Who Lives Here: Emily & Erick + kids Ella & Johnny + 2 French bulldogs + 2 cats! Location: Eagle Rock — Los Angeles, California Size: 800 square feet
What is your favorite element of your Small & Cool home? In the living area (which is really one long room with the kitchen at the back) there are 3 sets of French doors — one of the front of the house and two on the side. They were ugly non-functioning sliding doors when we bought the place. Eventually, we replaced them with 3 sets of antique doors given to us by a friend. They bring a lot of light into the small space, making it appear much, much bigger. (White painted wood floors help too.) Also, we turned our garage into a small studio (about 100 square feet — without this our house is 700 square feet). This helps in a big way because before we did it we didn't have any way to escape each other! There are no extra rooms in the house so it can get a bit claustrophobic when we're all home. The studio also allows me to run my business from home.
Thumbs Up Voting is only activated for 48 Hours — so don't delay!
What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your Small Cool home? When you enter the front door, you are in the main living area and you have to walk through whatever seating arrangement we set up. It was a challenge to create an area that seats at least 4 (plus 2 badly-trained, couch-loving dogs) but that didn't block the way to the rest of the house and didn't make it feel too cluttered. I shop primarily at thrift shops/craigslist/yard sales so I was able to make mistakes without spending a fortune — it took many tries and many different pieces of furniture to get it right. We would live with an arrangement for a while and see how it worked. I passed on a lot of furniture to friends and family, but we like to do that anyway. Stuff is always being passed around to whomever needs it. Even though I now like the way it feels, I'm certain it will change again simply because I get bored and like to constantly mix it up.
Thumbs Up Voting is only activated for 48 Hours — so don't delay!
Check out all the entries on our contest page.
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Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Shaw's Original Fir...
How to Cook Moist & Tender Chicken Breasts Every Time
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
This is kinda wacky.
I think I kinda love it!
I keep sneaking back to look at Kevin's and this is close in the exuberance and artistry. Fabulous.
Very, um, exuberant.
I know your the competition, but I couldn't help but give you a thumbs up for your kitchen! I love the cafe-style white kitchen seating set-up and the bursts of colour against the black and white backdrops.
i really liked it until i reached the fourth picture. the symmetry of the lamps and the frames on the wall behind the tv... edit it, it all looks unnecessarely cluttered. thumbs up though. since it looks like a fun space to live in.
The kids' bedroom is so quirky!
Love the 3D mural!
So much personality.
Nice work.
argh. I meant you're. Not your.
Fantastic place...but where are the two Frenchies!? I wanna seeeeee!
Pretty gorgeous but a little over-styled for my tastes. I prefer to see places that look lived-in.
Love the green couch.
Lovely! I would normally hate those chairs in the living room, but you've made them work. Great job.
Wow! This couldn't be cooler. I'd love to see a full house tour.
You've obviously put a lot of thought into styling these photos. I'd really like to see a full house tour.
happy home made by happy ppl.. its lovely, wd!
hot damn this is cool! tons of personality beautiful
that was supposed to say "tons of personality and beautiful"
So original and fun! It's a bit wacky...but in a good way!
I think this is fantastic, the kids' room especially. Are you really in LA and not Paris? Would LOVE a full house tour when the contest is over.
So so awesome.
Full. House. Tour. Please. I love it!
Everything is absolutely perfect. So stylish, unique, quirky.... I could go on.
One piece of advice: Take advice from NO ONE (except me), because whatever you're doing, you're doing it right. Please, ignore the naysayers.
I love this, especially because it has more people per square foot than most of the homes its size in this contest. You did a great job with the space. The color combinations are great.
I love any place in this contest that includes kids, and not interior decorators' showrooms. I think your home is fantastic, and shows real people with real home requirements really living in a real space. And the books everywhere are awesome! I don't think I would want to move in personally, but that's the point, it's not a showroom, it's created for a specific family's needs.
Funny you say that, since I find this place to be far more styled, stylized, and capital-D-Decorated than just about any "decorator's" space (showhouses included!). And although some of the items may APPEAR casual, I think it is all pretty rigorously arranged.
Not that any of that's a bad thing.
i love it. i am amazed that you can live with that many people animals in 800 sq ft. i think i'd go nuts!
Very stylized and fun. Those chairs would not be attractive just anywhere and they work here. You take away those chairs, add a dark wood bench, hang a size 4 vintage gown some where in the room then this place would look like its in Stockholm or Paris.
The kids room is fantastic.
Did you paint the inside of the kitchen cabinets? Love that hint of color.
Since you are not going for the timeless classics and like to rotate or pass on furniture to friends because of boredom please post again, would love to see your next venture.
Another vote to see more of this house.
I absolutely love this home!!! My kitchen is somewhat similar. Removed doors, painted insides, put up crown molding on cabinets. Beautiful butcher block counters and glass tile backsplash. It's amazing what you can do with a little money and a lot of imagination. Pulling for you to win!!!
i want to go to there
Go Eagle Rock! I grew up in Highland Park in the 1980s, and when I went back a few years ago could not believe the new hip factor in Highland Park/Eagle Rock/Glassell Park. Your house is great. Did you make the bunk beds yourself?
Soooo pretty!
jacksonalonde - you stole my line! This place makes me happy! Thank you.
"Very, um, exuberant." - Patrick (the other one)
Couldn't say it better that that.
hate the chairs Love everything else
How fun!!! looking at this place makes me smile! love it.
lovelovelove!
Love the living room lamp shades. Did you make them or purchase them somewhere?
I'm not a fan of the living room (looks a bit uncomfortable), but everything else is amazing. So, thumps up.
I LOVE the kids room! And so many other areas of the house. But if I were a kid, I'd want to be there. Please, as an adult, I want to be there!
Everything in the space is very thoughtful, and it doesn't scream "I shop at Pottery Barn", which many spaces decorated in this particular style do.
I love all of the unique pieces, and the little touches of luxury in every room. Really really well done.
Please tell us about painting the floors white. What kind of paint and process did you use? thanks
Thanks for all the positive comments! It's not for everyone, but we love it. The large round chairs in the living room are insane, I know - black indian print fabric - it doesn't quite work, but my kids love them. To KitaMiami: On the floors I used glossy deck paint with primer underneath and a couple of coats of poly on top (not too much or it yellows.) My kids have trashed them a bit by roller-skating around the house, so I'll probably re-paint soon, maybe a pale blue-gray. To Lesley: yes, my husband made the kids bunks out of 2' x 4's and plywood. To thesmilequeen: the lampshades are from urban outfitters sale dept. Thanks again!
My favorite so far...
I love this place and to think there's 4 people packed into it--amazing. And I appreciate that the photos aren't of tiny little vignettes, the place is cleaned up, and there's personality galore. Instant winner.
I love the kids room but the living room looks like it came out of some space age movie set - does not look welcoming or cozy.
I don't particularly like the decor but I love the thought and personality that have gone into it. I can see why it is eliciting such a positive reaction.
Beautiful!
I envy your white floors.
I'm just crazy about the kids' room. I need to find the bedding.
I agree, a full house tour would be amazing!!! I have rarely said this about a home, but it is very unique. Gorgeous and quirky and cheerful! Love it!!!
Oodles of style and creativity...very different.
Dig the place, esp. the kids' room. Those chairs in the living room are...something else!
I love your home!
In fact, I VERY much hope you win the Grand Prize.
(unfortunately you probably won't, since this is a
popularity contest, rather than a contest based on
merit.)
It's great to see a family living in a home with so much design confidence.
All my best.
your living room is scary but I really like the birdhouses in the kids room
i love the children's room. voting is closed on this entry, unfortunately, i'm sorry i didn't get a chance to give you my thumbs up.
so quirky, colorful and fun! i love the vibrancy. can you tell me where you got your butcher block counters? i love them!
Whimsy overload. Quirk with a capital Q. But I dig it. Thumbs up.
stylish as ever, sunny and fun! Why am I not surprised? xx :)
I would literally maim for those blossomy boulders.
Love, Love, Love the Living Room Chairs!
The first photo looks like it could be in a Stanley Krubrick movie...with the exaggerated shapes of the furniture against the all white background.
For some odd reason, your kitchen is in my inspiration folder. Literally. A photo of your kitchen, for cabinet inspiration purposes, is in my folder. Where did I find it?! This is creepy.
Good luck though!
I was torn on voting for this or not. Most of it is SO not my personal style, but it's so creative and well executed! Plus I have always, always wanted a tree painted in the corner and up onto the ceiling, just like that. So.... thumbs up. :)
*breaks into song!* Love it!!!!!!!!!
I harp on a bit about the size of living quarters in the States V Europe, what with most of the postings for small homes being occupied by singles and couples, I have to say....
A proper small 'family' home. On top of it being genuinely modest in size, it looks pretty sensational too. Seriously, pulled together with real panache
I look at my own family home and the scattered drum kit and think.... 'some day...'