Small Cool 2011

Small, too small, too big...WHO CARES!? This looks great and it's within the competition's rules. Congrats!

I like the simplicity that you maintain throughout the space. You have a certain level of minimalism, which seems to work for you.

Some people don't understand the difference between fake and staged. These pictures are great and the design is superb. Well done!

Wow, you have done such a great job. I wouldn't normally be a fan of so much wood but it works so well here, it's a great contrast to the white and it give a really luxurious, masculine feel. I love it!

Beautiful space, very tasteful

just fabulous!

I WANT you apartment!

Amazing space, beautiful design & craftsmanship

Great job! Love the spaciousness and open feel!

it looks like you spent a good deal of money but it also looks like you spent it well.

Great built-ins....very sleek and contemporary. Thanks for sharing.

The effects on the photos make this look fake. Like computer generated fake. Nonetheless, I love the use of wood in this space. It's lovely.

Love the place, but 900 sq ft is pretty large for a 1br apt and a very substantial size in NYC. I tend to root for the underdog (read: people on a tight budget) in the small cool contest.

Ok, so I see a lot of pictures of your fabulous wood shelving/storage but not much of your actual apartment..uh, like the living room, dining area..there's glimpses but that's all.

I wish I could see more of the apartment. From the photos I can't get a sense of any one room. However, what I see I do like.

I was hoping there would be more pictures that show the living and dining rooms, not just small snippets.

It looks very pretty on the page, but feels very sterile. (and I'm generally a fan of 'less is more') I can't visualize someone actually living in it. Looks more Architectural Digest than Small Cool.

Best entry I have seen so far. You have my vote!!!!!

ultra modern and minimalist. This looks like a spread in a Condo ad - in a good way. People would look at that pic and say - I want that.

what do the neighbors think about the construction? how did you deal with that issue? In a building with other people living all around you.

Great job! It's simple and i can feel a warm atmosphere!

this is a phenomenal apartment. Gorgeous and huge! Would love to see more pics, especially some before & afters ...

I agree with most of the other comments - too many pics of the millwork and not enough images of the actual spaces. Seems ok based on what I see and can infer, but not enough to get my vote. Sorry.

Nice floor plan and lots of like and clean lines. looks calming.

this is a dream! LOVE the storage space- so functional, discreet & sleek. it's warm and modern- perfect NY apartment! Enjoy living there!!

Are those real or computer-generated photos? Hard to tell. (The plant in photo 4 being the strongest example)

If it's real, I like it :)

This place looks beautiful - I love all the wood, and I think you have great taste. I do wish you'd taken less close-ups and more shots that give a sense of the space. Also, you have a 900 sq. ft. 1 bedroom in NYC and you think it's small?

beautiful built-in storage makes the minimalist aesthetic easy to pull off. great job!

I think this looks amazing! Right balance between minimalist lines and warm colors/textures....Did you use an Architect? I want to know his name!

Clean. Stylish. Minimal but cosy. Nice. But, 900 sq. ft. for 1 bedroom isn NOT small. Lol. x

Sleek and airy, but a 900 s.f. one-bedroom apt. isn't small by any stretch of the mind. And in New York? Fuhgedaboudit. AT, will you please reconsider your rules next year? The truly smaller spaces on display here (and the budgets that go with them) force the kind of creativity that makes this contest fun, and an actual contest.

Actually I get the feeling from looking at these pictures that these were pictures taken by the contractor that did all the built ins so he can have for his portfolio. I reached to glimpse over the kitchen into the dining room/living room and all I get is white and dark furniture - very showroomey for my taste. Your space is awesome and I like it, but I would like to see having your personality in 1-2 years. The only thing that I like in these pictures is the second picture the built ins with the piggy and the painting frame.... That has warmth and personality - the rest feels like it was left after the architect did his job.

I can see simplicity and sophistication is not for everybody. People like to get fixated on rules rather than beauty and elegance.
Beautiful place! You get my vote

Got my vote, some people here need to relax and and enjoy these entries, we all have different ideas of what's beautiful.

While this place is lovely, i can't help but to feel like this is like a cut-outta magazine decor and set up. There is no real personality, but perhaps simple and clean line is the personality here. =) Either way, this is great place!

I want this home. Totally my style, so airy and light. Another window, in bedroom, preferently, would be nice. In fact, I could live there.

Looking at this a second time, I would be surprised if this wasn't a CG model. The seems where the floor meets the walls, and the plants give it away.

Doesn't look real.

lairriess - good call! This contest could have its first virtual winner!

Very well done! Love the pig, adds a touch of whimsy. Not everyone likes their place to look so "lived in" (I am one of them). Love it.

The built ins are beautiful! I'm jealous, a place to put everything out of sight is my ideal. But I have to agree with the other commentors that the pictures are so focused on the built ins. I'd prefer to see more shot of the room, including your kitchen, furniture, maybe your bathroom. It does seem very professionally shot and ad like.

I love the clean, modern minimalist simplicity of this. Very nicely done, got my vote.

Hi everyone. Thanks for the great comments! The friend who's the architect took the shots after the updates were completed, so indeed they are very professional looking. We thought they would be perfect for this contest. I'll see if I can post a link to some "before" shots.

I have to say overall I have built-in envy. Absolutely stunning if you have the space and the $$. But in NYC, I don't think 900sq is small by any standards.. in Toronto it's the new 3 bedroom condos! So small it ain't! I agree that the millwork and built ins are showcased and not much the actual living environment. Like picture 4, could we not have seen the couch? Along with the partial view? I think that would have shown us some personality. Don't get me wrong, nothing gets my heart racing over modern furnishings, but we sure didn't see any ..and for a great space like yours, it would have been awesome to see them in action!

Beautiful storage, but I wish you had shown more of your furnishings.

Hey gang. People asked for "before" shots of the space, so here is a link showing more images of the apartment in various stages of the renovation process.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61806837@N03/sets/72157626506856698/with/5623522154/

great clean lines. simply great!

I don't think the apartment is fake (flickr). I feel like either the images used were made to look fake or they are fake.

-fantastic job, great design hence value for money
-elegant, clean, refined, classy
-coherent design (not a slap of paint and uncoordinated furniture like most we see)

absolutely wonderful!

Great clean design carried out consistently. Accessories were appropriate and in scale. I agree 900 sq. feet is not a small 1 bedroom apt. for NYC

Wow. To take that blank slate layout, which is literally akin to a bowling alley, and transform it as you did is absolutely fantastic. In my view, almost perfect. Easy on the eyes, comfortable and most of all very functional.

Like others here, I would have preferred the contest photos to have included the bathroom and kitchen as well in order to judge properly.

On the whole, I'd add a few more cozy touches to remove that "office" feel, maybe a few area rugs and bit more large artwork, but I still love the layout and design!!

Great design, I love it. Very open and loft-y.

Agree, wish I could see more of the house, but from what I do see, it's simple, clean and modern - just my style! (don't understand why a 900 sq foot would be "bigger" in NY, but smaller elsewhere?..guess you have to live there). Got my vote. Good luck and congrats to your shoes!

Beautiful by any standards. It may not be for everyone but everyone should be able to appreciate it! Obviously it's not this "sterile" all the time since one has to live in it. But, great to see that everything can be stored when needed. Great planning, great results!! BRAVO...

This looks computer generated?

Each and everytime I look at the entries page, I tour your amazing home!! Wish I could favorite it over and over too!!

I've been in this apartment and to those who think its computer generated or fake I can assure you that it is 100% real!

Beautiful! You have my vote!

Something really weird about these images. They look computer generated.

Some of the "fake" comments here are from other contestants, which is very shifty and puts a cloud on things. There's nothing fake about any of these shots. If more people owned a good camera and used proper lighting, their photography would look this good too. The Flickr link posted earlier shows a variety of phone-quality pics of this same apartment if that's what you'd rather see. Lots of the apartments in the contest are quite good, but this one is fantastic and I would live here in a New York minute!

Thanks for the link to your before pics. You really transformed the apartment into a beautiful space. It's so nice to see a place with sleek clean lines instead of some of the eclectic, cluttered e-bay entries. Good luck!

I'm sorry. I wasn't intending to be underhanded. I was asking an honest question.

-"Adam's blank slate"

P.s. The layout and design solutions are great

@ Adam's Blank Slate,

No worries at all! The pictures I submitted are razor sharp shots taken by a friend with a killer camera and lighting setup. The iPhone pictures I have on Flickr are appropriately amateurish.

Anyway, I do love your apartment. Very LA cool!

Love it and love the sleekness of the wood. Wonderful results.

Beautiful apartment!

very sleek and simple, I like the combination of wood texture and white cabinets. Great job!

Thanks all! Again, here are the flickr pictures of the work in progress!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61806837@N03/sets/72157626506856698/with/5623522154/

Looks like an upscale showroom, or a model unit that's been professionally staged - tasteful, expensive, generic. Lovely, but doesn't show any personality.

This place is sweet! Less is more, and this apartment isn't typical of the thrift store clutter of most small apartments. Although maybe a pair of shoes on the floor would help it look a little less like an AD cover. I'm sure that it was staged just for the photos, just like most of the contest entries were to some extent. I would have no problem getting quite comfy here.

You've got my vote. Too bad I can't stuff the ballot box...this is the best entry, bar none.

Looks nice, but I'm completely unconvinced this isn't a rendering.

Helvetica, it isn't a rendering. Just a great camera by a great photographer. Have a look at the quality of photos you'd see if I had done it myself!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61806837@N03/sets/72157626506856698/with/5623522154/

It is quite obvious that, as this entry is moving up in the standings, there is a group trying to undermind him in support of another contestant. This entry is so superior to many entries that it apparently is bringing out the worst in some. How unfortunate.

Everyone, let's keep it light. It's my apartment and I'm very proud of it. I'm not offended and am not going to challenge every negative comment. Thanks for all the support and good luck to all the contestants!

I don't think it's just the camera -- the pictures have a peculiar quality to them. I think they were run through Photoshop or something...

Incredible! Excellent job both in design and execution!

Thanks Quiltmaster!

Schwyzerin, yes. They were lightly cleaned up in Photoshop. Most good photography is retouched to some extent, but there wasn't too much done to this. Good photography really starts with good lighting and a good camera.

I think that I need to host a cocktail party! Then everyone will see that this place is real! :-)

The contest organizers are totally in charge of rules, authentication, etc. No worries Buddy and Good luck! Great job......Great apartment.

does somebody ACTUALLY live there? it looks like a hotel room.

Thanks Artist. But I can still have a cocktail party, can't I?

Thanks for everyone's support!

People are idiot! Why would you take pictures of your place with clutter and clothes around!This competition is called Small-Cool not Small-Clutter! Great job!

Love the flicker before pics. Commendable that you lived through the renovation. Nice clever built ins.

Actually I think storage is the most important aspect of a place to live and I guess when you walk into a place you focus more on the living space than the storage space but maybe it should be the other way around like you did.

I was one of the commenters who mentioned it looked computer generated. I'm not a contestant in this competition.

However, I saw the Flickr photos and the place looks great!

Thanks for sharing the link, D2 pad :) I'm not a fan of the photography, but the built-ins and the entire place are very, very cool.

I love this place and would love to live there! This is a great example of starting with a problematic space and making it into something super-elegant and stylish. From the floor plan it looks like the bedroom doesn't even have a window, but it still feels open and appealing. Not an easy task to pull off. I would love to see some more photos and also know a little about how one gets built-ins like this... as in, do you hire an architect? An interior designer?

Thinking outside the box, good planning and successful follow-through. Love the way you have added storage in every conceivable place so seamlessly and in such a stylish way. Am not a fan of clutter or cutsie and the beautiful, smooth wood is so refreshing. Would love to attend a cocktail party in this apartment!

i think you did a beautiful job, D2 pad. the woodwork is stunning. perhaps we'll get an AT house tour + get the photos folks are hoping for. but, nicely done.

maybe i'll see you in the finals. :) verdict still out in my division but a gal can hope.

j.

I'm also not a contestant, and I also think the photos look computer generated. I think the owner has explained why that is. Can't fault us for asking....

Please, stop beating the dead horse....
Pictures were professionally taken.
Understood!
Great entry, great project, great design and good owner's attitude!

This is beautiful! and look at the size of the closet in the bedroom on the floor plan! Jealous!

I love this, and while I agree with the people who talked about voting for the underdog, of course you have my vote.

At some point, could you tell us a little about the architect who designed all this for you, where you got all the cabinets, and how much it all cost, how long it took, etc?

I'd understand if you don't want to tell all during the heat of the competition, but I'd also love to know more!

tinybkheights,

I would really enjoy talking about all those details. It was a really fun project! Let's be in touch when this has wrapped up.

Darren

i love the built ins! how were they constructed? are they veneers?

Makeart, no. You haven't commented since 2010, and this is what you have to say? If there's someone else that you'd rather have win, then your approach is not cool. Any issues, please direct them to AT. But please don't try to make this ugly.

Best of luck to whoever you're rooting for.

It hasn't stopped. You're closely tallying today's votes by the hour, the same day of your first post since 2010. Interesting.

As I said, best of luck.

makeart - Dude, his comments are surging because he's been rallying his friends and family, and we've all gotten really amped up and excited about it. There's no mystery.

He had a surge in the morning, when everyone was getting settled into work, checking their email, checking their Facebook, etc. I don't see anything suspicious about that.

He's winning because he is extremely artistic, hired a great architect, and has a very large network of friends and family. There is no mystery.

Makefart-if you know how to cheat the system, why don't you teach us? Or maybe you want to keep that secret for your own entry?!

My goodness Berga. You are small, and not cool. No one has won yet but this entry has been nothing but cool when people have been nasty. It is not fun to lose but it hasn't happened yet. Lighten up and don't ruin it for the grown-ups,

Aaaaah… stoppit! Please. No one respond to Makefart.

Nobila, you might be grown up but for sure you cannot read. Your friend Makefart made serious accusations and I was curious to know what he is referring to...

I mean "makeart." Damn.

This is a fun contest, so let's keep it cool. No need to respond to each irritating post. There are some great entries and I'm really happy that people like mine.

Berga. You are absolutely right and I apologize. The note was not intended for you....

Yes Julia, I mean makeart. Just like your entry, I mean Julia's

This is not my entry. I'm just blown away by your behaviour. Focus on your entry which seems magically to get almost one entry every second!

And it's very interesting you are so focused on counting the votes of this entry when there are other entries getting votes every second.

Ciro,

Julias A Frame is awesome. The 600+ votes that it's received since being added two days ago is well earned I'm sure. "Makeart's" profile shows a series of posts announcing votes by the hour, solely for my entry. Yeah it stinks, but whatever. Let's leave it to the AT moderators to sniff out any funny business and not allow anonymous people to cast a cloud on things.

Thanks for the votes and kind words everyone!

I love the look of spaciousness in this small space. Very clean and chic.

Your entry really stands out from the others because of the clean lines and great hidden storage areas. Beautiful wood! Would love living here. Good luck....

I love the geometric and sculptural feel the built-ins add to the space.

Great design-- and all to hide the stinky sneakers ! I drew blueprints for 26 years--have to say, "couldn't have done better myself" congrats on being able to "have" 900 sq ft" Hard work does pay off !
Beautiful !!

The changes are wonderful. There are great improvements and it is very homey and relaxing looking. The rooms are beautiful and comfortable appearing. It has the true look of a comfortable home.

WOW.... What a change from the what it looked like before. I love all the cabinets and storage areas. The wood is warm and beautiful. I really want to see what it looks like when you are "living" in it.... Please tell me you aren't this neat all the time! I love it - It's beautiful......

you got my vote.

A place for everything, and everything in its place. I love the clean lines and all of the storage. It feels soothing and easy.

Also want to thank D2 for keeping it positive. I love this space and wish it would win this division. Not sure how you'd catch up at this point, which makes me sad.

If Apartment Therapy wanted to host the "Small and Thrifty" contest, that's what they would have done. I, for one, am inspired to see what's possible in under 1,000 square feet.

We often think that small spaces have to be filled with thrift store finds, and as we "graduate" into adulthood, we need bigger spaces that are more lush.

You defy that premise by advocating for high end living in a small space.

I totally think that's awesome, and I wish I could afford to do it myself!

Hey, thanks everyone! This was a lot of fun. Some of the entries are absolutely wonderful, so I'm happy to have come so close! It's amazing to see what people have done with less than a 1000sf! Congratulations to the winners!

Darren

Just here to lament that this space did not make the finals. I have come back a few times completely in awe. Thanks again.