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Who Lives Here: mobius
Location: Upper West Side, New York City
Size: 295 square feet
What is your one favorite element in your small, cool home? This is a difficult one, but I would have to say the combination of the floating bookshelves with the high ceilings. It really gives the place a sense of space and airiness, by bringing the eye upwards. It is a small space and the floor plan makes it feel a lot tinier than the 295 sq ft would imply, so by making you focus less on the floor and limited floor space, it gives the place a sense of openness.
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What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your small home? The biggest challenge is the fact that there are so many nooks and corners, windows, openings, etc. There is very little actual open wall space along which to place furniture. A huge challenge that also comes with that is that there is no room for both social gathering space and bedroom furniture. So I tried to make my apartment feel less like a bedroom, which would make it seem more dorm-like, and more like a living room. I did this by moving the dresser and anything implying sleeping area to the walk-in-closet, which I am very lucky to have. Instead of buying just a bed (given my floorplan, it would be difficult if not impossible to have a bed and sofa), I bought a Comfort Sleeper from American Leather, which allows me to have a very comfortable bed at night and a great seating area for when friends are over (recommended by the great people at AT: New York!).
To make my apartment warmer and more comfortable, I've picked up various art prints, plates, and decorative objects over the years from Etsy, ebay, and natural decor shops in Chelsea. I also love shopping sample sales (John Derian and Area are a perennial favorite). The advice and inspiration from sites like AT and Design*Sponge have been also invaluable.
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Nice beddin! My kinda colors :) I think you did a great job!
view kdkaboom's profile
The chair grouping looks strange - is that the stove right next to them?
view dmh's profile
remarkable use of a difficult space! Colors are soothing. Furnishings spare...
view Usbek de Perse's profile
I love the blue wall color in the first picture. What color is it? Great place!
view Lizzykewl's profile
Great color on the accent wall. Love the floating shelves. Good use of vertical space. I am also curious about the chair placement. Don't they interfere with either the opening of the door or the use of the stove?
Also, I like the storage piece by the door. Do you have your shoes in there?
view peggy's profile
I think I really like this home for its moody colors, although the photos seem a bit dark. The throw pillows on the dining room chairs don't work for me at all, though. If the chairs need more cushioning, I'd use round pillows, not square ones (although they're cute-looking!).
view fabframes's profile
The color looks similar to the one in my bedroom, is it mysteria by bher by any chance?
view absOsteele's profile
Thanks for all the comments! The door is the door to the Walk-in-closet and when it needs opening, I just move the chairs. Same goes for the stove. I have a very difficult space as there is no physical separation of the kitchen from the living space. So things do get moved around for various purposes when guests come for just some wine, or there is a dinner party, or I'm just sleeping.
The blue color is a low-VOC paint by Gilden called Freedom Blue, which is a great bargain at Home Depot.
view Gene's profile
I really like it and I think you've made a good use of your space. However, I would have to say that I think the pictures are hung way too high in the living room. Unless the photo is deceiving, it looks like they are hung right up next to the ceiling? I understand that you have to have the shelf above the sofa at a certain level so as to not hit your head on it, but the black and white picture to the left should be much lower, in my opinion and the same in the bedroom over the bed as well. I hope that's not overly critical. I do really like the moody paint colors and the over all design!
view SweetRosieBrown's profile
Oh, my bad. The living room and "bedroom" .... same place, duh. I wasn't reading/looking closely. I'm an idiot.
view SweetRosieBrown's profile
SweetRosieBrown,
Thanks so much for the thoughtful critique! My girlfriend made the same exact criticism too! The issue is that to properly sleep on the sofa, I need to flip the back pillows up, which already nearly touch that shelf. Perhaps you're right about the black and white stretched canvas piece to the left of the sofa. I'll have to experiment with placement.
view Gene's profile
It's not the size, it's what Gene *does* with it.
view sfgfgdf's profile
I love the pillows that are sitting under the window in the first pic (two coloured, rectangles). Please let me know where you got those - love them!
I enjoy your space but agree with the earlier comment on the pillows on the sofa - it screams "I really am a bed under here" whereas different shaped pillows would hide that and look like throws. :)
I love your space tho. I live in a studio so I know how hard it can be to decorate it to be fun and functional. :)
view alisaan's profile
Hi Alisaan,
The two pillows are from West Elm. I think they were called something like Colorblock Pillow, but I am fairly certain that was the only season West Elm carried them since I got them on closeout.
The pillows on the sofa, what kind would you suggest? Should I maybe go with a different color? Shape? Maybe rest them on the arms rather than the cushions?
view Gene's profile
Your closet is absolutely fabulous!
view Charliee's profile
But apparently you're missing a zebra, cat, tulips and a macbook.
view Charliee's profile
and with all this space, Gene manages to cook and serve amazing 5-course dinner and wine parties for 8 guests (speaking from experience)
view liuba's profile
Hey Liuba--
Thanks for the kind words! I hope to have you guys over again soon. Make Roman vote for me!
Charliee--
Actually the Macbook is right next to the iMac in a black case sitting atop the storage containers. :-)
view Gene's profile
Cool place, Gene... hope you win!
Of course your whole apartment would fit into our kitchen here in the DC area. :-)
Jeff S.
view jds7v's profile
I've never even had a dorm room that small! My goodness, you certainly did a lot with a little.
view rachaellea's profile
Look at those wonderful windows! Do you have an actual kitchen area, or a hot plate? Your office area is very efficient as well.
view EmmaMiles's profile
great use of space and color - how do you like your American leather sleeper sofa, am thinking about the same for my studio - would you reccomend? Are they comfortable?
view ms b's profile
Jeff and Rachael,
Thanks for the great comments! Hope to see you guys again soon.
Ms. B,
Yes, overall, I like the couch and think it is now quite comfortable. I would have to say that after about two years, the bed part became uncomfortable as the foam pushed through the mechanism and the webbing on the bottom. But, the couch comes with a 5 year warranty and if you get it through an authorized reseller like Room & Board or Scott Jordan (if you're in NYC), they will replace it for free. I got mine through Scott Jordan and after a few innocent snafoos, they replaced it no questions asked. And it now is very very comfortable to sleep on again, almost like a real bed (and if you like your bed more firm, this is ideal).
view Gene's profile
Oh yes - you gotta move that black and white print down. So very high.
view Elizcrtv's profile
Hey Gene! You are the first person to ever respond to one of my comments. Thanks for that. Love good dialogue, especially about design! I just wanted to write again and say that I disagree that the pillows on the sofa scream "I really am a bed under here." I like the shape and scale with the sofa and I like the symmetry of the placement. Of course, I'm all about symmetry especially in a small space because I think it brings order to a space and let's more disparate objects stand out. And to me they read as a lumbar pillows anyway not bedroom-y and I like that type of pillow on sofas and upholstered chairs.
Good luck! I'm voting for you!
view SweetRosieBrown's profile
Hi Gene & Sis,
I love how u decorated your apartment!!! All the colors go really well together. A earth tone and neutral. My favs. I want to steel those pillows.lol. The green and grey ones. :) I think for a small place that you do have you use it wisely and more important you decorated it very nicely. I like your pics above your couch/bed. I hope it's not too late. I just saw Jen's post. Maybe you guys can take me to were you got those pillows. I get comments all the time on my table cloth and napkin rings/holders that you guys got me a couple years ago. See you guys in a few weeks :)
view nettie79's profile
Very nice. I like the use of color.
view Fluffy McFlufferson's profile
I love the floating shelves...and they hold so much! I will definitely add that to my "Things to Get for my new itty bitty apartment" list on Target.com. :}
One thing my new place has that yours is missing is crazy high ceilings. Makes me want to loft the place. If only I hit the lottery.
It's intimate. I like this space and all you've done with it.
view am_clarke's profile