DECOR GARDEN TRAVEL OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2011 Small Space, Big StyleMaking the Most of Your Square Footage
40 HOME BY DESIGN OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2011
Modern and period, fine art and objets d art marry happily in Lichtman s tiny New York City apartment. The decorative box on the coffee table doubles as storage for coasters and the television remote, while the Arts and Crafts style rug brings color and pattern to the otherwise quiet scene. Small Is Beautiful Interior Designer Keith Lichtman Overcomes Tiny Room Sizes in the Design of His Own Apartment WRITTEN BY CATRIONA TUDOR ERLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEREK DAVIS In the capable hands of New York City based interior designer Keith Lichtman, small is beautiful. He has transformed a 750-square-foot New York City apartment into a showplace that functions superbly as living space, and feels much bigger than it really is. The place also reflects Lichtman s trademark technique of combining vintage pieces with modern, creating a stimulating, eclectic mix. In the spirit of full disclosure, Lichtman admits that the apartment is his own. I had carte blanche, he says. For other clients I am always keeping their aesthetic in mind. For this project I had only myself to please. He was fortunate to start with a unit that had good bones and plenty of architectural interest. Built in the 1920s, it has nine-and-a-half-foot ceilings, chunky doorway arches with echoes of Moorish design, plenty of windows, and picture rail moldings. But the space is small. Very small. Lichtman rose to the challenge, working his magic. As one enters the apartment, the first experience is the minuscule foyer (only five by six), where textured grass cloth on the walls echoes the rosy colors of the painting over the vintage sideboard that can be seen through the arched doorway. HOME BY DESIGN OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2011 41
THIS PAGE: Neutral tones are enlivened by the turquoise throw pillows in this narrow bedroom. The curtain behind the bed squares an awkwardly angled wall and gives a soft background to set off the dramatic iron canopy bed. OPPOSITE: A vintage sideboard works well with a modern painting hung above it. This framed view leads visitors into the great room, a fourteen-by-nineteen-foot space that serves as both the living and dining rooms. Area rugs define the two spaces: a tinted cowhide under the dining table that has a spilt paint or amoebic shape, and a rectangular, art nouveau style rug that fills the living room area.the walls are a golden mustard color that glows at night, adding warmth and light to the room. A castle mirror that hangs in the dining space is framed in wood that picks up the tint of the cowhide. Its reflective quality adds to the light and sense of space. In keeping with Lichtman s penchant for mixing old and new, the dining room chairs are modern and masculine with strikingly bowed legs that contrast with the vintage sideboard. In the living room area, the coffee table is made by the Amish from reclaimed barn wood stained sable. Disparate decorative items a single, formal alabaster candelabrum; a lacquered box that holds the television remote and drink coasters; and an oriental sculpture live together harmoniously on top of the coffee table, while the wall behind it displays a tiered spear sculpture that echoes the nearby curtain rail. The mix of abstract and representational art, modern and antique, formal and humble, work together in a delicious tension. I hate for 42 HOME BY DESIGN OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2011
everything to look like it s all purchased from the same store, Lichtman says. The bedroom is, as Lichtman put it, a shoebox room. The long, narrow space (ten-and-a-half feet by eighteen feet) would daunt many a designer.to make matters worse, one of the short walls isn t straight; it angles back by six inches and has a window that looks onto a nearby brick wall. Lichtman solved the problem of the angled wall by hanging a neutral-colored wall-to-wall curtain that squares off that end of the room. Hung with soft folds from a hospital-style curtain track mounted onto the ceiling, it covers the ugly window and adds a softening, textured background to the bed and bedside tables. To use the length of the room effectively, Lichtman visually and functionally divided it into two. A seating area with a large armoire designed by Lichtman is at one end. A cowhide rug defines the sitting space and overlaps the wool and chenille black and gray low-pile rug at the other end, tying together the two areas. On the wall opposite the armoire is an iron canopy bed that Lichtman found in Florida. It cost more to ship than to buy, he quipped. But it was worth it. It balances the size of the armoire and makes the room feel grand; Lichtman left the bed bare of the expected canopy fabric. It makes me feel enveloped, but it s still airy, he says. Narrow, deep bedside tables with silver leaf painted on the legs flank the bed.they provide additional storage space without taking up a lot of room. To keep with the masculine, tailored look, and to contrast with the soft folds of the wall curtain, Lichtman opted for Roman shades on the remaining bedroom windows.the bedroom palette is neutral with splashes of color and metallic highlights.the painting next to the bed is gold and silver; there is a Moroccan leather pillow with metallic accents; and, as a touch of whimsy, a metal dog called Stay sits under the window beside the armchair. Metal finishes add good sparkle to a room, Lichtman advises, adding, They give life and reflective qualities to any space. Through the use of color, mirrors, creative storage, furniture in pleasing scale, and the right balance of art and objets d art, Lichtman successfully overcame the challenge of making a tiny apartment livable and lovely. As he put it, In a small space you want to notice that it s beautiful before you notice that it s small. Managing a Small Space 1 Stay away from white, especially if there is a low ceiling. It s a fallacy to think that white will lighten and enlarge a small, dark space. It will make a space look sterile and clinical. Instead, create a jewel-box feeling with the warmth and atmosphere of color. 2 Use mirrors. They double the light and sense of space. A beautiful mirror is also a piece of art. 3 Don t fill a space with lots of small items. They create clutter and draw energy. Choose fewer larger accessories rather than a collection of knickknacks. The goal is to make a statement and to saturate the room with drama. 4 Just because a room is small doesn t mean all the furniture has to be small. Scale is defined as size relative to space, and carefully chosen large pieces of furniture can play well. HOME BY DESIGN OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2011 43