Anna Ottum - My Small Space

Acknowledgments

These photos began as a collaboration with the team at Urban Outfitters Home. Many of the apartments and dorms in this book feature the brilliance of their art direction and stylingespecially that of John Murphy, Jenna Yankun, and Kelsi Windmiller. Their vision enhanced the existing personal style of each subjects home, highlighting their individuality. Thank you for asking me to collaborate with you. My thanks also go to Urbans former book buyer, Sara Neville, who conceptualized this project with my editor, Angelin Borsics. We all wanted to create an inspiring design book featuring unique subjects who found creative solutions within smaller spaces.

I want to thank everyone who opened their doors to me: Adrienne Raquel, Alayna Giovannitti, Alexis Jesup, Arpana Rayamjhi, Casey Zhang, Elise Peterson, Emilia + Amanda, Haley Stark, Ian Durkin, Kiersten Marian, Louise Hayat-Camard, Marcus Lloyd, Michael Clarke, Michael Hogan, Myles Loftin, Paloma Gil, Rel Dade, Rachael Yaeger, Rockie Nolan, Ryan Natsis, Spencer Richardson, Tanisha Pina, Tess Orgasan, Timothy Mahoney, and Viktoria Dahlberg.

This book would not be possible without the help of my writer, Chloe Lieske, who brought her expertise in the subject of interior design to each photograph. Many thanks as well to my editor, Andrea Bussell, for her discerning eye and her patience.

A warm thanks to the team at Clarkson Potter for asking me to take part in this project and to Angelin Borsics for leading the way. Thank you to designer Ian Dingman; production manager Heather Williamson; production editor Terry Deal; and managing editor Aislinn Belton.

And thank you to my father, who always lent a helping hand when I was rearranging furniture for the third time that month or asking to repaint my bedroom for the second time that year. I inherited my dedication to photography and design from him.

Resources

Accessories. Its nice to collect objects and decorative accessories over time. Look for unique items when you travel or things that have special meaning.

Antiques. There are good deals at local charity shops, Craigslist, and online auctions like eBay and LiveAuctioneers. If you find something you love thats not local, uShip will let you list items so drivers can bid on the delivery cost.

Art. 20x200, Society 6, Art.com, and Saatchi Art all offer affordable prints. If you want something framed, note standard sizes as custom frames can be quite expensive.

Bedding. Thread counts can be deceiving. Make sure sheets are woven from a quality, breathable material like pima cotton or linen and check whether theyre single- or double-ply.

Furniture. Vintage pieces tend to be more affordable (and sustainable)or get creative and build something simple: sawhorses and a piece of plywood for a table or stacking boxes for shelves and side tables.

Paint. Most hardware stores carry at least one major brand like Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams. Paints have strong odors and can release low-level toxins. Consider low-VOC and eco-friendly options.

Plants. Hardware stores and local nurseries are good places to start. Online shops like Bloomscape and The Sill will deliver houseplants straight to your door.

Rugs. Look at home goods stores like West Elm, Crate & Barrel, Urban Outfitters, and IKEA for affordable options.

Window Treatments. Curtains can be made simply by attaching clip rings to a loose piece of fabric. Home improvement stores like Home Depot carry some affordable blind and shade options.

Communal

When youre just starting out, living with roommates is an obvious choice. Not only will you have built-in buddies and help with the cleaning, but youll also be able to pool your money for a better place than you would get on just one income, especially in cities where salaries dont rise as fast as the rents. Despite the challenges of learning to work with a housemates quirks and pet peeves, many people love the sense of community that co-living creates. Whether youre looking with friends, a significant other, a sibling, or strangers, sharing a space means finding common ground.

Planning

Pick Your Partners Carefully.

Good friends dont always make good roommates, and good roommates dont always make good friends. Someone whos fun to hang out with might not be the most conscientious housemate and vice versa. Consider how much time you each spend at home and how often it will overlap. Do you like having people over? Will someone be using the living room as a home office?

If you decide not to live with friends, always ask people you trust for recommendations as well as looking at listings online. You never know who has a spare room or knows of one thats opening up. And meet any potential candidates in person. Even if youve done your due diligence, compatibility can be hard to gauge over text or emailultimately, go with your gut.

Connect over common interests. Its easy to bond when you have similar tastes or hobbies, like a love of musicespecially if youre both homebodies. Bonus: merging your things in the common spaces will be easier.

Come together. You might get lucky and double your living rooms record collection or expand your library. Even if your belongings dont totally mesh, know that contrast in design is a good thing. Highlightrather than hideyour differences and unique interests.

ASK A

ROOMMATE FINDER

Ajay Yadav, Roomi, the roommate referral app

How does Roomi ensure that people find good roommates? Our vision is to create a community for shared living so that your house always feels like a home. Our app allows users the options of background checks, full ID verification, in-app messaging, and secure rent payments to help build safety and trust. We take the search very seriously and match people based on compatibility: Are you a night owl or an early riser? A party animal or a gym rat?

When is the right time to start looking for a roommate? Even though the search process (from signing up to booking a room) usually lasts about ten days, we recommend talking to potential roommates even earlier so youre not waiting until the last minute to make a decision.

Any advice for someone who is looking for a roommate for the first time? Focus more on finding the right person than finding the right place. Everyone has a specific budget in mind and once you narrow down where you can afford to live, you should spend most of your time and energy looking for the right roommate. Your first experience living with someone else will set the tone for future setups.