Apartment Therapy reveals best and tiniest in Small Cool home contest

I have been compulsively clicking my way through Apartment Therapy's fifth annual Small Cool contest, which they have re-posted as part of their "Best of 2009" highlights.

Last March, the design blog invited readers to submit photos of their small spaces in five categories: "Teeny-Tiny," (300 square feet and under), "Tiny," (no less than 300 square feet but no bigger than 600 square feet), "Little," (no less than 600 square feet but no bigger than 900 square feet), "Small," (no less than 900 square feet but no bigger than a whopping 1,200 square feet) and "International," (all non-U.S. entries under 1,200 square feet).

The grand-prize winner was a carefully curated 478-square-foot apartment in San Francisco. (Lack of wall space has not, you'll see, crimped their picture-hanging style.)

While there were no local winners, I do love the open kitchen, dining and living room, pictured above and at right, in this 1,200 square foot Los Angeles competitor. The couple tore down two walls that enclosed the kitchen to make the small space feel much larger.

To look at all the entries, click here.

-- Lisa Boone

Photo credits: Al Quattrocchi

Comments

[mimi]

The 1200-sq.ft. apt. shown in the photos is very attractive, but as a landlord, I get a little nervous when I read that "the couple tore down two walls", etc. etc. Generally, apartments are occupied by tenants -- i.e. RENTERS, who do not OWN the property. Along with a signed rental agreement comes the right to "occupy" the apartment, but not the right to take a sledge hammer to the walls! They may hang pictures on the walls, but that's ALL. If an apartment is owner-occupied, it's generally referred to as a condo or a co-op. How in the world can a renter "tear down two walls" without incurring the wrath of the landlord, arrest, unpleasant appearance in court, enormous fine and eviction! My tenants know to call me if any changes need to be made, even a new faucet or a towel bar. The one tenant who installed a baby gate, which his powerful little kid tore off the walls along with part of the wall -- paid plenty for damages, after I asked them to move. If tenants were not taught the difference between "mine and thine" by their mommies, I teach them before they move in, and if they don't get it, they won't be able to stay. This is called good management.

[Belinda Gomez]

Why is the Los Angeles Times reporting on a blog's contest? Why aren't you writing original content?

[mimi]

This apartment looks very attractive, but I assume it's rented. If it is rented, how can the tenant get away with "tearing down two walls"? In the buildings I own, such an action would be grounds for eviction and more. It's not nice to mess with other people's real estate!

[Janet Quattrocchi]

Two Comments: (1) This is not a apartment, it's actually a house. We own the house and got permits plus a structural engineer was involved. (2) Photo credit should go to Al Quattrocchi, the owner and my husband who took the photos of our house. Thanks.