Small Cool 2011

At first I thought it was too much white and black for me but as I was looking through the pictures I really started to like it. Love how there are pops of color througout. I really adore the kitchen area. Good job!

The bedroom is really cute, what suprised me most was this in in South Africa, you definitely changed my perception of this area of the world

Adore this! I remember if from a house tour (?) earlier... loved it then, still love it now.

I like how light-filled it is.

Very airy, pretty without being too girly. Don't you get sick of being locked into a color scheme though?

Love the black and white with the clear/ghost furniture.

Very well put together; it´s airy, full of light and looks comfortable

Very well done. Elegant.

My only difference is in the choice of a more weighted chair in the dining room area, like an S chair. It just has no presence and overuses the chair type. But, again, very, very nice. It's hard to find anything here that isn't publishable right now!

On the color scheme being locked in...man, it would so easy to radically change the color scheme with new colored pillows, throw, etc. and have a whole new look. That's how well this is done.

I love everything about this!!

I usually don't like the black/ white combination. But this is really gorgeous! I also love the kitchen and the floorplan of your apartment! The whole apartment feels so bright and airy. Very nice!

i love that you really commited to the black and white thing. very cool! and ven though i feel there's way to much ghost furniture, it works well with the space. the headboard is awesome! however, i really dislike the placement of the living room furniture.

I really like the use of the plexiglass chairs and tables, it helps a small place feel bigger, it kinda disappears, I'm a big fan of it.
A very sophisticated look.

This is just amazing, love it!

I love the black-and-white combo, so fancy, and those chairs are beautifull, I want them. We have a winner right here.

Love the pops of yellow. Also love all the acrylic. Perfect for a small space.

Love your style, it all meshes together so nicely...great place!

I really love the bathroom!
In the other rooms there is a bit too much plexiglass for my taste. It gets a bit repetitive.

Thank you for all the kind comments :)

I opted to use the acrylic chairs and stools in the open-plan living/dining area as this space is incredibly tight and the see-throughness helps make the space feel less cluttered (as most of you pointed out). The 2 chairs in the living area are used when guests come to eat dinner - making a set of 4. We also have a lovely view of our side courtyard through the large sliding doors adjacent to the dining area and it's great we can still see it clearly through our furniture.

There also really isn't any other arrangement for our living area with the furniture we have as we tend to prefer to face our TV which is directly opposite the couch. Also the bathroom door is behind it and we think it is better to have this area face away from it :)

As for comments on the colour scheme I have always been a black & white sort of person and struggle to commit to lots of colour! My wardrobe is very similar in this respect. But each of the rooms does have an accent colour and I often change these smaller items when the mood strikes me :)

I 'puffy heart' your apartment.
My favourite is B&W and just love how you have made use of all the transparent furniture.

I'm in love with this apartment. So dreamy and divine. Perfect.

The bedroom is my favorite.

Is it just me, or is 982 sq ft NOT small???

well i have to say if u are not a decorator/designer ...u should be!!!.....this space is smartly done...and though my tastes lean towards warm patterns and colors and comfort ...i have to applaud you for all of your choices....i love the painted head board....so smart....i love dark colors in bathrooms ...the black is perfect especially with the balance of white on the lower half....and i will say the use of acrylic is genius in small spaces because it really does make things look less cluttered....thank you this was a treat to see

I love it! I, too love black and white with pops of bright color. Also am a fan of mixing the modern with hollywood regency touches. I know what you mean about the tv! I often feel like my tv gets in the way of different arrangements & possibilities.

I do feel there are quite a bit of items in that living space area, I could see you removing the ghost chairs (maybe for an entry way or in the office?), pulling the two tables together so parallel with the loveseat (like one longer coffee table). Then putting the ottomans between the tables and the tv. Or, pulling the love seat out a bit, putting the two tables on each side of the love seat and then putting the ottomans in front of the love seat. But... I can't really see the space around the area, you may cut into your walking space if you move things around? I know I have that problem many a time in my less than 800 sq ft space.

Bobo, the limit for the small cool space contest is 1000 sq ft so for this purpose, yes.

I think it just depends on where you live on what is considered small. 1000 sq ft in New York City would be considered quite generous but in the area I live, its small (my neighborhood has 1/3 acre properties, at the minimum) and often includes 3 generations living in one house, so 1000 sq ft would be quite tiny.

I cannot get enough of this cottage. I LOVE black and white but this is just PERFECT black and white. I love all the lucite! I love the yellow! I love the silhouettes everywhere! There is nothing I don't love.

Wow the lucite. It looks cool and calm. Very feminine. I love it.

The lucite makes everything more airier and gives a more spacious feeling... love it! The splashes of yellow are genius!

Too often a mostly white theme is boring, but you've pulled it off nicely; there's just enough black & bright colored accents.

It is one of those places that I love looking at, but would never want to live in. It is just too white for me, but that is just personal taste. It is incredibly well designed and I love the layout.

Beautiful balance of white and black with the restrained use of that overused word color "pop". The color accents are wonderful - not too heavy. Each room makes me smile. There are so many charming surprises.

@mauishopgirl thank you for your suggestion on moving the furniture around, I'll definitely give it a try! The dining table is adjacent to the small couch so there is just enough space to walk between the two comfortably so I'll see the other version you suggest! Thanks so much, it's great to get such lovely feedback to improve our home :)

Like a lot of those who have commented, I'm usually not a fan of so much white--usually being the key word.

This is beautiful. It is simple, clean, crisp, and tasteful.

I LOVE the pops of yellow in the living room. And, your end tables/coffee tables are brilliant. Source?

I WISH my bathroom looked like this.

You have a truly beautiful home. Wonderful job!

ABSOLUTELY, LOVE IT! the way she used the white/black is clever and it doesn't feel "cold". i want a cottage like this one!

it's very crisp, clean, and stylish, but not enough color for me.

Wow! Well-done black and white scheme; the bits of other colors really have serious impact when you see them!

I saw this post a while ago and am so glad to see it again! I immediately thought that it looked different from the usual AT posts and I could identify with it- and when I looked and saw it was in Cape Town I knew why. From a fellow Capetonian- congrats on a great looking home!

The black and white classic.

I had to come back and look through these pictures over and over...I love it more and more every time I look at them! Fancy shmancy :)

You've got some nice tables in this cottage! Wow... I like.

so charming! you've done a great job.

I love the color scheme and what I love about it particularly is that it can be changed with a few accessories to look totally different.

Someone thought there is too much plexiglass and ghost furniture, but I disagree. It works very, very well, and I can see that the clear pieces can be used in different ways throughout a lifetime. They are so very versatile.

This place looks much, much bigger than it is. Whatever reno they did is first-rate without being uber-expensive. It's just lovely.

Bianca, your home is so gorgeous! Can you source the bedside tables, please?

ohhh, i love your bedroom! so cute!

@r2b2 the perspex bedside tables once belonged to my dad and he's had them ever since I could remember so sadly I don't have a source for them!

Wow you totally pegged my style....black and white, glass and lucite. I love the stencils in the place. I will bookmark this and then drool over it periodically.

Beautiful space. The owners have chosen a theme and have stayed true to it's intent, creating a very harmonising and balanced interior. Good use of glass and see-through furniture to make the cottage look more spacious. Splashes of colour balance out the use of white and black. Just gorgeous!

http://www.chantaeuxcarter.blogspot.com/

My oh my... lovely... all works well together!

I love the accent color on the Ghost Chair! Would love to see more pictures