Smart use of color and space -
- I really like the open shelves/room-divider at your desk!

Hi Dan, I like your place. I'm glad to see Denver is well represented this year! I especially like the shelves next to your desk. I'm not so sure about the bed next to the kitchen but I understand wanting the living area next to the windows with the view. It helps that you kept the bed area and linens simple to blend in with the living area. Good luck.

I totally dig your place!!!

fan :) the color and lighting are nice and moody but how much light can get in should you wish it to?

good use of the layout.

handsome

wonderful. One of the most well appointed so far.

AT: I wonder if there should be categories for homes that are ingenious but decorated on a thrift budget vs homes that clearly have more $$ invested in furnishings. It's easy to give credit to design when the pieces themselves are are so well designed that they stand alone. I sometimes wonder if it takes more cash than creativity to win Small & Cool.

@kimg924, I second that.

Really nice use of space. You are so right about not noticing your bed. When I looked at your second photo my eyes went straight to the windows. Great job!

@ kimg924...ditto

You've done well!

@ kimg924: agreed

Great use of space, very nice. It looks like a fair amount of money was invested in making the place look good, so I'm surprised to see vertical blinds used. They look as nice as vertical blinds can possibly look, but I think there are more attractive options out there.

Your camouflage trick with the khaki bedspread totally worked! I didn't see it the first time. Good job!

Yuck to the comment about pigeonholing people based on how much money they spend on their furnishings.

i just do not like seeing the bed. i know it is small...but there have been some great ideas on here for hiding the bed....i just think that there has to be a better layout so the bed doesn't seem on display.

@kimg924: I've seen plenty of spaces with high end pieces that were a hot mess. You have to have the vision of correctly placing the right pieces (high-end or thrift) in the right spaces for a design to work. Who cares if someone has more financial resources than others? I don't. Besides, so many folks have found expensive pieces on the cheap using craigslist, ebay, etc. Should they be penalized, too?

@ Dan: Nice space, dude.

Um, kimg924 (and Dan, I do NOT say this as an insult, since I really like your space) but where do you see the plethora of high-end pieces here?

It's well done. It's nicely put together. I would not look at this and categorize it (or dismiss it) as "high end" at all.

And, as kahlil states, money is no guarantee of taste or ingenuity.

Pretty. I like the shelf with the glass vases. Can you tell me who was the artist who did the drawing of the bus?

This is nice.

I always wonder how anyone manages to decorate an apartment in an affordable manner without recourse to even one ikea shelf. But the few denver entries this year prove it's possible.

Think it looks great and smart thinking on the bed - helps that it is so stylish on its own that you don't mind seeing it.

Its nice. The first picture certainly grabs you. But then the others is kind of a let down. Not as impactful as I would have hoped.

Thanks everyone for the great comments. Kimg924, I do agree professionally designed or higher $ ought to be in a different category. I take it as a compliment you thought that of my place. Honestly, most everything in my place was purchased at discount retailers on super clearance, or at thrift stores. Everything in the space, except the laptop, totaled to less than $2000 over 7 years. Sorry Taqah, some items are from Ikea. Thanks again everyone.

Lovely, and I think you've done a perfect job of embracing the bed and yet not letting it take over the room. And I bet you're never late for anything!

I love it. It's masculine but very cool. I'd like to see your view, though.

What are those little shelves near the door? Not wine crates?

I'm surprised that no one has commented about the vertical blinds. The don't bother me here, but someone usually cries about it.

I love the creativity that goes into studio apartments.
Well done.

I am in love!!!! Well done! Classy, sophisticated, clean

As the apartment is a rental, the vertical blids come standard with the unit. Since space is such a premium, I did not want to remove the slats and store. I thought about floor -to-ceiling panels in the corners to soften the look, but the duct work in the right corner is in the way (see pic#2). If i renew my lease, I will explore other options.
My unit faces southeast, and gets so much light (CO has over 300 days of sun per year!) I usually do not have to turn on a light until sundown. As undesireable as vertical blinds are, they sure do cut out the light in the morning.

The cubes in the entry are from Ikea, purchased in the late 90's. Currently, they hold all my architecture and Calvin and Hobbes books (I am a design geek). I don't think the cubes are still available, but something similar is the ODDA nightstand.

I like this. I'm not sure why anyone has a problem with the placement of the bed. Beds don't need to be hidden.

I only have one small issue, and that is musical instruments used as decoration. Play it if you have it!

I never understand why people seem to be SO down on IKEA - sure I agree that there are things that, if you want them to last a long time, you should not purchase there, but if I don't have $2,000 for a high end piece and can get it for $200 at IKEA you bet your tooshie that I will be getting it at IKEA. And I've heard the argument about save your money, buy the more expensive piece and have it for life, but life is now, so I have to worry about small things like oh, say, mortgage and groceries. I have lots of pieces from IKEA mixed in higher end pieces and I get nothing but compliments on my place. Like someone said here earlier, having money and the ability to buy high end pieces does not a great decoration/designer make.

Having said that, I love this place - moody and beautiful. Great job.

Large groupings of clocks usually freak me out, but I like how you did. Great job altogether.

I think this is beautiful. First I thought maybe you could make the bed look more like a daybed with pillows to have it not look like a bed. I think this would be a great place for a loft type bed so you'd have more room for your kitchen.

I really like this place, considering the limitations of the layout. (I would prefer to have beds hidden, too, but that's partly because I couldn't make a bed THAT perfectly to save my skin! Wonderful job, just on that!!!)
Nice use of glass accents here and there for a little sparkle in a masculine-looking space.

one of my favs. simply gorgeous. =)