Who Lives Here: Ginger
Location: Nob Hill — San Francisco, California
Size: 530 square feet
What is your favorite element of your Small & Cool home? My favorite element in my home is probably the classic design of my living room/parlor. The living room is small but very curvy with lots of detail, which I love. The bay windows and the natural curve of the room provided great inspiration that guided how I shaped and decorated. It led to a lot of design challenges (see below), but it was also a lot of fun fitting furniture into all of the nooks and crannies…
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…For example, in the nook where the Murphy pull out bed used to be located, I was able to put my favorite chair and desk, which doubles as a dining table. I was also able to have lots of fun with color and striping since although the room is small, it has so much shape and dimension. However, the unfortunate thing about living in San Francisco is that no matter how pretty I try to make the room, everyone’s attention goes immediately out the bay windows to the view and the city. *sigh* I just can’t compete!
What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your Small Cool home? The biggest challenge for me was definitely the unique narrow footprint of my home, which is characteristic of these classic San Francisco buildings. All of my rooms are only 8 feet wide, which makes it difficult to find the right furniture and arrange everything so you can still walk around! I could not fit a full sofa in the living room without completely blocking the bay windows and cutting the room in half, so I found a vintage settee on eBay that was the perfect size. The best plan for me has been to do things unconventionally, accept the fact that I couldn’t fit a full sized dining table or sofa or entertainment center or dresser in my place, and then come up with narrower options that would still fulfill the purpose. I think the result is a little classic, a little quirky, which matches my personality and makes it fun.
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The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
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Comments (23)
Love the bold colors. Adds alot of fun to the traditional style of the place.
I like the bold colors too but the bedroom was kind of depressing. Maybe a better photo with better lighting would of helped. The wainscoting and ceiling looks amazing.
I love that someone is not afraid to throw in some color in these small spaces! Great space and that fireplace is gorgeous.
When I look at these tours, I often ask myself: What do these people like to do at home? For example, I like to read, so I have a chair with a lamp and small table next to it. I'm looking at the main room here, and I'm not seeing any seating that would permit comfortable TV viewing, I'm not seeing any indirect lighting that would enable reading, I'm not seeing any seating that would enable socializing . . . So, I'm stumped. Also, I think this place could do with editing -- too many small pieces of furniture, IMHO.
Not a fan, because it made me feel depressed. Change the wall colors and this place could be fantastic.
I love the use of color in this place, Ginger does a great job working with the shape of each room!
I had a visceral reaction to the colors in this space, I love the juxtaposition of over saturated modern color in a place with traditional architectural detailing. I would say though, that if you're going to commit to that bold stripe at the entry, you really need to continue it around the room, or at least to the end of the one wall... it looks like you ran out of paint or something. Now, if it were me? I'm so glad you asked. I would replace that red with a lighter tint of the same green you've used on the opposite wall, but what do I know. The kitchen is rad, the bedroom looks like it's from another apartment, maybe it's just not a good photo. How frackin awesome is that gigantic sliding pocket door??!
Thanks for all the comments, compliments, and suggestions! I can always count on my fellow apartment therapy members to give your honest opinions! A couple of things... re: viewing the TV, you can't really tell from that first living room photo, but you can view the TV very well from the lime green lounge/futon at the opposite end of the fireplace. Or best of all, my place is so tiny, with the pocket door open, you can view it front and center from my bed! Great suggestions re: my bedroom. That pic was done with my camera phone vs the others that were shot with a real camera, which is part of the prob. I did want it a little more calm than the other rooms cuz I didn't want to be falling asleep to crazy bright chartreuse and stripes, LOL, but if you all are encouraging me to kick it up a notch, hey, that's all you had to say! I didn't wanna be too loud, but I hear ya that the room could have a little more impact to match with the rest of my quirkiness, so thanks for the ideas!
I love this so much. Excellent use of the space, and wonderful color choices that create a variety of character between the rooms without losing cohesiveness. Just great.
this is a difficult space to work with but i think you did a good job at making it comfortable for yourself. color is so subjective, so if you like that color scheme then go for it.
i think the kitchen is so cute and it's my favorite room(although color is not my style). love the tile in the kitchen.
Love all the red! Love the thought and detail that went into this, great job!
Adore the use of colour. Hugely creative.
I love everything but the color in the kitchen. But that's just my personal taste. Obviously, it is what the owner loves.
Where does that giant door by the chase lead to, and does it open up or out. For some reason I love that door.
It's a very lush looking place, I love the colours, especially the green in the kitchen.
Tho' I wonder, where do you sit comfortably watching TV, I notice no couch facing the tv.
Thumbs up and kudos to Ginger for the graceful response to comments.
Gothic fun-house?
I love it! Fresh, interesting and fun.
I love your pocket door! It's huge! I've only ever seen very narrow (ie. my old bathroom door) or regular sized pocked doors. I can just imagine how wonderfully open and airy your place must be when the doors are open!
I also love the green kitchen! It's such a great little surprise in such a tiny kitchen space!
That said, I don't really know if I like the colour scheme in the rest of hte apartment. Green brown and red together aren't doing it for me. Though you clearly are a talented painter!
Hi, to answer a couple of questions about the giant pocket door, yes I really do love it too, it takes me two hands to open it, LOL! It separates my living room from my bedroom. You can keep it shut for privacy to separate the two rooms, but you are right that it really does open up the apartment to keep it open; most of the time I keep it open. If you check out the 3rd pic, the pocket door is open there, and you can kinda see my bed in the background.
This apartment has to be the best use of both color and space that I have ever seen. I totally get it. The apartment defies the "expected" and provides elements of pleasure and surprise at every glance. Kudos to you Ginger for being so creative and daring !
You go girl!Very bold colors for a female.One would expect prissy colors.Wow you did your thing.The view must be overwhelming to your guest.
Amazing design!!! The way you leveraged art deco furniture design, space, and colors make your spot look like a model home. I almost thout I was looking at a online contemporary magazine. Your place is beautiful...when's the next dinner party? Big ups!!!