A nice contrast to our metal rocker -- a wooden chair we picked up at the cattle sale (aka flea market). Look at those leaves out our windows, oh yes, they are changing colors.

When we first moved to New York, we tossed a good portion of our furniture due to space issues and because we were ready to move on from it. Now that we actually have space again we're able to buy a few new pieces! We're still in the process of finding a new sofa -- we've been stuck with the same uncomfortable futon because it's the only thing that ever fits in the unique places we in live but...ooohh so soon, we'll find the perfect loveseat to replace it. 

Here is the new rocking chair we just got from Modernica...love it. 

This pair of vintage stools we found at the Brooklyn Flea to go with our kitchen island.

This basement conversion into a tiny house is amazing. Sign me up.

Now this is a REAL kitchen nook -- sign me up for this space, please.

(via ikea live)

I definitely don't see us having a library in our home anytime soon but we recently signed a lease (yay!) and will be moving to a brownstone in Brooklyn next month and I've already started grabbing photos for inspiration. I'd love to have built-ins like the photo below -- having all of our books, records, and notebooks in a central location.

(image found here)

As I've been keeping up with the Small Cool Contest (there are some awesome teeny-tiny apartments out there giving us a run for our  money), I can't help but gush over a few slightly larger homes I wouldn't hesitate to move in to.

 (both photos found over on apartment therapy)

I decided to embrace our 300 sq. ft. and enter our humble abode into the Apartment Therapy: Small, Cool 2010 Contest. Although our space lacks our favorite antique furniture pieces and quirky knick-knacks (all in storage back in NC until we upsize) I thought it might interesting to some, to see how you do it ... cram a couple with their pup into an alcove studio.

At times the walls definitely close in -- and at other times it catches up with you how much you love this person you're sharing a tiny home with. Believe it or not, we keep a tidy home most of the time, notice the word most. And yes, it's a bit overkill with ikea -- but there's no better place to find affordable, space saving solutions.

Any-who, feel free to give us a thumbs up if you like our space. This summer we're planning on moving into at least a one bedroom (anyone know any good, affordable new york spaces coming available, hit me up) but for now we're living peacefully (minus the east village horns and sirens) in our teeny-tiny space.

This looks like the perfect sewing table -- sturdy enough so that nothing rattles, yet still awesome.

See more of Amanda's studio space here.