Who Lives Here: Andrea + dog
Location: Midtown East — NYC
Size: 650 square feet
What is your favorite element of your Small & Cool home? I love my mid-century sectional sofa. I found it in a consignment shop and had it reupholstered. It's the centerpiece of the apartment — the place I love to relax and guests are drawn to it like a magnet.
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What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your Small Cool home? When I entered Small Cool 2008 I had just launched my New York life. But then family illness pulled me back to my hometown for a year and I had to sublet the apartment. When I finally returned last fall, I had to start all over again, this time making it my half-time home (so I could spend the other half in Baltimore, where I'm needed). Redoing almost everything in the apartment was a good way to start fresh once again. As before, my most valuable resources were thrift shops, my own collection of stuff, IKEA, and the many design blogs I frequent, most notably Apartment Therapy!
Thumbs Up Voting is only activated for 48 Hours — so don't delay!
Check out all the entries on our contest page.
Veronica & Keith's Handmade Chic 
The World's Ugliest Condo: The Big Bathroom Reveal 
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Homesteaders' Cocktail Recipe: Lovage Simple Syrup
Comments (36)
ah ha, you have great taste in drapery :) (says one of the other gals in this contest who has those drapes)
love the sofa and your bold choice of wall color.
normally, i wouldn't be too keen on the bright green walls, but with all the sunlight and the darker sofa, it makes the room feel warm and inviting.
That's great! I love your gallery wall.. What a great way to define it with the striped of green paint.
That sofa is rather awesome.
Cool bed!
I really love the bright living room wall!
This is so lovely. Warm, inviting and I love that paint color. You've inspired me.
I love the green stripe on the wall with all the artwork. What a good idea! I live in an apartment and we can't paint but you just gave me an idea to put up wallpaper or wrapping paper of some kind up like that to give the hallways some pop!
this place is fresh and airy. love the layout and colors. it must be an awesome NY getaway for you.
i love the sofa i need a closeup!
Beautiful living room. marykathryn mentioned the drapes. Can anyone tell me who makes the fabric? I've been trying to find out since I saw it in another entry a couple of days ago. It's gorgeous!
I'm pretty sure it's the Ikea stockholm fabric, jilly37.
Love the yellow wall!! What is the brand/color? I lived in NYC for 11 years so I totally understand all about "launching" your life in a big city especially when it comes to your personal space. Great job...love your use of color and art.
Here are the Ikea curtains: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10112016
Does anyone know who makes the kitchen table? I'm looking for one just like that. Thanks!
Andrea -
I remember your place from a couple years back -
- Congrats on doing the right thing for your family, coming back to your home and getting your life back in order with such great style!
Thanks for the quick responses about the curtains! Stoked they're IKEA - weird I didn't know this already. I seem to spend half my life there ;)
@ vintagealaska:
The kitchen table looks like it's also from Ikea (a newer product.) If it is indeed that one, it has a hole in the middle-I believe for an umbrella because it can also be used outdoors. Here's a photo...
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70142360
Weird I live in the same apt building. I recognize the windows/layout. My layout is very different however but well done, very nice!
I think this is the building behind me. I mean, I'm sure those old paned windows are common, but they look identical to the windows of a building on 57th Street.
is that a sofa or sectional? if a sectional...where is it from?!
I missed one photo. i see now, it is a sectional...duh!
but where from?
Fabulous couch. Swing baby, swing.
great apartment love all your greens very mouth watering.
Awesome sofa.
The sofa looks so comfortable - yet also modern in that cool vintage way. I don't know much about interior design, but I definitely would like to walk into that room and plop down on the sofa after a long day's work.
I love the tall bureau with its ornate lines contrasted with the simple lines of the bed. Tall is just what that room needed. The rug in the bedroom tastefully ties it all together. Great light in that apt.! Nice job.
Okay, not so ornate, both simple...maybe it's the contrast between the dark stain and the light color of the bed canopy...whatever it is, it works great.
a mix not many can master! and function that takes a lot of smarts!
another thumbs up for the great sofa!
Hi everyone, and thanks for your kind words. I am honored to be included with these other awesome entries.
jilly37: To clarify about the curtains -- yes, they are the Stockholm Blad curtains that others have linked to. You can't buy it as a fabric, but the curtains are crazy cheap -- $59 for two huge, lined panels -- so you can just use them as fabric if you want.
dmvaughan15: The color on the living room wall is Ben Moore Yellow Finch (2024-40). I'm actually a little bummed that I didn't have the expertise to correct the color on the photo -- it's actually a very bright golden yellow, not so much green, which you can see if you go to their site and search on that name.
vintagealaska: The dining table is, indeed the IKEA PS KVARNSTEN table that burnttoast linked to.
aurorakooba: The sofa was a consignment shop find, <$300 to purchase, but once I had it upholstered in Robert Allen contract fabric and paid to have it moved up from Baltimore, well, let's just say I paid what you would expect for a new, high quality sectional. (But I would always rather have vintage!)
Again, thank you for the comments and I hope you all ask more questions. I love to interact!
This is by far the best apartment!
That sofa is fabulous! What a find! And I like the fabric you picked to reupholster it.
There is so much to admire in this small space. The use of space is amazing. It rivals a big space by far. The colors you've used bring such wonderful hues and lets the outside in. I love the sofa. It is beautiful. The wall lined with art is amazing. I can tell you've put your heart into this place. It truly shows. No cookie cutter apartment here. NOT at all.
Love the couch!!!!
Not generally a fan of wood floors, but love your floor.
I had the privilege of staying in this wonderful apartment when I was in NYC and it is a dream. And yes, the sofa is as comfortable as it is beautiful, and the light in this place is sublime.
...and my partner agrees!