Comments on: East Village apartment makes amazing use of space

By: WilliamB

WilliamB — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:00:30 +0000

According to the article, the boy likes the new space. Maybe he doesn’t like having his pix taken.

This is a small for 4 by NYC standards but not impossibly so. Much of NYC life takes place outside of the home – parks, street life, restaurants, etc.

I agree with the comments that this is a small place for four, although babies don’t need much space till the start pulling up.

I also agree with the comments that this is large by the norms of many other countries. Do you remember the Unclutterer column on the highly customized apt in Hong Kong? It was a 2-3 BR apt for the family of 4(?), and one BR was rented out so the boy slept in the hallway. It’s all in what we’re used to. As US’ans, we’re used to more space.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Tue, 25 May 2010 03:27:49 +0000

I like seeing how other people live in such small spaces. It’s inspiring to see how space can be used creatively. However, I do feel it’s a shame that children who live in apartments, don’t have a backyard to play in. I think it’s important that they have space to run around in, get dirty, kick a ball around etc. That boy’s bedroom/study does look a little bit cramped!

By: Des

Des — Sun, 23 May 2010 22:59:27 +0000

I really wonder if the commenters who are so against this idea and convinced the family must be miserable are projecting – it’s entirely possible for someone to like living in a space like that. People design them, pay for them, and then live in them – someone has to actually like it, or feel the benefits are compelling, or why would they!

There are plenty of countries where living in very small spaces are the norm and not fodder for a magazine. I’ve lived in one room with my partner before and we were amazed to find out how much space *we* didn’t really need – it was our stuff that dictated it.

It’s certainly just as valid to live in a four bedroom beautifully appointed house, and you can absolutely be uncluttered or even minimalist by doing so – but it’s not the only way to live.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:13:16 +0000

With all the money spent to hire designers and customize the tiny space… couldn’t you just pay for a bigger space? It looks good and it sure doesn’t look cheap.

Agree with posters who say kid looks miserable.

By: Carla | Green and Chic

Carla | Green and Chic — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:09:51 +0000

This is a little too crammed for me. But I guess if I lived in NYC, worked OUTSIDE the home (no home office), didn’t sew, or do much cooking, it would be perfect.

By: disconnect

disconnect — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:18:27 +0000

That kid’s room looks like a really nice supermax cell. Is the one-piece stainless toilet/sink around the corner?

“Why on earth would you mop the floor?”

I don’t know, maybe because it gets DIRTY?

By: Brandon

Brandon — Fri, 29 May 2009 01:21:16 +0000

I’m afraid I just don’t “get” this apartment. How can you truly live with a living space like this? I think this apartment is evidence that you can be overzealous in BOTH directions — excess and reduction.

Whatever happened to happy mediums? Do we need EVERY breath we breathe and EVERY step we take to be partnered with worry about our carbon footprint? Can’t an uncluttered life also mean one free from worry?

By: Andrea Kay Bloom Smith

Andrea Kay Bloom Smith — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:01:46 +0000

I must admit that I’m a little disappointed with some of the other comments.

A family of four can live in 600sf if they want to be close and interact through out the day. Sitting on beds when a child wants to hang out is perfectly fine… I’ve yet to have any kid object. Also, it’s fine if there aren’t any books- I thought the idea of this website is creative uncluttering & a great alternative to owning books is borrowing them and returning them or reading them on your laptop or Kindle. And people can sit on the floor; that’s common in much of the world.

I propose that if people wish to further explore creativity in small spaces, they read the book: Little House on a Small Planet.

Cozy and close to the ones you love is the way to go. I like to feel that I have open space in the center of my front room, but I don’t like to have my family members 200 ft away via a “waste of space” hallway, hiding in giant bedrooms.

A house may seem bare without the numerous stuff that fills most houses, but a small house creates an environment that encourages a family to be rich in experiences, not rich in stuff.

Thank you Unclutterer for including a look at one of the possibilities for a small home. Of course, I’m into a more cozy, yet open design, such as one that encourages people to extend their livable space into the outdoors, but minimalism is a great too.

By: hello world.. war

hello world.. war — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:28:02 +0000

I’d rather go to prison than live in that bedroom!

By: Cate

Cate — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:55:06 +0000

I like the way my folding chair legs would slip into the finger slots every time I tried to reposition myself at my desk.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sun, 24 May 2009 00:54:57 +0000

Which of course children **never** do

By: Per Wiklander

Per Wiklander — Sat, 23 May 2009 20:55:54 +0000

@Marie Why on earth would you mop the floor? If really nescessary I guess you just use less water, wooden floors shouldn’t have a lot of water on them anyway.

But it has to suck to spill a drink on that floor.

By: Armário no chão! « A_R_Q_U_I_T_O

Armário no chão! « A_R_Q_U_I_T_O — Sat, 23 May 2009 20:14:36 +0000

[...] 23/05/2009 por Arquito via Unclutterer [...]

By: Marie

Marie — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:08:25 +0000

How on earth would you mop the floor without it dripping down and ruining your clothes?

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:16:18 +0000

I would really, really, hate to live under this person’s apartment. hearing the rattle of the loose floorboards/box lids as two children scamper across them must be deafening, especially as the architect kindly removed any of the insulation between the joists and filled it with storage space, which must bang nicely everytime the poor sods try to get anything in or out of thier floor.

creative? yes. practical? no. perhaps as a bottom floor dweller I’m oversenstive to the noise issue (we have a family of four above us too) but… wow!