Staff Pick
In Apartment Therapy's Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan (cofounder of the astronomically popular Apartment Therapy blog network) showcases homes that are sure to inspire even the most skeptical small-space dweller. What these spaces lack in square footage, they make up for in creativity, charm, and ingenuity (check out the "under-bed kitchen" on page 64). Detailed room studies, full-color photographs, and a comprehensive resource directory make this an invaluable resource for any small-home owner or apartment dweller looking to make over their digs. If small space is cramping your style, you need this book. Recommended By Tove H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Whether you inhabit a studio or a sprawling house with one challenging space, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, co-founder of the most popular interior design website, Apartment Therapy, will help you transform tiny into totally fabulous.
According to Maxwell, size constraints can actually unlock your design creativity and allow you to focus on what’s essential. In this vibrant book, he shares forty small, cool spaces that will change your thinking forever.
These apartments and houses demonstrate hundreds of inventive solutions for creating more space in your home, and for making it more comfortable. Leading us through entrances, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms, bedrooms, home offices, and kids’ rooms, Apartment Therapy's Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces is brimming with ingenious tips and ideas, such as:
·Shifting the sense of scale through contrasting colors
·Adding airiness by using transparent collections
·Utilizing the area under a loft bed for a kitchen and mini-bar
·Tucking an office with chic vintage doors into an unused bedroom corner
In each dwelling Maxwell points out what makes the layout work and what adds style. Most of the "therapy" involves minor tweaks that can be accomplished on a limited budget, such as dividing a room with sheer curtains, turning a door into a desk, or disguising electrical boxes with art displays. An extensive resource guide, including Maxwell's favorite websites for buying desks, open storage solutions, and much more, will help you turn even the tiniest residence into a place you are always happy to come home to.
About the Author
Part interior designer, part life coach, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan is the cofounder of the Apartment Therapy blog network — which gets 3 million unique visitors per month. Frequently quoted in the shelter and mainstream press, Maxwell has been called a "Makeover Guru" by the New York Times. He is the author of Apartment Therapy and Apartment Therapy Presents.