He Said, She Said Newlyweds Penny Starr and Terry Ridgeway just purchased a 492-square-foot single apartment in an historical building, their first home together. Their problem is how to make a small space suitable for one into a cozy home suitable for two, with enough storage for all of their things and a distinctive sense of style.
Penny likes modern, clean lines and lots of color, while Terry prefers antiques and terra-cotta color on the walls. Michael Payne arrives and tours the apartment with the couple, reviewing their space issues...Should they use the small nook off the main room as an office or a bedroom? Should they keep or remove the marble installed by the previous owner? What should they do with the floor when they remove the old , dingy carpeting? How should they deal with the color issue? Michael Payne has his work cut out for him.
Shopping for Solutions
Michael Payne draws a plan that optimizes the couple's small space, creating a foyer by designing a small wall by the entry, which also allows for a hanging wall storage unit. Since Terry is a tall man and won't fit into the small nook for sleeping , Payne designs an office area in the nook instead to house the couple's computers .
As construction work begins, Payne takes Penny and Terry shopping for paint to create a palette for the apartment. They use terra cotta as a starting point. Payne then introduces some yellows into the palette, and both Penny and Terry love the combination.
(Note: Paint colors used in this project were pale yellow - Benjamin Moore #180, dark yellow - Benjamin Moore # 182, terra cotta red - Benjamin Moore #034, pale green - Benjamin Moore #HC15, dark green - Benjamin Moore #HC16, blue - Benjamin Moore #HC137.)
Next stop: Pottery Barn for furniture. First, they look for dining chairs. After vetoing a few options, they settle on a sleek, modern wicker chair in a warm, deep brown color that Terry likes but in modern styling that suits Penny's taste. Then Payne shows the couple what he had in mind for a coffee table and side tables--beautiful wooden chests that will not only serve as tables but will provide needed storage as well, something these two truly need in their small space.
A Happy Ending
Payne arrives to see Penny and Terry's finished project and what a transformation . What was once a tiny, cramped space is now a spacious, elegant and cozy home. With the marble removed, the couple's space increased greatly, allowing for a cozy living area complete with a stylish sofa bed and loveseat. Payne's idea to polish the concrete floor gave the room a sleek, modern feel, but the rug gives it warmth and color, satisfying both Penny and Terry's tastes. The shelving unit hanging on the wall is a perfect, stylish storage solution, and all of the colors that were chosen--with the addition of a few more accent shades--give Penny the colorful spark she wished for. This all adds up to a truly unique and elegant look. The dining chairs work beautifully with an unusual antique table--again, a perfect compromise of the couple's tastes . The computer room provides functional, funky extra added space. The couple sit with Payne on their lovely new sofas and enjoy the space together.
Cairo chest, coffee and side table (discontinued from Pottery Barn)
wool runner, rattan chairs (Pottery Barn)
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