apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Its so nice to see a renter in the bunch... renting a small space is much trickier because you can't just rip walls down and relocate the bathroom. This is fun, simple and lovely.

I like it! Simple, colorful and straightforward arrangement of a boxy space.

I really like the bed area; the powder blue and white are soothing, but the red punches it up.

wow, that first comment is frucked up! people suck. moving on.

i think you did good for such a small space! love the wallpaper, don't love the dining table :)

I like it! Especially the couch. It's always great to see people picking furniture that's in scale with the size of thier space.

I like this...great color and great arrangement. I always hope that entries like this will win the contest because you know the person will really make great use of the prize.

I'm assuming the lego wall is that bit of color that is under the desk? I saw that and wondered what it was. Cool.

ouch, i thought i was tough. Edina-Rose, that hurt my feelings and i don't even have a clue as to who eddie is. there's a place for criticism, but this verges on name calling.

i am impressed with what has been done in such a tiny space. it shows real effort in making a studio apartment feel like home.

now, i have one question: is that a Judd drawing above the bed?

thank you.

I like it! It seems very real and practical to me. And three cheers for making space for a dinner-party-worthy table in such a small space!

glad to see a fellow studio renter in the contest, as well as a fellow book-lover :)

Nice, but do we need 3 pictures of books? And, the haphazard style of the books takes away from the decorating style. Still,we did get a chance to understand how people live in the space. (But not eat. No kitchen?) Please, please, please, could we get the floor plan first so we can put all the other pictures in context?

i love that some very traditional furniture was used with a mixture of very modern pieces. most likely, this is a compromise but he does it with confidence and it works. this is how people live. bravo!

@ Edina... Horrid and Sophmoric? That is pretty rude!

This is clearly the home of someone that is young and starting out. There are elements that I think have merit, and elements that are most likely the result of budget limitations. While it is not my taste, I appreciate the effort that went into the space, and can imagine given a few years of growth and a bit more disposable income, Eddie will expand on what I feel is a strong aesthetic and create a beautiful home.

Eddie, I admire the effort, and congratulate you for entering.

Beautiful job and only 400 SF. Love the soft blue walls. Very warm and comfortable. Ignore the ignorant.

Eddie has a good eye, and while the place isn't quite contest-winning yet, I'm sure he'll continue to improve on a good start.

like the space. very airy.
obvious you have a good eye.

maybe would have the panton chairs be the head and foot [? can't remember what that is called right now...] of the table instead of just on one side?

I think you've managed to carve out space for each area very nicely - very well laid out. I especially love the oldschool parquet floors. Some of the scale and style of some of the furniture pieces seems a little off (that rocking chair seems too big and the mixing of styles in the dining set is a tad strange), but it's probably very likely that you are still in the process of moving from hand-me-downs to your own pieces. Regardless, that is just personal taste. This apartment rocks!

Oh, one question: where is your closet?

It's very nice - crisp and clean and good use of color and materials (love the forest-wallpaper and the daybed) and it looks like Eddie color-coordinated his books to a certain extent - I wish I had such a nice space when I was that age...

...but it's not as bold as some of the others and doesn't demonstrate an inventive use of his limited space.

I can't wait to see what he does in the future.

Edina, it's impressive in the one week you've been a member of this site, how many people you've manage to offend. Your commentary in actually quite amusing to me. I'm assuming you're trying to be funny.

Eddie, I love your place.

i love it... simple, stylish, multi-functional, and a true sense of personality... love the horse & lego wall :)

hey, not every owner can tear down and relocate stuff. i haven't made a single structural change in my studio coop and thus admire eddie's accomplishments all the more!

I rather like this space, it is a good use of only 400 sq feet, the colors are unified and the entrant obviously loves the space. Sure it could use a couple of improvements but the apartment feels spacious, well laid out and welcoming.

Nicely done! What a great use of space! Would have liked to have seen the kitchen area though. Loving the blue on the wall where the bed is and the wallpaper in the dining area.

I, too, understand the extra challenge in improving a space that you do not own, so I think Eddie has done a remarkable job. I like seeing some houseplants in there (so many entries have overlooked this simple design element), and the style seems cohesive enough. The only thing bothering me is the mismatched chairs, but others seem to not mind. Eddie, do you have any way to section off the sleeping area from the eating/entertaining area, if need be? I couldn't tell if you had a curtain or anything separating the spaces.

Great space! I really like the light red and blue color scheme.

The only thing I'm not wild about is the dining room set up. I'd be inclined to put the panton chairs at the ends of the table. Because the other chairs and the table itself appear to be a matched set, the pantons seem like an afterthought. Maybe you could replace the other chairs with some random moderns ones? Or paint some of the pieces? I think that it would be exciting if the chairs were painted different colors that accent the rest of your space.

Otherwise, I think it's a great space! Thanks for sharing!

I think this is an excellent and creative way to make do with what you have. Love the different walls and art. It really makes me feel like a real person lives here!

I see lots of little touches here that I enjoy, so a thumbs-up from me. This is a home. I kinda wanna bug Eddie to find out where some of his stuff is from. The coffee table, his simple desk (love it), etc. OK, I'll bug him for one...

Eddie! Where's the lamp by your bed from? That's cool!

ditto, love the red and baby blue scheme!

Love the bed, where did it come from? Ikea?

Nice, good organization of the boxy apartment layout.

i love the donald judd above the bed!

The parquet on the floorplan is a super nice touch.

Mmmk, first off. Seriously, Edina?
Are you sure its not Eddie's mom's basement?
If you notice the WINDOWS, you might realize that it's physically impossible to be a basement. But I know it's a tall order to expect you to THINK.

Horrid and sophomoric.
Just like you! :D


And now on to Eddie's studio. The style throughout isn't really my taste, though I do love some of the pieces and the color scheme is great yet not overdone. But the fact that it's 400sf blew me away. It looks so open and spacious!

the first comment was completely rude and horrible.

anyway, i love the tree wallpaper and the light blue/red combo. i was actually planning a similar color combo for my apartment makeover.

i also would like to know where your closets/storage space is!

nice to see a fellow renter as well.

Great space, great layout, great job!

Love it! The way the books are arranged... are they grouped by color on purpose? I think there's a great eye for color overall, here.

why is no one addressing the LEGO WALL?!? I can't tell what one it is in the pictures, can someone help?

otherwise, great. finally, someone who takes pictures to show their ENTIRE space, not just a close-up of their knick-knacks. thanks, eddie.

wait -- just saw it. under the desk. neat. i <3 legos.

hello, this is eddie. thanks for the comments. a few answers to questions:

BB: nice eye on the judd.

siongchinchan: the closet is behind the wall with the bookcase. there's a small dressing room back there.

treehouse: no, i've not set up a curtain or divider of any sort to separate the bed space from the rest of the apartment.

Rob in PDX: the desk is just an industrial kitchen table and i cut the legs to make it the proper height. and the lamp beside the bed i found at a random antique store of sorts on mercer street just below prince in nyc.

protogarrett: the bed is from www.finnwooddesigns.com. it is a fairly simple piece and was not very expensive.

Like!

I love this entry. I really commend Eddie for making a studio livable with distinct living areas. Its also clear that he has embraced pieces from all price ranges and can almost always make them cohere. I think your sitting TV area is very cozy. Working with that wall of windows can be hard and I like the office at one end. As some people have said of other entries, this type of entry deserves serious consideration, particularly because the person could use and would clearly make good use of the prize!!!

interesting, I voted cool because I like the floor plan/layout, and choice of simple color scheme, although im not a huge fan of some of the combos. the use of furniture styles together and the wallpaper, while a great texture does not relate well to rest of the room, thus breaking up the continuity. Especially in a small space, particularly a studio where you have multipual coexisting spaces, if there is not a line of familiarity between them, the whole esthetic falls flat.

Thanks for showing your space! I love the vintage suitcases on the shelves!

The tree wallpaper did it for me. Cool floors, cool colors, very cozy. I love this! A truly small, cool space. Don't particularly like those 2 wooden dining chairs, but you're probably holding out for some better ones on Craigslist, right?.

I inherited almost that exact same dining table and chairs from my parents. It took years before I could afford to replace it, so I understand how it is when you've got to work with what you've got. Looks like you're off to a great start!

This cool- there are some great details in there (the tree wallpaper! the lego wall!). It shows personality.
It does look like the home of someone with developing tastes & design skills, however. So it's not "supercool." But it's a good start.

It's a shame that some people use comment boards to belittle others. It's possible to critique others' spaces without resorting to insults and snide comments. It just takes a bit of restraint and maturity.

I also like the tree wallpaper - interesting way to create a distinct dining area within the larger space.

Edina,

Oh, so you've been offensive for quite some time then. My mistake. Sorry.

Edina, it's interesting to click on your name and see your other comments. No constructive criticism at all, just mean negativity when you don't like something.

I think Eddie's done an ok job with what he has, though it's not a contest winner for sure.

I think a small bistro dining table and chairs would be a nicer fit. Current set-up jars the eyes from the beautiful wall color and bedroom set up. You could then use the panton chairs as extras.

Great layout for such a small space! Cool and Small.

i think this is awesome. i was shocked by the last picture of the table -- in a good way. WHOA - cool! love how the chairs, the wood trim, the wallpaper mixes together!

poss bookcase of the day post!

Everything seems to be within reach. That's a plus.

I like that you color-coordinated your books. You must be a Virgo.

I love the color coordinated book shelf, screw the alphabet :)

The blue and white in the "bedroom" is very fresh. The dining room table and chairs are a bit disjointed, but I love the woodsy wallpaper.

very nice! i especially like the bed and nightstand--very cosy and warm, even with cool white. i've been thinking about painting my own boring pine bedframe white, and after seeing yours i just might do it.

whoa that dinning room pairing is something else...

nice and clean, and that lego wall rocks! thnx for showing us around.

It does kind of look like a mixture of ikea and whatever grandma could part with (the wooden dining chairs, the rocker, the rocking horse which probably could have been cute and kitschy in a different setting). I'm a college student, so I totally understand budget furniture, but it's amazing what a can of spray paint and some colorful cushions can do. Also, a couple rugs to define the spaces would do wonders (like a rug under the coffee table instead of the pool balls?). I really love the wallpaper near the dining area, though.

I like the pops of red. It helps keep the palette interesting.

love the nautical colors in the bedroom :)

I really like the tree wallpaper!

Love the horse, love the blue, love the books!

I agree that some of the furniture doesn't seem to match your overall design- I figure this is an entry that can make good use of the prizes to replace some hand-me-downs if desired. Great job and kudos for entering!

PREDICTION:
I think it's time for someone to be blocked from being afforded the opportunity to comment on this site. It happen before. Guess what? It's going to happen again.

yep, i didn't see Edina's horrible comment, so I'm guessing she got the axe...

Eddie: love you apartment. love the wall color, love the Woods wallpaper, love the placement of the Panton chairs, love the bed, the bedding, the art above it, and the bookshelf.

it really looks like you've invested in some great pieces of furniture. while i don't totally love the rest of the dining set or the rocking chair, i have a feeling that you might cycle those things out as you score some better pieces at thrit stores, etc.

glad you submitted your apartment!!

I hope Eddie comes back to respond to some comments because I'd like to know, or if anyone else knows, where the white bookshelves are from, they're really simple and nice. Thanks!

hello alicia, the bookshelves are from the container store and i stacked them.

http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?searchId=13625743&itemIndex=1&CATID=77229&PRODID=10012950

i love how cozy and livable your apt. is!! i feel like i could plop on the couch, eat bunch of cupcakes with tea while watching your tv. :]

I think that parquet floors can be hard to work with but I really like what's been done, highlighting right angles in the furniture, art, and decor in general. And I like how the wallpaper bring in an organic feel echoed in the uneven wood of the floor.

Some of the furniture doesn't work for me (the rocking chair and the dining set) but those feel like fillers, which as someone who's both picky and not endowed with lots of cash, I can understand.

I want to know where the bed comes from, too.

Good layout, but the furnishings are too eclectic for my taste. I'm all for pairing modern with traditional, but its got to work. I'd pull the wooden dining chairs for something simpler - perhaps shaker style -that would complement the simplistic forms of the Panton chairs.

Also- organizing books by color is silly. Really, who thinks "I need to read that history book - the one with the orange cover?" A better approach (and more fun) is to cover all of your books with paper covers and coordinate the covers by color: history=orange, art = green.

WOW!! Thinking the pool triangle and balls under the cofee table looks really cute!

modfan, some people are more visual than others. i actually worked in a bookstore for 2 years and while i can't tell you what a book was about or who wrote it, I can almost always describe the cover in detail. same goes with the books i own...i know exactly what color each one is.

and yes, i used to think it was really silly to organize books by color, until i tried the same thing with my Expedit shelf. it really "calmed" the wall and made it feel less chaotic.

you have a fantastic eye for the unusual and the unusual that works!

my only meh part is the dr table. but i grew up w/one so i'm a bit sensitive (in a bad way) to it.

hell, if you painted it red or blue, it *might* work.

I made a predication someone was going to get blocked from comments on this site. Viola! Gone. Thank you A.T.

400 square feet, really? Eddie, you use the space very well. and also keep it from looking cluttered. Love the red touches. Bravo!

In general, I find I'm ranking the smaller apts higher than the larger ones. Not sure if that's okay, since ideally one would apply the same standards across the board.... But it really does seem like the contest allows apartments to enter that are too large for the smallest coolest contest, and it's soo much harder to make a genuinely small apt cool design-wise. So I'm cheering on all the coolest AND smallest!

How fun! Love the Mod meets Americana, Good work!

While I agree with Sea and others, that cooler is more challenging the smaller the space, let us not forget that 800 sq feet, for, say, a family of four, would be pretty darn small.

Eddie, your place is a live-in testament to the principle that brevity is the mother of wit.

Would you consider a bit of rug for the living area? Something large enough to underlie both the sofa and the credenza would further unify those pieces, and make the area fell even cozier. Maybe something circular, so that a corner doesn't stick out and upset the perfect balance you've created in the floor plan. Also, I confess that I share others' curiosity about whether the turned wood American-Country pieces are there for stylistic reasons or by convenience. They strike me, too, as a little out of key with the rest.

Thanks for showing us your great space!

I was particularly struck with how much of the apartment "went together" -- for example, the striped blanket matched all the other right angles and straight lines (the picture over the bed, the layout, the bookcase) and was the right colors too. Looks like you did a good job of picking your colors, Eddie, and then editing to make everything fit in, something I can never do. I'm jealous. You make me want to start over from scratch in a studio!

I give a thumb's up to the dining table and chairs. If money were no object, these would not be my first choice of furniture. But since this is real life, I have a soft spot for the idea of making do with basic, anonymous, taste-free, nondescript, ordinary stuff -- even making it look slightly witty. Hey, guys -- it's greener to use existing stuff than to buy new, and it's cooler to use "real" stuff and not sweat it than to go nuts trying to find refined designer pieces that "express your personality." This is how real people live. And it still looks great! Yay, Eddie!

This place makes me smile.
The simple, youthful, as well as the whimsical touches reflect a fun person.
The floor plan and your layout is really livable too.

It would be interesting if you stay here and evolve some of your basic concepts.
What about painting the old dining set white;
keeping with the white Panton chairs?
Or black?
The unpredictable combo makes me laugh ( in a good way) regardless.
Thanks for showing us your stuff!

great ideas... why not use the panton s-chairs as your captain chairs though?

I looked at the pictures again and you know... I have to apologize for being so hard on the apartment. It's really just not my taste... I don't like red (you'll be hard pressed to find it anywhere in my apartment) and I really dislike that wood in the living and dining areas (and parquet floors). I'm sure you didn't take anything I said too personally, especially because there are so many compliments, but I just wanted to clarify anyway. : )

I also want to add that I think it's awesome how great the bookcases look in the bedroom area. It's REALLY hard to make those look good and you did it!

Too many people have suggested that Eddie's choice of Panton chair placement is strange. I think putting the two Panton chairs on the outter side of the dining table is simply brilliant. Eddie gets extra credit from me merely on account of refusing to submit to the assumption that the two mismatched chairs obviously belong at the heads of the table.

Where did you get the print above the bed? Love it Love it Love it!!!!