Apr 5, 2012
Apartment Therapy's 2012 Small/Cool Contest is Back
Interior design lovers rejoice... ApartmentTherapy.com's 2012 Small/Cool contest is back! I'm so excited to log into the site every day and OD on the creative ways everyday people put unique spins on their small spaces. So far I have seen a few that have caught my eye, but I wanted to share my favorite - - Samantha's Organic Love Nest! The 420 sq ft NYC studio is leading the pack in the Tiny division, showcasing the advantages of a square space with good light... and a handy husband.
Name:
Samantha
Location:
New York, NY
Square Feet:
420
Division:
Tiny
What I Love About My Small Home
Once I realized a one bedroom in the West Village was more restrictive because they are often smaller than a queen bed, I knew I had to find a box shaped studio. After viewing over 55 apartments with often angled floor plans, I finally found my blank canvas studio with oversized windows and eastern light. I love my home because I had a vision of an organic, global, Scandinavian love nest. For me that meant designing 6 custom built "stations" which include an eat in kitchen, 2 desk work areas, one of which has a closet built in, a living area, a bedroom and a standard size closet. What I truly love is my husband built much of the furniture, and the result is a beautiful mixture of materials and style, such as recycled flooring as a desk unit and high gloss furniture. It gives me a feeling as if I'm a guest in my own home. I feel like I live in a boutique hotel and truly love it.
Biggest Challenge of Living in a Small Space
The biggest challenge was editing out our items from a 3000 square foot loft and downsizing into a 420 square foot pre-war studio. We knew every piece of furniture had to multitask in terms of storage. For example, we built a desk which serves as a base for a closet attached, and we have a dresser we picked up in Palm Beach for $50 and created a built in Flat screen Display Wall on one side and a full size closet on the other. The entire unit also serves as a room divider, and we dropped the height of the unit to create an airy feel to the small studio. The result is we are rarely in each other's way. It's truly magical.