Who Lives Here: Maria + 1
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Size: 699 square feet
What is your favorite element of your Small & Cool home? The high ceilings are great and the small balcony allows me to have a nice breeze when the weather is good (fairly often in sunny Barcelona). I also love the white mirror and the small rounded chest of drawers in the foyer, but the not so cool IKEA sofa in the living room is the cheapest and comfiest lounge I’ve ever had! Besides, the location is grand: nearby shopping, restaurants and bars, 20 minutes from the beach.
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What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your Small Cool home? The place is pretty old (built in 1851) and mostly still original so it has great character, but it also had many issues and a difficult landlady when I moved in. I painted the whole place, fixed the electrical system, changed the floors and furnished the place on a tight budget — but my biggest challenge was the kitchen. While I love open spaces I’m stuck with a outdated closed kitchen and a spare room I hardly use. I removed the kitchen doors and found a big comfy sofa that fit perfectly in the tiny living room, but I miss having more space. Smallest coolest is one of my favorite resources — I spend hours looking at your site! 20 Casas magazine, Design Sponge are also great and IKEA, Zara Home, Natura, Vinçon and Habitat always come in handy and Biosca & Botey has the best lamps in town!
Thumbs Up Voting is only activated for 48 Hours — so don't delay!
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Comments (55)
g-g-gorgeous.
yes, it is gorgeous but the site won't let me vote.
This is a beautiful place. I love that sofa/sleeper. Oh the many beautiful relaxing times I could have there. Thumbs up for me!
LOVE all of the tasteful Japanese elements... I'm such a sucker for them. And yes, I'm also not allowed to vote. :<
I want to go to there...
where's the the kitchen? images please!
I love this, I want to vote for this! It's so small but it looks so big! The bed is such a lovely set up, so personal and cozy. The mirror really makes the room look larger than it is. Love the natural light coming in and the hallway lighting.
Absolutely fabulous place in an absolutely fabulous place - great job!
holy hell what a great place - love that couch nook - what an awesome place to just veg out
Beautiful!! Such great bones in the apartment; great job. I also want to see the kitchen and bath.
groovy, baby
To live in this apt., and in Barcelona? Maravilloso!
Wow, this is beautiful. Looks spacious and so very inviting. I'd never leave... Well, not really I'd love to stroll to the beach and shop, and eat, and party every chance I got!
Hola, María, hermoso departamento! Love specially the first and last picture.
I imagine that if you owned the apartment, you would eliminate some walls, the spaces are great but that floor plan is screaming for a radical intervention. But the bathroom is the strangest thing I´ve seen: is it split in two by the balcony?
thank u all for ur nice comments...id be happy to hear your suggestions for changes (looking 4 inspiration!)
@irritablevowel: the japanese prints(mounted over cardboard afterwards) and the bedroom fabric were really cheap online if u r interested...the Kokeshi doll is from Kyoto...and a beautiful huge paperlamp is on its way too, bt nt here yet.
@gaby: its a crazy floorplan, if it was mine id change it completely! the split bathroom is in the gallery with the laundry area in the middle (unusual laid out :-().
i really like the bed platform with the drawers. such a neat place.
I am in love with this home- absolutely dreamy.
This is the first place I've seen a bean bag chair look kinda... sexy!
Besides the sofa looking so lonely I like the apartment mucho and would you be interested in doing a vacation swap in a cool apartment in San francisco?
I love the eccentricities of old buildings - odd shaped rooms, layouts that make no sense, etc.
I also love that red beanbag with the carry handle. It's one of those "why didn't anyone think of that before?" things.
Really nice space. I really love the bed area.
Yes please! Beautiful home. I love everything about it!
Wow, this looks so much bigger than the actual size. And it is stunning. I love that it's modern in a very homey, comfortable way. Lots of inspiration here. Lovely. I hope this wins the international sector!
Wow, you have made serious improvement since last year! Very nice!
Lucky.
A 138 hits and no comments?! Maria, great job! It’s a “Heavenly" Haven in Barcelona! Nice and bright! I’m lover of nooks and crannies, so I could easily curl up with a book and a glass of wine on the big comfy couch! Have plane ticket - on my way!
OK there was a hug lag revealing the comments! My bad! Still a great place!
That balcony is mega-cute
Not too bad but I don't like the furnishings much. But the details are good
So beautiful, so romantic, I so want to go to Barcelona :)
@livc: exactly! Am not a fan of modern, but am a fan of this place. I hate to say "Europeans do it better," as that takes away from both Maria and talented American designers, but...*sigh*. This European does it well, for sure.
So pretty! Thumbs up.
Yay for pretty homes in Europe!
super-love!
quick question: how high is your ceiling? (mine is 4,6 m..)
very good job! the plan is weird and i can figure out why the bedroom and the living room are together, but overall is fantastic!
perfect. i remember seeing it before here, but apparently you upgraded it to be a winner for sure now :)
Holy cow! Love it! A thousand times "thumbs up!"
LOVE your bed area
I second cbeatty23's comment. Usually, it's easy to pick out my favorite room from an entry, but I can't do it with yours. It's all so airy, and old-time romantic (except for the bean bag!). Good luck!
lovely. makes me wish for a visit; to Barcelona, not her house.
thanks so much for ur comments, guys! u should all pay a visit to bcn,...such an amazing place! nt sure i can post links here, but ive created a set in Flickr with more pics (mariaolmos78: Maria´s Pockets).
@hiwelder: the bed platform is super useful too, loads of storage underneath!
@kellylc: I thought the sexy "puf" (as they call them here :-) would break a bit the old style, besides its strategically located to hide the gas installation.
@loriSF ck_ark1: pics 1 4 r the dinning-living room,...the lonely leather sofa is the one in the bedroom(pics 2 5)...btw id love to go to SF ;-) havent been in the States for over a year, miss it already!
@blandwagon: found the beanbag really cheap online if u r interested in getting one...super handy handle to move it around!
@shireza: wow 4,6m! u r lucky, mine r almost 4 :-)
When can I come to visit?
Your bed and bedroom are so inviting and relaxing!
Awesome. Those doors to the balustrade are spectacular.
@ mariabcn: pretty hard to fill in.. thats why I asked: your flat looks sooo cosy! brava
María, I already see your album in flickr!
You really did an excellent remodeling job. I love the big mirror immediately after your bed.
The sofa that you make a bed is very very clever. I like your kitchen a lot. Iwould like to see the bathroom.
This is a good example from small place with a smart decortation =D
Maria where cna we see your album in flickr?
Una bonita casa. Suerte
set in Flickr with more pics (mariaolmos78: Maria´s Pockets).
Nos encanta tu casita :-)
Congrats Maria !!!
"si, si, si!!!"
I love your bed! Did you build it? Buy it? It's exactly what I've been looking for!
so, so gorgeous! congratulations!
such a lovely home! adore the bed! where is it from?
Wondering which Ikea couch that is...
@mariabcn--- where did you find your bed? I'm interested in the design/designer
twitter: @sasha2387
I love that bed. Storage and solid wood? Amazing. :)
Sarah
http://sadiedesigns.blogspot.com