Remember this cover from House Beautiful a while back?
It was a big hit in the blog world and in my heart.
And lately has been on my mind a lot for many reasons.
I loved the fresh purple and red.
Like a rock n’ roll valentine.
And like everyone else died over their salvaged pink wallpaper project.
Here are my thoughts on it lately.
Thought 1
Tiny living. I used to be physically tinier that I am now. My husband is not tiny, and neither are our two dogs. But we are living tiny. All four of us eating, sleeping, hoping and dreaming in approx 250 square feet.
To be fair, the apartment is adjacent to a larger abode (my parents house) that we have free access to, but we don’t really take advantage of the other facilities. The 250 square feet is the actual living area. There are two separate attached bedrooms, one where we sleep and the other we have set up as the nursery for GMcB. Also, it is a very well appointed 250 square feet, so I am not trying to make it sound like we are roughing it.
We are, however, spending nearly 24 hours a day together in those confines. I have always worked from home, but Petey was off at school during the day or at work in the summers. Now that he is studying for the Bar Exam we are experiencing a lot of togetherness.
Which I enjoy. Especially because we are both aware that this is the last time for a long time that it will be just us two, so this kind of complete immersion therapy is really sort of nice. But I think that is because we both know that it is temporary.
I have always been enamored of small space living, and I will say that the reality has its charms as well. Back to the House Beautiful home though…
This place is 390 square feet for 3 humans!! I cannot even imagine. Could you? I know you New Yorkers and the like are used to smaller digs.
Thought 2
But there is something else that always kind of bothered me about this place, as much as I appreciated what they did with what they had…
This.
Just seemed wrong to me.
Sharing an 8×8 bedroom with your child.
And I remember reading a lot of blogs praising this space at the time and no one mentioned what to me was way more impactful than the cool wallpaper. And am I just a rude boy for mentioning it or…
HOW IN THE SAM HILL DO THESE PEOPLE DO IT!?!?
Am I the only person who was concerned/disturbed by this? I still just cannot wrap my head around it.
Anyway.
Thought 3
This one came to me yesterday as I was searching for this article and googled “tiny House Beautiful apartment”- and this, one of my all-time favorite Miles Redd spaces came up.
I didn’t realize that this space was “tiny” too.
It just always looked so luxe-
-But I guess that is the charm of Miles.
And then I noticed…
WAIT A TICK! There are some major similarities here. 
Like the closet in the Miles Redd space…
And the closet in the first HB space by David Kaihoi.
The kitchen in Miles space.
And then the kitchen in the David Kaihoi space.
And let me be clear, I am not criticizing Kaihoi in the slightest even if he did set out to replicate Miles. Although I am surprised that HB didn’t recognize the similarities between the two spaces they featured and maybe choose not to print a picture of Kaihoi’s kitchen.
**UPDATE**- I have been informed that Kaihoi actually “works for Miles and so he gets to borrow”- word. I agree.**
Nevertheless, I am not criticizing Kaihoi- I actually felt really relieved. I have been so nervous in doing our new Austin house because I am pretty blatantly copying these two rooms:
Miles, duh.
And that Canadian House and Home number we talked about a few months back.
Hopefully my spin on each space will make them original and inspiring in their own ways, but I must admit I have found it a lot harder when doing our house this time not to be influenced by the insane amount of awesome design inspiration I digest each day. I have been antsy about what y’all will think of the final spaces, if I was just being hard on myself for not being original enough, or if I was being lazy and lame. Maybe I shouldn’t have admitted to my inspiration and waited to see if any of you even noticed.
And I am wondering, how do you all feel on the topic. Any of the topics really. Here is a reminder of what we are discussing.
Thought 1: Tiny Spaces, how do you live in them? How tiny is still comfy for you? How do you make it work.
Thought 2: Doing it. Is it possible when you share a room with your child? Am I a pervert for thinking about that when looking at that room?
Thought 3: Inspiration vs. Copying in design. Do you think this example- especially the kitchen- is as blatant as I do? Or do you think it’s just a stylish coincidence? Does it bother you to see spaces that riff off of each other? Does a space have to be completely revolutionary to be inspiring or do you prefer subtle permutations on the same look?
I know y’all aren’t big commenters but I would love to hear your thoughts.
I never comment, but I felt compelled to do so by your (refreshingly honest? how sad is that?) questions.
As to living small, I think your stuff expands to fill available space, always. If you’ve always lived small, you’re fine. I, on the other hand, have moved from 900 to 2100 to 2600 to 4000 finished square feet and now we’re bursting at the seams. In 12 years. Completely hosed if we ever move into a city space.
Doing it? Never happens in that bedroom. If it does, the kid is watching for sure. I did all the “make noise while the baby sleep” tricks – vacuuming, mowing, etc. But I think kids have a radar for people noises and mine can sleep through the blender but not a muffled sneeze. So yeah, those kids are either future criminal perverts or the parents are sex-in-the-shower-only types.
And as to identical apartments, they are SO identical and the copying would have had to be SO blatant that I’m thinking it has to be a coincidence. Either that or dude is seriously a) stupid and b) has balls the size of. . . something.
Hum…a lot to discuss here. One, I always thought that pink wallpapered bedroom was a kid’s space with an extra trundle for sleep overs and the like- it never occurred to me that it was a shared kid/parent room..if that’s the case, then I agree with you. On your last point, I agree, it’s tricky- there’s so much to inspire us out there…somewhat hard to naviate at times and I find that even when you come up with some plans on your own, invariably you can find published spaces that are similar in palate or detail etc. And back to the first space, I could live in a smaller space but there’s a limit- there has to be getaway space if you know what I mean- being toooo close all the time can be tricky if you’re a person who needs quiet time…I think it depends on personality more than anything. And PS, the Miles red/pink room- would die to see that one recreated!!!
Bailey, I just wanted to say that I love reading your blog- I live in NYC and your posts (especially this one) give me such great ideas. We’re the same age, and you inspire me!! xo
Ok, I know a family who allowed their first baby to sleep with them in their bed (not just in their room) for the first year and a half of his life. Wanna know what happened the ONE night he wasn’t in their room?? Pregnant. The second baby loved his own space, crib, etc. Then they got pregnant for the third time. He is now 3.5 years old and sleeps in their bed. STILL. I just…I can’t. My mom said she had to shuffle me out after the first week of life because every time I moved, she woke up. So yeah, if that kid is sleeping in that bed, there is a whole lotta nothing but sleeping happening there. To let kids sleep in the bed is a slippery slope, as you might end up with a 3.5 year old sleeping in your bed. Between you and your husband. Yeeps.
Love your blog!
i can’t believe this is the first time i’ve commented – i’ve been reading your blog for far longer than i should admit!
thought 1 – when living in a tiny space -you just make it work – every nook and cranny becomes precious real estate – forcing you to be hella organized. i’m living in a much larger home in a small town now – and i would KILL for my 500 sq ft back in chicago anyday.
thought 2 – i didn’t realize it was a parent/child room at first. you’re not a perv – that’s a COMPLETELY normal reaction. – guarantee they don’t do it. or they only do when their kid stays with grandma/grandpa!
thought 3 – this is something i’ve been struggling with lately – with all the easily accessible inspiration – how do we remain original and not a complete copycat? sometimes i think i’ve come up with a new idea – only to discover it’s in my inspiration folders a few years back and my brain just happened ot remember it now.
you are hilarious! i like to think if we had crossed paths in chicago we’d be bffs… keep up the laughs!
Love this post! To answer your first question, hubs and I both lived small (500-600 sq ft) before we bought our house (about 2700) and I can see that exapansion of ‘stuff’ happening that Kristen mentioned. I do wish we could downsize at least a bit (1200 I think would be the limit in going small, though…). I’ve no idea about your second question. We’re a kiddo-free house, so that’s a problem I’ve never thought about. And about the third question, I think that every iteration of a design gives the viewer something new to take home and try. Now, if the second rooms were, in fact, inspired by the Miles Redd rooms, then I’d have liked to see credit for the inspiration given. But since you’ve already told us where your inspiration comes from, I say absolutely show us your version! I look forward to seeing yours and being inspired by both!
I had never seen that apartment before but I would have had the same thought about the kid being in the same room. I wonder that about parents who co-sleep with their kids. So I guess I’m a perv too. Maybe they do it in the shower or when the kid is at school??
1) My husband and I lived with our bed in our living room, 1 bathroom and a laundry room with a hot plate for a kitchen (a total of 600 sq. ft.) for 2 years before my husband completed the renovations on our house including a new kitchen, four bedrooms and a master bath (now 2,000 sq. ft.). Initially it was kind of fun, but eventually the no kitchen situation and no closets began to drive me mad. I think if the space had been split up more appropriately (closet space, a kitchen with a stove, etc) we probably could have lived in half the amount of space without any complaint. However, now living in a larger space it would be difficult to turn back.
2) I don’t have any kids yet, but hell no! I can’t do it with my dogs in the room!
3) I think it is blatant, but I don’t see anything wrong with that as long as you put your own spin on it.
#1 I recently saw a segment on this one woman living in 90sq. ft. THAT is ridiculous. I think with amazing organizational skills and a very long shopping hiatus, it might be doable. But not for me. And definitely not with kids. Legos multiply when you’re not looking.
Thought 2: Doing it. Is it possible when you share a room with your child? Am I a pervert for thinking about that when looking at that room?
#2… That’s what the living room and kitchen are for?… Lots of parents co-sleep with their kids. Maybe they know the secrets of super stealth ninja sex… but me? Little was bumped to her own room the first time she slept through the night.
#3 One of my professors in design school, while lecturing on plagiarism had this aside, “No design idea is unique. We all play off each other’s work, and let our ideas snowball. Your application may work better, but you are NOT the first one to use an orange sofa with pink wallpaper. Nor will you be the last. Just make sure yours looks the best.” And that’s how I’ve come to understand “shared” design ideas.
p.s. i <3 your blog!
SO this is weird..I rented a beach house and it has stacks and stacks of magazines from the 80′s up until current times and which magazine did i read last night….this one! I normally never comment but i suppose this is a sign that i must.
Thought 1: Tiny space suck horribly, unless you have really great closets. Or OCD.
Thought 2: I totally thought this was a little girls room with a trundle bed for sleep overs. Now, knowing this is the one and only bedroom for the parents and child it also creeps me out. And makes me sad because clearly no one in this house is getting laid. (they don’t even have a full sized couch and their kitchen counters look pretty slick)
Thought 3: This one is hard for me. I think that these magazines and images are out there to be inspirations and to give people ideas of what to do with their own homes. I think copying an entire house room for room is not cool. The Miles Kitchen is amazing, unfortunately for David Kaihoi, in comparison, his kitchen looks like diy version from a stay at home mom. I know that when you look at millions of images sometimes stuff is going to get copied accidentally but if i was a published famous designer I’m make pretty damn sure my rooms didn’t look almost identical to another designers. Nobody wants to be the copy cat.
As for living small, I think it is what you are used to. If you are used to it, you are fine with it, although with children that gets harder and harder not to expand. I don’t know how you could live in a space that small with a child.
I must be a pervert, too, because I thought the exact same thing you did when I saw that bedroom – they must be very creative people to figure that out.
I think copying/drawing inspiration from others’ designs is fine. The green kitchen is a bit much, but that’s because it’s so distinctive. I think that even if you copy something exactly, it won’t be 100% the same because it’s in a different house, with different lighting, spacing and people in it. So I have no doubt that whatever you’d copy you’d make it your own. So in my opinion, copy away! Good luck.
Your gal pal Jessica Hische made this really cool illustration on the subject of “Imitation vs. Inspiration” that I have hanging over my desk at work. While she is talking about graphic design, it applies to all kinds of design endeavors. Here ya go: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessicahische/5075734049/
Hi Bailey!
You are my favorite person to pretend we are real life friends. (love your blog and your cute self!)
1) I think living in small space can be fun for a bit, but couldn’t work for me for the long haul. I had a 550 sq. ft. studio to myself for 2 years, but that was pushing it.
2) No way. Couldn’t do it…unless I’d had WAY too many cocktails, at which point, sometimes, there’s no stopping me! ha.
3) So excited to read responses to this question! I am not a designer, I just love admiring interiors and trying to improve my own house, small bits at a time. I think every room usually has some sort of inspiration – whether it’s a special piece that the room was then designed around, an awesome hotel you stayed in, a display at a store, or spreads in HB. Because I’m only decorating for myself and my family, I wouldn’t worry about copying whatever makes me happy (though in most cases that isn’t even possible!) I don’t buy the whole “there aren’t anymore original ideas” business, but hey, I know what I like, and a lot of those rooms/designs tend to look similar…it’s the subtle (and sometimes necessary) changes that each person makes to a similar design that makes every space exciting! I think from a pro’s standpoint, this is a completely different question though…
Finally, thank you for inspiring me! If I had my way, I would copy everything you did in Clifford the Big Red House. Would that make you sad? I hope you would see it as the ultimate compliment!
Mother of pearl. It’s hard enough with a 1 year old puppy running around to get any private time. How can you possibly do it with a child in your room? I get you can do it in other places of the house, but there is no way you can get all romantical and lovey dovey on a couch. Move the kid out, people!
I think sharing a bedroom with a child in that manner (a trundle bed)?? is just creepy and disturbing. Just sayin’. I think it’s REALLY important for couples to have their own space, at least in their bedroom–come on! Not just for nookie, for anything–private conversations, TV watching, changing out in the open, etc…
I’ve always been a fan of smaller, cozy spaces as opposed to the trend of development after development of McMansions in the USA (no offense to anyone living large- just a personal preference). But I just bought my first (small) house and I’ve definitely been forced to be much smarter with my design and be creative with my use of space and function. It’s been interesting and I can’t wait to see the final product, which is hopefully both functional and beautiful without being excessive interms of space and resources.
Love your inspiration by the way!
Love that apartment! I thought the same thing you did when I saw the trundle. They never do it. In fact, the wife probably did that on purpose to avoid having to do it with her horny husband. I also wondered why they didn’t just go get a 2 bedroom apartment if they could afford such fab decorating.
I love a small space if it’s just for me. I have an obsession with nooks and fully decorated playhouses, but now that I have a family, space is key for domestic tranquility.
Finally, for non-designers out there, I say copy, copy, copy. I also love to see how a person is inspired by another space. If you’re a designer you want to be innovative, but there’s nothing wrong with taking the best elements from designers you admire and finding a way to make them your own.
re: thought 3…
I. FEEL. THE. SAME. WAY.
sometimes this keeps me up at night – thinking am i good enough to be an interior designer?? how can i ooze creativity and origniality?? i have a billion ripped mag pages and starred google reader blogs that i use for “inspiration”…which is ok right?? i mean i saw kelly wearstler flipping through her tearouts on her blog the other day. so it has to be ok??
ugh.
totally butchered originality. sorry. got me all hot and bothered.
T #2; Never would I ever share a bedroom with my hypothetical unborn child. Maybe these parents are excited at the idea of sneaking around to get a little action?? #TeenageDream No Thank You.
BTW I’m curious what that purple framed situation is in David Kaihoi’s kitchen. At first glance I thought it was a framed flat screen. Modern art?
Love that purple wall color! Trundle beds are for teen sleepovers not for you and your child to share a room/bed!
I think blatant copying is wrong and the copy always lacks the spark the original has so it’s best to stick with being inspired by what appeals to you about the original space and work from there to create your own unique space!
On Thought One: My hubby and I live in a 600 sq ft apartment, and in my opinion the true key to small living is keeping the clutter under control. It’s important to maximize organization so that clutter-y things have places to live other than the entry/coffee table or kitchen counter. Also, it’s been a very fun challenge to curate a small collection of furniture and decorative pieces that really are special to us and make us feel at home in our tiny space.
On Thought Two: Although my hub and I are happy for now in out teensy apt, we know we’ll want to move eventually when we want to start a family. Although if I got preggers tomorrow, I know we could make it work with the baby sleeping in our bedroom for a year or two… But after that I think it starts to get weird…
On Thought Three: Each space offers its own set of challenges, and pulling from another designer’s ideas on how to meet those challenges is far from “copying.” We’re all in this thing called life together. Something you do may inspire me, and vice versa… I think it’s important to celebrate our uniqueness and one-ness at the same time.
Regarding the shared bedroom, my first thought was, “How do they go to the bathroom in the middle of the night without stepping on the kid’s head?”.
Since I’m the only one who mentioned this so far I assume that I have inadvertently revealed
#1- my age
#2- my husbands age
#3- our priorities after 25 years of marriage
#4- :’ (
Check it out – the George Banks house from the movie is actually for sale:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2006316/Father-Bride-house-sale-1-35m-Purchase-piece-movie-history.html
Bailey you are high-larious and this is why I love your blog. Point 1…I am a hot mess in my big house, so living in a small space would probably be a disaster of epic proportions, this is why I refuse to go on cruises I need at least the size of hotel room to spread out my disfunction junction. Point 2…I have three kids all which slept in our room for a time. When they are wee little tiny things all they do is sleep, but personally pour moi it is really and I can not stress the really here enough, to get in said sexy mood with a reminder of what might happen if you continue with sexy time when they are right freakin next to you. It is also important to note that husbands do not care. They would do it with a full on audience that would rival an NBA playoff game, so a little nino doesn’t bother them in the least. Point 3…I think it is impossible to not draw inspiration from other peoples work. Some do it better than others and you do it very well with your own nifty little twist on things so fa-get-a-bout-it!
Hey Bailey. Great post!
1) I think that whatever you’re used to, you can find a way to live in. I live in a 3 bedroom 1200 square foot house, my boyfriend, coming from his parents 5000 square foot house thought my house was teeny tiny, but now that he’s been living in it for some time, he’s used to it. You just have to make sure that everything is organized and has a place.
2) no child should ever share a room with their parents after a few months of age. Even if you live in a shack in the woods, you can always put up a piece of sheetrock
3) We are all inspired by the images we see online and in magazines, and I think that’s why they are printed, so that people can interpret them in their own way. I wouldn’t think your new George Banks LR would be a complete copycat of the Canadian H&H at all, that room was fabby (until she went all drugs and put up that heinous wallpaper) and I bet a ton of people loved it and used it as inspiration as well.
there’s a great quote: “Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories.”
there’s other places to do it besides a bed at the end of the day. and i would think the real issue with that room is not the family’s choice to cosleep, but is the Mr. really OK about sleeping in a room with pink floral bird wallpaper and pink lampshades??
Love the post!
Thought numero one…Living in a college town I’ve learned that teeny tine spaces is the way it’s going to be for awhile. I had an awkwardly large room for the size of my house back home so going from that to sharing one room with my bff was a challenge. After 2 years we now have our own little college town cozy house & we’ve just gotten used to being in each others business the majority of the time. The one thing that makes us not go crazy from constant togetherness is we do have like certain times of the day that’s like “me time” & we go to our own little quarters & do whatever for a bit.
Thought numero 2…when I saw the picture I thought the exact same thing you did so I guess that makes me a pervert too. Maybe if you share a room with your child the time & place of doing it gets to be spontaneous & creative, heating up the love scene, but obvi doing it next to your child’s bed is not okay. Last time I slept on a trundle bed it was at my bff’s house, when we were 6.
Thought numero 3…Their designs are extremely similar. I tend to have something in a design that I’m crazy about, take that, & go get all creative on my own. There is a point where designs are so similar that they lose the innovative, creative, & a fresh ideas it was found upon.
You’ve brought up a subject near and dear to my heart as I just (today!) started moving into my 660 square foot Manhattan apartment with my fiance. I’m sure we’ll be able to make it work (Upper East Side trumps eat-in-kitchen, right? And by eat-in-kitchen I mean kitchen big enough to hold our garbage can) but I think downsizing is the worst. I kind of wish I just moved to NYC right after college graduation – there was nowhere to go but up from my yucky college rowhouse. Now, I’m stuck lusting after the apartment we just left in Philadelphia (800 square feet! with an office! and a working dishwasher) when faced with our new baby 1br in New York. Looks like your new (temporary) space is fab though – hopefully I’ll be able to jazz up our new place to make it work. Good luck with George Banks!
And also, yeah, I’m definitely even close to being a mom yet, but I really hope things in my life never change to the point where I am ok having my kid permanently sleep in a trundle bed on my floor.
I was dying laughing about Thought # 2 because I remember reading this House Beautiful issue and I was thinking the EXACT same thing. I thought ” Number one, WEIRD, does your kid not hear you getting it on with your husband in the middle of the night?! and Also, do you accidentally step on the kid when you get up to go to the bathroom at night?”
Thought # 2- My man-friend and I live in 1,000 SF and while it’s well-appointed, it is very small sometimes. I try to make each square foot count and while I don’t want to overcrowd my space with furniture, I do find that filling it will substantial looking pieces helps to make the space seem bigger than it is.
Thought 3: The whole reason we have design inspiration is to “INSPIRE” another space. I think it’s fine to copy as long as you add your own twist.
Mackenzie
i think that while a kid is young although sharing a room may suck it’s better when they are young bc there comes a point in time when the child is older that it is just WEIRD. i also feel like for the insane amount of money these people spent to decorate maybe they could have just moved into a more sparsely decorated but LARGER apt??
well miss, I have opinions on this. i currently live in a 2bedroom condo I own and its just me. and my pupperoni. and we have a patio he cna roam around freely during the day so he can get his sun in. But this is also out in the burbs. So being the great puppy mommy I am I am 99% sure I am packing us up in a uhaul and moving us to the city of san Francisco, where my rent will be double my mortgage payment for 1/3 the space. So I too am dealing with how I am going to make it work, most likley in as studio, and how to keep the pup out of my bed all day.
but I wouldnt EVER put my child on the floor in my room, bc i guess they never plan on having more children? thats awk.
1. Small spaces are necessary, most people in our world live in considerably smaller homes than we do. Our gigantic homes are a major contributor to our crazy overgrown consumerism.
2. Because so many people in our world live in tiny spaces, it is a big luxury to have separate rooms for everyone. Now, I agree, that particular room is creepy. I plan to co-sleep with my baby, but not once they are children. Parents who co-sleep usually have no problem getting creative. Now, creativity can also come from a lofted bed for the child somewhere else in the apartment…
I do enjoy your blog!
Hellooooo? THAT’S why we heard crickets over at MLHP, because your post was way more enticing!
So glad you called it with the child-in-the-room issue. Sorry, but that’s just weird.
Sorry to inform you, but once you have children, you don’t do it anymore.