Ron Marvin’s 300 sq ft apartment in Chelsea will be somewhat of an inspiration for when we finally settle into our teeny 1-bedroom apartment in New York City. His studio has circled the blogosphere since its entry into Apartment Therapy’s Smallest Coolest Apartment contest for good reason: it’s a perfect demonstration of how to maximize your allotted space without compromising style.
There are several tips to take away from Marvin’s ingeniously designed studio, including:
- Clearly define each area with the help of a graphic rug or large piece of furniture
- Create a cohesive base color palette with a different accent color for each area e.g. primarily a chocolate, black, and white base with hints of yellow in the living area and turquoise by the office
- Use reflective or clear surfaces to make the space feel larger
- Layer lighting for a moody effect
- Have a vision for items that you see at flea markets and on the side of the street — good style does NOT need to be expensive
- Don’t forget about the vertical space for shelves and storage
You have all been incredibly sweet with your advice and e-mails about our upcoming move. In fact, Lindsay shared some excellent tips for small space living in this post (scroll down to Lindsay’s name in the comment section). I just wanted to make sure you all didn’t miss it.
I’ll be exploring small space living in the next few weeks as I gather inspiration for our new apartment. The perfect and most logical starting point will be Rebecca’s Loving Living Small — a blog dedicated to homes under 1000 sq ft, which will be a wonderful resource. Go check it out!
Stay tuned for another exciting giveaway that I know you’ll just love.
Image credits: Ron Marvin & Apartment Therapy
11 responses so far ↓
1 Kellie : Jul 7, 2009 at 5:51 am
Such beautiful styling here!
2 Krissy : Jul 7, 2009 at 8:11 am
What inspiration! We just re-decorated our living room- which is small and combined with the dining room. It was so difficult, but I’m pleased now
3 Stéphanie : Jul 7, 2009 at 8:23 am
Beautiful appartement !
4 Sofia : Jul 7, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Small spaces are my thing:) Great photos:)
I have this theory that if you can, investing in a good floor (good doesn’t have to be expensive) and having the walls painted, everything will look so much better. It’s a great base to work around.
5 Anonymous : Jul 7, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I love the design! That is unbelievably fantastic for a space that small. If you hadn’t said the apartment was only 300 square feet I would have never guessed! I suppose it all comes down to utilizing every inch available!
6 Rachel Follett : Jul 8, 2009 at 2:59 am
What a great apartment. I love the chic masculine feel of it.
7 Courtney : Jul 13, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I hadn’t seen this space before, but I love the way that while everything certainly flows, each space has a very defined too! Thanks for sharing.
8 Miss B : Jul 14, 2009 at 11:42 am
Love, love, love this space! Beautiful colors!
9 Candi : Jul 21, 2009 at 11:13 pm
I would love to live here!!!!!!!!! OMG I have been working on taking down my wallpaper for a year it feels like, and I would love to recreate this in my bedroom once I’m done!
10 Dana Cordova : Jul 24, 2009 at 6:39 am
Wow, I actually just bought the 4 sphere chrome lamp in the picture above and have been hunting for the perfect lampshade–I wouldn’t have thought to do a taller, black shade! Thanks!!! Very chic and a narrower alternative for such a large lamp.
11 Tashia Jennings : Jan 7, 2010 at 11:07 am
This is beautiful. I am researching efficiency apartments for my self (because they’re the most affordable) and I was kind of discouraged about the limited space. But if I could come home to this every day I wouldn’t mind at all!!
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