apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time


Small Cool 2009: Megan's Changed Outlook
Teeny-tiny Division #05

thumbs up

Who Lives Here: Megan Trinidad
Location: East Village, New York City
Size: 300 square feet

What is your one favorite element in your small, cool home? I love that it’s small! I used to live in a place that was so roomy I had to buy stuff just to fill it. Now I only own what I love and I’m very picky about what enters my life. It has completely changed my outlook and I am grateful every time I step in the door.

Give Megan 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? The biggest challenge was the kitchen. I actually chose to purchase this apartment because the kitchen was a wreck. I love to cook and relished the opportunity to create a space that suited my needs. With the help of my renovation-savvy parents (the absolute greatest resources EVER), I figured out a way to stick a dishwasher and a full sized stove into a space that had barely fit a 23" cooktop when I moved in.

There have been ups and downs and it’s still a work in progress, but the only true set back was the countertop. I couldn’t convince myself to bite the bullet and get the granite I really wanted so I installed linoleum instead. I immediately regretted the decision and after a few months of saving I splurged on the good stuff. I ordered the counters from High Quality Marble whom I highly recommend.

Give Megan 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!


room-board-banner09.jpg

Do you have a Small Cool Home? Enter Here by April 13th!

Tags

Small Cool 2009, Teeny-tiny

Related Links

Share

Comments (79)

wow fabulous

posted by schoenlala on April 7th 2009 at 2:07pm
view schoenlala's profile

Nice job would like to see your sleeping arrangements and bathroom.
Good Luck

posted by accessoryshy on April 7th 2009 at 2:12pm
view accessoryshy's profile

Love what you did with the tv.

posted by H L I on April 7th 2009 at 2:17pm
view H L I's profile

Love the framed flat screen; jealous of your EV apartment ;-)

posted by pennyplastic on April 7th 2009 at 2:20pm
view pennyplastic's profile

This looks so cozy!

posted by ee2485 on April 7th 2009 at 2:21pm
view ee2485's profile

Megan I have to ask the book on your living room wall? Is That a Buddhist Alter? I wish I could let go of more of my treasures...Maj

posted by majeral512 on April 7th 2009 at 2:21pm
view majeral512's profile

great apartment, i hope i can get something as nice when i move to nyc

posted by ss622 on April 7th 2009 at 2:27pm
view ss622's profile

I for one (as the proud owner of a large frog-shaped humidifier) like the panda trash can. And that comment was very rude.

posted by seraph on April 7th 2009 at 2:28pm
view seraph's profile

nice spot you've got here. It's cozy, colorful, full of light, and obviously well-lived-in.

Thumbs up. Thanks for sharing.

posted by amazonikon on April 7th 2009 at 2:28pm
view amazonikon's profile

love the framed flat screen!

posted by EAH on April 7th 2009 at 2:29pm
view EAH's profile

i want to see more! and a layout. lovely all around.

posted by Gvinton on April 7th 2009 at 2:34pm
view Gvinton's profile

My favourite thus far!!!
Want to see MORE!!! (:

posted by ilovebc on April 7th 2009 at 2:50pm
view ilovebc's profile

great place... where did you get the rug in the living room?

posted by pdesign on April 7th 2009 at 2:53pm
view pdesign's profile

I love it! The tv is amazing. I'm not crazy about that panda bear can though. Pandas are so cute, but the aesthetic doesn't match the sophistication in the rest of the photo. It makes the trash can stand out in an eye-sore kind of way. Other than that, the rest of it is really beautiful! And those vintage hairpin leg stools are the most gorgeous I have ever seen.

posted by tikilicious on April 7th 2009 at 2:58pm
view tikilicious's profile

I like the panda trash can, too. And even if I didn't, I wouldn't bother to disparage it! Get a life!

Your place is great, Megan. Amazing work on the kitchen. But where do you sleep??

posted by helen_v on April 7th 2009 at 2:58pm
view helen_v's profile

Wow that comment about the panda trash can was ridiculously rude! Why do you feel the need to try to make people you don't even know feel badly about something they love?

posted by azaleasmoke on April 7th 2009 at 3:00pm
view azaleasmoke's profile

Beautiful, my favourite so far. High-five to the other owners of Teeny-Tiny places. :)

posted by prairie girl on April 7th 2009 at 3:09pm
view prairie girl's profile

The comment I was referring to was taken down, it wasn't yours tikilicious. Your comment is of the constructive kind, and a great example of how to say things nicely rather than the way the other commenter did! :)

posted by azaleasmoke on April 7th 2009 at 3:12pm
view azaleasmoke's profile

i love this place! my parents are my best resource too! (lots of help and experience...can't price that! :-)

posted by nmkc on April 7th 2009 at 3:21pm
view nmkc's profile

I sort of like the panda trash can too. It made me laugh and adds a bit of playfulness to an otherwise sophisticated apartment. But my favorite part was the little yellow ottomans and trays used as a coffee table--just right for a small place that requires flexible furniture/seating arrangements.

posted by slowdown on April 7th 2009 at 3:24pm
view slowdown's profile

my vote is for loving the panda :)

lovely place megan!

posted by modkitten on April 7th 2009 at 3:28pm
view modkitten's profile

Wow, what a gorgeous place, I was surprised to see that it was only 300 sq ft! I love your aesthetic, you've managed to show your collection without it being overwhelming and the place looks cozy and inviting. I can't even do that w/ 1,000 sq ft. Where did you get the painting above the sofa, makes me contemplate visiting NYC just to steal it :)

Really, a fantastic space, please, please, please more photos! And where did you get all of your frames?

posted by sarrazak on April 7th 2009 at 3:40pm
view sarrazak's profile

Great use of space. I'm glad you splurged on the granite. When you have a small place, it's worth installing quality product because you don't need a lot of it. When I was redoing my floors in my 350SF apartment (Alex and Corey's pre-war tenement), I had a lot of people telling me to use the laminate flooring but it was so worth it to get hard wood. Makes a real difference!

posted by adetoth on April 7th 2009 at 3:44pm
view adetoth's profile

Beauty!

posted by Piztachio on April 7th 2009 at 4:05pm
view Piztachio's profile

I wish I could use a bigger font just to express how much I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this!

posted by thatjessicagirl on April 7th 2009 at 4:25pm
view thatjessicagirl's profile

I just LOVE the frame on the TV!

posted by Kellenor on April 7th 2009 at 4:31pm
view Kellenor's profile

I love the mix of delicate and modern! I have only good things to say about this space. And the framed t.v! I've been thinking about something like that for a while, and this space is just perfect for it. Great job!

posted by amandaPlease on April 7th 2009 at 4:45pm
view amandaPlease's profile

Love the framed tv!!

posted by jessimarie33 on April 7th 2009 at 4:59pm
view jessimarie33's profile

The framed TV is awesome! What about those angel wing hooks? So cute!

posted by Heather C on April 7th 2009 at 5:19pm
view Heather C's profile

Will someone tell me how they stack the books so high? I LOVE that!

posted by thatjessicagirl on April 7th 2009 at 5:41pm
view thatjessicagirl's profile

Your framed tv is too cool. Reminds me of this steampunk computer on Wikipedia.

a little post about steampunk.

thatjessicagirl - my guess is she's using these bookcases or something similar.

posted by Where You Hang Your Hat on April 7th 2009 at 6:00pm
view Where You Hang Your Hat's profile

Great space!

posted by carman6 on April 7th 2009 at 6:13pm
view carman6's profile

The framed tv is my favorite also. I love it!

posted by groupie on April 7th 2009 at 6:20pm
view groupie's profile

I looooove your pink rug with the yellow bamboo furniture and aqua wall. So summery.... sigh. Actually, seeing your living room pic and your last name, I got confused for a minute and though the place was in Trinidad... it has the perfect slightly tropical, laid-back feel for it!

posted by marie516 on April 7th 2009 at 6:26pm
view marie516's profile

This is darling, love the TV frame!

posted by Jesse Lu on April 7th 2009 at 6:28pm
view Jesse Lu's profile

now we need a tv frame. ha.

posted by aad on April 7th 2009 at 7:08pm
view aad's profile

great colors, thumbs up!

posted by Tangerine on April 7th 2009 at 7:12pm
view Tangerine's profile

Lovely chandelier in the kitchen! All the details make the difference. Can't think of enough superlatives for all you've done.

posted by MaeEast on April 7th 2009 at 7:14pm
view MaeEast's profile

Love the ornate frame around the TV, the vintage finds and the artwork in the pink bathroom...
...but the lamp on the credenza desperately needs a new black drum shade and the olive sofa is very unhappy with the aqua wall.

posted by bepsf on April 7th 2009 at 7:19pm
view bepsf's profile

I love the wing clothes hooks, love the panda too!

posted by bcthree on April 7th 2009 at 7:58pm
view bcthree's profile

I love the framed TV!

Can someone tell me, in the second picture above the kitchen cabinets...what is that thing in the middle? Ahem.

posted by BambiJo on April 7th 2009 at 8:11pm
view BambiJo's profile

Thanks so much for all of your sweetness!

The rug is Pottery Barn from about three years ago and the frames have been collected from thrift stores and yard sales up and down the east coast. Also- if you’re looking for “spine” bookcases you should check out ebay- mine are knockoffs and only cost $75.

And as for the item above the kitchen cabinets- it’s a lobster shaped pan! I pinky promise ;)

posted by megtrinidad on April 7th 2009 at 8:26pm
view megtrinidad's profile

Megan, could you please share how you made your TV look so cool? Did you find a frame that just happened to fit, or did you have one made?

I love your home!

posted by Mavesse on April 7th 2009 at 8:47pm
view Mavesse's profile

What I have seen so far is lovely.TV set up especially. I wonder about the bedroom though- thats a big omission. But hopeflly we will see more...

posted by Trumystique on April 7th 2009 at 9:22pm
view Trumystique's profile

Megan, I love everything about the apartment! The mix of chic and whimsy, so clever, so Trinidad. Your attention to detail is apparent throughout. (Let's hear it for those renovation savvy parents). This is a winner. Magazine ready.

posted by connie228 on April 7th 2009 at 9:30pm
view connie228's profile

Love the stacks of books. You are one of few to really nail the arrangement. The photo of the framed TV gives me home for the black monstrosity that inhabits my living room. There is some color discord between the aqua, olive, yellow and coral in your living room and sadly, it's time to upgrade to something more refined than than the panda-can.

Where's the bed?

posted by luckypeach on April 7th 2009 at 10:11pm
view luckypeach's profile

Is anyone else wondering how on earth you found a frame that is the exact size of the TV? (or vice versa)

Incredible editing skills, LOVE your kitchen.
I have never seen a 300 sq ft place with such a functional kitchen.

posted by jac7890 on April 7th 2009 at 11:18pm
view jac7890's profile

Cute!!

posted by Lillian on April 8th 2009 at 6:14am
view Lillian's profile

Amazing! That's all that needs to be said.

posted by dazzoa on April 8th 2009 at 8:38am
view dazzoa's profile

Hey Megan! It's Bev! Can't believe I stumbled upon your entry here. hahaha. Looks like youre living the good life since college. =) I wasn't sure it was you until I saw your photo in the photo frames. (and the advertising books on your bookcase!) Your place looks great! Good luck, I'll be rooting for you.

posted by beng on April 8th 2009 at 9:36am
view beng's profile

The TV frame is my best yard sale find of all time- $20 because the woman thought the faded painting inside was ugly! I then bought the TV to fit the frame. The key to making it work was painting the wall behind the TV matte black. It doesn’t fit EXACTLY, but the illusion is kept by the paint.

My bedroom is a loft bed with a walk in closet underneath. You can probably imagine, by the look of the diagram, that it was entirely impossible to get a snap of a 6 foot high loft that didn’t look like a weird vignette. I’ll see if I can procure a wide-angle lens and try again!

As for the panda, I’m a big believer in bringing things into your home that make you happy. Since the bathroom is such a personal space, it’s filled with portraits and pandas- things that perhaps wouldn’t work in the main rooms but truly belong in my home.

Thanks again for all of the love!

posted by megtrinidad on April 8th 2009 at 10:29am
view megtrinidad's profile

love the living space- the color combination is totally surprising and very painterly. the little 'bamboo' stools are great. it goes without saying that the framed tv is killer.

i do wish the kitchen had more of the fun and liberal use of color/pattern that the living space pulls off so well.

the pink wall color in the bathroom is both fun and chic.

posted by jorgegomez on April 8th 2009 at 10:51am
view jorgegomez's profile

So glad you went with the granite....as for the sofa and wall color, I think that was a daring choice and it really paid off! It looks totally cozy and I love the frame around the tv. Only thing I am not crazy about are the stacked books. Your place is so elegantly cozy, i would store/showcase them differently to compliment the ret of your great style.

posted by alethearh on April 8th 2009 at 11:17am
view alethearh's profile

I LOVE the TV. It's like something I would do. Or rather DID!

posted by Curtis on April 8th 2009 at 11:57am
view Curtis's profile

Very very cool. I love that you've managed to make a pretty eclectic selection of stuff work in such a small space. (Along the lines of which, I loved the panda.)

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that about the lobster tin ;P

posted by whytephoenix on April 8th 2009 at 12:57pm
view whytephoenix's profile

miss megan, your place is amazing ...

a wonderful combination between beauty & fun without trying too hard ... it looks like you have been collecting things for ages to make this apartment a home; like you have been treasure hunting instead of spending tons of money at expensive stores ... and i love that you fit that serious stove in a tiny kitchen, you must cook delicious things for all your friends ... and of course i adore the panda trash can ...

truly feels like a home, so much so i just may find my very own key in my pocket

posted by graphicblvd on April 8th 2009 at 3:22pm
view graphicblvd's profile

Great layout for such a small place. The kitchen is great. I like your stools--did you cover them yourself? Are the teapot and the pot from the same line. They match. I agree with the panda criticism, but completely agree that if you love it and it makes you happy, it should stay.

posted by kelleyk on April 8th 2009 at 4:00pm
view kelleyk's profile

The granite counter is great and like everyone else, I love the framed tv (great trick with the paint!). I love pandas and think I would have liked the can if it matched all the way down instead of just the panda top - but since you like it, that's all that matters! :) Amazing job, especially given the limited space you've got!

posted by WickedElf on April 8th 2009 at 4:50pm
view WickedElf's profile

Love, love, love what you did with the flat screen!!!

posted by her_royal_gr8ness on April 8th 2009 at 6:01pm
view her_royal_gr8ness's profile

Great shade of pink! What is it called?

posted by jrstar45 on April 8th 2009 at 9:27pm
view jrstar45's profile

Very cute

posted by peachpie on April 8th 2009 at 9:36pm
view peachpie's profile

Is that a penis on the kitchen wall?

posted by peachpie on April 8th 2009 at 9:37pm
view peachpie's profile

I'm not sure how it works this year, but if you make it to the next round and get the chance to post more pics, please please please avoid the little vignette shots so we can see how you used the space. I'd love to see your other rooms. You living room and kitchen look great, shockingly spacious for a 300 sq foot apt.

posted by renata on April 8th 2009 at 10:08pm
view renata's profile

What a lovely place! I'm very impressed by the 300 sq. feet. Really wish we could see the bedroom, though... And I agree with Renata: please, we don't need cute vignette shots. Actual photos showing the overall layout & use of space are much more interesting.

posted by mllemiki on April 8th 2009 at 10:57pm
view mllemiki's profile

Nice... very nice.
Where's the sofa from?

posted by kushkush on April 9th 2009 at 2:02pm
view kushkush's profile

The framed flat screen gets a thumbs up from me. I had this very same idea the first time I saw a flat screened TV. I'm pleased to see I'm not the only one!

posted by cola on April 10th 2009 at 10:57am
view cola's profile

love the tv frame wonderful and your coloring is great

posted by artbybabz on April 10th 2009 at 11:21am
view artbybabz's profile

What a cozy home--reminds me of my old place in the EV.

The framed TV is genius!

posted by klt108 on April 10th 2009 at 3:10pm
view klt108's profile

I think I missed the voting (the site wouldn't let me give u a thumbs up)... but I love love love the place megan...

posted by rosemaryps on April 10th 2009 at 5:21pm
view rosemaryps's profile

This is my absolute favorite. It has personality. But I'm not completely in love w/ the framed TV. I think everything else is great, though.

posted by rosaleen on April 11th 2009 at 6:33pm
view rosaleen's profile

why no pics of the bedroom and the bathroom? vignettes on the wall don't count.

posted by kristykreem on April 12th 2009 at 1:55pm
view kristykreem's profile

Love the carpet.

posted by vanilla on April 13th 2009 at 2:43am
view vanilla's profile

love the place. but very curious! where did you get that yellow tray?? i'm looking for something similar and haven't had much luck.

thanks!

posted by alona on April 13th 2009 at 8:28am
view alona's profile

I realize that this has been said many times already, but the frame around the TV is AMAZING! Such a great idea. I have seen framed chalk boards, jewelry holders, etc etc but haven't seen this before. I love the melding of the antique and the modern. Nicely done!

posted by clutterholic on April 15th 2009 at 1:17am
view clutterholic's profile

LOL - the tv is framed! I never thought of that :P Apparently, I'm not the only one, either!!

posted by bfootnovellista on April 18th 2009 at 1:40pm
view bfootnovellista's profile

I absolutely love it. Great job!

posted by space/lift on April 21st 2009 at 8:23pm
view space/lift's profile

Wow, that lobster looks totally phallic. Love the sense of humor the panda brings.

posted by LaDaDee on April 22nd 2009 at 7:30pm
view LaDaDee's profile

VERY cute space!!! :)

posted by Twanna A Hines (Funky Brown Chick) on April 27th 2009 at 1:11pm
view Twanna A Hines (Funky Brown Chick)'s profile

Everything looks so great! :) Those little ottomans make my day.

posted by am_clarke on August 10th 2009 at 10:36am
view am_clarke's profile

Feeds

RSS icon New York

+ City Feeds