to your feelings about the art, but I think art should be engaging and have layers of meaning. Artists have been exploiting the iconic nature of Mao's image for years (Warhol, Qui Jie, Li Zhangyang, Wang Guangyi). Art is something that should not just match your sofa but rather actually make a statement.

When I was an exchange student--much of the town square of the village where I studied had been bombed out during WWI and the rebuilt portion was done entirely in black brick. Some critics felt it was macabre to make monument of the event this way, but I liked the “scars” of the quaint square and generally appreciate when something beautiful can be made despite having negative connotations. My Mao is a beautiful object made in a style that was intriguingly and oddly reminiscent to me of American WPA Regionalism. The artist curiously elected to pose Mao in a position that references the resplendent posed Buddhas of pre-Communist China (a pose that Mao often struck but I had never considered the significance as a cultural reference until viewing this statue). I purchased it at a streetside market stall from a toothless man whose wife told me I was good-looking like a horse.

Yes—it reminds me of that couple, and of my travels, but I’m well aware of the context. My apartment is designed in the style of a gallery so that the meaning of the art I’ve collected can be open to interpretation. If it didn’t evoke thought—I wouldn’t want to cohabitate with it.

Thanks for your comments!

I'm inspired kevin! I have a similar layout and size to my apartment and you've given me some ideas.

Love, love, love your space. Thanks for sharing!!

I love your space. You can tell it is very well thought out and everything is where its supposed to be. Also, when I typically look at small apartments I always have to take into consideration guest accommodations only because I have brother, sisters and friends who love to visit. I was glad to see that you even thought about your guests and have a place for them too. Good work.

love it :) amazing that it is only 210 sq feet!!

Love it... WOW we are so spoiled in Houston! - Mamie

loves it!

I absolutely love this space. Job well done!!!!

Nice space

nice to read your response, kevin. you demonstrate that you have put a lot of thought into the issue and put it in an artistic context, (versus it being a naive tourist trinket or ironic hipster statment). I think what really bothers people is it's placement: not only is its display remniscent of an alter, (but then again, many art displays are like that), but because you live in a studio, it's near your bed. if it was in a separate living room, among other historic objects perhaps, its symbolism seems more distant. but a bedroom is so personal and many people make the connection between the decor and the inhabitant much more strongly in that space.

I do find it interesting, however, how some historic figures are much more acceptable to have in decor than others. to use an extreme, I don't think AT would feature a room with a statue of hitler in it, no matter the artistic context, (but hey, I could be wrong). I think many people get upset by your mao's presence because, regardless of how informed you may be, its acceptance by the general populace reflects ignorance of his atrocities.

oh, and it's a lovely apartment!

Fabulous!!! Well composed pictures too.

I agree with foodefafa and cyli.

It's impossible for another person to define what an image is to another, but a dialogue like this is necessary to establish a working understanding of what cost you're willing to pay in associating yourself with a symbol.

The Confederate flag COULD be considered a legitimate symbol of southern values and tradition, divorced from the slave trade, but even then, you'd have to be willing to potentially alienate any black neighbors and friends by displaying it in your house.

Overall, I think this demonstrates a similar affinity that people have for Che Guevera, who are unaware of the atrocities he committed in the spirit of revolution.

Kevin, how nice of you to respond to everyone! I think it alleviates some of the "controversy" (as I stated above) and brings back to focus the fact that this is a fantastic design! With art, it really is to each his own. The title of "art" has been bestowed on many objects such as a urinal, a bed of nails, depictions of torture, and blurry paintings of water lilies.. At it's core, this isn't terribly different. Art is meant to elicit strong emotional responses from people and force them to think.. Mission accomplished. In an embarrassing admission, I really didn't know anything about Mao until I read all these comments while hunting for the name of the curtain (thanks for that, by the way).. In my very personal opinion, I'm not sure this statue is so much an homage to Mao as it is forcing people to confront an issue that many (like myself) are not aware of, as well as forcing people to confront something that makes them uncomfortable. Additionally, it's quite the conversation piece! Again, lovely apartment, and incredible design!


Also, TAmom, I loved your comment!

Wow, this was a great space! i am so impressed with all your editing and your careful use of space, color, and organization to keep this teeny tiny place looking so much bigger. I'd love to see more detailed photos of your kitchen; I'm so curious to see what other tricks you have up your sleeve! You get my vote!

Kevin,

I really like your teeny-tiny place. I have one question:

What do you use the elephant watering can for? I only ask because you obviously have to be extremely selective with what goes into your apartment, and I see no live plants.

Anyway, good luck! It looks like you are going to be in the finals.

great use of ikea udden

It's very cool and very small; just what this contest is about. It would never occur to me that anyone would get their knickers in such a twist over your statue of The Chairman.

i find it interesting that we judge the iconic mao figure in kevin's space without knowing kevin but yet many of us continue to buy things from China items made in factories with horrible conditions and child slavery.

Exceptional. Very smart to allow your unchangeable cabinetry to dictate the rest of your furniture's finishes -- keeps things cohesive. Well done.

Really a shame that this is going to beat out other entries in this category. To the person who said really well composed photos. Huh? Oh I see, slanted, low exposure. Obviously the world of design and presentation is very, in fact, is vastly different from the one I live in and many of the commentors on here are familiar with. Frankly, I do not like this one at all and it is not because of the white or yellows, not because it is small, to me there is just nothing exceptionally artistic nor is there anything that stands out in my opinion. Sorry to be the grinch on this one, but almost 400 votes leaves me scratching my head. Others were far better, and required much more thought and I almost feel bad for them, that they will not have a chance for the prize, which they should be entitled too. This is the point in the competition where I would hope a few professionals at AT would step in and re-balance the voting.

Um, recon1 I don't think that the AT people would "rebalance" the voting. Pretty sure that's not what voting is about.
I find myself scratching my head over other entries with high vote counts, but just assume its a matter of differing taste, not a matter of everyone else being wrong and me being right.

My favorite

Azaleasmoke, good point and this is not a test of me versus you, but wow, this does leave a little to be desired. My guess is you would never see this is a room and board catelog, and I suppose that is what I am basing my voting on since they are the sponsor of the competition. I've enjoyed this competition for years, but somehow, we get to this point every year, and I'm just like oh man...Just once I'd like to say, yeah that totally is awesome and to the point where something makes the Room and Board people say WOW! This is 10x's better than anything we've done in our design coordination. Hey I guess it is what it is. I just like to take this seriously I guess, that is, in terms of the competition part. Thanks.

Not only Mao, but Mao in a really pretty (soft, delicate) space. How weird is that?

Love the use of papel picado as space divider.

The space is comfortable and so well thought out. However, having the statue of a dictator like Mao would not be my choice. I'm sure you wouldn't have a statue of Hitler.

Nice job, and you gave me some ideas for my 275 sq. ft. apartment. One thing that I like most about this space is that it looks attainable - anyone could do this, without having to own your apartment, or knock down walls, etc.

Great use of small - well teeny space. Great job. Looks beautiful too.

Hey recon1, I see where you are coming from. I get a little frustrated when I feel like people are voting for the wrong reasons too. I guess we are just all looking for different things from the entries. Some people vote purely on making a small space work, others purely on design, others on whether they would live there . . .
A big part of what I look for is someone making it work on a budget. Which isn't part of the competition, but I think its easy to make a space work if you have all the money in the world and not if you have to be creative and stretch your dollar.
So that's why if they post mine it will be nice to see what people say, but I won't take the voting to heart. You never know why someone voted or not!

Kevin, can you please provide info on the lovely lacy/floral/sheet curtains around your bed? For months I've been looking for something similar -- and to use for the same purpose -- with no luck. Looks so pretty - thanks.

I know the curtains aren't SHEETS -- I meant "sheer."

This is super! I totally envy you being able to live in a small space and yet not have it look cluttered!

As has been already stated by Kevin, the curtain around the bed is the Until Dawn curtain by Tord Boontje.

Uh, once all the entries are posted and everyone has voted then AT will match them up "one against another" and we vote again. So, just because someone is ahead right now -- it doesn't mean they'll win. I'm sure Maxwell, et all will check for excessive votes from a single IP address too.

(I'm assuming this small cool contest will run like last years small cool contest and the color contest from the fall.)

very well done.

Recon1-- I totally agree.

I'm baffled by the votes-- people seem to promiscuously award 'thumbs ups' as conciliation prize to anyone who lives in a space smaller than 400 square feet.

Gorgeous

Actually, hrh...fiona, I find a certain propaganda poster of Hitler wearing medieval-style armor quite entertaining. It's a travesty. And that's what I thought of when I saw Mao. Of course I realize if I displayed Hitler, not everyone would appreciate my sense of humor.

But I do think decor can be thought-provoking, and Kevin, I'm totally impressed you can live so neatly in such a tiny space. Very well done.

i need to make my apartment look like this

Great idea to go with such a light neutral colour palette. Looks good!

how nice! i think because of the overall color and the super comfy bed.

Beautifully done. I'd like to see one large piece of art over the sofa, rather than the three small pieces. But overall, very well done.

Fantastic work, my boy. If only we had more well designed housing like this. We could finally get to a desirable density in this town. I like the homage to the Spanish Steps. Good use of the color white. Very clean. Its like the color of the sheets I like to go prounce around in. My only issue with this place is that there is no space for a roll around briefcase.

lilblackdress: there are also some variations on the neutral pin-tucked duvet at anthropologie right now: crowned cane and hidden echo... they are pricier though.

You must be good at math.

Well done!

I love your place! I looks clean & neat....

Hi Kevin,
You've found creative solutions for your small space - I love the contrast of the lace panel against the heavy statue with the textured yellow pillow - very poetic. Also good use of lighting to draw the eye where you want it and clever solution to integrate lighting with your kitchen book shelf. I always think small space living is like a puzzle - just have to work to get all the peices to fit together.
I am also a studio dweller - 300 sq ft and am doing reserch on sofa beds for my own place. I was wondering where you got your sofa bed. You commented it had storage as well. Would you be willing to share the source? Thanks for the inspiration.
brenschler@msn.com

Hi everybody. THANKS AGAIN for all your comments and votes.

To answer a few questions/source a few items:
Sofa: IKEA--it has storage and can fold out into a full bed. It was my most expensive apartment purchase, but it satisfied all the demands that I had and I liked that it had clean simple lines.
Bedding: West Elm pintucked cotton
Curtain: Tord Boontje designed it. It’s like a paper cutout made of Tyvek (think FedEx envelopes). Try googling his name to find a retailer.

The elephant watering can in the kitchen is from past ventures into raising plants. Problematically—the radiator is in the window and it really dries out plants in the winter. Nothing has lasted for long. Now the elephant mostly gets used as a pitcher since it was cheap, it has a nice form, and it can hold about 5 mixed drinks.

recon1 - I'm afraid that I'm scratching my head over the votes on this one too. I'm really perplexed.

I can see myself living here, hence the vote!

50,000,000 Elvis fans can't be wrong!

Mao, schmao.. ignore all the negative comments. It's a piece of art that has meaning to you, it provides the perfect amount of contrast for the space & it looks cool there.

I love your place. It's inspiring what you've done with such a limited amount of square feet. And it looks good.. good looking like a horse. :)

Gorgeous! Where are those lovely gray pillows from? And the bedspread looks to be the same fabulous texture, yes?

So beautiful, but I could never manage that small of a space. Thumbs up!

GENIUS!! It is really a great arrangement! Well thought out the three scenario's for using the space make good since. I think you really have to be creative and imaginative to pull this off! I could see myself living comfortably in this space. Good job Kevin!

Those udden cabinet doors don't line up.

I just thought I'd throw that in to counteract all the positive comments! Haha. Awesome space. Thumbs up!

I would happily give up the largest, most decadent apartment in New York to spend the rest of my life in this perfect space. It's all you need - a soft, warm bed, a cozy couch, and a nice kitchen. This is the most wonderful job I have ever soon.

BRAVO KEVIN! I really hope you win.

Having seen this apartment's "before" state, this is a massive improvement and now a beautiful room. The studio was dark and dingy before - I'm amazed at the amount of light and space created. Ingenious use of shelving and storage - well done!

Hey! Where is the 'before' ??

Before any confusion begins.... there are no before pics posted. Thompson and Sae helped me unload my van when I first moved in--when it was just an air mattress with boxes of books, garbage bags of clothes, grungy floors, bare walls and reeeeally dirty burglar-barred windows.

You've done so much with such a small space. I love the bedspread and the Boontje curtain. I'm really impressed with the three layouts you posted. Very clever.

Kevin, I can't stop looking at the your apartment. It's neat and clean and clutter free. I have one little suggestion though. Have you ever thought of positioning the bed facing the window instead of bathroom?

I wouldn't mind more color, but I think this works well.

I absolutely adore this place. I keep coming back to your pics just to admire it. Great job!

I bet you [don't] get a lot of work done on that table.

BTW: In the earlier contests we would all make comments (I don't remember if we voted or not but I know if we did vote it wasn't like this thumbs up thing-y) THEN an exclusive 5-STAR group of judges would be introduced and THEY would determine the final winner.

It was a complete surprise seeing who was selected as the winner.

With this GLADIATOR vs. GLADIATOR type system they have now it's pretty easy to predict who will win (at a certain point).

functional. practical. clean and it's clear every inch is meaningful. well done! i just absolutely love seeing how people utilize their space in new york city.

I love this room! And I think the statue adds an interesting touch. I like the contrast of the dark hard wood against the soft white of the room. I think you should ignore those comments about Mao. My mother's family also suffered from the Cultural Revolution, but my mom never held Mao responsible for what happened to her. History has a way of taking an individual and resting all glories or woes on that person's shoulders, forgetting the fact that actions of historical significance are the product of many. Comparing Mao to Osama Bin Laden seems a bit outstretched, but then again both are heroes to some and villains to others.

Hi, sylvangirl, I bet you many people here did not study or even know American History, let alone Chinese history. The Mao era was one of the darkest eras of Chinese history.... I understand why Kevin does not mind using the statue as an art to decorate the house since in America you have freedom (still....), and you can do whatever pleases you. Two words, "Emotional detachment". If you are not emotionally or morally "affected" by something, the meanings become moot and non-functional. To me, and maybe others, Mao conveys too much meanings to even bear looking at, or thinking of...... I read too many books on cultural revolutions - the horrors and moral degradation are just too much to bear.....

AND!! sylvangirl, I applaud your mom for forgiving what Mao has done.. and also think you are smart in saying, "History has a way of taking an individual and resting all glories or woes on that person's shoulders, forgetting the fact that actions of historical significance are the product of many." ---- therefore, comparing Osama BinLaden to Mao, based on your reasoning, is NOT a bit stretched... and indeed justified... since there are many many others who actually "contributed" to BinLaden's products! Kevin's room is beautiful... and he has the right to use Mao... but your comments on Mao is not "logical"... but whatever. This is Apartment Theraphy... not political therapy.... I think I should just sigh, lament for a while.... and let it go.....

What sophistication!

Horse handsome eh?
Im voting for this place because this space not only looks nice, it has functional, liveable space for the things I consider essential.The book shelf above the kichenette really allowed me to see just how teeny tiny your studio is. Still, it looks like you manage to live well.

Where can I get one of those hanging, folding dishracks?

Your place is so lovely. Really, it is beautiful.

I'm bookmarking this now. Thank you for sharing---and you get my vote!

i really like it!

Giving all small spaced New Yorker a great HOPE! Hooray!

Your home looks like a clean, happy space. I like the small touch of yellow that is barely there.
How do you like the CB2 Yellow stool? Good purchase? I thought about trying it out myself. Good Luck! You have my vote!

Congrats on your division win. I LOVE your space! So soft and fluffy like a magic sun-lined cloud...or a delicious poached egg! I'm rooting for you to take the grand prize!

I must be missing something. I don't wish to be a downer, and while I applaud Kevin's organizational skills and general good taste in such a small space, I honestly don't see what's so remarkable about this. It's neat and tidy,-- but nothing else. Don't get me wrong-- it's a great place and I'd be happy to live here-- but there were so so so so many other entries in this competition that were much more innovative, creative, and pleasing to the eye. This is white and unremarkable. And the sofa's too big.

I am sorry, I just can't get past that this won over it's competition. I am sure Kevin made many improvements to what he had to begin with, but I agree with reckon1 that this is just nothing "special" compared to so many other spaces, especially the space it was neck and neck with. I am assuming that becuase there weren't many hard choices made that it is the least offensive to the most people, where the other spaces that made more artistic and design choices had more reasons for people to disagree with those choices made. I honestly thought the voting must be fixed, that this space had more "friends" voting than others...and maybe this is true- however I also am "baffled" by this win. This space is in NYC, you can get amazing things here on any corner, this may be interesting in an area where resources are slim, but I live in the same neighborhood and I can name every store that these items were purchased at. I will commend him on making the space function for himself, but in terms of design and artistry, this just can't beat some of the other contestants.

Megan and everyone else. I am stupefied, mystified, flat out just frustrated over this. First comment in two weeks and this is what I log on too see. I am inclined to think AT should look into voter fraud. OR and a big OR 95% of the viewers should be lobotomized. Either way I am happy to see that there are a few people that completely don't get it, like me. What happened to artsy, creative design? Something that makes you say WoW! Something that makes room and board people say holy sh#@#! I got the opposite feeling from the crooked, musty, uncolorful photos. How did this beat out others? Really how? I would like a clear, concise explanation. I applaud Kevin for entering and Kevin please don't take insult to my comment, but frankly it's the other commenter’s I am trying to make my point too. They voted. Maybe it’s time for an entire round of new prescription glasses. Who knows. It’s to a level where in design sense, I almost feel dumber by just logging on now. My opinion AT completely screwed up the comp this year. Maxwell should have been handling it like old. I am very saddened by these results..None of the entries that should have made it, did. Sorry for the negativity. I am generally never like this professionally and personally, but I take this competition very seriously every year, perhaps to a fault and when it comes to interior design and small spaces, this is how I make a living. I am always pretty excited about what will be presented. I’ve seen some spectacular things in just 150sf-400sf. This is a just a major blaaa...Plus I am still a little bitter that my downtown, amazing (what I’ve heard) 284sf loft could not enter because I did not interpret the entry days right.

Ahhhhhh nothing like the sound of snipey, snarky desing snobs in early Spring! Kevin you have done a great job with your space. It's clean and simple which in itself is a design challenge. There were a lot of other entries that I didn't vote for because quite honestly they were over designed. I also love that this is a DIY place and that it doesn't look like the dwr catalog exploded. (no offense to dwr...I love you guys but in moderation....).

I love all the white and what it does for the space and the wood tones and then just enough accent of yellow and a few great pieces of furniture/sculpture.

As for the bitter, snarky comments...they're just sad and take away from a really fun amateur design competition. Props to you Kevin for also being able to complete the application and submit your work by the deadline and the correct dates.

Thanks again to everybody that's supported me with their well wishes and votes.

I'd also like to thank apartmenttherapy for holding this competition as it has provided a great opportunity for me to reconnect and catch up with a lot of old friends and family. It's really been wonderful.

As for my detractors--I'm sorry if you don't like my home. I would like to advise that saying "no offense" before saying something incredibly offensive is not actually effective. It's sad to take a good-natured competition to a negative place.

What offends me are allegations about my integrity or accusations that I would somehow rig the competition. I take honor and fairness quite seriously and have adhered tightly to the rules in this competition. I am fortunate that a lot of people like what I have done or believe enough in me to take the time to log in and vote.

As for comments about my design intent--I very purposefully designed my apartment using as many off-the-shelf, economic, and accessible items as possible. Though I was on a student budget--I believe good design should be inexpensive and accessible. Most of the room is purposefully monochromatic to draw more attention to the art, the light and the subtlety of the different textures. Additionally--the light colors made the 17'x9' room feel a lot larger. I always strove to use the most common materials in the richest way possible: the paper curtain, the cardboard folding chair, a ceramic sculpture that reads as carved stone, common unbleached cotton linens. Accessible design has always seemed to be a tenet of apartmenttherapy and that seems to be something to which people have responded.

Sorry for the rambling length of this comment. In writing as in design--editing is the most difficult part!

....and thank all the gods this DOESN'T look like a Room and Board Catalog!

c'mon man.

Kevin-

Did you do major facebook marketing, as your competitor in round #2 suggested? While doing so may adhere (tightly!) to the rules of the competition, it seems contrary to the spirit of this competition, to me.

But it would explain why this neat but otherwise forgettable entry garnered so many votes.

Is it true about the facebook campaign?

Per the instructional emails that every contestant has received from the competition sponsors when his/her submission has moved from round to round, "We encourage you to invite friends and family to vote for you."

Thus--I've updated my facebook status and my IM status to mention how I'm doing in the competition each day, and accordingly I've invited my friends and family to vote. From there it has become pretty viral as my [fantastic] friends and family have really stepped up as ardent supporters.

It would seem to be the intent of the competition sponsors to gain maximum exposure for their brands, to increase readership, and inspire thought and discussion regarding small apartment design--and not as some have said to look at pictures similar to what may already be published in their catalogs. My entry succeeded in that regard and the commentary on this message board very much captures that spirit of this competition.

I have no doubt that the sponsor's thrilled by the publicity blitz.

You're treading on thin ice, though, when you suggest that your entry has in any way "inspired thought and discussion regarding small apartment design"-- seems to me the discussion has been about your Mao statue (your defense was brilliantly noncommittal, by the way-- "If it didn’t evoke thought—I wouldn’t want to cohabitate with it". Cunning and versatile Art-speak answer-- you'll go far!); and a general confusion as to why this entry was getting so many votes.

You'll have to forgive the few naive and idealistic AT readers who stupidly thought this competition was about interior design, not public relations.

Dear Recon1 and Shirley-Temple-of-Doom - as a new reader to AT, and someone who has voted for this entry, I am speechless by vapid yet hollow posts on this board.

I can attest to holding numerous conversations with friends and coworkers about the Mao statute in this entry. My friends and I are all simply amazed how this guy got such use and versatility in 200 square feet, while, at the same time, making it look like a hotel suite and feel like home.

Recon1 and Shirley-Temple-of-Doom - perhaps you folks should apologize for talking down to many of us who voted for this entry. It isn't nice. Alternatively, how about about just get a life?

I'll keep sharing with my friends to vote for this entry!

There are always accusations of fraud somewhere along the line in this contest. A competitor last year had several screen names set up so he could be snide about other entries without looking like such a jerk. Even wrote to himself asking if he could hire himself. Some freakazoid claimed my apartment was photoshopped and didn't actually exist. Most contestants though, from the many I've met, are sane and sweet and not just in it for the prizes--which are nice, yes, but not funding early retirements or anything. It's for fun.

Yes, the contest becomes a bit of a popularity contest. That is kind of the point though in my opinion. There are plenty of magazines and other places to see what is highly designed and appreciate big-deal architects work. This contest is more about DIY and small scale real living... AND about publicity.

Anyway, Kevin, I like your place. Good job. I do have a question though. Does the color coding books work for you? It always seems very magazine-spread and not very practical, and yet, I can see that your place is very practical. So... does it work for you? Do you have something of a mental map for where stuff is? Are there few enough that you can scan for the book you want pretty easily by title? I'm just wondering if maybe it isn't as impractical as I've previously thought.

So that's how this entry gets all the votes. I'd be more proud if I won (or lose) by design merit alone. However, congratulations on the $2,000 prize.

Still wanna know where that bedspread and pillows are from!!

Great apartment! Your talent, personality,and professionalism
shine through,and will make the winner for a lifetime.

I think it's time to go back to the old way. The team of 5 star judges need to make a comeback and they can determine the winner. This is a perfectly fine apartment but NOTHING special.

I understand why this entry went so far (and I also understand that it has NOTHING to do with the design).

In past years this was a great contest. This year not so great. This whole situation is just unfortunate.

Uh, I also feel sorry for the other entrants. They thought this was a design contest. This year's contest had nothing to do with design though. It had to do with the number of "friends" Kevin had on Facebook.

A Kevin wins gives AT a black eye.

Yup,

I was thinking how, let's just say, people are actually voting and not ONLY being corralled via social group sites/mass emailings (yes, guilty on both counts on behalf of my friend!) The votes seem to be for what the cosmos gifted them with, as opposed to what people actually did with the space. Ie, the high-ceilinged, multi-fenestred sunny apt in LA (that has NOTHING else going for it) is getting way more votes than a tiny dark cubby hole in manhattan that has more style and diy ingenuity. Just an example, not referring to this particular entry.

But generally, simple white boxes with not much personality are getting the votes.

A watered down, uninspired public. It's sad.

I love the cozy feeling of this small apartment. And it is very functional, the cabinets over the sofa, drawers on the bed and the ceiling shelf at "kitchen" area.......

I don't understand why there should be any negativity or personal attacks for a simple decoration contest. While I do not know "itsKevin" personally, who cares how his vote was garnered? I voted for it because I really liked his use of space and decor so why cast doubt on people who feel the same? No one is being forced to vote for anyone.

Judybabyva:

In answer to your question - because this is the first time this contest WASN'T about design. There were, at least, five entrants in EACH of the categories that were better than Kevin's entry.

Maybe, if you had participated in the previous four contests you would understand.

BTW: Stating the obvious is not negativity or a personal attack.

Nothing wrong with disagreeing with other people. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, saying that itsKevin won in his division solely because of a popularity contest or that it is somehow rigged is unfair to people who are following the rules and won legitimately.

What I'm saying is that Kevin's entry wouldn't have made it past the 1st round in past years. It's not good enough. Kevin's entry is completely forgettable.

He won his division because he has lots of friends on FACEBOOK not because of any good design. A couch, a bed and a statue of Mao in yellowing photographs is not good design. It's a dorm room.

I just feel bad for the entrants who actually had nice places. Kevin's place WAS NOT the smallest and coolest entry. If you're not blind and look at the other entries that's obvious.

where did you get the bed/storage unit? LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

Agreed - I love your bed and bedspread. May I ask where you ordered them?

I like the apartment the best out of this division also because of its great use of space for different purposes as shown in the plan. Very well-thought out and practical for Manhattan living. But apparently I'm blind.

Kevin's place is a dorm room and it looks like a dorm room.

Judybabyva: you might look at the other entries. You also might look at the winners of this contest for the past four years. Kevin's place isn't even close to being in their league.

Facebook is the winner in this contest.

love the mao sculpture!

Hunterk2, AmyInLA, and Missbrewsky,

My bed is from ny-furniture.com, but a google search for storage beds will pop up lots of different options. I went with ny-furniture because I could visit their showroom in Brooklyn to check out quality (and I got free NYC delivery).

My bedding is from West Elm. It's their pintuck cotton line.

Thanks for the support and the comments!

Oh, if you want to see the winner and runner up from last year go to the top the COOL SMALL page and right next to the "2009" are the winner and runner up from last year.
Those are some nice places.

FilthyMcNasty: Indeed-- last year's winner was amazing! They really milked that space for all it was worth.

At least I received a legitimate answer as to 'how this entry won the competition'. I completely disapprove. I also do not think AT should be thrilled about this. Perhaps it creates added publicity, which is their prize from the competition, however I do not see the general public [ones not affiliated with AT] saying wow what a great competition, and this is what it produces (based on appearance). I think AT will be reluctant to publish this anywhere else going forward.

However, this is the point where we congratulate this young man. I will say he sounds as if he is an incredibly intelligent young person, and that is encouraging.

I think the thing that concerns ME most is the lack of 'individuality' and in that, lets say Kevin has 400-500 friends and family who voted. You mean to tell me out of that same 400-500 not even 10% said "Kevin I love you, but entry number 4 (for example) is what I personally like and I think I am going to vote for that person. Nope. It just seems in the masses, like a heard zombies just reinforcing that Kevin alone had a presence in the competition. There is a complete disregard for what the competition is actually about, no thought into how Kevin's contacts could sway the competition the way it did, and essentially knock out people, who I feel were far more deserving of being acknowledged as the winner based on pure design talent. A big red flag went up in round one when this had 2, if not 3 times the votes of anyone else. I picked up on it then, like a few others did.

I won't go as far as to say 'cheating' but a loop hole has been discovered and I'd have to guess that voting will be regulated more closely in the future. I mean we are talking about $10k in prizes, not a $200 gift card to crate and barrel. Yeah it's pretty serious.

As for the few people who suggested I "get a life" ok. Thanks. I'll say it again. For whatever reason, this particular competition is something that had always peeked my interest. You'll notice I do not spend a lot of time writing notes on AT. I log on, take a look at some articles, view the photos (I mean interior design is at least 50% visual) and then log off. Also, as someone else aptly noted. We are allowed to have an opinion and voice that opinion, if it be thumbs up or thumbs down. Unfortunately, and I think speaking for a few people on here, some of us, although we have great friends, don't have 600 facebook contacts. Who would have thought 15 years of reading design related publications, buying, selling, and collecting all kinds of items, seeing hundreds upon hundreds of amazing spaces in NYC and beyond and all that is offset by a single FACEBOOK email blast...Fun:)

Uh, It really didn't matter what Kevin's space looked like. Kevin could have photographed a pig sitting on a rug in the middle of a bare room and he would have won because this wasn't about design it was about how many friends Kevin had on FACEBOOK.

How sad for all the other entrants who actually had great places with great design. :(

Kevin should consider removing the Mao statuary if for no other reason that it's bad feng shui. Artwork that has sad or violent associations can have an effect on personal energy...even if you yourself fight against the idea that it's a negative icon. And if Kevin insists on having it displayed, it should absolutely be removed from the bed area.

It's a great apartment. Now, on the statue-

I'm not sure if you guys suffered from the western propaganda, but apparently in China (I'm Chinese), most people understand that Mao is controversial but he is not an evil depicted by a few readers here. Millions of people still pay visit to his preserved body in the Tiananmen Square each year. We respect him.

People died from his movements and my family and parents also suffered in the culture revolution initiated by him. (Yet we don't hate him.) But people in the west tend to forget what the Chinese people do remember: it was Mao who led China to become an independent country. This alone deserves much credit. (you guys probably won't appreciate it considering America was never occupied or looted by foreigners - I'll leave that for a separate conversation.)

I also give him huge credit for giving women equal rights in China. In fact, Chinese women today have a more equal, in certain cases, even dominant family role compared to their American counterparts.

Those are my two cents. Congratulations Kevin!

Wow, well done, Kevin! It really looks amazing given the space constraints. I saw your apartment featured on the CBS 11 o'clock news. You're as cute as the apartment. Please tell me you're gay :)

Must go with LoriSF on the Mao issue...

Kevin, your space is interesting and well planned.

Wow ! love this style

That cool white Tyvek curtain/room divider is now $123. If you can use white/lilac or white/black, then it's still only $58.
Actually, the curtain is $58, but there's a $65 surcharge for plain white.
http://www.unicahome.com/p14687/artecnica/until-dawn-curtains-by-tord-boontje.html

This just goes to show “the power of small!” Just because you live in NYC and are relegated to a teeny tiny apartment does not mean it can’t be utterly chic. Kudos to these people for being conscious of the fact that it’s the small things that can have the biggest impact – their apartments look great!

Kevin- I applaud your space, design and your stance as to the whys and wherefores. You've also given many of the "opposed " an awful lot to talk about.Those of us who love love what you've creatively done with a small space- still love it. At -the-end-of -the day , it's your space,it's your place to enjoy with family and friends !!
Congratulations to you again !!!

Grandma bed.

Very very nice! My space is super tiny and needed space. I like your in-wall shelving - I need more of that! I think the colors keep it open too.

Hi Kevin.
Where did you get your wooden bed frame from? It's really cool, with all the drawers! I need one of those:-)