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December 3, 2008
Looking for Railroad apartment inspiration
I'm in a 700sqft Railroad-style layout apartment. I'm lookign on some inspiration on the layout. Does anyone know of a book/website/ anywhere I can turn to look how other people have theirs configured?
Comments
You could try a web search of shotgun houses. Not exactly the same thing but narrow and long. Also, there are some nice books out there on small houses or small space living. I have one that has all these Japanese houses - very tiny, very clever.
Many brownstones are laid out railroad style, too. try looking at the NY Time RE onlince. Folks have done some nice things in Harlem, especially.
Are you true railroad or more barbell? If you can see down the length of the place, I'd suggest using a tall skinny mirror at one end. I have that at my place, which is a brownstone floor through, and like it very much.
Are you renovating from scratch or just looking for decorating ideas?
Posted by: Bessie at December 3, 2008 5:24 PM
Thanks for your tips Bessie.
It is a true pre-war Railroad, where you can look from the from the bedroom straight past the living room, office (or babies room), right into the kitchen. to enlargen the feel of the space, the mirror on one end won't work. We have bay windows on one end, and a door to the garden in the back. (lots of light in the place)
Not a complete renovation, just looking for ideas/inspiration - how others do in a space like that.
We're adding on to the family so scratching out distinct separate quarters without the use of doors etc. is of interest and increased urgency.
I'll have a look through some small living quaters books for now.
Thanks again for your help.
Posted by: lambretta at December 4, 2008 8:03 AM
Take a look at this site. It has multiple layers of links and photos throughout, including other sites with additional info:
http://www.furniture-for-small-spaces.com/
http://www.furniture-for-small-spaces.com/furniture-arrangement-for-long-narrow-rooms.html
Posted by: vinca at December 4, 2008 8:42 AM
You might try Apartment Therapy's website - they might have something on this.
Posted by: cobblehiller at December 4, 2008 9:19 AM
don't mock me, but i've seen people use little green circular carpets as lily pads that go down the length of the apartment in railroads. i doubt it work in most places but the one place i saw it looked fun. (fyi there is nothing more fun than playing strip leapfrog at a party in a railroad apt)!
*rob*
Posted by: PitbullNYC at December 4, 2008 9:30 AM
try apartmenttherapy.com for ideas galore.
Posted by: azul at December 4, 2008 1:12 PM
These types of apartments used to have doors, closets, built-ins, etc., and it's too bad most of them don't any more. I find doors between rooms highly useful.
You can try screens, drapes, bookshelves, and such to divide space. In an apartment where the door opened directly into the combined kitchen/LR/DR, I have seen a West Elm-type modern see-through-on-both-sides (backless) bookcase used to great effect to divide the kitchen and entry from the other side of the room.
In fact, this touch transformed the apartment from horrible to adorable.
I also highly recommend apartmenttherapy.com and both spin-off books.
Posted by: mopar at December 4, 2008 1:39 PM
I love those railroad apartments. They are so much fun.
Posted by: troll at December 4, 2008 3:31 PM
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