The Hobbit Hole: Big Living, Small Spaces

Compact Desk

ecataneo — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:27:00 GMT

The HIDEsk from German designer noroom.

My desk is collapsible. Sort of. I have a Governor Winthrop desk from the 1920s that folds up when it's not in use. Of course, the drawers are deep and the desk itself is bulky, so folding up the top flap does not save much space. Last year I blogged about a modern Governor Winthrop desk that's much thinner; when you fold up the top flap, the desk takes up almost no space.

This desk – from German designer noroom, which offers functional furniture solutions for small spaces – takes the Governor Winthrop design to the next level. The desk, called the HIDEsk, is shaped like an easel, with no shelves or storage space. It features a single Governor Winthrop-esque shelf that folds out when needed, as well as a space to place an iPad or other tablet device. The space is approximately 75 centimeters, according to the website, just enough space for a laptop but easy enough to hide away when necessary. The desk can be moved anywhere and folds up into a flat panel when not in use. It's made of birch plywood and features a metal back that conceals cables and chargers.

I have three favorite things about this desk: First of all, I like how you can move it anywhere. Sometimes I want a desk in my kitchen; sometimes I want a desk in front of my sofa. Second of all, it takes up very little space. Third of all, I like how it has a built-in function to hide cords and chargers – I hate how my cords are always trailing over the floor of my apartment.

But the one problem, of course, is that I simply have too much stuff for a desk like this. The HIDEsk would be a great option for people who really only use a laptop or a tablet – but I have books, notebooks, two laptops, a typewriter, and countless papers and accessories that I use on my desk. Plus a giant vintage birdcage on the top of it. I'm just not enough of a minimalist for this desk, but I would highly recommend a similar design for people who aren't packrats.

Storage Inside a Coffee Table

ecataneo — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:26:00 GMT

If you can identify this shape, you've officially dated yourself.

My coffee table doesn't so much double as a storage unit – it more or less hides it. I keep a storage trunk underneath a black coffee table I bougth at Walmart. But I can't actually store items inside my coffee table, making it a sadly underused place for storage.

That's why I was interested in the Floppy Table by German design company Neulant van Exel. The Floppy Table contains a storage area that you can reveal by sliding away a panel. Then, you can store anything from magazines to books to your remote control to spare candles inside (all things I currently keep on top of my coffee table, except the remote control, since I don't have a TV).

On top of adding extra storage to your small space, the Floppy Table also adds something else – a sense of whimsy and a callback to another kind of storage from the bygone era of the 1990s. The top of the table looks like a floppy disc – remember those? To access the storage component of the table, you slide away the silver metal shutter of the "disc." The steel table is also decorated with other features of floppy discs, including an arrow to indicate which direction you're supposed to insert the "floppy disc" into a computer.

I love the idea of being able to store things inside your coffee table, since all the things that I keep on top of my coffee table leave it looking cluttered and messy. I also like the throwback design of this table, although I'm not sure if it would fit with the aesthetic of my apartment. It's a fun idea nonetheless. What do you think? Would you put a Floppy Table in your space?

Hooks for Purses

ecataneo — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 19:15:00 GMT

The antique hooks are perfect as purse storage.

A few months ago, my college roommate sent me a present: two wrought-iron hooks, about seven inches long, with detailing on the top that make them look like old keys that were repurposed into something useful.

How nice of her, and what aesthetically pleasing hooks, I thought when I opened the package. But I didn't give the hooks much thought beyond that. A few weeks later, when I reexamined the hooks, I decided I'd hang them up behind the door in my bedroom, and use them to store things.

This turned out to be one of the most important storage-related choices I've made for my tiny apartment.

I've said before that one of my rules for living in a small space is to have a dedicated place for everything. But even 15 months after moving into my new space, I've yet to accomplish this goal. One of the most important things I didn't have a place for was my purses. Like many women, I would just fling my purse onto my couch or onto the floor when I walked into my apartment, and then leave it there until the next day. If I decided to use a different purse the next day, then my floor would become a purse graveyard of sorts. I stored my seldom-used purses on a shelf in my closet, but that violated another of my small-space rules: objects that you use frequently should be stored in an easily accessible place.

Enter the hooks behind my door. Now, I can hang my most-used purses back there, keeping them off the floor, off the couch and easily reachable when I need them. It's the perfect solution.

Do you have a dedicated place to keep your purses? If so, where is it?

Swiss Bike Storage

ecataneo — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:48:00 GMT

A clever way to store your bike, or a clever way to take your $$?

I've written before about the importance of finding a good place to store your bike. Mounting your bike on an indoor rack is a good way to keep your bike out of the way, and to save valuable floor space.

But unfortunately, I haven't been able to even find enough wall space to store my bicycle. I used to keep my bike in my apartment, but that made it difficult to access both my kitchen and my bathroom. Consequently, my bike lives in my car, with the front wheel removed. It's annoying to have to reassemble it every time I ride, and it's probably not safe to leave it in my car, inviting someone to steal it.

That's why I wish I had the Shoes Book and a Bike, a product by designer POSTFOSSIL. The Shoes Book and a Bike is basically a storage shelf with a built-in place for a bicycle. The bike sits in the a large open space on top---secured to the shelf with a clamp--and compartments below allow you to store shoes, books or any other items. The stand is made of pine, screws and coconut fiber. It doesn't appear to be very thick, so it looks like it would fit snugly against a wall in an apartment without taking up too much space. In fact, if I had one, I would probably put it behind my sofa.

The only problem? The cost. The shelf costs 880 Swiss francs (that's $968 in US currency), the clamp costs 250 francs ($275) and the carpet to place under the bike tires is 440 francs ($484). It seems the Shoes Book and a Bike will have to go on my wish list for a later time.

What do you think? Is this product worth the price?

Shaker-inspired Wall-Hung Furniture

ecataneo — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 11:06:00 GMT

Furniture that doubles as wall art, even as it stores away when not in use. Who wouldn't want it?

When you have a tiny apartment, sometimes it's easy to wish you didn’t have much furniture. And sometimes it's all about finding ways to hide your furniture, whether that happens by keeping your table in a drawer, or buying a collapsible chair, or a stackable chair.

Or, you could hang your furniture on the wall. Studio Gorm, a design company originally from the Netherlands and now based in Oregon, has designed a system that allows you to collapse your furniture and hang it on the wall when it is not in use. The Wood Peg system, made of douglas fir, hemlock, oak, ash, walnut and hickory, is comprised of furniture that can be disassembled paired with a series of pegs for storing the furniture. According to the website, the furniture can be assembled and disassembled with no tools needed.

This system comes from a long historical tradition of hanging furniture on the wall. Studio Gorm says the Shaker Peg Rail, the Korean wall hung table and even the concept of hanging a broom on the wall are all precursors to this idea. (I would also posit that a Murphy bed is part of this lineage).

Studio Gorm also points out that arranging your furniture on the wall creates "pleasing abstract compositions." You know I am a fan of turning mundane storage into decoration (for example, my scarf organizer) and I do like the aesthetic of having these wooden objects hanging on the wall. I also like the historical component of it. But I would be concerned that putting away and setting up your furniture every time you wanted to use it would not exactly be convenient. I think the system would work best for furniture that you don't use every day, like a table or set of chairs you only take out for guests.

Still, great use of an old idea and great execution.

Storing Your Valuables

ecataneo — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:34:00 GMT

This shelf panel storage is a perfect place to hide your valuables.

Where do you store your valuables in your city apartment? A safe deposit box? I don't know anyone who has one of those. Thrown in your desk amidst old postcards and office supplies and other miscellany? That's more my style. Although let's face it: it does seem pretty unsafe to store my checkbook and my passport so lackadaisically.

That's where this ash, aluminum and magnetic shelf panel from Japanese company Torafu Architects comes in. I've looked into wall shelves before and they seem like a good way to store objects without taking up any additional floor space (although I've always been afraid that I would install one poorly and it would fall). But this is no mere shelf – it provides valuable storage space whilst simultaneously concealing your most valued possessions. The 34-mm thick shelf appears to be made of solid ash, but that ordinary-looking veneer actually conceals a 23-mm thick aluminum drawer where you can store your valuables. The drawer is magnetized and opens using a magnetic key.

I like the idea of this shelf. It combines space-saving technology (the drawer inside the shelf concept) with a function that most apartment-dwellers don't seem to have: a safe and secure place to keep valuables. What do you think? Would you install a shelf like this in your home?

Apartment and Parking Spot Transfomer

ecataneo — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:35:00 GMT

These stackable parking spaces convert into living units.

Despite the McMansions and big cars in the suburbs, we live in a world where a small but dedicated segment of the population is trying to prove that tiny living is better, more efficient living. See Graham HIll’s Life Edited Project or the Colorado designer who’s taking the Tiny House concept even tinier.

This concept takes those principles even further. Up for a James Dyson Award, which is an international student design award, the concept involves converting parking spaces into apartments at night, and converting them back into parking spaces during the day. The living spaces are collapsed during the day and turn back into living spaces at night through the use of pneumatic structures erected using air pressure.

If you watch the video about the project, you’ll see the kitchen, bathroom and storage are the “fixed” parts of the living space, while the dining room, living room and bedroom would be compressed during the day.

It’s quite an interesting idea, although I’m just not sure how feasible it is. The entire project is based on the concept that apartments are empty during the day and parking lots and garages are empty at night. It is true that parking areas are empty at night, which led me to start thinking about what other kinds of facilities could be placed in parking areas after commuters head out of the city for the day. But are most apartments really empty all day, every day? What if you had to take a sick day? What if you got a job where you had to work from home?

There aren’t answers to those questions, yet. Maybe the solution only works for those whose schedule synchs nicely with that of the apartment/parking spot transformer. Would you try this out?

Magnetic Hammer

ecataneo — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:59:00 GMT

A magnet in the hammer handle keeps nails tidy and under control

Sometimes, when it comes to organization, it's the little things that count the most. As I've written before, making sure you have a place for everything – tacks, rings, everything that belongs in your kitchen, cleaning supplies, pens, etc. – will help keep the delicate ecosystem of a small apartment in balance. Because in a space this tiny, little piles of bric-a-brac or detritus can add up.

That's why this hammer caught my attention. Designed by Jung Soo Park, a New York-based designer, the hammer contains a magnet in its handle so when you are doing projects around the house, you don't have to worry about holding the nails in your mouth or finding another place to put them. Even more importantly, the hammer also holds the nails when you put it away, giving you a place to keep your nails, rivets and so on so you don't have to put them at the bottom of a drawer – or put them in a container that takes up space.

This idea is so simple, but pretty clever. What better way to store the tools you use with a hammer than by installing an organizational device into the hammer itself? I would definitely buy a hammer like this, and I think it would make a good gift for those people in my life who don't live in tiny spaces. Nails and other small construction tools are hard to keep track of no matter where you live, and a hammer like this that holds onto them for you would prove invaluable.

Clothes Organization Made Simple

ecataneo — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 10:18:00 GMT

A place for the 'tweener clothes.

A few weeks ago, I finally found a solution to a clothes-related problem that’s been following me around ever since I lost access to free and easy laundry back in 2007 (aka when I moved out of my parents’ house). Basically, between clean clothes (which go in the bureau) and dirty clothes (which go in the laundry basket) there’s a third category of clothes: those that aren’t clean, but aren’t so dirty that they need washing.

Where do you put these clothes? Back in your drawers? No, I don’t want to contaminate the clean clothes with dirty-ish clothes. In the laundry basket? No, because then the truly dirty clothes will putrefy them. So this has led me to my last option: throwing the clothes on my desk/my sofa/my desk chair/my bathroom shelf/a clean bit of floor/anywhere they fall.

As you can imagine, this poses a bit of an organizational problem. And I know I’m not alone--I’ve had the third-category-of-clothes conversation with at least two friends, and they face the same issue.

So what to do? The obvious choice would be to dedicate an extra drawer to these clothes, but I don’t have the space for that.

Then, a few weeks ago, the idea occurred to me: buy a closet organizer, the kind I’ve only used for shoes in the past. My closet is shallow but long, meaning I have plenty of room to create another bureau in my tiny apartment without actually having to find the floor space for another real bureau. This way, I have plenty of extra space to keep the not-clean-not-dirty clothes (cardigans, jeans, etc.) and I don’t even have to put them in a drawer, which could lead to smelliness.

Besides, this solution works well because my bureau, which is actually a Governor Winthrop Desk is often inaccessible because I have the flap of the desk down and covered with papers, notebooks and my computer. It’s fine for storing clothes I don’t need as often, but for everyday items, it’s nice to have them easily accessible in the closet.

Fabric Bookshelf

ecataneo — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:36:00 GMT

The one and only fabric bookshelf.

One way to eliminate space in your tiny apartment is to digitize your media, but as readers of this blog will probably be able to tell from my borderline hoarder tendencies, I am not prepared to take that step (in fact, far from downsizing my collection of old-school media, I recently started a record collection).

So as someone who owns two bookshelves right now (and no bureau), and I was intrigued by this alternative bookshelf option. DEDE (DextrousDesign), an Athens-based design company, designed this as an eco-friendly alternative to your everyday bookshelf. Called the Fa .B . fabric bookshelf, it stores books and other book-shaped objects in what appear to be individual pouches, instead of in a line on a shelf. It reminds me of a line of garment bags hanging in a closet, or a shoe organizer. It seems to be designed along similar principles.

This is definitely an interesting idea. I like how you can add more of the book-holding bags if you acquire more books and need more space. I also like how it would protect books from dust and other dangers. And DEDE also says on its website that the bookshelf can act as a divider between separate parts of a room--a welcome addition to studios where kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms are all part of the same room. Plus, it’s mobile.

But do wonder whether the bookshelf would save space overall. It seems like it would take up the same amount of space as a traditional bookshelf, but possibly hold fewer books. I would like to know how many books it can hold. But either way it is certainly an interesting idea, and a new take on an old piece of furniture.

Life Edited: Are Tiny Spaces Our Future?

ecataneo — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:06:00 GMT

Is this the home of the future for us all?

I asked this question in December 2011, and I’ll ask it again: is the way I live now the way of the future?

I was prompted to ask this question again given the completion of a project that’s been all over the design news lately, including in the New York Times. Graham Hill, the founder of TreeHugger.com, finished his LifeEdited apartment.

What is LifeEdited, you ask? It’s company based around a project in New York City where Hill is trying to show that Americans can live happily and comfortably in small spaces. In 2009, he purchased an apartment and ran a contest for a design for a 420-square foot space that would accommodate dinner parties for 12, two overnight guests, a home office and a home theater. The company is now working on a second apartment, a 350-square foot space, and is also consulting, building homes and helping to design products in keeping with the “LifeEdited” principle.

Watching this movie does make the LifeEdited project seem pretty incredible (it reminds me of a cabin on an overnight ferry I once took from Finland to Sweden, but much, much better designed). I’m sure I would do well to live by the LifeEdited principles, since I do have way, way too much stuff for a woman who lives in an urban studio. But I still can’t get myself out of the mindset that this studio is a stopping point, a great two or three years before I move on to the real adult world of at least having a one-bedroom. Could adults--families, even--live in a LifeEdited apartment? Will it catch on? That remains to be seen, and I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what happens.

Spontaneous Storage

ecataneo — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:02:00 GMT

Corniches for tchotchke storage.

We all have them: those items that we need every day, that don’t have a permanent place to live in our homes. Keys, wallet, Chapstick, cell phone, agenda book (if you still carry a paper one), the swipe card I use to get into my office...the list goes on.

Besides a dish where I keep my keys on a table in my foyer, I don’t have a “spot” for any of these items. I shunt them from bag to bag, or place them on random available surfaces around my apartment. What do normal, organized people do with these items? I ask myself, picking up my wallet from the toiletry shelf in my bathroom.

I’m still not sure what normal, organized people do with those items, but I have found a solution that I think would help me. French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have put together a system to engender impromptu storage. Their Corniche storage shelves are small protrusions that can be affixed to walls and used to tuck away small items that are used daily, according to the Bouroullec website. The protrusions come in a variety of colors including black, white and red and are made of ABS.

I think this is a great solution to the problem I described earlier. Walls are underutilized storage spaces anyway, and large shelves are difficult to install and cause damage to plaster and drywall in apartments where landlords often charge for damages. These Corniches seem like a great way to take advantage of an underutilized storage space without dominating the room.

Collapsible Ladder

ecataneo — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:07:00 GMT

Check out the video (link below) for the full tutorial on how this little beauty folds up and packs away!

When’s the last time you used a ladder? I know I can’t remember. In New Hampshire where I grew up, my parents used ladders to change our windows from screen to storm and back again, but here in the city, people don’t seem to use them as often. When I painted my walls last fall, I teetered on a chair, and whenever I change a lightbulb I do the same.

Bottom line is, ladders are one of those tools that might be nice to have around, but take up too much space and are used too infrequently for me to actually keep one around my tiny apartment.

That’s where Company & Company, a Barcelona design studio, comes into play. According to its website, Company & Company realized that ladders are standard domestic tools that are actually rarely used by homeowners. In addition, they say they realized we are living in smaller and smaller spaces with less and less storage space. I’m not sure if that’s true for the United States as a whole, with some strong counterculture exceptions. But regardless, it’s certainly true for me, which is why this ladder would fit right into my tiny apartment. The ladder folds up into a single poll, probably a few times wider than a broomstick, making for easy storage. Watch the adorable video on the website if you want to understand more about how exactly the ladder folds up--well, actually, I recommend watching the video anyway, since it’s adorable.

Although this product would solve an infinitesimally small problem in my life (how often do I need a ladder? Maybe twice a year), I still think it’s a clever design, and certainly a good solution for people who don’t have much storage space but still want a full set of common household tools around for the odd emergency.

Mobile Wardrobe

ecataneo — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:45:00 GMT

The glass-encased free-standing wardrobe.

Having enough storage space for all your possessions is important when you’re living in a small space. This is especially pertinent for clothes, since small apartments often mean small closets: I know the closets in my studio are far shallower than any others I’ve ever lived with.

Enter the Ropero, from Spanish designer Hierve. Ropero, which means wardrobe in Spanish, blends the aesthetic of a freestanding wardrobe with the aesthetic of a glass cabinet, according to the Hierve website. The Ropero units come in three types: lower modules, designed to hold accessories, upper modules, which include shelving units and clothes hanging space, and full modules, which are designed for hanging long clothes. The lower modules are designed to stack under the upper modules, creating a full wardrobe for all different accessories.

The units come in all different materials and colors, and will appear in museums and design studios this spring before the designers start taking orders for the product in summer 2012.

The Ropero--or something like the Ropero--would be an excellent addition to any small space. Not only is this design an organizer’s dream come true, but also, perhaps even more importantly, it’s mobile. Having the ability to move furniture around is important in any small space, since you’re often trying to find the best way to maximize your space. Seasonal items such as bikes that might come and go from your apartment could change the way you want to arrange things as well.

From an aesthetic standpoint, I also like the glass aspect of the Ropero: it adds a charming, eclectic twist to what could have been just another ultra-sleek modern design.

Scarf Organizer

ecataneo — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 11:26:00 GMT

Effective AND nice to look at. My kind of organizing solution.

By this point, eight months into my tenure as an occupier of a tiny space, I’ve realized that living in a studio apartment requires a ruthless and precise organization. If you don’t have a place for everything, your possessions will end up scattered on the floor and on various surfaces around the apartment--and, in a studio, there aren’t many surfaces to choose from.

Of course, I do not always follow the rules of ruthless and precise organization, which is why several times this year I’ve found myself settling down on a pile of laundry on my couch to watch Netflix. But it certainly helps to have organizational products, which is why this weekend when my mom gave me a coupon for Bed Bath & Beyond, I scooped up something I’ve wanted for awhile: a scarf organizer.

These handy devices come in many shapes and sizes, but basically, the general premise is that of a hanger with multiple holes where you can keep scarves. It’s only $7.99, which in my opinion isn’t too hefty of a price.

In the same section of Bed Bath & Beyond, I noticed other products for arranging ties, belts, and other accessories. I sometimes think about how if I were a man, I would likely have less stuff lying around: shoes, scarves, earrings, and the list goes on. But traditional men’s garb requires numerous accessories as well: buying a similar hanger for ties or belts would go a long way toward organizing a closet.

Also, scarf organizers, like earring organizers and other products that display accessories, can act as both a decoration and an organizational tool. Why stuff stacks of pretty fabrics into a bin or drawer when you can display them? I plan to hang my scarf organizer on the back of the door that leads from my entryway to my bedroom. So it’s a win-win situation.

Portable Kitchen

ecataneo — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:50:00 GMT

The portable kitchen, ready to stir fry.

I’ve written a lot about the importance of small appliances, compact kitchenware and shelving units that can increase your storage space in your kitchen.

But this invention just may top them all. The portable kitchen, created by Indonesian designer Merwyn, successfully combines everything you would need to make a meal in a kitchen into the space of a large envelope. And not a frozen meal. An actual meal. The portable kitchen comes with a chef’s knife, a paring knife, a skillet, a saucepan, a cutting board, a spatula and an induction cooker. The utensils and pans are able to pack flat for storage and expand for cooking using a technology called “shape memory alloy.” For example, the saucepan is flat when washed and cool, but expands into a saucepan shape when it is heated on the induction cooker.

Merwyn says on his website that the design is intended for travelers and other people who don’t have access to a stove, such as college students. I’m not sure if this could work as a long-term permanent solution for someone living in a small kitchen such as myself. It’s probably unsustainable on a day-to-day basis, at least for a non-minimalist like me. I think it would work for someone looking to make a radical change in his or her lifestyle, living in a tiny house or downsizing to very few possessions.

I do think this would be great for travelers or college students, though. And I must say, this would have been convenient in my college dorm, back when I was at the mercy of the microwave and the dining hall. It’s a clever idea, and I hope it is produced and sold. What do you think? Would you use a kitchen the size of an envelope while on the road?

Knitted Cabinets

ecataneo — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:55:00 GMT

These knitted cabinets can double as laundry baskets or even luggage!

I am a huge, huge fan of fiber arts. I knit, I crochet, and whenever I get the chance, I visit my art school friend’s fiber installations at Massachusetts College of Art and Design: her senior project was a crocheted web converted into a tent.

That’s why I was intrigued by these multipurpose cabinets by Turkish designer Beril Cicek. Cicek, who designs handmade products with all-natural material, was inspired by Icelandic sweaters when designing these cabinets. Called “ull cabinets,” they are made of wooden frames covered by knitted fabric. They can stand up on wooden legs, acting as a bureau, laundry hamper or other storage unit. Or, the wooden legs can come off, go into a storage pocket on the side, and the cabinet becomes mobile. It can function as luggage (although I probably wouldn’t bring it on a plane) or, perhaps, just become a way to move your laundry to your basement washer/dryer or to the laundromat.

Cicek’s cabinets, which made an appearance at the Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair this year, would be useful for anyone living in a small space since they’re mobile, they double as luggage or storage, and they’re not bulky. And, more importantly to me, I like the handmade, crafty aesthetic. Much of modern design--especially design for small spaces--centers on sleek, minimalist Scandinavian products. Cicek’s cabinets are more in the tradition of urban do-it-yourself Etsy.com-style, an aesthetic that I personally find far more appealing.

A Table in a Drawer

ecataneo — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:25:00 GMT

A table for two, hobbit-hole style.

Sometimes I think half of what I’ve written about in this blog is how to live in a kitchen compactly. I’ve looked at matryoshka doll measuring cups, a foldable antique dining table, storing food in crates, the search for a small coffee pot and the importance of organizing shelves.

But I’m not sure any of these other products or suggestions quite reach the level of this table and chair combination from German design company Alno. With this set-up, your table and two chairs would take up no more room than three extra drawers in your counter. They would be like silverware or pots and pans: something you take out when needed and put away when you don’t.

It’s an interesting idea, for sure. The design is very new and minimalist, which wouldn’t fit with the older aesthetic of my apartment--but imagine if this “table,” “chair” and the surrounding drawers were made of cherry or dark, rough-hewn antique wood, reclaimed timber or something along those lines. Then I would certainly want it in my tiny kitchen--and I’m sure some people would want the minimalist style too. I think it would save a lot of space. My kitchen sure would be a lot more open and spacious if I didn’t have my table and chairs shoved in a corner.

The only problem? By storing your table and chair every night, or after every time you eat, you lose the ability to put vases of flowers, boxes of cereal, bird knickknacks and dirty dishes on your table--which would change my lifestyle, for sure. But like many design changes that correspond well with a smaller lifestyle, the table and chairs would simply encourage neatness--not a bad trait at all.

Edible Wreath

ecataneo — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:14:00 GMT

A three-herb wreath -- completely edible!

I’ve written before about the advantages of repurposing useful items as decorations--using your necklaces to spice up a wall, for example, or perhaps using a large piece of fabric as a tapestry in the summer and as a blanket in the winter.

Another example of a useful decoration comes from Organic Bouquet, a company that sells a “Culinary Three-Herb Wreath.” The wreath, a pretty combination of red, green and heathery gray, can be used as a decorative piece, but will also feed you. It’s actually made of rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and chili peppers. According to the website, the herbs are grown in California, and the wreath will provide enough herbs to last for one year.

The wreath costs $54.94 and is organic certified. Organic Bouquet also has a limited quantity of the wreath: the website says it’s back by popular demand, but it is expected to sell out sometime in February. I think these wreaths are more common around Christmas; I read about a similar wreath that was available through Williams-Sonoma in December, but their website says it’s no longer available.

I’m not sure these wreaths should be an exclusive holiday product, though. Hanging a year’s worth of spices on the wall will save valuable cabinet space at any time of the year--and, on top of that, will “spice” up your apartment (yes, I went there) and provide fresh seasoning for your food. If this wreath does sell out, I wonder if it’s possible to make your own. It does say on the website that the wreath is handmade.

Inspired by this wreath, I’m going to try to find or make more products that have both decorative and functional uses. Any suggestions?

Puzzle Furniture

ecataneo — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMT

A puzzle-piece bookshelf from Praktrik.

I know, I know...when you haul your prefab furniture home from Walmart or Target, the last thing you want is for the set-up of said furniture to resemble a puzzle in any way.

But that’s exactly how Bulgarian company Praktrik has purposely designed its furniture--and I don’t think that’s a negative at all. The company’s collection includes lamps, table legs, chairs, benches and bookshelves, all of which can be assembled without glue or nails. Instead, you assemble them using puzzle principles, either by sliding pieces together (“sliding”), coordinating pieces and then sliding them together (“coordinate”), or by assembling through putting pressure on unassembled pieces (“impossible”). Technically, pieces that fall into this third category should be “impossible” to assemble, and must be lined up and prepared in a specific way so the pieces can be assembled.

According to the website, this method of assembly brings an emotional level to the furniture, and “stimulates and requires some intelligence from the user which is also very important to [Praktrik].”

Besides the intriguing idea of making the usually dreary task of setting furniture up into an intellectual puzzle (which should appeal to DIY-loving city-dwellers), the chairs and bookshelf in this collection are of interest to me because--you guessed it--they pack flat. As Praktrik says, they are perfect for people who move often and, presumably, for people who live in small spaces. You can assemble and disassemble the chair when you have company; you can use the bookshelf in the winter when your bike’s in storage and put it away when your bike comes back in the spring.

The bookshelf costs 200 euros, and the chair costs 75.

Bike Rack Shelf

ecataneo — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:09:00 GMT

Wall-mounted and out of the way.

As I’ve mentioned before, my bike--while certainly a cheap and environmentally friendly way to get around--doesn’t fit well in my small apartment. I looked into several bike racks, but didn’t end up purchasing any since I didn’t have enough wall space to get the bike off the floor.

This bike rack wouldn’t necessarily solve that problem, but it caught my eye both because of its design and functionality. The bike rack--from Knife and Saw, the home of furniture and objects by San Francisco designer Chris Brigham--holds a bike horizontally on the wall and promises “elegant bike management.” It installs into wall studs and is made of either solid walnut or solid ash. And besides being aesthetically pleasing, it doubles as extra storage space. You can keep your helmet or bike lock, or even books or something else non-bike-related on the shelf.

I admire Brigham’s design, because it combines two of my favorite things: an addition to an apartment that serves dual functions (holding the bike and holding other objects), and an aesthetically pleasing storage solution. This bike rack is much better looking than the other bike racks I considered buying in my previous blog post.

The only problem? As usual, expense. It’s nearly $300. And of course, I still don’t have the wall space to mount my bike on a wall. But if I had the money and the space, I would choose this design over one of the metal and rubber designs available at the big box stores.

Minimalist Chair

ecataneo — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:16:00 GMT

The most comfortable chair in the world? Probably not, but it can be taken apart to take up no space at all.

I have written before about the problem of entertaining people in a small apartment where you don’t have a lot of chairs. I haven’t come across this problem yet, since I haven’t yet hosted a large gathering at my new apartment, but I do wonder what I will do the first time I want to have more than two or three people over. Lots of cushions on the floor, perhaps?

It turns out there are other options. Besides the stackable chairs I wrote about earlier this fall, another company, Cuatro Cuatros, has designed a chair that’s completely collapsible into itself. The chair is made of several flat pieces of material that link together through tabs. Cable ties give it extra support. According to the website, when you are not using the chair, you can simply cut the cable ties and store the chair flat under a bed or table. Basically, when the chair is not in use, it takes up about the same amount of space as a flattened cardboard box.

Although the chair takes more time to set up than a simple folding chair, it seems like a better idea space-wise than keeping metal folding chairs around--those never store well. It also seems like a better idea in terms of saving space than the stackable chairs I wrote about earlier this fall: these chairs take up absolutely no room when they are not in use. But my only concern is how comfortable they are. I’m not sure a dinner party guest would want to spend an evening sitting in a chair that doesn’t provide any support. Perhaps if I had these chairs, I would have to invest in some cushions after all. But still, they are an interesting option for people with limited space.

Compact Christmas Tree

ecataneo — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:35:00 GMT

The foldable, collapsable Christmas tree. Think about it. For next year.

Christmas is over, which means it’s time to take down the tree, pack up the ornaments and the Christmas lights and the other decorations, put them back in their plastic bin and, if you’re me, figure out where you’re going to store said bin for the next eleven months.

While thinking about this quandary today, I stumbled on a Christmas tree that would solve the problem of storing a bulky fake tree year after year. Made in Finland out of birch plywood, the Lovi Christmas tree breaks down and stores flat. It’s available in a 12”, 24” or 48” model, ranging from $97.95 to $688.95. It’s expensive, but it’s reusable year after year, and it looks like it takes up virtually no storage space.

I bought a real tree this year, because I missed the smell of pine after four years of having a fake tree in college. But I wish I had known about this specimen back in my fake tree days. The fake tree I used in college occupied a ton of space in my Christmas bin, never folded away properly and didn’t even look that much like a Christmas tree. If you can’t buy a real tree, instead of getting an obviously fake evergreen, why not go down a completely different route and pick something a bit unusual, with a unique Scandinavian flair? And it doesn’t hurt that ittakes up no space during the eleven months of the year when you don’t need it.

The only downside I see is the cost. I’m not sure I’ll be living in a tiny apartment for enough Christmases to warrant buying such an expensive flat-storing tree. But some people might be living in small spaces for the long haul, or might be able to split the cost of the tree with roommates. If I were in that situation, I’d look into getting one next year.

Storage Shelf for the Bedroom

ecataneo — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:38:00 GMT

Storage Shelf for the Bedroom

A great storage solution, and pretty easily replicated in a DIY job.

I was visiting my friend’s apartment in Brookline, Mass. recently, on the lookout for more small-space solutions. The apartment is incredibly spacious for a city apartment, so the two women who live there don’t need too many small-space solutions. However, I did scope out this multi-faceted piece of furniture in my friend’s bedroom.

From Target, this double-row shelf seems like a great way to combine storage with display. My friend took half the baskets off these shelves (alternating between basket and no basket) and put books, magazines and a vase in the basket-less spots, while using the other baskets as storage.

I think this shelf could be a useful addition to any apartment--for me, I could use something like this in my entryway. From a utilitarian standpoint, I like the design of half the space being used for storage--so you can hide scarves, hats, holiday decorations, reusable grocery bags or anything else you might want to keep in bins--and the other half being used for displaying items you want the world to see, such as photos and books. I think my friend also put the extra baskets on a shelf in her closet, thus creating more storage space. Also, from an aesthetic standpoint, alternating between the bins and the displayed items breaks up the shelves and makes them look more sophisticated than an ordinary bookshelf.

There’s only one problem with this bookshelf--it violates the rule of using all space for storage, whether it’s above, below, or inside furniture. I would love to see one of these with four or even six shelves. Because what do you do with all the empty space above the shelf? But other than that, this something I would buy--or something I could make by buying or even building a shelf and then buying my own baskets.

Staying Tiny?

ecataneo — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:18:00 GMT

Staying Tiny?

The Tumbleweed house and its tiny footprint. Photo credit: Jack Journey, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

I recently read a New York Times article about taking the “small house” movement even smaller. A designer in Colorado is building an 84 square foot house, where the shower is located under the bed and a compost toilet hides underneath an antique chair.

Aside from the design principles mentioned in this article that small-apartment city dwellers can utilize in their own spaces (for example, installing mirrors can make your space look bigger), this article reminded me of an interesting question that I’ve been thinking about for a while. I’ve been hearing about the “small house” movement for several years now. Back in 2009, I heard about a friend of a friend who lived in a Tumbleweed House in the Boston neighborhood of Mission Hill. As I understand it, the whole idea of the “small house” movement is that the archetypal McMansion uses too many resources and exemplifies over-consumption in these tough economic times.

So in my own life, when I moved into my studio (the “hobbit-hole,” as it were) in September, I thought, as soon as I can afford it, I’m getting a one-bedroom. But over the past few months, I’ve talked to a few people who have said they consider the studio lifestyle appealing. So here’s the question: as soon as I can afford it, do I upgrade to a more spacious place? Is a studio just a stopping point for a recent college grad on the way to an eventual bigger and better lifestyle? Or does my apartment actually represent the cutting edge of the American lifestyle--or the way the American lifestyle should be--where less is more?

I’m still not sure. There are definite advantages to living in my studio. I didn’t have to spend as much money on furniture. I enjoy thinking of creative ways to use my space to its utmost potential. I don’t have to pay as much to heat a larger space. But at the same time, there comes a point where living small limits your lifestyle in unwanted ways. It’s hard to entertain my friends and family in an apartment with no living room. And I do have a lot of material possessions, and sometimes it’s difficult to access them due to the creative ways I’ve stowed them away.

What do you think? Should we all strive to live in smaller spaces? Or do you enjoy having more than four tiny rooms to your name?

Matryoshka Doll Kitchenware

ecataneo — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:19:00 GMT


Cute and charming!

One of my favorite pieces of kitchenware is my matryoshka doll measuring cup set: nesting measuring cups that manage to be cute and charming and take up less space in my overcrowded kitchen cabinets. I am always on the look-out for similar products, especially for my kitchen, which, as I have said before on this blog, is probably the least spacious room in my apartment.

So imagine my joy when, while shopping for a birthday present for a friend earlier this week, I walked into thrift and gift store Buffalo Exchange and beheld these matryoshka doll food storage containers, made by the same company that makes the measuring cups. They bear the same pattern as the other matryoshkas, and they nest just like the measuring cups. And just like the measuring cups, they’re not just utilitarian. I love finding gifts or purchases that are practical and space-saving, but also beautiful or cute. So although I bought this as a gift for my friend, I just may have to invest in this for myself. My Tupperware containers are mismatched and don’t stack well: these sleek containers would fit nicely on my kitchen shelves.

And besides, as someone who’s always harping on my lack of cabinet space, I think I need to invest in some plastic containers for food storage. I have a multitude of half-finished bags of chips, boxes of cereal and tins of nuts clogging up my cabinets. It would be nice to store the food in a smaller container and discard the bulky packaging.

I bought the matryoshkas for about $18 at Buffalo Exchange in Boston, and I found them online for $15 to $25. I’m guessing they’re available at other eclectic gift shops as well.

The Modern Governor Winthrop Desk: Better Than the Original?

ecataneo — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:22:00 GMT

The Modern Governor Winthrop Desk: Better Than the Original?

Open and ready for business.

My first blog post ever was about a Governor Winthrop desk I bought at an antique store in New Hampshire for my new apartment. I was excited to find a piece of furniture I could use as a bureau and a desk that I could fold up when I didn’t need it.

Now, the store Magazin is selling a modern take on the Governor Winthrop. This streamlined white desk is much shallower than my cherry wood desk, which has a full set of drawers beneath it and thus sits much farther from the wall.

This desk is definitely a good idea for some people. It’s more streamlined, more modern and takes up less space. Treehugger points out that the desk is a reflection of a 21st century lifestyle where technology has made us need fewer things and live a greener lifestyle.

This the desk on Slim-fast. Any questions?

But remember, I said the desk would be a good idea for some people. I know that my Governor Winthrop desk takes up more space than this streamlined desk, but I wouldn’t swap them. See (as you may have figured out from reading this blog) I do have a lot of stuff. I have a lot of stationary, because I still write letters. I have journals, notebooks, cards from friends and family, postcards and other miscellaneous items stored in my desk. Perhaps I live a startlingly analog life for a 22-year-old, but there you have it. As I mentioned in the Governor Winthrop desk post, my desk this summer had no storage space, making it very difficult to stay organized.

As I said, I don’t want to insult this desk. For people who like the modern, streamlined aesthetic or only need space for their computers or tablets, it’s great. But for me, the people of the past had it right -- my Governor Winthrop is a better design for my needs, it’s greener because I’m reusing it, and it was about $700 cheaper than this desk, which costs almost 1000 euros.

Which desk would you choose?

My Spontaneous Shelf Organizer Find

ecataneo — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:03:00 GMT

My Spontaneous Shelf Organizer Find

Finally! A place to put the dishes!

Over the weekend, I was visiting my parents in New Hampshire. While there, I braved an early snow storm to take advantage of being out of the city by visiting a store that has not yet breached Boston’s borders (although it has controversially tried to do so): Walmart. Say what you will about the place, but that store knows how to do cheap apartment decor and organizational tools. I walked away with a cartload of rugs, picture frames and miscellaneous other items that I had been living without for two months. (It will be nice to have a dish rack again.)

But the product that I found at Walmart that excited me the most was similar to this white shelf organizer. I’m not sure why I never thought of this before: I pretty much have only one cabinet for storing my plates, bowls and glasses, which had resulted in me keeping a stack of plates on my counter and another stack on my kitchen table thus far.

That’s why I think this shelf organizer is going to be a lifesaver. The store offered a myriad of other varieties, some with lots of extra features such as special holders for wine glasses and specific places to put plates, bowls and juice glasses. But I chose to go for this simple one. It comes with an expansion that doubles its size, but unfortunately, the expansion wouldn’t fit in my cabinet, since to make the whole shelf lie flat the expansion and the base shelf couldn’t overlap at all. My cabinet is too small for both of them, so there you have it. But still, the shelf was only about $6, and now I have so much extra space in this cabinet. To all those other people living in small spaces, or burdened with tiny kitchens: Get one of these. And never underestimate the power of stacking.

Wall-mounted Shampoo Dispensers

ecataneo — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:31:00 GMT

Wall-mounted Shampoo Dispensers

Shampoo, conditioner, and...?

When I purchased this trash can from Simplehuman earlier this month, I received a brochure of the company’s other streamlined, modern and efficient products. One that caught my eye was this product for organizing your shower: wall-mount pumps for storing your shampoo, conditioner or facewash. They range in price from $29.99 for a single dispenser to $69.99 for a three-part dispenser. The pumps also include hooks for hanging razors, loofahs or other shower essentials.

Like the multi -use cooking appliance that I wrote about earlier this fall, I think that this wall-mount pump just might go on my when-I-can-afford-it wish list. Although I don’t have that many shower products, I think that this would be an efficient way to ensure that the ones that I do have stay organized. I wonder if this would also work for people who have to share a relatively small bathroom with several other people, as in a college apartment. Everyone could keep his or her personal shampoo in the dispenser, thus freeing up other shower space for conditioners, body washes and other motley shower gear.

Of course, as the only person using my bathroom, I’d be free to put all of my shower supplies in this device. But there’s only one problem with this system, and it’s a problem for me personally, not for most people. My shower is an old clawfoot bathtub converted into a shower--cool aesthetically, but since it’s completely surrounded by a shower curtain, there’s no wall for me to mount the pumps (apparently they’re quite easy to affix to the wall, using silicone glue and adhesive strips). Too bad Simplehuman doesn’t make a version of this shampoo-storing device that could hang from a shower head, like a traditional shower caddy. As it is now, I suppose I’ll have to keep this product in mind for my next apartment.

Cycling My Way Into Less Space

ecataneo — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:49:00 GMT

Cycling My Way Into Less Space

One of my bike rack options, the Ventura.

Like many city-dwellers, I have a bike. And like some city dwellers, I don’t like keeping it on the street. Who knows if it might get stolen or broken, or ruined from rain and snow?

Many city cyclists keep their bikes leaning against a spare wall in their living rooms. But I don’t have a living room, so for the past six weeks, I’ve been tripping over the bike in my entryway. Is it more convenient for the front wheel to block my kitchen door, or the back wheel to block my bathroom door? Questions, questions.

So I talked to my next door neighbors, who have six bikes between the two of them. They recommended getting an indoor rack for storing my bike, and so I started shopping around for one. Since my neighbors have so many bikes, they recommended getting a pole like this one. But since I only have one bike, I decided to look into getting a rack that allows you to hang your bike sideways on the wall, much like this silver one, available for $19.99 from Sears, or this black one, available for $16.99 from Sears.

I haven’t ordered any of the bike racks yet, though, because of one potential problem that’s staying my hand: I’m afraid that even with the rack, I won’t be able to find a place to keep the bike. Bikes are surprisingly bulky even when turned 90 degrees, and I have a lot of furniture. I’m afraid I’ll order the bike rack and still end up having my handlebars blocking a doorway or my wheel bumping into a piece of furniture.

Other Homeclick bloggers? Have you ever run into this problem, and if so, how did you solve it?

Food Crates

ecataneo — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMT

Food Crates

Food crates may be good in theory, but the inaccessibility makes them a little too impractical for my liking.

While at my friend’s apartment, which is also in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, I scoped out nifty ways that they had of storing food, clothing and other items. Their apartment is much bigger than my studio, but even so, four people share one kitchen, with limited counter space. Ah, city life.

Something that I noticed there reminded me of my trunk blog post about keeping all of your possessions in square, compact, stackable containers. The four girls who live in this apartment store food above their cabinets in these white and pink crates. It seems to be an efficient place to keep food. I have a similar space above my cabinets in my kitchen: although I was going to use it to display my decorative plate collection, I’m starting to think that perhaps I should start storing staples that I don’t use every day, such as flour and sugar, above the cabinets.

There’s only one problem. I’m not short by any means, but even I can’t reach above those cabinets to get the crates down. My friends say that they use a stepping stool to access their crates. That seems pretty inconvenient. Something important that I’ve learned from my six weeks of living in a tiny space is that you have to strike the right balance between space saving and convenience. There’s no point in tucking everything away into neat little boxes if accessing those boxes just means that you’re going to have to pull the whole room apart and make a mess. (I’ve found this out the hard way.)

That being said, I think that although these crates could be somewhat inconvenient, they are still worthwhile enough to look into. I suspect that the concept would work even better if the crates were turned on their side, so that you could reach up and grab the food instead of having to climb up on a stepstool.

Junk in the Trunk

ecataneo — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:15:00 GMT

Junk in the Trunk

Nothing piques the curiousity of the guests like a giant trunk with a lock on it.

Remember how compact and stackable all your possessions were when they were in boxes the last time you moved? To some extent, the same philosophy you have when you’re moving should be the philosophy you have when living in a small space: get as many of your possessions as possible into an easily stored box of some kind.

To that end, my current philosophy on furniture is that all furniture that could be hollowed out and filled with stuff. This idea especially holds true for coffeetables and other furniture that doesn’t serve much purpose except to put a drinking glass down or rest your feet.

When I moved into my new apartment, my friend offered to give me a coffetable that she didn’t want anymore. Instead, I opted to use this trunk, which I bought at Walmart four years ago. I used to keep it under my bed, but since moving into a space where my bedroom and my living room are the same room, I’ve started using the trunk as a coffee table. I often put my computer and speakers on it so that I can watch TV from my loveseat. And I store quite a few things inside the trunk--things that would take up valuable under-the-bed space otherwise. The trunk follows the same philosophy as those storage ottomans that college students often buy. Why not hide some stuff in there?

There’s only one problem with this philosophy, one that my trunk doesn’t solve. How do you get to the things you’ve put inside the trunk, ottoman or other storage container without knocking everything you had on top to the floor? I tried to put things in the trunk that I knew I wouldn’t need very often, but I’ve already had to open it up more often than I’d anticipated. A good way to solve this problem would be to get a storage container like my trunk, but one that has a drawer instead of a lid that flips up.

Anyone seen something like that?

Stackable Chairs

ecataneo — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:57:00 GMT

Stackable Chairs

These chairs aren't just gimmicky. They are well-built and stylin'! Photo courtesy of Ham & Cheese.

What do you do when you live in a small apartment, you want to have enough chairs and a big enough table to entertain when people come over, but you want to store away those chairs and collapse that table when your friends are gone?

One good option, I suspect, is Folda, a table and chair set from Spanish design studio Ham & Cheese. According to its website, the design studio combines simple elements into fresh and innovative ideas—much like a really good ham and cheese sandwich. It seems that the designers succeeded with this product. Stacking chairs are nothing new; the difference is that these two chairs stack on top of each other, but they’re not rickety and unusable when stacked. Instead, they’re designed so that you can sit on one while the other is concealed beneath.

They’re Russian nesting doll chairs.

According to the studio, the matching table also spreads out to double its size. That way, you can use the furniture both when your guests are around and you don’t mind taking up half your kitchen or living room with furniture, and after your guests leave, when it’s just you and you want your floor space back.

It’s nice that the table and chairs come in a set, although I am not as fascinated by the table. I have a drop-leaf table, and in my experience, it’s fairly easy to find tables with an insertable middle portion, a drop-leaf or, like my antique dining room table, a swivel function that expands the table surface. But I have never seen chairs that fulfill this function. Folding chairs take up valuable closet space. Stackable plastic chairs, the sort that you might use on a patio or deck, are tricky to sit on if they’re actually stacked, and they’re not very aesthetically pleasing when used inside. Chairs like this are definitely on my wish list.

Keeping Your Shoes in Line

ecataneo — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:43:00 GMT

Keeping Your Shoes in Line

Stack 'em high!

In my past experience living in a smaller space, I’ve found that shoes are often an impediment to staying organized. That is, when I don’t have a designated space for them--which I did not in the apartment where I lived this summer--I tend to kick them off and leave them wherever I happen to be standing, thus creating little piles of shoes all over my room.

When I moved into my tiny studio, I knew that my shoe habit had to change. I talked to my friends to see how they organized their shoes. Some kept their footwear in big plastic buckets. Others kept it in shoeboxes on closet shelves. Still others just lined their shoes up on the floor of their closets.

But my closets are about a foot and a half deep, and I don’t have the shelf or floor space for shoeboxes or buckets. I knew I needed another option. So I dug out my old shoe organizer from college: one of those tiered canvas organizers that you Velcro over a closet rod. It works pretty well, although it does have a few flaws: there are only ten different slots for shoes, so I have to stack my sandals and flats, making it difficult to see what shoes I have available (also, to be honest, it bothers me to put the bottom of one shoe, which is probably covered with God-knows-what from walking around Boston all day, on the top of another shoe). Another problem with this organizer is that it takes up valuable space in my entryway closet that I could use to store fall jackets and winter coats. I wondered if there was a better way. This shoe organizer, an over-the-door model, promises spots for thirty pairs of shoes--an impressive number, but I wonder if it would protrude too far into the closet, because, as I mentioned, my closets aren’t very deep. I think that this model would work better for my purposes. Even though it holds fewer shoes, it would take up less space in the closet.

Then, of course, Ikea makes this shoe organizer, a surreal Swedish take on the task of shoe organizing. Although I would like to see my shoes standing at attention, I think I’ll save this one until the day when I have a walk-in closet. For now, I’ll look into the over-the-door organizer.

My Small Coffee Problem

ecataneo — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:29:00 GMT

My Small Coffee Problem

Not sure what they were thinking with this color…

I worry about counter space. In my studio apartment, the only counter space I have is two strips of counter on either side of my sink, each approximately one square foot. Other than that, my only options are to put objects that would ordinarily belong on my counter on my tiny kitchen table, on top of my refrigerator, or perhaps out on the fire escape, although I think my management company would frown on that.

This means that I have to fit a microwave, a toaster, a dish rack and a coffeemaker into a very small space. And that means that I’ve been thinking about how to downsize the appliances that I have. Right now, I have a larger coffeemaker that I got for free at a town swap shop in New Hampshire, but I honestly never need to make that much coffee at once.

That’s why I’m coveting a small, cute and compact four-cup coffeemaker, like the pictured one from Rival that I borrowed from my friend who lived across the hall this summer. It took up almost no space and fit neatly into a corner underneath a cabinet and beside a refrigerator. The coffeepot was offered at the end of last summer in a set with an iron and a skillet for only $20. I believe that it was marketed to college students (something that I’m figuring out is that products that are marketed to college students are usually good for people who live in small spaces).

As far as I can tell, this deal is no longer available. But I found these other four-cup coffee makers, one from Mr. Coffee and one from Continental Electric. Both are available for less than $20. As of now, I’m settling for my free, bulkier coffeemaker, but if something happens to it or space really gets to be in short demand, I’m definitely going for the four-cup coffeemaker.

From Russia With a Half a Cup of Love

ecataneo — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 15:57:00 GMT

From Russia With a Half a Cup of Love

These matryoshka doll look-alikes are actually measuring cups.

I’m not the most organized person. I try to be, but when I’m in a rush or tired after a long day at the office, it’s hard to make myself sort silverware or meticulously wipe down the stove. And too often, I don’t stack measuring cups. I know I’m not the only person who doesn’t stack them: at other apartments, I’ve seen them thrown haphazardly in drawers too.

Something else you should know about me: I love all things Russian.

That’s why, when my college roommate gave me these matryoshka doll measuring cups for Christmas one year, I knew it was a match made in heaven. The set comes with six cups, ranging in size from a quarter cup to one cup. Inspired by traditional Russian nesting dolls, the cups nest inside each other (and also bear matryoshka doll markings: smiling rosy cheeks and a flower design on the stomach). So not only are they extremely precious, but they are also practical if you are looking to save space. Let’s face it, even if you do stack your traditional measuring cups, they can be unwieldy to store in limited cabinet space. The handles protrude at odd angles and take up much more space than they’re due. But like many good products for small spaces, the matryoshka doll measuring cups are tall and skinny, taking advantage of the height of a space while not taking up too much surface area. They don’t take up any more space than a regular drinking glass.

I believe my friend got the matryoshka doll cups from Paper Source in Boston, but you can also find them online at sites such as Amazon, for just over $10. I’ve also seen them at other eclectic local gift shops.

My Latest Buy: Foldable Antique Dining Table

ecataneo — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:13:00 GMT

My Latest Buy: Foldable Antique Dining Table

This folding antique table is a great space-saver in tight kitchen/dining scenarios.

I would never want to live without a kitchen table. I’ve been in apartments with galley kitchens and no designated eating space in the living room, and they feel like hotel rooms. Having a place to eat is a priority for me, even if I’m going to be living in a space that’s probably not designed for having a separate eating spot. By that, I mean that the only conceivable place for a table in my apartment is a space between the refrigerator and a wall that’s a few feet wide.

I considered getting a folding table that I could store standing against the wall and take down to put in the middle of the kitchen when I had company over. But on a daily basis, that would leave me without a table.

But before I gave up and resigned myself to eating in bed all year, I decided to look around for a table that would actually fit in that space. And that’s where antique furniture came through for me. I found this 1920s card table at an antique store in Northwood, New Hampshire. The design is perfect: when folded, the table itself is only about eighteen inches wide, so it can easily fit between the fridge and the wall, leaving me just enough space for a vase of flowers, a plate and a drinking glass. But the table also folds out into twice its size: the top swivels and rests on supports that are hidden when it’s in its folded position. This means that I can stick the table in the middle of the kitchen and fold it out when I have guests over for dinner.

The best part about this table is that it’s a piece that will stay with me throughout my life, even after my studio days are behind me. The salesman at the antique store told me that furniture aficionados often use these tables as displays for vases, candles or knickknacks. They said that many people lean the folding side of the table up against a wall and create a display on the flat surface. Especially if there’s a candle or some other kind of light in the display, the dark wood both below and behind the objects creates a museum-esque, professional-looking backdrop. This kind of set-up is especially popular for Christmas displays and decorations. As I carried my table out of the store, I was pleased to know that it will have a purpose even when I can have a normal-sized kitchen table.

Multi-Use Cooking Appliance

ecataneo — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:02:00 GMT

Multi-Use Cooking Appliance

Dinner is served. Salmon…

The Electric Super Pot and Grill, made by kitchen appliance manufacturer Aroma, is a multi-use dream. The ten pound, 5.5 inch high by 13 inch wide by 13 inch deep cooking appliance can slow cook, steam, stir-fry, keep food warm and grill (the griddle is detachable). It comes with a removable temperature control probe, a see-through glass lid and a pourable spout, and it is even dishwasher safe. It’s also not overly expensive, especially considering all the functions it fulfills: it retails for about $40 on sites like Walmart. What’s not to love?

Indeed, unless I’m missing something about this pot, it seems as though it would be perfect for a person who lives in a small space. Imagine how much room, either counter space or cabinet space, all of these appliances would take up: a George Foreman countertop grill, extra pots and pans for steaming and stir-frying, and so on. The grill part is especially appealing for a city-dweller with no backyard or porch to set up a real outdoor grill (and, I imagine, for people who are craving a grilled burger in December).

…with a side of veggies

One reviewer on the Walmart.com site commented that she recently bought this for her daughter, who lives in a studio, and that her daughter absolutely loves it because it saves space.

I only have one potential qualm about the Super Pot and Grill. It seems like an investment piece, but in my experience, pots and pans can get pretty battered over the years. If you took good care of it, it would probably last, but the only problem with using an appliance with so many different functions is that it gets so much more wear and tear on it than a single-use appliance. I’ve seen countertop George Foreman grills that are only a few years old, but look like they’ve been through decades of use. But regardless, and despite that misgiving, this cooking appliance is definitely on my wish list.

The Governor Winthrop: A Desk, Bureau and Filing Cabinet In One

ecataneo — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:15:00 GMT

The Governor Winthrop: A Desk, Bureau and Filing Cabinet In One

Multi-purpose desks like this are perfectly for smaller living arrangements.

When you live in a tiny space, it’s important to always consider dual functions. When shopping for furniture for my new studio, I’ve been reluctant to invest in any pieces that will take up space without providing multiple uses and ample storage space. For example, the desk that I have been using this summer has two tall shelves and one sliding drawer: not nearly enough storage space considering its length and breadth.

Enter the Governor Winthrop desk. When they are closed up, these slant-top desks project into a room about as much as a bureau does. But when you need to work, you can open the slant part, thus creating a surface on which to write or type. Unlike more modern, streamlined desks, this model has numerous nooks and crannies: those vertical cubbies to stash graduation and birthday cards that I just can’t bring myself to throw away; five drawers for pens, pencils or batteries; and, for the sake of aesthetics, the fan detail on the middle panel.

But the most important dual function feature of this new desk is the fact that it will double as a bureau. Those three drawers are deep enough to fit all the clothes that I won’t hang in my closet, and now I don’t have to worry about fitting a dresser into my already cramped space.

So if you’re short on space and need furniture that serves multiple purposes, or if you just like the look of the Governor Winthrop desk, where do you find one? I got mine in an antique store in Northwood, New Hampshire. But if you don’t live near any good antique stores, you can always find them on Ebay, for prices ranging from $250 to almost $1000. Some of the more expensive models add a fourth function: they have bookshelves or glass cabinets on top of the desk, making it easier to store things above the desk.