copycatchic

Luxe Living for Less

Home Tour

| Ron Marvin – One of My Design Idols |

Have I told you guys that I am a small space stalker? If you didn’t realize my obsession from my Kelly G post, this one will open your eyes 😉 I recently ran across this Small Spaces blog post on the Alkemie Blog. I love this little studio space. In fact it reminded me of one of my all time favorite San Francisco apartments featured in Metropolitan Home. I have this in my library of tear sheets safely tucked away.


The article was about a small jewel-box of an apartment in which the owner furnished everything (EVERYTHING) in the studio for under $100. From street finds to sample sales, he outfitted his gorgeous SF space to look just scrumptious. Now just to let you know, this article was published in January of 2001. That’s right 2001!

Fast forward to Alkemie’s Blog post…now tell me you don’t see some similarities. Well, I did. I thought to myself, now this has to be the updated (8 year later) version of my favorite little SF apartment. But no! This apartment is in New York, and in fact was a Semifinalist in Apartment Therapy’s Smallest Coolest Apartment Contest.


I did a little research and guess what I found? It’s the same Owner/Designer: Ron Marvin. Ron Marvin’s two apartments have been featured in Metropolitan Home three different times as well as being on a couple of HGTV shows: Decorating Cents and Small Space, Big Style. I just love this guy’s style. It’s timeless yet updated. I love his use of white and neutrals, it’s calm yet playful at the same time. I wish he still lived in San Francisco so he could come make a little house call 😉

Visit his website: www.ronmarvin.com for more eye candy and videos!

| Kelly G Design |

Does everyone remember the Small Spaces Big Style post I did? Well it’s time for update! Kelly Geisen actually contacted me and it turns out she has done a new, bigger and better apartment. It’s in the same building as her last studio…just down the hall actually.

You can tell just how much effort was put into each and every detail and it all goes together so well. I love the glam of it all. Here are a few pictures from her website, www.kellyg-design.com as well as description of some of Kelly’s favorite details (Visit her website to see more!)

The newer space as I had so much more to work with in terms of creating little rooms. I went a little more modern in this space with vintage 60’s lighting. The LR chandelier is a sputnik Metropolitan Opera fixture- absolutely love it. The bones are still very traditional. There are 12 8 1/2 foot vintage doors in the apartment which give the space character, a ton of molding throughout and lots of old Venetian etched mirrors.


Some highlights: the kitchen is wonderful as all appliances are paneled and under the counter or behind mirrored doors on the upper cabinets. I wanted a butler’s pantry look. It is great for entertaining and the long counter is rare in NYC. The very large arched mirrored door opens to an 8 1/2 inch pantry which seems small but 10 feet up – it holds a ton. The BR wallpaper design is made from thousands of tiny glass reflective beads. The mantles provide a focal point to the LR/BR and house my flat screens which are at eye level when seated.

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