Small Cool 2009: Garrett's Repurposed Furnishings
Who Lives Here: Garrett + 2 cats
Location: East Village, New York City
Size: 290 square feet
What is your one favorite element in your small, cool home? I love my windows. They're simple and clean, and during the day they make the bedroom feel so airy. Unfortunately, the apartment was converted at some point from a studio to a one bedroom. The new closet blocks all the light from entering the living area. I rent, so reconfiguring the walls isn't an option. I decided to just embrace each room for what it was, so the bedroom is bright and white, while the living room is much more dark and loungey.
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What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your small home? One of the biggest challenges was finding pieces correct in scale to the apartment. I could never fit a full size desk in here. Many products in the apartment are being used in ways they are not manufactured for. For example, I needed storage but I did not have room for any large sideboard, credenza, or media unit. As a solution, I made use of two different night stands in the living room. I could never fit club chairs in here, so I bought antique French dining chairs and refinished them in all black. The drapes are actually white cotton duck shower curtains from CB2. The desk is just a custom made shelf, from The Shelf Shop on the Upper East side. A lot of the items in the apartment were craigslist finds (coffee table, chairs, sofa, dresser, chrome lamp, 50's night stand). Other things came from e-bay: chandelier (pre-spray paint), zebra cow hide. Of course, there's an IKEA item here and there.
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