February 16, 2011

Small Space Inspiration

Necessity is the mother of creativity. Those were my thoughts as I browsed this home tour over the weekend. A 200 square foot space never looked so roomy or inviting.
One of the most creative things the renter did was turn a guest mattress on its side and flank it against her bed. It provides instant shelving and an element of softness in the 'bedroom' - an idea I probably wouldn't have come up with in a million years.
A quick DIY project. Painting dozens of cheap-o toy figurines in white then gluing them along the edges of a mirror. Texture creating genius.
As for sticking with all white walls and ceilings, I'm in complete agreement. It's the oldest trick in the book, but white truly does make a space look bigger. A natural choice for an intimate studio like this.

After the side-turned mattress, this one is my next favorite: a bench placed over a sporadically used radiator. Not only does it help hide the unsightly thing, I'm sure it keeps her dining quests nice and toasty.

*images via The New York Times

22 comments:

Deanna Pai said...

I love this post! It gives me so much inspiration for post-grad living in a tiny NYC box (fingers crossed). I can't decide which I adore more -- the enormous artwork with the orchids or the angled mirror over the table. So unique and pretty!

Crystal @ Plush Palate said...

Oh yes! I forgot to mention the angled mirror. That is definitely an idea to commit to the memory bank! Good luck with your post-grad NYC life!

Unknown said...

love this space - she makes it WORK big time!

*kiss kiss*
Erika
~Tiptoe Butterfly~

ana said...

Fabulosity! White is so right in a space like this and it still feels very warm with all the natural light. Great post!

Kate Collins said...

Very inspiring! I love how she surrounded her bed with artwork; it really separates the space and it gives her something to pretty to gaze at as she falls asleep.

Andrea Krummel said...

that toy figurine mirror idea is genius!

Dumbwit Tellher said...

feeling claustrophobic thinking about living in 200 sq. ft. but this gal makes doing so quite charming. Spare mattress idea, brilliant!

Have a great Wed. Crystal ~ Deb

Beth said...

She's does some very clever & interesting things to make her space a standout.

Natalia | Look-A-Porter said...

Made me think of Ross buying that tiny flat in "Friends" - "bathroom / bedroom / kitchen"... But seriously, OMG... This is so incredible. It's chic, it looks SPACIOUS and it has everything one would need to live and enjoy life. Totally speechlessly in love... xxx

The Iconic Blog said...

So inspiring! I'm constantly looking for ways to get more out of my space in NYC.x

Design Elements said...

fabulous space. lov th artwork on the walls!

Anonymous said...

Oh, wonderful place! It's so pretty and serene, but so edgy too : ) The matress idea is brilliant! I looked through the pictures a couple of times before it hit me exactly how small the apartment is - she's a genius!

Lindsay Straw-Galloway said...

love this post! It reminds me of my tiny "dollhouse" apartment in NYC a couple of years ago. Urban dwelling does require creativity. Hope you are enjoying your new city, Crystal! enjoy decorating your new place! xo

vanessa joie said...

wow. i'm totally inspired to kick my creativity up a notch. no more complaints about lack of space!

Helena - A Diary of Lovely said...

sometimes space isnt everything after all, great ideas, thanks for sharing Crystal!

ECLECchic said...

beautiful selection of images. I am glad to find you. Now added to my list!

Andi of My Beautiful Adventures said...

Brilliant!

Tamara, Bella Boho said...

200 sq. ft. of fabulousness! The three ginormous orchid prints help make that corner a bedroom, brilliant...

Melanie's Randomness said...

This is EXACTLY what I needed to see!!! I live in a studio and she decorated this space so beautifully!! Thank u for posting this! I have to bookmark your post for future reference!! =)

Melanie's Randomness

Brittany @ The Aubergine Notebook said...

definitely some great inspiration here! i am needing some ideas for a small space since i've just moved to NY! great post, it will help for sure!!

Brandon said...

Man, that is some seriously good use of space. Makes me wish I could go back in time and decorate my former tiny studio. Awesome post, Crystal.

marjorie rose said...

Genius! It totally takes me back to my studio in '03. I wish I had this for inspiration back then!

Related Posts Widget for Blogs by LinkWithin