For those of you fascinated with small living spaces, here's another

[herbgeek]

This guy walks through a prototype of a 160 square foot apartment. Lots of cool built-ins, my favorite was the magic bench which goes from a bench to a dining table and can also be used (with a mattress) for additional sleeping.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/smartspaces-californias-smallest-legal-apartment-166911

[catherine]

Thanks for sharing! Very cool. I agree about the dining table/bench. There are coffee table/dining table combos out there, too. My son has one.

I do so much traveling and stay in so many hotels, I take notes on things I'd like in a small space. I've taken a couple of photos. If I can figure out how to upload them, I'll share them. I recall one in particular that had a very wide window sill that doubled as a reading nook. It was so awesome!

[Zoebird]

that is really cool.

i really don't know if the three of us could go that small, but i love the small space we have. after I get back from yoga tonight, we're doing our weekly scrub. i discovered that moving it to sunday evenings when DH and I could both do it together, made the whole thing go much more quickly.

I still want to get the closet completely "up and running" with the shelves in it for DS's books and such, but we just haven't had the money for it yet. :(

[Float On]

First off, I want that little tiny Airstream!
Liked his video as well. Thought the stainless steel baseboards were a very good idea. I liked how he pointed out the things that didn't work.

[Tammy]

I could live there alone happily. With another person I would feel too crowded.

[rose]

Thanks for posting. That was interesting. Probably my favorite was the table by the window.

[Float On]

I would want more windows - kind of had a dorm room feeling to me the more I thought about it.

[rosarugosa]

Thanks, Herbgeek. That was fun. I've often thought that I would like a mobile home designer to come to our little house and design storage and layout options for us. Although after 27 years here, we've figured out a lot of good solutions on our own.

[Anne Lee]

Nice and compact. What I don't like about the space - and this is true for most small spaces - is the modern design. The clean lines seem stark to me. And the building materials don't have much texture or warmth. I know the stainless steel baseboards were partly practical, partly for style but it just made the place seem cold. The Tumbleweed homes are still my favorite tiny houses because many - not all but many - of their designs are more my style. Still though, there were some really interesting concepts.

[Bronxboy]

I broke the lease on an apartment at least three times as big because I couldn't handle living alone in it.

Probably a reaction to having grown up in crowded conditions and some claustrophobia that my mother also had. My wife watches TV in a small spare bedroom that I can barely spend time in at all.

[pony mom]

That looked cozy.

I just hope the drunken friend doesn't roll out the window in his sleep.

[jp1]

If I were ever single again I could totally live in that space, although definitely with the seperate shower. I used to have a cat that would go in the shower for a drink after I'd finished each morning and then walk through the litterbox with wet feet. And then RUN through the apartment violently shaking his paws with each step to try and get the big globs of litter off them. So I understand the issue he's talking about with the open bathroom.

I spent 12 years in a 250 sq foot studio in manhattan. It was plenty of space without any of the nifty space saving gadgetry of this space except a futon that folded up every morning into a couch and down every evening into a bed. Regarding the modern look and feel, I think it would be pretty tough to go for a more ornate style without taking up more space with extraneous non-functional decorative stuff.

[Zoebird]

A minimalist (online) friend of mine lives in what is effectively about 150 sq ft. there's the entry, and one side of the Apt is the bathroom and kitchen (leading toward the window). So, on the other side, she lined it with mirrored Ikea closets (the tall ones). The first one in the door is her "landing strip" -- coats, shoes, bags, keys, etc. The next one in is her wardrobe (luckily, she's also a minimalist) and she got it nicely kitted out at the ikea so that it works like a dream. The next one over (3rd in a row) is her "storage." It has her books, computer and office stuff, and so on (just as storage), and then the 4th one has her bedding -- she has a japanese styled futon bed, pillows, blankets, etc.

Just next to that is a little space between the wardrobe and the wall where she tucks a folding table and chairs -- she likes to do projects on the table as well as invite friends for dinner.

She has a very minimalist design aesthetic, obviously, but she does use some simple elements. She keeps a brightly colored, vintage hand-sewn table cloth and napkins in a drawer in her kitchen. She has a beautiful hand-made pottery bowl that she keeps on top of her fridge with fruit in it. She has another hand-made pottery piece that she keeps on the window sill with flowers in it -- this gets moved to the table when she has friends over.

Because she can't seat more than 4, she has only 4 sets of dishes -- all of which were hand made by a friend of hers. And of course, she collected vintage silverware from different thrift shops.

I really think that this is a lovely way of life -- everything she needs, everything in it's place, and living simply as can be. I think it would be tough for two (let alone 3), but I do think it could be done if we pared down more and more. I might even let go of the table.

We picnic'ed on the floor for the first 1.5 years that we lived here. I could go back to that if need be. :)

[Gregg]

I like some of their ideas, but overall like the look and feel of the Tumbleweed houses more. More homey, a separate shower (as these guys are planning next) and a more defined seating/living area that is made possible when the bed is in the loft. I wonder if this outfit has looked into sleeping lofts? The ceiling would have to go higher than 9' to do that so it may not be cost effective.

[catherine]

I like some of their ideas, but overall like the look and feel of the Tumbleweed houses more. More homey, a separate shower (as these guys are planning next) and a more defined seating/living area that is made possible when the bed is in the loft. I wonder if this outfit has looked into sleeping lofts? The ceiling would have to go higher than 9' to do that so it may not be cost effective.

Tumbleweed fan here! I've already scoped out a corner of my son's big backyard for my Tumbleweed if I ever get really sick of making these gosh darned mortgage payments. I think it would be great--he could tell his friends he makes his mother live in the backyard shed.