what a wonderful space! I love every bit of it

WOW, very impressive. Love it. I wonder what building this is since I feel like its an unusual space for Gold Coast!

This place is so cute and cozy. I would find it such fun to live there!

kyooooooot :)

Great use of space! I think she has definitely found the right calling.

So cute! It's house tours like this that make me wish I didn't live with my boyfriend and all of his boy things... or at least I wish we had an extra room to hide it all in.

i love the camel lamp! it is the perfect accent. this is a lovely apartment and it is obvious she has taken the advice mentioned. her plants look very healthy! great job shelby

I have the same ikea lamp AND the same diagonal pillow (actually that's my landlord's and I keep it in the linen closet). I'm not a fan of animals prints and I think I would have left the floor bare to keep it more open-looking. BUT I really love this! I have a tiny space too and this is crazy inspirational!

I don't care for this style at all, but everything about this little loft just screams cozy! It looks even habitable! (a lot of house tours are way too staged!) Brava Shelby, Brava!

I think you've done an incredible job with a very limited amount of space. I love your style. I think you make great use of every inch. Also it's pretty awesome that the bedroom is lofted!
Nice work and thanks for sharing.

What a lovely little studio! Très bien!

This space was my favorite in the small cool competition. I wish there was a condo like this in Kansas City. I'm so happy we got to see a bit more.

Of course, a Harrington student! So great to see. Shelby, your place is amazing and was designed with such a refined eye.

I'd pay her to do my place. I'm in Chicago, Shelby, do you need a space to redo for a final project?

Very lovely. The high ceilings, second level and white paint certainly add to the illusion of space. But there are a lot of nice things here. I like the juxtaposition of the metal storage unit with the fancy gilded mirror. The photo over the sofa creates the illusion of a window and a view of the outdoors.

Oh I remember your space from the small cool contest!

still love it! you make great use of the space and I love the way you decorated it. Very nice!

I like the giraffe in the kitchen.

Dream apartment. Amazing.

Although I wouldnt have the guts to put it together like this, I'd love to live there. So lovely!

Although I wouldnt have the guts to put it together like this, I'd love to live there. So lovely!

Amazing space! It is hard to believe that it's only 375 sq feet. It feels almost as big as my 600 sq ft apartment, with about 5x the style and grace.

This is one of my most favorite apartments you have showcased so far - I love every inch of it. What a unique and beautiful little space!! :)

I love how small it is and how great it looks. I really want to get a hold of that framed art in her room too!

Wow, that's 375? So much character without looking cramped.

I love it! Especially the giraffe pic and the different textures in the cusions and rug.

A perfect example of a whole that's greater than the sum of its parts. Aside from a few cool accessories--the vintage gilt mirrors, the camel lamp, the rug--most of the furnishings aren't anything special. Let's face it: anybody can go to West Elm & Ikea and pick up a dark, squarish sofa, a white laminate table & a shaggy pillow, and every thrift shop in town has a 195Os chair or two, but few people can put such an unpromising mix into a colorless space and come up with a look even half as sophisticated as Shelby did in her beauty of a studio.

Sure, the the quirky fireplace, the twisty stairs, the loft & the arch into the dining room provide an archititectural boost that new apartments--even ones twice as big--don't have, but as Shelby explains, that's by intent, not accident. Her conscious choice of a small but character-filled apartment is what makes the place so successful. Most people would go for the bigger place, in which the the same furnishings, spread across a larger area, would look lost. Here, they're just the right density to achieve critcal mass. If you've ever been to a party in a space that was too large for the crowd, you know what I mean. Square footage isn't everything.

Shelby's choice of materials & colors makes a big difference, too. The white laminate table & a white-shaded lamp prevents the tiny dining area from feeling crowded, while using heavier-looking pieces in the double-height space helps ground that area. And the strategic use of mirrors & glass-fronted artworks keeps the limited light bouncing around the place. All in all, a great House Tour of a charming apartment. I predict a fast start to Shelby's career.

What a great little set-up! The place has great bones to begin with, but it also looks like you've been stylishly layering for years. I love it.

Adorable - I can't believe it's only 375 sq. ft!! It looks much bigger. Great use of the already interesting architectural details - well done!

ADORABLE!

I love your style and the layout of your place. If I lived in a studio loft, I would want it to be just like this!!!

even cooler than the previous few pictures suggested.

Drawers. In the wall.

oh chica, you got it going on. I adore it all!

This is so adorable! Great job, Shelby!

When I saw the living room with the cow hide, I thought that I had seen as a house in the past, am I wrong?

Lovely Shelby! You were in the small cool contest right? I'm glad now we get to see the rest of your adorable space.

I love the giraffe print above your range!

Lovely! Lovely! Lovely!

Cozy and I miss the Ark (on Lincoln)!

Amazing! Wow, I remember this great apartment! I kept going back to this listing on craigslist before finally renting my current place! So great to see it featured, but what happened to the fridge?

I love this sort of weird, cobbled together architecture. It simply doesn't exist where I live - anything older than Lindsay Lohan is either demolished or professionally renovated to cold, heartless perfection. But with this place you can imagine that generations of crazy old men have spent their twilight years putting drawers into walls or building hulking fireplaces.

However I'm not sure I'd appreciate having to barricade myself into my apartment every night with a piece of 2x4 across the front door. Does Chicago get a lot of zombie apocalypses?

Beautiful home! But, I NEED to know...is that mid-century chair in your living area designed by an Erik Kirkegaard (does it have his maker's mark underneath the seat area)? I'm in the process of refinishing a chair that looks very similar to the one in your photos.

So did you recently move to Chicago from St. Louis or have ya just figured out how much cheaper second hand treasures are down here? Chicago has some great shops but don't bother going in them without a big fat wad of cash! I'm sure there are lots of great cheap second hand shops in Chicago but I just haven't had enough time up there to find them.

I love it! There are so many different areas of the place it really makes it look bigger. So much to look at, in a good way, I would never get bored here. I bet you smile every time you cook with that little giraffe.

Great job!

Very smart. Stylish. Doesn't feel like 375 sq ft!

Hang on - you've only been there for ten months? With the depth of personality this place conveys, I would have thought you had been there for years. You've made some very smart design choices and exercised just the right amount of restraint to achieve elegance and interest. Your professional future holds quite a bit of promise, Ms. Shelby.

Nicely done!

I love this!!! Ahhh, the sacrifices we make to live in this wonderful city!!!

Love!! The decor, the apartment, everything! Right up my alley.

What a beautiful space! I love to see sophistication mixed with a touch of humor - well done!

Shelby-where in gc are you? Could you e-mail me. I live in Chicago and looking for this type of space! Thanks! LOVE!

Wonderful space Shelby. It looks like you have a lot without being cluttered. Well Done!

Amazing– truly a tiny palace!

Shelby - I signed up just so I could comment on how adorable your space is! I live in Chicago and although we may not boast the zillion designers New York has, it's good to know that those in the business here produce spaces like this. Clean, eclectic, bright and useful. Love it.

This apartment is really cute. You've taken a con (space) and made it a pro (cozy and quaint). I love it. Thanks for sharing!

As I prepare to downsize into a smaller space myself, it's inspiring house tours like this one that gives me hope! Excellent job!!

So cute. What else would you need? Great space.

Charming place, with so much character! I love it!

Your decorating style isn't my cup of tea per se - but that apartment is so cute! What a find!

Love this space. I really like the small details as well. Like the lanterns over the bed. Studying it very closely for my upcoming move.

Perfect! I love the giraffe picture. Oh wait! And the shoes in the living room. Oh wait! And the loft with the built in drawers. Oh wait! Ahhh, it's perfect.

Shelby -you are in the right vocation, this is the neatest small apartment I have ever seen on AT. Well done, it must be a joy to live in Congratulations girl.

Beautiful space, very bright and open and well-decorated without feeling cluttered. Very talented designer! She's also very lucky to have such a great canvas to work with, so to speak.

I love it. And not only does it LOOK sophisticated but it also FEELS personal, like you have a little glimpse into Shelby's personality, rather than being a pretty magazine space without any depth or soul.

I can't even fathom how you managed to fit a large wide dresser, a couch, and a dining room in 375 square feet. I don't have any of those things in 430 square feet. I picked the wrong place to live, apparently. My massive bathroom and kitchen waste all my square footage.

That apartment has so much character, great job!

Absolutely gorgeous, Shelby. I feel like I know you just from seeing your place. You've truly turned a house into a home! All the best for what I'm sure will be a very successful career for you!

What's the Girard print say? Half of the family is a Girard, and I might want to find that print.

Inspiring!

Thanks everyone for your comments! It’s so nice to hear what everyone thinks about my space. Now for some answers:

asizzle – my grandpa is an artist and the print is an old flyer for one of his exhibits.

glevin – It’s a converted single-family brownstone in the GC with only 6 units which is why it’s pretty different from what else you find there.

deathandfood – yes the 375 actually includes the whole space – the loft is about 80sf. If you look at my entry in the small cool contest you can see a floor plan.

MrModtomic – I’m originally from St. Louis so make trips there often and YES second-hand is much cheaper there!

modishetc – I’m pretty sure the chair is an imitation of some mcm designer, looks hans wegner-esque but I'm not really sure. Unfortunately, there are no markings on it though, I’ve looked!

Blandwagon – the door with the 2x4 goes out to the fire escape. The entry is between my sofa and dining area. My landlord insists I keep that on there. But no, I’ve never seen a zombie.

Nattyjoan – fridge is in the kitchen, just not pictured. It’s off to the right of the counter.

BigTab – if you are serious – you can contact me via my website shelbygirard.com. Probably not for a school project but we’ll see…

elegant yet cozy and "lived in". feels very european to me. What height is the room in total? I would love to see a floor-plan with dimensions ( this applies to all the apartments I like)

i recognized you right away from the contest! you were one of my top favs! i totally voted for you. i'm so glad they went back and did a full tour! your little place is stylish and comfortable...love it!
love,
vintagedres

Love it!

The giraffe makes me chuckle.

Great small space!

http://smallspaceresources.blogspot.com

Fresh and stylish. I really like the giraffe, the dining room sconce, and the planter pots with the bows on.

that is the tiniest kitchen ever!!!

Wow 350 sq...mmm...mmm...well, you did good with it!

If you ever decided to move out after the end of your lease please let me know. I LOVE YOUR PLACE. I, too live in Gold Coast and I love it there.

What a lovely home! The open sleeping area looks wonderful.

I need that camel lamp in my life.

love the tulip table with old wood chairs!

I lived in an apartment very similar to yours when I was younger and it was one of my favorite places that I have ever lived. Brings back good memories and you have done a beautiful job decorating it. Well done!

I covet..

I love that you've used things that are within reach of any of us....meaning they are affordable and accessible. The place has great bones that has been appreciated and brought out. It really shows how you can get away with a monochromatic neutral color scheme by using texture....and keeping the place light, airy and minimal definetly makes it look larger. Well Done. Inspirational! love it.

Love this- very cosy and stylish.

Loaded with personality. Great inspiration! Thanks! Love the bedspread, the gold mirror, and the space itself!

Came back for a second visit! This is so warm and inviting! I want to live here. ;-)

Yours is one of the few house tours I've looked at multiple times, and bookmarked. It's so bold and fun and inspiring! I especially love the touches of glamor throughout. :) Great job!

What a gorgeous apartment! I am sooo jealous!

great job! love it! marvelous!!

So small and SO perfectly styled!

oh my god I love it. I want to live there.....

This is probably the nicest study I've seen. It's so lovely and cosy, especially the sleeping area.

I like your place==it is sophisticated and pulled together==has a "nest" vibe which I like==Can'tremember a kitchen/bath?

I'm on AT every day. It's been a long time since I've seen a tour of a place this charming. Everything works. Really, nothing to find fault with. Two thumbs up.

I think this is my favorite apartment ever on AT!

beautiful apartment ...can i share this in my fan page

Bravo!! from one designer to another.. So much personality..the space looks 3x the size..Love, love, love..

Sunny