Who Lives Here: Thomas Location: Civic Center — San Francisco, California Size: 390 square feet
What is your favorite element of your Small & Cool home? Although I'm crazy about the exposed brick, I'd have to say my favorite single element is the larger-than-life broccoli my artist mom painted for me as a gift when I moved into this new dream apartment. It's both quirky and gorgeous, and has that personal touch that reminds me of her every time I look at it. It's also my first piece of larger artwork and helps to keep all the white space of the loft from feeling bare.
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What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your Small Cool home? As for so many others, it was the lack of storage space. There's no closet and only one small set of built-in shelves, plus it's a rental…so I had to create my own improvised storage solutions like building furniture, curtaining off a segment of the loft area, putting hangers on sprinkler pipes, and crafting a custom set of clothing shelves out of foam core.
I think a simple sense of adventure is really the most valuable resource when it comes to designing a space, but visiting sites like Apartment Therapy definitely helps expand your mindset about possibilities and techniques. I think having a hobby of skimming apartment listings also stokes creativity and sensibility, by exercising your imagination as you daydream how you would approach an interesting space.
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Check out all the entries on our contest page.
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Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
i like the bathroom paint job!
Thumbs up for fitting in two large instruments plus the iPod in the bathroom.
I agree, the broccoli painting is awesome!
Correction: three instruments, I forgot the guitar in the loft.
Totally a bachelor's apartment :P
i love your "closet" :)
Gotta love a bachelor with a large instrument on display. ;)
Seriously, I love that music is such an obvious joyful outlet for you. I have outrageous admiration/envy for musical talent.
And here I thought the larger-than-life broccoli was going to be the cascading row of plants on your other wall. :)
I agree you've done a good job of packing A LOT in there and not having it be too overwhelming. I love the stainless steel sink for the bathroom too.
Great job with the space you have. Love your closet ideas.
Being a person that also owns many instruments, it is awesome he has fit them all so nicely into his little space. I have several times the space, and have problems. Love the broccoli.
I think I love Patrick (the other one)
This apt is a keeper too.
your instruments serve dual purposes which is awesome. great job....love a place with a loft.
You rock, Thomas.
Civic Center apartments can be a pretty dull space this is however not. I like it.
I love all of your plants! The broccoli included. ^_^
A cello, piano and guitar; a man after my own heart! Nice apartment too, although I'm not crazy about the plants. A bit too natural for me.
great use of space and closet systems. the industrial style of the closet made out of pipes matches the apartment but it's softened by the art, plants, and instruments.
can you share the name of the program you used to make your apartment diagram?
thanks!
everything in here = awesome!
patrick(theotherone) - there's two large instruments on display and an extra one for backup :)
I clicked on this just to see the broccoli. But I love the piano as well- that's my small space solution as well!
what's containing those plants on the wall? woolly pockets, or something else? they look great!
I love the music theme throughout... especially the notation behind the bed. Lovely touch. What piece is it?
Thanks, everyone! I really love my little loft apartment, so it gladdens my heart that others like it also. Digital pianos are such a marvelous invention, since they take up less space and are easy to move, never need tuning, and with headphones on don't bother the neighbors in the middle of the night.
To answer some questions, I made the floorplan using http://www.floorplanner.com. The plants are indeed in Woolly pcokets, which have been featured before on AT and are very easy to use. I feel like it does make that wall look a bit cluttered (especially in that photo), but it's worth it to have living green things in my space. The piece of music on the wall behind the bed is from the first page of the original manuscript of J.S. Bach's solo cello suite #5 in C minor, which I can't recommend highly enough. I made the image using Rasterbator (http://homokaasu.org/rasterbator/). I also have various prints on display from Stravinsky's sketch book for the Rite of Spring; I do love to surround myself with music.
Thanks again for the comments! Great to see so many interesting entries this year.
the plants are fantastic!
Yes....you had me with the gorgeous plants!
I gave you your thumbs up just based on the wonderful wall with the plants, but you've done a good job all around that showcases your love of music. The music art/headboard is really cool.
Wow, what a great job here! Love that you surrounded yourself with music.
I love the combination of natural and man made materials in this decidedly industrial styled loft which makes it all seem comfortable and filled with personality, which I like quite a bit in a place.
One of the biggest mistakes people can make is not putting their own personal stamp on a place, and you have done so in spades but not so much as to make it cluttery and such.
Again, nicely done
Well done, le sacre. Somehow I knew it was you even before I got to the bathroom. Your place is beautiful!
The colour and life in this apartment really caught my eye. I've to confess, unlike a lot of subscribers to AT, I'm no minimalist and I like this one alot
Well done.
Love everything about this space- I'm apartment hunting now and love the idea of the loft, exposed brick, ladder, exposed piping etc.- and I have GOT to get hanging plants on my walls like that! My only suggestion would be to get some more art on that big living room wall- it feels a little spaced out and sparse.
Well done!